ANDERSON, Mo. — Joplin started the tenure of first-year head coach Nick Pfeifer off on a high note with a convincing 70-45 road win over McDonald County on Tuesday night in the season opener.
The Eagles caught fire from range from the tip to build an 18-point lead by the end of the first quarter, which turned into a 33-18 advantage into the intermission. Joplin pushed the lead to more than 20 for the first time in the third quarter and didn’t let up down the stretch to secure the win and a 1-0 start to the season.
GAME ACTION
Joplin started the game with the hot hand from 3-point land, knocking down five shots from range in the first eight minutes to help build a 24-6 advantage to start the second period.
The Eagles started the game on a 7-0 run with 3-pointers from Collis Jones and Fred Taylor before Whit Hafer knocked down a free throw.
After the Mustangs (0-1) got on the board with a drive from Destyn Dowd, Joplin got back to back triples from Brecken Green and Carter Harbin to push the lead to 13-2 near the midway point of the opening period.
Jones knocked down a mid-range jumper before another 3-ball from the wing by Taylor extended the Joplin advantage to 18-4.
Joplin closed the first quarter on a 6-0 run with David Bhend scoring on a back cut and Cooper Williams earning a steal and finishing it off with a layup on the break inside of 30 seconds to play to make the score 24-6.
After Dowd started the scoring in the second with a steal for his third layup of the game, Green knocked down the Eagles’ sixth 3-pointer of the night after another make from the corner off the swing pass from Hafer to grow the lead to 19, 27-8.
McDonald County used an offensive rebound and putback from Anthony D’Amico and an inside score from Joshua Pacheco to trim the Mustangs’ deficit to 27-13 with less than four minutes to play in the first half.
Pacheco added another driving score late to cut the Joplin lead to 15, which was the margin at the intermission.
McDonald County got its first 3-pointers of the game early in the second half with Cael Carlin knocking both down to cut the Joplin lead to 13, 37-24.
Taylor found Green in the corner for another 3-ball, drawing the foul on the play to convert the four-point play at the 6:34 to make the score 41-24.
Joplin pushed the lead to more than 20 for the first time when Jones grabbed an offensive rebound and found a cutting Taylor for a floater to make the score 47-26 with less than four minutes to play in the third.
Joplin took a 17-point lead into the fourth quarter and held that pace through the final horn.
SCORING LEADERS
Joplin had 10 players score in the win, leading the way with four players in double figures. Green led the way with 16 points, while Jones added 11 in the win. Taylor and Williams both finished with 10 points apiece.
The Mustangs were led in scoring by Dowd’s 15 points, while Pacheco had 13 in the loss. Carlin added nine, while Toby Moore had six.
ANDERSON, Mo. — The McDonald County Mustangs improved to 2-1 on the season by beating Rogersville 16-0 on Friday night.
It’s the second straight win for Mac County after a season-opening setback to Mount Vernon.
Two plays after a Maddox Feagin interception that set the hosts up on the 5-yard line, Destyn Dowd’s 1-yard QB keeper gave the Mustangs a 7-0 lead with 5:31 left in the first quarter.
A 22-yard field goal from Richard Gasca made it 10-0 at the half.
There was no scoring in the third period.
Josh Pacheco’s 80-yard pick six in the fourth quarter made it 16-0 with 8:37 remaining and accounted for the final score.
SENECA, Mo. — A scoreless game through three innings saw Seneca take the initial lead with a run in the fourth before a three-run fifth by Carthage swung the momentum in favor of the Tigers, who capped the win with a six-run seventh inning en route to the road win over the Indians on Tuesday.
Addison Wallace earned the complete-game win after allowing five runs, three earned, on 11 hits, a walk and eight strikeouts in seven innings.
Abigail Jamros took the loss after allowing nine runs, seven earned, on 11 hits, a walk and six strikeouts in seven innings.
Carthage’s Ashlyn Brust finished with two hits, two RBI and a run scored, while Brooklynn Dolon-Main had two hits and an RBI and Aven Willis had two hits and scored a run. Shelby Hegwer doubled, scored twice and drove in one.
Jamros had three hits, including a double, and RBI and scored a run for the Indians, while Kahli Fields doubled on the way to two hits, two RBI and a run scored. Abby Stelts had three hits, and an RBI.
Carthage (3-2) and Seneca (0-2) take part in the Paige Neal/Christina Freeman Invitational softball tournament on Friday and Saturday hosted by Joplin.
MCDONALD COUNTY 12, JOPLIN 2
ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County hung crooked numbers on the scoreboard in the first four innings and added a single tally in the fifth on the way to a five-inning win over Joplin on Tuesday.
Jaylee Brock earned the win after allowing two runs on eight hits and three walks in five innings.
Ava Wolf took the loss after allowing five runs, three earned, on four hits, two walks and three strikeouts in an inning of work. Caelyn Bobski allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits and two walks in 3 2/3 innings of relief.
Carlee Cooper had three hits, including a home run and a triple, a game-high four RBI and three runs scored, while Kearston Hopkins doubled and tripled, scored three times and drove in two for McDonald County. Katelynn Townsend finished with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI, while Brock had two hits and two RBI.
Abby Lowery, who doubled, and Jadyn Pankow each had two hits for the Eagles, while Lowery scored a run. Bailey Ledford doubled and drove in one.
Joplin (3-3) hosts the Paige Neal/Christina Freeman Invitational softball tournament on Friday and Saturday.
McDonald County (2-2) is at Marshfield on Thursday.
ANDERSON, Mo. — In the first action of the 2023 season, the Webb City High School softball team earned a pair of non-conference victories on Saturday at McDonald County High School.
Webb City defeated Quapaw, Oklahoma, 11-1 in the day’s opener and the Cardinals knocked off host Mac County 11-7.
Against Quapaw, the Cardinals scored three runs in the first inning, four in the fourth and two apiece in the fifth and sixth innings.
Webb City recorded 12 hits. Abby Sargent went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Alex Maturino, Sidney Strickland, Dawsyn Decker and Riley Hanes all had two hits apiece. Maturino hit a pair of doubles, while Decker and Hanes tripled. Lily Hall, Maturino and Decker drove in two runs apiece.
Three Webb City pitchers limited Quapaw to one hit.
Laney Taylor was the winning pitcher. She went two innings in the circle, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out two.
Kenzie Wynn tossed three scoreless innings, while Karsyn Cahoon pitched one inning, giving up one run.
In the win over the Mustangs, Webb City plated six runs in the first inning and added two in the second to take a comfortable 8-0 lead.
Down 9-1, McDonald County erupted for six runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Cardinals added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh.
The Cardinals once again got the bats going in a big way with 11 hits against their district foe.
Kylee Sargent, Strickland and Decker had two hits apiece. Hanes homered and drove in two runs. Wynn and Strickland had two RBI, while Lily Hall, Maturino, Decker and Addi Brown contributed one RBI apiece.
Lia Taylor was the winning pitcher. She went five innings, allowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out three. Addie Burns and Wynn pitched in relief.
McDonald County’s Joslyn Royce allowed six runs on five hits, while Jaylee Brock gave up two earned runs on four hits and Dakota O’Brien surrendered two runs, both unearned, in one inning of work.
Carlee Cooper and O’Brien both homered for the Mustangs, while Kearston Hopkins drove in three runs on two hits.
In the day’s other game, McDonald County defeated Quapaw 12-2.
Webb City (2-0) hosts Nevada (3-1) at 4:30 on Monday.
Entering the 2023 prep football season, the McDonald County Mustangs will be led by five returning starters on defense and four returning starters on offense.
Overall, the Mustangs feature 18 returning lettermen from last year’s squad that went 6-5 overall and won a playoff game before ending the season in the district semifinals.
McDonald County coach Kellen Hoover noted he was proud of how the 2022 team performed in the always-tough Big 8 Conference.
“Last year’s team was a gritty group,” Hoover said. “We knew we would have to scratch and claw our way to some wins and I was proud of our team for so many moments where they came through. We won close games against Logan-Rogersville, Nevada and Cassville during the regular season and scored a touchdown on third and long with a little over a minute left to go up by one against Marshfield in the opening round of districts.
“That was just another example of our team staying together through a hard-fought defensive battle and doing their job when we absolutely needed it the most. I was extremely proud of our kids for all the grittiness they showed in 2022.”
With an experienced group back, along with a number of promising newcomers, the Mustangs will look to build on last year’s success this fall.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who are ready to step into roles on the field and roles as leaders for our football team,” Hoover said. “We have several that are coming back with a lot of playing experience, and others that will be getting their first taste of Friday night football. At the end of the day, we need to bring consistent effort and energy every single day and need to focus on having great discipline in the little things that it takes to be a great team.”
McDonald County lost seven offensive starters and six defensive starters to graduation, so there are some holes to fill entering the season.
Of course, nothing will come easy for the Mustangs this season, as the Big 8 Conference should be tough again in ’23.
“You have to be at your best every week in the Big 8 because every opponent is a tremendous test,” Hoover said. “We’ve got to focus on doing our job the best we can every single snap. If we can maintain that consistency, we hope to reach our potential and have a really great year in 2023.”
OFFENSE
The Mustangs’ spread offense averaged 18 points per game last season, as the balanced attack compiled 146 passing yards and 138 rushing yards per contest.
“We hope to be a physical offense that can run the football effectively,” Hoover said. “It’s hard to be competitive in our conference if you don’t bring a good rushing attack with you. But we also have built our offense to attack teams in other ways if they over-commit to stopping the run and we hope to be able to utilize our playmakers in space if that happens.”
Senior dual-threat quarterback Destyn Dowd (6-1, 190), senior running back Sam Barton (5-11, 175) and senior fullback Samuel Murphy (5-10, 230) all return with starting experience to lead the Mustangs’ offensive attack.
Dowd was an honorable mention all-conference pick at QB, while Murphy earned second-team all-conference honors.
“Destyn really came on strong at the end of the year on both sides of the ball,” Hoover said. “The offensive light bulb came on and he really started to understand what the defense was giving us, and he made the play to take advantage of that. We hope he continues that progression. And we also think he will have a great year on the edge at linebacker.
“We expect Sam to be a great player on both sides of the ball for us this year,” Hoover said. “He started playing running back for us due to an injury in 2022 and showed some natural instincts at the position.”
Seniors Toby Moore (6-4, 290) and Jayce Hitt (6-2, 250) are returning standout linemen. Moore earned second-team all-conference honors, while Hitt garnered honorable mention all-conference recognition. With Moore and Hitt leading the way, the Mustangs should be strong up front.
“Toby has been an important piece for us up front on both sides the last two seasons,” Hoover said. “This season will be no different. He’s had a great offseason, working hard in our workouts and showing an eagerness to be the best leader he can be. We expect really big things for Toby in 2023.
“Jayce is an extremely strong and athletic two-way player up front for us, and we expect him to continue to progress on both sides. He’s a player that takes pride in bringing energy every day and we will continue to expect that this season.”
Senior Cory Tuttle (6-2, 280) and junior Miguel Melendez (5-11, 235) are other returning lineman.
Junior Malosi Sosef is another returning running back, while seniors Slyte Osborne and Josh Pacheco and juniors Dominic Cervantes and Aidrian Short are returners at wide receiver and juniors Alex Bogart and Jace Thomas and sophomore JP Clarkson return with experience at tight end.
Hoover expects Pacheco to be an improved player on both sides of the ball.
“Josh showed a physical side that initially surprised us as coaches in 2022, and has had a great offseason, getting bigger, stronger and more explosive,” Hoover said. “We expect him to be a key part of our defense and take on a bigger offensive role at wide receiver after showing some flashes of brilliance last season.”
Juniors Anthony D’Amico (QB) and Richard Gasca (kicker) are other players with prior experience.
Seniors Huston Porter (WR) and Tucker Walters (WR) and junior Peyton O’Neill (TE) are newcomers to watch.
DEFENSE
The Mustangs’ 4-2-5 defense gave up 21.7 points per game last season. The team will look to decrease the points per game average this season.
“As always, we hope our strength is that we are stout against the run and that we tackle extremely well,” Hoover said. “Our focus will be getting 11 hats to the ball and always playing with elite effort and energy.”
Moore, Hitt and Murphy are key returning defensive linemen, as all three garnered all-conference honors last year.
Hoover noted Murphy had a standout season defensively last year.
“Murph is extremely disruptive on the defensive side of the ball,” Hoover said. “He was third on the team in tackles, with 82 from the interior DL, and is also a reliable guy to hand the ball to in short yardage offensively. He’s extremely strong with a low center of gravity, which makes him really good at the things we ask him to do, and he’s had his best offseason yet, so we’re excited to see what Murph can do this season.”
Pacheco earned first-team all-Big 8 honors at defensive back.
Dowd (LB), Barton (DB), Osborne (DB), Tuttle (DL), Bogart (LB), Cervantes (DB), D’Amico (DB), Melendez (DL), Short (DB), Sosef (LB), Thomas (LB) and Clarkson (DL) are other players who are expected to be key performers defensively.
Porter (DB), Walters (DB) and O’Neill (LB) are newcomers who could contribute on the defensive side.
WEEK 1 IS HERE
McDonald County hosts Mount Vernon on Aug. 25 in the opener of the 2023 season.
“Every game in the Big 8 is a big game,” Hoover said. “Right now, our first game is the most important game on our schedule. A really good Mount Vernon team is coming to our place in Week 1 and that’s the only game we’re thinking about at this point.”
McDonald County girls golf returns three players with varsity experience to lead the way for the upcoming 2023 season.
After graduating a pair of top-flight seniors, the Mustangs will look at its returning experience to anchor the squad.
“The girls have developed a passion for the sport,” McDonald County coach Brent Jordan said. “That’s my ultimate goal, to have them fall in love with the game. Everything else is secondary. If they like it, they’ll put in the time and effort.”
Leading the list of returners for McDonald County is senior Kelsie Lilly, a four-year varsity letter winner.
“Kelsie Lilly is our leader,” Jordan said of his senior. “She’s great with the other girls, giving coaching tips or rides or whatever anyone needs.
“Her game has improved each of the past three years, placing in the top 15 at conference last season. I would not be surprised to see her improve enough to earn some all-area recognition. She’s solid off the tee, crafty around the greens. She was our most improved golfer last year, and she has continued to improve this offseason.”
Junior Scout Watson is back for her second year in the program, as is sophomore Raygan Allgood.
New to the varsity squad will be junior Madisyn Merkle.
“Madisyn is improving daily, really striking the ball well this week,” Jordan said of his returners. “Scout was new last year. She improved throughout the season. Her strength is being steady off the tee; rarely does she miss-hit a ball.
“Raygan’s ability to smash a drive was her strength. She has been able to develop some consistency in her short game so far this season.”
The outlook is bright for McDonald County girls golf. Coach Jordan has been pleased with the progress he’s seen from his golfers and is excited to see how it translates on the course this season.
“Our offseason participation this summer has been the best (in the three years) since I’ve been coaching here,” Jordan said. “The girls really put in the extra time this summer to get better. It is already showing in practice. We are hopeful to add another one or two when school starts, but I really like the four we have—I can live with that for now!”
The McDonald County volleyball team has its hopes set high this season with several players returning to the varsity squad.
After a 9-22-2 campaign a year ago, the Mustangs boast a large senior class full of varsity experience to go along with something they haven’t had a lot of in recent seasons—depth.
“We are incredibly excited about the upcoming season,” McDonald County coach Logan Grab said. “Our summer was so much fun, so I am certain that this season is going to be even better.”
McDonald County’s list of returners is highlighted by senior setter Jayden Forcum, senior MH Savannah Leib and sophomore OH Carlie Martin, all of whom were starters last season.
“Jayden has settled into her role as the varsity setter over the past year and has provided our team with the opportunity to run a strong offense,” Grab said of her returning starters. “Savannah has proven to be a strong offensive and defensive player … She brings a high level of energy to the court along with the discipline to perform well in a variety of situations.
“(Carlie) has committed herself to building consistency in her gameplay and made distinct progress over the past year. Her volleyball IQ makes her a strong decision-maker who will capitalize on situations she is presented with on the court.”
Also returning with varsity experience is senior OH Teea Corcoran, senior OH River Killion, senior libero Yarecci Quintero, sophomore MH/OH Layla Wallain and sophomore OH Kayana Fields.
“With more depth than we have had in several years, we expect to be a competitive, gritty team every time we step on the court,” Grab said. “While it will not be an easy task, we expect to have a successful season because of the dedication our athletes and coaches have to being the best they can be.”
Also expected to make an impact at the varsity level this year are senior Peyton Cooper, junior MH Roslynn Huston and sophomore OH/S Jamie Washam.
With so many players returning, the Mustangs are focusing on playing with balance and continuity. Coach Grab believes all the work they have put in this offseason in that area will pay off come regular season action. Of course, the key to playing balanced is playing with consistency, and Coach Grab knows her team will have to be more consistent, particularly on offense, if they want to reach their goals.
“We have focused on working toward becoming a balanced team that can handle offensive and defensive situations equally,” Grab said. “If we remain focused on executing that mission, that will undoubtedly be our biggest strength this year which will help us have a chance at playing for a conference and/or district title and beyond.
“Being able to consistently put the ball away during offensive opportunities continues to be an area we want to improve. This is something that comes with more experience, and we have already seen leaps and bounds of improvement over the summer that we hope to see continue as the season progresses.”
McDonald County opens the season up at home against Gravette on Aug. 28 before hosting Carthage on Aug. 29.
McDonald County cross country is now in the hands of first-year head coach Dakota VanSlyke and he is excited for his team’s prospects in the 2023 season.
“I’m really excited to be the head coach for the McDonald County Mustangs cross country team,” VanSlyke said. “I’ve coached a lot of these kids during track and these athletes make it fun to coach everyday. I’m excited to have a team the school and community can be proud of.
“I’m super excited to see how our team performs this year. We’ve had a great turnout during the offseason and I’m really excited to see their hard work pay off. We have a great group of seniors on the boys and girls side that bring experience, leadership and have an awesome work ethic.”
The Mustangs lost Hunter Leach and Blaine Ortiz from the boys team last season and Anna Belle Price on the girls side—each key subtractions for their respective teams.
Fortunately, both teams have plenty of talent returning to have a competitive season in 2023.
“I expect to have a strong season on both sides this year,” VanSlyke said. “We have a good mix of upperclassmen and some underclassmen who are ready to step up for us this year. I’m confident that our team will represent McDonald County well this year and have fun while competing.”
For the boys, all-conference senior Lane Pratt and all-conference senior Caleb Garvin anchor the returners. Senior Devin Stone also returns alongside junior Corbin Holly and sophomores Devon Hickman and Mason Burton.
Senior Maddie Burton and Jaslyn Benhumea and junior Kenzie Horton all return alongside sophomore all-conference runner Kate Cheney.
“One of our biggest strengths this year will be our work ethic,” VanSlyke said. “These kids have already been putting in the work all summer and still come to practice everyday hungry. On the boys side, we have four returning varsity runners and the girls will have three.
“With having an established core on both sides, that’s our biggest strength. We’ve got kids that have experience and are ready to build upon their past successes. We also have some underclassmen that’s shown growth and had a great offseason that will have a chance to get some varsity time.”
Sophomores Elliot Palmer, Kyler Goewert and Wyatt Wilkinson are expected to make an impact on the boys team for McDonald County this season.
Lacey Nix will be a new addition to the girls team as will freshmen Linden Wolff, Kaylen Pennington, Julissa Valdez and Kylie Smith.
New to the varsity squad for the boys this season will be sophomore Carter McGarrity and freshmen Anthony Wilkinson, Eli Wilkinson, Nathaniel Staib, Landon Bick and Peyton VanSlyke.
“For our team to be successful we need to just be consistent, stay healthy and try to improve each meet,” VanSlyke said. “We want to just be consistent and continue to peak during our conference and district meets. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish this year.”
SoMo Sports is proud to represent and contribute to the coverage of prep athletics for Joplin and its surrounding communities, and because of that, we’ve decided to continue our SoMo Sports Athletes of the Year series.
The SoMo Sports Athletes of the Year were chosen by reporters Jason Peake and Lucas Davis, who researched, discussed and agreed upon one athlete to represent for their school in each high school varsity sport from the fall, winter and spring seasons. The recipients were chosen by their athletic performances at the varsity level for the 2022-23 school year.
Without any further wait, the 2022-23 SoMo Sports Fall Sports Athletes of the Year.
FALL SEASON
FOOTBALL
Luke Gall, senior, Carthage
Carthage senior RB Luke Gall avoids Webb City during the 2022-23 season. FILE PHOTO
An outstanding player both offensively at running back and defensively at linebacker during his prep career, Carthage’s Luke Gall rushed for 2,000 yards and 40 touchdowns on 246 carries and made 106 total tackles during his senior campaign, playing a major role in Carthage advancing to the Class 5 state semifinals.
The area’s most-outstanding two-way performer, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Gall was named the Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year, the COC’s Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year and the Region’s Offensive and Defensive POY.
Carthage went 11-2 in ’22, with a 22-21 setback to Nixa the team’s lone regular-season setback. Eventual state champion Francis Howell defeated Carthage 35-13 in the Class 5 semifinals.
Gall and his classmates played for a program that finished a combined 42-6 overall during their four years of high school.
With his storied and remarkable prep career concluded, Gall has signed to continue his athletic career at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.
HM: Quin Renfro, junior, Joplin
SOFTBALL
Jacie Frencken, junior, McDonald County
McDonald County’s Jacie Frencken had quite the junior season for the Mustangs on the diamond.
The junior infielder clubbed her way to a .510 batting average while getting on base at a .574 clip. She provided plenty of power after slugging 1.010 and came up clutch time and time again with a .683 batting average with runners in scoring position.
In total, Frencken set a bevy of single-season school records with 16 doubles, 11 home runs and 53 RBI, earning herself the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year as well as earning first-team all-district, all-region and all-state while helping lead the Mustangs to a 23-10 record and a trip to the Class 4 state playoffs.
Seneca senior Parker Long earns a kill with a tip over the defense in the Indians’ win over Mountain Grove on Thursday. FILE PHOTO
Parker Long finished her career in Seneca on a high note.
The 5-foot-9-inch outside hitter was a catalyst in the Indians’ 23-12-1 season that ended with a program-first trip to the quarterfinal round of the Class 3 state playoffs. Long led Seneca with 448 kills, 474 digs and 65 aces on the season.
She had a 40.1% kill rate with a .269 hitting percentage and averaged four kills per set.
Among the accolades Long earned this season, she was named first-team all-conference and district as well being the first Seneca player to earn Class 3 all-state honors as well.
HM: Kyah Sanborn, senior, Webb City; Lo Jones, senior, Carl Junction
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Hobbs Campbell, senior, Joplin
Joplin’s Hobbs Campbell capped an outstanding senior season by finishing fifth at the MSHSAA Class 5 Cross Country Championships.
Competing in the state’s biggest classification, Campbell toured the 5K course at Gans Creek with a time of 15 minutes, 42 seconds to earn all-state honors.
Ahead of the state championships, Campbell finished fourth at the Class 5 District 2 meet with a time of 15:36.
Also of note, Campbell won the Central Ozark Conference Meet with an impressive time of 15:21.
Campbell will continue his athletic career at the University of Kansas.
HM: Kip Atteberry, senior, Thomas Jefferson; Evan Stevens, junior, Webb City
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Abi Street, senior, Webb City
Webb City senior Abi Street crosses the finish line during the 2022-23 season. FILE PHOTO
In a season full of highlights, Webb City senior Abi Street recorded a program-best finish at the state championships.
In a stellar conclusion to a standout prep cross country career, Street finished third in the Class 4 girls race with a time of 19 minutes, 6 seconds.
The third place showing is the highest place ever by a Webb City female at the state meet.
In addition to earning all-state recognition for the second straight year, Street captured district and conference championships during the fall.
Street was the top female finisher at the Class 4 District 2 meet (18:53) and she also took first at the Central Ozark Conference Meet (18:40).
Street will compete collegiately at the University of Kansas.
HM: Kendall Ramsey, junior, McAuley Catholic
GIRLS GOLF
Emree Cameron, sophomore, Nevada
Nevada High School sophomore Emree Cameron was the runner-up at the MSHSAA Class 2 Girls Golf Championships.
Cameron finished the two-day state tourney with a 2-over-par 146, just two strokes back of the state champion, Marshfield’s Marlene Edgeman.
In a stellar fall season, Cameron was the Class 2 District 3 champion with an even-par 70.
Cameron finished third at the Big 8 Conference Meet with a 2-under-par 68.
Cameron won 18-hole tournaments in Joplin, Lamar, Bolivar, Carthage and Nevada. She averaged a 69 on 18-hole courses last fall while averaging a 34.5 on 9-hole courses.
Cameron set a school record by shooting a 7-under-par 65 at the Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf Course on Sept. 23.
BOYS SOCCER
Alex Flores, senior, Webb City
Alex Flores’ final season with Webb City soccer was a strong conclusion to his prep career.
The standout forward helped lead the Cardinals to their program’s first district title since 1999 by finding the back of the net 28 times during his senior season.
Flores also added seven assists on the year, garnering him all-conference, district and state recognition.
BOYS SWIMMING
Micah Brouwer, junior, Webb City
Webb City’s Micah Brouwer finished as one of the top and most dynamic swimmers in the area.
He finished the season with Webb City as the Central Ozark Conference champion in the 100-yard breaststroke with a state consideration time of one minute, 4.94 seconds and was third in 200 IM.
Brouwer had a third-place time in the 100 breastroke of 1:03.39 in the SWMO Championships.
At the state meet, Brouwer finished 18th in the prelims of the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:03, just missing a trip to the finals.
GIRLS TENNIS
Emma Watts, senior, Joplin
Joplin’s Emma Watts returns a shot during the 2022-23 season. FILE PHOTO
Joplin High School senior Emma Watts concluded her stellar prep career by putting together a solid 2022 season.
Watts finished her senior year with a 21-7 record in singles play.
Along the way, Watts captured the singles championship at the Central Ozark Conference Tournament. It was Watts’ third conference championship, as she and Astrid Cardenas won COC doubles titles the two previous seasons.
Watts finished third in the singles bracket at the Class 3 District 6 individual tournament.
NEOSHO, Mo. — History repeated itself on Monday night at Roy B. Shaver Field.
For the second straight year, the Webb City Cardinals captured a district title inside the Neosho School District’s Marion Sports Complex.
A stellar pitching performance, flawless defense and timely hitting led second-seeded Webb City past top-seeded McDonald County 2-0 in the championship game of the Class 5 District 7 baseball tournament.
“Winning a district championship two years in-a-row was one of our goals at the beginning of the year,” Webb City coach Aaron Snow said. “The kids on both sides executed all game long. It was a great baseball game. I knew whoever scored first was probably going to win the game. I’m just really proud of the kids.”
Webb City defeated Carl Junction in last year’s district title game at the same location.
“It feels great to come out on top,” Webb City senior Kaylor Darnell said after the nail-biter. “I have a bunch of great players to play with. I can’t stress enough how much fun it’s been to play with all these guys over the years. Winning a district championship is a lot of fun. And winning a district championship back-to-back is really great.”
Webb City (21-13) will host Kearney (24-9) at 2 p.m. on Saturday afternoon in a Class 5 quarterfinal at Chuck Barnes Field.
McDonald County was looking to win its first district title since 2001. The Mustangs end the season with a record of 20-9.
“You always want to win a district championship, that’s always the No. 1 goal when you start the season,” McDonald County coach Heath Alumbaugh said. “In the end, it’s all about the relationships you build with the kids. We have a great group of seven seniors. I’ve had them for six years myself. It’s a great group of kids.”
Webb City senior Kaylor Darnell delivers a pitch to the plate against McDonald County on Monday night in Neosho. Darnell allowed just two hits in 6 2/3 innings. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
GAME RECAP: A PITCHER’S DUEL
Drew Vonder Haar motions to his teammates after hitting a leadoff double in the sixth inning. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
Simply put, the district title game was a well-played pitcher’s duel between Webb City’s Kaylor Darnell and Mac County’s Weston Gordon.
In the end, Webb City was the team that was able to manufacture a couple of runs.
Webb City had their first real scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth. Christian Brock walked and Kenley Hood singled to left before Kaylor Darnell’s sacrifice bunt put runners at second and third with two outs.
But the runners were stranded in scoring position, as Gordon induced William Hayes into an inning-ending chopper back to the mound.
The Mustangs had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the fourth. Destyn Dowd reached on an infield single, took second on Cross Dowd’s sac bunt and went to third on a wild pitch.
Next, Isaac Behm flew out to shallow right field. On the play, Dowd tagged up and tried to score, but Webb City right fielder Eli Miller threw a perfect strike to catcher Shaun Hunt, who applied the tag at the plate for a key double play.
In the fifth, Webb City’s Sam Weller singled, went to second on a botched pickoff attempt and took third on Cy Darnell’s fly out. But Gordon was able to strike out Hunt to end the threat.
The Cardinals finally broke through in the sixth.
Junior third baseman Drew Vonder Haar led off the inning with a double to deep center field. Vonder Haar advanced to third base on Brock’s fly out to right before Hood drew a walk to put runners on the corners with just one out.
Sam Weller lays down a bunt during the district title game.
Next, in a game-changing play, Kaylor Darnell laid down the squeeze bunt towards first base, Vonder Haar charged home and Darnell was safe at first for the clutch infield single.
“Going into that at-bat, I knew I was going to bunt down the first base line,” Darnell said. “I knew what I had to do and I was able to lay it down.”
“Kaylor is a great bunter, so I knew instantly to go with the safety squeeze,” Snow said. “He executed it perfectly.”
The Cardinals could do no further damage, as the Mustangs turned a nifty 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Darnell struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth before Webb City added a key insurance run in the top of the seventh inning. Senior center fielder Gage Chapman walked and later scored on Hunt’s clutch RBI double to right field.
Kaylor Darnell retired the first two batters of the bottom of the seventh before allowing a single to Behm. With that, Coach Snow called on senior right-hander Walker Sweet to close out the win.
Sweet walked Tucker Walters to give the Mustangs two runners on base, but he struck out Gordon to end the game.
Weston Gordon threw well in defeat for the McDonald County Mustangs on Monday night in the district title game. Gordon was one of seven Mac County seniors this season.
NAMES & NUMBERS
A senior right-hander, Kaylor Darnell was the winning pitcher. In a masterful performance, Darnell allowed just two hits and one walk in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out eight.
“My fastball was working for me today and it’s easy to throw fastballs when your team plays great defense behind you,” Darnell said.
Sweet earned the save after recording the final out.
“Kaylor did a great job of filling it up,” Snow said. “He had all of his pitches working. And Walker came in and shut the door.”
The Cardinals did not commit an error.
“Our defense was huge,” Snow said. “In a game like this, you know both teams are going to put the ball in play. We had a couple of great turns up the middle. Eli’s throw from right field to get the runner out at home was a huge play. It was just a well-executed baseball game.”
A senior right-hander, Gordon took the loss, but threw well in defeat.
“Weston is our ace,” Alumbaugh said. “I think those are the first runs he’s allowed in like 42 innings. He pitched his butt off tonight. He’s been our guy all season. Arkansas State-Three Rivers is getting a fierce competitor.”
Gordon allowed two runs on six hits and four walks and struck out four in seven innings.
“Weston is a great pitcher and he had a great outing,” Snow said. “He was in the zone. We knew it was going to be a battle.”
The Cardinals had a little extra motivation, as the Mustangs beat the Cardinals 6-3 in the regular season meeting back in April.
“Our kids were pretty hungry after losing to them 6-3 (earlier in the season),” Snow noted.
“Last time, he struggled to throw strikes,” Alumbaugh said of Darnell’s early-season outing. “But we knew he’d be much better tonight. We knew he was their No. 1. He came out, threw strikes and they made routine plays behind him.”
Alumbaugh noted it was a fun game to be a part of, regardless of the final outcome.
“Great pitching and great defense…that’s what you want in a district championship game,” he said. “That’s what makes it fun.”
As far as Saturday’s opponent, Webb City defeated Kearney 8-5 earlier this season. The rematch will determine who advances to the semifinals.
As far as Snow, he was thrust into a head coaching role for the district title game, as Andrew Doennig was absent after being ejected from the district semifinal.
“Coach Doennig had a great game plan coming in and he’s involved all of us assistant coaches all year, so that really played a huge role in my confidence today,” Snow said.
Webb City senior Walker Sweet closed out the district title game by recording the final out. Webb City defeated McDonald County 2-0 in the district title game. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
VENUE CHANGE EQUALS LARGE CROWD
The district title game was originally scheduled to be played in Warrensburg.
The game’s location was changed to Neosho. And with that, fans of both schools were able to come out and cheer on their favorite team.
There were more than 500 fans in attendance at Roy B. Shaver Field, which created a great atmosphere for the district title game.
“Warrensburg has a great facility and they’re a great host, but not having to drive three hours one way was huge for us,” Alumbaugh said. “We were able to stay in our normal routine. And that type of crowd is what you want in a championship game.”
Snow had a similar view.
“It was a no-brainer to move the game here,” Snow said. “Having the big crowd here today was fantastic. Our crowd was awesome…their crowd was awesome. The atmosphere was great. I hope the atmosphere is even better at Chuck Barnes Field on Saturday.”
The Webb City Cardinals celebrate after recording the final out of a 2-0 win over the McDonald County Mustangs on Monday in Neosho. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
The Webb City Cardinals pose with the district championship plaque on Monday after beating McDonald County 2-0 for the Class 5 District 7 title. Photo by Jason Peake.
Webb City catcher Shaun Hunt shows the ball to the umpire after tagging out Mac County’s Destyn Dowd at the plate in the fourth inning of the district championship game.
Sam Weller and the Cardinals turn a double play against McDonald County on Monday. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
WEST PLAINS, Mo. — Webb City, Carl Junction and McDonald County all had multiple state qualifiers at Saturday’s Class 4 sectional 3 meet at West Plains High School.
The top four in each event advanced to next weekend’s state meet in Jefferson City.
One week after capturing a district championship, Webb City’s boys topped the final team standings at the sectional meet with 111 points. Marshfield was second with 95, while West Plains (94) and Rolla (74) were third and fourth.
Webb City’s girls were fifth in the team standings with 64 points.
The top four teams were Marshfield (108), Rockwood Summit (92), West Plains (78) and Washington (69).
WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS
Webb City’s boys advanced 13 entries to state in 11 events. The team had two qualifiers in two events, the pole vault and javelin.
The Cardinals won five events and finished second in two others to go along with four third-place finishes and two fourth-place showings.
Junior distance runner Evan Stevens was the sectional champion in two events. Stevens took first in the 1600 with a time of 4:25 and also won the 3200 in 9:47.
Cardinals senior Grayson Smith won the pole vault by clearing 15-11.75. Of course, Smith is the defending state champ in the event.
Webb City junior Nate Miller won the discus with a toss of 157-4 and junior Tucker Liberatore won the javelin with a toss of 171-7.
Sophomore Ryan Reid took second in the high jump (6-0), while junior Jadon Brisco was the runner-up to his teammate in the pole vault after clearing 14 feet.
Senior Trey Roets was third in the javelin (162-3), sophomore Eric Lathan took third in the shot put (50-10.75) and senior Jordan Thornburg finished fourth in the 100-meter dash (11.26).
The Cardinals advanced to state in three relays, as the 4×200 and 4×800 were third and the 4×400 finished fourth.
Mason Hedger, Dakota Grove, Noah Lankard and Stevens ran the 4×800.
The 4×400 featured Noah Moss, Gabe Johnson, Mason Hedger and Josh White.
Webb City’s 4×200 consisted of Thornburg, Gabe Johnson, William Headrick and White.
Webb City’s girls advanced to state in six events.
The Cardinals had two sectional champs, as junior Dawsyn Decker won the javelin with a toss of 139-3 and freshman Brooke Hedger won the 800 in 2:18.
Cardinals senior Abi Street was the runner-up in two events — the 1600 in 5:19 and the 3200 in 11:22.
Junior Aubree Lassiter finished fourth in the discus with a toss of 107-1.
Webb City’s girls finished third in the 4×100 relay in 50.34 seconds, with Kylie Jennings, Chase Stilley, Alyssa Moreno and Essence Robinson competing.
CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Carl Junction sophomore Sydney Ward was the sectional champion in two events — the 100-meter dash (12.31 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (24.92 seconds).
Carl Junction’s girls had three other individual qualifiers, as junior Acadia Badgley was the runner-up in the pole vault (10-0.5), sophomore Madilyn Olds finished third in the javelin (121-0) and freshman Bella Montez took fourth in the 300 hurdles (49.1).
Carl Junction’s 4×200 relay team of Olivia Battagler, Destiny Buerge, Dezi Williams and Ward advanced by finishing fourth.
For the Carl Junction boys, senior Donnie Keith advanced by finishing fourth in the discus (137-4).
MCDONALD COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS
McDonald County’s boys advanced in three events.
The Mustangs finished second in the 4×400 relay in 3:29, with Dominic Cervantes, Hunter Leach, Dalton McClain and Josh Pacheco running.
The team of Sam Barton, Esteban Martinez-Olvera, Cervantes and Pacheco finished third in the 4×100 relay in 43.69 seconds.
Mac County’s Toby Moore placed third in the discus (141-8) to give the Mustangs an individual qualifier.
McDonald County’s girls 4×400 relay team of Ireona Nirka, Clara Horton, Anna Price and Corina Holland finished fourth in 4:13.
MONETT HIGHLIGHTS
Monett’s Konner Poynter won the 300 hurdles in 39.98 seconds. A senior, Poynter was the runner-up in two events, the 200 and the 110 hurdles.
Monett’s Vayla Smith took second in the girls 400.
BEACHLER WINS TWO EVENTS FOR NEVADA
WARRENSBURG, Mo. — Nevada senior Drew Beachler claimed a pair of sectional titles at the Class 4 Sectional 4 meet.
Beachler won the long jump with a leap of 22-0.25. He also won the triple jump with a mark of 44-1.25.
ANDERSON, Mo. — McDonald County improved to 15-7 on the season by earning a 9-0 non-conference victory over the Carthage Tigers on Monday.
McDonald County senior right-hander Weston Gordon earned the complete-game shutout victory. Gordon allowed just two hits and two walks while striking out six. Gordon retired 18 straight batters before giving up a hit in the seventh.
The Mustangs pushed across multiple runs in the first three innings before adding a single tally in the fourth.
Tucker Walters and Jack Parnell both delivered run-scoring singles in the bottom of the first inning to give the Mustangs an early 2-0 lead.
McDonald County added two runs in the second, as Cross Dowd hit an RBI single before a run scored on a Carthage error for a four-run cushion.
Destyn Dowd’s grand slam to left field gave the Mustangs an 8-0 lead in the third.
In the fourth, Parnell hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Isaac Behm, for a 9-0 lead.
Carthage’s lone hits were recorded by Blayne Lilienkamp and Taylor Stevens-Diggs.
Clay Kinder was charged with the loss. He surrendered eight runs on six hits and six walks and struck out three in three innings. Eider Lyckman allowed one run on two hits in three innings.
Carthage (3-23) hosts Neosho at 4:30 on Tuesday at Joe Becker Stadium.
McDonald County hosts Bentonville West on Thursday.
CARL JUNCTION 14, MOUNT VERNON 1 (5 INNINGS)
MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — Carl Junction rode a seven-run second inning to a run-rule win over the Mountaineers on Monday.
Up 7-1 after two innings, the Bulldogs added a single tally in the third, four runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to end the game early.
Carl Junction recorded 11 hits, with eight different players contributing at least one.
Bentley Rowden went 2-for-4 with three RBI, Deacon Endicott went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Cody Hollingsworth drove in two runs on two hits.
Drew Massey also had two RBI, while Wyatt McAfee, Lucas Vanlanduit, Aidan Streight, Endicott and Massey all scored two runs apiece.
Endicott and Massey both homered, while Rowden had two doubles.
Gaige Carson earned the pitching victory. He allowed one unearned run on two hits in four innings while striking out five.
Logan Eck pitched a scoreless inning.
Mount Vernon’s lone hits were recorded by Braden Dodson and Brayden Jameson.
Payton Jones took the loss after allowing seven earned runs on six hits and two walks.
Carl Junction (9-14) hosts Ozark on Tuesday.
Mount Vernon (10-9) is at Springfield Catholic on Tuesday.
MCAULEY CATHOLIC 13, BRONAUGH 2 (5 INNINGS)
McAuley Catholic scored crooked numbers in every innings on the way to a five-inning win over Bronaugh on Monday.
The Warriors (7-10) opened the game in a 2-0 deficit before scoring three times in the bottom of the first inning, five times in the second, three more runs in the third and twice in the fourth on the way to the win.
Rocco Bazzano-Joseph earned the win after allowing two unearned runs on three hits and eight strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Tucker Duncan took the loss after wallowing eight runs, seven earned, on four walks and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
Joe Staton had a hit and scored three runs, while Noah Black had a hit, scored twice and drove in once. Bradley Wagner had a hit and two RBI. Bazzano-Joseph had a hit, drove in two and scored a run.
McAuley is at Northeast Vernon County on Wednesday.
EAST NEWTON 11, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 1
East Newton scored four times in the first inning and never looked back in a win over College Heights on Monday at Joe Becker Stadium.
The Patriots added two runs in the second frame, three in the fourth and two more insurance runs in the seventh.
Braiden Vanlue earned the win after pitching four scoreless innings on one hit, two walks and five strikeouts.
Jayce Walker took the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts in three innings.
Josh Anderson had a hit and scored a run for College Heights (6-10).
Vanlue had three hits and scored a run for East Newton.
GRANBY, Mo. — Neosho and McDonald County were among the schools competing at the East Newton Invitational on Thursday.
Lamar’s boys and Bolivar’s girls won the team championships. Neosho’s girls were second in the standings, while the Neosho boys finished fifth.
The McDonald County girls finished seventh and the MCHS boys were eighth. There were 11 full teams competing.
NEOSHO HIGHLIGHTS
Leading the way for the Neosho boys, Brice Warren took second in the discus, Collyn Kivett was the runner-up in the javelin and William Ebbinghaus finished second in the 400.
Colton Burr placed third in both the 100 and 200, while Lathan Cote (long jump) and Tyrone Harris (triple jump) both finished fourth. Finishing fifth in their events were Cade Camerer (long jump), Nicolas Olivares (shot put), Harris (100) and Adam Farrell (3200).
Finishing sixth were Gabriel Mabrey (800), Levi Dennison (110 H), Konnor Payton (300 H) and Carter Baslee (discus, shot put).
The Wildcats took third in the 4×800 relay, with William Ebbinghaus, Mabrey, Corbin Ables and Carson Newell.
Neosho’s 4×100 relay team of Bentlee Farley, Michael Day, Cote and Harris finished fifth.
For the Neosho girls, Claire Burghart was the runner-up in the triple jump.
Taking third in their events were Jazmyn Washington (high jump, 100 hurdles), Kaylee Schibi (discus) and Riley Kemna (3200), while Kali House (400) and Chloe Wood (3200) finished fourth and Miranda Wennhold (long jump) and Raine Harris (100 H) earned fifth-place finishes.
Finishing sixth were Ebbinghaus (200), Kemna (1600), Washington (300 H), Harris (LJ), Wennhold (TJ) and Kinley Wilson (pole vault).
Neosho’s 4×800 relay finished third, with Wood, Burghart, Carley Lane and Kemna competing.
The team of Rylyn Moritz, Regan Weber, Kendra Clark and Madilyn Ebbinghaus finished third in the 4×200 relay. Moritz, Weber, Kali House and Ebbinghaus finished third in the 4×100 relay.
The Wildcats were fifth in the 4×400, with House, Burghart, Olivia Emery and Lane running.
MCDONALD COUNTY HIGHLIGHTS
McDonald County’s Toby Moore placed third in the shot put and fourth in the discus, while Caleb Garvin finished third in the 3200 and Andrew Moritz took fourth in the javelin.
The Mustangs finished fifth in the 4×200 relay, with Eli Jordan, Samuel Barton, Julio Rosiles and Aidrian Short competing.
Mac County was also fifth in the 4×400, with Dominic Cervantes, Jordan, Short and Hunter Leach running.
The McDonald County girls won the 4×400 relay in 4:23, with Clara Horton, Corina Holland, Ireona Nirka and Anna Price competing.
Anissa Ramirez and Analisa Ramirez finished second and fourth, respectively, in the javelin.
Savannah Leib (high jump), Lacey Nix (pole vault), Malia Diaz (shot put) and Holland (200) all finished fourth in their respective events, while Dallie Racher was fifth in the 400. Taking sixth were Price (800) and Gia Coffel (HJ).
LOCAL EVENT WINNERS
Local event winners in the boys meet were Aurora’s Daunte Floyd (high jump), Lamar’s Ian Ngugi (100, 400), Terrill Davis (long jump) and Cameron Sturgell (javelin), East Newton’s Chase Sorrell (800, 1600), River Enlow (triple jump) and Dominic Shaw (shot put), Jasper’s Noah Neher (discus) and Mitchel Avalos (200) and Diamond’s Zachary Roughton (110 H, 300 H).
Local event winners in the girls meet were Jasper’s Crystal Smith (high jump, 100 H, 300 H, 200), Cassville’s Annie Moore (pole vault), Aurora’s Makena Hall (long jump), Mount Vernon’s Nina Cowherd (100) and Lamar’s Kiersten Potter (1600, 3200).
East Newton Invitational
Boys team scores: Lamar 114.5, Bolivar 101, Cassville 85, East Newton 68, Neosho 67, Jasper 40, Aurora 39, McDonald County 26, Diamond 24, Pierce City 16, Mount Vernon 8.5.
Girls team scores: Bolivar 149, Neosho 68.33, Cassville 60, Mount Vernon 58, Lamar 55, Aurora 53.33, McDonald County 44.33, Jasper 43, Pierce City 38, East Newton 18, Diamond 2.
NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho senior defender Gissele Vargas struck a perfect ball on a free kick from about 45 yards out to break a scoreless tie late in the second half and give the host Wildcats their first win of the season in dramatic 1-0 fashion on Thursday night against rival McDonald County at historic Bob Anderson Stadium.
“It was smart of her,” Neosho coach Steve Schnackenberg said. “She steps up a lot for us. That was a big play.”
Neosho and McDonald County played a match Thursday reflective of two rivals each vying for that so far elusive first win of the season.
“We really needed it,” Schnackenberg said. “We played a lot better than we’ve been playing, so they deserved it. I think Mac played well, but it’s nice to see us get that (first win).”
The Mustangs had multiple scoring opportunities in the second half, but the Wildcats and their sophomore goalkeeper Yaretzi Parker were up to every challenge from McDonald County players like Alexis Abbott and Anna Clarkson.
“Yaretzi had a really good game again today,” Schnackenberg said. “She’s been stepping up big for us. That one goes through the defense, and she still gets it and makes that save. She had three or four just really nice saves.”
Neosho improved to 1-3 on the season and the Wildcats play next with their Central Ozark Conference opener on the road against Joplin, an opponent the Wildcats are 5-17 against over their last 22 meetings with a current three-match losing streak against the Eagles.
“We’re going in the right direction,” Schnackenberg said. “We’re getting better every day and we looked a lot better tonight than we have been. Obviously, we’re looking to continue to grow and get better and we’re optimistic. The girls are starting to come together and we’re starting to figure them out as coaches. We’re making some progress.”
McDonald County dropped to 0-6 on the season and the Mustangs next strive for their first win of the season Monday on the road against Greenwood.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Joplin, Carl Junction, Carthage and McDonald County were among the teams competing at the Girls Night Out track and field invitational on Wednesday at JFK Stadium.
The meet featured female athletes from 33 schools.
Carl Junction’s Sydney Ward won two events — the 100-meter dash in 12.65 seconds and the 200 in 25.62 seconds.
Carl Junction’s Acadia Badgley and Joplin’s Maria Loum placed second and third, respectively, in the pole vault. Both cleared 3.04 meters.
Also for the Bulldogs, Brooke Jasperson tied for 10th in the pole vault.
Joplin’s Allie Keizer finished sixth in the 1600 with a time of 5:33, while teammate Brylee Strickland placed fifth in the 200 with a time of 25.82 seconds. Strickland was also seventh in the 400 with a time of 1:01.
Joplin’s 4×100 relay team of Phia Vogel, Abigayle Lowery, Abigail Eckert and Strickland took sixth in 51.88 seconds.
Also for the Eagles, Kirsten Thom and Aubrey Strickland took 10th and 12th in the 300 hurdles.
Carthage’s 4×400 relay team of Aven Willis, Evelyn Carrol, Maggie Boyd and Lexa Youngblood finished sixth in 4:22.
Also for the Tigers, Joey Hettinger placed sixth in the high jump, Boyd finished seventh in the 800, Karlie Nichols and Lilly Holmes took 10th and 11th in the shot put and Youngblood was 13th in the 200.
McDonald County’s top performers were Lacey Nix (10th in the pole vault) and Corina Holland (11th in the 400).
The top five teams were Blue Springs, Hickman, Helias Catholic, Republic and Kickapoo.
WEBB CITY, Mo. —Taking advantage of extra outs and free passes, McDonald County scored five runs in the first inning en route to a 6-3 victory over Webb City on an extremely windy and unseasonably warm Tuesday at Chuck Barnes Field.
In a clash between district foes, the opening frame proved crucial.
The Mustangs pushed across five runs in the top of the first. And they did it with just one hit while taking advantage of five walks, two errors and a hit batter.
“We talked about approaches before the game and I thought our kids went up there with patient approaches early in the game,” Mustangs coach Heath Alumbaugh said. “We made Darnell work on the mound and that was key to the first inning. We only had one hit in that inning, but we were able to capitalize on a couple of errors and those walks. Overall, it was a good team win across the board.”
“You can’t walk five guys in one inning and expect to win many baseball games,” Webb City coach Andrew Doennig said. “And you can’t give teams crooked innings and expect to win games. That’s one thing that has killed us in a few games this season. It’s something we have to clean up and get better at.”
After two errors and a walk to start the game, McDonald County’s Isaac Behm slapped a run-scoring single into left field.
Webb City’s Sam Weller is pictured during Tuesday’s game against McDonald County. Photo by Jamie Beck.
Weston Gordon contributed a sacrifice fly to right before Jacob Gordon and Devin Stone both drew bases-loaded walks, chasing Webb City senior right-hander Kaylor Darnell and giving the visitors a four-run cushion.
Junior right-hander Payton Marshall took over on the mound with the bases full and plunked Destyn Dowd to make it 5-0 before inducing an inning-ending pop-up.
The Cardinals got a run back in the bottom of the first on Drew Vonder Haar’s RBI double into right-center. Pinch runner Andrew Elwell scored on the play before Vonder Haar was thrown out at third trying to stretch a double into a triple.
Webb City scored once in the third, as Sam Weller tripled to right and charged home on Gage Chapman’s sac fly.
The Mustangs added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on Behm’s RBI double.
Trailing 6-2, the Cardinals made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh.
Christian Brock doubled, and after an out, Chapman delivered a run-scoring single.
After Cy Darnell was retired, Kaylor Darnell singled before Shaun Hunt walked.
After taking over on the mound with the bases loaded, McDonald County reliever Angel Ruiz was able to record the final out.
“All you can ask the kids to do is get on base,” Doennig said. “They did that in the seventh and they gave us a chance. Sometimes it’s just a little bit too late.”
Senior right-hander Weston Gordon was the winning pitcher. He went 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out four.
Webb City’s Landon Johnson is pictured during Tuesday’s game against McDonald County. Photo by Jamie Beck.
“That’s what Weston Gordon does for us,” Alumbaugh said. “He changes speeds really well. He knows he has a great defense behind him and he doesn’t have to strike people out. Because of that, he throws a ton of strikes and lets the defense play.
“And Angel Ruiz has already come through in the clutch for us this season,” Alumbaugh added. “He closed the door.”
Kaylor Darnell took the loss. He allowed one earned run on one hit and five walks.
Marshall was stellar in relief. Marshall tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out seven, allowing no hits and walking just one.
Doennig noted Marshall kept his team in the game by putting up zeros inning after inning in relief.
“What a great job by Payton,” Doennig said. “He did the same thing on Friday for us. It was a great job by him coming in and keeping the other team down. He got strike one, that was the difference.”
Walker Sweet gave up one run on two hits in the seventh, striking out two.
The Cardinals out-hit the Mustangs 8-3.
Chapman went 2-for-3 with two RBI for Webb City. Behm had two of Mac County’s three hits and drove in two runs.
McDonald County improved to 7-5, while Webb City fell to 6-5.
Both teams are listed in the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association’s latest rankings. Webb City is ranked ninth in Class 5, while McDonald County is receiving votes.
The Cardinals and Mustangs could see each other again, as both squads have been assigned to Class 5 District 7.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City opens COC play on Thursday at Neosho.
McDonald County hosts Hollister on Thursday.
Webb City’s Drew Vonder Haar is pictured during Tuesday’s game against McDonald County. The Mustangs defeated the Cardinals 6-3 at Chuck Barnes Field. Photo by Jamie Beck.
Pictured is McDonald County’s Fischer Sanny.
Pictured is McDonald County’s Cross Dowd.
McDonald County’s Jack Parnell is pictured. Photos by Jamie Beck.
NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho held a 4-2 lead before McDonald County scored seven runs in the sixth inning to fuel a 9-4 come-from-behind win on Tuesday.
With the win, McDonald County improves to 3-2, while Neosho falls to 1-1.
Cross Dowd earned the win after pitching 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits, walking five and striking out two.
Austin Rodriguez took the loss for Neosho after allowing five runs on seven hits, four walks and five strikeouts in five innings.
Isaac Behm had three hits, drove in two and scored one run for the Mustangs. T Walters had two hits, scoring twice and drove in a run. Jack Parnell had two hits and scored a run. Weston Gordon had a hit, scored a run and drove in a run. Jacob Gordon had a hit and an RBI.
Carter Fenske had two hits, including a double, and scored a run for Neosho. River Brill and Colton Southern had a hit, drove in one and scored one. Brody Crane had a hit and scored one run.
McDonald County hosts Carl Junction and Camdenton on Saturday.
Neosho hosts the Roy B. Shaver Classic on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
