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DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Webb City, CJ advance to district finals matchup; Seneca tops Nevada in five sets; Diamond beats Lamar

WEBB CITY AND CARL JUNCTION TO FACE FOR DISTRICT TITLE

WILLARD, Mo. — Familiar foes will once again meet for a district championship. 

Top-seeded Webb City defeated fourth-seeded Glendale 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-14) and second-seeded Carl Junction beat third-seeded Branson 3-0 (25-11, 25-14, 25-18) in the semifinals of the Class 4 District 6 volleyball tournament on Monday night at Willard High School.

The Cardinals (30-4-2) and Bulldogs (22-10-2) will square off at 6 p.m. on Tuesday for the district championship.

It’s the fourth straight season the Cardinals and Bulldogs have met for a district title.

Webb City won last year’s meeting and the matchup in 2019, while Carl Junction won the clash in ’20.  

In Monday’s straight set win over the Falcons, Webb City’s Aubree Lassiter recorded 10 kills, nine digs, four aces and two blocks, while Kate Brownfield added nine kills and eight digs.

Jaeli Rutledge contributed nine kills and three blocks, while Brenda Lawrence added seven kills and five digs.

Webb City setter Kyah Sanborn had 29 assists and 13 digs, while Sophia Crane recorded a team-high 25 digs from the libero position. Jenna Noel contributed eight digs, while Kirra Long chipped in two kills. 

With Monday’s win, Carl Junction advanced to a district title match for the seventh straight season. 

Kylie Scott finished with 13 kills and seven digs for the Bulldogs, while Destiny Buerge had 12 kills, 12 digs and two blocks. Lo Jones added 32 assists, seven digs and two blocks. Jocelyn Brown finished with 11 digs, while Sara Buchele had four aces and Adia Kennedy closed with three blocks.

 

SENECA SURVIVES AGAINST NEVADA IN SEMIFINALS

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — It was a true back-and-forth match with Seneca surviving against Nevadan 25-21, 23-25, 25-16, 15-25 and 15-7 in the Class 3 District 12 semifinal action on Monday.

With the win, the second-seeded Indians (16-9-1) advance to the district championship with a matchup against the host and fourth seed, Mount Vernon (17-13-2) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

Parker Long had 16 kills, 12 digs and four aces, while Brylee Sage finished with 33 assists and two aces to lead Seneca. Jera Jameson added nine kills and five blocks, with Braxton Raulston adding 11 digs and eight kills. Tatum White finished with 10 kills and two aces, while Ella Graham closed with 11 digs.

 

DIAMOND TOPS LAMAR FOR DISTRICT TITLE

GRANBY, Mo. — Second-seeded Diamond rallied from a two-set deficit and knocked off top-seeded Lamar 3-2 in the championship match of the Class 2 District 11 tournament on Monday at East Newton High School.

The Wildcats beat the Tigers 13-25, 22-25, 26-24, 25-9, 15-10.

Diamond (23-9-4) will meet either Fair Grove or El Dorado Springs on Thursday in the quarterfinals. 

 

  

 

BOYS SOCCER: Joplin blanks Parkview on Senior Night

The Joplin Eagles scored three goals in the first half and five in the second to earn an 8-0 win Monday night over the visiting Parkview Vikings during the Eagles’ home finale.

Joplin senior Luis Alvarado passes upfield in the Eagles’ win over Parkview on Friday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Five different Eagles scored goals and three players finished with two each; seniors Luis Cordova, Luciano Reyes, and Adam Montanez scored twice each, and sophomore Adam Badr and senior Grayden Cravens had one goal each, while senior goalkeeper Andrew Jordan finished with a shutout.

“Our goal this year is to be an efficient and deadly team in the final third,” Joplin coach Josh Thompson said. “I think whenever you have this many guys who are able to finish in the box, good things happen. We’re able to spread the ball around, and the stats are indicative of that.”

The teams played in steady rain for nearly 60 minutes of the match and the Eagles netted half their goals after the rain had slowed down.

“Not this season, but we’ve got 11 seniors out here that every year we’ve had at least two games that are in this type of weather or worse,” Thompson said. “That’s one of the advantages of having an experienced squad. They’ve been out here on this field in these conditions, but in 33- or 32-degree weather right on the line so they’re ready for it.”

Joplin honored their seniors before the match Monday.

Joplin senior Adam Montanez fights for possession during the Eagles’ win over Parkview on Monday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

“They were my first group being a head coach with these guys,” Thompson said. “Being able to grow as a head coach along with them as players out here, it’s been a tremendous experience. I’ve known a lot of these guys since they were in middle school, and it’s just been a fun ride. This is the type of team coaches wait a long time for and it doesn’t happen often.”

The Eagles improved to 15-6 overall entering their regular-season finale Tuesday on the road against Central Ozark Conference opponent Branson.

“We have Branson at Branson tomorrow, then we’ll head up to Lee’s Summit and play Lee’s Summit West on Saturday,” Thompson said.

Joplin senior Justin Kilafwa steals a pass during the Eagles’ win over Parkview on Monday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

With a win Tuesday, the Eagles can match their 16 wins from last season.

The Eagles are the sixth seed in a Class 4 District 6 field with six teams that have a winning record (top seed Rockhurst, No. 2 Lee’s Summit, No. 3 Lee’s Summit West, No. 4 Raymore-Peculiar, and No. 5 Carthage in addition to the Eagles).

“Looking at some of the other districts, I think from top to bottom we are certainly the hardest one or one of the hardest ones,” Thompson said. “There’s no easy way through this bracket.”

The Eagles are in pursuit of their first district title in boys soccer since 2018, when they won a pair of 3-2 matches against Republic and Springfield Central to come away with the Class 4 District 11 title.