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What has been expected for a few years now is finally coming to be.  The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics announced at its annual convention that they will be going on one division in men’s and women’s basketball starting with the 2020-2021 school year.  The move was approved on Monday by the organizations Council of Presidents.

The schools will be allowed up to an equivalent of eight scholarships.  This brings to an end the playing of two different divisions that has been in place since 1992.

One thing that has yet to be decided is the size of the National Tournament.  One option would have 64 teams qualifying with various play in sites leading to a final 16 team Championship.  Another favors staying with the current 32-team format at one site.  That question could be answered as early as June.

And, while Kansas City is not guaranteed as the final site for the men’s tournament, the NAIA has indicated that they would like for that to be the case.

I think the bigger question is where the women’s tournament will be held.  Should they stick with the 32-team format, Sioux City would be hard to beat.  However, if they choose to go with only the final 16 advancing to the final site, you have to wonder if they could not play the tournaments in Kansas City.  Or, what if they do them in back to back weeks?  If they do that, they could possibly have them at the same site, even if they stick with the 32-team format.  But, that is all speculation on my part.

A near capacity crowd was on hand Thursday Night at the South Central Missouri Fellowship of Christian Athletes annual Athletes and Coach of the Year Banquet at Chateau on the Lake.

The Inspirational and Uplifting Night was headlined by speaker Anthony Robles.  The 2010-2011 NCAA Wrestling Champion at 125lbs was born without his right leg.  He did not let that or anyone stop him.  He spoke to the group about perseverance and ability within us all to become a champion.

The male and female athletes of the year were honored at the Banquet.  The recipients this year were Kinsey Stevens from Galena and Payton Varner from Cassville.

Stevens, an All-Confernce Cross-Country Runner and All-American Cheerleader will attend Pittsburg State University in Kansas and hopes to study Exercise Science or Biology.

Varner, a golfer and manager for the basketball team at Cassville will attend Crowder to study History.

Both athletes are extremely active in their respective FCA groups and their churches.

The Coach of the Year was Vicki Spivey, Hurley Huddle Coach and Head Softball Coach.

It was an incredible evening.  To see the work that God is doing in our area schools is tremendous.  Brian Mitchell, hits the road, most of the time, before the sun comes up in the morning.  Whether its Coaches Bible Studies, Team Huddles, or one of the other 1500 tasks Brian does every day to further the work of the organization, his work is always Christ centered and for the Glory of God.

Jim Connell and I got a chance to sit down with Robles before the event.  Click on the link below to hear that conversation..

RoblesInterview

FCA could use your help.  Lets help them continue spreading the word of God to athletes all over SW Missouri.

 

I commented in the my preview of the season that McKenzie Duncan was rewriting the Branson Lady Pirates Soccer Record Book.  Well, she inked another chapter tonight as she led the Lady Pirates to an 8-1 win over Mountain View-Liberty.

During the course of the blowout, the Palm Beach Atlantic University signee, scored six goals to set a new Lady Pirate single game record.   Duncan previously shared the record of four goals in a game with Hailey Lecroix.   The blowout is perhaps the only reason that Duncan did not have more than six.

It was McKenzie’s sister Molly, that got the scoring going for Branson, just 1:28 into the match.  McKenzie would score her first goal of the game less than two minutes later, and add one more before the half.

Amanda Mantel would hit the back of the net for the Lady Eagles with 2:10 left before halftime drawing them to within 3-1 and scoring the first goal against the Lady Pirates in their four games this season

McKenzie would totally take over in the early part of the second half.  She would score four times in a period of less than ten minutes starting with a goal at the 35:03 mark.   From that point she was given a break and would later return in more of a defensive role.

Josie Michel would cap off the night for the Lady Pirates with a goal at the 11:19 mark.

In goal, Lauren Garrison was her usual solid self.  She was that single goal short of posting her fourth consecutive shutout.

The win moves the Lady Pirates to 4-0 on the season.  They won the Fair Grove Tournament over the weekend.  They will be back in action Thursday Night, hosting Aurora at Pirate Stadium.

 

Folks in the tri-lakes have been able to see Landon Farquhar develop in to a well rounded athlete.  The Hollister senior has found success in multiple sports for the Tigers, but its baseball where he really excels.

People in Hollister will not have to go very far to continue to watch him play.  He will continue his athletic and academic careers at College of the Ozarks.

He recently made it official by signing a National Letter of Intent.

As a junior he hit .354 for the Tigers.  On the mound he was 4-5 but posted a 1.98 ERA

FarquharSigning  (click the link to hear Jim Connell and my intervew with Landon)

All season long awards have poured in for the College of the Ozarks dynamic duo of Kelsie Cleeton and Cassidy Johnson.  Well, the season may be over but the awards are still a comin’

Cleeton has been named First-Team All-American.  The junor from Springfield filled up the stat sheet most every night this season.  She averaged nearly 14 points a game this year and pulled down over 11 rebounds a night. She was 3rd in the nation in total rebounds, despite standing only 5-7.  Her 106 steels ranked 5th in the nation and 21 times this year she went home after recording a double-double.

Johnson, a junior from West Plains, was named Honorable Mention All-America.  The sharpshooter  was the top scorer for the Lady Cats this season, dropping over 16 points a night on the competition.  Her 101 3’s ranked ninth among all women in NAIA DII.

The Lady Cats finished their season 31-2 and were ranked #3 in the country.

With the basketball season coming to an end we turn out attention  to the Spring sports.  Before totally moving on its time to give a little recognition to some of the players in the area that stood out this year.

As with the case last year, I don’t pick an all-star team.  Already a lot of folks do that.  Instead I just pick some players that stood out in some different categories.

Now, a reminder, this is all from the eye test.  I didn’t go line by line over stats, and there could be valid points made for others in each position..  With that being said, here is who made the cut this season:

                                                                                             Girls                                                  Boys

 

Youngin of the Year(frosh/soph)    Scarlett Texeira-Forsyth              Nathan Garnett-BE                    

 

Keep an Eye On                                    Maddie Pardeck-Branson          Dawson Deroo-Forsyth

 

My Final Shot                                    Konnhar Patton-Blue Eye             Lane Carroll-RS

 

Best Floor General:                           Kelina Asbill-RS                           Zach Martin-SofO

 

Straight out Player               Taylor Arnold-Blue Eye                      Andrew Mitchell-Blue Eye

 

Controls the Paint                    Raven Ross-Hollister                      Anthony Stanford-Forsyth

 

Not About Me                    Lauren Garrison-Branson                    Logen Plumb-Reeds Spring

 

Coach of the Year                           Ken Elfrink                                            Josh Hart

 

Player of the Year                    Kohnnar Patton-Blue Eye                    Micaiah Rocha-Forsyth

 

This year continues to roll along.  This past weekend most of the Spring Sports held their preseason Jamborees and competition can start at the end of this week.

Just a few random thoughts:

1. Branson Soccer-  I think that Lady Pirates have a great shot to break the school record for wins and perhaps their first district championship.
2. Hollister Baseball- The Tigers have a number of seniors that have been playing varsity ball since their freshman years. Big year could be coming.
3. Reeds Spring Baseball- Coach Funk has a number of options on the mound.  If the Wolves can get the bats going they will be dangerous.
4. Forsyth Baseball-  Bryron Richardson takes over a program that returns quite a bit of experience.
5. Branson Baseball- Pirates had a lot of guys get playing time last year due to injuries.  That experience may very well pay off for them this season.
6. Jenner Steele could have a huge season for Hollister
7. Reeds Spring Track placed 2nd in the state last year.  But lost a ton to graduation.  Watch out for the girls this year.
8. Hollister Softball competes full time in the Spring for the First time… that could be big for them.
9.  Can SofO continue its Track success?
10.  They have been playing a while, but C of O baseball is making some noise, they have a shot to make some noise in the conference tournament and possibly beyond.

With the season coming to an end for all the teams in the league, the All-Conference teams have been announced for the Small-Central Ozark Conference.  With the disbanding of the league, it will be the last such awards.

Reeds Spring’s Lane Carroll was a unanimous first team selection.  The senior sharp shooter joined the 1000 point club this year.  Logen Plumb was named to the second team.

Hollister’s Payton Weber also earned a spot on the second team.

Here is a look at the 2017-18 Small-COC All-Conference Teams

1st team

Luke Vandersnick (Unanimous)             JR                    Rogersville

Jake Branham (Unanimous)                    JR                    Catholic

Lane Carroll (Unanimous)                       SR                   Reeds Spring

Ian Jones (Unanimous)                             JR                    Bolivar

Andrew Scott                                              SR                   Rogersville

 

2nd team

Ian Cochran                                                 SR                   Catholic

Logen Plumb                                               SR                   Reeds Spring

Corey Spindler                                            SR                   Bolivar

Austin Porter                                               JR                    Marshfield

Peyton Weber                                             SR                   Hollister

 

Honorable Mention

Charlie O’Reilly                                           JR                    Catcholic

Layton Moody                                            JR                    Buffalo

Triston Letterman                                      JR                    Marshfield

Michael Manzardo                                    JR                    Catholic

 

Player of the year- Luke Vandersnick- Rogersville

Coach of the year- John Schaeffer- Rogersville

There is a scene in the movie GREASE, when Danny, played by a young John Travolta, is looking for a sport he can actually participate in.  He fails at a number of attempts before finally settling on track.

Well at Reeds Spring, its a little different story.  Austin Bradfield is already as accomplished lineman that has ever put on a Wolves football uniform.  The 6-3 230 pound center was named All-State after both his junior and senior seasons.  He has helped anchor a line that has provided the most prolific offensive numbers in school history.

But now he is trying his hat in a different arena.  Bradfield will be playing the part of “Danny” in the musical Grease when the Reeds Spring High Schools version of the hit musical starts tonight at the middle school auditorium.

Bradfield and his classmates, which includes a number of Wolves footballers, will be presenting the play the next three nights at 7:00.  Tickets are available online or at the door.

The College of the Ozarks women’s basketball team has done almost everything asked of them this season.  They have posted an amazing 30-1 record, falling only to Concordia in overtime.  They won their conference tournament and earned one of the number one seeds at the NAIA Division II National Championships in Sioux City, Iowa.

The task at hand now, is the ultimate goal.  WIN THE PROGRAMS FIRST EVER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.  To do that, they will have to win 5 games over the next six days against the best teams that the NAIA has to offer.

It all starts tomorrow at noon with a matchup against Alice Lloyd, College from Pippa Passes, KY.  ALC is not your typical number eight seed.  The Lady Eagles are 24-5 on the season and are winners of the River States Conference Western Division.

The schools actually have some similarities off the court.  Both colleges provide a quality college education in a Christian environment to students who may not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue a college degree. The two colleges are also both work colleges. Students have the opportunity to work at on-campus jobs to help cover the cost of tuition

One additional line….  Dr Jerry Davis, the President at College of the Ozarks, came to Pt Lookout from Alice Lloyd College, where he held the same position.

The game tips at Noon at the Tyson Event Center in Sioux City.  The winner will advance to take on Valley City State or St Francis at 5:15 on Friday.  Games can be heard locally on 106.3 KRZK.