It was announced this spring that the NAIA would change its basketball offering from a two division format to a single division beginning in with the 2020-2021 academic year.

One of the things that was left up in the air at that time, is what kind of format would they use for the Championships.  On Friday, that question was answered.

The National Administrative Council has given approval that men’s and women’s postseason tournaments will include 64 qualifiers each.  A final site will host a 16 team tournament for each gender.  Opening rounds will consist of 4-teams at sixteen different sites.

The NAC determined that the 64/16 format “will offer the a superior student-athlete experience as well as provide the best opportunity for cost saving and team travel reimbursement.”

Overall there will be the same number of qualifiers as we had under the old 32 team two division format.

There was some thought that they would stick with the 32 team format, all at one site,  despite dropping down to the single division.

One thing that has not been finalized is who will get to serve has host for the Championships.  One theory is that since we are now only looking at a 16 team Championship, that Kansas City could possibly host both the men and the women.

Its just my opinion, but that would surprise me.  I, look for the men to head to Kansas City while the women go to Sioux City.  I actually have nothing to base that on, other than my perceptions.  We will see how things develop.

There was not a player in the tri-lakes with higher expectations this year than Jenner Steele.  The Hollister catcher had a huge junior campaign and coming into his senior year, its safe to say that no hitter in this area was more feared.

Steele did not disappoint.  Starting with the jamboree and throughout the season opposing teams did what they could to work around the slugger.  He finished the year with a .390 batting average and 7 homers.  But those numbers alone did not tell the whole story.  Overall, to the eye test, he seemed like a better hitter this season.  His average was lower but he seemed to be more disciplined at the plate.  His accomplishments have been noticed as he has been named 1st team All-State

Steele will attend Hutchinson Community College in Kansas next year to continue his athletic career.

Jackson Bekemeier received honorable mention All-State.  He will remain a teammate of Steele, as he has also chosen Hutch as his next home.

Its been over a year since the announcement that Reeds Spring and Hollister (along with Marshfield, Catholic, Rogersville, and Nevada) were joining the Big 8 Conference.  Play in the newly expanded League will begin in August.

Current Big 8 Members Monett, East Newton, Lamar, McDonald County, Seneca, and Cassville will be joined by Nevada to make up the West Division of the new league.  Former COC foes Reeds Spring, Hollister, Catholic, Marshfield, and Rogersville will welcome Aurora and Mt Vernon to the East Division.  But what does this mean for scheduling?  Well, for different sports it means different things.  For the purpose of this I will stick with the Fall Sports.

Football will be played within the divisions.  You play everyone in your division every year.   To complete your nine game regular season schedule each team will play THREE “cross-over” games.  Now, its important to know that the cross-over games are to complete the schedule only.  They will NOT count in the Conference Record.  Each Division will crown its own Champion and will have its own All-League Team.

This first season the Wolves will host Nevada and Cassville, while traveling to Seneca for its cross-over games.  Hollister will host East Newton and McDonald County and will get to drive to Lamar for their three additional games.  Next year they schedule will remain the same but will flip-flop home and away.  The schools will then go to the next rotation of opponents.

Softball will have the opportunity to play a true round-robin.  With more games and less schools playing (Hollister and Mt Vernon play their softball in the Spring) there is a chance to play everyone.  Thus, a true league champion will be crowned.

Volleyball looks to be playing three cross-over games as well.  But unlike football, they will reserve an open date at the end of the season.  On that date the two divisions will matchup with the team that finished in the same position from the other division.  Thus claim a true Big 8 Champ.

Basketball in the winter and Baseball in the spring will be doing something similar at the end of their seasons a well, but we will look at Winter and Spring sports and the changes in their schedules a little later…

Other than League Meets Cross-Country, Girls Golf will see little change.  Neither Reeds Spring nor Hollister compete in Soccer so changes there wont effect them.

Its a brand new day in what amounts to a brand new league.  Lots to look forward to Welcome to the Big Eight (Fourteen) (+6) or whatever you want to call it.

 

Last night I had the honor of attending the Springfield Sports Authority Awards with the Duncan Family.   Awards are presented to the top athlete in each of the high school sports in SW Missouri.  We were surrounded by the best of the best.  State Champions, All-Americans, State Record Holders were through out the room.

McKenzie was nominated for Girls Soccer Player of the year.   And, while she did not walk away with the award, the fact that she was a finalist shows just what kind of a season and a career this remarkable young lady had.  She undoubtedly belongs with this elite group.   She leaves Branson with every offensive school record you can imagine.

After returning home last night I received word that the Palm Beach Atlantic University signee has raked in another award.  She has been named All-Region by the Missouri Soccer Coaches Association.  The Class 4 Region 3 Team is dominated by Lee’s Summit West.  This marks back to back seasons that Duncan has been named to the team.

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.