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FALL SEASON: Local prep athletes earn 2022 SoMo Sports Athletes of the Year honors

By:
SoMo Sports staff reports

At SoMo Sports, we understand the importance of student-athletes competing in prep sports in terms of development, both mentally and physically, for young adults who are preparing for life after high school.

Not only does competing in prep sports help build character, but it also provides student-athletes with tools such as communication, leadership and self-drive that will benefit them as they continue on life’s journey. 

With that in mind, SoMo Sports wanted to honor the top athletes in the area who put in countless hours of hard work during practice, workouts, games/meets as well as on their own time by naming them as a SoMo Sports Athlete of the Year.

The Athlete of the Year selections go out to the top area athlete in each sport during the fall, winter and spring prep seasons. 

The standout athletes are chosen by SoMo Sports reporters Jason Peake and Lucas Davis, who tirelessly cover prep sports for Joplin and its surrounding communities during the school year. Along with nominations by area coaches, SoMo Sports used individual accomplishments during the regular season and postseason as well as team success as factors for choosing each Athlete of the Year. 

The SoMo Sports Athletes of the Year awards will be divided up in three stories—fall, winter and spring. Each sport will have an Athlete of the Year, and if warranted, there may be one or two honorable mentions per sport as well.

 

SOMO SPORTS FALL ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

FOOTBALL

Luke Gall, running back/linebacker, Carthage, junior

Carthage RB Luke Gall is the SoMo Sports Football Athlete of the Year

Carthage’s Luke Gall pulled off a rare feat in 2021. After standing out on both sides of the ball during a stellar junior year, Gall was named not only the Central Ozark Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, but also the COC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year. A 5-foot-11, 200-pound two-way standout at running back and linebacker, Gall has now picked up another accolade—SoMo Sports Area Football Player of the Year. Offensively, Gall compiled 1,902 rushing yards on 166 carries with 29 touchdowns last fall, averaging 11.5 yards per carry. Defensively, Gall recorded 88 tackles, with 15 tackles for loss and six sacks. Gall shared the conference’s defensive player of the year award with his teammate Micah Lindsey. With Gall leading the way, Jon Guidie’s Tigers put together an undefeated regular season en route to a Central Ozark Conference championship.  Carthage went 10-1 in ’21. The Tigers’ lone loss was a 28-21 setback to eventual Class 5 state champ Webb City in the district title game. Following his stellar junior campaign, Gall was named the Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year by the Missouri Football Coaches Association. Gall, who has received a number of college offers from NCAA Division I and D-II schools, is expected to once again lead the Tigers on the gridiron this fall. 

HM: Draven VanGilder, Joplin; Cooper Crouch, Webb City

SOFTBALL

Madeline McCall, pitcher, McDonald County, senior

McDonald County softball had a remarkable season in 2021-22 by finishing with a 24-7 record and senior pitcher Madeline McCall had a lot to do with it. In the circle, McCall worked to the tune of a microscopic 0.84 earned-run average (surrendering just 14 earned runs in 116 innings pitched) as well as turning in an also-dominant WHIP at 0.81. She finished with 247 strikeouts, while opponents hit .121 against her for the season, leading her to be named the Big 8 West Pitcher of the Year as well as earning first-team all-conference honors before garnering all-state honors as well. That’s not all, as McCall was just as productive in the batter’s box with a .397 batting average to go along with 27 RBI. She added four home runs, a triple and five doubles, while drawing 13 walks for a .505 OBP.

VOLLEYBALL

Logan Jones, setter, Carl Junction, junior

Carl Junction setter Logan Jones is the SoMo Sports Volleyball Athlete of the Year

Her senior season hasn’t yet arrived, but Carl Junction’s Logan Jones has already set school records and locked up a college scholarship in her standout prep career. One of the nation’s top setters, Jones is the SoMo Sports Area Volleyball Player of the Year. Jones is coming off a stellar junior campaign for Cheryl Sharples’ Bulldogs. In ’21, Jones compiled 1,003 assists, 213 digs, 128 kills and 61 aces. She averaged 10.2 assists per set, playing a key role as the Bulldogs went 24-11. With another season still to be played, Jones is Carl Junction’s record-holder for career assists (2,733), assists in a season (1,003), assists in a match (57) and assists per set average (10.2). Jones has earned numerous accolades, including all-state, first team all-conference and first team all-region honors. According to Prep Dig, Jones is the ninth-ranked setter nationally entering her senior season. Ranked 50th nationally overall, Jones is listed as the third-ranked overall player in the state of Missouri ahead of the ’22 season. Jones, who hones her skills with the MAVS KC club team, has verbally committed to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks. 

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Kaden Cole, Neosho, senior

Capping his standout senior season in style, Missouri Southern recruit Kaden Cole placed sixth at the Class 5 state cross country meet in a personal-best time of 15 minutes, 33 seconds. Cole was the Central Ozark Conference champion with a time of 15:49 and also finished sixth at the district meet. At the always-competitive Missouri Southern Stampede, Cole finished fifth in 15:37. In addition to winning the COC Meet, Cole also took first at meets in Seneca, Monett and McDonald County. 

HM: Hobbs Campbell, Joplin

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Jennalee Dunn, Joplin, senior

After overcoming some health problems early in her final prep campaign, Jennalee Dunn put together a senior season to remember. She placed 14th place at the Class 5 state meet with a school record time of 18:36. Dunn was fifth at the district meet and was the runner-up at the Central Ozark Conference Meet for the second straight season. Dunn advanced to the state cross country meet every year of high school. She also led the way as Joplin finished second in the team standings at the 2021 COC Meet after leading Dustin Dixon’s Eagles to the conference crown in ‘20. Dunn is taking her talents to Cornell University in New York, where she’ll join the cross country and track and field programs. 

HM: Abi Street, Webb City; Riley Hawkins, Webb City

GIRLS GOLF

Hailey Bryant, Carthage, senior

Carthage senior Hailey Bryant is the SoMo Sports Girls Golf Athlete of the Year

Carthage senior Hailey Bryant was as consistent as you’ll find in the area in terms of putting up top scores. Bryant won the Papa John’s Classic as well as the Carl Junction Invitational and took second in the Seneca Invitational, eCarthage Invitational and Nevada Tigers Invitational. Bryant also added a third-place finish in the Joplin Invitational during the season before heading into the postseason on a high note with a first-place showing in the Central Ozark Conference Championship with a 42-41—83. Bryant took fifth place in the Class 3 District 3 meet before capping her high school career with a fourth straight trip to the state tournament and placed 10th—her second consecutive top 10 finish.

                                                       BOYS SOCCER

                Gabriel Zapete, midfielder/forward, Neosho, senior

His final season at Neosho was a memorable one for senior midfielder/forward Gabriele Zapete, who earned several accolades on the way to helping lead the Wildcats to a 14-5 record this season as well as a fifth straight district title. Zapete closed the season with 22 goals to go along with seven assists. While being named as the co-offensive MVP in Class 3 District 6, Zapete also garnered first-team all-region and second-team all-state recognition.

BOYS SWIMMING

Carson Forcum, Webb City, senior

Among local athletes, Webb City senior Carson Forcum recorded the top finish at last November’s MSHSAA Class 1 Boys Swimming and Diving Championships in St. Peters. Forcum placed 14th in the 1-meter diving competition with his score of 335.4. It was a big improvement from a year earlier, where Forcum took 22nd at state.  The state finish put a final exclamation point on not only a stellar senior season, but also a solid prep career. In another main highlight of his senior season, Forcum recorded a program record score of 433.65 at the Red Bird Invitational. During his senior campaign, Forcum took third at the Springfield Invitational and was fourth at the SWMO Championships.  Forcum was the Central Ozark Conference champion as a junior, but he missed last fall’s conference meet due to an illness.

HM: Micah Brouwer, Webb City

GIRLS TENNIS

Astrid Cardenas and Emma Watts, Joplin   

Joplin doubles team Astrid Cardenas and Emma Watts are the SoMo Sports Girls Tennis Athletes of the Year

Joplin’s Astrid Cardenas and Emma Watts were a dominant doubles team during the 2021 season. The JHS duo went 26-3 in doubles matches last fall and concluded their stellar season at the Class 3 state tournament. Cardenas and Watts won the Central Ozark Conference championship, capping an undefeated regular season with a record of 23-0. Cardenas and Watts suffered their first loss of the season at the individual district tournament, where a runner-up finish secured a second straight state trip for the pair.  The Eagles concluded a memorable season at the individual state tournament.  A senior, Cardenas also went 11-3 in singles matches. Cardenas missed a number of early-season matches after suffering a facial injury over the summer. Watts, a junior, went 7-2 in singles matches. She also missed time due to a nagging back injury. Watts is expected to lead the Eagles this fall. 

HM: Allison Ding, Thomas Jefferson

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