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BOYS GOLF: Satterlee, Campbell headline Joplin’s four returning starters

The Joplin Eagles return four golfers from a squad that finished third last season in both Class 5 District 3 and the Central Ozark Conference, including both of their state qualifiers in senior Hobbs Campbell and junior Harry Satterlee.

Veteran head coach Jack Pace said the Eagles have winning the conference for their team goal, being competitive as their strength, the top four playing to their potential as being the key to a successful season, Satterlee as their golfer who has most taken on a leadership role headed into a new season and sophomore Cash Tyson as being a golfer who could emerge and make an impact on the varsity level this season.

The Eagles also return seniors Dylan Bozarth and Ian Surbrugg, and Pace said that sophomore Taylor McMillian will likely complete the varsity starting lineup.

Campbell and Satterlee qualified for state last season at the Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau. Campbell finished 62nd overall at 167 (83-84) and Satterlee was 82nd. Satterlee’s 3-over par 75 had the sophomore tied for 14th after the first day, but he was disqualified upon completion of his second round of play.

Satterlee won both district and conference titles last season, carding 1-over par 73 at both events, and he bested Helias Catholic’s Davis Linhardt by four shots at district and his older brother Wyatt and Nixa’s Noah Naugle by one shot at the conference event.

Campbell finished ninth at district and 14th at conference.

Satterlee’s Next College Student Athlete recruiting profile lists 73.33 for his 18-hole average, 1.08 for his average scoring difference and +1.5 for his handicap, and he stands 151st in scoreboard ranking tournament scoring and 341st in junior golf scoreboard ranking.

Satterlee also has membership in the American Junior Golf Association, and he competed in the Accenture NW Arkansas Junior, the Gateway First Bank Junior hosted by PGA golfer Bo Van Pelt, and the UHY St. Louis Junior in summer 2022. Satterlee tied for 19th in Tulsa, highlighted by an opening-round score of 70.

The AJGA includes 7,900 members, holds 127 tournaments, and 750 members from the Class of 2022 committed to play golf in college.

Campbell qualified to state in both track and golf last spring. He has signed with the University of Kansas to compete in track and field and cross country.

At the state track meet last season, Campbell placed second in the 1600 in 4 minutes and 12.19 seconds, fifth in the 800 in 1:56, and fifth in the 4×800 in 8:02. He won a sectional title in the 1600, district titles in both the 800 and 1600 and a conference title in the 800.

Campbell wrapped up his prep cross country career earlier this school year with a fifth-place finish in Class 5 in 15:42.

Joplin golf opens the season March 27, and the Eagles have the Joplin Invitational at Twin Hills Country Club (April 6), the Horton Smith Invitational at Schifferdecker (April 10), the Ozark Invitational (April 13), the Carthage Invitational (April 17), and the Bird Dog Invitational at Briarbrook (April 24) before competition at conference and district, as well as state.

Briarbrook will be home to the conference tournament on May 2, while the Silo Ridge Country Club in Bolivar will host Class 5 state tourney on May 15-16.

BOYS GOLF: Carl Junction builds around three golfers with state experience

The Carl Junction Bulldogs return three golfers from last season, including two of their state qualifiers last season and their third returning golfer qualified his freshman season.

“We have plenty of talent coming back, and that talent had a really good offseason,” Carl Junction coach Ryan Jones said. “Our goals are generally always the same. To keep getting better as the year progresses and then add up all of our shots and see if it was good enough. We think this golf team has the talent to be in the mix for individual and team success.”

The returning golfers are sophomore Jack Spencer, senior Jacob Teeter and junior Tommy Walker. Spencer and Teeter both qualified for state last season and Walker did two seasons ago and narrowly missed the cut last season.

“Our returning starters all have state tournament experience,” Jones said. “We should be able to have success with our top three golfers. They are really talented. Those three are clearly a strong point for Carl Junction golf. They practice the right way. They compete the right way. I can’t ask for a better group to lead the program.

“Their work ethic has changed the way kids in the program practice. We routinely have three-hour practices or longer because those kids simply don’t want to leave the course. Those three lead by example. Golf is pretty simple when it comes to success. You just have to put in the time. Those kids have shown what is required to have success to the younger kids.”

Spencer, who averaged 74 strokes his freshman season, finished seventh in Class 4 with a 152 (76-76) he carded at the Meadow Lake Acres Country Club in New Bloomfield. He finished eighth in the Central Ozark Conference and 10th at district.

Spencer also won the Carthage Invitational in a playoff against Carthage’s Max Templeman and Republic’s Cason Bekemeier after they finished their 18 holes tied at even-par 71.

“It was one of the best things I’ve seen in a long time,” Jones said at the time. “Hole No. 10 is a par-5. All three kids hit their shot onto the fairway. Jack stuck an iron from about 200 out to five feet. Jack had an eagle putt from five feet that he barely missed and then he tapped in for birdie to win it. …

“He puts a lot of expectations on himself. He’s a great golfer with a great golfing disposition. He’s certainly got the talent and he’s off to a good start to his high school career. I’m sure he’s on cloud nine right now. But I know he has bigger goals moving forward.”

Teeter finished 51st at state with a 168 (85-83) and 19th at district.

Walker missed state by three strokes last season.

The Bulldogs have a pair of seniors in Zach Merwin and Jayden Wingo and a pair of freshmen in Logan Lowry and Austin Baker in the mix for the other two varsity spots.

“From a program standpoint, I think Logan Lowry has had a great start to the season,” Jones said. “He is a kid that decided late to play golf and is naturally talented at the game. We are really excited about his chances to be a factor even as soon as this season. Austin Baker is a really talented kid that has the potential to shoot really solid numbers.

“Zach Merwin has been in our program the past three years and continues to develop his golf game, and I think he is going to have a solid season. And Jayden Wingo is also a senior that has been in the program his entire high school career and was a valuable member of our JV squad last year. He will look to be in the mix for a varsity spot as well.”

Carl Junction finished third at districts and fifth in the conference last season.

“In golf you have a couple different ways to measure success,” Jones said. “As team we will need to develop four solid scores. We have the talent to do so, but some of those new golfers are an unknown quantity. The two remaining spots, while talented, haven’t been through the fire. How successful we are as a team will likely depend on how our back half of the roster continues to develop. If they can hold up, we will be difficult to deal with.

“Spring golf is hard, man. It is cold, it is windy, there isn’t much grass growing. How we navigate those conditions will determine if our team has success.

“The other way to measure success is individual performance. Coach speak would say to just keep getting better. So, I will echo that line, but I will also say we have some golfers in our program with lofty goals. And they have the work ethic to achieve those goals. We shall see.”

The Bulldogs start their season March 27 and their schedule includes the Joplin Invitational at Twin Hills (April 6), the Papa John’s Cup at Briarbrook (April 7), the Horton Smith at Schifferdecker (April 10), the Ozark Invitational (April 13), the Carthage Invitational (April 17), the Pittsburg (Kan.) Invitational at Crestwood (April 18), and the Bird Dog Invitational at Briarbrook (April 24) before conference, district, and possibly state competition.

“Our returning golfers played a ton of competitive rounds in the offseason,” Jones said. “Summer is where good golfers are made, and we had plenty of kids in our program playing in tournaments and spending time at the club. The numbers we are shooting in the fall and in the early portion of our season are promising, but things change when the lights come on and you have to go perform under pressure. I like where we are at as a team, but every day is a new day that we have to prove we belong on the big stage.”

 

BOYS GOLF: Webb City focused on upcoming season with three returning starters

The Webb City Cardinals return three golfers, including one state qualifier and another who earned all-conference honors, from last season.

“The guys are very serious and focused at practice,” Webb City coach Jackson Boyer told SoMo Sports. “This is a very intense group that wants to do their best every day. Each player understands every day is an opportunity to get better. There is currently a lot of competition on the team for spots and rankings. As a coach, you love it because that will hopefully carry over to our matches and tournaments when we get the season going.”

Webb City’s three returning golfers are senior and all-conference performer Braxten Cahoon, junior and state qualifier Levi Lassiter and junior and varsity letterman Cooper Forth.

“Braxten Cahoon is our lone senior and team captain,” Boyer said. “He sets a great example of working hard and being prepared every single day he’s on the course.”

The Cardinals have junior Carson Judd and sophomores Jackson Lucas and Jack Good in competition for the other varsity spots.

“All three have been very impressive early on,” Boyer said. “It’s going to be a very exciting year for Webb City golf.”

Boyer identified team goals as to improve overall team scores over the course of the season, compete and be in a position to win every tournament, and qualify as a team for state.

Additionally, he said that experience, driving the golf ball, approach shots, and preparation are team strengths and being able to recover after a poor shot, putting and chipping, and making better decisions on the course are team weaknesses.

“Staying focused and locked in for a full 18 holes,” Boyer said of keys to success. “Being able to overcome a bad shot or tough break that may come along during a tournament. Being consistent from tee to green for a full round.”

Webb City placed fourth at both conference and districts last season. 

Cahoon tied for eighth place at last year’s COC tourney. Lassiter tied for 70th with a 175 at last year’s Class 4 state tournament at Meadow Lakes Acres Country Club. 

The Cardinals open their new season March 27 and their season includes the Joplin Invitational at Twin Hills (April 6), the Papa John’s Cup at Briarbrook (April 7), the Horton Smith at Schifferdecker (April 10), the Ozark Invitational (April 13), the Carthage Invitational (April 17), and the Bird Dog Invitational at Briarbrook (April 24) before conference, district, and possibly state competition.

 

BOYS GOLF: Neosho has increased numbers, new head coach this season

The Neosho Wildcats return two varsity lettermen, as well as three other golfers, from last season and welcome a host of newcomers for their new head coach Logan Shaw, who serves as associate head coach, special teams coordinator and offensive line coach for the Neosho football team.

“This season, we will be extremely young with only four seniors on a roster of 18 which bodes well for the future,” Shaw said. “We are focused on getting better every day. From putting short putts to working on our short game and working to learn how to manage a course. I think this team’s youth will show a little early in the year, but as the year progresses, I expect much improvement from the team over the course of the season.”

Camp Ramsey and Colby Shadwick earned varsity letters as freshmen last season and sophomore Cordell Ward, senior Collin Williams and junior Hayden Marble are the other returning golfers.

“I have a pretty good idea of who will be the top three golfers on our team,” Shaw said. “Camp Ramsey and Colby Shadwick, and I am also expecting junior newcomer Collier Hendricks to be a solid varsity player as well.

“There are a good number of players competing for the other two varsity spots. In the running for those two spots are freshman River Feagans, junior Cade Camerer, and seniors Collyn Kivett, Jared Siler and Brock Franklin. There are a number of other guys competing for varsity and JV spots.”

Neosho graduated three golfers from a squad last season that finished 10th in the Central Ozark Conference and 12th in Class 4 District 3, including lone state qualifier Xander Woodward, who finished 20th at district and 32nd at state.

“We have had a good number of kids who have lived at the golf course over the summer and fall,” Shaw said. “Those kids have improved mightily from where they were a year ago. I am hoping the dedication of kids like Colby Shadwick, Camp Ramsey and Collier Hendricks will pay dividends for them later in the spring.”

Shaw named the two returning varsity players and the overall size of the team as Neosho’s strengths, the Wildcats’ overall lack of varsity experience as their weakness and said that the key to a successful season for Neosho will hinge on developing the underclassmen so that they can push the varsity players by the end of the season.

The Wildcats open their season at home March 23 against Diamond and their schedule includes the Klint Andrews Memorial Tournament (March 27), the Joplin Invitational at twin Hills (April 6), the Horton Smith at Schifferdecker (April 10), the Ozark Invitational (April 13), the Carthage Invitational (April 17), and the Bird Dog Invitational at Briarbrook (April 24) before conference, district, and possibly state competition in May.

The Klint Andrews Memorial Tournament is a new event for the Wildcats this season and it’s held at the Fred Arbanas Golf Course in Lee’s Summit, a course named after the former Kansas City Chiefs tight end who passed away in 2021.

The tournament itself is named after a three-year member of the Lee’s Summit North golf team who passed away at the age of 17 on Dec. 31, 1999.

GIRLS HOOPS: All-Big 8 West team released

Below is the All-Big 8 West girls basketball team for 2022-23.

 

ALL-BIG 8 WEST GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

Player of the Year: Clara Swearingen, Nevada

Coach of the Year: Blake Howarth, Nevada

 

FIRST TEAM

Clara Swearingen, Nevada (Jr.)

Hazley Grotjohn, Seneca (Soph.)

Maddy Majors, Nevada (Sr.)

Carlie Martin, McDonald County (Fr.)

Ashlyn Stettler, Lamar (Sr.)

 

SECOND TEAM

Marianne McCrackin, Cassville (Sr.)

Abbey Heathman, Nevada (Sr.)

Zavrie Wiss, Lamar (Soph.)

Parker Long, Seneca (Sr.)

Sadie Camp, Monett (Sr.)

 

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM

Carlee Cooper, McDonald County (Jr.)

Shaw Coburn, East Newton (Sr.)

Brooklyn Blanchard, East Newton (Jr.)

Roslynn Huston, McDonald County (Soph.)

Meredith Merriman, Monett (Fr.)

 

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Katie Johnson, Nevada (Jr.)

Katelynn Townsend, McDonald County (Jr.)

Samarah Mittag, Seneca (Jr.)

Allyson Inman, Monett (Sr.)

Jaycee Doss, Lamar (Jr.)