Your online home for Joplin area sports coverage.

REPORT: Kickapoo, Glendale invited to COC

According to republictigersports.com, current Ozark Conference members Kickapoo High School and Glendale High School have been extended invitations to join the Central Ozark Conference.

The departure of Carl Junction and Branson to the Ozark Mountain Conference left an opening in the COC—Joplin, Carthage, Webb City, Neosho, Nixa, Ozark, Republic and Willard—and if the Chiefs and Falcons accept membership, it will round out the conference with 10 teams once again. 

“The remaining COC superintendents decided we have a really nice conference, and we want to keep it together. We’d like to replace the schools that left with two schools who are more similar to us than different, and they’re in our own backyard,” Republic superintendent Matt Pearce said to republictigersports.com. “Instead of waiting for people to leave, we wanted to change the narrative and see who wanted to join.”

According to the report, there is no timetable for a decision by Kickapoo and Glendale.

DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL: College Heights, Carthage earn wins; Joplin, Neosho and Seneca suffer losses

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 3, EXETER 0

VERONA, Mo. — Second-seeded College Heights Christian started its postseason with a convincing sweep over Exeter 25-13, 25-7 and 25-5 in the Class 1 District 10 tournament on Thursday.

The Cougars (15-12-4) advance to play McAuley Catholic and Wheaton in the semifinals at 6:30 p.m. on Monday.

Maddy Colin led CHC with 24 assists and six kills, while Bailey Peeples had 15 kills. Toryn Fink finished with six kills, while Lilly Plassman had 11 digs. Katie Moss added 10 digs and three aces.

 

LEE’S SUMMIT WEST 3, JOPLIN 0

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Top-seeded Lee’s Summit West defeated eighth-seeded Joplin 25-18, 25-10, 25-15 in the quarterfinals of the Class 5 District 7 tournament on Thursday night at Lee’s Summit North High School.

Joplin coach Staci Saunders, who led the team this season in an interim role, said she was proud of her team’s effort against the district’s top seed.

Bailey Owens led the Eagles with eight kills, six digs and two blocks, while Raelin Calderon added eight kills. Janiah Vaughn contributed five kills and four digs, while Adalynn Noirfalise compiled 22 assists and six digs and Phia Vogel recorded seven digs.

Suiting up for the final time were JHS seniors Owens, Vaughn, Calderon, Abigail Eckert and Avery Bermudez.

 

CARTHAGE 3, NEOSHO 0

LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Second-seeded Carthage knocked off seventh-seeded Neosho 25-15, 25-12, 25-15 on Thursday night in the quarterfinals of the Class 5 District 7 tournament.

“We played a solid match,” Carthage coach Chloe Allmoslecher said. “Collectively as a team, everyone showed up tonight and it was a blast to watch.”

The Tigers received solid contributions from up and down the lineup.

Millie Templeman recorded 11 kills, while Jaidyn Brunnert compiled 25 assists, nine kills, seven digs and two aces. 

Sadie Comer contributed 16 assists, 10 digs and nine kills, while Ava Bourgault had eight kills and six digs and Peyton Ray added seven kills.

Riann Schwartz had 20 digs, Ella Schwartz contributed five digs and three aces and London Shepherd had two kills and two blocks.  

Carthage (14-16) will meet sixth-seeded Lee’s Summit (10-11) in the semifinals at 4:30 on Saturday at Lee’s Summit North High School. 

 

NEVADA 3, SENECA 0

MONETT, Mo. — Top-seeded Nevada advanced to the Class 3 District 12 title game after defeating fifth-seeded Seneca 25-18, 25-15 and 25-10 in the semifinals on Thursday.

The loss ends Seneca’s season with an 8-18-5 record, graduating seniors Valencia Araujo, Ella Graham, Jera Jameson, Madelyn Burtrum and Danessa Macy.

Nevada improves to 23-9 and takes on second-seeded Mount Vernon in the district title game at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Monett High School.

Jameson led Seneca with 17 digs and 17 kills, while Anna Adkins finished with 23 assists and nine digs. Graham also added 12 digs.

 

BOYS SOCCER: Joplin tops McDonald County

The Joplin High School boys soccer team earned a 3-0 home win over McDonald County on Thursday night.

Joplin’s Leo Valdez scored in the 34th minute, with Ian Trejo assisting.

Andy Cordova’s goal in the 45th and Alex De La Torre’s goal in the 47th minute accounted for the final score.

Joplin took 19 shots, with nine shots on goal. McDonald County managed five shots, four on goal.

Joplin goalkeeper Brayden Anderson was credited with four saves.

Joplin (10-8) hosts Branson on Tuesday. 

McDonald County (6-12-1) hosts Greenwood at 12:30 on Saturday.