2022 Springfield Sports Commission Awards Program

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June 21 • ozark empire fairgrounds

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ozarks community celebrating the area's best athletes and teams

sportscommissionawards.com

WILLARD TENNIS HONOREES

ON YOUR SPRINGFIELD SPORTS COMMISSIO N R EC O G N I T I O N !

W E ARE PR O U D O F YO U AND YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS JACOB SKAGGS

ALEX AL EX C CRAWFORD RAWF RA WFOR ORD D

CADE CA CADEN DEN N LI LING LINGENFELSER NGEN ENFE FELS LSER ER

JUNE 21, 2022 • OZARK EMPIRE FAIRGROUNDS The Springfield Sports Commission Awards Honors the Best Southwest Missouri Area Athletes, Teams and Specialty Awards Annually

Program of Events Opening Remarks ................................Jerald L. Andrews | CEO & Executive Director, Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Welcome................................................. Josh Scott | Chairman, Springfield Sports Commission Board of Directors Invocation ........................................................................................ Robin Sigars | Pastor, Carterville Christian Church Pledge of Allegiance ...................................................................................... Bill Lingenfelser, Sr. | United States Army National Anthem ...................................................................................................... The Coaches Four | Springfield, Mo. Sports Commission Remarks .......................... Lance Kettering | Executive Director, Springfield Sports Commission Girls Tennis

Girls Field Events

Girls Swimming and Diving

Boys Swimming and Diving

Girls Wrestling

Boys Field Events

Girls Golf

Boys Wrestling- Lower Weights

Inspiration Award - Skyline Athletics Girls Soccer

Girls Cross Country

Boys Wrestling- Upper Weights

Boys Cross Country

Inspiration Award - Miller Girls Basketball Baseball

Inspiration Award - Belle Fletcher

Girls Basketball

Bass Fishing

Softball

Boys Basketball

Sports Commission Award - Jerald L. Andrews

Boys Soccer

Boys Tennis

Girls Performance of the Year

Volleyball

Inspiration Award - Jacob Skaggs

Boys Performance of the Year

Football - Linemen

Boys Golf

Girls Team of The Year

Football - Linebackers/Defensive Backs

Girls Track

Boys Team of The Year

Football - Offensive Skills

Boys Track

Girls Athlete of the Year

Inspiration Award - Libby Lakey

Boys Athlete of the Year

Closing Remarks............................... Jerald L. Andrews | CEO & Executive Director, Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

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Proudly supporting those who inspire us.

Just one more mile, one more rep, one more push. As you propel yourself to greater heights, we’ll be right there with award-winning support. Every step of the way.

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ASSOCIATE LEVEL SPONSORS SPECIAL THANKS TO THESE TABLE SPONSORS* Andrew Dalton & Family Austin Wilkerson & Family Blue Eye Schools Bolivar High School Brett & Ashley Bailey Brody McNiel & Family CALO Programs Carthage High School CLEAN Cole Martin & Family Cooper Crouch & Family Courtney Fletcher, Carnahan Evans, PC Cox Health Diamond High School Softball Edgeman Properties Elliott Lodging Family of Alex Crawford Family of Alicia & Jayna Gunter Family of Andrew Shurtz Family of Ben Smith Family of Braydon & Jordan Kantola

Family of Carlton Epps Family of Dakota Windsor Family of Elise Crawford Family of Gaige Lewis Family of Hannah Gibbons Family of Jocee Pettyjohn Family of Kaemyn Bekemeier Family of Kyshin Isringhausen Family of Landon Keisker Family of Madison Bentley Family of Matthew Wall Family of Noah Wilkinson Family of Peyton Moore Family of Tanner Talley Friends & Family of Kaden Cole Glendale High School Swimming & Diving Great Southern Bank Hardy, Wrestler & Associates Harry Cooper Supply Hermitage High School J & S Ranch

Jack’s Sporting Goods and Hardware Jack’s Upholstery - Family of John Gholson James Ward Jerald & Giana Andrews Long/Rebura Family Miller R-II Schools Missouri Tribe Basketball-Josh Hume Norwood High School Boys Basketball OakStar Bank Old Missouri National Bank Prime, Inc. SGC Food Service Skyler Sundy & Family Springfield Central High School Stephanie Brotherton Stockton High School Tim and Brooke O’Reilly Special thanks to: Shawn Fowler Patti Ingalls

*List Current as of June 17, 2022

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Founded in 1999, the Springfield Sports Commission is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the economic development of the area through sports travel and tourism. The organization aims to enhance the quality of life and stimulate positive economic growth for our community by promoting and developing the Springfield area as a sports venue for quality amateur, collegiate and professional sporting events.

SPRINGFIELD SPORTS COMMISSION Lance Kettering, Executive Director Katie Johnson, Assistant Director

SPRINGFIELD SPORTS COMMISSION BOARD OF DIRECTORS–OFFICERS Chair - Josh Scott, Springfield Public Schools Vice Chair - Marc Mayer, Guaranty Bank Secretary - Tracy Kimberlin, Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau Treasurer - David Holtmann, City of Springfield Past Chair - Bill Hobbs, Elliott Lodging

SPRINGFIELD SPORTS COMMISSION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jerald Andrews, Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Bob Belote, Springfield-Greene County Park Board Melissa Bondy, Bass Pro Shops Erin Boster, Collegate Awards Ryan Bowling, Old Missouri Bank Mark Fisher, Retired Springfield Public Schools and Drury University Athletics Director Tom Mast, Masterful Events Kyle McClure, City Utilities

Dennis McDonald, Evangel University Kyle Moats, Missouri State University Aaron Owen, Ozark Empire Fairgrounds Kelly Polonus, Great Southern Bank Jason Pyrah, CoxHealth Jim Raynor, Mercy Sports Medicine Dan Reiter, Springfield Cardinals Cara Walker-Whiteley, Springfield Hotel & Lodging Association

PROUD TO HOST THESE ORGANIZATIONS Proud to Host these Organizations

SPRINGFIELD MISSOURI

The Springfield Sports Commission proudly hosts events sponsored by organizations like these annually

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Special thanks to these Sports Commission Supporters PLATINUM MEMBERS REST ASSURED REST ASSURED

Hotel Lodging Lodging Associa on Hotel Associa on

GOLD MEMBERS

SILVER MEMBERS

BRONZE MEMBERS

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS BKD, LLP; City of Springfield; City Utilities; Departika; DNC-Sportservice; Heritage Insurance; HomeLight Inc.; Kerry; Kwik Kar Automotive; Lake Country Soccer; Legacy Bank and Trust; Missouri Sports Hall of Fame; Nakato Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar; Neale & Newman, LLP; Ollis/Akers/Arney; Ozark Empire Fairgrounds; Ozarks Coca-Cola/Dr. Pepper Bottling Co.; Price Cutter Charity Championship; Rolling Oaks Hospitality; Springfield Amateur Softball Association; Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau

HOTEL MEMBERS Angler’s Lodge; Arbor Suites at the Mall; Arbor Suites Medical Mile; Baymont Inn; Baymont Inn & Suites North; Best Western Plus Coach House Inn; Best Westen Route 66 Rail Haven; Candlewood South; Candlewood Suites; Clarion Inn & Suites; Comfort Inn; Courtyard by Marriott; DoubleTree Hotel; Drury Inn & Suites; Econo Lodge North; Fairfield Inn & Suites; Greenstay Hotel & Suites; Greenstay Hotel & Suites - Courtview; Hilton Garden Inn; Holiday Inn Express Suites-Medical District; Holiday Inn Express Suites-North; Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites; La Quinta Inn & Suites Airport; La Quinta Inn South; Lamplighter Inn & Suites South; Lamplighter Inn & Suites North; Quality Inn-East Battlefield; Quality Inn & Suites North; Oasis Hotel & Convention Center; The Q Hotel & Suites; Residence Inn by Marriott; Sleep Inn-Medical District; SpringHill Suites by Marriott; Towne Place Suites by Marriott; University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center; Vib Best Western

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS Jerald Andrews; Erin Boster; Bob Cirtin; Steve Everest; Gail Fredrick; Bill Hobbs; Lance Kettering; Tracy Kimberlin; Marc Mayer; Bob McBride; Kyle McClure; Josh Scott; Tom Stout; Joe Tonkinson

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CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE FINALISTS IN THE SPORTS COMMISION AWARDS!

SPRINGFIELD CATHOLIC NOMINEES

ZACH HOWELL

LYLA LOUDERBAUGH

BEN SMITH

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CARSON MORGAN

ELIZABETH TYNES

GRACE O’REILLY

ASHTON VINTON

KYLEIGH PFITZNER

REAGAN ZIBILSKI

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★ Girls Tennis ★ ★ ★

Brynley Brotherton & esther choe, kickapoo High School Kickapoo’s top duo of Brotherton and Choe made its third consecutive trip to the state doubles tournament, advancing all the way to the semifinals before finishing fourth in Class 3. Brotherton and Choe logged a 26-3 overall doubles record, raising their KHS record for wins to 70 over their three years together. Additionally, they won a district title and posted a combined 33-3 singles record as the Chiefs’ No. 1 and No. 2 singles players.

Astrid cardenas & emma watts, joplin High School Joplin’s formidable duo of Cardenas and Watts waltzed through the regular season unbeaten in doubles play until dropping their district final. The Eagles combo claimed the Central Ozark Conference doubles crown and qualified for the state tournament, where they fell in the sectionals to the eventual Class 3 runners-up. Cardenas went a combined 45-5 in singles and doubles matches on the season.

letizia carradori, glendale High School

Elsie Crawford, Republic High School Crawford followed up her historic junior season with another campaign to remember last fall, notching a 24-4 singles record while capturing the COC crown and her second consecutive Class 3 District 5 title. She claimed individual titles at the Republic and Nixa Tournaments and qualified for the state tournament for the second straight year. Crawford, who signed with William Jewell, recorded a 17-3 record in doubles competition as well.

brett boney & Allie German, Central High School Central’s duo of German and Boney turned in a strong season for the Bulldogs, logging a 22-6 mark as a doubles team. The pair placed second in district play, falling to Brotherton and Choe, before advancing to the Class 3 state tournament. Boney also registered a 15-4 singles record, while German went 12-11 in CHS’s No. 1 singles slot.

~ Fall Sports~

Carradori recorded a memorable fall season as Glendale’s No. 2 singles player, winning the Class 2 District 5 title. She helped the Falcons claim the team district title and qualified for the state tournament in singles, notching a win in the sectional round before falling in the quarterfinals.

Mckinley hedges & brynley waters, bolivar High School Hedges and Waters captured a district doubles title, then went on to medal at the state tournament, where they propelled Bolivar to a third-place team finish in Class 1. The tandem dropped a thirdset tiebreaker to the eventual state champions before finishing sixth. Overall, they turned in a 29-7 ledger on the doubles side, while Hedges claimed the Ozark Conference title as the Liberators No. 1 singles player.

elizabeth tynes, springfield catholic High School Tynes earned Big 8 Conference Player of the Year honors after capping a successful fouryear career with the Lady Irish. In all, she finished 16-6 in No. 1 singles, while registering an 11-3 doubles mark. Tynes finished third in a highly competitive Class 3 District 5 singles field and won the Big 8 Conference crown. She also brought home a doubles conference title.

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C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S

Dakota Windsor ON YOUR SPORTS COMMISSION AWARD NOMINATION! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!

-DAD, MOM, KAMILLA, CHARLIE AND EVA -

ISA. 43:2

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★ Boys Swimming & Diving ★ ★ ★ Lucas Chadwell, glendale High School Chadwell had a standout couple of days in the pool at the state championship meet, as the Glendale senior won a pair of individual state championships to help lead the Falcons to their third consecutive Class 1 state championship. Chadwell won both the 50-yard freestyle (20.29 seconds) and the 100-yard freestyle (45.58). He also swam the second leg of Glendale’s state title-winning, 200-yard freestyle relay team and was the first leg of the Falcons’ state runner-up, 200-yard medley relay.

Trey Flouer, Glendale High School Flouer might not garner quite the attention, considering Glendale has one of the deepest rosters in the area, but he’s certainly not to be overlooked. In helping Glendale win its third consecutive Class 1 state title, the senior scored a total of 32 points individually with a state runner-up finish in the 100-yard butterfly and a fourth-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. Flouer also swam the second legs for both the 200-yard medley relay team and the 400-yard freestyle relay team.

Jasinski picked up where he left off a year ago, as the senior captured a state championship in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1:39.49, which helped the Falcons win their third consecutive Class 1 state championship. Jasinski also anchored Glendale’s championship 200-yard freestyle relay team. He also was edged out by teammate Lucas Chadwell by just .29 of a second in the 100-yard freestyle race, and anchored Glendale’s 400-yard freestyle relay team that finished as state runner-up.

Evan Riley, Glendale High School Riley finished as the Class 1 state runner-up in the 1-meter diving competition with a total score of 474.65 points. Overall, he earned 17 points for Glendale, with the points playing a key role in the Falcons’ third consecutive Class 1 state championship. It also was notable because his total score was 90 points better than his 2019 finish, when he placed seventh.

Riley also won gold at the Ozark Conference meet as the Falcons also captured that meet in dominating fashion.

~ Fall Sports~

Michael Jasinski, Glendale High School

Matthew Wall, lebanon High School A sophomore, Wall enjoyed a breakout season in the pool, as he was a key contributor to Lebanon’s up-and-coming swimming program. He advanced to the 50-yard freestyle finals at the Class 1 state meet and swam the first leg of a pair of Yellowjacket relay teams that reached the podium. The 200-yard medley relay team finished in fift h place, while the 200-yard freestyle team finished in eighth place. Wall also gained state experience in the 100-yard freestyle.

Dakota Windsor, Lebanon High School Windsor announced his arrival on the Class 1 state scene with an impressive state meet, which included four trips to the podium. He placed fourth in the 100-yard butterfly and sixth in the 100-yard breaststroke, while swimming a leg on each of the 200-yard medley and the 200-yard freestyle relay teams, which finished fift h and eighth, respectively. The junior also won an Ozark Conference title in the 200-yard individual medley, the only non-Glendale swimmer to win an event at the conference meet.

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★ Girls Golf ★ ★ ★

Marlee Edgeman, Marshfield High School A sophomore, Edgeman won the Class 2 state championship, making her the first in Marshfield High School to win a state golf title. She also won the Seymour Tournament and turned in a scoring average of 75. The strong finish summarized her season, as Edgeman improved on the mental side of the game. She usually didn’t let tough situations overwhelm her and, whenever she fell behind the leaders, she grinded away. Her putting also showed improvement.

Lyla Louderbaugh, Springfield Catholic High School

~ Fall Sports~

Louderbaugh helped Springfield Catholic win its third consecutive state golf title, placing third individually in the Class 3 meet with a 149. She won two tournaments, the Springfield Catholic and Ozark events, and was the runner-up four times, including at the MSU Relays, Big 8 Conference and district tournament. She finished with an 18-hole scoring average of 71.7. She heads into next season with the state’s fourth-best par 70 score (66) and its third-best par 71 score (64).

Kyleigh Pfitzner, Springfield Catholic High School Pfitzner placed fourth at the Class 3 state meet, firing a two-day total of 154 that helped Springfield Catholic win its third consecutive state championship. She was the runner-up of the Springfield Public Schools Tournament, with a 72, and was third in the Springfield Catholic, Bolivar and district tournaments. Pfitzner finished with an 18-hole scoring average of 75.8, and ended her career with the sixth-best par 70 score in the state, with a 67.

Savannah Thessing, New Covenant Academy A sophomore, Thessing went undefeated in all Class 1 competitions, winning the state and district championships. Overall, she had an 18-hole scoring average of 78, and her best score was a 74, and her best 9-hole score was 36, which she accomplished twice.

She also shot 80 or better seven times. Even better, she improved on the mental side of the game and became a leader, helping the team to a state runner-up finish after winning the district title.

Reagan Zibilski, Springfield Catholic High School A senior, Zibilski led Springfield Catholic to a third consecutive state title, and was the individual state champion, too, for a second consecutive year. At state, she shot a twoday total of 5-under-par 139, tying a state record. That marked her sixth victory of the season – she had two runner-up showings – and finished with a 67.3 scoring average.

Zibilski, who signed with the University of Arkansas, also holds state scoring records for par 70 (64) and par 71 (60), and ranks second with a 66 on a par 72.

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Oh the places you will go.

Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.

Cheers to you all for your hard work!

Congratulations to all of the Springfield Catholic High School nominees and Girls Golf Team!

From your friends at: t:

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★ Girls cross country ★ ★ ★ Riley Arnold, Blue Eye High School Arnold juggled playing volleyball while competing in cross country in the fall of 2021. She won the Class 3 state championship yet again, finishing in 19:23. That marked her eighth victory of the season, which included the District 2 (19:36) and Southwest Central League (19:47). She clocked her best time of the season with a run of 19:07 at the Gans Creek Classic.

alicen ashley, nixa High School Ashley made the most of her senior year, finishing 19th at the Class 5 state meet (18:55). She also was ninth at the District 2 meet in 20:05, won the Central Ozark Conference title (18:50) and the Laker Invitational. She logged a personal-best 18:17 at the Gans Creek Classic, and has signed with the University of Tulsa.

~ Fall Sports~

Klarie Brown, kickapoo High School Brown couldn’t compete at the state tournament due to illness, but she was among the best in southwest Missouri regardless. Brown placed second at the Class 5 district meet (19:14), placed fourth in the Ozark Conference (20:24), won the Branson Invitational and was seventh at the Gans Creek Invitational (18:36).

She also placed third at the Missouri Southern Stampede and won the Richard Clark Invitational (19:06).

Jennalee Dunn, joplin High School Dunn is appearing on this list for a second consecutive year. She finished 14th at the Class 5 state meet in a personal season-best 18:36. She also had sub-22-minute times at the Laker Invitational, the Gans Creek Classic, Missouri Southern Stampede and Raymore-Peculiar.

Dunn has signed to run for Cornell University of the Ivy League.

Lilah genel, parkview High School Genel placed 13th at the Class 5 state meet (18:32) and earned National Elite status as well. In the process, she ranks first on Parkview’s all-time top 10 senior list and placed third at districts (19:20). She also finished fift h in the Ozark Conference (20:52), third at the Cedar Ridge Invitational in Branson and won both the East Newton and Riann Lubinski Invitationals.

Jayna Gunter, west plains High School Gunter was a key part of West Plains’ state championship team, as she placed seventh in Class 4 with a run of 18:51. She was runner-up at districts (19:39), third in the Ozark Conference (20:21) and runner-up at Licking and Marshall County (Ky.). She also finished eighth at the Missouri Southern Stampede and third at both the West Plains and Willow Springs meets.

brayden kantola, West Plains High School Brayden Kantola earned All-State with a runner-up finish at the Class 4 state meet, finishing in 18:29.

She also was fifth at the District 2 meet (20:07) and won four other meets – the Ozark Conference (19:50), Licking, the Marshall County, Ky., Invitational, and the Steve Waggoner Invitational (20:07).

She placed ninth at the Missouri Southern Stampede (19:07) and fifth at the Memphis Twilight as well.

jordan kantola, west plains High School Jordan Kantola won the Class 4 state championship, finishing in 18:28. She claimed titles at the District meet (19:37) and Zizzer Invitational and was the runner-up of the Ozark Conference meet (20:05). Kantola also placed among the top three at the Licking and Marshall County (Ky.) meets.

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★ Boys cross country ★ ★ ★ Daelen Ackley, el dorado springs High School Ackley opened his senior season with another strong fall season. He was the Class 3 state runnerup in 15 minutes, 36 seconds – and that was 14 seconds better than his winning time at the district meet. Overall, he finished in less than 16 minutes in six out of nine races. Among them was a 15:36 time at Arkansas, 15:10 at the Missouri Southern Stampede and 15:46 at the Richard Clark Southwest Missouri Cross Country Coaches Association Invitational. He signed with the University of Notre Dame.

Kaden Cole, Neosho High School Neosho has long had a competitive program, and Cole is one of the latest success stories.

He placed sixth at the Class 5 state meet in 15:44, which was 1:09 faster than his sixth-place time at the District 2 meet. He won two other invitationals, at McDonald County and Seneca, and was the runner-up at both Cassville and East Newton. One of his best times was 15:37, which was good for fift h place at the Missouri Southern Stampede.

Creehan finished ninth at the Class 5 state meet in 15:38, helping junior-led Kickapoo win state. He also was seventh at the district meet (16:44) and fift h in the Ozark Conference (17:15). He also had top-10 finishes at Branson and in the Richard Clark SWCCCA Invitational, and performed well on the big stage with a 15:54 time at the Gans Creek Classic and 15:55, good for 10th, at the Missouri Southern Stampede.

Tyler Harris, kickapoo High School Harris not only finished eighth in Class 5 but also helped Kickapoo win state – and his time also was the second-best of any southwest Missouri runner on the same course that weekend. He won districts in 15:58 and topped the field at the Ozark Conference in 16:24.

Additionally, Harris won at Branson, was fourth at both the Gans Creek Classic (15:20) and Missouri Southern Stampede (15:36), and was the runner-up at the Richard Clark SWCCCA Invitational.

~ Fall Sports~

Brooklyn Creehan, Kickapoo High School

Tanner talley, New covenant academy Talley won the Class 2 state championship, finishing in 15:32, the best time of any southwest Missouri runner on the same course that weekend. He won the district meet in 16:07 and the Clever Invitational in 15:59. His season also featured a fourth-place showing at the Kansas City Classic (16:03), the title of the East Newton Invitational (15:37) and third among all classes at the Richard Clark SWCCCA Invitational (15:57).

kyle keltner, kickapoo High School Keltner surged late in the season, helping Kickapoo win the state title. There, he earned All-State by finishing 13th in Class 5 with a time of 15:43. That came on the heels of a fift h-place finish at districts (16:39) and a third-place finish at the Ozark Conference meet (17:07). Keltner also was sixth at Branson in 16:49, 38th at the Gans Creek Classic in 16:10, 16th at the Missouri Southern Stampede (16:13) and 14th at the Richard Clark SCCCA Invitational (16:47).

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★ Inspiration Award ★ ★ ★ Belle fletcher, Greenwood laboratory school

This past January, Belle Fletcher checked into a volleyball match for a Springfield club team and, for most anyone, it would have been ho-hum.

Not for Fletcher and her family.

You see, Belle has rallied to regain her health and ability to walk again – and still aims for collegiate volleyball – after a still-unknown medical condition left her without use of her left hand and left arm.

In other words, Fletcher’s comeback certainly is worthy of an Inspiration Award during the 2022 Elliott Lodging’s Sports Commission Awards presented by Harry Cooper Supply.

After all, the recent Greenwood Laboratory School graduate experienced a condition that led to a 31-day stay in Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, where she underwent numerous tests – including a biopsy of her brain last October.

According to her parents, Courtney and Mark, medical experts worry it stemmed from a viral infection – or from demyelinating disorder.

“She’s really been inspirational for people, and it’s hard for her to see that,” said her mom, Courtney. “We’re just hoping (her recovery) is enough for her to have the option to continue

to play volleyball in college. That’s her love.”

A News-Leader story shed light on it all: At one point, an MRI showed masses in her brain. At another point, doctors moved her to ICU – and put her on a BiPap ventilator – following a reaction to a plasma exchange that led to hives and a cratering blood oxygen level.

It’s been a chore ever since. Fletcher left the hospital in a wheelchair and wore a gait belt (to assist with mobility), a spotter and a cane.

By then, Fletcher’s senior season had finished without her.

A 6-foot center blocker, she was to – and ultimately did – sign a letter of intent with Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala. The coach there is Peggy Martin, who won an NCAA record 1,000-plus matches coaching the University of Central Missouri.

Fortunately, Belle made her return to the volleyball court in January. A year earlier, she played for the Elevate homeschool team, which qualified for a national tournament.

For now, she is deferring a year of college in order to keep improving her health. A scholarship still awaits at Spring Hill.

“Her passion is volleyball,” her mom said. “She’s done remarkable things since she left the hospital, and we are so proud of her.”

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★ Softball ★ ★ ★

Madison Bentley, Diamond High School Bentley established her reputation as one of the area’s top two-way threats in leading Diamond to its first Class 2 state title this spring. In the circle, she posted a 19-2 mark, 1.75 ERA and 235 strikeouts in 131.2 innings. She was equally dangerous at the plate, hitting .480 while bashing 11 homers and driving in 48 runs en route to earning All-State, All-Region and Southwest Conference Player of the Year laurels.

abby Ford, ozark High School Ford rebounded from an injury to post a huge senior season that ended with a Second Team Class 5 All-State selection. A Missouri State signee, she broke the Ozark single-season record for hits (57) and her 13 triples tied for the second-best total in Missouri softball history. An All-District, All-Region and Academic All-State honoree, Ford was also named Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year after hitting .479 with 30 RBI and 26 steals.

Phoebe Gardner, NIxa High School Gardner was a unanimous All-COC pick, as well as an All-District, All-Region and Second Team Class 5 All-State honoree, after helping Nixa advance to the state quarterfinals. An Evangel signee, the shortstop batted .485 with three homers and 35 RBI, while striking out just twice in 116 plate appearances. Gardner also earned Academic All-State recognition and helped the Eagles to an undefeated COC season.

Gilbert capped her Webb City career with a strong all-around season as the Cardinals backstop. She picked up First Team Class 4 All-State recognition after helping lead her squad to its third straight district title. Gilbert was named to All-Central Ozark Conference and All-Region teams, while also garnering her second consecutive AllDistrict citation.

Meghan Hager, Logan-Rogersville High School Hager turned in another banner campaign to complete a standout prep career for Logan-Rogersville, earning her third straight Class 3 All-State nod last fall. Also named the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year, she batted .465 with 21 RBI and 26 stolen bases in helping the Wildcats to a Class 3 District 4 title. Hager also bagged her second All-Region honor and was named Academic All-State for the third time in her career.

Jenna Lane, Logan-Rogersville High School Like her Logan-Rogersville teammate, Lane logged an impressive 2021 campaign to finish off a noteworthy prep career for the Wildcats. A catcher, she hit .490 and slugged .823 with six home runs and 26 RBI to lead her club to a district championship. Lane earned her third straight All-District and All-Big 8 Conference honors, as well as a spot on the Class 3 All-State and All-Region clubs for the second consecutive year.

~ Fall Sports~

Kaylyn Gilbert, Webb City High School

Madeline McCall, McDondald County High School McCall earned a spot on this list for the second year in a row after registering another dominant all-around campaign for McDonald County. The Pitt State signee was a First Team Class 4 All-State honoree after going 16-3 with an 0.84 ERA and 249 strikeouts in 116 innings to garner Big 8 Conference Pitcher of the Year recognition and her third straight All-Region citation. She also batted .397 with four home runs and 27 RBI.

Maddy Meierer, Nixa High School Meierer powered Nixa’s undefeated Central Ozark Conference run with a 9-0 mark and 0.83 ERA during league play, netting the junior a Second Team Class 5 All-State honor. Overall, she went 17-5 with a 2.10 ERA and 161 strikeouts, picking up unanimous All-COC recognition, as well as All-District and All-Region laurels in helping the Eagles reach the quarterfinal round of the state tournament.

Kate Pierce, Kickapoo High School Pierce concluded her prep career as a three-time All-Ozark Conference catcher, earning Co-Player of the Year recognition last fall after helping the Chiefs to an 18-11 campaign. The Harding University signee was named to All-District and All-Region squads for the third straight year, and nabbed her fourth Ozark Conference All-Academic Team nod as well.

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★ Boys soccer ★ ★ ★

Sage ballard, logan-rogersville High School Ballard proved to be a scoring machine in his senior season, tallying 48 goals and adding 11 assists. A forward, he knew when to control the ball and pass it, and had a nose for the location of the goal. Ultimately, he earned First Team All-State, All-Region, All-District and All-COC honors. Ballard was named the Region Player of the Year and has signed to play for Evangel.

Carlton epps, branson High School Epps led Branson to the semifinals of the Class 3 District 5 tournament and ended the season with 34 goals and 22 assists. Overall, he was on teams that won 66 matches, the most by any class in Branson soccer history. Epps earned First Team All-State, All-District and All-COC honors. It was quite a run for Epps, who finished as BHS’ all-time leader in goals and assists.

~ Fall Sports~

Landon Keisker, kickapoo High School You cannot call Keisker timid by any stretch. As a junior, he took a leadership role as a team captain and delivered. A forward, he logged 26 goals and 12 assists, as his ability to find both the net and open teammates allowed Kickapoo to advance to the Class 4 state quarterfinals.

Keisker earned All-Region, All-State, All-District and All-Ozark Conference honors.

Camden meyer, glendale High School A senior goalkeeper, Meyer was like an iron curtain for Glendale. In 2021, he shut out eight teams and had a 0.87 goals against average. The stats reflected a leader who understood his role, especially when defending a one-goal lead in big games. He earned All-State, All-Region, First Team All-District and All-Ozark Conference, and has signed with Drury University.

carson morgan, springfield catholic high School A center back, Morgan helped Catholic reach the Class 3 District 5 championship game. He earned First Team Class 3 All-State honors, was named the All-Region Defender of the Year and the District Co-Defensive Player of the Year. The Irish finished 16-6, with 10 shutouts.

Morgan proved to be one of coach Ben Hines’ best players, as he was a two-time team captain.

andrew shurtz, fair grove High School A center midfielder, Shurtz delivered quite a performance in 2021, as he scored 30 goals and contributed 17 assists. Along the way, he earned First Team All-State, All-District and was the Region Player of the Year. Shurtz’s drive to enhance his game – and those of his teammates – came into focus, and he emerged as a coach on the field. He has signed with Crowder College.

alex spence, glendale High School Talk about leading the way. Spence spent his senior year doing just that for the Falcons, as the forward tallied 31 goals and 18 assists. This from a team captain who was simply relentless and used his play to motivate teammates. He earned All-State honors in addition to All-Region, AllDistrict, and All-Ozark Conference recognition.

Ashton vinton, springfield catholic High School Vinton proved to be one of the area’s top talents in soccer. He scored 35 goals and added 10 assists. He was named First Team Class 3 All-State and the Big 8 Conference Player of the Year.

His success, stemming from a relentless work ethic, netted the forward the opportunity to play for Rockhurst University.

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★ Volleyball ★ ★ ★

Arden Below, Central High School Below wrapped up a banner year and prep career as the first volleyball player in Central High’s history to bring home First-Team All-State honors. The All-Ozark Conference and All-District performer ranked second in her district in blocks (64) and third in kills (227). Below, who was a four-time Academic All-State honoree, earned AVCA All-Region recognition as well. She signed to continue her volleyball career at Lehigh University.

Jaycee Fixsen, Nixa High School Fixsen completed her prep career as one of the area’s top all-around players, ranking among the region’s top 50 in both kills (403) and digs (373) while hitting .244 for the year.

She was a First-Team All-State and AVCA Honorable Mention All-America selection after leading Nixa to a Class 5 state quarterfinal appearance. She has signed to continue her volleyball career at Missouri State University.

Alongside Fixsen, Golden formed one of the Show-Me State’s top tandems, registering 1,081 assists on the season in leading the Eagles to COC and district titles. She earned FirstTeam All-State, AVCA All-Region and Second-Team All-America recognition as a senior.

Additionally, Golden finished as Nixa’s career leader in assists (3,920) and sets played (378).

She signed with the University of Northern Iowa to continue her volleyball career.

Logan jones, Carl Junction High School Jones earned Class 4 All-State recognition, as well as an Under Armor All-American Selection Camp nomination after eclipsing the Carl Junction school record for career assists (1,003) in just her third prep season, averaging 10.2 assists per set. She was a FirstTeam All-COC and All-District pick and shattered the Bulldogs single-match record for assists with 57.

~ Fall Sports~

Sydney Golden, Nixa High School

Grace O’Reilly, springfield catholic High School In her third season as a starter for Springfield Catholic, O’Reilly displayed the versatility that led to her early commitment to Long Beach State University. She totaled 363 kills, 201 digs, 53 blocks and 43 service aces, while hitting .296 for the Lady Irish. O’Reilly earned her second Class 3 All-State nod, as well as all-conference and all-district honors.

Hanna vorhies, ozark High School Vorhies ranked sixth among all Missouri Class 5 players with 417 kills, earning All-COC, All-District and All-State recognition for Ozark. She logged 31 service aces, 51 blocks and 192 digs, while averaging 4.4 kills per set and hitting .281 for the Tigers. Vorhies, an Academic All-State honoree for her work off the court, picked up AVCA All-Region honors and an Honorable Mention All-America nod from Prep Volleyball as well.

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★ Football-Linemen ★★★ Buddy Belcher, webb city High School A senior center, Belcher plowed the way as Webb City’s Cardinals re-grouped midseason and went on to win the Class 5 state championship. John Roderique’s split-back veer offense churned out 3,708 rushing yards on 563 attempts, good for 6.6 yards per carry. In the process, Belcher earned Class 5 First-Team All-State honors and was a unanimous All-Region selection. He also was a unanimous pick for First-Team All-Ozark Conference.

john gholson, Nixa High School

~ Fall Sports~

A senior defensive end, Gholson helped fuel Nixa to a memorable season that included beating Webb City for the first time in school history. The Eagles later reached the district semifinals, and Gholson was voted the Co-Defensive Player of the Year and Second-Team All-State in Class 6. He also was First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-Central Ozark Conference. He later participated in the Blue-Grey All-American Combine (Heartland Super) at the Kansas City Chiefs’ training facility in St. Joseph.

jaylon james, west plains High School A 6-7, 275-pound senior offensive lineman, James dominated the line of scrimmage for West Plains’ offense as the Zizzers reached the Class 4 state quarterfinals. While the offense generated north of 3,000 total yards, James’ work up front was just as impressive – and certainly worthy of downloading his highlight videos online, as he pancake-blocked numerous guys. In Class 4, he earned First Team All-State and All-Region, and was First Team All-Ozark Conference.

garrett Lilienkamp, Carthage High School Carthage’s Central Ozark Conference championship season featured an offensive line whose footwork and technique allowed rusher Luke Gall to enjoy a big season. Lilienkamp, a 6-2, 270-pound senior, played a huge role on the offensive line. He earned Second Team All-State honors in Class 5, as well as First Team All-Region and First Team All-Central Ozark Conference. The Tigers also reached the district championship game and signed with Harding University.

cooper roy, glendale High School A senior defensive lineman, Roy finished with 93 tackles, six tackles for loss, 25 sacks and three fumble recoveries. And that came a year after having set a state-record with 26 sacks.

In 2021, his work didn’t go unnoticed, either. Roy was voted Third Team All-State in Class 5, in addition to First Team All-Region and the Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the Ozark Conference, where he was naturally a first team selection.

tristan wilson, lebanon High School A 6-5, 300-pound offensive lineman, Wilson made the most of his senior year as he helped the Lebanon Yellowjackets reach the Class 5 state quarterfinals – doing so with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. He earned First Team All-State, All-Region and All-Ozark Conference before officially signing a national letter of intent with the University of Missouri. Wilson was rated a three-star lineman by one publication, and the No. 14 recruit in the state and No. 32 lineman nationally.

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★ Football-LB & DB ★★★ Cooper Crouch, webb city High School Webb City has long had solid linebackers, and partly because coach John Roderique was an All-American linebacker in college. Crouch was one of the keys to Webb City shoring up its defense, which helped fuel the Cardinals to a seven-game win streak that ended with the Class 5 state title. A linebacker, he finished with 134 total tackles, and two tackles for loss. He earned First-Team on each of the All-State, All-Region and All-Central Ozark Conference postseason awards lists.

luke gall, Carthage High School You’ve read about his offensive numbers as a running back. Yet Galls’ work as a junior linebacker was just as impressive in 2021 for the Tigers, who won the Central Ozark Conference outright. He played a huge rule in that success, with 88 tackles, 15 for loss, and devoured quarterbacks with six sacks. He earned Class 5 Region Defensive Player of the Year, and was the Central Ozark Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in addition to a unanimous selection as First-Team All-COC linebacker.

Lair gained notoriety in recent seasons as a rusher, but he was even better in 2021 as a linebacker. In helping the Zizzers reach the Class 4 state quarterfinals, he had 90 total tackles, 24 solos, and those included 21.5 tackles for loss. He also intercepted four passes. He was named a Second-Team All-State at defensive end but was a unanimous First Team All-Region at linebacker and running back. He also was All-Ozark conference as a First-Team running and linebacker. He has signed with Missouri State University.

Draven VanGilder, joplin High School A junior linebacker, VanGilder helped Joplin reach a district championship game, which was the equivalent of the state quarterfinals in Class 6. While all eyes usually focused on Joplin quarterback Always Wright, VanGilder put on a show on defense.

He finished with 166 total tackles, 111 solos, along with five tackles for loss. He also had two sacks. In Class 6, VanGilder was a First-Team All-State linebacker, and FirstTeam All-Central Ozark Conference.

~ Fall Sports~

connor lair, West Plains High School

austin wilkerson, lamar High School A junior defensive back, Wilkerson helped power Lamar to a Class 2 state runner-up finish. He finished with 111 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five interceptions and four pass break-ups. That led to Class 2 Defensive Player of the Year honors, in addition to First-Team All-State, the Region Defensive Player of the Year Award, and First Team All-Region as a running back and defensive back. In the Big 8 West, he was the Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team as a defensive back (unanimous) and second team running back.

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★ Football-Offensive Skills ★ ★ ★ Kael Combs, Nixa High School A junior, Combs had not played football since his junior high school days. Now coaches and teammates wonder if he’ll choose the sport over basketball for college.

After all, the wide receiver hauled in 44 receptions for 842 yards, with 11 catches going for touchdowns. His work helped Nixa reach the Class 6 district semifinals, and Combs later was named a Second-Team All-State selection, in addition to First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-Central Ozark Conference.

~ Fall Sports~

Luke Gall, Carthage High School A junior, Gall rushed for 1,902 yards on 166 carries and scored 29 touchdowns this past year in leading Carthage to the outright Central Ozark Conference championship. They also reached the district championship game. He was the Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-State as a running back and the Player of the Year for the Class 5 Region and Central Ozark Conference (Offense). And he’s already readying for next season. In May 2022, he squatted 530 pounds, a personal best.

Dagen Kenslow, West Plains High School Kenslow piloted West Plains to the Class 4 state quarterfinals. Along the way, the quarterback threw for 2,174 yards on 119 attempts – and was intercepted only twice -- and threw for 33 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,184 yards on 120 carries and scored nine touchdowns. He earned Class 4 All-State honors in addition to Region Offensive Player of the Year and All-Region and was First-Team All-Ozark Conference, which voted Kenslow as its Offensive Player of the Year, too.

Cole Martin, McDonald county High School A senior quarterback, Martin combined for 3,039 total yards of offense. He threw for 2,024 yards on 127 attempts, including 23 touchdowns. He also ran for 1,015 yards, scoring 17 touchdowns. And, defensively, he had 83 tackles. His efforts led McDonald County into the district championship game, and he later earned Class 4 All-Region at quarterback and defensive back and, in the Big 8 West, was voted the Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Big 8 West as a unanimous pick both at quarterback and defensive back.

Always Wright, joplin High School Much like each of his fellow finalists, Wright has impressive highlight videos. A quarterback, he threw 175 passes for 2,212 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also ran for 486 yards on 58 carries, scoring nine touchdowns. With it, he earned Class 6 SecondTeam All-State as an athlete, was voted unanimously as the Region Offensive Player of the Year, was First-Team All-Region and received First-Team All-Central Ozark Conference honors, too. He led Joplin to the state quarterfinals.

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★ Inspiration Award ★ ★ ★ Libby Lakey, Dadeville high school

In sports, coaches implore athletes never to give up and to soldier through the tough times because, well, you never know what could be on the other side.

A case in point in the 2021-2022 school year was Libby Lakey, a junior cross country runner for Dadeville High School.

Lakey experienced long-haul Covid in the fall of 2020 – later a ruptured appendix – and not only missed state cross country but all of her basketball season in order to nurse a worrisome heart rate.

Finally cleared to return to sports in the spring of 2021, she went on to qualify for the Class 1 state cross country meet this past fall and doubled as a third baseman/catcher on the school’s softball team.

And her fight to return is why Lakey is being honored with an Inspiration Award at the 2022 Elliott Lodging’s Sports Commission Awards presented

by Harry Cooper Supply.

In sentence form, that may not seem like much. But imagine staring out of a window, knowing the cross country season going on without you.

That is what Lakey faced in the fall of 2020, as she was diag-

nosed with Covid-19 after a close contact and, thus, was quarantined at the wrong time. That meant she couldn’t compete at state.

She then returned for basketball season only to suffer the ruptured appendix, requiring a rush to the hospital for an appendectomy.

That cost her two weeks, and as soon as she returned, she missed two more weeks following another Covid diagnosis. And that led to a check on her heart rate, which turned out to peak over 200 beats per minute.

“She wanted to play basketball badly, but she realized sports isn’t everything,” said her mom, Contessa. “She found new interests, and she made the best of it.”

Quietly, Lakey was plotting a mission for a tremendous comeback. Once cleared, she joined a travel basketball team and slowly worked her way back to full-time, as she would play two minutes, sit four minutes and so forth.

Yes, she urged for more playing time, as anyone would. But ultimately, she followed orders and then surged through the 2021 cross country season. She finished 29th at the state meet.

“We’ve had several people contact us saying it was great to see her back,” her mom said.

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★ Girls Swimming & Diving ★ ★ ★ Maddie Atwood, Logan-Rogersville High School Atwood notched a pair of podium finishes at the Class 1 state meet, including a state championship in the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 23.67 seconds. She touched the wall just ahead of Carl Junction’s Chloe Miller, who had beaten Atwood the week prior at the SWMO Championships. Atwood, who was named Big 8 Conference Swimmer of the Year, also finished fift h in the 100-yard butterfly and swam the third leg of Rogersville’s statequalifying, 200-yard medley relay team.

~ Winter Sports~

Chloe Miller, Carl Junction High School Miller barely missed leaving the Class 1 state meet with four All-State finishes. The sophomore sprinter finished as the state runner-up in the 50-yard freestyle, after having won the same event at the SWMO Championships the week prior to the state meet. She also garnered another podium finish in the 100-yard freestyle with a sixth-place finish and swam the third leg of Carl Junction’s 200-yard medley relay team. The Lady Bulldogs finished ninth in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

Ashlyn Moore, Kickapoo High School A senior, Moore won the 100-yard freestyle at the SWMO Championships with a pool, meet and school record of 51.11. She then won a state title with a blistering time of 50.58, which set a Class 2 state record and broke her own school record. Moore also broke the SWMO meet record in the 200-yard freestyle (1:53.84) and was fift h at state. She swam the fastest first leg of all classes in the 200-yard freestyle relay (23.93), which ended in a sixthplace finish. Moore also anchored Kickapoo’s sixth-place, 400-yard freestyle relay team.

Maggie Moore, New Covenant Academy Moore won her fourth consecutive state championship in the 100-yard backstroke. Her time of 55.74 seconds was almost a full four seconds better than the runner-up. The twotime defending champion in the 50-yard freestyle race, she opted to swim the 100-yard butterfly instead, winning in 55.77, which bested the runner-up by nearly two seconds.

Moore also swam the first leg for New Covenant Academy’s 200-yard freestyle relay team, and her time of 23.99 seconds was the fastest first leg of all Class 1 teams.

Emilie St. George, Kickapoo High School St. George enjoyed a memorable Class 2 state meet, which included four trips up the podium. Individually, the senior notched a pair of All-State honors with eighth-place finishes in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle, a race which St. George won at the SWMO Championships. She also swam the first leg of Kickapoo’s sixth-place, 400-yard freestyle relay team and anchored the Lady Chiefs’ 200-yard freestyle team, which also finished sixth.

Skyler Sundy, Carl Junction High School Sundy nearly missed earning four trips to the podium at the Class 1 state meet. The Carl Junction junior’s best effort came with a state runner-up fi nish in the 100-yard backstroke event. In that event, she fi nished in 59.72, besting the third-place fi nisher by .02 seconds. Additionally, Sundy earned All-State honors with a fi ft h-place fi nish in the 50-yard freestyle race. She also swam the first leg of the Lady Bulldogs’ fourth-place, 200-yard medley relay team.

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★ Girls Wrestling ★ ★ ★ Brenya Crahan, Nixa High School It’s always a challenge to have an encore to a successful season, but Crahan weathered the storm. She became a state wrestling champion in the 125-pound weight class, pinning Winnetonka’s Madison Leverknight in 1:28 in the championship match. The victory left Crahan with a 37-1 record, with her only loss to Lebanon’s Quincey Glendenning. Her other notable victories were the District 3 and Central Ozark Conference Tournaments, along with the Knob Noster Lady Panther Invitational and The Wonder Woman.

Ashlyn Eli, Nixa High School

Catherine Dutton, Central High School Dutton landed on this list a year ago as a state champion, and found her way back by finishing as a state runner-up in the 194-pound weight class at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships. She finished her junior season with a 27-1 record. At state, she pinned her first two opponents and then scored a 2-0 decision in the semifinals. In the finals, she suffered her only setback of the season, a 2-0 defeat. Her season included winning District 3, the Lady Tiger Pride Battle and the Gem City Girls Scramble.

Abibail Fuglsang, Camdenton High School The future is incredibly bright for Fuglsang, who as a freshman finished as a state runnerup in the 100-pound weight class at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships. She was 37-2 in her first year on varsity, with both losses against state champion Ashlyn Eli of Nixa. In fact, Fuglsang nearly pinned Eli in the district and state championship finals, with their final match ending in a 7-6 score. After that match, Eli told Fuglsang that she, too, could be a three-time state champion the rest of her high school career.

quincey Glendenning, Lebanon High School

~ Winter Sports~

A senior, Eli won the 100-pound weight class at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships, finishing the season 40-0. Not that it was easy. She beat Camdenton’s Abigail Fuglsang 7-6 in the championship match, with Fuglsang scoring a third-period takedown and nearly pinning Eli. Nevertheless, Eli capped a remarkable career in which she was 142-3 in her final three seasons, as she was 35-1 as a sophomore and 42-0 as a junior. Her only loss was to an Oklahoma opponent.

A senior, Glendenning secured her second state championship in four years by pinning Madeline Haynes of Rockwood Summit in the first period of the 130-pound weight class finale. Glendenning finished 42-2 in a season when she also won District 3 and the Central Ozark Conference Tournament and, thus, led Lebanon to its second team title in three seasons. Her season included winning the District 3 Tournament, the Ozark Conference Tournament and placing third at The Wonder Woman.

Wendy Riley-Washington, kickapoo High School A junior competing for the first time, Riley-Washington captured the state championship in the 174-pound weight class at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships. She pinned her first two opponents in the tournament, scored a 6-2 victory in the semifinals and then edged Seneca’s Isabella Renfro 5-3 in the finals. She finished the season 30-1, with her only loss coming to Renfro in the district tournament.

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★ Boys Wrestling-Lower weights ★ ★ ★ Zan Fugitt, Nixa High School A junior, Fugitt won his second consecutive Class 4 state wrestling championship, capturing the 113-pound weight class. His 15-0 technical fall against Fort Osage’s Colby Gray boosted his record to 47-1 and marked his 39th consecutive victory following a December loss in Ohio. Fugitt followed by earning a spot on the Under-17 United States World Team and earned a No. 5 national ranking by FloWrestling in the 120-pound weight class. He already has committed to the University of Oklahoma.

~ Winter Sports~

simon hartline, monett High School Hartline became a state wrestling champion in the 106-pound weight class in Class 2 and was hardly challenged. He scored three pins, including in the finals, and an 8-0 semifinal victory on his way to a 46-4 record. A sophomore, he won District 2, the Oak Grove Panther Classic and the Big 8 Conference Tournament. He also won the Monett Invitational and the Kinloch Holiday Classic. One of his losses was to Liberty’s Devon Harrison, the Class 4 state runner-up in 126.

Kyshin Isringhausen, branson High School Isringhausen placed third in the 132-pound weight class in Class 3 at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships, finishing 47-3. What folks talked about, though, was his semifinal match, as he gave Whitfield’s Evan Binder his toughest match in Columbia as the two battled to a 3-1 finish. Isringhausen, a state runner-up in 2021, also won the District 3 and Central Ozark Conference championships. His two other losses were in December, including to eventual Class 4 132-pound state champion Christopher Coates of Liberty.

peyton moore, nixa High School Folks watching the 126-pound weight class in Class 4 at the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships might tell you that the unofficial state championship match was one of the semifinals. A senior, Moore took eventual state champion Columbia Hickman’s Hayden Benter to sudden death before Benter eked out the victory. Moore went on to place third and finished 38-5 in a season in which he committed to the University of Missouri, won District 3 and the Central Ozark Conference.

brady roark, seneca High School Seneca has long had a successful program, and Roark has enhanced the tradition. He won a Class 2 state championship in the 113-pound weight class, finishing with a season record of 48-0 and earning his second consecutive state title – the other coming in the 106-pound weight class last year. At state in 2022, he scored two pins and two technical falls to complete a season in which he won District 3 and the Big 8 Conference tournaments.

braxton strick, ozark High School A junior, Strick churned through the 152-pound weight class in Class 4 and won the state championship. He beat Liberty’s No. 1-ranked Logan Rathen 3-1 in the finals thanks to a third-period, two-point takedown. Strick placed third as freshman and was a takedown shy of winning state in 2021, settling for a state runner-up finish in the 138-pound weight class.

He finished 46-3 overall, with one of his losses against Rathen in the regular season.

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★ Boys Wrestling-Upper weights ★ ★ ★ John Gholson, Nixa High School A senior, Gholson was the highest-rated 220-pound wrestler this past season by FloWrestling, and ultimately placed third in the heavyweight division of the Class 4 state tournament. He finished 39-6 and was close to advancing to the finals before suffering a 2-1 loss on a tiebreaker in the semifinals. He has signed with William Jewell College. Two of Gholson’s losses were at the elite Ironman, and those were to Tennessee and Pennsylvania wrestlers. Another loss was to Missouri’s eventual 220-pound state champion in Class 4.

Tyson Moore, bolivar High School A senior, Moore powered his way to the state wrestling championship in the 160-pound weight class of MSHSAA’s Class 3, doing so one year after finishing as a state runner-up at 152 pounds. He beat Whitfield’s Caiden Gagliano 3-1 in the finals after scoring two pins and a technical fall to advance there. Moore finished the season 39-2.

McDonald County has seen its share of success at the state wrestling tournament, with Blaine Ortiz doing a lot of damage in recent years. In the upper weights, look for Murphy to take that mantle after he placed third in the 220-pound weight class in Class 3. He pinned his first two opponents in the tournament, and then suffered a 3-1 loss in the semifinals to the eventual state champion. He then won the third-place match 2-1 to finish with a 47-2 record.

gary walker, willard High School A sophomore wrestler, Walker surged to the finals of the 160-pound weight class in Class 3 this past season, scoring a technical fall and two major decisions before suffering a 3-1 loss to Bolivar’s Tyson Moore. Walker finished the season 48-3, with his only previous losses to Moore in the district tournament and eventual 170-pound state champion Eli Zar of Neosho in the regular season.

~ Winter Sports~

samuel murphy, mcdonald county High School

eli zar, neosho High School Neosho has built quite a tradition over the past decade-plus, and Zar is one of those carrying the torch. The junior wrestler became a state champion by winning the 170-pound weight class in Class 3 and flat dominated. He pinned his first two opponents, scored a 7-1 decision in the semifinals and a 7-2 decision against defending champion Trevor Wilson of Hannibal in the championship match. In the finals, Zar scored six points in the final period.

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★ Inspiration Award ★ ★ ★ Miller high school girls basketball

On game nights for Miller High School basketball the past four years, you could be assured Ben Holder would be there.

Born with quadriplegic cerebral palsy and in a wheelchair, he was non-verbal. Yet the Lady Cardinals and Cardinals could always count on him even during his senior year this past winter. Sadly, days after yet another surgery, Ben passed away on January 21 at the age of 17.

However, his legacy will carry on, as what transpired over the next few weeks is why Ben and the Miller High School girls basketball team – and the senior class – are being honored with an Inspiration Award during the 2022 Elliott Lodging’s Sports Commission Awards presented by Harry Cooper Supply.

In short, the Lady Cardinals led a fundraiser that generated $12,000 and donated it to one of Ben’s favorite places, Camp Barnabas.

“Ben had a lot of reasons not to smile, but he did it anyway.

He loved Camp Barnabas and he loved Miller High School,” said his parents, Amanda and James. “So, when his friends at school suggested honoring his memory by having this fundraiser, we were very humbled. What better way to remember our son than for one of his loves to give to another? We know the whole event would have put a huge smile on his face! We are so thankful.”

Basketball players and fellow seniors had attended school with Ben since preschool.

Said Claudia Hadlock, “Our friendship with Ben was special. We wanted to honor him because going to Camp Barnabas was Ben’s favorite way to spend his summers. We wanted to ensure, in his memory, that other kids have the same opportunity to go to Camp Barnabas just like Ben did.”

The night after his passing, the Lady Cardinals wore wrist bands in his memory. Yet they wanted to do more.

“To help with fundraising, we had a whole class during school hours dedicated to making our #WFB shirts,” Hadlock said. “We practiced all year making shirts, so when we presented the idea to raise money, we immediately took on the task of our fundraising shirts. During the rest of the season, we just wanted to simply ‘Win for Ben’ because we knew that’s what he would want us to continue to do.”

Said Miller girls basketball coach Sean Price, “One of the cool things about this story is that the kids took full ownership of the idea. It wasn’t a thing they came to me with. … They are a special group of girls that care more about people than they do themselves.”

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★ Girls Basketball ★ ★ ★

Riley Arnold, blue eye High School Arnold followed her busy fall schedule – she played volleyball and ran cross country – with a solid year in basketball. She averaged 16.1 points, 6 assists, 2.3 steals and made 106 3-pointers.

She was a Class 2 All-State and District 11 Player of the Year honoree. Blue Eye won its district and reached the Final Four, falling to eventual state champ Wellington-Napoleon.

Kaemyn Bekemeier, Republic High School Bekemeier averaged 22.8 points, eight rebounds, two steals and two assists per game and became Republic’s all-time leading scorer. She was voted Class 6 All-State, the Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year and was a unanimous First-Team All-COC selection. Bekemeier, who helped Republic reach a district semifinal, is committed to Missouri State University.

Destiny Buerge, Carl junciton High School

Bella Fontleroy, Kickapoo High School Fontleroy authored quite a senior season as she averaged 23.4 points and 11 rebounds a game, while shooting 49.3 percent from the field. Fontleroy helped Kickapoo to a Class 6 state runnerup finish and 28-4 record. Along the way, the Baylor signee earned Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, the District 5 Player of the Year and First-Team All-Ozark Conference.

Hannah gibbons, greenwood laboratory School Gibbons averaged 25 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 3.9 steals a game this past winter as a sophomore. She shot 43.2 percent from the floor and made 115 three-pointers – the eighth-most in Missouri single-season history. Gibbons helped Greenwood reach a district semifinal game, and she later earned Class 2 All-State honors.

Cassidy Hambelton, dora High School Hambelton averaged 30.7 points, 7 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 4.2 assists for Dora, which won the district tournament and reached the Class 2 state quarterfinals. Hambelton earned a string of postseason honors, including Class 2 All-State and Player of the Year awards in District 10 and in the White River Conference.

~ Winter Sports~

Buerge averaged 22.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.9 steals and 2.9 assists a game and helped Carl Junction reach the Class 5 state quarterfinals. She scored a game-high 23 points in the district championship and had 18 in the first half against eventual state champion West Plains in the quarterfinals. She was a Class 5 All-State, District 6 Player of the Year and a unanimous First-Team All-COC pick.

Ashton Judd, West Plains High School Judd scored 26.5 points per outing on 54 percent shooting and averaged 11.5 rebounds and 2.8 steals in leading West Plains to the Class 5 state title. She was the Class 5 Player of the Year, the Ozark Conference Co-Player of the Year and first-team all-conference selection. She has committed to the University of Missouri.

reese schaaf, el dorado springs High School A guard, Schaaf averaged 19.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.1 assists per game. She also shot 57 percent from the field in leading El Dorado Springs to the Class 3 state championship. Schaaf starred in the Final Four by scoring 34 points and grabbing 26 rebounds. She was named the Player of the Year in Class 3 signed with Drury University.

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Congratulations

CAMDENTON LAKERS &

ABIGAIL FUGLSANG

ON YOUR OUTSTANDING YEAR AND NOMINATIONS W E

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P R O U D

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Y O U !

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Congratulations

Zach Howell and all Springfield Catholic nominees Zach, Good luck at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Love, Mom, Dad & Family

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★ Boys Basketball ★ ★ ★

jordan andrews, thayer High School Andrews averaged 20.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.2 steals a game for the Thayer Bobcats, who reached the Final Four in Class 3 and finished in third place. Andrews was voted the Player of the Year in Class 3, as well as in District 10. He also earned All-State honors in addition to First Team All-South Central Association.

Andrew Dalton, Ava High School Dalton averaged 25.2 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 1.2 steals a game for Ava, which finished 23-4 overall. He was named All-State in Class 4, as well as the Player of the Year in District 11 and in the South Central Association. Dalton, who also earned First-Team All-SCA and signed with Drury University, helped Ava to a 70-16 record and two district titles in his career.

garrett davault, norwood High School

zach howell, springfield catholic High School Howell averaged 24 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals a game for Springfield Catholic, which reached the Class 5 Final Four and earned a third-place finish. He earned Class 5 All-State recognition, as well as Big 8 Conference Player of the Year honors. Howell was also a First-Team All-Big 8 East selection and signed with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

zaide lowery, kickapoo high School A 6-4 shooting guard, Lowery averaged 15 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 block a game as Kickapoo finished as the Class 6 District 5 runner-up. Lowery, who shot 55 percent from the field and 38 percent from 3-point range, was named Class 6 All-State, in addition to First-Team All-Ozark Conference. He has verbally committed to Marquette University.

kyle pock, bolivar High School A junior, Pock averaged 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks a game this past winter as Bolivar reached the Class 5 state quarterfinals. He was voted Class 5 All-State and Player of the Year in the Ozark Conference. Pock led Bolivar in almost every statistical category, shooting 53 percent from the field and 35 percent from 3-point range.

~ Winter Sports~

Davault averaged 24.2 points, 6 rebounds and 2.6 steals a game while shooting 56 percent from the field – including 36 percent from 3-point range. He led Norwood to a 31-1 record and the program’s first state title in Class 2. Davault earned Class 2 Player of the Year, All-State and First-Team All Summit League honors.

collin ruffin, nixa High School Ruffin averaged 16 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists a game as Nixa finished as the Class 6 state runner-up. He helped the Eagles claim a District title, earning Class 6 All-State and Player of the Year recognition in both District 5 and the Central Ozark Conference, for which he was a unanimous first-team all-conference pick.

elijah whitley, parkview High School Whitely averaged 16 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal a game for Parkview, which reached the District 6 championship game in Class 5 and finished 19-9 overall. Whitely earned Class 5 All-State honors in addition to First-Team All-District and All-Ozark Conference recognition.

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★ Boys Tennis ★ ★ ★

Raghav bansal, central High School Along with fellow finalist Joshua Kim, Bansal formed a potent one-two punch for Central, which claimed Ozark Conference and district titles this spring. A junior, Bansal was unbeaten during the regular season as CHS’s No. 2 singles player, ultimately finishing 17-2 and finishing sixth at state. He also claimed a doubles title at the Springfield Invite playing alongside Kim.

nate bartram and garrett beckham, branson high school Branson enjoyed a spring season to remember, logging a 21-0 ledger before posting a fourth-place finish at the state tournament. One of the key factors in the Pirates’ success was the duo of Bartram and Beckham, who posted 19 victories as a team, including a district championship. Bartram also went 13-7 as Branson’s No. 1 singles player, while Beckham logged 11 singles victories.

~ Spring Sports ~

tyler brouhard and ian ding, thomas jefferson independent day School One of the more formidable doubles teams in the entire state made things difficult all spring for opponents of Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School. Brouhard and Ding captured doubles titles at the Thomas Jefferson, Monett and Joplin Invitationals, ultimately claiming a third-place finish at the Class 2 state tournament with an overall season record of 28-3.

alex crawford, willard high School Crawford combined with fellow Tiger and finalist Caden Lingenfelser to give Willard a leg up on the competition all spring. As the Tigers’ No. 2 singles player, Crawford rode a 26-7 season mark to a fourthplace finish at the Class 2 meet. The left-hander finished as District 6 runner-up and also notched a third-place finish at the Joplin Invitational.

joshua kim, central High School Kim displayed both skill and versatility all spring in leading Central to Ozark Conference and district titles as the Bulldogs’ No. 1 singles player. The sophomore logged a 15-3 singles mark that included individual crowns at the conference and district tournaments. Kim also went 17-1 in doubles, including a Springfield Invite title and was a state singles qualifier.

caden lingenfelser, willard high School Sporting a gaudy 68-3 singles record over the past two seasons, Lingenfelser once again showed the skills that earned him last year’s top honor in this category. He won 35 of 37 singles matches, notching titles at the Springfield and Joplin Invites, before claiming his second consecutive COC and District 6 singles championships. Lingenfelser also placed fift h at the Class 2 state tournament for the second-straight year.

lathan martin and kyle pock, bolivar High School The duo of Martin and Pock helped fuel Bolivar’s march to a Class 1 state runner-up finish this spring. The tandem recorded a 23-6 season mark as the Liberators’ No. 1 doubles team. They captured the District 12 title, catching fire in the postseason to advance all the way to the final round of the state doubles tournament before settling for a runner-up finish.

evan rea, nevada High School Rea proved his meddle with a second-straight district singles title and Class 1 state tournament berth. The senior went 25-4 overall, bringing his career singles mark to 59-9. He claimed wins at the Fort Scott Tournament and Bird Dog Border Battle before posting a fifth-place state tournament finish.

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★ Inspiration Award ★ ★ ★ jacob skaggs, Willard high school

High school athletes sometimes become too tense, and so it’s always helpful if there’s a teammate who can keep the locker room or school bus pretty loose.

Turns out, Jacob Skaggs handles that role like an ace for the Willard High School boys tennis team.

A junior special needs student, Skaggs has been part of the team the past three seasons as the student manager. Think he gives 110 percent? Certainly. And jokes around? Well, put it this way – coaches and players cannot help but smile just thinking about him.

That’s why Skaggs is deserving of an Inspiration Award during the 2022 Elliott Lodging’s Sports Commission Awards presented

by Harry Cooper Supply.

“Willard Tennis Manager – that’s going to be the first thing on his resume,” said his mom, Melissa. “And he’s already been emailing Coach (Ty) Bills to make sure he has the job next year.”

Not long after Willard announced it would begin fielding a tennis team and named Bills as coach, Bills saw to it that his first recruit was none other than Jacob.

The two had known each other since Bills began teaching

him in elementary physical education when Jacob was 3 years old.

“He’s a very fun and likeable kid,” Bills said. “I just wanted to keep him active in high school. He likes to be cool, popular and funny, and I knew that would give him something fun to do. He was all about it.”

Skaggs carries the clipboard, records players’ scores, shags tennis balls and helps with water coolers.

However, be prepared if you’re ever on the team bus.

“Jacob is a staple to our team,” No. 1 singles player Caden Lingenfelser said. “He’s just a joy to be around. He’s never down. Even after a tough loss, we can’t wait to get on the bus with him. He’s always laughing. He makes people laugh, and we have a great time.”

Lingenfelser remembers a day at Neosho this season when Jacob was trying to make everybody laugh.

To Lingenfelser, it was one of those moments that reminded everybody of the big picture.

“It was just kind of a cool moment to see him having fun,” Lingenfelser said. “Overall, it tells us not to take things too seriously, and be thankful for what you have.”

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★ Boys Golf ★ ★ ★

aiden asby, bolivar High School A senior, Asby was southwest Missouri’s only state golf championship, having won the Class 4 state meet with a 73-71 144 at Meadow Lake Acres Country Club. He had nine birdies on the second day, as Asby continued to show improvement in his short game.

Overall, he finished with a 75 season scoring average, thanks to finishing in the top 10 in all but one tournament. He was third at the Ozark Conference, won the Springfield Invitational and was the co-champion in the district tournament with a 73.

~ Spring Sports ~

jaxon bailey, monett High School A freshman, Bailey had a 73.27 scoring average this past spring as he won half of the 10 tournaments he played in. He ultimately placed sixth at the Class 3 state meet with a 72-75-147 a week after placing second at districts (77). His victories were at Reeds Spring, Cassville, Marshfield, Willard and the Big 8 Conference, where he fired a 69. His season also featured 25 birdies and an eagle, with Bailey helping Monett to its first team state appearance in 27 years – and, ultimately, a sixth-place finish.

max bowman, glendale High School A junior, Bowman qualified for the Class 4 state tournament and was 43rd with a 166.

That helped Glendale to a sixth-place finish and marked the program’s eighth consecutive season of ending among the top 10 at the state meet. That doesn’t count the cancelled 2020 season. Bowman won the City Championship with a 71 and was first at the rain-shortened Ozark Conference with a 38. He was third at the Missouri State Relays, with a 73, and third at districts. Bowman’s leadership played a huge role in the team’s success this spring.

ty cooper, reeds spring High School A senior, Cooper earned All-State in Class 3 after firing a 148 at the Sedalia Country Club, rallying after shooting 6-over par on the first five holes and then carding the low round (70) on day two. At the Ozark Invitational, he helped the team break the school team scoring record of 320. He also was runner-up at the Greene Hills Invitational with a 73 and won the Forsyth Invitational, shooting a school-record 69. The three-time state qualifier (2020 season cancelled) has signed with NCAA Division II Palm Beach Atlantic.

gaige lewis, kickapoo High School A junior, Lewis improved on controlling the ball flight and in his short iron game this season. That led to firing a two-day 150 at the Class 5 state tournament, earning All-State and finishing tied for 14th. He placed fourth at the district tournament and ninth at the rain-shortened Ozark Conference. His season included winning the Missouri State Relays and Ozark Invitational and finishing as a runner-up at the Pearson City Championship. At the MSU Relays, went 3-under par in his final two holes to tie to the lead.

owen swearingen, nevada High School Swearingen landed on this list a year ago for a consistent spring, and he turned the trick again – which is tough to do for any high schooler. He finished in a tie for third at the Class 3 state meet, firing a 70-75-145, which was just two strokes shy of winning it all. He finished with a 75.57 scoring average for the season, which included Swearingen winning the Joplin Invitational at Twin Hills Country Club and winning the home meet. He also was runner-up at the Horton Smith Invitational at Schifferdecker Golf Course.

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★ Girls Track ★ ★ ★

jennalee dunn, joplin high school Cornell University in the Ivy League is the next stop for Dunn, who capped her senior season this past spring with a pair of All-State finishes at the Class 5 meet. In the 800 meters, she finished in 2:16. In the 1600 meters, she was clocked in 4:59. Why is she on this list? Those were the best times among any southwest Missouri runner in Jefferson City either weekend. Her season included shattering the school’s 20-year record in the 3200 (11:21).

jayleign flood, clever High School

jordan kantola, west plains high school Kantola helped power West Plains to a state runner-up finish as a team at the Class 4 state meet in Jefferson City. Individually, she was the runner-up in the 1,600 meters (5:12) and placed fourth in the 3200 (11:30), which was the second-best time of any southwest Missouri runner of any level at state. She also ran the second leg of the 4x800 relay, which earned a state runner-up finish.

addison lawrence, college heights christian school Lawrence can now say she helped College Heights to a pair of top-5 finishes in Class 2 the past two seasons – all before her senior year. A year after the team won state, Lawrence showed her talent again on the big stage, winning the state title in the 400 meters and 4x400-meter relay and placing fourth in the 200. Her 400 time was the best among southwest Missouri runners in Jefferson City.

ally montez, carl junction High School

~ Spring Sports ~

Only a sophomore this past spring – and only in her second year of running – Flood qualified for the Class 3 state meet in four events: the 4x400 relay, as well as the 100 meters, 200 meters and 400 meters. Turned out, she earned two All-State honors by finishing in 12.63 seconds in the 100 and 59.4 seconds in the 400. Those were the third-fastest and second-fastest times of any southwest Missouri runner in those events at any level in Jefferson City.

What a way to end a high school career. Montez finished with two runner-up performances at the Class 4 state meet, running the 100-meter hurdles in 14.82 seconds and the 300-meter hurdles in 43.80 seconds. Those times were the best among any southwest Missouri hurdlers in those events competing at any level at state. Her season included setting meet records in both events at the Pittsburg State Relays, which will be her collegiate venue.

sydney ward, carl junction High School It’s no wonder that track coaches in Carl Junction are excited about the next three years.

Ward turned in a memorable freshman season this past spring, concluding with two Class 4 All-State finishes. She was sixth in the 100 meters in 12.32 seconds and fifth in the 200 (25.08). Those were the second-best and best times, respectively, of any southwest Missouri runner in that event at any level. She also ran the opening leg of the state-qualifying 4x400 relay.

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Congratulations s on n your r season!!

Your r determination n and d hard d work k is s inspiring..

Even n more e importantt is s your r heart,, your r faith h& your r encouragementt to o others..

Love, Mom m & Dad

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Angel Dickerson

Abigail Fuglsang

Caden Kowal & Reece Waters

Congratulations to all of this years nominees Angel Dickerson, Abigail Fuglsang, Caden Kowal & Reece Waters on your outstanding achievements this year from

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★ Boys Track ★ ★ ★

daelen ackley, el dorado springs high school One year after an incredible state meet, Ackley had an encore performance at the Class 3 Track & Field Championships. He earned four All-State honors, winning state championships in the 800- and 1600-meter runs and finishing as a runner-up in the 3200 meters. His times, in order, were 1:53, 4:05 and 8:59 and marked the best among any southwest Missouri runner at state at any level. He also anchored El Dorado Springs’ 3200-meter relay that placed fourth.

~ Spring Sports ~

hobbs campbell, joplin High School Campbell was a key factor in the Joplin High School boys track & field team securing a runner-up finish at the Class 5 Track & Field Championships. He earned three All-State honors by finishing as the runner-up in the 1600 meters and placing fift h in the 800 meters.

His 1600 meters time of 4:12 was the second-best among southwest Missouri runners at state, regardless of level. His 800 time was third-best among that group. Campbell also was the second leg of Joplin’s 4x800 relay that placed fift h.

angel dickerson, camdenton high school At the Class 4 Track & Field Championships, the junior was a four-time All-State medalist.

He was the state champion in the 200 meters in 21.20 seconds, and was runner-up in the 100 meters (10.64). He also ran the second leg of the Camdenton’ 4x100 relay, which placed second, and was the state runner-up in the long jump, turning in a leap of 23-1.75.

heston miller, west plains high school West Plains is known for its distance runners, but the track & field program produces some quality sprinters, too. Miller is the latest. He was a two-time All-State medalist at the Class 4 Track & Field Championships this spring, finishing as the runner-up in the 100 meters (10.58 seconds) and placing fift h in the 200 meters (21.95). The 100 was the best time among southwest Missouri state runners, and his 200 time was the second-best.

thomas shuster, willard High School Shuster made certain that his senior year included a lot of hardware. At the Class 4 Track & Field Championships, he earned four All-State honors by finishing as a state runner-up in the 800 meters (1:56) and placing fourth in the 1600 (4:19) and 3200 (9:28). Those were the fourth-, fift h- and fourth-best times among southwest Missouri runners, and Shuster also anchored Willard’s 4x800-meter relay that earned fift h place (8:07).

tanner talley, new covenant academy Talley made sure to cap his high school career with an exclamation point. He headed to Jefferson City for the Class 2 Track & Field Championships and won three state titles.

Those came in the 800-, 1600- and 3200-meter runs. His 800 time of 1.54 was second-best among southwest Missouri runners of any state level this season, while his time of 4:12 in the 1600 and time of 9:15 in the 3200 were the second- and third-best times, respectively, among that group.

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★ Girls Field Events ★ ★ ★ cali essick, branson High School A year after earning three medals at the Class 5 state track & field meet, Essick earned two more All-State honors in 2022. A jumper, she went 18 feet, 4.25 inches in the long jump, good for sixth place, and was 36-11.5 in the triple jump for a fift h-place showing. Both results were the second-best heights of any southwest Missouri jumper of either state meet weekend in Jefferson City. Essick has signed to compete for the University of Missouri.

phajjia gordon, lamar High School When college recruiters start asking high school coaches about who to watch in 2023, Gordon’s name will be up there. A junior, she became a state champion in the discus at the recent Class 3 Track and Field Championships, throwing 122 feet. She also earned a second All-State honor in the shot put, with a throw of 38-07. Both performances were the secondbest among any southwest Missouri competitor at any level in state competition.

Mack went undefeated in the discus all spring before placing as the Class 5 runner-up, with a throw of 135-6. It was quite a run through the season, as her throws improved every week but one. She opened the season with a throw of 120-1, had a 132-7 right after and was consistently in the 125-128 range. Mack won the Ozark Conference with a throw of 128-3, and proceeded to win districts and sectionals. She broke the previous school record of 117.

taylor mayo, kickapoo High School A junior, Mayo earned two All-State honors for the second consecutive spring, with thirdplace finishes in the long jump and triple jump at the Class 5 state meet. She went 19 feet, 5 inches in the long jump and 37-10.5 in the triple jump – and both were the best among any southwest Missouri jumper in Jefferson City. She also anchored Kickapoo’s 4x200 team that placed eighth. She will compete this summer in the AAU national meet.

grace o’Reilly, springfield catholic high School If you watched O’Reilly compete at the state meet, you witnessed her last time in the high jump. She is due to graduate early at the end of 2022 before heading off to Long Beach State University for volleyball. Fortunately, she will graduate as a state champion, as O’Reilly cleared 5 feet, 6 inches to win Class 4. Just as noteworthy, she went undefeated at every meet in the spring.

~ Spring Sports ~

kally mack, lebanon High School

dailynn Vanderen, bolivar High School Bolivar’s team captain, VanDeren enjoyed an outstanding spring season and finished as the runner-up in the shot put in Class 4. In fact, her throw of 40-0 in Jefferson City was the best among any southwest Missouri shot put state performances. VanDeren’s season featured school records in the shot put and discus – both of which had stood since 1994.

She also finished third in the state in the discus (126-08).

olivia vediz, carl junction High School Vediz handled the usual senior distraction like a pro. She was All-State in two events at the Class 4 Track & Field Championships, placing fourth in the long jump and fift h in the triple jump. Her long jump of 17 feet, 5.5 inches was third-best among southwest Missouri competitors at all state levels, and her triple jump of 35-2.25 was fift h-best among that group.

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★ Boys Field Events ★ ★ ★ Donovyn Fowler, Joplin High School The next stop for Fowler is the University of Oklahoma, where he’ll compete for its track and field team. It’s no wonder he was heavily recruited, considering his 2021 state performance. He signed with OU in December, and this spring showed why. Fowler won Class 5 state titles in the long jump (25-3.25) and triple jump (49-8.75), helping his team to a state runner-up finish, which was Joplin’s first top-four finish since 1978.

dagen kenslow, west plains High School Months after quarterbacking West Plains to the state quarterfinals, Kenslow enhanced his resume at the Class 4 Track and Field Championships. In his first year in the event, he won the state championship in the javelin, and did so by breaking the state record for all classes with a throw of 194-8. Just as notable, it ranked No. 29 in the nation, according to MileSplit. Kenslow also qualified for state in the long jump.

Leazer’s versatility enabled West Plains to finish as the state runner-up at the Class 4 Track and Field Championships. A senior, he was the state runner-up in the triple jump with a distance of 46 even. He also ran the second legs of the 4x100 and 4x200 relays that finished fourth and second respectively. The 4x100 was only fourth-tenths of a second from winning the race, and the 200 relay was only 0.3 seconds from winning it all.

peyton mcBride, marshfield High School Marshfield’s spring seasons have been exciting the past few years, and McBride was among those who made it fun to follow in 2022. He won state championships in the long jump and triple jump at the Class 4 Track and Field Championships. His long jump of 23-5.5 and his triple jump of 46-7.25 were the best among southwest Missouri athletes in those events across all levels. MHS’ boys were seven points shy of tying for fourth at the state meet.

alex richardson, buffalo high School Coaches tell senior athletes to leave it all out on the field, and Richardson certainly did this spring. He earned two All-State honors – both runner-up finishes – at the Class 3 Track and Field Championships in the discus and javelin. His discus throw went 176-08, which was the best distance of any southwest Missouri thrower at state either weekend. He threw the javelin 170-8, the fourth-best among all southwest Missouri javelin throws this year.

~ Spring Sports ~

josh leazer, west plains High School

grayson smith, webb city High School When former athletes implore teens never to give up, Smith is one of the latest examples of why. He won the state championship in the pole vault at the Class 4 Track and Field Championships with a distance of 15-05.75. That was the best mark of any southwest Missouri competitor in that at any level. All this after Smith missed several weeks after rolling an ankle at the Pitt State Relays. His vault also tied for 26th in the nation.

donovahn watkins, joplin High School A senior, Watkins is headed to play football at Coffeyville Community College. This spring, he became the state champion in the shot put at the Class 5 Track and Field Championships with the best distance (61.11.5) of any southwest Missouri competitor in the event, regardless of level. Earlier in the season, Watkins set a personal record in the discus, with a throw of 155-3.

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★ Inspiration Award ★ ★ ★

Lawrence Green and skyline high school athletics Over the past eight years, sports teams at Skyline High School could count on Lawrence Green to drive their bus to games and cheer them on. In fact, he was there for, well, just about everything. More than a community fixture. More like a community pillar.

So after a cancer diagnosis in January 2021, athletes and others in the community sprang into action. And what played out over the next several months was nothing short of breathtaking.

In fact, it’s why Skyline High School Athletics is receiving an Inspiration Award during the 2022 Elliott Lodging’s Sports Commission Awards presented by Harry Cooper Supply.

The community raised funds so that Lawrence and his family could visit Wrigley Field, one of Major League Baseball’s oldest ballparks. And it wasn’t just for one game, but an entire series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.

That was in September, and soon he was cheering on the volleyball team, which decided to call itself “Team Green” and wore green T-shirts and green shoes to show him their appreciation. In fact, the volleyballers credit him for inspiring their Final Four run.

“He’s probably the reason we’ve made it this far,” Jorden Hodges was quoted as saying during the send-off.

Green was a truck driver for Associated Grocers for 28 years, and then drove busses for school systems. He returned to Urbana in 2013, and hit just about every sporting event.

In fact, when the Skyline boys basketball team finished as a state runner-up in March 2021, the team gave him a state medal.

“Lawrence, after the end of every basketball season, would give us a reassuring hug and say, ‘You’re my boys,’” said Lawson Beem, a 2022 senior. “I can’t put into words the impact that Lawrence Green had on my life, and the life of so many other student-athletes at Skyline High School. He was truly a remarkable man.”

The volleyball team lifted up him and his family, too, by placing bags of treats and green balloons on their porch so those would be there following his doctor’s appointments.

The Team Green idea was neat, since Skyline’s colors are red and black. You may have spotted their story last fall on KY3.

In that story, Green was quoted as saying, “They show so much respect. I mean, they’re teenagers, and I’m 70 years old. They don’t have to care about me, but they do.”

Sadly, Lawrence passed away Nov. 15, 2021, but his impact will be felt for years.

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★ Girls Soccer ★ ★ ★

Laney Burks, Ozark High School A three-year starter with 28 career shutouts, Burks has been one of the area’s top goalkeepers, and one of her signature performances was in the recent district semifinal.

She had three saves in penalty kicks, ensuring Ozark advanced. She earned Class 4 AllState, All-Region, First-Team All-District and All-Central Ozark Conference. Ozark was 19-5-3 a year after earning 14 wins, and saw the improvement despite a much more challenging schedule. Burks has signed with Westminster University.

Halle Eise, Glendale High School

Reilly Heman, Glendale High School A junior, Heman was a co-captain for Glendale and earned Player of the Year for Class 3 and the Region, plus was voted All-District and All-Ozark Conference. This came after Glendale finished as the Class 3 state runner-up and ended with a 21-4 record, with Herman proving to be an explosive player. She scored 32 goals and had 11 assists, and in a few weeks could be named to the All-Central team, which is just below All-American status.

Sabrina Jones, Kickapoo High School Now that the 2022 season has ended, coaches at Kickapoo and across the area are even more excited about Jones. She has committed to play at the University of Arkansas, and certainly has the upward trajectory of an NCAA Division I recruit. She now has 81 career goals, including a single-season Kickapoo record 44 this past spring to go with nine assists.

And the career totals would be even greater had the 2020 season not been cancelled.

Among her highlights was scoring the game-winner in the district final. Jones also was named Class 4 All-State.

~ Spring Sports ~

Eise served as Glendale’s team co-captain this past spring as a center back and finished with eight goals and four assists on a team that finished as the Class 3 state runner-up and finished 21-4 . Overall, the First-Team All-State selection earned respect for her old-school style of play, as she knew when to be aggressive. She tackled hard and had a knack of pushing play to create offense, earning Region Player of the Year in addition to All-District and All-Ozark Conference.

Annabelle Sonnemaker, Greenwood Laboratory School A senior midfielder who loved to go on the attack, Sonnemaker helped to fuel Greenwood’s run to the Class 1 Final Four this spring, as she scored 39 goals and added eight assists. She had a number of game-winning goals, including the one in the state third-place game on a free kick in overtime. That came a week after her two goals sent Greenwood to state in a 3-1 quarterfinal victory. Sonnemaker earned First-Team All-State, All-District 6, AllRegion 3 and was the All-Region Offensive Player of the Year on a team that finished 16-4, Greenwood’s best record since 2015.

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★ Baseball ★ ★ ★

Owen Bushnell, Willard High School On a team loaded with talent, Bushnell led Willard in batting average, slugging percentage, doubles, home runs and RBI, as the Tigers finished in third place in Class 5. Bushnell posted a .393 batting average and drove in 45 runs, while scoring 33 runs himself. Bushnell reached base over half the time, while recording a .692 slugging percentage, 14 doubles and seven home runs.

Garin geitz, fair grove high school The Eagles enjoyed one of their best seasons ever in 2022, and Geitz was a big reason why, as the junior hurler posted an 8-1 record with the only setback coming against top-ranked Catholic in the state quarterfinals. Geitz, posted a 1.34 ERA and struck out 86, while limiting opposing hitters to a .162 average. Geitz also contributed at the plate, batting .317 with 29 runs batted in.

~ Spring Sports ~

brody McNiel, Hartville High School McNiel was a two-way standout for the Eagles’ district championship team. At the plate, the First-Team All-Summit Conference selection posted a .466 average with 13 doubles and five home runs. McNiel also batted in 39 runs On the mound, McNiel posted a 6-3 record with one save, while logging a 1.23 earned run average with 89 strikeouts in 51 innings.

Trey Mulholland, Aurora high School Mulholland was a dominant two-way force for the ‘Houn Dawgs this season, garnering unanimous First-Team All-Big 8 East honors after recording an unbeaten 10-0 record on the mound. The Big 8 East Player of the Year posted an 0.58 ERA, while batting .413 with seven doubles, a triple and four homers, as well as 31 RBI.

Jaret Nelson, Nixa high School There may not be a more feared power hitter in the Ozarks than Nelson, who batted .467 for the Eagles with a .738 slugging percentage. The Central Ozark Conference Player of the Year ripped 19 extra base hits (including 12 doubles and four home runs), drove in 45 runs and swiped 30 bases for a Nixa team that spent part of the season in the national rankings.

Ben Smith, Springfield Catholic High School Smith helped lead the Fightin’ Irish to a state runner-up finish in Class 3. At the plate, he batted .522 with a gaudy 1.487 OPS. The junior standout flashed plenty of power, with seven doubles, five triples and five home runs. The Mizzou commit was just as dominant on the mound with 98 strikeouts in 61 innings of work, while posting a 7-2 record and 1.14 ERA.

Zack Stewart, Lebanon High School Stewart moved to the outfield for his final campaign and showed why he is one of the most versatile players in the area. Named the Ozark Conference Position Player of the Year, he hit .403 with 12 extra base hits, including five home runs. The Missouri State signee reached base nearly 60 percent of the time and used his speed to steal 14 bases and score 29 runs.

Noah Wilkinson, Kickapoo High School Wilkinson capped off a memorable senior season by being named the MVP of the Ozark Conference. The unanimous First-Team All-Conference catcher hit .367 for the Chiefs, with 12 doubles and five home runs. Wilkinson knocked in 36 runs and was a key cog in Kickapoo’s Class 6 state quarterfinal run.

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★ Bass Fishing ★ ★ ★

Collin Ames & Ryder Hall, Bolivar high school Bolivar is in a unique spot if you’re an angler. Stockton Lake sits about 20 miles to the west, Pomme de Terre is about 20 miles north, and Lake of the Ozarks to the northeast and Truman Lake to the north are about an hour’s drive. Those have helped Ames and Hall sharpen their skills, and the results proved it this past year as they were among the top in southwest Missouri.

Tristan Beck & Colson Burst, carthage High School

Wesley Chaffin & Thomas Howe, Lebanon high school Both sophomores, Chaffin and Howe have been fishing for years and primarily have a preference for Pomme de Terre. This year, they finished 11th in the state, out of 300 teams, in total points, with nearly 1,900. That came after finishing 13th at Bull Shoals Lake, sixth at Truman Lake, 50th at Truman Lake and 65th at Pomme de Terre. Each tournament has 300 boats. The were teammates last year, too, and finished 14th in the state.

Ryan Doel & Aiden Gray, Central high school Doel has been fishing only two years but learned from family friend, Pat Leonard, at Table Rock Lake, where Gray spent time fishing with his grandfather. The duo posted two top-five finishes in seven tournaments in the National Youth Fishing Association and PTA competitions. They ended ranked No. 19 in the state out of 250 teams – a remarkable achievement for sophomores who should be pretty competitive the next two seasons.

Caden Kowal & Reece Waters, Camdenton High School

~ Spring Sports ~

Two years ago, Beck and Brust teamed up in a national bass fishing tournament in Wisconsin and came away champions. This past school year saw more success. They won a Shootout at Table Rock Lake and also placed fourth in a big tournament there as well. The state tournament was held the weekend of June 10-11 at Pomme de Terre, and they walked away 10th out of 125 boats. They are competing the week of June 20 at the Major League Fishing national tournament at Pickwick Lake in Alabama.

With Lake of the Ozarks in their backyard, Kowal and Waters always work on their fishing. It showed this past school year as the duo was named the National Youth Fishing Association’s Team of the Year based on points. The duo placed sixth at Bull Shoals Lake (14.6 pounds), 11th at Truman Lake, runner-up at Table Rock Lake (14.04) and 17th at Pomme de Terre. Kowal also is the son of a professional angler, and Waters is the son of a military dad and found his love for fishing in Oklahoma.

Wyatt Marler & Brock Rogers, bradleyville High school With Bull Shoals Lake an easy drive from Bradleyville, it’s no surprise that Marler and Rogers got hooked on fishing years ago. And now that Bradleyville High School offers bass fishing, the two are some duo. They placed third this season at Lake of the Ozarks with 13.31 pounds, and hauled in 12.6 pounds at Truman Lake for fourth place in a tournament.

Earlier this season, they combined to haul in 18.91 pounds at Truman and 18.61 at Stockton Lake.

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★ Sports Commission Award ★ ★ ★ jerald andrews

In 2018, after a major sponsor bowed out of Springfield Sports Commission’s summer ceremony honoring southwest Missouri high school athletes and teams, a familiar face stepped forward.

That was Jerald Andrews, CEO & Executive Director of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. To his staff, it was no surprise. Andrews not only played high school football under Hall of Fame coach Doug Potts and participated in other sports at Bolivar High School in the late 1960s, but he also has long been a proponent of high school sports.

And now look. Elliot Lodging’s Sports Commission Awards presented by Harry Cooper Supply is celebrating its 10th summer thanks to Andrews. That’s one reason – of many – why the Springfield Sports Commission is proud to present him with its Springfield Sports Commission Award tonight.

“Jerald’s leadership has been unbelievable,” said Lance Kettering, Executive Director of the Springfield Sports Commission. “We are so fortunate to be one of the many organizations that have benefitted thanks to his support and leadership.”

Kettering’s praise also is for Andrews’ service on the Sports Commission’s Board since 1999, as well as building two organizations into huge successes – the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame and the PGA

Korn Ferry Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper.

Andrews is stepping aside at the end of July after 27 years running the Hall of Fame, which has operated in the black financially the past 25 consecutive years.

That stems from Andrews growing the Hall of Fame from a single January Enshrinement into offering five induction luncheons, a regional Enshrinement in November, as well as four Celebrity Golf Classics across the state, the Stan Musial Hall of Fame Championship, the Sporting Clays Classic and the Bass Fishing Classic.

Held every summer since 1990, the PCCC has gifted nearly $18.4 million in its history, with Andrews responsible for a majority of that success since 1996. The tournament now features more than 20 fundraising events and benefits roughly 50 Ozarks children’s charities annually.

The Sports Commission Awards are among his proudest achievements.

“High School sports helped shape my life as they have so many. It’s important to recognize the hard work of high school athletes, their coaches and the communities who support them,” Andrews said. “Sports builds character and teaches life lessons. The ones I learned in Bolivar are still with me today. That’s why I hope student-athletes keep at it. They can go out and make a great impact in life.”

JOIN US AT THESE UPCOMING SPORTS COMMISSION EVENTS! MI

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CHAMPIONSHIP

CHALLENGE Presented by

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Sports Commission

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Mini Golf Championship

BigShots Golf Challenge

September 19, 2022

Spring 2023

Presented by Great Southern Bank

Presented by Sporting KC

For information on tickets and Partnerships contact us today at sports@springfieldmo.org!

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Co n g r at u l at i o n s ANGEL DICKERSON ABIGAIL FUGLSANG C A D E N K O WA L R E E C E WAT E R S C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S TO A L L O F T H E C A M D E N TO N L A K E R S P O R T S C O M M I S S I O N AWA R D N O M I N E E S ON YOUR SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND OUTSTNDING ACHIEVEMENTS THIS YEAR!

WE are proud o f yo u - F R O M T H E C A M D E N TO N S C H O O L D I S T R I C T -

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★ Girls Performance of the Year ★★★ Kaemyn Bekemeier, Republic High School Just four days after breaking the Republic single-game scoring record with a 38-point performance against Carthage, Bekemeier shattered her own mark with 48 points in a Central Ozark Conference win at Willard on Feb. 8. The junior scored 33 points in the first half alone and finished 18-of-21 from the field, including 5-of-6 from beyond the arc, in an 80-64 Republic victory.

Glendale High School soccer

~ All Sports ~

Trailing by two goals with less than three minutes remaining in regulation, Glendale pulled off a miracle finish to notch its first victory over rival Kickapoo since 2015. A.J. Black tallied a pair of goals, including the tying marker in the final seconds of regulation, as well as the golden goal on a scramble near the net in the opening moments of overtime to seal the 4-3 win on April 21. The dramatic finish to the Southside Showdown helped fuel an 11-match win streak for GHS, which finished as the Class 3 state runner-up with a 21-4 overall record.

Sydney Golden, Nixa High School Golden registered a number of memorable performances during her standout career at Nixa.

Her Sept. 4 effort ranks right up there, as the UNI signee logged 86 assists in a pair of wins over Jefferson City and Helias Catholic. Golden recorded a season-high 54 assists — an average of 13.5 per set — in a victory over Helias. She added 32 assists in a sweep of Jeff City the same day, setting the tone for Nixa’s 13-match winning streak to open the season. The Lady Eagles went 31-5 overall and advanced to a Class 5 state quarterfinal appearance.

Ashton judd, west plains High School Judd put the finishing touches on a storybook season for West Plains, scoring 30 points and grabbing 11 rebounds in the Lady Zizzers’ Class 5 state championship win over Whitfield at JQH Arena on March 19. The Mizzou signee led all players in scoring and rebounding and finished 14-for-17 at the free-throw line, including 11 straight makes in the final 3:22 to help West Plains avenge its 2021 state title game loss to Whitfield.

Reese Schaaf, El dorado springs High School Schaaf saved one of her best performances for the big stage of the Class 3 Final Four. The senior standout recorded a monster performance to lift El Dorado Springs to a 46-44 victory over perennial power Strafford in the semifinal round, pouring home 19 points and coralling 17 rebounds. The Bulldogs went on to claim the title with a decisive 61-26 victory over South Shelby, capping a 29-3 season.

caitlyn suhrie, diamond High School Suhrie turned in one of many heroic efforts for the Diamond softball team at the Class 2 Final Four. In a semifinal win over Kennett, she hit a game-tying three-run homer in the sixth inning and then scored the winning run in seventh. Suhrie followed that with a two-hit game vs. Skyline, in which she also registered a critical outfield assist by throwing out a baserunner in the seventh inning to help preserve a two-run lead and the first softball state championship in program history.

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★ Boys Performance of the Year ★★★ daelen ackley, el dorado springs High School Few athletes enjoyed the kind of success Ackley found at the Class 3 state track meet. The senior placed second in the 3,200 meters, breaking the nine-minute barrier with a time of 8:59.47. He trailed only Connor Burns, who also bested former Olympian Jason Pyrah’s Class 3 record of 9:07.48 set in 1987. Ackley finished the meet by edging Burns for the 1,600-meter title, before claiming the win in the 800 meters by nearly three seconds.

Kadyn Barnes, Fair Grove high school Barnes turned in a memorable individual defensive effort in Week 8, recording 20 solo tackles to break the Fair Grove single-game record in a 55-7 win over Clever. The senior was a key contributor to the Eagles’ 11-1 campaign that included a Mid-Lakes Conference championship before falling to eventual Class 2 state runner-up Lamar in the district championship game.

garrett Davault, norwood High School

Kaden DeGraffenreid, Bolivar High School There is hitting for the cycle, and then there’s hitting for the home run cycle. On April 12, DeGraffenreid nearly accomplished the rare feat, as the senior slugger belted a two-run homer, a three-run shot and a grand slam in the Liberators’ 28-18 win at Warrensburg. DeGraffenreid was a Second-Team Class 5 District 6 selection for Bolivar.

greenwood laboratory School boys basketball Greenwood trailed Jeff City 43-19 midway through the third quarter of its Jan. 22 matchup. But the Blue Jays exploded for 57 points in the final 12 minutes to post a remarkable 76-61 victory. Tanner Jones scored 24 of his 26 points over the stretch drive, with Greenwood taking its first lead of the game on a Jones layup that capped an 11-0 Blue Jays run.

brody mcniel, hartville High School

~ All Sports ~

Davault capped a memorable season for Norwood with a 39-point effort in the Pirates’ Class 2 state semifinal win over Bishop LeBlond. The senior connected on 12 of 14 attempts from the floor and 15 of 19 free-throw attempts in the 59-55 victory. The win helped vault Norwood to its first state title in boys basketball with its one-point win over Bernie the following day.

McNiel contributed in every way possible in leading Hartville to a district championship. At the plate, the Missouri State commit hit a pair of home runs — including a grand slam — on his way to a 9-RBI day as part of a 10-4 Eagles win over Licking for the Class 3 District 9 title. On the mound, McNiel struck out six over five innings of work to earn the win.

ben smith, springfield catholic high School Smith threw a no-hitter for Catholic in the Class 3 quarterfinals, lifting the Fightin’ Irish to a 5-0 win over state-ranked No. 2 Fair Grove. In all, Smith tossed seven hitless innings and struck out 11 batters, as Catholic moved on to the Final Four. A junior, Smith was named Big 8 Conference East Player of the Year, as well as an All-District 10 pick after helping Catholic to a state runner-up finish.

tanner talley, new covenant academy Talley opened the Class 2 state meet by anchoring New Covenant’s 3,200-meter relay team to a second-place finish. He then obliterated the 3,200-meter record in Class 2 with a run of 9:15.11. The following day, Talley set or matched state records in both the 800 (1:54.78) and 1,600 meters to cap his career.

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★ Girls Team of the Year ★ ★ ★ diamond High School softball Before this spring, Diamond had not had a team win a state title since 1988. That changed when the Wildcats beat defending champion Skyline 6-4 in the spring state championship.

Coached by Kelsey Parrish, Diamond scored four runs in the top of the seventh to take a 6-1 lead. Madison Bentley struck out eight over seven innings and yielded only one run.

The top of the order was a combined 7-for-12 with four runs scored.

el dorado springs High School basketball Coached by Beau Swopes, El Dorado Springs won the Class 3 state girls basketball championship this winter, beating South Shelby 61-26. It marked the team’s 14th consecutive win as the Bulldogs finished 29-3 overall. Tevi Gurley (16 points), Reese Schaaf (15) and Macie Mays (15) all scored in double figures, while Neely Schaaf, Gracie Mead, Wriley Taylor and AbiGayle Schmitt combined for 15 points.

~ All Sports ~

lebanon High School wrestling Lebanon won its third state championship in four seasons, with the Lady Jackets scoring 133 points, a 43-point edge over the state runner-up. Quincey Glendenning won the 130-pound state title, while Bailey Joiner was the runner-up at 135 pounds. Jessa Joiner (third at 110), Halea Bartel (fourth at 125), Taylor Johnson (third at 141) and Mariah Brumley (sixth at 194) also placed.

miller High School volleyball Miller won the Class 1 state volleyball championship last fall, marking the program’s first state crown. Coached by Tamra Landers, the Cardinals earned its 34th win in a three-set sweep of Gideon, after beating tradition-rich Santa Fe in the semifinals. Haylie Schnake (11), Claudia Hadlock (6), Ashten Kingsley (five) and Emberlynn Kingsley (4) supplied the kills, while Alli Mitchel had 32 assists.

springfield catholic high School golf The Lady Irish won their third consecutive state championship, this time taking Class 3 by storm. Springfield Catholic finished 37 strokes under par to win the team title by 90 strokes. Reagan Zibilski won her second consecutive state title with a two-day 139, while Lyla Louderbaugh (149) placed third and Kyleigh Pfitzner (154) placed fourth. Coached by Frank Gallant, the Lady Irish won Class 1 two years ago, Class 2 last year and now Class 3.

west plains High School basketball Coached by Scott Womack, West Plains won the Class 5 state championship in girls basketball, beating Whitfield, 50-37. The Zizzers finished 27-4 after Ashton Judd scored 30 points in the championship game, with Georgia Osborn (11), Olivia Lawson (4), Allyssa Joyner (3) and Kaylea Dixon (2) landing in the box score. West Plains’ run to the title included wins against Marshfield, Rolla, Carl Junction and Smithville.

west plains High School cross country Coached by Alicia Gunter, West Plains successfully defended its Class 4 state championship last fall as the Zizzers scored 59 points to win its 14th state title. Jordan and Brayden Kantola took first and second, and were joined on the team podium with Jayna Gunter (seventh), Addison Sanders (21st), Kyia Wesibrod (41st), Kaylee Lamb (44th) and Daphne Dollins (90th).

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CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations Blue Eye Nominees

RILEY & AVERY ARNOLD for your Sports Commission Awards nominations!

We are proud of you!

From Blue Eye R-V School District

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★ Boys Team of the Year ★ ★ ★ glendale High School swimming Glendale captured its third straight Class 1 state championship with a thrilling 240-220 win over second-place Parkway West. Steve Boyce’s Falcons earned three individual championships and one relay state race, including a pair of state titles from Lucas Chadwell in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle races. Michael Jasinski won the 200-yard freestyle, while Glendale’s 200-yard freestyle relay team of Jackson Talburt, Chadwell, Carson Johnson and Jasinski also reached the top of the podium.

hermitage High School cross country Hermitage ran away with the Class 1 state title with a team score of 61 points, easily besting second-place Oak Ridge’s score of 132. The Tigers placed three runners in the top 10 in team scoring, led by sophomore Bennett Mantooth, who finished in third place overall.

Justin Horn (7th) and DeJuan Chambers (20th) also earned All-State honors. The Hornets claimed five regular-season meets, as well as PCL and district titles en route to their fourth state championship in the past eight seasons under head coach Mark Sabala.

The Chiefs needed scoring from everyone to win the Class 5 state championship. With its top four runners across the line, Kickapoo led state runner-up Rock Bridge by just a single point. Junior Jack Creehan crossed the finish line less than two seconds ahead of Rock Bridge’s final scoring runner to give the Chiefs the state title. Head coach Jeremy Goddard’s top four runners all earned All-State honors and included juniors Tyler Harris (8th overall) and Brooklyn Creehan (9th), as well as Kyle Keltner (13th) and Grant Musick (15th).

norwood High School basketball The Pirates made plenty of history in 2021-22, capping a 31-1 season with Norwood’s first Class 2 state title. Led by Class 2 Player of the Year Garrett Davault, head coach Shane Chadwell’s Pirates dropped only a December showdown with Class 3 third-place finisher Thayer before running the table with 21 straight victories to end the season. Davault scored 39 points in Norwood’s state semifinal win over Bishop LeBlond, before the Pirates rallied from a late five-point deficit to top Bernie, 64-63, in the title game.

~ All Sports ~

kickapoo High School cross country

stockton High School cross country Using a pack runner mentality, Stockton placed its top four runners across the line within 32 seconds of each other to outdistance second-place Principia by 20 points to capture the school’s first boys cross country state title. Senior Aaron Bradshaw led the Tiger contingent with an All-State effort, finishing in 19th place. Colby Adams and Max Brown crossed the line together to score 15 and 16 points, respectively, while fellow junior Dakota Duncan scored 19 points with his 32nd-place overall finish for head coach Ryan Pate’s squad.

webb city High School football The Cardinals captured the program’s state record 16th state championship with a 26-21 win over Holt in the Class 5 Show-Me Bowl in Columbia. After dropping its season opener to Joplin, and a pair of road games at state-ranked Carthage and Nixa in the regular season, Webb City (11-3) got rolling in the state playoffs. John Roderique’s squad avenged its earlier loss to unbeaten and top-ranked Carthage in the district championship, then put up 35 points each in a pair of wins over Lebanon and Jackson to reach the title game.

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★ Girls Athlete of the Year ★ ★ ★ Avery Arnold, blue Eye High School Had she run cross country, Avery likely would have been All-State in four sports. She was in three, though. In volleyball, she was also the Southwest Central League Player of the Year. In basketball, she helped lead Blue Eye to the Class 2 Final Four by averaging 15.3 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.5 steals a game. In track, she ran the first leg of the 4x800 relay and the third leg of the 4x400 – with both teams placing eighth.

Riley Arnold, Blue eye High School Riley was All-State in four sports – cross country, volleyball, basketball and track and field.

She won the Class 2 state title in cross country and was the Class 2 Runner of the Year by the Southwest Missouri Cross Country Coaches Association. In volleyball, she earned First Team All-Southwest Central League and led Blue Eye to the Final Four in basketball. In track, she was the state runner-up in the 800 meters (2:22.12).

~ All Sports ~

Justine Barb, Skyline High School Skyline has long had one of rural Missouri’s more competitive athletic departments, and Barb carried on that tradition. She earned Class 3 All-State honors in basketball after leading Skyline to the Class 3 District 11 championship game. In the spring, she qualified for the Class 2 State Track & Field Championships, placing fourth in the 1600 meters (5:29.82) and also ran the first leg of Skyline’s 4x800 relay team, which placed sixth.

Claudia hadlock, Miller high school Hadlock earned Class 1 All-State and All-Southwest Conference honors in volleyball after finishing with 417 digs for Miller. However, that was just a warm-up. Hadlock picked up Class 2 All-State honors in basketball, along with Player of the Year recognition in the Southwest Conference and District 12. She was tough to guard, averaging 18 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 3.5 steals a game and shot 55 percent from the field.

grace O’Reilly, Springfield Catholic high school O’Reilly heads into her senior season next fall having already made an impact at Springfield Catholic. She earned Class 3 All-State honors in volleyball, finishing with 363 kills and 53 blocks. She is committed to Long Beach State to play volleyball, and will graduate early from high school. O’Reilly won the Class 4 state title in the high jump (5-6) this spring as well.

Jocee Pettyjohn, Lebanon high school Pettyjohn earned Class 5 All-State honors in volleyball – along with First-Team All-Ozark Conference and First-Team All-District – after leading Lebanon to its first district title since 2005. She finished with 576 digs. She then was a stopper in the winter, earning a spot on the conference’s all-defensive team. Done? No way. Pettyjohn qualified for the Class 5 State Track and Field Championships, placing eighth in the 300-meter hurdles.

reese schaaf, el dorado springs high school Schaaf will head to Drury to play basketball, leaving quite a legacy at El Dorado Springs.

She earned Class 3 All-State in volleyball after supplying 354 kills. In basketball, she was the Player of the Year in Class 3 after averaging 19.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 3.3 steals and leading the Bulldogs to the state championship.

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★ Boys Athlete of the Year ★ ★ ★ kael combs, nixa High School Already one of the area’s top basketball standouts, Combs added a Class 6 All-State selection on the gridiron last fall in his first season of varsity football for Nixa. The junior caught 44 passes for 842 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning First-Team All-Region and AllCOC laurels. He also helped the Eagles to the state title game in basketball, averaging 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game to lock up All-State recognition.

garrett davault, norwood High School As if his exploits on the hardwood in leading the Pirates to their first-ever state title weren’t enough, Davault nearly pulled off an encore effort on the diamond. The senior scored at a 24.2 ppg clip in earning Class 2 Player of the Year honors following a 31-1 basketball campaign, before powering Norwood to a district title and Class 1 state quarterfinal appearance in baseball, for which he was named a Second-Team All-State pick.

john gholson, nixa High School

dagen kenslow, west plains High School Kenslow showed exactly why he is considered one of the most versatile athletes in the region, picking up Third-Team Class 4 All-State honors in football, before capping his banner prep career with a state title in the javelin. Kenslow, who also qualified for state in the long jump, threw for 2,174 yards and 33 touchdowns on the gridiron, then set a state record with a throw of 54.34 meters at the Class 4 Track and Field Championships.

kyle pock, bolivar high School Pock added to his already impressive resume with another All-State campaign in basketball, before logging a state runner-up finish in doubles at the Class 1 tennis tournament. The junior averaged 21 points to lead the Liberators to a Class 5 state quarterfinal berth, earning Ozark Conference Player of the Year recognition. He then teamed up with Lathan Martin to go 23-6 in doubles, including a district title.

~ All Sports ~

One of the most powerful athletes in the area, Gholson left his mark with a strong senior year in three different sports. He earned a Second-Team All-State nod as a defensive lineman, picking up First-Team All-COC recognition in football. Then, he won 39 matches en route to a third-place finish at the Class 4 state wrestling tournament in the 220-pound class. Finally, he contributed to the Eagles’ state-ranked baseball squad that finished 32-4.

kody stacye, fair grove High School Clearly one of the more valuable football players in southwest Missouri, Stacye completed 65 percent of his passes, totaling 1,886 yards and 31 touchdowns with only three interceptions in leading Fair Grove to a historic season last fall. He also rushed for 1,274 yards and 17 TDs, to go along with a total of four kick returns for scores. Stacye also registered an All-State worthy performance in track, competing for a 4x100 meter relay squad that finished eighth at the Class 4 state meet.

tristan wilson, lebanon High School Wilson helped the Yellowjackets advance to a Class 5 state quarterfinal, earning First-Team All-State, All-Region and All-Ozark Conference laurels in the process. The Mizzou signee then notched a fifth-place finish in the shot put at the Class 5 Track and Field Championships to cap his standout prep career.

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Sports Commission Award Winners, 2013-2021 Girls Athlete of the Year

2021 – Riley Arnold, Blue Eye 2020 – Kaesha George, Monett 2019 – Hayley Frank, Strafford 2018 – Hayley Frank, Strafford 2017 – Hayley Frank, Strafford 2016 – Claire Workman, NCA/Summit Prep 2015 – Emma Lander, Crane 2014 – Emma Lander, Crane 2013 – Morgan Kensinger, Fair Grove

Boys Athlete of the Year

2021 – Case Tucker, Lamar 2020 – Terrell Kabala, Webb City 2019 – Tyson Riley, Springfield Catholic 2018 – Arkell Smith, Carthage 2017 – Connor Sechler, Bolivar 2016 – Chase Allen, Nixa 2015 – Lane Duncan, Licking 2014 – Spencer Haik, Glendale 2013 – Shane Williams, Mt. Vernon

Girls Golf

2021 – Reagen Zibilski, Springfield Catholic 2020 – Kayla Pfitzner, Springfield Catholic 2019 – Kayla Pfitzner, Springfield Catholic 2018 – Amber Wilson, Camdenton 2017 – Ari Acuff, Kickapoo 2016 – Ari Acuff, Kickapoo 2015 – Paige Moles, Marshfield 2014 – Paige Moles, Marshfield 2013 – Ashley Childers, Mt. Vernon

Girls Cross Country

Boys Wrestling

2021 – Jesse Cassatt, Carl Junction (Upper Weights) 2021 – Zan Fugitt, Nixa (Lower Weights) 2020 – Gaven Sax, Waynesville 2020 – Trevor Christian, Lebanon 2019 – Cayden Auch, Neosho 2018 – Adrian Hitchcock, Neosho 2017 – Ethan Smith, Buffalo 2016 – Niko Chavez, Willard 2015 – Christian Lance, Nixa 2014 – Chase Brennan, Monett 2013 – Chase Brennan, Monett

2021 – Riley Arnold, Blue Eye 2020 – Klaire Brown, Kickapoo 2019 – Alexis Barber, Ozark Girls Basketball 2018 – Kelie Henderson, Bolivar 2021 – Lacy Stokes, Mount Vernon 2017 – Tabitha Weber, Marshfield 2020 – Priscilla Williams, Branson 2016 – Tabitha Weber, Marshfield 2019 – Hayley Frank, Strafford 2015 – Claire Workman, New Covenant Academy 2018 – Hayley Frank, Strafford 2014 – Tabitha Weber, Marshfield 2017 – Kelsey Winfrey, Lebanon 2013 – Lexi McNiel, Plato 2016 – Lexie Vaught, Crane 2015 – Morgan Henderson, Buffalo Girls Team of the Year Boys Cross Country 2014 – Lauren Aldridge, Marshfield 2021 – Willard Volleyball 2021 – Riley Simpson, West Plains 2013 – Andi Haney, West Plains 2020 – Springfield Catholic Golf 2020 – Daelen Ackley, El Dorado Springs 2019 – Strafford Basketball 2019 – Clayton Whitehead, Carthage Boys Basketball 2018 – Strafford Basketball 2018 – Ryan Riddle, Webb City 2021 – Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood 2017 – Strafford Basketball 2017 – Stephen Kielhofner, Springfield Catholic 2020 – Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood 2016 – Strafford Basketball 2016 – Stephen Kielhofner, Springfield Catholic 2019 – Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood 2015 – MVBT/Liberty Volleyball 2015 – Marcus Johnson, Nixa 2018 – Monte Johal, Glendale 2015 – Winona Volleyball 2014 – Spencer Haik, Glendale 2017 – Jared Ridder, Kickapoo 2013 – Pleasant Hope Softball 2013 – Thomas Chabrecek, Crane 2016 – DJ McNew, Mountain Grove 2015 – Juwon Morgan, Waynesville Boys Team of the Year Softball 2014 – Chris Kendrix, Willard 2021 – Hartville Basketball 2021 – Haidyn Berry, Webb City 2013 – Austin Ruder, Nixa 2020 – Hartville Basketball 2020 – Izzy Erickson, Reeds Spring 2019 – Greenwood Basketball 2019 – Julia Higgins, Republic 2018 – Aurora Baseball 2018 – Morgan Loggins, Waynesville SPRING SPORTS 2017 – Mansfield Baseball 2017 – Zoey Mullings, Strafford Boys Tennis 2016 – Mountain Grove Baseball 2016 – Tabitha Francka, Morrisville 2021 – Caden Lingenfelser, Willard 2014 – Springfield Catholic Baseball 2015 – Allie Krueger, Monett 2020 – Asa Borup, Joplin 2014 – Greenfield Boys Track & Field 2014 – Bailie Stine, Marionville 2019 – Garrett Lewis, Joplin 2013 – Republic Basketball 2013 – Catlin Evans, Pleasant Hope 2018 – Garrett Lewis, Joplin 2017 – Jason Nayar, Springfield Catholic Girls Performance of the Year Boys Soccer 2016 – Jason Nayar, Springfield Catholic 2021 – Lilly Whitten, Skyline 2021 – Luke Courtney, Kickapoo 2015 – Tucker Ethridge & Jack Gold, Logan2020 – Kyle Sutton, Branson Boys Performance of the Year Rogersville 2019 – Mitch Stephens, Glendale 2021 – Marshall Swadley, Willard 2014 – Wil Sistrunk, Greenwood 2018 – Dylan Brown, Republic 2013 – Tucker Ethridge & Matthew Gartland, 2017 – Keaton Amstutz, Ozark Inspiration Award Logan-Rogersville 2016 – Jason Puente, Monett 2021 – Mollie Beeson, Pierce City Softball 2015 – Caleb Rodriguez, Waynesville 2021 – Lilah Genel, Parkview Cross Country Boys Golf 2014 – Ryan Randell, Springfield Catholic 2021 – Morgan Green, Marshfield 2021 – Max Bowman, Glendale 2013 – Nic Bauer, Glendale 2021 – Ashlyn Grier, Marshfield Volleyball 2020 – Dawson Meek, Glendale 2021 – Bennie Hank Joiner, Lebanon Wrestling Volleyball 2019 – Dawson Meek, Glendale 2021 – Victor Kelbaugh, Reeds Spring 2018 – Dawson Meek, Glendale 2021 – Payton Van Veen, Willard Basketball 2017 – Taylor Haltom, Ava 2020 – Birdie Hendrickson, Logan-Rogersville 2021 – Cross Kubik, Kickapoo Baseball 2016 – Taylor Haltom, Ava 2019 – Birdie Hendrickson, Logan-Rogersville 2020 – Damon Emery & Dora Boys Basketball 2015 – Baron Weaver, Glendale 2018 – Chloe Rear, Strafford 2020 – Michael Finley – Willard Wrestling 2014 – Ben Charles, West Plains 2017 – Chloe Rear, Strafford 2020 – Ethan Maddox & Marshfield Girls 2013 – Clayton Moles, Marshfield 2016 – Chloe Rear, Strafford Basketball 2015 – Laynie Dake, Mt. Vernon 2020 – Anya Smith & Rogersville Pomcat Dance 2014 – Mikala Hicks, Fair Grove Girls Track team 2021 – Brianna Utecht, Marshfield 2013 – Morgan Kensinger, Fair Grove 2019 – Skyline Boys Basketball 2020 – Brianna Utecht, Marshfield 2017 – Coach Doug Jones Legacy, Mansfield 2019 – Brianna Utecht, Marshfield Football Baseball 2018 – Kylie Meier, Camdenton 2021 – Tristan Wilson, Lebanon (Linemen) 2016 – Jacob Luebbering, Ava 2017 – Grace Wormek, Camdenton 2021 – Treghan Parker, Webb City (LB & DB) 2015 – In honor of Logan Middleton, Nixa 2016 – Ariel Okorie, Waynesville 2021 – Devrin Weathers, Webb City (Offense) 2014 – Tim Whisnant, Gainesville 2015 – Claire Workman, New Covenant Academy 2020 – Isaiah Davis, Joplin 2019 – Will Boswell, Mount Vernon 2014 – Claire Workman, New Covenant Academy 2018 – Will Boswell, Mount Vernon 2013 – Kailey Chapman, Spokane FALL SPORTS 2017 – Josh Pruett, MV-BT/Liberty Girls Field 2016 – Malachi Stout, Kickapoo Girls Tennis 2021 – Cali Essick, Branson 2015 – Josh Martin, Camdenton 2021 – Lexi Berry & Megan Roberts, 2020 – Kaesha George, Monett 2014 – Blayne Armstrong, Marshfield Bolivar 2019 – Kaesha George, Monett 2013 – Jaelon Acklin, MV-BT/Liberty 2020 – Erin Jarvis, Springfield Catholic 2019 – Erin Jarvis, Springfield Catholic Boys Track 2018 – Anna Rader, Springfield Catholic WINTER SPORTS 2021 – Daelen Ackley, El Dorado Springs 2017 – Rachel Dwyer, Glendale 2020 – Lance Ward, Carl Junction 2016 – Rachel Dwyer, Glendale Girls Swimming & Diving 2019 – Lance Ward, Carl Junction 2015 – Madison Watts & Hannah Nixon, 2021 – Maggie Moore, New Covenant Academy 2018 – Nate Swadley, Willard Logan-Rogersville 2020 – Maggie Moore, Summit Prep Academy 2017 – Nate Swadley, Willard 2014 – Abbey Belote, Parkview 2019 – Cabrini Johnson, Logan-Rogersville 2016 – Daylan Quinn, MV-BT/Liberty 2013 – Samantha Johns & Avery Lawson, Forsyth 2018 – Molly Moore, Summit Prep Academy 2015 – Lance Molz, El Dorado Springs 2017 – Molly Moore, Summit Prep Academy 2014 – Brendan Black, Greenfield Boys Swimming & Diving 2016 – Krista Shimizu, Summit Prep Academy 2013 – Blake Alexander, Strafford 2021 – Michael Jasinski, Glendale 2015 – Madeline Nelson, Glendale 2020 – Ben Hines, Nevada 2014 – Krystal Caylor, Kickapoo 2019 – Ben Hines, Nevada 2013 – Anna Brinck, Nixa 2018 – Ethan Bergmann, Logan-Rogersville 2017 – Cole Smith, Ozark Girls Wrestling 2016 – Samuel Senn, Kickapoo 2021 – Ashlyn Eli, Nixa 2015 – Samuel Senn, Kickapoo 2020 – Lizzie Miller, Buffalo 2014 – Jordan Hill, Nixa 2019 – Lizzie Miller, Buffalo 2013 – Will Brand, Glendale

th

2021 58

anniversary Presented By

2022

Boys Field

2021 – Marshall Swadley, Willard 2020 – Nate Baldwin, Sarcoxie 2019 – Zach Westmoreland, Joplin

Girls Soccer

2021 – Abby Harrison, Nixa 2020 – Aeryn Kennedy, Camdenton 2019 – Jadyn Easley, Ozark 2018 – Jadyn Easley, Ozark 2017 – Jadyn Easley, Ozark 2016 – Alyson Reinold, Kickapoo 2015 – Kasey Opfer, Glendale 2014 – Whitney Snow, Camdenton 2013 – Payton DeHart, Nixa

Baseball

2021 – Landon Richards, Hollister 2020 – Garrett Rice, Willard 2019 – Gage Singer, Aurora 2018 – Wyatt Sparks, Aurora 2017 – Connor Sechler, Bolivar 2016 – Hunter Dame, Conway 2015 – Hunter Dame, Conway 2014 – Tyler Ast, Springfield Catholic 2013 – Deric Link, Fair Grove

Bass Fishing

2021 – Brock Pearce & Preston Trapp, Diggins 2019 – Devon Rathbun & Caleb Haines, Parkview 2018 – Devon Rathbun & Caleb Haines, Parkview

Cheer

2020 – Glendale 2019 – Republic 2018 – Seneca 2017 – Central 2016 – Republic 2015 – Ozark 2014 – Ash Grove 2013 – Ozark

Dance Team

2020 – Glendale 2019 – Glendale 2018 – Glendale 2017 – Glendale 2016 – Kickapoo 2015 – Glendale 2014 – Willard 2013 – Bolivar

Marching Band

2020 – Camdenton 2019 – Camdenton 2018 – Kickapoo 2017 – Lebanon 2016 – Parkview 2015 – Lebanon 2014 – Willard 2013 – Camdenton

Specialty Awards

2017 – Uniform – Logan-Rogersville Baseball 2016 – Athletics Director - Will Christian, Lebanon 2015 – Student Section - Nixa 2015 – PA Announcer - Ramona Whayne, Hartville 2014 – Fans - Cassville 2013 – Mascot - West Plains

Sports Commission Award

2021 – CoxHealth & Mercy Sports Medicine 2020 – Chevy Dealers of the Ozarks 2019 – Springfield Greene County Park Board 2018 – Elliott Lodging

Play Too Hard?

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