The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced the 2021&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;Coaches' Division II All-District teams and coaches Monday, recognizing the best men's college basketball student-athletes and coaches in the division.

The players and coaches are selected and voted on by member coaches of the&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;in NCAA Division II.&nbsp; Northwest Missouri State's Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;and Ryan Hawkins each earned&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;Central District First-Team honors, while Diego Bernard tallied second-team status. Bearcat head coach Ben McCollum registered his fourth career&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;Central District Coach of the Year award. He previously won the award in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Hudgins&nbsp;secured first-team all-district status for the third consecutive season.&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;averaged 20.1 points per game and shot 54.5% from the field, including 52.5% from three-point range.&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;has already earned first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;and was named the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Player of the Year for the second straight season. Hawkins earned first-team all-district honors for the second straight season. Hawkins led the Bearcats in both scoring (22.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Hawkins was early named a first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;performer. Bernard tallied his initial all-district award with a nod on the second team. Bernard had 15 double-figure scoring games, including a pair of 20-point contests. Bernard was named the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Defensive Player of the Year and secured second-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;status. Bernard averaged 11.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.3% from the field. McCollum has guided Northwest to its eighth consecutive&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;regular season title and he helped lead the Bearcats to their fifth trip to the Elite Eight with the highest victory total in the nation among NCAA Division II teams at 25-2 overall. Northwest will begin its quest for a third national championship on Wednesday with a matchup against West Liberty at 6 p.m. in the&nbsp;Elight&nbsp;Eight in Evansville, Indiana.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616437289353.jpeg" alt="Ryan Hawkins (left) and Trevor Hudgins (left) were both named first-team&nbsp;NABC Central District selections Monday. Photo by Whitnee Ice." />
 <figcaption>Ryan Hawkins (left) and Trevor Hudgins (left) were both named first-team&nbsp;NABC Central District selections Monday. Photo by Whitnee Ice.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe National Association of Basketball Coaches announced the 2021&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;Coaches' Division II All-District teams and coaches Monday, recognizing the best men's college basketball student-athletes and coaches in the division.The players and coaches are selected and voted on by member coaches of the&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;in NCAA Division II.&nbsp; Northwest Missouri State's Trevor&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;and Ryan Hawkins each earned&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;Central District First-Team honors, while Diego Bernard tallied second-team status. Bearcat head coach Ben McCollum registered his fourth career&nbsp;NABC&nbsp;Central District Coach of the Year award. He previously won the award in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Hudgins&nbsp;secured first-team all-district status for the third consecutive season.&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;averaged 20.1 points per game and shot 54.5% from the field, including 52.5% from three-point range.&nbsp;Hudgins&nbsp;has already earned first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;and was named the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Player of the Year for the second straight season. Hawkins earned first-team all-district honors for the second straight season. Hawkins led the Bearcats in both scoring (22.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Hawkins was early named a first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;performer. Bernard tallied his initial all-district award with a nod on the second team. Bernard had 15 double-figure scoring games, including a pair of 20-point contests. Bernard was named the&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;Defensive Player of the Year and secured second-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;status. Bernard averaged 11.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.3% from the field. McCollum has guided Northwest to its eighth consecutive&nbsp;MIAA&nbsp;regular season title and he helped lead the Bearcats to their fifth trip to the Elite Eight with the highest victory total in the nation among NCAA Division II teams at 25-2 overall. Northwest will begin its quest for a third national championship on Wednesday with a matchup against West Liberty at 6 p.m. in the&nbsp;Elight&nbsp;Eight in Evansville, Indiana.

Hawkins, Hudgins, Bernard and Coach McCollum garner NABC all-district honors

SPRINGFIELD - Benton came to within single digits of playing for a state championship.

After going toe-to-toe with Boonville the night before, the Cardinals (15-11) had less than 12 hours of turnaround time to get up and get ready for their third place game, which was against No. 1 Vashon.

The Cardinals hung in for 3.5 quarters, but the Wolverines (18-2) used a 16-2 run the final four minutes to beat Benton 57-37 in the Class 4 girls' state third place game at the Hammons Student Center in Springfield Saturday.

Not the end result Benton wanted of course, but first-year head coach Chris Michaels and his team aren't hanging their heads.

"I'm not disappointed in these girls one bit," Michaels said. "When you go against as many challenges and as much adversity as we went through, and everyone dealt with adversity this year, but it's a little bit different in south St. Joseph. We went through some things and to finish the year where we're at right now, I couldn't be more proud."

Vashon got off to a fast 8-1 start, but Benton responded after an early timeout, and trailed 19-14 after the first quarter. The Cardinals continued to fight, and only trailed 26-23 at the break.

Just like in Friday's semifinal, Benton contended with a tight, press defense throughout the game, as Vashon forced 25 turnovers. The Wolverines had only 11 giveaways themselves.

Benton got to within 28-27 with 3:51 to go in the third after a jump shot from sophomore Peyton Anderson, but then got down 41-29 with 6:30 left in the game.

The Cardinals made one last surge, pulling to within 41-35 with 5:02 to go, but after a couple of steals and ensuing three-pointers and fast breaks, Vashon was up 53-37 with 2:28 left.

"When you're down already and their three-pointers hit and you lost a heartbreaker yesterday on a quick turnaround, it's very very hard to turn around again," Michaels said. "Especially in the fourth quarter. We did a good job of staying with each other and not fighting each other and not fighting against the grain. So, we're leaving here a better family than what we were when we showed up."

Benton was also held scoreless for the final 2:48. The Wolverines end up third in their first ever Final Four appearance after absorbing a 78-55 loss to Mount Vernon in their semifinal the night before.

"Vashon isn't ranked No. 1 in the state for nothing," Michaels said. "They had a game (Friday) where they didn't play their best, so they end up in the third place game. We knew it'd be tough. You're in the top four teams down here. So, they didn't make it down here by a fluke."

While the end result wasn't the desired one, Benton has plenty of reason to be optimistic. Heck, when the month of March began, almost nobody expected the Cardinals to make it out of their district bracket, let alone to the Final Four.

"Would we have loved to take home a first place trophy and get to hoop and holler and do everything like that?" Michaels said. "Of course we would. However, to get here wasn't in the cards for us when we started. A month ago, if you'd have asked me, 'Do you think you're going to be (in Springfield?) I would've said yes, but you wouldn't have gotten a lot of yeses from other people."

The Cardinals will bring every player on their current roster back for next season. All except senior Alyssa White, who scored 64 points in her final season and played 29 minutes in her final game.

"Ally White is going to go on and do great things," Michaels said proudly. "She's going to be an awesome citizen. She's going to be the perfect role model and I tell her all the time, 'I have two daughters and I want them to be just like Ally White.'

"She's going to go to college at Arkansas and she's going to graduate probably one of the top in her class. Ally White is about as special as they come. Benton High School wouldn't be Benton High School without Ally White."

Vashon 57 - 19, 7, 11, 20 Benton 37 - 14, 9, 6, 8

Vashon scorers - Raychel Jones - 17, Nariyah Simmons - 11, Marshaun Bostic - 10, Kanitra Barnett - 8, Rayvin Jones - 4, Chrissy Dudley - 3, Azaria Moore - 2, Kiyah Cooper - 2

Benton scorers - Kelsey Johnson - 16, Jaida Cox - 8, Lauren Burright - 6, Kianna Herrera - 5, Peyton Anderson - 2

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616260943707.jpeg" alt="Benton's Jaida Cox (4) throws up a shot in the first half of the Cardinals' 57-37 loss to Vashon in the Class 4 girls' state third place game in Springfield Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Jaida Cox (4) throws up a shot in the first half of the Cardinals' 57-37 loss to Vashon in the Class 4 girls' state third place game in Springfield Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSPRINGFIELD - Benton came to within single digits of playing for a state championship.After going toe-to-toe with Boonville the night before, the Cardinals (15-11) had less than 12 hours of turnaround time to get up and get ready for their third place game, which was against No. 1 Vashon.The Cardinals hung in for 3.5 quarters, but the Wolverines (18-2) used a 16-2 run the final four minutes to beat Benton 57-37 in the Class 4 girls' state third place game at the Hammons Student Center in Springfield Saturday.Not the end result Benton wanted of course, but first-year head coach Chris Michaels and his team aren't hanging their heads."I'm not disappointed in these girls one bit," Michaels said. "When you go against as many challenges and as much adversity as we went through, and everyone dealt with adversity this year, but it's a little bit different in south St. Joseph. We went through some things and to finish the year where we're at right now, I couldn't be more proud."Vashon got off to a fast 8-1 start, but Benton responded after an early timeout, and trailed 19-14 after the first quarter. The Cardinals continued to fight, and only trailed 26-23 at the break.Just like in Friday's semifinal, Benton contended with a tight, press defense throughout the game, as Vashon forced 25 turnovers. The Wolverines had only 11 giveaways themselves.Benton got to within 28-27 with 3:51 to go in the third after a jump shot from sophomore Peyton Anderson, but then got down 41-29 with 6:30 left in the game.The Cardinals made one last surge, pulling to within 41-35 with 5:02 to go, but after a couple of steals and ensuing three-pointers and fast breaks, Vashon was up 53-37 with 2:28 left."When you're down already and their three-pointers hit and you lost a heartbreaker yesterday on a quick turnaround, it's very very hard to turn around again," Michaels said. "Especially in the fourth quarter. We did a good job of staying with each other and not fighting each other and not fighting against the grain. So, we're leaving here a better family than what we were when we showed up."Benton was also held scoreless for the final 2:48. The Wolverines end up third in their first ever Final Four appearance after absorbing a 78-55 loss to Mount Vernon in their semifinal the night before."Vashon isn't ranked No. 1 in the state for nothing," Michaels said. "They had a game (Friday) where they didn't play their best, so they end up in the third place game. We knew it'd be tough. You're in the top four teams down here. So, they didn't make it down here by a fluke."While the end result wasn't the desired one, Benton has plenty of reason to be optimistic. Heck, when the month of March began, almost nobody expected the Cardinals to make it out of their district bracket, let alone to the Final Four."Would we have loved to take home a first place trophy and get to hoop and holler and do everything like that?" Michaels said. "Of course we would. However, to get here wasn't in the cards for us when we started. A month ago, if you'd have asked me, 'Do you think you're going to be (in Springfield?) I would've said yes, but you wouldn't have gotten a lot of yeses from other people."The Cardinals will bring every player on their current roster back for next season. All except senior Alyssa White, who scored 64 points in her final season and played 29 minutes in her final game."Ally White is going to go on and do great things," Michaels said proudly. "She's going to be an awesome citizen. She's going to be the perfect role model and I tell her all the time, 'I have two daughters and I want them to be just like Ally White.'"She's going to go to college at Arkansas and she's going to graduate probably one of the top in her class. Ally White is about as special as they come. Benton High School wouldn't be Benton High School without Ally White."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616260886806.jpeg" alt="Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels (white shirt) embraces senior Alyssa White while holding the girls' state 4th place trophy on Saturday in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels (white shirt) embraces senior Alyssa White while holding the girls' state 4th place trophy on Saturday in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>Vashon 57 - 19, 7, 11, 20 Benton 37 - 14, 9, 6, 8Vashon scorers - Raychel Jones - 17, Nariyah Simmons - 11, Marshaun Bostic - 10, Kanitra Barnett - 8, Rayvin Jones - 4, Chrissy Dudley - 3, Azaria Moore - 2, Kiyah Cooper - 2Benton scorers - Kelsey Johnson - 16, Jaida Cox - 8, Lauren Burright - 6, Kianna Herrera - 5, Peyton Anderson - 2<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616261150004.jpeg" alt="Benton's Laura Burright pushes the ball up the floor during the Cardinals' 57-37 loss to Vashon on Saturday in the Class 4 girls' state third place game in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Laura Burright pushes the ball up the floor during the Cardinals' 57-37 loss to Vashon on Saturday in the Class 4 girls' state third place game in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Vashon pulls away late, Benton finishes fourth at state semifinals Saturday

SPRINGFIELD - The Benton girls' basketball team (15-10) played Boonville (26-2) down to the wire, but 33 turnovers proved costly for the Cardinals in a 48-44 loss to the Pirates in the Class 4 state semifinals at JQH Arena in Springfield Friday night.

In a game that featured seven ties and 13 lead changes, Benton overcame a seven-point, halftime deficit and grabbed a 40-38 lead with 3:01 to play after a clutch three-pointer from sophomore Kelsey Johnson.

Offensively, Benton was better in the second half. After making only 5-of-20 shots in the first half, the Cardinals shot 11-of-20 in the final 16 minutes, and outscored the Pirates 18-9 in the third quarter.

Benton also held Boonville to just 31.4 percent shooting in the entire game.

"We just slowed down and did what we do," Benton coach Chris Michaels said of his team's effort in the second half. "We let (Boonville) dictate the whole first half. We told our girls (at halftime), 'The fact that they are dictating you right now and deciding what you do is not how we play basketball.'"

On the flipside, the Pirates' full-court press and tight, on-ball defense made life difficult for the Cardinals throughout. The intense pressure on defense allowed Boonville to grab 18 steals.

"We held them to 21 points in the first half, so defensively, I thought we played a good game," Michaels said. "I just don't think we handled their pressure very well."

With the game still airtight, Benton junior Lauren Burright tied it at 42-42 on a layup with 1:58 left, but Boonville junior Addison Brownfield gave the Pirates the lead back at 44-42 after a jumper of her own with 54 seconds remaining.

At that point, Benton brought the ball up the floor with plenty of time left, down two and still had a timeout in their back pocket. But with 35 seconds to go, Burright had the ball stolen underneath by Boonville's Kennedy Renfrow.

Johnson then fouled Boonville's Kourtney Kendrick with 24 seconds to go. That foul put the Pirates in the double-bonus. Kendrick went 1-for-2 at the line, putting the Pirates ahead 45-42 with still 24 seconds left.

Still with a solid chance to send it overtime, Johnson brought the ball up the floor for Benton, but Brownfield swiped it away on a tipped pass with 11 seconds left. Brownfield was swiftly fouled and sunk both free throws, putting the game out of reach at 47-42 with 11 seconds remaining.

Benton's Kianna Herrera, who led her team with 18 points, was able to get a final layup with about three seconds left. The Cardinals called timeout, and with 1.7 remaining, Brownfield was fouled again and made one more free throw to put the final tally at 48-44.

A tough end to a tough game, as Benton's bid for a third state title in girls' basketball came to an end and the team suffered its first loss in the month of March.

But, the season is not yet over. Playing in only the program's fifth Final Four, the Cardinals have a chance to take third at state Saturday for the first time since 1991. They have a chance to end this remarkable run the right way.

"That's a really, really good team," Michaels said of Boonville. "We're one of the top four teams, so we knew we were going to see a team that was going to be tough and pressure us a lot. We didn't handle the pressure very well. So, we're going to have to forget about this one and go to the next one tomorrow."

Benton will face Vashon (17-2) for third place on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the John Q. Hammons Student Center. Vashon lost in their semifinal to Mount Vernon Friday, 78-55.

"It's a quick turnaround," Michaels said, as his team will have had less than 12 hours to prepare. "It's a quick turnaround for (Vashon), too, so, there's no excuses about a quick turnaround right now."

Boonville 48 - 12, 9, 9, 18 Benton 44 - 10, 4, 18, 12

Boonville scorers - Jodie Bass - 18, Addison Brownfield - 15, Kourtney Kendrick - 5, Kennedy Renfrow - 5, Emma West - 4, Brooke Eichelberger - 1.

Benton scorers - Kianna Herrera - 18, Lauren Burright - 8, Jaida Cox - 8, Kelsey Johnson - 5, Peyton Anderson - 3, Alyssa White - 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616212364354.jpeg" alt="Benton's Kelsey Johnson dribbles the ball out of the corner in the first half of the Cardinals' 48-44 loss to Boonville in the Class 4 state semifinals on Friday night at JQH Arena in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Kelsey Johnson dribbles the ball out of the corner in the first half of the Cardinals' 48-44 loss to Boonville in the Class 4 state semifinals on Friday night at JQH Arena in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSPRINGFIELD - The Benton girls' basketball team (15-10) played Boonville (26-2) down to the wire, but 33 turnovers proved costly for the Cardinals in a 48-44 loss to the Pirates in the Class 4 state semifinals at JQH Arena in Springfield Friday night.In a game that featured seven ties and 13 lead changes, Benton overcame a seven-point, halftime deficit and grabbed a 40-38 lead with 3:01 to play after a clutch three-pointer from sophomore Kelsey Johnson.Offensively, Benton was better in the second half. After making only 5-of-20 shots in the first half, the Cardinals shot 11-of-20 in the final 16 minutes, and outscored the Pirates 18-9 in the third quarter.Benton also held Boonville to just 31.4 percent shooting in the entire game."We just slowed down and did what we do," Benton coach Chris Michaels said of his team's effort in the second half. "We let (Boonville) dictate the whole first half. We told our girls (at halftime), 'The fact that they are dictating you right now and deciding what you do is not how we play basketball.'"On the flipside, the Pirates' full-court press and tight, on-ball defense made life difficult for the Cardinals throughout. The intense pressure on defense allowed Boonville to grab 18 steals."We held them to 21 points in the first half, so defensively, I thought we played a good game," Michaels said. "I just don't think we handled their pressure very well."With the game still airtight, Benton junior Lauren Burright tied it at 42-42 on a layup with 1:58 left, but Boonville junior Addison Brownfield gave the Pirates the lead back at 44-42 after a jumper of her own with 54 seconds remaining.At that point, Benton brought the ball up the floor with plenty of time left, down two and still had a timeout in their back pocket. But with 35 seconds to go, Burright had the ball stolen underneath by Boonville's Kennedy Renfrow.Johnson then fouled Boonville's Kourtney Kendrick with 24 seconds to go. That foul put the Pirates in the double-bonus. Kendrick went 1-for-2 at the line, putting the Pirates ahead 45-42 with still 24 seconds left.Still with a solid chance to send it overtime, Johnson brought the ball up the floor for Benton, but Brownfield swiped it away on a tipped pass with 11 seconds left. Brownfield was swiftly fouled and sunk both free throws, putting the game out of reach at 47-42 with 11 seconds remaining.Benton's Kianna Herrera, who led her team with 18 points, was able to get a final layup with about three seconds left. The Cardinals called timeout, and with 1.7 remaining, Brownfield was fouled again and made one more free throw to put the final tally at 48-44.A tough end to a tough game, as Benton's bid for a third state title in girls' basketball came to an end and the team suffered its first loss in the month of March.But, the season is not yet over. Playing in only the program's fifth Final Four, the Cardinals have a chance to take third at state Saturday for the first time since 1991. They have a chance to end this remarkable run the right way."That's a really, really good team," Michaels said of Boonville. "We're one of the top four teams, so we knew we were going to see a team that was going to be tough and pressure us a lot. We didn't handle the pressure very well. So, we're going to have to forget about this one and go to the next one tomorrow."Benton will face Vashon (17-2) for third place on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the John Q. Hammons Student Center. Vashon lost in their semifinal to Mount Vernon Friday, 78-55."It's a quick turnaround," Michaels said, as his team will have had less than 12 hours to prepare. "It's a quick turnaround for (Vashon), too, so, there's no excuses about a quick turnaround right now."Boonville 48 - 12, 9, 9, 18 Benton 44 - 10, 4, 18, 12Boonville scorers - Jodie Bass - 18, Addison Brownfield - 15, Kourtney Kendrick - 5, Kennedy Renfrow - 5, Emma West - 4, Brooke Eichelberger - 1.Benton scorers - Kianna Herrera - 18, Lauren Burright - 8, Jaida Cox - 8, Kelsey Johnson - 5, Peyton Anderson - 3, Alyssa White - 2.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616212510703.jpeg" alt="Benton's Jaida Cox looks to throw the ball to an open teammate in the second half of Benton's 48-44 loss to Boonville in the Class 4 girls' state semifinals at JQH Arena in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Jaida Cox looks to throw the ball to an open teammate in the second half of Benton's 48-44 loss to Boonville in the Class 4 girls' state semifinals at JQH Arena in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton hangs tough, but turnovers prove costly in loss to Boonville in state semifinals

One would be hard-pressed to find a team that's had a more up-and-down path to this year's Show Me Showdown in Springfield than the Benton girls.

After having to miss the Basehor-Linwood and Cameron tournaments in late January due to quarantine, Benton (15-9) came back on a mission, reeling off three straight wins, which was capped off by a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b78c5bbc-2fd8-43ac-b455-99ee44202603">50-27 victory at Lafayette</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 9.

The Cardinals then went 2-4 to end February. Losses to great teams like Maryville (22-2), Bishop LeBlond (18-8), Bolivar (14-12) and Macon (25-3).

The Macon loss, in particular, stood out. After having some games wiped out by COVID and winter weather, the Cardinals reached out to the Tigerettes and Benton drove 130 miles east for a tough, regular-season finale on Feb. 25.

Macon won 51-50, but it was something that was said before the game that stuck with Cardinals' first-year head coach Chris Michaels.

"(Macon coach Richard Driscoll) just kind of tells us, 'We're worried about Maryville when we get down to semis.' So, I go in the locker room and I tell the girls, 'They have no idea what you can do. Let's go show them.' And we lose by one."

Benton, who had 11 wins at the time compared to Macon's 23, lost by one point. On the road. The Cardinals came back home, feeling like that game should have been won. More importantly, they came back determined to show everyone else what they're capable of.

"That was kind of the turning point for our season and the point when our girls realized, 'There are a lot of people throughout the state who don't think you can do this,'" Michaels said. "When you look at these girls and say 'you can't do that,' or, 'you can't do something,' they're going to prove you wrong, and they've done a pretty good job of that."

After a 41-26 win over Chillicothe in district quarterfinals, the Cardinals went into the lion's den, or in this case the Hound Pound, facing odds-on favorite Maryville in the district title game.

After losing to Maryville twice before this season alone, Benton flipped the script and <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d04a379-9292-4814-8108-a0ba687a4165">stopped the Spoofhounds 45-40</a>.

"When we win these games, especially the Maryville one, it really showed us, and everyone, that maybe doubted us that we can do this," junior Kianna Herrera said. "And, we proved our point."

After beating up Center 47-26 in state sectionals, Benton returned home for a tough challenge in quarterfinals - El Dorado Springs, who rolled into Springer Gymnasium on a 13-game winning streak.

In a game where momentum changed hands several times, Benton once again realized their full potential and came through for a 41-38 overtime win. It marked the first time in school history that Benton punched its ticket to the Final Four while playing at home.

"It was our home court," Herrera said, "and we hadn't had that kind of crowd in forever, and having that crowd definitely helped our game."

Benton has now reached its fifth Final Four in program history, and will take on No. 4 Boonville (25-2) in the Show Me Showdown semifinals on Friday night at 8 p.m. inside JQH Arena.

The Pirates have won 12 straight as they seek their first state title in program history.

Benton seeks its third state championship banner, after former girls' coach turned athletic director Brett Goodwin took first in 2007 (30-0) and again in 2016 (31-0), which was the last time the Cardinals were in the Final Four.

"As little kids, we've always thought it would happen again some day," Cox said. "Now that it's finally happening, we've got to go do what we can do and show everybody."

A 2009 Benton alum himself, Michaels can fondly recall driving down to Columbia to watch Goodwin's teams compete in the Final Four. Now, Michaels is the one drawing up plays.

"This is special," he said. "I sat in these bleachers, I walked these halls. I drove down and watched Brett win his two (titles). So, to be able to be on the floor this time is going to be really, really special. It's going to be hard to not get caught up in that emotion."

It's always tough, no matter who you are, to not get caught up in the pageantry of state basketball. Only four teams make it to Springfield. It really is a big deal.

Yet, the focus has to be on basketball. You have to bring your absolute best in order to cut down nets. Given Benton's current trend, their confidence level is high.

"If we go in there and play our game (Friday), we will take another win and go to the championship," said Herrera.

A month ago, virtually no one expected Benton to go this far. Entering districts, Michaels challenged his team to "earn one more." One more game. One more practice. One more chance to prove doubters wrong.

Benton earned several more, and will get to play two games in Springfield, whether they win or lose. The motto now shifts away from "earn one more."

"Our motto right now going to the Final Four is 'just enjoy it,'" Michaels said. "We try to add some fun into practice. If we don't, these girls will watch film for the next 46 hours and won't take their eyes off the laptop. They'll be basketball 24/7. So, we'll force them to have some fun."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616097388708.jpeg" alt="Benton's Kianna Herrera (34), Kelsey Johnson (2) and Jaida Cox (4) look on during practice Tuesday afternoon at Benton High School. The Cardinals are competing in the program's fifth Final Four this weekend in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Benton's Kianna Herrera (34), Kelsey Johnson (2) and Jaida Cox (4) look on during practice Tuesday afternoon at Benton High School. The Cardinals are competing in the program's fifth Final Four this weekend in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostOne would be hard-pressed to find a team that's had a more up-and-down path to this year's Show Me Showdown in Springfield than the Benton girls.After having to miss the Basehor-Linwood and Cameron tournaments in late January due to quarantine, Benton (15-9) came back on a mission, reeling off three straight wins, which was capped off by a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/b78c5bbc-2fd8-43ac-b455-99ee44202603">50-27 victory at Lafayette</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 9.The Cardinals then went 2-4 to end February. Losses to great teams like Maryville (22-2), Bishop LeBlond (18-8), Bolivar (14-12) and Macon (25-3).The Macon loss, in particular, stood out. After having some games wiped out by COVID and winter weather, the Cardinals reached out to the Tigerettes and Benton drove 130 miles east for a tough, regular-season finale on Feb. 25.Macon won 51-50, but it was something that was said before the game that stuck with Cardinals' first-year head coach Chris Michaels."(Macon coach Richard Driscoll) just kind of tells us, 'We're worried about Maryville when we get down to semis.' So, I go in the locker room and I tell the girls, 'They have no idea what you can do. Let's go show them.' And we lose by one."Benton, who had 11 wins at the time compared to Macon's 23, lost by one point. On the road. The Cardinals came back home, feeling like that game should have been won. More importantly, they came back determined to show everyone else what they're capable of."That was kind of the turning point for our season and the point when our girls realized, 'There are a lot of people throughout the state who don't think you can do this,'" Michaels said. "When you look at these girls and say 'you can't do that,' or, 'you can't do something,' they're going to prove you wrong, and they've done a pretty good job of that."After a 41-26 win over Chillicothe in district quarterfinals, the Cardinals went into the lion's den, or in this case the Hound Pound, facing odds-on favorite Maryville in the district title game.After losing to Maryville twice before this season alone, Benton flipped the script and <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/5d04a379-9292-4814-8108-a0ba687a4165">stopped the Spoofhounds 45-40</a>."When we win these games, especially the Maryville one, it really showed us, and everyone, that maybe doubted us that we can do this," junior Kianna Herrera said. "And, we proved our point."After beating up Center 47-26 in state sectionals, Benton returned home for a tough challenge in quarterfinals - El Dorado Springs, who rolled into Springer Gymnasium on a 13-game winning streak.In a game where momentum changed hands several times, Benton once again realized their full potential and came through for a 41-38 overtime win. It marked the first time in school history that Benton punched its ticket to the Final Four while playing at home."It was our home court," Herrera said, "and we hadn't had that kind of crowd in forever, and having that crowd definitely helped our game."Benton has now reached its fifth Final Four in program history, and will take on No. 4 Boonville (25-2) in the Show Me Showdown semifinals on Friday night at 8 p.m. inside JQH Arena.The Pirates have won 12 straight as they seek their first state title in program history.Benton seeks its third state championship banner, after former girls' coach turned athletic director Brett Goodwin took first in 2007 (30-0) and again in 2016 (31-0), which was the last time the Cardinals were in the Final Four.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616097599104.jpeg" alt="Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>Junior Jaida Cox was in sixth grade."As little kids, we've always thought it would happen again some day," Cox said. "Now that it's finally happening, we've got to go do what we can do and show everybody."A 2009 Benton alum himself, Michaels can fondly recall driving down to Columbia to watch Goodwin's teams compete in the Final Four. Now, Michaels is the one drawing up plays."This is special," he said. "I sat in these bleachers, I walked these halls. I drove down and watched Brett win his two (titles). So, to be able to be on the floor this time is going to be really, really special. It's going to be hard to not get caught up in that emotion."It's always tough, no matter who you are, to not get caught up in the pageantry of state basketball. Only four teams make it to Springfield. It really is a big deal.Yet, the focus has to be on basketball. You have to bring your absolute best in order to cut down nets. Given Benton's current trend, their confidence level is high."If we go in there and play our game (Friday), we will take another win and go to the championship," said Herrera.A month ago, virtually no one expected Benton to go this far. Entering districts, Michaels challenged his team to "earn one more." One more game. One more practice. One more chance to prove doubters wrong.Benton earned several more, and will get to play two games in Springfield, whether they win or lose. The motto now shifts away from "earn one more.""Our motto right now going to the Final Four is 'just enjoy it,'" Michaels said. "We try to add some fun into practice. If we don't, these girls will watch film for the next 46 hours and won't take their eyes off the laptop. They'll be basketball 24/7. So, we'll force them to have some fun."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614916956915.jpeg" alt="Kelsey Johnson (2) dribbles the ball down the floor in the first half of Benton's 45-40 win over Maryville in the Class 4 District 16 championship on March 4. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Johnson (2) dribbles the ball down the floor in the first half of Benton's 45-40 win over Maryville in the Class 4 District 16 championship on March 4. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton defies expectations, realizes potential in reaching program's fifth Final Four

The St. Joseph School District has never had a sanctioned middle school or junior high football program.

Bantam football, a volunteer-based youth program, filled that need in the community for years - until it fell off 5-6 years ago.

"It's a lot of work to maintain," said Robert Sigrist, the SJSD director of student services. "Equipment, and being able to organize that every year and everything."

Since Bantam football's decline in St. Joseph, Sigrist says there's been a missing opportunity for young players across the district.

"It's a gap we have in our community," he said. "It's an opportunity that we are missing to engage a pretty significant number of kids annually. It's an opportunity also to give our kids a better opportunity to be more competitive once they get to the high school level."

That might explain why St. Joseph high school football hasn't had as much success as nearby programs like Savannah or Mid-Buchanan or Stanberry.

Benton, Lafayette and St. Joseph Central all had losing records in football in 2020. The Cardinals haven't had a winning season since 2010. For Central, it's been since 2013.

The Irish have had the most success with eight winning seasons since 2010, including four playoff wins within the last five years. But even so, Sigrist feels like consistent success in football is lacking at the high school level within the city.

"Consistent success and extended success deep into the postseason has been pretty few and far between in the St. Joseph community for quite some time."

Middle school football, Sigrist believes, could teach the city's players more fundamentals and techniques at an earlier age. It also gives St. Joseph student-athletes the same opportunities for competition as some of its rural neighbors.

"If you live in Savannah, Cameron or across the river in Troy or in the Riverside school district or Mid-Buchanan, all of those kids have that (middle school football) opportunity."

Middle school football has been a discussion within the St. Joseph District for years. The problem is - the idea never really got out of the discussion phase. That is, until the last year or so.

Sigrist believes the district is in a solid enough financial state to support the program. He also believes the interest from the school board and area families is at an all-time high.

"When we're talking about over 70 percent of (SJSD) families in 4th-8th grade saying that they probably would or definitely would participate, that's a pretty strong indicator that not only is there a need, but from our families, there's a want."

The cost of starting a middle-school football program would be about $100,000. The four middle schools (Truman, Bode, Robidoux, Spring Garden) would create two co-ops. Therefore, there would be two middle school football teams in St. Joseph to start.

Sigrist says the plan is to bring a formal proposal to the district board sometime next year, with the goal of starting middle school football in the 2022-23 academic year.

"We want to take our time," Sigrist said. "We want to make sure the planning goes into place. We don't want to go in halfway. We want to be committed and we want to do it the right way."

Making St. Joseph high school teams more competitive is a key, long-term potential benefit of adding middle school football.

The more important benefit though, Sigrist says, is giving the city's youth an extra opportunity to compete, develop and succeed overall.

"If we can have 120 kids involved in an activity that would not have been involved otherwise," Sigrist noted, "that's 120 kids in our middle schools that are going to be more engaged with school. They're more likely to be present at school and more likely to have better grades and better behaviors."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616010729699.jpeg" alt="The Lafayette football team has had the most success of any St. Joseph high school team in the last decade, but school officials believe the addition of a middle school football program would benefit all of the district's high school teams. Photo via Theresa Paolillo on Pinterest." />
 <figcaption>The Lafayette football team has had the most success of any St. Joseph high school team in the last decade, but school officials believe the addition of a middle school football program would benefit all of the district's high school teams. Photo via Theresa Paolillo on Pinterest.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph School District has never had a sanctioned middle school or junior high football program.Bantam football, a volunteer-based youth program, filled that need in the community for years - until it fell off 5-6 years ago."It's a lot of work to maintain," said Robert Sigrist, the SJSD director of student services. "Equipment, and being able to organize that every year and everything."Since Bantam football's decline in St. Joseph, Sigrist says there's been a missing opportunity for young players across the district."It's a gap we have in our community," he said. "It's an opportunity that we are missing to engage a pretty significant number of kids annually. It's an opportunity also to give our kids a better opportunity to be more competitive once they get to the high school level."That might explain why St. Joseph high school football hasn't had as much success as nearby programs like Savannah or Mid-Buchanan or Stanberry.Benton, Lafayette and St. Joseph Central all had losing records in football in 2020. The Cardinals haven't had a winning season since 2010. For Central, it's been since 2013.The Irish have had the most success with eight winning seasons since 2010, including four playoff wins within the last five years. But even so, Sigrist feels like consistent success in football is lacking at the high school level within the city."Consistent success and extended success deep into the postseason has been pretty few and far between in the St. Joseph community for quite some time."Middle school football, Sigrist believes, could teach the city's players more fundamentals and techniques at an earlier age. It also gives St. Joseph student-athletes the same opportunities for competition as some of its rural neighbors."If you live in Savannah, Cameron or across the river in Troy or in the Riverside school district or Mid-Buchanan, all of those kids have that (middle school football) opportunity."Middle school football has been a discussion within the St. Joseph District for years. The problem is - the idea never really got out of the discussion phase. That is, until the last year or so.Sigrist believes the district is in a solid enough financial state to support the program. He also believes the interest from the school board and area families is at an all-time high."When we're talking about over 70 percent of (SJSD) families in 4th-8th grade saying that they probably would or definitely would participate, that's a pretty strong indicator that not only is there a need, but from our families, there's a want."The cost of starting a middle-school football program would be about $100,000. The four middle schools (Truman, Bode, Robidoux, Spring Garden) would create two co-ops. Therefore, there would be two middle school football teams in St. Joseph to start.Sigrist says the plan is to bring a formal proposal to the district board sometime next year, with the goal of starting middle school football in the 2022-23 academic year."We want to take our time," Sigrist said. "We want to make sure the planning goes into place. We don't want to go in halfway. We want to be committed and we want to do it the right way."Making St. Joseph high school teams more competitive is a key, long-term potential benefit of adding middle school football.The more important benefit though, Sigrist says, is giving the city's youth an extra opportunity to compete, develop and succeed overall."If we can have 120 kids involved in an activity that would not have been involved otherwise," Sigrist noted, "that's 120 kids in our middle schools that are going to be more engaged with school. They're more likely to be present at school and more likely to have better grades and better behaviors."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Discussions on SJSD middle school football program gaining traction

The Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team has earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Elite 8, which will be played in Evansville, Indiana March 24-27.

The Bearcats (25-2) are champions of the Central Region after topping Northern State in a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f5a0bcfb-3cf7-48af-ac25-aef926e6567d">91-86 overtime thriller</a> in Aberdeen, South Dakota on Tuesday night.

Northwest will play in its fifth Elite 8 in program history, including their third over the last five years. The Bearcats are paired with No. 7 seed West Liberty (18-4), and the two teams play next Wednesday at 6 p.m. central time.

All of the Elite 8 pairings are below. All listed times are central.

Wednesday, March 24No. 4 Lincoln Memorial (18-3) vs. No. 5 Colorado School of Mines (18-2), 12 p.m.No. 1 West Texas A&amp;M (17-2) vs. No. 8 Daemen (10-5), 2:45 p.m.No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (25-2) vs. No. 7 West Liberty (18-4), 6 p.m.No. 3 Flagler College (17-2) vs. No. 6 Truman State (20-2), 8:45 p.m.Final Four: Thursday, March 25West Texas A&amp;M-Daemen winner vs. Lincoln Memorial-Colorado School of Mines&nbsp;winner, 6 p.m.Northwest Missouri State-West Liberty winner vs. Flagler College-Truman State winner, 8:45 p.m.National championship: Saturday, March 27Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615093222426.jpeg" alt="Northwest's Ryan Hawkins (33) tries to drive against Washburn's Tyler Geiman during the MIAA championship game at Bearcat Arena. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Northwest's Ryan Hawkins (33) tries to drive against Washburn's Tyler Geiman during the MIAA championship game at Bearcat Arena. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZAC St. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team has earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Elite 8, which will be played in Evansville, Indiana March 24-27.The Bearcats (25-2) are champions of the Central Region after topping Northern State in a <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f5a0bcfb-3cf7-48af-ac25-aef926e6567d">91-86 overtime thriller</a> in Aberdeen, South Dakota on Tuesday night.Northwest will play in its fifth Elite 8 in program history, including their third over the last five years. The Bearcats are paired with No. 7 seed West Liberty (18-4), and the two teams play next Wednesday at 6 p.m. central time.All of the Elite 8 pairings are below. All listed times are central.Wednesday, March 24No. 4 Lincoln Memorial (18-3) vs. No. 5 Colorado School of Mines (18-2), 12 p.m.No. 1 West Texas A&amp;M (17-2) vs. No. 8 Daemen (10-5), 2:45 p.m.No. 2 Northwest Missouri State (25-2) vs. No. 7 West Liberty (18-4), 6 p.m.No. 3 Flagler College (17-2) vs. No. 6 Truman State (20-2), 8:45 p.m.Final Four: Thursday, March 25West Texas A&amp;M-Daemen winner vs. Lincoln Memorial-Colorado School of Mines&nbsp;winner, 6 p.m.Northwest Missouri State-West Liberty winner vs. Flagler College-Truman State winner, 8:45 p.m.National championship: Saturday, March 27Semifinal winners, 11 a.m.

Northwest Missouri State earns No. 2 seed in men's basketball Elite 8

Missouri Western men's golf coach&nbsp;Greg Dillon announced the signing of St. Joseph Central's Daniel Love for his 2021 recruiting class Wednesday. Love is getting set to compete this spring in his senior season at Central after having the 2020 season canceled due to COVID-19.

Love has already earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-District honors in his varsity career. He's also been named the Missouri Junior Tour Player of the Year and has five career Missouri Junior wins. "I chose MWSU because the team has extremely focused and determined guys with the ability to do great things," Love said. "The great business department paired with the team will help me achieve great success on and off the course. I'm the third generation of my family to attend MWSU and it feels like home to me." Love is the third member of Coach Dillon's 2021 men's recruiting class, and the second one from St. Joseph.

He joins Jeffrey Johnston from Bishop LeBlond High School and Brooks Baldwin from Warrensburg High School.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western men's golf coach&nbsp;Greg Dillon announced the signing of St. Joseph Central's Daniel Love for his 2021 recruiting class Wednesday. Love is getting set to compete this spring in his senior season at Central after having the 2020 season canceled due to COVID-19.Love has already earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-District honors in his varsity career. He's also been named the Missouri Junior Tour Player of the Year and has five career Missouri Junior wins. "I chose MWSU because the team has extremely focused and determined guys with the ability to do great things," Love said. "The great business department paired with the team will help me achieve great success on and off the course. I'm the third generation of my family to attend MWSU and it feels like home to me." Love is the third member of Coach Dillon's 2021 men's recruiting class, and the second one from St. Joseph.He joins Jeffrey Johnston from Bishop LeBlond High School and Brooks Baldwin from Warrensburg High School.&nbsp;&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">Committed. Congrats to Daniel Love on signing with <a href="https://twitter.com/gogriffons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gogriffons</a>. Third Generation Griffon from Central. Take care of business this season, then go <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GriffUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GriffUp</a>! <a href="https://t.co/KhQRUad56m">pic.twitter.com/KhQRUad56m</a>&mdash; Indian Insider (@indianinsider_) <a href="https://twitter.com/indianinsider_/status/1372240274005577728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2021</a></blockquote>
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St. Joseph Central's Daniel Love signs to Missouri Western golf

The Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team (25-2) overcame an 11-point deficit with 3:01 left in regulation and came away with a 91-86 overtime win over Northern State (19-2) on Tuesday in the Central Region Final at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

The Bearcats advance to their fifth Elite Eight and their third in the last five seasons. Junior&nbsp;Trevor Hudgins&nbsp;scored 27 of his team-best 29 points after halftime. True freshman&nbsp;Byron Alexander&nbsp;posted a career-high 21 points in the victory. "With our group and our heart, they've proven that there's always a chance," said Northwest head coach Ben McCollum. "They've come back from stuff like that and...wow. They just believed. Just unbelievable. I'm not sure I've seen many comebacks like that. In any games." Northern State jumped out to an 18-6 lead seven minutes into the contest, but after a timeout, the Bearcats went on an 11-2 run to cut the Wolves' lead to 20-17 with 7:50 left in the half. Northern State later pushed their lead to 60-53 with 9:35 left to play in the second half, and the Wolves' star player Parker Fox scored a game-high 34 points to help his team build a 76-65 with 3:01 to go in regulation.

It wasn't looking good for the Bearcats at that point, but senior Ryan Hawkins, who scored 19 points Tuesday, had confidence that his team had a lot more left in them. "I knew we hadn't played even close to our best basketball," Hawkins said. "We hit a couple of big shots, and Trevor (Hudgins) especially took over at the end of regulation. That just shows how good of a player he is."

Hawkins became only the second player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career points, showing how good of a player he's been.

"He'll go down as one of the best, if not the best player in Northwest history," McCollum said of Hawkins afterward. But anyway. Down 11 with three minutes to go, Northwest reeled off an improbable 14-3 run, which was capped off by a Trevor Hudgins three-pointer with five seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 79 and ultimately send it to overtime.

With Northern State making only 1-of-6 shots from the field in the extra period, freshman Isaiah Jackson salted away the victory by draining two free throws with nine seconds left in OT to give Northwest the 91-86 triumph.

"It was back and forth," McCollum said. "I thought we made a little run. We made a few shots, and got a little lucky to be honest with you, and come away with a big win. It was fun. I can't say enough about the heart of our kids."

&nbsp;Northwest is now onto The Elite Eight, which is set for March 24-27 in Evansville, Indiana. The bracket will be reseeded by the NCAA Division II men’s basketball committee and released some time on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615973757105.jpeg" alt="Photo via BearcatSports.com." />
 <figcaption>Photo via BearcatSports.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State men's basketball team (25-2) overcame an 11-point deficit with 3:01 left in regulation and came away with a 91-86 overtime win over Northern State (19-2) on Tuesday in the Central Region Final at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, South Dakota.The Bearcats advance to their fifth Elite Eight and their third in the last five seasons. Junior&nbsp;Trevor Hudgins&nbsp;scored 27 of his team-best 29 points after halftime. True freshman&nbsp;Byron Alexander&nbsp;posted a career-high 21 points in the victory. "With our group and our heart, they've proven that there's always a chance," said Northwest head coach Ben McCollum. "They've come back from stuff like that and...wow. They just believed. Just unbelievable. I'm not sure I've seen many comebacks like that. In any games." Northern State jumped out to an 18-6 lead seven minutes into the contest, but after a timeout, the Bearcats went on an 11-2 run to cut the Wolves' lead to 20-17 with 7:50 left in the half. Northern State later pushed their lead to 60-53 with 9:35 left to play in the second half, and the Wolves' star player Parker Fox scored a game-high 34 points to help his team build a 76-65 with 3:01 to go in regulation.It wasn't looking good for the Bearcats at that point, but senior Ryan Hawkins, who scored 19 points Tuesday, had confidence that his team had a lot more left in them. "I knew we hadn't played even close to our best basketball," Hawkins said. "We hit a couple of big shots, and Trevor (Hudgins) especially took over at the end of regulation. That just shows how good of a player he is."Hawkins became only the second player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career points, showing how good of a player he's been."He'll go down as one of the best, if not the best player in Northwest history," McCollum said of Hawkins afterward. But anyway. Down 11 with three minutes to go, Northwest reeled off an improbable 14-3 run, which was capped off by a Trevor Hudgins three-pointer with five seconds left in regulation to knot the game at 79 and ultimately send it to overtime.With Northern State making only 1-of-6 shots from the field in the extra period, freshman Isaiah Jackson salted away the victory by draining two free throws with nine seconds left in OT to give Northwest the 91-86 triumph. "It was back and forth," McCollum said. "I thought we made a little run. We made a few shots, and got a little lucky to be honest with you, and come away with a big win. It was fun. I can't say enough about the heart of our kids."&nbsp;Northwest is now onto The Elite Eight, which is set for March 24-27 in Evansville, Indiana. The bracket will be reseeded by the NCAA Division II men’s basketball committee and released some time on Wednesday. You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Northwest makes furious comeback, tops Northern State in OT to reach Elite 8

Former East Buchanan and West Platte head football coach Kevin Bryan passed away Tuesday morning after a lengthy battle with colon cancer.

Bryan coached and taught for more than 40 years, retiring from coaching in February 2020 after spending 13 years as the head coach of the Bulldogs.

A Platte County alum, Bryan started his coaching career in 1980. He was a head coach at DeKalb, West Platte and most recently led East Buchanan in the 2019 season.

During Bryan's tenure, the Bulldogs made it to the Class 1 state semifinals in 2012 and 2017.

Bryan was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in the fall of 2016 and had to miss several weeks due to surgery, but he returned to the sidelines in 2017.&nbsp;

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostFormer East Buchanan and West Platte head football coach Kevin Bryan passed away Tuesday morning after a lengthy battle with colon cancer.Bryan coached and taught for more than 40 years, retiring from coaching in February 2020 after spending 13 years as the head coach of the Bulldogs.A Platte County alum, Bryan started his coaching career in 1980. He was a head coach at DeKalb, West Platte and most recently led East Buchanan in the 2019 season.During Bryan's tenure, the Bulldogs made it to the Class 1 state semifinals in 2012 and 2017.Bryan was diagnosed with Stage IV colon cancer in the fall of 2016 and had to miss several weeks due to surgery, but he returned to the sidelines in 2017.&nbsp;

Former East Buchanan, West Platte football coach Kevin Bryan dies of cancer Tuesday

The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team used a 24-0 run in the first half to cruise to an 85-44 victory over the Washburn&nbsp; Ichabods&nbsp;in the second round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, South Dakota on Sunday night.

This was the fourth meeting between Northwest and Washburn this season with the Ichabods winning the first meeting 84-82 in overtime in January. Northwest won the second meeting, 88-85 in OT and then Washburn won the rubber match last Saturday in the MIAA championship, 69-68.

Northwest (24-2) posted its largest margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament game, and the 44 points is the fewest Northwest has allowed in an NCAA Tournament game.

"I'm incredibly proud&nbsp;of the execution&nbsp;of our scouting report," head coach Ben McCollum said.

&nbsp;The Bearcats took the&nbsp;Ichabods to the woodshed with a 24-0 first-half run to take a 26-4 lead with 9:19 left before halftime.

Senior Ryan Hawkins buried all four three-point attempts he took in the run.&nbsp;

Hawkins led all scorers with 27 points, burying a team-high seven three-pointers. He added a team-high eight rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots. &nbsp;Northwest took a 44-16 lead into the locker room after shooting 60 percent in the first half.

The Bearcats came out just as hot in the second half and blitzed the&nbsp;Ichabods&nbsp;with a 28-3 run to start the frame. Northwest was up 72-19 lead with 11:09 left in the game. Holy smokes. Northwest shot 55.6 percent from the field for the game. The Bearcats also drained 11 three-pointers. Junior Trevor Hudgins scored 14 points and handed out a team-high eight assists to go along with three steals. Sophomore Wes Dreamer connected on 7-of-12 field goals for 17 points and six rebounds.

"Our attention to detail was focused to a T," Hudgins said. "We executed perfectly. We gave a lot of effort and the results show that." Washburn was limited to 32.6 percent shooting from the field and made only 7-of-21 from beyond the arc.

Washburn’s first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;guard Tyler&nbsp;Geiman, the one who made the 3/4 court game-winning shot in the MIAA title game against the Bearcats only eight days prior in Maryville, was held to just five points on 2-of-14 shooting from the floor. The Bearcats will meet Northern State (19-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Central Region Tournament final. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight, which is set for March 24-27 in Evansville, Indiana.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615805126723.jpeg" alt="The Northwest Missouri State bench celebrates during their 85-44 win over Washburn at the Central Region Tournament in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Photo via BearcatSports.com." />
 <figcaption>The Northwest Missouri State bench celebrates during their 85-44 win over Washburn at the Central Region Tournament in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Photo via BearcatSports.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>St. Joseph PostThe Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team used a 24-0 run in the first half to cruise to an 85-44 victory over the Washburn&nbsp; Ichabods&nbsp;in the second round of the NCAA Central Region Tournament at Wachs Arena in Aberdeen, South Dakota on Sunday night.This was the fourth meeting between Northwest and Washburn this season with the Ichabods winning the first meeting 84-82 in overtime in January. Northwest won the second meeting, 88-85 in OT and then Washburn won the rubber match last Saturday in the MIAA championship, 69-68.Northwest (24-2) posted its largest margin of victory in an NCAA Tournament game, and the 44 points is the fewest Northwest has allowed in an NCAA Tournament game."I'm incredibly proud&nbsp;of the execution&nbsp;of our scouting report," head coach Ben McCollum said. &nbsp;The Bearcats took the&nbsp;Ichabods to the woodshed with a 24-0 first-half run to take a 26-4 lead with 9:19 left before halftime.Senior Ryan Hawkins buried all four three-point attempts he took in the run.&nbsp;

Hawkins led all scorers with 27 points, burying a team-high seven three-pointers. He added a team-high eight rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots. &nbsp;Northwest took a 44-16 lead into the locker room after shooting 60 percent in the first half.The Bearcats came out just as hot in the second half and blitzed the&nbsp;Ichabods&nbsp;with a 28-3 run to start the frame. Northwest was up 72-19 lead with 11:09 left in the game. Holy smokes. Northwest shot 55.6 percent from the field for the game. The Bearcats also drained 11 three-pointers. Junior Trevor Hudgins scored 14 points and handed out a team-high eight assists to go along with three steals. Sophomore Wes Dreamer connected on 7-of-12 field goals for 17 points and six rebounds."Our attention to detail was focused to a T," Hudgins said. "We executed perfectly. We gave a lot of effort and the results show that." Washburn was limited to 32.6 percent shooting from the field and made only 7-of-21 from beyond the arc.Washburn’s first-team&nbsp;all-MIAA&nbsp;guard Tyler&nbsp;Geiman, the one who made the 3/4 court game-winning shot in the MIAA title game against the Bearcats only eight days prior in Maryville, was held to just five points on 2-of-14 shooting from the floor. The Bearcats will meet Northern State (19-1) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Central Region Tournament final. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight, which is set for March 24-27 in Evansville, Indiana.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Northwest Missouri State thrashes Washburn, advances to Central Region title game

SPRINGFIELD - After such a thrilling victory over Walnut Grove the night before, Platte Valley had roughly 18 hours to turn around and do it all over again against Leeton in the championship.

They got behind early, which Platte Valley isn't used to doing. But just like they have all year, Platte Valley relied on their entire rotation to come through for another victory.

Capping off a perfect 31-0 season, Platte Valley overcame a nine-point, first-half deficit and topped Leeton, 56-44, in the Class 1 girls' state championship game at JHQ Arena in Springfield.

The team reached the ultimate goal in just the second year of the Platte Valley cooperative (South Nodaway, Jefferson Conception) in basketball and after finishing runner-up the year prior.

"We finally did it," said senior Malia Collins, after scoring nine points and dishing out three assists. "I mean, we've had the big game experience. We've been on this stage, and finally, the pieces clicked. I mean, we just...we did it!"

Just like Friday's semifinal, Saturday's championship featured a back-and-forth, high-scoring first quarter. Both teams buried a trio of three-pointers, and Leeton jumped out a 21-17 lead at the end of the first.

The Bulldogs (23-5) led 18-9 at one point, but Platte Valley wasn't rattled after overcoming a fourth quarter deficit the day before against Walnut Grove.

"We've had a few close games, but not a lot where we've had to battle back from a deficit,"&nbsp;" said Collins. "So, that was really good experience (Friday), especially against teams of this caliber."

Still trailing 29-26 to start the second half, Platte Valley put the clamps down on Leeton's best shooter, who on Saturday was sophomore Bailey Fleming, who knocked down four first-half threes.

After scoring 16 in the first half, Fleming was limited to just four in the last two quarters. Further, Leeton sophomore Regan Shaffer, who averages a team-best 14.5 points per contest, was limited to just six Saturday.

The second half belonged to Platte Valley, as they outscored the Bulldogs 30-15 in the last 16 minutes.

A Sarah Langford and-one, and two Jaclyn Pappert threes, gave Platte Valley a 41-37 advantage entering the fourth. The lead only ballooned from there.

"We knew we had to do all of the little things to get the job done," said Langford. "That kind of flipped everything around. We were boxing out and playing good defense."

While Leeton's top players were met with tight defense late, Platte Valley's top scorer put her best foot forward in the second half.

Freshman Maggie Collins was held scoreless in the first quarter, and had only five points at halftime, but she scored nine in the fourth and wound up with a team-high 19.

"I think that goes to show how unselfish my other teammates are," Maggie said. "My shots were falling, and they realized that, and that just shows how great of players they all are."

Her sister, Malia, is sad to leave the team with her senior season now in the books, but watching Maggie develop made it all worth it.

"As a freshman, that's a big role," Malia said. "That's a lot of pressure, but I'm so proud of her I can't even explain it. We knew that's where we had to go. She's had that role all year long. I knew she could do it. Everyone out there knew she was capable and...that was our game plan."

Platte Valley 56 - 17, 9, 15, 15 Leeton 44 - 21, 8, 8, 7

Platte Valley scorers - Maggie Collins - 19, Malia Collins - 9, Brylie Angle - 7, Jaclyn Pappert - 6, Sarah Langford - 5, Madelynn Mattson - 4, Paige West -4, Stephanie Turpin - 2

Leeton scorers - Bailey Fleming - 20, Jordan Crooks - 7, Regan Shaffer - 6, Rowan Schmidi - 6, Hailey Bingaman - 3, Jadeyn Johnson&nbsp; - 2

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615688390851.jpeg" alt="The Platte Valley girls' basketball team is the 2021 Class 1 girls' state basketball champion after beating Leeton in the title 56-44 on Saturday in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>The Platte Valley girls' basketball team is the 2021 Class 1 girls' state basketball champion after beating Leeton in the title 56-44 on Saturday in Springfield. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph Post&nbsp;SPRINGFIELD - After such a thrilling victory over Walnut Grove the night before, Platte Valley had roughly 18 hours to turn around and do it all over again against Leeton in the championship.They got behind early, which Platte Valley isn't used to doing. But just like they have all year, Platte Valley relied on their entire rotation to come through for another victory.Capping off a perfect 31-0 season, Platte Valley overcame a nine-point, first-half deficit and topped Leeton, 56-44, in the Class 1 girls' state championship game at JHQ Arena in Springfield.The team reached the ultimate goal in just the second year of the Platte Valley cooperative (South Nodaway, Jefferson Conception) in basketball and after finishing runner-up the year prior."We finally did it," said senior Malia Collins, after scoring nine points and dishing out three assists. "I mean, we've had the big game experience. We've been on this stage, and finally, the pieces clicked. I mean, we just...we did it!"Just like Friday's semifinal, Saturday's championship featured a back-and-forth, high-scoring first quarter. Both teams buried a trio of three-pointers, and Leeton jumped out a 21-17 lead at the end of the first.The Bulldogs (23-5) led 18-9 at one point, but Platte Valley wasn't rattled after overcoming a fourth quarter deficit the day before against Walnut Grove."We've had a few close games, but not a lot where we've had to battle back from a deficit,"&nbsp;" said Collins. "So, that was really good experience (Friday), especially against teams of this caliber."Still trailing 29-26 to start the second half, Platte Valley put the clamps down on Leeton's best shooter, who on Saturday was sophomore Bailey Fleming, who knocked down four first-half threes.After scoring 16 in the first half, Fleming was limited to just four in the last two quarters. Further, Leeton sophomore Regan Shaffer, who averages a team-best 14.5 points per contest, was limited to just six Saturday.The second half belonged to Platte Valley, as they outscored the Bulldogs 30-15 in the last 16 minutes.A Sarah Langford and-one, and two Jaclyn Pappert threes, gave Platte Valley a 41-37 advantage entering the fourth. The lead only ballooned from there."We knew we had to do all of the little things to get the job done," said Langford. "That kind of flipped everything around. We were boxing out and playing good defense."While Leeton's top players were met with tight defense late, Platte Valley's top scorer put her best foot forward in the second half.Freshman Maggie Collins was held scoreless in the first quarter, and had only five points at halftime, but she scored nine in the fourth and wound up with a team-high 19."I think that goes to show how unselfish my other teammates are," Maggie said. "My shots were falling, and they realized that, and that just shows how great of players they all are."Her sister, Malia, is sad to leave the team with her senior season now in the books, but watching Maggie develop made it all worth it."As a freshman, that's a big role," Malia said. "That's a lot of pressure, but I'm so proud of her I can't even explain it. We knew that's where we had to go. She's had that role all year long. I knew she could do it. Everyone out there knew she was capable and...that was our game plan."Platte Valley 56 - 17, 9, 15, 15 Leeton 44 - 21, 8, 8, 7Platte Valley scorers - Maggie Collins - 19, Malia Collins - 9, Brylie Angle - 7, Jaclyn Pappert - 6, Sarah Langford - 5, Madelynn Mattson - 4, Paige West -4, Stephanie Turpin - 2Leeton scorers - Bailey Fleming - 20, Jordan Crooks - 7, Regan Shaffer - 6, Rowan Schmidi - 6, Hailey Bingaman - 3, Jadeyn Johnson&nbsp; - 2<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615688293244.jpeg" alt="Platte Valley hoists the Class 1 girls' basketball championship trophy at JHQ Arena in Springfield." />
 <figcaption>Platte Valley hoists the Class 1 girls' basketball championship trophy at JHQ Arena in Springfield.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615688468961.jpeg" alt="Stephanie Turpin." />
 <figcaption>Stephanie Turpin.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615688545342.jpeg" alt="Maggie Collins goes up for two in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Maggie Collins goes up for two in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Platte Valley overcomes early deficit, caps perfect season with state title win over Leeton

SPRINGFIELD - In Friday's semifinal, Mound City was the one to take charge, leading St. Elizabeth 32-4 at one point.

On Saturday, the Panthers (29-2) got behind early and made a strong rally, but came up short in a 61-45 loss to South Iron in the Class 1 boys' state basketball championship at JHQ Arena in Springfield.

Playing in their first Final Four in 39 years, it wasn't the ending junior superstar Tony Osburn and his team had envisioned, but the run was nevertheless a special one.

"We're sad and a little bit angry," Osburn admitted. "We felt like things didn't go our way, but that's not an excuse. It was a great year. And I just really want to give a shoutout to Conner Derr, Brendan Tubbs, William Rother, Lane Zembles and Wil Young. I feel like those guys don't get the recognition they deserve, and this year is completely impossible without those guys right there."

Mound City got behind by 21-9 in the second quarter before junior Tony Osburn exploded for 17 second quarter points, giving the Panthers a 29-28 halftime lead.

South Iron, also called the Panthers, responded, outscoring Mound City 17-9 in the third quarter and then 24-13 in the fourth.

With Osborne, and seniors Landon Poppa and Gage Salsbury racking up three or more fouls each, Mound City had trouble containing a high-flying South Iron team, who outscored Mound City 30-8 in the paint and 10-2 on fast breaks in the second half.

Mound City also just went cold from the field in general, shooting 6-of-28 in the final 16 minutes, including 2-of-18 from three. South Iron also won the rebounding battle 41-29.

"We just got in foul trouble and it got a little away from us," said Osburn, "and we had to scramble they got layups. That comes with scrambling. You have to take gambles, or you're not going to be in the game."

South Iron had dazzling performances from several different cast members, including senior and Citadel basketball commit Brock Wakefield, who scored a team-high 22 points and doled out six assists.

Senior Jemarco Burse scored a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.

Osburn, who scored a game-high 24, including 15 from three, has one more year left in his already storied career. His dad and coach, Ryan, said on Wednesday that Tony will start workouts almost immediately after the team's trip home.

With his teammates and community behind him, Osburn is laser focused on getting his team back to the big stage in a year's time. He'll have 10 other players on this year's roster coming back with him to try and make another historic run.

"I'm really just trying to make other guys better," said Osburn. "If we're going to be successful, there's going to be two guys guarding me some games. So, those guys have to be able to step up and make shots. Then, we'll be really hard to guard, and hopefully we'll be back if that's the case."

South Iron 61 - 13, 15, 17, 24 Mound City 45 - 4, 25, 8, 13

South Iron scorers - Brock Wakefield - 22, Jemarco Burse - 20, DJ Prater - 10, Drenin Dinkins - 9, Luke Lunyou -&nbsp; 6, Champ McMurry - 2

Mound City scorers - Tony Osburn - 24, Landon Poppa - 10, Gage Salsbury - 7, Wil Young - 7, Brendan Tubbs - 2

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615684941372.jpeg" alt="Mound City junior guard Tony Osburn gets double-guarded in the corner in the second half of the Class 1 boys' state basketball championship in Springfield on Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mound City junior guard Tony Osburn gets double-guarded in the corner in the second half of the Class 1 boys' state basketball championship in Springfield on Saturday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSPRINGFIELD - In Friday's semifinal, Mound City was the one to take charge, leading St. Elizabeth 32-4 at one point.On Saturday, the Panthers (29-2) got behind early and made a strong rally, but came up short in a 61-45 loss to South Iron in the Class 1 boys' state basketball championship at JHQ Arena in Springfield.Playing in their first Final Four in 39 years, it wasn't the ending junior superstar Tony Osburn and his team had envisioned, but the run was nevertheless a special one."We're sad and a little bit angry," Osburn admitted. "We felt like things didn't go our way, but that's not an excuse. It was a great year. And I just really want to give a shoutout to Conner Derr, Brendan Tubbs, William Rother, Lane Zembles and Wil Young. I feel like those guys don't get the recognition they deserve, and this year is completely impossible without those guys right there."Mound City got behind by 21-9 in the second quarter before junior Tony Osburn exploded for 17 second quarter points, giving the Panthers a 29-28 halftime lead.South Iron, also called the Panthers, responded, outscoring Mound City 17-9 in the third quarter and then 24-13 in the fourth.With Osborne, and seniors Landon Poppa and Gage Salsbury racking up three or more fouls each, Mound City had trouble containing a high-flying South Iron team, who outscored Mound City 30-8 in the paint and 10-2 on fast breaks in the second half.Mound City also just went cold from the field in general, shooting 6-of-28 in the final 16 minutes, including 2-of-18 from three. South Iron also won the rebounding battle 41-29."We just got in foul trouble and it got a little away from us," said Osburn, "and we had to scramble they got layups. That comes with scrambling. You have to take gambles, or you're not going to be in the game."South Iron had dazzling performances from several different cast members, including senior and Citadel basketball commit Brock Wakefield, who scored a team-high 22 points and doled out six assists.Senior Jemarco Burse scored a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds.Osburn, who scored a game-high 24, including 15 from three, has one more year left in his already storied career. His dad and coach, Ryan, said on Wednesday that Tony will start workouts almost immediately after the team's trip home.With his teammates and community behind him, Osburn is laser focused on getting his team back to the big stage in a year's time. He'll have 10 other players on this year's roster coming back with him to try and make another historic run."I'm really just trying to make other guys better," said Osburn. "If we're going to be successful, there's going to be two guys guarding me some games. So, those guys have to be able to step up and make shots. Then, we'll be really hard to guard, and hopefully we'll be back if that's the case."South Iron 61 - 13, 15, 17, 24 Mound City 45 - 4, 25, 8, 13South Iron scorers - Brock Wakefield - 22, Jemarco Burse - 20, DJ Prater - 10, Drenin Dinkins - 9, Luke Lunyou -&nbsp; 6, Champ McMurry - 2Mound City scorers - Tony Osburn - 24, Landon Poppa - 10, Gage Salsbury - 7, Wil Young - 7, Brendan Tubbs - 2<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615685364489.jpeg" alt="Gage Salsbury." />
 <figcaption>Gage Salsbury.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615685408218.jpeg" alt="William Rother." />
 <figcaption>William Rother.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615685446594.jpeg" alt="Landon Poppa." />
 <figcaption>Landon Poppa.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Mound City gets behind early, falls to South Iron in Class 1 title game Saturday

SPRINGFIELD - Some had wondered throughout the season whether or not a Platte Valley vs. Walnut Grove rematch would happen at the girls' basketball Final Four.

That rematch came not in the championship, but rather in the semifinals.

One could argue Friday's semifinal between Platte Valley and Walnut Grove was the pseudo state title game. At least, that's how it felt.

Platte Valley watched a 14-point lead slip away in the second half, but ultimately weathered the storm and held on for a 49-44 win over Walnut Grove in the Class 1 Show Me Showdown semifinals at JHQ Arena in Springfield on Friday night.

In all, 10 Platte Valley players scored in a true team effort - an effort to avenge the 52-41 loss to Walnut Grove in the Class 1 championship last year.&nbsp;

"It's awesome," said senior Malia Collins. "I'm beyond excited. I mean, It's the perfect opportunity - senior year, any year. But, with this special group of girls, that was such a special honor to play out there with them."

After a back-and-forth first quarter that featured seven lead changes, Platte Valley (30-0) built a 35-21 lead in the middle of the third quarter before the Tigers (23-5) stormed back with an 18-2 run to lead 39-37 with 5:12 left.

It was only a matter of time. At least, that's what Platte Valley head coach Tyler Pedersen thought.

Senior and two-time Class 1 girls' basketball player of the year Faith Gilkey, who averages 24 points a game and has scored over 2,500 in her career, was held to just two points in the first half.

 Once she got out in transition, Gilkey got going, scoring seven points in the third quarter and 18 points in the second half.

"A lot of those I think were transition points," Pedersen said, "where she got a steal. They're champions (in 2019 and 2020). We knew they were going to do that. For us to withstand those blows they put on us in the third and fourth quarters, and to come back and make a run late, says a lot about the girls on the Platte Valley side. They're winners and competitors."

Gilkey's biggest bucket came at the 5:12 mark when she made a layup and got fouled. Gilkey made the free throw to give Walnut Grove its first lead since the first quarter.

Platte Valley had the answer just 25 seconds later when junior Jaclyn Pappert when down the other way and nailed a three from the left wing, putting Platte Valley back in front, 40-39.

About a minute-and-a-half later, freshman Brylie Angle hit a three of her own, putting Platte Valley ahead 43-39 with 3:19 to go.

Walnut Grove got it back to within one possession with 16 seconds left at 47-44.

In the double bonus, Pappert was fouled and made two clutch free throws with 10 seconds remaining to ice the game for Platte Valley.

No sweat for the 71.8 percent free throw shooter.

"Free throws are one of my stronger suits," Pappert pointed out. "I feel like I do better under pressure in those situations."

As good as Friday's win felt, the celebration must be short-lived, as Platte Valley gears up to face Leeton (23-4) in Saturday's Class 1 title game at 4 p.m.

Leeton beat South Iron in semifinals, 47-43, Friday and they, too beat Walnut Grove this year in a 47-42 decision on Jan. 23.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615612927747.jpeg" alt="Members of the Platte Valley girls' basketball team celebrate their 49-44 win over Walnut Grove in the Class 1 Show Me Showdown semifinals at JHQ Arena in Springfield on Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Members of the Platte Valley girls' basketball team celebrate their 49-44 win over Walnut Grove in the Class 1 Show Me Showdown semifinals at JHQ Arena in Springfield on Friday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSPRINGFIELD - Some had wondered throughout the season whether or not a Platte Valley vs. Walnut Grove rematch would happen at the girls' basketball Final Four.That rematch came not in the championship, but rather in the semifinals.One could argue Friday's semifinal between Platte Valley and Walnut Grove was the pseudo state title game. At least, that's how it felt.Platte Valley watched a 14-point lead slip away in the second half, but ultimately weathered the storm and held on for a 49-44 win over Walnut Grove in the Class 1 Show Me Showdown semifinals at JHQ Arena in Springfield on Friday night.In all, 10 Platte Valley players scored in a true team effort - an effort to avenge the 52-41 loss to Walnut Grove in the Class 1 championship last year.&nbsp;"It's awesome," said senior Malia Collins. "I'm beyond excited. I mean, It's the perfect opportunity - senior year, any year. But, with this special group of girls, that was such a special honor to play out there with them."After a back-and-forth first quarter that featured seven lead changes, Platte Valley (30-0) built a 35-21 lead in the middle of the third quarter before the Tigers (23-5) stormed back with an 18-2 run to lead 39-37 with 5:12 left.It was only a matter of time. At least, that's what Platte Valley head coach Tyler Pedersen thought.Senior and two-time Class 1 girls' basketball player of the year Faith Gilkey, who averages 24 points a game and has scored over 2,500 in her career, was held to just two points in the first half. Once she got out in transition, Gilkey got going, scoring seven points in the third quarter and 18 points in the second half."A lot of those I think were transition points," Pedersen said, "where she got a steal. They're champions (in 2019 and 2020). We knew they were going to do that. For us to withstand those blows they put on us in the third and fourth quarters, and to come back and make a run late, says a lot about the girls on the Platte Valley side. They're winners and competitors."Gilkey's biggest bucket came at the 5:12 mark when she made a layup and got fouled. Gilkey made the free throw to give Walnut Grove its first lead since the first quarter.Platte Valley had the answer just 25 seconds later when junior Jaclyn Pappert when down the other way and nailed a three from the left wing, putting Platte Valley back in front, 40-39.About a minute-and-a-half later, freshman Brylie Angle hit a three of her own, putting Platte Valley ahead 43-39 with 3:19 to go.Walnut Grove got it back to within one possession with 16 seconds left at 47-44.In the double bonus, Pappert was fouled and made two clutch free throws with 10 seconds remaining to ice the game for Platte Valley.No sweat for the 71.8 percent free throw shooter."Free throws are one of my stronger suits," Pappert pointed out. "I feel like I do better under pressure in those situations."As good as Friday's win felt, the celebration must be short-lived, as Platte Valley gears up to face Leeton (23-4) in Saturday's Class 1 title game at 4 p.m.Leeton beat South Iron in semifinals, 47-43, Friday and they, too beat Walnut Grove this year in a 47-42 decision on Jan. 23."We're definitely going to enjoy this for the few hours that we have," Collins said. "Definitely have to come ready to play (Saturday). Leeton beat Walnut Grove already, so going to be another good team tomorrow."Platte Valley 49 - 17, 14, 4, 14 Walnut Grove 44 - 15, 4, 10, 15Platte Valley scorers - Jaclyn Pappert - 17, Maggie Collins - 11, Paige West - 5, Brylie Angle - 5, Sarah Langford - 3, Madelynn Mattson - 2,&nbsp;Sydnee Deen - 2, Stephanie Turpin - 2, Malia Collins - 2Walnut Grove scorers - Faith Gilkey - 20, Makayla McVay - 14, Lauren Johnson - 6, Sayde Crump - 3<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615613015309.jpeg" alt="Paige West brings the ball up the floor in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Paige West brings the ball up the floor in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615613048478.jpeg" alt="Jaclyn Pappert shoots a corner-three in the second half." />
 <figcaption>Jaclyn Pappert shoots a corner-three in the second half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615613087642.jpeg" alt="Stephanie Turpin dribbles up the floor in the first half." />
 <figcaption>Stephanie Turpin dribbles up the floor in the first half.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615613129109.jpeg" alt="Maggie Collins tries to get past a defender in the second half." />
 <figcaption>Maggie Collins tries to get past a defender in the second half.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.