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Tag: Carthage

GIRLS SWIMMING PREVIEW: Carthage features two returning starters, plenty of youth

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

The Carthage High School girls swim team will feature two returning starters and three athletes with prior varsity experience this winter.

“We’re very young and very inexperienced, so it will be a growth year,” Tigers coach Braden McBride said. “But we’re very excited about the upcoming season.” 

Carthage’s returning starters are senior Aubree Santillan and sophomore Olivia Manning, while sophomore Kameron Dininger also returns with some varsity experience.

Santillan and Manning were part of Carthage’s 200-yard medley relay team that finished 12th in the consolation finals at last year’s MSHSAA Class 2 Swimming and Diving Championships, earning honorable mention all-state honors. 

The Tigers lost two key performers to graduation, Madison Riley and Joey Hettinger.

A multi-year standout, Riley earned all-state honors in two individual events at last year’s state championships, as she placed fourth in the 100-yard butterfly and sixth in the 100 freestyle. 

Riley and Hettinger joined Santillan and Manning on last year’s all-state relay team. 

The Tigers finished 18th at last year’s Class 2 state meet, preceded by a fourth-place finish at the Central Ozark Conference Meet. 

McBride said his program prides itself on hard work.

“We are going to do our best to outwork everyone,” he said. 

McBride added the main area of concern heading into the season is the team’s overall inexperience.

For McBride, the keys to a successful season are simple.

“Growth and hard work,” he said. 

Carthage will begin the 2023-24 season on Nov. 30 by hosting a meet at the Fair Acres Family YMCA.

CROSS COUNTRY: Joplin’s Horton earns COC title; Webb City boys finish 2nd in standings

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

NIXA, Mo. — Joplin’s Ian Horton and Chance Tindall finished first and second in the boys race at the 29th Central Ozark Conference Cross Country Championships on Tuesday at Inman Intermediate School.

A senior, Horton crossed the line at 15 minutes, 28 seconds to claim medalist honors. A junior, Tindall was the COC runner-up in 15:34.

Nixa’s Aaron Ashley finished third in 15:48 and Webb City’s Evan Stevens placed fourth in 15:55.

Joplin had three runners finish in the top seven, as junior Grey Edwards placed seventh in 16:03. 

Webb City’s Mason Hedger (16:24) and Spencer Kendall (16:29) finished 10th and 12th.

Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson finished 15th, while Webb City’s duo of Noah Lankard and Andrew Dawson were 16th and 17th, respectively. 

Carl Junction’s Isaac Willoughby placed 19th, Carthage’s Eddy Fuentes was 20th and Carl Junction’s Luke Battagler took 25th.

Neosho’s Adam Farrell finished 28th, Webb City’s Fenton Rice placed 29th, Joplin’s Aidan Koch was 30th, Carthage’s Javen Byrd took 31st and Joplin’s Brady Honeycutt placed 33rd.

With five runners in the top nine, Nixa won the boys team championship with 31 points. Webb City took second with 59 points and Joplin was third with 73.

 

GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS

Webb City’s girls finished third in the team standings with 73 points. Ozark (48) and Nixa (57) were the top two teams. 

Republic’s Gracie Troester was the medalist in 18:28 and Ozark’s Ellsie Estes was second in 19:10. Nixa’s Mackinzie Harris took third in 19:14 and Republic’s Kristin Probst took fourth in 19:36.

Joplin’s Katherine Schaefer placed fifth with a time of 19:36 and Webb City’s Brooke Hedger was sixth in 19:53.

Webb City’s Amelia Antillon finished 10th in 20:24, while Carthage’s Maggie Boyd took 13th in 20:30.

Joplin’s duo of Averi Burks (20:41.3) and Kyrie Britton (20:41.7) finished 15th and 16th, while Webb City’s trio of Emma McKinzie (21:02), Olivia Klotz (21:09) and Emily Countryman (21:19) placed 18th, 19th and 20th. 

Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher finished 25th, Joplin’s Mia Grubbs was 26th and CJ’s Madilyn Dalton took 28th.

Carthage’s Jennifer Rodas-Gomez finished 31st, Joplin’s Meridyth Mai was 32nd, Carl Junction’s Delaney Harris took 33rd, Webb City’s Rachel Miller was 34th and Joplin’s Annabelle Rutledge finished 35th.

Carthage’s duo of Genesis Fuentes-Elias and Katy Witherspoon placed 36th and 37th, while their teammates Kimberly Monterroso and Jenna Wilson were 39th and 40th.   

 

CENTRAL OZARK CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Girls team standings: Ozark 48, Nixa 57, Webb City 73, Republic 85, Joplin 94, Carthage 156, Carl Junction 180, Branson 229.

Boys team standings: Nixa 31, Webb City 59, Joplin 73, Willard 151, Ozark 158, Carl Junction 161, Branson 167, Republic 201, Carthage 204, Neosho 253.

 

BOYS SWIMMING: Host Tigers win home invite, Joplin takes 2nd

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The host Tigers captured the team championship at their own Carthage Invitational swim meet on Thursday night at the Fair Acres Family YMCA.

Carthage finished with 360 points, and Joplin was second with 206. 

Rounding out the team standings were Monett (188), Hillcrest (129), Nevada (122), Marshfield (80), Seymour (21) and Greenwood (16).

The Carthage Tigers pose after winning their home invitational on Thursday. Courtesy photo.

CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS

Carthage’s 200-yard medley relay team of Kellen Frieling, Braxton McBride, Will Wright and Maveric Allphin took first in 1:46.

The Tigers also won the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:36, with McBride, Frieling, Aydan Nye and Wright competing.

Frieling and Wright each won a pair of individual events.

Frieling took first in the 100 butterfly in 57.34 seconds and the 100 backstroke in 58.34 seconds. 

Wright won the 200 IM in 2:11 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.

Also winning individual events for Carthage were McBride (50 free) and Ryan Steinbach (500 free).

McBride was the runner-up in the 100 free, while Nye took second in the 200 free and Ben Rogers finished second in the 500 free. 

The Tigers placed fourth in the 200 freestyle relay, with Allphin, Daryl Martin, Rogers and Nye competing.

 

JOPLIN HIGHLIGHTS

Joplin’s Nathan Wardlow won a pair of individual events, the 200 freestyle in 1:51 and the 100 freestyle in 49.76 seconds.

The Eagles won the 200 freestyle relay in 1:39, with Parker Hinman, Isaiah Thom, Ian Vermillion and Wardlow competing.

Joplin’s 400 freestyle relay team of Hinman, Thom, Vermillion and Wardlow finished second.

Hinman was second in two events, the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly. 

The Eagles finished fourth in the 200 medley relay, with Owen Mordica, Jackson Mordica, Connor Intessimone and Jordan Goins competing.

 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Nevada was the runner-up in the 200 medley relay. Nevada’s Kolton Evans was second in the 100 backstroke and teammate Trace Gould was the runner-up in the 100 breaststroke.

Monett’s Ryan Goodson took second in the 50 free and third in the 100 free.

The Cubs took second in the 200 free relay. 

CROSS COUNTRY: Horton leads Joplin at Chile Pepper Festival

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Joplin High School senior Ian Horton had a solid showing in one of the nation’s premier running events. 

Competing in the boys ‘El Caliente’ Division, Horton finished 11th with a time of 15:38 at the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival on Saturday.

There were 860 runners and 110 teams in the boys division. Lincoln College’s Isaac Rivera took first in 15:08. 

Joplin’s Chance Tindall finished 38th in 16:01. Carthage’s top performer was Eddy Fuentes (136th) and Joplin’s third runner was Grey Edwards (143rd).

In the girls ‘El Caliente’ Division, Joplin’s Katherine Schaeffer finished 104th in 19:37.

Joplin’s second and third runners were Averi Burks (234th) and Kyrie Britton (235th), while Carthage’s top finisher was Maggie Boyd (281st).

The girls race featured 648 runners and 77 full teams.

 

FULL RESULTS: Chile Pepper XC Fesitval (flashresults.com)

GIRLS GOLF: Joplin claims team title at Carthage invite

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — With three of the top 10 individuals, the Joplin High School girls golf team captured the team championship at the annual eCarthage.com Invitational on Monday at the Carthage Golf Course.

The Eagles turned in a four-person score of 390. Joplin’s Drew Yockey finished fifth with a 91, while Scarlett Satterlee tied for sixth with a 92 and Kenna Haley placed 10th with a 97. 

Carl Junction (412) and Mount Vernon (430) were second and third in the team standings.

Rounding out the team standings were El Dorado Springs (435), Monett (449), Seneca (463), Carthage (464), Webb City (466), McDonald County (512) and East Newton (520).

Nevada junior Emree Cameron was the individual medalist with a 2-under-par 69. Cameron, last year’s Class 2 state runner-up, was the lone player to shoot under par.

Cassville’s Avery Chappell was the individual runner-up with a 5-over-par 76, while Lamar’s Victoria O’Neal finished third with an 87 and Mount Vernon’s Kenadi Killingsworth placed fourth with an 89.

Yockey finished fifth, Carthage’s Addie Foust and Joplin’s Satterlee both carded 92 to tie for sixth, while Monett’s Katie Geiss finished eighth with a 94, Lamar’s Zavrie Wiss was ninth with a 96 and Haley rounded out the top 10.

Finishing 11th through 15th were Mount Vernon’s Emmie Schubert (98), Carl Junction’s Lyric Belcher (101), Joplin’s Emmie McGill (101), Nevada’s Paige Hertzberg (102) and Carl Junction’s Anna Burch (102).

Carl Junction’s duo of Alex Teeter (104) and Olivia Teeter (105) finished 17th and 18th, respectively.

Webb City’s Isabella Manes finished 19th with a 107 and Nevada’s Litzi Mullin, Seneca’s Madi Aumen and Cassville’s Adelee Hendricks all tied for 20th with scores of 108. 

Carl Junction’s Rylie Matyi took 23rd (109) and Joplin’s Chloe Friend finished 24th (110).

There were more than 60 golfers competing.

 

EAGLES OFF TO STELLAR START

The Joplin Eagles are off to a stellar start to the 2023 season.

In addition to winning Monday’s tourney in Carthage, the Eagles won the Seneca tri-match and have finished second in tournaments hosted by Ozark, Carl Junction and Springfield Catholic. Joplin also finished third at the Lamar Invitational. 

TENNIS PREVIEW: Carthage has new faces in key roles

Posted on by Jason Peake

After losing its top six players to graduation, the Carthage High School girls tennis team will have a large group of varsity newcomers in big roles this fall.

“We’ll have some fresh faces with very little varsity experience taking over the show this year,” Carthage coach Mark Lingenfelter said. “I’m excited to see how well we step up to the challenges that we’ll face this year, having so little varsity experience. It will be fun watching to see who will step up and make those gains and help put some points on the scoresheet for us. I’m also excited because we’ve got a really great group of young ladies.”

Three players with prior experience who are expected to be key performers this fall are seniors Logan Lee and Rachel Martin and junior Kailie Layman.

Other seniors on the roster are Aneidy Garza, Ava Goade and Emma Seedorf. Juniors listed on the roster are Sheily Calderon, Heaven Chuta-Saquic, Makayla Cochrane, Rozalyn Dunkle, Kambly Elias, Claire Giett, Maddie Goetzinger, Anne Kennedy and Emme Rogers.

Sophomores are Layla Carey, Mya Davison, Sage Gonzalez, Lucy Grissam, Lasha Hernandez and Flannery Shelfer. 

Freshmen competing for varsity spots are Adalee Gober, Yaneli Hernandez-Juarez, Aubrey Jewett, Valeria Najarro, Hayden Lawyer, Rylee Wallace, Tristyn Wilson, Lyssette Witherspoon and Vannessa Zamora Gerardo.

Last year’s squad was led by seniors Kianna Yates and Daniela Marquez. The doubles duo took second at the conference tournament, fourth at the district tournament and won tourney titles at both Monett and Thomas Jefferson.

Other key performers from last year, Katie Barton, Beverly Garcia, Abigail Samuel and Mireya Mendez, all graduated.

With so many new faces in big roles, Lingenfelter hopes to see steady progress throughout the fall season. 

“This is definitely going to be a growing year,” Lingenfelter said. “You can’t put a value on experience, and so few of my varsity players this year will have any varsity experience. It’s going to be tough, but we’re going to work hard and have fun doing it.”

Despite the team’s lack of varsity experience, Lingenfelter said there’s a lot to like about the group.

“My assistant coach (Maddie Capps) is definitely a strength for us,” he said. “The girls have really taken to her and she makes life easier for all of us. Another strength would be that the whole team gets along and has better chemistry than we did last year. The upperclassmen are really good about cheering on and including the underclassmen, and they’re a very sound bunch academically.”

Asked about a main goal for the season, Lingenfelter said it’s simple.

“Our goal is to be competitive, get better, and have fun doing it,” he said. “I want my kids to get better, refine their technique and abilities. A lot of that relies on being able to let bad habits go and being coachable and malleable. Keys to success will be to keep our chins up, staying positive, staying competitive, and enjoying each other and the process.”

Carthage opens the ’23 season on Aug. 28 at Monett.

 

GIRLS SOCCER: Area players named to All-COC team

Posted on by Jason Peake

The All-Central Ozark Conference girls soccer team for 2023 has been released.

 

2023 ALL-COC GIRLS SOCCER TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Midfielders: Briley Efird, Branson (Sr.); Jocelyn Brown, Carl Junction (Sr.); Alexa Gaunt, Nixa (Sr.); Kenadie Limb, Willard (Soph.).

Forwards: Hannah Franks, Carl Junction (Sr.); Daniela Marquez, Carthage (Sr.); Dakota DeGraffenreid, Webb City (Fr.); Katelyn Magee, Willard (Soph.).

Defenders: Lydia deWild, Nixa (Sr.); Bailey Snyder, Nixa (Soph.); Audrey Carlton, Ozark (Soph.); Molly Rushing, Ozark (Sr.); Ava Brown, Republic (Jr.).

Goalkeeper: Alexis Soloman, Ozark (Sr.).

 

SECOND TEAM

Midfielders: Paisley Parker, Joplin (Sr.); Gissele Vargas, Neosho (Sr.); Shaeley Combs, Ozark (Sr.); Annabelle Shuler, Ozark (Sr.); Molly Blades, Republic (Jr.); Charlae Cowan, Willard (Sr.).

Forwards: Kianna Yates, Carthage (Sr.); Shaelee Franck, Nixa (Fr.); Brooke Teter, Nixa (Soph.); Madison Foley, Willard (Sr.).

Defenders: Sonia Lopez, Carthage (Sr.); Emma Burton, Ozark (Sr.); Brooklyn Claxton, Republic (Jr.).

GK: Chrissy Figueroa, Carl Junction (Sr.).

 

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM

Midfielders: Sam McClain, Nixa (Fr.); Emma Siegler, Willard (Jr.).

Forwards: Isabella Johnson, Nixa (Jr.); Chloe Kondracki, Ozark (Soph.); Addison Shuler, Ozark (Soph.); Kendra Phiri, Republic (Jr.); Avery Allen, Webb City (Fr.).

Defenders: Abigail Decker, Branson (Jr.); Constance Graham, Carl Junction (Sr.); Kimberly Monterroso, Carthage (Soph.); Avery Bishop, Nixa (Soph.).

 

STATE TRACK & FIELD: Area athletes earn medals on Day 1

Posted on by Jason Peake

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Joplin area fared extremely well at the MSHSAA Track and Field Championships on Friday.

Lamar and East Newton both had individual state champions, while Joplin, Neosho, Carthage, Webb City, Carl Junction and Nevada all had athletes earn all-state recognition at Adkins Stadium on the campus of Jefferson City High School.

Below is a recap of Day 1 action for local athletes competing in classes 3-5. The state track meet concludes on Saturday.

 

CLASS 5

JOPLIN HIGHLIGHTS

Joplin senior Hobbs Campbell was the runner-up in the Class 5 1600-meter run on Friday, finishing in 4:13.01. Rock Bridge’s Andrew Hauser won the race in 4:12.79. Campbell also finished second to Hauser at last year’s state meet.

A future Kansas Jayhawk, Campbell also finished fifth in the 800 on Friday with a time of 1:55, giving the JHS standout a pair of medals.

Campbell will finish his prep career on Saturday by running the 3200. 

Joplin’s other medalist on Friday was freshman Cordell Washington, who tied Ozark’s Peyton Ligon  for sixth place in the high jump by clearing 6-5.5. 

In other events, Eagles senior Drew VanGilder finished 10th in the javelin (153-11) and senior Orion Norris finished 15th in the prelims of the 200 (22.59).

Joplin’s 4×100 relay team of Quinton Renfro, Tayshawn Palmer, Norris and Davin Thomas finished 11th in the prelims in 43.11 seconds and did not advance to the finals. 

The top eight in each preliminary event advance to Saturday’s finals and the top eight in field events/running finals are state medalists.

On the girls side, Joplin’s 4×100 relay team of Phia Vogel, Abigayle Lowery, Abigail Eckert and Brylee Strickland finished seventh in 48.95 seconds to advance to the finals. 

A freshman, Strickland had a busy day. In Friday’s prelims, Strickland finished ninth in the 400-meter run (1:00), 10th in the 100-meter dash (12.33 seconds) and 11th in the 200 (25.78).

 

CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS

Tigers senior Micah Lindsey earned a spot on the awards podium after placing fifth in the shot put (57-9).

A Pittsburg State football recruit, Lindsey is a two-time medalist, as he finished seventh in the event last year.

Carthage senior Miguel Solano placed ninth in the 800 with a time of 1:56.36, just missing a spot on the awards stand. The eighth place finisher, Grayson Tapp of Liberty North, recorded a time of 1:56.14.

Tigers junior Daryl Martin finished 12th in the 300 hurdles prelims with a time of 40.99 seconds.

For the Carthage girls, freshman Chasity Straw finished 11th in the discus (118-5).

 

NEOSHO HIGHLIGHTS

Neosho senior Collyn Kivett earned a medal by finishing fifth in the Class 5 javelin. Kivett recorded a heave of 169-7.

Wildcats senior Tyrese Hill advanced to the finals of the 200-meter dash by finishing fourth in Friday’s prelims in 21.73 seconds. Hill was also 10th in the prelims of the 100 (10.86).

Neosho senior Jared Siler finished 10th in both of his individual events, the long jump (21-4) and the high jump (6-3.5).

Izaiah Hill finished 16th in the prelims of the 400 (51.29).

 

CLASS 4

WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Webb City had four all-state performances on Friday, three on the boys side. 

Webb City senior Trey Roets closed out his prep career on the awards podium after placing third in the javelin with a toss of 179-11. 

Roets, who will compete in football and track at William Jewell, was also third in the event last year.

The Cardinals had two medalists in the javelin, as junior Tucker Liberatore placed sixth with a toss of 171-4.

Webb City’s third medalist of the day was junior Evan Stevens, who placed fifth in the 1600 with a time of 4:21. Stevens will run the 3200 on Saturday.

In other events, Webb City sophomore Eric Lathan finished 13th in the shot put with a toss of 48-5.5 and Cardinals junior Ryan Reid competed in the high jump, but did not clear the opening height.

Webb City’s 4×400 relay team of Gabe Johnson, Noah Moss, Joshua White and Jordan Thornburg finished 16th in the prelims.

Of note, Webb City senior Grayson Smith will attempt to repeat as Class 4 pole vault champion on Saturday.

On the girls side, senior Abi Street finished third in the 3200 with a time of 10:59 to earn all-state honors. Street will compete in the 1600 on Saturday.

Webb City’s 4×100 relay team of Kylie Jennings, Chase Stilley, Alyssa Moreno and Essence Robinson finished ninth in 50.03 seconds, just missing a spot in the finals.

Webb City junior Aubree Lassiter finished 11th in the discus (111-0).

 

CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Carl Junction junior Acadia Badgley finished sixth in the pole vault by clearing 10 feet even, earning all-state recognition.

Carl Junction sophomore Sydney Ward advanced to the finals in two events. 

In Friday’s prelims, Ward finished fourth in the 100-meter dash (12.08 seconds) and fifth in the 200 (25.1). Ward will compete in the finals of both events on Saturday. She was a medalist in both events last year as a freshman. 

The CJ girls finished 15th in the prelims of the 4×200 relay, as Olivia Battagler, Destiny Buerge, Dezi Williams and Ward recorded a time of 1:48.7.

Freshman Bella Montez was 12th in the prelims of the 300 hurdles with a time of 49.39 seconds.

 

MCDONALD COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS

McDonald County’s 4×100 relay team of Sam Barton, Esteban Martinez-Olvera, Dominic Cervantes and Josh Pacheco finished 15th in the prelims.

The Mustangs finished ninth in the 4×400 prelims, with Cervantes, Hunter Leach, Dalton McClain and Pacheco competing.

The Mac County girls finished 15th in the 4×400 prelims, with Clara Horton, Corina Holland, Ireona Nirka and Anna Price competing.

 

NEVADA HIGHLIGHTS

Nevada senior Drew Beachler was the runner-up in the Class 4 long jump after recording a leap of 23-2.

He’ll compete in the triple jump on Saturday.

 

CLASS 3

COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS

The College Heights girls finished ninth in the prelims of the 4×200 relay with a time of 1:48.87, with Jayli Johnson, Allie Stout, Lauren Ukena and Jesalin Bever competing. 

The Cougars were nipped at the finish line for the final spot in the finals by Maryville (1:48.86).

The CHC girls were 10th in the 4×400 prelims, as Bever, Johnson, Stout and Ukena recorded a time of 4:15.

A senior, Johnson finished 11th in the prelims of the 400 with a time of 1:01.

 

OTHER CLASS 3 HIGHLIGHTS

Two regional athletes won state titles in Class 3.

Lamar junior Trace Wooldridge won the shot put with a toss of 55-0.25.

East Newton’s Chase Sorrell crossed the line first in the 800-meter run with a time of 1:53. 

A junior, Sorrell also finished second in the 1600 with a time of 4:17 to earn two medals on the day.

East Newton had two other medalists, as Michael Crowe was the runner-up in the high jump (6-4) and Eden Enlow finished seventh in the javelin (149-10).

On the girls side in Class 3, Lamar’s Kiersten Potter finished third in the 3200 (11:18), Aurora’s Makena Hall placed fifth in the pole vault (10-3.5) and Cassville’s Jolie Evans was fifth in the 3200 (11:36).

Cassville’s 4×800 relay team of Marianne McCrackin, Tori Mitchell, Jadyn Williams-Reed and Jolie Evans finished fourth with a time of 10:03.

GIRLS HOOPS: All-COC team released, Buerge is Co-Player of the Year

Posted on by Jason Peake

Below is the All-Central Ozark Conference girls basketball team for 2022-23.

 

ALL-CENTRAL OZARK CONFERENCE TEAM

Co-Player of the Year: Kaemyn Bekemeier, Republic

Co-Player of the Year: Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction

Coach of the Year: Brad Shorter, Carl Junction

 

FIRST TEAM

Bekemeier, Republic (U)

Buerge, Carl Junction (U)

Norah Clark, Nixa (U)

Kylie Scott, Carl Junction (U)

Kianna Yates, Carthage (U)

Sami Mancini, Webb City (U)

Jordyn Foley, Ozark

 

SECOND TEAM

Kailyn Washington, Willard

Misora Nambara, Republic

Laila Grant, Nixa

Karlee Ellick, Neosho

Kate Brownfield, Webb City

Alexis Soloman, Ozark

Taylor Foster, Branson

 

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM

Molly Blades, Republic

Lauren Choate, Carthage

Ellison Mehrhoff, Branson

Molly Rushing, Ozark

Lilly Mahy, Nixa

Dezi Williams, Carl Junction

 

ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM

Brooke Teter, Nixa

Molly Rushing, Ozark

Karlee Ellick, Neosho

Scarlett Floyd, Willard

Klohe Burk, Carl Junction

Jocelyn McQueen, Branson

 

GIRLS HOOPS ROUNDUP: Carl Junction tops Branson; Neosho, Carthage, Webb City fall in COC play

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARL JUNCTION GIRLS 71, BRANSON 56

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — After a close first half, Carl Junction outscored Branson 22-7 in the third quarter to pull away for good on Thursday night in Central Ozark Conference girls basketball action.

Ranked first in Class 5, Carl Junction hiked its record to 22-1 overall and 6-0 in the Central Ozark Conference.

Up 21-17 at the end of the first quarter, the Bulldogs were clinging to a 33-28 lead at intermission.

But Carl Junction dominated the third period and built a 55-35 lead heading into the final frame.

Standout senior guard Destiny Buerge scored 25 points to lead the Bulldogs, while junior forward Kylie Scott had 23 points and senior guard Klohe Burk added 12 points.

Taylor Foster paced Branson with 18 points.

The Pirates slipped to 9-10 overall and 1-3 in the COC.

Carl Junction hosts Neosho on Tuesday in the team’s final home date.

 

OZARK GIRLS 49, NEOSHO 42

NEOSHO, Mo. — Ozark led by three heading into the final eight minutes of action and held off Neosho for a Central Ozark Conference and district win on Thursday.

The Tigers (11-10, 4-1 COC) went into halftime up three and the lead was the same as both teams entered the fourth quarter. Ozark got the first bucket of the fourth and kept that pace down the stretch. The Tigers pushed the lead to six early in the period before the Wildcats (10-11, 1-3 COC) cut it back to three with three minutes left. Unfortunately, that would be as close as Neosho got before Ozark pushed the margin out to seven and held on to the final horn.

Ozark’s Jordyn Foley started the final period off with a 3-pointer from the top of the key before Karlee Ellick scored on the inside for Neosho.

Ellick earned a steal for a layup on the break by Autumn Kinnaird the other way to trim the lead back to three, 41-38, with 3:11 to left in regulation.

After a pair of free throws from Sydney Hampton, Molly Rushing earned a steal for a fast-break score with 2:15 to play to give the Tigers a 45-38 cushion and essentially put the game out of reach.

Ellick led the Wildcats in scoring with 15 points, while Meredith Baldwin and Courtney Thomason each scored seven points. Raine Harris finished with six and Kinnaird closed with five. 

Neosho is at Carl Junction on Tuesday.

Ozark hosts Republic on Monday.

Webb City’s Malorie Stanley drives to the hoop against Republic’s Alex Price on Thursday night inside the Cardinal Dome. Photos by Derek Livingston.

REPUBLIC GIRLS 66, WEBB CITY 53

WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Webb City girls basketball team hung tough with Class 6 No. 3 Republic for a large part of the night, but the Tigers rode a strong third quarter to a COC win over the Cardinals on Thursday inside the Cardinal Dome.

Webb City’s Sami Mancini scores inside against Republic on Thursday night.

After a close first half, the Tigers outscored the Cardinals 23-7 in the game-changing third period to take control.

Webb City fell to 14-8 overall and 4-2 in the COC. 

Sophomore post player Sami Mancini scored 23 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Webb City. On Wednesday, Mancini announced on Twitter that she’s received an offer from Vanderbilt.

Kate Brownfield added 10 points for the Cardinals, while Mia Robbins and Kirra Long added seven points apiece.

Republic improved to 19-3 and 4-1 in the conference.

Missouri State commit Kaemyn Bekemeier led Republic with 22 points and 10 rebounds. A senior guard, Bekemeier has scored more than 2,000 points during her prep career.

Lauren Chastain added 15 points for the Tigers.

Webb City took a three-point lead after Mancini’s hoop inside and Long’s trey, but the Tigers reeled off five straight points to take a 15-13 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Tigers began the second period on a 13-6 run to go up nine. During the surge, the Tigers were able to force the Cardinals into a number of turnovers with their full-court press.

Webb City’s Robbins hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key to cut her team’s deficit to 28-22 at halftime.

Ignited by their pressure defense, the Tigers used a 16-2 run in the third quarter to pull away for good. 

By the time the third period ended, Republic held a comfortable 51-29 lead.

The Cardinals had one last run in them. Brownfield scored eight straight points and Mancini hit the second of two foul shots, cutting Webb City’s deficit to 11 with 4:20 left.

But the Tigers wouldn’t be denied.

Webb City is at Joplin on Monday night.

 

NIXA GIRLS 68, CARTHAGE 37

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Nixa held a seven-point lead after the first quarter and expanded upon it over the remaining three quarters en route to a conference and district win over Carthage on Thursday.

The Eagles (16-5, 3-2 COC) outscored the Tigers (9-13, 1-5) by 14 in the second quarter to push the lead more than 20 by the intermission. Nixa held pace in the second half on the way to victory.

Sadie Conway had 13 points to lead Nixa, while Norah Clark finished with 12. Laila Grant added 10 for three players in double figures.

Carthage’s Kianna Yates led the Tigers with 17 points, including three 3-pointers. Lexa Youngblood added seven points, while Maggie Boyd and Lauren Choate each finished with five in the loss.

Carthage hosts Branson on Monday on Senior Night.

FOOTBALL: Local players named all-region by SWMFCA

Posted on by Jason Peake

A large number of local athletes were recognized as all-region performers by the Southwest Missouri Football Coaches Association.

In Class 6, Joplin’s Draven VanGilder (LB) and Kickapoo’s Andrew Link (DE) were the Co-Defensive Players of the Year.

In Class 5, Carthage senior running back and linebacker Luke Gall was the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year. Carthage’s Jon Guidie was the Class 5 Coach of the Year.

Nevada’s Case Sanderson was the Defensive Player of the Year in Class 4.

In Class 2, Lamar’s Joel Beshore was the Offensive Player of the Year, Austin Wilkerson was the Defensive Player of the Year and Jared Beshore was named Coach of the Year.

Full teams by class are posted below. Click on the link of each class to see the full all-region team. 

SWMFCA ALL-REGION TEAMS

Class 6 – SWMFCA

Class 5 – SWMFCA

Class 4 – SWMFCA

Class 3 – SWMFCA

Class 2 – SWMFCA

Class 1 – SWMFCA

8 man – SWMFCA

 

WRESTLING PREVIEW: Carthage to build around eight returning starters

Posted on by Jason Peake

The Carthage Tigers return eight starters from a team last season that finished 8-2 overall in dual competition and placed fifth in the Central Ozark Conference, fourth at districts, and 17th at state.

Class 4 state runner-up Davion King headlines the Tigers’ returning wrestlers for veteran head coach Kenny Brown, who enters his 20th season at the helm of the Tigers.

Brown said that around 70 wrestlers went out for the team at the start of practice and the Tigers are looking to bring that number down to 56 before the start of the season in an effort to maximize their opportunities to develop their JV wrestlers.

“We did have a successful season last year, but definitely came up short of where we wanted to end up,” Brown said. “We wrestle some very talented competition just within our conference. The boys know what we have returning and are looking forward to the opportunity to test themselves against those programs.

“With gas prices this last year, we chose not to attend any camps this summer and just worked in our own room. We focused on more high-level technique that our boys are more likely to see at some of the tougher tournaments.

“Our goals this season are the same as every season. We want to continue to improve throughout the course of the season to give us the best opportunity to challenge for a district championship and set ourselves up for a run during the state tournament.”

King finished 38-5 overall last season, won a district title, and finished second in the COC at 160 pounds. He also placed fifth at 145 his sophomore year and qualified for state at 138 his freshman year.

“Davion placed second last year at state,” Brown said. “He had some health issues that kept him from putting on any weight and he ended up wrestling his finals match way undersized. Davion has worked hard putting on muscle this offseason and will be a tough match for just about anyone he sees this year.”

King plays key roles for the Carthage football team as defensive back and wide receiver. A deep playoff run for the Tigers in football would impact their basketball and wrestling teams.

Slated to wrestle at 132 his junior season, Bradyn Tate finished 31-12 last season at 126 and qualified for state at 113 his freshman campaign.

“Bradyn had a very consistent season for us last year as a sophomore and qualified as a freshman for the state tournament,” Brown said. “Bradyn spent a lot of time on the mats this summer and preseason, competing in multiple tournaments.”

Grey Petticrew went 25-10 overall at 145 last season and he could have an even more successful senior season.

“Grey did a tremendous job for us last year qualifying for state for his first time,” Brown said. “He was wrestling at a better weight last season for himself and the team. He is going to pull back down to 150 and we are looking at him with a legitimate shot at the podium.”

Dylan Huntley finished 25-14 overall at 113 last season and he’s moving up in weight for his junior season.

“Dylan Huntley will be looking to fill our 120-pound spot,” Brown said. “He just missed out on qualifying for the state tournament last season and we are looking for him to punch his first ticket to the state tournament this year.”

Tanner Putt recorded a 6-4 mark at 106 his freshman season.

“Tanner really came on strong towards the end of last season,” Brown said. “He was undersized all year at 106 and we are hoping to see continued improvement now that he is an actual 106-pounder. He spent most of the summer in the wrestling room and competed in a few tournaments this summer as well.”

Other returning wrestlers from last season are 138-pound senior Kip Castor (23-13 at 132), 157-pound senior Gabe Lambeth (11-12 at 170/182), and 285-pound sophomore David Recinos (11-6 at 285).

The graduation of five seniors from last season, including state medalist Braxdon Tate, has opened up a few spots in the Carthage lineup.

“Trey Nye started wrestling as a freshman and has come a long way in the three years he has wrestled for us,” Brown said. “He has been stuck behind some of our best wrestlers the past two years and we need for him to find a spot in the varsity lineup.”

Brown said that 10 wrestlers are in competition to replace Bradyn Tate at the 126 spot.

The Tigers open their season with a dual Tuesday against conference rival Carl Junction. They compete in the Farmington Duals (Dec. 10), Harrisonville (Dec. 16-17), Excelsior Springs (Jan. 7), and Platte County (Jan. 20-21) tournaments, as well as being the host of the Carthage Varsity Duals on Dec. 28.

Carthage’s schedule especially picks up in intensity in January, between the tournaments in Excelsior Springs and Platte County, as well as the Tigers’ annual Black and Blue Brawl Jan. 17 against longtime rival Neosho.

The Tigers defeated Neosho 38-31 on their home mat last season for their first win in the Black and Blue series since 2007, a victory secured by Recinos’ win by pin at 285 in the final match of the night.

Carthage competes Jan. 28 in the conference tournament and districts and state both follow in February.  

 

FOOTBALL: Late 2-point conversion snaps regular season win streak for Carthage

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Jon Guidie and his coaching staff saw it coming. 

With 2:03 left in the game, his team held a 21-14 lead, but the Nixa Eagles had marched all the way down to the Tiger 10-yard line.

Senior quarterback Connor Knatcal zipped a pass into the end zone where Noah Engleman was waiting. 

Most fans at David Haffner Stadium seemed to expect the Eagle field goal unit to tie the game, giving the Tigers a chance to win in the final 1:57, or a second chance in overtime as the crowd remained active and engaged. But Guidie said he anticipated Nixa coach John Perry’s next move.

“We had talked, ‘If they score, I bet they go for two,’” he said after the game. “Which was great, I thought that would be good, ‘Let’s get a stop right there and win the game.’ But they executed the play. They made one more play than we did.”

One more play and one more point were the difference as Nixa (3-0) came from behind to win 22-21, snapping a 23-game regular season winning streak for Carthage (2-1). 

The Carthage defense converges on Nixa’s Ramone Green on Friday night. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The decisive drive was set up by a pair of Tiger mishaps. With 8:12 left in the game and Carthage holding its one-score lead, Nixa went for it on fourth-down and 6 from the Carthage 47. 

The Tigers made the stop, giving them a chance to make it a two-possession game moving into the late stages of the fourth quarter, but two plays later, 2021 Missouri Class 5 Player of the Year and Air Force commit Luke Gall lost a fumble around midfield.

The Carthage defense held, forcing a punt, but it rolled all the way to the 1-yard line, backing the offense up against its own end zone. 

With little room to work with, the Tigers were forced to punt from their own 6, setting up the Eagles at the Tiger 33. Five plays later, Engleman scored. 

“We had a couple of miscues there in the end,” Guidie said. “We turned the ball over and then we didn’t field a punt that we needed to. Just kind of let it slip through our hands. But, like I told the kids, man, those guys, other than those things, our effort was there all night. It really was, we played really, really, hard and they followed the game plan.”

That game plan was to burn clock on offense and keep the ball out of the hands of Knatcal, his multiplen targets and standout senior running back Ramone Green Jr., who entered the game averaging a first-down and some change (11 yards) per carry in the Eagles’ first two games.

Cooper Jadwin   

Carthage accomplished that in the first half in particular, limiting Nixa to three offensive possessions in which Knatcal went 7-of-14 passing attempts for 96 yards and Green Jr. ran only six times for 29 yards. 

Carthage converted on four fourth-down attempts in the first half and its second drive of the game lasted 20 plays, ending in a touchdown. 

Gall finished with 171 rushing yards on 28 carries and two touchdowns, and senior quarterback Cooper Jadwin added 72 yards on 13 carries and a score of his own, to go with four completions on nine attempts and 74 yards through the air.

Guidie addressed his team after the game with a raucous celebration of Nixa players, coaches and fans in the background.  

“There’s nothing you can say to make them feel any better,” he said. “You just want them to understand that that doesn’t deter us from our ultimate goal, which is a playoff run and getting back to that state championship game. That loss doesn’t deter us from that. I told them ‘Just be smart, get back here Monday and get back to work.’”

The Tigers will travel to face Carl Junction at Bulldog Stadium in Week 4.

 

Carthage hosted Nixa in a clash between state-ranked foes. All photos by Shawn Fowler.

 

 

 

VOLLEYBALL: Carthage tops Pittsburg for third straight win

Posted on by Jason Peake

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Carthage High School volleyball team earned a 3-0 non-conference victory at Pittsburg on Thursday night.

The Tigers defeated the Purple Dragons 25-9, 25-13, 25-13.

Senior outside hitters Brielle Cartwright and Abby Holderbaum led the Tigers with eight kills apiece, while sophomore Jaidyn Brunnert contributed 10 assists and six kills.

Senior setter Raven Probert had a team-high 11 assists, while junior defensive specialist Riann Schwartz led Carthage with 12 digs. 

The win was Carthage’s third straight, as the Tigers recorded recent wins over Siloam Springs (29-27, 25-16, 23-25, 25-23) and McDonald County (25-16, 25-19, 25-11).

Carthage (3-5) will host Shiloh Christian on Monday night and travel to Cassville on Tuesday. 

 

CROSS COUNTRY: Webb City’s Street, Stevens cruise to Carthage invite championships

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Abi Street and Evan Stevens were both all alone as they approached the finish line in their respective races at the 49th annual Carthage Invitational. 

The Webb City duo claimed individual championships in convincing fashion on Thursday at the Carthage Golf Course.

The pair of Cardinals cruised to first place finishes in their 5K competitions, as there were no other runners close by when they finished touring the course.

A senior, Street won the girls race in 19 minutes, 40 seconds, nearly two minutes faster than the runner-up, as Rogers’ Olivia Davis crossed the line at 21:23.

“I felt good today and our team did really well as a whole,” Street said. “There’s a lot of good girls here, so I’ll be honest, I was pretty nervous. I stuck with my game plan and I just ran my race. I always hope to do as well as I can. I don’t really realize that I’m all alone at the end because I’m just zoned in. I don’t really pay attention to that. I just try to race my race.”

Webb City’s Abi Street was all alone late in Thursday’s varsity girls race at the Carthage Invitational. Street cruised to a first place finish. Photo by Jason Peake.

Street went to the front early in the race and continued to pull away from the competition.

“Abi had some company for the first kilometer or so and that was great,” Webb City coach Dustin Miller said. “Then she was solo once again by the end of the race. Abi is really fit right now. Hopefully next week at MSSU Abi will get to showcase her skills against some solid girls. I know she’ll be ready to go, so it will be interesting to see how she does there.”

Street is now 2-for-2 this fall, as she cruised to a first place finish at last Saturday’s SWCCCA Invitational in Bolivar in 19:07. She won that race by 20 seconds.

“I’m excited about the start to the season,” said Street, who placed fifth at last year’s Class 4 state meet. “I think our team will be really strong this season. Our freshmen are really stepping up and that’s motivating me, too.” 

Street wasn’t the only local runner to perform well on a warm Thursday.

Webb City’s Brooke Hedger finished fifth in 22:31, while Carthage’s Maggie Boyd took sixth in 23:05 and Webb City’s Rachel Miller placed ninth in 23:31. 

Carl Junction’s Alexis Carpenter finished 13th, Webb City’s Kristina Bundy placed 15th and Carl Junction’s Audrey Fletcher and Delaney Harris were 16th and 17th.

Webb City’s Holly Capron finished 18th, Carl Junction’s Sadie Burchett placed 20th, Webb City’s Emily Countryman was 21st, CJ’s Klohe Burk took 24th and Carthage’s Katy Witherspoon placed 25th.

There were 50 runners in the girls race.

With four runners in the top 15, Webb City was the girls team champion with 35 points.

“We had three freshmen score for us today and sophomore Rachel Miller PR’d today on this course,” Coach Miller said. “She’s a monster and she has dedicated herself to the training. She has a positive mindset and it shows. Bundy, Hedger and Capron are starting to figure things out, so I’m proud of them. Our girls got out well, which was our big emphasis. We competed well and put ourselves in a position to get the team win. That’s exciting for us.” 

Rogers (41) and Carl Junction (68) finished second and third in the team standings. Glendale (107) and Carthage (110) rounded out the standings, as Springfield Central, Hillcrest, Parkview, Willard and Thomas Jefferson did not have full squads competing. 

 

Webb City’s Evan Stevens went to the front early in Thursday’s varsity boys race at Carthage.

STEVENS SHINES

Webb City’s Evan Stevens is off to a great start to his junior season.

Stevens went to the front right away and never looked back on the way to a first place win on Thursday. 

Stevens toured the course in 16:46. The runner-up, Willard’s Nolan Hansen, finished in 17:23.  

“Overall, I thought I ran all right,” Stevens said. “I went out a little fast and faded on the hills a little bit, but I guess that’s to be expected. I went to the front right away and wanted to make people race me. It feels good to be all alone like that at the end. It makes me feel like I came out and did my job. It’s always awesome to finish first.” 

The individual win comes after Stevens placed third overall at last weekend’s SWCCCA invite in Bolivar.

“Evan had a great day,” Miller said. “He’s fit. I’m really excited to see what he can do next week with some top athletes competing at Missouri Southern. We’ll see if he can hang with some of those guys. There were some great athletes competing here today, too.” 

After Stevens and Hansen, Webb City’s Mason Hedger finished third in 17:31. 

“Mason went out harder than he did last week, and it paid huge dividends for him,” Miller said. “He had a shot at second, but Nolan held him off. I’m really proud of Mason. He’s figuring out how to race.”

Thomas Jefferson’s Kip Atteberry was fourth with a time of 17:40, Carthage’s Caleb Fewin finished seventh in 18:11, Carl Junction’s Jack Lawson placed eighth in 18:20 and Carthage’s duo of Miguel Solano (18:23) and Eddy Fuentes (18:25) finished ninth and 10th, respectively. 

Jack Lawson

Also, Carthage’s Michael Lanyon and Devin Smith finished 17th and 23rd, Webb City’s Dakota Grove was 26th, Carl Junction’s Alexander Allison took 28th and Webb City’s Andrew Dawson was 30th. 

There were 73 runners in the boys race.

Carthage (60), Rogers (62) and Webb City (77) were the top three teams. See a related story on Carthage’s team victory.  

Willard (84), Glendale (86), Carl Junction (153) and Springfield Central (173) rounded out the top seven. 

Miller noted his squad’s finish in the standings will provide extra motivation going forward. 

“I was really proud of the way the guys got out,” Miller said. “Our back end, our No. 3-4-5, they got out well but didn’t move up. We had some self-doubt creep in. We didn’t perform well in the last mile and it showed. We deserved to get beat today. It’s unfortunate, but it’s early in the year and we’ll learn, and we’ll be better.”

 

TJ’S ATTEBERRY FARES WELL IN ’22 DEBUT

Competing against athletes from much larger schools, Thomas Jefferson’s Kip Atteberry fared well on Thursday, placing fourth in 17:40.

“I’m always more interested in my time and I wasn’t super happy with it today,” Atteberry said. “This is a tough course. And this is my first 5K of the season. I was unhappy with my time, but I’m very happy with my place. That’s a lot better than I did last year.”

Atteberry finished fourth at last year’s Class 1 state meet and earned all-state honors in three events at last May’s state track meet. With that, Atteberry has the goals set high for his senior campaign.

To Atteberry, Thursday’s performance is a solid starting point.

“It’s a pretty good start to the season,” Atteberry added. “I’m almost a minute faster than I was here last year. And I’m pretty excited about this season. I have big goals in mind.” 

Atteberry will be among the local athletes who will compete at the Southern Stampede on Sept. 13 at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. Squads from Webb City, Carthage and Carl Junction will also compete at MSSU’s annual event. 

 

CARTHAGE INVITATIONAL RESULTS: Carthage Invitational 2022 – Meet Results (milesplit.com)

 

Webb City’s Mason Hedger and Thomas Jefferson’s Kip Atteberry are pictured during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational. All photos by Jason Peake.

 

 

Evan Stevens heads to the finish line first on Thursday, with no other runner close by.

 

Runners from Carl Junction and Webb City are pictured at the start of the varsity girls race. Webb City’s girls captured the team championship. 

 

Webb City’s Abi Street and Rogers’ Olivia Davis lead the way during the early stages of the varsity girls race.

 

Runners take off at the start of the varsity boys race on Thursday at the Carthage Golf Course.

SOFTBALL: Carthage suffers pair of losses on final day of Joplin tourney

Posted on by Jason Peake

Carthage suffered a pair of one-run losses on the final day of the Paige Neal/Christina Freeman Softball Tournament at the Joplin Athletic Complex.

Competing in the Bronze Bracket on Saturday, Carthage dropped a 3-2 decision to Staley before Park Hill South edged the Tigers 9-8.

Against Staley, the Tigers plated single tallies in the first and third innings. 

Landry Cochran went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, while Jenna Calhoon had the lone RBI.

Ashlyn Brust and Cochran both doubled. 

Ashlynn Jackson took the loss after allowing two earned runs on two hits and four walks in six innings. 

Hailey Herman was the winning pitcher. She struck out seven and gave up one earned run in the complete game effort. 

Staley’s Rian Martin homered. 

In the tourney finale, Park Hill South plated the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning to earn a walk-off victory. 

Carthage used a three-run seventh inning to tie the game at 8-8.

Lexa Youngblood led the Tigers at the plate by going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and an RBI. 

Brooklynn Dolon-Main and Shelby Hegwer had two hits apiece. Dolon-Main drove in two runs, while Jackson, Youngblood and Aven Willis had one RBI apiece.

Cochran doubled and scored a run.

Addison Wallace allowed six runs on seven hits in two innings, while Jackson gave up one earned run on seven hits in five frames. Jackson fanned four.  

Park Hill South’s Erin Stewart drove in three runs on three hits. Stewart hit the game-ending double in the eighth inning. 

The Tigers went 1-4 at the Joplin tourney, beating Monett 8-3 on Friday. 

Carthage (5-5) is at Joplin (10-2) at 4:30 on Tuesday for the Central Ozark Conference opener. 

GIRLS TENNIS: Carthage features experienced lineup

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

With last year’s top five performers back in the lineup, the Carthage girls tennis team has the expectations set high this fall.

Coach Mark Lingenfelter’s Tigers will be led by seniors Kianna Yates, Daniela Marquez, Anayansi Lopez, Katie Barton and Beverly Garcia. The five, in that order, were Carthage’s top players a season ago. 

“We are excited for this year’s season,” Lingenfelter said. “We’ve got a huge group of seniors for a tennis team (12), and I have coached most of them since their freshman year. We’ve got 40 student-athletes on the team this year, which is a big group. I’m excited to see how they progress in their abilities as the season begins.”

With so much varsity experience back on the court, Lingenfelter is confident the Tigers can improve upon last year’s 3-9 conference record.

“I believe we will finish closer to .500 this year after going 3-9 last season,” he said. “Many teams we played last year were senior heavy like we are this year. In the COC, nothing is given away, everything is earned, so we aren’t expecting any extra wins to be easy.”

Lingenfelter noted there’s a lot to like about his team.

“We’ve got a great group of student-athletes in general,” he said. “They get along, they work hard, and they’re coachable. We’ll reach our goals if we stay positive, stay focused and don’t forget to have some fun while we’re out there.”

Lingenfelter added he hopes to see continued progress throughout the season.

“In tennis, there are so many aspects to the game that you’re always trying to improve on,” he said. “We really need to continue to improve in every area, for every player. All players have areas of strengths in regard to their game, and areas of weakness that they need to address as the season begins. General areas where the whole team could be better as of now include serving and being consistent.”

Carthage hosts Monett on Aug. 29.

LEAVING NO DOUBT: Webb City rolls past Carthage in district title game

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Webb City Cardinals entered the highly-anticipated showdown at Carthage in an unfamiliar position — the underdog.

But by night’s end, there was no doubt who was still the top dog in Southwest Missouri. 

Looking nothing like a lower seed, second-seeded Webb City took control early and rolled to a convincing 42-21 victory over top-seeded and previously undefeated Carthage on Friday night in the Class 5 District 6 championship game at a packed David Haffner Stadium. 

Webb City (10-1) captured a district championship for the 21st straight season and advanced to next Friday’s quarterfinal round, where the Cardinals will host Lebanon (7-3).

“I’m just amazed at the kids’ effort and how hard they played,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “We had a fantastic week of practice. I’m just so, so proud of our players and coaches. Playing that team brought the best out of us. I can’t say enough about the effort of our kids.” 

Carthage ends the season at 9-1. The loss snapped Carthage’s 18-game win streak and put an end to the Tigers’ hopes of repeating as state champion. 

The longtime rivals who have been getting together on the gridiron for more than 100 years met for the first time as a pair of defending state champions.

And perennial power Webb City, the 15-time state champ, was in an unfamiliar position—on the road as the lower seed. The Tigers were the team that came into the night as the top seed with an unblemished record. 

“We put on our scouting report that they were the defending state champions, they were undefeated and they were the No. 1 seed,” Roderique said. 

Webb City coach John Roderique talks to his team after Friday’s 42-21 win over Carthage in the Class 5 District 6 title game at Carthage. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Webb City junior wide receiver and defensive back Cohl Vaden, who hauled in a touchdown pass, ran for another score and recovered a muffed punt, said the Cardinals were not only highly-motivated for the clash, but also well-prepared.  

“This win is big for our program,” Vaden said. “There was a lot of hype coming into this game. We just wanted to play next week. We had a good week of practice. Our coaches tell us everything they know.” 

With a solid performance on both sides of the ball, and taking advantage of Carthage’s miscues, Webb City took a 28-7 lead into halftime. The Cardinals led 35-7 entering the final frame. 

Offensively, the Cardinals were able to sustain drives. Defensively, Webb City limited Carthage to 102 yards in the first half. 

“You try to control the game with your offense,” Roderique said. “That’s grinding it out and getting first downs. The defense didn’t give up big plays. Our quarterback played well. The guys up front played well. We had a good plan going in and the kids executed it pretty well.” 

NAMES & NUMBERS

Webb City racked up 349 yards on 49 plays, with 246 rushing and 103 passing. 

Senior Devrin Weathers ran 19 times for 152 yards with a pair of scores. Senior quarterback Cole Gayman added 54 rushing yards on 12 carries, while junior Dupree Jackson added 31 yards on 10 carries. 

Webb City senior Devrin Weathers carries the ball on Friday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Gayman completed 4-of-7 passes for 103 yards with two touchdowns, with Mekhi Garrard and Vaden hauling in touchdown receptions. 

Webb City had no turnovers and just one penalty. 

Defensively, Treghan Parker made seven tackles, Eli Goddard had six, Cooper Crouch made 5.5 and Brayden Hollingsworth added five. 

Carthage finished with 325 yards on 62 plays, 202 rushing and 123 passing. 

The Tigers had five penalties and two costly turnovers. Senior quarterback Patrick Carlton ran 26 times for 126 yards in his prep finale. 

GAME RECAP

Carthage’s first drive ended when Carlton’s pass was intercepted by Webb City’s Crouch, and the Cardinals took over with great field position on the 28. 

Webb City needed just three plays to score, as Weathers sprinted to a 15-yard touchdown at the 7:22 mark of the opening frame. 

The Cardinals extended their lead to 14-0 when Jackson plunged into the end zone from 1-yard out on the first play of the second quarter. The TD capped a seven-play, 64-yard drive. 

Carthage’s Justin Sneed took the ensuing kick 81 yards to get the Tigers on the board with a much-needed response. 

But the visitors answered with an 11-play, 80-yard scoring drive. Gayman completed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Vaden, giving the Cardinals a 21-7 lead with 7:33 left in the second quarter. 

“It was a boot,” Vaden said. “He bit and I went up. It was a good ball.” 

After Webb City was forced to punt late in the first half, the Tigers were unable to secure the ball. Vaden recovered the loose ball that bounced several times. 

“I was trailing behind and I saw the ball pop up and I was there,” Vaden said. “I think that was pretty big.” 

“That was a big one,” Roderique said. “I didn’t know if that ball was ever going to get picked up by anybody. It bounced around and about 25 guys touched it.” 

Two plays later, Gayman connected with a wide open Garrard on a 40-yard touchdown strike. The score gave Webb City a comfy 21-point cushion. 

The Cardinals got the ball to start the second half and put together an 11-play, 80-yard drive, with Weathers sprinting to a 39-yard touchdown, going nearly untouched up the middle on a counter. That made it 35-7.

The Tigers threatened late in the third quarter, but an incomplete pass resulted in a turnover on downs. 

Carlton scored on a 5-yard QB keeper with 8:04 remaining, but a 9-yard run by Vaden on a reverse with 4:31 left made it 42-14. 

“Gary (Clinton) got a good block on the edge,” Vaden said. “That allowed me to walk in.” 

Carthage’s Hudson Moore hauled in an 8-yard touchdown reception with just under a minute to play for the final margin. 

It was Carthage’s first setback since they lost to Webb City 32-7 in Week 5 of the 2019 season. 

Up next for the Cardinals is Lebanon, a 52-18 winner over Glendale. The quarterfinal clash will be at Cardinal Stadium on Friday, with a 7 p.m. kickoff. 

MORE ON CARTHAGE

For more on Carthage, including thoughts from Tigers coach Jon Guidie, click the link below to read Jordan Larimore’s story.

FOOTBALL: Carthage’s perfect season comes to an end with first blemish against Webb City

 

CLASS 5 DISTRICT 6 CHAMPIONSHIP

WEBB CITY 42, CARTHAGE 21

Webb City  7    21   7    7—42

Carthage    0      7    0   14—21

Scoring Summary

WC: Devrin Weathers 15 run (Cameron Clark kick)

WC: Dupree Jackson 1 run (Clark kick)

CAR: Justin Sneed 81 kick return (Caleb Calvin kick)

WC: Cohl Vaden 37 pass from Cole Gayman (Clark kick)

WC: Mekhi Garrard 40 pass from Gayman (Clark kick)

WC: Weathers 39 run (Clark kick)

CAR: Patrick Carlton 5 run (Calvin kick)

WC: Vaden 9 run (Clark kick)

CAR: Hudson Moore 8 pass from Carlton (Calvin kick)

Records: Webb City 10-1, Carthage 9-1. 

 

Webb City’s Cohl Vaden celebrates after his touchdown against Carthage. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

 

The Cardinals celebrate after a Cohl Vaden rushing touchdown late in Friday’s 42-21 win over Carthage. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

 

The Webb City Cardinals are pictured at the conclusion of Friday’s win over Carthage. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Carthage stays unbeaten with 42-7 win over Neosho

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage Tigers flexed their offensive depth in a 42-7 win over the Neosho Wildcats at David Haffner Stadium on Friday night. 

Playing without starting running back Luke Gall, who led the team in rushing with 333 yards through two weeks, Carthage (3-0, 3-0 COC) leaned heavily on senior quarterback Patrick Carlton, but also got contributions from sophomore wide receiver Hudson Moore, and running backs Cale Patrick, Ashton Lancaster and Rylee Barker. 

Carlton ran for four touchdowns and threw another, totaling 201 yards on 7-of-8 passing attempts and 57 rushing yards in handling Neosho (0-3). 

After committing a combined nine turnovers in the season’s first two games, the Tigers cut that number to one giveaway, a fumble, in Friday night’s game. 

“We keep telling our kids that the thing that’s stopping us is us,” Carthage coach Jon Guidie said. “And we had a penalty that brought back a touchdown and of course we fumbled, but other than that I thought we were pretty efficient offensively. I thought we did a nice job throwing the football, mixing it up. We didn’t have Luke Gall tonight so that factored into some things, but Pat did a good job, Hudson Moore had some great catches again tonight.”

Neosho’s Logan Whetzell gets rid of the ball just before Max Williams of Carthage closes in for the sack on Friday night. Photos by Derek Livingston.

Guidie didn’t offer specifics on the injury that held Gall out of the game, saying only that the sophomore was “banged up, beat up a little bit.”

Moore caught both passes thrown his way for a total of 82 yards, including a 46-yard touchdown. Barker caught three passes for 79 yards, one of which was a screen pass he turned into a 53-yard gain to set up Carlton’s second rushing touchdown just two plays later. Patrick and Lancaster chipped in on offense with 32 rushing yards each, and Lancaster capped the game’s scoring with a two-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. 

Neosho remains in search of its first win of the season, but did earn its first points of the year with a marathon third-quarter drive that culminated in an 8-yard touchdown run by junior running back Talon Mitchell. Receiving the second-half kickoff, Neosho ate nearly 11 minutes off the clock with an 18-play, 72-yard drive, on which they went to Mitchell for nine carries that produced 32 yards. 

The Tigers’ win sets up a Week 4 matchup with rival Webb City (2-1), the last team to hand Carthage a loss. The Tigers have now won 12-straight games since their regular season defeat by the Cardinals last season. 

Guidie said the improved ball security his team showed against Neosho will be important against Webb City and that he expects whichever defense contains the opposing offense better will prevail. 

“Obviously you just try to go business as usual,” he said. “But its a rivalry, it definitely is, and we’ve had some really good games over the last few years. It’s big, it’s big for a lot of people in both communities and both schools and, you know, conference championship, that’s kind of up for grabs right now, too. So you factor all of that stuff in, I think it’s going to be a pretty exciting atmosphere.”

Carthage’s Cale Patrick (5) runs to the outside as Neosho’s Kaden Decker (70) comes up short on the stop in Friday night’s game.

CARTHAGE 42, NEOSHO 7

Carthage 7 14 7 7 — 42

Neosho  0 0 7 0 — 7

Scoring Summary

CAR—Patrick Carlton 12-yard run. Caleb Calvin kick.

CAR—Carlton 4 run. Calvin kick.
CAR—Carlton 2 run. Calvin kick.

CAR—Carlton 2 run. Calvin kick.

NEO—Talon Mitchell 8-yard run. Yeison Juarez Vazquez kick.

CAR—Hudson Moore 46-yard pass from Carlton. Calvin kick.

CAR—Ashton Lancaster 2 run. Calvin kick.

Neosho’s Talon Mitchell (42) hits the gap to the outside as Carthage’s Davion King attempts to make the tackle.

Swimming: Carthage, Joplin finish 1-2 at invite

Posted on by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage and Joplin were the top two teams at the Carthage invitational swim meet on Tuesday at the Fair Acres YMCA.
Carthage finished with 304 points, while Joplin took second with 294.
Kickapoo (240), Nevada (221), Lebanon (215), Camdenton (210) and Nixa (134) rounded out the team standings.

CARTHAGE RESULTS
The Tigers placed third in the 200-yard medley relay, with Kellen Frieling, Ezekiel Ramirez, Landon White and Eli Cox competing.
The Tigers were fourth in the 400 freestyle relay and fifth in the 200 freestyle relay.
Will Wallace placed third in the 500 freestyle, with teammates Gibson Huelat and Declan O’Brien fifth and sixth, respectively.
Ramirez was fourth in the 100 breaststroke, while Frieling and Cox finished fourth and fifth in the 100 backstroke.
Dariel Gonzalez was fifth in the 50 free and Cox took sixth in the 100 butterfly.
Carthage recognized its two seniors, Huelat and Aaron Vang.

JOPLIN RESULTS
The Eagles had one event winner, as Zane Newman took first in the 200 freestyle in 1:48.
Joplin took second in the 200 medley relay in 1:53, with Zane Reavley, Ben Wardlow, Newman and Jonah Hensley swimming.
The Eagles were also second in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:38. Reavley, Hensley, Newman and Wardlow compete. Kickapoo edged the Eagles for first.
Wardlow took second in the 50 free (23.65), as Camdenton’s Gavin Schulte was first (23.26). Colin Vermillion was sixth in the same event.
Wardlow also finished third in the 100 freestyle, while Jacob Glenn placed third in the 100 backstroke.
Jackson Mordica was fourth in the 500 free, Ian Vermillion finished fifth in the 200 free, Reavley was fifth in the 100 butterfly and sixth in the 200 IM and Newman placed sixth in the 100 free.

LEUNG WINS TWO EVENTS
Nevada’s Cody Leung took first in both the 100 butterfly (55.19) and the 100 backstroke (58.62).
Karter Evans of Nevada was the runner-up in the 100 breaststroke.

 

 

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