The Northwest Missourian

NORTHWEST

MISSOURIAN

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2021

MARYVILLE, MISSOURI

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

VOL. 110, NO. 5

@THEMISSOURIAN

Mandate leaves officials waiting NATHAN ENGLISH Managing Editor | @nathan_3nglish

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Pharmacist Julie Simmerman fills a syringe for a COVID-19 vaccination in Rogers Pharmacy where vaccines are given every Friday. With President Joe Biden’s new vaccine mandate, all employers with over 100 employees must require COVID-19 vaccines for employees or require them to submit to weekly testing.

NEWS BRIEF

Sole suspect dead after 15 day manhunt The man charged with killing Northwest online student Allison Abitz and her daughter Jozee was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound Sept. 8.

Authorities say JT McLean shot himself in a stolen truck parked at a motel in Dakota Dunes, South Dakota. Multiple agencies worked to locate McLean, eventually using the navigation device in the stolen truck to find his body.

After they found the truck, the Union County, South Dakota, Sheriff’s Office proceeded to use nonlethal measures to initiate a response from McLean, but he did not respond. A drone was then deployed over the vehicle and showed he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office confirmed Sept. 15 that the murder charges and case will be dismissed after authorities found McLean, the sole suspect, deceased.

In addition to the double homicide of Allison and Jozee Abitz, McLean was a suspect in the

killing of Miller County, Missouri, residents Daniel and Pamela Stephan and stealing their vehicle to flee the state. The Stephans were related to a former wife of McLean, authorities said.

At a press conference last week, Boone County Captain Brian Leer said the investigation would continue, and in a Facebook post, the department said it is still collaborating with the Miller County Sheriff’s Office and the Union County, South Dakota, Sheriff’s Office to complete the investigation.

Allison Abitz was a Northwest online student pursuing her educational specialist degree. Both Abitz and her daughter were beloved by the Columbia, Missouri, and Fulton, Missouri, communities. A number of tributes and gatherings have been held in their name to honor and remember their impact.

As always, students are welcome to use Wellness Services for counseling by contacting 660-562-1348 during regular business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or contact the University Police Department at 660-5621354 outside of business hours.

Faculty and staff can call the University employee assistance program at 800-964-3577.

FULL STORY ONLINE:

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

City councilman John McBride speaks out on his opinion with the recent discussion on upgrading new golf cars for Mozingo Lake Recreation Park at its meeting Sept. 13.

President Joe Biden announced a sweeping federal vaccine mandate Sept. 9, which will likely affect many local entities, including Northwest.

Under the mandate, all employers with over 100 employees must require COVID-19 vaccines for employees or require them to submit weekly testing.

Amanda Cullin, a member of the Crisis Response Team 2, said the team and other officials at the University are consulting with medical and legal experts to determine what exactly this mandate could mean for Northwest.

“Right now, it’s a wait and see,” Cullin said of the actions of the team and Northwest officials.

Nodaway County Health Department Administrator Tom Patterson echoed Cullin’s statements and said everyone is just waiting for further details. CRT 2 is expecting more information to roll out from the federal and state governments in the next few weeks about the specifics of the mandate. Northwest will also communicate and look at what other local higher education institutions are doing, Cullin said.

It’s not known at this time whether the mandate will apply to Northwest’s student employees and its faculty and staff.

President of Mosaic - Maryville Nate Blackford compared this mandate to one Biden’s administration issued in August requiring staff at nursing homes to be vaccinated.

“They have still not received clear guidance on what that means,” Blackford said of local nursing homes.

Mosaic recently completed the first of its three-tiered vaccine mandate Sept. 13, which was the deadline for the first tier of employees, including new hires and contractors.

“We’ve had not a whole lot of pushback to that. Certainly, there’s been some, but by-and-large, folks have accepted and understood the importance of it,” Blackford said.

SEE VACCINE | A4

$78,390.68

Total rollover budget prior to the We Gotchya appropriation

$22K Money appropriated to We Gotchya

$56K Funds Student Senate still has to appropriate

MAKAYLA POLAK | NW MISSOURIAN

Senate rolls out plan to allocate surplus KAILEE FORD News Reporter | @kailee_ford

Northwest’s 99th Student Senate created a plan on how to appropriate $78,390.68 in rollover budget funds to campus organizations, and approved the first appropriations at its Sept.

14 meeting.

One of the applications for rollover funds was from the campus organization We Gotchya, which provides free menstrual products in women’s bathrooms on campus.

Volunteers for the organization and Northwest faculty Jac-

City OK’s measures aimed at improving Mozingo Lake Park

quie Lamer and Carolyn Johnson presented Student Senate with their plan for opening up locked pad and tampon dispensers. The goal of the funds is to remove the payment requirements on the dispensers and unlock them, so they can be regularly stocked with products.

We Gotchya’s current funds, according to Lamer, are $12,000, and in order to unlock the 38 dispensers on campus, they requested $20,000 from Senate during its cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

Senate raised the appropriations to $22,000 to help them reach QUENTIN MORRIS News Reporter | @TheMissourian

The Maryville City Council voted on several measures aimed toward improving Mozingo Lake Recreation Park at its meeting Sept. 13.

The Council passed three ordinances. Two include improving the golf car user experience, and the third includes expanding the RV park.

The city passed an ordinance to outsource the expansion of the RV park. The city had already begun expanding the south side of the park, but due to staff shortages, the city outsourced the job. Pope Dirt Work LLC provided a $20,000 quote for the project.

their goal, and the funds were approved by the full Senate.

“Our goal is to ensure that students won’t miss class because of a period and that these products are available free of charge,” Lamer said.

Treasurer Jenna Lee-Johnson said that an application was created with the help of Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Kori Hoffmann last Friday. The application is open to campus organizations to request funds from the rollover budget.

Lee-Johnson said there is no limit as to how much an organization can request from the rollover budget. Funds could be requested multiple times from the same organization but that it depends on the situation.

SEE SENATE | A4 The expansion is projected to be complete within two weeks. Pope Dirt Work LLC will also be providing the city with a quote to work on the north side of the park. Once the grading has been completed the city will then begin putting in utilities.

In May of 2017, the City Council approved a four-year operating lease with the Masek Golf Car Co., which distributes Yamaha vehicles, for the use of 75 golf cars and two utility vehicles; that lease was set to expire next month. Maryville received three new lease offers from Yamaha, M&M Golf Cars LLC and Cushman.

SEE COUNCIL | A4

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A2

HUMANS OF NORTHWEST

Meet Northwest’s Golden Girls NATHAN ENGLISH Managing Editor | @nathan_3nglish

A raucous sitcom starring four elderly friends first hit the air in 1985. Sophie, Rose, Blanche and Dorothy, “The Golden Girls,” were known for their raunchy plotlines, oneliners and being well into their AARP memberships but acting as though they were right out of college. Four women with a passion for Northwest didn’t set out with the goal of becoming a real-life version of the group, but that’s what happened anyway.

In Jan Corley’s home, there is a backroom addition built for both cats and Bearcats, she said. On one of the last Saturday afternoons without Bearcat football three-fourths of Northwest’s own Golden Girls talked, laughed and told stories about the things they love — Northwest sports and each other.

Sherri Reeves, Linda Girard, Corley and Elaine Haste share much with their on screen namesake. The four women love to joke, spend copious amounts of time together and are all single, except for Haste, who “has a man now,” Girard said with a laugh.

Originally drawn together because of their mutual age, relationship status and love for the green and white, the four became a family. A refuge for each other seeking close relationships and people to enjoy sports.

“We find people that have a similar need of friendship and interest,” Girard said.

The group has been attending games much longer than they have been officially dubbed the Golden Girls.

Corley is the group’s Blanche, “the floozy,” she said, the youngest member of the group. She joined after her husband’s death from cancer nine years ago.

Corley originally hails from southwest Iowa and attended Northwest because of its proximity to home. While an undergraduate at Northwest, she met and fell in love with her husband — who was her history professor and 13 years older than she was. The couple were married for 42 years.

“It was a good marriage,” Corley said with tears glistening in her eyes.

Corley graduated Northwest with a degree in education in 1970 and soon after began teaching. Her career in the classroom, however, would come to an unceremonious and unwilling halt when Corley became pregnant in 1972. She was forced to quit her job four

SUBMITTED

Northwest’s Golden Girls Linda Girard, Jan Corley, Sherri Reeves and Elaine Haste are “out on the town” at Pizza Ranch in Maryville. When the group is not at Northwest sporting events, they like to go out to eat together, often wearing matching outfits.

months into the pregnancy due to standards and practices in education at the time, Corley said.

Corley and her husband briefly moved to St. Joseph before returning to Maryville where she has been ever since. After her kids reached school age, Corley had a desire to get back into the workforce, but she didn’t want to go back to teaching. She started out with a part-time position in food service at Northwest.

“I loved being around students. That was the best part of it all,” Corley said. “They were so energetic and so much fun.”

For Corley and her husband, few things were more meaningful than being a Bearcat, and being a Bearcat meant going to things, Corley said.

“When you’re a part of the Northwest family, and I really feel like we were a part of the Northwest family, that’s what you do. You get involved,” Corley said.

Her husband booked the couple a cruise during the winter of 1998, seeking to dodge the bone-chilling temperatures of Maryville for the crystal waters and blue skies of the Caribbean. There was just one problem: Northwest football was really good during the 1998 season.

To Corley’s unbridled delight and eventual dread, the Bearcats kept winning. Going 15-0 en route to the program’s first national title, and Corley wasn’t in

a stadium where she wanted to be, but on a boat instead. Corley and her husband were forced to find out the results of the game when they finally ended their cruise in Miami.

The couple found the score in less than a column inch, buried deep in the sports section of a Miami newspaper and cheered by the newsstand as though they were on the field when the clock ran out.

Even after her husband’s passing, Corley continued the legacy of going to games with those she loved, now just with three new companions that love hijinks as much as football.

Reeves is the Sophia of the group, mirroring her on-screen counterpart with pranks and witty comebacks that crack up the other members. The oldest, and perhaps most prone to speeding of the Northwest Golden Girls, Reeves might have the deepest connection to Northwest athletics.

Reeves began her college career at the University of Northern Iowa. In her time, basketball wasn’t really considered a sport for women, Reeves said, but she didn’t care. She just wanted to play.

Regularly being told to get off the court she frequented by her less open-minded peers, Reeves was determined to play, bringing her own ball and constantly playing pickup games with the boys.

Reeves would eventually transfer to Northwest, where she would graduate as a Bearcat in 1957. After graduation, she got married and had a child before getting divorced and returning to Maryville with “lessons,” Reeves said with a giggle.

With Reeves return to Northwest, she began to help out with women’s basketball on campus. At the time, women’s basketball wasn’t an official NCAA sport, and the Northwest team

NATHAN ENGLISH | NW MISSOURIAN

Reeves, Corley and Girard sit in Corley’s house Sept. 11 and tell stories about their journey to Northwest and their favorite moments in Bearcat sports history, as well as their favorite pranks from years past.

was more like a club team, often coached by a volunteer.

When Reeves asked how she could help out more, she was told she could make a schedule, which led to Reeves getting the team to join the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, and finally, Northwest women’s basketball became an official collegiate team. Reeves became the team’s first official head coach and still holds the program record for winning percentage at .802.

Reeves would continue to go on to pioneer women’s sports at Northwest, serving as the first women’s administrator in athletics at Northwest from 1976 to 2001.

Reeves is determined to keep going to games as long as she is able and to find joy in everything she does. She said she’s going to keep pranking and cracking jokes until the day she dies.

“I hope I’ve got such a big

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Girard is the group’s Dorothy, mostly because of her tall frame and formerly blonde hair — she has since reverted to her now natural gray color.

Girard first moved to Maryville in sixth grade and graduated as a Spoofhound in 1960 before going to Northwest for college where she graduated in 1964.

“I had a good time and enjoyed college a lot,” Girard said with a wry smile.

She briefly moved to Chicago after college, and in a path that mirrors Reeves, met her soonto-be ex-husband and had a child before returning to northwest Missouri after some time.

Once back, Girard got in contact with a person at Northwest she used to work for and got a job on campus. Girard worked at Northwest for 36 and a half years, serving as the registrar for 28 years.

Now, Girard stays busy. Of course, she’s always attending games and events at Northwest, but she also maintains positions on many boards, including the Bearcat Booster Board and Nodaway County Senior Center.

When the Bearcat football team was in Alabama playing for the national title in 1998, Girard was one of the people that helped make sure the seniors on the team who were supposed to be graduating got the chance to do so. She helped organize the sending of the caps and gowns to the team, a tradition that would carry on in Northwest’s future title games.

Haste is the Rose of the group because of her farm girl background and love of animals.

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smile on my face that the undertaker can’t even get it wiped off,” Reeves said with a large grin.

NEXT FOOTBALL GAME 9/18 Central Missouri @1pm

READ MORE ONLINE A full version of this story with a more in-depth look at the Northwest Golden Girls and their exploits is available online at NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

NEWS

Sept. 16, 2021 @TheMissourian

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Northwest, Maryville hold 9/11 memorials KAILEE FORD News Reporter | @kailee_ford

the attack on the scoreboard and the ringing of a bell in four sets of five rings each to honor first responders and significant community members. The history of the bell has been around since the 1800s, and was even rung to signal the death of U.S. president Abraham Lincoln.

Participants of the stair climb carried a card containing a picture and description of a firefighter to remember as they climbed the steps.

President of Northwest John Jasinski spoke at the ceremony, thanking the participants and first responders present, reminding everyone to remember the victims and their families.

Senior Adrianna Holmes participated in the stair climb to honor and remember history. Holmes brought two of her friends with her to pay respects to the victims.

“We all have majors related to history and we want to try and understand what happened,” Holmes said.

This year’s stair climb was different compared to last year regarding COVID-19 mitigation. Because the event was outside, social distancing wasn’t enforced as strictly as last year and masks weren’t required.

The U.S. flag was raised half-mast as a moment of silence rang out across Bearcat Stadium. Students, faculty and firefighters prepared to climb 2,071 steps to honor the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001.

It’s been 20 years since the terrorist attacks which killed thousands in New York, Washington D.C. and Pennsylvania changed the U.S. forever, and Maryville continues to honor the victims and first responders who lost their lives.

This is the second year Northwest has organized the stair climb, and University Event Coordinator Jordyn Greenhaw said she is grateful to be a part of the school’s 9/11 memorial.

Greenhaw said she thinks emphasis has been put into this year’s remembrance because many college-aged people were not alive for the events.

“It’s a great learning opportunity to understand what really happened that day,” Greenhaw said. “Many don’t understand the depth of when the country went still.”

The memorial included images and videos of the day of

A similar memorial to honor the firefighters was held Sept. 10 at Freedom Rock-Franklin Park.

Members of the community including some Maryville Middle School students attended the memorial ceremony.

Chief of Maryville Fire Department Phil Rickabaugh said that the memorial has been going on for around 10 years now.

Rickabaugh said that this memorial hits close to home being a first responder.

“This event changed our lives,” Rickabaugh said. “We want people to know what this means to us who lived through it.”

The ceremony also included the ringing of a bell in four sets of five rings each, and a few speeches. Karla Duncan, who worked for the Red Cross during 9/11, spoke at the ceremony and recounted her experience working in New York after the attack.

Duncan worked at Ground Zero helping feed survivors and providing physical aid and mental health aid. One thing she said she would always remember was the sense of community that came out of the attacks.

“We weren’t divided by political party or race, we were united together,” Duncan said.

The message of “Never For-

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest students Madison Thielen and Erin Pankoke pass each other during the 9/11 Stair Climb hosted annually at the Bearcat Stadium. Participants were challenged to climb 2,071 stairs in honor of the 343 firefighters who made the same climb 20 years ago.

get” hasn’t lost its momentum even 20 years later. Rickabaugh said there are a lot of numbers involved in the events of 9/11, but that we need to re-

member that there were people behind those numbers.

“These were folks like you and me,” Rickabaugh said. “We must never forget them.”

Northwest obtains energy improvement grant SIDNEY LOWRY News Editor | @sidney_lowry

The Northwest Board of Regents accepted a grant of $40,095 from the Missouri Market Development Program to purchase a new biomass boiler and heating system at the Sept. 9 meeting.

This program is through the Missouri Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority and works to promote the development for recycled material. One of the ways they promote this is through financial assistance, like this grant.

The grant will fund up to 75% of the cost for the new biomass boiler, and Northwest will provide the other 25% at $13,366.

This money will come from the Recycling Center’s fund.

“We will invest $13,000, but save $10,000 in our energy costs in just a little over a year,” Vice President of Finance and Administration Stacy Carrrick said.

The boiler will be fueled by

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

President John Jasinski listens as the Northwest Board of Regents accepts a grant of $40,095 from the Missouri Market Development Program at the Board’s Sept. 9 meeting. The grant will allow Northwest to purchase a new biomass boiler and heating system.

mixed and recycled paper. Northwest collects 150 tons of paper on average every year from campus and the Maryville community.

The report sent to the Board of Regents by Carrick said that the value of mixed paper in this region has collapsed and no lon-

ger covers the costs it takes to get rid of the paper.

Northwest Facility Services applied for the grant because it was

looking for a solution to the excess amount of mixed paper. This new fuel alternative will allow for 44 tons of mixed paper to go to use.

This paper is currently going into the regional waste stream, which leads to disposal tipping fees. However, it will soon be used for fueling the biomass boiler.

This new boiler will be used to heat the Recycling Center, switching it from an electricforced air heating system. This will eliminate or decrease the need for other heating systems in the center, which will save on energy costs overall.

Though the money to cover around a quarter of the costs will be coming from the Recycling Center’s budget, Carrick said Northwest would be able to make up the cost through savings the new boiler will bring.

“Currently, we spend about $15,000 a year heating the Recycling Center, so we will be reducing that by 70% with savings of about $10,000 a year,” Carrick said.

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Sept. p 16, 2021 @TheMissourian

A4

NEWS

CRIME LOG

for the week of Sept. 16 Northwest Missouri State University Police Department

Sept. 13 There is a closed investigation for an accident in Parking Lot 28.

Sept. 12 There is a closed investigation for peace disturbance in Parking Lot 10.

Sept. 10 There is a closed investigation for an accident in Parking Lot 38.

Sept. 9 There is a closed investigation for a liquor law violation in Franken Hall.

Sept. 8 There is an open investigation for stealing at B.D. Owens Library.

Maryville Department of Public Safety Sept. 12 There is an ongoing investigation for larceny on the 600 block of East Fourth Street.

There was an accident between Sharon S. Scott, 70, and Makayla D. Adwell, 20, on the 200 block of North Main Street.

RENEE HASKELL | NW MISSOURIAN

A group of Sigma Society members listen during their meeting Sept. 13, hosted by several returning members who introduce themselves with slide shows. Sigma Society recently removed female pronouns, now replaced with gender-neutral terms.

Historic move advocates for inclusive organizations

Sept. 11 A summons was issued to Juan C. Garcia, 26, for driving while intoxicated and failure to maintain the right half of the roadway on the 900 block of South Main Street.

There is an ongoing investigation for larceny on the 2900 block of South Main Street.

A summons was issued to Steven R. Ramos, 24, for larceny on the 1600 block of South Main Street.

QUENTIN MORRIS News Reporter | @TheMissourian

Sigma Society changed its constitution to allow anyone of any gender to participate in the organization.

Sigma Society was founded in 1970, originally as a women’s service organization. It helps local charities like the Nodaway County Humane Society and national charities like the Ronald McDonald House. In its original constitution, all of the pronouns were limited to she, her, young women and sisterhood.

Last semester a suggestion was left in an anonymous comment box. It mentioned some of the members may not identify with standard she/her pronouns. Sigma Society’s original constitution was composed entirely of female pronouns. Those have been removed and placed with gender-neutral terms. For example, every time the term “women” was used it was replaced with “adult.”

Sigma Society President Jalyn Bryan said she is ready for the change.

“We have had members in our past not go by she/her but go by they/them,” Bryan said.

Sept. 10 There is an ongoing investigation for fraud on the 1300 block of Parkdale Road.

There was a recovered speaker box on the 1200 block of South Main Street.

A summons was issued to Jaxon L. Romer, 19, for possession of a fake ID on the 1500 block of North Main Street.

A summons was issued to Joshua R. Fitzgerel, 18, for possession of a fake ID on the 1500 block of North Main Street.

SENATE

CONTINUED FROM A1 As of Sept. 14, two applications have already been submitted.

Lee-Johnson said the application was created to help Senate narrow down options on how to spend the budget. In past years, deciding on how to use the money was difficult and having organizations directly come to Senate with ideas is the best way to tackle the rollover money, she said.

“Our biggest priority is to get this money spent,” LeeJohnson said. “We are very grateful that we can vote on an application already.”

Last year, the rollover budget amount totaled $25,000 when the previous Senate concluded their final session due to COVID-19. Senior Class Representative Brady Fritts said the reason the current rollover budget is so large is because organizations weren’t able to request funds due to pandemic restrictions on travel and large gatherings.

Senate members expressed widespread support for the appropriations of the funds, and Fritts said this is the best use of the rollover budget that Student Senate has seen in years.

“This is a no-brainer that we should approve these funds,” Fritts said.

Many members of Student Senate, including Fritts and LeeJohnson, said they were excited to hear back from more organizations about using rollover budget funds.

VACCINE

CONTINUED FROM A1 The next deadline for Mosaic’s mandate is Nov. 1 for tier two of its mandate, which includes providers and managers. Tier three’s deadline will be whatever deadline is set by the federal guidelines, Blackford said.

Current reported vaccination rates for Northwest students and

COUNCIL

“Gender identity has always been kind of fluid with our members. So it feels nice to be able to accept people and give them their proper pronouns so they can feel welcome.”

Adrienne Reynolds is the faculty advisor for Sigma Society, and she believes in accepting more people, no matter their gender.

“This should not be just an organization for women because this is an organization about service and giving back to the community,” Reynolds said.

By removing all the pronouns from its constitution, Sigma Society has now opened the door for men and non-binary people to join their organization.

“Service should be open to everybody. It should not have a gender label,” Bryan said. “Men have just as much of a right to serve our community and be in an organization that serves the community as women do. So we are totally open to anybody who shares the same values as our organization does.”

Sigma Society Parliamentarian Kayla Torres, who made the changes to the constitution, said the revisions made her feel better about Sigma Society’s future.

“I understand that at first we

were first just a women’s organization but opening up to be more inclusive will be better for everyone, especially if that means everyone feels more comfortable,’’ Torres said.

The change in the constitution brings some adjustments to how new members join. When someone new joins the organization, every member will provide their pronouns.

“I just think it’s fabulous that we have become so inclusive and that students want to have an organization that they can not only give to their community, but also have others feel at home in that same organization,” Reynolds said.

Bryan hopes other campus organizations will follow their lead and remove any gendered language from their constitutions.

“I hope other organizations follow suit. I think it will be good, and it would help everyone find their place without having to worry about whether people will accept me or respect my pronouns,” Bryan said.

Those who are interested in joining Sigma Society can go to its website and contact their recruitment chairs.

Yamaha and M&M Golf both sent demo cars to the staff to test. After the test, Assistant City Manager Ryan Heiland said the Yamaha vehicle was better for both the city and golf course.

“All of the staff preferred the Yamaha,” Heiland said. “The Yamaha car is much quieter than the other options. Their car specifically has a sound suppression system that makes it much quieter while driving it.”

Heiland had additional reasons for the Yamaha being the better option, one being that it’s the cheapest bid. The Yamaha lease will cost a total of $263,520 over the four-year lease, compared to the M&M Golf lease at $266,045 and the Cushman lease at $310,761.

Maryville’s contract with Masek Golf Car Co. for Mozingo’s existing golf cars also helped solidify the decision, Heiland said.

“An additional benefit of se-

lecting the Yamaha model from Masek Golf Car Company is that they own the lease on Mozingo’s existing fleet,” Heiland said. “Due to supply chain issues caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, golf supplies are experiencing delays in production and shipping.

The City Council passed the ordinance and accepted the Yamaha bid.

The Council also passed a city ordinance to put GPS units on the new fleet of golf cars. The city will pay $44,352 over the four-year lease for the Yamaha cars to have GPS units.

Mayor Benjamin Lipiec said it’s important to get those units on the cars.

“As we improve our golf course and more people from out of town use our course, it is going to become an expectation that we have GPS on our carts,” Lipiec said.

The GPS units will also provide a source of revenue for the cars. The units can display advertisements as well as provide a place for golfers to look at and order off of restaurant menus.

As the City Council meeting goes underway, Mayor Ben Lipiec leads the room in a prayer after welcoming everyone. The Council passed an ordinance to put GPS units in all the new golf cars, which will cost the city $44,352 over the four-year lease for the Yamaha cars.

employees have been “trickling upwards,” Cullin said. Chris Dawe, assistant vice president of health and well-being at Northwest, said as of Sept. 15, records show 37% of students and 59% of employees have shared vaccine information with the University — up 4% and 5% respectively for students and employees from Sept. 3.

“Getting yourself vaccinated, that’s the way we are going to overcome this,” Patterson said.

In terms of cases of COVID-19, Blackford said positivity rates are higher than he would like them to be heading into the fall. NCHD announced 51 new cases of COVID-19 between Sept. 7-14 for an average of over six per day during that span.

The Mosaic system had 241 positive cases identified in August, the highest amount in a month since December 2020.

Blackford said he estimated

roughly 10% of patients currently in the Mosaic system are there for COVID-19, with one such hospitalization.

As of Sept. 14, Northwest had 12 positive cases with 11 of them being off campus. Cullin said CRT 2 will continue to take a holistic approach to COVID-19 mitigation at Northwest and will pay close attention to case counts and hospitalizations in surrounding communities and universities.

CONTINUED FROM A1

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

“So as far as keeping people safe, especially on campus, it’s looking positive,” Cullin said.

Cullin reiterated previous statements and said she’s pleased with compliance with the on-campus mask mandate and CRT 2 will continue to evaluate the necessity of the mandate. The University of Missouri recently renewed its temporary mask mandate to extend to Oct. 15.

OPINION

Sept. 16, 2021 @TheMissourian

A5

Eliminate ‘gay best friend’ archetype NICK SHUTTS COLUMNIST @TheMissourian

As a gay man in Missouri, I deal with prejudice on a weekly basis. Some months are better than others, but you never fully escape the disapproving glares.

However, for every scowl, there’s three times as many allies for the LGBTQ+ community. Northwest students are usually accepting of its LGBTQ+ population. Despite this, there’s one phrase that feels like a step backward: “gay best friend.”

I’ve heard it my entire life, and it’s only made me feel uncomfortable. The first time I was exposed to the gay best friend stereotype was through a character in “Mean Girls.” His only defining characteristics were being funny, flamboyant and dramatic. This made for a flat character that only perpetuated stereotypes held against the LGBTQ+ community. Thus, the “gay best friend” archetype created by Hollywood became part of my everyday life.

There is an insincerity in the phrase’s claim; it feels like you’ve only achieved the “best friend” title by being gay. Despite people’s good intentions, it comes across as a backhanded compliment.

The gay community is harmed by the phrase “gay best friend” in several different ways.

First, there’s the misconception that being gay is a choice when, in reality, it’s an unchangeable trait you’re born with. Labeling somebody based on things that are out of their control is problematic.

Second, being called a “gay best friend” early in life implies that it is one of your defining features. Today, society focuses too heavily on sexuality. This proves damaging to the self-esteem and emotional development of young queer kids, as they’re quickly put in a mold they feel the need to fill.

Another reason involves how homosexuality has always been wrongfully ostracized.

I’ve been called slurs around Maryville for simply wearing a pride shirt. It’s unsurprising that many individuals in the LGBTQ+ community don’t want to discuss their sexuality.

By telling someone that you don’t want to be called their gay best friend, you bring more attention to your sexuality. In a small, rural town like Maryville, it’s scary to put the spotlight on sexuality with the possibility of backlash looming.

To be a good ally to a minority community, it’s important to look out for its best interests.

This includes listening to members of the community when they say something’s wrong.

For example, the “gay best friend” archetype needs to be dismantled — for my community’s sake.

There doesn’t need to be a protest or a rally; being called a “gay best friend” won’t ruin anyone’s life. However, it’s important to understand why it causes harm to the gay community. Most people probably don’t know this is an issue, so it’s important to educate those around you.

People should speak up to defend their LGBTQ+ friends. A single person’s voice can make a safer space for the gay community, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

ALEXANDRIA MESZ | NW MISSOURIAN

OUR VIEW:

Students should learn about, engage with Student Senate “Student Senate is a great place for students to get connected while also serving the student body. Senate is an organization driven by the needs and desires of students and one in which all students are encouraged to voice their comments and concerns.

Leadership, service, cooperation — Student Senate has it all.”

That’s the description of Student Senate on Northwest’s page for the organization. However, not many people know what it does for students. To put it plainly, Student Senate handles thousands of dollars every year that come directly from fees paid by students. They’re in charge of allocating that money for the advancement of the students and Northwest. Because Student Senate works for the betterment of the students, Bearcats should pay more attention to it — especially if they’re going to criticize it.

Student Senators are representatives who interact with faculty, staff, administration and the Maryville community on behalf of the student body. Additionally, it aims to be a unified body focused on advancing the interests and well-being of each student. The gist of what you need to know is on the school’s website; it’s a simple search away.

One reason a good amount of Bearcats sit in the dark when it comes to Student Senate could be the lack of visibility on campus. Out-

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Copy Editor News Editor Sports Editor Design Editor Opinion Editor Photo Editor Social Media Editor Cartoonist

Your Bearcat loves boisterous children

Mac Miller was one of the greatest artists of our generation. He wrote beautiful, soulful hits and club bangers with ease, and you would be hardpressed to find a person under the age of 25 who doesn’t at least like some of his songs.

His first album, “K.I.D.S.,” is not actually about children.

It’s an acronym for something else, but this stroller is about kids and, unlike Miller’s music, about how they tend to ruin rather than enhance events.

Last week I went to a movie with a few friends. Instead of staying at one of my friend’s places and watching something on Netflix, we decided to gamble on whether or not a theater with five people under the age of 12 could ruin our evening.

We lost.

Now, I’m not one of those people who refers to children

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as “crotch goblins” or says the magnificentally stupid “why would you bring kids into this messed up world?” either advocating for the complete end of the human race in 80 years — a key point in the Republican Party platform — or implying that it was better to procreate in other times in history.

Yeah, I mean, children in the Middle Ages died before they were teenagers, but kids nowadays spend too much time on the ole iPad. So this is definitely worse.

All of this is to say that I respect your right to have children and even to take them places, but it would be great if you didn’t take them to evening showings of movies not made for kids on a Friday night.

They have this weird genre of film that children love and is geared towards them —

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children’s movies. If I pulled up with my friends to “Hotel Transylvania 4,” then I would anticipate my experience being interrupted by youngsters, but this was not that case.

This movie featured people murdering other people in hand-to-hand combat. Timmy is aggressive enough, so maybe let him pass on this one.

Look, I don’t even like going to the bars in Maryville that allow people under 21 inside because it feels like drinking in a daycare — a tier one activity that should never be on a bucket list — because of all the freshmen. College freshmen act a lot like the kids who were at the movie theater. They are way too loud, easily confused and often require frequent oversight and the occasional scolding.

I know that if you have children, sometimes you also want

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an Instagram account.

This year’s turnout for Senate informationals is a good enough indicator of how poorly the organization communicates with the community it aims to serve. Only a few freshmen showed up to meetings explaining how they’ll conduct their campaign and how the election campaign works. It’s also important to note that no student may run for a position if they haven’t attended an informational meeting, per Junior Class President Sydney Looney at a Student Senate meeting.

So, the moral of the story is, if an organization wants people to participate, you have to make sure they know how and, especially, that they need to.

Of course, there’s the issue of nepotism — another problem that can be solved with larger voter participation.

Nepotism is defined as the practice among those with power or influence of favoring relatives or friends, especially by giving them jobs. Unfortunately, popularity contests aren’t just a high school homecoming issue. If you don’t want to see it happen in college, show up to Senate elections.

Student Senate is supposed to be an organization that advances the interests and well-being of students.

However, it needs help from the latter half of its name. After all, it all starts with the students.

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side of its persistently empty glass box perched on the third floor of the union, the organization takes a behind-the-scenes role at the University. Another reason could be a general sense of indifference.

“Ignorance is bliss” is a cliche saying, but it seems like the student body lives by it. The less involvement someone has in solving problems on campus, the more reason they have to blame someone else for inconveniences.

This can be solved by learning how your voice matters to Student Senate and how you can help make the Northwest experience better by simply being involved.

For starters, students should show up to elections. Historically, Student Senate elections have had low turnouts, again, possibly resulting from a lack of advertising coupled with a lack of concern. Every four years, the nation is put on notice that the only way for the nation to change is if its people band together to voice what needs to change. Northwest is no different — well, in terms of the cause and effect.

On the other side of the coin, Senate fails to announce its meetings, informationals and general existence. Again, students have attended Northwest and still don’t know what Senate is or how it operates. Senate needs more than just an Instagram page where posts are reposted by the University’s account. As strange as it seems these days, not everybody has

If you believe information within our publication is incorrect, please email us at northwestmissourian@gmail.com, call our newsroom (660) 562-1224, or leave us a comment on www.nwmissourinews.com.

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to do things but have to bring your children with you. Kind of like how we always have to bring the worst person in the friend group because it would be really awkward if we all hung out without him — sorry Steve.

Movies are a really bad place for them because of the aforementioned freshmen reasons. So if you really want to relax and watch a movie, I suggest doing it at home.

And if you worried about the children bothering you during the movie — which would be weird considering you don’t mind them bothering me — may I suggest investing in a laser pointer to point at random objects in the house.

That’ll occupy them for a decent amount of time.

The Stroller has been a tradition since 1918 and does not reflect the views of The Northwest Missourian.

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SPORTS

Sept. 16, 2021 @TheMissourian

A6

RETURN

CONTINUED FROM A8 “Well, when you’re the defensive coordinator, you get to stand on the sideline and drink a lot of gatorade when he’s running that many times,” Wright said. “It just adds a different dimension. He’s a really good back.”

“He’s a special player,” Owens said. “There’s hardly one tackle that’s going to break him down. As an offensive line guy, you love to see that. … If you make somewhat of a hole for that guy, he’s going to do something with it.”

Central’s defense, Owens said, presents a front that’s similar to what the Bearcats saw in Week 1. Fort Hays showed Northwest’s offense numerous looks, including different presnap movements, followed by post-snap stunts.

Owens, though, is expecting to see the efforts of the offensive line that were featured in the latter 30 minutes of the game against Hays.

“They move quite a bit. With that movement, they will move themselves in the wrong way,” Owens said. “As long as us big guys upfront do our jobs, stay on track and do what we’ve been taught, everything will work out.”

Wright, who calls Northwest’s defensive plays along with his regular head-coaching duties, is hoping to see his defensive front have its usual impact on the game, pressuring the quarterback and shutting down

HOUNDS

CONTINUED FROM A8 To Maryville’s advantage, the ‘Hounds will return to the ‘Hound Pound for the first time in the 2021 season.

Maryville has not lost a game in its home stadium since the 2010 season.

Webb said he can’t say if it makes it easier, but he does know it’s a special place.

“They call it ‘Hound Pound magic,’” Webb said.

Opposite to the 2020 season, there are no COVID-19 restrictions, and there’s no pass list. Not only is this game going to be the Spoofhounds’ home opener but, thanks to a cancellation to the Bearcats’ first home game, this will be the first official football game played in 2021 in Maryville.

Webb said this is a community that loves football, and there’s nothing else going on Friday night. He said they want anything in the area with a heartbeat to be at the game.

Spire agreed with Webb and said it is a magical place for everyone on game night.

“I have never been somewhere else that has given me the chills when I walk out in front of as many people,” Spire said. “That place just gives me the chills.”

The source of the ‘Hound Pound’s magic, according to Webb, is the very foundation it sits upon.

“It’s awesome. It’s titletown for a reason,” Webb said. “The grass is blessed.”

the opposition’s rushing attack.

The Bearcats’ defense was successful in doing more of the latter than the former against Fort Hays, only recording a single sack, yet holding the Tigers to 55 yards rushing for the entirety of the contest.

“Defensively, I thought we played against the rush really well,” Wright said. “But we need to be able to do a better job defending explosive plays.”

The Bearcats aren’t quite sure what explosive plays to watch out for against Central. Neither are the Mules.

During the second quarter of a 19-point loss to Washburn in Week 2, Central senior quarterback Kyle Bradley was benched after throwing an interception — his third in six quarters of play. Mules coach Jim Svoboda elected to replace Bradley with junior quarterback Logan Twehous, who led Central’s offense to the end zone on his first drive of the season.

“We’re gonna, obviously, prepare for both,” Wright said.

“Anytime a coach makes the decision to do that in the middle of a football game, he’s telling me that, ‘All cards are on the table.’

So, we’re going to prepare as if we’re going to play against both.”

Central’s offensive scheme, Wright said, shouldn’t change with either of the quarterbacks in. He’s expecting Svoboda’s offensive attack to present similar challenges as it has in the past, but with less fire power.

Brook Bolles, who was Central’s first-team All-MIAA quar-

terback in 2019, led the Mules to a win in the first round of the postseason against UIndy and now-Northwest running back McKeller before a second-round loss to Ferris State.

Shae Wyatt, who was Bolles’ No. 1 receiver and also a firstteam All-MIAA selection in 2019, transferred to Tulane after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled Division II’s 2020 season.

Central’s offense, other than it’s schematics, has almost no resemblance to when Northwest beat the Mules 45-23 at Bearcat Stadium during the last week of the regular season in 2019.

“It looks like a bunch of new guys playing in the system,” Wright said. “It’s gonna take them some time to figure that piece of it out. The backs are back, a couple of the offensive linemen, but it’s just new pieces in a brand new year.”

The Mules, who were tabbed as fourth in the MIAA’s Preseason Coaches Poll, have started the season with two consecutive losses — a vast difference from the Central team that went 10-1 and split the MIAA title with Northwest in 2019.

But regardless of Central’s atypical record throughout the first two weeks of the season, Wright is expecting it to be the same rivalry that it always has been between the two founding members of the MIAA. “It’s Central versus Northwest — it’s a big game, always has been,” Wright said. “I think we’re gonna get their best shot.”

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest junior quarterback Braden Wright attempts a pass during the Bearcats’ 15-7 win against Fort Hays Sept. 2 at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays, Kansas. Wright was 13-of-23 for 96 yards passing and a touchdown.

NW golf finds low scores in road trip to Okla.

TRISTAN LYNCH Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

The Northwest golf team bounced back from a high-scoring first round with a 13-shot improvement to finish tied for 11th out of 16 teams in the 22nd annual Northeastern State University Women’s Golf Classic Sept. 13-14 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

The ‘Cats finished the twoday, 36-hole tournament at a score of 629 (+53), which is the lowest the team has shot since the Augustana Invitational Sept.

29-30, 2018, when they posted a score of 626.

Andy Peterson, Northwest’s athletic director and golf coach, felt his team played well and that this outing was a step in the right direction.

“Solid outing, I think we are going to get better as we go, as we get more rounds under our belt,” Peterson said. “Especially here in the fall with the decent weather, try to set ourselves up

FILE | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest golf team members practicing putting at their home course at Mozingo Lake. The Bearcats finished 11th in their most recent tournament. The team posted its lowest score since 2018 with a score of 629 (+53).

for a big-time spring.”

The ‘Cats improved from day one, shooting a 321 (+33) in the first round, to a day two that featured a round of 308 (+20).

Senior Morgan Thiele finished tied for 34th, with a teamhigh, two-round score of 154 (+10), scoring a 77 (+5) in both rounds, respectively.

Sophomore Elly Speece rebounded well from her firstround score of 81 (+9) by shooting a 74 (+2) in her second round to tally a total score of 155 (+11), placing her in a tie for 37th.

“Speece just shooting two over with three birdies is special, obviously anytime you can be in the low 70’s it is special.” Peterson said about Speece’s secondround performance.

Senior Anna Zech was also able to rebound from her firstround score with the help of a birdie on hole No. 18 in her second round and finish tied for

58th with a total score of 160 (+16).

As Peterson was excited about the team’s ability to rebound from the high-scoring first round, he knows that the program has progressed a lot in the past couple of years.

“I say we shot high at the 321, but three years ago, we averaged a 334,” Peterson said. “So, for us to shoot a 321 and be upset about it is a good sign that we are getting better as a program, and we are improving.”

With the progression that the program has made in the past few years, Peterson has also noticed the progression made already this season with hopes that it will continue.

“We shaved 3 to 4 strokes off from our first tournament,” Peterson said. “So, if we can continue to do that through the rest of the year, we will be in great shape. … Now, that is a tall order, but it is something I think

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Although the Northwest golf team has progressed, Peterson is still keeping the team focused on putting together whole tournaments.

“We just haven’t done it yet,” Peterson said. “First tournament, last week, we went low day one, then went high day two. Then, we did the opposite this week by going high day one then quite a bit lower day two, so it’s good we learned … but we will get there.”

The ‘Cats will get a chance to work on it this next week as Peterson plans on requalifying before heading out to the Kansas City Cup in Smithville, Missouri, Sept. 27-28.

“We are going to requalify the next week and a half in the lead up to our Kansas City tournament here at the end of the month and try to rest a little bit,” Peterson said.

CONTINUED FROM A8

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They’ve started the season 7-1, including a first-week win against then-No. 5 Tampa at the Courtyard by Marriott Classic in Tampa, Florida. Following their 4-0 outing in Tampa, the Bearcats were ranked No. 8, marking the program’s highest ranking ever.

Woerth isn’t concerned about their lone loss, a 3-1 fault against Michigan Tech at the Capital Classic in Springfield, Illinois last weekend. She is, however, impressed that they responded by winning their final two games of the outing.

Walk The Talk is a mailbag that focuses on all things Northwest Athletics. To submit a question for the next edition of the mailbag, tweet @ByJonWalker or email j.walker.missourian@gmail.com.

SPORTS

Sept. 16, 2021 @NWMSports

A7

Volleyball set to make Hughes debut JAY MCKINNEY Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

After competing on the road for the first two weeks of the season, Northwest volleyball will kick off the regular season in the irregular, impromptu venue of the Carl and Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse.

Construction is ongoing in Bearcat Arena, so Northwest Athletics had to search for a way for volleyball to still play its home games on campus. Now, the No. 12 Bearcats will host their first home matchup against No. 7 Central Missouri Sept. 17.

“It will be different because we are in a different location,” Northwest coach Amy Woerth said.

“But it feels amazing. … Having your own rhythm that you find at home brings a lot of comfort.”

Woerth and the Bearcats returned back this week after competing at the 2021 Capital Classic in Springfield, Missouri.

They ended the weekend 3-1, defeating Grand Valley State 3-0, capturing a three-set sweep against Purdue University-Northwest and beating Upper Iowa 3-1.

The Bearcats’ lone loss throughout the week, which was their first of the season, came courtesy of a 3-1 defeat via Michigan Tech.

“They just completely overpowered us, offensively,” Woerth said. “In the second set, we had 3 match points … so, knowing how to finish in those

UP NEXT NW vs. Central Missouri 6 p.m. Sept. 17 Hughes Fieldhouse

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Outside hitter Jaden Ferguson tips the ball over the net in their home scrimmage Aug. 28 to prepare the team before their first game of the season. The No. 12-ranked volleyball team will play host to Central Missouri Sept. 17 in their first home game.

moments at a higher level, and when faced with adversity, just working on being a collective unit instead of breaking apart in those moments.”

“It felt good to come together as a team and push through having such good setters,” said redshirt freshman outside hitter Payton Kirchhoefer, who led

the Bearcats in kills throughout the weekend (69).

Kirchhoefer’s notable performance earned her a spot on the All-Tournament team at the Capital Classic.

She wasn’t the only redshirt freshman making an impact for Northwest; middle hitter Abby Brunssen led the Bearcats’ de-

fensive efforts with a total of nine blocks during the fourmatch outing.

“We have great pin blockers that help set us up for success when it comes to blocking,” Brunssen said. “Getting a big block in a crucial moment brings a lot of energy and momentum to the game.”

The Bearcats believe the well-rounded competition they’ve faced in their first eight games has prepared them to compete in their first full season since the fall of 2019 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“They have gotten us where we need to be as far as preparation,” Woerth said. “Gave us a good taste of what we can do, offensively and defensively, as a team. … We had some good testing moments that we can take forward and put into play.”

Despite not being able to practice in the Hughes Fieldhouse until the week before their first home game, the Bearcats don’t want that to take away from their end goal, nor the culture that is being built within the program. However, it does bring excitement, not only for the players and coaching staff, but for Northwest itself.

After their matchup with the Jennies, the Bearcats will head to St. Joseph for a matchup with Missouri Western Sept. 19.

“We are all super excited to get into Hughes Fieldhouse and to be able to start the season off at home,” Kirchhoefer said.

Soccer aims to bounce back after second-week struggles WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville soccer senior forward Jacob Ferris navigates through defenders during the Spoofhounds’ 9-0 win against Cameron Aug. 30 at Bearcat Pitch.

Maryville will have a week off before traveling to play Savannah Sept. 20.

MHS battles through adversity in Excelsior Springs Tournament GAGE KAHLER Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian

The Maryville boys soccer team participated in the Excelsior Springs Tournament Sept.

9-11, marking the Spoofhounds’ second tournament in as many weeks. In their first, the Barstow Tournament, they went 1-0-1 before their final game was canceled due to rain.

The Spoofhounds’ (4-21) first match of the tournament was against the Smithville Warriors (3-2).

Senior forward Jacob Ferris and sophomore midfielder Kason Teale each had goals against the Warriors. However, the ‘Hounds took a 4-2 loss to Smithville, dropping their record in the tournament to 0-1.

Maryville’s next matchup was against the Roosters of Pleasant Hill (3-3). The Roosters appeared to be no match for the Spoofhounds, as Maryville avenged its first-round loss with a 7-1 win.

This win was sparked by a standout performance from Ferris, who scored four goals, two of which were assisted by junior midfielder Quinn Pettlon.

Along with his three assists to Ferris, Pettlon added a pair of goals himself. Senior midfielder James DiStefano also scored a goal, securing the win and bringing Maryville’s record in the tournament to 1-1.

“I think a lot of players had their best games this week,” Maryville boys soccer coach Chase Tolson said. “Quinn Pettlon had a couple of his best games of the season so far. It’s nice to see him settling in and having a significant impact on the game.”

Heading into the final game of

UP NEXT MHS @ Savannah 5 p.m. Sept. 20 Savannah, Missouri

the tournament, Maryville was without one of the team’s key pieces; Ferris, who led the team in goals in the tournament, didn’t play due to personal reasons.

“It was disappointing to know that Jacob wasn’t going to make it to our final game of the tournament,” Tolson said. “It was really nice to see him get on a scoring roll those first two games.

I would’ve loved to see how he would’ve wrapped up the tournament, but things happen.”

Senior defender Teagan Haer went down with an ankle injury midway through the final game, ending his weekend earlier than expected.

The Spoofhounds’ final game of the tournament was a matchup against the host team, the Excelsior Springs Tigers (4-2).

This game proved to be a nailbiter, as it ended up going to penalty kicks with the teams knotted in a 2-2 tie.

In penalty kicks, the Tigers came out victorious, dropping the Spoofhounds record to 1-2 in the tournament.

“We had a shutout in our first game against Cameron, but we haven’t had one since then,” Tolson said. “We haven’t been allowing many goals, but we want to have a couple where we don’t get scored on.”

Tolson and company will have the opportunity to pitch the possible shutout when they make the 30-minute trek to play Savannah Sept. 20.

Four and zero. Four and zero would have been the best possible option, and that’s what the Northwest soccer team was hoping to improve its record to during the second weekend of matches. However, the Bearcats were left with the exact opposite.

After Week 1, the Bearcats (2-2) got off to their strongest start to a season since 2014.

That all came to an end at the beginning of Week 2.

Northwest coach Marc Gordon said the two games are a good measuring stick for the team, and they gave a peek into the program’s growth over the last few years. He said the games helped the players see where they’re at and see the growth they’ve made.

“I just look at their effort, their drive and their intangibles,” Gordon said. “We’re finding ways to score, creating opportunities and still finding ways to give away a few goals as well, and still finding ways to work and battle through those things.”

When the Bearcats stepped onto Jennies Field in Warrensburg, Missouri, Sept. 10, they were set to play the No. 3 Grand Valley State. The Lakers (4-0) put up two quick goals in the first half, while the Bearcats weren’t able to respond with any of their own. Things did not lighten up for Northwest in the second half, and Grand Valley eventually walked away with a 5-2 win.

Northwest forwards graduate student Alex Mausbach and Sophomore Teagan Blackburn scored goals in the second half, respectively, which kept the Bearcats from being held scoreless for the first time this season.

Not too long after, that day came.

The Bearcats returned to the Bearcat Pitch Sept. 12, looking to put their first loss of the season behind them and avenge it against the Minnesota StateMankato Mavericks.

For the first 83 minutes of the game, the Bearcats did that, keeping the Mavericks scoreless.

Northwest’s only problem was that none of its shots had found the back of the net, either.

The two teams went up and down the field, exchanging steals, saves and missed shots on goal.

Then, at the 83rd minute of play, the Mavericks (2-1) were set up for a free kick. The ball went past the fingertips of Northwest senior goalkeeper

Alexis Serna Castillo and found its resting spot in the back of the net to give Mankato the first lead of the game. That score was all the difference though, with the final result a 1-0 win for the Mavericks.

Gordon said when the teams break down, or at least do so in a way that could’ve been fixed, it is kind of disappointing. However, the kind of soccer the Bearcats are playing is improving, Gordon said.

Junior midfielder Annelize Aleixo said despite the unfavorable results of the last two games, she still feels confident and excited about the future.

“We have proved and shown that we have the team to compete against any team in the conference. We just have to figure out a way to score and not concede goals,” Aleixo said.

“That is what we did last game — we dominated for 80 minutes but just got unlucky.”

The Bearcats were the first

UP NEXT NW @ Central Missouri 7 p.m. Sept. 17 Warrensburg, Missouri

team to score on the Lakers this season, and throughout the weekend, the Bearcats had opportunities to score, yet couldn’t capitalize. They put up a combined 25 shot attempts between both games and even led Minnesota State-Mankato in that category, 13 to eight.

Matching up against ranked teams won’t end there for the Bearcats in the third weekend of September. The final opponent of the weekend will be another familiar face: MIAA rival Missouri Western. The Griffons (30-1) are the No. 13 team in the country and most recently captured a 1-0 win against Southwest Minnesota State.

“I’m ready,” Aleixo said.

“We’re ready.”

LINCOLN HIPSHER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest soccer redshirt freshman forward Sophie Cissell competes with a defender for the ball during the Bearcats’ 1-0 loss to Minnesota State-Mankato Sept. 12 at Bearcat Pitch. It was the first time the ’Cats were held scoreless.

SPORTS

Home in Hughes NW volleyball makes irregular home debut in fieldhouse

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Sept. 16, 2021

WALK THE TALK:

Can NW volleyball stay good?

And more JON WALKER Sports Editor @ByJonWalker

Welcome into another edition of Walk The Talk, a weekly mailbag column where all of your questions regarding Northwest Athletics get answered.

Football is in full swing, and the questions that were asked this week show it. With that being said, let’s hop straight into it.

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest football junior defensive end Zach Howard does his signature stomach-shaking celebration in the aftermath of recording a sack during the fourth quarter of the Bearcats’ 15-7 win against Fort Hays Sept. 2 in Hays, Kansas.

’Cats to face Mules in Week 3 showdown JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

Northwest football was less than 72 hours out from a Week 1 win against Fort Hays when the Bearcats found out Lincoln, their Week 2 opponent, had to cancel due to COVID-19 protocols.

Fifth-year coach Rich Wright and company spinned the week off into something positive, though, and the No. 3 Bearcats (1-0) are now readying for their second straight road game to start the season, a Week 3 matchup against longtime MIAA rival Central Missouri (0-2) at Bud Walton Stadium in Warrensburg, Missouri.

“Being able to just go against the scout team and be able to see their looks for a few more days is — it’s always going to be favoring us here,” senior offensive tackle Tanner Owens said Sept. 14 at the Northwest Athletics Media Luncheon.

“The biggest challenge has been — so you went a year where we didn’t play, had the start of the season and got to play, everybody’s ready to rock and roll, then didn’t get to play,” Northwest fifthyear coach Rich Wright said. “Last week was a little more difficult, as far as just trying to get everybody locked back into what we were doing, but once we did, I felt like everybody did a good job with it.”

Before the ’Cats will hit the road to take on the Mules, the impromptu Bye Week allowed them to reassure some things on both sides of the ball.

For the offense — led by first-year offensive coordinator Todd Sturdy — it gave extra time to reinforce the line. In the first half against Fort Hays, Northwest’s offensive live allowed three sacks and a single pressure on its own quarterback.

“We’ve got a long ways to go upfront,” Owens said.

“Upfront, we have to be way more physical than we were. Our goal on the offensive line is to be the most physical offensive line — I do not think we showed that Week 1. … All five of us upfront got a long way to go.”

In the second half against Hays, the line didn’t allow a single sack or quarterback pressure. And aside from their first-half hiccups in the passing game, the offensive line aided senior running back Al McKeller to one of the more notable rushing performances from a Northwest player in the last decade.

In his Bearcat debut after transferring into the program from the University of Indianapolis, McKeller had 161 yards rushing and a touchdown on 28 carries, the most rushing attempts in a single game since James Franklin had as many against, of course, Central Missouri in October 2011.

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MHS to face MEC powerhouse St. Pius WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

After earning the first win of the 2021 season, the Maryville football team will make its home debut against MEC foe St. Pius X, the conference’s reigning champion.

The ‘Hounds (1-2) head into Week 4 of the regular season on the heels of a 36-25 win over longtime rival Chillicothe. Now, they will face the team at the top of the MEC standings.

The Warriors (3-0) ended Week 3 with a 48-0 beatdown over Cameron. However, Cameron is not the only one of the Warriors’ opponents to face a similar fate. In every game so far, Pius has beaten every team by at least 31 points and has given up a mere 17 total points.

“They’re a juggernaut football team,” Maryville coach Matt Webb said. “They’re excellent, very well coached. They’re awesome. We just hope to not get blown out by them.”

Webb described the Warriors as the class of the MEC and said

there are no weaknesses in their game. To be the best, you have to beat the best, Webb said, and Pius is the best in the MEC right now.

Senior linebacker Drew Spire said Pius’ performances so far would worry any team that has to line up in opposition.

“But I believe if we play as good as we can — play smart, stay physical and we play fast — I think we’ll be alright,” Spire said.

Pius is led by a high-octane offense, proven by the Warriors’ 48 points per game. At the helm of the offense is senior quarterback Jack Mosh, who is committed to play baseball at the University of Missouri.

“I’ve seen him make Patrick Mahomes-type throws,” Webb said.

Mosh isn’t by himself, though. Webb said their run game is fast-paced, but they can still bruise it through the middle when they need to.

Spire said the Spoofhounds’ defense has to be fundamental-

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WESLEY MILLER | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville football junior running back Caden Stoecklein rushes through the defense during the Spoofhounds’ 36-25 win against Chillicothe Sept. 10 Stoecklein had 76 yards rushing and a touchdown on five carries in Week 3.

ly sound and make sure it actually shows up on Friday night.

Spire said the front seven needs to play physical and fast and zone in on stopping the run. In the secondary, he said, they will have to do a better job than they did a week ago when they gave up 262 yards passing

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If you were the commissioner of the MIAA, how would you change the COVID-19 policy after Lincoln canceled in Week 2?

I wouldn’t change the MIAA’s policy regarding cancellations due to COVID-19 protocols.

I don’t have a problem with any existing guidelines. The problem, however, is there aren’t any. So, I’d start by making a season-long policy.

There isn’t a single program in the MIAA that should have to be at fault for an opponent not being able to field a team because of the seemingly everlasting COVID-19 pandemic. Northwest, of course, wasn’t given a loss, and a win against Lincoln wouldn’t have added to the Bearcats’ 2021 resume, but it doesn’t make sense to penalize them for the Blue Tigers’ mishaps.

If I were the commissioner, I would put a policy in place that rules incidents like this result in a forfeit for the team at fault.

If that isn’t fair, then I’m not exactly sure what is.

If you had the chance to flip a coin that would decide that game, rather than taking a no contest, would you take the chance?

I’ll keep the answer short and sweet.

I’d rather have a no contest than a 50% chance of recording an official loss to Lincoln.

No contest doesn’t hurt you, but that loss to Lincoln is demoralizing.

How does the early-season Bye Week impact football?

I think this question was asked in a negative manner, but I think a week off will do the exact opposite.

Junior defensive end Zach Howard played through an ankle sprain in Week 1 against Fort Hays, and two weeks without a game gives him that much more time to heal.

It gives fifth-year coach Rich Wright, who also serves as the team’s defensive coordinator, two weeks to prepare for an opponent’s offense.

And, of course, it gives firstyear offensive coordinator Todd Sturdy two weeks to prepare for Central Missouri’s tough defensive front that coach Jim Svoboda presents every year.

I don’t think the week off does anything but help the Bearcats heading into their Week 3 matchup with the Mules.

and two passing touchdowns.

He said they need to stick with their assignments and stay disciplined with their eyes.

“We need to use our technique and not try to rely on our skill,” Spire said.

How long can Northwest volleyball stay this good?

With the culture Amy Woerth has developed throughout the last few years, I’ll take the ’Cats riding this momentum all of the way to another appearance in the MIAA Tournament title game.

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