The Joplin area was well-represented on the Missouri Football Coaches Association’s all-state teams for 2023.
In Class 6, Joplin senior running back Quin Renfro was a first team all-state selection.
Also for Curtis Jasper’s Eagles, senior tight end Whit Hafer, senior offensive linemen Dontrell Holt and senior linebacker Jonathan Williams were second team selections.
Webb City and Carthage had multiple players selected in Class 5.
Webb City senior offensive lineman Shaun Hunt was listed on the Class 5 first team.
Second team picks were Carthage senior offensive lineman Edward Carreto and Webb City senior linebacker Christian Brock.
Listed on the third team were Carthage juniors Landyn Collins (RB), Karson Murray (WR/TE) and Langston Morgan (DB) and Webb City senior defensive lineman Tucker Liberatore and junior defensive back Andrew Young.
In Class 4, Carl Junction senior linebacker Johnny Starks and Nevada senior offensive lineman Talan Chandler were first team selections.
Also for Nevada, junior running back Jack Cheaney and senior linebacker Henry Campbell were listed on the second team.
Also selected second team all-state in Class 4 were McDonald County seniors Toby Moore (OL), Jayce Hitt (DL) and Josh Pacheco (DB).
State runner-up Seneca had eight players selected to the Class 3 all-state team.
First team picks for the Indians were senior running back Jackson Marrs, senior offensive lineman Brian Bigbee, senior linebacker Morgan Vaughn and senior defensive back Blake Hurn.
Seneca senior Gavyn Hoover (athlete) was a second team pick, while senior Ethan Altic (WR), sophomore Jace Renfro (OL) and junior Nolan Napier (DE) were third team selections.
Mount Vernon junior running back Braden Dodson and Aurora senior linebacker Jose Ibarra were listed on the third team.
Class 2 state champion Lamar had 10 players selected.
On the first team offense were seniors Chase Querry (WR), Ian Ngugi (athlete), Aiden Loveall (OL) and Ayden Forst (OL).
On the first team defense were seniors Rourke Dillon (DL) , Trace Wooldridge (DE) and Khiler Nance (LB) and juniors Alex Wilkerson (DB) and Mario Delapena (DL). Nance was named the Class 2 Defensive Player of the Year.
Ngugi was a second team pick as a kick returner and senior running back Logan Kish was a third team selection.
Lamar’s Jared Beshore was the Class 2 Coach of the Year.
Sarcoxie senior punter Garrett Smith was a first team all-state pick in Class 2.
In the 8-man division, Lockwood junior running back Nik Thieman was a first team pick and teammates Miles Neely (OL) and Hank Eggerman (LB) were listed on the second team.
Liberal had two players selected to the third team, senior wide receiver Quincy Bazal and senior linebacker Brodie Wilson.
ANDERSON, Mo. — Despite a solid effort, Webb City’s girls basketball team suffered a 64-45 setback to Springdale (Arkansas) on Monday in an opening-round contest of the 2023 Lady Mustang Classic at McDonald County High School.
Springdale improved to 7-1, while Webb City fell to 1-5.
Ignited by a full-court press, Springdale scored nine unanswered points at the end of the first quarter to take a 19-7 lead.
Down 25-11, Webb City used a 9-2 run to pull within seven, with Malorie Stanley, Abby Sargent and Kirra Long contributing points during the surge.
At the break, the Bulldogs held a 29-20 advantage.
A trey from Stanley trimmed Webb City’s deficit to nine at 35-26, but Springdale closed the third quarter on a 14-2 surge for a 49-28 cushion.
The Cardinals put together a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs never relinquished their lead.
A senior guard, Stanley led the Cardinals with 16 points.
Also for the Cardinals, Sargent scored nine points, Jenna Schulz added eight and Addie Burns had five.
Webb City is playing without a key performer, as senior guard Mia Robbins is out of action after suffering an injury in the final game of the Carthage Invitational.
Three players scored in double figures for the Bulldogs, the champions of this year’s Carl Junction Classic. Charleen Hudson scored 19 points, while Kaiya McCoy added 16 and Jakayla Bunch had 15.
Webb City will meet either Farmington or Carl Junction at 4:30 on Tuesday in a consolation bracket contest. Carl Junction was slated to play Farmington on Monday night.
There are three games slated for Tuesday overall, including McDonald County vs. Bentonville West at 7:30 p.m.
PEA RIDGE, Ark. — Neosho’s boys basketball team defeated Clarksville 43-38 on Saturday at the Battle at the Ridge tournament hosted by Pea Ridge High School.
The Wildcats led 16-10 at the end of the first quarter, but they were outscored 11-3 in the second half for a 21-19 halftime deficit.
The third quarter was even and ended with the Wildcats trailing 28-26.
Neosho outscored Clarksville 17-10 in the fourth quarter to earn the win.
Kaiden Asberry led Neosho with 13 points, while Ty Harris added 10 points. Collier Hendricks and Brodie Arthur scored nine points apiece in the win.
Neosho coach Zane Culp noted the Wildcats were short-handed, as Kanten Smith missed the game due to ACT testing.
COLUMBUS, Kan. — The College Heights Christian girls basketball team defeated Southeast 50-32 in the third-place game of the first MOKAN Winter Classic on Saturday.
College Heights was led by Libby Fanning’s 26 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots.
Also for the Cougars, Allie Stout scored nine points and grabbed three steals, Jesalin Bever compiled seven points, five rebounds and three steals, Kinley Marsh contributed five points and Ava Lett recorded three points, five boards and three assists.
College Heights (2-5) travels to Diamond on Friday.
In the MOKAN Winter Classic’s girls title game, Liberal defeated Columbus 52-33.
Seneca was the top team at the 2023 CJ Classic wrestling tournament on Saturday.
The Indians won all five duals at the event. Seneca defeated Willard by forfeit in the title match. The Indians defeated Carl Junction 42-38 in the semifinals.
Carl Junction finished fourth in the final team standings, as the Bulldogs fell to Fort Zumwalt South 57-24 in the third-place match.
Bolivar beat Fayetteville 41-36 for fifth place and McDonald County topped Blue Springs 51-30 for seventh place.
Match by match results of the CJ Classic dual tournament can be found at the link below.
SENECA RESULTS
Seneca def. McDonald County 53-24
Seneca def. Bolivar 51-17
Seneca def. Willard 43-30
Seneca def. Carl Junction 42-38
Seneca def. Willard 1-0 (title match)
CARL JUNCTION RESULTS
Carl Junction def. Blue Springs 42-33
Carl Junction def. Fayetteville 66-15
Fort Zumwalt South def. Carl Junction 49-21
Seneca def. Carl Junction 42-38
Fort Zumwalt South def. Carl Junction 57-24 (3rd place)
ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County won the opening game of the Lady Mustang Classic on Saturday, as the hosts topped Providence Academy 60-49.
The Mustangs led 19-17 after the first period and they were up 36-28 at halftime.
McDonald County won the third quarter 14-9 to go up 50-37 heading into the fourth period.
The Mustangs were outscored 12-10 in the final frame, but never gave up their lead.
Sophomore guard Carlie Martin scored 18 points to lead the Mustangs, while classmate Jamie Washam added 13. Three others scored seven points apiece—Carlee Cooper, Dakota O’Brien and Roslynn Huston.
Karolina Kiraga scored 17 points to lead Providence Academy.
McDonald County meets Bentonville West at 7:30 on Tuesday.
There are three tourney games scheduled on Monday, as Webb City meets Springdale at 4:30, Bentonville West plays Providence at 6 and Carl Junction takes on Farmington at 7:30.
The tournament continues with three games on Tuesday and wraps up with four games on Wednesday, with the title game slated for 8 p.m.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — For the first time since 2011, the host Tigers are the champions of their own Carthage Invitational boys basketball tournament.
Carthage torched the nets early and never trailed on the way to a 70-59 victory over rival Webb City on Saturday night in the 77th edition of the annual tournament.
The hot-shooting Tigers built a 12-point cushion by the end of the first quarter and the hosts were up by 20 entering the final frame.
The visiting Cardinals trimmed their deficit to single digits late in the game, but the Tigers never surrendered the lead. As a result, Carthage was the team celebrating with a tourney championship when the night concluded.
“I’m really proud of that group of kids,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said. “It’s fun to come to work. We enjoy practice every single day. These kids have been great. Now they get to reap the benefits of what they’ve put in. We hadn’t won this tournament in 11 or 12 years. It wasn’t perfect tonight, but I’m just really proud of all of those kids in the locker room.”
Carthage came out on fire in the opening frame. The Tigers made five 3-pointers in the first quarter, three from senior Justin Ray and one apiece from junior Trent Yates and sophomore Landon Ray, to take a 21-9 lead.
Webb City stayed within striking distance after senior Barron Duda hit his second trey of the contest, but Justin Ray’s 14th point of the first half gave the hosts a 28-14 advantage.
Carthage’s Kruz Castor scores in the lane against Webb City on Saturday night during the championship game of the Carthage Invitational. Photo by Tyler Wade.
Carthage’s Taylor Stevens-Diggs scored three straight hoops off the bench and the Cardinals received buckets from Joel Hendrix, Joseph DeGraffenreid and Holton Keith late in the second quarter before the Tigers took a 34-21 lead into the break.
Simply put, while the Tigers shot well from the perimeter early in the contest, the Cardinals did not.
“It wasn’t the start we wanted,” Webb City coach Jason Horn said. “We didn’t shoot well and we didn’t finish plays around the basket. We had good looks. And Carthage has the best player in the area in Justin Ray. He’s as good as anybody in the COC.”
Carthage outscored Webb City 21-14 in the third quarter to take a commanding 55-35 advantage.
Webb City didn’t go down quietly. In fact, the Cardinals outscored the Tigers 24-15 in the fourth quarter.
The visitors trimmed their deficit all the way down to nine at 65-56 with 1:55 left after a hoop from Keith.
But Webb City simply had too many empty possessions in the fourth quarter, and Carthage converted more than enough free throws late in the game to secure the win.
“Those three guards for Webb City are great,” Morris said. “We had a great game plan and tried to limit them. We tried to take away Barron Duda as much as we could. Credit to our kids for locking into the scouting report and for executing tonight.”
Webb City’s Eli Pace looks score against the defense of Carthage’s Justin Ray. Photo by Tyler Wade.
Justin Ray poured in 25 points and was named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player.
Stevens-Diggs scored 16 points and Kruz Castor added 14. Landon Ray scored nine and Yates added six.
The Tigers made 14 of 25 free throws in the game, with 12 makes coming in the second half.
“We’re a team that’s going to shoot a lot of 3s, but I challenged them to get downhill and get to the foul line,” Morris said. “When we got fouled, for the most part we were able to bury our free throws.”
Duda led Webb City with 19 points and Keith added 17. Pace had 10 points and Omari Jackson scored nine.
“It was our fourth game of the week and I think fatigue started to set in, especially with the way we play,” Horn said. “We’ve got some guys who still have limited practices and they’re playing their way into shape. And there may have been some nerves at the start of the game. We had some guys who were playing in a championship game for the first time. But I have to give our guys credit. They kept playing hard. We played through the misses. We’ll get better and more organized.”
Webb City’s Omari Jackson puts up a shot in the lane against Justin Ray.
Morris noted capturing a tourney championship should give his squad a nice confidence boost.
“This can only be good for us leading into a week where we play two of the better teams in the state of Missouri,” Morris said. “We’ve got Springfield Central and Sparta coming up and it should be a good challenge for us.”
Carthage (3-0) hosts Springfield Central on Tuesday and Webb City (3-1) is at Rogers Heritage on Tuesday.
The Cardinals and Tigers will meet again in COC play on Jan. 30 inside Webb City’s Cardinal Dome.
RAYMORE-PECULIAR 48, JOPLIN 41
Joplin’s late comeback attempt fell short in the tournament’s third-place game.
Raymore-Peculiar used a 12-0 run in the first quarter to take control.
The Panthers, who hit five treys in the opening frame, took a 22-10 lead into the second quarter.
By the break, Ray-Pec held a 28-20 advantage.
Joplin kept coming, limiting the Panthers to five points in the third period.
The Eagles made things interesting late in the game.
After a hoop from Collis Jones and a corner 3-pointer from Brecken Green, the Eagles only trailed by three with 50 seconds left.
But Ray-Pec’s Ashton Jermain made four key free throws late in the game to seal the win for the Panthers.
Jermain scored 19 points to lead the Panthers and Brendan Perry added 16.
Fred Taylor led Joplin with 12 points, while Hobbs Gooch and Jones added six points apiece. Tristan Gage scored five for JHS and Carter Harbin had four.
“For three quarters, we were really good defensively,” Joplin coach Nick Pfeifer said. “After a poor first quarter, we had to fight our way back and play from behind the rest of the way. I was proud of the way that we competed, got ourselves back into it, and even had some chances to take the lead late. However, we know that playing incomplete games and only scoring 41 points makes it very difficult. We must be able to take the lessons learned from the tournament and continue to improve.”
NEVADA 52, LEAVENWORTH 43 (OT)
The Nevada Tigers ended the invite on a high note by beating Leavenworth in overtime in the fifth-place game.
The game was deadlocked at 41 at the end of regulation before Nevada outscored Leavenworth 11-2 in the extra session.
“I’m really proud of the grit our guys showed in the second half of this game,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “Shots were not falling and the ball was not bouncing our way, but we stayed the course and continued to grind. Several players stepped up big for us. Our defense was the difference tonight.”
Nevada led 16-11 at the end of the first quarter, but the game was tied at 26 at halftime after a back and forth second period.
The Pioneers held a 36-31 advantage at the end of the third quarter, but a 3-pointer from Nevada’s Riddick Shook tied the game at 41 late in the contest.
A last-second trey by Nevada was off the mark and the game went into overtime.
Brice Budd and Kellen Braden both hit 3-pointers early in the extra session to give Nevada the lead for good.
Budd scored 14 points to lead Nevada (3-3), while Jack Cheaney added 11 points. Gabe Smith scored nine points, while Braden and Shook each scored eight.
“This win is something we can build on, and we are very pleased with our improvements this week,” Gray said. “Anytime you can go 2-1 in Carthage it’s something we’ll take. We’re looking forward to a good tournament next week at Butler.”
In the tourney’s seventh-place game, Fort Smith Southside defeated the Carthage junior varsity 73-49.
The Carthage Tigers pose with the championship plaque after winning the 77th Carthage Invitational on Saturday. Justin Ray (0) was the MVP. Photo by Tyler Wade.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Longtime rivals Webb City and Carthage will meet in the championship game of the 77th Carthage Invitational boys basketball tournament.
In Friday’s semifinals, Webb City used a strong second half to come from behind to beat Raymore-Peculiar 55-51 and Carthage never trailed in a 59-42 win over Joplin.
The tourney’s championship game between the Cardinals (3-0) and the Tigers (2-0) is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Joplin will meet Raymore-Peculiar for third place at 2.
CARTHAGE 59, JOPLIN 42
Propelled by 10 made 3-pointers, the Tigers led from start to finish in the nightcap.
Carthage led 9-6 at the end of the low-scoring first quarter, but the Tigers began the second period on a 10-2 run to gain some separation.
Hot-shooting Carthage made six 3-pointers in the second quarter, three by Justin Ray, two from Landon Ray and one from Dylan Pugh, to take a 33-20 halftime lead.
The third period was even, 12-12, but the Tigers took a 45-32 advantage into the fourth quarter.
Carthage led by as many as 18 points in the final frame en route to victory.
A senior guard, Justin Ray scored a game-high 21 points and made four 3-pointers for the Tigers.
Junior guard Dylan Pugh added 12 points for Carthage, while sophomore guard Landon Ray had nine, junior guard Trenton Yates added seven and junior forward Taylor Stevens-Diggs scored four.
Junior guard Collis Jones led Joplin with 12 points. Senior Hobbs Gooch added seven points, junior Carter Harbin had five and sophomore Fred Taylor, junior Trenton Gage and junior Aiden Scourten each scored four.
Junior Cooper Williams and sophomore Brecken Green added three points apiece.
“We competed hard but it was a little frustrating on the offensive end,” Joplin coach Nick Pfeifer said. “We just really struggled to make shots when we really needed a basket, especially in the second quarter. Defensively, we did some positive things but also missed a couple of assignments that Carthage made us pay for.”
WEBB CITY 55, RAYMORE-PECULIAR 51
In a thriller that went down to the wire, Friday’s first semifinal was deadlocked after three quarters before the Cardinals won the final frame 17-13 to secure a spot in the tourney title game.
The Cardinals had to come from behind in this one.
Plagued by early turnovers, Webb City trailed by five at the end of the opening frame at 16-11.
The Panthers led 21-13, but the Cardinals put together an 11-4 run to pull within one at 25-24. Raymore-Peculiar scored the final six points of the first half to take a 31-24 halftime advantage.
Ignited by eight points from junior guard Eli Pace, Webb City outscored Ray-Pec 14-7 in the third quarter, and the game was tied at 38 heading into the fourth period.
The Cardinals started the fourth quarter on a 9-2 surge, but the Panthers kept coming.
Webb City senior guard Barron Duda knocked down a fadeaway 3-pointer from the left corner to give his team a 52-47 lead with 1:30 left.
Ray-Pec scored four straight points, but a free throw from junior Joseph DeGraffenreid with 29 seconds left and two clutch charities from senior Omari Jackson with 17 seconds remaining accounted for the final score. The Panthers had two costly turnovers late in the game.
Pace scored 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting and also had five assists to lead the Cardinals, while Duda added 19 points and nine rebounds. Junior Holton Keith added seven points and sophomore Gabe Johnson contributed nine rebounds.
Ashton Jermain and Cannon Northcraft scored 12 points apiece for the Panthers, while Holden Kephart added 11.
NEVADA 63, FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE 48
The game was deadlocked at 13 when Nevada ended the first quarter on an 8-1 run for a 21-14 advantage.
The Tigers started the second period on a 10-3 run to take a 31-17 lead. After the two teams traded 3-pointers, Alex Ast’s layup just before the buzzer gave Nevada a comfortable 36-20 halftime lead.
Nevada held a comfortable 52-35 advantage by the end of the third quarter and the final outcome was never in doubt in the fourth period.
“We did a much better job of handling pressure tonight,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “We were able to break the full court zone press and find our open teammates. Our guys did a good job of sharing the ball, and they also executed the game plan of getting Southside’s best player into foul trouble. By drawing charges and attacking him on offense we were able to eliminate his inside scoring. Defensively, we were able to really buckle down in the second quarter. We hope to build off of this effort tomorrow against Leavenworth.”
Junior guard Jack Cheaney led Nevada with 17 points, while sophomore Kellen Braden added 13 points and senior Brice Budd contributed 12.
Also for the Tigers, senior Riddick Shook scored nine points on three treys and Ast added eight points.
Alex Roper scored 14 points for Southside.
Nevada (2-3) will meet Leavenworth for fifth place at 12:30 on Saturday.
In the other consolation semifinal, Leavenworth defeated the Carthage JV team 52-38.
PEA RIDGE, Ark. — Neosho fell behind by a slim margin early and fought all game but never gained the momentum in a loss to Greene County Tech on the opening day of the Battle at the Ridge basketball tournament on Thursday.
The Wildcats trailed by one after the first quarter before going into the intermission down 26-21. Neosho went into the final eight minutes down six and couldn’t string a run together before the final horn.
Eight players scored for Greene County Tech, with Parker Harris’ 12 points leading the way. Kayden King added nine in the win.
Collier Hendricks scored 14 to lead Neosho, while Ty Harris finished with 13 points in the loss.
Neosho takes on Fountain Springs on Friday.
LOCKWOOD BOYS 48, MCAULEY CATHOLIC 39
This one was close all the way, but Lockwood was the team that finished strong.
The Warriors led 10-9 at the end of the first quarter and the hosts were clinging to an 18-17 lead at intermission.
The game was deadlocked at 31 at the end of the third quarter.
Lockwood outscored McAuley 17-8 in the final frame.
Connor Taffner scored 17 points to lead McAuley, while Rocco Bazzano-Joseph had six and Bradley Wagner and Michael Parrigon each scored five.
Nik Thieman scored 17 points for Lockwood and Henry Schnelle added 16.
McAuley (2-4) hosts Sarcoxie on Friday night.
NEVADA GIRLS 61, CLINTON 37
CLINTON, Mo. — Nevada limited Clinton to single-digit scoring in each of the first three quarters on the way to a blowout win on Thursday.
The Tigers (4-2) jumped out in front of the Cardinals 17-6 after the first period before taking a 16-point cushion into the intermission. Nevada outpaced Clinton 24-9 out of the break to put the game out of reach by the start of the final eight minutes.
Clara Swearingen led Nevada with 35 points, knocking down eight 3-pointers in the process. Lakyn Applegate sank two 3-pointers and finished with 10 points, while Katie Johnson had six and Lucy Swearingen five.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Webb City and Joplin recorded contrasting victories on the opening night of the 77th Carthage Invitational.
An early surge propelled Webb City to a convincing 84-51 win over Nevada before Joplin held on late to beat Leavenworth 57-48 in Thursday’s nightcap.
In Friday’s semifinals, Webb City (2-0) meets Raymore-Peculiar (1-1) at 7 p.m. and Joplin (1-2) takes on Carthage (1-0) at 8:30. The tourney hosts had a first-round bye.
WEBB CITY 84, NEVADA 51
Ignited by an active full-court press, the Cardinals took control early by forcing the Tigers into eight turnovers in the opening frame.
Getting plenty of hoops in transition, speedy and hot-shooting Webb City used a 17-2 run early in the game and an 11-2 surge to end the first period to take a comfortable 33-13 lead. Six different players scored in the first quarter for the Cardinals.
“Defensively, we were really good,” Webb City coach Jason Horn said. “We were flying to the ball. Our rotations were solid and our pressure on the basketball was really good. I’m just really pleased with our guys, especially on the back side of our press. I thought we brought a lot of energy. The goal was to overwhelm them early. That’s probably one of the better quarters we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
Junior guard Holton Keith and senior guard Barron Duda both knocked down 3-pointers to start the second quarter, extending Webb City’s cushion to 39-13.
“It’s hard to simulate Webb City’s speed in practice,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “We knew they were going to come out and trap and put pressure on us. We need to do a better job of being able to adjust quicker during the game so those turnovers don’t snowball. But credit to Webb, they were able to feed off their defensive pressure.”
However, Nevada didn’t quit. In fact, the Tigers closed the first half on a 22-8 run to cut Webb City’s lead to 12 at halftime, 47-35.
“Nevada played much better in the second quarter,” Horn said. “They made us pay on some late closeouts and they got to the free throw line. We’re still playing into shape and I think fatigue set in. But you have to give Nevada credit because they executed and made plays.”
The Cardinals outscored the Tigers 18-14 in a back and forth third quarter, and Webb City held a 65-49 lead entering the final frame.
Horn’s Cardinals finished strong, winning the fourth quarter 19-2.
A trey from Duda and a breakaway layup from senior Omari Jackson made it 78-51 with five minutes left and Webb City’s lead was never in jeopardy late in the game.
“I think our pressure started to wear on them,” Horn said. “I think we had played 11 guys at that point. We can score in waves and we’re probably going to give up points in waves. But overall, I thought it was a really good team effort tonight.”
Duda scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Cardinals, while Keith had 22 points and six boards. Jackson also reached double figures with 17 points on 6 of 8 shooting. Junior point guard Eli Pace scored eight points and sophomore guard Gabe Johnson had seven points to go with nine assists.
Webb City made 36 of 56 field goal attempts (64 percent) and Nevada shot 39 percent (18 of 46). The key stat of the night was that Webb City scored 37 points off 23 Nevada turnovers.
Senior Brice Budd scored 13 points to lead Nevada (1-3), while junior Jack Cheaney and senior Riddick Shook added 11 points apiece for the Tigers, who often had several sophomores on the court.
Coach Gray noted he was proud of his team’s effort.
“We’re really proud of our guys,” Gray said. “They played hard regardless of the score. They’re trying to get better. Hopefully we’ll get better from this game as the season goes along.”
JOPLIN 57, LEAVENWORTH 48
Joplin never trailed, but it wasn’t easy, as Leavenworth stayed within striking distance the entire contest.
The Eagles held a 10-point lead in the third period and held off the Pioneers down the stretch.
“We never trailed, but we could never really extend our lead,” Joplin coach Nick Pfeifer said. “That’s a credit to Leavenworth. They seemed to hit a shot every time we seemed to get some momentum. That was a little frustrating, but I thought our kids did some OK things. We struggled to finish. We fouled at some inopportune times. But we competed hard and we had the bigger number at the end, so that’s the most important thing.”
Hoops in the paint from seniors Hobbs Gooch and Whit Hafer gave Joplin a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Buckets from Collis Jones, Carter Harbin, Brecken Green and Fred Taylor gave the Eagles a 22-12 cushion with three minutes remaining in the second period.
The Eagles held a 25-15 advantage after a 3-pointer from Green, but Leavenworth scored six straight points to end the first half, trimming Joplin’s lead to four, 25-21.
Joplin was clinging to a 38-32 lead late in the third period when Harbin made two free throws and Cooper Williams converted a steal into a layup. But Leavenworth’s MJ Morgan knocked down a trey, cutting Joplin’s cushion to 42-35 at the end of the third quarter.
The Eagles never relinquished their lead in the final eight minutes, as Jones recorded a pair of key hoops that gave JHS some needed breathing room.
A 6-3 junior, Jones scored 20 points to lead the Eagles, with 12 coming in the second half and eight in the key fourth quarter.
“He played well, even after a little bit of foul trouble in the first half,” Pfeifer said. “He’s got to be that guy for us. He does a nice job on the glass, and I thought he guarded really well tonight. He’s a good athlete and he can make plays.”
Green added nine points for the Eagles, who also received five points apiece from Taylor and Williams.
Morgan scored 18 points to lead Leavenworth and Nishan Thomas added 11.
Pfeifer, who is in his first season as Joplin’s head coach, is a Carthage High School graduate who played for the Tigers under Steve Ray.
“Carthage means so much to me and my family, so it is special coaching here,” Pfeifer said. “I have a lot of good memories in Carthage, and when you see so many people you know, those memories come back to you. It’s neat. It’s one of those things where it is a special moment in your life. It’s certainly not something I take for granted.”
Pfeifer will be coaching against his alma mater on Friday night.
“It’s going to be fun,” Pfeifer said. “Coach (Nathan) Morris does a good job over here and we know they’re really good. We’re definitely going to have to play good basketball. It will be a challenge for us, but we’re looking forward to it.”
NOTES: Raymore-Peculiar defeated Fort Smith Southside 60-33 in the tourney’s opener.
Nevada meets Fort Smith Southside at 4 on Friday in the consolation semifinals. Leavenworth takes on the Carthage junior varsity squad at 5:30.
Neosho’s boys wrestling team earned a 63-3 win over Joplin on Tuesday night at JHS.
At 106 pounds, Neosho’s Tucker Feagens earned an 8-6 decision over Lucas Allen.
Neosho’s Anthony Stotts pinned Gabriel Kabutha at 113 and Victor Elias-Lopez earned a technical fall, 15-0, over Joplin’s Jacob Porter at 120.
At 126, Neosho’s Sebastian Ioanis won by fall over Dylan Houston, Kelton Shaffer earned a tech fall over Andrew Burke at 132, Fisher Butler pinned Freddy Cerrato-Martinez at 138, Hunter Butler defeated Toryn Jones 9-6 at 144 and Lincoln Howard won by fall over Ben Hedrick at 150.
Neosho’s Carter Howard pinned Johnathan Burke at 157, while Chase Kivett earned a tech fall over James Clemens at 165 and Kaymon Rhone earned a 4-3 decision over Ethan Bentz at 175.
At 190, Neosho’s Dayton Kivett won by fall over Gryphon Price.
Joplin’s lone win came at 215 pounds, as Johnny Williams earned a 9-4 decision over Ryan Counts.
At heavyweight, Neosho’s Everson Tomlinson earned an 8-4 decision over Josiah Hazelwood.
NEOSHO 64, HAR-BER 15
Neosho also defeated Springdale Har-Ber on Tuesday night at JHS.
Winning their respective matches by fall for the Wildcats were Stotts, Ioanis, Fisher Butler, Hunter Butler, Lincoln Howard, Chase Kivett, Dayton Kivett, Counts and Tomlinson.
Carter Howard earned a major decision, 12-1, at 157.
Har-Ber won by fall at both 120 and 175. At 132, Har-Ber’s Daxton Kline earned a 4-3 decision over Neosho’s Shaffer.
JOPLIN 51, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 30
The Joplin Eagles earned a victory over Springdale Har-Ber in their other dual on Tuesday night.
Winning matches by fall for the Eagles were Kabutha, Burke, Cerrato-Martinez, Clemens, Price, Williams and Hazelwood.
At 144, Joplin’s Jones earned an 8-4 decision over Adrian Onesto-Cervantes.
Joplin’s Allen won by forfeit at 106.
Har-Bar won by either fall or by forfeit at 120, 126, 150, 157 and 175.
CARTHAGE 72, WEBB CITY 11
CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage Tigers earned a convincing win over the rival Webb City Cardinals on Tuesday night.
The Tigers won eight matches by fall.
Winning matches by fall for Carthage were Wyatt Hole (126), Bradyn Tate (138), Dylan Huntley (144), Israel Perez (150), Lenny Teo (165), Saul Alvarado Hernandez (175), Alexander Salas-Marquez (190) and David Recinos (215).
Webb City’s Carson Farmer earned a tech fall, 18-3, at 157 pounds.
The Tigers won by forfeit at 106, 113, 120 and 132.
The Cardinals won by forfeit at 285.
JAY 57, MCDONALD COUNTY 23
ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County’s Ayden Ball (144) and Samuel Murphy (215) won their matches by fall, while Alex Bogart won by injury default at 175 and Emmit Houston earned a tech fall, 23-6, at 190.
JAY GIRLS 48, MCDONALD COUNTY 18
ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County’s Stacy Lopez-Apolinar won by fall over Maddie Rutherford at 155 and teammate Gisel Aragon won by fall over Kyllei Holt at 190.
Mac County’s Alyssa Jackson won by forfeit at 145.
WEBB CITY GIRLS 48, CARTHAGE 12
CARTHAGE, Mo. — At 100 pounds, Webb City’s Hadley White won by fall over Mischa Drackert.
At 110, Carthage’s Maylee Brown won by fall over Madison Kincheloe.
Webb City’s Aspen White pinned Iraida Oxlaj-Barrios at 115.
At 130, Webb City’s Tatum Christensen won by fall over Emmy Hernandez.
Carthage’s Irish Lee won by fall over Kalie Smith at 145, but Webb City’s Layla Espinoza pinned Arianna Medrano at 155.
Webb City won by forfeit at 105, 170, 190 and 235. Carthage won by forfeit at 120.
NEOSHO GIRLS 19, JOPLIN 18
Results of this dual were unavailable at time of publication.
Thomas Jefferson held a double-digit advantage over Everton in the first quarter and kept building on the lead before going on to win comfortably on Tuesday.
The Cavaliers improved to 1-5 with the win.
Thomas Jefferson led 18-6 after the first eight minutes and took a 32-14 lead into the intermission. The Cavaliers held Everton to single digits scoring again in the third quarter, doubling the Tigers up 19-8 to construct an insurmountable lead down the stretch.
Jack Twiss had 23 points, sinking five 3-pointers, to lead Thomas Jefferson, while Jackson Radius had 12 and Kohl Thurman with 10 to give Thomas Jefferson three players in double-figure scoring. Thurman also had 10 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Spencer Long added eight, with Jaxx Wisdom scoring six.
Thomas Jefferson is at Miami (Amoret) on Friday.
THOMAS JEFFERSON GIRLS 68, EVERTON 27
Thomas Jefferson started fast and never looked back in a win over Everton on Tuesday.
The Cavaliers improved to 4-1 with the win.
Thomas Jefferson started the game with momentum, building an 11-point lead after the first eight minutes before taking a 44-11 advantage into the intermission. The Cavaliers never wavered down the stretch.
Gabbi Hiebert led Thomas Jefferson in scoring with 24 points, while Lannah Grigg was right behind with 20 in the win. Sarah Mueller closed with 13 to give TJ three players in double figures. Presley Long added seven.
Everton’s Oliva Sartin had 16 to lead her team.
Thomas Jefferson is at Miami (Amoret) on Friday.
PIERCE CITY BOYS 49, MCAULEY CATHOLIC 22
Pierce City led McAuley Catholic after the first quarter and held the Warriors to single-digit scoring in each of the remaining periods on the way to a win on Tuesday.
Pierce City led 17-12 after the first eight minutes before taking a 30-14 lead into the intermission and grew the lead out in the second half.
Quortin Parks had 20 points, with six 3-pointers, to lead Pierce City, while Emmitt Price had 11.
Bradley Wagner led McAuley with seven points, while Alex Bohachick finished with five in the loss.
McAuley is at Lockwood on Thursday.
PIERCE CITY GIRLS 49, MCAULEY 35
Kloee Williamson scored 23 points for McAuley Catholic in Tuesday’s loss to Pierce City.
McAuley (1-4) hosts Lockwood on Thursday.
NEVADA GIRLS 55, PITTSBURG 24
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Visiting Nevada took control early in a non-conference matchup against Pittsburg.
The Tigers led 13-4 by the end of the opening frame and then held a 34-13 advantage at halftime.
Nevada held a 41-21 lead by the end of the third quarter en route to victory.
Nevada senior guard Clara Swearingen poured in 29 points and hit six 3-pointers to lead the Tigers (3-2).
Lucy Swearingen added 16 points and knocked down four treys. Lakyn Applegate added six points on two 3-pointers.
Jacqueline Hall scored 11 points to lead Pittsburg.
Nevada is at Clinton on Thursday.
PITTSBURG BOYS 78, NEVADA 36
PITTSBURG, Kan. — Nevada boys basketball coach Shaun Gray called Tuesday’s blowout loss to Pittsburg a good learning experience for his squad.
“Someone said you’re either winning or you’re learning, tonight we are definitely learning,” Gray said. “Learning that we have a long way to go to be the best version of ourselves. This group has tremendous grit and leadership, and I have no doubt we will continue to grow from these tough losses together.”
Up 20-11 at the end of the first quarter, Pittsburg outscored Nevada 25-5 in the game-changing second quarter. With that, the Dragons held a 45-16 lead at the break.
After a big third period, Pittsburg’s advantage was 73-29.
“Pittsburg is very athletic and did a great job of exposing our biggest deficiencies,” Gray said. “We have to be able to overcome cold shooting nights with improved shot selection, patience on offense, and with a commitment to battle on the glass. Tonight, Pittsburg was relentless running the floor in transition, and not only did we not get back defensively, but we did not communicate. And we took average to below average shots that helped to fuel their transition offense.
“Additionally, they attacked the glass hard and we did not have five guys working to box out and clear the rebound. If we are going to win the rebounding battle it is going to have to be a whole team effort, 1-5 have to gang rebound together on every shot attempt.”
Pittsburg’s Mason English poured in a game-high 25 points.
“Anytime you face an elite player like Mason English, you have to do all the little things right to give yourself a chance,” Gray said.
Two others reached double figures for the Dragons, as Nate Mitchell scored 17 and Joseph Hernandez added 10.
Jack Cheaney scored 14 points to lead Nevada, while Kellen Braden added seven.
Nevada meets Webb City at 6:30 on Thursday at the Carthage Invitational.
“We are excited to head to Carthage on Thursday for a fun and tough weekend of competition,” Gray said.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Ahead of Tuesday night’s season-opener, the Webb City Cardinals had just four days of practice with all of their players available.
It was hard to tell.
Pushing the pace from the start, Webb City held a 20-point lead before the first quarter concluded on the way to a dominant 65-34 non-conference boys basketball victory over Monett inside the Cardinal Dome.
“I was really pleased with our effort tonight,” Webb City coach Jason Horn said. “We wanted to get the pace into a track meet and we were able to do that. Every guy that went into the game was playing at max effort. They played through mistakes, and they made an effort to share the ball. Our guys have really bought in to what we’re trying to do, and I was really pleased.”
The Cardinals once again got off to a late start to the hoops season as far as practice time with everyone, as the school’s football team advanced to the state semifinals.
“It’s not easy when you’re playing into shape,” Horn said. “This is my eighth year here and we’ve built our system up from the grade school level, so they’re used to what we’re doing. It’s more about trying to get enough practice in to fine-tune things. And you’re always nervous for the first game. We had four varsity guys who were consistently in practice. The rest of the guys just came in.”
Displaying a tenacious defense and taking advantage of its overall team speed, Webb City built a comfortable 29-8 lead by the end of the opening quarter.
From the start, the Cardinals were able to get numerous hoops in transition, often converting steals into layups. Five different players scored in the first period, as the hosts showed their depth.
“I think this is the fastest team I’ve had in 20 years of coaching basketball,” Horn said. “There’s some elite speed on the floor and that can make up for our lack of size. And they share the ball. And right now, we need to get runouts because we don’t have our legs under us yet.”
The Cubs scored the first eight points of the second quarter before the Cardinals righted the ship in a big way. Webb City closed the first half on a spirited 22-3 surge to take a commanding 51-19 halftime lead.
Webb City senior guard Barron Duda outscored the visitors by himself in the first half, 22-19.
Webb City’s lead was never in jeopardy in the second half. The Cardinals were up 65-34 entering the fourth quarter.
“Monett struggled tonight and they’re a better team than what they showed,” Horn said. “They have some nice players. We had a good atmosphere and we overwhelmed them early and it snowballed on them. I certainly don’t think it would be like that if we played them again. But that’s a credit to our kids and our student section. Those things work together and it makes it a fun environment to play in.”
The 6-foot-3 Duda scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead the Cardinals. Both were game highs.
“He’s an all-conference type player and I think he’s going to have a big year,” Horn said. “He made plays when he needed to. I’m really happy with his performance.”
Three others reached double figures for the Cardinals, as junior guard Holton Keith scored 13 points, junior guard Eli Pace had 12 and senior guard Omari Jackson added 10.
“I’m really happy with Omari Jackson,” Horn said. “He’s on four practices and he played with great pace.”
Pace handed out six assists and sophomore Trae Turner had six boards.
The Cardinals had 18 steals in the game, as Pace, Keith and sophomore Gabe Johnson recorded four apiece.
Landyn Brandt scored 11 points to lead the Cubs, while Ian Waterman added seven.
Webb City takes on Nevada at 6:30 on Thursday night in an opening round contest of the 77th Carthage Invitational. The Webb City-Nevada winner will meet either Raymore-Peculiar or Fort Smith Southside in Friday’s semifinals.
“Nevada’s got a good crew and we know they shoot the ball very well,” Horn said. “Win or lose, you’re looking at a tough game in the next round too. It’s a really good tournament again this year. Carthage has one of the better teams in our area and they may have the best player in our area in Justin Ray. There’s a lot of talent in the tournament. It will be a good one, so we’re excited to see where we’re at.”
Monett (0-2) will be among the teams competing at this week’s Seneca Invitational.
Marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication, McAuley Catholic senior distance runner Kendall Ramsey signed a letter of intent on Monday to join the Pittsburg State University cross country and track and field programs.
“It’s very special and bittersweet because of all the time I’ve put in running and how all of the accomplishments came together,” Ramsey said of making her college decision official. “There were some happy tears today. I’ve had a lot of support from my family, and I can’t thank them enough.”
Kendall Ramsey
Ramsey said Pittsburg State was her choice for several reasons.
“Their program has had a lot of success,” Ramsey said. “Their running program is great. My brother went to Pitt State, and I liked the environment there. I’m going to be majoring in biology and their biology program stood out to me. I want to do their pre-dental program and then go to dental school.”
As Warriors coach Andy Youngworth pointed out to the school’s student body ahead of the signing ceremony, Ramsey has definitely left her mark on McAuley’s cross country and track programs.
Ramsey is the school record-holder in the 5K (20:46), the 1600 (5:39) and the 3200 (12:23).
In cross country, Ramsey advanced to the state meet all four years of high school, earning all-state honors as a junior and senior. Ramsey finished eighth and ninth in Class 1 the last two years.
Ramsey was listed on the Southwest Missouri Coaches Association’s all-region team in three straight seasons.
On the track, Ramsey is a two-time state qualifier and one-time state medalist who has also earned multiple conference, district and sectional championships in her signature events, the 1600 and the 3200.
Ramsey finished sixth in the 1600 and ninth in the 3200 at last May’s state track meet.
Of course, Ramsey still has her senior season of track ahead of her this spring.
Ramsey noted she hopes to finish her prep career on a high note.
“I want to qualify for the state meet again,” she said. “It’s going to be hard because we have some really fast girls in our district and sectional. I want to PR one last time. And if I can make it to the state meet, I want to medal. I’m going to work hard to try and accomplish my goals.”
On Monday, McAuley Catholic senior Kendall Ramsey signed to run track and cross country for Pittsburg State University.
ANDERSON, Mo. — Local girls wrestling teams competed at the Lady Mustang Invitational on Saturday.
The top five teams were Nixa (287.5), Claremore (107), Webb City (85), Reeds Spring (80) and McDonald County (78).
Webb City’s Hadley White was the runner-up at 105 pounds, while Emma Combs (145) and Mackenzie Booth (190) both finished third.
Also for the Cardinals, Mickayla Pendergraft was fifth at 105, Aspen White was fifth at 115 and Maddie Barchak took fifth at 170.
Webb City’s Madison Kincheloe (110), Tatum Christiansen (130), Kalie Smith (145), Layla Espinoza (155) and Brailey Valadez (190) all finished in sixth place and Laney Taylor (135) placed seventh.
McDonald County’s Ellysia Wasson won the 105-pound bracket, winning all four matches by fall.
Also for the Mustangs, Anjelika Alarcon placed second at 135, Jaslyn Benhumea (115) and Stacy Lopez-Apolinar (155) both took fourth and Alyssa Jackson (145) finished fifth.
Joplin’s Erika Washom was the runner-up at 145 pounds, while Amy Kessler (155) and Mya Ndedi Ntepe (170) both won third-place matches.
Carl Junction’s Bryanna McCabe was the runner-up at 120 pounds and Isabella Montez placed third at 130.
Carthage’s Arianna Medrano placed fourth at 145, while Irish Lee took fifth at 135 and Maylee Brown finished seventh at 110.
Aurora’s Case Parnell was the runner-up at 125.
Monett’s Mary Jastal placed third at 110, while teammates Alexyia Sullivan (170) and Arianna Galarsa (155) finished fourth and seventh, respectively.
NEOSHO, Mo. — The host Wildcats won the team championship at the 36th annual Neosho Wrestling Tournament on Saturday.
Neosho topped the team standings with 218 points. Willard (191), Farmington (164.5) and Kearney (130.5) finished second, third and fourth.
Rounding out the top 10 teams were Nixa, Har-Ber, Branson, Bentonville West, Belton and Kickapoo.
Neosho’s Anthony Stotts won the 113-pound bracket.
Finishing second in their respective brackets for the Wildcats were Victor Elias-Lopez (120), Kelton Shaffer (126), Fisher Butler (138) and Kaymon Rhone (175).
Carter Howard (150) and Everson Tomlinson (285) both finished third, while Tucker Feagens (106), Chase Kivett (165) and Dayton Kivett (190) took fourth.
Neosho’s Kade Lawson (157) and Ryan Counts (215) placed fifth in their brackets, while Lincoln Howard (144) finished sixth.
DIAMOND, Mo. — Mount Vernon built a slim margin by the intermission before pulling away down the stretch for a win over McAuley Catholic in the third-place game of the Gem City Classic hosted by Diamond High School on Saturday.
“I was really proud of our effort tonight,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said. “We didn’t back down all night. We did a good job of closing out on shooters but they shot the ball extremely well. Tip of the cap to Mount Vernon.”
Mount Vernon’s Jarrett Zerby knocked down four 3-pointers in the first quarter to help the Mountaineers to a five-point lead by the start of the second period. The Mountaineers led 31-27 at halftime before outscoring the Warriors 20-11 in the third quarter and 21-10 in the fourth.
Zerby finished with seven 3-pointers and 25 points, while Hunter Conway had 17 points and Hunter Dawson finished with 12 for the Mountaineers.
Connor Taffner had 17 points to lead McAuley in scoring. Bradley Wagner finished with 12 points, while Alex Bohachick had 10 points.
McAuley (2-2) hosts Pierce City on Tuesday.
SARCOXIE GIRLS 51, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 42
DIAMOND, Mo. — Sarcoxie held a two-point lead heading into the final eight minutes of play before the Bears outscored College Heights by seven down the stretch to earn the win in the third-place game of the Gem City Classic on Saturday.
“Despite the loss, I found a lot of encouragement from my own team’s performance tonight,” CHC coach John Blankenship said after the loss. “We faced some challenges, such as having two key players on the bench due to foul trouble during most of the second quarter. Additionally, we had too many turnovers and struggled with our shooting. However, we remained competitive and were in the game until the late stages of the fourth quarter. We can fix the areas we are struggling in such as ball control and rebounding.”
Libby Fanning led the way for College Heights with a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Ava Lett finished in double figures with 11 points, while Maddy Colin added seven points and seven boards.
CHC is on the road with a matchup against Crane on Monday.
SUNRISE CHRISTIAN GIRLS 53, CARTHAGE 38
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Sunrise Christian captured fifth place by beating the hosts at the Lady Tigers Invitational on Saturday inside the Carthage High School gymnasium.
A close first half ended with Sunrise Christian up 22-19.
Leading 35-27 at the end of the third period, Sunrise Christian outscored Carthage 18-11 in the fourth quarter to seal the win.
Junior guard Lauren Choate scored a game-high 25 points and made four 3-pointers to lead Carthage. Choate was named to the all-tournament team.
Junior forward Lexa Youngblood added seven points and classmate Maggie Boyd scored six for the Tigers (1-2).
Sandra Hracka scored 17 points to lead Sunrise Christian, while Marija Sikic added 16.
In the tourney’s championship game, El Dorado Springs beat Rolla 48-42 and Bentonville defeated Fort Smith Southside 57-50 for third place.
Carthage will be among the teams competing at next week’s Joplin Lady Eagle Classic. Carthage meets Blue Valley North at 6:30 on Thursday in an opening-round contest.
OLATHE EAST GIRLS 56, WEBB CITY 38
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Webb City suffered a 56-38 setback to Olathe East in the seventh-place game of the Lady Tigers Invitational on Saturday at Carthage High School.
Olathe East held an 11-4 advantage at the end of the first quarter and Webb City trailed 27-19 at halftime.
The Hawks won the third period 19-10, and with that, Webb City’s deficit was 17 at the end of the third period, 46-29.
The final frame was nearly even, as Webb City outscored Olathe East 10-9, but the Cardinals were unable to overcome the deficit.
Junior guard Kirra Long led the Cardinals with 11 points and senior guard Malorie Stanley scored eight points and hit two 3-pointers. Long was named to the all-tourney team.
Freshman forward Adalyn Maxwell scored six points and classmate Whitlee Keith added four points. Abby Sargent, Addie Burns and Jenna Shultz scored three points apiece for the Cardinals.
Three players scored in double figures for Olathe East, as Corrine Cole led the way with 17 points, while Braylee Rogers added 16 and Katie LaFever had 10.
Webb City (0-3) will host McDonald County (3-1) at 6 p.m. on Tuesday inside the Cardinal Dome.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Lamar overcame a three-score deficit and scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime to knock off Valle Catholic 35-28 on Saturday night in the MSHSAA Class 2 Show-Me Bowl on Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
It’s Lamar’s ninth state football championship and second under the direction of Jared Beshore.
In a clash between state powerhouses, the title game was deadlocked at 28 at the end of regulation.
In overtime, Lamar needed just one play to score, as junior Alex Wilkerson ran for a 25-yard touchdown.
The Lamar defense held the Warriors out of the end zone on the ensuing drive to secure the victory.
It was a remarkable comeback for the Tigers, as Valle Catholic scored the game’s first 21 points.
Overall, Lamar scored 35 of the game’s final 42 points, as the Warriors were limited to one touchdown in the second half.
Valle Catholic’s Rylan Fallert hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Grant Fallert at the 10:45 mark of the first period to give the Warriors an early 7-0 advantage.
After Lamar’s first drive ended with a turnover on downs, Valle Catholic extended its lead to 14-0 after a 4-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Gegg that came with 3:01 left in the opening period.
The Tigers had a promising drive going early in the second quarter, but it resulted in a turnover on downs.
Valle Catholic went up 21-0 after Gegg’s second touchdown reception of the game, this time on a 75-yard pass from Grant Fallert.
Lamar got on the board when Wilkerson connected with Chase Querry on a 69-yard touchdown strike with 6:18 left in the first half.
After a defensive stop by the Tigers’ defense, Logan Kish finished off the ensuing drive with a 2-yard run with 2:01 left in the second quarter, trimming Lamar’s deficit to 21-14.
Valle Catholic took a 28-14 advantage with 6:30 left in the third quarter on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Colin Henderson.
Next, Lamar was stopped on fourth down, resulting in another turnover on downs.
But a botched Valle Catholic punt gave the Tigers great field position, with Lamar taking over on the 4. Two plays later, Lamar’s Wilkerson scored on a 3-yard plunge, cutting Catholic’s lead to 28-21 with 10:18 left.
After a defensive stop, Lamar tied the game at 28 with 6:11 remaining in regulation after a 91-yard touchdown pass from Wilkerson to Querry, along with the PAT kick by Jose Juarez.
Both teams had opportunities late in regulation, but neither team was able to score and the game went into overtime.
Lamar (13-1) recorded 474 yards of total offense, with 257 rushing and 217 passing.
Wilkerson ran 23 times for 135 yards and also passed for 217 yards on eight completions.
Valle Catholic (12-2) finished with 376 yards, 264 passing and 112 rushing.
The Tigers were in the championship game for the fourth straight season, finishing second in both ’22 and ’21 after winning the title in ’20.
Valle Catholic’s Rylan Fallert hauled in a 37-yard touchdown pass from Grant Fallert at the 10:45 mark of the first period to give the Warriors an early 7-0 advantage.
