Month: May 2018

Its the All-Star Football game around these parts.  One last chance for SW Missouri Football players to wear the helmet representing their high school and for some one last time to put on the pads and take the field.  For fans, its one last chance to see them..

The 17th annual Grin Iron Classic will take place, tomorrow night,  at Springfield’s JFK Stadium with a 7:30 Kickoff.

The game will not be short of local talent.  Nick Pead and Kyle Hunn will represent Branson, while Asa Baker and Kelly Newton put on that Reeds Spring helmet one last time.   They will all play for the East squad.  All-Four are coming off outstanding high school careers.

Pead and Hunn were both 2nd team All-COC-Large.  Hunn has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Truman State.

Baker and Newton for fixtures for what has been the most productive run in Reeds Spring Football History.  Baker, was named All-Conference and All-Area.  Newton, who set the school rushing and touchdown record this season, was all-conference, all-area, and All-State.  Baker will attend Lindenwood University.

Dan Swafford, from Ava, will coach the east squad, while Mt Vernon’s Tom Cox will lead the West.  Reeds Spring Head Coach Lance Gosch will work with the defensive backs on Swafford’s staff.

Admission is $6 and proceeds go to the “Tooth Truck” to help provide dental services to children in need.

Also, on Saturday Volleyball players will get their turn…   Reeds Spring Outside Hitter Maggie Daniels, will be among the All-Stars taking part.

The school year has drawn to a close and while the graduates are moving on others are looking towards summer workouts.  Before we get too involved with that and get into my always exciting countdown to football I thought I would take a look back at the year that was, and just give a few of my thoughts/memories.

1.  McKenzie Duncan is one of a kind.  I was fortunate enough to be there at her six goal match this season.  She leaves Branson with every offensive record imaginable ..  Her smile and competitiveness will be sorely missed
2. Reeds Spring Football exited the COC the way they wanted, as undefeated Conference Champs.  It was their first outright League Title since 1981.
3. Kelly Newton took over the fullback role and did it in a way that RSHS has never seen.  He crushed the school rushing record and TD record.
4. Izzy Ericson had an incredible season in the circle and at the plate for RS Softball.
5. Jacob Hamon gives up the head coaching reins at Hollister to go back to his alma mater.
6. Forsyth played its first varsity football season and made some noise.
7. Anthony Hays completed his first year leading the Pirate Football Program.
8. It was fun to see Lauren Garrison excel at every sport she tried.
9. Gracie Jaeger is a flat out athlete.  She reminds me of Allison Regier.
10. Branson Girls Basketball basically had two different seasons.. Glad to see that people still believe that there are more important things than winning.
11. Becky Vest is incredible, not sure she will ever get as much credit as she deserves.
12. Lane Carroll, Macaiah Rocha, Andrew Mitchell sometimes names are enough.
13. Noah Briley is a guy that was a flat out stud. Not sure people realize how good he was.
14. Jenner Steele is as good as this area has seen in a while.
15. Coach Burgi is a real class act.
16. RS Track reloaded
17. Colin Cross is a dude that just went about his business doing his job and doing it well for four years..  We need more of that kind of guy.
18. Baker, Plumb, Carroll, Nordin, Modlin, Irvin, Newton, Staugaard, Romesburg, Hackathorn, Zachary, Harmon, Bunch, Crutcher, Bradfield, Bible, Cross, Rasmussen  I am going to miss you guys.

There are a lot of things I did not cover here.  It makes them no less important.  These were just a few things off the top of my head.  The point is, a lot of special things happened this school year.  A lot of special memories were made.  A lot of special folks say “good bye” to high school sports.  To everyone one of you, “THANK YOU”   It has been a real pleasure.

 

The season may have come to an end in the district semi-finals for Branson Soccer, but the awards are still coming.

The All-District Team has been released and a number of Lady Pirates have made the list.

Leading the way is McKenzie Duncan.  The senior Midfielder was chosen as the Co-Offensive Player of the Year.  She leaves Branson as the most prolific goal scorer and assist maker in the programs history.  She is headed for the Beach to start her College career.

She is joined on the first team by her running mate and the best goal keeper this area has ever seen, Lauren Garrison, the Co-GK of the Year.  Like Duncan, Garrison has an entire section of the Branson record book.  If its a goal keeping record, she owns it.

Others getting recognition…

Second Team

Molly Duncan – Forward/Midfield

Cierra Groover-Forward

Alexis Ramirez- Defender

Honorable Mention

Madelyn Fields-Forward

Chloe Lampe-Defender

Brooke Hunn- Midfield

The Lady Pirates finished the year  13-11.

 

With the end of the baseball season comes post season awards.  A number of local athletes have earned All-Conference honors.

Small COC

Reeds Spring

Seth Stamps  1st Team Infield

Collin Cross 1st Team Utility/DH

Noah Briley  1st Team Pitcher

Cole Watson  Honorable Mention Catcher

Hollister

Jenner Steele  1st Team Catcher

Jackson Bekemeier  1st Team Pitcher

Landon Farquhar  1st Team Outfield

Ethan Parks  2nd Team Infield

Garrett Moody  2nd Team Outfield

Payton Weber  Honorable Mention Infield

COC-Large

Branson

Graham Funderburk   2nd Team Pitcher

SWCL

Forsyth

Caleb Terrell  1st Team Pitcher

Kaleb Etheridge  1st Team Infield

Johnny Mayhew  2nd Team Catcher

Darrien Woods  2nd Team Outfield

Briar Kellem   Honorable Mention Outfield

Blue Eye

Jacob Crouthamel 2nd Team Infield

Jarrett Crouthamel 2nd Team Outfield

Chase McClenathan Honorable Mention Catcher

Mike Crews  Honorable Mention Utility/DH

 

Just  a few thoughts from the selections..

Congrats to all that earned Mention.. No easy Task

Cole Watson only making HM shows the strength of COC Catcher

Logan Armitage is a great example of great gloves getting no love

Crane/Galena technically out of my “area” but lots of Congrats deserved there

Happy to see Funderburk get noticed.

 

 

The Forsyth Panthers enjoyed the best season this past year that they have had in some time.

The Panthers won 20 games, they won the Forsyth and Walnut Grove Tournaments, and made it to the championship game of the Sparta Tournament.  The also went undefeated in the Southwest Central League claiming the League Title.  By any account it was a hugely successful year.

2018-2019 will mark a time of change in the program.  The Panthers are leaving the Southwest Central League and will now compete as a member of the Mid-Lakes Conference.  A talented group of seniors say “good bye” including   Machaiah Rocha and Anthony Stanford.   Also gone is athletic director Chris Padgett; he will be moving up the Administrative Chain. That job will be left in the hands of the very capable Jim Voliva.

This past week, we found out that the changes will not stop there.  Head Coach Josh Hart has accepted a coaching position with Logan-Rogersville and will be leaving the program.  Hart has been instrumental in rebuilding the Proud Panther Program.  For his success Hart was the 2017-2018 Perry Phillips Broadcasting Coach of the Year.  The former Branson assistant brought a high energy approach that resulted in great success on and off the court.

From a personal standpoint, he has been great to work with.  He would always do anything possible to help us and to promote the program and most importantly the athletes within it.  He will be sorely missed.

The search for a successor will start immediately.

Graduation Time has come and so has the end of the regular season for Spring Sports.

Spring Softball has already played their district tournaments and moved onto the State Playoffs.

Baseball Districts get underway in most locations tomorrow.

Reeds Spring and Hollister are in the Class 3 District 11 Tournament being hosted by the Tigers.  The Wolves play tomorrow morning at 11 against Rogersville, while Hollister got a first round bye and wont play until Monday.

Branson is in the Class 5 District 11 Tournament hosted by Springfield Kickapoo.  The Pirates open with the hosts Saturday afternoon at 5.

Forsyth is hosting the Class 3 District 11 Tournament.   That District will not start until Monday.  The Panthers will take on Conway in round one.

Blue Eye, Crane, and Galena are all at the District hosted by New Covenant.  The Bulldogs and Bears will play each other Monday in the Opening Round.  Crane got a first round bye and doesnt play until Tuesday.

Track Districts for the bigger schools take place tomorrow.  Hollister and Reeds Spring are at Mount Vernon.  Branson will be at Waynesville.  The Smaller Schools have moved on to Sectionals

Individual Tennis Districts are going on this weekend for area schools as well.

Soccer Districts start for Branson on Tuesday.  The Lady Pirates will take on the host Republic in the semi-finals that night.

Busy, Busy, Time for area Athletic Directors.  But a great time to get out ans support some of out local athletes.  In some instances, for the final time.

 

 

Its Graduation Day at Reeds Spring.  For the last couple of years, on this day, I wrote about one of the folks graduating.   Coincidentally, each of those times the Graduate that I wrote about went on to win the “Heart of the Wolf” award given by the Reeds Spring School Foundation.

That will not happen this year.  Although there is a chance I have already written about the individual that will win that award tonight; I have decided to use this space to write about the Class of 2018 as a group.  They are such a tight unit anyway, it only makes since.

I know that every year we say that “this group will go on to make an impact”.   Well, I have every confidence that this special group will.

Austin Bradfield is a two time All-State Center on the football field but he is far more that that.  He is a leader.  Perhaps the only thing that will keep him from running our community or even our state in the future, will be his love for making films, which is what he will be studying at the University of Missouri.

Cole Nordin is a guy that probably did not get talked about nearly enough in the athletic arena this year.  All he did, is do whatever was asked of him.  Week One in the football season he was asked to step into a tough situation.  He was the starting QB that night against the team that would end up playing for the State Championship in November.  He shared time at DB, and still made a run at the school interception record.  On the basketball court he ran the Wolves offense, along the way picking up the single game assist record.  Those leadership abilities make him a special dude.

Logan Plumb is another on of those special guys.  He is a team guy.  And, someone I think about when I think of being unselfish.  On the football field he switched positions in the offseason and switched right back a couple of weeks into the year.  He did so without complaint, in order to do what was best for the team.  Basketball Coach Barry Yocom talks about the unselfishness it takes for players to draw charges on the court.  No one at Reeds Spring has ever done that more that Plumb.  He is a guy that will be missed to no end.

Collin Cross has been as steady as a big guy as Wolves fans could ever ask for.  A three year starter in football and a four year starter on the baseball field, he has been someone that you could always count on.  And, he is same person off the field.  He will always be that guy that you can count on.

Lane Carrol…  Mr 1000.  Lane hit his 1000th point this basketball season and did it on senior night.  It has been such a joy to see him play.  There is another area coach that talks fondly of Lane’s game.  He talks about how much he enjoys seeing him play.  That is a huge complement.  Anyone that has talked to him off the court knows his is about as nice as they come.

As big as a Wolves Football guy as I am, I could not write about this group of seniors without mentioning Kelly Newton.  The dude was incredible on the football field becoming the most prolific single season rusher and TD maker in Wolves football history.  Now, he has added his name to the track record books as well.

One name that does not get nearly the publicity that it probably deserves is Noah Briley.  His work on the mound for Coach Chris Funk has been nothing short of amazing.  He is the all-time wins leader in school history.  His conference accolades rival pitchers from other COC schools that are headed to or are already making impacts at D1 colleges.  He also served as an announcer for the student production of football and basketball games.

Its not just the guys….  Rachel Bagg will make an impact on the world.  She will be taking her Cross-Country skills to the same place that allowed me to display mine, College of the Ozarks.  Bagg does the work in the classroom as well.  She is the Valedictorian for the Class of 2018.

I have touched on a few names here, but there are many more: like,   Conner Wiest, Asa Baker, Kyle Modlin and Mackenzie Duvall.  Dakota Romesburg is going to make an impact.  I could go on and on…name after name…The point is Reeds Spring High School will be saying “good bye” to a special group tonight.  Young men and women that may be leaving the halls of RSHS but will be heard from for years to come.

But, no matter what they do or where they go, they will always remember… ONCE A WOLF…. ALWAYS A WOLF.

Good Luck Class of 2018, Thanks for the Memories.

With most of the area schools graduating this weekend another group of senior athletes will be saying “goodbye” to the local prep scene.  But, for many, goodbye to high school sports is not goodbye to the sport they love.  Several are getting a chance to move on to the next level.   Here is a look at local athletes that have indicated they will continue their athletic careers at the next level. (If I have left anyone out, it was not done intentionally)

Branson

McKenzie Duncan – Soccer -Palm Beach Atlantic

Lauren Garrison-Basketball-Rockhurst

Skyler Harris- Baseball- MO Valley

Zach Johnston- Baseball-Evangel

Hannah Collins- Cross-Country-Evangel

Hally Blackwell-Track-Truman State

Cierra Groover-Soccer-Feather River College

Damian Chapa-Football-MO Valley

Kyle Hunn-Football-Truman State

Karson Knudsen-Football-Benedictine

 

Hollister

Jenner Steele-Baseball-Hutchison JUCO

Landon Farquhar-Baseball-CofO

Payton Weber-Baseball-Columbia

KK Thomas-Softball-North Ark

Josh Neville-Football-Central Methodist

Raven Ross-Volleyball-Park University

 

Reeds Spring

Asa Baker-Football-Lindenwood

Tara Sampson-Pitt State-Track

Rachel Bragg-Cross-Country-CofO

 

Forsyth

Dava Cardwell-Softball-Culver-Stockton

Anthony Stanford-Football-Evangel

 

Its been a solid year for Reeds Spring’s Tara Sampson.   The 6-0 senior spent her winter setting season and career Blocked Shots Records for the Lady Wolves Basketball Team.  She swatted 100 balls away this year alone.

This Spring she has picked up where she left off a year ago helping the Reeds Spring Track Program.  While she has competed in the javelin and long jump, its the high jump where she really does her damage.

Sampson’s best jump this year is 5-2; good for a Reeds Spring record but also among the best in this part of the state this year.  In fact, that mark ranks 4th in all classes in SW Missouri this spring.

Last Thursday, Sampson made it official.  She signed a National Letter of Intent and will continue her jumping career at Pittsburg State University in Kansas.

Pitt State is part of the MIAA and competes in NAIA Division II.

TaraSampson  Click link for interview with Tara

The Hollister Lady Tiger Softball Program found new life this year.   Playing for the first time in the Spring instead of the Fall the Lady Tigers finished the campaign 11-7.  It was their first winning season in at least ten years.

A big part of the Lady Tigers success can be attributed to KK Thomas.  The senior spent the majority of the season in the Circle and hitting in the three hole for Coach Willy Morgan’s squad.

That success and leadership will allow her to get a shot at the next level.  Last week, KK signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her playing career at North Arkansas College in Harrison.

College of the Ozarks, Hall of Famer, Seychelle Mahoney is the head coach of the Pioneers and said the she sees Thomas having a shot at paying multiple positions including some innings in the circle..

KKThomas   Click link to hear interview with KK