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Month: October 2022

CROSS COUNTRY: Lamar boys, Cassville girls win Big 8 titles

Posted on by Jason Peake

AURORA, Mo. — Lamar’s boys and Cassville’s girls claimed team championships at the Big 8 Conference Cross Country Meet on Tuesday at Aurora High School. 

The Lamar boys, who had five runners finish in the top 25, had 61 points. Cassville (93) and East Newton (112) were the second and third place teams.

East Newton’s Chase Sorrell was the individual medalist in the boys race with a time of 15:38.

Rounding out the top five were Monett’s Julio Cruz (16:23), Cassville’s Caleb Leach (16:34), Marshfield’s Zach Mitchell (16:44) and Lamar’s Cameron Bailey (16:59).

Finishing sixth through 10th were Lamar’s Blaine Breshears, Monett’s Victor Salas, McDonald County’s Hunter Leach and East Newton’s duo of Isaac Bales and Nicholas Shaeffer.

Monett’s Kash Adams took 11th, while Lamar’s Quintin Webb, Pierce Heins and Ethan Bohmke and Mac County’s Lane Pratt rounded out the top 15.

The top four girls teams were Cassville (52), East Newton (76), Rogersville (79) and Nevada (82).

Lamar’s Kiersten Potter was the individual conference champion with a time of 19:02.

Cassville’s Jolie Evans was the runner-up in 19:58 and East Newton’s Alonna Eytcheson was third in 20:08.

Nevada’s Avery Morris took fourth and Cassville’s Dakotah Anderson was fifth.

Finishing sixth through 10th were East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard, Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons, Nevada’s Allie Rains, East Newton’s Gracie Johnson and Rogersville’s Aisley James.

Lamar’s Abigail Diggs finished 11th, Rogersville’s Grace Johnson was 12th, Monett’s duo of Mary Jastal and Sadie Camp placed 13th and 14th and Cassville’s Tori Mitchell was 15th. 

Aurora’s Drew Mayes took 16th and McDonald County’s Kate Cheney was 17th.

Seneca’s top performer was Dalisia Reed, who finished 29th.

 

FULL RESULTS: https://mo.milesplit.com/meets/497346-big-8-cross-country-meet-2022/results#.Y1BwjNfMJD8

 

GIRLS GOLF: Nevada’s Cameron edged for Class 2 crown

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Emree Cameron was on the precipice of a monumental achievement.

A Nevada High School sophomore, the 15-year-old Cameron concluded with a runner-up finish at the MSHSAA Class 2 Girls Golf Championships on Tuesday.

With Silo Ridge Golf Club serving as the backdrop for the marquee two-day event, Cameron dazzled with a sparkling opening-round performance on Monday, emerging with a 1-stroke lead over reigning state champ Marlene Edgeman.

A showdown between two of the state’s premier prep golfers heated up an event played in inclement conditions. Monday featured wind-gusts of 25 to 30 miles per hour, followed by temperatures plummeting to near-freezing on Tuesday.

Despite the hard overnight freeze, on Tuesday, the links were otherwise in perfect playing condition. It was familiar terrain for Cameron, as one of her five first-place finishes on the season came at Silo Ridge.

“It’s a really well laid-out course,” Cameron told SoMo Sports. “It was a good choice for the state tournament.”

Emree Cameron finished second at the Class 2 state tournament on Tuesday in Bolivar.

FINAL ROUND

Cameron came out scorching on day two, stretching her advantage to three strokes after dropping in birdies on two of the first three holes.

Cameron missed an opportunity to widen her lead to four, bogeying the par-5 fifth hole, while Edgeman knocked in a birdie to slice her deficit to two.

“That was definitely one of the turning points,” said Nevada coach Brian Leonard.

Edgeman, a Marshfield junior, later recaptured the lead with a dramatic eagle from 138 yards out on the par-4 13th. Cameron followed with a bogie, as the stunning turn of events catapulted Edgeman to a two-stroke advantage.

“I was flustered after her shot rolled in for eagle. That made her very confident,” Cameron said. “She stayed strong and I couldn’t catch her.”

Edgeman left the door slightly ajar with a bogey on the par-3 17th. Cameron was unable to capitalize, also bogeying. With a par on the 18th, Edgeman sealed the victory.

“I’m happy with the second-place finish, but not satisfied,” Cameron said.

After the dust settled, Edgeman had successfully defended her crown with a two-day total of 144, shooting an even-par 72 on both days. Cameron fired an opening-round 1-under-71, followed by a 3-over-par 75 to close out with a 146.  

Leonard said Cameron should have been more conservative with her putting on day two, as Edgeman was closing the gap.

“She ran a few of her putts four or five feet past the hole,” Leonard said, which included the game-altering 13th green, as well as hole No. 9. “The way they were (both) playing, all Emree needed was pars right then.”

Nevada’s Emree Cameron poses with coach Brian Leonard at the conclusion of the Class 2 state tournament in Bolivar. Courtesy photos.

Despite the setbacks, Leonard said he instructed Cameron to just play her game.

“Don’t let anyone else’s game influence you. Just let it go and play your game,” Leonard said of the pep talk.

While Cameron is a certified star at the high school level, Leonard said she still needs to work on her mental approach.

“She was (resigned) to second-place, and said ‘I’m not going to win this,'” Leonard recounted after Edgeman’s eagle. “I told her ‘Just stop right now, we still have several (holes) left — so just calm down.’ It’s the mental side of the game. She has to learn to control those feelings, and I think that’s going to come to her.”

 

OPENING ROUND

Cameron rolled in birdies on three of the first four holes to open the tournament, en route to the only under-par round of the tournament. 

Leonard called it the best overall round of any competitor at the event. Cameron’s efforts included 10 pars and five birdies — while grappling with heavy wind gusts.

“I was feeling good,” Cameron said. “Marlene also had a good round and stayed close.”

Cameron was particularly potent with her putter.

“Like, 12-feet in or out, I was all around the hole,” she said. “I just play my game and hope for the best.”

Cameron said putting is the area that she made the biggest stride in during her sophomore campaign, attributing that to hard work during the summer months.

“I was sinking a lot of putts on the first day,” she said. “However, on the second day, I didn’t get too lucky.”

In addition to golf, Emree Cameron competes in CrossFit.

 

OFF-SEASON TRAINING

Cameron’s focus will now turn to CrossFit training. CrossFit is high-intensity functional fitness and interval training that incorporates elements from several sports, and types of exercises. Cameron is gearing up for a showcase CrossFit event next spring in Columbia. She said the training regimen translates to success on the links.

“It helps build my endurance,” she said. “Golf’s not my only thing — I also have CrossFit.”

Cameron typically takes a complete hiatus from golf for a six-week period over the winter months, focusing exclusively on her training program.

“It gives her a way to compete at something else other than swinging a golf club. It’s a little bit of an outlet,” said Cameron’s father, Eric. “She’s an athlete and has that competitive itch.”

Upon returning from her break, Cameron plans to compete in multiple events via the American Junior Golf Association.

 

UP IN THE AIR

While Cameron still has her junior and senior seasons remaining to earn the coveted state crown, it’s possible that it may never happen due to her availability. 

Missouri State High School Activities Association rules stipulate that high school golfers can only compete in a maximum of two non-MSHSAA events.

Emree Cameron looks over the course at the state golf tourney.

As a freshman a season ago, Cameron’s opportunities for outside tour events were limited for the first time.

“We feel like last year when she played high school golf her game regressed a little bit,” Eric said, “because it took away her normal training routine for her national tournaments.”

Cameron finished her freshman season with a fourth-place state tournament showing.

“We didn’t know whether she would play high school golf going into the season,” Eric said. “It was a tough decision to make.”

To off-set the imbalance, Cameron set a goal to double her practice workload from that of her actual high school practice schedule.

“And I feel like her game did not regress this year like it did last year. She was pretty strong all the way through,” Eric said.

Cameron will not make a decision on her junior-season playing-status until next summer.

“MSHSAA only allows you to play two events during the season, and you just never know what opportunities might be out there,” Eric said.

Leonard, who has been at the helm of NHS golf program for nearly two decades, said that in just two seasons Cameron has become the top girls golfer in the history of the school.

“She’s very mature on the golf course, but is still a very young person in life,” Leonard said.

The only question remaining is whether or not Cameron will square off for a rematch with Edgeman at the 2023 state tournament. 

 

Editor’s note: Matt Resnick is a reporter for the Chanute Tribune. He can be reached at matt@chanute.com.

 

 

VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: CJ sweeps Willard; McAuley, Senenca and TJ fall

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARL JUNCTION SWEEPS WILLARD

WILLARD, Mo. — Carl Junction closed out the regular season with a 25-22, 25-12 and 25-20 road sweep over Willard on Tuesday. 

The win sends the Bulldogs into the postseason with a 20-10-2 record. Kylie Scott had 13 kills, two aces and two blocks, while Destiny Buerge had nine kills and 17 digs for Carl Junction. Lo Jones had 43 assists, five kills and two aces. Karissa Chase closed with 12 kills and two aces, while Jocelyn Brown added 10 digs.

Carl Junction is the second seed in the Class 4 District 6 tournament and will take on seventh-seeded McDonald County at 4 p.m. on Saturday at Willard High School.

 

SENECA FALLS IN FOUR

ROGERSVILLE, Mo. — Seneca fell 25-21, 25-11, 24-26 and 25-11 to Rogersville on Tuesday to wrap up the regular season.

The Indians head into the postseason with a 20-11-1 record and open the Class 3 District 12 tournament as the No. 2 seed. Seneca takes on the winner of third-seeded Nevada and sixth-seeded Monett at 6:15 p.m. on Monday at Mount Vernon High School.

Parker Long had 16 kills and 12 digs, while Jera Jameson had 12 digs and four blocks for Seneca. Brylee Sage added 22 assists, while Ella Graham finished with 10 digs. Braxton Raulson had 10 digs and two aces.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON FALLS TO GOLDEN CITY

Thomas Jefferson was on the wrong end of a 25-17, 25-16 and 25-20 sweep by Golden City on Tuesday.

Mary Nguyen finished with seven digs, five kills and five assists, while Nico Carlson had six higs, five kills, three assists, a block and a kill. Gabbi Hiebert finished with eight kills, five digs and three assists, while Lannah Grigg added 12 digs, six kills, four aces in service and three blocks. Macie Shiffer had four digs, three kills and an assist, with Marley Flanagan finishing with eight digs. Alexis Stamps added nine digs, four assists, an ace and a kill, and Maggie Sutton finished with 12 digs.

Thomas Jefferson is the fifth seed and takes on fourth-seeded Liberal at 5:30 pm. on Friday in the Class 1 District 11 tournament hosted by the Cavaliers.

 

MCAULEY FALLS TO PIERCE CITY

McAuley Catholic was swept by Pierce City 25-19, 25-16 and 25-16 on Tuesday. 

No other information was available.

McAuley is the third seed and takes on sixth-seeded Sheldon at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Class 1 District 11 tournament hosted by Thomas Jefferson.

CROSS COUNTRY: Joplin’s Campbell, Webb City’s Street claim conference titles

Posted on by Jason Peake

NIXA, Mo. — Joplin’s Hobbs Campbell and Webb City’s Abi Street captured medalist honors at the 2022 Central Ozark Conference Cross Country Championships on Tuesday at Inman Intermediate School.

Joplin’s Hobbs Campbell, Webb City’s Evan Stevens and Nixa’s Mason Shank compete during Tuesday’s COC Meet in Nixa. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

BOYS RESULTS

A senior at JHS, Campbell recorded a winning 5K time of 15 minutes, 21 seconds.

Nixa’s Mason Shank was the runner-up with a time of 15:37, while Webb City’s Evan Stevens took third in 15:40.

Joplin’s duo of Ian Horton (15:45) and Chance Tindall (15:56) finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Carthage’s Devin Smith finished 16th in 16:52, Joplin’s Grey Edwards took 17th in 16:53 and Webb City’s Mason Hedger finished 20th in 16:57.

In other notable finishes at the 28th COC Meet, Joplin’s Parker Durham was 21st, Carthage’s trio of Eddy Fuentes, Michael Lanyon and Miguel Solano were 22nd, 23rd and 24th, with teammate Caleb Fewin 26th.

Joplin’s Aidan Koch finished 27th and Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson took 28th. 

Neosho’s top finisher was Gabriel Mabrey, who took 41st.

With five of the top 12 finishers, Nixa won the team title with 39 points.

Joplin, with five runners in the top 21, finished second in the standings with 48 points. 

Carthage was fourth (111) and Webb City was sixth (154).

Webb City’s Abi Street is all alone as she heads to the finish line at the COC Meet on Tuesday in Nixa. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

GIRLS RESULTS

A senior at Webb City, Street toured the course in 18:40 to cruise to a first-place finish.

The runner-up, Republic’s Gracie Troester, finished in 19:00. 

Neosho’s Chloe Wood finished fourth in 19:31, Joplin’s Cylee Gilreath was fifth in 20:00 and Carthage’s Maggie Boyd took sixth in 20:05.

Neosho’s Riley Kemna placed ninth with a time of 20:30, while Webb City’s Brooke Hedger finished 15th in 20:48 and teammate Rachel Miller was 20th in 21:05.

Joplin’s Averi Burks finished 21st, Webb City’s Holly Capron took 23rd and Carthage’s Katy Witherspoon was 24th. 

Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher, Bailey Feken and Alexis Carpenter took 25th, 26th and 27th, while teammate Sadie Burchett was 29th. 

Nixa (63), Ozark (78) and Republic (83) were the top three girls teams.

Finishing fourth through eighth were Webb City (99), Carl Junction (143), Neosho (147), Joplin (147) and Carthage (163).

 

FULL RESULTS: COC XC Championship 2022 – Meet Results (milesplit.com)

 

Pictured is Neosho’s Chloe Wood.

 

Carthage’s Devin Smith (449) is pictured running next to Nixa’s Logan Richart (589).

 

Joplin’s Cylee Gilreath is pictured competing at the COC Meet. Photos by Shawn Fowler.

 

Carthage’s Jennifer Rodas-Gomez is pictured during Tuesday’s COC Meet.

 

From left to right, Nixa’s Mason Shank, Webb City’s Evan Stevens and Joplin’s Hobbs Campbell and Ian Horton are pictured during Tuesday’s COC Meet in Nixa. All photos by Shawn Fowler.

 

Abi Street was the COC champion.

VOLLEYBALL: Webb City earns sweep over Joplin on Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City sent its seniors off with a bang after earning a 25-14, 25-19 and 25-16 sweep over Joplin on Tuesday to close out the regular season on Senior Night inside the Cardinal Dome. 

“I was happy with the win,” Webb City coach Rhonda Lawrence said. “It’s always nice to beat Joplin with the rivalry. I felt like we composed ourselves. We didn’t do a lot of flashy things and didn’t push our limits as much as we should have, but we just have to get back to the grind.”

“It was huge because it gives us confidence going (into the postseason),” Coach Lawrence added about ending the regular season on a win. “We have to play with that confidence because once districts hit, anybody can beat anybody. If you have a bad night, you are going to be done and going home. We have to prepare ourselves mentally, which is nice that we did that against Joplin.”

Webb City senior setter Kyah Sanborn is pictured during Tuesday’s match against Joplin. Photo by Israel Perez.

Before the game, Webb City honored Brenda Lawrence, Kate Brownfield, Kyah Sanborn and Jenna Noel for Senior Night ceremonies.

“They’ve seen us lose a district title and were a part of two that we’ve won,” Coach Lawrence said. “They have a mission and are very set to it. I am just proud to have the opportunity to coach kids like that because they’ve completely bought in since they were young. I am super proud of them for their contributions and each one of them are pivotal in their positions for what they do for us.”

The win sends the Cardinals into the postseason with a 28-4-2 record on the season.

“I was very happy with the way we played this year,” Coach Lawrence said when asked to assess her team’s regular season. “There were a couple of matches I wish we could have back but that’s volleyball and you’re going to have that. It’s a game of spurts and who maintains their composure, and that’s probably where I am most proud of our team. Throughout the season, whether we are playing weaker teams or stronger teams, we’ve been able to maintain our composure mentally and stay focused. That will help us a lot in the bigger games (during the postseason).”

Webb City earned the top seed in the Class 4 District 6 tournament and will take on eighth-seeded Parkview (1-20-1) at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Willard High School.

“Everyone is going to come after us because we have a target on our back from being the No. 1 seed,” Coach Lawrence said. “It will be nice to play the top part of the bracket, but Parkview is going to give us all they’ve got. Those middle teams, that’s where it gets salty in our class. Anybody can beat anybody during district week. Our job is to focus and make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Joplin closes the season with a 16-16-1 record and is the fourth seed in the Class 5 District 7 tournament. The Eagles take on fifth-seeded Lee’s Summit North (11-21) at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Lee’s Summit West Fieldhouse.

Webb City’s Aubree Lassiter serves up an ace against Joplin on Tuesday in the regular season finale. Photo by Israel Perez.

Aubree Lassiter led Webb City with 11 kills, six digs, two aces and a block, while Jaeli Rutledge added 10 kills and a block. Brownfield had nine kills, eight digs and two aces. Sanborn led the way with 28 assists to go along with nine digs and two kills. Lawrence finished with 14 digs and four kills, while Sophia Crane had 20 digs.

Bailey Owens had eight kills and a block, while Paisley Parker had six kills and five digs to lead Joplin. Adalynn Noirfalise had 16 assists and 10 digs. Jayla Hunter had 21 digs, while Serafina Auberry added 11.

Webb City used a trio of service runs to separate itself in the opening set against Joplin. Trailing 4-1, the Cardinals used a sideout and four service points from Brenda Lawrence, which included a block and a kill from Brownfield and a kill from Lassiter, to give WCHS a 6-4 advantage. After a kill from Rutledge to force sideout, a four-point run from Browfield in service stretched the lead to 14-8. Crane used a five-point run moments later to put the set out of reach with a 20-10 lead. Lawrence and Lassiter had kills, while Rutledge added a kill to force the sideout.

“Service is a big part of our success,” Coach Lawrence said. “We serve aggressively and we are smart when serving. It’s not always about how hard you serve, but where you serve and making them make decisions. We try to score three to four points every rotation and look at our sideout percentage on that.”

Joplin and Webb City played a back-and-forth second set, with the Eagles three ties midway through the set before the Cardinals took the slim lead for good and held on through the end for a 2-0 lead. A Bailey Owens kill tied the game at 9-9. Kills from WCHS’ Lassiter, Brownfield and Sanborn put Webb City up 13-10, but a three-point run from Abby Edwards, backed by two aces and a kill from Paisley Parker, put Joplin on top 14-13. Back to back kills from Brownfield and a Joplin attack error gave the Cardinals a two-point lead they wouldn’t relinquish in the way to the second-set win.

The Cardinals swung the momentum in their favor early in the third set with a nine-point service run from Lassiter that gave Webb City an 11-3 lead that never got away on the way to the sweep.

Joplin’s Paisley Parker earns a kill during the Eagles’ loss to Webb City on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.

BOYS SWIMMING: Carthage claims first-ever COC championship

Posted on by Jason Peake

WEBB CITY, Mo. — For the first time in program history, the Carthage Tigers captured the team crown at the Central Ozark Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

Led by three event wins, along with a strong finish to the night, the Tigers finished with 287 points on Tuesday night inside the Buck Miner Swim Center.

“This is our first conference championship in school history, so we’re pretty excited,” Carthage coach Braden McBride said. “This is just a great group of young men. We have 20 guys on the team and nearly all of them scored a point tonight. We thought this was a possibility, so we’re really happy.” 

The Tigers, who won the team title this year after settling for second last season, definitely finished the meet on a high note. 

Leading in the standings after 11 events, Carthage won the final event of the night, the 400-yard freestyle relay. And the team of Braxton McBride, Eli Cox, Kellen Frieling and Will Wright set a new meet record in the event with a time of 3 minutes, 33 seconds.

For the Tigers, it was a final exclamation point on a historic night. 

“They got really up for that last event, and I know they’re excited,” Coach McBride said. “This has been one of the funnest years I’ve ever had coaching. They’re just a great group of guys who like hanging out with each other. We talk about how we’re the swim family, not the swim team. That really showed tonight. Everybody really stepped up. It was just a really good night.”   

Webb City was second in the team standings with 234 points and Joplin was third with 193.

The Cardinals were attempting to three-peat as COC champs, but the hosts settled for the runner-up plaque this season.

“You don’t ever want to lose a title you won the year before, but Carthage is absolutely loaded this year,” Cardinals coach Shawn Klosterman said. “We knew it would be tough. They out-powered us in a lot of ways, but my guys swam absolutely amazing tonight.” 

Joplin coach Aaron Stump noted he was pleased with his team’s showing.

“For a team with just nine guys, we did exceptionally well,” Stump said. “To take third against teams that are twice our size in numbers, and that have diving, I couldn’t be happier with how we performed. As a whole, we have a strong group. We only have one senior, so we’ll be back.”

Rounding out the team standings were Ozark (168), Nixa (167) and Republic (42).

Carthage’s William Wright competes during Tuesday’s COC Swimming and Diving Championships. Photo by Israel Perez.

CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS

The Tigers won three events. Carthage had a top-four finish in 11 of the 12 events, as the team has no divers.

In addition to the victory in the 400 freestyle relay, Carthage’s 200-yard medley relay team of Frieling, McBride, Wright and Cox took first with a time of 1:46.

A sophomore, McBride won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.63 seconds and also placed third in the 100 free (52.54).

A junior, Frieling was the runner-up in both the 200 freestyle (1:55) and the 100 backstroke (57.54).

Third-place finishers for the Tigers were Cox (100 butterfly), Wright (500 free) and Maveric Allphin (100 breaststroke). Taking fourth in their events were Wright (200 IM) and Wallace (500 free). 

The Tigers were also fourth in the 200 freestyle relay, with Allphin, Trey Nye, Daryl Martin and Wallace competing.

Wallace was fifth in the 200 IM, while finishing sixth in their respective events were Landon White (100 fly), Cox (100 back) and Ryan Steinbach (100 breaststroke).

Noah Blackford finished seventh in the 100 backstroke and Carter Yost placed seventh in the 100 breaststroke.

“We score a lot of points in events that nobody really wants to swim, the 500 free, the IM and the fly,” Coach McBride said. “We scored four people in the top 12 in all three of those events. That’s really big. And we have a good mix of the different strokes. We have four seniors (Cox, Nye, Wallace, White) this year, and they score a lot of points and they’re good leaders. They’re very important to our success this year.”

Webb City’s Steve Kenlee is pictured during the COC Meet.

WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Webb City junior Micah Brouwer won the 100 breaststroke in 1:04 and also placed third in the 200 individual medley in 2:10.

The Cardinals took second in the 200 freestyle relay, as Emiliano Vasquez, Steve Kenlee, Aiden Patterson and Cody Herndon recorded a time of 1:39.

Other third-place finishers for the Cardinals were Kenlee (200 free) and Vasquez (50 free), while Herndon was fourth in the 50 free.

Webb City’s 400 freestyle relay finished fourth, with Herndon, Kenlee, Brouwer and Vasquez competing.

Finishing fifth were Kenlee (100 fly), Vasquez (100 free), Adrien Black (500 free), Judah Ritchie (100 back) and Dalton Spence (100 breaststroke). Herndon took sixth in the 100 free and Patterson was sixth in the 500 free and seventh in the 200 free.

Maddox Wood took second in the 1-meter diving competition. 

The Cardinals were without diver Landon Sharon. Also of note, the hosts didn’t score in the 200 medley relay due to a DQ.

Nevertheless, Klosterman said he was proud of his team’s effort.

“We had so many good swims tonight,” Klosterman said. “Just about everyone was putting up their best times. Our relays put up a heck of a fight. I didn’t expect our 200 free relay to do as well as it did. We went through the psych sheets and picked out where they could move up a little bit from their seeds, and just about every kid did beyond what we expected them to do. They swam their hearts out and it was fun to watch.”

Joplin’s Jackson Mordica is pictured during the COC swim meet on Tuesday. All photos by Israel Perez.

JOPLIN HIGHLIGHTS

The Eagles fared well in the relays.

Joplin’s 200 medley relay team of Parker Hinman, Nathan Wardlow, Ian Vermillion and Zane Newman finished second in 1:49.

The Eagles were also second in the 400 free relay in 3:37, with Newman, Vermillion, Hinman and Wardlow swimming.

Joplin took fifth in the 200 freestyle relay, as Jordan Goins, Jackson Mordica, Connor Intessimone and Isaiah Thom recorded a time of 1:59. 

Wardlow and Newman each finished second in two individual events.

A sophomore, Wardlow was the runner-up in the 200 IM with a time of 2:09. He was also second in the 500 free in 5:07.

A senior, Newman took second in both the 50 free (23.69) and the 100 free (52.17).

“Zane Newman, our senior, has been helping our younger guys,” Stump said. “He’s been giving feedback one-on-one and he’s helped elevate the team.” 

Mordica placed second in the 100 breaststroke (1:10).

Also for the Eagles, Hinman was fourth in the 100 backstroke, while Vermillion was fourth in the 100 fly and sixth in the 200 free. Hinman was sixth in the 200 IM and Thom took sixth in the 50 free. 

 

OTHER EVENT WINNERS

Also winning individual events were Nixa’s Kai Brownlee (100 free, 100 backstroke), Gavin Jessen (200 free) and Finnley Bertholdi (diving), Ozark’s Graham Eisenmann (200 IM, 500 free) and Republic’s Brady Lewis (100 fly).

 

FULL RESULTS: COC results with splits and scores

 

Webb City’s Emiliano Vasquez is pictured during the Central Ozark Conference Swimming and Diving Championships. All photos by Israel Perez.

 

Joplin’s Jordan Goins is pictured during the COC swim meet.

STATE GOLF ROUNDUP: Nevada’s Cameron takes second in Class 2; Carthage’s Gaddis competes in Class 4

Posted on by Jason Peake

CAMERON TAKES SECOND IN CLASS 2

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Nevada’s Emree Cameron was the runner-up at the MSHSAA Class 2 Girls Golf Championships on a chilly Tuesday at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club. 

A sophomore, Cameron finished with a two-day score of 146. 

Cameron carded a 1-under-par 71 on Monday. On Tuesday, Cameron shot a 3-over-par 75.

Cameron finished fourth at last year’s event. 

Marshfield’s Marlene Edgeman repeated as state champion with a two-day score of 144, carding an even-par 72 in both rounds.

Cassville’s Avery Chappell placed ninth with a 172.

Lamar’s Victoria O’Neal finished 19th (188), Mount Vernon’s Kenadi Killingsworth tied for 27th (193) and Monett’s Clarie Nation tied for 32nd (195).

Mount Vernon’s Madison Phillips tied for 55th (207), Nevada’s Paige Hertzberg was 62nd (212) and Monett’s Katie Geiss and Nevada’s Riley Severance tied for 71st (223).

Mount Vernon’s Madalyn Cook finished 73rd (227) and Cassville’s Maci Barton tied for 78th (236).

Osage was the team champion with a 350. Westminster Christian took second with a 383.

Mount Vernon finished ninth in the standings with a 457.

 

CLASS 4 TOURNEY CONCLUDLES 

St. Joseph’s Academy captured the Class 4 team championship on Tuesday at Twin Hills Golf and Country Club.

The Angels had a four-person score of 640.

Blue Springs (699) and Liberty North (707) were second and third in the team standings.

Blue Springs South’s Maya McVey was the individual state champion with a 146, a 70 on Monday and a 76 on Tuesday. 

Springfield Catholic’s Lyla Louderbaugh, St. Joseph Academy’s Rylie Andrews and Rock Bridge’s Tierney Baumstark all tied for second with identical scores of 152.

Ozark’s Josey Roberts took fifth with a 156.

Carthage sophomore Shay Gaddis tied for 36th place with a 183.

The lone Joplin area qualifier, Gaddis shot a 91 on Monday and a 92 on Tuesday.  

 

CLASS 1

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Purdy’s Rosa Schad finished 35th at the Class 1 state golf tournament at Columbia Country Club.

Schad turned in a two-day score of 233 (118-115).

VOLLEYBALL: Carthage falls short in straight sets on Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The visiting Springfield Catholic Irish spoiled the Carthage Tigers’ Senior Night festivities with a 3-0 win (25-21, 26-24, 25-20) on Monday night.

Carthage senor Brielle Cartwright swings for a kill in the Tigers’ match against Catholic on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

After 11 ties in the first set, including the last one at 15-all, Springfield Catholic built a 21-16 lead behind a pair of scoring runs and scored the last two points of the set after Carthage senior Mia De La Pena’s kill made it a 23-21 score.

In the second set, Carthage used a pair of 4-0 runs to go ahead 13-8, before Springfield Catholic went on a 9-2 spurt to jump ahead 17-15. The teams exchanged runs, Carthage fought off three set points, and Springfield Catholic won the set 26-24 after consecutive kills by senior Grace O’Reilly.

Springfield Catholic jumped out to a 16-9 lead in the third set and established more than enough distance to fend off Carthage and win the match.

“Tonight was a very high emotional night and I’m very proud of the seniors for still showing up and staying focused,” Carthage coach Chloe Allmoslecher said. “Games like that are hard when you’re competing and you’re battling and you’re right there but you’re just not finishing or coming out with a win. There are just a few times we need to capitalize a little better. We have the lead then we let it go, and that’s just something we’ve been trying to work on all year long but tonight, it just wasn’t in the cards for us.”

Before the match, Carthage honored seniors Brielle Cartwright, Abby Holderbaum, Raven Probert, Kinley Adams, Kailyn Schultz, and De La Pena.

“We have six seniors, and they have all led really well this year,” Allmoslecher said. “I feel like they all lead very differently.

Carthage senior Kailyn Schultz earns a dig in the Tigers’ matchup against Catholic on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

“We have Raven Probert, she’s our setter and she’s just consistent in everything she does. On and off the court, you know what you’re going to get as a person and as a player. She’s an awesome rock star.

“We have Abby Holderbaum, she brings the intensity every night and she’s going to lead vocally a little more than some of the others. Same thing with Brielle Cartwright, and they bounce off each other a little bit. They’re both going to hold the team accountable, be intense, and require everybody to be ready to play.

“Mia De La Pena, she showed out tonight. She was feeling it. She did awesome, and she’s been awesome in the middle for us.

“Same thing with Kailyn Schultz, she’s in the back row and this was one of the best games I’ve seen her play all year. That’s cool when you say that about your seniors in their last game on their home court.

“You’ve got Kinley Adams, same thing in the middle. She had some great swings tonight. She’s always bringing the intensity and the energy. When she flips that switch, you know it’s nice and exciting.

Carthage senior Abby Holderbaum swings for a kill in the Tigers’ matchup with Catholic on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

“They’ve been awesome for this program. Girls are going to miss them, coaches are going to miss them, and we couldn’t ask for a better group.”

Carthage drops to 8-20-2 entering the regular-season finale Tuesday against Central Ozark Conference rival Neosho (9-16-4), both teams hoping to end losing streaks before district play starts this week.

“End with a win,” Allmoslecher said. “That’s our goal. We’ve got Neosho (Tuesday), then we have one practice before we head out for districts. Season’s wrapping up, then you get into postseason play. That’s exciting because it’s anybody’s game, and we’re excited.”

Cartwright led the Tigers with nine kills.

Junior defensive specialists Riann Schwartz and Ava Bourgault recorded 10 digs apiece, while Schultz contributed nine digs.

Probert handed out 27 assists and Schwartz had two aces. 

The Tigers are the No. 6 seed in the Class 5 District 7 tournament hosted by Lee’s Summit, and they face No. 3 St. Teresa’s Academy (13-11-1) in the quarterfinals Thursday.

 

VOLLEYBALL: McAuley defeats Southwest in four

Posted on by Lucas Davis

After dropping the opening set, McAuley Catholic rebounded to win the following three sets on the way to a win over Southwest on Senior Night on Monday.

The Warriors improved to 20-13-2 on the season with the 17-25, 25-17, 25-12 and 25-17 win. 

Kendall Ramsey finished with nine kills, while Lily Black added 17 assists. Black and Kloee Williamson each added three kills, with Williamson serving up eight aces and leading the way with 21 digs. JoJo Wheeler finished with 13 digs in the win.

McAuley closes the season with a road matchup at Pierce City on Tuesday before taking on Sheldon in the Class 1 District 11 tournament on Thursday at Thomas Jefferson.

FOOTBALL: This week’s Missouri Media rankings

Posted on by Jason Peake

Below are this week’s Missouri Media statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a 10-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters.  

 

MISSOURI MEDIA RANKINGS

First-place votes in parenthesis.

CLASS 6
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Liberty North (9), 8-0, 99, 1
2. CBC (1), 7-1, 91, 2
3. Lee’s Summit North, 7-1, 80, 3
4. Troy, 6-2, 56, 6
T5. Joplin, 6-2, 48, 5
T5. Nixa, 7-1, 48, 4
7. Marquette, 7-1, 45, 7
8. De Smet, 4-4, 28, 8
9. Blue Springs South, 5-3, 16, NR
10. Rock Bridge, 7-1, 12, NR
Dropped out: No. 9 Raymore-Peculiar, No. 10 Rockhurst
Also receiving votes: Rockhurst (4-4), 10; 10 Staley (6-2), 10; Seckman (7-1), 6; Raymore-Peculiar (5-3), 1

CLASS 5
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Carthage (9), 7-1, 99, 1
2. Francis Howell (1), 8-0, 91, 2
3. Camdenton, 8-0, 76, 4
4. Holt, 7-1, 61, 5
5. Lebanon, 7-1, 54, 3
6. Webb City, 5-3, 53, 6
7. MICDS, 7-1, 43, 7
8. Oak Park, 7-1, 35, 8
9. Eureka, 7-1, 17, 9
10. Fort Osage, 6-2, 9, NR
Dropped out: No. 10 Jefferson City Helias
Also receiving votes: Jefferson City Helias (6-2), 8; Grain Valley (6-2), 4

CLASS 4
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Kearney (9), 8-0, 99, 2
2. St. Mary’s (1), 6-2, 85, 1
3. Smithville, 7-1, 79, 3
4. Center, 8-0, 75, 4
5. Union, 8-0, 59, 5
6. Hannibal, 6-2, 50, 7
7. Hillsboro, 7-1, 40, 6
8. Rockwood Summit, 7-1, 33, 8
9. Vashon, 5-2, 13, 9
10. Nevada, 6-2, 11, 10
Also receiving votes: West Plains (5-3), 6

CLASS 3
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Cardinal Ritter (10), 8-0, 100, 1
2. Valle Catholic, 8-0, 89, 3
3. Pleasant Hill, 7-1, 80, 2
4. Lutheran St. Charles, 5-3, 69, 5
5. Lutheran North, 5-3, 57, 4
6. St. Pius X, 6-2, 51, 6
7. Maryville, 5-3, 42, 8
T8. Park Hills Central, 7-1, 23, 10
T8. Savannah, 7-1, 23, 7
10. Reeds Spring, 6-2, 12, NR
Dropped out: No. 9 Kennett
Also receiving votes: Kennett (6-2), 4

CLASS 2
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Blair Oaks (10), 8-0, 100, 1
2. Lafayette County, 8-0, 86, 2
3. Seneca, 8-0, 82, 3
4. Lamar, 7-1, 70, 4
5. Richmond, 7-1, 56, 5
6. Bowling Green, 8-0, 51, 6
7. MV-Liberty, 8-0, 40, 7
8. Centralia, 7-1, 34, 9
9. Macon, 7-1, 17, 8
10. New Madrid County Central, 7-1, 11, NR
Dropped out: No. 10 Trenton
Also receiving votes: Lift for Life (5-3), 2; Trenton (7-1), 1

CLASS 1
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Monroe City (6), 8-0, 96, 1
2. East Buchanan (4), 7-1, 94, 2
3. Marionville, 8-0, 75, 4
4. Gallatin, 8-0, 70, 5
5. Mid Buchanan, 7-1, 59, 3
6. Lincoln, 7-1, 50, 6
7. Adrian, 7-1, 36, 8
8. Scott City, 7-1, 34, 7
9. St. Vincent, 7-1, 25, 9
10. Portageville, 7-1, 10, NR
Dropped out: No. 10 Cole Camp
Also receiving votes: Cole Camp (6-2), 1

STATE GOLF ROUNDUP: Nevada’s Cameron leads Class 2 field; Class 4 tourney begins at Twin Hills

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CLASS 4 TOURNEY BEGINS 

Joplin’s Twin Hills Golf and Country Club is hosting the MSHSAA Class 4 Girls Golf Championships.

After Monday’s opening round, Blue Springs South’s Maya McVey is in first place after shooting a 2-under-par 70.

Springfield Catholic’s Lyla Louderbaugh is in second place with a 75.

Currently tied for third with scores of 76 are Ozark’s Josey Roberts and St. Joseph Academy’s duo of Rylie Andrews and Karen Lenox.

Carthage sophomore Shay Gaddis shot a 91 and is tied for 39th place. 

In the team race, St. Joseph’s Academy is in first place with a 321 and Blue Springs South is a distant second with a 356.

 

NEVADA’S CAMERON LEADS CLASS 2

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Nevada’s Emree Cameron is in first place after the first 18 holes of the Class 2 state golf tournament at Silo Ridge Golf and Country Club.

A sophomore, Cameron carded a 1-under-par 71 on Monday. She had five birdies on Day 1. 

Marshfield’s Marlene Edgeman is one stroke back with a 72 and Osage’s Hannah Maschhoff is in third place with a 75.

Cassville’s Avery Chappell is in eighth place with an 85, while Lamar’s Victoria O’Neal is tied for 21st with a 95 and Monett’s Clarie Nation is tied for 23rd with a 96.

Mount Vernon’s Kenadi Killingsworth is 46th (101) and teammate Madison Phillips is 49th (103).

Nevada’s Riley Severance is tied for 58th place (106) and teammate Paige Hertzberg is tied for 61st (108).

Monett’s Katie Geiss is in 67th (111), Mount Vernon’s Madalyn Cook is 72nd (118) and Cassville’s Maci Barton is 73rd (119).

State golf tournaments conclude on Tuesday. 

 

FULL DAY 1 RESULTS: MSHSAA 2022-2023 Class 4 Girls Golf Championships

BOYS SWIMMING: Joplin takes third at Kickapoo invite

Posted on by Jason Peake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Joplin High School boys swim team finished third in the team standings at the Kickapoo Invitational on Friday.

Kickapoo won the team title with 279 points, while West Plains was second with 215. Joplin took third with 212 points. 

Nixa (176), Lebanon (166) and Waynesville (65) finished fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. 

Joplin’s Nathan Wardlow won two individual events. Wardlow took first in the 200-yard individual medley in a state-consideration time of 2:07 and also won the 500 freestyle in a state-qualifying time of 4:59.

Also for the Eagles, Jackson Mordica finished second in the 200 freestyle, Parker Hinman was the runner-up in the 100 backstroke, Zane Newman placed third in the 50 freestyle and fourth in the 100 free and Ian Vermillion was fourth in the 100 butterfly.

The Eagles finished fourth in the 200 medley relay, with Hinman, Wardlow, Vermillion and Newman competing.

Joplin’s 200 freestyle relay team of Newman, Isaiah Thom, Vermillion and Wardlow finished fifth.

The Eagles were sixth in the 400 freestyle relay, as Hinman, Jordan Goins, Connor Intessimone and Mordica recorded a time of 4:44.

GIRLS TENNIS: TJ’s Ding takes eighth in singles; Mountaineers take fourth in doubles

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson junior Allison Ding finished eighth in the Class 1 singles bracket at the MSHSAA Girls Tennis Championships on Saturday at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

In the seventh-place match, North County’s Lauren Politte defeated Ding 6-3, 3-6, 10-7.

After falling to Notre Dame de Sion’s Anna McGeeney and beating Lafayette County’s Elena Williams on Friday, Ding defeated her teammate Jeanna Jeyaraj 6-0, 6-1 in the consolation quarterfinals. 

In the consolation semifinals, Duchesne’s Mary Beckemeier edged Ding 6-4, 7-6.

Ding finished the season with a singles record of 23-7, Cavaliers coach Tom Brumfield told SoMo Sports.

Jeyaraj will also return next season, as she is a sophomore. 

 

MOUNTAINEERS TAKE FOURTH

Mount Vernon’s Isabella Mosley and Allison Schubert finished fourth in the Class 1 doubles bracket.

In the third-place match, Palmyra’s Maura Gottman and Molly Gottman defeated Mosley-Schubert 6-2, 6-4.

The Mountaineers suffered a close loss in the semifinals, as Arcadia Valley’s Alyssa Glanzer and Elena Lara edged Mosley-Schubert 5-7, 6-4, 10-8.

The Mount Vernon duo earned wins over Chillicothe and Helias Catholic on Friday.

FOOTBALL: College Heights suffers loss to Jasper

Posted on by Jason Peake

JASPER, Mo. — The College Heights Christian School 8-man football team suffered a 48-24 loss to Jasper on Friday night.

The Cougars led 24-20 at halftime, but the Eagles scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to get the win.

College Heights (1-7) took a 12-0 lead in the first quarter when Logan Decker completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Quade and Noah Hipple ran for a 3-yard score.

Levi Durling scored two touchdowns in the second quarter for the Cougars, a 4-yard reception from Decker and a 73-yard kickoff return. 

The Cougars couldn’t hold on to their halftime advantage, as Jasper recorded a pair of touchdowns in both the third and fourth quarters. 

College Heights had 327 yards of offense, with 238 rushing and 89 passing.

Decker completed 4 of 9 passes for 89 yards. Quade caught three passes for 85 yards.

Hipple ran 20 times for 101 yards, while Cannon Miller rushed for 88 yards on 12 carries. Decker ran 10 times for 35 yards. 

Durling made 15 tackles, while Matt Williams had 14 stops. Quade had nine tackles and Hipple had seven tackles.  

The Cougars had six costly turnovers, three lost fumbles and three interceptions.

Juan Rivera ran for 211 yards and six touchdowns for Jasper (4-4).

FOOTBALL: No. 1 Carthage earns block-off win over No. 5 Joplin on Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARTHAGE, Mo. — It is only fitting that a matchup between a pair of rival one-loss powerhouse football teams comes down to the final play of the game, and that was the exact scenario when Class 6 fifth-ranked Joplin traveled to David Haffner Stadium to take on Class 5 top-ranked Carthage on Friday night.

Carthage senior RB Luke Gall fights for extra yards in the Tigers’ win over Joplin on Friday. Photo by Darris Strickland.

With the game tied at 28-28 and 2.5 seconds to go in regulation, Joplin’s 42-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by senior Hudson Moore. Even more poetically, the loose ball was picked up by fellow Carhage senior Mason Frisinger, who carried the ball behind a wall of blockers 83 yards for a block-off touchdown to send the Tigers to a 34-28 win on Senior Night.

“I have been wanting to get the ball all year and that was my opportunity,” Frisinger said. “I saw the ball and no one was around. I grabbed it, looked up and all I saw was the end zone. I took the chance and we came out with the dub. 

“This was probably the toughest game we’ve played this year against some of the best competition we’ve seen so far. We came up short against Nixa earlier this year and we weren’t going to let it happen again. I am glad I could do this in our last home game with my boys and pull out the dub.”

With the win, Carthage improves to 7-1 on the season. With Nixa’s overtime loss to Republic on Friday, the Tigers now have a chance to clinch a share of the Central Ozark Conference title with a win over Willard next week in the regular season finale.

“It’s hard to put into words just how proud I am of them and of the game itself,” Carthage coach Jon Guidie said after the win. “It was just back and forth between two heavyweights. It didn’t seem like either team could stop each other in the second half. To be able to stay in the fight all the way through with a heads up play by Mason Frisinger and the convoy he had leading him down there, which is not something you practice every day—I am very happy for Mason and the rest of the seniors on Senior Night. What a way to go out. These guys will remember this for the rest of their lives.”

With the loss, Joplin falls to 6-2 on the year and wraps the regular season hosting Neosho on Senior Night.

“What a great high school football game,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said. “Obviously, someone had to lose, but I really didn’t think it was going to be us. It was, so we will deal with that. But what a game and I am so proud of my kids for the way they fought, executed and repeatedly overcame adversity—some we created for ourselves. This is one we will definitely learn from.”

TEAM STATS

Joplin’s Davin Thomas makes a tackler miss in the Eagles’ loss to Carthage on Friday. Photo by Darris Strickland.

Carthage’s offense gained 392 yards on 59 plays, with most of the damage coming through the air. Senior QB Cooper Jadwin completed 13-of-17 passes for 228 yards and a touchdown, adding 12 carries for 39 yards and a fumble. Moore also caught six passes for 131 yards and a touchdown. Senior WR Aiden Rogers carried the ball six times for 47 yards and a touchdown. Senior RB Luke Gall was held to a season-low 78 yards rushing but did have two touchdowns on 24 carries.

“It’s good moving forward,” Guidie said when asked about the offense’s ability to step up around Gall. “That is going to happen. When teams are loading the box and isolating on Luke, we have to be able to adjust and they did. … It goes to show that if Luke can’t do it, the rest of these guys can get it done against great competition.”

Joplin gained 383 yards of offense on 45 plays and was led by junior RB Quin Renfro, who picked up a game-high 214 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. Junior QB Hobbs Gooch completed 11-of-16 passes for 94 yards and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass. Senior WR Terrance Gibson caught three passes for 24 yards and threw a 55-yard touchdown pass. Sophomore WR Davin Thomas had five receptions for 42 yards.

“I thought our defense played great and tackled well,” Jasper said. “We challenged them with that after they struggled with (Nixa RB) Ramone Greene a little bit. Hats off to Carthage for coming out on top, but I am really proud of my guys, especially on the defensive end.”

HOW THEY GOT THERE

The game started off with a pair of turnovers, the second of which turned into the first score of the game for Carthage. The Tigers turned it over on their first drive when Jadwin fumbled a carry on fourth-down and 3 to give Joplin the ball at its own 37-yard line. 

Carthage senior QB Cooper Jadwin looks for an open reciever in the Tigers’ win over Joplin on Friday. Photo by Darris Strickland.

On third down of the ensuing Joplin drive, Gooch was picked off by Carthage’s Davion King, who returned the ball down to the Eagles’ 27-yard line in the change of possession. Two plays later, Gall crossed the goal line for his first touchdown of the game, 30th of the season, and a 7-0 Carthage lead with 4:01 left in the first quarter.

Joplin drove deep into Carthage territory on its next drive before turning it over on downs at the Tigers’ 23-yard line. The Tigers took possession and used a 38-yard deep ball from Jadwin to Moore at the end of the first quarter to set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Gall early in the second period for a 14-0 lead.

The Eagles used some trickeration to get on the scoreboard their time with the ball when Thomas took the jet sweep before pitching to Gibson in the backfield, with Gibson launching a 55-yard pass down the sideline to a wide-open Gooch for a touchdown to trim the lead to 14-7 with 9:18 to play in the first half.

Carthage took advantage of two pass interference penalties on Joplin on the following possession to get deep inside Eagle territory. The Tigers were looking at a first down in goal-to-go situation from the 6-yard line before an illegal substitution penalty followed by a bad snap stalled the drive, resulting in a missed 25-yard field goal for an empty possession.  

On the very next play, Renfro found a big hole and sprinted past everyone on the way to a game-tying 80-yard touchdown run with 2:36 left in the first half to make the score 14-14. 

After Joplin punted from midfield on the first possession of the third quarter, Carthage took the ball and marched 82 yards on 14 plays with Aiden Rogers taking a reverse for an 11-yard touchdown to give Carthage a 21-14 lead with 2:35 left in the third quarter.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, Joplin tied the game up on a 41-yard touchdown run from Renfro, who got loose on the sideline and sprinted past everyone on the way to the end zone to tie the game up at 21s. 

“The offensive line led the way against a hard-nosed, physical ball club,” Jasper said of the Eagles’ rushing attack. “I thought we did a good job blocking and I thought Quin did a great job. He kept getting tackled hard, but got right back up and was ready for the next play. He did a fantastic job.”

Carthage answered back with its first big play of the game when Jadwin hooked up with Moore on a 56-yard touchdown pass to put the Tigers back on top 28-21 with 10:50 left in the game.

“We hit Hudson earlier on a similar pass but he didn’t score,” Guidie said. “Coach (Ricky) Nichols made a great call by dialing another (deep ball) up and got (Hudson) loose. The (Joplin defender) almost made a great play by picking it off, but he tipped it and Huddy is (6-foot-6) and can go up and get the football. That’s what he does.”

Joplin refused to go away, as Renfro found the end zone for a third time to cap a long drive for Eagles with a 2-yard touchdown to tie the game at 28-28 with 7:06 left in the game.

The Eagles picked a good time to force their first punt of the game, which was very short, on the ensuing Carthage possession to gain possession at midfield with 2:50 left in the game.

GIRLS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson duo compete at state tourney; Mountaineers advance to semifinals

Posted on by Jason Peake

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A pair of Thomas Jefferson singles players and Mount Vernon’s doubles teams began competition at the MSHSAA Class 1 Girls Tennis Championships on Friday at the Cooper Tennis Complex.

In opening round singles action, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding suffered a 6-2, 6-3 setback to Notre Dame de Sion’s Anna McGeeney. TJ’s Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Kennett’s Carley Winston 6-0, 6-4.

In the consolation round, Ding defeated Lafayette County’s Elena Williams 6-1, 6-0.

In the quarterfinals, Savannah’s Iris Alvarez defeated Jeyaraj 6-1, 6-0.

Next, the Cavaliers had to square off with the season on the line.

Ding and Jeyaraj were slated to play each other in the consolation quarterfinals.

In doubles, Mount Vernon’s Isabella Mosley and Allison Schubert defeated Chillicothe’s Rylee Washburn and Isabella Garr 6-1, 3-6, 10-6 in the opening round.

In the quarterfinals, the Mountaineers beat Helias Catholic’s Catherine Meystrik and Hannah Meystrik to advance to Saturday’s semifinals.

FOOTBALL: Carl Junction dominant in 42-0 win over Willard

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Six different Carl Junction Bulldogs found the end zone and their defense and special teams completed a shutout during their 42-0 turbo clock win Friday night against Central Ozark Conference foe Willard at Bulldog Stadium.

The Bulldogs set the tone early when they stopped Willard for no gain on fourth down at the 3-yard line after the Tigers put together a promising opening drive and then Carl Junction put together a 97-yard scoring drive on eight plays in 2 minutes, 43 seconds.

On the Bulldogs’ second play from scrimmage, junior quarterback Dexter Merrell hit a wide-open senior Ayden Bard in the flat and Bard worked a 41-yard gain out to near-midfield. Carl Junction converted a third-and-long with a 21-yard pass play and junior running back Johnny Starks opened the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown run.

“I tell you what, Willard had a great first drive of the night there,” Carl Junction coach Doug Buckmaster said. “Had some chunk yardage plays, three or four of them right in a row, and it didn’t look good for the Bulldogs right there for a little bit. We had a great stop there and followed it up with a 97-yard scoring drive.

“Real proud of our kids. They kept competing and didn’t give up any points, then went and scored points. They played hard, and they played great.”

Carl Junction took a 21-0 halftime lead with a 16-yard TD pass from Merrell to senior Malakhi Moore and a Merrell 11-yard scoring run accounting for the Bulldogs’ points in the second.

Junior running back Tony Stewart broke loose for a 57-yard touchdown run on the fourth play after halftime and Merrell and Bard connected on a 77-yard touchdown pass late in the third for a 35-0 lead after three quarters.

Fan favorite freshman running back Marcus Lopez-Durman closed out the scoring at 4:51 remaining with a 5-yard touchdown run.

The Bulldogs’ scoring drives amounted to 97, 60, 78, 71, 77, and 57 yards, producing 440 yards of total offense alone from those six drives.

“It was a great night,” Buckmaster said. “We had well over 500 yards of total offense. We did some good things tonight. I think we rushed tonight for 233 and threw for 288. Something like that, so good balance with our offense and our kids played well.”

The Bulldogs achieved their first shutout of the season, as the Tigers finished with four punts, a pair of turnover on downs, and one pass intercepted by Tony Stewart.

“I was really concerned that we would struggle with their passing game coming in,” Buckmaster said. “Our kids did a great job playing within schemes and they didn’t get the ball thrown over their head. As the game progressed, we were able to get a little more pressure on them. It was a great night for our defense, and proud of those kids. Coach (Steve) Patterson had a good gameplan, and we played well.”

The Bulldogs honored all their seniors before the game.

“It was Senior Night tonight and I’m just really pleased those kids could get a win and a shutout,” Buckmaster said. “We’ve got a tough one next week.”

Carl Junction, 3-5 overall and COC, finishes out the regular season next week against 5-3 Republic, who just handed the Nixa Eagles their first loss of the season with a 36-35 overtime victory Friday night.

“We look forward to going to Republic,” Buckmaster said. “They’re a fine football team and we’ll have to step our game up, for sure.”

FOOTBALL: Strong defensive effort leads Webb City past Neosho

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

NEOSHO, Mo. — Webb City’s defense rose to the occasion in the second half. 

After surrendering 21 points in the first half, Webb City’s defense pitched a shutout after intermission.

That strong defensive effort led the Cardinals to a 42-21 victory over Neosho on Friday night in a Central Ozark Conference clash at Bob Anderson Stadium. 

A back and forth first half ended with Webb City clinging to a 28-21 lead. But the Cardinals would not allow the Wildcats’ high-powered offense to score a single point after the break.

“I can’t say enough about our defense,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “That’s a tremendous effort against that offense in the second half. We made a few adjustments and got a little more physical with their receivers. We got some sacks and some negative yard plays.” 

Neosho’s prolific spread offense entered the night averaging 46 points per game. 

“Brandon (Taute) has done a great job here,” Roderique added. “They’ve scored on everybody, and they’ve moved the ball on everybody. I thought the effort from our defense was obviously the biggest difference in the second half.”

Webb City’s Andrew Young attempts to bring down Neosho’s Jared Siler during Friday’s game at Bob Anderson Stadium. Webb City won the game 42-21. Photo by Israel Perez.

Ranked sixth in Class 5 by the Missouri Media, Webb City improved to 5-3.

The Wildcats fell to 4-4 after their first home loss. 

“I think our kids played extremely hard,” Neosho coach Brandon Taute said. “They came out and fought. There were a lot of times in the game where we could have rolled over, but they didn’t do that. We kept battling back. I’m extremely proud of the effort our kids gave. The score doesn’t depict the game in my opinion. We were right in that game.” 

Neosho was forced to punt twice in the third quarter and the Wildcats turned it over on downs twice in the final frame. 

Taute noted his team had its chances in the second half.

“We got down in the red zone too many times without coming away with points,” Taute said. “You can’t do that against a team like that.” 

Webb City running back Breckin Galardo picks up a big gain on the ground against Neosho on Friday night. Photo by Israel Perez.

Playing in front of a large Senior Night crowd, the Wildcats took an early lead when junior quarterback Quenton Hughes completed a 24-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Isaiah Green.

The Cardinals tied it up when senior quarterback Landon Johnson found classmate William Hayes open for a 49-yard touchdown strike.

Webb City took a 14-7 lead with 6:26 left in the first quarter after junior running back Breckin Galardo scored on a 20-yard run up the middle.

The Cardinals took a two-score lead on the first play of the second quarter on Johnson’s 3-yard QB keeper. 

Neosho’s Green hauled in a 6-yard pass from Hughes with 4:38 left in the second quarter, trimming Webb City’s lead to 21-14.

The visitors answered on the ensuing drive, as Galardo broke free for a 33-yard touchdown sprint with 2:26 remaining in the first half, extending Webb City’s advantage to 28-14.

After recovering a Webb City fumble with just over a minute to play in the first half, Neosho scored with 27 seconds left on a 33-yard pass to Green. 

With that, it appeared as if the Wildcats had the momentum at halftime.

“It was a good first half,” Taute said. “I thought we executed pretty well in the first half. I thought we made some good defensive adjustments. Our defense got some big stops when we needed them.” 

Omari Jackson’s 1-yard touchdown plunge finished off the opening drive of the second half and gave Webb City a 35-21 cushion.

Webb City’s defense came up with a key stop with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, as the Wildcats had a crucial turnover on downs.

A 1-yard QB sneak by Johnson put the finishing touches on the win, as the Cardinals went up 42-21 with 5:05 left.

“In the second half, we just weren’t able to put the ball in the end zone,” Taute noted. “Our defense got some turnovers, and we hung around. We just couldn’t close that gap.” 

Led by its strong running attack, Webb City compiled 498 yards, with 423 on the ground and 75 through the air. 

“On offense, we knew we can’t punt the ball and we can’t give them extra opportunities,” Roderique noted. “You can’t turn the ball over…which we did. You have to produce points every time. And you have to be able to run time off the clock against a team like this. I think it was big for us to score right away in the second half. That got things rolling a little bit.”

Galardo finished with 235 rushing yards, while Jackson added 151. Landon Johnson completed four passes, with William Hayes (54 yards) and Cy Darnell (21 yards) hauling in two passes apiece.

Three Cardinals finished with eight tackles apiece, Lucas Ott, Christian Brock and Kaylor Darnell.

Neosho finished with 346 yards, with 212 passing. Hughes completed 24 of 42 passes with three TD. Green had 166 receiving yards with three touchdowns. Jared Siler led Neosho’s rushing attack with 147 yards.

Korbyn York and Nico Olivares had nine tackles apiece for the Wildcats. 

“We just have to continue to get better,” Taute said. “Our goal is to be playing our best football in Week 10.”

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

In next Friday’s regular season finales, Webb City hosts Branson and Neosho travels to Joplin. 

The Cardinals and Wildcats could see each other again, as both teams have been assigned to Class 5 District 6.

 

FULL STATS: Webb City HS (webbcitycardinals.com)

 

Neosho’s Isaiah Green makes a leaping catch during Friday’s game against Webb City. Photo by Israel Perez. 

Omari Jackson tries to get past Neosho’s Trey Hardin during Friday’s game at Bob Anderson Stadium. Webb City won the game 42-21. Photos by Israel Perez.

CROSS COUNTRY: Warriors, Cougars fare well at Clever

Posted on by Jason Peake

CLEVER, Mo. — Cross country squads from McAuley Catholic and College Heights Christian School fared well at the Clever Invitational on Thursday. 

McAuley Catholic’s Kendall Ramsey finished 12th in the varsity girls race with a time of 21:14.

College Heights Christian’s Jayli Johnson took 13th in 21:28, while teammate Marla Anderegg was 17th in 21:45.

Also competing for College Heights were Jesalin Bever (20th), Madelynn Jordan (52nd), Emily Winters (72nd) and Madi Carson (78th).

Also running for McAuley were Marbellie Villanueva (61st), Brooke Righter (84th), Samantha Perrin (88th) and Miriam Kramer (92nd).

Spokane’s Lily Hunsucker won the girls race in 20:06.

Clever (95), Mansfield (114) and Strafford (115) were the top three girls teams. 

McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon was the top local finisher in the boys race. A sophomore, Parrigon finished 16th with a time of 18:03. 

McAuley’s Trae Veer placed 20th with a time of 18:14.

Also competing for the Warriors were Phillip Motazedi (28th), Joe Staton (43rd), Alex Bohachick (51st), Drew Zeb (52nd), Connor Taffner (70th), Kable Reichardt (79th), Cliff Nolan (89th) and Grant Horinek (131st).

Competing for College Heights were Colton McMillin (56th), Caleb Quade (63rd), Josiah Thomas (64th) and William Porter (137th).

Stockton’s Braden Postlewait won the race in 16:22.

The top three boys teams were Stockton (62), Strafford (92) and Fair Grove (132). McAuley was fourth in the team standings with 137 points.

 

BOYS SWIMMING: Carthage wins owns invite

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The host Tigers cruised to a first place finish at their own Carthage Invitational on Thursday night at the Fair Acres Family YMCA.

Led by eight first place finishes, Carthage had 399 points to finish on top of the standings. Marshfield was second with 197 and Nevada took third with 151. There were six full squads competing.

Winning individual events for the Tigers were Braxton McBride, Will Wallace, William Wright, Kellen Frieling and Maveric Allphin.

McBride won two events, the 50-yard freestyle in 23.8 seconds and the 100 free in 54.05.

Wallace took first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:16, while Wright won the 500 freestyle in 5:34.

Frieling was first in the 100 backstroke in 1:02 and Allphin won the 100 breaststroke in 1:15.

Finishing second in their events were Wright (200 IM), Frieling (200 free), Eli Cox (100 fly), Wallace (500 free) and Noah Blackford (100 back). 

Taking third were Blackford (200 IM), Landon White (100 fly), Trey Nye (500 free) and Cox (100 back).

Carthage won two of three relays.

The CHS team of Frieling, McBride, Wright and Cox won the 200 medley relay in 1:49. 

Carthage’s 400 freestyle relay team of Wallace, Cox, Frieling and McBride took first in 3:43.

The Tigers were second in the 200 free relay in 1:44, with Nye, Allphin, White and Wallace competing.

Nevada’s Kolton Evans won the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:01 and his teammate Trace Gould was the runner-up in the 50 free (25.5). 

 

The Carthage boys swim team poses after winning their own invite on Thursday. Courtesy photo.

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