For the first time since 1998, the Princeton girls basketball program will play in the state tournament. The Tigers used a 14-3 rally over the final 90 seconds to defeat Green City 58-55 to win the Class 1, District 11 championship on Saturday afternoon in Galt. Princeton hosted Brunswick on Tuesday night in the sectional round of the Missouri Class 1 Girls Basketball State Tournament. Details about the district title game appear on Page 8. Team members, from left: FRONT - Randa Shahan, Macey Lewis, Addilyn Henke and Hanna Allnutt; BACK - assistant coach Payton Goodin, Mikaylee Henke, Audrey Kelly, Gracie Mitchell, Evan Boxley and head coach Mike Schmidli.
Three squads also recognized as Academic All-State teams in Class 1 PRESTON COLE Princeton Post-Telegraph
FESTUS, Mo Twenty-one young ladies from three area teams have named to the Missouri Class 1 Fall Academic AllState softball team that was announced recently by the Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association (MHSFCA).
In addition, all three teams earned recognization as Academic All-State teams for their classroom performance.
• Princeton had five players receive the Academic All-State honor - Addilyn Henke, Jolena Gibson, Madalyn Tipton, Evan Boxley and Mikaylee Henke. Princeton’s entire roster had a grade point average (GPA) of 3.626 on a 4.0 scale to earn Academic All-State team recognization.
• Mercer had 10 players chosen to the statewide list of classroom stars - Makenzie Hagan, Kylie Cowles, Danica Hobbs, Linda Barton, Riley Stark, Sari Rogers, Kali Rogers, Kennedy Vincent, Payton Davis and Kylie Holt.
Mercer received its Academic AllState team honor with a 3.740 GPA.
• East Harrison had six players named Academic All-State - Jayleigh Arndt, Karlee Crouse, Bree Vaughn, Lainey Thompson and Aspen Zerbe from Cainsville, and Shayla Vandiver from Ridgeway.
East Harrison’s team GPA was 3.680.
Required qualifications
Individual players named to the Academic All-State team had to have posted an unweighted GPA of at least 3.7 on a 4.0 scale after the fall semester.
See Academics, Page 6
Chamber donates to FCCLA food drive
The Princeton Chamber of Commerce recently donated multiple boxes of shoes to the Princeton High School FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) chapter’s ongoing shoe drive. FCCLA advisor Dr. Tina Holt’s Foods class and FCCLA members helped unload the shoes. From left are senior members Jolena Gibson, Kelsey Goodin, Randa Shahan, Macey Lewis, Clay Evans, Cooper Boxley, TJ Stark and Daniel Hernandez. The FCCLA shoe drive continues until April 1. COURTESY PRINCETON FCCLA
COURTESY CAINSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, RIDGEWAY HIGH SCHOOL
Six East Harrison student-athletes were named to the Fall Class 1 Academic All-State softball team. ABOVE - Cainsville students Karlee Crouse (from left), Lainey Thompson, Aspen Zerbe, Bree Vaughn and Jayleigh Arndt. RIGHT - Ridgeway student Shayla Vandiver.
COURTESY MERCER HIGH SCHOOL
These Mercer student-athletes were named to the Class 1 Fall Academic All-State softball team. From left: FRONT - Linda Barton, Makenzie Hagan, Danica Hobbs, Kylie Cowles and Riley Stark; BACK - Kylie Holt, Kennedy Vincent, Payton Davis, Sari Rogers and Kali Rogers.
COURTESY PRINCETON HIGH SCHOOL
These Princeton student-athletes were named to the Class 1 Fall Academic All-State softball team. From left: Mikaylee Henke, Jolena Gibson, Mady Ti\ pton, Addilyn Henke and Evan Boxley.
TERRI
OBITUARIES
Donna Anderson Clark, Mo.
Donna Ruth (Shaffer) Anderson, 82, formerly of Columbia, Mo., passed away at her daughter’s home in Clark, Mo., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025.
A visitation was held on Monday, March 3, at Memorial Funeral Home in Columbia, with a graveside service held at 11:30 a.m., on Tuesday, March 4th, at Fairley Cemetery, 18155 Empire Loop, north of Princeton, Mo.
Born in Mercer, Mo., on Feb. 2, 1943, Donna graduated in 1960 from Mercer High School.
She left Mercer to work a year in Kansas City, before joining fellow Mercer alum Gary Anderson, in Bremerton, Wash., where he was stationed with the Navy. They were married and had two daughters, Lori Anderson Westhues and Julie Anderson Slattery. In 1966 her family moved to Columbia, where she held jobs as a cafeteria worker at Oakland Junioe High, and a factory worker for 3-M, before becoming, in 1980 (and single by this time), a deputy collector for the Boone County Collector’s Office. She spent 28 dedicated years there, retiring in 2008 as chief deputy collector.
Upon retirement she moved to Moberly, Mo., to be closer to her daughter, Lori, in Clark. She chased grandchildren in the Midwest and the East Coast (Manhattan and then New Jersey), where her daughter Julie had relocated. Five great-grand-
children joined the family circle, each new baby sharing a reciprocal love with their “Ma.”
Also adoring Donna were her rescued pets, two dogs, Alice and Sammy, and a bevy of cats, who filled her days with cuddles, drama and amusing “conversations.”
Loving to travel, Donna, never hesitated to join a camping trip, roadtrip or cruise; and twice a year she traveled to the East Coast. She always said she had the best of both worlds: Exploring the big cities, and then relaxing on the peaceful farm in Missouri.
In 2019 Donna moved to live at Meadow Ridge Assisted Living in Moberly, where she lived five carefree years. In 2023, with her health declining, she moved into a bedroom at each of her daughter’s homes and became a true New Yorker, at Long Beach, N.Y., as well as a resident of the farm in Clark. Her daughters would joke they had “shared custody” of this delightful, free-thinking and very independent woman who had raised them to always think for themselves and to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
She also taught her family that you have to find laughter when life gets tough, and it often helps to sing, loudly, along with Gloria Gainer’s song I Will Survive
She was the fourth and last remaining of her immediate family to be stricken with Alzheimer’s disease, so to “keep laughing” became a way of life. In her last years, she lived and laughed a great deal, and she never stopped expressing her gratitude that the best of both worlds had become the best of two homes with her loved ones.
Her family wishes to express to her, their gratitude for all the years of love and laughter.
She is survived by her daughters, Lori Westhues (Bob) of Clark and
Julie Slattery (John) of Long Beach, N.Y.; her grandchildren, Jessica Deimeke (Keith) of Martinsburg, Mo., Cody Westhues (Hailey) of Clark, and Sean Slattery of Long Beach, N.Y.; and her great-grandchildren, Baylor, Bryden, Ainsley and Hagan Deimeke of Martinsburg, and Wrenley Westhues of Clark. She was preceded in death by her sisters, Mary Lee McCully (Harold) and Barbara Ann Curry (Lyle), and her parents.
The family wishes to thank these hospices and direct any memorial gifts toward: Caring Hearts & Hands of Columbia, 1307 W. Broadway, Columbia, MO 65203; or Compassus Hospice Care, North Central Missouri, 303 North Keene Street, Suite 306, Columbia, MO 65201.
Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www.memorialfuneralhomeandcemetery.com.
Tom Rouse State Center, Iowa
Orman Thomas “Tom” Rouse, 91, of State Center, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. today (Thursday, March 6) at St. Mary’s Catholic Church (422 4th Street) in Colo, Iowa, with Father Richmond Dzekoe officiating. Visitation will be at the church beginning at 9 a.m. Following the service, the burial
with military honors will take place at Murphy Cemetery in rural Nevada, Iowa.
Tom was born on Dec. 7, 1933, Hopkinton, Iowa, the beloved son of Chester Whipple and Florence (Gerlich) Rouse. He graduated from Clarence High School in 1951 and was united in marriage to Ramona Mae Nelson on Sept. 12, 1953, at St. John’s Catholic Church in Lisbon, Iowa. Tom enlisted in the United States Army serving from Aug. 3, 1955, until his honorable discharge on May 31, 1957. He graduated in 1964 from Iowa State University with a degree in engineering which led him to a career at the Iowa DOT as a right-ofway agent.
Tom and Ramona lived in Colo, Oxford Junction, Iowa, Princeton, Mo., and State Center. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Colo American Legion and AAA (Area Agencies on Aging) serving as past president. Tom enjoyed playing card games including rummy, pitch, cribbage, solitaire and kings corner. He was proud to teach his grandkids and great grandkids how to play cards and everything that went along with it. Tom also enjoyed farming in northern Missouri, attending cattle sales and driving the Amish folks where they needed to go. He loved to be able to support his grandchildren and great-grandchildren in all their activities.
He is survived by his loving children: Mary Kathleen (Lonny) Flack of Nevada; Ellen Kristine (Jack) Moel of Lisbon; and Thomas (Jeanette) Rouse of Springfield, Mo. He was a proud grandfather to six grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren and recently two great-great-grandbabies. He is also survived by his sister Gladys (Rouse) Whipple Hurtis. Tom was preceded in death by his parents; his cherished
wife Ramona Mae Rouse in 2019; two grandsons, Carl Jason Stromberg and Bradley Christopher Flack; and his siblings, Chester Rouse, Anne (Rouse) Goldsmith Fetz, Mary (Rouse) Brinkman, Betty (Rouse) Christopherson, Ray Rouse, John Rouse, Mike Rouse and Jeanne (Rouse) Maher.
Memorials may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church or Unity Point Hospice in memory of Tom.
Arrangements are being handled by Rasmusson-Ryan Funeral Home in Nevada. Condolences may be shared with the family online at www. rasmussonfh.com.
SENIOR MENUS
All menus subject to change.
MERCER COUNTY
SENIOR CENTER
Serving from 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Meals can be picked up at the west door (facing Broadway Street) from 11:30-12:15. Meals served with 2% milk, coffee or tea. All bread, rolls, buns and crackers are whole grain. For meal deliveries, call 660-748-3636 by 9:30 a.m.
Everyone is welcome to eat at the Senior Center. Meals for anyone age 60 and older are a suggested contribution of $5. Meals for anyone under age 60 cost $7.
Monday, March 10: hamburger steak, corn, California blend with cheese, sliced bread, assorted fruit.
Tuesday, March 11: ham and beans, cornbread, pickled beets, coleslaw, applesauce.
Wednesday, March 12: hash brown casserole (meat, potatoes, cheese), carrots, antigua blend vegetables, sliced bread, pineapple salad.
Thursday, March 13: cheeseburger/bun, fries, baked beans, pears.
Friday, March 14: oven fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, sliced bread, assorted fruit.
books
MC Library announces new
Special to the Post-Telegraph PRINCETON, Mo. These new titles have been added at the Mercer County Library. Adult fiction: Battle Mountain (#25 of the Joe Pickett series), C. J. Box; The Other March Sisters, Linda Epstein; The Quiet Librarian, Allen Eskens: The Dressmakers of London, Julia Kelly; We All Live Here, Jojo Moyes; The Lost Passenger, Frances Quinn; Bonded in Death (#60 of the In Death series), J. D. Robb; Three Days in June, Anne Tyler; and Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, Lisa Unger.
Boundless E-book: Famous Last Words, Gillian Mcallister.
The Mercer County Library has also added to its large print, western, children’s, juniors, young adult, and Amish sections. The library’s Boundless, Libby, Blackstone Unlimited, and Hoopla platforms are open 24/7.
MERCER CO. FOOD PANTRY
Located in the basement of Princeton Methodist Church. Second and fourth Tuesday: 9-10:30 a.m. Other Tuesdays: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Note: Persons can pick up their food in the church basement. At present, social distancing will be observed, and masks are recommended but not mandatory.
CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Princeton PostTelegraph strives for accuracy and fairness in all of its news stories and photo captions. If you feel we have made an error, please contact us at 660748-3266 or posttele@ grm.net (email) to request a correction. If it is found we are in error, we will be happy to publish a correction or clarification.
CAINSVILLE
CHANEY
MELANIE
Ashten Thompson has the pleasure of announcing that two of our seniors, Jayleigh Arndt and Bree Vaughn, will receive the State FFA Degree. This year's Missouri State FFA Convention will be held Wednesday, April 23 through Friday, April 25. The State FFA Degree ceremony will take place on Friday, April 25 as part of the evening session which begins at 4 p.m.
The Cainsville R-1 school hosted an elementary basketball tournament on Saturday, March 1st. Girls’ finishes: 1. Mercer; 2. Gilman City; 3. North Harrison; and 4. East Harrison. Boys’ finishes: 1. Mercer; 2. North Harrison; 3. East Harrison; and 4. Gilam City. There are elementary games on March 17 at Cainsville.
On March 5 there will be FFA area interviews at Cameron starting at 4:30 p.m., and elementary classes K-5 will be attending the Wilford STEM event in Bethany. On March 6 the sophomores will be attending vo-tech awareness at the Bethany vo-tech. On March 7 FFA will go to Brunswick for contest and they will go to Lathrop on March 10. There is a varsity Scholar Bowl against North Daviess on March 11, and the FFA will attend area LDEs at Gallatin on March 12.
Lee and Phoebe Everett celebrated their 44th wedding anniversary on Feb. 27. They went out to eat at Toot Toot’s in Bethany. Amy Stallsworth visited with Carolyn Easum on Friday, Feb. 28 at Carolyn's home in Cainsville.
Sunday visitors of Melanie Chaney were. Isaac, Shyanne, Lilah and Lakelynn Chaney, and Ken and Barb McLain.
A great and giving crowd attended the fundraiser for Lyle Parkhurst on Saturday, March 1 at the Cainsville R-1 school.
Lyle has been battling cancer for the last few months and is doing well.
The Cainsville senior class is selling cinnamon rolls and sticky buns. Full pan (12) of cinnamon rolls is $25 and a 1/2 pan is $15. Same for sticky buns. Get in touch with Jayleigh Arndt, Bree Vaughn, Karlee Crouse or Tryson Ratliff. Orders need to be picked up mid-morning March 15 at the school cafeteria.
Sunday, March 2 visitors of Lila McLain were Kay Thomas, Ronda Pash, and Joshua Pash, Sawyer and Jackson.
Sympathy to the family and friends of Mina Hickman, who recently passed away.
Please send me some news! Have a great week.
SCHOOL FOOD
All menus subject to change.
PRINCETON
Breakfast is available to all students. It is served with a choice of 1% white milk or skim chocolate milk. Cereal is available as an option every day except where noted. Fruit and juice are available every day. Nutri-grain bars are available on select days.
Monday, March 10: breakfast sandwich.
Tuesday, March 11: pancakes, sausage patty.
Wednesday, March 12: french toast sticks.
Thursday, March 13: scrambled eggs, toast.
Friday, March 14: no school.
Lunch is served with the choice of 1% fat-free white milk or fat-free chocolate milk. Students in grades K-5 have the choice of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or the menu entree. Students in grades 6-12 have the option of a chef salad or the entree every day unless noted. All bakery items are whole wheat or whole grain. Fruit is served with lunch.
Monday, March 10: tenderloin sandwich or grilled chicken sandwich, french fries, red peppers.
Tuesday, March 11: teriyaki chicken or hamburger patty, broccoli with cheese, brown rice.
Wednesday, March 12: chicken nachos or tamale, refried beans, tomatoes and cucumbers.
Thursday, March 13: meatloaf or breaded beef patty, mashed potatoes, brown gravy, green beans, hot roll.
MERCER
Breakfast is served with orange juice and white or chocolate milk. Cereal is an optional entree.
Lunch is served with milk. A salad bar and fruits and vegetables are available every day, except where noted. Students in grades PK-6 will have the choice of option A or a chef salad. Students in grades 7-12 will have the choice of either option or a chef salad.
Monday, March 10: a) popcorn shrimp; b) beef enchilada; peas and carrots.
Tuesday, March 11: a) chicken fried steak; b) chicken patty; mashed potatoes, white gravy, green beans, roll.
Wednesday, March
12: a) spaghetti, breadstick; b) tenderloin; corn.
Thursday, March 13: no school. Friday, March 14: no school.
CAINSVILLE Breakfast is served with fruit, juice, and milk.
Mondays: breakfast burrito, cereal, toast. Tuesdays: french toast with syrup and peanut butter, turkey sausage. Wednesdays: cereal, toast, hash brown patty, scrambled eggs. Thursdays: pancake, turkey sausage. Fridays: biscuits, gravy.
Lunch is served with milk. Fruits and vegetables are available every day, and students are required to have at least one cup of either on their tray.
Monday, March 10: burritos, corn.
Tuesday, March 11: fried chicken, stuffing, peas.
Wednesday, March 12: maid rites, green beans.
Thursday, March 13: hot ham and cheese, chips.
Friday, March 14: no school.
MERCER CO.
HEALTH DEPT.
305 West Main, Princeton 660-748-3630
MARCH
Blood pressure clinics
Friday, March 7, 11
a.m., Mercer County Senior Center, Princeton; Wednesday, March 26, 2 p.m., Oakwood Terrace, Princeton.
WIC services
Thursday, March 13 and 27, at office, by appointment.
Open lab
Friday, March 21, 8-10 a.m., by appointment.
Other items
• Easter Seal Midwest meeting: Tuesday, March 11, 10 a.m.-noon.
• Safe Kids NWMO meeting: Thursday, March 20, 1 p.m.
• Board meeting: Wednesday, March 26, 6 p.m.
• Princeton R-5 Health Fair: Thursday, March 27.
LAND
TRANSFERS
Thursday, Feb. 27
• John D. Miller Jr. to James W. Miller.
Kauffman recipients announced
Special to the Post-Telegraph
PRINCETON, Mo. The latest recipients of scholarships from the Gene Kauffman Scholarship Foundation Inc. have been approved by the Board of Directors of the foundation. A total of 23 female graduates of Mercer High School and Princeton High School in Mercer County, Missouri, have been awarded a combined total of $88,700 in scholarships for the spring semester.
Each recipient provided signed statements that they meet all criteria established for the program, the most unique of which is being a non-smoker.
The recipients are attending a variety of institutions in Missouri as required by the program.
The institutions and the names of the recipients attending each are:
• Central Methodist University - Summer Martin, Esabel Holt
• Missouri Western State University - Kaydee Hill
• Moberly Area Community College - Carsey Brown
• North Central Missouri College - Makenzie Dunkin, Lauren Girdner, Grace Kelly, Hannah Meighen, Tori Meinecke, Kennedy Norton
• Northwest Missouri State University - Makayla Meyer, Jaden Purdun, Sage Tudeen
• Park UniversityMaya Walker
• Truman State University - Lauren Krohn
• University of Central Missouri - Maggie Hickman, Gracie Thogmartin, Emma Walkup
• University of Missouri-Columbia - Alison Allen, Kaydee Cunningham, Savannah Martin, Megan Spencer
• William Jewell College - Cheyenne Dinsmore The Gene Kauffman Scholarship Foundation Inc. is funded by a trust established by the late Edward E. “Gene” Kauffman of Princeton. He specified basic guidelines which include schol-
arships are to be awarded to female, unmarried, non-smoking graduates of Mercer County, Mo., high schools who have evidence of need. Additionally, the recipients must be enrolled for and pass at least 12 hours of credit in an accredited Missouri college or university and maintain a certain grade point average. Each of the recipients has certified that they meet the criteria. Each applicant must
have successfully filed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) by June 30 to be eligible for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters. Applications for the fall 2025 semester will become available May. 1. Students can pick up the application at the Princeton High School principal’s office, or the Mercer school principal’s office. The scholarship application will also be available on each school’s website.
Downsize government by cutting funding for NGOs, other groups
PAUL HAMBY
MAYSVILLE, Mo. Continuing our series on ways to downsize Missouri government, this week will focus on duplication and NGOs (non-government organizations) who are often called councils, agencies or public/private organizations. Sometimes they are actually called corporations even though they are funded at least in part by Missouri taxpayers. Some examples are the St Louis Development Corporation, the Southwest Missouri Council of Governments and ihe Great Northwest Wholesale Water District.
Duplication is one of the big problems that needs to be addressed as we attempt to make government more efficient. Our state has dozens of non-government organizations promoting economic development.
Many in Missouri think we need these non-profits to attract businesses and jobs (I disagree), but if having NGO salesmen to try to bring business to an area is a good idea, let's take a look at the level of duplication just in .orth Missouri. This is a partial list:
• Missouri Rural Enterprise and Innovation Center, Kirksville
• Green Hills Regional Planning Commission, Trenton
• Missouri Small Business Development Centers
• Mo-Kan Regional Council
• Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments
• Missouri Partnership
• Nodaway County Economic Development Corporation
• Chillicothe Development Corporation
More duplication
• Several cities, chambers of commerce or similar business organizations are also actively involved in economic development, such as Main Street Chillicothe.
• Hundreds of employees in nonprofits working on economic development for north Missouri.
Just like the weatherman, their jobs do not depend on results, the
economic development employees continue to get paid whether bringing in new businesses or not. Further, a business may taunt the cities to compete for handouts pitting Cameron against Chillicothe, Kirksville, Hannibal and St Joseph. The taxpayer comes out on the losing end.
I would propose drastic cuts in the funding of these NGOs all across Missouri.
Because of their unique structures as public private organizations, they seem to be accountable to no one as they operate independently.
Audit requests by citizens are denied because citizens do not have standing due to a layer of insulation from taxpayers. The funding often comes from a third party, such as a city or county, but originates from taxpayers.
If cutting government funding shuts down an NGO, it is not and never was a non-governmental organization.
It is time for our Missouri legislators to duplicate some DOGE magic and downsize missouri government.
Paul Hamby is a free-thinking conservative farmer and small businessman in northwest Missouri’s DeKalb County. Copyright (C) 2025 Liberty Thought of the Week. All rights reserved.
Does the grocery store scare you?
DR. GLENN MOLLETTE
Special to the Post-Telegraph NEWBURGH, Ind. Does the grocery store scare you? What about buying eggs? Do you dread driving to Walmart? Do you remember a day when it was fun?
I remember the old days of going to my grandfather Hinkle’s grocery store in old Stidham, Ky. Today, that would be South Milo Road in Tomahawk, Ky. I could buy a Pepsi-Cola or Dr. Pepper for eight cents. A candy bar was a nickel. An ice cream Drumstick was a dime. A bag of chips or a pastry cake was a nickel or a dime. You could buy a lot for a quarter. When I was in elementary school, if I had a quarter, I could buy quite a bit at Fred Mills’ grocery store which was located next door to the Tomahawk school. I could buy a Coke, a bag of chips and a French pastry cake. I sold Grit newspapers when I was a kid and I could
GLENN MOLLETTE
make $1 a week. That gave me four quarters. My dad also worked really hard in an underground coal mine.
Those were the days, my friend. We thought they would never end, but they did a long time ago. Today it would take about $5 to buy what I bought back then with a quarter. I guess I must be old now, but I don’t have to guess about the high cost of groceries.
Groceries are expensive and people are sick and tired of worrying if they will be able to buy enough food to get through the month. There is too much food shortage in America. This means that people have trouble buying enough food to get through the month. This is why there are non-profit food pantries all over America. Many of these pantries are delivering truckloads of
food to communities and hundreds of people line up for a sack of groceries. Ten years ago, it cost $1,000 to sponsor such a project but today it’s closer to $3,500 and growing.
See Mollette, Page 6
COMMISSION
MERCER COUNTY COMMISSION
Report taken from minutes of meetings of the Mercer County Commission. All votes are unanimous unless otherwise noted. Monday, Feb. 24
• Minutes of the Feb. 10 meeting were approved.
• Sheriff Jeff Spencer and commissioners discussed the possibility of a website for Mercer County.
• Auctioneer licenses were approved for Burton Prunty, Chad Shepard Auctioneer, and Douglas Head.
• Bills were approved and paid.
• Time sheets and the Feb. 15 payroll were approved.
• Commissioners received current and delinquent tax balances for Jan. 31 from Collector/ Treasurer Susan Moore, as verified by County Clerk Judy Hamilton’s worksheets. Hamilton also provided the balance worksheet of protested taxes.
• Commissioners voted 2-0 to approve a memorandum of agreement between Mercer County and the Mercer County Area Development Board, and to approve a $5,000 donation. 2nd District Commissioner Gary Porter abstained. Both parties signed the
agreement.
• Commissioners and Hamilton signed a certified copy of order authorizing Moore to pay the following, not to exceed budgetary limits:
* $400 to Missouri Sheriffs United for tech assistance and dues (money taken from Sheriff’s Revolving Fund #35);
* $187.40 to the Princeton Post-Telegraph for a help wanted ad and an annual subscription (money taken from Sheriff’s Civil Process Fund #32); and
* $48 to Grundy Electric Cooperative Inc. for utilities in Lindley Township (money taken from Lindley Township Fund #43).
• Commissioners received a copy of a memo/ order from Prosecuting Attorney Pamela Blevins requesting Moore to issue two checks from Mercer County Law Enforcement Restitution Fund #39 - $300 to the Jackson County Medical Examiner, and $503 to First Call. Authorization from the Restitution Board were attached.
• Tier II emergency and hazardous chem-
ical inventory reports were received from KPL Northern States LLCWood River Pipeline.
• Presiding Commissioner Jerry Allen signed Progress Invoice #14 for Bridge 25300041 BRO-B065 (41) for $12,236.33, Progress Invoice #9 for Bridge 07900221 BRO-R065 (001) for $10,224.78, and Progress Invoice #8 for Bridge 18700021 BRO-R065 (002) for $22,505.43, all for engineering services.
• Shannon Howe with Howe Company LLC spoke to commissioners.
• Road & Bridge Supervisor Shawn Powell spoke to commissioners about tractor and brush cutter bids.
• Garry McFee with Howe Company LLC presented contract agreements between Mercer County and BRS Construction for Bridge 25200071 BRO-B065 (40) on Inkwell Street in Washington Township, and Bridge 18700021 BRO-B065 (002) on Ebony Street in Harrison Township.
• Beau Clinton with Foley Equipment spoke to commissioners.
Chula residents request, will get audit of city
Special to the Post-Telegraph
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.
State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick is honoring the request of residents of the city of Chula, located in Livingston County, to perform a thorough review of city operations. Fitzpatrick announced today that his office is conducting a performance audit of the city after residents of the municipality gathered 39 verified signatures to trigger the review. The audit official-
ly began with an entrance meeting with the City Council on Monday, Feb. 10. “I appreciate the interest the citizens of Chula are taking in how their city government is operating and respect the effort they made to gather the signatures to trigger this audit,” said Fitzpatrick. “We will do our best to provide Chula residents with a detailed look at city operations with the goal of giving them the
information they need to hold their city officials accountable for the decisions they make. If there are areas that need improvement, we will give city officials a detailed roadmap for how to make city government more efficient, effective, and transparent.”
The State Auditor's Office last conducted a petition audit of the city of Chula in 2011. The report gave the city a rating of “fair” and found it did
not obtain required annual audits of its water and sewer systems, properly prepare and monitor budgets, or prepare required financial reports. Individuals may provide confidential information for consideration during the audit of the city of Chula to the State Auditor's Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov or by visiting www.auditor.mo.gov/ hotline.
Better numbers can lead to better farming
University of MO Extension
WARSAW, Mo. Handling farm finances wisely means knowing some key numbers that indicate the health of your operation.
“One of those key numbers is your farm’s financial efficiency,” said Amie Breshears, University of Missouri Extension agricultural business specialist. “Financial efficiency measures your farm’s ability to use all its valuable resources and produce income. In the words of Dave Ramsey, ‘If you don’t stay on top of numbers associated with your business, you will fail. You can’t outearn disorganization or the need to handle your finances wisely.’”
Financial efficiency measurements answer the questions, “How well is your farm using assets to generate income?” and “Where is your farm spending the income dollars it generates?”
Interest expense ratio is one of four measures of
financial efficiency. Interest expense ratio measures the percentage of farm income used to pay interest owed on debt. It indicates how well the farm is generating income to pay interest expense on farm debt.
The other three measurements are operating expense ratio (how much of your farm’s income it takes to pay operating expenses, not including depreciation and interest); depreciation and amortization expense ratio (how much of your farm’s income it takes to cover your depreciation/ amortization expenses); and income from operations ratio (how much of your farm’s income is left after paying operating expenses, depreciation/ amortization and interest expenses).
The formula for interest expense ratio is total farm interest expense divided by gross revenues.
“Total farm interest expense includes all interest expenses from farm
How much do your hay bales really weigh?
University of MO Extension COLUMBIA, Mo. Ask five farmers how much their hay bales weigh, and you’ll probably get five different answers - none of which are backed up by a scale ticket.
“That’s because most folks think they know their bale weights, but more often than not, they’re guessing,” says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist and associate dean Rob Kallenbach. “And when you’re buying hay by the bale instead of by the ton, those guesses can cost you real money.”
Kallenbach says MU Extension specialists often ask people to estimate bale weights during events. “Time and time again, we see folks overestimate bale weights, sometimes by a couple hundred pounds,” he says. “That can lead to errors of 15% to 20%, which is a pretty steep tax if you’re buying. Worse yet, it can lead to thinking you’ve got enough hay for the winter when you really don’t.”
debt,” said Breshears. “Gross revenues include payments from the sale of agricultural products, any crop insurance proceeds or agricultural program payments such as Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage payments, and other payments such as cash rent payments, payments for custom work or dividends from farm cooperatives.”
Generally, a lower interest expense ratio is better, said Breshears. An interest expense ratio less than 5% is strong. An interest expense ratio of 5%-9% is a sign that caution is needed. If the interest expense ratio is 10% or greater, that is considered “weak,” meaning the farm may not be able to generate enough income to cover its interest expense, operating expenses, depreciation/amortization and family living expenses. Why does this matter?
What are some ways to improve the interest expense ratio? First, improve the profitability of the farm by increasing revenues, decreasing expenses, or both. Second, reduce family living expenses. Finally, work to restructure debt.
“You can make improvements and improve your farm numbers, including financial efficiency,” said Breshears. “One step at a time, day by day, small changes and better habits can add up to measurable results, including better farm finances.”
MU Extension offers farm accounting resources including Missouri Farm Business Record Books, budgets and spreadsheets at muext.us/ Farm/Accounting, or at your county MU Extension center.
Princeton Post-Telegraph
Two area college students graduated during fall commencement ceremonies, and five others have been named to their respective school’s fall honor rolls. Graduates
Jazmine Main of Princeton graduated cum laude from Missouri State University in Springfield, with a bachelor of science degree in psychology.
Students who graduated with honors completed at least 30 credit hours with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale.
Jenny Widner of Mercer graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor of science degree in psychology. Honor rolls
Maggie Hickman, Landon Krohn and Emma Walkup, all of Princeton, were named to the Dean’s List at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg. They earned at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Kinslee Stokely of Princeton was named to the Dean’s Honor Roll at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kan. She completed 12 credit hours with at least a 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Many of those wrong guesses come from what Hamilton calls “neighbor talk.” If one neighbor says his bales are 1,100 pounds, the next one assumes theirs must be about the same. “That’s a risky way to do business,” says Hamilton. Newer balers tend to pack hay tighter than the old ones, and other factors - baler settings, forage species, how dry it was when it got rolled up and storage conditions - can change the final weight. “The reality is your hay bales might be shedding weight faster than a steer on Ozempic,” says Kallenbach. There’s only one surefire way to know what
See Hay weight, Page 6
The farm business should be generating enough income to pay for its interest expenses as well as cover operating expenses, depreciation/ amortization expenses and family living expenses. If not, the farm is in a weak position.
Have a recordkeeping or budgeting question? Want to pass along your experiences with farm records? Contact Breshears at abreshears@missouri. edu or 660-619-7994, and follow MU Extension in Benton County on Facebook.
Find more resources at http://muext.us/AgBusinessPolicy.
David Crane of Princeton was named to the President’s List at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph. He completed at least 12 hours of graded credit with a perfect 4.0 GPA.
GUNS & AMMO
WOOD’S GUN SHOP
5 Miles South of Ravanna
660-748-5795
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday 1-2-2025-ufn
Boyer Land Company LLC
Aaron Franklin, Sales Agent Princeton, MO 64673
660-748-6314 YOUR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST! 1-2-2025ufn SERVICES
LAND WANTED
Looking for land to lease for 2025 deer season. Will pay top dollar. References available. Not an outfitter. Fully insured. 715-495-3241. 1-30/4-15b
STORAGE UNITS
For Rent - Storage unit. Elm Street Storage, Princeton. 660-748-3619. 2-6tfnb
NO HUNTING
NOTICE - Hunting and trespassing with dog and/or gun, trapping or fishing on land owned or leased by the undersigned is strictly forbidden. You are hereby warned to keep off these properties. Trespassers will be prosecuted.
No hunting or trespassing on Cox family property - Andy & Donna Cox and Robert & Tina Cox.
2-6-2025/3 years (106t)p
No hunting, fishing or trespassing on property owned, leased or rented by Joe and Victoria Ryan. 4-25-24-52tp
Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on Highland Farms land owned and operated by Dixie Berger, Joe Berger & Steve Berger. 5-16-24-52tp
Absolutely NO TRESPASSING, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, hiking, mushroom hunting and drones on land owned and/ or rented by FRJ Family Farms, LLC. 3-21-24-52tp
Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on land owned by Barbara & LeRoy Hider 10-8-24-52tp
No hunting or trespassing of any kind, including but not limited to use of dogs or drones, on land owned by Diane Houk and Jenny Bomgardner. 9-26-24-52tp
Absolutely NO TRESPASSING, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, hiking, mushroom and drones on land owned and/or rented by KRW5 Trust (Keith or RaeLynn Weaver). 10-3-24-52tp
No hunting or trespassing on any land owned by Bill and Peggy Heck. 5-30-24-52tb
No hunting, trespassing or fishing on property owned, leased or rented by Shirley or Joe Don Pollard. 4-19-24-52tp
Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on Choate property at any time. 3-28-24-52tp No trespassing on property owned by Shandra Morin 4-11-24-52tp
NO HUNTING OR TRESPASSING on any land owned by LAKE MARIE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. 3-6-2025
Academics
From Page 1
Varsity teams receiving the Academic All-State team award must have a roster-wide unweighted GPA of at least 3.3 on a 4.0 scale after the fall semester.
In both cases, GPAs must be figured by a school’s high school counselor before coaches submit their players’ and team’s information.
In addition, a team’s coach must be a MHSFCA member in order for players and/or teams to receive the award. That criteria also applies for players to earn on-field all-state recognition.
LEGAL NOTICE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MERCER COUNTY, MISSOURI
PROBATE DIVISION In the Estate of KAREN A. TRAINER, Deceased. Estate No. 25AI-PR00001 NOTICE OF LETTERS OF ADMINISTRATION GRANTED (Independent AdministrationNon-Resident Fiduciary) TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF KAREN A. TRAINER, Decedent:
On January 31, 2025, the following individual was appointed the personal representative of the estate of KAREN A. TRAINER, decedent, by the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Mercer County, Missouri. The business address of the personal representative is: HEIDI KOONTZ, 3335 West 2700 South, Hurricane, UT 84737.
The personal representative may administer the estate independently without adjudication, order, or direction of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court, unless a petition for supervised administration is made to and granted by the court.
The personal representative’s name, business address and phone number is: ROBERT COWHERD, 903 JACKSON STREET, PO BOX 228, CHILLICOTHE, MO 64601, (660) 646-0627.
The non-resident personal representative’s designated agent’s name, address and phone number is: ROBERT COWHERD, 903 JACKSON ST., PO BOX 228, CHILLICOTHE, MO 64601, (660) 6460627.
All creditors of said decedent are notified to file claims in the Probate Division of this Court within six months from the date of the first publication of this Notice or if a copy of this Notice was mailed to, or served upon, such creditor by the personal representative, then within two months from the date it was mailed or served, whichever is later, or be forever barred to the fullest extend permissible by law. Such six-month period and such two-month period do not extend the limitation period that would bar claims one year after the decedent’s death, as provided in Section 473.444, RSMo, or any other applicable limitation periods. Nothing in Section 473.033, RSMo, shall be construed to bar any action against a decedent’s liability insurance carrier through a defendant ad litem pursuant to Section 537.021, RSMo. Date of Decedent’s death: 11-08-2024, Date of first publication: 02-13-2025. Julie Humphrey Deputy Clerk, Mercer County Circuit Court DATES OF PUBLICATION
February 13, 2025 February 20, 2025 February 27, 2025 March 6, 2025
Receipt of this Notice by mail should not be construed by the recipient to indicate that he necessarily has a beneficial interest in this Estate. The nature and extent of any person’s interest, if any, can be determined from the files and records of this Estate in Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Mercer County, Missouri.
POST-TELEGRAPH
MISSION STATEMENT
(What we try to do every week)
“Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it because in the process … WE WILL CATCH EXCELLENCE.”
Coach Vince Lombardi
ADVERTISE in the Princeton Post-Telegraph today!
In 2024, the average American spent around $418.44 per month on groceries, but the cost varies depending on location, household size, and personal habits.
Factors that affect grocery costs according to USA Today:
• Location: Groceries cost more in some states and cities than others. For example, Honolulu, Hawaii has the highest cost of groceries in the US.
• Household size: The number of people in a household affects how much they spend on groceries.
• Income: Households with higher incomes spend more on food, but it represents a smaller percentage of their income.
• Eating habits: Personal preferences impact how much is spent on food.
• Shopping habits: Buying in bulk or choosing generic brands can help save money. How to save on groceries? Create a budget, stick to a shopping list, buy in bulk, and choose generic brands.
While Americans do all we can to stretch our dollars and shop wisely we ask our state and federal elected leaders to help us all they can. But, do they have the ability to understand? Many of our Congress leaders are multi-millionaires. They probably haven’t noticed much when going to the store. Sen. Mitch McConnell’s net worth was reported at $34 million in 2024, Nancy Pelosi’s net worth was $120 million in 2024. Richard Blumenthal’s net worth was over $100 million in 2024,
Dianne Feinstein, senator from California, has a reported net worth of over $110 million. Marco Rubio’s net worth was $85 million in 2024. The list goes on. As reported often, our president is a billionaire.
Unfortunately, many Americans’ grocery lists are getting shorter because there is only so much a family can afford.
Does anybody in Washington have the ability to care?
Glenn Mollette is the author of Grandpa’s Store, A Reflection of My Childhood,
Hay weight
From Page 5
hay weighs. Put it on a scale. However, most buyers and sellers don’t have a scale big or handy enough to weigh bales. Plus, few sellers allow the buyer to weigh the hay before buying. “So, you have to make an educated guess,” says Hamilton.
Dennis Hancock, who directs the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center in Madison, Wis., developed a method to give an idea of what bales weigh based on their size and how tightly they’re packed. “The tricky part is bale density - it varies a lot,” says Kallenbach. “For instance, aloosely packed 5-by-5 bale would have about 880 pounds of feed; a tightly packed one has nearly 1,200 pounds.” He gives a simple way to estimate bale density:
• Loose bales that depress and don’t spring back. Probably 9 pounds of dry matter (DM) per cubic foot or less.
• A little firmer but still gives when you press it. Around 10 lbs. DM per
cubic foot.
• Good and solid, but you can still dent it with a spike. About 11 lbs. DM per cubic foot.
• You can barely get the hay spike in. Likely 12 lbs. DM per cubic foot or more.
To know how many cubic feet are in a round hay bale, you need to know its volume. That takes a bit of math. First, divide the diameter (or height) in feet of the bale by two. Square that number. Then multiply that by 3.14 and then multiply that result by the bale width in feet. The result is the volume of the bale in cubic feet.
For example, a 5-foot by 5-foot bale has 98 cubic feet of hay: (5/2)^2 x 3.14 x 5 = ~98. Loosely packed bales have a density of 9 pounds per cubic foot of hay, which equates
to 880 pounds of dry feed. A tightly packed bale at 12 pounds/cubic foot would have almost 1,200 pounds of dry feed. Hancock’s figures are rough estimates, but they’re better than no estimate at all, says Hamilton.
“It’s easy to misjudge bale weights, and those mistakes add up,” says Kallenbach. “Whether you’re buying hay or figuring out how much you’ve got stored for winter, a little math and a little common sense can go a long way toward making sure you don’t come up short.”
For more information, see the MU Integrated Pest Management newsletter article at https:// ipm.missouri.edu/croppest/2025/2/hay_weightrk.
BASKETBALL Program’s teams finish season with district losses
Third quarter carries Novinger
Wildcats hold Mercer without a basket during decisive period
PRESTON COLE
Princeton Post-Telegraph
GALT, Mo. Novinger’s girls held Mercer without a basket in the decisive third quarter, and the Wildcats pulled away during that stretch and took a 51-37 victory last Tuesday (Feb. 25) in a first-round game of the Class 1, District 11 tournament. Novinger hit 5 buckets and added a pair of free throws during the third 8-minute stanza that allowed them to take a lead that Mercer couldn’t slice into.
Grace Fountain, who was taller than any Mercer player, hit three buckets in the first quarter to lead
the Wildcats to a 10-8 margin. Novinger was on the verge of putting the game away during the second, as Avery Carter hit for 7 points and Kelsey Frederick added 6 to stake the tournament’s #4 seed to a 13-point cushion, 25-12, with just over 3 minutes left. The Cardinals, the event’s #5 seed, rallied behind goals from seniors Ashlynn Brown and Riley Stark (a 3-pointer) plus a hoop from Sari Rogers for the final 7 points of the quarter to send the game to halftime with Novinger leading 25-19. Then came the third quarter. Frederick, who like Fountain was taller than any Cardinal, hit four buckets and added a pair of free throws for
10 of Novinger’s 12 third-quarter tallies, while Mercer could only get pairs of free throws from Lily Stark and Bailey Houk. The surge put Novinger up 37-23 after three, and the Wildcats led by as many as 17 points in the fourth to end Mercer’s season. Brown and Riley Stark were Mercer’s leading scorers with 6 points each, as the Cardinals finished with a 9-15 record. Other scoring: Kylie Holt 5, Lily Stark 5, Payton Wells 5, Rogers 4, Bailey Houk 4, Jazminre Lewis 2. Novinger finished 15-10 after falling to #1 seed Green City in the semifinals last Thursday night (Feb. 27).
North Harrison boys pull away
Old rival gets, loses early control but regains comfortable margin just before halftime
PRESTON COLE
Princeton Post-Telegraph
JAMESPORT, Mo. A long and difficult season ended for Mercer’s boys last Monday night (Feb. 24) with their 12th consecutive setback, a 73-54 decision to North Harrison in the first round of the Class 1, District 14 tournament.
Mercer got hoops from Brett Hashman, Kobe Hill and Tate Lewis in the early going for a 6-0 lead, and the Cardinals later got a goal from Hill and a Lewis free throw to go up 9-3. Then, North Harrison too off behind Gage Fortner (three 3-point buckets) and Wyatt Maize
Princeton boys From Page 8
(10 points, including 4-of-4 free throws), as the Shamrocks ended the first quarter on a 19-3 run and led 22-12 after the first quarter.
Mercer got back into the game during a second quarter that saw both teams have swings of fortune. The Cardinals had the first swing, a 6-0 surge that brought them back to within 23-18. North Harrison responded with a 16-7 spurt to end the period, however, and the Shamrocks led 39-25 at halftime.
North Harrison opened the third quarter with an 11-4 spurt that widened the gap to 21 points, 50-29 at the 51/2-minute mark. Later, down by 20, the Cardinals got one final surge, a 7-0 run that cut the gap to 51-38. The Shamrocks pulled away
the fourth, they hit consecutive goals to make it 44-35 with 7:15 left. The Bulldogs responded with 10 consecutive points to take the spread to 54-35 with just over 90 seconds left.
Walker, just a freshman, was the Tigers’ only double-digit scorer with 10 points. Other scoring: Lowrey 8, Evans 7, Holt 6, Boxley 6, Bowe Ussery 2. Gallatin had three players in double figures, led by Donovan’s 19. Princeton 65, Maysville 51 (semifinals)
#4 seed Maysville hit 7 of its 10 3-balls in the first half in last Wednesday night’s (Feb. 26) contest, but the Tigers hit six 3s of their own and outscored the Wolverines 11-1 at the foul line to open the postseason.
Twelve of Maysville’s 15 first-quarter points came from four 3s, but Princeton had balance - including 5 points each from Evans and Lowrey, and 3s from Evans and Walker - to send the contest to the second quarter tied 15-15 after Walker’s trey with 1:40 left.
Maysville (20-8) hit three more 3s in the second, but again the Tigers’ balance - points from six boys, including 3s from Evans (which gave Princeton the lead for good with 41/2 minutes left) and Noel Schreffler, plus a deuce from Boxley that capped a 12-0 run for a 31-21 Tiger margin. Maysville cut the lead in half, to 31-26, on two hoops (including their seventh 3 of the opening half), but Princeton took a 33-26 lead into intermission on a Lowrey bucket with 1:16 remaining.
Princeton got baskets from three players in the third quarter, with 5 hoops - one a 3 - by Evans as he went off for 11 points. The Wolverines got down by as many as 12 points in the period, but trailed by just 47-41 before Evans ended the period with two hoops for a 5141 Tiger lead after 24 minutes.
Maysville kept firing 3s toward the basket in the
to a 56-39 margin after three, and after already leading 65-50 they ended the game by hitting 9-of-12 free throws over the final 90 seconds.
Hashman, a freshman, led Mercer with 17 points, and Hill and Kaimon West added 14 each each. West scored 12 of the Cardinals 29 second-half points. Other scoring: Lewis 5, Isaiah Argo 2, Mason Martin 2.
Fortner led all scorers with 27 points, 18 on six 3s, and Maize added 23 more for North Harrison, which finished 10-14 after losing to Grundy County in the semifinals. Mercer finished 4-18 after its 17th defeat in the Cardinals’ final 18 games.
fourth, but they were doing so on tired legs from chasing Princeton’s quicker players on defense. The Tigers hit just twice from the field during the final stanza, a 3 by Evans and a deuce by Lowrey, but Princeton kept the ball in Evans’ hands as much as possible, and he hit 9-of-14 free throws - a bit off his normal percentage but more than good enough - as he personally outscored Maysville 12-10 in the fourth quarter.
Evans led all scorers with 33 points, 22 in the second half, and four of the Tigers’ six 3s. Other scoring: Lowrey 9, Schreffler 7, Holt 6, Walker 6, Boxley 4. Maysville did most of its shooting from the outside, and only got to shoot one free throw over 32 minutes.
Princeton girls From Page 8
lead. Princeton wouldn’t hit from the floor the rest of the period, however, getting just one Addilyn Henke free throw (her only point of the opening half) and two freebies from Shahan, and GC was able to rally for a 19-18 halftime lead.
After the break, the Gophers learned the hard way that you can’t keep a good woman down - especially Princeton’s superstar in a game that could have been her last one. All Addilyn Henke did in the second half was put together the greatest, most clutch performance in Tiger history.
Henke scored all 17 points for Princeton during the third quarter in a variety of ways, including six buckets - three of them 3s - and 2-of-2 free throws. Problem for the Tigers was, GC’s offense picked up, too, as the Gophers got 19 points between their starters as they added a bucket to their lead after three, 38-35.
Kelly cut the gap to 38-37 to start the fourth quarter, but Jeffries hit two goals, one of them a 3, to put GC up 43-37. Addilyn Henke hit her fourth triple of the second half with 5:52 left, and Shahan connected 17
seconds later, to bring the Tigers back to within 43-41. Clare Gordon and Henke traded baskets, with Henke’s coming at the 4:40 mark to make it 45-44.
Green City’s 7-0 run followed and put the Gophers up 52-44. That was followed by the Tigers’ closing 14-3 rally and that, as they say in the country, was all she wrote.
Addilyn Henke’s 31 points gave her game-high honors. Kelly’s fast start allowed her to finish with 10. Other scoring: Mikaylee Henke 8, Shahan 7, Lewis 2. Princeton 52, Grundy County 32 (semifinals)
The host Panthers were able to keep the game reasonably close for almost 151/2 minutes last Thursday night, but Princeton broke the game wide open with an 18-0 run over the last 4:30 of the third quarter and the opening 1:05 of the fourth to end Grundy County’s upset hopes.
The Tigers used staunch defense, and scoring from the Henke sisters (Addilyn 10 with one 3, Mikaylee 8 with two 3s), to open up an 18-8 lead after the first quarter. Addilyn Henke hit to start the second for a 12-point lead, and Lewis hit at the 41/2-minute mark to make it 22-12. However, Lewis’ goal was Princeton’s lone tally during a 9-2 Panther run that brought the hosts to within 22-17.
Princeton led 26-19 at halftime and 30-19 a minute into the third, but a 9-0 run brought Grundy County to within 30-28 with 4:47 left. The Tigers ended the period with a 13-0 run for a 43-28 lead, and added the first 5 tallies of the fourth to end their 18-0 run with a 48-28 lead. With Princeton keeping the ball for long stretches, Grundy County (17-10) couldn’t catch up.
Addilyn Henke led the field with 20 points, all in the first three quarters, and Mikaylee Henke added 15 with three 3s. Other scoring: Lewis 9, Shahan 4, Mitchell 2, Kelly 2.
PRESTON COLE/Princeton Post-Telegraph Kylie Holt (red uniform) got inside Novinger’s defense for a first-quarter shot.
PRESTON COLE/Princeton Post-Telegraph Cardinal Tate Lewis (in red) got down and dirty to beat a North Harrison player to the basketball.
PRINCETON GIRLS BASKETBALL Tigers win first district title since 1998 Without
Princeton’s greatest comeback ever
Tigers “carry” Addilyn Henke through a one-point first half but senior star rebounds, scores 30 in last 16 minutes
PRESTON COLE
Princeton Post-Telegraph
GALT, Mo To say the situation appeared bleak for the Princeton girls on Saturday afternoon late in the Class 1, District 11 championship game would be the grossest of understatements.
That’s because after a 2-minute, 7-0 Green City run, the top-seeded Gophers led 52-44 with 1 minute, 38 seconds left after Macey Lewis, the #2 seed Tigers’ second-leading scorer on the season, became the second Princeton player to get her disqualifying fifth foul. (Randa Shahan, the Tigers lone player over 5-foot-6, had already gone to the bench with her fifth foul.)
That left the Tigers to use all three of their reserves - Gracie Mitchell, who’s usually the first girl off the bench, plus Hanna Allnutt and Evan Boxley - to play huge roles. And they did, with Mitchell doing her usual thing (move the ball, play tough defense), and Allnutt and Boxley helping on defense.
(Especially the seldom-used Boxley, who grabbed an absolutely huge defensive rebound in the late going.
But the Tigers needed points, too, and the Henke sisters provided all the scoring during a 14-3 closing kick that that completed the greatest comeback in Princeton history with a 58-55 victory.
What it all meant
The frantic victory gave the Princeton program its 14th district title, its first since a 1998 Class 1A district win gave that bunch of Tigers won the program’s 13th district crown in 14 years.
That’s important because in Missouri, when a team wins a district championship, it’s in the state tournament (2025 Girls Basketball State Tournament, officially). Princeton (224) hosted Brunswick (19-8) on Tuesday night (March 4) in the sectional round.
The fact that the game was played in the Princeton Elementary Gym is historic in itself. Up until the 2023 tournament, the first two rounds (or three rounds, depending on the year) of the state tournament were played at neutral sites. Princeton was the host site because it met all MSHSAA (Missouri State High School Activities Association) criteria for seating capacity, parking and locker rooms, and that the Tigers won an odd-numbered district in an odd-numbered year.
The frenetic, frantic finish Princeton trailed 45-44 after Addilyn Henke connected from the field with 4:40 left. Then, Green City (22-5) scored 7 straight points - an old-school 3-point play by Lily Crist, 2-of3 free throws by Mary Jeffries and two foul shots by Jaryn Hatcher (those with 1:38 left) gave the Gophers their seemingly insurmountable 52-44 lead.
Back charged Princeton. Addilyn Henke, fouled while shooting a 3-ball, hit all three free throws with 1:26 left. The Tigers got the ball right back on a turnover, and Mikaylee Henke - who had only made two foul shots so far - buried a cold-blooded 3 with 1:15 left to cut the gap to 52-50.
After Alexa Lee hit GC’s final goal, Mikaylee Henke got a steal and bucket to make it 54-52 Gophers. Again, the Tigers got the ball back and Addilyn Henke drained a 3 to give Princeton a 55-54 lead.
Crist hit the second of two foul shots with 13.7 seconds left to tie the score, then Addilyn Henke drove to the goal for a layup that put Princeton up 5755 with 6 seconds left. Jeffries missed two foul shots with 1.8 seconds left, and Princeton got the ball on a violation - an intentional miss that didn’t hit the rim, Mikaylee Henke then got the inbounds pass, was fouled and hit the second of two free throws with 0.6 ticks left to put the game out of reach.
How things got there
Princeton needed help from other girls during a first half that saw Addilyn Henke, the Tigers’ leading scorer at 24.3 points a game, unable to throw a pea in the ocean had she been standing in it (one point, on a second-quarter free throw).
And the Tigers got it.
Two Mikaylee Henke free shots 18 seconds in gave Princeton the game’s first lead. Audrey Kelly hit the first of her
pair of first-quarter 3s, and she hit a deuce with 2:57 left to give the Tigers their biggest lead of the day, 10-2. Green City got two buckets and as many free throws to pull to within 10-8 by quarter’s end.
Shahan knocked down a 3 to start the second stanza, and after a Gopher hoop, Lewis scored on a fast break at the 5:11 mark for a 15-10 Tiger
‘Dogs chew up glorious season
Gallatin drains five 3s in the first quarter as GRC champions down GRC West champions
PRESTON COLE
Princeton Post-Telegraph
ALBANY, Mo Gallatin used a blistering 3-point attack to establish an early lead, and the Bulldogs never trailed, as they won the Class 2, District 16 championship Friday night with a 56-37 triumph over Princeton in a battle between undefeated (in league play) conference champions.
Gallatin faced Osborn-Stewartsville on Tuesday night (March 4) in Maysville in the sectional round of the state tournament. The WildCards, as District 15 champions, was the “home” team for the sectional, but had to move the game to a gym that, for a Class 2 game, has to have a seating capacity of at least 600 people. Maysville’s gym has a listed capacity of 840. How things unfolded
Gallatin (23-5, 8-0 Grand River Conference) opened the game with
a bucket off a Princeton turnover, but Cooper Boxley got the Tigers’ first score with 6:49 left in the first quarter. Jack Donovan gave the Bulldogs the lead for good with a 3 at the 61/2-minute mark, one of his four 3s in the the first quarter. Another Bulldog hoop made it 7-2, then Clay Evans hit what turned out to be the final 3 of his wondrous careet. Boxley and Hunter Lowrey sandwiched Donovan’s third 3 with buckets to make it 13-9, before Gavin Wilmes hit a 3 and a deuce (off a Bulldog blocked shot) to make it 18-9. After Kash Holt scored for Princeton, Donovan hit another triple before Boxley polished off a 6-point opening period with two free throws with 44 seconds left, and the quarter ended with Gallatin up 21-13.
The Bulldogs took solid control of the game over the first 4:47 of the second frame with an 11-4 run.
Donovan’s fifth and final 3 was the highlight of a run that got points from four players for a 30-15 Gall-
atin lead. Mitchell Walker ended the run with a bucket, and after a Gallatin goal, he hit a 3 and Evans made two free throws to cut the gap to 32-22 with 2:47 to go. No one scored again until the final minte, when Donovan and Evans traded hoops, Evans’ with 10 seconds left, to send the game to halftime with Gallatin up 34-24.
No one knew it at the time, of course, but that Evans bucket was the last score of his career. The Grand River Conference West’s leading scorer this season with a 20.4 average was held scoreless in the second half. He finished just shy of the 1,500-point mark with 1,487 points.
Princeton (25-2, 8-0 GRC West) stayed within some sight during the second half. Holt and Lowrey wrapped buckets around a Gallatin goal to cut the gap to 36-28 near the 5:30 mark of the third, and after the Bulldogs took a 44-31 margin to
See Historic, Page 7 See Princeton boys, Page 7
TERRI KELLY/Special to the Princeton Post-Telegraph Princeton’s Addilyn Henke (#3) looked to get open to receive an inbounds pass during the second half of the Tigers’ Class 1, District 11 championship game victory.
TERRI KELLY/Special to the Princeton Post-Telegraph Kash Holt (#10 scored from point-blank range during the Class 2, District 16 championship game.
PRINCETON BOYS BASKETBALL Gallatin beats Tigers for Class 2, District 16 title
