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Month: November 2022

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Neosho primed for another state title run

Posted on by Jason Peake

Under the direction of Jeremy Phillips, the Neosho Wildcats have developed into one of the best high school wrestling programs in Missouri.

The Wildcats earned team state championships in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, and 2020, highlighting 15 straight years of bringing team hardware back home from Mizzou Arena in Columbia, the traditional site of the state tournament.

Neosho finished third in Class 3 last season, won a district title, placed fourth in the Central Ozark Conference tournament, won the Missouri Duals and the Neosho tournament titles, and went 6-3 overall in duals against Joplin (72-12 W), Nixa (40-32 W), Collinsville, Okla. (45-24 L), Republic (68-6 W), McDonald County (45-18 W), Carthage (38-31 L), Ozark (50-19 L), Marshfield (47-24 W), and Carl Junction (44-30 W).

The Wildcats return seniors Eli Zar, Collyn Kivett, Nico Olivares, Gabe Mabrey and Ulysses DeLeon, juniors Wyatt Black, Jon Chrisco and Jack Lankford, and sophomores Bostyn Patterson and Fisher Butler. They also welcome a deep, talented and decorated freshman class that might be able to make a sudden impact at the varsity level and help continue the tradition of excellence for Neosho wrestling.

“We have a solid senior group, a decent returning core and an amazing freshman class joining them,” Phillips said. “They have the potential to be exciting to watch come together, grow and compete for the goals we have in front of us.

“There are several factors to our success, but none of them will I predict,” Phillips said. “If we decide to work together, have persistent efforts, and learn daily I believe we will do well. Trusting in the process, in ourselves, and the team will be key this year for all of us. Our success could surprise some people if the large number of talented younger kids and the older wrestlers looking to take their success to the next level can become a family within our process, keep the faith, and remain hungry and humble along the journey.”

Zar, who has verbally committed to NCAA Division II program Maryville (a school in St. Louis where former Neosho High stalwarts Nate Rodriguez and Joey Williams enjoyed much success), won state, district, and conference titles and posted a 50-4 overall record last season at 170 pounds.

Zar became the 39th individual state champion in program history, and he could join nine other Neosho wrestlers before him who earned at least two state titles.

Additionally, Butler finished 33-19 and fifth overall at 113, Black 22-24 overall and a state qualifier at 120, Chrisco 30-23 and sixth overall at 126, Patterson 26-19 overall and a state qualifier at 145, Kivett 37-18 and fourth overall at 160, and DeLeon 26-23 and a state qualifier at 195.

Lankford and sophomore Trey Hardin won JV conference titles last season, sophomore Tyce Hardin also picked up varsity experience last season, and sophomore Hunter Butler returns after a year off from wrestling.

The freshman class includes MO USA state medalists Gabriel Busteed, Everson Tomlinson, Carter Howard, Chase Kivett, Skiler Shideler, Kaymon Rhone, and Dayton Kivett.

Other wrestlers in the varsity mix are River Feagans, Sam Fryar, and Brody Mitchell.

The Wildcats open their season on Saturday with the 35th annual edition of their home tournament and their December schedule includes a triangular Dec. 6 with COC rivals Joplin and Nixa before the Missouri Duals in Jefferson City (Dec. 9-10), the KC Stampede in Kansas City (Dec. 16-17), and the William ‘Red’ Schmidt Holiday Wrestling Tournament in Granite City, Illinois (Dec. 28-29).

Neosho prepares for the conference tournament near the end of January with a series of duals and the Branson Tournament (Jan. 14).

District and state take place in February. 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: McDonald County to rally around five returning state qualifiers

Posted on by Jason Peake

The McDonald County boys wrestling team has 10 starters and five state qualifiers returning for the 2022-23 season, numbers sure to bring a certain level of excitement to any program.

The Mustangs can build around 120-pound junior Jose Mendoza, 138-pound senior Blaine Ortiz, 150- or 157-pound senior Levi Smith, 215-pound junior Samuel Murphy, and 285-pound junior Jayce Hitt, their five returning state qualifiers.

Murphy, Hitt, and Ortiz have earned a combined four state medals during their high school careers so far, including a state runner-up for Ortiz at 113 pounds in 2021 and Murphy a third-place finish last season.

Move-ins Emmit Houston (from North Park HS in Walden, Colo.) and Nathaniel McLaughlin (Arkansas) have been thrown into a mix that also features other returning starters in senior Cross Spencer (150 / 157), sophomore J.T. Clemons (150 / 157), sophomore Brady Bogart (170), sophomore Alex Bogart (190), and sophomore Malosi Sosef (190).

On top of that, Beau Bennett (Pittsburg HS, Baker University), Joshua Tyler (Springdale Har-Ber HS, Williams Baptist), and Reid Davis (Butler HS) have joined the coaching staff.

“I feel like it’s going to be an exciting season for both our girls and boys teams,” McDonald County coach Josh Factor said. “We have a very talented group on our boys team and yet we have never won any hardware in the Big 8 Conference, district, or state tournaments. It’s always fun to strive to accomplish something for the first time as a team. As for our girls team, we’re still working on getting our first girl to the state tournament.”

Last season, Murphy finished third and Hitt fifth at state at 220 and 285, as the Mustangs finished 17th overall in Class 3 with 39 points.

The Mustangs finished seventh in Class 3 District 3 with 118 points and Ortiz, Murphy, and Hitt each won district titles.

McDonald County also finished third in the Big 8 and Ortiz, Smith, and Murphy each claimed individual conference titles.

Murphy put together a 47-2 overall record and Ortiz finished 41-7, Smith 42-10, Hitt 24-6, and Mendoza 18-21.

Spencer went 15-30 last season, Clemons 9-27, Brady Bogart 1-9, Alex Bogart 17-26, Sosef 4-6, and Houston achieved a 24-10 overall record during his freshman season in Colorado.

On the girls side, McDonald County returns Jaslyn Benhumea at 105, Stacy Apolinar-Lopez at 145, and Gisel Aragon at 170.

The Mustangs open the season on Thursday with a dual against Big 8 powerhouse Seneca, winners of four straight Big 8 tournament titles. The Mustangs went 12-15 in duals last year.

“Concerns will be how will our teams respond to competing in tough tournaments throughout the season,” Factor said. “We will have several tough tournaments, but the Kansas City Stampede on Dec. 16-17 and the Thrasher Tournament on Jan. 27-28 will both be good tests for our boys team and our girls will be challenged at every event they attend.

“For our teams to succeed this year, we have to remain healthy and be able to compete at our best in February. If we can do those two things, I believe success will be the result.”

The KC Stampede brings together some of the very best wrestling programs from Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, as well as some ringers from states like Texas, Georgia, and Iowa. Murphy highlighted McDonald County’s performance last year with third place, successfully rebounding after his first loss of the season.

Francis Howell hosts the Kyle Thrasher Memorial Tournament and last season’s event brought in 37 teams from across the state of Missouri.

McDonald County will compete in the Big 8 Tournament for the girls Jan. 18 at Nevada and the boys Jan. 20 at Cassville.

District and state competition are in February for boys and girls.

GIRLS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson suffers loss at Liberal

Posted on by Jason Peake

LIBERAL, Mo. — Riding a big second half, Liberal defeated Thomas Jefferson 51-31 in girls basketball action on Tuesday night. 

Up one at the break, the Bulldogs limited the Cavaliers to seven points in the second half.

The Cavaliers led 11-6 at the end of the first quarter and the Bulldogs were clinging to a 25-24 lead at halftime.

Liberal outscored TJ 14-2 in the third period to take the lead for good. 

The Bulldogs won the fourth quarter 12-5.

Three players scored in double figures for Liberal, as Abby Barton and Taylor Swarnes scored 13 points apiece and Bailey Couch had 10.

Gabbi Hiebert scored 10 points to lead Thomas Jefferson and Lannah Grigg added nine. Sarah Mueller and Nico Carlson chipped in four points apiece.

Liberal (2-0) is at Baxter Springs (Kan.) on Thursday.

Thomas Jefferson (2-1) travels to Everton on Dec. 6.

 

WRESTLING: Carthage tops Carl Junction via tie-breaker

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — A season opening wrestling dual between Carthage and Carl Junction was deadlocked at 39 when all of the night’s matches had concluded.

The Tigers earned a 40-39 win via tie-breaker, as Carthage won on the sixth criteria due to having less forfeits.

At 106 pounds, Carl Junction’s Carter Fogelson won by fall over Tanner Putt.

Carthage’s Alberto Sales pinned Cole Beezley at 113.

Carl Junction’s Lukas Walker (120) and Sam Melton (126) both won by fall, as the Bulldogs earned wins over Grady Huntley and Emerson Ixcol.

Carthage’s Bradyn Tate pinned Keaton Colburn at 132, but CJ’s Max Matthews won by fall over Brandon Perez at 138. 

Carthage’s Joe Pantoja won by forfeit at 144.

At 150, Carthage’s Kip Castor pinned CJ’s Nevan Challenger and Trey Nye won by fall over CJ’s Marcus Lopez-Durman at 157.

At 165, Carl Junction’s Dexter Merrell earned a 10-7 decision over Gabe Lambeth.

The Bulldogs also won matches at 175 and 190, as Tony Stewart pinned Alexander Hernandez Guzman and Cody Berry won by fall over Hector Escobar.

Carthage’s Alexander Salas-Marquez pinned Blake Starks at 215 and Carthage’s David Recinos earned a 7-1 decision over Donnie Keith.

Carthage will host Cassville and Berryville on Dec. 6. Carl Junction will host Joplin on Thursday. 

GIRLS HOOPS: College Heights rolls vs. rival McAuley

Posted on by Jason Peake

DIAMOND, Mo. — College Heights Christian’s girls basketball team rolled to a 52-10 victory over McAuley Catholic on Tuesday night in the opening round of the Gem City Classic at Diamond High School.

“Our defensive pressure was key in the first quarter,” CHC coach John Blankenship said. “I was very pleased with our rotations out of our traps and reading into the passing lanes. When we create turnovers, it allows us to get into our transition game.” 

Jayli Johnson finished with 12 points and five steals for the Cougars, while Maddy Colin also had 12 points to go along with six rebounds.

Also for CHC, Libby Fanning contributed 11 points, nine rebounds and three steals, while Ava Lett had eight points, three rebounds and three assists.

Third-seeded College Heights (1-1) will play second-seeded Miller at 7:30 on Thursday night at the event.

 Miller beat Sarcoxie 47-11.

Sixth-seeded McAuley meets seventh-seeded Sarcoxie at 7:30 on Thursday at Diamond’s middle school.

In other action, East Newton edged Greenfield 46-44. 

CJ CLASSIC: Host Bulldogs advance to title game, will meet Nevada 

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — After seeing a 21-point lead nearly evaporate, the Carl Junction Bulldogs got the job done when crunch time arrived.

In a physical back and forth clash, Carl Junction held on late for a 62-58 victory over Springdale (Ark.) on Tuesday night in the semifinals of the 46th Freeman Sports Medicine CJ Classic.

“These are the kind of games we want early in the season,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “Springdale plays so hard and they are going to win a lot of games this year. We saw two completely different brands of basketball the last two nights. Neosho has size and Springdale has quickness. We were able to handle both of them, so we feel good. We had some kids step up and tonight was a good game for us for sure.”

Carl Junction built a 21-point lead in the second half, but the host Bulldogs had to withstand Springdale’s late surge for what could be described as a hard-fought win. 

Springdale cut its deficit to four late in the game, but the hosts never relinquished their lead. 

“Our kids kept fighting,” Shorter said. “It could have easily went south, but they hung in there and kept fighting. We needed a game like this because it’s hard to simulate that kind of speed in practice. This game is going to be good for us later in the year.”

The tourney hosts will meet Nevada at 8:30 on Thursday night in the championship game. It’s a rematch of last year’s title game that the Bulldogs won.

In a showdown between Bulldogs, Carl Junction raced out to a 16-4 lead after a pair of hoops from senior guard Destiny Buerge. The hosts’ lead was 16-8 at the end of the first frame. 

Carl Junction took a 23-13 lead after back-to-back putbacks by Kylie Scott, but Springdale forced the hosts into a number of turnovers with their full-court pressure defense, and in the process, the visitors cut their deficit down to two.

But the hosts finished the first half on an 8-0 surge, as Buerge and Scott had one bucket apiece and Dezi Williams scored twice in the paint.

Those points gave Carl Junction a 31-21 halftime advantage. 

Carl Junction scored the first nine points of the second half, as Scott made a free throw, Klohe Burk and Buerge buried treys and Burk knocked down a midrange jumper for a 40-21 cushion.

The visitors stopped the run, but CJ soon held a 21-point lead at 45-24 with just over three minutes remaining in the third quarter. 

Springdale didn’t quit, however, as the visiting Bulldogs reeled off 12 straight points to pull within eight.

Buerge drained a key 3-pointer to stop Springdale’s spurt, giving CJ a 49-38 lead entering the fourth period.

Carl Junction held a 57-45 lead with three minutes to play when Springdale used a 10-2 run to get within four with 45 seconds remaining. 

The hosts wouldn’t be denied. Buerge sank two charities, the visitors turned the ball over and Williams made one of two attempts at the foul line to seal the win. Springdale hit a late trey for the final margin. 

“It was a game of runs,” Shorter said. “And it’s November basketball, so it can be pretty ugly at times. But we’ll get there.”

Ranked third in Class 5 by the MBCA, Carl Junction improved to 2-0. 

A Pittsburg State signee, the 5-foot-8 Buerge poured in 25 points to lead Carl Junction. She hit four treys, grabbed five boards and had four steals.

A 6-3 junior forward, Scott recorded a double-double with 15 points and 21 rebounds. 

Burk added 11 points and Williams had nine points and four steals.

Hali Shorter handed out four assists and grabbed three rebounds. 

Three players reached double figures for Springdale, as Adriana Hernandez scored 17, Charleen Hudson had 15 and Aubriana Wilson added 14.

Coach Shorter noted Springdale’s speedy guard-oriented team was not easy to defend. The visitors, who are now 4-1 on the season, hit 10 3-pointers and forced CJ into more than 20 turnovers. 

“We tried to rest Destiny, but we didn’t handle the ball very well,” Coach Shorter said. “But seeing those things means we know what we need to work on. Our girls realize that.”

In the other semifinal, Nevada topped Parkview 61-55. 

In Tuesday’s consolation action, Neosho pounded Mount Vernon 66-38 and McDonald County beat Seneca 51-38.

 

NEOSHO 66, MOUNT VERNON 38

Neosho scored the game’s first 11 points and never looked back. 

The Wildcats led 20-5 at the end of the first quarter before extending their lead to 20 late in the first half at 38-18.

Up 40-24 at halftime, Neosho started the third quarter on a 14-0 run to take a 30-point lead and put the game way out of reach. 

Senior post player Karlee Ellick scored 27 points on 13 field goals and a free throw to lead Neosho. The 6-2 Ellick scored 18 points in the first half.

Sophomore Beclynn Garrett added eight points and senior Maelynn Garrett had seven for the Wildcats (2-3).

Sophomore Addie Hall led the Mountaineers (1-2) with 19 points, while classmate Cheyenne Bieber added 10. Grant Berendt’s Mount Vernon squad features just one senior and no juniors. 

 

MCDONALD COUNTY 51, SENECA 38

The Mustangs led 13-8 at the end of the opening period.

McDonald County was up 27-15 at halftime and the Mustangs held a 39-30 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Junior Anna Clarkson led the Mustangs (2-1) with 16 points and freshman Carlie Martin scored 14 points.

Sophomore Hazley Grotjohn led Seneca with 14 points, while senior Parker Long and junior Samarah Mittag added nine points apiece for the Indians (1-2).

 

NEVADA 61, PARKVIEW 55

The game was tied at 12 at the end of the first quarter before Nevada took a 31-24 lead into intermission.

The Tigers (2-1) led 47-39 at the end of the third quarter and they never surrendered their lead in the final frame.

Senior Abbey Heathman scored 26 points for Nevada, while junior Clara Swearingen added 22 and senior Maddy Majors chipped in 11.

Tara Masten scored 22 points for Parkview (2-1).

 

Thursday’s schedule

4 p.m. —Mount Vernon vs. Seneca (7th place)

5:30—Neosho vs. McDonald County (5th place)

7—Parkview vs. Springdale (3rd place)

8:30—Carl Junction vs. Nevada (Title game)

WRESTLING: Joplin overpowers Webb City in season-opening dual

Posted on by Lucas Davis

The Joplin Eagles opened the new wrestling season with a 54-24 dual victory on Tuesday over Central Ozark Conference rival Webb City at Kaminsky Gymnasium.

Joplin’s Drew VanGilder battles Webb City’s Dominic Boles during the Eagles win over the Cardinals in the season opener on Tuesday. Photo by Derek Livingston.

Webb City jumped out to a 12-0 lead early behind a win by pin at 106 and a forfeit at 113 pounds, but Joplin took control of the dual in the six weight classes from 120 through 150 with five pins and one decision producing 33 unanswered points for the Eagles.

Webb City also won matches at 157 and 285, but it was not enough since Joplin went 9-3 overall in the 12 contested matches Tuesday.

“First match of the year, you really start learning a lot about your team,” Joplin coach Jeremy Finley said. “What we learned tonight is that we know how to fight. We fought tough. We came out a little flat, but I think as the matches went on, we settled down a little bit and I thought it ended up going our way.

“It’s also a testament for all our kids’ work in the wrestling room. Wrestling’s a tough sport and you saw that tonight. Obviously, we had to dig deep. We had a little adversity, and I was very proud of our kids.

Webb City’s Jessy Stalford and Joplin’s Toryn Jones battle on the mat during the Eagles’ win on Tuesday. Photo by Derek Livingston.

“We’ve got to get in better shape. We were breathing hard in a few matches, but that’s to be expected. Wrestling season is a very long season and we’re not looking to be in tip-top shape right now. We could be wrestling at the end of February in the state tournament. We will get there, I promise you.”

Joplin’s Jabin Brown (120) pinned Drake Carter in 3 minutes, 32 seconds, Toryn Jones (126) pinned Jessy Stalford in 4:58, Andrew Burke (132) pinned Aiden Moore in 4:31, Freddy Cerrato (138) pinned Blake Leonard in 1:00, Alex Short (144) won a 6-4 decision against Colt Taylor, Orion Norris (150) pinned Carson Farmer in 3:53, Juan Morales (165) won 10-4 against Aidan Rose, Drew VanGilder (175) pinned Dominic Boles in 2:39, Josiah Hazelwood (190) pinned Bronson Collard in 1:37, and Draven VanGilder (220) won by forfeit.

Webb City’s Tyler Pearish (106) pinned Aiden Ward in 2:30, Kyler Butler (113) won by forfeit, Justin Allen (157) pinned Cole Gandy in 1:36, and Garrett Mathis (285) pinned Dawson McMullen in 1:25.

Joplin’s Ilannah-Burtrum squares off with Webb City’s Natalie Maynard. Photo by Derek Livingston.

Joplin won 24-0 in the girls dual Tuesday against Webb City: CoryAunna Muller (115) and Mya Ndedi-Ntepe (170) each won by forfeit and Erika Washom (140) and Ilannah Burtrum (190) each pinned their opponents.

Joplin (1-0) returns to the mat Thursday on the road against conference rival Carl Junction (0-1), who lost 40-39 to Carthage on Tuesday.

Webb City (0-1), meanwhile, does not return to varsity action until Dec. 8 with a triangular against Diamond and host Monett.

 

BOYS HOOPS: Neosho builds early cushion in win over Nevada

Posted on by Lucas Davis

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho opened the season on a high note, using a big first half to build a sizable cushion on the way to a 61-38 win over Nevada on Tuesday.

The Wildcats took a nine-point lead into the second quarter before outscoring the Tigers 16-4 in the second period to gain a 21-point margin by the break. Neosho held the advantage in the second half on the way to the season-opening victory. 

“The boys were really unselfish and had a great first showing,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said to SoMo Sports. “Ten guys scored and we had only four turnovers on the night.”

Carter Baslee led the way for Neosho with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Kael Smith added 10 points, while Carter Fenske finished with nine. Michael Day added six points and Collier Hendricks scored five.

Cade Beshore led Nevada with 13 points, while Drew Beachler and Brice Budd each finished with eight points in the loss.

Neosho takes part in the Battle at The Ridge basketball tournament at Pea Ridge, Arkansas, from Dec. 8-10.

 

BOYS HOOPS: Carthage pulls away from Monett late after catching fire from range

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARTHAGE, Mo. — After struggling to convert from the floor for much of the first half, Carthage found its rhythm offensively in the second half and caught fire from 3-point land down the stretch to pull away for a 58-44 win over Monett in the Tigers’ season opener on Tuesday.

Carthage trailed after the first and second quarters before taking a slim one-point lead into the fourth period. The Tigers (1-0) started the final eight minutes on a 7-0 run before erupting from the 3-point line down the stretch, knocking down six total shots from beyond the arc to build a double-digit lead en route to the comfortable win.

“I told these guys that it wasn’t going to be perfect,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said after the season-opening win. “I really feel like in the first quarter that we got good looks at the rim. We wanted our guys who have been at practice to hold us steady, but they really struggled in the first quarter. … I told them just to stay in the fight. Credit to Monett for knowing that we would be a little rusty and forcing us to take a lot of jump shots that we missed.

“We showed what we can be in the second half. … To see the improvement throughout one game is big, and it’s probably not the worst thing in the world for us to have to grit out a win on the first night.”

Sophomore G Trent Yates was the catalyst for the four-quarter surge from long range, drilling four 3-balls down the stretch to finish with 16 points in the win as the Tigers’ second-leading scorer.

“I am really proud of Trent and the way he stepped up,” Morris said. “We have been begging him to step into the moment and he did a heck of a job with that tonight.”

Senior swingman Clay Kinder, who is just joining the team after the football season, added a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and finished with eight points in the period and 13 points in the win. 

Junior G Justin Ray led the Tigers in scoring with 20 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Senior G Max Templeman finished with nine points in the win.

Monett was led in scoring by Jason Garner’s 18 points, while Blaine Salsman finished with 10.

GAME ACTION

After scoring just four points in the first period, Carthage went into the intermission trailing 18-15 after scoring nine of those 15 points in the final three minutes of the first half. Down 13-7, the Tigers trimmed the lead to 16-15 after getting 3-pointers from Yates, Kinder and Ray, off the assist from Yates. Monett pushed the lead back to three, 18-15, when Isaiah Meeks scored inside before time expired in the half.

“(We were fortunate) to come in down three at half after how poorly we knew we played offensively,” Morris said. “I think our guys were confident in knowing that wasn’t going to take place again. I thought pressuring in our zone press in the second half really got us going.” 

Carthage and Monett exchanged the lead three times in the third quarter, with the Tigers holding a slim 30-29 cushion to start the final eight minutes of play. The Tigers opened the third quarter on a 7-3 run, highlighted by several forced turnovers in the press on defense in addition to a 3-pointer and a score on the drive from Ray, to take their first lead of the game.

Monett answered back with a driving score from Marcus Young to regain the advantage before Ethan Kutz scored inside to push the lead to three for the Cubs, 25-22.

Carthage retook the lead after Templeman drove the lane for a bucket with two minutes left in the quarter to trim the lead to one left before Ray added a pair from the charity stripe to give the Tigers a 28-27 advantage before ultimately going into the final eight minutes with a 30-29 advantage.

Carthage took control of the contest from the onset of the fourth quarter. The Tigers went back to the trap on defense to force several early turnovers while scoring the first seven points of the period behind a steal and an old-fashioned three-point play from Ray, two free throws from Templeman and an inside bucket from Kinder for a 37-29 lead with six minutes left.

“That speaks to the kids,” Morris said. “They fought tooth and nail to finally get the lead after trailing for the major part of two and a half quarters and they didn’t relinquish. They got some big stops, rebounded the ball better and earned some deflections. If we are going to be highly competitive like we were last year, we are going to have to earn deflections knowing that we are not the biggest team in the world.

“Our strength of having four guards on the court most of the time is being able to expose people offensively and be active in the zone press. It can be a weakness at times, having four guards, but if we can keep playing with speed and athleticism and using it to our advantage, it will help us down the road.”

After Monett converted for two charities, it started raining 3s for the Tigers, who made six consecutive shots from 3-point land to put the game out of reach. Yates made his first of the quarter for a 40-31 lead before burying a second on the next trip down to push the margin to 10 points for the first time, 43-33, with 4:40 left in regulation. Templeman earned a steal and ultimately the assist on Yates’ third straight 3-ball to push the lead to 46-33. Carthage built the lead up to 55-38 after two 3-pointers from Kinder sandwiched around Yates’ fourth trey of the period to pull away for good.

UP NEXT

The Tigers host the 76th annual Carthage Invitational from Dec. 8-10.

 

BOYS HOOPS: Cavaliers edge Warriors at Gem City Classic

Posted on by Jason Peake

DIAMOND, Mo. — In a thriller between close rivals, second-seeded Thomas Jefferson upended seventh-seeded McAuley Catholic 45-40 on Monday night in the opening round of the Gem City Classic boys basketball tournament.

The game was deadlocked at 40 when Thomas Jefferson senior guard Kip Atteberry hit a corner trey after an inbounds play with 1:30 to play to give the Cavaliers the lead for good.

After a defensive stop, Thomas Jefferson’s Tony Touma hit two clutch free throws with 25 seconds remaining to seal the win.

Tyler Brouhard scored 17 points with three treys to go along with four assists and three blocked shots to lead Thomas Jefferson, while Jay Ball added 15 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks.

Atteberry added six points on a pair of 3-pointers for the Cavaliers, who improved to 3-0.

Michael Parrigon and Kable Reichardt scored nine points apiece for McAuley (0-2), while Bradley Wagner contributed eight points.

The Cavaliers led 10-9 at the end of the first quarter, but the game was tied at 20 at intermission. Thomas Jefferson led by two, 34-32, entering the fourth period.

Thomas Jefferson will meet sixth-seeded Galena in the tourney semifinals at 7:30 on Wednesday night.

McAuley plays third-seeded Diamond in the consolation semifinals at 7:30 on Wednesday night at the middle school. Galena topped Diamond 59-56.

In other first round games, top-seeded El Dorado Springs nipped Carthage’s junior varsity squad 44-43 and fourth-seeded Mount Vernon topped fifth-seeded Sarcoxie 40-30.

The girls tournament begins on Tuesday night, with third-seeded College Heights taking on sixth-seeded McAuley at 8:30 p.m.

CJ CLASSIC: Carl Junction girls rally past Neosho in season, tourney opener

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Turnovers and points off turnovers determined Monday’s quarterfinal game between host Carl Junction and Neosho in the 46th annual Freeman Sports Medicine CJ Classic.

Neosho led 9-8 after one quarter and 22-21 at halftime, then Carl Junction outscored Neosho 32-17 in the second half, highlighted by multiple baskets after Wildcat turnovers, on the way to the Bulldogs earning a 53-39 win in their season opener.

Carl Junction’s Anna Burch defends the inbound pass late in the Bulldogs’ win over Neosho on Monday in the season opener and first round of the CJ Classic. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.

Carl Junction plays Springdale, Arkansas (3-0), in the semifinals Tuesday night, while Neosho (1-3) takes on Mount Vernon (0-2) in the consolation bracket in the first game on Tuesday.

Springdale defeated Mount Vernon 54-37 on Monday.

“(Neosho) outrebounded us and that was a factor we talked aboutgoin in—not allowing them,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “Fortunately, we were able to get some points off turnovers, which was huge. We looked pretty rusty and need to get some things worked out. At the same time, it’s the first game of the year, so a good win for us to start out with and Neosho is much improved.”

“Turnovers killed us tonight,” Neosho coach Daniel Durst said. “We’re still learning how to finish games. We get in those tight spots, and we still revert back to panic mode. We’re just working to get that out of our systems.”

Carl Junction received a game-high 24 points from outstanding senior and prolific scorer Destiny Buerge, who picked up her fourth personal foul with 3 minutes, 39 seconds remaining in the third quarter and Carl Junction holding on to a 29-28 lead.

Neosho failed to take advantage with Buerge on the bench, and Carl Junction closed out the third with six unanswered to head into the fourth ahead 35-28.

Buerge returned in the fourth and she netted four straight points to start the quarter and give Carl Junction the first double-digit lead of the night at 39-28.

Neosho’s Beclynn Garrett drives the lane during the Wildcats’ opening-round loss to Carl Junction in the CJ Classic on Monday. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.

The Wildcats cut it down to 41-37 with a 9-2 spurt of their own, but the Bulldogs scored 12 of the game’s last 14 points to close out their Central Ozark Conference rival they will play again in February.

“It was a good one for us,” Shorter said. “Our schedule is packed full of tough opponents. It’s going to be a tough season, but hopefully it prepares us for the end of the year.”

Dezi Williams and Kylie Scott had eight points each, DeShaye Buerge five, and Klohe Burk and Anna Burch four each.

“It’s tough to practice for a month and play against each other the entire time,” Shorter said. “We’re nursing a few injuries here and there, and hopefully we’re going to be at full strength here before too long. Our kids saw some of the mistakes they were making, whether it was our floor organization or our defensive pressure or obviously the rebounding, but I think that we will improve and continue to get better.”

Neosho’s inside-outside tandem of senior post Karlee Ellick and sophomore guard Beclynn Garrett combined for 19 of the Wildcats’ 22 first-half points and they gave the Bulldogs plenty of fits the first 16 minutes of play.

Garrett scored 10 and Ellick had nine with five of her points helping the Wildcats to their leads after each quarter.

After halftime, Garrett and Ellick both fell off their pace from the first half; Garrett and Ellick both led Neosho with 13 points.

“For the most part, we stepped up and played good defense,” Durst said. “One of the big emphases after the last couple games was sitting down and playing solid defense. I was proud of that. I thought we took better care of the ball at times, but in those pivotal moments, that’s when we started losing our heads.”

 

CJ CLASSIC

Monday’s scores
Springdale 54, Mount Vernon 37
Carl Junction 53, Neosho 39
Nevada 54, McDonald County 27
Parkview 64, Seneca 47

Tuesday’s schedule

4—Mount Vernon vs. Neosho
5:30—McDonald County vs. Seneca
7—Carl Junction vs. Springdale
8:30—Parkview vs. Nevada

Carl Junction’s Dezi Williams lets go of a 3-point attempt during the Bulldogs’ win over Neosho in the opening round of the CJ Classic on Monday. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.

BOYS HOOPS PREVIEW: Returning experience has Carthage Tigers hungry for success

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Following an impressive 18-8 campaign a year ago, Carthage is returning several key pieces to the lineup to give the Tigers high expectations entering the 2022-23 season.

The Tigers graduated four seniors a year ago—forwards Caden Kabance, Sylas Browning and Logan Carmickle and guard Joel Pugh—but return four upperclassmen with plenty of varsity experience. 

“This group is hungry to build upon an 18-win season that marked the most in over a decade,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said to SoMo Sports. “We return some key pieces but understand that Joel Pugh and the other three seniors were solid rocks that held up this team at times. We bring back some exciting players that can be high-volume scorers at times.”

Carthage returns a trio of seniors—5-foot-9 PG Max Templeman, 6-foot G Britt Coy and 6-foot-3 F Clay Kinder—as well as junior 6-foot-2 G Justin Ray. Templeman averaged 15.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game last year as a second-team all Central Ozark Conference selection. Ray averaged eight points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.1 steals as a sophomore, while Kinder put up 8.7 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season. Coy scored 3.7 points per game last season.

“We have to replace more pieces than we did a year ago, but we return two three-year starters in Max Templeman and Justin Ray who will stabilize us,” Morris said. “Clay Kinder and Britt Coy have a good deal of experience as well and play with a toughness that we need.”

Joining the varsity rotation this year will be sophomores Trent Yates (G) and Kruz Castor (F) as well as senior G Ben Nicholas, senior F Hudson Moore and junior G Jack Ryder.

The turnaround the Tigers witnessed last season didn’t come by chance. It came with utilizing their strengths as a team, and Carthage, which averaged 59 points per game last season, will continue with what brought them success last year on the offensive side of the ball—an uptempo pace of play. Defensively, the Tigers’ bigs will be pushing the floor as well.

“We will get up and down the court at a fast clip and have some aggressive defenders led by Britt Coy and Clay Kinder,” Morris said. “If we are shooting the ball well, we will be hard to beat as we have four starters that all can score in double figures.”

Of course, the concerns from last season also return for the Tigers. Carthage dealt with being undersized a year a year ago and will be dealing with it again this season. However, Coach Morris feels his team can combat their main concern with a strong effort on the defensive end in the half court as well as an emphasis on rebounding game in and game out. Last season, the Tigers limited teams to 51 points per game on that end of the floor.

“We will be very undersized and will need to be willing to fight in the post and for rebounds,” Morris said. “I think it will take some time for all five guys to understand the importance of everyone willing to rebound.

“If we can bother teams in the half court defensively and disrupt their flow, we will have a fighting chance every night,” Morris said. “We also need a handful of underclassmen to take the challenge and help out our varsity crew.”

Carthage opens the season in front of the home crowd with a matchup versus Monett on Nov. 29 before the Tigers host the 76th annual Carthage Invitational on Dec. 8.

 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Carthage to build around eight returning starters

Posted on by Jason Peake

The Carthage Tigers return eight starters from a team last season that finished 8-2 overall in dual competition and placed fifth in the Central Ozark Conference, fourth at districts, and 17th at state.

Class 4 state runner-up Davion King headlines the Tigers’ returning wrestlers for veteran head coach Kenny Brown, who enters his 20th season at the helm of the Tigers.

Brown said that around 70 wrestlers went out for the team at the start of practice and the Tigers are looking to bring that number down to 56 before the start of the season in an effort to maximize their opportunities to develop their JV wrestlers.

“We did have a successful season last year, but definitely came up short of where we wanted to end up,” Brown said. “We wrestle some very talented competition just within our conference. The boys know what we have returning and are looking forward to the opportunity to test themselves against those programs.

“With gas prices this last year, we chose not to attend any camps this summer and just worked in our own room. We focused on more high-level technique that our boys are more likely to see at some of the tougher tournaments.

“Our goals this season are the same as every season. We want to continue to improve throughout the course of the season to give us the best opportunity to challenge for a district championship and set ourselves up for a run during the state tournament.”

King finished 38-5 overall last season, won a district title, and finished second in the COC at 160 pounds. He also placed fifth at 145 his sophomore year and qualified for state at 138 his freshman year.

“Davion placed second last year at state,” Brown said. “He had some health issues that kept him from putting on any weight and he ended up wrestling his finals match way undersized. Davion has worked hard putting on muscle this offseason and will be a tough match for just about anyone he sees this year.”

King plays key roles for the Carthage football team as defensive back and wide receiver. A deep playoff run for the Tigers in football would impact their basketball and wrestling teams.

Slated to wrestle at 132 his junior season, Bradyn Tate finished 31-12 last season at 126 and qualified for state at 113 his freshman campaign.

“Bradyn had a very consistent season for us last year as a sophomore and qualified as a freshman for the state tournament,” Brown said. “Bradyn spent a lot of time on the mats this summer and preseason, competing in multiple tournaments.”

Grey Petticrew went 25-10 overall at 145 last season and he could have an even more successful senior season.

“Grey did a tremendous job for us last year qualifying for state for his first time,” Brown said. “He was wrestling at a better weight last season for himself and the team. He is going to pull back down to 150 and we are looking at him with a legitimate shot at the podium.”

Dylan Huntley finished 25-14 overall at 113 last season and he’s moving up in weight for his junior season.

“Dylan Huntley will be looking to fill our 120-pound spot,” Brown said. “He just missed out on qualifying for the state tournament last season and we are looking for him to punch his first ticket to the state tournament this year.”

Tanner Putt recorded a 6-4 mark at 106 his freshman season.

“Tanner really came on strong towards the end of last season,” Brown said. “He was undersized all year at 106 and we are hoping to see continued improvement now that he is an actual 106-pounder. He spent most of the summer in the wrestling room and competed in a few tournaments this summer as well.”

Other returning wrestlers from last season are 138-pound senior Kip Castor (23-13 at 132), 157-pound senior Gabe Lambeth (11-12 at 170/182), and 285-pound sophomore David Recinos (11-6 at 285).

The graduation of five seniors from last season, including state medalist Braxdon Tate, has opened up a few spots in the Carthage lineup.

“Trey Nye started wrestling as a freshman and has come a long way in the three years he has wrestled for us,” Brown said. “He has been stuck behind some of our best wrestlers the past two years and we need for him to find a spot in the varsity lineup.”

Brown said that 10 wrestlers are in competition to replace Bradyn Tate at the 126 spot.

The Tigers open their season with a dual Tuesday against conference rival Carl Junction. They compete in the Farmington Duals (Dec. 10), Harrisonville (Dec. 16-17), Excelsior Springs (Jan. 7), and Platte County (Jan. 20-21) tournaments, as well as being the host of the Carthage Varsity Duals on Dec. 28.

Carthage’s schedule especially picks up in intensity in January, between the tournaments in Excelsior Springs and Platte County, as well as the Tigers’ annual Black and Blue Brawl Jan. 17 against longtime rival Neosho.

The Tigers defeated Neosho 38-31 on their home mat last season for their first win in the Black and Blue series since 2007, a victory secured by Recinos’ win by pin at 285 in the final match of the night.

Carthage competes Jan. 28 in the conference tournament and districts and state both follow in February.  

 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Carl Junction excited for new season with six returning state qualifiers

Posted on by Jason Peake

The Carl Junction Bulldogs started making noise last season in head coach Mike Frizzell’s third season at the helm, finishing 15-3 overall in duals, placing second in the Central Ozark Conference tournament, and qualifying seven wrestlers for the Class 3 state tournament.

Carl Junction returns six of the seven qualifiers in seniors Lukas Walker, Chance Benford, and Cayden Bollinger, juniors Sam Melton and Max Matthews, and sophomore Tony Stewart. Melton finished second at 113 pounds and Walker third at 106 at state.

The Bulldogs also return sophomore Carter Foglesong and juniors Dexter Merrell and Arlen Wakefield, with freshmen Cole Beezley and Markus Lopez both in the mix for mat time.

“We have been excited for the upcoming season and building off of last season’s accolades,” Frizzell said. “We had a great offseason with several kids wrestling freestyle and Greco during the spring and summer months and beating some good quality competition.

“We have high expectations and have set some hefty goals for this season. With the number of returning state qualifiers/placers, we expect to be a contender for the Class 3 team title, but it will take a ton of hard work and consistency to be competitive.”

The Bulldogs have a strong trio of seniors in Walker, Benford, and Bolinger.

Walker finished 43-5 overall last season with district and conference titles in addition to his third place at state. He also qualified for state at 106 during his sophomore year.

Benford went 40-12 overall, won a conference title, and placed fourth in districts at 182, while Bollinger finished 38-17 overall, won a conference title, and placed fourth in districts at 220 last season.

“Experience is on our side this season,” Frizzell said. “We have a great senior class of leaders that have helped shape the culture in the wrestling room over these last few years and it is starting to pay off big with our confidence and expectations.”

Melton put together a 40-6 overall record with a second at state and conference and district titles last season.

Matthews finished 23-21 overall and qualified for state at 120, Stewart 36-17 overall and qualified for state at 170, Foglesong 29-8 overall at 106 as Walker and Melton also wrestled at 113 and 120, and Merrell and Wakefield both return as two-year varsity lettermen, while Beezley and Lopez both enjoyed success at the youth level.

“Mental toughness is always a key component in wrestling when competing at a high level,” Frizzell said. “We need to make sure we keep a competitive edge against our opponents when we walk out on the mat to compete and keep that edge throughout the match. Always manage the match to give yourself a chance to win.

“Being consistent day in and day out and staying healthy. It’s a long season that can be hard on your body both physically and mentally. Staying focused on the task at hand will be important to reach our goals.”

The Bulldogs graduated one of their state qualifiers, heavyweight Kameron Bennett.

Carl Junction opens the new season on Tuesday at conference rival Carthage.  

The Bulldogs open at home Dec. 1 against Joplin and their schedule plays out with a dual at Seneca (Dec. 6), their own CJ Classic (Dec. 10) with Blue Springs, Bolivar, Monett, Nixa, Seneca, Webb City and Willard joining the Bulldogs, a dual at Webb City (Dec. 13), a tournament in Harrisonville (Dec. 16-17), the Kinlock Tournament (Dec. 29-30) hosted by Parkview in Springfield, a tournament in Jenks, Okla. (Jan. 6-7), the Branson Tournament (Jan. 14), the Pacific Tournament (Jan. 21), a home dual against Marshfield (Jan. 24), a home dual against Neosho (Jan. 26), the conference tournament in Webb City (Jan. 28), a dual at McDonald County (Feb. 2), and a dual at Pittsburg, Kan (Feb. 3).

District and state take place in February.

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Webb City returns seven wrestlers for new head coach

Posted on by Jason Peake

The Webb City Cardinals have seven wrestlers returning from last season for their new head coach Jamie Williams, a Seneca graduate and former Webb City and Seneca assistant.

The returners are seniors Dominic Boles, Aidan Moore, Aidan Rose and Liam Taylor, juniors Colt Taylor and Cooper Heilbrun, and sophomore Trenton Ogle.

Brantley Carter, Javon White, and Buddy Belcher are the wrestlers who graduated from the Cardinals’ starting lineup.

“This team is extremely excited,” Williams said. “They all have been putting in hard work over the summer and preseason. There seems to be a buzz with the kids, and they all seemed really fired up for the upcoming season.

“Our expectations for this year is each kid will see where they are at in their personal performance and build on it each day. Each day we get a little bit better than we were the day before. When we do this, our goals will be able to be accomplished.”

None of Webb City’s 10 varsity wrestlers qualified for state last season and the Cardinals placed 10th overall in the Central Ozark Conference tournament with none of their wrestlers finishing with a medal.

“The biggest strength that our kids have is the desire to work,” Williams said. “Each day they show up willing to work and push themselves. There’s also some great leadership in the room with the upperclassmen, as well as some great underclassmen really stepping up.

“We need to clean up our technique and be able to execute the moves when we are tired. We need to be able to be very disciplined when we are working on our skill sets to build this mindset in our routine. We have the kids in the room that are wanting to work and eager to learn, and they are holding each other accountable in the room and outside of the room. This is going to be very critical for us being able to correct our technique and our mindset.”

Last season, Ogle finished 2-8 overall at 113 pounds, Colt Taylor 21-10 at 126, Moore 18-16 at 138, Boles 8-9 at 145, Carter 22-7 at 152, Heilbrun 12-18 at 160, Rose 5-24 at 170, Liam Taylor 14-17 at 182, White 13-9 at 195, and Belcher 10-5 at 220.

The Cardinals open their new season on Tuesday night at COC rival Joplin and their schedule has duals against Diamond and host Monett (Dec. 8), Carl Junction at home (Dec. 13), Frontenac at home (Dec. 15), Seneca at home (Jan. 3), Neosho and McDonald County at Neosho (Jan. 12), Marshfield on the road (Jan. 17), and Carthage at home (Jan. 24).

Their tournament slate begins Dec. 10 at Carl Junction and continues with Harrisonville (Dec. 16), Parkview (Dec. 29), Monett (Jan. 7), Rockwood Summit (Jan. 14), and Paola (Jan. 20).

Webb City hosts the conference tournament Jan. 28, and the Cardinals have district competition in mid-February.

“Being disciplined, keeping our goals in our view, showing up each day and be willing to work harder than anyone else, and make progress each day becoming a little better every chance we get,” Williams said of the keys to having a successful season.

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Five returning starters to lead Joplin

Posted on by Jason Peake

The Joplin Eagles return five starters, including one Class 4 state qualifier, for the upcoming season in seniors Draven VanGilder, Drew VanGilder and Alex Short and juniors Johnny Williams and Johnathon Burke.

The Eagles graduated 182-pound Brayden Thomas and heavyweight Gunner Price, and their newcomers include freshman Andrew Snider and sophomores Brennan Washington and KeyShawn Peavler.

Joplin finished 7-8 overall in dual competition last season.

“We have the potential to be pretty good if we get strong leadership from our upperclassmen and our young guys and gals learn and grow up in a hurry,” Joplin’s fifth-year head coach Jeremy Finley said. “We have strong leadership from our senior class. The VanGilders do an excellent job of bringing energy everyday into the practice room and get everyone going. Alex Short has been involved with wrestling for a very long time. We are looking for him to turn the corner this season.”

Draven VanGilder, an outstanding three-sport star fresh off a senior season in football when he made 145 total tackles (98 solo, 47 assist) in 10 games, qualified for state at 195 pounds and posted an 18-11 overall record last season.

Price was Joplin’s other state qualifier last season, and he managed a pair of wins before bowing out in the third consolation round.

Draven’s twin brother Drew, who rushed for nearly 400 yards and scored five touchdowns at running back his senior season, finished 14-8 last season and just a couple victories shy of also qualifying for state at 170.

Short finished 11-18 overall at 126 and Burke 14-15 overall at 145.

There will be less-experienced wrestlers surrounding the five returning starters.

“We will have to fill a few varsity weight classes with some underclassmen,” Finley said. “In order for us to be successful, they must grow up and adapt to varsity high school wrestling.

“Like any year, we hope to get as many kids in the room as possible. Usually if we can get them to show up, they will stay. We need as many as we can get. For us to be successful, we must obtain and keep kids interested and focused throughout the year. We have plenty of athletes walking the halls of JHS that do nothing in the winter. We need to turn these athletes into wrestlers.”

The Eagles open their season on Tuesday at home against Webb City and their schedule includes tournaments at Bentonville West, Columbus, Republic, and Columbia Hickman.

Webb City hosts the Central Ozark Tournament on Jan. 28.

District and state take place in February.

BOYS HOOPS PREVIEW: Senior class to lead Neosho in 2022-23

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Despite the departure of dynamic scorer K’dyn Waters, who is currently playing basketball at NorthArk College, Neosho boys basketball has high hopes for improving upon its 17-11 record from a year ago in the upcoming 2022-23 season.

The reason for those hopes? A seven-man senior class with a bevy of varsity experience. 

“We are very excited, especially coming off a year where we had the most wins in the program

since 2005 and are bringing back seven seniors,” said Neosho coach Zane Culp, who is in his fourth year at the helm of the program. “The guys are out to prove last year was just a

stepping stone to an even better season this year.

“I believe we should be able to put ourselves in position to win most games. I think if we do that, our experience will help us pull out some wins. Our boys will go out with the intention to win

every game.”

The returning senior class is led by 6-foot-1 G/F Isaiah Green, who averaged 9.6 points, seven rebounds, four assists and 2.6 steals per game last year. 

“He started all 28 games last year,” Culp said. “One of our best all-around players. He is the

definition of a stat sheet stuffer. He was second in points last year and first in rebounds, steals and assists.”

Green is joined by fellow seniors 6-foot-3 F Kael Smith (7.9 PPG, 4.8 RPG), 6-foot-2 G Carter Fenske (7.6 PPG, 2.3 RPG), 5-foot-7 G Brock Franklin (5.2 PPG, 2.3 APG), 6-foot-4 F Carter Baslee (3.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG), 5-foot-11 G Jared Siler (3.1 PPG) and 5-foot-11 G Michael Day. Expected to make an impact at the varsity level this year is junior G Collier Hendricks.

While it is true that the Wildcats lost 23 points per game with the graduation of Waters, Neosho has the collective ability to try to make up for the loss thanks to the experience they bring back. All but one senior has started a game at the varsity level, giving Culp the peace of mind knowing there isn’t a situation his players haven’t been through and can’t figure out on their own on the court. It might just take a little time.

“I think our biggest strengths are our depth and experience,” Culp said. “Bringing back seven lettermen, and six guys who started games last year should be really advantageous for us. These guys set out a goal as freshmen to have the best four-year run the program has had in the last 20 years and I think they will do everything to accomplish that this year.

“We will have to find consistent scoring and that may be something we kind of figure out as we go. Losing Waters, who averaged 23 ppg while being so efficient, will be something that we will have to adjust to. I think we will be a more balanced offensive team this year, but it may take a while to figure out exactly what that looks like night in night out.”

Neosho opens the season at home with a matchup against Nevada on Tuesday.

“We have to take the season one day, one practice, one drill at a time,” Culp said when asked what the keys to his team’s success this year will be. “We can’t be looking ahead. We

need to just be focused on the task at hand everyday. Then, by the time we reach the end of the

season, hopefully, we are playing our best basketball.”

 

GIRLS SWIMMING: Carl Junction features state medalists, plenty of depth

Posted on by Jason Peake

Stephanie Miller and the members of the Carl Junction High School girls swim team couldn’t wait for winter practices to arrive.

With a solid core returning from last year’s squad that finished sixth in the state, it’s not hard to see why the Bulldogs are so thrilled about the 2022-23 campaign.

“We are always excited for our season to start,” Miller said. “Everyone had their alarm clocks ready for 4:50 a.m. on the first day of practice. The girls had been meeting in small groups and going on runs or going to the gym together. I would describe my team as strong, athletic, and determined. Carl Junction could have some big achievements this year. Stay tuned… it just depends if the girls all believe. I believe.”

The Bulldogs had a season to remember last winter, going 17-4 in duals, taking second at the COC Meet, third at the SWMO Championships and finishing the season with a sixth-place showing at the Class 1 state meet.

With multiple state medalists leading the way, Carl Junction features 12 returning swimmers and six newcomers. 

Seniors Skyler Sundy and Madeleine Garoutte, junior Chloe Miller and sophomore Elyanna Dogotch are the team’s top returners. Also back with prior varsity experience are Abigail and Sophia Holcomb, Kennedy Johnson, Ava Fifer, Bella Laudermilk, Alex Offutt, Kiley Brenneis and Sydney Ward. Coach Miller noted her team features great depth. 

“This year we have the perfect size with 18 swimmers,” Coach Miller said. “We have some swimmers that are among the best in the state and we have some coming out for their first swim season. It will be the best of both worlds watching the elite girls fight for tenths of seconds while watching the new swimmers record huge time drops every time they hit the pool.”

Chloe Miller and Sundy, who both finished second in their respective events at last year’s Class 1 state meet, are expected to once again lead the way for the Bulldogs. 

Chloe Miller was the state runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle and also finished sixth in the 100 freestyle. Sundy was the state runner-up in the 100 backstroke and she also took fifth in the 50 free.

With both Miller and Sundy contributing, Carl Junction finished fourth in the 200 medley relay to earn all-state honors. 

Miller was the COC champion in both the 50 freestyle and the 100 free, while Sundy was the conference champion in the 100 backstroke and tied for second in the 50 free. The Bulldogs were the COC champs in two relays (200 free, 200 medley).

With a solid core back, along with some promising newcomers, Coach Miller noted the Bulldogs have the goals set high. And for the Bulldogs, the keys to success are simple.

“While I love to watch my team win and do well, at the end of the day it is always possible to come up a bit short,” she said. “The key to being successful is enjoying the process as much, if not more, than the outcome. This is how you guarantee a successful program year after year. I asked my team for their goals this season. One swimmer wrote, ‘I want to get snowed in again at COMO.’ She was referring to an extended hotel stay in Columbia the previous year. We’re getting ready to start what could be our best season and my swimmer just wants more time to have fun with her teammates. I’d say we are already successful.”

As always, how the team’s inexperienced swimmers progress throughout the season is another key to a successful season. 

“This season we are focusing on team chemistry and taking advantage of every opportunity to have fun racing,” Coach Miller said. “Historically, when we focus on having fun and the basics we end up successful. When you have new athletes that are not seasoned swimmers they have to make a choice to buy in and trust the process. First, we’ll focus on learning the basics and the speed can come late in the season. I have a ton of athletic talent, but the challenge as a coach is converting the talent the girls have as a runner, tennis player or in the weight room to the pool.”

The Bulldogs are scheduled to begin the season on Nov. 29 at Webb City. 

 

GIRLS SWIMMING: Joplin reloaded for 2022-23 season

Posted on by Jason Peake

Juliana Hughes is confident that good things are ahead for her Joplin High School girls swim team.

Hughes is optimistic about the 2022-23 season because the Eagles feature a solid group of seniors and several promising newcomers. 

“The girls are excited for the upcoming season because we have eight seniors on the team who started swimming together four years ago during my first year as head coach,” Hughes said. “Others are excited to return after joining local swim clubs to stay conditioned and gain meet experience through the summer.”  

The team’s seniors are Lily Rakes, Megan Walser, Mairi Beranek, Taegen Smith, Allysun Higdon, Brooklyn Hiller and Ami Riechman-Bennett. Another senior, Skyler Ridgway, is unable to compete due to recent injuries, Hughes said.

Walser finished eighth in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 500 freestyle at last year’s conference meet, while Beranek finished 10th in the 100 backstroke. Rakes was on three relays that fared well at the conference meet, as the 200 medley relay placed third and the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 free relay both finished sixth.

“Rakes, Walser and Beranek are leading the team with top times for our A-relays,” Hughes noted.  

Riechman-Bennett is back with the program after previously competing as a freshman.

“We’re excited to have her back,” Hughes said. “And Hiller and Smith are versatile swimmers who can swim any individual event well and are alternates for relays. We are looking forward to watching Higdon progress in her 100 freestyle and fully develop her 100 backstroke. She is a hard worker and leads the teams with her charisma and creative ideas to build team spirit.”  

Top newcomers include junior Kiki Thom and freshmen Brylea Smith, Lydia Barwick, Julia Reyes-Alvarado, Kylea Thullesen and Kennedy Kelley.  

Coach Hughes expects Thom to make an immediate impact.

“Thom is leading the team with top splits and a secure spot for the A-relays,” Hughes said. “She is a seasoned swim club swimmer but is new to the JHS swim team.” 

Several freshmen have the potential to contribute nicely, as well.

“Smith and Barwick are also seasoned swim club swimmers,” Hughes said. “Smith has secured her spot on one of the relays and Barwick is showing promise for alternate positions. Thom, Smith and Barwick are versatile and able to swim any individual event. We’re looking forward to seeing their progress this season and how they contribute to the team.”  

Hughes added that Reyes-Alvarado, Kelley and Thullesen have been progressing nicely in practice. Junior Emma Marshall and sophomores Izzy Zamanzadeh, Gwen Zamanzadeh and Evelyn Watson are other athletes competing for varsity spots. 

Coach Hughes noted the goals are set high this winter.

“I expect our relays to make state-consideration times due to the many talented swimmers we have,” Hughes said. “We have the most versatile swimmers this year with the ability to score points in any individual event.”  

Hughes added the keys to success for her squad include staying focused on training and staying healthy. 

“We’ll want to build endurance and speed, as many of these returning swimmers haven’t been conditioned in the pool since summer swim club,” Hughes said. “Illness and injury are always a concern during the peak of flu season. We have been encouraging our girls with good nutrition and getting enough rest each week. 

“This will take dedication as a coach to design effective workouts to build endurance and speed for each swimmer,” Hughes added. “It will also take the dedication of the student-athletes to make practice and give it their all.”  

Joplin is scheduled to open the season at Carthage on Dec. 1.   

GIRLS SWIMMING: With solid nucleus back, Webb City has expectations set high

Posted on by Jason Peake

The Webb City High School girls swimming and diving team returns a solid nucleus from last year’s squad that not only won the Central Ozark Conference Meet, but also concluded the season with a number of all-state performances.

The Cardinals feature 19 athletes who played a role on last year’s team that went 15-0 in duals and captured a conference crown. Among the returning swimmers are athletes who garnered all-state and all-conference recognition a season ago.

With that, it’s safe to say the Cardinals are poised to have another stellar winter.

“This team is hungry for success,” Cardinals coach Shawn Klosterman said. “We have several returning athletes who have put in a lot of extra time getting bigger and stronger since last season. I’ve been getting a lot of questions about meets and relay lineups, which shows me their minds are in the right place heading into the season. Our veterans are also excited about the new fish coming in as we have a few with a lot of swimming background and a few more with a lot of athletic ability who have been successful athletes in other sports.”

Seniors Sophia Whitesell (IM, distance), Olivia Honey (freestyle), Skylar Powell (freestyle), MacKenna Kelly (freestyle), Hally Philpot (freestyle, breaststroke), Hannah Ross (backstroke, free) and Eden Paul (IM, butterfly) return with plenty of varsity experience.

“My seniors this year are excellent leaders who bring the team together to work hard every day and motivate them to give it all when the races count,” Klosterman said. “I couldn’t ask for better leadership than we’ll have this year.”

Returning juniors are Bailey Artinger (freestyle, breast), Emma Burke (backstroke), Allie Eggleston (distance), Novely Lamont (IM, breast), Talyn Lewis (distance), Kiera McDonald (backstroke), Avery Mitchell (freestyle) and Kelly Tollefson (diving).

Returning sophomores are Alix Davis (freestyle, back), Camryn Klosterman (IM), Hattie Warren (diving), Kyndall Weston (IM, breast) and Emily Wood (freestyle).

The Cardinals return plenty of state experience.

At last year’s Class 1 state meet, Whitesell placed eighth in the 200 IM and 16th in the 500 freestyle, while Powell finished 13th in the 50 freestyle and 14th in the 100 freestyle. 

Webb City’s 400 freestyle relay team of Powell, Mitchell, Davis and Whitesell took 11th place. The 200 medley relay team that featured Camryn Klosterman, Whitesell and Honey (15th) and the 200 free relay that featured Powell, Honey and Mitchell (16th) also recorded top 16 finishes at state.

At last year’s COC Meet, the Cardinals won the 400 free relay, took second in the 200 medley and were third in the 200 free relay.

Whitesell won the 500 freestyle and was the COC runner-up in the 200 IM, while Powell was third in the 100 free and fourth in the 50 free and Camryn Klosterman was fourth in the 100 fly and fifth in the 200 IM. Also at last year’s COC Meet, Mitchell was fourth in the 100 free and fifth in the 50 free, Davis was sixth in the 100 backstroke and Philpot took sixth in the 100 breaststroke.

“We had a great showing at COC and at the MSHSAA Championships last year and we are returning a lot of dedicated Cardinals,” Coach Klosterman noted. 

Coach Klosterman hopes to see similar, if not improved, results this winter.

“The COC Championship is always a goal, but getting as many athletes into the state meet as we can is certainly a priority for my returners,” he said. 

In addition to the large group of returning swimmers, Webb City will feature some promising newcomers.

Coach Klosterman listed senior Jaylynn Reno, sophomore Trinity Custenborder and freshmen Madison Allen, Saige Boulware, Carly Brigance, Sophia Jiminez, Alivia Johnson, Norah Klosterman, Jai Potter and Jaeli Rutledge as newcomers to watch. 

“We’ll have a lot of new fish so it is always a challenge to get them race ready quickly and to figure out which events their natural ability will lead them toward,” Coach Klosterman said. “We also have a lot of versatile athletes I can place in any event, so some of our veterans will need to be ready to jump in wherever the team needs them.” 

Those newcomers will provide more depth for the Cardinals. 

“I think we’ll be especially strong this year both in dual meets and in the major invites and championship meets,” Coach Klosterman said. “Our lineup should be able to fill every event with big point scorers no matter what level of meet we’re at. I’m excited about our depth.”  

With the program’s goals always set high, Coach Klosterman noted the keys to a successful season are simple.

“The keys are staying healthy and motivated through the toughest part of the training year,” he said. “Once we get to January, the schedule gets hard with meets and tough workouts. Once we get over that hill, as long as everyone stays on their game, is when we start seeing breakout swims and the payoff for all their hard work and time sacrifice.”

The Cardinals will host a season-opening meet on Nov. 29. 

 

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