HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — Jack Cheaney poured in 32 points to lead Nevada’s boys basketball team to an 85-65 win over Harrisonville on Tuesday night.
Cheaney scored 23 points in the first half and added nine in the second half. He hit five 3-pointers.
In addition to Cheaney’s 32, Brice Budd scored 21 points and Gabe Smith had 17 points for the Tigers, who are now 5-5.
Clinging to a 39-34 halftime lead, Nevada won the second half 46-31 to earn a statement victory in a game that had district implications.
“We started the game a little shaky versus the zone trap, and we also struggled to keep Mason Mitchell off the glass,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “But our guys kept battling and striving to clean those things up. We guarded well in the halfcourt, and when we started rebounding better, that’s when the game turned.”
The Tigers knocked down eight 3-pointers in the 27-point second quarter, with Cheaney hitting five from long range.
“After Mason Majors hit a 3-ball to spark the perimeter scoring, Jack Cheaney sparked us from the 3-point line in the second quarter, which made Harrisonville get out of their zone,” Gray noted. “And when they went man to man that allowed Brice Budd to drive to score and to draw a lot of fouls.”
Smith scored 14 points in the second half, hitting four treys.
“Gabe had the hot hand from 3 in the second half,” Gray noted. “Our guys shared the ball well and found the open man all night. Free throw shooting has been a point of emphasis lately and we finally got to the line and also covered at a high clip, making 24 of 27 (89%).”
Three players scored in double figures for Harrisonville (7-4), as Mitchell scored 20, Michael Moore added 13 and Mason Worthley had 12.
Gray added Tuesday’s victory should give his team plenty of confidence going forward.
“This was a great win to send us into the break, we can enjoy a few days off to recharge and then get back to the grindstone in an effort to keep building,” he said. “This group is hungry to find its ceiling and we know it will take a lot of hard work to get there.”
Nevada returns to action on Jan. 2 against Clinton.
BUTLER, Mo. — With a solid overall performance, Nevada’s boys basketball team defeated University Academy Charter 58-26 in the seventh-place game of the Butler Tournament on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers built a 36-15 halftime lead.
“I’m proud of the way our guys showed up and with the energy we brought,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “There was no let down or feeling sorry for ourselves (after two straight losses). Our guys brought defensive intensity from the tip and that fueled our 36-point first half.”
The Tigers held a 54-21 lead by the end of the third quarter on their way to the lopsided win.
“In the second half we focused more on our halfcourt defense and were able to limit the Gryphons to 11 total points,” Gray noted. “It was really nice to see all 14 guys get extended minutes and to see 10 guys score. Our main rotation guys were enthusiastic and very supportive of their teammates when the roles were flipped, and they were manning the bench for longer than normal portions of the game. That togetherness and family attitude is another thing that makes these guys so special and fun to be around every day.”
Brice Budd scored 19 points to lead Nevada.
“Brice Budd led our defensive effort and his energy also led to several transition buckets,” Gray said. “He also played well off of two feet in the paint and took advantage of University Academy’s lack of size.”
Also for the Tigers, Jack Cheaney scored eight points, Mason Majors had seven and Gabe Smith and Alex Ast contributed five points apiece. Rounding out Nevada’s scoring were Sean Simmons (4), Uche Mba (3), Kellen Braden (3), Riddick Shook (2) and Montgomery Palmer (2).
“Our bench guys played great in extended minutes,” Gray said. “And our 3-point defense was solid, holding University to only one 3-point goal.”
Nevada is now 4-5 on the season, and Gray noted there’s still work to do.
“Areas to improve on would be our court vision, seeing the open man sooner, and also our free throw shooting,” Gray said. “It’s something we have to correct in order to win big and close games.”
Nevada travels to Harrisonville (6-3) on Tuesday.
“We are excited to get to work Monday in preparation for a Tuesday game against district opponent Harrisonville, who is off to a great start this season,” Gray said.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — For the first time since 2011, the host Tigers are the champions of their own Carthage Invitational boys basketball tournament.
Carthage torched the nets early and never trailed on the way to a 70-59 victory over rival Webb City on Saturday night in the 77th edition of the annual tournament.
The hot-shooting Tigers built a 12-point cushion by the end of the first quarter and the hosts were up by 20 entering the final frame.
The visiting Cardinals trimmed their deficit to single digits late in the game, but the Tigers never surrendered the lead. As a result, Carthage was the team celebrating with a tourney championship when the night concluded.
“I’m really proud of that group of kids,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said. “It’s fun to come to work. We enjoy practice every single day. These kids have been great. Now they get to reap the benefits of what they’ve put in. We hadn’t won this tournament in 11 or 12 years. It wasn’t perfect tonight, but I’m just really proud of all of those kids in the locker room.”
Carthage came out on fire in the opening frame. The Tigers made five 3-pointers in the first quarter, three from senior Justin Ray and one apiece from junior Trent Yates and sophomore Landon Ray, to take a 21-9 lead.
Webb City stayed within striking distance after senior Barron Duda hit his second trey of the contest, but Justin Ray’s 14th point of the first half gave the hosts a 28-14 advantage.
Carthage’s Kruz Castor scores in the lane against Webb City on Saturday night during the championship game of the Carthage Invitational. Photo by Tyler Wade.
Carthage’s Taylor Stevens-Diggs scored three straight hoops off the bench and the Cardinals received buckets from Joel Hendrix, Joseph DeGraffenreid and Holton Keith late in the second quarter before the Tigers took a 34-21 lead into the break.
Simply put, while the Tigers shot well from the perimeter early in the contest, the Cardinals did not.
“It wasn’t the start we wanted,” Webb City coach Jason Horn said. “We didn’t shoot well and we didn’t finish plays around the basket. We had good looks. And Carthage has the best player in the area in Justin Ray. He’s as good as anybody in the COC.”
Carthage outscored Webb City 21-14 in the third quarter to take a commanding 55-35 advantage.
Webb City didn’t go down quietly. In fact, the Cardinals outscored the Tigers 24-15 in the fourth quarter.
The visitors trimmed their deficit all the way down to nine at 65-56 with 1:55 left after a hoop from Keith.
But Webb City simply had too many empty possessions in the fourth quarter, and Carthage converted more than enough free throws late in the game to secure the win.
“Those three guards for Webb City are great,” Morris said. “We had a great game plan and tried to limit them. We tried to take away Barron Duda as much as we could. Credit to our kids for locking into the scouting report and for executing tonight.”
Webb City’s Eli Pace looks score against the defense of Carthage’s Justin Ray. Photo by Tyler Wade.
Justin Ray poured in 25 points and was named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player.
Stevens-Diggs scored 16 points and Kruz Castor added 14. Landon Ray scored nine and Yates added six.
The Tigers made 14 of 25 free throws in the game, with 12 makes coming in the second half.
“We’re a team that’s going to shoot a lot of 3s, but I challenged them to get downhill and get to the foul line,” Morris said. “When we got fouled, for the most part we were able to bury our free throws.”
Duda led Webb City with 19 points and Keith added 17. Pace had 10 points and Omari Jackson scored nine.
“It was our fourth game of the week and I think fatigue started to set in, especially with the way we play,” Horn said. “We’ve got some guys who still have limited practices and they’re playing their way into shape. And there may have been some nerves at the start of the game. We had some guys who were playing in a championship game for the first time. But I have to give our guys credit. They kept playing hard. We played through the misses. We’ll get better and more organized.”
Webb City’s Omari Jackson puts up a shot in the lane against Justin Ray.
Morris noted capturing a tourney championship should give his squad a nice confidence boost.
“This can only be good for us leading into a week where we play two of the better teams in the state of Missouri,” Morris said. “We’ve got Springfield Central and Sparta coming up and it should be a good challenge for us.”
Carthage (3-0) hosts Springfield Central on Tuesday and Webb City (3-1) is at Rogers Heritage on Tuesday.
The Cardinals and Tigers will meet again in COC play on Jan. 30 inside Webb City’s Cardinal Dome.
RAYMORE-PECULIAR 48, JOPLIN 41
Joplin’s late comeback attempt fell short in the tournament’s third-place game.
Raymore-Peculiar used a 12-0 run in the first quarter to take control.
The Panthers, who hit five treys in the opening frame, took a 22-10 lead into the second quarter.
By the break, Ray-Pec held a 28-20 advantage.
Joplin kept coming, limiting the Panthers to five points in the third period.
The Eagles made things interesting late in the game.
After a hoop from Collis Jones and a corner 3-pointer from Brecken Green, the Eagles only trailed by three with 50 seconds left.
But Ray-Pec’s Ashton Jermain made four key free throws late in the game to seal the win for the Panthers.
Jermain scored 19 points to lead the Panthers and Brendan Perry added 16.
Fred Taylor led Joplin with 12 points, while Hobbs Gooch and Jones added six points apiece. Tristan Gage scored five for JHS and Carter Harbin had four.
“For three quarters, we were really good defensively,” Joplin coach Nick Pfeifer said. “After a poor first quarter, we had to fight our way back and play from behind the rest of the way. I was proud of the way that we competed, got ourselves back into it, and even had some chances to take the lead late. However, we know that playing incomplete games and only scoring 41 points makes it very difficult. We must be able to take the lessons learned from the tournament and continue to improve.”
NEVADA 52, LEAVENWORTH 43 (OT)
The Nevada Tigers ended the invite on a high note by beating Leavenworth in overtime in the fifth-place game.
The game was deadlocked at 41 at the end of regulation before Nevada outscored Leavenworth 11-2 in the extra session.
“I’m really proud of the grit our guys showed in the second half of this game,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “Shots were not falling and the ball was not bouncing our way, but we stayed the course and continued to grind. Several players stepped up big for us. Our defense was the difference tonight.”
Nevada led 16-11 at the end of the first quarter, but the game was tied at 26 at halftime after a back and forth second period.
The Pioneers held a 36-31 advantage at the end of the third quarter, but a 3-pointer from Nevada’s Riddick Shook tied the game at 41 late in the contest.
A last-second trey by Nevada was off the mark and the game went into overtime.
Brice Budd and Kellen Braden both hit 3-pointers early in the extra session to give Nevada the lead for good.
Budd scored 14 points to lead Nevada (3-3), while Jack Cheaney added 11 points. Gabe Smith scored nine points, while Braden and Shook each scored eight.
“This win is something we can build on, and we are very pleased with our improvements this week,” Gray said. “Anytime you can go 2-1 in Carthage it’s something we’ll take. We’re looking forward to a good tournament next week at Butler.”
In the tourney’s seventh-place game, Fort Smith Southside defeated the Carthage junior varsity 73-49.
The Carthage Tigers pose with the championship plaque after winning the 77th Carthage Invitational on Saturday. Justin Ray (0) was the MVP. Photo by Tyler Wade.
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.
NEVADA, Mo. — A 25-year district championship drought was vanquished on Friday night at Logan Field.
Utilizing a potent rushing attack, the top-seeded Nevada Tigers cruised past the third-seeded Carl Junction Bulldogs 33-13 to secure the program’s first district crown since 1998.
The victory propels the Tigers (9-2) to the MSHSAA Class 4 quarterfinals and a matchup with host Kearney (10-2) at 1 p.m. next Saturday.
Nevada coach Wes Beachler, who has reversed the fortunes of several prep programs during his nearly three-decade coaching career, called his squad “a special group,” adding that Friday night’s Class 4 District 7 triumph was the culmination of several years of hard work.
“This is about the three and four year guys that have been dedicated to the program and have done all the little things right,” he said.
Beachler said that the experience of having played in a third consecutive district title game paid dividends.
“You can’t simulate that in practice,” he said. “We’ve been here three years in a row, and they knew that they couldn’t treat this game special and do more than they’re supposed to do. You just have to play football and do your job — and they did that really well tonight.”
For Carl Junction, turnover woes were compounded by an inability to contain star tailback Jack Cheaney, who entered the contest averaging 182 yards per game on 10.5 yards a carry. Cheaney concluded the title tilt with 193 yards on 32 carries, to go along with four rushing touchdowns.
Nevada junior tailback Jack Cheaney breaks off a big gain during Friday night’s victory over visiting Carl Junction. Courtesy photo by Brandi Redman.
A fumble recovery on the game’s opening kickoff had the Tigers in business deep in Carl Junction territory. Cheaney plowed in from a yard out to punctuate the five-play scoring drive —and after coming up short on the 2-point play, the Tigers led 6-0.
Nevada stretched its advantage to 19-0 late in the first half after Cheaney found paydirt on runs of 3 and 11 yards.
With under a minute remaining in the half, Carl Junction suddenly found success in the passing game. A quick scoring drive, capped by a 7-yard touchdown run by senior quarterback Dexter Merrell, trimmed the deficit to 19-7.
The Bulldogs were again marching downfield early in the second half, but momentum swung back in Nevada’s favor when a holding penalty on a 27-yard run snuffed out the potential scoring drive.
Nevada put the contest out of reach in the fourth quarter via touchdowns from Cheaney and Tyler Longobardi, swelling the Tigers’ lead to 33-7.
Carl Junction tacked on a late touchdown when Merrell connected with Tony Stewart for a 55-yard touchdown strike.
Carl Junction sophomore running back Marcus Lopez-Durman rushes for a big gain on Friday night against Nevada. Photo by Brandi Redman.
Beachler said that he anticipated a “grind-it-out type game,” adding that they would have to match the Bulldogs’ physicality and move the ball consistently — and do so in racking up 373 yards on the ground to Carl Junction’s 115.
Cheaney not only eclipsed the program’s single-season rushing record, previously held by Avious Steadman, but also went over 2,000 yards on the season.
“Jack is a ‘once every five or 10 years’ type guy,” Beachler said. “He’s a very talented open-field runner and sees the field as well as any back I’ve ever coached.”
Nevada senior tackle Talan Chandler, who has inked with NCAA D1 Colorado, said that the Tigers’ “ultimate goal” is to advance to the state title game.
“And this victory is a stepping stone that we haven’t been able to accomplish,” he said.
Cheaney credited Nevada’s dominant offensive line for his sparkling campaign.
“I’ve been working my whole life for this, and will give (credit) to the O-line too,” he said. “It’s just awesome.”
Carl Junction coach Todd Hafner said he was proud of his club’s performance.
“We played through a tough conference schedule and have prepared to win every single week,” he said, “and that preparation led us to where we were tonight. We got beat by a very good football team.”
Merrell finished 8-of-19 for 165 yards through the air, but the number of passing attempts deviated from the Bulldogs’ game-plan.
“We threw the ball a little more than we wanted to,” Hafner said. “It’s not really who we are, but we can do it. In the end, we had to try anything we could to score as fast as we could.”
Carl Junction concludes the season with a record of 3-9. The Bulldogs were in a district title game for the first time since 2020.
The Nevada Tigers strike a pose after dispatching the Carl Junction Bulldogs in Friday night’s Class 4 District 7 title game at Logan Field. Photo by Matt Resnick.
Nevada senior running back Dezmon Robinson (9) bolts through an open running lane Friday night. Photo by Brandi Redman.
A dramatic late-game scoring drive propelled the Seneca Indians to a 40-36 victory over the Nevada Tigers, while in the process, also locking up the outright Big 8 West division championship Friday night at Nevada High School’s Logan Field.
The stakes were high for Seneca (9-0, 6-0) in a matchup that pitted state-ranked squads, as a loss would have relegated the Indians to a three-way share of the Big 8 West title with Nevada and Lamar.
The Indians’ normally reliable run defense was flattened by Nevada running backs Jack Cheaney and Dezmon Robinson in the first half, as the tandem racked up a combined 252 yards on the ground, with Cheaney accounting for 205.
Nevada junior tailback Jack Cheaney detonates for a 99-yard touchdown run late in the first half of Friday night’s loss to visiting Seneca. Photo by Bill Wynn.
Cheaney detonated for a 75-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter, while closing out the first half with a 99-yard romp to paydirt. In between, Robinson’s 37-yard scamper to the end zone helped the Tigers to a 21-14 halftime lead.
The Tigers (7-2, 4-2) capitalized on an Indians’ miscue early in the second half, with a short scoring drive capped by Cheaney’s 30-yard touchdown run.
Trailing 28-14, the Indians replied with a quick-strike drive that was punctuated by Ethan Altic’s six-yard rushing score on a reverse pitch — but the Indians trailed 28-20 after an unsuccessful two-point play.
Early in the fourth, and back in possession, quarterback Gavyn Hoover’s 45-yard run down the left sideline was followed by Jackson Marrs’ five-yard rushing score. Marrs then powered in from two yards out on the 2-point play, knotting the contest at 28.
Looking to make another big play, Cheaney was unable to secure the catch on the ensuing kickoff, turning the ball over deep in Nevada territory. Three plays later, Marrs gained the right edge en route to a 14-yard rushing score. A failed 2-point conversion left the Indians with a 34-28 lead near the midpoint of the fourth.
Seneca quarterback Gavyn Hoover runs for a big play during Friday night’s road victory over Nevada. Photo by Brandi Redman.
After yielding 20 unanswered points, the Tigers needed only a few plays to find the end zone, with Robinson’s elusiveness paying dividends on a 41-yard touchdown run — followed by Grady Stewart’s quarterback sneak on the 2-point play for a 36-34 Nevada lead.
Seneca saved its best for last, chewing up more than six minutes of clock on a methodical 15-play scoring drive.
With 19 seconds remaining, Hoover rolled to his right and connected with junior wide-out Hagen Ginger in the corner of the end zone, accounting for the final margin.
On the game’s final play, Gabe Smith’s pass attempt deep downfield fell incomplete.
Cheaney, meanwhile, rushed for 283 yards on 16 carries, to go along with three touchdowns — giving him 24 for the season.
For Seneca, Marrs also finished the night with three touchdown runs.
Second-ranked Seneca will be the No. 1 seed for the Class 3 District 6 tournament and have a first-round bye.
Seventh-ranked Nevada will be the No. 1 seed for the Class 4 District 7 tournament and the Tigers will also have a bye next Friday.
Nevada running back Dezmon Robinson finds room to run on a 37-yard rushing touchdown Friday night. Photo by Brandi Redman.
Nevada junior Emree Cameron parlayed back-to-back dominant rounds into a record-setting 10-under-par state title performance at the MSHSAA Class 3 Girls Golf Championships in Farmington on Tuesday.
Cameron sank 16 birdies, accentuated by a 20-foot putt on the final hole of the tournament, while firing a 5-five-under-par 67 on both days en route to the runaway victory.
“It was mind-blowing,” Cameron said of her performance at Crown Pointe Golf Club in eastern Missouri. “I was stoked to win state.”
Cameron notched a second-place finish in Class 2 last year when she was edged out by Marshfield’s Marlee Edgeman.
The two were expected to again battle it out in a sequel, however, Parkway West’s Kylie Secrest crashed the party with an opening round 68.
“After seeing scores from other district tournaments, I knew that there were other girls out there that were up to beat me,” Cameron said.
Nevada’s Emree Cameron poses with Coach Brian Leonard after winning the Class 3 championship on Tuesday. Courtesy photo.
Despite the narrow lead over Secrest, Cameron said that she was “calm as a cucumber” heading into the second round.
“My plan was to just go out and play par golf and let the birdies fall,” she said, “and if I have a bogey, I can always make up for it with a birdie. I was just really calm and knew I didn’t have to stress over it or be nervous.”
Cameron added that during a discussion with her father Eric on Monday night, she was informed that a Round 2 score of even-par or better would set a new state record.
“I was like, ‘What? I didn’t even know that,’” Cameron recounted, adding that she didn’t feel any added pressure. “What I was really thinking about was just playing my game and staying ahead of my competition.”
In the end, Cameron coasted to a decisive 7-stroke win with her two-day score of 134.
In the run-up to the tournament, Cameron said that she was focused on improving in the areas of flighted-wedge shots and putting.
“If I would have hit some flighted shots during state last year, I would not have been short so many times,” she said. “So me and my dad went out on the course every night last week and practiced those shots from 100 yards and in so that I would be dialed in.”
Cameron added that those types of shots came into play Monday, with the colder temperatures and 13 to 14-mile-per-hour wind gusts.
Fresh off of victory, Cameron said that she is already excited about the prospect of repeating as state champion next year.
“It’s awesome to leave my footprint with Nevada High School,” said Cameron, who became the first female athlete in the history of the program to win a state championship. “I’m so excited and cannot wait for the next chapter.”
Nevada junior Emree Cameron captured the Class 3 championship in record-setting fashion on Tuesday in Farmington.
Nevada coach Brian Leonard is also eagerly anticipating the next chapter.
“Emree has worked so hard to get here and she so deserves it,” he said. “This sure makes a golf coach proud.”
D-1 commitment
Cameron has been on cloud nine of late, having also recently committed to the University of Louisville golf program.
While also drawing heavy interest from several other NCAA Division I schools, Cameron said that she was blown away on her official visit to Louisville.
“I haven’t seen better facilities out there,” she said, “and I can’t wait to be practicing on them every day. I can see myself just getting better and better.”
Cameron said that it also felt like a family atmosphere on the recruiting trip.
“As soon as I stepped on campus it felt like home,” she said.
Helping matters, Cameron’s good friend and fellow Missouri prep golf star Bailey Burkett, committed to Louisville. Florida-native Madison Moman, another friend of Cameron’s, also inked with Louisville.
“I’m so excited to go and play college golf with them,” Cameron said.
Nevada junior Emree Cameron’s scorecard from her record-setting performance at the Missouri Class 3 Girls Golf Championships.
Nevada junior Emree Cameron, pictured above earlier this season, earned medalist honors at the Missouri Class 3 Girls Golf Championships.
NEVADA, Mo. — An old adage says it’s always tough to beat the same team three times in one season.
As difficult as it may be, the Nevada Tigers found a way to pull it off.
Top-seeded Nevada defeated second-seeded Webb City 6-5 in nine innings in the thrilling championship game of the Class 4 District 7 softball tournament on Monday night at Bushwhacker Field.
In a back-and-forth nail-biter that went into extra innings, the Tigers plated the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning when Kara Phillips sprinted home from third base after a wild pitch.
These teams knew each other well. Nevada won both regular season meetings with the Cardinals, winning 5-1 and 3-0. And with the season on the line, the Tigers were able to make it three straight.
But it was far from easy, as the Cardinals put up a valiant effort.
Nevada’s Peyton Eaton delivers a pitch to the plate against Webb City on Monday during the championship game of the Class 4 District 7 tournament. Photo by Brandi Redman.
Webb City took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning, as senior Jensyn Pickett doubled to right-center before junior Addie Brown smacked a two-run home run over the fence in center field.
Senior catcher Dawsyn Decker’s two-run single through the left side gave the Cardinals a 4-0 lead in the third.
The Tigers pushed across three runs in the top of the fifth to pull within a single tally. Senior outfielder Hope Hearting homered to right field, freshman Kaniyah Johnson scored from third on a wild pitch and junior pitcher Peyton Eaton delivered a sacrifice fly to left, cutting Webb City’s lead to 4-3.
The Tigers tied the game in the bottom of the sixth, as junior shortstop Kaleiah Johnson tripled and came home on Hearting’s RBI double to right.
In the same inning, Nevada had the go-ahead run at third with two outs, but the Cardinals picked her off, as Decker fired a throw to Alex Maturino in time to tag out Hearting.
Webb City took the lead in the top of the eighth. Sophomore second baseman Lily Hall singled with one out, and with two outs, Pickett hit a grounder to third base, but the Tigers threw the ball over the first baseman’s head, allowing pinch-runner Lia Taylor to score the go-ahead run.
Nevada tied it up in the bottom half of the eighth when Hearting was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
The Tigers had the bases loaded with just one out later in the frame, but Webb City reliever Makenzie Wynn retired two straight batters to send the game to the ninth.
The Cardinals went down in order in the top of the ninth, and Nevada ended the game in the bottom half.
Phillips singled to lead off the frame and Eaton walked. With junior catcher Ella Heathman at the plate, a pair of wild pitches allowed the Tigers to score the winning run.
Eaton was the winning pitcher. She struck out eight and allowed nine hits in nine innings.
Freshman Addie Burns started in the circle for Webb City on Monday night.
Addie Burns started for Webb City and took a no-decision. A freshman, Burns allowed four runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight. Wynn was charged with the loss. She went 2 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits.
Hearting had a team-high three RBI for the Tigers.
Decker and Brown drove in two runs apiece, while Maturino was the lone Cardinal to record two hits.
SOLID SEASON ENDS
Webb City finishes the ’23 season with a record of 26-12.
Suiting up for a final time for Webb City were seniors Decker, Pickett, Sydney Strickland and Rilley Hanes.
The Cardinals will return a solid core next fall, as several underclassmen played key roles this season.
QUARTERFINALS ON SATURDAY
Nevada (27-7) will host District 8 champ Kearney (25-5) in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Bushwhacker Field.
Nevada’s Kara Phillips makes contact with a pitch during Monday’s district title game. Nevada defeated Webb City 6-5 in nine innings. Photo by Brandi Redman.
The Nevada Tigers pose after winning the Class 4 District 7 championship on Monday night. Photo by Brandi Redman.
NEVADA, Mo. — The top two seeds will meet in the championship game of the Class 4 District 7 softball tournament.
Top-seeded Nevada pounded fifth-seeded Carl Junction 15-0 in four innings, while second-seeded Webb City defeated third-seeded Belton 6-2 in Saturday’s semifinals at Bushwhacker Field.
Tourney host Nevada (26-7) and Webb City (26-11) will meet at 5:30 on Monday night in the district title game.
WEBB CITY 6, BELTON 2
Webb City pushed across runs in the first three frames to take control early.
The Cardinals scored once in the first, as Abby Sargent doubled and later scored on Alex Maturino’s run-scoring groundout.
Taking advantage of two Webb City errors, the Pirates plated two runs in the second, but Sydney Strickland’s two-run home run to center field gave the Cardinals a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second.
Kylee Sargent’s two-run bomb gave Webb City a three-run advantage in the third and Maturino’s sac fly extended Webb City’s lead to 6-2 after five frames.
Addie Burns was the winning pitcher. A freshman, Burns scattered 10 hits, struck out four, didn’t walk a batter and didn’t allow an earned run in a complete-game effort.
Belton’s Solana Carpenter took the loss after allowing four earned runs on six hits. She struck out seven.
Maturino, Strickland and Kylee Sargent drove in two runs apiece for the Cardinals.
Nevada’s Peyton Eaton was the winning pitcher in Saturday’s semifinal contest against Carl Junction. Photo by Brandi Redman.
NEVADA 15, CARL JUNCTION 0 (4 INNINGS)
Nevada scored two runs in the first, four in the second, five in the third and four in the fourth to earn a run-rule victory in the first semifinal.
Down 2-0, the Bulldogs threatened in the top of the second, but the hosts turned an inning-ending double play.
The Tigers added four runs in the bottom of the second, as Kaniyah Johnson hit an RBI single before Peyton Eaton smacked a two-run home run to left and Ella Heathman followed with a solo homer to center for a 6-0 cushion.
The Tigers added five runs in the third, with Heathman hitting her second home run of the game for an 11-0 lead.
Nevada scored four runs in the fourth to end the game, as Johnson hit an RBI double, Kara Phillips contributed a two-run single and then scored from third on a wild pitch.
Caylee Holcomb and Phillips recorded three hits apiece for the Tigers, while Eaton, Heathman and Johnson added two hits apiece.
Eaton was the winning pitcher. She allowed five hits and one walk in four scoreless innings.
Carl Junction (11-20) received two hits from Ryleigh Palmer.
Kiley Spencer took the loss after allowing 13 earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Spencer struck out five and walked one.
Hannah Cantrell, Izzie Southern and Grace Kirk are Carl Junction’s seniors.
Nevada’s Caylee Holcomb slides safely into home plate against Carl Junction’s Madi Olds during Saturday’s district semifinal contest. Photo by Brandi Redman.
NEVADA, Mo. — Ian Ngugi’s electrifying 68-yard punt return proved decisive as top-ranked Lamar edged host Nevada 14-0 in an old-school defensive battle between two highly-ranked opponents on Friday night at Logan Field.
“This is the most excitement and energy I’ve seen us bring into a Friday night game this year,” said Lamar coach Jared Beshore.
Entering the much-hyped matchup averaging 47 points per game, Nevada’s powerful rushing attack was held in check, as Lamar (6-1) was able to bottle up standout tailback Jack Cheaney.
Beshore said that the game plan centered on being physical at the point-of-attack, tackling well and winning the field position battle — and that they executed those facets of the game with near-flawless precision.
“As much work as we put into our defensive prep during the week, our goal and expectation is to be perfect on every drive,” Beshore said. “We know that doesn’t always happen, but tonight, our kids played about as close to it as anybody has seen this year. I really think it’s the best product we’ve put on the field — both special team and defensively this year.”
Beshore was also pleased that his offense was able to overcome the loss of starting signal-caller Alex Wilkerson, who was out with an ankle injury.
“We needed to make plays and take time off the clock with a big drive, and we did that,” Beshore said, specifically mentioning a methodical drive that chewed up more than six minutes of clock in the fourth quarter, punctuated by senior running back Logan Kish’s 2-yard touchdown run that staked Lamar to a 14-0 advantage.
While Beshore was confident that his defense would be able to maintain its high level of physicality, he said that Ngugi’s punt return late in the first half made his team believe that victory was within reach.
“We were playing great defensively and knew a play was going to pop up at some point,” he said. “And Ian’s punt return was the play that got the momentum going in our direction.”
Lamar senior Ian Ngugi (1) flashes his playmaking abilities as makes Nevada defenders miss on a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown on Friday night. Photos courtesy of Brandi Redman.
After fielding the punt, Ngugi cut-back twice to the left, leaving a bevy of Nevada defenders in the dust en route to the spectacular 68-yard touchdown return.
“He’s a big-time playmaker and athlete,” Beshore said. “As talented as Ian is, he’s also one of the hardest workers on the team.”
Ngugi described how the “confidence-boosting” play unfolded and got Lamar “kind of rolling.”
“I actually wasn’t supposed to run that way,” Ngugi said with a chuckle. “The blocks were set up good, so I just had to make a couple of cuts.”
The drought continues for Nevada, who have not emerged victorious in the storied rivalry since 2004. Beshore, meanwhile, said that the Lamar coaching staff did its part to emphasize the importance of a rivalry that dates to 1921.
“We let them know that it’s a big deal for both communities and that they’re not just playing for this team but are playing for every Lamar team that has ever played in this game,” he said.
Nevada coach Wes Beachler said that his team “didn’t play well enough” in the trenches in the stinging defeat.
A pass deflects off the hands of Nevada junior tight end Caden Klumpp in the fourth quarter of Friday night’s 14-0 loss to rival Lamar. The pass, thrown by junior quarterback Kellen Braden, was intercepted by Lamar’s J.R. Romero.
“We had several six to eight-play drives that we couldn’t finish,” he said. “In a game like this, if we score on one or two of those drives and we get 14 on the board, it probably changes the entire outcome.”
Beachler noted his team played great defensively. Nevada held Lamar to 157 yards, just 90 rushing.
Beachler added that his club has to “get better in some facets of the game” that they were “exposed” by Lamar.
“You get to this level and play against teams that are this good, all the chinks in the armor are going to get exposed,” he said.
Beachler said that all is not lost, as Nevada (6-1) can still finish with at least a share of the Big 8 West crown. But that would likely require a victory over the juggernaut Seneca Indians in two weeks on Senior Night.
“We still have a chance to make a mad dash for a shared championship,” he said. “But if you sit around feeling sorry for yourself for too long, you’re going to wind up dropping more games than you should.”
Beachler said that there is no chance that his squad overlooks next week’s matchup with winless Monett.
“We haven’t overlooked anybody all year,” he said. “We’ve played at a high level against good teams — and we also play at that same level against teams we’ve outclassed.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Ranked No. 1 in Class 2, Lamar hosts Cassville, while Nevada, ranked No. 7 in Class 4, travels to Monett.
Lamar junior running back Carson Sturgell (12) looks for a running lane during Friday night’s 14-0 victory over Nevada. Photos courtesy of Brandi Redman.
Nevada senior running back Dezmon Robinson (9) picks up a nice gain during the first half of Friday night’s rivalry game with visiting Lamar.
Lamar’s seniors celebrate Friday night’s 14-0 Silver Tiger triumph over Nevada. Photo by Matt Resnick.
The Nevada Tigers parlayed a powerful rushing attack and timely defensive takeaways into a 55-34 defeat of the visiting Mount Vernon Mountaineers to remain undefeated.
“This was a hard-fought victory,” said Nevada head coach Wes Beachler. “The final score is not indicative of what took place. I thought it was just a really good game that matched two good teams.”
Nevada (5-0) entered Friday night’s matchup as the No. 7 ranked team in Class 4, while the Mountaineers (4-1) rolled into town as the No. 7 ranked team in Class 3.
Boasting a defense that had yielded just 34 points through four games, the Mountaineers were unable to contain Jack Cheaney, as the junior tailback racked up more than 300 yards of combined offense. Cheaney’s monster performance was accentuated by a 72-yard touchdown romp down the left sideline, staking the Tigers to a 28-14 lead late in the first half.
The Mountaineers answered with a quick-strike drive that covered 60 yards in just 20 seconds, capped off by Calvin Dawson’s 25-yard touchdown reception to trim the deficit to 28-21 at the half.
Nevada Tiger tailback Jack Cheaney bolts past Mount Vernon defenders for a big gain during the second half of Friday night’s 55-34 victory at Logan Field. Cheaney electrified with 301 yards of total offense and four touchdowns. Courtesy photo by Brandi Redman.
The Tigers opened the second half with a methodical scoring drive that chewed up nearly six minutes of clock, with Cheaney finding paydirt on a 6-yard rushing score. An off-target extra point left the Tigers with a 34-21 advantage.
The Mountaineers moved quickly downfield, and on fourth down from midfield, quarterback Gavin Johnston linked up with Ryder Dampf for a 50-yard touchdown strike. After a missed extra point, the Mountaineers trailed 34-27 late in the third.
Facing a fourth-and-goal, Nevada sophomore signal-caller Kellen Braden eluded several Mountaineer defenders as he rolled to his left and scored on the five-yard run. The Tigers led 40-27 after a failed 2-point play.
Nevada lineman Talan Chandler makes a tackle in the backfield during Friday’s victory at Logan Field. Chandler, a senior, has committed to play for Deion Sanders at the University of Colorado. Courtesy photo by Brandi Redman.
The double-digit lead was short-lived, as Juliun Hernandez hauled in a 12-yard touchdown reception with 10:25 remaining in regulation.
Trailing 40-34 and back in possession, an ill-advised pass by Johnston as he was being pulled to the ground, resulted in an interception returned for a 20-yard touchdown by lineman Bryan Mendez.
“We got some big stops when we needed to,” Beachler said. “There was some adversity and challenges tonight.”
Leading 48-34 late in the fourth, Cheaney put the cherry on top with a 43-yard scamper to the end zone.
“Jack is a phenomenal running back with great vision,” Beachler said. “He sees the field well and knows when to cut back and change direction. Players like Jack can turn not-so-great calls into pretty good calls.”
While Nevada’s secondary grappled with busted coverage throughout the contest, Beachler credited Mount Vernon for its strong passing attack.
“Their receivers were hitting spots well and (Johnston) was throwing in rhythm, so they were tough to stop,” he said. “Conversely, we were running the ball really well most of the night.”
The Mountaineers also faced early adversity, losing All-State running back Braden Dodson to injury. Dodson, who entered the contest averaging 8 yards per carry, returned in the second half —but only on the defensive side of the ball.
After losing 19 of 20 games between the 2018 and ‘19 seasons, Beachler has orchestrated an impressive turnaround.
“I’m just happy for the players in the program,” he said. “It’s been a total buy-in, and I’m just proud of the way they play the game, and practice and prepare.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
The Tigers hit the road next Friday for a matchup with Big 8 East foe Cassville (3-2). Mount Vernon, meanwhile, hosts Springfield Catholic (0-5).
Nevada safety Brice Budd grabs an interception during the first half of Friday night’s victory at Logan Field. Courtesy photo by Brandi Redman.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — A first ever appearance in the Final Four of the state baseball tournament wasn’t meant to be for the Nevada Tigers.
A two-run home run by Logan Ripper in the seventh inning lifted Springfield Catholic to a 2-0 victory over Nevada in a Class 4 quarterfinal on Thursday at Catholic High School.
The champs of District 12 who beat Monett 13-2 in the sectional round of the state tourney, Nevada ends the season with a record of 19-10.
Springfield Catholic (20-7) will take on Excelsior Springs (28-12) at 7 on Wednesday, May 31 in a semifinal contest at Sky Bacon Stadium in Ozark.
Nevada was in the quarterfinal round of the state tourney for the first time since 1995.
Both starting pitchers, Nevada’s Case Sanderson and Catholic’s Coleman Morrison, kept the opposition at bay for most of the game.
The home team on the scoreboard, the Tigers had a golden opportunity in the bottom of the second, as Riddick Shook, Hunter Seaver and Kellan Ast all walked to load the bases with no outs.
But Morrison struck out both Kennedy D’Elia and Barrett Nadurata and then induced an inning-ending fly ball off the bat of Drake Ketterman to end the threat.
With the game still scoreless, Nevada threatened again in the bottom of the sixth.
Sanderson ripped a single to center field in what was Nevada’s first hit of the game. After Cade Beshore was retired, Caden Klumpp reached on an infield single to put two runners on with one out.
But Catholic’s Morrison struck out Shook and got Seaver to pop out to get out of trouble.
In the top of the seventh, Catholic sophomore second baseman Colin Soetaert walked before Ripper, a senior catcher, connected with a fastball for a two-run home run over the fence in left field.
Nevada’s Kellan Braden drew a walk with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but he was stranded.
Despite the loss, Sanderson was stellar on the mound. A senior southpaw who is headed to play for Nebraska, Sanderson allowed two runs on five hits in 6 1/2 innings. Sanderson struck out 12 and walked three before reaching his pitch count (105) in the top of the seventh. Klumpp recorded the final two outs.
Morrison allowed just two hits, both in the sixth, and five walks and struck out 14 in the complete-game gem.
Ranked fifth in the Class 4 by the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association, the Fightin’ Irish knocked off top-ranked Rogersville 2-1 in their district title game and then beat Eldon 5-1 in the sectional round to advance to the quarterfinals.
Catholic finished second in Class 3 last year before bumping up to Class 4 this season.
PLEASANT HILL, Mo. — Led by a strong pitching performance from Case Sanderson, second-seeded Nevada knocked off top-seeded Pleasant Hill 8-0 in the championship game of the Class 4 District 12 baseball tournament on Wednesday night.
It’s Nevada’s first district title since 2018.
Nevada will meet either Monett or Seneca in the sectional round of the state tournament on Tuesday. The Cubs and Indians meet for the District 11 title on Thursday night.
Sanderson delivered a masterful performance on the mound. A Nebraska recruit, Sanderson struck out 12 and gave up just three hits and one walk in the complete-game shutout.
Helping his own cause, Sanderson went 3-for-5 at the plate with four RBI.
Nevada scored once in the first inning on Sanderson’s RBI single that allowed Drake Ketterman to score.
Nevada erupted for four runs in the fourth inning. Barrett Nadurata contributed a run-scoring single, Ketterman delivered a two-run single, and Sanderson followed with an RBI single for a 5-0 lead.
The Tigers added three insurance runs in the top of the seventh. Kellan Ast scored on a passed ball and Sanderson smacked a two-run triple to center, scoring Jett Snyder and Ketterman.
Ketterman and Hunter Seaver each had two hits for Nevada. Cade Beshore doubled, while Kennedy D’Elia, Snyder and Nadurata had one hit apiece.
Riddick Shook walked twice and scored a run. Ast drew three walks and scored once.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — The Nevada Tigers scored early and often during their 11-1 run-rule win in five innings against the host Carl Junction Bulldogs on Saturday morning.
Nevada scored one run in the first, three in the third, five in the fourth, and two in the fifth to close out the scoring and set up the run-rule scenario after the Bulldogs scored their lone run in the fourth.
University of Nebraska baseball commit and Nevada senior Case Sanderson pitched three shutout innings and collected three hits, including an RBI double, and three runs scored.
The Tigers received contributions from every player in their lineup Saturday.
“I think all nine guys made a lot of contributions today,” Nevada coach Danny Penn said. “Case Sanderson, our three hole, had a couple real loud swings, but everyone contributed whether it was a hit bringing in runs or getting on base with a walk. Just a balanced performance offensively today.”
Offensive highlights for the Tigers included Barrett Nadurata’s double in the second, Graham Walker’s two-run single in the third, Caden Klumpp’s two-run single in the fourth and Kennedy D’Elia’s RBI single in the fifth.
The Tigers collected a dozen hits, worked seven walks against four different Carl Junction pitchers, reached twice on errors and once on a hit batter, and left seven runners behind.
“Yeah, it was a tight (strike) zone,” Penn said. “It was tight both ways so that was something that we talked with our guys about and they did a nice job early in the count laying off those pitches and either getting into a more favorable count or a walk.
“On the flip side, it did hurt Case a little bit because those pitches that are right there on the black, he was not getting those calls today so that elevated his pitch count a little bit, but I thought he did a nice job of adjusting to the strike zone and pitching to contact.”
Two days earlier, Nevada jumped out to a 6-0 lead at home against Central Ozark Conference school Carthage.
Carthage scored four runs in the fourth and two in the sixth for a tie score, but Nevada walked it off with a 7-6 win.
On Saturday, though, Nevada scored at least one run in four of the five innings and responded much sooner after Carl Junction broke on through for that first run.
“That’s something I talked with the guys about after the game,” Penn said. “Our showing today was much more representative of the team that I think we can be. We scored runs early and we kept adding. We got out to a 4-0 lead and where Thursday we stopped scoring runs and our approach changed, today we kept the same approach and put up a five-spot there in the fourth inning for a 9-0 lead. We just kept going from there.”
Nevada improved to 5-2 overall this season, including 3-1 for the week with three straight wins headed into the Smith-Cotton Tournament starting Wednesday with games against Warrensburg and Battle, and the Tigers won consecutive games against COC schools Carthage and Carl Junction.
“Early in the season, we’re playing some bigger schools,” Penn said. “We’re playing those schools that are in tough conferences to see how we stack up. We’ve had some success and got off to a good start to the season, but we’ve got to be able to make sure that we recognize those areas where we can still improve and continue growing as players so that we don’t peak too early in the season, and we keep getting better as the season progresses.”
Carl Junction received two hits from Lucas Vanlanduit and one each from Arlen Wakefield, Cody Hollingsworth, and Logan Eck, the first three hitters in the Carl Junction order.
Bentley Rowden led off the Carl Junction fourth with a walk and courtesy runner Grady Goddard scored the Bulldogs’ lone run on Vanlanduit’s RBI triple.
Wakefield beat out a covering Sanderson to the bag for an infield single in the first, but Sanderson picked off Wakefield at first.
Eck then hit a two-out single in the first, but Sanderson induced a Rowden groundout to first baseman D’Elia to retire the side.
Vanlanduit singled to left in the second, following Nevada left fielder Riddick Shook’s diving catch on a Drew Massey ball roped near the line.
Hollingsworth singled in the fifth.
Nevada scored eight runs (six earned) against starter Eck, one against Jacob Ford who struggled to find the zone and walked all four batters during his relief appearance in the fourth, and two against Massey. Only third pitcher of the day Mekhi McGarry avoided a dent to his ERA.
Carl Junction dropped to 2-5 overall entering Thursday’s conference opener on the road against Joplin.
NEVADA, Mo. — Nevada’s boys golf team began the 2023 season on a positive note by defeating Lamar 197-223 in a dual on Monday at the Frank E. Peters Municipal Golf Course.
Nevada sophomore Preston Drake shot a 45 to earn medalist honors. Nevada freshman Peyton Wyant took second with a 46 and sophomore Wyatt Jenkins shot a 48 to finish third.
Rounding out Nevada’s team score was sophomore Hunter Gruenhagen with a 58. Also competing for Nevada was freshman Jethro Solidum (70).
“I was very pleased with how the boys got around the course,” Nevada coach Brian Leonard said. “This was the first outing for everyone on the team except Preston, so I’m sure there were several first contest butterflies going around. I wasn’t sure how the boys would score today, but I was very happy to see several of the scores in the upper 40s. I know with continued work on the short game, those scores can get down to the lower 40s if not in the upper 30s before the season is over. We really haven’t had too much time to work on the short game due to the unfavorable weather we’ve had over the last two weeks. It has really put a damper on some of the practice time on the actual course.
“We will work on several of the swing flaws on Tuesday at practice, then we will continue to work and improve on the short game…chipping and putting on Wednesday,” Leonard added. “We need to reduce the number of putts and get the ball closer to the hole when we miss the green.”
Competing for Lamar were Koen Littlejohn (49), Rein Stephen (53), Cade Moore (59), Connor Kennedy (62) and Trey Shaw (65).
Nevada will host McDonald County and Butler for a triangular on Thursday.
SEDALIA, Mo. — Second-ranked Benton found its rhythm on both ends of the floor early to build a cushion and held Nevada at bay during the middle quarters before putting the game away down the stretch for a 53-45 win over the Tigers in the Class 4 quarterfinals on Saturday on the campus of State Fair Community College.
Nevada closes the season with a 22-7 record and graduates seniors Maddy Majors and Abbey Heathman.
Benton improves to 26-3 and is back in the Final Four for the third straight season, taking on the Central Rebels (27-3) out of Park Hills in the Class 4 semifinals in Springfield on Thursday.
Benton built a double-digit first-quarter lead thanks to strong play on both ends of the floor by the Cardinals.
While limiting Nevada to a pair of field goals over the first eight minutes of action—a score on the break by Heathman and a 3-pointer from the corner by Caylee Holcomb—Benton used 10 points in the first period from Kelsey Johnson, including a pair of 3-pointers, to go along with four points from Andrea Simmons and a 3-pointer from Peyton Anderson to fuel a 21-5 advantage to start the second quarter.
The Tigers showed fight in the second quarter. Nevada trailed by 19 after Simmons knocked down a 3-pointer to start the period before trimming the deficit to 13 by the intermission. Holcomb knocked down her second 3-ball and scored five in the second quarter, while Clara Swearingen added a field goal and Katie Johnson knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing with four seconds left in the half to make the score 31-18.
Benton started the second half on a 6-2 run thanks to a pair of baskets from Johnson and a steal by Johnson that turned into a score on the break by Avery Morlock to make the score 37-21. The Cardinals carried that 16-point lead into the fourth quarter after Morlock knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner near the 1-min mark of the third period for a 42-26 advantage.
Benton used a score on the break by Simmons and a three-point play from Anderson with 4:09 left in regulation to push the lead to more than 20 for the first time, 49-28.
Benton lifted its starters up 18 with less than two minutes to play, with Nevada scoring 10 unanswered in the waning minutes.
Heathman scored 18 points to lead Nevada, while Swearingen added nine points and Majors had seven.
Johnson led Benton with 17 points and Simmons added 15.
Girls basketball teams from Carl Junction and Nevada will compete in the quarterfinal round of their respective state tournaments on Saturday. A trip to the Final Four will be up for grabs.
Below is a look at each quarterfinal of local interest.
CLASS 5 QUARTERFINAL
Carl Junction (28-1) meets Lincoln College Prep (17-9) at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday in a Class 5 quarterfinal contest at State Fair Community College in Sedalia.
The winner advances to the semifinals on March 17 in Springfield.
Currently on a 23-game winning streak, Carl Junction is ranked first in Class 5 by the MBCA, while Lincoln College Prep is unranked.
Carl Junction’s average margin of victory at the District 7 tourney was 35 points. The top-seeded Bulldogs beat Ruskin 71-22, Grandview 68-37 and Webb City 67-42.
The Bulldogs average 64 points per game and allow 44, while the Blue Tigers score 58 a game and give up 47 a night.
Carl Junction is 14-1 on a neutral court this season, while Lincoln Prep is 8-6. The Bulldogs and Blue Tigers have no common opponents this season.
Standout senior guard Destiny Buerge leads Carl Junction with 25 points per game, while junior forward Kylie Scott averages 14 points per game and senior guard Klohe Burk scores just over eight points per night. Scott averages nine rebounds a game, senior guard Hali Shorter hands out 4.4 assists per night and Buerge leads the team in steals with just over four per contest. Buerge was just named the 4-States Basketball Coaches Association’s Girls Player of the Year.
After capturing an eighth straight district championship, Carl Junction will look to advance to the Final Four for the fourth time under Brad Shorter.
The Bulldogs finished fourth in 2017 and second in ’18. Of course, the undefeated Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals in 2020 before the tourney was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In last year’s quarterfinals, Carl Junction suffered a 55-46 loss to eventual state champion West Plains.
Lincoln College Prep won the District 8 tourney with wins over Smithville (43-34) and Platte County (42-37).
The Carl Junction-Lincoln College Prep winner will meet either second-ranked John Burroughs (26-3) or eighth-ranked Cape Girardeau Notre Dame (22-5) in the semifinals.
CLASS 4 QUARTERFINAL
In a Class 4 quarterfinal, Nevada (22-6) takes on Benton (25-3) at noon on Saturday at State Fair CC in Sedalia.
Last year’s state runner-up, Benton is ranked second by the MBCA and Nevada is unranked.
By beating St. Michael the Archangel 49-37 in the sectional round, Nevada advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in 25 years.
Blake Howarth’s Tigers defeated Clinton 46-45 in the championship game of the District 13 tournament.
Nevada is led by junior guard Clara Swearingen, senior guard Maddy Majors and senior forward Abbey Heathman. Swearingen was recently named the player of the year in the Big 8 West.
Nevada is averaging 52 points per game and allowing 43. Benton scores 56 a game and gives up 36.
In the sectional round, Benton beat St. Pius X 64-50 for its 13th straight win.
Benton captured the District 16 title with a 50-39 win over Chillicothe.
Players to watch for Benton include Andrea Simmons, Peyton Anderson and Avery Morlock.
The Nevada-Benton winner will advance to the Class 4 semifinals and meet either Central-Park Hills (26-3) or Lift for Life (14-15) on March 16 at Great Southern Bank Arena in Springfield.
Brice Budd scored 19 points to lead Nevada. 
