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Day: October 4, 2023

CROSS COUNTRY: Carl Junction runners shine at Cassville

Posted on by Jason Peake

CASSVILLE, Mo. — The Carl Junction High School cross country teams fared extremely well at the Cassville Invitational on Tuesday.

The Carl Junction boys won the team championship and the CJ girls took second.

On the boys side, the Bulldogs took first with 79 points. Lamar (82), Cassville (95), Rogersville (95) and McDonald County (109) rounded out the top five teams. 

Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson won the boys race in 17:25.

Lamar’s Cameron Bailey finished fourth in 17:57 and Carl Junction’s Isaac Willoughby was fifth in 18:07. 

Lamar’s Ryder Friend finished sixth, Cassville’s Ethan Bohmke and Michael Butts were ninth and 10th, Monett’s Kash Adams took 11th and Cassville’s Trever Garnett was 12th.

McDonald County’s Caleb Garvin finished 16th and Carl Junction’s Luke Battagler was 18th. The McDonald County duo of Lane Pratt and Devon Hickman finished 21st and 22nd.

Also competing for Carl Junction were Nikash Yeary (27th), Jacob Garrett (36th), Alexander Allison (38th) and Chance Golden (39th).

Seneca’s top performer was Brock Short (72nd).

On the girls side, Lamar (61), Carl Junction (64), Rogersville (65), Cassville (70) and McDonald County (98) were the top five teams.

Cassville’s Jadyn Williams-Reed won the girls race in 22:10, with Lamar’s Abigail Diggs (22:19) and Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons (22:55) second and third.

Lamar’s duo of Carly Dunham and LeiLani Toves took fourth and fifth, while Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher and Madilyn Dalton finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

Cassville’s Tori Mitchell finished ninth, while McDonald County’s Kate Cheney and Monett’s Mary Jastal were 11th and 12th.

Carl Junction’s Delaney Harris finished 14th and McDonald County’s Kenzie Horton was 15th. Lamar’s Mikayla Madison, Cassville’s Kayli Anderson and Aurora’s duo of Drew Mayes and Avery Miller were 17th through 20th.

Other top performers for Carl Junction were Marissa Newman (24th) and Summer Sampson (29th).

 

Cassville Invitational

Boys team standings: Carl Junction 79, Lamar 82, Cassville 95, Rogersville 95, McDonald County 109, Reeds Spring 149, Southwest 161, Monett 195, Aurora 215, Blue Eye 221.

Girls team standings: Lamar 61, Carl Junction 64, Rogersville 65, Cassville 70, McDonald County 98, Monett 139.

VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Webb City sweeps Neosho; Carl Junction beats Joplin; CHC sweeps Verona; McAuley tops Golden City

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

WEBB CITY 3, NEOSHO 0

NEOSHO, Mo. — Webb City earned a convincing 25-9, 25-10, 25-12 victory over Neosho on Tuesday night in Central Ozark Conference volleyball action.

Jaeli Rutledge led the Cardinals with 21 kills, while Makayla Mayes added eight kills, Aubree Lassiter had seven kills and Mia Lenker contributed six kills. 

Savannah Crane handed out 28 assists, while Khloe Rhuems added 11 assists.

Kirra Long compiled 10 digs, eight aces and four kills. 

Sophia Crane recorded a team-high 23 digs, while Avery Gardner added nine digs and Jadyn Catterson and Savannah Crane chipped in six digs apiece. 

Neosho’s stats were unavailable. 

The Cardinals also earned wins over St. Mary’s Colgan (3-0) and Grain Valley (3-2) on Saturday. 

Webb City is now 18-4 overall and 4-2 in the COC. The Cardinals will host Republic on Thursday night. 

Neosho (7-15, 0-6 COC) hosts Ozark on Thursday. 

 

CARL JUNCTION 3, JOPLIN 1

Carl Junction defeated Joplin 3-1 in a Central Ozark Conference volleyball matchup on Tuesday night inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.

The Bulldogs beat the Eagles 25-16, 25-15, 23-25, 25-12.

The Eagles hung tough with the Bulldogs early, as the opening set was deadlocked at 15. But the Bulldogs got on a roll, finishing the opening set on a 10-1 run. 

The second set was similar to the first. The set was tied at 15 when Carl Junction reeled off 10 straight points.

The third set was tied at 20 when Joplin scored three straight to pull ahead for good. Overall, the Eagles closed the set on a 5-3 run. 

Up 10-7 in the fourth set, the Bulldogs used a 12-2 run to pull away en route to victory.

Joplin’s Bailey Owens recorded 16 kills, nine digs and three blocks to lead the Eagles, while Adalynn Noirfalise contributed 25 assists, 10 digs, six kills and three blocks.

Also for the Eagles, Phia Vogel had 10 digs, Amy Kessler recorded seven blocks, Janiah Vaughn had six digs and two kills and Raelin Calderon contributed three kills and two blocks.

Carl Junction’s stats were unavailable at time of publication. 

Both teams host conference matches on Thursday, as Carl Junction (18-6) welcomes Branson and Joplin (4-15) entertains Willard.

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 3, VERONA 0

VERONA, Mo. — College Heights went on the road and made quick work of Verona with a 25-22, 25-12 and 25-11 win over the Wildcats on Tuesday.

The win improves College Heights’ record to 11-9-3 on the season.

Maddy Colin finished with 15 assists, five kills and eight aces in service to lead the Cougars, while Toryn Fink had seven kills and Bailey Peeples had five kills. Lilly Plassman led defensively with 22 digs and added five aces, while Katie Moss finished with nine digs and Allie Stout had eight digs.

College Heights hosts McAuley on Thursday.

 

MCAULEY 3, GOLDEN CITY 1

McAuley Catholic celebrated senior night with a win in four sets after beating Golden City 20-25, 25-10, 25-21 and 25-20 on Tuesday.

The Warriors’ fourth straight win improves the team’s record to 8-15-5.

Kloee Williamson, who finished with 19 kills, and Avery Gardner, who finished with five kills, were honored with Senior Night ceremonies. Kendall Ramsey added eight kills for McAuley, while Jadyn LaFerla, who started the second set on a 10-point scoring run, finished the night with six kills.

McAuley is at College Heights on Thursday.

SOFTBALL: McDonald County upends Monett

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County’s Dakota O’Brien scattered four hits and struck out four in a complete-game pitching victory, as the Mustangs beat the Monett Cubs 6-2 on Tuesday night.

The Mustangs (10-13) received two hits apiece from Carlee Cooper, Katelynn Townsend, Jacie Frencken and Anissa Ramirez, while O’Brien helped her own cause by driving in two runs.

Monett’s Kilee Wilson took the loss after allowing five earned runs on nine hits in six innings.

It was the regular-season finale for the Mustangs, who will compete at the Class 4 District 7 tournament in Nevada beginning on Oct. 12.

The Cubs (17-8) are at Webb City on Thursday.

BOYS SOCCER: Welle’s hat trick leads Carthage past Joplin

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Senior forward Welle Welle recorded a hat trick to lead Carthage to a 5-3 victory over Joplin on Tuesday night in Central Ozark Conference soccer action.

Joplin’s Alex De La Torre opened the scoring in the 11th minute, but Welle scored two straight goals, one in the 32nd minute and the second on a penalty kick in the 37th minute.

Henry Hernandez and Welle added goals late in the first half to give Carthage a 4-1 lead.

Joplin’s Ely Montanez converted a penalty kick right before the break, cutting the Eagles’ halftime deficit to two.

Montanez scored in the 71st minute to bring the Eagles within a single goal, 5-4.

But Carthage’s Silas Laytham recorded a goal in the 74th minute for the final margin.

Recording assists for the Tigers were Aldo Sanchez-Cancinos, Henry Laytham, Silas Laytham and Welle.

Joplin’s Brayden Anderson was credited with nine saves.

Carthage took 13 shots on goal, while Joplin had three shots on goal. 

With a 12th straight win, the Tigers are now 15-1.

Carthage will compete at the Kansas City Showcase on Friday and Saturday.

Joplin hosts Springfield Catholic on Monday.

SOFTBALL: Willard slugs way past CJ

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Willard scored 15 runs on 17 hits on the way to beating Carl Junction 15-3 in six innings on Tuesday.

The Tigers held a 2-1 lead after two innings before scoring six times in the third, three times in the fifth and four more times in the sixth to end the game via run rule.

Hannah Burks earned the win after allowing three runs, two earned, on four hits, a walk and eight strikeouts in six innings.

Kiley Spencer took the loss after allowing 15 runs, 10 earned, on 17 hits, five walks and two strikeouts in six innings.

Reece Anderson homered on the way to three hits, four RBI and two runs scored, while Alyson Miller homered and finished with three hits, three RBI and four runs scored to lead Willard at the plate.

Kinley Spindler had a hit and drove in a run, while Hannah Cantrell and Ryleigh Palmer each had hits and scored a run for Carl Junction.

Carl Junction (9-17) is at Nevada on Wednesday.

SOFTBALL: Neosho clinches sole possession of first COC title with win over Carthage

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARTHAGE, Mo. — After beating Willard last Thursday to earn a share of the conference title, the Neosho softball program had a chance to clinch outright ownership of the Central Ozark Conference crown for the first time in school history with a win over Carthage on Monday.

The Wildcats wouldn’t be denied.

Neosho’s Carleigh Kinnaird delivers to home plate for a strikeout against Carthage on Tuesday. Kinnaird struck out 19 Tigers in the COC-clinching win. Photo by Israel Perez.

Neosho took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning and rode a stellar start from Carleigh Kinnaird before Carthage broke through in the sixth by pushing across the game-tying run. The Wildcats didn’t waver, scoring twice in the top of the eighth inning and keeping the Tigers at bay in the bottom half en route to the 3-1 win in extras in the final conference game of the season.

“I ordered t-shirts on Thursday because we were going to be champions either way, but I was hoping that wasn’t me doing something stupid,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said with a laugh. “I just wanted to do something to celebrate with them. … They had their eyes set on this game.”

“With all of the cards stacked against us, we took care of business,” Cummins added about how proud she was of her team winning on the road on an unfamiliar dirt surface against a really good area rival. “We went into extras with them last year and were able to walk it off. This year, I wasn’t going to let them do it to us. 

Kinnaird was in dominant form in the circle for the Wildcats. She earned the complete-game win after allowing one unearned run on four hits, a walk and 19 strikeouts in eight innings

“Carleigh was nails,” Cummins said of her hurler. “Her only run of the game came in the sixth and then 19 strikeouts. Holy cow. She was nails and got us out of some jams by bowing her neck.”

Carthage’s Addie Wallace delivers to home during the Tigers’ loss to Neosho in eight innings on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.

Addie Wallace took the complete-game loss after allowing three runs, two earned, on 10 hits and eight strikeouts in eight innings.

“Addie did a great job of getting on top early with first-pitch strikes,” Carthage coach Stephanie Ray said. “Her stuff was working tonight. When we got down 1-0 early, she came right back and continued to pound the zone, attacking each batter and going after them. She kept us in the game when our sticks weren’t alive.”

Neosho grabbed the momentum in the top of the second inning when Kinnaird led off the frame with a double before her spot came to score on a fielding error by the Tigers on a fly ball two batters later for a 1-0 Wildcats advantage.

Neosho’s Journey Arnall puts a ball in play during the matchup with Carthage on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.

Kinnaird struck out seven of her first nine batters faced before Carthage reached base for the first time in the fourth inning when Ashlyn Brust led off with a single. After back to back strikeouts by Kinnaird, Brooklynn Dolon-Main singled through the left side to put the go-ahead run on base. Kinnaird finished off the inning and ended the threat with her 10th strikeout. 

Carthage finally found life on offense in the sixth when Lottie Youngblood singled up the middle with two outs to plate the game-tying run in the form of Brust, who reached on an error, for a 1-1 score. 

“Lottie came up with a huge RBI single there to get us tied,” Ray said. “Her pushing that run across, you could hear out dugout. It got them up and excited. We just needed one more base hit.”

After a scoreless seventh inning by both teams, Neosho went to work in the eighth with a leadoff single from Autumn Kinnaird before a sac bunt from Kynden Smith put her at second with one out. Beclynn Garrett gave the Wildcats the lead once more and for the final time with a double to left to plate Kinnaird before Carleigh Kinnaird helped herself out with an RBI single to right field for a 3-1 lead.

Carthage’s Ashlyn Brust fields a ground ball during the Tigers’ matchup with Neosho on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.

“I don’t want it to get overlooked, but Olivia Emery getting on base with two outs in the seventh allowed us to start with the top of the order up in the eighth inning,” Cummins said. “Autumn did a good job of getting on base there and Kynden had a great bunt. Beclynn and Carleigh came up with great hits, and that’s what we expect our leaders to do. Overall, I was really proud of them.”

ON DECK

Neosho (24-6, 8-1 COC) is off until postseason play, taking part in the Class 5 District 7 tournament hosted by Joplin kicking off next Thursday.

“I think we are hitting our stride and throwing well,” Cummins said about her team as they head into the postseason. “Our defense just needs to be a little bit more locked in. That is the only complaint. … Getting any conference championship in the COC is hard. I don’t care what sport it is. For us to get our first one, it’s a big deal for our kids and we are looking forward to what’s next.”

Carthage (14-13, 5-4 COC) takes part in the FCNB Rolla Softball Invitational over the weekend.

“I told them there was nothing to hang their heads about after tonight,” Ray said. “They had a great game and never gave up at any time. We had an opportunity to win it, and I told them this was a good game to get us ready (for the postseason). … We have a lot of girls with a lot of grit and no matter the outcome, they will just step in and be ready to go for the next play or next game.” 

GIRLS TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson, College Heights advance to district title matches

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON TO PLAY FOR DISTRICT TITLE

Top-seeded Thomas Jefferson will meet third-seeded Notre Dame de Sion in the championship match of the Class 2 District 7 girls tennis tournament on Wednesday.

In Tuesday’s semifinals, Thomas Jefferson defeated fourth-seeded Willard 5-1 and Notre Dame de Sion knocked off second-seeded Carl Junction 5-3.

The Cavaliers won two of the three doubles matches.

At No. 1 doubles, Willard’s Alyssa Flynn-Evelyn Sly edged Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj 8-6.

Thomas Jefferson’s Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Jacey Wilson-Madeline Polites 8-3 and Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum defeated Allyson Essary-Briana Mauschbaugh 8-4.

In completed singles matches, Morsy beat Katelyn Long 6-2, 6-0, while Solum topped Essary 6-0, 6-3 and Kyla Yang beat Mauschbaugh 6-1, 6-2.

The results of Carl Junction’s match with Notre Dame de Sion were not submitted to SoMo Sports. 

The district title match is slated for 3:30 Wednesday at the TJ courts.

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS ADVANCES

Third-seeded College Heights Christian upset second-seeded Monett 5-0 in the semifinals of the Class 1 District 10 tournament.

No other information was available to SoMo Sports at the time of publication.

College Heights will meet top-seeded Mount Vernon at 4:30 on Wednesday. 

 

DISTRICT TOURNAMENT GLANCE

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 7

Monday’s results

(4) Willard 5, (5) Barstow 0

(2) Carl Junction 5, (7) Webb City 0

(3) Notre Dame de Sion 5, (6) Belton 0

 

Tuesday’s semifinals

(1) Thomas Jefferson 5, Willard 1

Notre Dame de Sion 5, Carl Junction 3

 

Wednesday’s title match

Thomas Jefferson vs. Notre Dame de Sion, 3:30

 

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 10

Monday’s result 

(4) Clever 5, (5) Aurora 1

 

Tuesday’s semifinals

(1) Mount Vernon 5, Clever 0

(3) College Heights 5, (2) Monett 0 

 

Wednesday’s title match

Mount Vernon vs. College Heights, 4:30

SOFTBALL: Webb City outslugs Joplin in COC finale

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

In a memorable Central Ozark Conference finale, Webb City outslugged Joplin 16-14 on Tuesday in a back and forth marathon softball contest at the JHS Athletic Complex.

In a game that took nearly two and a half hours to complete, the two teams combined for 30 runs and 37 hits, including five home runs.

In the end, Webb City improved to 23-10 overall and finished 5-4 in the COC. 

Joplin fell to 14-13 overall and went 3-6 in the conference.

Again, this one featured plenty of offense and multiple lead changes.

Webb City’s Alex Maturino blasted a two-run home run to center in the top of the first inning to give the Cardinals an early lead. 

The Eagles responded with three runs in the bottom of the first. Bailey Ledford walked and later scored on a Webb City fielding error before Jadyn Pankow smacked an RBI single into right, with Abby Lowery scoring the tying run. Next, Libby Munn gave the Eagles a 3-2 lead with a run-scoring single into right.

Webb City’s Lily Hall hit a two-run home run to center in the second to put the visitors back in front before Jensyn Pickett added a two-run blast to right-center in the third to give the Cardinals a 6-3 advantage.

The hosts re-took the lead with four runs in the bottom half of the third, as Riley Kelly launched a two-run homer before Maria Loum recorded a two-run single up the middle.

In a four-run fourth, Pankow lined an RBI single into left and Kelly smacked a three-run homer to right, giving the hosts an 11-6 cushion.

The Cardinals erupted for eight runs in the game-changing fifth inning. 

Hanes scored from third on a wild pitch before Hall, Abby Sargent and Dawsyn Decker all recorded RBI singles and Sydney Strickland drove in a run with a groundout.

Later in the frame, Hanes recorded an RBI double before Addie Brown followed with a two-run single for a 14-11 advantage.

In a three-run bottom half of the fifth, Pankow’s RBI single and Munn’s two-run double tied the game at 14.

In the sixth, Webb City’s Decker lined a go-ahead RBI single into right-center, with Abby Sargent scoring. The Cardinals turned a key double play in the bottom of the sixth.

Webb City added an insurance run in the seventh on Strickland’s RBI single to center.

Webb City recorded 20 hits.

Maturino had five hits and scored three runs for the Cardinals, while Decker and Hall added three hits apiece. Abby Sargent, Hanes and Strickland had two hits apiece.

Webb City sophomore Jo Jarmin was the winning pitcher. She went 2 2/3 innings in relief, allowing no runs on three hits. 

Freshman Addie Burns started and gave up five earned runs on seven hits in three innings, while sophomore Kenzie Wynn surrendered seven runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Joplin had 17 hits.

Pankow and Munn recorded four hits apiece, while Kelly drove in five runs on two homers. Ledford, Casey and Kelly had two hits apiece. 

Loum and Munn drove in two runs apiece, while Pankow scored four runs and Lowery crossed the plate three times.

Sophomore southpaw Ava Wolf started and finished the game in the circle for Joplin. She went 2 2/3 innings, giving up six runs on seven hits.

Sophomore Caelyn Bobski took the loss after allowing 10 runs, six earned, on 13 hits in 4 1/3 innings. 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

Both teams have non-conference home games on Thursday, as Webb City hosts Monett and Joplin entertains former Ozark Conference foe Waynesville.

District tournament play begins on Thursday, Oct. 12. Joplin is the host for the Class 5 District 7 tourney. Webb City has been assigned to Class 4 District 7, which will be hosted by Nevada.

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