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Author: Lucas Davis

STATE GOLF: Nevada’s Cameron cruises to win in Class 3 tournament; several local golfers wrap up action

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Girls state golf wrapped up with the final round of the two-day tournaments on Tuesday.

Several of the Joplin area schools had athletes competing in their respective tournaments.

 

CLASS 4

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Carthage’s Shay Gaddis followed up her opening-round 83 with a second-round 84 to finish in 32nd place with a score of 167 at the Class 4 state tournament at Silo Ridge Country Club on Tuesday.

Also for the Tigers, Addison Foust improved by nine strokes and shot an 83 in the second round to close with a 173 in 46th place.

Also in action at Silo Ridge, Joplin’s Scarlett Satterlee shot a second-round 100 to finish with a score of 195 to finish in 74th.

Joplin’s Drew Yockey carded a 103-131—201 and finished in 82nd place.

Glendale’s Page Bowman shot a 75-73—148 and Central’s Ali Perry shot a 74-74—148 to finish in a tie for first place in the individual standings. 

Visitation Academy won the team title with a 326-312—638 to win the team title.

 

CLASS 3

FARMINGTON, Mo. — After coming out and firing an opening-round 67 to take a one stroke lead into the second day of the Class 3 state tournament at Crowne Point Golf Club, Nevada’s Emree Cameron refused to take her foot off the gas on her way to medalist honors as the tournament wrapped on Tuesday.

Cameron equaled her score from Monday with a second-round 67 to finish with a 134, taking first place by seven strokes. 

Nevada coach Brian Leonard told SoMo Sports that Cameron set a state record for a 36-hole total with her 10-under par 134. Leonard noted that Cameron is Nevada High School’s first-ever state champion in girls golf.

Also for Nevada, Paige Hertzberg finished with a 96-94—190 to finish in 71st place.

Carl Junction’s Olivia Teeter finished in 72nd place after shooting eight shots better in the second round with a 92 to finish with a 192 for the tournament. 

Anna Burch was 17 strokes better on Tuesday and finished with a second-round 90 to shoot a 197 and finish in 79th.

Webb City’s Avry Hodson shot a 101 on Tuesday to go along with 98 on Monday to finish with a 199 in 82nd place. 

St. Dominic won the team title with a 332-318—650.

 

CLASS 2

Cassville’s Avery Chappell was the top area finisher in the Class 2 state tournament at the Twin Hills Golf and Country club in Joplin.

Chappell matched her Monday score with a second-round 85 to finish with a 170 and in sixth place.

Mount Vernon’s Madi Phillips finished in a tie for 13th place after scoring a 94-87—181, while Kenadi Killingsworth also matched her Monday score with a 92 on Tuesday to finish with a 184 in 18th place.

Monett’s Katie Geiss shot a 99 in the second round to finish in 21st place with a score of 192. Lamar’s Victoria O’Neal finished 33rd with a 101-99–200.

Emily Schubert scored a 100-105—205 for the Mountaineers to finish in 42nd, while Courtnee Bishop (102-125—227) finished in 69th for Mount Vernon.

Cassville’s Adelee Hendricks was one shot behind with a 112 on Tuesday to take 70th with a score of 228, while Gracie Harmon shot a 110 in the second round to finish in 71st with a 229. Madison Robertshaw finished 78th with a 113-123—236.

Lamar’s Zavrie Wiss carded a 105-102— 207 to finish in a tie for 46th.

Osage, which won the team title with a score of 352-352—704, also had the top golfer in Hanna Maschhoff, who earned medalist honors after scoring a 79-74—153 to take first place on the individual leaderboard.

DISTRICT SOFTBALL: Ray-Pec outduels Neosho in district title game

Posted on by Lucas Davis

It was a pitcher’s duel in every sense of the term, with top-seeded Raymore-Peculiar defeating second-seeded Neosho 5-0 in the Class 5 District 7 title game on Monday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

After three scoreless innings, the Panthers used a trio of consecutive hits and an error by the Wildcats to push across two runs to take the lead. Pay-Pec added insurance with a single tally in the fifth inning and two more runs in the sixth while holding off Neosho the rest of the way en route to the win.

“It wasn’t our cleanest game defensively, but at that point, it kind of doesn’t matter if you don’t score any runs,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “I thought Beclynn (Garrett) and Addy (Hart) both had hard-hit balls, but we just weren’t able to string anything together. (Kelsie Donaldson) kept us off balance. … It was a game of inches. … Our girls battled and I am very proud of them.”

Neosho closes the season with a 26-7 record as the Central Ozark Conference champions and graduates one senior—Kylie Flewelling.

“Looking back on the year, I told the girls they can be disappointed, but don’t leave feeling like we didn’t have a good season,” Cummins said. “It is hard to put into perspective. We are a young group with three juniors making up almost all of our upperclassmen. I think we will come back next year with a little more gusto in understanding what it takes to win. We challenged them early and were so tough on them and they came back every day ready to work knowing our expectations. It is just a great group of kids.

“We told them yesterday that they are still one of 16 teams still playing in Class 5, and we are one of the smallest Class 5 schools. To hang, and to beat a lot of them, is something to be proud of. Now, we know what it takes to beat (the top teams in Class 5) and they will be ready to go. I am so proud of what we accomplished this year and hope we can take it one step further next season.” 

Ray-Pec advances to the quarterfinal round of the Class 5 state tournament and takes on Liberty on Saturday.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Neosho’s Beclynn Garrett smacked an opposite-field double to the gap in right-center field with two outs in the top of the fourth inning to get a runner in scoring position in the Wildcats’ favor for the first time in the game.

Carleigh Kinnaird followed with a sharp grounder up the middle snagged by Ray-Pec pitcher Kelsie Donaldson, who threw over to first for the final out to get out of the jam.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Panthers found life with the bats with consecutive singles from Carmen Boxberger and Donaldson to lead off the frame before Hayden Kurtz followed with a third straight hit, a single up the middle to plate the game’s first run.

An error with two outs on a fly ball to the outfield by the Wildcats allowed the second run, unearned, to score in the inning. 

Neosho led off the top of the fifth with a double down the third-base line but failed to advance the runner in the next three at-bats to end the threat.

“She just does a great job of working it outside of the zone but making it look good enough to be in the zone,” Cummins said of Donaldson in the circle. “She did a good job of mixing it up and down, too.”

Boxberger added an RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth inning to push the lead to 3-0.

The Panthers added two more runs in the sixth inning on a two-run double by Kendall Johnson to push the lead to five runs.

IN THE CIRCLE

Donaldson struck out 17 Wildcats and scattered two hits over seven innings to earn the complete-game shutout win for the Panthers.

Kinnaird was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits, three walks and five strikeouts in six innings.

“I thought Carleigh threw well,” Cummins said. “She had a couple of hard-hit balls and there were some errors that led to some extra runs. I don’t think she should be disappointed because she threw well to give us a chance if we scored some runs behind her.”

DISTRICT SOFTBALL: Raymore-Peculiar downs Carthage in semifinals

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Fifth-seeded Carthage saw its season come to an end at the hands of top-seeded Raymore-Peculiar in the Class 5 District 7 semifinals at the JHS Athletic Complex on Saturday.

The Panthers used a perfect game in the circle by Kelsie Donaldson and scored an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning, which was the difference in the game.

“We got ourselves in some tough situations there, but defensively there were two or three innings where we made some big plays that got us out of it and kept us within reach at the end of the game,” Carthage coach Stephanie Ray said. “Where all we had to do was get some runners on and put a ball in play and maybe it’s a different ball game. The whole time, we never felt like we were out of it. Our defense was pretty good outside of that one inning. I just wish we could’ve done a little more at the plate.”

Carthage closes the season with an 18-16 record.

“It was fun coming to practice everyday as well as the games because we have a bunch of kids who love playing softball with each other,” Ray said about her team’s season. “We call it a sisterhood. When we face adversity, they just pick each other up. We had a little lull in the middle of the season and we still find ourselves playing in a 1-0 game here with a heck of a ball club just because they believe and trust in each other and us. They are some of the hardest workers I have ever been around. They show up every single day. Whatever we throw at them, they handle and are ready to move on and get to the game.”

The Tigers graduate seniors Shelby Hegwer, Alexis Smith and Brooklynn Dolon-Main. 

“This is my 10th year at Carthage, but this was my fourth year as head coach, so this is my first class that I’ve been able to coach from freshmen to seniors,” Ray said. “They’ve been great leaders. I’ve been able to watch them grow from little baby freshmen to three full-time starters doing great things for us by the time they are juniors. They have put a mark on the program. They have accomplished things that a lot of people probably didn’t expect from them except us. They bought into what we are trying to do and it’s helped push us in the right direction to where we are notching almost 20 wins a season now, which is a big deal.” 

IN THE CIRCLE

Donaldson pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out 15 on the way to the win.

“She did a good job of getting ahead,” Ray said. “She’d throw the fastball off the plate, get ahead and then just kind of move up in the zone on us and get us to chase a little bit more and a little bit more.”

Addie Wallace was saddled with the tough-luck loss after allowing one unearned run on three hits and a walk in six innings.

“Addie threw a great game,” Ray said. “She was getting on top of batters, mixing it up well and hitting her spots. She brought a little today.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

Ray-Pec took the lead on a Carthage miscue in the bottom of the fourth. Carmen Boxberger led off the inning with a walk before stealing second to get into scoring position. Boxberger came around to score later in the inning when a throw behind her from the catcher in an attempted pickoff went into center field to put the Panthers on top 1-0.

Wallace got out of the jam without any more damage coming home after inducing a 5-3 double play.

“Instead of [letting the run that scored affect her] and falling behind in the count, she continued to attack the zone and trust her defense,” Ray said. “Jenna (Calhoon) made a great play with runners on first and second, ground ball, stepped on it and went to first to get us out of it. And it was a great stretch at first base, too.”

The Panthers looked to add insurance in the bottom of the sixth after the first two batters reached to leadoff the inning. Hayden Kurtz flew out to left with a runner on third and one out, with CHS’ Lexa Youngblood gunning down the runner at the plate to preserve the score at 1-0.

“They skied one, she got behind it and threw her out at the plate and our dugout erupted,” Ray said of the play. “That is something where going into the top of the seventh in a one-run ballgame, that play set us up to make a push there. It got us up and really had us thinking we had a chance to go win this game at the end.”

ON DECK

Ray-Pec takes on second-seeded Neosho in the Class 5 District 7 tournament championship game at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

DISTRICT SOFTBALL: Neosho’s Kinnaird homers twice late, including walk-off in extras over Lee’s Summit West

Posted on by Lucas Davis

In a season filled with adversity that ultimately led to a Central Ozark Conference crown, Neosho had to draw on that experience of battling through a daunting schedule one more time as the Wildcats found their backs against the wall with the season on the line. 

Down to their final three outs and facing a three-run deficit, Neosho rallied behind a game-tying home run from Carleigh Kinnaird in the seventh inning to send the ballgame into extras before Kinnaird delivered once again an inning later by belting a walk-off two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to send Neosho past Lee’s Summit West 8-6 in the Class 5 District 7 semifinals on Saturday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

“I did know as soon as I hit it that it was gone,” Kinnaird said with a smile after being asked if she knew on contact. “But my mindset was just trying to get on because we needed as many baserunners as possible to get a run across. I just put the bat on the ball and it went out.”

“Some of our faculty members and other people from the community have called us the Comeback ‘Cats or the Cardiac ‘Cats, you can take your pick there,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said with a smile about her team rallying late for the walk-off win. “Whether it was Webb (City) earlier in the year, or Raytown South, Nixa—we have always been a team that has done that. I think that resiliency from the tough schedule we played early on helped us here because we knew what it was like to play from behind and fight back and win.” 

BIG SWINGS

After surrendering three runs and the lead in the top of the seventh on a three-run homer from LSW’s Bailey Amezcua, Neosho refused to see its season slip away, rallying back in the bottom half of the inning. Kynden Smith and Beclynn Garrett walked to lead off the frame ahead of Kinnaird, who followed up by depositing an 0-2 pitch over the wall in center field for a game-tying three-run home run. 

“It was amazing,” Kinnaird said of her first long ball. “It was a game changer, which is what we needed in that moment because we were a little down after giving up those three runs. That swing felt great. I was so happy it went over so I could help my team out after letting them down by giving up those three runs.”

The first two Wildcats made outs to lead off the bottom of the eighth, but Garrett extended the inning by reaching base with a single up the middle to bring Kinnaird to the plate. 

“That was huge,” Kinnaird said of her teammate. “She had a great at-bat.”

Kinnaird took a strike on the first pitch before working a 2-1 count and promptly smacked the fourth pitch of the at-bat off the scoreboard in left field to a standing ovation on the home side of the bleachers, with her teammates waiting for her at home plate.

“She is just nails,” Cummins said of Kinnaird’s walk-off home run. “Talk about guts. Just the maturity to go back up there with people on base and get the job done again.” 

“We have confidence,” Kinnaird said about the never-give-up attitude her team has shown all season long. “That’s the biggest thing. We believe we are in every game no matter the situation. The fight that we have as a team is great. … That’s been our motto all year—‘fight till the end’— and we fought till the end.”

IN THE CIRCLE

Kinnaird also earned the complete-game win in the circle for the Wildcats. She allowed six runs, three earned, on nine hits, two walks and seven strikeouts in eight innings.

“To give up the home run in the seventh and think the game has ended, it shows how tough she is mentally to get right back in it,” Cummins said. “She could have just folded. But she didn’t. She has that no-quit mentality. She just bows her neck and says she’s going to take care of business and she did that.”

Kali Bogart started and took a no-decision after she allowed five runs on five hits, five walks and seven strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Rylee Vaughn took the loss in relief after allowing three runs on five hits and two walks in an inning of work.

HOW THEY GOT THERE

LSW recorded three straight hits with one out in the top first inning to get on the scoreboard with the first run. After a one-out single from Madelyn Reed and a double to right field by Amezcua put runners at second and third, Bogart singled to left field for an RBI and a 1-0 lead. 

Neosho wasted no time responding, plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning to take the lead and the momentum. Addy Hart brought the first run home with an RBI single to left before Journey Arnall followed with an RBI single up the middle to score the runner from second for a 2-1 advantage. 

Neosho added insurance in the last of the second inning when Garrett grounded a ball up the middle to the shortstop for an out, driving home the runner from third in the process to make the score 3-1.

Amezcua brought the Titans within a run of the lead in the top of the third after singling up the middle to score the runner from second to make the score 3-2.

Lee’s Summit West tied the game up at 3-3 in the top of the fifth when Kailey Coleman dropped a squeeze bunt down to score the runner from third.

Amezcua came up big once more in the top of the seventh when she ripped a one-out pitch over the scoreboard in left field to give the Titans their first lead, 4-3, since the first inning. JaJa Kastle delivered a bases-loaded single up the middle later in the inning to plate a pair of runners for a 6-3 advantage. 

IN THE BOX

Kinnaird homered twice, drove in a game-high five runs and scored twice to lead Neosho in the win. Hart had two hits and an RBI, while Arnall also had a pair of hits and drove in one. Garrett had a hit, drove in one and scored three times. Ashlyn Stevens doubled and scored a run.

ON DECK

Neosho will take on top-seeded Raymore-Peculiar in the Class 5 District 7 tournament championship game at 5:30 p.m. on Monday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

“It hasn’t quite sunk in that we are going to play for a district title, which has been one of our main goals all year,” Cummins said. “Our first was to win the COC, and we’ve checked that off, and this is kind of our next goal. We have our work cut out for us for sure, but I hope the confidence of this will carry over to Monday.”

FOOTBALL: Renfro’s huge night lifts Joplin past Carthage on Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

While both teams came into the game with 4-3 records and are not in the hunt for a Central Ozark Conference title like this matchup featured several times in recent memory, the rivalry between Joplin and Carthage carried just as much meaning as ever on Friday at Junge Field.

Joplin (5-3) snapped its first three-game skid under head coach Curtis Jasper last week against Carl Junction and found itself facing a hot Carthage (4-4) team, which had lost its first three games of the season before catching fire winning its last four heading into the matchup with the Eagles. 

Joplin’s defense held Carthage off the scoreboard in the first quarter while the offense built up a two-score lead early in the second that the team carried into the intermission. The Eagles continued to play in front in the second half, outscoring the Tigers 28-14 the rest of the way.

“I thought it played about how we wanted it to if we could have written the script,” Jasper said. “We defer, get a stop right off the bat and then go down and score to set the tone. We played with the lead from there and forced them to play from behind. That’s really, with their style, the way we wanted it to happen.”

“We knew how talented and athletic Joplin was coming in,” Carthage coach Jon Guidie said. “We knew it was going to be a big challenge for us defensively. We thought we could move the ball a little bit offensively. It didn’t happen on those first two possessions, but the rest of the night I thought we were pretty good. We didn’t convert on two fourth downs (for turnover-on-downs) and when you add that with the two picks that we had, it’s four turnovers in the game. It doesn’t work very well against a talented team like that.”

Joplin RB Quin Renfro breaks a tackle on the way to a long touchdown run during the Eagles’ win over Carthage on Friday. Photo by Israel Perez.

RENFRO GOES OFF

Joplin (which gained 393 yards of offense on 39 plays) leaned on its senior ball carrier to carry the load on Senior Night and RB Quin Renfro certainly had a night to remember on the ground for the Eagles. Quin, who is committed to South Dakota State, rushed 18 times for 226 yards and five touchdowns. He had runs of 40, 64, 41, 30 and 31 yards in the win.

“It definitely felt good,” Renfro said of his performance on Senior Night. “It could’ve been my last time playing at Junge Field, so just putting on a performance like that for my family meant a lot to me.”

SENIOR NIGHT

It was a night to remember as the Joplin football program held its Senior Night ceremonies, honoring 22 student-athletes with their families on the field before the game.

“It is a great group,” Jasper said. “A couple of the coaches and I were talking about them today and how much fun they are because of how much they care about this program. We were talking about things we did this summer together and how much they care about their teammates. … They don’t just care about the football team, they care about the community as a whole and that’s awesome. They are a great representation of this program, Joplin High School and the Joplin community.”

DISTRICT UPDATE

Before the win, Joplin (33.76 points) was the third seed in the Class 6 District 5 standings, roughly 10 points behind second-place Kickapoo (42.38) and 10 points ahead of Waynesville (22.76).

Carthage (34.93) is in third place in the Class 5 District 7 standings, behind top-seeded Webb City (44.43) and second-seeded Raytown South (37.24) and in front of fourth-seeded Belton (30.38).

HOW THEY GOT THERE

After Joplin’s defense forced Carthage into a three-and-out punt, the Eagles’ offense marched 79 yards on 13 plays to take the lead. QB Hobbs Gooch, who completed six-of-seven passes for 66 yards, dropped back on fourth and 5 from the CHS 9, rolled to his right and tucked the ball before taking off and diving for the pylon to beat the defender for a 9-yard rushing score and a 7-0 lead with 3:57 left in the opening quarter.

Joplin’s Chavis Coleman tackles Carthage’s Brady Carlton on Friday in Central Ozark Conference action. Photo by Israel Perez.

Joplin’s defense came up big again during its second trip on the field, forcing Carthage into a turnover-on-downs near midfield on a fourth-and-short stop.

“Winning first down the majority of the time and getting those two big stops early, and the two turnovers later were huge,” Jasper said of the defense’s effort. 

On the next play with the first quarter winding down, Renfro took the handoff left, hesitated and burst up and broke several tackles on the way to a 40-yard run down inside the CHS 5-yard line. After the quarter change a few plays later, Renfro found paydirt from 5 yards out to give Joplin a 14-0 lead midway through the first half.

“You could see last week that he was starting to look more like himself,” Jasper said of Renfro, who had dealt with injuries earlier in the season. “Tonight was vintage Quin and he looked back to his true self.”

Carthage (which gained 311 yards of offense on 58 plays) used the big play to get on the scoreboard on its third drive. QB Brady Carlton, who rushed 24 times for 148 yards and a touchdown, found a wide open TE Karson Murray over the middle with no one between him and the end zone for a 52-yard passing score to cut the deficit to 14-7 with less than eight minutes to play in the first half. 

“We got down 14-0 and our kids responded with a big drive,” Guidie said. “It got us back in the game and got us a little confidence.”

Carthage’s defense came up with its first stop of the night late in the first half in Joplin’s attempt to answer the Tigers’ score, sacking Gooch on fourth-down inside the red zone to turn a long Eagles’ drive into a turnover-on-downs. 

The Tigers used a 27-yard screen from Carlton to RB Landyn Collins to get into plus territory before Carlton was picked off shortly after by Joplin DB Cordell Washington and returned to the 32-yard line for the change in possession.

“We had a nice drive going down seven before we threw that pick,” Guidie said. “That was huge. That could have been a 14-point swing right there. You go into the locker room and it’s hard sometimes to get these guys back up and as intense as they were to start the game.”

Renfro took the ensuing handoff up the middle and broke several tackles on the way to a 64-yard run down inside the 5. On the next play, Renfro crossed the goal line for the second time to give Joplin a 21-7 lead with 36 seconds left in the first half.

“It’s a good two-minute offense when you can just hand it to Quin,” Jasper said with a laugh.

After a nice kick return to start the second half gave Joplin good field position to start the first possession in plus territory, Joplin needed just 54 seconds and two play

Carthage RB Landyn Collins breaks a tackle on the way to a first down for the Tigers. Photo by Israel Perez.

s to get into the end zone thanks to a 30-yard rushing touchdown by Renfro, his third of the game, to give the Eagles a 28-7 advantage.

Carthage responded on the ground, marching its way down the field via the run before Carlton scored on the keeper from 8 yards out to cut Joplin’s lead to 28-14.

After a failed attempt at an onside kick by the Tigers, Joplin took over in plus territory and put on its shortest drive of the game when Renfro carried the ensuing first-down snap 41 yards on the way to touchdown to give the Eagles a 35-14 advantage.

Renfro continued his dominance on Joplin’s next drive, rushing 31 yards on the way to his fifth touchdown of the night to expand the Eagles’ lead to 42-14 with 11:49 left in the game.

Joplin put the exclamation point on the win shortly after when DB Davin Thomas picked off Carlton and took it to the house for a 43-yard pick-6 touchdown, extending the cushion to 49-14.

Carthage’s final score came on a short-yardage score from Carlton in the waning minutes. 

UP NEXT

Joplin wraps the regular season with a matchup at Neosho.
Carthage closes the regular season hosting Willard on Senior Night.

Joplin senior Kaden Gilmore eyes rushing room during the Eagles’ win over Carthage on Friday. Photo by Israel Perez.

FOOTBALL: Carl Junction stumbles in final COC road trip at Willard

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WILLARD, Mo. — Playing in its first Central Ozark Conference football contest since announcing it was on its way out, the Carl Junction Bulldogs struggled to slow a steady Willard attack and the Tigers held on late Friday night in Willard.

The Bulldogs dropped one of their final COC contests to the Tigers 22-14 inside Willard’s football stadium—just two days after Carl Junction’s school board announced it will begin competing in the Ozark Mountain Conference starting next school year.

The newly formed league will be made up of of six area schools with similar enrollment numbers—Carl Junction, Bolivar, Branson, Logan-Rogersville, Marshfield and West Plains. The move will officially mark the Bulldogs’ end of an eight-year run in the COC after decades in the Big 8.

But in its second-to-last COC game, and final road COC game at Willard, Carl Junction’s defense initially slowed the Russell Roweton-led Willard offense, creating an interception (via Bentley Rowden, who recorded two picks) and a turnover on downs to keep the home side scoreless for much of the first half.

However, the Tigers registered back-to-back scoring drives on a Roweton 52-yard passing touchdown to Timmy Ruble and a Gary Walker 9-yard rushing touchdown on fourth and 7 at the 9-yard line for a 13-8 lead with 1:14 left in the second quarter.

Bulldogs receiver Ryder Pyles hauled in a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dexter Merrell and Merrell ran one in on a 2-point try to give Carl Junction a brief 8-7 lead.

Following a Bulldog punt with less than two minutes remaining in the half, Willard benefited from a big-time Roweton QB scamper which ended with a late hit out of bounds, setting up the Tigers at the Carl Junction 30 with nearly 30 seconds left in the frame.

Two plays later, Roweton found Chaz Amodeo on a 36-yard passing touchdown for a 19-8 Willard lead, which stuck as the halftime score.

The second half consisted of a defensive struggle, a Willard field goal from Jaridan Baugher — a 36-yard make with 5:20 left in the third period — and a late Carl Junction 17-yard touchdown reception from receiver Jaxton Wobkin with 3:24 remaining in the contest to pull the Bulldogs within eight points.

After Carl Junction tried an onside kick that was recovered but later deemed by referees as unsuccessful due to not traveling 10 or more yards, Willard precisely ran the final 3:24 off the scoreboard for a home victory.

UP NEXT 

Carl Junction hosts Republic next Friday for its final COC contest and Senior Night. Republic (6-2) will come to town after falling to Nixa 31-28 on a game-winning field goal as time expired, which secured an outright COC title for Nixa.

 

VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Webb City, Thomas Jefferson and CHC wrap regular season with wins

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY 3, BRANSON 0

BRANSON, Mo. — Webb City concluded the regular season on a high note by sweeping Branson on Thursday night.

The Cardinals defeated the Pirates 25-20, 25-16, 25-21 in the Central Ozark Conference finale.

Jaeli Rutledge led the Cardinals with 19 kills, while Aubree Lassiter added seven kills and Makayla Mayes added four kills.

Savannah Crane handed out 33 assists from the setter position, while Avery Gardner recorded a team-high 19 digs. Three players, Jaylee VanBecelaere, Kirra Long and Mia Lenker, contributed five digs apiece.

Webb City won the match without a key performer, as all-state libero Sophia Crane was out sick, Webb City assistant coach Jason Brown said. 

The Cardinals finished 5-4 in the COC. 

Webb City (24-6) will return to Branson for the Class 4 District 6 tournament. The second-seeded Cardinals meet seventh-seeded Parkview at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON 3, GOLDEN CITY 0

Thomas Jefferson knocked off Golden City 25-12, 25-20 and 25-16 in the season finale.

The Cavaliers closed the regular season with a 22-7 record and finished 6-0 in the Ozark 7 Conference on the way to their first title since 2000.

Lannah Grigg finished with 13 kills, four digs and three blocks to lead TJ, while Gabbi Hiebert closed with seven kills, five digs and three blocks. Maci Shifferd had five kills, eight digs, a block and an assist. Mary Nguyen had 15 assists, seven digs, two aces and a kill, while Leah Studer added nine assists, eight digs and a kill. Maggie Sutton had 13 digs and three aces.

Thomas Jefferson is the top seed in the Class 1 District 10 volleyball tournament and will play the winner of (4) Purdy and (5) Verona at 5 p.m. on Oct. 23 at Verona High School.

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 3, WHEATON 0

College Heights Christian volleyball closed the regular season on a high note after defeating Wheaton 25-11, 25-12 and 25-10 on Thursday.

The Cougars finish the regular season with a 14-10-3 record.

Maddy Colin led CHC with 30 assists, 10 kills and six aces, while Lilly Plassman had 11 digs and Bailey Peeples finished with 18 kills. Katie Moss had 14 digs, with Christa Miller adding 13 digs.

College Heights is the second seed in the Class 1 District 10 volleyball tournament and takes on seventh-seeded Exeter at 6:17 on Oct. 19 at Verona High School.

 

DISTRICT SOFTBALL: Carthage rallies past Joplin behind big sixth inning

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Fifth-seeded Carthage trailed 6-4 heading into the sixth inning before scoring six times with two outs to take control on the way to a 10-6 win over fourth-seeded Joplin in the finale of the opening round of the Class 5 District 7 tournament on Thursday at the JHS Athletic Center. 

“Joplin is a great offensive team and they just come at you and are hard outs from the top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup,” Carthage coach Stephanie Ray said after the win. “We regained our focus and honed it back in there after they got out ahead of us. We had some opportunities to score after getting runners on base with our speed before we just started getting hits where we needed them in that sixth inning to get those six runs.”

ALL GOOD THINGS

The loss ends Joplin’s season with a 15-14 record, with the Eagles graduating seniors Bailey Ledford (3B), Ashley Phillips (LF), Taryn Casey (RF), Peyton Meadows (LF) and Megan Meeker (RF).

“I am very happy with the way the girls responded throughout that game,” Joplin coach Brenden Schneider said. “Obviously, we can’t give up a six spot because it’s hard to come back from that. But, it’s funny because that’s how the game works. Last time we played them (earlier in the season), we put up a big inning to go ahead in the top of the seventh at their place. … Credit to Carthage for finding a way to have good at-bats and battle all game. The one thing I have always said about Coach Ray’s Carthage teams is they’re extremely tough and always play you hard. Hopefully, next year we will find a way to overcome that stuff and get better.”

“Every single one of those kids has found a way to get better and found a way to help their teammates get better,” Schneider added of his senior class. “Ultimately, it’s a softball program, but it’s also a human-development program. When they leave this place after four years, the one thing we care about more than wins and losses or statistics is, ‘are they better people?’ If they walk off this field as better human beings than when they walked on it for the first time, I feel like our staff has done a pretty good job. We can’t thank those five enough for how they’ve helped turn this program around. We are going to miss all five of them. There is nothing more I can say than thank you.”

RUN WITH TWO

Carthage went into the sixth inning down 6-4 and rallied with six runs touching home with two outs in the frame. Lottie Youngblood brought in the first two runs with a two-run single to center to tie the game at 6-6. Shelby Hegwer flared a ball to right field for an RBI single and a 7-6 advantage. After a Joplin pitching change, Lexa Youngblood put Carthage on top 8-6 with a run-scoring double to right field before Jenna Calhoon dropped a ball inside the foul line down the right-field line in the next at-bat to plate two more runners and wrap the scoring in the inning.

“Anytime we come into the dugout, whether we are down two or even four runs, these girls have always had the ability to score big,” Ray said. “We talked to them before the inning and told them to get a couple and get it even. They went and put six runs up. When their energy is up and they believe, anything is possible.”

HOW THEY GOT THERE

Carthage took the lead in the top of the first inning when Brooklynn Dolon-Main drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to left field before Joplin answered back in the bottom half of the opening frame with a run-scoring single past shortstop by Jadyn Pankow to tie the game at 1s.

The Tigers clawed back in front, 2-1, in the second inning after Calhoon scored from third on a shallow single to center by Emmy Stark.

The Eagles used a big swing to jump in front in the third inning when Pankow ripped a ball over the wall in center field with a runner on to give Joplin a 3-2 advantage.

Joplin added two insurance runs in the bottom of the fourth when Abby Lowery drove in a run with a groundout before Libby Munn brought a run home after reaching on an error when a popup on the infield found the turf with two outs and runners on the corners for a 5-2 lead.

Carthage cut the deficit to one in the top of the fifth when Dolon-Main singled to right field to drive in a pair of runs to make the score 5-4.

Joplin answered immediately in the bottom of the fifth when Ledford reached on an infield hit with runners on second and third to score a run and push the lead to 6-4.

IN THE CIRCLE

Addie Wallace earned the complete-game win after allowing six runs, four earned, on 12 hits, a walk and three strikeouts in seven frames. 

“She did a great job,” Ray said. “Early on, we felt like they had her number a little bit. We brought her in the dugout and went over spray charts. She became a student of the game and started studying. She locked back in the second half of the game and went and got some big outs when we needed them.”

Ava Wolf took the loss after allowing nine runs, four earned, on 11 hits, two walks and three strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Caelyn Bobski allowed one run on four hits and a strikeout in 1 1/3 relief innings.

IN THE BOX

Lottie Youngblood had two hits, two RBI, two runs scored and two walks. Calhoon doubled twice, drove in two and scored once for Carthage. Dolon-Main had two hits and two RBI, while Hegwer had a hit, scored a run and drove in a pair. Avyn Willis and Ashlyn Brust each had two hits and two runs scored. Stark had two hits and an RBI. Lexa Youngblood had a hit, an RBI and a run scored.

Pankow led Joplin with two hits, including a home run, a team-high three RBI and scored a run. Ledford had two hits, scored a run and drove in one. Lowery had a hit, scored a run and drove in one. Munn, who doubled, and Wolf each had two hits, while Maria Loum and Phillips each had a hit and scored a run.

ON DECK

With the win, Carthage improves to 18-15 and takes on top-seeded Raymore-Peculiar at 1 p.m. in the semifinal round on Saturday.

DISTRICT SOFTBALL: Neosho holds off Lee’s Summit in opening round

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Seventh-seeded Lee’s Summit rallied back from an early hole to tie second-seeded Neosho in the middle innings of the Class 5 District 7 opening-round game only to see the Wildcats answer right back and keep the Tigers at bay the rest of the way for a 6-3 win on Thursday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

“I like that we scored early to get the lead and I thought Olivia (Emery) threw well,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said after the win. “I was a little frustrated with our defense. We just weren’t real sharp. … We had good production from the top and the middle of our lineup. … Overall, we did enough to win and that is what matters. I would like to play a little cleaner on Saturday.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

Neosho took the initial advantage when a pair of runs came home to score in the second inning on two Lee’s Summit throwing errors. Autumn Kinnaird hit a ground ball to short with a runner on third base and reached on a throwing error. Kinnaird advanced on the play and the return throw to second sailed into the outfield, allowing her to round third and touch home on the play for a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats picked up a third tally in the third inning when Avyn Blair drove a run in with a ground ball to shortstop, scoring Addy Hart from third in the process for a 3-0 advantage.

Lee’s Summit rallied all the way back to tie the game up on an RBI single by Ryann Arnold with the bases loaded to center field, which was compounded by a Neosho error to allow two more runs to score and tie the game at 3-3.

Arnold looked to score on a bunt in the next at-bat, before Autumn Kinnaird faked the throw to first and tagged the runner trying to score from third to keep the game tied.

“It was huge because it allowed us to get Olivia through less pressure without the go-ahead run on third,” Cummins said of Kinnaird’s play at the plate. “That was a huge heads-up play by Autumn and it was a big momentum swing for us.”

Neosho didn’t wait to respond, as Carleigh Kinnaird clubbed a ball over the scoreboard with two outs and two on for a three-run home run and a 6-3 advantage.

“As soon as it was, I just screamed,” Cummins said with a laugh. “I don’t even think it was words that came out. You just knew off the bat. … She just crushed it. I asked our coaches if it went over the scoreboard. They said, yeah, that ball is in Kansas now.” 

IN THE CIRCLE

Emery earned the win after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits and three strikeouts in four innings. Carleigh Kinnaird pitched three scoreless relief innings on two hits, a walk and two strikeouts.

Alyssa Nichols took the loss after allowing six runs, four earned, on eight hits, two walks and six strikeouts in six innings of work.

IN THE BOX

Autumn Kinnaird had two hits, scored a run and drove in one. Carleigh Kinnaird homered on the way to three RBI and a run scored to lead the Wildcats.

ON DECK

(2) Neosho takes on (3) Lee’s Summit West at 3 p.m. on Saturday.

VOLLEYBALL: Carl Junction sweeps Carthage in last home match

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — On a night where a pair of seniors were honored for career milestones as well with it being Pinkout, Carl Junction ended its home portion of the schedule on a high note after defeating Carthage 25-19, 25-22 and 25-21 in a Central Ozark Conference sweep on Tuesday night.

Carl Junction setter Miya Carnes earns an assist in the Bulldogs’ win over Carthage on Tuesday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

“I thought we struggled at times, but we found a way to win,” Carl Junction coach Cheryl Sharples said after the victory. “That’s what good teams do, so I am proud of them for fighting through that. There were a lot of distractions tonight and I think we lacked a little bit of focus, but at times we did some really good things.”

RECOGNIZING HISTORY

Before the start of the varsity match between the Bulldogs and the Tigers, Carl Junction senior OH/MB Kylie Scott and senior S/RS Miya Carnes were presented with golden volleyballs after each entered hallowed grounds over the weekend in the Lebanon Pinkfest. Helping the Bulldogs to a second-place finish against some of the stiffest competition in the state, Scott surpassed 1,000-career kills and Carnes surpassed 1,000-career assists.

“I am really excited for those kids,” Sharples said. “It’s hard to get 1,000 kills, and you know Miya really only has one full season as our setter under her belt, and to get to 1,000 career assists is pretty amazing.”

GAME ACTION

Carl Junction took control early in the first set and maintained the momentum throughout thanks to its work at the service line. The Bulldogs had service runs of three points or more from senior OH/DS Abigail Wilson, sophomore S/OH Jadyn Howard and Carnes, with Carnes’ run that included a pair of blocks from junior S/RS Karissa Chase—who totaled 12 kills and three blocks in the win—giving CJ a 17-11 advantage. 

“I thought we served really well in the first set,” Sharples said. “We were hitting spots and going after the people we wanted to go after. We kept ourselves in system well and sided out quickly. We just didn’t let them keep going.”

Carl Junction senior Kylie Scott serves up an ace during the win over Carthage on Tuesday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

Carl Junction pushed the lead to 22-16 later in the set on back to back kills by Scott, but a sideout kill from junior Carthage S/RS Jaidyn Brunnert, a block from freshman M London Shepherd and an ace by sophomore S/RS Sadie Comer cut the CJ advantage to 22-19. 

The Bulldogs earned service after a Tigers’ serving error and ended the opening set with a block from Scott and a kill by Howard.

The second stanza was a back-and-forth affair, as Carthage tied the game at 11-11 before each team traded sideouts for nine straight points until CJ used a pair of Tiger errors to build an 18-15 advantage.

Shepherd earned a sideout kill for Carthage before Scott answered with a tip kill to force a sideout. Scott, who finished with 11 kills, 17 digs and a pair of aces, followed up with a three-point service run that included an ace and a block by senior MH Acadia Badgley to give CJ a 22-16 lead.

Carthage used a sideout and three straight attacking errors by the Bulldogs to jump back within two and ultimately cut the lead to one, 23-22, on a kill from Shepherd and a block by junior M Millie Templeman.

The Bulldogs responded with a kill from senior OH Aubreigh Fowler to force a sideout and finished off the set with an ace from Wilson.

Carthage’s Peyton Ray (9) and London Shepherd (19) share a block during the Tigers’ match with Carl Junction on Tuesday.

Mimicking the second game, the final set was evenly matched, with Carthage even holding a 20-19 lead late and looking to force a fourth set. Carl Junction closed out the match by scoring six of the last seven points.

The Bulldogs used a kill and an ace from Carnes, who finished with 31 assists and two aces, to regain the lead 21-20 before a kill from junior OH/RS Peyton Ray tied things back up at 21-all with a kill.

Fowler swung through a kill to force a sideout for CJ, who used a three-point service run from Wilson, who closed the night with 19 digs and two aces, to seal the sweep, which ended with kills from Chase and Fowler.

“That is something I feel like we are doing much better at—focusing on the process and not the score,” Sharples said of her team’s response to adversity in the second and third set.

UP NEXT

Carthage (13-15) is at Republic on Thursday to close out the regular season.

Carl Junction (23-7-2) is on the road in its regular season finale, visiting the COC champion Ozark Tigers (23-3) on Thursday.

“I want to see us come out and be competitive,” Sharples said of what she wants to see from her team as they close the regular season. “We kind of have a little saying—play hard, stay tough and never give up. That is what we are focusing on in every situation.”

Carl Junction’s Aubreigh Fowler earns a kill during the Bulldogs’ matchup with Carthage on Tuesday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Neosho nips Joplin; Webb City falls to Ozark; CHC, TJ earn wins

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

 

NEOSHO 3, JOPLIN 2

NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho nipped Joplin in a five-set thriller on Tuesday night, as the Wildcats defeated the Eagles 18-25, 25-21, 12-25, 25-20, 15-12 in Central Ozark Conference action.

Bailey Owens led Joplin with 25 kills, 13 digs and five blocks, while Raelin Calderon added 13 kills, three digs and two aces.

Also for the Eagles, Adalynn Noirfalise compiled 35 assists, 10 digs, three kills, three aces and two blocks.

Joplin’s Janiah Vaughn contributed six kills and six digs, Aiyana Kroll had six blocks and Phia Vogel recorded seven digs.

Neosho’s stats were not made available to SoMo Sports.

Joplin travels to Nixa on Thursday, while Neosho is at Willard on Thursday. 

 

OZARK 3, WEBB CITY 0

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Ozark remained undefeated in COC play by knocking off Webb City 25-16, 25-17, 25-20 on Tuesday night inside the Cardinal Dome. 

The Tigers improved to 23-3 overall and 8-0 in the COC.  

The Cardinals are now 24-6 overall and 4-4 in the COC. 

Jaeli Rutledge led Webb City with six kills, while Aubree Lassiter and Kirra Long added four kills apiece.

Savannah Crane had 14 assists, while Jadyn Catterson recorded 12 digs and Sophia Crane and Jaylee VanBecelaere contributed 10 digs apiece. Avery Gardner chipped in eight digs.

Webb City is at Branson on Thursday.

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 3, PURDY 0

College Heights defeated Purdy 25-14, 25-19, 25-13 on Tuesday. 

The Cougars improved to 13-10-3.

Maddy Colin compiled 23 assists, 15 digs and four aces for College Heights, while Bailey Peeples recorded a team-high nine kills.

Also for the Cougars, Toryn Fink had seven kills and Lilly Plassman recorded 20 digs. 

College Heights hosts Wheaton on Thursday. 

 

LAMAR 3, SENECA 0

SENECA, Mo. — Seneca hosted Lamar in a Big 8 West Conference matchup and fell 25-20, 25-12 and 25-22 to the Tigers on Tuesday.

Jera Jameson finished with 20 kills to lead the Indians, while Anna Adkins had 30 assists. Ella Graham finished with 30 digs and an ace.

Seneca falls to 7-14-3 on the season and hosts Springfield Catholic on Thursday before taking part in the Mustang Classic to close out the regular season.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON 3, BRONAUGH 0

Thomas Jefferson earned a clean sweep of Bronough 25-12, 25-8 and 25-8 on Tuesday to improve to 21-7 on the season, including a 5-0 mark in the Ozark 7 Conference.

No other information was made available at the time of publication.

Thomas Jefferson ends the regular season at Golden City on Thursday.

VOLLEYBALL: Joplin sweeps Pittsburg on Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

In its final home match of the season, Joplin volleyball sent its seniors off on a high note after disposing of Pittsburg 25-13, 25-11 and 25-21 on Monday inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.

Joplin senior Bailey Owens earns a kill during the Eagles win over Pittsburg on Senior Night on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

“This night was so great and it was exactly what we wanted,” Joplin coach Staci Saunders said after the win. “It was a total team effort. Everyone contributed and it took everybody on our team to get this win. I think it left (our seniors) with a good feeling in their hearts. And that is what high school sports are about—making memories. I feel like this will be a core memory for them.”

The Eagles held Senior Night ceremonies for DS Abigail Eckert, OH/RS Janiah Vaughn, OH/RS Bailey Owens, DS Avery Bermudez and OH/RS Raelin Calderon.

“We wanted it to be a very special night for them because they have had to overcome some adversity this season,” Saunders said. “They really are the nicest kids and a great group of seniors. They are the perfect examples of what great humans should be for our underclassmen, what a great student-athlete should be for our underclassmen and what great leaders should be for underclassmen. Tonight was just a celebration for them for stepping up and being leaders for our team and they deserved it.”

Joplin opened the first set as the aggressor, and played relatively clean for the first 15 points. The Eagles didn’t allow the Purple Dragons to score more than two points consecutively until Pittsburg’s final serve in the match, with the game all but decided at that point.

Joplin senior Janiah Vaughn swings for a kill during the Eagles win on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

“I think our serving was effective,” Saunders said. “We were moving well and blocking well, forcing them to make adjustments. The girls were all fired up to play, making really good decisions. It made for a really great first set.”

The Eagles led 5-3 early in the opening set before DS Lucy Erisman scored eight straight points in service to build a 13-3 advantage for Joplin. Owens had three kills and a block in the run.

“When we get her going, we are going to do good things,” Saunders said of Owens’ play early. “She is a highly-skilled player who always finds the way to get the job done. What I love about her is she is never up or never down. … She stays steady and is the calm and confidence our team needs.”

JHS built the lead to 19-5 later in the set after a kill from Owens and a three-point service run from Bermudez that included an ace and a kill by MB Amy Kessler. 

Joplin led 24-9 on a kill from Vaughn before a sideout and Pittsburg’s first three-point run in service trimmed the margin to 24-13. Owens closed the set with a kill.

Early in the second set, the Eagles used two kills from Owens, two kills from Kessler and a block by MB/RS Aiyana Kroll to build a 9-5 advantage. 

Joplin took control for good after scoring 10 of the next 11 points moments later to push the advantage to 19-8. 

Joplin senior Raelin Calderon finishes a kill in the Senior Night win over Pittsburg on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

“Our goal as a team is to get in-a-row points with our serve,” Saunders said. “We have to get in-a-row points to jump ahead because it gives us a chance in the end.”

Setter Adalynn Noirfalise and Vaughn each had four-point runs in service during that span. Calderon had two kills during the run, while Owens and Kroll each had blocks.

The Eagles held the pace and used kills from Kessler and Vaughn to finish off the set with the sweep in sight.

Joplin faced its first sense of adversity in the final set. The Dragons and Eagles battled to a 12-10 score, with JHS in front, after an ace from Alycia Cosens and a block by Onna Jorge.

The Eagles responded by scoring eight of the next 10 points to take control late onto the sweep. 

“They just played with confidence,” Saunders said of her team’s ability to finish off the sweep. “I feel like our seniors really stepped up and gave the rest of the team confidence. They never got down and knew they could do it.”

Owens finished with 11 kills, six digs, three blocks and two aces, while Vaughn had seven kills, five digs, a block and two aces. Noirfalise had 25 assists, nine digs, three aces and a block, while Calderon had six kills and a dig. Kessler closed with four kills and two blocks, while Kroll had three blocks and a dig.

Joplin (5-15-1) is at Neosho on Tuesday and at Nixa on Thursday before taking part in the Ozark Grand Slam Fest tournament over the weekend to close out the regular season. 

Joplin senor Lucy Erisman passes the ball during the Eagles’ win over Pittsburg on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez.

SOFTBALL: Carthage wraps regular season with win

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

ROLLA, Mo. — Carthage put the finishing touches on its regular season with a 20-8 win over Father Tolton in the FCNB Rolla Softball Invitational on Saturday.

After falling to Wright City  and earning wins over Jefferson City and Rolla on Friday, Carthage fell to Ozark 12-1 early Saturday before wrapping the day with a victory over the Trailblazers.

Addie Wallace earned the win after allowing eight runs, seven earned, on seven hits, a walk and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Kenadie May took the loss after allowing 13 runs, seven earned, on 11 hits, a walk and two strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.

Lottie Youngblood had two hits, including a double, four RBI and scored a run for Carthage. Shelby Hegwer also doubled on the way to two hits and four RBI, scoring twice. Lexa Youngblood had two hits, including a double, drove in two and scored once. J Bayless had three hits and scored three times, while driving in one for the Tigers.

Carthage finishes the regular season with a 17-15 record and is the fifth seed in the Class 5 District 7 Tournament hosted by Joplin. The Tigers take on the fourth-seeded Eagles (15-13) at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the JHS Athletic Complex.

VOLLEYBALL: Scott, Carnes earn career milestones as CJ takes second at Lebanon

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

LEBANON, Mo. — Carl Junction battled heavy competition on the way to a second-place finish at the Lebanon Pinkfest volleyball tournament on Saturday.

During their run to the finals, the Bulldogs had a pair of student-athletes earn milestone achievements—senior Kylie Scott recorded her 1,000th-career kill and senior Miya Carnes recorded her 1,000th-career assist.

In pool play, Carl Junction defeated West Plains 25-19, 25-20 before adding a 25-18, 20-25 split with Class 4 No. 2 Marshfield and a 25-22, 26-28 split with Class 4 No. 5 Helias.

In bracket play, Carl Junction beat Fatima 25-14, 25-14 to reach the semifinals, where the Bulldogs rallied to beat Marshfield 19-25, 25-22 and 27-25.

In the finals, Carl Junction fell to Class 3 No. 1 Herrmann 25-20, 18-25 and 25-13.

Carl Junction hosts Carthage on Tuesday.

FOOTBALL: Joplin snaps skid against Carl Junction

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Joplin’s first three-game skid in the Curtis Jasper era didn’t reach four games as the Eagles got back on track against Carl Junction with a 37-13 win over the Bulldogs on Friday at Bulldog Stadium.

Joplin (4-3) scored on its first three possessions of the first half to build a 20-7 lead over Carl Junction (1-6) by the intermission. The Eagles’ defense held the Bulldogs’ offense off the scoreboard in the second half as the Joplin offense held the pace to get back into the win column.

“I just felt like our preparation during this week in practice—and really our demeanor as a whole—was better,” Jasper said after his team’s win. “The guys made a concerted effort to do the little things much better this week. They wanted this streak to end and they made it happen. All the credit to them.”

HOW IT HAPPENED

Joplin RB Quin Renfro breaks a tackle for a big gain during the Eagles’ win over Carl Junction on Friday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

Joplin took the opening possession and marched down the field before RB Quin Renfro broke a pair of tackles on the way to a 5-yard touchdown run on second-and-goal for a 7-0 lead with 7:50 on the clock in the first quarter.

Carl Junction converted on third and fourth down several times while orchestrating a methodical drive in response that culminated in RB Johnny Starks finding the end zone from 3 yards out to cap a 16-play drive that ate up the last seven-plus minutes of the first quarter and the first several minutes of the second period, tying the game at 7-7 early in the second period.

“I thought early on when our kids were full of energy, we were getting off the ball and picking up their blitzes,” Carl Junction coach Todd Hafner said of his team’s opening drive. “As the game went on, we just weren’t doing those things. Once the blitzes started working, they started doing them more and we just weren’t picking them up. 

“I think maybe, as the head coach and play caller, maybe we’re doing a little too much. We might need to dial it back and get back to the basics a little bit. We will look at it and see where we are at, and hopefully we will put our kids in a better spot to be successful.”

Joplin struck for the big play on the ensuing possession when WR Davin Thomas took the touch pass around the end, made a move outside before cutting back inside away from would-be tacklers on the way to a 36-yard touchdown with 6:37 left in the first half.

After a CJ punt on the Bulldogs’ second possession, the Eagles went back to work on offense, going to the air early with a 20-yard completion from QB Hobbs Gooch to WR Aidan Sampson and a 10-yard reception from Gooch to Thomas. The drive ultimately ended on the ground when Renfro crossed the goal line from 10 yards out with 2:12 left in the second period for a 20-7 lead.

Joplin and Carl Junction traded turnovers before the end of the half when Carl Junction QB Dexter Merrell was picked off in plus territory by Joplin DB Chavis Coleman before Gooch was picked off by Starks on the very next play to give the Bulldogs the ball near midfield with less than a minute to play.

The Bulldogs were supposed to have the first possession of the second half, but the Eagles recovered a squib kick to start the third quarter to give Joplin the ball at the CJHS 35-yard line. 

Joplin turned the extra possession into three points after kicker Toby Ipsen converted from 35 yards out to push the lead to 23-7 with 8:11 left in the third quarter.

Joplin WR Davin Thomas fights for the ball with CJHS DB Will Coats during the Eagles’ win over the Bulldogs on Friday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

“I thought special teams were huge tonight,” Jasper said. “Not only getting the squib kick and the field goal, but CJ has come up huge on special teams, especially Starks, who has six blocked kicks this year. … I thought we did a good job of covering well.”

Joplin’s second turnover of the game came late in the third quarter with the Eagles in plus territory when the snap went through Gooch’s hands, with CJ’s Starks picking up the loose ball and sprinting to the end zone for a 65-yard scoop-and-score touchdown to trim JHS’ lead to 23-13 with less than four minutes on the clock.

“The kid is amazing,” Hafner said of Starks. “He is an outstanding football player. And that is what he is—a football player. That play gave our whole team a shot in the arm. The plays that he’s made like blocking kicks and punts earlier in the season as well as the plays he makes on a weekly basis are amazing. He is just a great football player.”

Joplin atoned for the giveaway on the next drive, though,punching it in when Gooch found Renfro for a 6-yard touchdown reception with less than four minutes to play in the third quarter to push the lead up to 30-13.

“Credit to the kids there,” Jasper said. “They still want to have a really good year, and for us to do that, they knew they needed to answer back right away and they did that.”

Joplin and Carl Junction again traded turnovers early in the fourth quarter when Gooch was intercepted on a tipped pass before Merrell was picked off on a deep ball on the next play by DB Cordell Washington.

“Outside of that first drive, I thought we did a really good job of tackling,” Jasper said of his defense pitching a second-half shutout. “The defense did a good job of responding, flying to the football and causing turnovers. They really played well.”

Joplin put the game out of reach when Thomas caught a pass from Gooch in the flat and crossed the goal line for a 3-yard touchdown to make the score 37-13 with 8:14 left in regulation.

BY THE NUMBERS

Joplin gained 465 yards of offense on 59 plays (7.9 yards per play), with 276 of those yards coming on the ground. Gooch completed 13-of-18 passes for 189 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, while rushing three times for 15 yards and a fumble. Renfro rushed 25 times for 187 yards and scored three total touchdowns (one receiving), while Thomas caught eight passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. Jones rushed nine times for 57 yards.

Carl Junction, which won the turnover battle 3-2, gained 199 yards off offense on 49 plays (4.1 YPP). Merrell completed 9-of-18 passes for 106 yards and two interceptions, while carrying the ball 15 times for 33 yards. Starks had six carries for 27 yards and two total touchdowns (one defensive).

UP NEXT

Joplin hosts Carthage in Week 8.

Carl Junction is at Willard in Week 8.

FOOTBALL: Neosho holds off Ozark to earn first win of the season

Posted on by Lucas Davis

NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho football team built an early lead and staved off a late Ozark comeback attempt to claim its first win of the season with a 20-14 victory on Friday night at Bob Anderson Stadium.

The Wildcats improved to 1-6, while the Tigers slipped to 1-6.

Neosho led by as many as 14 points in the game but had to lean on its defense late after Ozark had trimmed the deficit to six points in the fourth quarter.

The Tigers were held in check for much of the second half but managed to break the scoring lull when running back Jack Bowers recorded his second touchdown of the night on a 2-yard plunge to make it a six-point game with 2:25 remaining in the contest.

A successful onside kick recovery by Drake Swift set the Neosho offense up at its own 47-yard line, and the Wildcats managed to get a first down and milk precious seconds off the clock before turning the ball over on downs in Ozark territory.

With just 23 seconds remaining, Ozark took over at its own 31 before an errant snap to quarterback Peyton Russell resulted in a Neosho fumble recovery. The Wildcats then went into their victory formation to officially claim their elusive first triumph of the season.

The Neosho defense managed to keep the Ozark offense scoreless on eight of its 10 drives on the night, generating a pair of takeaways and forcing three turnovers via downs.

The Wildcats got off to a quick start offensively in the game as they built a 14-0 lead in the opening quarter with scoring drives of 80 and 83 yards.

First blood was drawn by Neosho just over two minutes into the game when a fourth-and-4 play saw quarterback Quenton Hughes connect with running back Denton Welch out of the backfield for a 47-yard TD.

Ozark seemed poised to respond to the Neosho score with one of its own on its first offensive possession of the night. But after advancing into Neosho territory, a fumble by Bowers was recovered by Neosho’s Virgil Rosier for a turnover at the NHS 17.

The Wildcats capitalized on the takeaway with a methodical 13-play drive fueled by a balanced attack with seven rushes and six completed passes. The drive was capped by a three-yard TD run by Welch, putting Neosho up two TDs with 3:48 left in the first quarter.

The Tigers managed to claim their first points at the 7:30 mark of the second quarter when a 49-yard drive was punctuated by a 20-yard TD scamper by Bowers, trimming the NHS lead to 14-7.

Neosho capped the scoring in the first half with a 35-yard field goal by Juan Blancarte to take a 17-7 advantage into halftime.

Neosho’s final score of the night, a 23-yard field goal by Blancarte, came at the end of a drive that started at the NHS 10-yard line and gave the home team a 20-7 lead with 5:02 to play in the third quarter.

UP NEXT

Neosho will hit the road to take on Webb City next Friday at 7 p.m. while Ozark plays host to Branson.

 

SCORING SUMMARY

Ozark 0 7 0 7—14

Neosho 14 3 3 0—20

FIRST QUARTER

Neo—Denver Welch 47 pass from Quenton Hughes (Juan Blancarte kick), 9:56

Neo—Welch 3 run (Blancarte kick), 3:48

SECOND QUARTER

Oza—Jack Bowers 20 run (Sam Clark kick), 7:30

Neo—Blancarte 35 field goal, 5:44

THIRD QUARTER

Neo—Blancarte 23 field goal, 5:02

FOURTH QUARTER

Oza—Bowers 2 run (Clark kick), 2:25

 

Records—Neosho 1-6, Ozark 1-6

 

VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Webb City swept by Republic; CJ, TJ, CHC and Seneca earn sweeps; Joplin falls to Willard

Posted on by Lucas Davis

REPUBLIC 3, WEBB CITY 0

Webb City’s Aubree Lassiter earns a kill in the Cardinals’ loss to Republic on Thursday. Photo by Israel Perez.

WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Class 5 13th-ranked Republic Tigers went on the road and earned a 25-15, 25-21 and 25-16 sweep over the Class 4 ninth-ranked Webb City Cardinals in Central Ozark Conference action on Thursday inside the Cardinal Dome. 

Once Republic (21-5, 5-2 COC) gained the momentum in each set over Webb City (18-5, 4-3 COC), the Tigers never relinquished it. 

Republic and Webb City traded points in the opening set until a sideout kill from Alaina Norman followed by a four-point service run from Brooklyn Claxton that featured a pair of aces gave the Tigers a 14-10 advantage. Holding a 17-13 lead on a kill from Rilynn Finley, the Tigers scored the next five points—thanks to three Finley kills—to lead 22-13 before finishing off the set soon after.

An early six-point service run from Republic’s Reese Frey, with Addison Fanning earning three kills, gave the Tigers a 10-5 lead in the second set. Webb City used a three-point service run from Mia Lenker that featured an ace and a block from Aubree Lassiter and another three-point run from Kirra Long later in the set put Webb City on top 16-15, with the Cardinals ultimately taking a 20-17 advantage on a kill from Jaeli Rutledge. Republic scored eight of the next nine points to come all the way back for the 25-21 win. Finley added four kills in that span.

Webb City tied the third set at 5-5 off a kill from Makayla Mayes before Republic responded by going on a 14-4 run to hold a 20-9 lead that proved to be too great for Webb City to rally. Finley had two kills, Norman had two kills and Fanning had two kills for the Tigers.

Rutledge led the Cardinals with 12 kills, while Lassiter and Mayes added four kills apiece.

Savannah Crane handed out 17 assists and Sophia Crane recorded a team-high 13 digs. Avery Gardner added eight digs and Jadyn Catterson had six digs.

Webb City takes part in the Lori Endicott Volleyball Tournament hosted by Willard over the weekend.

 

CARL JUNCTION 3, BRANSON 0

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction dominated on Senior Night to beat Central Ozark Conference foe Branson 25-18, 25-17 and 25-21 on Thursday night.

The Bulldogs honored seniors Acadia Badgley, Sara Buchele, Miya Carnes, Aubreigh Fowler, Kylie Scott and Abigail Wilson with Senior Night ceremonies. 

Buchele had six digs and three aces, while Scott finished with 14 kills and 10 digs. Carnes closed with 35 assists and 13 digs, with Wilson finishing with 13 digs and two aces. Karissa Chase had 17 kills.

Carl Junction takes part in the Lebanon Pinkfest Tournament over the weekend.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON 3, VERONA 0

The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers earned a 25-12, 25-15, 25-14 victory over Verona on Thursday night.

The Cavaliers are now 20-6 overall and 5-0 in conference action.

Lannah Grigg had six kills and four aces for the Cavaliers, while Gabbi Hiebert recorded 10 digs, nine kills and seven blocks. 

Also for the Cavaliers, Maci Shifferd contributed four kills and five digs, Mary Nguyen had 19 assists and seven digs and Maggie Sutton and Nayab Rehman recorded 11 digs apiece.

Thomas Jefferson is at Liberal on Monday. 

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 3, MCAULEY 0

College Heights earned a clean sweep of area and Ozark 7 Conference rival McAuley 25-16, 25-23 and 25-12 on Thursday.

The Cougars improve to 12-9-3, while the Warriors fall to 8-16-5.

Maddy Colin led CHC with 24 assists, eight kills and 12 digs. Bailey Peeples led the Cougars in kills with 10, while Toryn Fink and Caroline Satterlee had five kills. Lilly Plassman had 28 digs and four aces in service, while Allie Stout had 17 digs and two aces. Katie Moss had 14 digs.

College Heights hosts Diamond on Monday.

McAuley is at Exeter on Tuesday.

 

SENECA 3, MONETT 0

SENECA, Mo. — Seneca earned its fourth win of the season with a 25-19, 25-15 and 25-15 win over Monett on Thursday.

With the win, the Indians improve to 4-11-2. 

Anna Adkins had 31 assists and five aces in service, while Jera Jameson had 14 kills and a block. Ella Graham finished with 13 kills, while Valencia Araujo added 13 digs. Maddy Hembree had three aces and nine kills.

Seneca takes part in the El Dorado tournament on Saturday and hosts Lamar on Tuesday.

 

WILLARD 3, JOPLIN 2

Despite a solid effort, Joplin suffered a five-set loss to Willard on Thursday in Central Ozark Conference action inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.

The Tigers defeated the Eagles 21-25, 25-16, 17-25, 25-14, 15-9.

Bailey Owens led Joplin with 25 kills, 13 digs and five blocks, while Raelin Calderon added 13 kills and Janiah Vaughn had six kills and six digs.

Also for the Eagles, Adalynn Noirfalise compiled 35 assists, 10 digs, three aces and three kills, while Phia Vogel contributed seven digs and Aiyana Kroll had a team-high six blocks.

Joplin hosts Pittsburg (Kansas) on Monday in the home finale. 

 

TUESDAY’S LATE RESULT

CARTHAGE 3, BRANSON 1

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage defeated Branson 22-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-19 on Tuesday night in Central Ozark Conference action.

Jaidyn Brunnert contributed 20 assists, 10 digs and eight kills, while Sadie Comer had 17 assists and 16 digs and Riann Schwartz had 22 digs.

Also for Tigers, Millie Templeman had nine kills, Peyton Ray added seven kills, Ava Bourgault had 13 digs and seven kills and Ella Schwartz had nine digs and four aces. 

Also of note, the Carthage volleyball program raised $15,000 for Hope 4 You, a local foundation that helps women in their fight against breast cancer. 

SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Joplin ends regular season with win; Nevada cruises past Carl Junction on Wednesday

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

JOPLIN 5, WAYNESVILLE 0

Joplin scored a pair of runs in the first inning and three more in the second to build an insurmountable five-run lead in a win over Waynesville on Thursday.

The victory was the final regular season contest for the Eagles, who finished with a 15-13 record. 

Caelyn Bobski earned the complete-game win after pitching seven shutout innings and allowing four hits, walking five and striking out six. 

Emma Ray took the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits, a walk and six strikeouts in six innings.

Joplin’s two-run first was fueled by a leadoff single by Bailey Ledford in front of a two-run home run from Abby Lowery.

Lowery singled home Ledford again in the second inning to highlight the scoring in the frame. Jadyn Pankow added an RBI on a ground out.

Lowery finished with two hits, three RBI and two runs scored, while Ledford scored twice on two hits. Libby Munn also had two hits, while Maria Loum had a hit and scored a run. 

Joplin hosts the Class 5 District 7 Tournament as the fourth seed and matches up with fifth-seeded Carthage at 7 p.m. on Oct. 12.

 

NEVADA 16, CARL JUNCTION 0 (4 INNINGS)

NEVADA, Mo. — Nevada hung six runs up in the first inning and added crooked numbers in every frame after on the way to a 16-0 win over the Bulldogs on Wednesday.

The Tigers added to their six-run lead with four runs in the second, two in the third and four more in the fourth to finish off the run-rule win.

Peyton Eaton earned the win after pitching four scoreless innings, scattering five hits and striking out three for Nevada.

Hannah Cole took the loss after allowing 10 runs on nine hits and two walks in two innings.

Eaton hit two home runs and totaled five RBI in two runs scored at the plate. Kaleiah Johnson doubled and homered twice on the way to a game-high seven RBI and two runs scored. Ella Heatherman also doubled and homered for the Tigers, who are now 24-7.

Madi Olds and Kiley Spencer both doubled for Carl Junction.

The Bulldogs host Branson on Monday.

SOFTBALL: Willard slugs way past CJ

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by Lucas Davis

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

The Wildcats wouldn’t be denied.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ON DECK

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

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

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

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

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