WEBB CITY, Mo. — Coming off a pair of close setbacks, the Webb City girls basketball team needed to get well.
On Tuesday night, the Cardinals did just that.
Webb City led from start to finish in a dominant 60-17 victory over Seneca in a non-conference clash inside the Cardinal Dome.
It’s safe to say the Cardinals concluded the 2023 portion of the schedule on a high note, as they took control early on the way to a confidence-building blowout victory.
“It’s a great way to end the first part of the season,” Webb City coach Lance Robbins said. “This is a game we really needed. We’ve been in several close games the last few weeks and we hadn’t been able to get over the hump. I thought tonight we put together more of a complete game than we’ve had so far this season. We shot the ball well and we defended well. I think we played well as a team tonight. This one is definitely something we can build on going into Christmas break.”
Webb City took the court one night after suffering a 53-49 loss at Pittsburg, Kansas. The Cardinals also dropped a 51-47 decision to Bentonville West last Wednesday at the Lady Mustang Classic.
On Tuesday, Webb City scored the first 11 points of the game, as Malorie Stanley, Addie Burns and Kirra Long all knocked down 3-pointers early in the contest and Abby Sargent made an uncontested layup.
The Cardinals held a 13-4 lead by the end of the first quarter and the hosts were up comfortably 29-10 at halftime.
Webb City outscored Seneca 23-7 in the lopsided third period and the hosts took a commanding 52-17 lead into the final frame. There was a running clock in the fourth quarter.
A 5-foot-9 senior guard, Stanley scored 13 points and hit four 3-pointers for the Cardinals.
“Malorie has been playing really well for us and she’s been shooting the ball really well,” Coach Robbins said. “She hit five 3s last night at Pittsburg and she made four tonight. She’s finding the open areas of the zone defense and we’ve been able to find her in scoring position. She’s shooting the ball with confidence.”
Stanley is now the lone senior in the lineup, as senior guard Mia Robbins is out of action due to a knee injury.
A pair of freshmen also had nice outings for the Cardinals.
A 6-foot forward, Burns compiled 13 points and seven rebounds, while the 5-8 Sargent contributed 12 points, five assists, four steals and five boards from the point guard position.
Freshman Whitlee Keith scored eight points, while juniors Long and Jenna Schulz contributed five points apiece. Junior Brynn Gilchrist and freshman Adalyn Maxwell each chipped in two points.
Webb City shot 48 percent from the floor for the game, hitting 21 of 43 field goal attempts.
The Cardinals have a lot of youth on the court, as five freshmen—Sargent, Burns, Keith, Adalyn Maxwell and Kaelyn Maxwell—have been getting lots of varsity playing time thus far. Freshman Jocelyn Maxwell and sophomore Karsyn Cahoon also saw playing time in Tuesday’s blowout win.
“We’ve been playing a lot of young kids and I feel like they’re developing at a good rate,” Coach Robbins said. “We need them to continue to be coachable and we need them to continue to buy-in. As they improve, I think we’ll be able to get over the hump in the close games.”
PITTSBURG, Kan. — A late surge fell short for the Webb City girls basketball team.
Pittsburg (Kansas) finished strong to earn a hard-fought 53-49 victory over Webb City in a non-conference clash on Monday night.
The Cardinals trailed by just one with 19 seconds left, but the Purple Dragons converted 3 of 4 attempts at the charity stripe late in the game to secure the win.
Webb City held a seven-point lead in the first half but found themselves down eight in the third quarter.
Trailing by five early in the game, Webb City used a 10-0 run to take a 12-7 advantage. The surge was capped by a hoop inside by Adalyn Maxwell and a 3-pointer by Malorie Stanley.
Pittsburg’s Jaqueline Hall buried a buzzer-beating trey, cutting Webb City’s lead to two at the end of the opening frame, 12-10.
Picking apart the hosts’ zone defense, the Cardinals took a 21-14 lead in the second quarter after baskets from Jenna Schulz, Kirra Long, Addie Burns and Abby Sargent.
But the Purple Dragons turned things around and finished the first half on a game-changing 13-2 run for a 27-23 halftime advantage.
A back and forth third period, which featured 21 combined free throws, ended with Pittsburg up 38-33.
The Cardinals pulled within one at 42-41 after a pair of 3-pointers from Stanley and a hoop inside by Burns. But the Dragons reeled off four straight points.
Stanley’s fourth trey of the fourth quarter trimmed Webb City’s deficit to one with 27 seconds left.
Pittsburg’s Hall and Webb City’s Whitlee Keith each made two free throws, with Keith’s charities cutting the PHS lead to 50-49 with 19 seconds left.
Next, Pittsburg’s Alyssa Hotze drew a foul with 16 seconds remaining. Hotze made the first free throw and missed the second. But the hosts were able to snag the offensive rebound after the missed free throw and the Cardinals were forced to foul.
Hotze knocked down two free throws with 10 seconds left for a 53-49 cushion before the Cardinals missed a last-second field goal attempt.
A senior guard, Stanley led the Cardinals with 16 points. She made five 3-pointers.
Schulz and Burns contributed eight points apiece for Webb City, while Sargent scored six.
The Cardinals went 9-for-19 from the foul line, while the Dragons were 18-for-27.
Hall scored 20 points for Pittsburg, while Hotze added 18 and Ava Heardt had 10.
Webb City (2-7) hosts Seneca (1-6) on Tuesday night in the team’s final contest of 2023.
ANDERSON, Mo. — Webb City scored the final 10 points of the first half and never trailed after intermission on the way to a 46-32 win over Carl Junction on Tuesday in a consolation bracket contest of the 2023 Lady Mustang Classic at McDonald County High School.
Up nine at the break, Webb City outscored Carl Junction 18-13 in the second half.
Carl Junction led 13-11 at the end of the first quarter, with junior forward Dezi Williams scoring 10 points in the opening frame.
The Bulldogs led 19-18 after two straight hoops from senior forward Kylie Scott, but the Oral Roberts signee picked up her third foul and had to go to the bench.
Webb City closed the first half on a game-changing 10-0 run, with two buckets from Addie Burns and one apiece from Malorie Stanley, Jenna Schulz and Adalyn Maxwell.
With the late surge, the Cardinals held a 28-19 halftime advantage.
Scott scored the first basket of the second half, but then picked up her fourth foul of the contest on an offensive foul call.
The Cardinals outscored the Bulldogs 9-5 in the low-scoring third quarter for a 37-24 lead.
The Bulldogs scored the first four points of the fourth quarter, but Scott fouled out with just over six minutes left on another charge call on a drive through the lane.
Carl Junction pulled within seven with three minutes left after a pair of buckets inside from Williams, but Webb City scored the final eight points of the game for the final margin.
Eight players scored for Webb City’s balanced attack, as Stanley and Burns recorded 11 points apiece and Abby Sargent added nine.
Williams scored 14 points to lead the Bulldogs, while Scott added 12 points in limited minutes.
Webb City (2-5) will play Bentonville West in the tourney’s fifth place game at 3:30 on Wednesday.
Carl Junction (4-4) will return to action next Tuesday at home against McDonald County.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Carl Junction girls basketball team came from behind for the second straight night at the 47th annual Freeman Sports Medicine Carl Junction Classic.
The host Bulldogs overcame an early nine-point deficit and used a strong second half to beat Parkview 37-32 on Tuesday night.
After knocking off Neosho on Monday in come from behind fashion, Carl Junction went 2-0 in pool play.
In Tuesday’s opener, McDonald County rode a balanced attack to a convincing 63-35 win over Nevada.
CARL JUNCTION 37, PARKVIEW 32
This one didn’t start out particularly well for the Bulldogs, as the Vikings outscored the hosts 15-6 in the first quarter.
But Parkview standout senior guard Tara Masten left the game with an injury late in the opening period and the Vikings played the remainder of the contest without their primary ball-handler and experienced floor general.
At the same time, Carl Junction senior and Oral Roberts signee Kylie Scott sat out a large part of the second period due to foul trouble.
Carl Junction won the low-scoring second period 7-5, but the Vikings held a 20-13 lead at intermission.
In a big swing, the Bulldogs scored the first 12 points of the third quarter to take the lead for good.
Scott scored eight points during the game-changing surge, but also picked up her third and fourth fouls and had to go to the bench late in the third period.
The Bulldogs took a 25-23 lead into the fourth quarter.
Jadyn Howard, Anna Burch and DeShaye Buerge knocked down key jumpers in the final frame to extend CJ’s lead to nine with just under four minutes to play.
Parkview’s Austin Hall drilled three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to keep her squad within striking distance, but the Bulldogs would never relinquish their lead.
Scott scored 14 points to lead Carl Junction. Also for the Bulldogs, Madison Hembree scored seven points, while Burch had six and Howard and Buerge each scored five. Carl Junction (2-0) was once again without junior guard/forward Dezi Williams.
A senior guard, Hall scored 23 of Parkview’s 32 points. She hit seven 3-pointers.
Parkview plays Neosho at 6:30 on Wednesday night. Carl Junction will return to action on Thursday night.
MCDONALD COUNTY 63, NEVADA 35
Taking control early against a conference foe, McDonald County improved to 2-0 on the season.
Getting most of their points in the paint and getting lots of second and third opportunities with offensive rebounds, the Mustangs built a 19-9 lead by the end of the first period.
Senior guard Clara Swearingen scored all nine of Nevada’s points in the opening quarter on three treys.
Nevada knocked down four 3-pointers early in the second quarter, two each from Clara Swearingen and her sister, freshman Lucy Swearingen, to pull within two at 23-21.
But McDonald County closed the first half on a 9-2 run to take a 32-23 halftime advantage.
The Tigers made eight field goals in the first half, and seven were 3-pointers.
The Mustangs outscored the Tigers 13-8 in the third quarter and led 45-31 entering the final frame.
Three hoops inside from junior post player Roslynn Huston gave the Mustangs a comfortable 54-33 cushion with three minutes remaining and the lead was never in jeopardy down the stretch.
Four players scored in double figures for the Mustangs, as Huston led the way with 16 points. Carlie Martin scored 15 points and Carlee Cooper and Jamie Washam added 10 points apiece.
Clara Swearingen led Nevada with 22 points. A Pittsburg State signee, Swearingen made six 3-pointers.
McDonald County meets Springdale (Arkansas) at 5 p.m. on Wednesday in the final game of pool play.
Nevada (1-2) will play for fifth place against an opponent to be determined at 4:30 on Thursday.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Ignited by an aggressive pressure defense, Springdale (Arkansas) led from start to finish in a 52-35 win over Nevada on Monday night in the opening game of the 47th annual Freeman Sports Medicine Carl Junction Classic.
Springdale’s full-court pressure defense forced Nevada into several turnovers early in the game. The Bulldogs (3-0) scored the first nine points of the game and led 13-4 by the end of the fast-paced first quarter.
A pair of 3-pointers gave Springdale a 19-6 lead early in the second period, but Nevada used a 9-0 run to pull within four. Senior guard Clara Swearingen scored five of the nine points during the surge.
After going several minutes without a point, the Bulldogs closed the first half on an 8-3 spurt for a 27-18 halftime advantage. Nevada’s lone hoop late in the second quarter came on a trey from Peyton Eaton.
Springdale’s Kaiya McCoy converted a pair of Nevada turnovers into layups, capping a 10-3 run and giving her team a 37-21 lead with 2:02 left in the third quarter.
Despite a pair of 3-pointers from freshman Lucy Swearingen, Nevada trailed 38-24 entering the fourth quarter.
Springdale’s lead was never in jeopardy in the final frame.
McCoy scored 16 points to lead Springdale’s balanced attack, while Charleen Hudson and Jakayla Bunch added 12 points apiece.
Clara Swearingen led Nevada with 15 points, while Lucy Swearingen added eight and Eaton had five.
Nevada (1-1) will meet McDonald County at 5 p.m. on Tuesday night in the final game of pool play. Springdale will take on McDonald County on Wednesday night in pool play.
The experienced backcourt trio of Mia Robbins, Malorie Stanley and Kirra Long will lead the Webb City girls basketball team this winter.
In addition to the three returning guards, the Cardinals will feature several newcomers in big roles this winter.
“We are really excited about the group of girls we have out this year,” Webb City coach Lance Robbins said. “They are very coachable and have a desire to compete. We have a good mix of youth and veterans that we believe will keep getting better as the season progresses and they play more together. We look forward to seeing what this group can accomplish.”
Mia Robbins will once again be a key performer for the Webb City girls basketball team. File photo.
Mia Robbins is a varsity veteran entering her senior season, as she’s been a key performer for her father’s squad the last several years. She averaged just under six points per game last season while leading the team in steals and 3-point percentage.
“We expect Mia to provide us with leadership and to increase her scoring this season,” Coach Robbins said.
Stanley is a senior and Long is a junior. Both scored about five points per game last winter. And both players should have expanded roles this year.
“Mal can be a difference maker on both ends of the floor for us,” Robbins said. “And we expect her to be a big contributor this season. Kirra has the potential to have a breakout season. She can create off the dribble and has improved her 3-point shooting.”
Sophomore guard Kylee Sargent and juniors Brynn Gilchrist (F) and Kamdyn Myers (G) are players who could contribute at the varsity level this winter.
“Kylee will miss the first part of the season due to injury, but we expect her to be a big part of our success when she gets back on the floor,” Robbins said. “Brynn should help us defensively and with rebounding. Kamdyn is a solid defender who could compete for playing time at the varsity level.”
Junior post player Jenna Schulz is another newcomer who is expected to contribute.
“She’s an athletic post that can defend, rebound and run the floor,” Robbins said.
Other newcomers who could see playing time this winter include sophomore Karsyn Cahoon and freshmen Abby Sargent, Addie Burns, Adalyn Maxwell, Kaelyn Maxwell and Jocelyn Maxwell. Burns and the Maxwell triplets provide height inside.
With the season opener quickly approaching, Coach Robbins noted there’s a lot to like about this year’s group.
“We believe one of our biggest strengths is that we are a well-rounded team,” Robbins said. “We have about four or five kids that on a given night could get us 15-20 points. With several scoring options we could cause opponents problems defensively. We are scoring the ball better than we have in recent years. Another strength is our kids’ willingness to learn. They have been very coachable, and practice has been fun.”
Last year, Webb City went 18-11 overall and 5-4 in the always-tough Central Ozark Conference. The Cardinals ended last season with a loss in the district title game against eventual state runner-up Carl Junction.
The Cardinals lost three starters from last year’s squad, as Kate Brownfield and Izzy Lopez graduated, and all-state post player Sami Mancini transferred to Link Academy.
Robbins is optimistic the Cardinals can put together another solid season this winter.
“We want to build off that success we had last year,” Robbins said. “Although we will be a different looking team and have adjusted some things schematically to fit our personnel, we still feel like we will be a very competitive basketball team.”
Robbins added there’s still plenty of work to do if the Cardinals want to peak at the end of the season.
“A big concern for us going into the season is rebounding,” Robbins said. “We really need a few kids to step up and take ownership of that defender/rebounder role for our team. We have some kids that are capable of doing that and we’re confident that they will get the job done. It sounds cliche, but staying healthy is a big key to our success. Another big key will be how quickly some of our younger players adjust to varsity level play.”
Webb City will meet Bentonville at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 30 at the Carthage Invitational. The team’s first home game is Dec. 5 against McDonald County.
Lindsey Showalter earned victory No. 1 as Thomas Jefferson’s head girls basketball coach, as the Cavaliers rolled to a 63-35 win over Exeter on Monday night in the 2023-24 season opener at the TJ Fieldhouse.
The Cavaliers led 11-3 at the end of the first quarter and the hosts held a commanding 36-13 lead at halftime.
Thomas Jefferson held a comfortable 51-23 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Three players scored in double figures for the Cavaliers.
Senior Gabbi Hiebert poured in 26 points and hit four 3-pointers to lead the way, while junior Lannah Grigg contributed 17 points and senior Sarah Mueller scored 10 points and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.
Also for the Cavaliers, Presley Long scored four points, Macie Shifferd had three, Alexis Stamps added two and Vivian Sharp chipped in one point.
A graduate of Carl Junction High School and Missouri Southern State University, Showalter is in her first season as TJ’s head coach after assisting last year.
Thomas Jefferson (1-0) hosts Bronaugh at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction High School has announced the appointment of Ryan Odaffer as the new head girls basketball coach.
Previously, Odaffer served as Carl Junction High School’s boys basketball coach from 2008 to 2012.
After stepping out of administration with a return to the classroom, Odaffer’s journey has come full circle as he takes the reins of the girls basketball program.
Odaffer’s coaching experience spans various age groups, and he has also organized multiple skills nights to nurture player development.
Ryan Odaffer
Odaffer noted he’s thrilled and ready to dive back into the coaching circle, determined to build on the program’s recent success and propel it to even greater heights.
“I have always had a passion for great basketball, and one way I wanted to give back was to try and develop younger players in the Carl Junction School District,” Odaffer said in a press release. “I had no clue that I would one day get the chance to coach these kids when they got to high school. The timing seemed right, and I am really excited for this upcoming season.”
Stepping into a program with a rich history, Odaffer is well aware of the achievements of his predecessor, Brad Shorter, who led the team to multiple conference and district championships and this year’s state runner-up finish.
“Shorter is a class act and has put this program in amazing shape,” Odaffer said. “My hope is to continue that legacy in the way this program has competed, and the way Coach Shorter carried himself.”
Odaffer’s basketball background is impressive. He began his playing career at Labette County High School in Altamont, Kansas, where he led his team to a state runner-up finish and was honored as the 4A Player of the Year and a top five All-Class/All-State player.
Odaffer then continued his basketball journey at Pittsburg State University from 2000 to 2005.
He was an assistant boys basketball coach in Webb City before taking over the head coaching duties in Carl Junction.
During the current school year, Odaffer had the opportunity to coach his own daughter as the Carl Junction junior high 7th grade coach, stating, “It’s been great to have had the last eight years to watch my own kids play.”
For years, Brad Shorter has preached a simple, yet meaningful philosophy to his prep basketball players — family comes first.
Now, after a successful run on the sidelines, Shorter is practicing what he preaches.
After guiding the Carl Junction girls basketball program to new heights, Shorter told SoMo Sports that he has relinquished his coaching duties in order to spend more time with his family.
“I think the time is right,” Shorter said on Tuesday morning. “My daughter Hali is a senior and she’s finishing high school. My son Maddox is getting ready to go into high school. I haven’t been able to spend the time with Maddox like I was able to do with Hali. That plays a big part in this.
“I preach every day to the kids that faith and family come first and then school and basketball,” Shorter added. “I want to be able to spend more time with my little guy. I want to watch him grow up.”
Shorter added the decision to step down was not an easy one. He informed his players of his decision this past Friday.
“I hate to leave the kids because you make great connections with them,” Shorter said. “It was a very tough decision…I went back and forth on it.”
Shorter said he’s confident he’s leaving the CJ girls basketball program in a good spot for whoever takes over as the next head coach.
“I think the program is in a great position,” Shorter said. “The program has a returning all-stater in Kylie Scott and also has Dezi Williams, who I think will be an all-stater soon. The team has a lot of other kids with experience like Jadyn Howard, Anna Burch and Shay Buerge. That’s a solid five returning. I feel good about that. I didn’t want to leave it to someone in a rough spot. I think the program is in a great spot.”
Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter talks to his team during a timeout this past season during a game at McDonald County. File photo.
It’s the end of an era for one of the Joplin area’s top prep basketball coaches.
Shorter owns a coaching record of 485-134 on the hardwood, with an impressive 275-72 record at Carl Junction.
Shorter coached at his alma mater, Lockwood, before his first stint at Carl Junction, which lasted from 2005-08. A successful run at Webb City followed from 2008-14.
He returned to Carl Junction in ’14.
During Shorter’s second stint at Carl Junction, the Bulldogs ascended to new heights by becoming arguably one of the state’s top girls basketball programs.
“A lot of good memories for sure,” Shorter said. “Even the three years I was here before I went to Webb were great. I felt like we turned things around pretty quick then. We won a district championship that first year. And the second stint here has been outstanding…eight district championships in-a-row. I’m really proud of the three conference titles, especially as the smallest school in the conference. We also won the Big 8 twice before we went to the COC. I feel like we did some good things as a coaching staff. I had a number of assistants over the years and all of them did an outstanding job. I was very fortunate to have great assistants.”
Under Shorter, Webb City’s girls basketball program went 149-33 and made four trips to the final four, with a state championship (2010), two runners-up (’09, ’13) and one third-place finish (’11).
Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter and the Bulldogs’ bench celebrate a hoop during Wednesday’s Lady Mustang Classic title game. SoMo Sports file photo.
Shorter noted there are still misconceptions about why he resigned at Webb City.
“I was going to go work with Lane Lord at Pittsburg State as his assistant,” Shorter said. “I resigned at Webb and thought it was all good to go at Pitt State. I thought I had an opportunity there, but that fell through. I was miserable for a few weeks. I still wanted to coach obviously.”
That led Shorter to his second stint at Carl Junction.
Under Shorter’s direction, the Carl Junction girls captured eight straight district championships (beginning in ’16), three conference titles and advanced to the state semifinals four times.
Carl Junction was fourth in the state in 2017 and second in 2018 before the program put together an undefeated 2020 season (28-0). Of course, that year the Bulldogs didn’t get to compete at the Final Four because the state tourney was canceled due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
The 2022-23 season was another memorable and historic one for the CJ girls program.
Carl Junction went 30-2, a school record for wins, and advanced to the Class 5 state championship game, falling to Lutheran St. Charles 44-39.
During Shorter’s second stint at CJ, he coached a number of standout players, including Brenlee McPherson, Alex Vogt, Megan, Katie and Kylie Scott, and Destiny Buerge.
Katie Scott was the Gatorade Missouri Girls Basketball Player of the Year in ’20 and Buerge was the Class 5 Co-Player of the Year this past season.
“I’m proud of the success obviously,” Shorter said. “But more than that, I’m proud of how so many kids progressed from their freshman year to their senior year. And our kids always have had one of the top GPAs of all the sports at CJ. It was always nice to see the kids grow up and to see them come back.”
One former player who is obviously very special to Coach Shorter is his daughter, Hali.
When he returned to Carl Junction, Hali was in the fourth grade. Hali was the team’s ‘water girl’ for several years before her four-year prep career in a Bulldogs uniform.
“Coaching Hali was unbelievable,” Coach Shorter said. “Most parents would love the opportunity to spend a couple of extra hours each day with their kid and just be a fly on the wall. Coaching her was fun. She worked hard and was super coachable. She was like a coach on the floor. But just being in the same room with her was great. I’m very proud of her and the person she has become. I’d like to think Alicia and I have something to do with that.”
Shorter isn’t entirely finished with coaching. Shorter noted he plans on becoming an assistant coach with Carl Junction’s baseball program next spring, just in time for Maddox’s freshman year.
“I’m going to coach baseball next year with Dr. (Phil) Cook (as his assistant),” said Shorter, who was an all-American baseball player at Pittsburg State. “It will be an opportunity for me to coach my son. I’m excited to coach baseball. It’s a sport I really enjoy.”
Shorter added he wouldn’t rule out coaching basketball in the future if the right opportunity presented itself.
But for now, coaching high school basketball is in the past.
Shorter couldn’t help but reflect a bit on the years and years of developing players.
And as you’d expect, all of those players became like family.
“The success of the program says a lot about the kids and the culture we built,” Shorter said. “I think they know I care about them. We get into education and coaching because we love kids and we want to give them opportunities. To see the growth makes you feel good as a coach. You know you made a difference.
“The thing I’ll miss the most is all the time with the players in practice after school and all the road trips,” he continued. “There’s a lot of bonding. I’ll miss the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself. We always had great team chemistry…like a big family.”
Carl Junction head coach Brad Shorter gives instructions during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. File photo by Michael Gulledge/SoMo Sports.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl Junction’s quest for its first-ever state championship fell just short.
The Bulldogs had their chances late, but Lutheran St. Charles made more winning plays down the stretch on the way to a hard-fought 44-39 victory in the championship game of the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown on Saturday night inside Great Southern Bank Arena.
“I thought our kids played hard until the end,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “We gave ourselves a chance there late, but it just didn’t go our way. You tip your hat to a team like that. They’re a good ballclub… That’s a tough one. I’m really proud of my girls. What happened tonight doesn’t define us. It’s tough right now, but it was a fun season. It stings right now, but what we did as a team will last forever.”
The state title game was close all the way.
Up 15-13 at halftime, the Bulldogs built a seven-point lead in the third period before the Cougars used a 10-0 burst to pull ahead.
Members of the Carl Junction Bulldogs react to falling short in the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. All photos by Michael Gulledge/Special to SoMo Sports.
Carl Junction trailed by six with just over a minute to play, but the Bulldogs reeled off six straight points with a spirited rally to tie the game at 39 with 40 seconds to play.
Lutheran took the lead for good on a layup from Kennedy Stowers.
Next, in a key moment, Carl Junction senior standout Destiny Buerge was called for an offensive foul with 25 seconds left, her fifth foul of the night.
Still, the Cougars turned the ball over with 15 seconds left. After a timeout, and trailing by two, Carl Junction was unable to get a potential game-tying shot up, as the Bulldogs turned the ball over on an out of bounds play.
The Cougars made 3-of-4 free throws late for the final margin.
“Carl Junction hasn’t won a state championship, so that’s what we really wanted to do,” Coach Shorter said. “As tough as 2020 was, this is probably even tougher. We were right there on the verge of winning a state championship. But it’s just a basketball game. Our kids showed a lot of toughness and a lot of grit, and I know they’re going to be very successful in whatever they do. I’ll always remember that they were resilient. They kept fighting. I’m very proud of them.”
A STELLAR SEASON
Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge (23) puts up a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday in Springfield.
Carl Junction ends a remarkable season with a record of 30-2.
The Bulldogs set a school record for wins, captured a district championship for the eighth straight season and brought home the runner-up plaque, tying the program’s best-ever finish at state.
Playing their final game for the Bulldogs were seniors Buerge, Hali Shorter, Klohe Burk and Allie Wrestler.
“I appreciate what they’ve done all season long and for the last four years,” Coach Shorter said of his seniors. “They’ve been fabulous. They’re a terrific group of kids…very respectful, very classy and just great kids. And I got to be with my daughter for two more hours every day. So, no regrets.”
Carl Junction was in the Final Four for the fourth time in seven years. The Bulldogs also finished second in 2018.
“I can’t even explain how amazing this team is,” Hali Shorter said. “We really love each other. I think we’re crying right now because we lost, but also because it’s over. We’re going to miss seeing each other every day in practice and we’re going to miss spending time with each other on the bus. We’re upset because of how awesome this season has been.”
LOW-SCORING FIRST HALF
Carl Junction’s Kylie Scott (10) looks for a shot during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
The first quarter was deadlocked at four, with junior forward Kylie Scott scoring Carl Junction’s first two buckets inside.
Carl Junction’s Burk buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to give the Bulldogs a 7-4 advantage heading into the second period.
Also of note, Buerge picked up two fouls in the first period and had to go to the bench.
The Cougars started the second quarter on a 5-0 run to take a 9-7 lead, but the Bulldogs responded with four straight points, as Buerge scored in transition and Burk converted a steal into a layup.
The game was tied at 13 late in the first half when Buerge connected on a pair of free throws to give the Bulldogs a two-point cushion at intermission, 15-13.
Overall, the first half could be described as a defensive struggle, as neither team shot particularly well in the first 16 minutes.
Carl Junction went 5-for-18 from the field (28 percent) and Lutheran made just 6-of-24 attempts (25 percent), including 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.
SECOND HALF SURGES, WILD FINISH
Carl Junction’s Dezi Williams (1) looks to score against Lutheran St. Charles on Saturday at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
After six straight points from Buerge, the Bulldogs were up 22-18 in the third period.
But the Pittsburg State signee picked up her third and fourth fouls in a short span and went to the bench with 4:46 remaining in the third quarter.
Scott knocked down a 3-pointer from the right wing to put the Bulldogs up seven at 25-18, their biggest lead.
But the Bulldogs wouldn’t score again in the third period, as they struggled with empty possessions.
On the other end, the Cougars finished the third period on a game-changing 10-0 run to take a 28-25 lead into the final frame. Freshman guard Kyrii Franklin scored all 10 points during the spurt.
The Cougars held a six-point lead, 39-33, with 1:30 left in the game, but the Bulldogs weren’t done.
Sophomore Dezi Williams scored inside after a nice feed from Buerge, Williams grabbed a steal on the full-court press and Buerge made two free throws. Next, Buerge scored on a strong drive through the lane to tie the game at 39 with 40 seconds left on the clock.
“Destiny came back in and got a couple of buckets and she really opens things up for our other kids,” Coach Shorter noted.
Lutheran’s Stowers got free for her go-ahead layup before Buerge fouled out when she was whistled for pushing off near the top of the key with 25 seconds remaining.
With that, CJ’s floor general and leading scorer was done for the night. It was an unpopular call to the CJ faithful.
“In a game that physical, that call was a tough one to swallow,” Coach Shorter said. “It was tough. I thought we saw an arm extend the very next time down from them. Destiny is quite a player. You hate for it to come down to something like that. Again, one play didn’t decide the game. But that call certainly changed things. It was frustrating. But that’s not the reason we lost. We missed shots. And they did more than we did.”
With Lutheran clinging to a two-point lead, both teams had empty possessions down the stretch before the Cougars hit their game-sealing charities in the final seconds.
“We had the mindset the whole game that we could win,” Burk said. “The other team wanted it just as bad as we did. But we put our hearts into it tonight.”
In the end, the Cougars were the team celebrating and the Bulldogs were the team left in tears.
“We didn’t have our best game offensively, but we made the plays down the stretch…the hustle plays, the rebounds…to get the win,” Lutheran St. Charles coach Erin Luttschwager said. “Championships are not supposed to be easy. Shots weren’t falling, but we kept focusing on the defensive end and that helped build our confidence. We were doing our job on the defensive end.”
Carl Junction’s Klohe Burk (2) moves the ball during the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Carl Junction made 13-of-40 field goal attempts (32.5 percent), including just 2-for-15 on 3-pointers (13 percent).
“That was a tough game, and it was a tough weekend scoring for us,” Coach Shorter said. “A lot of that had to do with the defense of our opponents and sometimes we just missed shots.”
The Bulldogs went 11-for-18 at the charity stripe.
The program’s all-time leading scorer who had been battling an illness, Buerge compiled 18 points and seven rebounds in 19 minutes of action before fouling out in the finale of her stellar prep career.
The 6-foot-3 Scott recorded another double-double with 12 rebounds and 11 points. She also blocked three shots.
Williams contributed six points and Burk added five points.
The Cougars went 17-for-47 on field goal attempts (36 percent), with 3-for-19 from long distance (16 percent). Lutheran (27-5) had a slight advantage in rebounds, 35-29.
Six-foot-2 senior forward Megan Aulbert scored 11 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead the Cougars, while Franklin added 10 points and eight boards. Sophomore guard Chloe Reed contributed nine points.
In the Class 5 third-place game, West Plains edged Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) 42-38.
Carl Junction reacts to falling short in the Class 5 Show-Me Showdown state championship game against Lutheran St. Charles, Saturday, March 18, 2023, at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield. Carl Junction finished the season with a record of 30-2 and is the Class 5 runner-up. All photos by Michael Gulledge/Special to SoMo Sports.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Carl Junction girls basketball team will have an opportunity to make history on Saturday night.
Carl Junction built a nine-point cushion in the second half and held on late for a 37-33 victory over Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) on Friday night in a semifinal contest of the MSHSAA Class 5 Show-Me Showdown inside the Hammons Student Center.
After a 25th straight win, Carl Junction (30-1) will meet Lutheran St. Charles (26-5) in the state title game at 8 p.m. Saturday inside Great Southern Bank Arena.
“Getting to the state championship game has been a goal all year long for us, so it feels pretty good,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “It’s kind of surreal right now, but we still have some work to do. We want to win the thing. Hopefully we can come out and play better tomorrow. We’re certainly going to have to bring the offense tomorrow night.”
Carl Junction High School has never won a state championship in a team sport. On Saturday night, the Bulldogs will attempt to be the first to pull off the feat.
“It would mean everything to us,” senior guard Klohe Burk said when asked about the possibility of winning a state title. “We’ve all put in so much hard work. It’s kind of emotional honestly…we’ve all worked so hard for this.”
Hali Shorter looks for an open teammate during Friday’s Class 5 semifinal. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.
“We want to win it for the community, and we want to win it for each other,” senior guard Hali Shorter said. “We have a lot of fun playing basketball together, so more than anything, we just want to win it for each other.”
“It would mean a lot to us because our freshman year we got the season cut off because of covid,” senior guard Destiny Buerge said. “Winning this would mean a lot to them (2020 team) also. We’ve worked hard for every CJ team that has been to this point.”
As far as Friday’s semifinal clash between Bulldogs, Coach Shorter noted his team didn’t have its best performance, but they did enough to survive and advance.
“That’s a really good team and a really physical team we just played,” Shorter said. “They play hard, and we knew they would. Their length bothered us all night long and they did some really nice things. I didn’t feel like our team played particularly well, and a lot of that has to do with them and what they did to us. But we were able to go on a few runs here and there.”
Carl Junction gained some separation by scoring the final seven points of the third period, taking a 34-25 lead heading into the final frame.
“That was big,” Coach Shorter said. “Against a team like that, you’ve got to go on any runs that you can. That was huge. It gave us a little cushion.”
At the same time, Carl Junction never let Notre Dame put together a significant spurt.
“Teams in the Final Four are going to go on runs,” Coach Shorter said. “We had to get after it defensively and stop that from happening. That was a big piece. I thought our kids played tough tonight. They didn’t play particularly well, but we played tough and that’s what we needed to do to get to the championship game.”
Carl Junction didn’t exactly finish strong. In fact, Carl Junction managed just three points in the fourth period, but the Bulldogs never relinquished their lead.
“It feels really awesome, but I think we’re all in shock right now from that game,” Hali Shorter said. “We didn’t play our best, but I think our defense won the game for us tonight. Hopefully tomorrow night our offense can match the defensive intensity we had tonight.”
“It was definitely a physical game,” Buerge added. “They played hard, and they wanted it just as much as we did. They played more physical than we did, but we just had to play through it.”
Carl Junction seniors Hali Shorter, Destiny Buerge and Klohe Burk celebrate their semifinal victory over Notre Dame on Friday night inside the Hammons Student Center. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.
FIRST HALF
Both teams got off to a slow start, as neither squad scored in the first four minutes of the contest.
Carl Junction outscored Notre Dame 10-5 in the second half of the opening frame.
Buerge and sophomore forward Dezi Williams scored four points apiece, while junior forward Kylie Scott contributed a hoop in the paint.
Burk knocked down a corner trey early in the second period to give Carl Junction a 13-5 lead, their biggest of the first half, but Notre Dame responded with a pair of treys of their own.
Carl Junction was clinging to a one-point lead when Scott scored back-to-back hoops in the paint for a 20-15 cushion.
After Notre Dame pulled within two late in the half, Scott buried a 3-pointer from the left wing, her ninth point of the half, giving her team a 23-18 halftime advantage.
Carl Junction made 10-of-21 field goal attempts in the first half (48 percent), but went just 2-for-8 from beyond the arc.
Notre Dame shot 30 percent in the first half (6-for-20), including 4-for-9 from 3-point range.
Klohe Burk plays defense against Notre Dame on Friday night. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.
SECOND HALF
Carl Junction and Notre Dame traded buckets for most of the third period.
Carl Junction separated with their crucial surge at the end of the third frame, as Scott hit a 3-pointer, Buerge scored in transition after a Notre Dame turnover and Williams converted a putback inside for a 34-25 advantage heading into the final frame.
“Getting settled in was important for us,” Coach Shorter said. “Once we did, we did some nice things in the middle quarters.”
Down nine, their biggest deficit of the night, Notre Dame scored the first four points of the fourth quarter. On the other end, Carl Junction turned the ball over on three of four possessions.
However, Carl Junction never surrendered its lead.
Buerge hit one free throw and Scott scored inside after an offensive rebound for a 37-29 cushion.
While Carl Junction struggled with turnovers down the stretch, Notre Dame scored two unanswered hoops to trim the deficit to four with 50 seconds remaining.
Neither team scored the rest of the way, as both squads had empty possessions.
“From two and a half minutes to 17 seconds left we went kind of scatter-brained a little bit,” Coach Shorter said. “We didn’t have the poise we’ve had. Hopefully we can clean up that nonsense we had late.”
Down four, Notre Dame missed a 3-pointer with seven seconds remaining, and Carl Junction controlled the rebound and ran out the clock.
“What a game,” Notre Dame coach Kirk Boeller said. “Two really good basketball teams. I’m so proud of how we attacked. We never backed down from the No. 1 team in the state. Credit to our girls for fighting until that last buzzer went off. We came up short, but I think that was one of the best games we’ve played in a long time.”
The Carl Junction girls basketball team celebrates after beating Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) on Friday night in the Class 5 semifinals. Photo by Sloan Uebinger.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Carl Junction made 15-of-39 field goal attempts (39 percent) but went just 3-for-13 on 3-pointers.
The 6-3 Scott led Carl Junction with 14 points on 6-of-11 shooting. She also compiled 12 rebounds and six blocked shots.
Coach Shorter noted Scott provided a formidable presence inside.
“Kylie does a terrific job inside,” Coach Shorter said. “She has all year long. Kylie can patrol the middle. She did a really good job of going straight up, contesting shots and getting quite a few blocks or tips. That was a big key in the game tonight.”
Williams also had a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
Buerge was limited to seven points, but contributed five steals, five rebounds and three assists.
Burk rounded out the scoring with five points.
Carl Junction had 19 turnovers to Notre Dame’s 15.
Notre Dame made 12-of-47 shots (26 percent), with 6-for-21 from beyond the arc.
Freshman forward Nevaeh Cortez-Lucious led Notre Dame with 12 points and freshman guard Brie Rubel added nine points.
In Friday’s second Class 5 semifinal, Lutheran St. Charles knocked off defending champion West Plains 71-50.
Notre Dame (23-6) will take on West Plains (23-8) for third place at noon on Saturday.
Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter and seniors Destiny Buerge, Hali Shorter and Klohe Burk answer questions during Friday’s postgame press conference. Photo by Lucas Davis.
TITLE GAME AWAITS
Carl Junction also played for a state championship in 2018. That year, the Bulldogs fell to Incarnate Word in the Class 4 title game.
On Saturday, Carl Junction’s girls basketball program will get another shot at making history.
“It would mean a lot to us to get our only state title in Carl Junction history,” Coach Shorter said. “It feels good to get back in this game. I’m just proud of these kids.”
SEDALIA, Mo. — The Carl Junction Bulldogs are heading back to the Final Four.
Carl Junction started fast and held on late for a hard-fought 55-51 victory over Lincoln College Prep on Saturday afternoon in a quarterfinal contest of the MSHSAA Class 5 state girls basketball tournament at State Fair Community College.
“I didn’t think we played particularly well throughout the entire game, but we got off to a great start and that proved to be the difference,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter told SoMo Sports. “It was a good game for us. Our kids had to be protective and strong with the ball because Lincoln Prep was extremely physical. Our kids withstood Lincoln Prep’s physical play and did a great job. That team was really good. So a tip of the hat to our kids. They played really well and did some nice things today.”
Riding a 24-game winning streak and now 29-1 on the season, Carl Junction will meet Cape Girardeau Notre Dame (23-5) in the Class 5 semifinals at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 17 at the Hammons Student Center on the campus of Missouri State University.
Carl Junction is headed to the Final Four for the fourth time in seven years.
The Bulldogs finished fourth in 2017 and were the runner-up in ’18. Of course, the Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals in 2020 before the tourney was canceled due to the pandemic. Carl Junction fell one win short of the semifinals last year.
“It feels great to be going back to the Final Four,” Shorter said. “Our kids still have a sour taste in their mouths from not getting to play in the Final Four in 2020 and then from getting knocked out last year by West Plains. We’ll continue to work hard and hopefully progress. Hopefully good things will happen for us next weekend.”
Also of note, 29 wins is a school record for the Carl Junction girls basketball program.
QUARTERFINAL RECAP
The Bulldogs got off to a great start, leading 10-1 after seven points on three field goals from senior guard Destiny Buerge and three free throws from junior forward Kylie Scott.
Dezi Williams, Hali Shorter and Scott all recorded baskets late in the first quarter, and the Bulldogs held a 21-8 lead.
Lincoln hit a 3-pointer late in the opening frame to pull within 10 at 21-11.
The 6-3 Scott picked up her third foul early in the second quarter and had to go to the bench for the rest of the half.
Lincoln College Prep started the second period on a 9-0 run to pull within one. The remainder of the first half was close, with Carl Junction taking a 29-26 advantage into the break.
After being down 10 at the end of the first quarter, the Blue Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 15-8 in the second period.
A back and forth third quarter ended with Carl Junction clinging to a 39-37 lead.
But the Bulldogs began the final frame on an 8-2 surge to pull away for good at 47-39.
Klohe Burk started the period by making 1-of-2 free throws before Buerge scored CJ’s next seven points. Buerge hit a trey in transition, scored on a strong drive through the lane and converted a hoop after a post-up in the paint.
“That was huge,” Shorter said. “Every possession counts. Getting our kids to understand that is something we as coaches are constantly working on. It’s a possession game throughout the game. When it’s late in the year and you’re really playing for something, every possession is important. It was huge to stretch out the lead just a little bit and it made it just a big tougher for them (Lincoln).”
Scott fouled out near the four-minute mark, but the Bulldogs never relinquished their lead in the final frame.
Carl Junction outscored Lincoln 16-14 in the fourth period to secure the season-saving win.
“They beat us in the second and third quarters and they almost got us in the fourth, so that quick start was good for us,” Coach Shorter said. “Obviously, Kylie getting in foul trouble didn’t help. You could really see the difference when she was off the floor because they were able to make their runs.”
Buerge scored 28 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead Carl Junction, while Scott scored nine points and had nine rebounds before fouling out.
A sophomore, Williams added eight points and 10 rebounds for the Bulldogs.
Also for the Bulldogs, Jadyn Howard had four points and Hali Shorter and Burk contributed three points apiece.
Senior guard Ramyiah Logan led the Blue Tigers with 29 points. Lincoln College Prep ends the season with a record of 17-10.
NOTES: Notre Dame defeated John Burroughs 46-35 in their quarterfinal.
The second semifinal will feature Lutheran St. Charles (25-5) vs. defending state champion West Plains (23-7).
The Class 5 title game is scheduled for 8 p.m. on March 18. The third-place game is slated for noon on March 18.
The 4-States Basketball Coaches Association has named Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge and Joplin’s All Wright as its players of the year for the 2022-23 season.
A standout 5-foot-8 senior guard, Buerge is the area’s top girls player for the second straight season.
Carl Junction senior guard Destiny Buerge is the repeat winner of area girls basketball player of the year.
Buerge currently averages 25 points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists per game for Brad Shorter’s Bulldogs. She makes 74 percent of her free throws and has hit 73 3-pointers this season.
A Pittsburg State signee, Buerge is Carl Junction’s all-time leading scorer and has earned nearly every accolade possible during her prep career.
The Bulldogs (28-1) will play Lincoln College Prep on Saturday in the Class 5 quarterfinals.
An explosive 6-2 junior guard at Joplin, Wright averaged 26 points, 4.5 rebounds, three assists and just under two steals a game this winter for the Eagles, who went 17-10.
Wright made 75 percent of his free throws and 34 percent of his 3-point attempts.
A first-team all-area pick last season, Wright was recently named a unanimous first-team selection to the All-Central Ozark Conference squad.
Joplin junior guard All Wright is the area boys basketball player of the year.
The 4-States Coaches Association’s all-area teams are listed below.
4-STATES BASKETBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION
ALL-AREA GIRLS TEAM
Player of the Year: Destiny Buerge, Carl Junction (Sr.)
LIBERTY Mo. — The Nevada Tigers are partying like it’s 1998.
Tuesday night’s 49-37 sectional-round victory over the St. Michael the Archangel Guardians lifted the Nevada girls’ program to its first sectional championship since its last benchmark season 25 years ago.
The MSHSAA Class 4 sectional triumph propels Nevada (22-6) to Saturday’s quarterfinal clash with Benton (25-3). Tip-off is slated for noon at State Fair Community College in Sedalia.
“It does not seem real,” said elated Nevada coach Blake Howarth. “This is so awesome and I am so proud of our girls. I’m sure in a few hours when we come down off this Cloud Nine, it’s going to feel very surreal, and it will set in that we’re sectional champs.”
Nevada coach Blake Howarth talks to his Tigers during Tuesday’s sectional contest at William Jewell College. Photo by Matt Resnick.
Nevada’s firepower on the perimeter overwhelmed the Guardians in the early going, with lightning-quick guards Clara Swearingen and Maddy Majors getting into the lane at-will.
Forward Lakyn Applegate’s 3-ball from the right wing swelled Nevada’s advantage to 13-0 midway through the opening frame. After opening the contest with eight consecutive misses, the Guardians began to thaw out offensively. An extended 12-0 run trimmed the Guardians’ deficit to 13-12.
Nevada followed with a 7-0 spurt, capped by Kara Phillips’ 3 from the right corner. The Tigers also received 3-point contributions from Majors and Katie Johnson during the quarter.
Nevada’s 24-17 halftime advantage quickly evaporated in the third. St. Michael senior guard Sophia Rocarro poured in 10 of the Guardians’ 12 points in the frame. Leading 30-27, Nevada closed out the third quarter with a flurry, as senior forward Abbey Heathman began to impose her will.
After knocking down a 3-pointer late in the third, Heathman scored on a bruising post move early in the fourth. After a dominant stretch of play from Heathman on both ends of the floor, Majors took over as the hot hand — scoring the next six points to put Nevada on top 42-31 with 2:15 remaining in regulation. From there, the Tigers coasted to the convincing victory.
While the Tigers led wire-to-wire, the Guardians were able to climb back into the game on several occasions.
“We got sloppy at times, and I challenged the girls,” Howarth said. “They did a great job of stepping up and responding to that challenge.”
Despite a superb game plan, Howarth deflected all credit to his players.
“This is the girls buying into what we are doing,” Howarth said. “The things that we game plan for and the time that they’re putting in at the gym.”
Howarth said that his squad puts in so much extra practice time that he’s forced to kick them out on occasion.
“This is really where it’s paying off,” he said. “I’m so blessed to have this group and to have girls playing at this high of level. We took care of the basketball and played together as a group tonight.”
The Guardians made a concerted effort in the second half to slow Swearingen on the perimeter.
“Any time Clara had the ball they were sending two girls to get it out of her hands,” Howarth noted.
Howarth was pleased with the way in which Swearingen and Majors facilitated for their teammates in the second half.
“They were creating for their teammates and that’s the unselfishness that we’ve been preaching,” Howarth said.
With the clear size advantage, the Tigers looked to get the ball into Heathman in the low post as often as possible.
“We needed to go inside to Abbey and we were able to do that,” Howarth said.
With the Guardians closing the gap in third, Howarth briefly subbed out Heathman for a pep talk. Heathman finished with a game-high 15 points and 10 rebounds.
“I told her that we needed her to dominate inside, look to score, and finish through contact,” Howarth said. “She’s turned into a really good basketball player that can score inside and out.”
Now in his third year guiding the program, Howarth said that Majors’ game has evolved over the years.
“How she’s playing right now in her senior year is how I’ve envisioned it all along,” he said, as Majors chipped in 14 points and five assists. “Maddy has been consistently good for the entire season — not just here or there.”
Howarth said that sophomore guard Caylee Holcomb’s smothering defensive effort was integral to the victory.
“Caylee is the smallest girl on the floor but is a very scrappy defender,” he said.
“It feels great to go out and get the win. It hasn’t been done in a while at NHS,” Heathman said. “Play as a team, run the floor, and rebound.”
As for Majors, she said that it finally dawned on her that her quickness might be her most valuable commodity on the court.
“With it being my senior year, it took me long enough to figure out I was pretty quick,” she said with a laugh. “I’ve been utilizing that weapon pretty well the past few games.”
Majors added that St. Michael was a familiar foe, as the Tigers defeated them in December. Majors said that her outside shooting proved to be a zone-buster against the Guardians’ 1-3-1 zone.
“When I started driving, that also opened a bunch of passing lanes,” she recounted.
Like Howarth, Swearingen was also on ‘Cloud Nine’ after the signature victory.
“We’ve worked so hard this season and are all just super-excited right now,” she said.
Heathman echoed those sentiments.
“It’s really great to get the win. It hasn’t been done in a while here,” she said.
When they last reached this point, former longtime Tigers coach Brent Bartlett was in his first year with the program.
“You really have to enjoy these moments because you never know if you’ll get back,” Bartlett said. “That’s what I’ve told Blake — to just enjoy the ride.”
Nevada’s girls basketball team celebrates their sectional win with the school’s cheerleaders and students on Tuesday night in Liberty, Mo. Nevada advanced to the quarterfinal round of the state tournament. Photo by Matt Resnick.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — In more ways than one, the number eight is suddenly quite meaningful for the Carl Junction High School girls basketball team.
For starters, top-seeded Carl Junction captured the program’s eighth straight district championship by beating second-seeded Webb City 67-42 on Tuesday night in the title game of the Class 5 District 7 tournament inside a packed Cardinal Dome.
The number eight is significant for another reason, as the Bulldogs are now one of the final eight teams still playing in Class 5.
“It feels good to keep the streak going,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “Our kids believed. I thought we did a good job of limiting their opportunities. They usually got one shot and that was it. It’s all about rebounding and defense. When we do those two things well, we’re pretty tough to beat.”
Carl Junction’s seniors have contributed to four straight district titles.
“This is very exciting,” Carl Junction senior guard Destiny Buerge said moments after scoring 36 points. “We’ve won four district championships in the four years I’ve been playing high school basketball. It’s the best. It means a lot to keep the streak going. It shows how much work we’ve put in.”
The district title streak started in 2016.
“Those first district championships started a long time ago and I got to be a part of those on the bench,” Carl Junction senior guard Hali Shorter said. “We used to be little kids in the stands, so to be a part of this now means a lot to us. We wanted to keep the tradition going.”
After building an 11-point lead by intermission, the Bulldogs scored the first 11 points of the third period to put the game away.
“That was huge for us,” Coach Shorter said of the third quarter surge. “I think that proved to be the difference in the game.”
Carl Junction senior guards Klohe Burk (2) and Hali Shorter (15) look to trap Webb City’s Kirra Long during Tuesday’s district title game inside the Cardinal Dome. Photo by Derek Livingston.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Ranked first in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Carl Junction improved to 28-1 with a 23rd straight victory.
Buerge made 12-of-24 field goal attempts and 10-of-14 free throws to finish with a game-high 36 points. Buerge, a Pittsburg State recruit, also compiled 12 rebounds and four assists.
Senior guard Klohe Burk had 12 points, making a trio of 3-pointers to go with three steals.
Junior forward Kylie Scott scored seven points and handed out four assists, while freshman Jadyn Howard had five points, sophomore Dezi Williams added four points and Hali Shorter contributed three points, two assists and two steals.
“I thought Jadyn Howard and Anna Burch did a great job off the bench with Kylie (Scott) got into a little foul trouble,” Coach Shorter noted. “They played huge for us. Obviously, Destiny and Klohe were tough for us. They did some great things.”
The Bulldogs shot 41 percent (24-of-58), including 6-of-21 from 3-point range (29 percent). Carl Junction went just 13-of-27 at the charity stripe.
Carl Junction senior guard Hali Shorter knocks down a 3-pointer against Webb City’s Izzy Lopez during Tuesday’s Class 5 District 7 title game. Photo by Derek Livingston.
Carl Junction’s suffocating zone defense limited the Cardinals to 35 percent shooting (17-of-49). Webb City made just 5-of-25 attempts from beyond the arc (20 percent). The Cardinals also left quite a few points out there by going 3-for-11 at the foul line.
Webb City had 18 turnovers to Carl Junction’s seven.
Webb City’s game plan was no secret, as the Cardinals looked to work inside-out by pounding the ball inside to 6-foot-5 sophomore center Sami Mancini for hoops in the paint or kick-outs to the team’s perimeter shooters.
Mancini finished with 23 points on 10-of-15 shooting to go along with 19 rebounds. But no one else for Webb City scored more than six points.
“She’s such a presence inside and she’s going to get her points,” Coach Shorter said of Mancini. “She’s a great player. I thought we did a good job on her when we were at full-strength.”
After Mancini’s 23 points, junior point guard Mia Robbins scored six, junior guard Malorie Stanley and sophomore guard Kirra Long each scored five and senior guard Izzy Lopez had three.
Senior guard Kate Brownfield handed out five assists and grabbed four boards.
Webb City concludes the season with a record of 18-11. The 18 wins are the most for the program since 2014.
Brownfield and Lopez played their final game for the Cardinals, who were attempting to win a district title for the first time since 2014.
“I’m proud of our girls and I’m proud of the progress we made this year,” Webb City coach Lance Robbins said. “I think our program is headed in the right direction. We’ve raised the bar. We’re going to miss our two seniors. Kate and Izzy did a great job and they’re great leaders. I’m confident our team will work hard to get better and hopefully we’ll find ourselves playing for a district title next year.”
GAME RECAP
When these two teams met at the end of the regular season, Carl Junction held on late for a three-point win. There was no suspense in the final minutes this time around.
Faced with a win or go home scenario, and playing in an electric environment, Carl Junction led 15-8 at the end of the first quarter.
Webb City senior guard Izzy Lopez handles the ball against the pressure of Carl Junction’s Klohe Burk on Tuesday night. Carl Junction won the game 67-42.
The Bulldogs extended their lead to 28-15 after treys from Shorter, Buerge and Burk and a hoop inside from Howard.
The Cardinals trimmed their deficit to eight after two hoops in the paint from Mancini and another from Stanley.
Led by Buerge’s 16 first half points, Carl Junction held a 32-21 lead at halftime.
After the break, the Bulldogs put together their game-changing 11-0 run to pull away for good. A 3-pointer from the top of the key from Burk capped the spurt and made it 43-21.
Webb City responded with nine straight points, but the tourney hosts trailed 47-30 entering the fourth quarter.
Free throws from Scott and Buerge, followed by a layup from Buerge after a Webb City turnover gave CJ a comfortable 52-32 lead with six minutes to play.
Webb City’s only lead of the night came at 2-0.
“We didn’t get off to a very good start offensively,” Coach Robbins said. “Defensively, we missed some assignments early in the game and that gave them some open looks that they knocked down. I thought Carl Junction was playing with more confidence than we were early in the game. We were able to keep it close in the first half, but Destiny kind of took over in the third quarter. We didn’t have an answer for her. Carl Junction is a good basketball team, and when Destiny is playing like that, and their role players can shoot it like they did tonight, they’re tough to beat.”
Carl Junction’s Dezi Williams and Webb City’s Mia Robbins are pictured during Tuesday’s district championship game inside the Cardinal Dome. Photos by Derek Livingston.
PACKED DOME
Webb City’s Cardinal Dome was packed on Tuesday night, making for a great atmosphere for the district title game.
“It was a fantastic environment for the girls,” Coach Robbins said. “It was a packed house and that’s great for girls basketball in Southwest Missouri.”
“It was an awesome atmosphere tonight,” Hali Shorter said. “I’ll remember this atmosphere for a long time. It was awesome.”
“It might have been the best environment we’ve played in,” Buerge said. “That might have been the best student section we’ve ever had. I’m glad they showed up for this game.”
“It was great in here tonight,” Coach Shorter added. “It was two teams getting after each other.”
ELITE EIGHT
Carl Junction advances to the quarterfinals of the Class 5 state tournament and will play District 8 champion Lincoln College Prep (17-9) at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday at State Fair Community College in Sedalia.
“We’re starting to figure some things out and we want to peak at the right time,” Coach Shorter said. “We hope that’s coming at some point.”
“We have to keep pushing game by game,” Buerge added. “We just have to keep working hard in the gym.”
DISTRICT TITLE STREAK
Since falling to McDonald County in the district title game in 2015, Carl Junction’s girls basketball program has now won eight consecutive district championships.
Below is a look back at Carl Junction’s title streak.
Carl Junction’s recent district championships
2016 — Carl Junction 52, Carthage 46
2017 — Carl Junction 57, Cassville 26
2018 — Carl Junction 51, Webb City 37
2019 — Carl Junction 42, Webb City 14
2020 — Carl Junction 72, Webb City 32
2021 — Carl Junction 55, Webb City 52
2022 — Carl Junction 65, Willard 60
2023 — Carl Junction 67, Webb City 42
Carl Junction senior guard Destiny Buerge looks to score in the lane against the Webb City Cardinals, including Sami Mancini. Buerge scored 36 points in her team’s 67-42 victory. All photos by Derek Livingston/SoMo Sports.
Webb City sophomore center Sami Mancini puts up a shot in the lane against Carl Junction’s Kylie Scott and Dezi Williams.
Destiny Buerge scores inside against Webb City on Tuesday night inside the packed Cardinal Dome.
Carl Junction senior Destiny Buerge, with her fellow seniors Allie Wrestler, Klohe Burk and Hali Shorter behind her, accepts the district title plaque from Webb City High School Assistant Principal Jeff Wilkie on Tuesday night.
The Carl Junction Bulldogs pose with the district championship plaque on Tuesday night. It’s Carl Junction’s eighth straight district championship. Photos by Derek Livingston.
MONETT, Mo. — The Aurora Lady Houns earned their first district title in girls basketball since 2012 with a 48-38 win against the Seneca Indians in the Class 4 District 12 championship game on Saturday evening at E.E. Camp Gymnasium.
Aurora lived and nearly died by the 3-point shot with five trifectas in the second quarter turning a 15-8 deficit after one quarter into a 25-22 halftime lead before cooling off dramatically in the second half.
Fortunately for Aurora, both teams endured a scoring drought for a large portion of the third and the Houns entered the fourth quarter leading 34-28.
Kylee Cole and Makena Hall made 3-pointers early in the fourth to give Aurora a 40-33 lead.
Aurora’s shooting touch from the stripe came in handy in the fourth period, as they made eight of their nine free throw attempts down the stretch to deliver a knockout blow to the Indians.
Seneca’s outstanding sophomore guard Hazley Grotjohn scored almost seemingly at will in the first half, and she had 13 of the Indians’ 15 points in the first half and five of their seven in the second half to add up to 18 of Seneca’s first 22 points.
Grotjohn missed her second free throw right before halftime, but her putback before the buzzer gave Seneca the last three points of the first half after top-seeded Aurora scored 17 of the first 21 points of the second quarter.
Grotjohn started out the second half much like she had during the first with two baskets right out of the gate that had Seneca down one at 25-24 and 27-26.
Grotjohn would only make one more field goal the rest of the way, however, and finished her night with a game-high 24 points.
Seneca senior Parker Long finished her final high school game with seven points.
Grotjohn and Long combined for all 28 Seneca points after three quarters.
The Indians finish an injury-plagued season 12-16 overall and they only lose two seniors in Long and Daylin McKnight.
Cole led Aurora with 16 points, Ellie Creasey finished with 12 points, Jaelyn Ernest added 10 points, Hall had six points, and Payden Blevins scored four points.
Aurora, who defeated Seneca 63-24 at home back in December, won a proverbial dogfight Saturday to improve to 20-8 and win a district title for the first time in more than a decade.
The Houns could match their most wins in a season since 2009 when they play District 11 champion Ava (24-4) in the Class 4 sectionals on Monday at Gibson Arena on the campus of Missouri S&T in Rolla.
Ava defeated Rogersville 47-40 for a district title on Saturday and the Bears have only lost once in the 2023 calendar year with their first three losses this season in December against Class 5 West Plains (57-44) and Class 6 schools Nixa (53-33) and Ozark (42-32).
The Bears are ranked eighth in Class 4 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association.
The Bears and the Houns have no previous meetings listed on the MSHSAA website.
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — By making winning plays down the stretch, top-seeded Nevada edged third-seeded Clinton 46-45 in a thrilling championship game of the Class 4 District 13 tournament on Saturday afternoon at Pleasant Hill High School.
It’s Nevada’s first district championship in girls basketball since 2020.
The district title game was a nail-biter.
Nevada was up 18-14 at the end of the first quarter, but Clinton led 29-27 at halftime.
The Cardinals were clinging to a 35-34 lead at the end of the third period.
The Tigers outscored the Cardinals 12-10 in the fourth quarter to get the win and advance.
Nevada coach Blake Howarth told SoMo Sports that senior guard Maddy Majors hit two clutch free throws with 24 seconds left in the game to give the Tigers a four-point cushion.
Clinton hit a 3-pointer with five seconds left and called a timeout with one second left. After the timeout, Nevada was able to inbound the ball and the clock expired.
Majors and Clara Swearingen scored 15 points apiece for Nevada, while Abbey Heathman added 12 points. Swearingen and Majors each hit a trio of 3-pointers, while Heathman made two treys.
Also for the Tigers, Katie Johnson and Kara Phillips contributed two points apiece.
Mercedez Brown scored 18 points for Clinton (23-6), while Skyte Wilson added 14.
Nevada (21-6) will meet St. Michael the Archangel (18-9) at 6 on Tuesday night in a sectional contest of the state tournament at William Jewell College.
St. Michael defeated Pembroke Hill 79-75 in overtime to win the District 14 title.
