Hamilton shrinks against Harrisburg
CHILLICOTHE, Mo. — Lindsay Vollmer exhaled and allowed her shoulders to slink down in frustration. A product of four straight missed free throws, the Hamilton junior’s body language mirrored the team’s mind set midway through the second quarter of Saturday’s Class 2 quarterfinal against Harrisburg. The Hornets were down big, and a comeback effort never congealed. “When you see your stud step up there, and she’s missing free throws,” Hamilton coach Dave Prather said, “you can just see everyone’s shoulders go down a little bit. They start thinking it’s going to be that kind of night.
St. Joseph Christian's Maggart hangs up his whistle
Always a man of family and faith, Danny Maggart listened to both and made a tough decision. The St. Joseph Christian girls basketball coach retired from that position this week, informing his players of the decision Monday afternoon.
Maryville's Stiens signs on to be Husker
Jordan Stiens spent her first three years of high school as one of the best track and field athletes in the area. The Maryville senior racks up gold medals with ease at every level — until state. Stiens can’t quite seem to master rival and fellow senior Tiffani McReynolds of Pembroke Hill, but Stiens matched her recently when she made a college choice.
Mid-Buchanan boys knocked out in overtime
TRENTON, Mo. — With each made basket in the third quarter, Bryce Kemper upped his animation. Mid-Buchanan’s fiery coach could feel the energy. With his Dragons suddenly up 12 against Wellington-Napoleon, Kemper and Mid-Buchanan believed the advantage could stick. Instead, Wellington-Napoleon’s duo of Blake Seitz and Ethan Arndt combined for 33 points in the second half and overtime to lead the Tigers to a 73-68 Class 2 sectional win Wednesday night at Ketcham Community Center.
Jefferson boys back in quarterfinals
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Jefferson senior Gilbert Henry scored six points during a quick 11-0 third-quarter run then tallied the Eagles’ first nine points of the fourth quarter, helping Jefferson pull away from North Harrison in a 59-39 Class 1 sectional win Tuesday at Bearcat Arena. The win propels Jefferson back to the quarterfinals. The Eagles (24-4) are in their sixth straight postseason trip, the first four of which ended in the state championship game. Last year, Jefferson lost in sectionals to Newtown-Harris.
Jefferson girls survive Mercer
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Chelsey Merrigan picked up her fourth foul late in the third quarter and threw her hands up in disgust. Jefferson’s star junior had watched Mercer freshman Sierra Michaelis continually carve through the Eagles’ press defense and kept bringing the Cardinals back. After the foul, Merrigan saw her ability to quell the momentum diminished. “I knew they needed me on the floor, and I knew I couldn’t, just couldn’t foul,” Merrigan said. “I just had to play.”
Lafayette girls coach resigns
Expecting her first child within the next few weeks, Katie McCullough made a decision for herself and her family. Lafayette’s girls basketball coach for the previous four seasons resigned Monday afternoon from that position. She intends to make more time for her expanding home life and also plans to pursue a future career in school administration. McCullough submitted her letter of resignation Monday around noon and informed her players of the decision later in the afternoon.
Vertin steps down as LeBlond's football coach
Steve Vertin resigned his position as Bishop LeBlond’s head football coach Monday afternoon. Longtime Central coach Tony Dudik isn’t a candidate yet. But he might be very soon. Dudik’s name became synonymous with the job last year, but the timing didn’t work out. He stayed at Central for one final season before retiring from the St. Joseph School District.
Mid-Buchanan shocks No. 1 Hamilton
ALBANY, Mo. — Drew Gray locked eyes with fellow Mid-Buchanan senior Brett Pierce and hoisted his teammate into the air. Generously listed at 5-foot-7, Pierce gazed over a mob scene at Albany High School and finally stood as big as he’s played for his entire undersized career. The spark-plug point guard finished with a game-high 23 points in Saturday afternoon in the Class 2 District 16 championship and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter that included an 8-for-9 performance at the line.
Hamilton rides stifling press to third straight title
ALBANY, Mo. — Hamilton struggled with turnovers early and missed a vast array of close shots Friday night. A recipe for disaster? Hardly. The Hornets still beat St. Joseph Christian by 32 with the running clock in effect for the entire fourth quarter at Albany High School. While the offense struggled at times in the Class 2 District 16 championship game, Hamilton’s pressure defense stayed unrelenting in the 55-32 victory.
Mid-Buchanan blitzes by Tarkio
ALBANY, Mo. — Even with so much to look forward to this weekend, Mid-Buchanan decided to make Tarkio a victim. With a district championship rematch with Hamilton looming, the Dragons blitzed past the Indians 75-42 on Thursday night at Albany High School. Winning the Class 2 District 16 semifinal sets up the anticipated rerun of Hamilton’s overtime victory last year.
Mercer freshman nears scoring record
With one guaranteed game left, Mercer freshman Sierra Michaelis needs just a single "sub-par" performance to set a state record. Michaelis and the Cardinals take on Ridgeway in Friday night's Class 1 District 15 championship game at Trenton's Ketcham Center. If Michaelis scores 18 points, the 5-foot-10 guard ties the freshman scoring record of 746 points Miller's Hannah Wilkerson set four years earlier.
Benton girls suffer sectional setback
Brett Goodwin had seen this script before. Civic Arena. Coaching a favored Benton team. Running into a hot-shooting opponent. But the current group of players never faced this situation. Down early Wednesday night against Staley, Benton never led despite tying the score four times in the second half and unwittingly played out an all-too-familiar scenario for Goodwin.
East Buchanan trips up LeBlond boys in district opener
PLATTSBURG, Mo. — A season full of frustrations fouled up Bishop LeBlond on Tuesday night. East Buchanan reaped the reward in Class 3 District 16’s first-round matchup of the fourth and fifth seeds at Plattsburg High School. As the Bulldogs pulled away in the second half, two of LeBlond’s four seniors fouled out, and senior leading scorer Andrew Nellestein picked up a technical foul and played the final 12 minutes with four personals.
Defense not enough for Troy girls
TROY, Kan. — Troy’s five seniors spent the past two seasons carving out an identity. Starting as a unit, they helped the Trojans become an up-tempo, defensively sound squad. They won 14 games this year and looked to continue their journey in Monday’s Class 2A Sub-State first round matchup with visiting Onaga. Instead, two prolonged offensive droughts — each spanning nearly an entire quarter — derailed Troy in a 32-30 loss, ending the careers of the Trojans’ seniors in a gut-wrenching manner.
Troy football standout should reconsider basketball
Troy junior Garrett Meng doesn’t play basketball, much to the chagrin of boys coach Dallas Keller. This past Friday, the 6-foot-3 athletic freak proved why. After spending the afternoon lifting weights, Meng went to dunk a ball in the Troy High School gym.
Benton girls overwhelm Savannah
SMITHVILLE, Mo. — With the memory of Benton’s unrelenting defense firmly entrenched in Savannah’s memories, the Savages received an unforgiving reminder Friday night at Smithville High School. Benton forced nine turnovers on Savannah’s first 10 possessions, never trailed and rolled to a 45-20 pasting in the Class 4 District 16 semifinal. It marked the Cardinals’ third dominant victory against Savannah this season.
Central girls shut down Park Hill
Central and Park Hill’s girls mixed equal parts of physicality and sloppy together Thursday night. In the Class 5 District 16 semifinal, the teams combined for 43 fouls and 43 turnovers in a frenetic, stop-and-go clash at Central High School. A game-high 11 points for Central junior Kari Schram and six points and 13 rebounds from senior Alexis Bates provided the winning formula for the Indians’ 41-29 victory.
Cameron boys take a step up in final MEC standings
Cameron dug a first-quarter hole Tuesday night against Maryville but fought back to lead at halftime. Then the Dragons fell behind again during the third quarter only to rally for a 45-40 victory at Maryville High School. The win allowed Cameron to capture sole possession of second place in the final Midland Empire Conference standings, avoiding a tie with the same Maryville squad.
Benton boys run out of gas in district tournament opener
SMITHVILLE, Mo. — As the game spiralled away from Benton, the Cardinals found a new and intriguing way to make matters worse. A player marked in the score book with the wrong jersey number led to a technical foul with 2 minutes, 51 seconds left in the fourth quarter, and Savannah’s Blake McFadden hit both of the resulting free throws. The Savages’ sophomore made 4 of 4 from the line in the closing stretch to help Savannah finally put Benton out of range and earn a 55-38 victory in Tuesday’s opening round of the Class 4 District 16 tournament at Smithville High School.
STATE WRESTLING: Polo and Dean Manning saga continues
When Dean Manning left Polo prior to the 2007-2008 wrestling season, it seemed the student and school would make a relatively clean break. That changed during this week's Missouri State Wrestling Championships in a bizarre turn of events.
Cameron’s McMain misses finals but still earns medal
Adam McMain wants a state finals appearance. He also wants to find a way to win his final match during a state competition. The Cameron sophomore won his second state medal Saturday at Mizzou Arena but again lost his place match at the Missouri State Wrestling Championships.
Mid-Buchanan's Rumpf finally captures state championship
COLUMBIA, Mo. — For his first three high school years, Jake Rumpf wrestled at a state championship level. But the actual title eluded him. Each season, the Mid-Buchanan senior took one step up the podium. Fourth as a freshman (119), third as a sophomore and runner-up last year (130), Rumpf finally reached the pinnacle and took his deserved spot as a state champion Saturday night at Mizzou Arena.
Williams fights through the pain, earns state championship
COLUMBIA, Mo. — With one final victory, the pain released from Dustin Williams’ two injured knees and the frustration of his long search for a state title followed it out. The Benton senior finished off a perfect 54-0 season Saturday night at Mizzou Arena, winning the 189-pound title at the Class 2 Missouri State Wrestling Championships. An 8-4 decision against Boonville’s Blake Stevens completed an unbelievable run for Williams.
Mid-Buchanan team surges through state wrestling semifinals
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Mid-Buchanan’s results made the Dragons’ state qualifiers look like a large contingent. Despite bringing only three to the Missouri State Wrestling Championships, Mid-Buchanan was flawless through Friday’s quarterfinal round at Mizzou Arena. But nobody’s perfect.
Savannah wrestler rolls into state final
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Even with a major hurdle behind him, Savannah’s Cody Hummer didn’t take his semifinal opportunity at Mizzou Arena for granted. The Savannah sophomore went 2-0 on Friday at the Missouri State Wrestling Championships and earned his first state finals appearance. Hummer beat Platte County’s Collin Tolliver in a 12-3 major decision in the night session.
119-pounders face tough climb at state wrestling championships
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Class 1 119-pound bracket started out just as wild and up in the air as it appeared at first glance. With five wrestlers owning either a state title or a state championship bout appearance, Lathrop’s Jerad Potter proved to be the first upset victim Thursday during Day 1 of the Missouri State Wrestling Championships at Mizzou Arena. Potter lost a 7-5 decision to Brookfield freshman Micah Blakely.
Irish wrestler eyes quarterfinals
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Derek Bohnsack’s bruised and blood-shot right eye hindered his vision slightly Thursday morning but didn’t change the Lafayette senior’s focus. “It’s hard to see,” he said of the shiner received during last week’s district championship match. Despite a sluggish start, Bohnsack pinned Carl Junction’s Nicholas Koon in 3 minutes, 20 seconds during their opening-round, 119-pound matchup at Mizzou Arena. Bohnsack (27-2) draws Fulton freshman Cody Pae in the quarterfinals of the Class 2 Missouri State Wrestling Championships.
Chillicothe coach stays with passion despite crippling disease
CHILLICOTHE, Mo. — A steady stream of kids pours through the double-doors and into Chillicothe’s Field House. Dave Kinen greets nearly all of them by name with a warm hello and friendly smile. Most of the Chillicothe youth wrestlers are past or current students of Kinen’s at Dewey Elementary. The parents slowly ramble inside as well on this bitterly cold February evening, also stopping to greet Kinen’s familiar face. Despite dealing with struggles most can’t comprehend, Kinen can’t resist trying to make those around him enjoy a better day.
STATE WRESTLING: Bracket previews
Dustin Williams spent the whole season wrestling on a torn left aneterior cruciate ligament. After Saturday's district final, the Benton senior 189-pounder added an injured right knee to his plight. Williams (50-0) unquestionably enters state as the overwhelming favorite to earn his first state title after placing second last year.
Central boys end regular season on winning note
Central’s 55-43 victory Tuesday night against Blue Springs ended the Indians’ regular season with three straight solid performances and back-to-back victories. A minor surge at first glance, but now at 7-17, Central suddenly matched a magical win total in Indians’ lore. The Class 5 District 14 tournament starts next week with Central hosting for the first time since 2004.
Maryville's Alexander wraps up district title
BETHANY, Mo. — Bryce Alexander senses the attention on him, then uses the perceived negative energy as motivation. The Maryville senior who transferred in from Kentucky prior to last season always seems to play the underdog. Facing a third match of the season against Gallatin’s Levi Michener on Saturday, Alexander scored an 8-4 decision in the 160-pound championship bout in the Class 1 District 4 tournament at South Harrison High School.
Maryville outlasts Benton girls
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Benton limited Maryville’s high-powered offense to four points in the third quarter Thursday night, seemingly taking control of a vital Midland Empire Conference matchup. But it was Maryville’s own version of lock-down defense in the final frame that decided the outcome. The Spoofhounds held Benton to only six points in the final 8 minutes and used nine unanswered points to snatch away a 42-38 victory at Maryville High School, the 15th consecutive win for Maryville (17-2, 3-0).
Injury ends Lathrop wrestler's season
Caleb Hartzell’s wrestling career came to a cruel end last week. Lathrop’s senior 145-pounder dislocated his left elbow during a match with Hamilton’s Matt Schieber last Thursday. The freak accident effectively ends Hartzell’s season with the full extent of the injury yet to be determined. The large amount of swelling prevented doctors from performing an MRI until late this week.
CLASS 4 DISTRICT 16: How the seeds shake out
Tuesday night's Smithville at Savannah girls contest likely solidified the seeding for the Class 4 District 16 tournament, starting two weeks from Monday at Smithville High School. Smithvillle's 41-34 victory on the Savages' home court likely locks the Warriors into the No. 3 seed. The top two seeds -- which receive a bye in the six-team bracket -- should be Benton and Platte County. Coaches plan to seed the district tournament Saturday.
Central boys wilt late against Liberty
Central made so many aspects go right in Tuesday night’s Suburban League Big 7 clash with powerhouse Liberty. But just when an upset appeared brewing at Central High School, offense deserted the Indians. Minus one key ingredient, Central wilted in a 47-35 loss that dropped the Indians’ record to 5-17.
Lafayette boys surge past Cameron
CAMERON, Mo. — When Cameron stormed back to take its first lead since the second quarter, Tim Nelson knew how he wanted to react. The Lafayette junior point guard hit a clutch pull-up jumper with 3 minutes, 19 seconds left in Friday night’s Midland Empire Conference matchup at Cameron High School. Nelson went on to score seven of his team-best 16 points in the fourth quarter to match a season high. The Fighting Irish finally pulled away for a comfortable 46-36 win in a physical game played in a spirited atmosphere. No player on the court stepped up to the situation like Nelson.
Benedictine nabs trio of local athletes
A trio of senior city football players made Benedictine coach Larry Wilcox’s 34-man recruiting class list Wednesday afternoon — one just hoping for a chance to keep playing, one looking for the right fit and one unexpectedly fulfilling a childhood dream. Lafayette’s Chris James spent his high school career as an undersized offensive guard and inspiring linebacker. An emotional leader, he helped the Fighting Irish to back-to-back playoff trips and the school’s first .500 regular season in more than a decade in 2009.
Another malady sidelines Mid-Buchanan star
Brett Pierce just wants to play basketball, but his body keeps getting in the way. The Mid-Buchanan senior point guard missed three full games and parts of two more during the past two weeks with a mysterious internal malady. This break in play comes after he missed time last January after having his appendix removed. Pierce also missed time as a sophomore year due to illness. Fighting through chest and abdominal pain through recent weeks, Pierce tried to play early last week against Tolbert Academy at the North Platte Invitational. He then missed the semifinal and championship games against Plattsburg and Jefferson.
Freshmen lead Mercer girls past Winston
WINSTON, Mo. — As Sierra Michaelis’ remarkable season rambles on, one word comes to mind to describe her plight. Teams continue to find exotic defenses to stop Mercer’s high-scoring impact freshman. The 5-foot-10 guard continues to put up big numbers, but as Tuesday night’s HDC Conference matchup at Winston proved, Michaelis knows what to expect from other teams.
Mercer freshman Michaelis’ season thus far, in perspective
There’s a long way for Sierra Michaelis to go, but the incredible Mercer freshman already sits on pace to surpass some remarkable records. Through 15 games (prior to Tuesday night’s matchup with Winston), the 5-foot-10 guard had 441 points, an average of 29.4 per game, through 15 games. Miller’s Hannah Wilkerson, currently a senior, set the state freshman record at 746 and 26.64 in 2006-2007.
Savannah girls thump Lafayette
SAVANNAH, Mo. — Savannah needed a quick recovery. Lafayette proved an opportune opponent. Just three days after a demoralizing loss to Maryville, Savannah’s pressure defense fueled a nearly flawless first half against the Fighting Irish on Monday night in the Midland Empire Conference opener for both teams. Savannah coach Terry Hopkins switched Blayre Helm for Lindsey Partridge in the starting lineup, going with a four-guard set that allowed the Savages’ full-court pressure to optimize. Lafayette managed just six points by halftime while turning it over 17 times, never threatening Savannah in a 58-32 defeat at Savannah High School.
Central receives finalized place in Suburban League
When the Hickman Mills School District announced the merger of its two high schools late last week, officials scrapped the Suburban League’s initial proposal for the next two-year cycle. But less than a week later, the final alignment for the now 25-team league is finished.
Missouri football districts receive bi-annual realignment
Maryville football must defend the school’s second state championship back in a familiar location. After a four-year odyssey in Class 2 that culminated this past fall with a state title, the Missouri State High School Activities Association’s bi-annual district realignment bumped Maryville back up to Class 3. The Spoofhounds pair with Chillicothe, Cameron and St. Pius X in District 16.
GAME BLOG: CITY WRESTLING MEET
How far away was Benton sophomore Aaron Seward from being a city wrestling champion a year ago. Try playing freshman basketball. A first-year wrestler with little varsity experience Seward put his name in annals of unlikely heroes of the City Wrestling Meet.
Savage girls build on their experience
Savannah spent most of last season playing without a senior on the roster, inexperienced and looking for an identity. Still a generally successful team, the Savages continue to reap the rewards this season. Savannah stands at 12-3 entering tonight’s nonconference tilt with Maryville. The losses came to MEC rival Benton in December and two losses to larger competition at last week’s Truman Invitational. Coach Terry Hopkins never gave up on last year’s squad, but he knew the Savages were building.
Benton earns 2nd straight city wrestling title
Benton captured a second straight City Wrestling Meet team title Thursday night at Springer Gymnasium. Official records were not available, and the last time the Cardinals achieved this feat can’t be known. But the consensus around the mat? A long time, possibly as long as three decades.
Indians struggle in wrestling dual against Blue Springs
For better or worse, numbers increased for Central wrestling this season. The Indians have more wrestlers out for the team than any previously in coach Brett Swope’s five-year tenure. But in increasing malady, they have more injuries in their lineup with most of them to key wrestlers. The trend continued in Wednesday night’s dual against Blue Springs.
Decimated Indian wrestling squad knocked off by Blue Springs
For better or worse, numbers increased for Central wrestling this season. The Indians have more wrestlers out for the team than any previously in coach Brett Swope’s five-year tenure. But in increasing malady, they have more injuries in their lineup with most of them to key wrestlers.
Irish boys survive Spoofhounds
MARYVILLE, Mo. — Chris Neff cringed as he watched his team repeatedly settle for distant jump shots during the second half Tuesday night against Maryville. “Or not take them,” the third-year Lafayette coach quipped. Lafayette built a 12-point halftime lead behind the dynamic combination of juniors Ian Toalson and Tim Nelson. That run included a rough-and-tumble three-point play and two dunks for Toalson.
Older Newer
