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STATE GOLF: Area golfers wrap up state tournaments

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Missouri state golf action concluded on Tuesday, with several local golfers wrapping up their play in the second of the two-day tournaments. Below is a roundup of all the local student-athletes in action.

CLASS 5

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Joplin’s Hobbs Campbell finished in a tie for 62nd after scoring a second-round 84 to total 167 at Dalhousie Golf Club. Harry Satterlee was disqualified upon completion of his second round of play.

Rockhurst’s Will King shot a 69-72—141 and Staley’s Bryson Oots scored a 70-71—141 to tie for first place in the individual standings. Chaminade’s John Guerra took third with a 73-71—144.

Rockhurst won the team championship by 15 strikes over Priory with a 295-300—595.

CLASS 4

NEW BLOOMFIELD, Mo. — In Class 4 action, Carl Junction’s Jack Spencer earned all-state honors after finishing in a tie for seventh place after matching his Day 1 score with a second-round 76 to shoot a 152 at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club. 

Neosho’s Xander Woodward carded a 79 in the second round to total 164 and finish in a tie for 32nd.

Webb City’s Keegon Dill shot an 83 on the first day and duplicated that number on the second day for a 166 total to finish in a tie for 43rd. CJ’s Zach Wrensch shot an 84 in the second round to finish in a tie for 43rd with a 166 as well.

Jacob Teeter scored an 83 in the second round to finish in a tie for 51st for the Bulldogs with a 168.

Webb City’s Levi Lassiter shot an 85-90—175 to place in a tie for 70th.

Bolivar’s Aiden Asby took first with a 73-71—144, while Lutheran South’s Andrew Hennen shot a 74-71—145 to take second place. Fort Zumwalt South’s Joseph Friedel placed third with a 74-75—149.

Webster Groves won the team title by eight strokes over Lutheran South with a 333-303—639.

CLASS 3

SEDALIA, Mo. — Nevada’s Owen Swearingen closed his second round with a 75 after an opening-round 70 to finish in a tie for third place with Father Tolton Regional’s Christian Rischer with a 145, one stroke off the lead, to earn all-state honors at the Sedalia Country Club.

Monett’s Jaxon Bailey earned all-state honors after tying for sixth place with a 72-75—147. 

Also for the Cubs, Jacob Hoyt tied for 42nd after shooting a 84-86—170. David Southard tied for 51st with an 85-88—173. Clay Butterworth closed with a 93 to shoot a 196 and finish in 81st.

Seneca’s Elijah Olson tied for 59th with a 90-86—176, while Jace Wilson carded a 94-94—188 to place 74th.

Hallsville’s Logan Cox (71-73—144) and Samuel Schoeberl (70-74—144) tied for first.

Father Tolton Regional won the team state title by 14 strokes over Bishop LeBlond with a 295-292—587.

CLASS 2

COLUMBIA, Mo. — Sarcoxie’s Eli Ellis scored a 91 to finish with a 178 to finish in a tie for 28th at the Columbia Country Club. 

Matthew Swayne shot a 96 to finish with a 195 in a tie for 54th for the Bears.

Lamar’s Koen Littlejohn finished with a 103 in the second round to post a 196 to place in a tie for 58th.

Pierce City’s Tyler Johnson (98-99—197) and Ashton Medlin (101-39—197) tied for 62nd and Mount Vernon’s Carter Meirick (104-103—207) placed 68th.

Hermann’s Trigg Lindahl earned medalist honors with a 70-78—148, while California won the team title with a 332-339—671.

CLASS 1

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — McAuley Catholic’s Rocco Bazzano-Joseph finished in a tie for 20th place to lead area golfers after carding a 86-87—173 at Rivercut Golf Course.

Evan D’Amour tied for 34th with a 92-87—178 for the Warriors. Vincent Martinez shot a 113-110—223 to finish 80th.

Thomas Jefferson’s Jacob Jarrett took 42nd place after a 95-92—187, while Jack Tyrrell finished in a tie for 44th for the Cavs with a 96-94—190. Luke Miller carded a 98-95—193 to finish in a tie for 49th. Caden Myers closed with a 98 in the second round to shoot a 198 for 57th place.

Purdy’s Brady Garner finished 71st with a 111-96—207.

College Heights’ Logan Decker took 82nd with a 122-125—247.

Westran’s Logan Bain took medalist honors with an 81-75—156, while Cole Camp took the team title by three strokes over Marceline with a 335-343—678.

BOYS STATE HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson’s season ends in loss to St. Elizabeth

Posted on by Lucas Davis

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson’s impressive season came to an end on Saturday after the Cavaliers fell to St. Elizabeth 54-35 in the Class 1 quarterfinal round of the state tournament at the Meyer Wellness Center on the campus of Southwest Baptist University.

Thomas Jefferson, playing without starter Tyler Brouhard, trailed by five after the first quarter and was never able to crawl out of the early hole. The Cavaliers and Hornets were nearly even after the next two periods, separated by five at the intermission and by seven after the third. St. Elizabeth pulled away down the stretch in the fourth quarter to earn the right to move on to the Class 1 semifinals.

The Hornets take on South Iron at 6 p.m. on Friday at the JQH Arena on the campus of Missouri State University. 

Thomas Jefferson closes the year with a 22-7 record and graduates seniors Kaushal Parimi, Elias Rincker, Drew Goodhope, Jake Jarrett, Luke Miller and Caden Myers.

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson trailed 18-12 early in the second quarter before Myers grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback, which was followed by a Jay Ball inside bucket that trimmed the deficit to 18-16 with 3:40 left in the quarter. 

St. Elizabeth pushed the lead back up to seven on a 3-pointer by Caleb Oligschlaeger with the 30 seconds left in the first half, but Ball added a bucket before the horn to make the score 25-20.

The Hornets held a 35-24 lead late in the third quarter after a bucket in the paint by Jace Kesel for their first double-digit advantage of the game and went into the fourth quarter with a 35-27 lead.

St. Elizabeth pushed the lead to 10 with four minutes left and closed the game on a 13-4 run to seal the win.

SCORING LEADERS

Ball finished with 14 points, while Myers finished with 12 points. Goodhope closed with six and Jarret added three.

BOYS SECTIONAL HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson’s second-half dominance leads to second straight sectional title

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson is headed back to the quarterfinal round of the state playoffs for the second time in as many years after taking the lead early in the first quarter and never surrendering it on the way to a 55-35 win over Rich Hill in the Class 1 sectional round on Tuesday inside the Cardinal Dome at Webb City High School. 

“It was a good team win,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “It is very exciting. It is a true blessing and we talked about that with the guys. It is a true blessing to be able to get back, but we didn’t come into this season with quarterfinals as our goal. We came up one game short of the Final Four last year and we have been preaching it this year. We are just happy to have a chance to have the opportunity to get there.”

The Cavaliers improved to 22-6 and are back in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament. Thomas Jefferson matches up with St. Elizabeth, who the Cavaliers lost to in the quarterfinals a year ago. However, Thomas Jefferson plans to use that experience as a catalyst this go round. 

“They have lost a couple of guys and we have lost a couple of guys,” Coach Myers said about the quarterfinal rematch from a year ago. “It is going to be a different game I think than last year. … I honestly feel like we are a better team this year. We lost some good players, but we are a better team (all around). We are able to rotate some guys this year and go nine or 10 deep if we need to. I am really proud of our team and I am confident in our ability to go and compete.” 

GAME ACTION

Despite being down starter Jake Jarrett to illness coupled with big man Jay Ball relegated to the bench for much of the first half after picking up two early fouls, Thomas Jefferson took its first lead with 6:32 on the clock in the opening quarter on a three-point play by Tyler Brouhard to make the score 5-2 and never relinquished it.

“We got the call this morning that a guy is home sick and then Jay gets in early foul trouble, and all of a sudden instead of (playing) seven or eight (guys down the rotation), you’re nine or 10 deep,” Coach Myers said of his team’s effort playing shorthanded. “It was a true testament to the kids. They are buying in and doing what they’ve got to do. They’re all stepping up and playing for each other, finding a way to get it done.

“If one goes down, the next guy has to be ready. Luke Miller and Elias Rinker came in to play that four/five spot with those guys out. (Miller and Rinker) are seniors who have been working hard in the program for years. Happy to see them come in and contribute in this one tonight.”

Brouhard added an offensive board for a putback bucket at the buzzer to send the Cavs into the second period with a 12-8 advantage. After a back-and-forth battle for much of the quarter, Thomas Jefferson scored the final two baskets on an inside score from Caden Myers and a score on the break by Drew Goodhope to hold a 27-21 advantage at the intermission.

As they have for much of this postseason run, the Cavaliers amped up the intensity on the defensive end in the second half, holding Rich Hill (14-12) to four points in the third quarter and stretching the cushion to 13 points by the start of the final eight minutes. Levi Triplett led TJ’s scoring in the quarter with five points, including a 3-pointer, while Ball had four points.

“Jay’s presence was huge (in the third quarter),” Coach Myers said of the defensive effort after the intermission. “Him around the rim changes everything. Our guard pressure was a little better, but (Jay) just altering shots and blocking some shots got them out of sync offensively. Then, we were able to execute on our end.”

The Cavaliers took the momentum from the third quarter and doubled down on it to open the fourth, scoring the first 10 points of the period to build a 48-25 advantage near the midway mark, ending any chance of a Rich Hill comeback bid.

Caden Myers opened the run with a 3-pointer from the top of the key before Brouhard had an inside score and Ball grabbed an offensive board for a putback to push the lead to 20, 45-25, with six minutes left. Ball added another bucket in the low post as the last field goal of the run.

STAT LEADERS

Brouhard led Thomas Jefferson with 17 points and 13 rebounds to finish with a double-double. He added three blocks and two steals on the defensive end. Ball finished with 13 points and seven boards to go along with two blocks. Goodhope finished with 11 points and two rebounds, while Caden Myers finished with nine points, five rebounds and four assists.

Magal Chol-Case closed with a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double for Rich Hill. Lane Hardin and Zane Becker each had seven points in the loss.

BOYS DISTRICT HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson beats Golden City for district title

Posted on by Lucas Davis

For the second time in two seasons, the Thomas Jefferson boys basketball team has earned the title of district champions.

Thomas Jefferson’s Caden Myers attacks the basket in the Cavaliers’ win over Golden City in the Class 1 District 5 championship game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Thomas Jefferson built a slim lead just before halftime and used a staunch defensive effort in the third quarter to push the margin to double digits. Golden City made a run at the lead down the stretch, but the Cavaliers held the Eagles off by converting at the free-throw line to preserve the 49-38 win for their second consecutive district title.

“It feels great,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said with a smile after his team’s win. “The biggest thing is the kids’ ability to execute a game plan, and they executed it to perfection. To hold Golden City under wraps like they did for most of the game, and we knew they were going to have a run in them, but we really held them in check all night and we are really proud of the kids for their defensive effort tonight.”

The Cavaliers, who played in their fourth straight district title game on Saturday, advance to take on District 6 champion Rich Hill at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday in the Class 1 sectional round at Webb City High School.

“I want to see exactly what we have been doing to get us to this point,” Coach Myers said. “We want to play team basketball. We want to play good, solid team defense and we will let the rest take care of itself.”

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson’s Jay Ball scores in the low post during the Cavaliers’ win over Golden City in the Class 1 District 5 title game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Thomas Jefferson came up with the first real momentum swing in the game and it came at the end of the first half. With Golden City leading 17-15 with 2:34 on the clock, Thomas Jefferson closed the second period on an 8-0 run with field goals coming from Jay Ball, Levi Triplett and Caden Myers, with Myers’ bucket coming just before the horn to send the Cavs into the locker room with a 23-17 advantage.

Out of the break, Thomas Jefferson put the clamps down defensively and limited Golden City to just three points in the third quarter. The Cavaliers opened with a 10-1 run, with Caden Myers accounting for five points and Tyler Brouhard with three.

“Anytime you can create any type of separation against a team like Golden City, you are going to be pleased,” Coach Myers said. “We preach defense and we keep preaching it. That is two games in a row we have held two really good teams in check enough to get it done. 

“I am a defensive guy. I always have been my entire life, even dating back to my football days. You will hear me say it a zillion times, defense wins championships.”

Josh Reeves had the only make from the field for the Eagles in the third period, which came on the drive with 1:24 to play, cutting TJ’s lead to 13. 

Brouhard added a bucket on the drive just before the horn to push the TJ lead to 35-20 to open the fourth quarter.

Golden City captured its first spurt of momentum in the second half when Elijah Pettengill opened the final eight minutes of play with back to back 3-pointers to cut the deficit to single digits, 35-26. The Eagles cut the lead all the way down to four, 40-36, after two free throws from Max Parrill with four minutes left, but that would be as close to the lead that Golden City would get.

Thomas Jefferson’s Tyler Brouhard shoots from the perimeter in the Cavs’ win over Golden City in the Class 1 District 5 championship game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Thomas Jefferson—which went to the free-throw line 20 times in the fourth quarter (14-of-20), accounting for all of their points in the final period—was 9-of-14 from the stripe in the final four minutes to ice the win.

“When you have a 15-point lead going into the fourth quarter, it changes your mindset a little bit,” Coach Myers said. “They made a great run at us, and even though we would have liked to make a few more of those free throws, the kids stepped up and hit big ones down the stretch to finish it off.

SCORING LEADERS

Ball had 14 points to lead Thomas Jefferson, while Caden Myers and Brouhard each finished with 12 in the win.

Reeves had a game-high 20 points to lead Golden City, while Pettengill finished with 13 points in the loss. 

DISTRICT BOYS HOOPS: Perimeter shooting catalyst for Thomas Jefferson in district semifinal win over Lockwood

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Third-seeded Thomas Jefferson caught fire from the perimeter early and went on to knock down 12 field goals from 3-point range on the way to a 60-44 win over second-seeded Lockwood in the Class 1 District 5 semifinals on Friday at Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School.

“It’s huge when you are shooting the ball that hot, but we shot the ball that hot because we were executing our offense,” TJ coach Chris Myers said. “If you look back at every one of those 3s, they came from a post kick. We established that post game … and got really high-percentage looks for our kids.”

The host Cavaliers (20-6) move on to the district championship round. Thomas Jefferson takes on top-seeded Golden City (18-8) with a 7:30 p.m. matchup on Saturday.

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson used a barrage of 3-pointers to build an 18-8 lead over Lockwood by the end of the first period. The Cavaliers knocked down four shots from the perimeter in the first eight minutes, with Drew Goodhope, who finished with 14 first-quarter points, splashing down all four of the 3-pointers.

“Tonight is not out of the norm for him,” Coach Myers said. “He is a 48 percent career 3-point shooter. He can shoot the basketball. Whenever he gets those shots with his feet set in the flow of our offense, he’s deadly.

“There were a couple of things that really set the tone in that first quarter and I think the first one was our defense. We held them to eight points. … Our defense really set the tone and our boys’ offensive execution allowed them to shoot the ball extremely well and build that lead.”

The hot shooting from beyond the arc didn’t stop after the first period, as the Cavs buried five more 3-balls in the second period to hold a 37-23 lead by the intermission. Goodhope added two more perimeter makes, with Caden Myers knocking down a pair of 3-pointers and Jake Jarrett also converting from 3-point range.

Thomas Jefferson pushed the lead to 19 points, 47-28, with 4:45 on the clock after Goodhope capped a 10-2 run with a 3-pointer from the corner. The Cavaliers ultimately took a 50-36 lead into the fourth quarter.

Thomas Jefferson maintained its double-digit lead down the stretch thanks in large part to the success at the free-throw line. The Cavs were 8-of-10 from the stripe in the fourth quarter.

“We were having a little trouble taking care of the ball there down the stretch, but we talked about it in a (late) timeout,” Coach Myers said. “We (just needed) to take care of the ball and they were going to have to foul us eventually. Knock ’em down and the free-throw line and get out of here with a W.”

SCORING LEADERS

Goodhope led Thomas Jefferson in scoring with a career-high 28 points. Jarrett and Tyler Brouhard each finished with eight points, while Caden Myers finished with seven.

Lockwood was led in scoring by Kane Cooper’s 18 points. Connor Lewandowski finished with nine.

GIRLS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson comes up short against Bronaugh

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Sixth-seeded Thomas Jefferson gave third-seeded Bronough everything they could handle but in the end, the Wildcats walked away with a 52-48 win over the Cavaliers in the opening round of the Class 1 District 5 tournament on Saturday.

Thomas Jefferson ends the season with a 7-16 record and graduates senior Alivia Beard.

The Cavaliers trailed by six heading into the second period when sophomore Gabbi Hiebert put her teammates on her back, scoring 13 of TJ’s 17 points in the quarter. She knocked down three 3-pointers, including a go-ahead catch-and-shoot 3-ball with five seconds left to send Thomas Jefferson into halftime with a 26-25 lead.

The Cavs held onto that slim lead in a third quarter that saw six lead changes in the final three minutes. Thomas Jefferson led 39-38 heading into the final quarter thanks to a nine-point effort in the period by Lannah Grigg. 

Sarah Mueller scored out of the break and Alexis Stamps added a charity make to push TJ’s lead to 42-38 early in the fourth.

Bronaugh rallied with the next seven points to regain the lead, 45-42, with less than four minute to play. 

Stamps knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner off an inbounds play to tie the game back up at 45s with 2:12 left in regulation, but Bronaugh’s Nicole Hagerman buried a 3-pointer with 1:28 left and added a score on the drive at the one-minute mark to give the Wildcats a 50-45 advantage.

Beard tried to keep the Cavs within striking distance, sinking a 3-pointer with 32 second left to cut the deficit to 50-48, but Hagerman sank two free throws with 18.7 seconds left to ice the win and send Bronaugh into the semifinals.

Hagerman finished with a game-high 29 points, while Gretchen Banes closed with 11.

Hiebert led Thomas Jefferson with 18 points, while Grigg finished with 11. Stamps finished with nine.

The Wildcats take on second-seeded McAuley Catholic at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the district semis.

BOYS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson builds early lead and holds off McAuley

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Thomas Jefferson built a double-digit lead in the first quarter and added on throughout on the way to a 59-46 win in Ozark 7 Conference and district action on Thursday.

The Cavaliers (18-6, 4-2 Ozark 7) opened the game with a double digit scoring run as the catalyst for Thomas Jefferson’s 11-point lead by the end of the first eight minutes. Thomas Jefferson pushed the lead to 18 by the intermission and past the 10-point mark three minutes into the second half. The Warriors (6-20, 0-6 Ozark 7) made a run at the lead in the fourth, but the Cavaliers held McAuley at bay in the closing minutes to preserve the district road win.

“I thought we played well early, but we obviously didn’t do a good job there down the stretch that last quarter and a half,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “I thought we got a little complacent. We talked about it before this game ever tipped off—McAuley is never going to go away. Coach (Tony) Witt does a great job with them. They battle tooth and nail all the way until the end no matter what the score is. They proved me correct right there because they stayed after it the whole game.”

SENIOR NIGHT

McAuley celebrated Senior Night before the game and held ceremonies for Kevin Tran, Declan Berkstresser, Jacob Bracich and Jeffrey Horinek.

“Those guys have been through some trials and tribulations,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said of his senior class. “When I took the job (two seasons ago), someone’s parent from that senior class told me those kids had a different coach every single year until I arrived. This is the only stretch where they have had some stability in their basketball career. For them to stick it out and keep bearing it, it says a lot about their character. They are absolutely great kids and high-character guys. I just wish I had them for all four years instead of two.”

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson wasted little time taking control of the game, using a 13-0 run out of the game to dictate the pace early. Drew Goodhope and Caden Myers fueled the early surge with six points and five points, respectively. 

“Anytime you can build a lead, you are pretty happy,” Myers said. “I thought we played well in the first half. We just kind of let up right there at the wrong time and things started to get away from us. I thought we reeled it back in and really did a good job down the stretch of finishing.”

Jay Ball finished the first quarter with six points and ended the first half in double figures along with Myers and Goodhope to propel Cavaliers to an 18-point advantage by halftime, 36-18. 

Thomas Jefferson pushed the lead to more than 20 for the first time early in the third quarter after a score on the break by Myers and a pair of makes at the foul line from Ball made the score 42-20 with five minutes to play.

McAuley was able to close the third quarter on a 12-5 run to trim the deficit to 47-32 after a three-point play from Michael Parrigon in the closing seconds of the period.

The Warriors refused to go away down the stretch, cutting the lead down to 12 points, 52-40, off back to back 3-pointers from Rocco Bazzano-Joseph, who missed a significant portion of the season with a wrist injury, near the midway point of the fourth. Noah Black earned a steal for a layup on the break the other way to make the score 55-44 with 2:08 left in regulation, but that would be as close as the Warriors would get to the lead before the sound of the final horn. 

“He is just starting to feel comfortable again,” Witt said of Bazzano-Joseph. “When he first came back, you could tell he was favoring the wrist and trying to figure it out. He had only played four games before getting hurt and came back in mid-January. For him to come out of his shell tonight is really big for us down the stretch. When you have someone like him playing on the side of Noah (Black) and Michael (Parrigon) on the perimeter, it’s—optimistic is the word I would use. It’s very optimistic.”

SCORING LEADERS

Ball finished with a game-high 22 points and added 16 rebounds for a double-double to lead the way for Thomas Jefferson. Myers had two 3-pointers and finished with 15 points, while Goodhope scored 11 points, all of which came in the first half.

Bazzano-Joseph knocked down a game-high five 3-pointers and tied Ball with a game-high 22 points in the loss. Parrigon finished with eight points.

UP NEXT

Thomas Jefferson takes on Bronaugh (5-19) at 7:30 p.m. on Monday in the opening round of the Class 1 District 5 tournament hosted by the Cavaliers.

The McAuley boys take on Sheldon (8-17) at 4:30 on Monday in the opening round of the Class 1 District 5 tournament hosted by Thomas Jefferson.

GIRLS HOOPS: Early defense propels McAuley past Thomas Jefferson on Senior Night

Posted on by Lucas Davis

McAuley Catholic girls basketball used a staunch defensive effort in the second quarter to build a double-digit lead by the intermission, setting the pace in the second half on the way to a 50-27 Ozark 7 Conference win over Thomas Jefferson on Senior Night.

The Warriors (16-10, 4-2 Ozark 7) took a 12-10 lead into the second period before holding the Cavaliers (7-15) scoreless in the period to build an 11-point lead by halftime. McAuley pushed the lead to more than 30 points in the second half on the way to the district win.

“Senior Night is kind of an emotional night because they are playing their final game on the home floor,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “You always want to send the girls out on a win. The last few games have not gone our way, so we wanted to come out and focus on defense and make it an emphasis.”

SENIOR NIGHT MEMORIES

The McAuley girls celebrated seniors Kayleigh Teeter, Kennedy DeRuy and Avery Eminger before the tip with Thomas Jefferson.

“They have been playing together since they were little kids,” Howard said. “I just can’t say enough about all three of them. Their work ethic and passion for the game—there are not three other people that work harder than them. I am so proud to be able to send them to a win their last night here on our floor.”

Teeter, who is the third all-time leading scorer in McAuley girls basketball history with 1,383 points, saw her senior year end prematurely after suffering a season-ending knee injury near the midway point of the schedule. Allowing her one more chance to take the court in her team’s final home game of the regular season, Teeter suited for McAuley in her knee brace and was allowed to score the Warriors’ first points of the game on an uncontested layup. 

“I wanted to give her one more chance with everything that has happened,” Howard said of Teeter’s final basket as a Warrior. “(The knee injury) was so unfortunate for her. She is a great kid and the most humble person I have ever met. For a leader and one of our best players, it means a lot to send her out on a positive note and to give her the reception she deserves from the fans. She has meant a world to this team and our community.”

Getting all three seniors involved, Eminger tipped the ball to DeRuy, who dribbled down the court before passing to Teeter for the layup.

“It was a great honor just to go out there one last time with teammates I have played with since third grade,” Teeter said. “I cherished that moment and really tried to enjoy it. It was really meaningful, especially since it was (Kennedy who passed it to me). We’ve played together since third grade, doing travel ball with her. Just having that friendship and chemistry with her over the years is really special.” 

GAME ACTION

McAuley held a two-point lead after the first quarter and pushed the lead to double digits by the intermission thanks in large part to the Warriors’ effort on defense. McAuley held Thomas Jefferson scoreless in the second quarter, using what turned out to be a 9-0 run in the period to push the margin to 21-10 by halftime.

“The first quarter I felt like we were timid and still thinking about Kayleigh’s reception,” Howard said. “We weren’t too focused on playing the game. When the second quarter started, we actually started playing and got back into what we like to do and that is just play good defense.”

Eminger highlighted the scoring in the second quarter. After Lily Black opened the quarter with a bucket inside, Eminger scored the next six points for the Warriors to push the lead to 20-10 with 55 seconds left in the first half. 

McAuley pushed the lead to 19 several times in the third period before DeRuy knocked down a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer from the wing with less than three minutes to play in the quarter to give the Warriors a 37-16 advantage.

The Warriors outscored the Cavs 8-2 to close out the third quarter, with DeRuy accounting for a score off the drive and a corner 3-pointer to push the lead to 45-18 to start the fourth. Her final two baskets of the quarter pushed DeRuy into fourth place all-time on the McAuley girls career scoring list with 1,323 points.

SCORING LEADERS

DeRuy led the Warriors with 22 points, including a game-high five 3-pointers in the win. Eminger closed with 10 points and Kloee Williamson finished with eight. Black added 10 points.

Thomas Jefferson’s Tannah Grigg and Alexis Stamps finished with a team-high seven points each, while Lannah Grigg scored six.

UP NEXT

The McAuley girls take on Everton (3-17) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday in the first round of the Class 1 District 5 tournament hosted by Thomas Jefferson. 

Thomas Jefferson takes on Bronaugh (14-9) at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the opening round of the Class 1 District 5 tournament hosted by the Cavaliers.

GIRLS MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: College Heights girls defeat McAuley for third place; Providence wins championship

Posted on by Lucas Davis

COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS DEFEAT MCAULEY FOR THIRD PLACE

College Heights built a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter and held off McAuley’s late run on the way to a 36-31 win in the girls third-place game on Saturday.

Neither team held more than a one possession lead through the first half, but the Cougars (10-8) closed the third quarter strong and held a six-point advantage heading into the final eight minutes. CHC recorded the first three buckets of the fourth to build a double-digit lead before McAuley rallied in a big way to trim the lead to three points with less than 90 seconds to play. College Heights recovered and held off the Warriors in the closing seconds.

“It is always a challenge playing McAuley because they know us so well and we know them so well,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “We got off to a rough start, both teams did, but we missed so many layups tonight and shot 21 percent from the field and still won the game. … That speaks volumes to our defense. We preach defense and practice defense. The kids came out, kept them in check until we gained a little offensive rhythm in the third quarter and that helped out a lot.”

“Anytime we are playing College Heights, we know it’s going to be a battle and because we play each other so much that we know everything about them and they know everything about us,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “It is basically who is going to take care of the ball and who is going to put forth the most effort. I thought our girls played with a lot of effort, but we just couldn’t take care of the ball. Anytime that you have more turnovers than you do points [34], it’s never going to be a good outcome.”

GAME ACTION

McAuley scored the first basket of the second half on a Kennedy DeRuy bucket to tie the game at 17s, but College Heights scored the next six points to build the first real separation of the contest. Jayli Johnson earned a steal for a layup on the break before she knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing to highlight the spurt.

“We got into some passing lanes, got a few steals and actually knocked down a couple of layups,” Blankenship said of his team’s play in the third quarter. “Whenever you can get a couple quick turnovers like that, I feel like it makes us pick up the intensity even more on defense. But, it was just about finishing shots. If we can finish shots with our defense, we can play with most teams our size.”

The Cougars carried that six-point lead into the fourth quarter and converted the first three baskets of the final period to take a 34-21 advantage. Addie Lawrence started the quarter off with a 3-pointer before Johnson scored on the break before driving in for a hoop to make the score 34-21 near the four-minute mark.

The Warriors refused to go away without a fight, as McAuley rattled off the next 10 points to trim the deficit down to 34-31 with 1:27 left in regulation. Avery Eminger scored inside to start the surge before DeRuy recorded a three-point play and a 3-pointer off a turnover to cut CHC’s lead to 34-29 with 2:02 left. Avery Gardner earned a steal on the inbound pass and found DeRuy under the basket for a score to trim the lead to three.

“The first thing I mentioned in the locker room after the game, because I always try to start with something positive, is that they have relentless heart and effort,” Howard said. “You will never see our girls quit. They play hard until the end of the game. I thought that they did an amazing job in the fourth quarter to get back into the game. We switched it up defensively and started pressuring full court to create some turnovers, which led to those baskets. … Those girls kept fighting to the very end. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

College Heights answered with a basket by Lawrence inside the final minute to hold off McAuley and seal the win.

“We did not do a good job of keeping our poise and we panicked under the pressure a little bit,” Blankenship said of his team’s play down the stretch. “But we did what we had to do and finished down the stretch. We have some things we need to clean up in practice next week.”

SCORING LEADERS

Johnson led College Heights with 14 points, while Lawrence finished with nine points. Libby Fanning finished with six points in the win.

DeRuy finished with a game-high 18 points to lead McAuley in scoring. Eminger closed with seven points and Lily Black had four.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

MVP-Julieth Rivera, Providence Academy

Lydia Shaddox, Providence Academy

Marcy Miller, Lamar

Josey Adams, Lamar

Jayli Johnson, College Heights

Kennedy DeRuy, McAuley

PROVIDENCE ACADEMY DEFEATS LAMAR TO WIN GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP

Providence Academy built a nine-point lead by the intermission and carried that pace throughout the second half on the way to a 64-52 win over Lamar in the Mercy-Warrior Classic girls championship game on Saturday.

The Patriots outscored the Tigers 17-9 in the first quarter and pushed the lead to nine by halftime. Providence won the third quarter and held Lamar at bay down the stretch to preserve the championship win.

Karolina Kiraga and Lydia Shaddox each had 14 points to lead Providence in scoring. Julieth Rivera added 11 points to give the Patriots three players in double figures.

Marcy Miller finished with 14 points and Zavrie Wiss closed with 13 to lead Lamar in scoring.

 

THOMAS JEFFERSON GIRLS 44, BLUEJACKET 16

The Thomas Jefferson girls basketball team captured fifth place and earned its fifth win of the season by beating Bluejacket 44-16 on Saturday at the Mercy-Warrior Classic.

Thomas Jefferson built a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter at 17-7. The Cavs led 26-10 at halftime and were up 38-11 by the end of the third quarter.

Gabbi Hiebert scored a game-high 21 points for Thomas Jefferson, while Lannah Grigg added 14 points. 

On Friday, Thomas Jefferson’s girls beat Carl Junction’s junior varsity 47-34.

Hiebert scored 19 points for the Cavs, while Grigg added 10 and Nico Carlson contributed seven. DeShaye Buerge scored 13 points for the Carl Junction JV. 

MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: CHC boys advance to championship; CHC and McAuley girls fall in semifinals

Posted on by Lucas Davis

FOURTH-QUARTER SURGE SENDS CHC BOYS PAST TJ; JOHNSON EARNS WIN 650

After a seesaw battle through the first three quarters, College Heights used a 15-0 scoring run in the fourth period on the way to a 64-53 non-conference win over Thomas Jefferson on Friday in the semifinals of the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic.

Neither team held a lead greater than five points through the first half. Thomas Jefferson (14-5) held a seven-point advantage with three minutes left in the third before College Heights (17-3) rallied, with both teams exchanging the lead four times to head into the fourth with a one-point game. The Cougars took advantage in the final eight minutes, using a 15-0 scoring run over five minutes to steal the momentum for good in the win.

“I know Thomas Jefferson had three days off, but it looked like we had six days off,” said College Heights coach Eric Johnson, who notched his 650th career win as a head coach on Friday. “We missed a lot of easy shots in the first half, and (Thomas Jefferson) plays hard and they play well. Our press hurt them in the fourth quarter and we were able to get some turnovers and score. It was a struggle and I don’t think we played very well, but (Thomas Jefferson) is always tough and so well-coached that they always make it difficult for the other team.”

“We battled, and for the most part, we executed the game plan until the fourth quarter,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “I told the guys after that you can’t execute a game plan against a good basketball team for three or three and a half quarters. It has to be a full game if you want to beat good teams. We talked about learning from that and putting it all together.”

College Heights advances to face Providence in the boys championship game, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Thomas Jefferson takes on Sarcoxie in the third-place game set for 4:30.

SCORING LEADERS

Ethan Meeks finished with 18 points to lead the way for College Heights, while Curtis Davenport finished with 17 points in the win. Miller Long closed the game with 12 points.

Caden Myers and Luke Miller led Thomas Jefferson with 12 points each, while Jake Jarrett also finished in double figures with 10. Drew Goodhope scored nine points in the loss. 

GAME ACTION

Back to back 3-pointers from Myers and Goodhope gave Thomas Jefferson its first seven-point advantage of the second half with 4:48 on the clock in the third quarter, which was the largest lead of the game by either team to that point.

Trailing 37-30 shortly after, College Heights rallied with eight straight points to take the lead back, 38-37, with two minutes to play. Hagen Beck started the run with an inside score before Davenport and Long converted three-point plays to take the lead.

Jarrett scored inside to give the Cavaliers the lead before Ethan Adel answered with a 3-pointer for the Cougars on the other end to get his team back in front 41-39. Myers and Davenport exchanged buckets to keep CHC in front before Myers closed out the third period by banking in a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the Cavs into the fourth on top 44-43.

“You have the (Ozark 7) Conference rivalry side of it, but you also have the private school rivalry, or the Newman Road rivalry is what some people call it,” Myers added about how fun it is when CHC and TJ match up. “It is always fun to coach against Coach Johnson. He has been doing it a long time. It’s fun to see his teams execute, and they always do a great job of it.”

Jarrett splashed a 3-pointer to kick off the fourth to put TJ in front 47-43, but College Heights took over from there. The Cougars rattled off 15 unanswered points to take the lead back and build a nine-point cushion in the process.

“Putting the press on them forced them into some turnovers and forced shots,” Johnson said when asked what the catalyst for the fourth-quarter surge was. “We picked up the pace on defense and that was the key to it.”

Long knocked down a corner 3-pointer before grabbing his own miss for a baseline floater on the next trip to put College Heights on top 48-47. Meeks added back to back scores inside before Adel answered with two straight buckets, the second coming off a steal in the backout. Meeks closed the run with two free throws at the 2:56 mark to put CHC up 58-47.

The Cougars held that pace through the final horn.

 

MCAULEY GIRLS FALL TO LAMAR IN SEMIFINALS

Lamar went to the early press, forcing McAuley into several turnovers as the Tigers built a double-digit lead on the way to a 55-40 win in the Mercy/Warrior Classic girls semifinals.

Lamar used an 11-0 run early and eventually held a 16-point lead in the first quarter. McAuley was able to trim the lead to single digits early in the fourth quarter, but Lamar responded with a quick spurt to put the game out of reach. 

“The first quarter was not good for us,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “It’s partially their fault, but I will take part of the blame, too. I don’t think I prepared them enough for the pressure Lamar put on us. Our girls have to learn to handle that pressure. We’ve played in a few games this year where teams have been more physical than us and in those games, we struggle. Anytime you turn the ball over 28 times, you are not going to win.” 

Lamar takes on Providence in the girls championship game at 6 p.m. on Saturday. McAuley battles College Heights in the third-place game at 3 p.m.

GAME ACTION

Zavrie Wiss scored the first two buckets of the early spurt for Lamar before Ella Harris and Josey Adams added baskets inside to push the Tigers’ lead to 10-1. Wiss knocked down a 3-pointer to close the run.

After a 3-ball from McAuley’s Kennedy DeRuy, Ashlyn Stettler and Wiss scored in the paint before Adams sank a perimeter shot to push the lead to 20-4 with 1:08 on the clock. 

Avery Eminger and Kloee Williamson added buckets for the Warriors to close out the first period.

“We just couldn’t break their press,” Howard said. “We didn’t do a good job of getting open. Our girls didn’t go to the ball or set screens and made it difficult on the inbounder. As far as offensively, they were putting a lot of pressure on our guards. Anytime they do that, we like to spread the floor out for our guards. … I feel like we made the adjustment after the first quarter and were able to play with them for the rest of the game.”

Lamar played with the lead for the rest of the first half, going into the intermission with a 28-17 advantage, with the margin moving to 13 points to start the fourth quarter.

The Warriors made a run at the lead to open the final eight minutes of play. McAuley scored the first six points of the period on a drive by Williamson, two charities by Lily Black and an inside bucker from Eminger to trim the deficit to 41-32, but nine points would be as close to the lead as the Warriors would get. 

The Tigers used a 7-2 response to push the lead back to 14 points and ultimately put the game out of reach.

SCORING LEADERS

Josey Adams led Lamar with 12 points, while Wiss finished with 11 points. Harris and Marcy Miller each finished with 10 points for the Tigers. 

Williamson led McAuley with 17 points, while Eminger closed with 10. DeRuy finished with seven. 

“She has a lot of fight in her and she has a lot of heart,” Howard said of Williamson’s performance. “Anytime she feels like she is being pressured a lot, she wants to be aggressive and attack it. She is very fast and can use her speed to get around defenders. I was very proud of her for being aggressive, taking the lead and creating some things that weren’t there. She put the team on her back a little bit there as far as scoring goes in the second half of the game.”

 

PROVIDENCE GIRLS PULLS AWAY FROM COLLEGE HEIGHTS DOWN THE STRETCH

Providence built a double-digit lead in the second period and never surrendered it on the way to a 60-29 win over College Heights Christian in the Mercy/Warrior Classic semifinals.

The Cougars (9-8) trailed by six heading into the second period when an 11-0 surge by the Patriots led to a double-digit lead by the intermission. Providence pushed the lead to 20 in the third quarter and never wavered down the stretch.

“We played hard and we played well in spurts,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “It’s hard to measure yourself against a team like that. They are very athletic and they are well coached. … We just couldn’t get back in the game. We didn’t shoot the ball as well as we normally do, but some of that is a credit to their defense.”

Providence matches up with Lamar in the girls championship at 6 p.m. on Saturday. College Heights takes on McAuley Catholic in the third-place game at 3 p.m.

SCORING LEADERS

Julieth Rivera led Providence with 13 points, while Lydia Shaddox closed the game with 12 points. Abigail Russell added 10. 

Jayli Johnson led College Heights in scoring with nine points, while Addie Lawrence had six. Lauren Ukena and Molly Long each finished with four points.

GAME ACTION

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with Providence holding a 16-10 advantage after closing the period on a 6-1 run.

The Patriots distanced themselves from the Cougars thanks to an 11-0 run to open the second period of play, building a 27-10 lead in the process. Rivera highlighted the run with six points, while Elise Snow added a 3-pointer. 

“They are a very athletic and very quick team,” Blankenship said. “They jumped out into the lanes in our pick-and-roll offense. They got a few steals and some easy baskets that way.” 

College Heights cut the deficit to 30-18 to close the first half after Long scored on the break and added a make from the foul line.

Like they did in the second quarter, the Patriots started the second half as the aggressor, using a 10-2 spurt to build a 20-point lead. Shaddox and Russell put the closing touches on the run with inside scores to make the score 40-20 with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter. 

“I am proud of my girls,” Blankenship added. “We really did play hard. We didn’t play poorly, they’re just that good of a team, so give Providence a lot of credit.”

Providence went into the fourth quarter leading 42-24 with the lead hovering around 20 points down the stretch.

MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: Thomas Jefferson boys and CHC girls win; Providence boys and girls sweep

Posted on by Lucas Davis

THOMAS JEFFERSON PULLS AWAY FROM MCAULEY DOWN THE STRETCH

Thomas Jefferson and McAuley were in a back-and-forth battle through the first 12 minutes of game action before the Cavaliers closed the first half with the momentum and capitalized on it in the third quarter on the way to a 61-36 win over the Warriors to close the first round of the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic on Tuesday.

“We knew coming in that whatever situation was, (McAuley) wasn’t going to quit—case in point, right there at the beginning,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “We had a 10-point lead early and then all of a sudden you are down one. (Coach Tony Witt’s) kids always play hard, so tip of the cap to them.

“I was proud of our kids’ response to that. They beared down and had a good second quarter and held them to two field goals the entire period and was able to get a little bit of a lead going into the half. We executed fairly well in the second half to make sure we didn’t give them a chance to get back in the game.”

SCORING LEADERS

Jay Ball led Thomas Jefferson in scoring with 20 points, 10 coming in the first quarter, while Drew Goodhope knocked down four 3-pointers on the way to 16 points. Caden Myers, who is working his way back from a knee injury, closed the game with 10 points in limited minutes. 

Noah Black had 10 points to lead McAuley, while Michael Parrigon and Rocco Bazzano-Joseph each finished with seven points in the loss. 

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson held all of the momentum early after jumping out to a 12-2 lead over the first three and a half minutes of game action. Goodhope knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, while Ball accounted for six points in the paint.

Refusing to go away without a fight, McAuley answered the opening scoring run with an offensive surge of its own. The Warriors closed out the first quarter on a 15-4 spurt to take a one-point lead by the start of the second quarter, 17-16.

“In the 15 years I have been a coach, this is the hardest working group I have ever had,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said. “Obviously, this one didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but they never gave up. … That was all them. Earlier in the season, we don’t make that adjustment. We don’t make that run at them when they opened with that run at us. That is a sign of growth, which is what you want to see at this point in the season.”  

Parrigon and Black each had five points in the run. Bazzano-Joseph knocked down a 3-pointer and Bradley Wagner scored inside.

The remainder of the first half was a seesaw battle until Thomas Jefferson closed the second quarter on a 12-0 run to take a 34-21 lead into the intermission. Caden Myers ignited the run with the first eight points, including two 3-balls, before Ball and Kip Atteberry added buckets to close the period with the double-digit lead intact. 

“Caden is a game changer as far as his intensity level, competitiveness and ability to score the basketball,” Coach Myers said. “But really, our defense is what sparked us there and gave us life. All of a sudden we were in the passing lanes and causing turnovers. Any coach will tell you their best offense is a good defense. We are very proud of the guys for turning it up. I really thought the defense sent the tone there.” 

After gaining a footing on the lead to end the first half, the Cavaliers put some distance between themselves and the Warriors after outscoring McAuley 14-5 in the third quarter to take a 23-point advantage into the final eight minutes of play. 

“We already let them have a little bit of life there in the first quarter, and we wanted to make sure we didn’t let them do that in the third,” Coach Myers said. “The kids responded well and did what they had to do. They kept the defensive intensity and executed well on offense.”

Bazzano-Joseph knocked down a 3-pointer to open the second half and trim the TJ lead to 34-24, but the Cavaliers answered by closing the third quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 49-26 lead into the fourth quarter. Ball had two buckets to lead the surge, while Goodhope added five points, including a 3-pointer.

“You can’t go through those dry spells offensively,” Witt added. “Four points in the second quarter, a huge dry spell leading into the third quarter, and that’s what blew the game open. … We had good looks and only turned the ball over five times in the first half. The ball just did not go in. … We needed to get to the free-throw line a little more and knock down our open shots.”

UP NEXT

Thomas Jefferson is scheduled to take on College Heights with a 7 p.m. matchup in the semifinals on Thursday, weather permitting.

McAuley takes on Carl Junction JV at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

 

FAST START PROPELS COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS PAST THOMAS JEFFERSON

College Heights girls basketball scored the game’s first 14 points and never looked back on the way to a 55-41 win over Thomas Jefferson to kick off the final day of the opening round in the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic.

“It’s always good to get off to a good start in a tournament with an opening-round win,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “We got off to a great start and shot the ball really well. We played good defense, and our rotations were really good. … We were able to force some turnovers on defense and that allowed us to get out in transition and get some easy baskets that way.”

SCORING LEADERS

Libby Fanning finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds to record a double-double for College Heights. Maddy Colin also finished in double figures with 13 points, while Jayli Johnson and Addie Lawrence closed with nine points each in the win.

Gabbie Hiebert led the way in scoring for Thomas Jefferson with a game-high 23 points. Sarah Mueller added eight points and Alivia Beard finished with five points.

GAME ACTION

The momentum was all in favor of the Cougars (9-7) to open the game, as College Heights made the first six field goals of the game to jump out to a 14-0 lead through the first three and a half minutes of action.

“Our defense is usually solid,” Blankenship said. “We just never know if we are going to knock down shots or not. Tonight, we shot the ball really well and it got us into a rhythm and gave us a little bounce on the defensive end as well.”

Johnson and Lawrence highlighted the run with five points each. Johnson had a three-point play, while Lawrence knocked down a 3-pointer. Lauren Ukena and Fanning also had baskets.

Fanning closed the first quarter with two more inside scores to establish an inside presence for CHC early, giving the Cougars an 18-1 lead heading into the second period.

“Libby played a great game,” Blankenship said. “She has had several double-doubles this year and had one tonight. She finished shots really well around the basket tonight, which is good because that opens up shots on the perimeter for Addie and Jayli.”

Like the first quarter, College Heights opened the second period as the aggressor, scoring the first eight points to push the lead to 26-4. Colin, Molly Long and Fanning each had baskets in the run.

Thomas Jefferson found its rhythm to close out the first half, outscoring the Cougars 8-6 over the last two minutes of play. Tannah Grigg and Hiebert had paint buckets, while Mueller knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to trim the Cavaliers deficit to 32-9 by the intermission.

Colin led the way for CHC in the third quarter, scoring eight of the team’s 17 points while helping push the lead to 28 points to start the fourth quarter. 

The Cavaliers roared back in the fourth quarter, outscoring College Heights 20-6 to trim the lead down to 14 by the final horn. Hiebert led the way for Thomas Jefferson down the stretch with 13 points in the period. 

“The quit is never there,” first-year Thomas Jefferson coach Traci Walker said. “One thing I tell them is we have to show up and we have to want it. … We have a lot of fight in us and prove it every game no matter how far down we are. Our shots were not falling early, which is something we are working on. 

“I am very pleased with the way they finished. … I think with the turnovers we created (in the fourth quarter), we capitalized off of those. We moved our point guard to a different spot and I think that helped. Once our shots started falling, you could see the confidence grow.”

UP NEXT

College Heights is scheduled to take on Providence at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the semifinals. 

Thomas Jefferson takes on Carl Junction JV at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

PROVIDENCE GIRLS 67, CARL JUNCTION JV 29

Providence put the pedal to the floor early on the way to an opening-round win over Carl Junction junior varsity on Tuesday.

The Patriots built a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter and ballooned the cushion to 42-11 by the intermission and did not let up in the second half.

Hannah Weichman knocked down five 3-pointers on the way to 15 points for Providence. Lydia Shaddox finished with 13 points, while Anna Imbo had 11.

Anna Burch and DeShaye Buerge finished with seven points each to lead the Bulldogs.

College Heights takes on Providence at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the semifinals. 

Thomas Jefferson takes on Carl Junction JV at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

 

PROVIDENCE BOYS 88, BLUEJACKET 19

Providence held a 23-6 lead after the first quarter and was in front by 37 and halftime on the way to the opening-round win on Tuesday.

Preston Green led Providence in scoring with 17 points, while Corban Mora finished 16 points in the win. Sam McAlister and Carter Keene each finished with 10 points.

Kolten Hicks led the Chieftains with six points in the loss.

Providence plays Sarcoxie at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday in the semifinals, while Bluejacket takes on Joplin JV with a 4 p.m matchup on Thursday. 

BOYS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson opens Tony Dubray Classic with win over Pierce City

Posted on by Lucas Davis

LIBERAL, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson built a 13-point lead by the end of the first quarter and took a 21-point margin into the fourth quarter on the way to a 68-48 win over Pierce City on Tuesday in the opening round of the Tony Dubray Classic.

Drew Goodhope scored 10 points in the first quarter as the Cavaliers built a 19-6 lead, which turned into a 15-point lead by halftime. Thomas Jefferson outscored Pierce City 17-9 in the third period to build an insurmountable lead on the way to the win.

Goodhope led the Cavaliers in scoring with 24 points to go along with four assists. Goodhope knocked for four 3-pointers in the win. Jay Ball recorded a double-double after scoring 17 points and pulling down 16 rebounds to go along with six blocks, while Tyler Brouhard had 10 rebounds, six points and added four points. Jake Jarrett had seven points and Luke Miller finished with six.

Clayton O’Hara led Pierce City with 16 points, while Garrett Jesperson finished with nine and Austin Beaty eight.

Thomas Jefferson takes on St. Mary’s Colgan in the semifinal round of the Tony Dubray Classic at 7 p.m. on Thursday

BOYS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson holds off Wheaton to open conference play with win

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Short-handed Thomas Jefferson boys basketball saw a nine-point lead evaporate early in the fourth quarter before battling through the adversity down the stretch for a 63-54 win to open Ozark 7 Conference play on Thursday. 

The Cavaliers faced a heavy dose of the press defense early while building a 30-25 lead by halftime. Thomas Jefferson pushed the lead to nine to start the fourth before finding themselves all tied up with Wheaton two minutes in. TJ showed resolve, never giving up the lead before pulling back out in front on the way to the win.

Thomas Jefferson’s Drew Goodhope drives to the hoop for a bucket in the Cavaliers’ win over Wheaton in Ozark 7 play on Thursday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

“We preach family and we preach team all the time,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “We talk about when one guy goes down, somebody else is going to get an opportunity and have to step up. That is what families do. When someone at home is hurt or sick, other family members step up. That’s what we preach out here and the kids are really doing a good job of it. We have several starters out and we asked other kids to step up into roles they are not accustomed to. They just put the family on their back, fought and did what they could to get the win tonight.” 

Playing with just eight players tonight because of injuries and illness, the Cavaliers improved to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

“Our conference is really tough this year,” Myers said. “For a small-school conference, we have a lot of really good teams. It is pretty deep. Anytime you can come out and get a conference win, you always savor it. We are excited with the direction the team is going even with all of the bumps and bruises and things we are dealing with.”

STAT LEADERS

Junior forward Jay Ball was the catalyst for Thomas Jefferson  in the win, scoring a game-high 32 points with 16 coming in each half. He pulled down a game-high 21 rebounds and swatted three blocks to finish with a double-double. Drew Goodhope finished with 16 points, nine in the first half, while Jake Jarrett added nine points, eight assists and five rebounds in the win.

Kelton Park finished 29, 18 coming in the second half, to lead Wheaton. Blake Morgan had nine and Johnson finished with six.

Thomas Jefferson’s Jay Ball absorbs contact inside for a basket and eventual three-point play during the Cavaliers’ conference win over Wheaton. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

GAME ACTION

Wheaton went to the full-court trap early, which caused trouble for the Cavaliers with several players stepping into bigger roles. The Bulldogs built an early 9-3 lead three minutes into the game thanks to three 3-pointers from Morgan.

Thomas Jefferson showed progress in handling the press through the remainder of the quarter, using a 10-2 run highlighted by two three-point plays from Ball and a pair of baskets on the break by Goodhope to build a 14-11 lead. The Cavaliers led 16-15 heading into the second quarter.

Thomas Jefferson made it a point to focus on Ball in the offense in the second period, with the 6-foot-6 forward scoring four of his team’s six field goals in the quarter on the way to a 30-25 lead at the intermission.

“We went from 15 to eight guys in a matter of a week,” Myers said. “Kids had to step up and do things. It took us a little while to settle into the game plan but once they got their feet wet, I thought our kids did a fantastic job of getting it inside. Jay is always a big part of our offense. Everything has to go through him to be successful. I really thought our kids did a much better job in the second quarter of really pounding the ball inside to him.”

The Cavaliers pushed the lead double digits for the first time in the later stages of the third quarter. Leading 38-32 coming off a bucket from Park—who scored all 11 points for the Bulldogs in the quarter—Ball and Jarrett each grabbed an offensive rebound for a bucket on consecutive trips to give Thomas Jefferson a 42-32 lead at the 2:10 mark.

TJ took a nine-point cushion into the final eight minutes, but Wheaton started the fourth quarter on fire from the perimeter as Zane Johnson, Fernando Gonzalez and Park all knocked down 3-pointers for a 9-0 run to tie the game at 45s with 6:04 left in regulation. 

The Cavaliers responded with an inside score from Ball followed by Luke Miller grabbing his own miss for a bucket. Goodhope added a 3-pointer from the corner with four minutes left to give Thomas Jefferson a 52-47 advantage.

Thomas Jefferson’s Elias Rincker pulls up for a jumper in the Cavs win over Wheaton on Thursday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

Up three, the Cavs scored six straight points backed by two paint scores from Ball to push the lead back to nine with less than a minute to play.

“I will be honest with you, I have been doing this a long time and I don’t know that I have ever been more proud of a team than I was tonight,” Myers said. “With all of the moving pieces that we had and the short notice (of players being unavailable)—I had to give a kid a varsity jersey today that didn’t even have one—I am just ecstatic for the kids and excited to see them come out here and do what they did to get a win. It says a lot about them. Hopefully, we can keep building on that and stack a few more of these together down the road.”

UP NEXT

Thomas Jefferson takes part in the Tony Dubray Classic on Jan. 17.

 

BOYS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson rallies late, knocks off Sarcoxie

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

Thomas Jefferson’s boys basketball team improved its record to 8-2 this winter after pulling out an exciting 56-52 come-from-behind win over Sarcoxie on Monday night.

The Cavaliers, who trailed by five entering the fourth quarter, halted Sarcoxie’s eight-game winning streak by making winning plays down the stretch.

Thomas Jefferson scored the go-ahead hoop with 2.9 seconds remaining when Tyler Brouhard found Jay Ball open for a basket. After a defensive stop by the hosts, Drew Goodhope sank two free throws for the final margin.

“Our kids really showed a lot of heart in the fourth quarter,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “We made a defensive adjustment, switching to man in the fourth, and they really got after it, holding Sarcoxie to six points. With Caden (Myers) out, Drew Goodhope has done a fantastic job stepping up his game and he is really pairing with Jay Ball to lead our team in a big way.”    

Goodhope led Thomas Jefferson with 26 points and four treys, while Ball contributed 20 points, 12 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Brouhard chipped in five points, six rebounds, four assists and three blocks, while Jake Jarrett had six rebounds, four assists and three points.  

Three players scored in double figures for Sarcoxie (8-5), as Dugan Pogue had 22 points, Terio Asterio added 14 and Garrett Smith contributed 12. 

The game was deadlocked at 11 at the end of first quarter and was tied at 27 at halftime. 

The Bears outscored the Cavaliers 19-14 in the third period, but Thomas Jefferson won the final frame 15-6.

The Cavaliers host Wheaton on Thursday night. Sarcoxie will host Southwest on Tuesday. 

PREP HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson boys win big over Jasper, Cavalier girls fall to Eagles 

Posted on by Lucas Davis

THOMAS JEFFERSON BOYS 61, JASPER 30

Thomas Jefferson boys basketball started fast and never looked back in a win over Jasper on Friday. 

“The boys did a lot of good things,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said to SoMo Sports. “This was our first game since December 13, so we had some rust to knock off for sure. I am proud of the effort the kids had tonight.”

The Cavaliers (7-2) outscored the Eagles 21-6 in the first quarter, and won every quarter after that to build the insurmountable lead up by the final horn.

Drew Goodhope led Thomas Jefferson with a career-high 27 points, including three 3-pointers.  Jay Ball had 23 points and 14 rebounds to finish with a double-double. Tyler Brouhard had seven points in the win and Jake Jarrett finished with eight rebounds and four assists. 

Jasper was led by Wyatt Cawyer, who finished with 16 points. 

Thomas Jefferson takes on Sarcoxie on Monday.

 

JASPER GIRLS 50, THOMAS JEFFERSON 30

Thomas Jefferson trailed by two at the intermission before Jasper outscored the Cavaliers 30-12 in the second half en route to the win.

Jasper was led in scoring by Crystal Smith’s 20 points, while Mercedez Scott finished with 12. Bailey Adams added six and Shiloh Storm. 

Thomas Jefferson was led in scoring by Nico Carlson’s 10 points. Alivia Beard added nine points. Gabbi Hiebert scored five, while Tannah Cassatt, Sarah Mueller and Lannah Grigg finished with two points each.

Thomas Jefferson matches up with Southwest on Tuesday.

PREP HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson girls earn first win; TJ boys fall to Lockwood

Posted on by Lucas Davis

THOMAS JEFFERSON GIRLS 45, LOCKWOOD 27

The Thomas Jefferson girls basketball team earned its first win of the season after building a lead in the second quarter over Lockwood and adding on throughout the final horn. 

Thomas Jefferson and Lockwood were tied at 10 after the first quarter before the Cavaliers outscored Lockwood 16-7 in the second period to take a nine-point lead into the intermission. Thomas Jefferson added to its lead down the stretch in the final two quarters.

Gabbi Hiebert scored a career-high 22 points, including three 3-pointers, to lead Thomas Jefferson in scoring. Alivia Beard added seven points, while Lannah Grigg scored five.

Gatlyn Clawson finished with nine points, including a 3-pointer, to lead Lockwood.

 

LOCKWOOD BOYS 65, THOMAS JEFFERSON 48

Lockwood (6-2) built a three-point lead by the end of the first quarter and never relinquished it on the way to a win over Thomas Jefferson. 

Lockwood took a six-point lead into the half and outscored the Cavaliers by 11 in the second half.

“We just got out-executed tonight,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “Hats off to Lockwood and Coach Baker, they played a great game. We look forward to possibly getting another crack at them later on in districts.”

Caden Myers led Thomas Jefferson with 20 points, including four 3-pointers. Tyler Brouhard added 13 points, while Jay Ball finished with eight points and 10 rebounds. Drew Goodhope added five points.

Lockwood was led in scoring by Kane Cooper and Conner Lewandowski, who each scored 18 points. Elijah Kerr finished with nine points. 

 

PREP HOOPS ROUNDUP: TJ boys and Nevada girls earn wins; TJ girls fall in overtime

Posted on by Lucas Davis

THOMAS JEFFERSON BOYS 67, EVERTON 13

Thomas Jefferson bounced back from its first loss of the season by starting white hot and separating itself from Everton early in a 67-13 win on Tuesday.

After a tough loss to Diamond on Monday, the Cavaliers bounced back in a big way, wasting no time taking it to the Tigers to the tune of a 33-3 first quarter. With the game firmly in hand with a halftime lead of 41-9, Thomas Jefferson put the game away in the third quarter after outscoring Everton 18-2 to force a running clock in the final eight minutes.

“The boys came out with great intensity early,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said to SoMo Sports. “After a tough loss last night, we wanted to focus on working hard to improve in the areas we have to get better in. I thought our kids did a good job of that tonight. We know we aren’t where we need or want to be yet, so the goal is to keep working to get there. We are excited to face a very good Lockwood team next week in our final game before the break.”

The Cavaliers, who won the Gem City Classic on Saturday, improved to 6-1 on the season with the win.

Jay Ball led Thomas Jefferson in scoring with 18 points to go along with a team-high 12 rebounds and two blocks to finish with a double-double. Caden Myers added 13 points, five steals and three assists. Drew Goodhope finished in double figures with 12 points, while Jake Jarrett added seven points. Tyler Brouhard had six points, four steals and four assists.

Thomas Jefferson is at Lockwood on Dec. 13.

 

EVERTON GIRLS 49, THOMAS JEFFERSON 45

The Thomas Jefferson girls saw a 12-point lead evaporate in the fourth quarter with Everton going on to win in overtime 49-45.

The Cavaliers (0-4) held a 12-11 lead going into the second period before outscoring the Tigers 12-2 to take a 24-13 lead into the locker room. Trailing 32-20 heading into the fourth quarter, Everton outscored Thomas Jefferson 22-10 to force an overtime period, closing out the comeback big 7-3.

Jazzmenn Loney scored 32 points, including two 3-pointers, to lead Everton. Ezra Wood and Kenzie Sartin each had six.

Gabbi Hiebert led Thomas Jefferson with 13 points, including one 3-pointer, while Presley Long added nine and Nico Carlson eight. Sara Mueller finished with seven points, while Tannah and Lannah Grigg each had four.

Thomas Jefferson is at Lockwood on Dec. 13.

 

NEVADA GIRLS 53, PITTSBURG 38

PITTSBURG, Kan. — Clara Swearingen scored 18 points to lead Nevada’s girls to a non-conference victory over the Purple Dragons.

The Tigers (4-1) also received 11 points from Abbey Heathman and nine points from Maddy Majors.

Jacqueline Hall scored 15 points for Pittsburg. 

Nevada doubled up Pittsburg in the first quarter, 16-8. But at the break, the Tigers were only up 28-25. 

The visitors used a 10-4 third period to pull away at 38-29. Nevada outscored Pittsburg 15-9 in the final frame.

Nevada is at Clinton on Thursday. 

BOYS HOOPS: Thomas Jefferson suffers first loss to Diamond

Posted on by Lucas Davis

DIAMOND, Mo. — Thomas Jefferson suffered its first loss of the season after taking an early first-quarter lead before Diamond rallied in the middle quarters on the way to a 47-44 win on Monday.

The Cavaliers (5-1) started the game with a 15-7 lead after the first quarter. The Wildcats cut the lead to two, 24-22, by halftime before outscoring Thomas Jefferson 14-11 in the third quarter. Both teams played even over the final eight minutes, with Diamond holding on for the win.

“We got off to a great start early in the ball game and really did a great job of getting established,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said to SoMo Sports. “Credit to Diamond and Coach Adams for making an adjustment, and making it tough for us to get the ball to the basket. We kind of lost our composure late in the game and that’s something we hadn’t done over the past couple of games. From here, it’s just back to work, learning from our mistakes and looking to grow as individuals and as a team.”

Diamond was led by Hunter Shallenburger, who finished with 18 points. Tyler Daniels added 12 and Eli Cupp finished with nine. 

Jay Ball, who scored 10 points in the first quarter, finished with a game-high 23 points and seven rebounds to lead Thomas Jefferson. Tyler Brouhard had nine points and three blocks, while Caden Myers had five points and four steals.

Thomas Jefferson hosts Everton on Tuesday.

 

GIRLS HOOPS: Diamond takes control early in win over Thomas Jefferson

Posted on by Lucas Davis

DIAMOND, Mo. — Diamond built a 17-point lead by the end of the first quarter on the way to a 50-23 win over Thomas Jefferson on Monday.

The Wildcats outscored the Cavaliers 19-2 in the first quarter before taking a 38-8 lead into the locker room at halftime. Diamond held pace in the second half on the way to the win.

Lauren Turner led Diamond with 12 points, while MaKaylynn Laffery finished with 10 points. Grace Frazier had six points, while Ashlyn Daniel had five.

Tannah Cassatt, Gabbi Hierbert and Lannah Grigg each led Thomas Jefferson with five points apiece. Nico Carlson finished with four points and Presley Long added three.

Thomas Jefferson hosts Everton on Tuesday.

GIRLS HOOPS: Liberal pulls away from Thomas Jefferson

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Liberal started quick before pulling away late for a 50-29 win over Thomas Jefferson on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs took control of the contest in the first quarter after outscoring the Cavaliers 13-9. Liberal took an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter and outscored Thomas Jefferson 19-6 down the stretch to earn the win.

Tannah Cassatt and Sarah Mueller each scored eight points to lead the Cavaliers in scoring. Presley Long added seven points,, while Lannag Grigg finished with six.

Taylor Swarnes finished with 19 points to lead Liberal. Lainey Simpson finished in double figures with 10 points, while Abby Barton finished with nine points.

Thomas Jefferson is in action next at Diamond on Dec. 6.

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