Though Carthage graduated its top ball handler over the last four seasons as well as another integral starter from last year’s team, head coach Scott Moore is excited to see what is in store for his team, which will be anchored by the junior class in 2023-24.
Carthage, which graduated four-year PG Kianna Yates as well as F Landy Cochran, returns a trio of junior starters.
“We are excited to see what this season holds for the Lady Tigers,” Moore said. “We have a solid group of returners who have gained important varsity experience over the past two seasons. The juniors are a very cohesive bunch and we hope that translates to success on the basketball court.
“I think that we have the players to battle our way into the top half of the (Central Ozark Conference). Our league is loaded year in and year out. If we can play up to our potential on offense, I think our defense will keep us in games.”
Leading the list of returners for Carthage is G Lauren Choate, who averaged 11 points, three rebounds, three assists and 2.5 steals per game as an all-Central Ozark Conference Honorable Mention honoree. Also back for Carthage is G Maggie Boyd, who averaged nine points, three rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.5 steals per game. G/F Lexa Youngblood also returns to the starting lineup after averaging five points and three boards a game last season.
“Lauren will play shooting guard and point guard for us this year,” Moore said of his returners. “She is a good shooter who will need to up her scoring for us to be successful this year. Entering her third year on varsity, I expect Lauren to raise her game in all statistical categories and assume a larger leadership role this season.
“Maggie will be our primary point guard this year. We will need her to distribute the ball well to her teammates, but also create her own shot at times. She is a spark plug on both ends of the floor and is capable of giving teams fits for 94 feet of court.
“Lexa spent last season being an undersized post for us. Hopefully, this year she can spend more time in her natural guard position where she’s much more able to use her athleticism to score points for the team.”
The newcomers to the varsity level are made up of nearly all upperclassmen for the Tigers. Senior G Trisha Kanas, junior G/F Jaidyn Brunnert and junior G Ashlyn Brust.
“Team speed, hustle and shooting will be our strengths this year,” Moore said about his Tigers. “If we get hot, we can beat anybody on our schedule. The key will be how we play when we aren’t hot. On those nights, our speed and hustle will have to win the games for us.”
Of course, the biggest issue for Carthage this season isn’t an uncommon one. The Tigers lack size in the paint. Fortunately, Coach Moore had to adjust to that very problem last year, and he knows what it takes to counterbalance his players being undersized inside.
“Obviously, our size will be a concern this year,” Moore said. “We won’t play with any true, back-to-the-basket post players this season. However, what we give up in height on the defensive end, can translate to a positive on the offensive end when teams will have to guard all five positions from the 3-point line to the rim. We will spread teams and attack downhill.”
Carthage opens the season with the Carthage Lady Tigers Invitational basketball tournament from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.
“Our three keys for success this year will be accountability, communication and effort,” Moore said. “If we can do our jobs on each possession, hold each other accountable, communicate like crazy on defense, and play with max effort for 32 minutes, we have a great chance to finishing in the top half of the COC.”
After seeing several pillars to the program over the last several years graduate following last season, Carthage is tasked with reloading on the run for another competitive season of Southwest Missouri basketball.
The Tigers finished last season with a 14-12 record, including a 4-5 mark in the Central Ozark Conference, and graduated four seniors who left their mark on the program—leading scorer and all-conference PG Max Templeman, F Clay Kinder, leading rebounder G/F Britt Coy and G Ben Nicholas.
“We had a really successful and important summer and fall with this new group,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said. “We lost a few staples of our program from the previous four seasons in Max Templeman, Clay Kinder, Britt Coy and Ben Nicholas. That crew was huge in the ascension of our program with back to back winning seasons for the first time in over a decade.
“This year’s team has seen the change in expectations for our players as citizens and students, and we are able to lean on that while becoming better basketball players. We will be young with only one returning senior starter.”
The lone returning senior to the starting lineup—guard Justin Ray, a second-team all-COC performer, who averaged 13 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game.
“This will be his fourth year starting varsity basketball,” Morris said. “Justin has flown under the radar to some extent but should explode onto the scene this year. He will be a college basketball player and a lot of that has to do with his IQ, how effortless he makes the game look and his ability as a lockdown defender.”
Joining Ray in returning to starter’s minutes will be junior PG Trent Yates (4.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.7 APG and 1.0 SPG) as well as junior G/F Kruz Castor (2.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG).
“The basketball IQ and understanding of our system by this group will be a big strength,” Morris said about this year’s squad. “We have two great senior leaders with a strong junior class that all care for and respect each other. People watching our games will enjoy the effort we put forth and the style with which we play.”
New to the varsity squad this year will be sophomore G/F Landon Ray, junior F Taylor Stevens-Diggs, junior G Dylan Pugh, junior G Colt Pugh and senior Jack Ryder.
“Our lack of size will once again hurt our team at times but also can be a strength if we are willing to lock into every detail of the game,” Morris said of what his team will need to work on this season as the games progress. “If we can keep the ball out of the paint and limit teams to one shot on every possession, we like our chances.”
Of course, a strong start to the season is always important to Carthage. For that to happen, the Tigers will be relying on the varsity experience they do have to carry them while the new faces get caught up to the speed at the next level. For Morris, he likes the leadership in his locker room to be able to accomplish that very thing.
“We have an established COC player in Justin Ray that has played at a high clip for three years,” Morris said. “We need the key pieces behind him to gain experience and get better each night. Our core group put the time and work into this offseason. We’re excited to watch that hard work pay off.”
Carthage opens the season at Monett on Dec. 1 before hosting the 77th Annual Carthage Basketball Invitational from Dec. 7-9.
The Carl Junction boys basketball team is looking to improve upon last year’s campaign as the Bulldogs bring back three starters and several athletes with varsity experience in 2023.
The Bulldogs are coming off an 8-18 campaign that saw CJ finish with a 1-9 record in the Central Ozark Conference. With the recent conference realignment announcement, this will be the Bulldogs final season in the COC before entering the Ozark Mountain Conference in 2024-25.
“I am very excited for this season,” said Carl Junction coach Justin Pock. “We have a great group of kids who are looking to win every time they step foot on the floor. They are a tough and hard-nosed group who expect to win. They have a great summer and a great offseason.
“This team is out to prove something and I think we have a full team. We can score in multiple positions and can run the floor. I think this team is looking to change the narrative and open some eyes to Carl Junction basketball.”
Carl Junction will be led by returning starters — sophomore G Cooper Vediz (third-team COC), senior PG Jett Hocut and junior PF Wyatt McAfee.
“(Cooper) had a great season as a freshman and is looking for more this year,” Pock said. “He can really score the basketball and is an all-around athletic player. (Jett) can really shoot the ball and we believe he will have a strong senior year as a really smooth, calm player. (Wyatt) is a work horse for us. He is a strong kid who does all of the dirty work for us and has a chance to be a big leader for us.”
Also bringing back varsity experience for Carl Junction is sophomore PG Brody Pant, senior F Quin Kennedy and sophomore G/F Deacon Endicott.
New to the varsity squad for Carl Junction this year is senior F Aidan Beachner, junior G Jett Mills, junior G Shea Perkins, junior F Austin Swarens and sophomore G Craig Hayes.
“I think if we can stay healthy and stay together as a team we can have a great year,” Pock said. “I think we will compete and play hard every night. We have multiple scores on this team and a team that shares the ball. … This group is unselfish and hungry to win. I think we have a squad that can beat you in multiple ways. They are competitors and are ready to battle.”
Carl Junction opens the season in the 63rd Annual Forsyth Tournament on Nov. 27.
SENECA, Mo. — Top-seeded Seneca used a stingy defensive effort and had its way offensively while building a three-score lead into the intermission before going on to pull away down the stretch for a 49-21 win over second-seeded Mount Vernon in the Class 3 District 6 championship game on Friday.
The district title is the third straight for Seneca, which hasn’t happened since 1989-1991. The Indians advance and travel to take on Ava on Friday in the Class 3 state quarterfinals.
Seneca QB Gavyn Hoover lunges forward for extra yardage in the Indians’ win over Mount Vernon on Friday in the Class 3 District 6 title game. Photo by Tyler Wade.
The Indians (11-0) scored four times in the first half thanks in large part to a stifling defense, which had a takeaway that led to one of the four first-half touchdowns and 28-7 lead. The Mountaineers (10-2) scored first out of the intermission and kept the Indians off the scoreboard in the third quarter before Seneca swung the momentum permanently with an early fourth-quarter touchdown to push the lead out of reach.
Seneca struck first in the powerhouse matchup after marching down the field on the opening possession before QB Gavyn Hoover kept the ball from 12 yards out with 8:04 left in the first quarter for a touchdown and the 7-0 lead.
The Indians took a two-score lead in the first quarter after scoring on their straight possession to open the game. RB Jackson Marrs found the edge on a first-and-goal carry before avoiding the sideline on the way to a 10-yard touchdown with less than six minutes to play for a 14-0 lead to cap another long, churning drive.
Seneca’s defense, which didn’t allow a first down in the first half until being flagged for pass interference late in the first half, forced a turnover when DB Blake Hurn hauled in a tipped pass for an interception on a third-down pass at the 44 by MVHS QB Gavin Johnston and returned it down inside the 10-yard line. On the next play, Marrs took the handoff and barrelled his way into the end zone while dragging several Mountaineers with him for a 21-0 lead with 5:29 on the block in the second period.
Hoover ripped off a 50-yard run on a keeper up the left sideline to get inside the red zone, setting up a 13-yard rushing score from Marrs on the next Seneca drive to give the Indians a 28-0 lead heading into halftime.
Mount Vernon quarterback Gavin Johnston drops back to pass against Seneca in the Class 3 District 6 title game on Friday. Photo by Tyler Wade.
The Mountaineers got on the scoreboard late in the first half when Johnston found WR Jarrett Zerby for a 23-yard connection with 39 seconds on the clock to cut the lead to 28-7.
Mount Vernon got back within two scores of the lead on the first possession of the second half. The Mountaineers struck for the big play through the air when Johnston found Zerby all alone on broken coverage for a 30-yard touchdown pass out of the locker room to cut the Seneca lead to 28-14 with 10:15 to play in the third quarter.
After a scoreless third quarter, Seneca got on the scoreboard for the first time in the second half when Hoover kept the ball for a 15-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to push the lead back to three scores, 35-14, with 9:34 left in the game.
Hoover, who picked up a crucial fourth-down-and-3 with an 18-yard run on a broken play earlier in the drive, gave the Indians a 42-14 lead with a 23-yard rushing touchdown with 5:37 left in the game.
Seneca used a big play late to put the game away when FB Morgan Vaughn hauled in a screen pass and broke free for a 57-yard receiving touchdown with 3:27 to play.
With 29 seconds left, Johnston found WR Jake Leeper for a 55-yard touchdown to wrap the scoring in the game.
NIXA, Mo. — Top-seeded Nixa scored on its first six possessions of the game before kneeling on the ball to head into the intermission with a four-possession lead en route to a 56-34 win over third-seeded Joplin in the Class 6 District 5 championship game on Friday.
Nixa, which didn’t have a negative play in the first two quarters until kneeling the clock out, gained over 300 yards of offense and scored six touchdowns on the way to a 42-14 first-half lead. The sledding didn’t get much easier for Joplin in the second half, with JHS losing the turnover battle in the game 5-0.
Nixa is at Rockhurst for the Class 6 state quarterfinals on Saturday.
Joplin’s season ends with a 7-4 record, with JHS graduating 21 seniors from this year’s team.
Nixa opened the game with possession and marched 66 yards on eight plays in 2:10 of game action to get into the end zone for the first time. Nixa rushed the ball on all eight plays and used a 28-yard rush on a fourth-down fake punt from Parker Mann to ultimately set up a 12-yard rushing score from RB Malachi Rider for a 7-0 lead.
Nixa struck for the big play on its second possession after QB Nate Uber used a play-action to find a streaking WR Wyatt Vincent up the seam for a 49-yard touchdown on third-down and 11 to go up 14-0 with less than six minutes to play.
Nixa followed up the big-play score by recovering the ensuing pooch kick to regain possession, and then making the most of it. Nixa took the extra possession on a short field and marched it down, converting on another fourth down in the process, to find paydirt on a short-yard rushing score from Rider for a 21-0 advantage with 3:05 left in the opening quarter.
Joplin, using a nice return to get into plus territory, got into the end zone late in the first quarter for the first time when TE Whit Hafer hauled in a pass near the 7-yard line from QB Hobbs Gooch before shrugging off an arm tackle and lowering his shoulder on the way to two more broken tackles before crossing the goal line for a 12-yard touchdown with a minute left in the opening quarter to a 21-7 score.
Nixa, which had over 300 yards of offense in the first half, churned out another drive on its fourth possession before RB Dylan Rebura got into the end zone for a touchdown from 5 yards out with 10 minutes left in the second quarter to make the score 28-0.
On the ensuing first-down handoff by Joplin, RB Quin Renfro broke free for a 72 yards down to the 1 before getting in on the next play for a touchdown to trim the deficit to 28-14.
Nixa countered with another scoring drive, using a 3-yard rushing score from Rider to cap the possession and make it a perfect five drives with five touchdowns in the first half.
Nixa forced the game’s first turnover after picking off Gooch near the four-minute mark on Joplin’s next possession. NHS again made the most of the extra possession, converting on fourth down with a 2-yard passing score from Uber to Rebura to push the lead to 42-14 with 1:59 left in the first half.
Joplin took the opening possession of the second half down the field and got back into the end zone for the third time in the game when Gooch rolled off pressure and tucked the ball before finding the pylon for a 9-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 42-21 with 7:12 on the clock.
Late in the third quarter, Uber rolled out past the line of scrimmage before firing an overhand pass behind him to WR Rylan Michel, who took the ball upfield and into the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown to make the score 49-21 with less than four minutes on the clock.
A 22-yard carry from Renfro on the next Joplin possession set up a 1-yard touchdown from RB Chavis Coleman with less than a minute to play in the third quarter. Joplin trailed 49-28 after the score.
Rebura broke free for a 53-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Nixa a 56-28 lead.
Joplin answered with a big play of its own when Gooch found WR Jett Beal for a 51-yard passing touchdown to make the score 56-34.
College Heights Christian girls basketball graduated a trio of integral seniors last year, tasking John Blankenship with replacing that production while continuing the successful run his program has had as he enters his 25th year as a head coach.
The Cougars are coming off a 17-12 campaign that saw CHC finish with a 5-1 record in the Ozark 7 Conference. However, College Heights lost several key pieces from last season—PG Jayli Johnson, G Lauren Ukena and G/F Addie Lawrence.
“We lost three great seniors last year,” Blankenship said. “They will be hard to replace. We will be young at the guard position. There will be a period of growth, but each of them are very athletic, quick and ready to work hard. If we stay healthy, I think we will surprise several teams this year. I believe we will create the necessary team chemistry quickly and will be very competitive this year.”
Fortunately, the Cougars return plenty of varsity minutes to help the transition to the younger players stepping into larger roles.
Leading the list of lettermen coming back for CHC are returning starters Maddy Colin (F/G), co-Ozark 7 Conference Player of the Year Libby Fanning (F) and Ava Lett (G).
Colin is a senior, while Fanning and Lett are juniors.
“Maddy is a strong post player that provides rebounding on both ends of the court,” Blankenship said. “She has a strong offensive post presence, but also has the ability to play on the perimeter and give us another 3-point shooter.
“Libby is a 6-foot post player who averaged double-digit points and rebounds last year. She is an outstanding post player who can also step out and hit 3-point shots. She will be a tough matchup for teams.
“Ava is our shooting guard, and she continues to get better every year. She has the potential to be one of the best 3-point shooters in our conference. We are hoping she can extend defenses further on the perimeter with her shooting and open things up inside for Libby and our other post players.”
Of course, with that much experience returning to the paint, it’s no surprise that is where the strength will be for College Heights. Their size and skill inside will be a mismatch for teams.
Also returning with varsity experience is senior Avery Schumaker (F), juniors Kinley Marsh (F) and Molly Long (F), and sophomores Jesalin Bever (PG), Karly Dorris (G) and Allie Stout (G/F).
“We have very good height and strength with our post players, and great quickness with our guards,” Blankenship said when asked about his team’s prospects this season. “I’ve had success the last several years of getting players to buy into the vision. I fully expect this group to do the same. Additionally, they will be unified, they will work hard, and they will play and practice with integrity.
“Integrity, work ethic, being a presence that sets a tone, being mentally tough, and being coachable are critical to any team’s success. Integrity binds all of those characteristics together and creates layers of trust and team growth. We have those traits in place. If we can develop our skills quickly, the potential for a great season is there even after losing three awesome seniors last year.”
Of course, with a bit of a youth movement going on this season for College Heights, the Cougars who are getting their first real taste of heavy varsity minutes will need time to get comfortable with the change of pace. Coach Blankenship believes when the cohesiveness arrives, consistent play and wins will follow.
“Staying healthy, being able to adjust to new offensive and defensive systems, and having athletes that didn’t see a lot of playing time last year able to learn quickly,” Blankenship said when asked the keys to success for CHC this season. “These are athletic players that are so coachable. I think we will do pretty well this year.”
College Heights opens the season on Nov. 21 against Rush.
The Central Ozark Conference, which has 12 members in football and 14 in all other sports, has decided to split the conference into two divsions—the East side of conference and the West side of the conference—according to sources.
The divisions in the COC are listed below:
West Division (football)
Carthage, Joplin, Neosho, Webb City, Republic, Willard
As the new terrain of the Central Ozark Conference begins to take shape, SoMo Sports had a chance to have a conversation with Joplin High School athletic director Matt Hiatt to get a feel for things from a local perspective.
Following quite a bit of shakeup over the last several weeks, or months depending on if you’ve been involved with the situation, there looks to be a set path for the COC to continue next season with 14 teams, 12 of which will compete in football against each other.
“We’re happy that we’ve been able to solidify our conference and continue to move together as a group of schools,” Hiatt said when asked about Joplin’s stance on the realignment. “Obviously, as we moved through this process with schools identifying what was important to them as far as the realignment goes—travel is something that is a top priority that is on our list. We’re hoping that as a conference, we can structure our setups in various different sports to limit travel as much as possible.”
The COC teams remaining in the conference after the departure of Branson and Carl Junction earlier in the fall are Carthage, Joplin, Neosho, Nixa, Ozark, Republic, Webb City and Willard. Joining the COC in all sports will be Glendale, Kickapoo, Lebanon, Waynesville, while Parkview and Springfield Central will compete in every sport but football.
“When you’re adding schools such as Lebanon, Waynesville, Parkview, Central, Kickapoo and Glendale, that only enhances the competition level in our sports,” Hiatt said about the benefits of the new additions to COC. “While all schools may struggle at a particular sport and are good at others, across the board this conference is going to be extremely competitive. These 14 schools are going to bring a lot to the table in terms of athletic programs.”
Of course, there are new concerns to deal with from several standpoints. For the ADs and coaches, with 12 teams in football and 14 teams in the rest of the sports, playing every team in the conference would be very demanding, difficult to do or even impossible in some cases. While nothing is set in stone, there is a preference and belief that the conference will be divided up into divisions based on factors such as location and school size and that the majority of the conference games on the schedule for each sport would be against divisional teams. There is also a possibility of neutral-site games, but that wouldn’t be viable in every sport.
“Everything is still in the works, but I think the thing we would like to see is that there are divisions set up,” Hiatt said. “Obviously, there would need to be some crossover among those divisions, but we would like to see geography being a huge factor in how those divisions are set up so that we are not routinely putting our kids on a bus to some of those farther schools such as Lebanon and Waynesville. … There are going to be times when we have to go to those schools, however, we believe it is in our best interest to structure our conference in a way where that’s not happening consistently.”
For football in particular, five games would be scheduled within the division (if two six-team divisions) and the remaining games on the schedule would be crossover games with the other division to ensure all games would be within the conference.
Divisions within the conference would not only help with the scheduling, but would also ease the burden of student-athletes either being forced to leave school early or get home extremely late by potentially avoiding road trips of 120 miles or more multiple times in each sport, which is the biggest concern for parents of student-athletes on the far east and west sides of the conference.
Of course, if you decide to have divisions—regardless of how many you ultimately have—the question of how you decide a conference champion is brought up.
“That is all still being discussed, and there are a lot of things that have to be worked out—how are we going to set up our divisions? Are those teams going to be set up based upon geography and enrollment, and how is that going to look?” Hiatt said about the possibility of division winners playing for a conference championship. “I think something that is important to all of us is that we maintain some sort of semblance of a conference championship and the ability to select our kids as all-conference in some fashion. So, there are a lot of things to work through, and those are things that are important to all schools.”
All of this reshuffling can be confusing, and no one knows that more than the athletic directors, who tend to act as middle men when conferences are tasked with adding schools. The final decisions are made between the superintendents of the conference schools, who take input from the local school board and the athletic directors, who take input from their coaches, principals, parents and student-athletes.
When asked if the COC, or any of the local conferences for that matter, are set for the time being, Hiatt believed there could be more movement in the near future as schools figure out what is important to them.
“I would not be surprised if you continue to see some movement over the next few years,” Hiatt said. “I think every school is being asked to evaluate what is important to them. Whether that’s travel, enrollment or success. The answer to those questions by each school is going to guide them to what is best for them.”
As far as the Eagles were concerned, Hiatt was concrete on Joplin’s stance in the COC.
“I can only speak for Joplin—being able to move into the COC and renew our local rivalries with the schools that are close to us is something that was huge to us and want to see that continue as best it can,” he said. “As far as that goes, we want to be local and limit travel like we used to have to do in the Ozark Conference. We are a proud member of the COC and believe it is the best fit for us.”
According to a release from Springfield Public Schools, the members of the Central Ozark Conference approved the additions of Springfield Central, Glendale, Parkview, and Kickapoo to the conference for the 2024-25 school year.
Parkview and Central will play an independent football schedule, with the remaining sports and activities all participating in the Central Ozark Conference.
Separate reports also confirmed Waynesville and Lebanon joining the conference as well.
The COC now consists of Joplin, Webb City, Carthage, Neosho, Nixa, Republic, Willard, Ozark, Kickapoo, Glendale, Lebanon and Waynesville in football, with Parkview and Central joining in the remaining sports.
The press release confirmed that Hillcrest is moving to the Ozark Mountain Conference.
The COC high schools have the following enrollments: Joplin 1,664, Kickapoo 1,507, Nixa 1,478, Ozark 1,369, Carthage 1,232, Neosho 1,157, Republic 1,148, Lebanon 1,136, Waynesville 1,319, Glendale 1,098, Springfield Central* (1,075), Willard 1,061, Parkview* (1,026), and Webb City 1,011.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Webb City took the opening set and the third set only to see Jefferson City rally to even things up each time and send the Class 4 state quarterfinal match to an all-deciding fifth set, where the Jays took early control and held off the Cardinals for a 19-25, 27-25, 21-25, 25-23 and 15-13 win on Saturday.
With the win, Jeff City improves to 24-9 and plays the winner of St. Pius X and Parkway West.
The loss ends Webb City’s season with a 27-7 record. The Cardinals graduate seniors Sophia Crane, Aubree Lassiter, Makayla Mayes, Khloe Rhuems and Jadyn Catterson.
THE FINAL SET
Jeff City scored the first four points of the fifth set to take the momentum before Webb City used a kill from Jaeli Rutledge, an error on the Jays and an ace from Kirra Long to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The Jays and Cardinals traded to an 8-6 score before Jeff City ultimately went up 11-7.
Webb City rallied with a sideout kill from Long before Savannah Crane scored four straight points in service with kills coming from Lassiter and Mia Lenker to give the Cardinals a 12-11 lead.
Jeff City scored four of the final five points to rally back and advance to the Final Four.
HOW THEY GOT THERE
The Cardinals took command of the first set thanks to an early four-point run in service by Crane, which featured an ace and kills from Long and Lassiter, to lead 12-8. Back to back kills from Rutledge and Long later pushed the lead to 15-11 and another kills from Mayes later in the set pushed the advantage to 19-14. Long earned a block in front of a Lenker kill to make the score 22-17. Rutledge earned a kill later to make the score 24-18 and Long finished off the set moments later with a kill.
The Jays led 7-4 in the second set before Webb City used a block from Lassiter to side out before a four-point service run from Sophia Crane that included an ace and kills from Long and Lassiter propelled the Cardinals in front 9-7. Later, Webb City scored five of six points for a 17-14 lead.
After a kill from Mayes made the score 18-16, Jeff City scored four straight to lead 20-18 before Webb City answered with three straight points to regain the lead 21-20. The Cardinals held leads of 22-21, 23-22 and 25-24 before Jeff City scored the final three points to win the second set.
The third set was back and forth nearly the entire way until Webb City took the lead the final time on a three-point service run by Lenker that included a block by Rutledge for an 18-15 advantage.
After two points from the Jays, the Cardinals scored five of the next six points to lead 23-18 with a kill from Savannah Crane starting the surge off. Webb City put the third set away shortly after on two kills from Lassiter.
Webb City took the lead midway through the fourth 12-10 fueled by a pair of kills from Rutledge before Jeff City rallied with four straight points to regain the lead later at 15-13.
Webb City trailed 19-16 before a sideout followed by a kill from Long and an error on the Jays tied the game at 19s.
That game saw ties at 20, 21, 22 and 23-all, but the Jays scored the final two points to force a fifth set.
STATS
Rutledge had 17 kills and two blocks to lead Webb City, while Lassiter finished with 12 kills, three digs and a block. Long had 10 kills and five digs, while Savannah Crane had 36 assists and 14 digs to go along with five kills. Sophia Crane finished with 42 digs and three assists.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — A bevy of early turnovers saw third-seeded Carl Junction grab the momentum and never look back en route to a 32-0 win over sixth-seeded Lincoln College Prep on Friday in the opening round of the Class 4 District 7 playoffs.
Carl Junction’s defense forced four turnovers in the first half and the offense took advantage, building a three-score lead by halftime. The Bulldogs continued to roll in the second half, outscoring the Blue Tigers 10-0 in the second half.
“Our conference schedule prepared us for tonight,” first-year Carl Junction coach Todd Hafner said. “We knew that we needed to be physical with them and play hard to match their energy. Our kids came out tonight fired up like I haven’t seen all year. It was so fun to watch them play with passion and energy and have fun. Our kids were outstanding tonight.”
Carl Junction (2-8) advances and hits the road to take on second-seeded Harrisonville on Friday in the district semifinals.
Both teams traded turnovers to start the game, with the Blue Tigers fumbling the opening possession before the Bulldogs were picked off on their first possession.
Lincoln College Prep continued the trend after QB Aaron Rimson VI fumbled the ball with Carl Junction LB Bentley Rowden collecting the loose ball for the change of possession.
Carl Junction made the most of its second possession, using the short field to get across the goal line with RB Johnny Starks scoring from a yard out with 8:34 on the clock for a 7-0 lead.
The Blue Tigers got down inside the 5-yard line before Carl Junction pushed them back into a fourth-and-goal interception by LB Kyler Stewart for a third straight forced turnover by the Bulldogs.
“Our kids were flying to the ball and really trying to create turnovers,” Hafner said. “I think Coach (Greg) Warlop and the defensive staff did a fantastic job of preparing our kids for what they were going to see. It was almost like we were ready for what they were going to run before they were. That’s attributed to what they did this week and I am proud of our kids.”
Carl Junction struck for the big play when RB Marcus Lopez-Durman ripped off a 57-yard run that set up a 4-yard touchdown run on a keeper from QB Dexter Merrell with 19 seconds left in the first quarter for a 14-0 advantage.
“He is different because he has a different burst than the other guys,” Hafner said of Lopez-Durman. “Once he gets through and finds a crease, he has a different gear.”
The Bulldogs’ defense, which wound up forcing five total turnovers in the win, came up with a big play of their own when Rimson VI was intercepted by Starks, who returned the ball 35 yards for a pick-6 touchdown with 4:15 left in the first half. Merrell scored on a keeper on the ensuing 2-point conversion to give CJHS a 22-0 lead.
“I can’t say enough great things about that young man,” Hafner said. “Johnny Starks is one of the best football players in the area. He made a great play on the ball. We did a good job of blocking once he caught it, and then it was him just getting into the end zone.
“It was a great play at an important part of the ball game. It kept our energy moving. We were starting to get a little low, but plays like that change a game and it changed the game tonight.”
Carl Junction added a touchdown with 10:09 left in the game when Merrell took advantage of a short field and scored on a keeper from 15 yards out to make the score 29-0.
LB Tony Stewart picked off Rimson VI with less than nine minutes to play in the game for the Bulldogs’ fifth forced turnover of the game.
Once again, CJ turned the turnover into points when PK Gavin Cowger drilled a 40-yard field goal with 7:08 left to push the lead to 32-0.
RAYTOWN, Mo. — Second-seeded Raytown South took the early lead and never gave it up on the way to a 35-14 win over seventh-seeded Neosho in the Class 5 District 7 opening round of action on Friday.
Raytown South scored first and used three unanswered touchdowns to take a 21-0 lead into the intermission. Neosho got on the board first in the second half, but it was all Raytown South from there on the way to the win.
Raytown South advances to take on third-seeded Carthage on Friday in the district semifinals.
Neosho’s season ends with a 1-9 record. The Wildcats graduate 15 seniors.
After Raytown South marched down the field for a touchdown from Mylen Simmons on the first possession of the game for a 7-0 lead, the Cardinals went up 13-0 by the end of the first quarter after Marcus Neal Jr. scored from 2 yards out at the 17-second mark.
Simmons added a 2-yard touchdown run for Raytown South with 39 seconds left in the first half with Logan Lanear hauling in the reception to convert the 2-point try for a 21-0 lead by the intermission.
Neosho got on the scoreboard first in the second half for the Wildcats’ first score of the game. The Wildcats used a 6-yard touchdown pass from QB Quenton Hughes to WR Hudson Williams with 6:51 on the clock to trim Neosho’s deficit to 21-7.
Raytown South answered the Neosho score with a 3-yard touchdown run by Simmons late in the third quarter to push the lead to 28-7.
Simmons added his fourth touchdown of the night with less than eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter to give Raytown South a 35-7 lead.
Hughes connected for a 30-yard touchdown pass late to make the score 35-14 with less than two minutes to play in the game.
VERONA, Mo. — Top-seeded Thomas Jefferson and second-seeded College Heights both won their respective Class1 District 10 semifinal volleyball matches on Monday and will play each other at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Verona High School for the district title.
THOMAS JEFFERSON 3, VERONA 1
Thomas Jefferson faced adversity early after dropping the second set but rebounded to beat fifth-seeded Verona, with the Cavaliers knocking off the Wildcats 25-23, 22-25, 25-20 and 25-14.
Gabbi Hiebert had 16 kills, five blocks and three digs, while Lannah Grigg had 12 kills, seven blocks, eight aces and four digs. Maggie Sutton had 25 digs. Maci Shifferd had seven kills and four digs, while Mary Nguyen had 17 assists, 12 digs and a kill, while Leag Studer had 20 assists, five digs and four kills. Nayab Rehman had nine digs, while Marley Flanagan added three kills.
COLLEGE HEIGHTS 3, MCAULEY 0
College Heights made quick of third-seeded McAuley Catholic, knocking off the Warriors 25-9, 25-19 and 25-17 in its semifinal matchup.
Maddy Coin finished with 23 assists, six kills and five aces, while Bailey Peeples finished with 14 kills. Lilly Plassman had 24 digs, while Toryn Fink added seven kills in the win.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage ended the regular season on a high note thanks to a strong fourth quarter in a 28-14 win over Willard on Friday at David Hafner Stadium.
Carthage’s Noah Norbury (24) lines up the tackle against Willard’s Gary Walker (5) on Friday. Photo by Tyler Wade.
After a scoreless opening stanza, Carthage and Willard traded touchdowns in the second quarter, but WHS went into the intermission on top 7-6. Both teams traded touchdowns again in the third period, but Carthage converted a 2-point try to send the game into the fourth quarter tied at 14-14. Carthage blanked Willard in the final 12 minutes while finding the end zone twice to secure the victory in the season finale.
Carthage wraps the regular season with a 5-4 record and are the third-seed in the Class 5 District 7 tournament. Carthage hosts (6) Smith-Cotton (2-7) at 7 p.m. on Friday in the opening round.
Carthage QB Brady Carlton broke a scoreless tie with 9:02 to play in the second quarter when he found the end zone from 7 yards out on a keeper for a 6-0 lead following a missed point-after try.
Willard answered on its ensuing possession when QB Russell Roweton kept the ball up the middle on second-and-long for 69 yards before following up with a 10-yard rush to get to the goal line and finding paydirt on the next play to give his Tigers a 7-6 lead over Carthage at the 7:34 mark.
Carthage’s Jordan Brunnert (23) tackles Willard’s Johnathon Huskisson (20) by the legs from behind on Friday. Photo by Tyler Wade.
Willard struck for a big play again midway through the third quarter when Roweton faked the handoff, dropped back in play action on second down and found Timothy Ruble streaking up the seam for a 42-yard passing score and a 14-6 lead with 5:42 on the clock.
Carthage knotted things up late in the third when RB Landyn Collins took the shotgun handoff up the middle, breaking tackles into the second level before sprinting his way to a 50-yard touchdown. CHS tied the game at 14-14 on a 2-point conversion when Carlton found WR Jackson Hettinger.
Carthage jumped in front in the fourth quarter after Collins broke free for a 33-yard run down to the Willard 5, with Carlton crossing the goal line from a yard out two plays later for a 21-14 lead with 10:25 left in regulation.
Carthage’s defense forced Willard into a turnover-on-downs in negative territory, with CHS taking over at the WHS 33. Carthage drove the short field and punched it in on a 5-yard run from Collins to ice the game with 4:15 left to play.
ANDERSON, Mo. — Few things feel better for a team than righting the wrongs from a loss earlier in the season by winning the rematch with a district title on the line.
That is exactly what second-seeded Webb City did on Saturday after rallying from an early deficit to defeat longtime rival and top-seeded Carl Junction 23-25, 25-23, 25-17 and 25-14 in the Class 4 District 6 championship at McDonald County High School.
Webb City’s Aubree Lassiter swings through a kill in the Cardinals’ win over Carl Junction in the district title game on Saturday. Courtesy photo.
“I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Webb City coach Rhonda Lawrence said. “We have kind of been struggling in recent games and have been messing with our rhythm and chemistry. We have been kind of stop and start, but today we were very smooth and played together. They’ve melded a little more over the last couple of weeks and I am so proud of them because we had to fight for every point.
“CJ is a top opponent. You have to love this type of volleyball, with the top two teams in the area in a great match. I was very proud of my girls for stepping up and I think our experience in these situations helped us make an adjustment when we had to. We had kids step up into big shoes and make big strides, putting the ball where we needed to to score, working together, for each other and trusting the game plan. It was a great team effort.”
MOVING ON
The district title is the third straight for Webb City (27-6), which advances to the quarterfinal round of the Class 4 state tournament.
Last year, the Cardinals made a run to the semifinal round before ultimately finishing fourth in the state. Webb City,which is ranked eighth in Class 4 entering the postseason, is relying on that experience as it attempts to duplicate and surpass the success from the postseason a year ago.
“Having the success of the last couple of years makes you more comfortable in these situations,” Lawrence said. “It has helped us everyday this year, driving us to propel further and bringing the young ones up with us. I felt like we kind of stalled a couple of weeks ago and then they realized how well they can play together. That belief in each other—showing that and proving that is helping us get the job done in tight situations. We can rely on each other because we are battle tested. We fight and work hard.”
SAYING GOODBYE
Carl Junction’s Miya Carnes earns an assist in the district title game against Webb City on Saturday. Courtesy photo.
With the loss, Carl Junction ends its season with a 25-9-2 record. The Bulldogs, which entered the district tournament as the No.11 team in Class 4, have won 20 games or more for five straight seasons.
“I thought our kids came out ready to battle,” Carl Junction coach Cheryl Sharples said. “Then, some things started going the other way and we just couldn’t climb out of that hole. But they continued to battle all the way through and I am proud of them for that.
“We had a lot of big holes at the beginning of the season. There were a lot of ‘what ifs’. We had kids really step up in a lot of different positions and even learn new positions for us. We’ve had a great season and I am super proud of them.”
Carl Junction graduates seniors Acadia Badgley, Sara Buchele, Miya Carnes, Aubreigh Fowler, Abigail Wilson and Kylie Scott.
“Some of them have been on the varsity court since they were freshmen, contributing from the very beginning,” Sharples said. “Those of them that weren’t were still contributing to our program, namely helping to build the atmosphere and the culture of our program. That was their number one goal this year—to create a great culture around the team. They did that.”
BETWEEN THE LINES
Carl Junction opened the first set with momentum, building an early 9-4 advantage off a three-point service run from Buchele that featured a kill from Fowler and a block by DeShaye Buerge. Buchele came up with a four-point run in service later in the set, which featured an ace, after a sideout kill from Scott to push the CJ lead to 21-13.
After back to back kills from Scott made the score 23-15 moments later, Webb City scored eight of the next nine points to put on a furious rally and trail 24-23. Aubree Lassiter had a block and three kills to highlight the surge. The game ended on the next point with an attack error going in favor of the Bulldogs.
Webb City started off slowly and ultimately dropped the first set, but the Cardinals changed their fortune in the second set. After a serving error by CJ forced a sideout, Mia Lenker went on a four-point service run that had kills from Jaeli Rutledge and Lenker that gave the Cardinals a 10-5 advantage.
Webb City’s Kirra Long swings through a kill against Carl Junction in the district title game on Saturday. Courtesy photo.
“I think we really just got off to a bad start,” Lawrence said of her team’s ability to rebound after dropping the first set. “The first 10 points of the game we weren’t playing like we can, but we really turned it around (near the end of the first set) and started playing better, but we had already given them too many points. We just took that momentum from the last half of the first set into the second set.”
Both teams traded back and forth until Carl Junction scored seven of eight points—with kills from Carnes, Fowler and Scott, who also had a block—to give the Bulldogs a 19-17 lead. Each team traded sideout kills for the next seven points to bring the score to 22-21 in favor of CJ with Webb City serving. Savannah Crane delivered with an ace to tie the set at 22s, a kill from Lenker and an attack error on CJ put the Cardinals in front 24-22. Fowler earned a kill for CJ to force a sideout before Lenker answered back with another sideout kill to send Webb City to the win while tying things up at 1-1.
“Mentally, that was huge for us,” Lawrence said of her team staving off CJ late in the second set. “That was a momentum swing, which is a big factor in volleyball. … That just solidified that they were capable of doing this and gave them even more confidence.”
The Bulldogs and Cardinals traded swings in the early portions of the first set. Webb City initially built a 7-3 lead highlighted by kills from Makayla Mayes and Lenker and a block from Kirra Long before Carl Junction scored six of the next nine, with Scott earning three kills and Fowler one, to trim the deficit to 10-9.
Webb City took the momentum permanently thanks to back to back four-point service runs from Lenker—which featured an ace and two kills from Rutledge—and Jaylee Van Beceleare, who aced three times, to build a 20-11 cushion on the way to the go-ahead win.
“They’re both very skilled in their serving as far as placement,” Lawrence said. “And, they have a lot of heat behind their serves, so it’s hard to pass. Anytime you can serve aggressively and keep them out of their system, they can’t get it to their big hitters as well. That helps our defense to stay alive and gives our hitters a chance to get a hold of it back at them.”
The Cardinals jumped in front of the final set early, using a sideout kill from Mayes to build a 5-2 lead before Lenker ripped off four points in service to push the lead to 9-2. Lenker had an ace, while Mayes and Rutledge had kills.
CJ’s Karissa Chase earned a sideout kill which was matched by a kill from Rutledge before a block by Crane and an error on the Bulldogs pushed Webb City’s lead to 12-3.
The Cardinals shook off an error and gained service back on a kill from Long before Crane scored four straight points in service, with Lassiter earning a kill before an ace closed the run with an 18-5 lead intact.
The closest Carl Junction got to the lead was 10 points before Webb City finished off the win.
STATS
Rutledge had 18 kills and two blocks, while Lassiter finished with 17 kills, three aces and three blocks. Mayes had six kills, while Long had four and added seven digs. Savannah Crane finished with 38 assists and two aces, while Sophia Crane finished with 19 digs and two aces.
Carnes led Carl Junction with 33 assists, including an impressive one-handed assist, and three aces. Scott had 15 kills and 12 digs, while Fowler finished in double-digit kills with 10. Chase finished with nine kills, while Wilson led the team in digs with 18.
NEOSHO, Mo. — Joplin ended the regular season in the win column after starting fast and never looking back against Neosho on the way to a 56-24 win on Friday in Week 9.
Riding another big night from running back Quin Renfro, the Eagles built a three-score lead by the intermission and traded scores with Neosho early in the second half before Joplin’s continued dominance on the ground and the defense’s pressure in the backfield put the game out of reach for the Wildcats.
Joplin RB Quin Renfro picks up a big gain on the ground during the Eagles’ win over Neosho on Friday. Photo by Israel Perez.
“I was pretty happy overall,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said. “I thought there were still some things we need to work on, but we got off to a good start and executed well. Quin had another big night. Great job by the offensive line. The tight ends and skill guys did a great job blocking downfield. We were efficient in the pass game, really good on special teams and 100 percent on PATs and had good coverage on kickoffs. Defensively, other than the touchdown right before the half, I thought we played really well.”
DISTRICT UPDATE
Joplin wraps the regular season with a 6-3 record and is entrenched as the third seed in the Class 6 District 5 standings. The Eagles will have an off week before traveling to take on second-seeded Kickapoo (8-1).
“We are in a pretty good spot and will appreciate the bye week to get a little more healthy,” Jasper said. “Having the 2-3 matchup, we already know who we are going to play, so we get a little bit longer to prepare. We will start on that and get rolling with it.”
Neosho closes with a 1-8 record. The Wildcats are the seventh-seed in the Class 5 District 7 standings and will travel to take on second-seeded Raytown South next week.
Neosho’s Tyrone Harris is tackled after hauling in a pass for a chunk gain in Neosho’s loss to Joplin on Friday. Photo by Israel Perez.
“That is a really good football team that is getting healthy down the stretch, and they are going to be a tough matchup for anyone,” Neosho coach Brandon Taute said after the loss. “I thought our kids did a great job of battling all game long. There were a lot of points in that game where we could have just rolled over and called it a night, but they kept clawing to make it a game for four quarters.”
STATS
Joplin’s offense gained 565 yards on 61 plays (9.3 yards per play). Renfro rushed 33 times for 334 yards and scored five times in the win. QB Hobbs Gooch ran six times for 42 yards and a touchdown, while completing 7-of-12 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. WR Jett Beal finished with two receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown.
“You could feel it building, starting with the CJ game and then these last two weeks,” Jasper said of Renfro’s effort. “He just keeps getting better and better. We just want to continue that through the playoffs.”
Neosho gained 356 yards of offense on 68 plays (5.3 ypp). QB Quenton Hughes completed 16-of-30 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown. RB Keisean Rhone rushed 19 times for 54 yards and a touchdown. WR Tyrone Harris caught five passes for 145 yards and a touchdown, while WR Hudson Williams caught nine passes for 88 yards.
GAME ACTION
Joplin TE Whit Hafer hauls in a pass during the Eagles’ win over Neosho on Friday. Photo by Israel Perez.
After Joplin’s defense forced Neosho into a turnover-on-downs to open the game, the Eagles’ offense gave the Wildcats a heavy dose of Renfro on their first drive. Renfro took the first handoff of the possession 27 yards before adding a 29-yard run later in the series to set up a goal-line touchdown and a 7-0 lead over Neosho with 7:26 on the clock.
Neosho came up empty on its second series and Joplin put on another lengthy drive, milking the rest of the first quarter off the clock before Renfro punched it in from 2 yards out with 11:45 to play in the second period for a 14-0 lead.
Neosho used a long hookup from Hughes to Williams to get into the red zone for the first time midway through the second quarter with Juan Blancarte converting on a 31-yard field goal to cap the drive and cut Joplin’s lead to 14-3.
Joplin needed just two plays to answer in its ensuing possession, using a 62-yard pass from Gooch to Beal up the sideline for a 21-3 lead with 5:25 left in the first half.
“The nice thing about having weapons like Davin (Thomas), Aidan (Sampson), Whit (Hafer), Neil (Barstow) and Jett is they can’t just load up to stop Quin or we can throw it to those other options,” Jasper said. “Hobbs is also doing a nice job of being a threat in the run game and moving the chains when he needs to.”
Joplin got into the end zone for a fourth time in the first half when Renfro took a first-and-goal handoff from the 6 and looked for his opening before sprinting right past the goal line for a touchdown to give the Eagles a 28-3 lead with 1:09 left in the first half.
Neosho responded with a long passing score of its own when Hughes found Harris in the flat, with Harris taking the ball 48 yards to the house for a touchdown to cut the Wildcats’ deficit to 28-10 with six seconds to play before halftime.
Neosho QB Quenton Hughes evades the rush during the Wildcats’ loss to Joplin on Friday. Photo by Israel Perez.
“Joplin did a good job of bringing blitzes and pressuring (Quenton) through the first quarter and a half,” Taute said. “Once we were able to see it better and start picking those things up, we started settling in and Q started doing what he does at quarterback. Tyrone Harris and Hudson Williams both played outstanding and were unguardable at times. If we can continue to do that down the stretch in districts, then we are going to be in good shape.”
Joplin took possession to start the second half and used a 41-yard rush from Renfro to set himself up for a 3-yard touchdown to make the score 35-10 with 10:34 to play in the third quarter.
Neosho answered back with a 51-yard deep ball from Hughes to Harris to set up a 1-yard rushing score from WR Brody Crane to trim Joplin’s lead to 35-17 with 9:15 on the clock.
A 20-yard run from Renfro on Joplin’s next possession set up a 6-yard rushing score on a keeper by Gooch to put Joplin on top 42-17 with 5:55 left in the third.
Neosho drove down inside the 15 on its next drive before Hughes was stopped short of the first-down marker on a fourth-down scramble to turn the ball over on downs.
Joplin responded and ultimately put the game out of reach after Renfro picked up gains of 16, 24, 17 and 19 yards to get a drive that started at the Joplin 5-yard line down inside the red zone at the other end of the field. Renfro finished off the drive later after taking the wildcat snap across the goal line from a yard out to make the score 49-17 with 9:53 left in the game.
Neosho added a late touchdown on a short-yardage run from Rhone before Joplin’s final score came in the form of a 2-yard rush from RB Kaden Gilmore.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction lost its final game in the Central Ozark Conference after Republic built an early multi-score lead and never relinquished it en route to a 26-0 win over the Bulldogs on Friday.
Republic blanked Carl Junction in the first half while putting the ball into the end zone three times after converting on a pair of long, time-consuming drives before punching it in with a passing score right before the half to lead 19-0 at the intermission.
Republic played keep away from the Bulldogs in the second half to preserve the shutout on the way to the win.
Carl Junction closes the regular season with a 1-8 record and finishes as the third seed in the Class 4 District 7 standings.
Republic took the opening series and marched down the field before RB Kanon Kroll carried the ball across the goal line from a yard out with 6:33 to play for a 7-0 lead.
Kroll added another short-yardage touchdown to cap a methodical drive to push the lead to 13-0 in the back half of the second quarter.
Republic went to the air late in the first half to find points, as QB Wyatt Woods found TE James Rexroat for a 21-yard touchdown pass on a fade with one second left in the half to take a 19-0 advantage into the intermission.
Republic scored one more time late when Caide White scored from 2 yards out to push the lead to 26-0 with 5:22 left in the game.
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.
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.
BRANSON, Mo. — Top-seeded Carl Junction made quick work of eight-seeded McDonald County with a 25-12, 27-25 and 25-9 win in the opening round of the Class 4 District 6 tournament on Tuesday.
The win advances the Bulldogs to the semifinals, where they will take on the winner of (4) Springfield Catholic and (5) Willard at 5 p.m. on Wednesday at Branson High School.
Kylie Scott led Carl Junction over the Mustangs with 11 kills, while Aubreigh Fowler was right behind with 10 kills. Karissa Chase had six kills and two blocks, while Miya Carnes had 30 assists and three aces and three blocks. Abigail Wilson had 12 digs and three aces, while Sara Buchele finished with 10 digs.
JOPLIN 3, RUSKIN 0
LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Eighth-seeded Joplin started its postseason on a high note after sweeping ninth-seeded Ruskin 25-16, 25-17 and 25-4 in the sectional round of the Class 5 District 7 volleyball tournament on Tuesday.
Joplin improves to 6-17-1 on the year with the win and takes on top-seeded Lee’s Summit West (23-8) in the quarterfinal round at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Bailey Owens finished with 15 kills, three digs and two blocks, while Raelin Calderon had nine kills, four aces, three digs and two blocks. Adalynn Noirfalise had 27 assists, four digs, three aces and two kills. Janiah Vaughn closed with five kills, four aces and three digs. Amy Kessler had three jills, a block and a dig, while Aiyana Kroll added two blocks, two kills and two digs.
SENECA 3, EAST NEWTON 0
MONETT, Mo. — Fifth-seeded Seneca earned a first-round sweep over fourth-seeded East Newton in the Class 3 District 12 volleyball tournament on Tuesday.
With the win, Seneca improves to 8-14-3 and takes on top-seeded Nevada (22-9) at 5 p.m. on Thursday at Monett High School.
Jera Jameson led the Indians with 20 kills and two blocks, while Anna Adkins added 24 assists. Ella Graham had 28 digs and five aces, while Maddy Hembree finished with four aces.
WEBB CITY 3, PARKVIEW 0
BRANSON, Mo. — Second-seeded Webb City earned a 25-7, 25-5 and 25-16 sweep over seventh-seeded Parkview in the opening round of the Class 4 District 6 tournament.
The Cardinals improve to 25-6 and take on third-seeded Branson (14-4-4) at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the district semifinals.
No other information was made available at the time of publication.
