The Northwest Missourian

NORTHWEST

MISSOURIAN

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021

MARYVILLE, MISSOURI

NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

VOL. 110, NO. 4

@THEMISSOURIAN

Assault survivors chapter added to campus QUENTIN MORRIS News Reporter | @TheMissourian

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest students listen to a recruiter at Meet the Greeks Aug. 15, an event hosted by Greek Life to bring in new members to both sororities and fraternities during the first week of classes. The event was mask-optional, but sororities encouraged masks when talking to potential new members.

Students to get more relief funds SIDNEY LOWRY News Editor | @sidney_lowry

T

he Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund is rolling out a third student emergency grant, which is planned to make its way to students in October.

The allocation table from the U.S. Department of Education shows that Northwest was given just over $13.6 million, divided between student aid and University allocations. Northwest students were allocated just over $6.8 million, while the University was given a bit over $6.7 million.

For the HEERF II allocations, Northwest processed payments to 4,513 students in March, totalling just over $2.4 million.

This round, HEERF III, Northwest Director of Financial Assistance Charles Mayfield said the money allocated to students

New water project to launch in November SIDNEY LOWRY News Editor | @sidney_lowry

A $1.2 million granular activated carbon adsorber is on track to be operational by Nov. 1 to keep algae counts down at Mozingo Lake, leading to improved taste, odor and overall quality of drinking water.

will be split up between the summer, fall and spring semesters.

Northwest gave a small portion of this money to Pell Grant eligible students enrolled in the summer term. The rest of the money will be split as evenly as possible for the remainder of the 2021-22 school year.

“It is a balancing thing so we can give students consistent support instead of one big chunk of money, and then in the spring, they don’t have any kind of support,” Mayfield said.

HEERF requires students with financial need, like Pell Grant eligible students, to be prioritized when universities give students the allocated funds, but the range of funds to all students hasn’t been set yet. Mayfield said that range would not be determined until after the campus census on Sept. 15.

“We’ll give the student an option to opt-

Since at least 2017, students and community members have been affected by the taste and smell of the drinking water in Maryville. Algae blooms found in Mozingo Lake lead to cyanobacteria and geosmin, which cause the water to taste earthy and have a musty smell.

City Manager Greg McDanel said since May, there have been three treatments of EarthTec algaecide on the water, and a fourth has been approved to happen by next week.

The City Council approved the fourth treatment for $53,350 at the Aug. 23 meeting. Along with this approval, there was an announcement that the GAC adsorber is ahead of its scheduled completion date.

SEE TREATMENT | A4

No spike in cases after Labor Day weekend NATHAN ENGLISH Managing Editor | @nathan_3nglish

The Nodaway County Health Department has announced one new death from COVID-19, bringing the county total to 32 since the beginning of the pandemic over 18 months ago and the first death reported by NCHD since Aug. 5.

The individual who died from the coronavirus was somewhere between 90 and 99 years old, and it is not known at this time whether they were vaccinated or not.

out, but other than that, it will be money that we push out to the students, and it gets paid directly to them and they’ll get to choose the best use of that money based on individual circumstances,” Mayfield said.

After the census is complete and University officials outline the plan for allocating money to students, they will present it at a future Board of Regents meeting. Mayfield said they have everything ready to go to students before the meeting, so after approval, it can be given to students as quickly as possible.

Mayfield said that the money will go back to students through their Northwest billing account, and the refund will either be direct deposited to them or sent through a check that will be mailed to their address on file.

SEE HEERF | A4

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

Looking for a leak inside the water tank vessel, employee Brennan Downey at Semper Fi Industrial Coatings, which offers industrial painting and steel coating services, wades through water.

Sneha Ojha is the president of the Northwest chapter of It’s On Us, and with the recent sexual assaults on campus, she said it’s important to bring the group to Northwest.

“I wish we could spread as much awareness as we can about the available campus resources,” Ojha said. “My personal goal is to encourage everyone I see, meet and talk to, to be aware of the bystander training program.”

According to It’s On Us, its mission statement is to “build the movement to combat campus sexual assault by engaging all students, including young men, and activating the largest student organizing program of its kind in grassroots awareness and prevention education programs.”

“We want to be a safe place for victims to come to us with questions and help,” Jerilynn Hoover, vice president of public relations for It’s on Us. The organization is still in the early stages of planning.

Members are still filling some elected positions and are currently planning many of their events for the year. They have planned some events for October and November. In October, they will have a “light it up” event, and then they will hold a North Star Advocacy Center food drive in November.

North Star Advocacy Center is a local residential shelter and outreach program, which provides for those in need of shelter and crisis management court advocacy, in addition to other services. It’s mission statement is “validating and empowering victims of domestic and sexual violence while working to influence a cultural change.”

“We aim to bring awareness and resources to Northwest students, staff, graduate students and faculty for sexual assault on our campus,” Hoover said.

SEE GROUP | A4

TRACKING COVID-19: NEW DAILY CASES IN COUNTY UP TO SEPT. 6 20

New cases 15

Locally, cases and hospitalizations remain around the same levels as previous weeks coming off the holiday weekend. No new cases were reported Sept. 5 and four new cases were reported Sept. 6.

President of Mosaic Maryville Nate Blackford said the hospital had three patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday and around 30 hospitalized in the entirety of the Mosaic system.

SEE COVID | A4

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A2

HUMANS OF NORTHWEST

SUBMITTED | LAWANDA MOORE

From the front seat of her car, Lawanda Moore — Davonte’ Green’s mother — tries to navigate through the path of destruction in Hammond, Louisiana, caused by Hurricane Ida. The eye of the hurricane tore through the town of 20,000, directly impacting the community harder than Hurricane Katrina did when it hit New Orleans in 2005.

HURRICANE IDA HITS HAMMOND FOOTBALL PLAYER, FAMILY DEAL WITH AFTERMATH OF CATEGORY 5 STORM There sat Davonte’ Green, on a makeshift wooden bench on the outskirts of a mostlycleared-out construction site in the basement at Lamkin Activity Center Sept. 6.

Amid recollecting roughly the week that led up to that moment, the junior running back couldn’t stop twiddling the bottom seam of his white tank top while sitting hunched over with an elbow resting on each blackshorts-covered knee.

“I’m just trying to be strong for a lot of people right now,” Green said on the verge of tears.

“This is me being strong, just being here today.”

Green — a native of Hammond, Louisiana — never expected to end up in the northwest corner of Missouri. He did to bolster the backfield of Northwest football’s offense.

He spent his first two years of collegiate football playing at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California, where he tallied 1,655 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns before searching for greener pastures.

Accompanying him to Maryville were only his hopes of aiding Northwest’s program to its seventh national title. Green’s hopes grew, too, when he carried the ball 11 times for 53 yards en route to the Bearcats escaping Hays, Kansas, with a 15-7 win against Fort Hays Sept. 2.

“That game, it helped me breathe a little bit,” Green said.

“I was going into a game, like, that’s my escape. … It just helped me feel like myself again.”

Despite preparing for his first football game since November 2019, he hadn’t felt like his usual self for the better part of the week leading up to the Bearcats’ season opener.

That’s because prior to that game, Green had things on his

mind that are bigger than football.

His family, which was directly in the path of Hurricane Ida, remains in Louisiana. And while they’re at home in Hammond, he’s in Maryville, though he wishes he wasn’t.

“I’d rather be there with them,” Green said. “It’s just, being here and trying to be around people who don’t really understand what you’re going through — trying to keep a smile on your face, a focused face — that’s tough. It’s a lot to deal with.”

There are, of course, not too many hurricanes that leave everlasting impacts in Missouri, and that’s what Green is starting to realize.

He doesn’t expect his teammates, coaches and classmates to understand what he’s going through, because without surviving one of the most renowned hurricanes in the history of the United States, he knows they never could.

Green, 23, has been through this before, as Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of New Orleans and the surrounding areas — including Hammond — in August 2005, when he was 7 years old.

“One day you’re at home barbecuing, the next day you’re just swimming in water,” Green said.

“That’s not normal. Like, it’s a natural disaster, and we understand that part, but that’s nothing normal that a person should have to go through.”

Hammond was on the outskirts of the effects of Katrina, Green said, and there wasn’t too much damage to his own community, at least not compared to downtown New Orleans.

His city hadn’t been in the eye of a hurricane — until Aug. 29.

Lawanda Moore, Green’s mother, knew the hurricane was going to eventually reach shore.

She knew that Hammond was going to feel its wrath, and de-

You can do this.

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spite wanting everything to be OK, she knew that it probably wouldn’t be.

Still, she wanted to anchor down until she couldn’t any longer.

“Me, my mom and dad, we just stayed in the house. The lights went out around 4 o’clock in the evening, and we just hung around and tried to wait it out,” Moore said. “Throughout the night, the wind was blowing so hard I couldn’t sleep. … Some medication I’m taking had me out of it, but I kept feeling water dripping on my chest. I thought I was dreaming, but I really wasn’t. When I woke up, it was raining inside the house. A tree had fell through the roof.”

Moore suffered a stroke in 2018, one that’s left her with regularly-occurring seizures ever since. The aforementioned medication is to help her sleep through the night, though the storm effectively prevented her from doing just that.

The effects of her stroke create an additional complication for her, too, as she has to assure she’s with someone who could care for her in the instance she had a seizure. Finding help in the middle of a hurricane, she said, isn’t as easy as some people might think it is, especially with a destroyed home and nowhere to go.

“I didn’t sleep for, like, two or three nights after the storm hit. Like, the first night, we couldn’t find anywhere to stay because the power was out in the area, so we had to sleep in a car,” Moore said. “We were sleeping in vehicles until we were able to find a hotel.”

They eventually found a hotel, but it took a four-hour drive in order to do so. That was the case for most people in the area, Moore said.

It’s been a financial burden on the people of Hammond, and especially Green’s mother.

Her stroke and its effects left her with a disability, and thus, an inability to work. Not only will Moore have to spend money to fix a house, but she’ll have to spend even more than that on

JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest football junior running back Davonte’ Green warms up prior to the Bearcats’ 15-7 win against Fort Hays Sept. 2 at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays, Kansas. Green tallied 53 yards on 11 carries against the Tigers.

a hotel until she can go home.

“I’m on a fixed income, can’t even afford to travel this far,” Moore said. “It’s just mind-boggling. There are small children involved, and they’re finding dead bodies in homes now. We have a nursing home in Hammond, and they had to evacuate the patients to a warehouse — and, like, six patients died in that warehouse.”

In some ways, Moore is better off not being at home right now.

“Due to the lack of light and places to live, there are so many people breaking into houses,” Moore said. “They’re stealing generators off peoples’ houses, just trying to have power. It’s crazy. They’re taking risks to go to jail so they can survive for their family.”

But for now, she’ll be stuck four hours away from home, with virtually nothing but a mess to go back to.

“Where I live, the lights won’t be back on until the 20th,” Moore said. “That’s if they can even restore them by that time.

All of the major power lines exploded or are down.”

Despite being days away from his first football game in

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21 months, Green couldn’t stop wondering what was going on back home.

He was in Bearcat Stadium, studying the offense’s approach to attack Fort Hays at practice, when the eye of Hurricane Ida reached Hammond.

That was the day power went out in his hometown, which Moore witnessed firsthand, and that meant Green wasn’t able to reach his family for nearly 24 hours.

“I actually saw a light transformer just explode,” Moore said. “Like, I literally saw it with my own two eyes.”

“The health of my family, knowing that they’re OK and safe, that was the most important thing,” Green said. “You’re just sitting around and waiting on a phone call just to hear if they’re OK, or really anything.

That was devastating. … Like, not knowing, that s--- is tough.”

His mother knew he was worried about his family back home, she said, and that was one of the first things on her mind when the power went out. She knew that’s all he was thinking about, too, even though he didn’t have to.

The people of Louisiana, the mother and son both said, are built to withstand whatever adversity is thrown at them. Green, an emotional wreck amid not knowing his family’s status, shared numerous posts in support of the people of Louisiana.

There was one in particular, though, that referred to Louisiana natives as “Louisianimals.”

“With the storm, being from Louisiana, you show a lot of resilience,” Green said. “It ain’t gonna be the last, it ain’t the first, but you know you’ll be prepared for whatever in life. That’s what makes us so unique.”

READ MORE ONLINE

c o n t i n u u m f a m i l y c a r e. c o m

A full version of this story with a closer look at the shortage’s impact on scheduling in Maryville is available online at NWMISSOURINEWS.COM

NEWS

Sept. 9, 2021 @TheMissourian

A3

Senate votes to promote student vaccinations KAILEE FORD News Reporter | @kailee_ford

able funds for appropriations for student organizations. The organizational finance committee is working on reaching out to each organization on campus to notify them of available funds.

Funds for organizations come from a co-curricular fee of 40 cents per credit hour, which are paid for

by Northwest students to Student Senate. Organizations have a maximum amount of $1,500 they can request from Senate, but not every organization will use the money.

Applications and nominations were made for open positions at the meeting, with senior Jason Vaughn sworn in as the new National Panhellenic Council representative. Applications for a Faculty Senate representative opened for Senate members.

Nominations for two junior class and two on-campus representatives continued, with those spots not being filled yet. Last week’s meeting filled six previously empty spots, and next week’s

Northwest’s Student Senate discussed incentives for vaccination, finance for organizations and filling empty positions at their Sep. 7 meeting.

Organizational finance committee Chair Brady Fritts presented bringing in Kool Kats as an incentive for students to get vaccinated. Kool Kats came to Northwest for a vaccine clinic Aug. 16; however, the turnout was low, with only 27 people showing up to receive vaccinations.

Student Senate discussed and voted on a $500 payment that would be used to bring in Kool Kats. The funding would come from the co-sponsorship budget, which is around $2,000.

“We think it’s a good incentive for people to get vaccinated,” Fritts said.

Another topic Fritts brought up during the meeting was avail-

ROSCOE FLINT | NW MISSOURIAN

Senior Class President Brady Fritts announces another Kool Kats vaccination clinic during the last Student Senate meeting. Senate voted unanimously to pull the money from Fritts’ budget to fund the event.

meeting will focus on voting to fill those positions.

Freshmen elections are approaching, with campaigning beginning on Sep. 7 and ending Sept.

24. Voting will also close when campaigns end. Junior Class President Sydney Looney called on members to reach out to freshmen about running for Senate.

Looney said only a few people came to a recent information meeting for freshmen elec-

tions and that more freshmen are encouraged.

After Student Senate President Bailey Hendrickson’s comment on attendance at the first Senate meeting, attendance at recent meetings has seen a better turnout.

Treasurer Jenna Lee-Johnson did not have a specific number on the rollover budget, but said that more has been added to the leftover $25,000 from previous years.

The money hasn’t been spent yet because the rollover has not been discussed by the 99th Student Senate.

“We haven’t discussed it yet because we are still transitioning into our executive roles,” Hendrickson said.

The current executive board of Student Senate began transitioning in April following their election.

Maryville City Council gets final funds for construction on decade-long project QUENTIN MORRIS News Reporter | @TheMissourian

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

City Councilman Dannen Merrill stands after the City Council meeting Sept.

7, which lasted under 20 minutes. The meeting consisted of one topic: the South Main Corridor Improvement Project.

After being in limbo for almost a decade, the South Main Corridor Improvement Project was finally received the necessary funding at the Sept. 7 Maryville City Council meeting.

The Federal Highway Administration will take on most of the upfront cost at $10.4 million through the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant. The city of Maryville will be supplementing the remaining $2.1 million cost. The total cost of the project is just over $12.6 million.

This new funding bridges a former $3.5 million gap after initial construction bids come back higher than expected at the height of the COVID19 pandemic.

“This truly is a once in a generation project,” City Councilman Tye Parsons said.

The United States Department of Transportation received 851 applications, totaling over $11 billion.

The USDOT selected 91 projects to fund throughout the U.S., and only four were selected in Missouri.

The City Council unanimously passed an ordinance authorizing Maryville’s mayor to execute a contract with VF Anderson Build-

ers LLC construction for the South Main project.

“These kinds of grants are just not awarded to towns our size; they’re just not.” Parsons said.

“This is something that is going to fundamentally change our town for the better, and I just could not be happier about it.”

In 2012, Maryville was looking to improve Main Street. The city moved forward with a traffic corridor study in late 2014 and early 2015, done by SK Design Group, which has provided work for governments all over the Kansas City metropolitan area.

The study’s general scope included a review of existing traffic conditions, lane configurations, signal spacing and timings, traffic control devices, crash patterns and availability of non-motorized facilities, such as sidewalks and bike routes.

The study found many ways to improve South Main Street.

The original plan included pavement reconstruction, curb gutter construction, traffic signal modifications, intersection widening, additional right-hand turn lanes, storm sewer construction, water line replacements, sidewalk and lighting updates, realignment and reduction of access points

to private businesses, and landscaping and underground electric utility updates.

These improvement recommendations to the corridor were based on functionality and safety.

A three-point plan was created to improve the infrastructure.

South Avenue to south of the intersection of Highway V will be phase one of the project.

Phase two will bring improvements from the northern Walmart entrance south to Highway V. The final section, phase three, will continue the functional and aesthetic improvements from Highway V south to Highway 71 Bypass.

In 2017, the city of Maryville asked the voters for a 20-year renewal option of a half-cent capital improvement sales tax. The tax passed, and the majority of the funds are going toward funding the project.

Councilwoman Rachael Martin has been working on this project the longest and also shares a positive sentiment of all the hard work that went into this project.

“There have been several hurdles that could have easily been an opportunity to say ‘this is just not going to work for us,’” Martin said.

“But we were persistent, and we overcame each of those hurdles.”

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A4

NEWS

CRIME LOG for the week of Sept. 9 Northwest Missouri State University Police Department

Sept. 4 There is a closed investigation for a liquor law violation in Tower Suites East.

Sept. 3 There is a closed investigation for a liquor law violation in Perrin Hall.

Sept. 1 There is an open investigation for stealing at the Bell Tower.

Maryville Department of Public Safety

ROSCOE FLINT | NW MISSOU-

Sept. 5 There was a summons issued to Prince C. Griffon, 20, for driving while intoxicated and an improper display of license plates.

International grad student Ajaykumar Ginther receives his forst dose of the Pfizer vaccine. Ginther is one of many students to initiate COVID-19 vaccines through University Wellness. Around 33% of students on-campus have shared that they are vaccinated with Wellness.

Sept. 4 There was an accident between an unknown driver and Jonathan E. Rogers on the 200 block of East Edwards Street.

Tom Patterson, administrator of NCHD, echoed previous sentiments from weeks past, saying he was pleased with the relatively low numbers currently in the county compared to previous months.

“I don’t feel like we stand out,” Patterson said. “I think that the mitigation efforts that we are doing at our facilities, and our campuses and throughout the county are making a difference.”

Spikes normally take a few days or even weeks after the weekend to notice because of the time it takes to develop symptoms, Patterson said. However, based on the busyness of the health department at the beginning of this week, Patterson doesn’t anticipate any significant spike following Labor Day.

Sept. 3 There was a summons issued to Emily T. Long, 19, for a minor in possession.

There is an ongoing investigation for assault on the 2000 block of South Main Street.

There was a summons issued to Eldon H. Armstrong Jr., 43, for no valid driver’s license and failure to maintain the right-half of the roadway.

There was an ongoing investigation for property damage on the 800 block of South Buchanan Street.

There was an accident between Gavin M. GrayWalker, 19, and Carter D. Utt, 20, on the 2900 block of South Main Street. Gray-Walker was issued a citation for careless and imprudent driving and failure to register a motor vehicle.

Sept. 2 There was an accident between an unknown driver and Amber Davis on the 100 block of South Buchanan Street.

Sept. 1 There was an accident between an unknown driver and Danan W. Hall on East Edwards and South Market Streets.

GROUP

CONTINUED FROM A1 The CDC reports that 10.3% of undergraduate women and 3.1% of men will experience some form of sexual assault while attending college. The CDC also reports college women, as compared to their noncollege peers and the general population, are disproportionately raped by men — often by someone they know.

A recent story made national headlines at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s chapter of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, commonly known as Fiji, which has a long history of inappropriate conduct, including sexual harassment.

At this time there is currently no permanent weekly meeting place. However, It’s On Us plans on meeting Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.

COVID

CONTINUED FROM A1

an email that as of Sept. 3, 33% of all Northwest students had shared vaccine info along with 54% of faculty and staff. Around 45% of on-campus students have reported they are vaccinated to the Wellness Center.

Dawe said the number is likely much higher because the reporting process is voluntary and anticipates more will share that they are vaccinated as the Sept.

13 drawing approaches.

Lt. Amanda Cullin, member of the Crisis Response Team 2, said the team has had conversations about what a possible vaccine mandate for the University could look like but is “not willing to pull that lever at this time.”

As of right now, children under the age of 12 are still unable to receive the vaccine. Vaccine trials are well underway for children ages 5 to11, and calls are growing nationally for the FDA

to approve the shot for those in that age group. Patterson said he expects a large spike in vaccinations in the local area when that approval is handed out.

South Nodaway recently had to shutter schools Sept. 2-3 due to a COVID-19 outbreak and implemented a temporary mask mandate for the district, which ends Sept. 17. Before that mandate, no area public schools had implemented a similar policy.

“You pause, you regroup and you go back at it and try to interrupt that disease cycle,” Patterson said of the closure.

“Schools that see an outbreak and take proper precautions I certainly applaud them for that,” Blackford said. “At the same time, I think we all understand and appreciate that having schools in session and open to in-person classes is the best thing for students.”

DI barbershop to add weekend hair braiding service JAKE PRATER Missourian Reporter | @TheMissourian

Usually, if a Northwest student wanted to get their hair braided, they’d have to drive an hour and a half on a 98 mile trip to Kansas City, where the nearest hair braiding services are. But now, Northwest students can get one right in the Student Engagement Center on the second floor of the J.W. Jones Student Union.

Last semester, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion opened a community barbershop to students and residents of Maryville on select Sundays in the Office of Student Involvement in the J.W. Jones Student Union. Now, the barbershop is getting its own hair braider. Noura Salmon, a braider from Kansas City, will be on campus the second and fourth Saturdays of each month.

Salmon will also be on campus for appointments on Dec. 8 and 9, as well as May 5 and 6 in preparation for graduation.

Although this is a new service, Assistant Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion Justin Mallett said that adding hair braiding was part of the plan all along.

“We just had to work and find a person who is capable of providing the services students needed for braiding,” Mallett said. “I will also add that we are not done; it will be our hope in the future to have a person who can not only braid, but provide other additional services associated with hair styling.”

Doyle Irvin Jr., a barber from St. Joseph, Missouri, with over 20 years of experience, is returning this semester to provide haircuts and beard trimmings, same as last semester. Appointments must be scheduled in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion beforehand. When scheduling a hair braiding, you can decide between cornrows, kinky twists, locks, butterfly locks and box braids among others.

“This is something our office has always wanted to provide since I have started here,” Mallett said. “We did it in a one-off concept in the past, so now to be able to provide a consistent service where our students don’t have to travel to KC or St. Louis for their hair is something that has been embraced and appreciated not only by our students,

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Nodaway County is currently 17th in vaccination rates out of Missouri’s 114 total counties, with 39.7% of the county fully vaccinated at the time of publication, still behind the state’s 45.8% mark. Patterson estimates a few hundred residents have initiated their vaccinations per week in the few weeks since the full FDA approval of Pfizer’s vaccine.

Blackford said the hospital’s progression of getting employees vaccinated has been steady following Mosaic’s mandate announcement weeks prior. The final deadline for vaccines for all employees in the third and final tier of that rollout has still not been set.

University Wellness has been keeping track of vaccine records through surveys and incentive enrollment programs for students, staff and faculty. Chris Dawe, associate vice president of health and wellbeing, said in

‘When quality counts!’

“We’re trying to keep the numbers of blue-green algae low at the lake until we can get our GAC adsorber operational,” McDanel said.

The city is working with HDR Engineering Inc. and PeopleService Inc., to take algal counts each week to keep them at a minimum. When cyanobacteria hits 20,000 cells per milliliter, treatments are provided to lower them, though human detection happens at around 15 nanograms per liter.

Though the GAC adsorber is going to keep the bacteria levels down for drinking water, the water for recreational use at Mozingo Lake may still need to have similar treatments that were seen before this longterm solution.

“Once the GAC adsorber is operational, theoretically,

FILE | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest’s Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Justin Mallett said the new addition of a hair braider to the community barbership in the Student Engagement Center is something he has wanted for a long time.

but our community as well.”

When signing up, students will have to pay half the costs upfront with CashApp and the rest on the day of the appointment, with a discount for all Northwest students.

Hair services might be available for the football team before games, Irvin said, but a definite decision hasn’t been made.

our algae numbers at the lake should not matter as far as water treatment is concerned,” McDanel said. “We’ll still want to keep those numbers low for recreational purposes, but that’s a different threshold.”

A recreational warning has to be sent out when cyanobacteria has 100,000 cells per milliliter due to state regulation.

Treatments would only need to be administered to the water for recreational use if cyanobacteria neared that number.

McDanel said that the levels for cyanobacteria can be higher for recreational use than they are for drinking water, and if those treatments need to be done, they would be on a much smaller scale.

Behind the GAC adsorber, McDanel said there is a discussion of a new water treatment plant, but it will take time to develop the finances for a new facility.

Overall, Mallett said he’s grateful to have this service the entire community can share.

“So far it has been great,” Mallett said. “We get community members, majority students as well as underrepresented students using the space, so I am thankful for the University’s investment in a space to provide this great service to everyone.”

HEERF

CONTINUED FROM A1 Students can use this money on anything deemed as an educational expense, like housing or meals, whether the student lives on or off campus.

“They’ll have the money in their hands and have the opportunity to find what the best use is for it,” Mayfield said.

For the first round of HEERF allocations, the U.S. Department of Education excluded online-only and international students. Now, with the third version out, there are no restrictions on student eligibility. As for Northwest, it is still deciding which groups of students will be eligible based on the evaluation of financial need.

As of now, the $6.7 million dollars for the institutional side has not seen a final plan, but it will be discussed and voted on at a future Board of Regents meeting.

OPINION

Sep. 9, 2021 @TheMissourian

A5

Survivors’ emotions need to be prioritized MAKAYLA POLAK Columnist @kaypolak

Women no longer need to stay quiet — a statement widely used but rarely respected. Sexual violence isn’t something to sweep under the rug, and survivors have the right to be heard, understood and most importantly, respected.

Everyone prides themselves on being a sexual violence advocate. One thing we, as a society, don’t take into account is the weight survivors carry on their shoulders every day. Every survivor handles their personal trauma differently, so it’s hard to tell how well they’re actually carrying that weight.

While being a sexual violence advocate and speaking up for others should be on everyone’s to-do list, the survivors should always come first.

You should put aside your personal beliefs and morals to be attentive. This doesn’t just mean listening; it means giving feedback and assisting them through anything they’re going to need going forward.

If someone entrusts their experiences of sexual violence to you, keep that information confidential. This includes your best friend or your parents.

Survivors live their daily lives embarrassed to admit they’re a survivor of sexual violence. For most women, saying they’re survivors and not victims can take months or years to accept. When someone opens up to another person about this trauma, it takes more effort than many may realize.

I’ve seen the damage sexual violence does to a person. It’s, essentially, their life falling apart because a man decided to lie about the harm he caused while everyone points fingers at the survivor.

Although men aren’t the only perpetrators in sexual assaults, more times than not, a man will be the aggressor toward a woman. Regardless, no actions should occur without the presence of consent.

Unfortunately, almost every survivor has heard the words “get over it” in some aspect.

They’re looking for the one person who won’t turn them down, someone who will listen to their story. Just listening — not telling other people.

For all of the stories told, dozens more remain hidden.

Plenty of women sit in silence because they’re afraid to be wrongfully deemed a liar.

Hearing about an assault that happened to someone you care about is one of the hardest things to listen to, but it’s still not your story. You’re not in charge of solving the problem; you’re there to assist them with anything they need.

We can’t change the past or the things that happened to survivors, but we can make the world a better place for them — for everyone. Survivors come first. Listen to them and what they need from you.

To report a sexual assault or speak with a sexual assault advocate, call UPD at 660562-1254. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 1-800-656HOPE. For more information on the North Star Advocacy Center call 660-562-2320.

ALEXANDRIA MESZ | NW MISSOURIAN

OUR VIEW:

Students, residents need to support local businesses Maryville loves its Bearcats — or at least it should — especially when it comes to sports. Without the presence of Northwest students, local businesses would likely see a steep decrease in revenue.

The addition of new businesses that Maryville residents enjoy are directly, and indirectly, caused by a student presence.

The Northwest Missourian’s Editorial Staff understands that college students occupy a lot of space. Although we — students — create the occasional ruckus and food delays, we also create businesses for the whole city to enjoy.

For example, Burny’s and Powerhouse aren’t strictly for college students; however, a majority of the establishments’ revenue stems from that demographic. So, the Maryville community and college students should join together in embracing Maryville’s new local businesses and coexist with each other outside of the University’s campus.

Maryville added a Kris and Kate’s Ice Cream, two donut and coffee shops, two nutrition shops and an establishment dedicated to axe throwing. Before, you had to

YOUR VIEW:

What are your favorite local, small businesses?

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I went to Kris and Kate’s last week, and I really liked it. It was small, but it was nice and they had good ice cream.

I go to a lot of them. I’m most excited about the brewery in town, and I think it’ll bring in a lot of money. The boutiques in town are also my favorite to go to, like Posh and Blue Willow.

I don’t get off campus much, but I look forward to visiting the ice cream shops in town soon because I’ve heard a lot about them, and ice cream is always good.”

Your Bearcat loves white after Labor Day Holidays have rules. For Memorial Day, one must get drunk on a pontoon boat because somehow that honors our troops who have died in battle — side note but the people posting about how Memorial Day is “more than just a day” on Facebook are normally the drunkest on that day. In the case of Halloween, you must be emotionally scarred by your neighbor answering the door in nothing but stained underwear — maybe that one only applies to me.

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And for some reason, you can’t wear white after Labor Day. Fine, I’m a rule follower so I’ll abide, except why? And also can someone clarify this rule?

Does this moratorium on white apply to all garments?

People only seem to point out the rule infraction when I’m wearing my best Hanes undershirt at a darty. So, does it only apply to shirts? I literally only have white shoes because I choose to live my life in constant fear of dirt and rainwater,

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so I guess I’ll be going barefoot for a while.

Also when does this rule end?

Technically, it’s always after Labor Day and also always before Labor Day until it’s literally Labor Day — some of you will need to reread that four times. I just want to know the expiration date on this fashion statute.

Did the worst kind of people — astrology girls — do this?

They already ruined small talk and birthdays. Do I need to wait until Jessica’s rising moon is in

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lege experience and go explore Maryville than to go to the same restaurants and bars every week.

It’s up to the people of Maryville — college students and permanent residents — to respond to the city’s new local businesses.

We know St. Joseph has a lot more to offer, but that’s not always the most feasible option, especially as a broke college student who doesn’t like to pay for gas.

Townspeople and current Bearcats don’t always have to be at odds or complaining about some minor inconvenience. If Northwest students spread out across different local businesses, maybe the Maryville residents won’t have to get upset about their Applebee’s order taking forever. And maybe students will find something to cure their boredom for the night.

There’s more local businesses in Maryville that haven’t been listed, and some aren’t even new. Go find out what the deal is with the huge ice cream cone on Fourth Street.

Let out some frustration by aggressively throwing an axe. Go out and find a local business to support.

THE STROLLER:

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rely on a slab of wood in a backyard to satisfy your lumberjack fantasies. You also had to hope you didn’t hit something — or someone — you weren’t meaning to.

Maryville has seen an influx of different businesses recently and plans to continue adding more for its residents. Black Pony Brewing Company is in the process of opening downtown, which would add another location for residents to enjoy food and brew. However, this will likely also become another location college students frequent.

Of course, blame can’t solely be placed on those who live in Maryville year-round. College students, especially those from bigger cities, tend to complain about the lack of things to do in town. Well, now there’s things to do.

It seems like Maryville is attempting to introduce more opportunities to have fun in a town with little to do. The city is whatever you choose to make of it. It may not have high-end restaurants, amusement parks or fancy attractions, but the city is doing what it can to help people have a good time.

It’s better to control your col-

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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cayenne pepper before I can go out in my eggshell hoodie again?

I’m assuming an insufferable old, white woman decided to come up with this stupid Labor Day rule because Judith upstaged her with a white frock at their butter churning event in the 19th century. So could someone simply contact her living relative and ask her the rules, please.

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

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Sep. 9, 2021 @TheMissourian

A6

VOLLEYBALL

CONTINUED FROM A8 Although the Bearcats head into this weekend as the No. 8 team in Division II, they aren’t worried about that. They’re locked in on the Capital Classic Sept. 10-11 in Springfield,

Illinois, where they’ll have another four-match slate against some of the best competition in the country.

“I think I can speak for the whole team when I say we just go out and play,” Koechl said.

“We try not to think about rankings and just give 100% at any given moment.”

FOOTBALL

UP NEXT

CONTINUED FROM A8 “We looked a little bit, but there are several logistical challenges to that,” Wright said. “I mean, it was already Sunday at 2 o’clock, so you weren’t going to get anybody until at least Monday or Tuesday if you could find someone. I spent the better part of last fall trying to get any Division I-AA to play us, much less a Division II, and couldn’t get anybody to do that.”

The Bearcats, Wright said, were supposed to win that game.

The coach isn’t too concerned about not being able to play that particular opponent, more so upset they won’t get to play one at all.

Wright would’ve rather had a bye week toward the latter part of the season, he said, because it helps recover from the bumps and bruises that accrue throughout the entirety of an 11-week regular season.

Now, instead of having a game Thursday, the Bearcats will have an intrasquad scrimmage in Bearcat Stadium.

“The whole reason why we decided to scrimmage on Thursday was, realistically, we felt as though if we did what we were supposed to do, our starters only probably play a half,” Wright said. “Then we’d be able to get our twos and threes in. … We’ll pull the starters out about halfway through, like we would’ve Thursday night, then get after it with some younger kids.”

Wright doesn’t expect cancellations to be a regular occurrence, though, and is hoping the MIAA makes it all the way to the postseason.

“I think this is maybe a little bit more of an outlier,” Wright said. “I mean, I haven’t spoken

SOCCER

CONTINUED FROM A8 “It’s an opportunity for us as a team to see at the very highest level what teams play like, where we need to grow and how we need to compete,” Gordon said. “We’re going into this very open minded.”

Brown said starting the season off strong is exactly what they wanted, and it boosts the confidence of everyone. Now,

NW @ Central Missouri 1 p.m. Sept. 18 Warrensburg, Missouri

to get exact numbers from every coach in the MIAA, but the consensus with the guys I talked to is that most of their teams are like mine, where we have a high percentage of our players who are vaccinated. So, you just don’t run into the same issues you do when you play programs that the vast majority are not.”

“

The whole reason why we decided to scrimmage on Thursday was, realistically, we felt as though if we did what we were supposed to do, our starters only probably play a half JON WALKER | NW MISSOURIAN

- RICH WRIGHT

as they move forward, she said there are still things that need to be remembered.

“Like I said, we know that we can do it. Now, it’s making sure that we continue to get it done,” Brown said. “We can’t let up, regardless of who the opponent is.

I think that we have the strength and the talent to go all the way; now it’s a matter of controlling the controllables and making sure we continue to put our best foot forward.”

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Northwest junior quarterback Braden Wright (12) and senior running back Al McKeller (2) celebrate after McKeller’s touchdown during the Bearcats’ 15-7 win against Fort Hays Sept. 2 at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays, Kansas.

Harrisonville brother duo leaves Maryville winless WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — The game started the same way as usual for the Maryville football team: Fans showed up prepared to cheer, and the players ran out of the locker room hyped up and ready to play. However, the game ended with a result that the Spoofhounds have not experienced since 2005.

For 15 consecutive seasons, Maryville has won at least one of its first two games.

That streak ended Friday night, though, as Harrisonville’s run-heavy offense bulldozed the Wildcats’ way to a 2820 win at Harrisonville Memorial Stadium, effectively ending the Spoofhounds’ streak.

“We played two good teams,” Maryville coach Matt Webb said in the aftermath of the 8-point loss to the Wildcats. “I’m not worried about the record as much as I am getting guys to play better.”

This was the fourth matchup in as many years between the two programs, and the ‘Hounds (0-2) previously held a threegame winning streak against the Wildcats.

The Wildcats (2-0) were led by their running back duo senior Jace Reynolds and freshman Nate Reynolds, brothers who combined for 356 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

It was, in part, the duo’s notable performance — coupled with costly mistakes from the Spoofhounds — that ended a streak that started when then-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady only had three Super Bowl titles.

Webb, however, isn’t ready to dwell on the program’s slow start just yet.

“0-2 is 0-2. Not my first ever time starting 0-2,” Webb said in reference to his time as a coach at FCS program Southeastern Louisiana.

The first quarter of the Week 2 matchup mirrored that of Maryville’s Week 1 game, with both teams failing to put points on the board. While nei-

ther team found the end zone to start the game, Harrisonville had its chances after forcing two early turnovers.

Webb said that, obviously, is not a good way to start any game, and it displayed a team that had not gotten better between Week 1 and Week 2.

“We can’t do that. Good teams don’t beat themselves,” Webb said. “And we beat ourselves, again.”

The Spoofhounds and Wildcats seemed like they flipped a switch after the first quarter, as both teams scored a combined 20 points in the second quarter.

Following a botched snap on a punt attempt from the Wildcats, Maryville senior running back Drew Spire ended the stalemate with a 1-yard touchdown run. A banked-in extra point from senior Tyler Siemer put the ‘Hounds up 7-0.

“I didn’t really have a gameplan, I was just going to play as hard as I did,” Spire said.

Spire said he thanks his linemen for blocking as well as they did and giving him the opportunity to score. He said they blocked well during Week 1, when Maryville rushers combined for 213 yards rushing, but they improved even more from then and did a great job while Maryville was trying to mount a fourth-quarter comeback.

The Wildcats responded on the ensuing drive with a 3-yard touchdown, but the 2-point conversion came up short, sustaining a Spoofhounds’ 1-point lead.

Maryville answered back with a 20-yard touchdown pass from senior Connor Drake to sophomore Delton Davis, and another successful point-after-try from Siemer put the ’Hounds up 14-6 at halftime.

The momentum shifted to the Wildcats after the break, as they scored 22 unanswered points, including an 88-yard touchdown run by Nate Reynolds in the third quarter.

Harrisonville’s hot streak ended with the Wildcats ahead 28-14 and a little more than nine minutes left in regulation. That

proved to be too much to overcome for the Spoofhounds, as a 38-yard score by junior running back Adrian McGee was the last time they scored for the night.

Spire said there were definitely lessons to be learned from this game, ones he believes the ‘Hounds will fix.

“Our mental toughness is the biggest thing,” Spire said.

Spire said the team is getting too tired during the game, and that’s leading to players missing key plays, such as blocks or tackles. He said the team needs to be mentally tougher and listen better to the coaching.

Similar to Spire, junior running back Caden Stoecklein said the team needs to be tougher all-around.

“We need to get tougher,” Stoecklein said. “In order to win, we need to score the football.”

Prior to the game, the Spoofhounds already knew they would need to contain Jace Reynolds in order to win, but another Reynolds was added to the fold that they weren’t quite prepared for.

Stoecklein, who also plays defensive back for the ‘Hounds, said Harrisonville having both Reynolds brothers in the backfield gave them the advantage to be versatile on offense. He said they could go to either one at any time, and they’re both very physical runners.

“We just got to get better at tackling — swarming to the ball and wrapping and making the tackle, instead of them getting yards after the hit,” Stoecklein said.

Next week, Sept. 10, Maryville will begin Midland Empire Conference play against rival Chillicothe (2-0) in Chillicothe, Missouri.

“We’re going to get our stuff fixed by next week, I can promise you that,” Spire said. “I promise you our coaches are going to get our stuff fixed.

We’re going to start listening to what they tell us, have good technique and we’re going to walk out with a win.”

SPORTS

Sept. 9, 2021 @NWMSports

A7

ROSCOE FLINT | NW MISSOURIAN

Maryville football wideout Cooper Loe (1) catches a pass from senior quarterback Connor Drake (15) during practice. The Spoofhounds will take on Chillicothe Sept. 10 in Chillicothe, Missouri.

’Hounds look for first win of year against MEC rival WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

Maryville football is in full swing with the first two weeks behind the ‘Hounds and conference play about to begin.

The Spoofhounds’ (0-2) next opponent is Chillicothe, one of Maryville’s Midland Empire Conference rivals. The Hornets (2-0) are undefeated to start the season after besting Kirksville 34-14 in Week 2. However, on the other sideline will be the ‘Hounds, who are currently on a two-game losing skid after losing 28-20 to Harrisonville.

When the two teams met last season in Maryville, the Spoofhounds came away with a 62-7 win.

This season, the Spoofhounds will travel for the third week in a row and head to Chillicothe to matchup with the Hornets at

Jerry Litton Stadium.

Oftentimes when it comes to rivalry games, past scores don’t mean much. Teams tend to boost the intensity when playing a rival, and Maryville coach Matt Webb can attest to that.

“It’s always important to start off 1-0 in the MEC,” Webb said. “We’re both longtime rival communities that really love their football, and we’re excited to go over and take on a conference rival.”

Senior running back Tyler Siemer said it’s always exciting to go up against familiar foes.

He said the energy levels are sky-high, and he can’t wait to get on the field for the game.

Similar to Siemer, senior quarterback Connor Drake said everyone is going to be excited for the game — players, coaches and fans alike. He said every conference game is important, espe-

cially with the end-goals in mind.

“One of our goals is to win the conference championship, but we also have to take it one week at a time,” Drake said.

In the case of many rivalries, the teams have spent plenty of time against each other.

With school sports, this is even more so because some of the athletes play each other in multiple sports. Familiarity is what builds a rivalry, and high school is full of it. Maryville and Chillicothe are very familiar with each other.

Webb spoke of his days as a player and remembered playing Chillicothe in basketball and football. He said they would meet for summer leagues, in practically every sport, so it was easy to get to know them.

Webb restated that both towns are passionate about their football teams. The love for the game from the two areas and the familiarity between two teams has combined for great games over the course of the years. He used Maryville’s 2017 title run as an example, when Maryville went to Chillicothe for the district championship and won 20-12. Games like that, he said, are some of his biggest memories as a football coach, and it’s what drives rivalries such as the ‘Hounds and Hornets.

“I don’t know how to grade how much your intensity goes up or, you know, emotions or things like that,” Webb said. “I just know that’s why it’s a rivalry.”

Webb said Chillicothe has a very strong run game, and they’re physical on both sides of the ball. He said the team is going to have to be prepared to be physical back. The Hornets’ run-heavy offense has led them to scoring 61 total points in their first two games combined, while their physical defense allowed just 22 points.

For the first two weeks, the ‘Hounds have only converted on 37% of their third downs, while allowing their opponents to convert 52% of the time.

“We want to do better in those situations,” Webb said.

Webb said they go over those situations in practice, and the players need to focus more on applying what they’ve learned in practice and executing.

For Drake, he said he hasn’t been playing his best ball, completing just over 37% of his passes this season while committing four turnovers.

“I’ve been turning the ball over too much, and there’s just little things I need to work on this week,” Drake said. “Just continue to get better.”

UP NEXT MHS @ Chillicothe 7 p.m. Sept. 10 ’Hound Pound

After the Week 2 loss to Harrisonville, Siemer said he also learned a few things about what needs improvement.

He said he missed a few key assignments with his blocking for his fellow running backs, and he has plenty of room to improve defensively. In regards to his running, where he earned 9 yards last Friday, Siemer said he thought he did okay.

“I can definitely improve in that aspect, too,” Siemer said.

Siemer said the offense is getting better every week, as the Spoofhounds have shown with their 20 points in Week 2 compared to their 6 points in Week 1. He said it’s just a matter of listening to the coaches and putting what is learned in practice onto the field when it’s game time.

“I think we are gaining confidence on offense, and the only things that are slowing us down are mental mistakes and penalties,” Siemer said. “If we can get those things to not happen, and we can, I think we’ll be really good.”

Softball opens conference play shorthanded due to COVID-19 complications TRISTAN LYNCH Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

RENEE HASKELL | NW MISSOURIAN

In its game against Cameron, Maryville High School softball fell to 1-3 with a 9-6 loss in seven innings in its first conference matchup Sept. 7. The Spoofhounds found themselves in familiar territory heading in, as they had multiple girls out due to quarantine.

The Maryville softball team is still dealing with the struggles of COVID-19, as the Spoofhounds took a 9-6 loss in seven innings in their first conference matchup against Cameron Sept. 7.

Maryville’s coach Chandra DeMott and company found themselves in familiar territory heading into the first conference matchup against Cameron, as they had multiple girls out due to quarantine.

“We got a few girls out tonight, one being our starting catcher, so we had a lot of adjustments and a lot of adjustments on the fly,” DeMott said.

With all the adjustments made, the Spoofhounds found themselves down 6-1 heading into the bottom of the third, mostly due to big hits from Cameron juniors Maddison Jessen and Reygan Clark.

The Spoofhounds (1-3) found their groove in the bottom of the third with a 2-RBI double from junior Abby Swink, and an error on junior Clara Viau’s hit scored Swink from third to put the Spoofhounds down 6-4.

The ’Hounds scored two more in the bottom of the fourth off an error by Clark.

The groove gradually faded away, as the Spoofhounds went scoreless for the remainder of the game. Sophomore pitcher Ella Schulte noticed the groove and knew it was something they needed to focus on.

“We need to get into that groove and stick with it,” Schulte said. “We need to keep going with it because tonight we got into a grove, and then

UP NEXT MHS @ Lafayette 5 p.m. Sept. 9 St. Joseph, Missouri

kind of lost it.”

The Dragons (1-1) pushed in front during the top of the seventh with an RBI double to center field from junior Carissa Oxford, an RBI ground-rule double from senior Marlehe Williams and a pass ball that brought Williams home.

Despite the tough loss, DeMott is happy with where the offense is at but knows where they need to work and what they are missing.

“Our offense is actually right where I want it to be right now,” DeMott said. “Our girls are looking pretty good, and like I said, we are missing a key component to that. We are missing our four hole hitter … so there is a lot on their mental plate right now. So we are going to work on that for the next couple of weeks.”

Overall, Schulte said she was impressed with how her teammates played and understood the nerves were high.

“Everyone was a little nervous coming into this game with it being our first conference game and having so many young starters on the field,” Schulte said. “I think we did pretty good.”

The Spoofhounds will be looking to put this performance behind them, though, as they’ll get a shot at redemption when they travel to St. Joseph for a conference matchup with Lafayette Sept. 9.

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Louisiana losses NW football transfer reflects on aftermath of Hurricane Ida

Rivalry week MHS football aims for first win against MEC rival Chillicothe.

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Sep. 9 2021

NW soccer starts year undefeated WESLEY MILLER Sports Reporter | @wesleymiller360

N

orthwest soccer has started its regular season, and the Bearcats got off on the right foot, earning a win in each of their first two games.

After playing through two exhibition matches before the regular season, the Bearcats were finally set to get back onto the pitch for official play.

The first weekend of matches put them against Sioux Falls Sept. 3 and Wayne State Sept.

5. For the first time in six years — the 2014 season, when they finished 7-10-1 — the Bearcats came away with a win in their first two games to start the regular season.

Northwest (2-0) defeated Sioux Falls (0-2) by a score of 2-0 and Wayne State (0-1) 4-2.

The team was spearheaded by a strong offensive effort in both games, putting up 46 shots through the weekend. Shots on the goal haven’t been that high for Northwest soccer since the first two games of 2012 season, when the ’Cats posted 57 shot attempts in the regular season’s first two matchups.

Coach Marc Gordon said he believes the confidence is growing within the team, and everyone is connecting and playing together.

“Players are starting to see the picture that we, as a coaching staff, are trying to paint for them,” Gordon said.

The more opportunities a team has to score usually fares well, which was the case for the Bearcats in their first weekend of play. Gordon said he hopes the trend continues, and the opportunities can continue to increase.

Sophomore forward Teagan Blackburn turned two of those attempts into goals against Wayne State.

“Putting two goals in the back of the net was exciting,” Blackburn said. “As a forward, you feel that sense of accomplishment

and know that you are doing an important part of your job.”

Blackburn, though, took time to thank her teammates for her personal success in the scoring column.

“Those two goals were a result of the team’s effort,” Blackburn said.

Senior midfielder Jessie Brown said the team needs to work on putting the ball in the back of the net, but she still liked the effort that was on display.

“It’s awesome to be having that level of success and getting the opportunity to shoot on goal,” Brown said.

The Bearcats did not play without a defense, proven by their 12 saves throughout the weekend, which helped pitch a shutout against Sioux Falls and hold Wayne State scoreless in the second half.

Senior goalkeeper Alexis Serna Castillo said she trusts her defense and knows they’ll always be there to help.

“We still need to build together and develop the connection and communication,” Castillo said. “But other than that, I know we will continue to work on defensive plays and how to connect with one another more effectively.”

Although the defense stepped up when it counted to seal both victories for the Bearcats, they had a little hiccup in the first half against Wayne State — allowing two goals.

That left Castillo with one mission going into the second half: make sure the Wildcats had scored their last goal.

She did just that.

“Coming into the second half, I had to make sure I adapted to the game since I was not in the first half,” Castillo said. “My defense helped me achieve the goal to keep the shutout in the second half.”

The Bearcats were able to hold their two opponents from scoring in all but one half of

LINCOLN HIPSHER | NW MISSOURIAN

Northwest soccer sophomore forward Kaylie Rock scraps for the ball during the Bearcats’ 4-2 win against Wayne State Sept. 5. Rock’s two goals in as many regular season wins aided the program to its first 2-0 start since 2014.

play, but Gordon wants to see even more improvement on that side of the pitch, he said. He said the season has just begun, but he wants to see the team defend better as a group, particularly in the middle-third of the field.

“The dirty work in our game is done on the defensive side,” Gordon said.

With the first two games in the books, Northwest now looks ahead to the second weekend of regular-season games. The Bearcats will face two relatively new, and tougher, opponents.

For the first matchup, the Bearcats will travel to a neutral site for both teams, Warrens-

burg, Missouri, Sept. 10 to take on Grand Valley State. This will be the first match between the Bearcats and Lakers in the history of the two programs.

In the United Soccer Coaches’ Division II Preseason Poll, Grand Valley State (2-0) was ranked at No. 9 and is currently coming off a 2-0 victory against No. 24 Findlay University. The Lakers are owners of six of the last 13 NCAA Division II women’s soccer championships, including from the last full season in 2019.

In the second game of the weekend, Northwest will stay at the Bearcat Pitch for a match-

NW volleyball bests No. 5 Tampa JAY’VON MCKINNEY Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

The Northwest volleyball team started its season with a trip to Tampa, Florida, where the Bearcats took care of business at the Courtyard by Marriott Volleyball Classic.

The Bearcats returned to Maryville 4-0, defeating Augustana (3-1) and Ashland (30) Sept. 3 and ending the weekend defeating Illinois Springfield (3-0) and earning a fiveset, comeback win over thenNo. 5 Tampa.

The performance moved the Bearcats from No. 17 to No. 8 in this week’s AVCA Division II poll, marking the program’s highest ranking ever.

In the matchup against Tampa, the event’s host school, the Bearcats claimed two out of three sets before the Spartans secured the fourth (25-16), which forced a fifth and final set.

Tampa came close to handing Northwest its first loss of the season, with the Bearcats trailing 14-8 in the fifth set.

Then everything changed.

“We didn’t give up till the last point,” Northwest coach Amy Woerth said. “It’s one of the wildest things I’ve been a part of my whole volleyball career.”

Somehow, Woerth said, the Bearcats were suddenly tied with the Spartans at 14. The next thing she knew, her squad mustered a 17-15 comeback win to return to Maryville unblemished. The comeback was led by freshman middle hitter Abby Brunssen, along with sophomore outside hitter Jaden Ferguson.

UP NEXT Capital Classic Sept. 10-11 Springfield, Illinois

Ferguson tallied a careerhigh seven blocks and a seasonhigh 12 kills against the Spartans. Sophomore setter Alyssa Rezac, who also serves as a team captain, recorded the third double-double of her career with career highs in both assists (48) and digs (24).

“This was definitely a highlight in my career,” Rezac said.

Facing up against the No. 5 team in the country took a lot from the Bearcats, which they expected. They focused on being resilient before heading to Tampa, and they knew they’d have to be just that while facing the tough competition.

Junior libero Hannah Koechl tallied 61 digs in 15 sets for the weekend. Throughout the weekend, Ferguson led the team in blocks with 15 and had 41 kills in 15 sets.

Despite never playing a regular-season match at Northwest, Brunssen stepped up with 23 kills and 10 blocks in 12 sets. Rezac’s notable performance put her at 97 assists so far this season throughout a mere four matches.

“My teammates deserve most of the credit for that,” Rezac said. “When hitters are able to put the ball away at a high level, it makes my job easier.”

SEE VOLLEYBALL | A6

UP NEXT NW vs. Grand Valley State 3 p.m. Sept. 10 Warrensburg, Missouri

up with Minnesota State University-Mankato Sept. 12. The Mavericks (1-0) kicked off their regular season with a 1-0 win against Northwest’s MIAA foe, Missouri Southern.

Gordon said he embraces the opportunity to play against teams he believes are tougher competition.

SEE SOCCER | A6

Outbreak scratches Bearcats’ Week 2 showdown JON WALKER Sports Editor | @ByJonWalker

ADDALYNN BRADBURY | NW MISSOURIAN

During Northwest volleyball’s scrimmage, sophomore Alyssa Rezac sets the ball to another teammate. In the Sept. 4 game against Tampa, Rezac notched her third career double-double with a pair of career highs in assists and digs.

Northwest football coach Rich Wright was in the middle of breaking down the Bearcats’ Week 2 opponent when he started to get the news that he didn’t have to.

Lincoln, Northwest’s scheduled opponent for the Bearcat Stadium debut Sept. 7, canceled due to COVID-19 protocols.

“I found out around 1 o’clock.

We were getting ready to go to meetings at 2, then practice at 3,” Wright said. “We’re great for anything you can plan for, but this was, obviously, quite unplanned.”

After COVID-19 testing following Lincoln’s 64-point loss to Washburn in Week 1, the Blue Tigers’ 63-person roster was depleted in certain position groups.

The Bearcats, though, won’t search for a new Week 2 opponent, Northwest Athletics told The Missourian Sunday afternoon. They’ll now have an extra week to prepare for their Week 3 matchup against Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri.

SEE FOOTBALL | A6