SPARTA, Mo. — Sparta scored in the first inning but Diamond scored every run after that on the way to a 4-1 win on Tuesday.
The Wildcats trailed 1-0 before scoring single tallies in the third and fourth innings before scoring twice in the seventh inning to secure the win.
Diamond improves to 3-0 on the season.
Lauren Turner earned the win in the circle after allowing one run on three hits, four walks and 13 strikeouts in seven innings.
Natalie Wilks took the loss after allowing four runs on 12 hits, two walks and two strikeouts in seven innings.
Five players had multiple hits for Diamond, with Caitlyn Suhrie and Aubrey Ball each doubling. Ball had two RBI and Suhrie scored a run. Grace Frazier scored twice to go along with two hits, while Turner and Piper Brewer each had two hits and drove in a run.
McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth, who previously coached cross country and track and field at Carthage for three decades, enters his second season at the helm of the Warriors boys and girls track programs.
On the boys side, McAuley Catholic returns seniors Jack Jones (jumps, sprints, sectional qualifier in 4×400), Joe Staton (sectional qualifier in pole vault, mid-distance, hurdles), and Drew Zeb (distance, sectional qualifier in 4×800), juniors Dylan Taffner (sprints, sectional qualifier in 4×400) and Ethan Stabb (sprints, sectional qualifier in 4×400), and sophomore Michael Parrigon (distance, sectional qualifier in the 800 and 1600).
Pictured is McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon.
Parrigon holds the school record in both the 800 and 1600, and he earned all-state honors in cross country in the fall. Parrigon finished 21st in Class 1 in 17 minutes and 56.5 seconds.
Newcomers are sophomores William Holder (throws) and Tripp Miller (javelin, sprints) and freshmen Max Anreder (throws), Alex Bohachick (sprints, jumps, hurdles, mid-distance), Paul Stachura (throws), Connor Taffner (distance), and Trae Veer (distance), who also earned all-state honors in cross country earlier this school year.
“Our team is a little bigger this year, 13 athletes with varied experience,” Youngworth said. “We have a good group of kids who have worked hard this spring so far and feel we will be more competitive this season. We are sharing several kids with baseball, so we will not be at full strength for several meets. We have a little more depth this year in some areas, especially in the throws and jumps.
“Last year, we implemented the basics of our program: team over self, hard work, do the best you can do, and good things will happen. In year two, we are reinforcing this philosophy while challenging the kids with harder workouts. So far, the kids have accepted every challenge.”
The Warriors have winning the Ozark 7 Conference meet, improving on their seventh-place district finish, and getting at least one athlete to qualify to state for the first time since 2019 as their goals for the upcoming season.
“We have a challenging schedule this year, competing against Class 2, 3, and 4 teams in most meets,” Youngworth said. “We will use these competitions to improve our times and marks and not worry about team points. College Heights is the defending conference champion and has most of their team back for the 2023 season. They have set the standard and we are striving to be that team overtime. We must first find a way to top Thomas Jefferson, who beat us by 5 ½ points last year.”
McAuley Catholic placed third overall in the Ozark 7 last season, behind their crosstown rival small schools.
The Warriors have the Springfield Catholic Invitational (March 24), the Diamond Invitational (March 28), the Galena (Kan.) Invitational (March 30), the Seneca Invitational (April 3), the Hillbilly Relays in Pierce City (April 11), the East Newton Invitational (April 13), the Sarcoxie Inch by Inch (April 14), the Ozark 7 meet at Thomas Jefferson (April 19), the Lamar Invitational (April 20), and the Girard (Kan.) Invitational (April 28) before district, sectional, and possibly state competition in May.
“We have a good work ethic and kids are willing to sacrifice individual success for team success,” Youngworth said. “That chemistry is crucial to our success this year and in years down the road. We believe we will be competitive in the relays, distance events, and field events. We have several young throwers, and I am excited about their future.
“The success we had in cross country has proven to the kids that success in Class 1 is possible with hard work and an unselfish attitude. We have put together a great coaching staff with years of experience and that will obviously put our kids in a better position to have success.”
The Warriors’ coaches this season are Youngworth, Georgia Antillon, A.J. Broadus, Chris Moreno, Payton Roberts and Darbi Stancell.
“We will be weak in the open sprint events as we focus on relay experience,” Youngworth said. “To be honest, having more kids out in the future will ease that problem. We are a very small school and share kids with other sports. Despite that, we are assembling a good group and have a growing middle school program that will continue to add depth to the team in the years to come.”
On the girls side, McAuley Catholic will have junior Kendall Ramsey (distance) and sophomores Genevieve Billings (distance) and Marbellie Villanueva (distance) back for another season, while freshmen Vanessa Diaz (jumps, sprints), Kierra Mays (throws), Samantha Perrin (jumps, hurdles, mid-distance), Brooke Righter (hurdles, mid-distance), and Cristal Torres (throws, sprints) give the Warriors dramatically increased numbers.
Ramsey earned conference titles in the 1600 and 3200, qualified for sectionals in both events, and qualified for state in the 3200 last season. She finished eighth in Class 1 at state in cross country this fall with a time of 21:07.6.
Ramsey also holds the school record in the 3200, and she finished 10th at state in the event last season.
“We don’t have any seniors on the team, so leadership is a potential concern,” Youngworth said. “That said, junior Kendall Ramsey has done a great job leading a group of girls that has little or no high school track and field experience.
“We will be weak in the open sprint events and relays this season. With only eight girls, we will try to spread them out in events where they will have some success and hopefully be able to put together a couple of relays that can compete. We are assembling a good group and have a growing middle school program that will continue to add depth to the team in the years to come.”
With only three girls last season, McAuley Catholic finished fourth in the Ozark 7 meet and Youngworth said the girls have the goal of moving up one spot in the standings this season.
The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers return five boys and six girls from last season and they also feature a few newcomers this coming season for their head coach Clayton Carnahan.
“This year’s team is better prepared than any I have seen in my time here at TJ,” Carnahan said. “They are determined to succeed and willing to put in the work to get there. This year’s team has already put in much of the work necessary to start the season off right.
“I think this season will show a lot of personal accomplishments. This high school team will be a great encouragement to the seventh and eighth graders coming up. While some of the boys’ team are still green in ability, they have great attitudes and are willing to work. And the girls’ team has a lot of strength in their grit and resilience. I expect that team will continue to surprise themselves with their accomplishments.”
Thomas Jefferson’s Kip Atteberry poses with Cavaliers coach Clayton Carnahan during the awards ceremony at the state cross country meet this past fall. File photo by Shawn Fowler.
On the boys side, Thomas Jefferson returns senior Kip Atteberry (800, 1600, 3200), senior Shayaan Anis (throws), sophomore Sheraz Anis (100, 200, 400, 110 hurdles), senior Jay Ball (throws) and sophomore Layton Green (100, 200).
For the girls, returners are senior Nico Carlson (400, high jump, steeplechase, 4×800), sophomore Lannah Grigg (shot put, discus), junior Gabbi Hiebert (400, 300 hurdles, high jump, triple jump), junior Avery Hocker (100 hurdles, long jump, triple jump), junior Sarah Mueller (800, 1600, 3200) and senior Samantha Seto (800, 1600, 3200).
Newcomers are freshman Brent Beyersdorfer (400, 800), senior Tyler Brouhard (200, 400, 800), and sophomore Braden Honeywell-Lynch (800, 1600, 3200) on the boys side and freshman Jenna Joseph (100, 200, 400) on the girls side.
“The juniors and seniors on the team are great leaders through their personal strength and demeanor,” Carnahan said. “They are excellent role models to the rest of the team. Second, the team has a strong culture of community this year, and it is a culture of excellence and mutual respect and support. This strong leadership and stellar culture will help us meet new goals and stay resilient in difficult moments.
“As we grow stronger this year, our goal is a moving target. We will have to keep pushing to keep improving.”
Last season, the Thomas Jefferson boys finished in a tie for 25th in Class 1 with 13 points.
Atteberry qualified for state in all three of his events and he finished seventh in the 800 in 2 minutes, 4.93 seconds, fourth in the 1600 in 4:33.32, and third in the 3200 in 10:14.44.
The Cavaliers open their season on Friday in Neosho and their schedule runs through Galena (March 30), Pittsburg State (April 7), Pierce City (April 11), Joplin (April 12), Sarcoxie (April 19), Monett (April 25), and Webb City (April 28) before district, sectional, and possibly state competition in May.
Thomas Jefferson also hosts the Ozark 7 Conference meet on April 19.
The Missouri Basketball Coaches Association has released its all-state and academic all-state teams for the 2022-23 season.
Below is a look at Joplin area players who were recognized.
GIRLS ALL-STATE
Three local female athletes were recognized as all-state performers in Class 5—Carl Junction senior guard Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction junior forward Kylie Scott and Webb City sophomore center Sami Mancini.
Buerge was the MBCA Co-Player of the Year in Class 5 with Jefferson City’s Hannah Linthacum.
Nevada junior guard Clara Swearingen was listed on the Class 4 team, while Diamond junior guard Grace Frazier was named all-state in Class 3.
The lone Class 2 players recognized from the region were Miller freshman Loghann Leivan and Marionville junior Lucy Newberry.
Recognized in Class 1 were Golden City senior Kyndall Scott and Greenfield senior Marlie Wright.
BOYS ALL-STATE
Joplin junior guard All Wright was named all-state in Class 6 by the MBCA.
Also listed in Class 6 from Southwest Missouri were Kickapoo’s Brayden Shorter, Nixa’s Kael Combs and Republic’s Ahlante Askew.
Stockton senior Jay Baxter was recognized in Class 3.
Thomas Jefferson Independent senior center Jay Ball was named all-state in Class 1, along with Golden City senior Josh Reeves.
ACADEMIC ALL-STATE
The MBCA also released its academic all-state teams.
Girls from the Joplin area who have been recognized as academic all-state athletes are Carthage’s Landry Cochran, Thomas Jefferson’s Phoenix Wade and Nico Carlson and Nevada’s Abbey Heathman and Maddy Majors.
Area boys recognized as academic all-state are Neosho’s Carter Fenske and Michael Day, Lamar’s Cameron Sturgell, Thomas Jefferson’s Kip Atteberry, Jay Ball, Tyler Brouhard, Benji Carroll and Tony Touma and Miller’s Rolan Rinker and Alex Pennington.
MBCA Player of the Year Awards
GIRLS
CLASS 1 — Madison Ayers, South Iron
CLASS 2 — (Co-POY) Kaylee King, Ellington; Myra Claas, Tipton
CLASS 3 — Macie Mays, El Dorado Springs
CLASS 4 — (Co-POY) Sara Mendel, Ava; Rachael Jones, Vashon
CLASS 5 — (Co-POY) Hannah Linthacum, Jefferson City; Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction
CLASS 6 — Grace Slaughter, Grain Valley
BOYS
CLASS 1 — (Co-POY) Cade Sutton, Bunker; Martez Burse, South Iron
CLASS 2 — Michael “Isaia” Howard, Plattsburg
CLASS 3 — Jadis Jones, Central (New Madrid County)
CLASS 4 — Kennard Davis, Vashon
CLASS 5 — Kyle Pock, Bolivar
CLASS 6 — Kyan Evans, Staley
Miss Show Me Basketball
Grace Slaughter, Grain Valley
Mr. Show Me Basketball
Kyan Evans, Staley
Mr. Show Me Basketball Nominees
Kael Combs, Nixa
Kennard Davis Jr., Vashon
Kyan Evans, Staley
Kayden Fish, Staley
Kyle Pock, Bolivar
Brayden Shorter, Kickapoo
B.J. Ward, Chaminade
Miss Show Me Basketball Nominees
Kaemyn Bekemeier, Republic
Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction
Brooke Coffey, Incarnate Word Academy
Hannah Linthacum, Jefferson City
Macie Mays, El Dorado Springs
Reagan McCowan, Lebanon
Natalie Potts, Incarnate Word Academy
Grace Slaughter, Grain Valley
Richard Fairchild Coach of the Year Awards
GIRLS
CLASS 1 —Steve Carvajal, Meadville
CLASS 2 —Jason Culpepper, Tipton
CLASS 3 —Jenny Talbert, Fair Grove
CLASS 4 —John Albert, Vashon
CLASS 5 —Erin Luttschwager, Lutheran St. Charles
CLASS 6 —Dan Rolfes, Incarnate Word Academy
BOYS
CLASS 1 —Dusty Dinkins, South Iron
CLASS 2— Kenny Wyatt, Salisbury
CLASS 3— Lennis McFerren, Central (New Madrid County)
In the 2023 opener, the College Heights Christian School baseball team earned a 15-11 victory over El Dorado Springs on Tuesday at Wendell Redden Stadium.
The Cougars scored multiple runs in four innings, with three runs in the third, six in the fourth, two in the fifth and four in the sixth.
El Dorado Springs scored all 11 of its runs in the fourth inning.
Six different players recorded a hit for College Heights.
Josh Anderson went 2-for-4 with four RBI and four runs scored. Caleb Evans and Austin Miller added two hits apiece, while Ben Thomas drove in three runs.
Recording one hit apiece were Jayce Walker, Smoke Ezell and Thomas.
The Cougars used five pitchers—Walker, Anderson, Thomas, Ezell and Miller. Thomas and Ezell each struck out five batters.
Joplin trailed 6-3 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning before touching home five times, including a one-out, three-run home run from Eli Sotlar that sent the Eagles to their first win of the season in 8-6 walk-off fashion over St. Mary’s Colgan (Kansas) on a cold, wet Tuesday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
“It was crazy,” Sotlar said. “I didn’t think it was going out then I saw the wind catch it a little bit and I was like, ‘Oh my God’. … I was just wanting to put a ball in play because anything can happen. I saw that pitch, my eyes lit up and I just put a swing on it.”
Joplin’s Byler Reither fields a ground ball before throwing to first for an out in the Eagles’ come-from-behind win over St. Mary’s Colgan on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.
Byler Reither, Brady Mails and Justin McReynolds all walked in consecutive order to jump-start the seventh-inning rally. Jackson Queen picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice groundout in the next at-bat to make the score 6-4. Landon Maples followed with a run-scoring single on a liner to center field to plate McReynolds and trim the deficit to one. In need of a big swing, Sotlar stepped up and hit a rope over the wall in left to lift the home team to a win and the crowd to their feet in the process.
“I told them down there after the game, ‘Great job. Celebrate this win because those types of things don’t happen all the time. To be able to come back and get a win against a huge baseball team is huge, but don’t lose the lesson of coming out focused and prepared to play.’” Joplin coach Kyle Wolf said after the win. “I thought their pitchers came out and threw a lot of strikes early and we were passive at the plate. We didn’t throw strikes and gave them some momentum early that they took advantage of. … I am proud of them for sticking with it and not giving in, which would have been easy to do.”
OLD ADAGE
The adage of the day for Joplin’s win was clearly, “It’s not how you start, but how you finish.” The Eagles (1-1) ultimately trailed 6-0 at one point in the game before chipping away with three runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by a two-run double off the wall from Cole Lawrence, to cut the deficit in half. And while the Eagles didn’t score in the sixth, they did manage to load the bases and put pressure on the Panthers (0-1) before rallying all the way back in their final at-bat.
Joplin’s Brady Mails beats the throw to first for an infield single in the Eagles’ win over Colgan on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.
“I think those three runs in the fifth were huge,” Wolf said. “They had just extended their lead in the half inning before. We were able to put up three and cut it in half and then you feel like you’re in striking distance with eight outs to go at that point. You feel like you have an opportunity if something goes right to do what Eli did. I thought our approach the last three innings was better. We didn’t chase a lot of the balls out of the zone and when we got something we could drive, we put a good swing on it and started hitting balls hard.”
That adage also rang true for Sotlar, who started the game on the bump for Joplin but struggled with his command. He ultimately allowed one run, struck out two and walked five in an inning-plus of work. However, when the opportunity came late in the game to help his team get a win, Sotlar came up clutch and delivered a huge early-season confidence boost for his team with his first-ever long ball.
“I didn’t contribute on the mound much but I wanted to get back in there and have another chance to contribute for my team,” Sotlar said. “It feels great. This was a huge win to get us going.”
“I am blown-away happy for Eli to put a good swing on it and get a win for his team,” Wolf said. “Especially after he started the game and was frustrated with the way he pitched. To come in there and help his team at the plate. That was huge right there. … The good thing about Eli, and I say this kindly and lovingly, but he’s got a short memory. You have to have that to play this game.”
ON THE MOUND
With the weather not ideal, control on the mound was an issue for both teams. Joplin’s staff walked 11 total in the win, while Colgan walked seven.
Reither ultimately earned the win for Joplin, pitching two scoreless relief innings without allowing a hit, walking four and striking out five. Alex Isbell struck out four, walked two and allowed two runs on one hit in two relief innings, while Mails allowed three runs, two earned, on three hits and a strikeout.
Joplin’s Alex Isbell works in relief during the Eagles’ win over Colgan on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.
Cooper Simmons was saddled with the loss in relief after allowing two runs on two hits in 1/3 of an inning. Kyson Bennett started for SMC, while Gus Keller, John Potusek, Carter Jacquinot, Tristan Voss, Cartston Simmons and Brady VanBecelaere all worked in relief.
AT THE PLATE
Sotlar homered, had a team-high three RBI and scored a team-high two runs for Joplin. Mails had two hits, while Lawrence doubled and drove in two. Queen and Maples each drove in one, scored one and had one hit.
Cooper Simmons smacked two home runs for Colgan, picked up three RBI and scored twice. Gus Keller had an inside-the-park home run in front of one of Simmons’ homers and finished with two runs scored and an RBI. Noah Duncan also had a hit for Colgan.
UP NEXT
Joplin travels to Oklahoma to take part in the Tiger/Zebra Classic over the weekend with games against Booker T. Washington, Glenpool, Claremore and Tahlequah scheduled.
The Carthage Tigers fell to 1-2 on the season with a 9-0 loss to the Monett Cubs on Tuesday at the Tigers’ new home stadium this season, historic Joe Becker Stadium in Joplin, former home of Mickey Mantle, the Joplin Miners, and Missouri Southern baseball.
The wheels fell off early for the Tigers on Tuesday, as Monett plated six runs on four hits, three errors, two walks, a balk and a dropped third strike in the top of the second.
The Cubs added one more run in the third and closed out the scoring with two in the sixth, while the Tigers were one-hit by Monett starter Marcus Young until seniors Clay Kinder and Drew Musche connected on back-to-back two-out singles.
“They have a really good lefty (Young) and he locates all his pitches well,” Carthage coach Luke Bordewick said. “In those early innings, our defense struggled, and we made three or four errors in the second that led to six runs. In a game like that, where they have a good arm on the mound, you know it’s going to be tough to scratch one across let alone six.
“It’s tough, it’s early season baseball, and we’re going to see good arms. We’re thankful for that and we’ll grow from it and get back at it tomorrow. We have Purdy and Strafford tomorrow, two good teams, and I am sure they have some good arms on them as well. We’re fortunate for it.”
Carthage plays Purdy at noon and defending tournament champion Strafford at 2:30 Wednesday in Roy B. Shaver Classic play at Aurora High School.
The Tigers struggled at the plate Tuesday against Young and reliever Alex Huntress, who struck out the side in the seventh after Mason Adams led off with an infield single.
Young earned the win and he allowed three hits over six innings with 10 strikeouts and one walk. He finished with 77 pitches, averaging nearly 13 pitches per inning.
Huntress picked up three strikeouts and walked none on 16 pitches in the seventh.
Carthage struck out 13 times and walked just once Tuesday, while three Carthage pitchers allowed seven hits, and both struck out and walked five.
Junior third baseman Ty Perry came through with Carthage’s first hit on a bloop single in the second, following Musche’s leadoff walk, but Adams popped out to first on a failed bunt and Young retired the side with a pair of strikeouts.
Kinder was denied a potential extra-base hit by Monett left fielder Collin Umfleet in the fourth. Carthage’s senior catcher provided one of the Tigers’ highlights Tuesday when he threw out Huntress on a steal attempt at second in the second.
Monett’s Jason Garner and Aiden Clapper sparked the Cubs’ offense — Garner finished with three hits and two runs scored, while Clapper had two hits, two runs scored, and three RBI.
BRANSON, Mo. — Propelled by a pair of big innings, the Webb City Cardinals earned their first win of the season by beating Branson 16-1 in four innings on Tuesday in a non-conference contest at Pirate Park.
It was victory No. 1 for Andrew Doennig as Webb City’s head coach.
The game was tied at one after the first inning when the Cardinals erupted for six runs in the second inning.
Webb City exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning. The game ended after the bottom of the fourth due to the run-rule.
Webb City recorded 16 runs on just seven hits.
Senior third baseman Kaylor Darnell went 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Cardinals.
Cy Darnell and Gage Chapman drove in two runs apiece, while Shaun Hunt, Eli Miller and Christian Brock each drove in one run.
McQuade Eilenstein, Landon Johnson, Luke Beverlin and Brett Korth contributed one hit apiece.
Cy Darnell, Kenley Hood, Eilenstein, Johnson and Chapman all scored two runs apiece. William Hayes and Drew Vonder Haar each scored a run.
Landon Fletcher was the winning pitcher. He went 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits and five walks while striking out three.
Hunter Shull recorded the final two outs in relief.
The Pirates (1-2), who used five pitchers, committed four errors in the field to Webb City’s one.
Rylan Cornelison had the lone RBI for the Pirates. Hunter Jones was charged with the loss after allowing five earned runs.
Webb City (1-2) will take on Glendale at 7 on Thursday night at the Willard Tournament.
The Joplin High School boys tennis team’s roster has doubled overall in total numbers, and they return five players with varsity experience from last season in sophomore Adam Badr, junior Chapel Braman, sophomore Josiah Hazlewood, senior Michael Mancipe and senior Hunter Markley.
“Our primary goals for the season are to continue to develop players and improve our record from last year,” Joplin coach Aaron Stump said. “Our strength is in the improved athleticism and mindset of the team. We have clear leaders and guys who will make the season exciting. Our weakness is in experience. Of the 27 players on our roster, we have only three seniors. The majority of our group is either a freshman or a sophomore. A continued growth mindset, where the players reflect on matches and work on to improve in areas of weakness, will help us be more successful this year.”
Joplin finished 2-9 overall and 2-7 in the Central Ozark Conference last season, and the Eagles’ season ended with a 5-0 loss against Lee’s Summit West in Class 3 District 6.
The Eagles are 4-19 overall their past two seasons since they were 18-5 and fourth place in Class 2 in 2019 and 21-1 and district champions in 2018.
Joplin won district titles in five seasons, three straight from 2012-14 and back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
“The atmosphere has improved significantly,” Stump said. “The energy and excitement remind me of the team we had in 2016-17, which developed into conference champions in subsequent school years.
“Adam Badr has taken on the role of captain and frequently works to develop newer players. We have quite a few guys to watch for this season. We’ve had some surprises in our challenge matches already, and I anticipate a few more before our season begins. With this many new players all developing skills, improved serves or groundstrokes can change the outcome of many of our challenge matches.”
The Eagles open their season March 28 against Thomas Jefferson, they have duals at home against Nixa (April 6), Willard (April 20), and Carl Junction (May 2) and on the road against Neosho (April 4), Republic (April 11), Ozark (April 13), Webb City (April 25), and Branson (April 27) before competition in conference, district, and possibly state.
Joplin also plays in the Branson Doubles Classic (April 7) and the Truman Tournament (April 15) and hosts the Joplin Invitational (April 21). Neosho hosts the conference tournament May 3 at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
The Neosho High School boys tennis team returns seven players from last season’s squad that finished 0-13 overall and 0-9 in Central Ozark Conference competition.
Neosho won only 10 matches in their 13 duals last season and the Wildcats’ season ended on a 5-0 loss to West Plains in the Class 2 District 6 tournament.
The Wildcats’ returning players are Christian Williams, Peyton Williams, Noah Schade, Wes Williams, Omar Lemus, Wes McKay and Aidan Long.
“We would like to pick up some victories,” Neosho coach Nick Hays said. “For this season, we have a lot of depth and experience. We did not graduate many players, so hopefully this will help in our efforts this year. I believe if we play with some confidence, then that should help us build our skills to have some more success this season.
“We have added some good, new players that will be contributing on varsity. This will be exciting to see if this will lead to some out of conference victories and some in conference as well.”
Hays said the new varsity contributors this season will be senior Willis Jarvis, junior Breckin McAffrey and junior Reid Snyder. Jarvis and Snyder are slated for the No. 2 and No. 3 spots in the lineup.
The Wildcats will build around one of their three Williams on the team.
“Christian Williams was our No. 1 last year and is again this year,” Hays said. “He has done a great job with helping other players get better in the offseason and being a role model during the season in terms of effort and attitude.”
Neosho opens the season March 27 against Parkview and Hillcrest, and the Wildcats’ schedule features away duals against Monett (March 28), Thomas Jefferson (April 10), Carl Junction (April 11), Willard (April 13), Carthage (April 25), and Republic (April 27) and home against Mount Vernon (March 30), Joplin (April 4), Ozark (April 6), Aurora (April 17), Nixa (April 18), Branson (April 20), and Webb City (May 2).
The Wildcats also have the Republic Invitational (April 28) and they are the host school for the conference tournament played May 3 at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats opened their 2023 season with a 4-1 win in eight innings on Monday against the Carl Junction Bulldogs.
In the top of the eighth, Neosho top-of-the-order hitters River Brill and Quenton Hughes worked consecutive walks to start the frame against Carl Junction’s Lucas Vanlanduit, who entered in the seventh in relief of starter Logan Eck.
Neosho senior catcher Eli Zar then delivered the go-ahead RBI single and fellow seniors Austin Rodriguez and Carter Fenske later came through with critical insurance RBI singles for a three-run lead entering the bottom half of the eighth.
“We had baserunners all game long, just couldn’t get that one big hit,” Neosho coach Bo Helsel said. “We got thrown out at home twice, which is okay because I want us to be aggressive on the bases. It’s first and second and nobody out and most coaches are going to bunt there to get second and third to have a chance, but it’s my best hitter—Eli Zar—and he was an all-conference player for me last year, so I’m going to let him swing the bat. He produced and we just kept it rolling from there, it usually just takes one and the floodgates open.”
Neosho pitchers Kael Smith, Hughes and Brill combined on a one-hitter on Monday, with Vanlanduit reaching on a single in the third.
“One hit and it was a little blooper,” Helsel said. “We had too many walks and that’s why the game was close, but our guys battled out there. Kael Smith, he’s been battling a back injury and threw five innings for me. Quenton Hughes came in with the bases loaded and two outs and got a strikeout (in the fifth). River Brill is our closer and that’s what I expect him to do. He scared me a little bit with that four-pitch walk and a couple balls after that, but he’s a grinder.
“We’ve got a lot of senior leaders and they’ve been through this. We lost a game to CJ last year at this place with Quenton on the mound and they walked us off. This year, with a little bit more experience, we came away with a 4-1 win.”
Neosho lost several close games last season, including a 5-4 loss in Central Ozark Conference play against Carl Junction, a team the Wildcats defeated 8-6 earlier that season.
Run production sometimes proved a big challenge for Neosho last season.
“We found a way all day,” Helsel said. “We hit the ball hard. We had eight hits as a team. Credit to them. Their pitchers threw a lot of strikes. We have good hitters. We’re strong one through nine this year, and I think we’re going to do great things offensively. We showed today that we can grind through a tough game and get a win.”
Neosho, 1-0 overall, returns to action Tuesday at home against traditional rival McDonald County, continuing a busy week of baseball for the Wildcats between games against CJ and McDonald County and hosting the second edition of the Roy B. Shaver Classic.
The Bulldogs also played their season opener and their first game under new head coach Phil Cook, the Carl Junction superintendent who returned to coach baseball this season after his previous reign at the school from 1997 to 2000.
Carl Junction scored first with a run in the fourth, after the Bulldogs started the inning with consecutive walks by catcher Bentley Rowden and starting pitcher Eck. Johnny Starks executed a sacrifice to move courtesy runners Mekhi McGarry and Alden Straight over 90 feet, then McGarry scored on a Wyatt McAfee fielder’s choice that eventually turned into the second and third outs on a play scored 5-2-6-2-4-5 with one runner safe at home and one thrown out at home and another thrown out at third.
“I thought we played well,” Cook said. “Hitting is so much a mental game. You have to hit good pitches, you have to be ready to hit, and you have to keep your hands. A lot of our guys really looked great in the cage during BP, but you get them in a game situation and everything changes. They lose their mind a little bit.
“Physically, we may have had an error or two there, but I thought we played good defense, the pitching was really good, and both teams I thought threw the ball well. At the plate, we’ve got to get better, and we will. We’ll talk through it and we’ll think hitting a little bit more. We’ll get there.”
Carl Junction, 0-1 overall, returns home and welcomes Hollister on Thursday.
“That was a good high school baseball game (Monday),” Cook said. “I don’t know what time it is, but it felt like it just kept moving at a good pace. Both teams fought hard, and they’re a nice team (Neosho). They’re going to win a lot of games this year, and so are we. We’re going to keep getting better every game, improving and learning, and that’s what it’s all about.”
MILLER, Mo. — Miller used a five-run third inning to build an insurmountable lead over McAuley in a 10-8 win on Monday.
The Cardinals and Warriors (0-2) traded crooked numbers through the first two innings before Miller took control with five runs touching home in the bottom of the third frame. McAuley bounced back with a three-run fourth, but that would be the last time the Warriors touched home in the loss.
Brady Johnson earned the no-decision for Miller after allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. Spencer Bowles earned the win in relief after allowing three runs on three hits, four walks and eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Rocco Bazzano-Joseph took the loss for McAuley after allowing 10 runs, five earned, on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts in five innings.
Jarod Lung had three hits, including a double, and scored a run to lead Miller at the plate. Bowles added two hits.
Bradley Wagner and Bazzano-Joseph each had two hits to lead McAuley at the plate. Wagner doubled and drove in two, while Bazzano-Joseph scored a run and drove in one. Tripp Miller and Noah Black, who had two RBI, each doubled in the loss. Joe Staton had a hit, drove in one and scored three times.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — A seventh inning rally fell short, and Webb City suffered a 6-4 setback to Grove, Oklahoma, on Monday in a non-conference baseball clash at Chuck Barnes Field.
The Cardinals had the tying runs on-base in the bottom of the seventh, but the hosts were unable to overcome their deficit.
Webb City slipped to 0-2 on the season, while Grove improved to 6-1.
Grove’s Hunter Wall hit a two-run home run to center field in the top of the second inning to give the visitors an early two-run cushion.
The Cardinals plated two runs of their own in the bottom half of the second. Grove couldn’t corral William Hayes’ grounder and Payton Marshall and Landon Johnson both scored on the error to make it 2-2.
The Ridgerunners took a 3-2 lead in the third inning after receiving four straight walks from Webb City starting pitcher Walker Sweet.
Grove added three runs on three hits and two errors in the fifth inning to take a 6-2 lead. In the inning, Dayton Keller hit an RBI single to center before Wall drove in two with double to right.
The Cardinals got a run back in the bottom of the sixth, as Kenley Hood singled and later scored from third on a wild pitch.
Webb City made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh, as Hayes walked, McQuade Eilenstein singled and Hood was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs.
Next, Shaun Hunt drew a walk to drive in a run, cutting the team’s deficit to two. But Grove recorded a strikeout to end the game.
Hood had two hits for the Cardinals, while Eilenstein and Gage Chapman added one hit apiece.
A senior right-hander, Sweet went 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on one hit and six walks. He struck out three and took the loss.
Brett Korth struck out five and gave up one earned run in 2 2/3 innings in relief. He allowed three hits.
Drew Vonder Haar tossed two scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit, walked one and fanned three.
James Wise earned the pitching victory for Grove. The southpaw went 5 1/3 innings and surrendered three runs on three hits while striking out nine and walking four.
Hayden Chandler pitched the final 1 2/3 innings, giving up one run on one hit and two walks while striking out two.
Wall drove in four runs on two hits for the Ridgerunners.
DISTRICT ASSIGNMENT
Webb City has been assigned to Class 5 District 7 with Belton, Bolivar, Carl Junction, Grandview, McDonald County, Ruskin and Warrensburg.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City travels to Branson on Tuesday for a non-conference contest.
The Cardinals will also compete at the Willard Tournament on Thursday and Saturday. Webb City will take on Glendale on Thursday before games with Jackson and Rock Bridge on Saturday.
After back-to-back memorable seasons, the College Heights softball team with McAuley Catholic returns the bulk of its starting roster from a season ago to go along with plenty of new additions with expectations of another strong campaign in 2023.
“We are very excited!,” College Heights coach Mike Howard said to SoMo Sports. “With most of our returning starters back, combined with all the new faces, depth will no longer be an issue. We will also be able to play several JV games and develop the younger players at a faster pace.”
Two years ago, the Cougars finished with an 18-4 record, a conference title and a district title. Last year, CHC came away with a program-high 19 wins to go along with five losses and added a second straight Ozark 7 crown before taking a loss in the postseason earlier than the Cougars envisioned. With the majority of that team back, including several all-conference, region and state players, College Heights returns with a purpose and is motivated after last season didn’t end how they wanted.
“We have unfinished business,” Howard said. “After a solid 2022 season that ended with a program-record 19 wins and a second consecutive conference championship, we were upset in the semifinals of the district tournament by Pierce City. We have the majority of that team back and several new faces that will push our returning players to be even better. The girls are hungry to get back to the district title game and take care of business.”
College Heights welcomes back eight players who either started or saw extensive varsity innings last season. Leading the list of returners is two-time all-state senior catcher Jayli Johnson, senior 3B Lauren Ukena, senior first-team all-conference CF Addie Lawrence, senior second-team all-conference 2B Aaliyah Perez as well as junior two-time first-team all-region P Maddy Colin, junior first-team all-region OF Kloee Williamson, junior OF Avery Shuemaker and sophomore OF Kallie Spencer.
The Cougars also have a lengthy list of newcomers to the varsity roster, senior 1B Emma Angel, junior OFs Lauren Nichols and Katie Moss, sophomore OFs Ava Lett and Kinley Marsh as well as eight freshmen—UTL Allie Stout, UTL Jesalin Bever, UTL Lilly Plassman, UTL Karly Dorris, 2B Elsie Welch, OF Lily Lackey, 1B Whitney Lawrence and OF Molly George.
“We are overjoyed with the number of players we have this year,” Howard said. “Coach (John) Blankenship really did a stellar job in recruiting girls within the school to give softball a try. While we have several who are new to the sport, they are all very coachable and continue to work hard.
“They are absorbing the instructions given to them like a sponge because we see improvement every day. We are grateful to be their coaches and are hopeful they are having fun and that they continue to play in the future. We want them to have pride in representing their school through sport and to benefit from all the positive characteristics that are obtained with being a member of a team.”
Colin brings back a 17-5 record with a 1.06 ERA, 254 strikes and 18 walks from last season in the circle as the Cougars’ catalyst. She has a career record of 34-9 to go along with 478 strikeouts, 30 walks and an ERA of 1.33 with two seasons in her high school career remaining. At the plate last season, Colin hit .493 with 34 total hits, eight doubles, a triple, home run and 30 RBI.
Johnson, who earned all-state honors as a shortstop as a sophomore before garnering all-state honors as a catcher last season, brings back a .528 batting average, .736 slugging percentage and .622 on-base percentage. She had 38 total hits, seven doubles and three triples and finished with 44 runs scored, 30 stolen bases and 20 RBI.
Williamson hit .590 as a sophomore to earn all-region honors, tallying 46 hits, nine doubles, three triples and a home run to go along with 28 stolen bases, 28 RBI and 42 runs scored. She slugged .821 and reached base at a .636 clip.
Lawrence, who will miss the first month of the season recovering from knee surgery, closed last season with a .402 batting average. She had 33 hits, nine doubles, four triples and a pair of home runs. Lawrence scored 28 runs, stole 22 bases and finished with a program-record 47 RBI.
Perez hit .288 with one triple, eight RBI, 10 runs and seven stolen bases last year for CHC.
College Heights opens the season with a home matchup against Springfield Catholic on Tuesday.
The man who last coached Carl Junction when the Bulldogs were in the state championship in 2000—Phil Cook—is back in charge of the CJHS program for the 2023 season.
Cook, who has been the Carl Junction superintendent for the last 18 years, is back in the dugout after last coaching CJHS from 1997-2000, amassing a 57-16 record while at the helm.
“This is my first time back on the diamond at the high school level since 2000, where we lost to Helias in the state championship game,” Cook said to SoMo Sports. “I see a great amount of potential with this team and I see us getting better as the year goes on. … This team is going to focus on the basics and the fundamentals. As the players progress as students of the game, we will move to be more dynamic. We plan to swing at strikes and put the ball in play. We will throw strikes and play good defense. Finally, we will use our God-given skills to put pressure on the opposing team. Pretty simple.”
The Bulldogs lost six seniors to graduation from a year ago. However, Carl Junction returns a solid core of players to help anchor every phase of the game for the upcoming season. Four seniors highlight the list of returners for the Bulldogs—INF/P Lucas Vanlanduit (), OF Arlen Wakefield, OF/P Logan Eck and INF/P Drew Massey. Also back with varsity experience is C/P Bentley Rowden.
“I am extremely pleased with the players’ attitudes and efforts to this point,” Cook said. “They have put in a lot of time and are improving every day. We are ready to see how all of our work pays off.”
As far as the lineup goes, Coach Cook has an idea what the top half of the batting order will look like, while the bottom half is up for grabs. Wakefield, who hit .329 with 10 RBI, figures to lead off while playing center field, with Vanlanduit, who hit .329 with 10 RBI last year, figures to hit second at the shortstop position. Massey (.246, 15 RBI) and Rowden (.261, four RBI) , who will catch, will hit third and fourth, with Eck (.292, 12 RBI), senior IF Jacob Ford, junior OF Johnny Stark, sophomore OF Wyatt McAfee, junior IF Cody Hollingsworth and others in the mix to fill out the lineup.
Junior 1B Jace Buffer, junior OF Grady Goddard, sophomore IF Braxton Jones and sophomore C Gabe Sitton also figure to be in the mix.
Vanlanduit, an all-conference and district selection last year, brings back a 2.53 ERA to the pitching staff, while Eck returns with a 5.39 ERA as key returning hurlers for the Bulldogs. Eck, senior Gaige Carson, senior Mekhi McGarry, Ford and Massey all figure to be in the mix for starts on the mound as well.
Carl Junction opens the season against Neosho at home in non-conference action on Saturday.
The Carl Junction High School girls basketball team finished as the Class 5 runner-up on Saturday night after falling to Lutheran St. Charles 44-39 in the Show-Me Showdown championship game inside Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
Below are images from Saturday’s state title game from photographer Michael Gulledge.
Carl Junction’s Klohe Burk (2) is introduced before the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Carl Junction fans cheer during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game between Carl Junction and Lutheran St. Charles at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge (23) puts up a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Carl Junction head coach Brad Shorter gives instructions during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Carl Junction’s Dezi Williams (1) looks for a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday in Springfield.
Carl Junction’s Kylie Scott (10) puts up a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Carl Junction cheerleaders perform during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
Carl Junction’s Klohe Burk (2) moves the ball during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
Carl Junction’s bench cheers during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge (23) puts up a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles at Great Southern Bank Arena.
Carl Junction’s Kylie Scott (10) puts up a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
Carl Junction reacts to losing the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena.
All photos by Michael Gulledge/Special to SoMo Sports.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl Junction’s quest for its first-ever state championship fell just short.
The Bulldogs had their chances late, but Lutheran St. Charles made more winning plays down the stretch on the way to a hard-fought 44-39 victory in the championship game of the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown on Saturday night inside Great Southern Bank Arena.
“I thought our kids played hard until the end,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “We gave ourselves a chance there late, but it just didn’t go our way. You tip your hat to a team like that. They’re a good ballclub… That’s a tough one. I’m really proud of my girls. What happened tonight doesn’t define us. It’s tough right now, but it was a fun season. It stings right now, but what we did as a team will last forever.”
The state title game was close all the way.
Up 15-13 at halftime, the Bulldogs built a seven-point lead in the third period before the Cougars used a 10-0 burst to pull ahead.
Members of the Carl Junction Bulldogs react to falling short in the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. All photos by Michael Gulledge/Special to SoMo Sports.
Carl Junction trailed by six with just over a minute to play, but the Bulldogs reeled off six straight points with a spirited rally to tie the game at 39 with 40 seconds to play.
Lutheran took the lead for good on a layup from Kennedy Stowers.
Next, in a key moment, Carl Junction senior standout Destiny Buerge was called for an offensive foul with 25 seconds left, her fifth foul of the night.
Still, the Cougars turned the ball over with 15 seconds left. After a timeout, and trailing by two, Carl Junction was unable to get a potential game-tying shot up, as the Bulldogs turned the ball over on an out of bounds play.
The Cougars made 3-of-4 free throws late for the final margin.
“Carl Junction hasn’t won a state championship, so that’s what we really wanted to do,” Coach Shorter said. “As tough as 2020 was, this is probably even tougher. We were right there on the verge of winning a state championship. But it’s just a basketball game. Our kids showed a lot of toughness and a lot of grit, and I know they’re going to be very successful in whatever they do. I’ll always remember that they were resilient. They kept fighting. I’m very proud of them.”
A STELLAR SEASON
Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge (23) puts up a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday in Springfield.
Carl Junction ends a remarkable season with a record of 30-2.
The Bulldogs set a school record for wins, captured a district championship for the eighth straight season and brought home the runner-up plaque, tying the program’s best-ever finish at state.
Playing their final game for the Bulldogs were seniors Buerge, Hali Shorter, Klohe Burk and Allie Wrestler.
“I appreciate what they’ve done all season long and for the last four years,” Coach Shorter said of his seniors. “They’ve been fabulous. They’re a terrific group of kids…very respectful, very classy and just great kids. And I got to be with my daughter for two more hours every day. So, no regrets.”
Carl Junction was in the Final Four for the fourth time in seven years. The Bulldogs also finished second in 2018.
“I can’t even explain how amazing this team is,” Hali Shorter said. “We really love each other. I think we’re crying right now because we lost, but also because it’s over. We’re going to miss seeing each other every day in practice and we’re going to miss spending time with each other on the bus. We’re upset because of how awesome this season has been.”
LOW-SCORING FIRST HALF
Carl Junction’s Kylie Scott (10) looks for a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
The first quarter was deadlocked at four, with junior forward Kylie Scott scoring Carl Junction’s first two buckets inside.
Carl Junction’s Burk buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Bulldogs a 7-4 advantage heading into the second period.
Also of note, Buerge picked up two fouls in the first period and had to go to the bench.
The Cougars started the second quarter on a 5-0 run to take a 9-7 lead, but the Bulldogs responded with four straight points, as Buerge scored in transition and Burk converted a steal into a layup.
The game was tied at 13 late in the first half when Buerge connected on a pair of free throws to give the Bulldogs a two-point cushion at intermission, 15-13.
Overall, the first half could be described as a defensive struggle, as neither team shot particularly well in the first 16 minutes.
Carl Junction went 5-for-18 from the field (28 percent) and Lutheran made just 6-of-24 attempts (25 percent), including 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.
SECOND HALF SURGES, WILD FINISH
Carl Junction’s Dezi Williams (1) looks to score against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
After six straight points from Buerge, the Bulldogs were up 22-18 in the third period.
But the Pittsburg State signee picked up her third and fourth fouls in a short span and went to the bench with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Scott knocked down a 3-pointer from the right wing to put the Bulldogs up seven at 25-18, their biggest lead.
But the Bulldogs wouldn’t score again in the third period, as they struggled with empty possessions.
On the other end, the Cougars finished the third period on a game-changing 10-0 run to take a 28-25 lead into the final frame. Freshman guard Kyrii Franklin scored all 10 points during the spurt.
The Cougars held a six-point lead, 39-33, with 1:30 left in the game, but the Bulldogs weren’t done.
Sophomore Dezi Williams scored inside after a nice feed from Buerge, Williams grabbed a steal on the full-court press and Buerge made two free throws. Next, Buerge scored on a strong drive through the lane to tie the game at 39 with 40 seconds left on the clock.
“Destiny came back in and got a couple of buckets and she really opens things up for our other kids,” Coach Shorter noted.
Lutheran’s Stowers got free for her go-ahead layup before Buerge fouled out when she was whistled for pushing off near the top of the key with 25 seconds remaining.
With that, CJ’s floor general and leading scorer was done for the night. It was an unpopular call to the CJ faithful.
“In a game that physical, that call was a tough one to swallow,” Coach Shorter said. “It was tough. I thought we saw an arm extend the very next time down from them. Destiny is quite a player. You hate for it to come down to something like that. Again, one play didn’t decide the game. But that call certainly changed things. It was frustrating. But that’s not the reason we lost. We missed shots. And they did more than we did.”
With Lutheran clinging to a two-point lead, both teams had empty possessions down the stretch before the Cougars hit their game-sealing charities in the final seconds.
“We had the mindset the whole game that we could win,” Burk said. “The other team wanted it just as bad as we did. But we put our hearts into it tonight.”
In the end, the Cougars were the team celebrating and the Bulldogs were the team left in tears.
“We didn’t have our best game offensively, but we made the plays down the stretch…the hustle plays, the rebounds…to get the win,” Lutheran St. Charles coach Erin Luttschwager said. “Championships are not supposed to be easy. Shots weren’t falling, but we kept focusing on the defensive end and that helped build our confidence. We were doing our job on the defensive end.”
Carl Junction’s Klohe Burk (2) moves the ball during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Carl Junction made 13-of-40 field goal attempts (32.5 percent), including just 2-for-15 on 3-pointers (13 percent).
“That was a tough game, and it was a tough weekend scoring for us,” Coach Shorter said. “A lot of that had to do with the defense of our opponents and sometimes we just missed shots.”
The Bulldogs went 11-for-18 at the charity stripe.
The program’s all-time leading scorer who had been battling an illness, Buerge compiled 18 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes of action before fouling out in the finale of her stellar prep career.
The 6-foot-3 Scott recorded another double-double with 12 rebounds and 11 points. She also blocked three shots.
Williams contributed six points and Burk added five points.
The Cougars went 17-for-47 on field goal attempts (36 percent), with 3-for-19 from long distance (16 percent). Lutheran (27-5) had a slight advantage in rebounds, 35-29.
Six-foot-2 senior forward Megan Aulbert scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Cougars, while Franklin added 10 points and eight boards. Sophomore guard Chloe Reed contributed nine points.
In the Class 5 third-place game, West Plains edged Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) 42-38.
Carl Junction reacts to falling short in the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. Carl Junction finished the season with a record of 30-2 and is the Class 5 runner-up. All photos by Michael Gulledge/Special to SoMo Sports.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Bishop McGuinness (Okla.) Irish came into Webb City’s Chuck Barnes Field and spoiled both the Cardinals’ season opener and their first game under new head coach Andrew Doennig with a 4-2 win on Friday for the guests from Oklahoma City.
Bishop McGuinness scored three runs in the second and one in the third, a margin large enough to withstand Webb City’s two runs in the fifth and collect the first of two wins on the day for the Irish.
The Cardinals finished the day with eight hits, all singles, and left behind five runners while three other Webb City runners were thrown out on the bases.
For example, Bishop McGuinness center fielder Ben Corley caught a fly ball and fired a perfect strike to home to get McQuade Eilenstein out at the plate to end the second and leave Webb City scoreless in the meantime.
“A lot of first-game mistakes,” Doennig said. “Honestly, I probably made the three biggest mistakes of the game. Sending a kid home, it was probably a 50/50 deal, and I was pressing to get a run early in the game. A kid gets thrown out at third base going from first to third and probably should have stopped him. Another kid was miscommunication between he and I. He thought I was saying ‘Go’ and I was telling him ‘No.’
“A lot of those things are going to get cleaned up. They’ve played five or six games already, and this was our first.”
Eisenstein and Shaun Hunt led Webb City’s eight-hit attack with two each and William Hayes, Cy Darnell, Kaylor Darnell, and Kenley Hood combined for the other four with one hit each.
Hayes and Cy Darnell picked up RBI and Gage Chapman and Sam Weller scored the runs.
“I felt good about some at-bats,” Doennig said. “Obviously, this is how it is early in the year, you have some bad at-bats, you have some good ones, and you try and go from there. It wasn’t a great day to hit, but we had eight hits and we got to feel good about that.”
Kaylor Darnell took the loss with four runs (three earned) allowed on four hits over three innings with five strikeouts and one walk, while relievers Landon Fletcher and Hunter Shull each gave Webb City two scoreless innings in the middle and later portions of the contest.
Fletcher struck out three and Shull fanned two, and neither walked a batter during their four innings of work. They kept Webb City in the game and gave the Cardinals a chance to win.
“I thought our pitchers did pretty well holding them down for the most part,” Doennig said. “Kaylor probably didn’t have his best stuff, he didn’t do a great job of getting ahead early, but he battled back and kept guys at bay. Fletcher and Hunter Shull did a great job coming in relief, and that’s what we need from those guys…come in and get outs.”
The Cardinals, 0-1 overall, return to action Saturday on the road against Rogersville.
“I’ve said this a lot,” Doennig said. “I’m not a believer in scheduling easy opponents and whatnot. Tough games are going to benefit you in the long run. This is a tough first game for us and it’s not going to get any easier (Saturday). We’re going to play Rogersville. They’re always good, extremely well-coached, and I know their kids are going to be ready to play. We’re going to have to show up ready to play. It’s going to be another cold one.”
