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Month: January 2023

GIRLS HOOPS ROUNDUP: Carthage, Webb City, Nevada all earn tourney wins; CHC, TJ suffer losses; McAuley extends winning streak

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE GIRLS 70, PITTSBURG 31

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Carthage started fast and never looked back in a 70-31 win over Pittsburg on Friday during consolation play of the girls Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament at Pittsburg High School.

The Tigers (8-7) jumped out in front quickly in the first quarter after outscoring the Dragons 22-11 through the first eight minutes. 

Carthage kept the pedal to the floor in the second quarter and pushed the lead to 55-23 heading into halftime. The Tigers limited the Dragons to eight points total in the second half while cruising to victory.

“I’m extremely proud of how we played tonight,” Carthage coach Scott Moore said. “We dominated for four quarters and played one of our best games yet. All nine girls scored and all nine played with energy for 32 minutes. That’s exactly what we asked them to do in our pre-game talk.”

Kianna Yates led Carthage with 17 points, while Lauren Choate finished with 13 points and Maggie Boyd had 11. Carthage finished with four players in double figures as Landry Cochran added 10 points in the win.

Carthage plays the winner of Olathe North and Webster Groves at 1 p.m. in the fifth-place game on Saturday.

 

WEBB CITY GIRLS 51, BRANSON 39

ROGERSVILLE, Mo. — Webb City ended the Lady Wildcat Classic on a positive note by beating COC rival Branson in the tourney’s third-place game on Friday at Logan-Rogersville High School.

The Cardinals improved to 12-5 on the season.

Webb City scored 10 unanswered points late in the first quarter. Malorie Stanley hit a pair of 3-pointers, Sami Mancini scored inside and Kirra Long made two free throws.

The Cardinals led 22-12 at the end of the opening frame.

Webb City went up 31-22 after two hoops from Stanley and a free throw from Izzy Lopez, but the Pirates scored the final five points of the first half. With that, the Cardinals held a 31-27 halftime advantage.

The game was deadlocked at 31 in the third period before Webb City closed the quarter on an 11-2 run to go up 42-33. Mancini, Stanley and Long accounted for all 11 points during the spurt.

In the fourth quarter, Kate Brownfield knocked down two 3-pointers to give Webb City a 49-37 advantage with 2:34 remaining. 

A junior guard, Stanley scored 17 points to lead the Cardinals. 

Mancini added 15 points and Long also reached double figures with 11 points.

Also for the Cardinals, Brownfield scored six and Lopez and Mia Robbins added one point apiece.

 

NEVADA GIRLS 58, FRONTENAC 55

FRONTENAC, Kan. — After beating the tourney hosts in the semifinals, Nevada’s girls basketball team will meet Blue Springs in the championship game of the Four State Raider Classic.

Saturday’s title game is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Frontenac High School. 

Nevada (15-3) led 16-11 at the end of the first period, 30-26 at halftime and 45-34 at the end of the third quarter.

Clara Swearingen scored 24 points for Nevada, while Maddy Majors added 13 points.

Hattie Pyle scored 28 points for the Raiders.

 

NORTHEAST (ARMA) GIRLS 43, THOMAS JEFFERSON 35

LIBERAL, Mo. — The Thomas Jefferson girls basketball team fell 43-35 in the Tony Dubray Classic on Friday.

Northeast took a five-point into the second period before the Warriors rallied to hold a 26-25 advantage by the intermission. Northeast started the second half like it did the first, outscoring Thomas Jefferson (8-6) by five, with the Vikings expanding the margin down the stretch. 

Gabbi Hiebert led the Cavaliers with 14 points, knocking down three 3-pointers. Sarah Mueller also made three 3-pointers on the way to 11 points in the loss. Lannah Grigg added eight points. 

The Vikings were led in scoring by Liberty Signing’s 12 points, while Mackenzie Jackson had 11 points for Northeast.

Thomas Jefferson is on the road against Jasper on Tuesday.

 

PARSONS GIRLS 58, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 56

CHEROKEE, Kan. — College Heights’ late comeback fell just short in the semifinals of the Lancer Classic.

The Vikings built an 18-11 lead by the end of the first period, and Parsons was up 37-23 at halftime.

The Cougars trailed 50-39 at the end of the third period.

College Heights rallied in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Vikings 19-8 in the final eight minutes. However, it wasn’t enough, as the Vikings held on.

“Parsons is a very athletic team,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “They have great athletes in the post position coupled with a lot of 3-point shooters. They are difficult to defend. We trailed by 14 at the half. My kids made some great defensive adjustments in the second half, which slowed them down and allowed our offense to get us back in the game. We kept chipping away at the lead. Jayli Johnson and Addie Lawrence had great shooting nights for us. The rest of the team contributed with defense and rebounding allowing us to have a great fourth quarter.”

Blankenship noted there were many positives his team can take from Friday’s contest.

“Parsons is a much larger school and a very good team,” he said. “I am so proud of our team for battling all game. We showed a lot of heart tonight. It was great having Lauren Ukena return to action in limited minutes tonight after recovering from a wrist injury. She makes us better and gives us a lot of speed on the defensive end.” 

Johnson scored 20 points, grabbed seven rebounds and handed out six assists for the Cougars, while Libby Fanning recorded yet another double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Lawrence contributed nine points and four steals, Ava Lett scored five points and Maddy Colin compiled six rebounds, four points and two steals.

College Heights (9-7) will play for third place on Saturday.

 

MCAULEY CATHOLIC GIRLS 36, EVERTON 21

McAuley’s girls basketball team extended its winning streak to five with Friday’s victory.

Kloee Williamson scored 10 points to lead the Warriors, while Lily Black added seven points, Brooke Righter had six and Kendall Ramsey and Vanessa Diaz contributed five points apiece.

McAuley led 19-14 at halftime and extended the lead to 10 by the end of the third period at 28-18.

The Warriors limited Everton to three points in the fourth quarter.

McAuley Catholic (6-11) will host Wheaton on Tuesday.

BOYS HOOPS ROUNDUP: Webb City to play for tourney title; Carthage and Seneca add wins; Thomas Jefferson to play for title

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY BOYS 53, FORT SCOTT 47

FRONTENAC, Kan. — The Webb City Cardinals are once again in the championship game of the Four State Raider Classic.

The tourney’s defending champions, Webb City’s boys held off Fort Scott 53-47 in Friday’s semifinals.

Webb City (13-3) will meet Edmond Santa Fe or Frontenac at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday in the tourney title game.

It’s the fifth straight year the Cardinals are in the event’s championship game.

On Friday, Webb City could never gain much separation from the Tigers from the SEK League.

Webb City held a 10-9 lead at the end of the first quarter and the Cardinals were up 25-20 at halftime. 

The third quarter was even, 13-13.

The Cardinals outscored the Tigers 15-14 in the final eight minutes, holding on late by making enough free throws down the stretch.

Joe Adams scored 14 points and hit four 3-pointers for Webb City, while Barron Duda added 13 points and Holton Keith had 12 points and seven assists.

Alex Martin contributed eight points and eight rebounds and Jonah Spieker chipped in six points.

Dierks Kegler scored 15 points to lead Fort Scott (3-7), while Spencer Goldston added 13.

 

CARTHAGE BOYS 60, COFFEYVILLE 44

CHANUTE, Kan. — Carthage advanced to the fifth-place game of the Ralph Miller Classic by beating Coffeyville, Kansas, 60-44 on Friday afternoon in the annual event’s consolation semifinals at Chanute High School.

Up 16-12 at the end of the first period, Carthage extended its lead to 10 by halftime at 33-23.

With a 12-5 third period, the Tigers took a 45-28 advantage into the fourth quarter.

Carthage’s lead was never in jeopardy in the final frame.

Three players scored in double figures for the Tigers, as Max Templeman scored 21 points, while Britt Coy and Clay Kinder added 12 points apiece. Justin Ray added nine and Trent Yates had six.

Carthage made eight treys in the game, with Templeman, Coy and Yates hitting two apiece.

The Tigers (9-7) will conclude RMC play at 12:45 on Saturday against the tourney hosts.

 

SENECA BOYS 66, NEVADA 65

FRONTENAC, Kan. — The Seneca Indians topped the Nevada Tigers for the second time this week.

In Friday’s consolation game of the Four State Raider Classic, Nevada led 31-20 at halftime, but Seneca outscored the Tigers 46-34 in the second half.

Late in the game, Seneca’s Gavyn Hoover hit a 3-pointer to give the Indians a one-point cushion.

Nevada’s Drew Beachler connected on two free throws to give the Tigers the lead, but Seneca’s Blake Hurn scored on a drive to the hoop for the final margin.

“It was a tale of two halves,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “Hats off to Seneca. They hit clutch shots down the stretch and we turned the ball over a ton in the second half to let them back in it.”

Cooper Long scored 16 points for Seneca, while Hoover added 15 and Zane Grotjohn had 14.

Cade Beshore scored 19 points for Nevada, while Beachler had 12 and Jack Cheaney and Riddick Shook contributed 11 points apiece. Brice Budd added nine for the Tigers.

Nevada (6-11) will play for seventh place at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, while Seneca (9-8) will play for fifth at 2:30.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON BOYS TO PLAY FOR TITLE (FROM THURSDAY)

LIBERAL, Mo. — With a 64-59 semifinal win over Colgan, Thomas Jefferson advanced to the championship game of the Tony Dubray Classic, where the Cavaliers will face Galena, Kansas, at 6:30 on Saturday night.

The Cavaliers took control by outscoring the Panthers 24-13 in the second period.

Colgan cut Thomas Jefferson’s lead to one late in the fourth quarter, but Kohl Thurman and Tyler Brouhard connected on four straight free throws for the Cavaliers.

Thomas Jefferson’s Jay Ball had another memorable night. Ball scored 19 points and grabbed a school record 27 rebounds.

Brouhard scored 16 points and had eight rebounds and five assists.

“Jay and Tyler both had big nights, and we rely on them to do that nightly, but the other kids really stepped up,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “It was a great team win.”

Also for the Cavaliers, Levi Triplett scored 15 points, connecting on a trio of 3-pointers, while Thurman added eight points and seven rebounds, Kip Atteberry had four and Tony Touma scored two.  

Tucker Harrell led Colgan with 26 points.

BOYS HOOPS: Fast start leads Carl Junction to win over Monett

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — A fast start gave Carl Junction a lead they wouldn’t relinquish in a 68-57 win over Monett on Friday.

The Bulldogs (6-11) held all of the momentum after the first quarter, taking an 18-10 lead into the second period thanks to a 14-2 surge. CJ took a 27-20 advantage into halftime and each time the Cubs (8-8) made a run at the lead in the second half, the Bulldogs had an answer en route to the win.

GAME ACTION

Trailing 4-2 early, Carl Junction used a 14-2 run in the first period to take control of the momentum. Ayden Bard had four points during the run, while Cooper Vediz and Jett Hocut each knocked down 3-pointers in the surge. Vediz closed the run with a steal and score on the break.

Monett cut the lead down to four in the second period before Carl Junction rallied to take a 27-20 advantage into the second half.

The Cubs again cut the lead to four, 29-25, early in the second half only for the Bulldogs to close the third period on a 13-4 run to lead by 12 going into the final eight minutes of action. Bard and Vediz each had four points in the run, while Brody Pant buried a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to make the score 44-32.

Monett got back to back 3-pointers from Landyn Brandt to cut the Bulldogs’ lead to 46-38 with 6:50 left. Blaine Salsman knocked down a 3-pointer for the Cubs before Ky Warren answered right back for the Bulldogs with an old-fashioned three-point play to keep the margin at 10 with 4:40 left.

Vediz pushed the lead to a quarter-high 13 points after an inside score from Bard and a layup on the break by Vediz inside the final minute to make the score 65-52.

SCORING LEADERS

Bard led Carl Junction in scoring with a game-high 29 points, while Vediz finished the win with 21 points. 

Brandt had 14 to lead Monett, while Salsman added 13 in the loss.

UP NEXT

Carl Junction hosts Nevada on Tuesday.

 

GIRLS HOOPS: Carl Junction comes from behind, advances to tourney title game

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Carl Junction’s girls basketball team advanced to the championship game of the Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament with a 45-42 come-from-behind win over Blue Valley Northwest on Friday at Pittsburg High School.

Carl Junction (14-1) fought back from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to move on to the title game, where they’ll play Kickapoo at 1 p.m. on Saturday. 

The Huskies from Kansas led 10-8 at the end of the first quarter. 

The Bulldogs started the second period on a 9-2 run, with Pittsburg State recruit Destiny Buerge scoring seven during the surge that gave CJ a 17-12 lead.

Carl Junction battled foul trouble in the first half, as both Kylie Scott and Buerge picked up two fouls apiece.

With both Buerge and Scott on the bench, the Huskies scored the final eight points of the first half to take a 20-17 lead.

Free throws from Klohe Burk and Buerge tied the game at 28 late in the third period, but the Huskies reeled off five straight points for a 33-28 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.

Blue Valley Northwest scored the first four points of the final frame to go up by nine at 37-28.

But Carl Junction responded with a game-changing 16-2 run to take a 44-39 lead with less than a minute to play. Buerge, Scott and Hali Shorter all contributed points during the surge, while the Bulldogs also pressured the Huskies into several turnovers.

Buerge came up with a big steal late in the game, but moments later Blue Valley’s Elise Grosdidier hit a 3-pointer to bring her team within two.

Scott made 1-of-2 at the charity stripe to keep CJ in front by three with 13 seconds left.

After a timeout, the Huskies missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds.

A senior guard, Buerge led Carl Junction with 22 points. 

Scott had seven points, with six coming in the fourth quarter. Burk scored six, Dezi Williams had four and Shorter and Jadyn Howard added three points apiece.

HOOPS ROUNDUP: Carl Junction girls roll in opener; Carthage squads fall; Nevada girls earn win; Webb City girls suffer setback; TJ boys victorious

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARL JUNCTION GIRLS 65, PITTSBURG 23

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Carl Junction girls basketball team rolled to a 65-23 victory over Pittsburg on Thursday in the opener of the Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament at Pittsburg High School.

The Bulldogs built a commanding 43-11 lead by halftime on the way to their eighth straight win.

Ranked fourth in Class 5, Carl Junction is now 13-1.

Carl Junction put up 24 points in the first quarter and 19 more in the second period on their way to a lopsided win.

Destiny Buerge scored 16 points for the Bulldogs, while Kylie Scott added 13 points, Anna Burch had 10 and Jadyn Howard chipped in nine. 

Jacqueline Hall scored six points to lead the Purple Dragons.

Carl Junction will take on Blue Valley Northwest at 4 p.m. on Friday in the semifinals.

 

BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST GIRLS 58, CARTHAGE 51

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The third period proved to be key for Blue Valley Northwest in their 58-51 win over Carthage on Thursday at the Bill Hanson Memorial Tournament.

“Blue Valley got hot in the third quarter and utilized their immense size advantage to outscore us 22-10,” Tigers coach Scott Moore said. “However, that means we won the other three quarters of the game. That’s been our Achilles’ heel this season…one subpar quarter. I’m really proud of how our girls battled tonight. They poured their hearts out on the court and didn’t let Blue Valley’s size affect our effort.” 

Carthage’s Lauren Choate scored a game-high 22 points, hitting four 3-pointers along the way.

“Lauren Choate had a great night for us,” Moore noted.

Kianna Yates added 17 points for the Tigers, who fell to 7-7.

“Kianna Yates played an effective all-around game tonight,” Moore said. “She did a great job distributing the ball to open teammates.”

Blue Valley Northwest, which started four girls 5’11 or taller, received 21 points from Elise Grosdidier.

After suffering the opening-round loss, the Tigers will take on Pittsburg at 4 p.m. on Friday.

 

NEVADA GIRLS 38, BARTLESVILLE 34

FRONTENAC, Kan. — Nevada’s girls pulled out a close 38-34 win over Bartlesville, Oklahoma, at the Four State Raider Classic on Thursday night inside Frontenac High School. 

With the win, Nevada hiked its record to 14-3.

The Tigers held a 10-7 lead at the end of the first quarter, and Nevada was up 18-17 at the half.

The Tigers were clinging to a three-point cushion, 30-27, entering the fourth quarter.

Nevada made enough free throws down the stretch to keep the lead against Bartlesville, a Class 6 squad.

Clara Swearingen scored 16 points to lead Nevada, while Maddy Majors added 12 points.

Nevada meets Frontenac in the tourney semifinals at 7 p.m. on Friday. 

In other tourney action, Frontenac defeated Blue Valley Southwest 55-45 and Blue Springs beat Seneca 55-19.

 

ROLLA GIRLS 48, WEBB CITY 40

ROGERSVILLE, Mo. — Webb City’s late rally fell short on Thursday at the Lady Wildcat Classic at Logan-Rogersville High School.

Rolla took a 27-21 lead into halftime, and the Bulldogs extended their advantage to 40-26 by the end of the third quarter.

Webb City pulled within seven late in the game after 3-pointers from Kirra Long and Izzy Lopez, but the Bulldogs never relinquished their lead down the stretch.

Webb City fell to 11-5 and saw their seven-game winning streak halted.

The Cardinals will conclude tourney play in the third-place game against Branson at 6 on Friday night.

Ranked sixth in Class 5, Rolla (13-3) will meet Class 3 No. 1 Strafford in the championship game. 

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON GIRLS 63, BRONAUGH 44

LIBERAL, Mo. — Lannah Grigg scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers to a convincing victory at the Tony Dubray Classic on Wednesday night.

Two others reached double figures for Thomas Jefferson, as Gabbi Hiebert scored 15 points and Sarah Mueller added 11.

Gretchen Banes led Bronaugh with 12 points and Gabby Cox had 10.

Thomas Jefferson led by six at the end of the first period, but the Cavaliers extended their lead to 13 by halftime.

After a solid third quarter, the Cavaliers were up 53-34 entering the fourth quarter. 

Thomas Jefferson (8-5) will conclude tourney play at 5:30 on Friday against Northeast in the fifth-place game.

 

ANDOVER CENTRAL BOYS 57, CARTHAGE 43

CHANUTE, Kan. — The Carthage High School boys basketball team suffered a 57-43 loss to Andover Central on Thursday in the opening-round of the 51st annual Ralph Miller Classic at Chanute High School.

Currently ranked eighth in Kansas’ Class 5A, the Jaguars raced out to a 10-2 lead before the Tigers scored nine unanswered points in a surge that spanned the end of the first quarter and the early stages of the second period.

However, Andover Central ended the first half on a 12-4 run for a 22-15 halftime advantage.

After outscoring the Tigers 12-7 in the third quarter, the Jaguars held a 34-22 lead heading into the fourth period.

The Tigers trailed 49-39 with two minutes to play, and they were unable to rally late.

Carthage’s Max Templeman scored 16 points and hit a pair of 3-pointers for the Tigers, while Britt Coy added 11 points and Justin Ray had nine. 

Jayden Brown scored 16 points for the Jaguars (8-2).

Carthage (8-7) will continue tourney play at 3 p.m. on Friday against Coffeyville.

 

PARSONS BOYS 55, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 47

CHEROKEE, Kan. — College Heights Christian dropped the semifinal clash of the Lancer Classic to the Parsons Vikings.

College Heights (11-4) will play for third place on Saturday.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON BOYS 64, ST. MARY’S COLGAN 59

LIBERAL, Mo. — With a semifinal win over Colgan, Thomas Jefferson advanced to the championship game of the Tony Dubray Classic, where the Cavaliers will face Galena, Kansas, at 6:30 on Saturday night.

The Cavaliers took control by outscoring the Panthers 24-13 in the second period.

Colgan cut Thomas Jefferson’s lead to one late in the fourth quarter, but Kohl Thurman and Tyler Brouhard connected on four straight free throws for the Cavaliers.

Thomas Jefferson’s Jay Ball had another memorable night. Ball scored 19 points and grabbed a school record 27 rebounds.

Brouhard scored 16 points and had eight rebounds and five assists.

“Jay and Tyler both had big nights, and we rely on them to do that nightly, but the other kids really stepped up,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “It was a great team win.”

Also for the Cavaliers, Levi Triplett scored 15 points, connecting on a trio of 3-pointers, while Thurman added eight points and seven rebounds, Kip Atteberry had four and Tony Touma scored two.  

Tucker Harrell led Colgan with 26 points.

 

WRESTLING: Ozark’s dominant start spoils Neosho’s Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

NEOSHO, Mo. — The Ozark Tigers won the first eight matches and scored the first 34 points on their way to a 37-21 win in their dual on Thursday night against the host and Central Ozark Conference rival Neosho Wildcats.

“This team has a lot of potential,” Neosho coach Jeremy Phillips said. “We’re not disciplined because of our mentality. We’re not as tough as we need to be in our mental mindset. Just expecting to win, expecting to compete … and wrestling our match aggressively.

“Tonight, we struggled to be aggressive. Ozark’s ranked fourth in Class 4 and you saw tonight why. They’re always coached well and a solid program, and they brought it to us. We were on our heels taking it in several matches tonight.”

Appropriately enough on their Senior Night, Neosho’s four seniors each won their respective matches Thursday: Collyn Kivett (157 pounds) won a 2-1 decision against Brock Sundlie, Eli Zar (165) pinned Lucas Campbell 44 seconds into the second period, Ulysses DeLeon (195) pinned Johnny Williams in 1:33, and Nico Olivares (285) won 6-1 against Peyton Greer.

Neosho freshman Everson Tomlinson (195) won 9-6 against Ruben Arvizu, but otherwise it was all Ozark on Thursday against a Neosho squad with six freshmen starting Thursday.

“This is a solid group of seniors,” Phillips said. “The challenge before them is to help these younger underclassmen maybe help them learn some of the things that helped them (the seniors) get where they’re at. Before we wrestled tonight, I told them to refer back to when they were freshmen and sophomores and some of their mindsets and some of the things they struggled with mentally, so they can help some of these freshmen who are in our lineup, whether it’s overcoming anxieties or just being mentally tough in a tough match.”

Ozark’s Kaden Coffey (106) won 8-5 against Sam Fryer, Teagon Patterson (113) pinned Connor Reiboldt in 1:00, Damien Moseley (120) won 8-7 against Fisher Butler, Keaton Hurst (126) won by forfeit, Caden Harrington (132) won 7-2 against Hunter Butler, Levi Maskrod (138) won 8-1 against Josh Scheuerman, Daniel Laney (144) won a 12-2 major decision against Daniel Laney, Braxton Strick (150) pinned Kade Lawson in 22 seconds, and Kody Shepard (175) won 7-0 against Gabriel Busteed.

“We could possibly see them three more times,” Phillips said. “We’ve got conference with them, districts with them, and we’ve got obviously the state tournament with them. My goal would be to see the results that we had tonight and change those outcomes. Ultimately, it’s a team with potential, if our seniors will take and use their knowledge and experience to help us grow and learn from shortcomings like (Thursday).”

The Wildcats return to the mats next Thursday for their final dual of the regular season on the road against Carl Junction.

Two days later, Neosho, Carl Junction, and Ozark will be among the 10 schools competing in the COC Tournament.

GIRLS HOOPS: First-quarter defense sets tone in Joplin win over Hillcrest

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Joplin held Hillcrest without a field goal in the first quarter of action to stake the Eagles out to a comfortable lead that they would expand on throughout the remaining contest in a 50-31 win over the Hornets on Thursday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium. 

Joplin’s nine-point lead after the first quarter reached as much as 18 in the first half before settling at 23-12 by halftime. The Eagles (3-11) pushed the lead to 20 late in the third and never wavered down the stretch.

“Scouting-wise, we saw that we could pressure them,” first-year Joplin coach Brad Cox said after the win. “We brought out a press early and went back to man-to-man and got after them on defense. I couldn’t be more proud of the girls. They deserved this as an overall team win offensively and defensively. We got a lot of points and steals from a lot of different people, so it made it worthwhile. 

“We got the monkey off our back after being in a little bit of a drought. We have been working hard. This was nice to see for the girls.”

GAME ACTION

Joplin set the tone in the first quarter on the defensive end, limiting Hillcrest (5-13) to just four free throws in the first quarter after holding the Hornets without a field goal through the first eight minutes. 

“That is one of our pillars,” Cox said. “We take pride in our defense. It was all effort. With everything in life, if you put in a lot of effort, good things will come. Our effort was everywhere—we were in passing lanes, pressuring the ball. Overall, it was just great defense.”

While the Eagles defense was busy doing its job, Joplin started the game with a 9-0 run on the offensive end through the first four minutes of action. Alissa Owens opened with a mid-range jumper before earning a steal that led to a mid-range bucket from Serafina Auberry. The opening surge was capped with an offensive rebound and putback score by Auberry before Riley Kelly scored on an inside dive with 4:10 on the clock.

Following two pairs of free throws by Hillcrests’ Amaya Burris, Joplin closed out the first quarter with a steal off the inbounds by Owens followed by a putback and a driving score by Maria Loum just before the horn for a 13-4 advantage.

“She is going to be a special player,” Cox said of Owens’ performance. “Being a freshman in Class 6, it’s tough. She shows a lot of hustle and heart. … She is an incredibly hard worker and I can’t wait to see what the future brings for her.”

The Eagles started the second quarter on a 10-1 run to build an 18-point, 23-5 lead. Bailey Ledford started the period with a 3-ball from the corner and added another triple from the wing with the banks open following an inside score by Auberry to make the score 21-5 with 5:30 on the clock. Izzy Yust added two charity makes to reach the 18-point lead.

The Hornets closed the first half on 7-0 run capped by a 3-pointer from Camryn Summers to trim the Eagles’ lead to 23-12 at the intermission.

“We had zero turnovers in 15 possessions but we didn’t score on nine of those possessions,” Cox said of his team’s second period. “The second quarter has kind of been our Achilles’ heel this year, and it was again tonight.”

Joplin’s intensity didn’t let up in the second half, as the Eagles opened the third quarter with the first eight points of the second half to push the margin to 31-12. Ledford and Yust had inside baskets, while Kelly knocked down a 3-pointer.

Later in the quarter, Kelly converted a baseline jumper before back to back 3-pointers from Libby Munn (in the corner) and Yust (from the top of the key) gave Joplin a game-high 20-point cushion, 40-20, with less than a minute to play in the third quarter.

“That was crucial,” Cox said about expanding the lead back out to 20 late in the third quarter, fueling the win down the stretch. “That is why we talk about coming out and getting a couple of stops and a couple of scores to start the second half. … We just challenged the girls in the locker room not to run from fear, but to run right at it. They did that tonight.”

SCORING LEADERS

Auberry and Yust each had 10 points to lead Joplin in scoring, while Kelly and Ledford finished with eight apiece in the win. Owens finished with seven points.

“Besides the second quarter, we did a great job,” Cox said of the effort on the offensive end in the win. “I felt like the ball movement tonight was so much better than it’s been. If you watched this team in November to now, it’s night and day. Even with the loss of Brynn (Driver). I felt like we did a great job moving the ball to the post and making some plays, and we hit some 3s when we had the opportunity.”

UP NEXT

Joplin hosts Springfield Central on Tuesday.

BOYS HOOPS: Strong second half leads Webb City past Nevada in tourney opener

Posted on by Jason Peake

FRONTENAC, Kan. — Webb City shook off a slow start and overcame a 10-point deficit with a strong second half en route to a 61-46 victory over Nevada on Thursday at the Four State Raider Classic at Frontenac High School.

Defending champion Webb City meets Fort Scott in the semifinals at 5:30 on Friday night. 

Fort Scott topped Seneca 45-35.

Webb City’s Holton Keith scores inside against Nevada’s Brice Budd (5) and Cade Beshore (4) on Thursday at Frontenac High School. Photo by Derek Livingston.

WEBB CITY 61, NEVADA 46

The game was tied at intermission, but the Cardinals outscored the Tigers 36-21 in the second half. 

Webb City improved to 12-3, while Nevada slipped to 6-10. 

Nevada’s Jack Cheaney hit a trio of 3-pointers early in the contest to give the Tigers an 11-2 lead.

The Cardinals struggled offensively early in the game, as they missed their first 10 field goal attempts.

Nevada led 13-7 at the end of the first quarter.

The Tigers took a 10-point lead at 19-9 after treys from Riddick Shook and Cade Beshore. 

A pair of 3-pointers from Joe Adams and a layup from Holton Keith cut Webb City’s deficit to one at 22-21.

Overall, the Cardinals closed the first half on a 16-6 run and the game was deadlocked at halftime, 25-25.

Webb City’s Barron Duda looks for an opening against Nevada’s Cade Beshore at the Four State Raider Classic. Photo by Derek Livingston.

Webb City scored the first seven points of the third period to take a lead they would never relinquish.

The Cardinals outscored the Tigers 22-8 in the third period for a 47-33 advantage heading into the final frame.

Alex Martin’s putback gave Webb City a 54-40 lead with just under five minutes to play and Keith’s trey extended Webb City’s advantage to 59-42.

A 6-5 senior forward, Martin recorded a double-double for the Cardinals with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

Barron Duda and Keith contributed 10 points apiece for the Cardinals, who out-rebounded the Tigers 38-28.

Shook and Beshore scored 11 points apiece for Nevada, while Cheaney added 10. 

Nevada had 15 turnovers to Webb City’s seven.

 

FORT SCOTT 45, SENECA 35

In a close first half, Fort Scott led 11-8 at the end of the first period and the Tigers were up 22-19 at intermission. 

Seneca’s deficit was 10 at the end of the third quarter, as the Tigers held a 34-24 lead.

The Indians were unable to overcome the double-digit deficit in the final frame.

Cooper Long scored eight points for the Indians, while Ethan Altic and Gavyn Hoover added seven points apiece and Zane Grotjohn chipped in six.

Marquinn Johnson led Fort Scott with 14 points.

Nevada and Seneca will meet at 5:30 on Friday night in the consolation semifinals. 

 

Webb City senior Alex Martin scored 20 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Nevada on Thursday night at the Four State Raider Classic at Frontenac High School. Photos by Derek Livingston.

 

Webb City’s Jonah Spieker puts up a shot from in close against Nevada’s Kellan Ast (33) on Thursday in Frontenac, Kansas.

 

FULL STATS: Webb City HS (webbcitycardinals.com)

HOOPS ROUNDUP: TJ’s Ball scores school record 45 points; Seneca boys top Nevada; Carthage girls beat Mac County; CHC girls earn tourney win

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON BOYS 79, BRONAUGH 46

LIBERAL, Mo. — Jay Ball poured in a school record 45 points, leading the Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers to a dominant 79-46 win over the Bronaugh Wildcats on Tuesday in the opening round of the Tony Dubray Classic at Liberal High School.

“Obviously, Jay had a big night,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “Breaking the school record for points in a game is a big deal. The guys did a great job of getting him the basketball.”

A 6-foot-7 senior post player, Ball also had 12 rebounds and three blocks. Coach Myers noted Ball broke the school record in the first minute of the fourth quarter before yielding minutes to the team’s younger players. The previous record was 42 points, set by both Casey Meek (vs. Jasper in 2000) and Alex Oserowsky (vs. Sarcoxie in 2010).

Also for the Cavaliers, Tyler Brouhard scored 12 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, handed out five assists and blocked two shots. Levi Triplett contributed nine points and four assists, while Tony Touma and Kohl Thurman added five points apiece. Ethan Renger had four assists.

Tucker Duncan scored 21 points for Bronaugh.

Thomas Jefferson took control with a 26-12 second quarter before a 34-point third period blew the game open. 

“After a slow start, the boys settled in and had a big second and third quarter,” Myers said. “They did a great job of executing the offense and it led to some quality looks around the bucket.”

Thomas Jefferson improved to 10-3 on the season. 

The second-seeded Cavaliers will take on third-seeded St. Mary’s Colgan at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the tourney semifinals. 

 

SENECA BOYS 54, NEVADA 46

NEVADA, Mo. — Seneca earned its first win against Nevada since January of 2014, snapping a nine-game losing streak to the Tigers.

Three players scored in double figures for Seneca, as Cooper Long had 13 points, while Ethan Altic and Blake Hurn added 12 points apiece.

The Indians improved to 8-7 overall and 1-2 in the Big 8. 

Riddick Shook scored 12 points on four 3-pointers for Nevada (6-9, 2-1 Big 8).

 

CARTHAGE GIRLS 46, MCDONALD COUNTY 27

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage built a 20-point lead by intermission in Tuesday’s convincing non-conference win over the Mustangs.

Carthage led 18-8 at the end of the first quarter and the Tigers were up 33-13 at the break.

“We came out and played one of our best halves of the season to start the game,” Tigers coach Scott Moore said. “The girls played great defense, holding McDonald County to just 13 points. We coupled that with aggressive offense to secure a 20-point lead at halftime.”

The hosts managed just 13 points in the second half, but their lead was never in jeopardy.

“Our shots didn’t fall as well in the second half and McDonald County kept up their intensity for the full 32 minutes,” Moore said. “We are still looking to put together four great quarters. The girls know that and are still looking to play their best game yet.”

Kianna Yates led Carthage with 22 points. 

“Kianna Yates was the offensive catalyst tonight,” Moore said. “She scored an easy 22 points in probably only 22 minutes of action. We need more players to consistently produce this weekend when we travel to the Pittsburg Tournament and face quality opponents in all three rounds.”

Carthage’s Lauren Choate scored six, Maggie Boyd had five and Landry Cochran added four. 

Carlie Martin scored 10 points for the Mustangs. Carlee Cooper added five points for Mac County and Megan Elwood contributed four.

 

NEVADA GIRLS 60, SENECA 24

NEVADA, Mo. — A one-sided first half propelled Nevada’s girls to a lopsided Big 8 West win over Seneca.

The Tigers dominated the first half, leading 21-0 at the end of the opening period before taking a comfortable 41-4 lead into halftime.

Nevada is now 13-3 overall and 4-0 in Big 8 West play. 

Maddy Majors scored 16 points to lead Nevada, while Abbey Heathman and Kara Phillips added 12 points apiece for the Tigers.

Also for the Tigers, Lakyn Applegate scored six points, Clara Swearingen had five and Caylee Holcomb contributed four points.

Olivia Haase scored 11 points to lead Seneca. 

 

NEOSHO GIRLS 66, SMITH-COTTON 14

BOLIVAR, Mo. — The Neosho girls basketball team bounced back nicely from Monday’s loss to Parkview by recording a lopsided win over Smith-Cotton on Tuesday in the consolation semifinals of the Gary Keeling Lady Liberator Memorial Tournament at Bolivar High School.

The Wildcats built a 15-4 lead by the end of the first quarter and Neosho held a comfortable 29-6 lead at halftime.

The Wildcats took a commanding 57-14 advantage into the fourth period.

Neosho will conclude tourney play in the fifth-place game against Camdenton at 5:30 on Thursday.

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS 41, SOUTHEAST 29

CHEROKEE, Kan. — The College Heights Christian girls basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Lancer Classic with Tuesday’s win over the tourney hosts.

“We played really good halfcourt defense tonight,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “We lost a lot of quickness with the injuries to two of our senior guards, Lauren Ukena and Addie Lawrence. It’s impacted our ability to extend our full-court press for extended periods of time. We are really hoping Lauren gets released tomorrow. With that said, I’m really proud of how our younger kids are filling in during this time. They are doing a great job.” 

CHC’s Libby Fanning recorded a double-double with 27 points and 12 rebounds.

Jayli Johnson scored six points and had five steals.

College Heights (9-6) meets Parsons in the semifinals on Friday night.

BOYS HOOPS: Carl Junction plays unbeaten, Class 6 No. 2 Nixa tough for one half

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Carl Junction Bulldogs were right there late in the first half on Tuesday against the unbeaten Nixa Eagles, the defending Class 6 state runner-up and currently ranked second in Class 6.

Carl Junction junior guard Jett Hocut’s trifecta drew the Bulldogs to a 27-24 score, but the Eagles scored four of the last five points of the first half and then 12 of the first 15 points after halftime to extend their lead to 43-28 on their way to a 65-44 win over Carl Junction.

Carl Junction coach Justin Pock definitely looked on the bright side after the loss.

“I am happy with our effort,” Pock said. “You’ve got to compete with Nixa. They haven’t lost a game, they’re No. 2 in Class 6 for a reason, and I was really proud of my kids and how hard they’ve played. We competed and a couple different things could change a little bit, a couple different bounces go our way and who knows, but I was glad we competed and did some good things against a real good basketball team.”

The perimeter shooting of Hocut and freshman guard Cooper Vediz allowed the Bulldogs to hang around in the first half, while their defense limited Nixa to 13 points in the second quarter after the Eagles scored 18 in the first.

Vediz and Hocut combined for 17 first-half points.

Nixa came out in the second half with five points within the first 30 seconds and built a 53-37 lead after three quarters behind a 22-12 advantage in the third.

Vediz led Carl Junction with 17 points, Hocut scored all eight of his points in the first half, senior Ayden Bard also finished with eight points but six of his were scored in the second half, sophomore Wyatt McAfee added seven points, senior Xavier Perkins scored three points, and freshman Deacon Endicott reached the scoring column with a late made free throw.

The Bulldogs dropped to 5-11 overall and 0-2 in the Central Ozark Conference with six losses in a row headed into their home game Friday against Big 8 Conference opponent Monett.

Despite a pair of 20-point losses to start conference play, Pock has seen positive signs from his team against Republic and Nixa, Class 6 teams a combined 30-1 on the season thus far.

“I think we’re improving,” Pock said. “We’ve got to keep the competitive level that we played against Republic and Nixa for anyone that we play. We have to continue to play at our high level and play our game.”

Kael Combs led Nixa with 17 points, Noah Engelman and Garrett Hines each finished with 14, Corey Kemp had eight, Josh Powers added seven, Carsten Seitz hit a three for his points, and Ramone Green contributed two points.

WRESTLING: Neosho tops Carthage in Black & Blue Brawl

Posted on by Jason Peake

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho defeated Carthage 42-30 in the Black and Blue Brawl on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats won three matches by fall, as Fisher Butler (126), Hunter Butler (138) and Collyn Kivett (157) all recorded pins.

Carthage’s Tanner Putt (106), Alberto Sales (113) and Grey Petticrew (150) all won by fall for the Tigers. 

At 120 pounds, Carthage’s Grady Huntley earned a 9-5 decision over Brody Mitchell, while Kip Castor defeated Neosho’s Josh Scheuerman 8-2 at 144.

Neosho’s Eli Zar earned a 6-4 decision over Davion King at 165, while Gabriel Busteed edged Carthage’s Gabe Lambeth 6-4 at 175.

Neosho won by forfeit at 190, 215 and 285, while the Tigers earned a win via forfeit at 132.

GIRLS HOOPS: Strong second half propels Webb City to 7th straight win

Posted on by Jason Peake

ROGERSVILLE, Mo. — Webb City rode a strong second half to a 49-37 victory over Sparta on Tuesday night at the Lady Wildcat Classic at Logan-Rogersville High School. 

The game was tied at halftime before Webb City outscored Sparta 26-14 in the second half.

With the win, the Cardinals extended their winning streak to seven and hiked their record to 11-4.

Ranked ninth in Class 3 by the MBCA, Sparta fell to 12-4. 

Webb City was down 11-9 at the end of the first quarter. Sami Mancini scored seven of Webb City’s nine first quarter points.

The Cardinals trailed by three twice in the second quarter, but Kate Brownfield’s seventh point of the period tied the game at 20. 

The Trojans led by two late in the first half, but Webb City’s Kirra Long made a layup and the contest was deadlocked at 23 at halftime. 

After trailing by five early in the second half, Webb City finished the third quarter on a 13-1 run to take a 36-29 lead into the final frame. During the game-changing surge, Webb City received points from Mancini, Izzy Lopez, Brownfield, Malorie Stanley and Long.

The Cardinals went up by double digits early in the fourth quarter after hoops from Brownfield and Mia Robbins, and Webb City never relinquished its lead.

A senior guard, Brownfield scored 19 points to lead the Cardinals. A sophomore guard, Long added 12 points.

Also for the Cardinals, Mancini scored eight points before fouling out, while Robbins had six points and Stanley and Lopez each had two.

Webb City will return to tourney action at 6 p.m. on Thursday against Class 5 No. 6 Rolla.

Rolla (12-3) rolled past Central 70-35 on Tuesday at the tourney. Willow Gideon scored 19 points for the Bulldogs, and Resa Martin added 15. 

GIRLS SWIMMING: Host Carthage wins Lady Tiger Invitational

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Host Carthage won the Lady Tiger Invitational girls swim meet on Friday at the Fair Acres Family YMCA.

The Tigers compiled 358 points and Hillcrest was a distant second with 176 points.

Carthage won nine of the 11 events at the invite.

The Tigers won two of the three relays.

The CHS 200-yard medley relay team of Aubree Santillan, Olivia Manning, Madison Riley and Joey Hettinger took first in 1:58.

The team of Santillan, Manning, Kamryn Dininger and Riley won the 400 freestyle relay in 4:10.

The Tigers were second in the 200 freestyle relay, as Hettinger, Jekaterina Arnold, Reese Lee and Dininger finished in 1:57.77. Nevada took first in 1:57.32.

Three Carthage swimmers won two individual events apiece.

Riley took first in both the 100 and 200 freestyle, while Manning won the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke and Dininger claimed wins in the 100 butterfly and the 500 free. 

Santillan won the 100 backstroke.

Finishing second in their individual events for the Tigers were Arnold (200 free) and Anne Kennedy (100 fly). 

Madelyn Kennedy was third in the 500 free, Lee placed third in the 200 free, Santillan was third in the 50 free and Arnold took third in the 100 backstroke.  

Thomas Jefferson’s Natalie Carroll finished second in two events, the 50 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke.

Jasper’s Audrey Osterdyk was the runner-up in the 200 IM and she placed third in the 100 breaststroke.

Greenwood’s Reese Moore won the 50 freestyle.

Nevada’s winning 200 freestyle relay featured Mary Kate Russell, Avery Morris, Chloe Morris and Avery Ogle. The Tigers took second in the other two relays.

 

Lady Tiger Invitational

Team standings: Carthage 358, Hillcrest 176, Marshfield 170, Nevada 137, Greenwood 116, Seymour 94, Thomas Jefferson 26, Jasper 25.

 

The Carthage High School girls swim team poses after winning their own Lady Tiger Invitational last Friday at the Fair Acres Family YMCA. Courtesy photo.

BOYS HOOPS: Neosho rolls against rival Mac County for 4th straight win overall

Posted on by Lucas Davis

NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats extended their winning streak to four games and earned their 13th win of the season overall with a commanding 61-36 win on Monday over their long-standing rival McDonald County.

Neosho’s Isaiah Green drives to the rim against McDonald County on Monday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

Neosho trailed just once Monday at 8-7 in the first quarter and the Wildcats already led by double digits halfway through the second quarter.

Offensively, senior Isaiah Green and junior Collier Hendricks combined for 38 points on the evening, while the Wildcats’ defense limited McDonald County to 10 points in the first, 10 in the second, seven in the third, and nine in the fourth.

Aside from their free throws, obviously, the Mustangs seemingly had no easy shots with everything contested by Wildcat defenders Monday.

“Four games in a row where we’ve held a team to 41 or under,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “Three out of those four 38 or less, so we’re starting to gel together defensively. We thought we could be a good defensive team, and I feel like we’re getting better and better at it so that’s good to see.”

Neosho held Carl Junction to 38 points to start the winning streak and then Webb City to 41 and Willard to 30 as the Wildcats opened Central Ozark Conference play with two victories.

The Wildcats’ perimeter shooters have also started knocking down some more shots during this current win streak, led by Hendricks the last couple games.

“It’s very contagious when one of your best shooters, Collier, is really starting to pick it up,” Culp said. “That helps loosen everybody else up. We hit six threes that first half (Monday) and three different guys hit them. That can make you tough to guard when you’ve got our big guys inside and Isaiah Green with all that he does, so it’s good to see.”

Hendricks and senior point guard Brock Franklin each made a pair of 3-point baskets in the second quarter as the Wildcats took a 32-20 halftime lead.

McDonald County’s Josh Pacheco drives in for a bucket against Neosho on Monday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

Neosho came out in the second half with 13 of the first 15 points to extend the lead to 45-22, and the Wildcats led by as many as 61-32 late in regulation.

Green scored a game-high 25 points with 10 in the first and 15 in the second half, including 11 in a third quarter that saw Neosho almost double its lead from 12 at half to 22 after three.

“He’s a great guy to coach because he gets his own shots,” Culp said. “Fast breaks, offensive rebounds, just a simple play called to get him some movement and he can get by them to the rim, and he’s a great passer, as well. He’s a fun player to coach, and he makes it easier.”

Hendricks finished with 13 points, Kael Smith and Franklin six each, Carter Fenske five, Jared Siler four, and Carter Baslee two.

Neosho improved to 13-4 overall and the Wildcats return home Friday for a contest against Class 4 ninth-ranked Forsyth (14-0 entering Tuesday’s game against Hollister).

“We’re excited about that game,” Culp said. “We play good teams and that’s another good one coming in here. We should have a big crowd with people excited to come watch us. We’re ready for the challenge, and I think the boys are feeling good. That doesn’t mean you’re going to win, but that does mean we should come out and be competitive and we’re just hoping that it makes us better.”

Toby Moore led McDonald County with nine points Monday, Cross Dowd and Sterling Woods each had seven, Josh Pacheco six, Weston Gordon five, and Destyn Dowd two points.

McDonald County dropped to 8-10 overall and the Mustangs are back on the road Jan. 24 against Big 8 West opponent Cassville. The Mustangs are slated to play five straight on the road before returning home Feb. 7 against Big 8 West foe Monett.

HOOPS ROUNDUP: McAuley girls, CHC boys win; Neosho, Thomas Jefferson girls fall

Posted on by Lucas Davis

PARKVIEW GIRLS 70, NEOSHO 51

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Fourth-seeded Neosho suffered a 70-51 loss to fifth-seeded Parkview on Monday night in the opening round of the 30th annual Gary Keeling Lady Liberator Memorial Tournament at Bolivar High School.

The Wildcats (7-8) will meet eighth-seeded Smith-Cotton at 4 p.m. on Tuesday in the consolation semifinals.

Neosho’s Maelynn Garrett scored seven points in the first quarter, but the Wildcats trailed 17-13 heading into the second quarter.

Parkview began the second period on a 12-2 run to take a 29-15 advantage.

The Wildcats struggled with empty possessions and several turnovers against Parkview’s full-court press throughout the second period.

Neosho recorded just three field goals in the second quarter, two hoops inside by Karlee Ellick and a trey from Reagan McInturff. 

The Vikings hit four 3-pointers in the second quarter, two apiece from Tara Masten and Austin Hall, and they led 38-22 at halftime.

Parkview scored the first nine points of the third period to push their lead to 47-22. The Vikings led 58-38 with 5:30 remaining in the game en route to victory.

Three players scored in double figures for the Wildcats. Ellick scored 18 points, while Garrett had 13 and McInturff added 12.

Parkview meets top-seeded Glendale at 7 in the semifinals. Glendale rolled past Smith-Cotton 85-28.

 

MCAULEY GIRLS 40, MIAMI 35

AMORET, Mo. — The McAuley Catholic girls basketball team won its fourth game in a row after defeating Miami on Monday.

The Warriors (5-11) went into halftime tied at 14 before outscoring the Eagles 36-21 in the second half en route to the win.

Kloee Williamson led the way for McAuley with 18 points, while Kendall Ramsey finished with eight points. Lily Black and Brooke Righter each finished with six points. 

McAuley is in action next against Everton on Friday.

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS BOYS 63, ERIE 33

CHEROKEE, Kan. — The College Heights Christian boys basketball team improved to 11-3 on the season with a dominant win over Erie in the Lancer Classic.

The Cougars will take on Parsons in the tourney’s semifinals on Thursday. 

College Heights took control of this one early, leading 17-7 at the end of the first quarter and 33-12 at halftime.

Caleb Quade scored 14 points to lead the Cougars, while Curtis Davenport had 13 and Colsen Dickens added 10.

Parsons defeated Southeast 69-34.

 

PIERCE CITY GIRLS 68, THOMAS JEFFERSON 48

LIBERAL, Mo. — Pierce City built a 15-point lead by halftime before going on to defeat Thomas Jefferson in the opening round of the Tony Dubray Classic on Monday at Liberal High School.

The Eagles led by five after the first quarter before building a 39-24 lead by the intermission. Pierce City pushed the margin to 18 to start the fourth and pushed past 20 down the stretch.

Gabbi Hiebert knocked down six 3-pointers on the way to a game-high 28 points to lead Thomas Jefferson in the loss. Lannah Grigg added eight points in the loss, while Nico Carlson added four. 

Thomas Jefferson is in action against Bronaugh at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday.

GIRLS SWIMMING: Carl Junction performs well at KC Classic

Posted on by Jason Peake

In a meet featuring mostly Class 2 schools, the Carl Junction girls swim team finished seventh in the team standings at this past weekend’s KC Classic.

Carl Junction’s Chloe Miller won two events, the 50-yard freestyle in 24.59 seconds and 100 freestyle in 53.94 seconds. 

Skyler Sundy finished fifth in the 100 backstroke and she was also seventh in the 50 free. 

Madeleine Garoutte was 12th in the 100 butterfly and also finished 14th in the 200 freestyle. Elyanna Dogotch was 16th in both the 50 free and 100 free.

In the relays, Carl Junction finished fifth in the 400 free relay, seventh in the 200 medley relay and 10th in the 200 free relay.

There were 16 teams in attendance. 

Park Hill South (358), Liberty North (292), Liberty (276), Lee’s Summit (236), Lee’s Summit West (209), Staley (185) and Carl Junction (142) were the top seven teams. 

Platte County, Lee’s Summit North, Notre Dame de Sion, St. Teresa’s Academy, New Covenant, Oak Park, Kearney, North KC and St. Pius X also competed.

WRESTLING ROUNDUP: Joplin squads fare well at Republic, Neosho takes 2nd at Branson

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

JOPLIN SEES SUCCESS AT REPUBLIC

REPUBLIC, Mo. — The Joplin High School boys wrestling team finished third in the team standings at the Republic Invitational on Saturday.

The top five teams were Jefferson City (336), Republic (271), Joplin (181), Rogers (174) and Camdenton (169). There were 15 teams competing.

Joplin’s Draven VanGilder was the champion at 215 pounds. In the title bout, VanGilder earned a major decision, 9-1, over Camdenton’s Gunner Morris. VanGilder won his first four matches by fall.

Also for the Eagles, Ethan Bentz finished third at 165, Freddy Cerrato Martinez was fourth at 132, Josiah Hazelwood was fourth at 190, Juan Morales took fifth at 157 and Brennan Washington was fifth at 285.

Alex Short (138) and Johnathen Burke (144) both finished seventh in their respective brackets, while Toryn Jones was ninth at 126.

The Joplin girls finished fifth in the team standings at Republic. 

Joplin’s Coryanna Mueller was the champion at 110 pounds, while Erika Washom was the runner-up at 135.

Amy Kessler (145) and Mya Ndedi Ntepe (155) both won third-place matches.

Olivia Higdon finished sixth at 140.

Carl Junction also had girls competing at Republic.

Bryanna McCabe took third at 120 and Sarah Tyler was sixth at 155.

 

NEOSHO TAKES SECOND AT BRANSON, CARL JUNCTION FOURTH  

BRANSON, Mo. — Neosho was the runner-up and Carl Junction finished fourth at the Branson Invitational on Saturday.

The top five teams were Ozark (210.5), Neosho (180.5), Helias Catholic (165.5), Carl Junction (139) and Bolivar (138.5). 

Neosho had two individual champions, as Eli Zar took first at 165 pounds and Nico Olivares won the heavyweight bracket.

Finishing third for the Wildcats were Sam Fryar (106), Fisher Butler (120), Ulysses DeLeon (190) and Everson Tomlinson (215).

Brody Mitchell (113), Hunter Butler (132) and Josh Scheuerman (138) all placed fifth, while Chase Kivett was sixth at 150.

Carl Junction’s Lukas Walker was the champion at 113, while Sam Melton (126), Tony Stewart (165) and Chance Benford (190) all finished second in their brackets.

Also for the Bulldogs, Marcus Lopez-Durman (157) and Cayden Bollinger (285) finished fourth, while Brenden Berry (138) and Blake Starks (215) both placed seventh.

CJ’s Cole Beezley (113) and Max Matthews (132) each took eighth.

Also, McDonald County’s Samuel Murphy was the champion at 215, while teammate Blaine Ortiz placed third at 138, Colter Vick took third at 175 and Malosi Sosef was fourth at 190.

Monett’s Simon Hartline was the champ at 120 and Cassville’s Colton Roark took first at 144.

CARDINALS CARAVAN: Nootbaar looks to build on breakout ’22 season

Posted on by Jason Peake

After a breakout 2022 season, Lars Nootbaar hopes to go one step further in ’23.

The star attraction of Saturday’s Cardinals Caravan at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Nootbaar strives to build on last year’s success by becoming a consistent impact performer this summer.

“I want to be an everyday starter, but I want to do much more than that,” Nootbaar said. “I want to play a pivotal role on the team. I don’t want Nolan (Arenado) and Goldy (Paul Goldschmidt) to have all the pressure in the world on them. I want to help them lead.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Noobaar answers questions from local media on Saturday morning during the Joplin stop of the Cardinals Caravan at Missouri Southern State University. Photo by Jason Peake.

“I want to improve in every part of my game,” Nootbaar added. “I want to get faster, stronger and I want to hit the ball a little harder. I just want to get better in all facets of the game to benefit the team.”

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound outfielder, the 25-year-old Nootbaar became a fan favorite among Cardinal fans last summer not only because of his outgoing personality, but also because he flashed glimpses of being an all-star caliber player.

“It was really special,” Nootbaar said of becoming a fan favorite. “I didn’t know what to expect. I wasn’t a top prospect or anything like that coming in, so I didn’t know if the fans even knew who I was. My first at-bat at Busch Stadium I heard the crowd saying ‘NOOOOOT’ and I thought they were booing me. Once I realized what they were doing, it was great, and I couldn’t be more grateful for how I was embraced by the fans.”

Nootbaar, who has yet to play a full season in the big leagues, had an interesting 2022 campaign.

He made the big league roster out of spring training but was demoted to Triple-A Memphis before being recalled when the team was hit with injuries.

Nootbaar played in 108 games, starting 66 in right field, 11 in center and two in left. Overall, Nootbaar hit .228 with 66 hits, 14 homers, 40 RBI and 53 runs scored. He had an OPS of .788 and a WAR of 2.2.

In the second half of the season, Nootbaar recorded a .366 on-base percentage and a .480 slugging percentage with 10 homers. He showed great plate discipline with his 16.7 percent walk rate after the break, which ranked fourth-best in MLB.

Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar signs an autograph for a fan after speaking with the media at MSSU on Saturday morning. The Cardinals Caravan was held on Saturday at Young Gymnasium.

His second half surge definitely opened a lot of eyes and has fans and experts alike optimistic that Nootbaar’s career will take off.

During 34 straight starts from July 24 to August 30, Nootbaar hit .279 and drove in 16 runs as the Redbirds went 24-10 during that span.

Nootbaar, who spent time in the leadoff spot in the batting order, also played elite defense in the outfield, making several highlight-reel catches along the way.

“I had a rough start, but once the all-star break came, I started working on things and I righted the wrongs of how I started the season,” said Nootbaar, who hit a 452-foot home run against Milwaukee on Sept. 14, the longest at Busch Stadium in ’22. “I had a decent second half and I’m looking to have more consistency this season. But yeah, last season was a little bit of a roller-coaster.”

Nootbaar acknowledged he feels fortunate he was able to learn from the team’s veterans, including Cardinals legend and future hall of famer Albert Pujols.

“Albert is a great guy and a great teammate,” Nootbaar said. “Being able to watch him and learn from him, I’m just so thankful for that opportunity.”

Before the ’23 MLB season arrives, Nootbaar will play for Japan in the World Baseball Classic. Nootbaar’s mother is Japanese.

“I think it’s going to be huge for me,” said Nootbaar, who made his MLB debut during the 2021 season after being drafted out of USC in the eighth round in ’18. “It’s going to give me a playoff environment in March. By the time the regular season arrives I should be prepared for whatever is thrown at me. The competition is going to be stiff. Hopefully we’ll make it out of our pool and get to play teams like Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and the US. All those rosters are loaded.”

And despite the retirement of both Pujols and Yadier Molina, Nootbaar said he’s confident the Cardinals have the pieces in place to put together a stellar ’23 campaign.

Of course, Nootbaar hopes to play a crucial role in the team’s success. 

“I think we have a good lineup 1 through 9,” he said. “And with the addition of Wilson Contreras, I think we have some guys who can take the pressure off Nolan and Goldy. I’m excited.”

 

CARAVAN NOTES

The Cardinals Caravan returned to Joplin after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

The free event was held in Young Gymnasium due to a capacity crowd. 

Other current players who were in town to sign autographs and answer questions from fans were pitchers Zack Thompson and Gordon Graceffo.

Thompson enters the ’23 season rated as having the best curveball in the Cardinals organization by Baseball America.

Graceffo was the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2022.

Also in attendance were former Cardinals Randy Flores and Alan Benes. 

Benes earned 13 wins as a Cardinal rookie in 1996.

Flores, who played for the Cardinals’ 2006 World Series championship squad, is currently the Cardinals’ assistant general manager and scouting director.

 

 

 

GIRLS HOOPS ROUNDUP: College Heights, Thomas Jefferson, McAuley Catholic all victorious on Friday

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 59, EXETER 19

EXETER, Mo. — The College Heights Christian girls basketball team improved to 8-6 overall and 1-0 in the Ozark 7 with Friday’s lopsided win over Exeter.

“We got off to a great start,” College Heights coach John Blankenship told SoMo Sports. “Our half-court trap was very effective in creating turnovers, leading to several fastbreak points. We shot the ball very well at almost 50 percent as a team tonight. Our starters saw limited minutes tonight but put up great numbers.”

CHC’s Libby Fanning had another double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Ava Lett went 3-for-5 from 3-point range and finished with 15 points.

Also for the Cougars, Jayli Johnson compiled seven points, five steals, four rebounds and four assists, while Maddy Colin contributed four points, three rebounds and three assists. 

College Heights’ Kinley Marsh had four points and five rebounds, Allie Stout had four points and three steals and Jesalin Bever chipped in four points and two steals. 

“We are hoping to get senior guard Lauren Ukena back late next week after suffering a wrist injury,” Blankenship noted. “She will bring back a lot of speed and increase our ball pressure immensely.” 

College Heights will take on the hosts at the Southeast Lancer Classic at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON 46, SHELDON 42

The Thomas Jefferson girls secured a second close victory in as many nights.

One night after beating Wheaton 35-30, the Cavaliers took the lead early and held on.

The game was close all the way. 

The Cavaliers led 11-7 at the end of the first quarter, 18-13 at halftime and 31-25 at the end of the third period.

Gabbi Hiebert scored 16 points to lead Thomas Jefferson, while Sarah Mueller added 14 and Lannah Grigg had eight.

Nico Carlson and Macie Shifferd each added four points.

Mariam Lamb scored 19 points for Sheldon and Deborah Lamb added 12.

Thomas Jefferson is now 7-4.

The Cavaliers will meet Pierce City at 6:45 on Monday at the Liberal tourney. 

 

MCAULEY CATHOLIC 40, VERONA 32

The McAuley Catholic girls basketball team extended its winning streak to three with Friday’s homecoming win.

Up five at the end of the first quarter, McAuley extended its advantage to 21-12 by halftime.

The Warriors led 33-21 at the end of the third period. Verona outscored McAuley 11-7 in the final frame, but the Warriors held on.

Lily Black scored 15 points for the Warriors, while Kloee Williamson added 12 points. Kendall Ramsey added eight points for McAuley.

Jaicee Carasquillo scored 16 points for Verona. 

McAuley (4-11, 2-0) is at Miami (Mo.) on Monday.

 

HOOPS: Carthage boys, girls split against Ozark on ‘Super Night’

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage Tigers earned their first win in Central Ozark Conference play with a 73-67 victory over the visiting Ozark Tigers on Friday night.

Carthage successfully rebounded after Tuesday’s 50-48 heartbreaking overtime loss at home against Joplin, scoring 22 points in the first quarter and trailing just once early on Friday, 3-2 in the first minutes of the contest.

Carthage led 22-12 after one quarter, 33-29 at halftime as Ozark put together a 17-11 second quarter, and 49-44 headed into the fourth.

Carthage, 8-6 overall and 1-1 COC, won for the first time against Ozark since 2012 and ended a 11-game losing streak against their fellow Tigers.

“We had a talk on Wednesday about that Joplin game,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said. “As much as it hurt, it was over, and it felt good to get back out on the court Wednesday and Thursday. We had a good practice leading into this one, understanding that if you linger on it, you could lose another one in the COC. I’m proud of our guys for how we started, then Ozark made a run, and they were able to stay in the game. To finish this one tonight, it’s huge.”

Senior guard Max Templeman especially answered the bell early on for Carthage scoring 13 in the first quarter and 19 by halftime on his way to a game-high 27 points.

“Max has kind of been a closer for us for four years,” Morris said. “Tonight, he had 18 in the first half. He really got us going and he put Ozark back on their heels.”

Fellow guard Justin Ray found his shooting touch early on Friday and finished with 18 points, highlighted by a four-point play that put Carthage up 12-5 only 2 minutes and 22 seconds in.

Templeman and Ray had 28 of Carthage’s 33 points at halftime, but senior Britt Coy, senior Clay Kinder, sophomore Trent Yates, and sophomore Kruz Castor made their offensive contributions in the second half as Carthage scored 40 second-half points.

“A huge contribution from Justin,” Morris said. “Britt scored 12 and Clay didn’t get to double-figures, but Clay’s fighting in the post with (Ozark’s 6-foot-6 junior) Jace Whatley was a huge factor in the game.”

Coy added 12 points with nine of them after halftime, Kinder finished with nine and seven of those were second-half points, Yates scored all five of his points in the fourth, and Castor made a pair of free throws in the third.

Carthage battled an Ozark team with a significant height advantage — 6-9 sophomore Cohen George in addition to the 6-6 Whatley — but this is not anything new for Carthage, especially in COC play.

“For years, we’ve been undersized,” Morris said. “Some nights, it’s hurt us, but these guys have truly embraced the underdog role in terms of size and they’re willing to fight, front guys in the post, be there to help each other, and their communication tonight to defend how many different sets that Ozark can run at you, it was key.”

Carthage returns to conference action Jan. 31 against Webb City, who currently stands at 11-3 overall and 1-1 COC.

“We’re going to see some teams knock each other off,” Morris said. “You’ve got to be willing to worry about your game one at a time and if you look ahead or skip a team, it’s going to hurt you and bite you in the rear end.”

Carthage plays again next week in the Ralph Miller Classic in Chanute, Kansas.

“I think this next week is good for us to step away from COC play for a little bit at 1-1,” Morris said. “We’re not taking any time off. We’re going to play in a really good Chanute tournament.”

Missouri schools Carthage and Springfield Parkview join Kansas schools Chanute, Coffeyville, Emporia, Andover Central, and Bishop Miege in the field.

Carthage finished second in the Ralph Miller last year.

Carthage’s win Friday night against Ozark gave the Tigers a win over both a conference and district opponent.

“After losing two to Joplin, this one was really good,” Morris said. “We want to stack up as many (district) wins as you can, just knowing that 1-8 it’s loaded and there’s no easy one in that district. You want to have some wins to go into voting with, though.”

Hudson Roberts led Ozark (4-11, 0-2 COC) with 19 points, Garrett Ballard added 16 points, Whatley finished with 14, Ryan Engel had seven and his early three provided Ozark’s lone lead of the evening, Jake Garner added five points, and the 6-9 George and the 5-10 Phin Scott provided the other six Ozark points with three each.

 

OZARK GIRLS 57, CARTHAGE 44

Basketball is often a game of runs, and Ozark’s first-half scoring run topped Carthage’s one that happened immediately before it.

Carthage led Ozark 14-7 late in the first quarter after seven unanswered points, but Ozark rattled off 19 straight points with the last two points of the first and the first 17 points of the second giving the visiting Tigers a 26-14 lead.

Kianna Yates’ basket ended the 19-0 run and provided Carthage with its first basket and first points in nearly a quarter’s time.

Ozark led 46-36 entering the fourth quarter, and the hosts were unable to rally late. 

“We played even with Ozark for three of the four quarters tonight,” Carthage coach Scott Moore said. “Unfortunately, a cold shooting second quarter coupled with foul trouble allowed Ozark to take a 10-point lead at halftime that we couldn’t seem to erase during the second half. The girls battled hard tonight, we are getting better. We just need to put four good quarters together to play our best game yet.”

Ozark senior Alexis Soloman scored a game-high 25 points, and she had nine of them during that decisive scoring run.

Jordyn Foley added 12 points with all of them scored from 3-point baskets, Macey Sult scored nine points, Sydney Hampton and Molly Rushing combined for another nine points with five and four respectively, and Abby Wofford’s only two points closed out Ozark’s scoring.

Yates led Carthage with 17 points, Maggie Boyd added 10, Lauren Choate nine, Ashlyn Brust and Jaidyn Brunnert three each, and Lexa Youngblood two points.

Carthage dropped to 6-6 overall and 1-1 COC, and the Tigers return to action Tuesday at home against Big 8 Conference opponent McDonald County.

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