DIAMOND, Mo. — College Heights Christian’s girls basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Gem City Classic with Tuesday’s dominant 60-30 win over Lockwood.
Libby Fanning led College Heights with 20 points, while Allie Stout added 14 points. Also for the Cougars, Ava Lett scored eight points, Maddy Colin had seven, Jesalin Bever and Kinley Marsh added four points apiece and Karly Dorris had three.
“Our full court press was effective in the first quarter which gave us some extra possessions on the turnovers,” College Heights Christian coach John Blankenship said. “Ava Lett hit two big 3-pointers early in the game. This is huge for us, as it stretches out the defense and opens things up in the middle for Libby Fanning. Allie Stout also had two 3s and several layups in transition. Kinley Marsh and Molly Long gave us some really good minutes in the post tonight. We have a tough matchup with Miller on Thursday, but I like how our young team is developing.”
The Cougars will meet Miller at 7:30 on Thursday night at Diamond High School.
The other semifinal will feature Diamond vs. Sarcoxie at 6 p.m.
LIBERAL 57, THOMAS JEFFERSON 27
Thomas Jefferson suffered its first loss of the season to Liberal on Tuesday night inside the TJ Fieldhouse.
With the loss, the Cavaliers fall to 2-1 on the season.
Liberal led 17-11 at the end of the first quarter, but the visitors extended their lead to 36-14 by halftime.
The Bulldogs were up 52-15 by the end of the third period.
Gabbi Hiebert led Thomas Jefferson in scoring with 14 points, while Lannah Grigg added 11 in the setback. Sarah Mueller contributed two points.
DIAMOND, Mo. — Four players scored in double figures as the McAuley Catholic boys basketball team defeated Sarcoxie 57-43 on Monday night at the Gem City Classic.
“Solid effort from our guys tonight,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said. “It was a really solid defensive effort in the middle quarters. I’m very pleased with our play this early in the year.”
The Warriors were clinging to a 16-15 lead after the first quarter, but McAuley outscored Sarcoxie 16-3 in the game-changing second quarter for a 32-18 halftime advantage.
McAuley held a 43-28 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Alex Bohachick scored 14 points to lead the Warriors, while Rocco Bazzano-Joseph added 13, Michael Parrigon had 11 and Bradley Wagner scored 10.
Matthew Swayne scored 17 points to lead Sarcoxie and Garrett Smith added 10.
McAuley (2-0) meets El Dorado Springs (1-0) at 6 p.m. on Wednesday in the tourney semifinals.
EL DORADO SPRINGS 79, THOMAS JEFFERSON 29
DIAMOND, Mo. — El Dorado Springs took control early in Monday’s win over Thomas Jefferson at the Gem City Classic at Diamond High School.
The Bulldogs built a 23-8 lead by the end of the opening frame and held a comfortable 47-17 advantage at halftime.
Kohl Thurman scored 10 points and hit a pair of 3-pointers to lead the Cavaliers (0-3), while Jack Twiss chipped in seven points.
Three players scored in double figures for El Dorado Springs, as Landon Murry poured in 32 points, Joe Gordon had 21 and Rees McCullough added 13.
Thomas Jefferson meets Sarcoxie on Wednesday at the tourney.
Lindsey Showalter earned victory No. 1 as Thomas Jefferson’s head girls basketball coach, as the Cavaliers rolled to a 63-35 win over Exeter on Monday night in the 2023-24 season opener at the TJ Fieldhouse.
The Cavaliers led 11-3 at the end of the first quarter and the hosts held a commanding 36-13 lead at halftime.
Thomas Jefferson held a comfortable 51-23 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
Three players scored in double figures for the Cavaliers.
Senior Gabbi Hiebert poured in 26 points and hit four 3-pointers to lead the way, while junior Lannah Grigg contributed 17 points and senior Sarah Mueller scored 10 points and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers.
Also for the Cavaliers, Presley Long scored four points, Macie Shifferd had three, Alexis Stamps added two and Vivian Sharp chipped in one point.
A graduate of Carl Junction High School and Missouri Southern State University, Showalter is in her first season as TJ’s head coach after assisting last year.
Thomas Jefferson (1-0) hosts Bronaugh at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Thomas Jefferson boys basketball team suffered a 52-37 setback to visiting Exeter on Monday night at the TJ Fieldhouse.
It was the opener of the 2023-24 season for the Cavaliers.
The Cavaliers led 12-11 at the end of the first quarter, but the Tigers outscored the hosts 14-7 in the second period.
The third quarter was nearly even, but Exeter held a 35-28 advantage heading into the final frame. The Tigers finished strong, outscoring TJ 17-9 in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Kohl Thurman scored 13 points to lead the Cavaliers, while freshman Jack Twiss added 12.
Junior Ethan Renger and sophomore Trenton Farley chipped in three points apiece for TJ, while sophomore Kyler Beard, sophomore Jaxx Wisdom and freshman Spencer Long each scored two points.
Exeter’s Kason Nelson and Kronikel Lokot scored 12 points apiece, while Kendal Gorman added 10. The Tigers are now 1-1.
Thomas Jefferson (0-1) hosts Bronaugh at 7 on Tuesday night.
The Thomas Jefferson boys basketball team will have a new look this winter, as the Cavaliers have no returning starters entering the 2023-24 season.
“The team is young, but excited to get to work,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “We have a long way to go, but the kids seem eager to put in the time and effort it’s going to require to move this team forward.”
A year ago, the Cavaliers featured five seniors in the starting lineup—Jay Ball, Tyler Brouhard, Tony Touma, Kip Atteberry and Levi Triplett. And last year’s senior class led the way as Thomas Jefferson went 21-7 overall, 5-1 in conference play and advanced all the way to the Class 1 quarterfinals.
With that, the Cavaliers will rely on a large group of underclassmen this season.
Two players return with prior varsity experience—junior forward Ethan Renger and sophomore forward/center Kohl Thurman.
The 6-foot-4 Thurman averaged 2.6 points and three rebounds a game last winter, while the 6-2 Renger averaged one point and one rebound a contest.
Sophomores Jaxx Wisdom (G), Kyler Beard (G) and Trenton Farley (G) and freshmen Jack Twiss (PG), Spencer Long (F), Yousuf Mokhtar (F) and Simon Studer (G) are players who are expected to compete for varsity playing time.
Coach Myers noted that Twiss is the leading candidate to take over the starting point guard duties.
Additionally, Myers said he expects Wisdom, Long and Mokhtar to compete for starting roles.
While the young and untested Cavaliers may experience some growing pains along the way, Coach Myers is confident his squad will make steady progress throughout the ’23 campaign.
“We are in a rebuilding phase as the old saying goes,” Myers said. “We have graduated several key players over the past two seasons and will have to look to young players this year to fill those roles. While we will likely lean on several freshmen this season, the expectation is that we will get better as the season goes on. Though young, this group seems hungry to get better.”
Of course, overcoming so much inexperience will be the team’s main key to success this winter.
“Our youth and inexperience will be a big area of concern for us,” Myers said. “These kids are going to have to trust the process, and not get discouraged as we battle through the season.
“I’m fully confident this group will work hard and continue to push for success – whether that success is found this season or in future seasons is yet to be determined.”
The Cavaliers will open the 2023-24 season at home against Exeter on Nov. 20.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — McAuley Catholic junior Michael Parrigon finished fourth in Class 1 to lead a strong area contingent at the 49th MSHSAA Cross Country Championships on Friday morning at the Gans Creek Cross Country Course.
Parrigon toured the 5K course in 16 minutes, 28 seconds.
Finishing ahead of Parrigon were West Nodaway’s Riley Blay (15:48), Marion C. Early’s Landon Duchscherer (15:55) and Dora’s Cade Nold (16:26). Blay won for the third straight season.
Parrigon’s showing is the best state finish in program history for the McAuley boys. Max Ostmeyer finished 17th in 2016 and Parrigon was 21st last year.
“I thought he could be in the top five,” McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth said. “The kid from Dora is really good. And I’m not going to use this as an excuse, but it’s a fact that Michael played two soccer matches this week, including last night. Max Anreder also had to deal with that. Both ran well. I thought Michael was in a good position for most of the race.”
McAuley Catholic junior Michael Parrigon finished fourth in Class 1 at the state cross country championships on Friday. It’s the best finish in the history of the McAuley cross country program. Photo by Chris Auckley.
In addition to Parrigon, three other Joplin area runners finished in the top 30 to earn all-state honors in the Class 1 boys race.
Jasper junior Leland Harris placed 20th in 17:40, while McAuley’s duo of Trae Veer (17:42) and Will Mollnow (17:43) finished 22nd and 23rd, respectively. Veer is a sophomore and Mollnow is just a freshman.
“Will passed 11 or 12 guys in the last 400 meters to medal,” Youngworth noted. “He had a great finish.”
Thomas Jefferson had two athletes competing — freshman Liam Cook finished 34th in 18:03 and junior Braden Honeywell-Lynch was 45th in 18:12.
Also competing for McAuley were Alex Bohachick (102nd), Connor Taffner (111th), Cliff Nolan (137th) and Max Anreder (141st).
The Warriors finished fifth out of 15 teams in the Class 1 standings with 136 points. The top four teams take home a trophy.
For the Warriors, it was a memorable day.
“We had three state medalists and that’s the first time that’s happened in school history,” Youngworth said. “Last year we had two medalists and that was the first time that had happened. I’m really pleased.
“I think the boys were disappointed we took fifth. We were six points away from fourth and nine points away from third. Going in, I felt like there were three or four schools that could finish anywhere from third to sixth. But I thought our kids ran well. We worked really hard this year, from August 7th to today. And that doesn’t include the time in the summer. We put in a lot of time and effort and I think it showed.”
Of note, all of McAuley’s boys will return next season, as there are no seniors on the roster.
Hermitage (74), Van Buren (97), Oak Ridge (127) and Vienna (130) were the top four teams.
There were 170 runners in the boys race.
CLASS 1 GIRLS
Liberal freshman Ally Barton finished third in the Class 1 girls race with a time of 20:17, leading the Bulldogs to a runner-up finish in the team standings.
South Nodaway’s Mya Wray was the Class 1 champion in 19:11 and Stoutland’s Mallory Shaw was the runner-up in 20:15.
Earning all-state recognition with their respective top-30 showings, McAuley Catholic senior Kendall Ramsey finished ninth in 20:46, while Liberal junior Taylor Swarnes was 10th in 20:53 and McAuley freshman Olivia Parrigon placed 11th in 20:56 to give the Warriors five all-state performances on the day.
Liberal’s Abby Barton finished 30th and teammate Bailey Couch was 34th, while Thomas Jefferson’s Macie Shifferd finished 40th and teammate Sarah Mueller was 52nd.
Also competing for McAuley were Riley Sears (69th), Marbellie Villanueva (91st) and Samantha Perrin (129th).
The top four teams were Chadwick (60), Liberal (98), East Carter (112) and Paris (130).
The runner-up showing is the best state finish in school history for the Liberal girls, who were fourth in 2017.
McAuley finished eighth in the standings with 169 points.
“Our girls really had a great meet,” Youngworth said. “We went from 13th last year to eighth this year. Olivia finishing 11th as a freshman is great. It was Kendall’s fourth state appearance and second medal. She actually ran faster this year than last year but finished one place lower this year. There are a lot of good runners in Class 1. I’m proud of all of our girls. Riley Sears had a good day. That’s another freshman who put together some really good workouts and those translated into faster times at the meets. Marbellie and Sam ran well and will both be back. Kendall is our only senior. You can’t replace her. She’s a great kid.”
There were 143 runners and 13 full teams.
McAuley Catholic’s Olivia Parrigon (174) and Kendall Ramsey (176) are pictured during Friday’s MSHSAA Cross Country Championships. Both earned all-state honors, as Ramsey finished ninth and Parrigon was 11th. Photo by Chris Auckley/Special to SoMo Sports.
CLASS 2 BOYS
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan finished 28th in the Class 2 race, earning all-state recognition.
Competing in Class 2 on Friday, College Heights Christian sophomore Colton McMillan finished 28th in 17:25 to earn all-state honors. McMillan was the lone area product to earn all-state recognition in the Class 2 boys race.
Also competing for CHC were sophomore Owen Horton (101st) and freshman Connor Jordan (106th).
Diamond’s Wyatt Housh (88th), Purdy’s duo of Jayden Griffis (104th) and Logan Manwarren (105th) and Pierce City’s Joseph Leavitt (132nd) also competed.
Woodland’s Reed Layton was the Class 2 champion in 16:25.
The top four teams were Woodland (96), KC Lutheran (137), New Covenant (168) and North Platte (175).
There were 169 runners and 16 full teams.
CLASS 2 GIRLS
Pierce City sophomore Emma Hunt finished 12th in the Class 2 girls race with a time of 20:16. Hunt was the lone local runner to earn a top-30 finish in the Class 2 girls race.
Also competing from the region were Sarcoxie’s Laney Dorris (72nd), Pierce City’s Lauren Blackburn (83rd), Purdy’s Courtney Patterson (86th), Sarcoxie’s Ariel Wilson (95th), Pierce City’s Ginger Leavitt (102nd), Sarcoxie’s trio of Lily Garrison (124th), Jordyn Misner (139th) and Natasha Garcia (149th) and Pierce City’s Emily Haasse (154th).
Brentwood’s Kensington Curd was the Class 2 champion in 19:24.
The top four teams were Lafayette County (111), Woodland (138), Hermann (142) and Stockton (143).
There were 157 runners and 16 teams.
Notes: College Heights Christian will have girls competing in Saturday’s Class 3 race at 9:45 a.m.
The Class 4-5 races are also scheduled to be held on Saturday, with local schools Carl Junction, Webb City and Joplin set to compete.
McAuley’s Trae Veer (338) and Will Mollnow (334) are pictured during the Class 1 state cross country meet. Both finished in the top 30 to earn all-state honors. Photos by Chris Auckley.
Thomas Jefferson’s Liam Cook (418) is pictured during Friday’s MSHSAA Cross Country Championships. A freshman, Cook finished 34th in Class 1. Photos by Chris Auckley.
McAuley Catholic senior Kendall Ramsey finished her prep cross country career as a four-time state qualifier and a two-time state medalist. All photos by Chris Auckley.
LAMAR, Mo. — McAuley Catholic is taking two full squads to the state cross country championships.
McAuley Catholic’s boys finished second and the girls placed third at the Class 1 District 2 meet on Saturday at Jeremy’s Creek Golf Course.
At the district meet, the top four teams and the top 30 individuals advanced to the state meet.
The top four boys teams were Hermitage (35), McAuley Catholic (74), School of the Ozarks (111) and Dadeville (117). Of course, the Warriors finished fourth in Class 1 last season.
“It is a great accomplishment to return to state,” McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth said. “Last year was our first time qualifying for state, and I thought we handled the pressure of expecting to qualify this year very well.”
Marion C. Early’s Landon Duchscherer and McAuley Catholic’s Michael Parrigon were the top two finishers in the Class 1 boys race at Saturday’s district meet in Lamar. Courtesy photo.
On a chilly Saturday morning, McAuley junior Michael Parrigon was the district runner-up with a time of 16:35. Marion C. Early’s Landon Duchscherer took first in 15:59.
McAuley sophomore Trae Veer finished eighth in 17:45, while Jasper junior Leland Harris placed 14th in 17:55 and McAuley freshman Will Mollnow finished 17th in 18:03.
Thomas Jefferson had two individual state qualifiers, as junior Braden Honeywell-Lynch placed 19th (18:14) and freshman Liam Cook finished 29th (18:39).
Also for McAuley, Connor Taffner finished 31st, Alex Bohachick was 41st, Cliff Nolan placed 59th and Max Anreder was 62nd.
“We really had a few kids step up,” Youngworth said of his team’s performance. “Michael had a good early battle with the runner from Marion C. Early, but fell back a bit, forcing him to run alone most of the meet on a cold, windy day. All of our boys ran tough. Will Mollnow finished 17th. It was his best race of the year. Connor Taffner also ran well, as did Alex Bohachick, who benefitted from the cold conditions. Cliff Nolan and Max Anreder rounded out our top seven and were able to put together solid races in their first championship meet.”
Also competing for Thomas Jefferson were Spencer Long (32nd), Jack Twiss (34th), Ashan Appuhamy (57th), Ringo Snow (58th) and James Sheppard (76th).
McAuley’s girls also qualified its full team to state.
The top four girls teams were Chadwick (33), Liberal (47), McAuley Catholic (78) and School of the Ozarks (104).
Liberal freshman Ally Barton was the district medalist with a time of 20:11.
McAuley Catholic senior Kendall Ramsey placed fifth in 21:00, while freshman Olivia Parrigon was sixth in 21:12 and freshman Riley Sears took 27th in 23:30.
Also scoring points for McAuley were Marbellie Villanueva (41st) and Samantha Perrin (49th).
“Kendall Ramsey and Olivia Parrigon ran as expected, finishing fifth and sixth, respectively, and really had nice races,” Youngworth said. “Riley Sears ran her best race of the year, running almost a 90 second PR, and was key to our finish. Marbellie Villanueva struggled a bit in the middle of the race but finished well. Sam Perrin ran another good race and continues to gain confidence.”
Thomas Jefferson had a pair of qualifiers, as junior Macie Shifferd (22:40) and senior Sarah Mueller (22:53) finished 14th and 15th, respectively.
The McAuley Catholic girls cross country team poses after finishing third at the Class 1 District 2 meet in Lamar on Saturday. Courtesy photo.
CLASS 2
The College Heights Christian boys had three individual state qualifiers in Class 2, as Colton McMillan finished 11th in 18:27, Owen Horton placed 19th in 19:11 and Connor Jordan took 21st in 19:17.
Other local qualifiers were Diamond’s Wyatt Housh (14th), Purdy’s Logan Manwarren (16th) and Jayden Griffis (22nd) and Pierce City’s Joseph Leavitt (29th).
The top four boys teams were New Covenant (57), Mansfield (83), Alton (85) and Southwest (106). College Heights finished sixth with 133 points.
In the Class 2 girls race, Pierce City’s Emma Hunt placed third with a time of 20:28. New Covenant’s Clara Trent (19:29) and Ash Grove’s Millison Sapp (20:09) were the only runners to finish ahead of Hunt.
Also advancing with their top 30 finishes were Pierce City’s Lauren Blackburn (12th), Purdy’s Courtney Patterson (13th), Sarcoxie’s Laney Dorris (16th), Pierce City’s Ginger Leavitt (17th) and Sarcoxie’s duo of Lily Garrison (21st) and Ariel Wilson (22nd).
The qualifying girls teams were Sparta (39), Pierce City (59), Sarcoxie (73) and Mansfield (87).
CLASS 3
East Newton’s Chase Sorrell was the runner-up in the Class 3 boys race with a time of 16:02, as El Dorado Springs’ Wyatt Klaiber took first in 15:45.
Lamar’s Cameron Bailey and Ryder Friend finished sixth and seventh, while Aurora’s Carsen Gillam was 15th. East Newton’s Nicholas Shaeffer finished 18th and Pierce City’s Pierce Heins was 19th. Cassville’s Ethan Bohmke (21st), Michael Butts (25th) and Trever Garnett (28th) all advanced.
The top four boys teams were El Dorado Springs (35), Springfield Catholic (101), Lamar (118) and Strafford (143).
In the Class 3 girls race, Lamar’s Abigail Diggs finished third in 20:33 and Cassville’s Jadyn Williams-Reed placed fourth in 20:34.
Mount Vernon’s Rylee Simons took ninth, Lamar’s duo of LeiLani Toves and Carly Dunham were 13th and 16th and East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard finished 21st.
College Heights Christian’s Marla Anderegg finished 22nd and teammate Jesalin Bever was 27th to advance. Aurora’s Drew Mayes finished 23rd and Cassville’s Tori Mitchell took 29th.
Fair Grove’s Katrina Cantwell took first in 19:57.
The top four teams were Osage (94), Lamar (103), Clever (112) and Springfield Catholic (113).
NOTE: The MSHSAA Cross Country Championships for Class 1-2 is Nov. 3 at Gans Creek in Columbia, while the Class 3-5 races are scheduled for Nov. 4.
The McAuley Catholic boys cross country team took second in the team standings at the Class 1 District 2 meet on Saturday in Lamar. The top four teams advanced to the state championships in Columbia. Courtesy photo.
Jasper’s Leland Harris and McAuley’s Trae Veer are among the runners pictured competing at Saturday’s Class 1 District 2 meet in Lamar.
Class 1 District 2 Meet
Boys team standings: Hermitage 35, McAuley Catholic 74, School of the Ozarks 111, Dadeville 117, Thomas Jefferson 125, Blue Eye 168, Stoutland 178, Walnut Grove 198, Gloria Deo 223, Fair Play 231, Humansville 259.
Girls team standings: Chadwick 33, Liberal 47, McAuley Catholic 78, School of the Ozarks 104, Blue Eye 106, Hermitage 135, Gloria Deo 162.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Concluding the 2023 season alongside the state’s best, Thomas Jefferson finished fourth at the MSHSAA Class 2 Girls Tennis Championships on Friday night at the Cooper Tennis Complex.
In the third-place match, Webster Groves defeated Thomas Jefferson 5-4.
Tom Brumfield’s Cavaliers finished the season with a record of 14-2.
In the season finale, the Cavaliers won all three doubles matches in close fashion to start the dual on a positive note.
At No. 1 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj edged Addison Simpson-Margaret Nakatani 9-8 (9), while Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Elena King-Regan Matteotti 8-6 at No. 2 doubles.
At No. 3 doubles, TJ’s Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum nipped Katherine Dirks-Milly Benkelman 9-7.
But Webster Groves (16-1) won five of the six singles matches to secure third place. Most of the singles matches were extremely close.
At No. 1 singles, Simpson defeated Ding 6-4, 7-5, while King edged Jeyaraj 4-6, 6-1, 12-10 at No. 2 singles.
Webster Groves’ Dirks defeated Esther Yang 6-2, 6-3 at No. 3 singles, Nakatani beat Morsy 6-1, 7-5 at No. 4 singles and Benkelman topped Solum 6-7 (3), 6-3, 10-6 at No. 5.
Thomas Jefferson’s Kyla Yang edged Hannah Sweeney 2-6, 6-2, 10-7 at No. 6 singles.
The Cavaliers played for third after suffering a semifinal setback to Grain Valley earlier on Friday.
SEMIFINAL SETBACK
In Friday morning’s semifinals, Grain Valley defeated Thomas Jefferson 5-0.
In doubles, Grain Valley’s Finley LaForge and Kylee Bragaw edged TJ’s Ding-Jeyaraj 9-7, while Emma Thiessen-Brooklyn Spencer beat Yang-Yang 8-2. At No. 3 doubles, Grain Valley’s Catherine Barnes-Delaney Thurn topped Morsy-Solum 8-5.
In completed singles matches, Thiessen defeated Esther Yang 6-4, 6-0, Bragaw beat Jeyaraj 6-1, 6-1 and Spencer topped Morsy 6-0, 6-2.
The match officially concluded when the Eagles reached five wins, but two of the singles matches ended nearly simultaneously, resulting in six recorded wins for Grain Valley.
NOTES: Ding was the lone senior competing for the Cavaliers on Friday. Individually, Ding finished her prep tennis career as a three-time medalist in singles.
The rest of the Cavaliers who competed on Friday will return next fall, as Jeyaraj, Kyla Yang, Morsy and Solum are juniors and Esther Yang is a freshman.
Ladue beat Webster Groves 5-0 in the other semifinal.
In the state title match, Ladue beat Grain Valley 5-1.
The McAuley Catholic cross country program had a historic day.
McAuley Catholic’s boys and girls both captured the team championships at the 2023 Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday night at the Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course at Missouri Southern State University.
“I was extremely pleased with the efforts of both teams, and of our middle school kids,” McAuley Catholic coach Andy Youngworth said. “We were able to win all four divisions, quite an accomplishment for the kids and coaches! It was a hot, sunny day, but I thought our kids handled it well. I was very proud of our student body who came out and cheered us on today.”
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan (5), McAuley’s Trae Veer (38) and Thomas Jefferson’s Braden Honeywell-Lynch (74) are pictured during the Ozark 7 Meet. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
The McAuley boys repeated as conference champs with 31 points. College Heights was second with 38 and Thomas Jefferson (55) was the third team with a full squad competing.
“Our boys team had some pressure on them this year, as we were the defending conference champion,” Youngworth said. “College Heights and Thomas Jefferson have some very good runners, and I knew we would have to run a great race in order to win.”
McAuley junior Michael Parrigon was the individual conference champion, as he crossed the line at 16:41, more than a minute faster than the runner-up.
College Heights Christian’s Colton McMillan took second in 17:46, McAuley’s Trae Veer was third in 17:48, Thomas Jefferson’s Braden Honeywell-Lynch took fourth in 17:54 and CHC’s Connor Jordan placed fifth in 18:32.
Finishing sixth through 10th were McAuley’s Will Mollnow, Thomas Jefferson’s Liam Cook, CHC’s Owen Horton, McAuley’s Connor Taffner and CHC’s Caleb Quade.
Rounding out the top 15 were TJ’s Spencer Long, McAuley’s Alex Bohachick, CHC’s Steven Calandro, Wheaton’s Jayson Peterson and CHC’s Drew Sawkins.
McAuley’s Cliff Nolan, TJ’s duo of Ashan Appuhamy and Jack Twiss, McAuley’s Max Anreder and Exeter’s Josue Alcaraz completed the top 20.
Youngworth, who noted the Ozark 7 schools appreciate MSSU allowing the meet to be held on campus at the Rutledge course, said his boys team performed well overall.
“Michael Parrigon continues to run well, racing alone for the bulk of the meet,” Youngworth said. “Trae Veer finished third, beating some good kids. Trae continues to improve each week, and just runs very smart races. Will Mollnow earned all-conference recognition, as did Connor Taffner. Alex Bohachick finished as our No. 5 and continues to improve after a long illness kept him out of competition for a few weeks. Cliff Nolan ran a solid race as our No. 6 and dropped 45 seconds from last year. Max Anreder rounded out our top seven.”
McAuley Catholic freshman Olivia Parrigon won the girls race at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet.
The postseason awaits for the Warriors.
“We will face a very tough Hermitage at districts next weekend, they are the defending Class 1 state champions,” Youngworth said. “We will have to have great races from all of our kids in order to challenge them.”
GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS
McAuley’s girls edged defending champion College Heights Christian by just three points, 26-29. The Warriors had four top-10 finishers, while the Cougars had three runners in the top five.
“I think the surprise of the day was our girls defeating College Heights, our first-ever girls conference championship,” Youngworth said. “They are very well-coached and were the defending conference champions, but I challenged the girls a little bit this week, telling them they had nothing to lose by being aggressive and running to win.”
McAuley freshman Olivia Parrigon was the conference champion with a time of 21:07.
College Heights Christian junior Marla Anderegg was the runner-up in 21:37 and McAuley senior Kendall Ramsey took third in 21:59.
CHC’s Jesalin Bever and Lilly Royer finished fourth and fifth, while Thomas Jefferson’s duo of Macie Shifferd and Sarah Mueller were sixth and seventh.
Exeter’s Kaylyn Weiser finished eighth and McAuley’s tandem of Riley Sears and Marbellie Villanueva finished ninth and 10th, respectively.
Also of note, College Heights’ Madi Carson finished 13th, McAuley’s Samantha Perrin was 14th, CHC’s Katie Moss placed 17th, CHC’s Lilly Lackey took 19th and McAuley’s Genevieve Billings finished 20th.
Youngworth noted he was proud of how the girls team performed.
“Olivia Parrigon is our first-ever conference champion, and she ran most of the race with Kendall Ramsey and was able to pull away in the last 800 meters,” Youngworth said. “I think the key to our win though was the work of our No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 runners. Riley Sears ran a career PR and earned all-conference honors, as did Marbellie Villanueva, who ran a PR for the season. Our No. 5 was Samantha Perrin, who finished 14th, but dropped over three minutes from last year’s race. We are starting to run with more confidence, and I look forward to the opportunity to see them compete at districts next week.”
OZARK 7 CONFERENCE MEET
Boys team standings: McAuley Catholic 31, College Heights Christian 38, Thomas Jefferson 55.
Girls team standings: McAuley Catholic 26, College Heights 29.
McAuley Catholic’s Kendall Ramsey (42) and Olivia Parrigon (40) and a number of College Heights runners, including Marla Anderegg (11) are pictured during the Ozark 7 Conference Meet at MSSU’s Tom Rutledge Cross Country Course. McAuley swept the team titles. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
Thomas Jefferson’s Liam Cook and McAuley’s Will Mollnow head to the finish line during Friday’s Ozark 7 Conference Meet at Missouri Southern. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
Thomas Jefferson’s Ringo Snow (83) and Ashan Appuhamy (69) compete at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday.
College Heights Christian’s Jesalin Bever finished fourth in the girls race at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday.
Thomas Jefferson’s Sarah Mueller finished seventh at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet.
McAuley’s Kendall Ramsey finished third at the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday at MSSU. McAuley Catholic swept both team titles at the meet. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
McAuley Catholic’s girls cross country team won the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday. From left to right, are Samantha Perrin, Riley Sears, Kendall Ramsey, Olivia Parrigon and Marbellie Villanueva. Not pictured: Genevieve Billings. Courtesy photo.
The McAuley Catholic boys cross country team poses after winning the Ozark 7 Conference Meet on Friday at MSSU. Courtesy photo.
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl Junction’s duo of Naiyah Wurdeman and Jenna Besperat finished third in the Class 2 doubles bracket on Friday at the 2023 MSHSAA Girls Tennis Championships at the Cooper Tennis Complex.
Jenna Besperat and Naiyah Wurdeman.
In the third-place match, Wurdeman and Besperat ended the 2023 season on a high note by beating Springfield Catholic’s Hannah Lee and Britney Ung 6-1, 6-4.
In Thursday’s opening round, the Bulldogs defeated the St. Pius X duo of Chloe Kronlage and Brooke Madden 6-0, 6-0.
In the quarterfinal round, Wurdeman and Besperat topped Grain Valley’s Brooklyn Spencer and Emma Thiessen 4-6, 6-2, 10-7.
In the semifinals on Friday morning, Parkway North’s Yvonne Shannon-Emily Koo defeated Wurdeman-Besperat 7-6, 6-1. That loss sent the Bulldogs to the third-place match.
Shannon-Koo ended up winning the state title by beating Villa Duschesne’s Alexandra Todorovich/Katherine Todorovich 6-3, 6-2.
Besperat is a senior and Wurdeman is a junior. The pair led the way as the Bulldogs went 15-4 in duals this fall.
This was the second straight season Wurdeman and Besperat advanced to state in doubles.
DING TAKES SEVENTH IN SINGLES
Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding.
Thomas Jefferson senior Allison Ding finished seventh in the Class 2 singles bracket on Friday.
Playing for seventh place, Ding defeated Washington’s Evelyn Bryson 6-3, 6-2 to conclude the individual state tourney on a positive note.
On Thursday, Ding defeated Holt’s Jennifer Nelson 6-0, 6-1 in the opening round.
In the quarterfinals, MICDS’ Rachel Li topped Ding 6-0, 6-0.
In the consolation quarterfinals, Ding edged St. Pius X’s Kiera Dunn 6-1, 4-6, 11-9 to advance to Friday.
In the consolation semifinals on Friday, Springfield Catholic’s Caroline Nelson topped Ding 6-0, 6-1.
With the seventh-place match victory, Ding earned medalist honors for the third straight season.
The 2023 campaign isn’t over quite yet for Ding, as she and the Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers will compete at next week’s team state tournament.
Thomas Jefferson (14-0) will meet Grain Valley (23-2) in the Class 2 semifinals at 9 a.m. on Oct. 20.
For the first time in program history, the Thomas Jefferson Independent School girls tennis team is headed to the Final Four.
Thomas Jefferson earned a convincing 5-0 victory over Platte County on Monday afternoon in a quarterfinal contest of the Class 2 state tournament.
The win advances the Cavaliers to the semifinals on Oct. 20 in Springfield.
“One of our goals was to get to the Final Four and then see what happens once we’re there,” Thomas Jefferson coach Tom Brumfield said. “So, this is awesome. I’m excited and I’m just proud of the girls. When we got moved up to Class 2 we didn’t know what we were getting into. I felt like we had a good team, but it was new territory for us once we got into the district tournament. And we had a tough district. You don’t have this kind of an opportunity too often. It tickles me that all of the girls are going to get to have the state finals experience.”
Thomas Jefferson senior Allison Ding hits a forehand winner during Monday’s quarterfinal match against Platte County. The Cavaliers won the match 5-0. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
It was the second straight historic win for the program, as Thomas Jefferson secured its first-ever Class 2 district championship last week.
Now, a berth in the state semifinals awaits.
“I’m really excited,” Thomas Jefferson senior Allison Ding said. “My internals are about to implode. That’s how I’d describe how I’m feeling right now. We’ve gotten close several times before, and this year, we finally did it. I knew we had a good team, so I knew it was possible. I was really hoping we’d make it this year. I envisioned it in my brain so many times, so now that it’s here, it’s unreal.”
With Monday’s victory, the Cavaliers are guaranteed of bringing home a state trophy.
“That’s a big deal, especially in Class 2,” Brumfield said. “It’s our first time making it to the semifinals for the girls program, and we did it in Class 2, so that’s a nice bonus.”
Playing on their home courts on a sunny afternoon, the Cavaliers started off the dual on a positive note by winning all three doubles matches.
At No. 1 doubles, TJ’s Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj edged Addison Mayne-Olivia Holbrook 9-7.
The TJ duo of Esther Yang and Kyla Yang defeated Maggie McBratney-Lily Fish 8-0 at No. 2 doubles, while Thomas Jefferson’s Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum topped Delaney Bachmann-Lucy McClain 8-3.
Brumfield noted it’s always crucial to have the advantage after doubles play.
“Doubles went great,” Brumfield said. “Our No. 2 and No. 3 doubles teams have been really strong for us all season. Our No. 1 doubles team has struggled a little bit at times this season. But we know we have two good players at No. 1 doubles. They put it together last week and they put it together today. They stepped up when it mattered most.”
The first to five wins dual match ended when the Cavaliers earned two singles victories.
In completed singles matches, Thomas Jefferson’s Solum defeated Bachmann 6-0, 6-2, and Kyla Yang beat McClain 6-1, 6-0.
Also of note, Ding was leading Mayne 6-0, 4-1, and Morsy was beating Fish 6-1, 5-0 when the match was halted.
Thomas Jefferson’s Jeanna Jeyaraj is pictured during Monday’s Class 2 quarterfinal match against Platte County. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
The Cavaliers are now 14-0 in dual matches this fall.
Brumfield noted his student-athletes put in a lot of extra work over the summer in preparation for the season.
Now, that hard work has paid off.
“All of them have been playing a lot of tennis together, and all that extra work pays off,” Brumfield said. “They all have good attitudes. We’ve talked about the mental aspects of the game all season…dealing with pressure and things like that. But the effort and the time they’ve put in has been a big key to success…no doubt.”
The undefeated Cavaliers will meet Grain Valley (23-2) in the semifinals at 9 a.m. on Oct. 20 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield. Grain Valley defeated Springfield Catholic 5-1.
“We just have to go out and play and not worry about who we’re playing,” Brumfield said. “I want them to play hard, play their best and enjoy the moment.”
DING FINISHING CAREER AT STATE
A senior standout, Ding will compete at the individual state singles tournament on Thursday in Springfield.
“I just want to go out there, have fun and play good tennis,” said Ding, a returning state medalist who finished eighth in singles as a junior and seventh as a sophomore.
Following the individual state tourney, Ding will conclude her prep tennis career alongside her teammates at the team state tournament.
“All of us are tight knit, we hang out a lot,” Ding said of the Cavaliers. “And we play tennis all the time. We’re just really connected. We’re like a close family. And at state, we’re all going to do our best.”
The Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team poses after winning its Class 2 state quarterfinal match against Platte County on Monday afternoon. Photo by Jason Peake.
Winning district championships is nothing new to the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis program.
But this year’s district title was different, even a bit more significant for the Cavaliers.
When top-seeded Thomas Jefferson defeated third-seeded Notre Dame de Sion 5-1 on Wednesday in the championship match of the Class 2 District 7 girls tennis tournament it gave the Cavaliers a fourth straight district crown — the program’s first in Class 2.
After winning three straight district titles in Class 1, the Cavaliers were bumped up to Class 2 this year due to MSHSAA’s championship factor for private schools.
“We’re pretty excited about it,” Thomas Jefferson coach Tom Brumfield said. “We made school history today. This is the first district championship in Class 2 that the girls program has ever won. It gives us a good feeling. We’ve shown that we can compete at the next level. And this was one of the hardest districts we’ve been in. It’s a good feeling.”
The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers captured a district title on Wednesday.
Playing on their home courts, the Cavaliers started Wednesday’s dual on a positive note by winning two of the three doubles matches.
At No. 1 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Anna McGeeney-Abigail Duethman 8-5 and TJ’s Esther Yang and Kyla Yang topped Elizabeth Vance-Lauryn Murphy 8-4 at No. 2 doubles.
At No. 3 doubles, Notre Dame de Sion’s Claire Weber-Katherine Spenceri defeated Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum 8-5.
“We started off pretty strong in doubles,” Brumfield noted. “Our No. 1 doubles team picked it up and really came through today. They picked up our No. 3 doubles team, which usually wins. And it’s always big to get up 2-1. It was a great start.”
The match ended when the Cavaliers secured three wins in singles play.
Morsy defeated Murphy 6-1, 6-1, while Solum beat Weber 6-3, 6-3 and Kyla Yang topped Spenceri 6-2, 6-3.
“All the girls did a great job,” Brumfield said. “We picked each other up. The girls just took care of business today. It’s a big win for us and a big win for the program, so we’re pretty excited.”
Notre Dame de Sion knocked off second-seeded Carl Junction in the semifinals. Of course, the Cavaliers edged the Bulldogs 5-4 in a close dual in late September.
“We expected a very close match today,” Brumfield noted.
In recent Class 1 district title matches, Thomas Jefferson defeated Mount Vernon 5-2 in 2022, College Heights 5-1 in ’21 and Mount Vernon 5-2 in ’20.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Thomas Jefferson will take a 13-0 record into next week’s state quarterfinals.
The Cavaliers will host the District 8 champion Platte County at 2:30 p.m. on Monday in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament.
“We’re looking forward to Monday’s match,” Brumfield said. “It’s always a bonus to be able to play at home. It’s where you’re most comfortable.”
Monday’s winner will advance to the state semifinals in Springfield on Oct. 20.
Pictured is the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team. The Cavaliers captured a district championship on Wednesday. Courtesy photos.
Top-seeded Thomas Jefferson will meet third-seeded Notre Dame de Sion in the championship match of the Class 2 District 7 girls tennis tournament on Wednesday.
In Tuesday’s semifinals, Thomas Jefferson defeated fourth-seeded Willard 5-1 and Notre Dame de Sion knocked off second-seeded Carl Junction 5-3.
The Cavaliers won two of the three doubles matches.
At No. 1 doubles, Willard’s Alyssa Flynn-Evelyn Sly edged Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj 8-6.
Thomas Jefferson’s Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Jacey Wilson-Madeline Polites 8-3 and Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum defeated Allyson Essary-Briana Mauschbaugh 8-4.
In completed singles matches, Morsy beat Katelyn Long 6-2, 6-0, while Solum topped Essary 6-0, 6-3 and Kyla Yang beat Mauschbaugh 6-1, 6-2.
The results of Carl Junction’s match with Notre Dame de Sion were not submitted to SoMo Sports.
The district title match is slated for 3:30 Wednesday at the TJ courts.
COLLEGE HEIGHTS ADVANCES
Third-seeded College Heights Christian upset second-seeded Monett 5-0 in the semifinals of the Class 1 District 10 tournament.
No other information was available to SoMo Sports at the time of publication.
College Heights will meet top-seeded Mount Vernon at 4:30 on Wednesday.
In a matchup between the Joplin area’s top girls tennis teams, Thomas Jefferson defeated Carl Junction 5-4 on Monday at the Joplin Athletic Complex courts.
Carl Junction’s Naiyah Wurdeman is pictured during Monday’s dual against Carl Junction. Photo by Israel Perez.
The Cavaliers kept their perfect record intact with the close victory, improving to 10-0.
The Bulldogs fell to 13-3.
Thomas Jefferson won two of the three doubles matches.
At No. 1 doubles, Carl Junction’s Naiyah Wurdeman and Jenna Besperat defeated TJ’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj 8-3. Wurdeman and Besperat are returning state qualifiers in doubles.
At No. 2 doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Isabel Read-Brooklin Leggett 8-4, while Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum defeated Emily Rice-Brooke Jasperson 8-5 at No. 3 doubles.
At No. 1 singles, Wurdeman defeated Ding 8-4 and Besperat beat Jeyaraj 8-2 at No. 2 singles.
TJ’s Esther Yang defeated Read 8-4 at No. 3 singles, while Morsy topped Rice 8-2 at No. 4 singles.
Carl Junction’s Leggett defeated Solum 8-5 at No. 5 singles, but TJ’s Kyla Yang beat Jasperson 8-3 at No. 6 singles.
Both teams conclude the regular season on Tuesday, as Carl Junction is at Willard and Thomas Jefferson hosts Lamar.
The Cavaliers and Bulldogs could meet again in the postseason, as district tournament play begins next week.
The Cavaliers are the host school for Class 2 District 7. The district also features Barstow, Belton, Carl Junction, Notre Dame de Sion, Webb City and Willard.
Thomas Jefferson’s Mayson Solum is pictured during Monday’s dual against Carl Junction. Thomas Jefferson defeated Carl Junction 5-4. All photos by Israel Perez/SoMo Sports.
Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding is pictured during Monday’s match against Carl Junction. The Cavaliers edged the Bulldogs 5-4 to remain undefeated.
Carl Junction’s Jenna Besperat is pictured during Monday’s dual with Thomas Jefferson.
Thomas Jefferson’s Warda Morsy hits a forehand against Carl Junction on Monday.
Carl Junction’s Emily Rice hits a forehand against Thomas Jefferson on Monday at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
Carl Junction’s Brooke Jasperson hits a backhand against Thomas Jefferson at the Joplin Athletic Complex. Photo by Israel Perez.
Thomas Jefferson’s Jeanna Jeyaraj hits a backhand during her match against Carl Junction.
The Joplin High School girls tennis team defeated Neosho 8-1 on Tuesday night in Central Ozark Conference action.
The Eagles swept all three doubles matches to start the dual.
At No. 1 doubles, Joplin’s Mya Ndedi-Ntepe and Alexandra Carson defeated Keely Keeton and Emma VanDorn 8-2, while Izzy Zamanzadeh and Zayda Derganc beat Francisca Ruiz-Angel Lee 8-2 at No. 2 doubles.
At No. 3 doubles, Joplin’s duo of Julia Reyes-Alvarado and Gwenna Street defeated Sydnee Minton-Abigail Coutu 8-3.
Joplin won five of the six singles matches.
Ndedi-Ntepe defeated Keeton 8-1, Zamanzadeh beat VanDorn 8-0, Carson topped Ruiz 8-3, Derganc got past Lee 8-3 and Reyes-Alvarado defeated Minton 8-2.
At No. 6 singles, Neosho’s Coutu defeated Street 8-4.
THOMAS JEFFERSON 9, GREENWOOD 0
The Thomas Jefferson Cavaliers improved to 8-0 on the season with Tuesday’s win over Greenwood.
In doubles, TJ’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Isabella Garcia and Katelyn Schaller 8-5, while Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Anliya Jones-Camryn Parker 8-1 and Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum topped Aliza Hassan-Pearl McWay 8-2.
In singles matches, Thomas Jefferson Ding beat Garcia 8-0, Jeyaraj topped Jones 8-3, Esther Yang edged Schaller 8-6, Morsy defeated Hassan 8-2, Solum handled McWay 8-0 and Kyla Yang beat Parker 8-1.
Thomas Jefferson’s girls tennis team improved to 5-0 in duals this fall by beating Webb City 9-0 on Monday at the TJ courts.
The Cavaliers swept all three doubles matches and all six singles matches.
In doubles, Thomas Jefferson’s Allison Ding and Jeanna Jeyaraj defeated Ally Ansley-Ayla McDonald 8-0, while Esther Yang and Kyla Yang beat Bethany Brumit-Adeline Ragsdale 8-2 and Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum topped Averey Terry-Jaden Dailey 8-2.
In singles, Ding defeated Ansley 8-3, while Jeyaraj topped McDonald 8-2 and Esther Yang beat Brumit 8-0.
Morsy defeated Ragsdale 8-0, Solum topped Terry 8-0 and Kyla Yang defeated Dailey 8-1.
The Cavaliers travel to Monett on Tuesday.
Webb City hosts Neosho on Tuesday.
MOUNT VERNON 8, NEOSHO 1
NEOSHO, Mo. — Neosho’s lone win against the Mountaineers came at No. 6 singles, as Abigail Coutu defeated Olivia Collins 8-4.
The Mountaineers swept the other five singles matches, as Audrey Bittle beat Keely Keeton 8-2, Molly Burk edged Emma VanDorn 9-8 (7-3), Adelynn Hall topped Francisca Ruiz 8-6, Raegan Pendleton defeated Angel Lee 8-4 and Alyssa Collins beat Sydnee Minton 8-1.
The Mountaineers also won all three doubles matches.
At No. 1 doubles, Bittle-Burk defeated Keeton-VanDorn 8-5.
Hall-Pendleton defeated Ruiz-Lee 8-1 and A. Collins-O. Collins beat Minton-Coutu.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Webb City had not only the top local individuals, but also the best team finishes in both varsity races at the 50th annual Carthage Invitational cross country meet on Thursday at the Carthage Golf Course.
Webb City sophomore Brooke Hedger finished third in the girls race with a time of 20:58, leading the Cardinals to runner-up finish in the team standings.
Cardinals senior Evan Stevens placed third in the boys race with a time of 16:55, leading Webb City to a third-place team finish, just two points behind runner-up Rogers (Ark.).
Carthage, Carl Junction, McAuley Catholic, Thomas Jefferson and East Newton also had athletes competing at the event.
Free State High School from Kansas won both team titles.
In the girls’ team standings, Carthage finished fourth, Carl Junction was sixth and McAuley Catholic took eighth.
Carthage’s boys finished fifth in the team standings, with Carl Junction seventh, McAuley eighth and Thomas Jefferson 11th.
Webb City’s Evan Stevens and Carl Junction’s duo of Luke Battagler and Jack Lawson are among the runners competing during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS
The Webb City girls had three of the top 11 runners, with all five placing in the top 22.
Hedger placed third behind Rogers’ Kayla Eggers (20:21) and Free State’s Cayman Barnes (20:56).
Webb City’s Emily Countryman finished eighth in 22:06, while Olivia Klotz took 11th in 22:45.
Also competing for the Webb City girls were Amelia Antillon (21st) and Brooke Collard (22nd).
The Webb City boys had five runners finish in the top 19.
Stevens finished third behind Free State’s duo of Blake Wohler (16:24) and Jake Loos (16:50).
Webb City’s Mason Hedger finished 10th (17:30), while Spencer Kendall took 16th (17:43), Noah Lankard was 18th (17:49) and Andrew Dawson finished 19th (17:51).
Also for the Cardinals, Fenton Rice finished 30th (19:00) and Dakota Grove was 33rd (19:01).
Athletes from Carthage, Webb City and Carl Junction take off at the start of the varsity girls race on Thursday at the Carthage Invitational. Photo by Jessica Greninger.
CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS
Eddy Fuentes led the Carthage boys by finishing 24th in 18:13.
Also competing for the Carthage boys were Devin Smith (34th), Javen Byrd (37th), Brayan Perez Flores (40th), Denis Velasquez Perez (55th) and Xander Vazquez (79th).
Maggie Boyd led the Carthage girls by finishing 14th in 22:55 and Jennifer Rodas-Gomez took 18th in 23:12.
Also competing for the CHS girls were Genesis Fuentez-Elias (25th), Katy Witherspoon (39th), Kimberly Monterroso (42nd), Jenna Wilson (52nd) and Sarah Wilson (57th).
Webb City’s Brooke Hedger was the top local finisher in the varsity girls race at the Carthage Invitational. A sophomore, Hedger finished third.
CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS
Jack Lawson led the Carl Junction boys by finishing 22nd in 18:05.
Rounding out the top seven for the CJ boys were Isaac Willoughby (43rd), Luke Battagler (46th), Nikash Yeary (57th), Jacob Garrett (60th), Alexander Allison (63rd) and Chance Golden (66th).
Marissa Newman was CJ’s top female finisher, as she crossed the line 26th in 23:51, while Delaney Harris was 29th in 24:11.
Rounding out the top seven for the CJ girls were Madilyn Dalton (32nd), Audrey Fletcher (41st), Summer Sampson (44th), Bella Montez (60th) and Gracie Fletcher (72nd).
MCAULEY CATHOLIC HIGHLIGHTS
Michael Parrigon led McAuley Catholic by finishing 20th with a time of 17:54. Trae Veer finished 28th in 18:55 to give the Warriors two runners in the top 30.
Also competing for the McAuley boys were Will Mollnow (52nd), Connor Taffner (64th), Cliff Nolan (85th), Max Anreder (87th) and Grant Horinek (88th).
Freshman Olivia Parrigon led the McAuley girls by crossing the line 19th in 23:15. Kendall Ramsey finished 35th in 24:39.
Also competing for the McAuley girls were Riley Sears (70th), Marbellie Villanueva (76th) and Samantha Perrin (77th).
THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGHLIGHTS
Braden Honeywell-Lynch led the TJ boys with a 44th place finish (19:43).
Also competing for the Cavaliers were Liam Cook (73rd), Ashan Appuhamy (86th), Ringo Snow (92nd), Spencer Long (93rd) and James Sheppard (99th).
Macie Shifferd paced Thomas Jefferson’s girls team with a 24th place finish (23:48).
TJ’s Sarah Mueller finished 48th in 26:11.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
Free State’s boys had four of the top six finishers.
Chase Sorrell paced the East Newton boys by finishing fourth in 17:00. Sorrell and Webb City’s Stevens were the only boys to finish in the top six not from Free State. The Patriots’ second finisher was Nicholas Shaeffer (38th).
Brooklyn Blanchard finished 13th in 22:48 for the East Newton girls.
Laney Dorris led Sarcoxie’s girls by finishing 51st. Dugan Pogue finished 75th for the Sarcoxie boys.
50TH CARTHAGE INVITATIONAL
Girls team standings: Free State 47, Webb City 61, Rogers 62, Carthage 115, Glendale 139, Carl Junction 142, Clever 145, McAuley Catholic 193. Incomplete teams: Grove, East Newton, Hillcrest, Rogers Heritage, Parkview, Sarcoxie, Thomas Jefferson, Wheaton.
Boys team standings: Free State 23, Rogers 60, Webb City 62, Glendale 104, Carthage 170, Rogers Heritage 173, Carl Junction 202, McAuley Catholic 213, Grove 271, Hillcrest 310, Thomas Jefferson 312, Parkview 318. Incomplete teams: Clever, East Newton, Sarcoxie, Wheaton.
Webb City’s Mason Hedger crosses the finish line 10th overall at Thursday’s Carthage Invitational cross country meet at the Carthage Golf Course. All photos by Jessica Greninger.
Webb City’s Olivia Klotz, East Newton’s Brooklyn Blanchard and Carthage’s Maggie Boyd are pictured during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational.
Carl Junction’s Marissa Newman and McAuley Catholic’s Kendall Ramsey are pictured during Thursday’s Carthage Invitational. Photos by Jessica Greninger.
Led by state-medalist Allison Ding, the Thomas Jefferson girls tennis team returns a solid core in 2023.
The Cavaliers return all but one varsity performer from last year’s squad that went 14-1, won a district title and ended the season in the Class 1 state quarterfinals.
With that in mind, Cavaliers coach Tom Brumfield has the goals set high for this year’s group.
“We are very excited about the upcoming season,” Brumfield said. “The team was close to making the final four last year. The team is looking forward to having another chance of making another run for the final four.
“I have high expectations for this group of girls,” Brumfield added. “They were very successful last year and that year of experience behind them should give them a lot more confidence. We had a young team last year with a lot of 10th graders. I believe we’ll see improvement in all areas of their game. The fact that we return all but one player from last year doesn’t hurt.”
A senior, Ding placed eighth in the singles bracket at last year’s Class 1 state tournament. Ding also earned a state medal as a sophomore, finishing seventh.
Jeanna Jeyaraj, a junior, is also a returning state-qualifier in singles play.
Also back with prior starting experience are juniors Kyla Yang, Warda Morsy and Mayson Solum. Yang was the team’s No. 3 singles player a season ago, while Morsy played No. 4 singles and Solum was the No. 6 player.
“All three of these girls were very solid for us last year and have been working on their game during the offseason,” Brumfield said. “I’m excited to have them back and to see their improvements.”
Senior Emalee Ro returns after playing No. 7 singles last year.
Also back with varsity experience are sophomores Haley Orr and Jeanna Joseph.
“Haley and Jeanna were freshmen last year and have been playing and doing lessons the past few years,” Brumfield noted. “I’m looking forward to seeing how much they have progressed. They’ll be pushing for a spot in the top six.”
The team’s lone loss to graduation was Jessica Joseph, who played No. 5 singles last year.
Freshmen Esther Yang and Audrey Bowles are promising newcomers.
“Esther has been working hard the past few years improving herself,” Brumfield commented. ” She’ll be a big challenger for a top spot on the team. Looking forward to seeing her in the mix. Audrey has also been working on her tennis game during the summer. Audrey will be a nice addition to the team.”
Brumfield is confident the Cavaliers will be able to field a strong lineup.
“The strength of our team will be the depth of our lineup,” Brumfield said. “We will be solid 1-6 and beyond. The bottom part of the lineup is very important in team play. Being strong at the 4-7 spots can put you over the top in many matches. I believe we can be strong there and we should also be strong at the top of our lineup.”
Heading into any season, an area of concern is always injuries.
“We need to make sure we stay healthy and hopefully avoid injuries,” Brumfield said. “Injuries can always mess up a lineup when they are playing not only singles, but also doubles.”
Brumfield noted the Cavaliers will move from Class 1 to Class 2 this year.
“A big unknown factor at this time is the fact that we will be bumped up to Class 2,” he said. “We’ll have to wait and see where they send us at district time. This will be uncharted territory for the girls program. I’m sure we’ll see a new group of teams that we’ll have to go through. I would feel much better playing the teams from last year that we are familiar with. With that said, I also feel this group can compete at the Class 2 level. We’ll take the approach that it really doesn’t make a difference what class we’re in.”
Brumfield feels the Cavaliers have the pieces in place to put together a very successful season.
“We’ll need to take each match one at a time and be confident we can compete at district time, wherever we are sent,” Brumfield said. “This is a great group of girls that have been working hard over the offseason while looking forward to this season. As long as the girls stay focused and enjoy the game without putting pressure upon themselves, the season should be a lot of fun and one for them to remember.”
Thomas Jefferson hosts Nevada at 4:30 on Aug. 31.
Allison Ding enters her senior year as a two-time state medalist. File photo.
