The Missouri Western women's basketball team will continue their historic season in the NCAA tournament.

The Griffons (21-9) drew the No. 7 seed in the Central Region of the NCAA tournament during Sunday night's selection show, putting Missouri Western back into the big dance for the first time since 2016.

"I'm really thrilled for our program and for our players and coaches," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said. "Everyone has worked really hard to build on the momentum we had at the end of last year and getting better and understanding more of what we're capable of."

The Griffons will face No. 2 seed and Great American Conference champion Southwestern Oklahoma State (29-4) on Friday in Hays, KS. Tip time is to be determined.

The MIAA is well represented in this year's NCAA tournament, with four teams making it on the women's side. Fort Hays State (28-3), the MIAA tournament champions, is the No. 1 seed and will host the regional bracket from March 11-14.

Missouri Southern (24-6) is the No. 4 seed and Nebraska-Kearney (23-6) is No. 6.

"I think it's exciting to play someone new," Whitaker said of the Griffons' first-round matchup. "Probably for (the players) as well, that they're playing someone they haven't already played. With four (MIAA) teams in the bracket, that could've gone the other way. Proud of our league. I feel like we're a talented league from top to bottom."

The Griffons have played Kearney, Hays and Southern all within the last two weeks and lost all three. Two of those losses, though, were by single digits. One was in overtime. The Griffons also had a halftime lead in all three of those contests.

"We've played well against those teams," Whitaker said. "We've battled in a lot of ways. So, if we can turn the corner as far as not having the lapses that we have and some execution problems at times, I think we can complete a 40-minute game and beat someone of that caliber."

Missouri Western made it to the MIAA tournament semifinals for the first time since 2018 on Saturday, where they fell to No. 1 seed Missouri Southern, 65-58 in Kansas City.

It was Friday's 69-55 win over Central Missouri (19-11) in the MIAA tournament quarterfinals that solidified the Griffons' resume, pushing them from No. 8 to No. 7 in the Central Region rankings ahead of Minnesota State-Mankato.

Missouri Western hasn't won an NCAA tournament game in women's basketball since 2007, though that win was later vacated due to NCAA violations.

The last official win in the tournament for Griffon women's basketball was in 2001 - a 69-67 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State in the first round of the South Central regional.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646626729145.jpeg" alt="The Missouri Western women's basketball poses for a group photo after finding out they qualified for the NCAA tournament. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>The Missouri Western women's basketball poses for a group photo after finding out they qualified for the NCAA tournament. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Missouri Western women's basketball team will continue their historic season in the NCAA tournament.The Griffons (21-9) drew the No. 7 seed in the Central Region of the NCAA tournament during Sunday night's selection show, putting Missouri Western back into the big dance for the first time since 2016."I'm really thrilled for our program and for our players and coaches," Missouri Western women's basketball coach Candi Whitaker said. "Everyone has worked really hard to build on the momentum we had at the end of last year and getting better and understanding more of what we're capable of."The Griffons will face No. 2 seed and Great American Conference champion Southwestern Oklahoma State (29-4) on Friday in Hays, KS. Tip time is to be determined.The MIAA is well represented in this year's NCAA tournament, with four teams making it on the women's side. Fort Hays State (28-3), the MIAA tournament champions, is the No. 1 seed and will host the regional bracket from March 11-14.Missouri Southern (24-6) is the No. 4 seed and Nebraska-Kearney (23-6) is No. 6."I think it's exciting to play someone new," Whitaker said of the Griffons' first-round matchup. "Probably for (the players) as well, that they're playing someone they haven't already played. With four (MIAA) teams in the bracket, that could've gone the other way. Proud of our league. I feel like we're a talented league from top to bottom."The Griffons have played Kearney, Hays and Southern all within the last two weeks and lost all three. Two of those losses, though, were by single digits. One was in overtime. The Griffons also had a halftime lead in all three of those contests."We've played well against those teams," Whitaker said. "We've battled in a lot of ways. So, if we can turn the corner as far as not having the lapses that we have and some execution problems at times, I think we can complete a 40-minute game and beat someone of that caliber."Missouri Western made it to the MIAA tournament semifinals for the first time since 2018 on Saturday, where they fell to No. 1 seed Missouri Southern, 65-58 in Kansas City.It was Friday's 69-55 win over Central Missouri (19-11) in the MIAA tournament quarterfinals that solidified the Griffons' resume, pushing them from No. 8 to No. 7 in the Central Region rankings ahead of Minnesota State-Mankato.Missouri Western hasn't won an NCAA tournament game in women's basketball since 2007, though that win was later vacated due to NCAA violations.The last official win in the tournament for Griffon women's basketball was in 2001 - a 69-67 win over Southeastern Oklahoma State in the first round of the South Central regional.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">IN ✅<a href="https://twitter.com/GriffonWBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GriffonWBB</a> dancing for the first time since 2016, drawing the #7 seed in the Central Region. They’ll face #2 Southwestern Oklahoma State in Hays on Friday. Tip time TBD. <a href="https://t.co/om3cfhcgUk">pic.twitter.com/om3cfhcgUk</a>&mdash; Tommy Rezac (@TommyKFEQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TommyKFEQ/status/1500669984091123718?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women's basketball qualifies for 2022 NCAA tournament

KANSAS CITY - Missouri Western shot a scorching 11-of-13 from the field in the second quarter and led 48-37 in the third, but No. 1 seed Missouri Southern (24-5) forced 26 turnovers, outscored the No. 5 seed Griffons 30-15 in the second half and hung on for a 65-58 win at the MIAA tournament semifinals at Municipal Auditorium Saturday.

Missouri Western (21-9) went blow-for-blow with Southern early, trailing only 19-17 at the end of the first. The Griffons outscored the Lions 26-16 in the second quarter and went up 43-35 at halftime.

Leading 48-37 with seven minutes left in the third, Southern reeled off an 11-0 run and kept the Griffons scoreless for nearly seven minutes, tying the game at 48.

Alyssa Bonilla had a long range jumper to give the Griffons a 50-48 lead entering the fourth.

While Missouri Western created enough stops to give themselves a chance, the Griffons never got into a rhythm on offense in the fourth, shooting just 3-of-11 in the final 10 minutes and struggling with turnovers.

While Western had 26 turnovers, Missouri Southern had only eight. The 26 turnovers led to 23 Southern points, helping the Lions secure a school-record 17th straight win and a spot in the MIAA championship game.

Lacy Stokes, the MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year, led the Lions with a staggering 32 points - four shy of a career-high. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Connie Clarke led Missouri Western with 11 points - all in the first half. Bonilla had 10 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.

Missouri Western, who entered the week ranked No. 8 in the Central Region Rankings and beat UCM on Friday, who's ranked No. 9 in the region, now await their NCAA tournament fate.

The tournament selection show is on Sunday night at 9 p.m. central and will be streamed live on NCAA.com.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646512279734.jpeg" alt="Missouri Southern's Hailey Grant (2) tries to take a ball away from Missouri Western's Alyssa Bonilla during the Lions' 65-58 win at the MIAA tournament semifinals Saturday" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Southern's Hailey Grant (2) tries to take a ball away from Missouri Western's Alyssa Bonilla during the Lions' 65-58 win at the MIAA tournament semifinals Saturday</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY - Missouri Western shot a scorching 11-of-13 from the field in the second quarter and led 48-37 in the third, but No. 1 seed Missouri Southern (24-5) forced 26 turnovers, outscored the No. 5 seed Griffons 30-15 in the second half and hung on for a 65-58 win at the MIAA tournament semifinals at Municipal Auditorium Saturday.Missouri Western (21-9) went blow-for-blow with Southern early, trailing only 19-17 at the end of the first. The Griffons outscored the Lions 26-16 in the second quarter and went up 43-35 at halftime.Leading 48-37 with seven minutes left in the third, Southern reeled off an 11-0 run and kept the Griffons scoreless for nearly seven minutes, tying the game at 48.Alyssa Bonilla had a long range jumper to give the Griffons a 50-48 lead entering the fourth.While Missouri Western created enough stops to give themselves a chance, the Griffons never got into a rhythm on offense in the fourth, shooting just 3-of-11 in the final 10 minutes and struggling with turnovers.While Western had 26 turnovers, Missouri Southern had only eight. The 26 turnovers led to 23 Southern points, helping the Lions secure a school-record 17th straight win and a spot in the MIAA championship game.Lacy Stokes, the MIAA Player and Freshman of the Year, led the Lions with a staggering 32 points - four shy of a career-high. She also had seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.Connie Clarke led Missouri Western with 11 points - all in the first half. Bonilla had 10 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.Missouri Western, who entered the week ranked No. 8 in the Central Region Rankings and beat UCM on Friday, who's ranked No. 9 in the region, now await their NCAA tournament fate.The tournament selection show is on Sunday night at 9 p.m. central and will be streamed live on NCAA.com.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Southern forces 26 turnovers, comes back against Griffons in semifinal

Two St. Joseph teams. Archrivals. District championship. Packed house. Standing room only. All in a year where four of the five high schools in St. Joe had already won a district title in basketball going in.

Now, all five schools in the city can say they've won a district championship in basketball in 2022.

Lafayette (18-6) got off to a 16-4 start in the first quarter, and despite a late scare, survived a tough battle with Benton and won the Class 4 District 16 championship at Springer Gymnasium, 58-56 in overtime on Friday night.

It gives Lafayette boys' basketball its sixth district title since 2016 and its eighth since 2013.

"We left a lot of seniors with a broken heart last year," said current Lafayette senior Sam Ryan, after the Irish lost in the first round of districts to Kearney last year. "Being able to see them in the crowd and regain that district championship means the world to us, the program and the North Side community."

Early on, it was all Irish. Lafayette led 10-0 less than three minutes in and eventually led 16-4 before Benton got going and made it a 20-12 ballgame entering the second.

Benton kept it within single digits until halftime, but the Cardinals (18-10) went 0-for-6 at the foul line in the second quarter and trailed 30-21 at the break.

Benton closed to within 40-37 with a minute left in the third, but a key three-pointer by junior Mikey Thomas gave the Irish a 43-37 advantage entering the fourth.

But, that really was just the beginning. In an air tight fourth quarter, Benton managed to tie the game at 50-50 with 30.7 seconds left in regulation, outscoring the Irish 14-7 in the final quarter.

The Cardinals had the ball in the final five seconds of the fourth, and senior Carson Newlon pulled up for a winning three on the left wing, but it missed at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.

The Irish got off to a 6-2 start in the extra period, leading 56-52 with 25.7 left in OT. The overtime period was sparked by a corner three from junior George Galloway, who scored all five of his points in OT.

"I'm just happy we got the win, though," said Galloway, overall relieved. "Really, it's big time for us. We wanted it a lot."

Less than 10 seconds after Galloway's three, Benton's Kason Mauzey got fouled from behind the three-point line and made all three free throws to make it a 56-55 game with 16.7 remaining.

The Irish made two of their final four free throw attempts in overtime, and Benton eventually ran out of time. The Cardinals had a chance to tie the game with just over five seconds left, but senior Denver Domann missed a second free throw attempt, allowing Lafayette to maintain a 57-56 lead.

Lafayette's Cayden Cox made one last free throw to put the Irish up two with less than two seconds left.

Free throws were a struggle for both teams. Benton finished 17-of-31 at the line, while Lafayette was 13-of-28.

This marks seven straight wins for Lafayette after the Irish fell to Benton in the South Side, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/1abfdd26-0d96-4441-8142-32e83b2f20c9">78-71, on Feb. 8</a>. The Irish haven't lost a game since.

"Back in this place, we had a sour taste in our mouth when we left on February 8," Ryan said. "Being able to come back here and beat those guys means the world to us."

"Since February 8, these guys have been looking forward to this game and hoping that we both make it," Lafayette coach Kevin Bristol said after winning his third district title as the Irish head man. "That's just a product of what you saw. Hard work. Ever since Feb. 8, they've played lights out basketball."

Senior Drake Davison led Lafayette with 17 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Junior Mikey Thomas had 13 and junior Camden Bennett scored 12 before he too fouled out late in the fourth.&nbsp;

Mauzey finished his high school career with a game-high 22 points to lead Benton, including a 5-for-5 effort at the free throw line in overtime. Freshma Myles Bachali scored 14, while Domann had 11.

Along with the LeBlond and Lafayette boys, the Central, Benton, LeBlond and St. Joseph Christian girls' teams have also claimed district titles in 2022. All five high schools in the city - an unprecedented run.

"Basketball in St. Joe right now is pretty good," Bristol said. "We just want to keep fighting and stay in this race as long as we possibly can."

Lafayette will now face Richmond (21-5) in state sectionals on Tuesday at 7:45 at Liberty North.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454143390.jpeg" alt="Lafayette celebrates a district title. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette celebrates a district title. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThat's about as big as it gets.Two St. Joseph teams. Archrivals. District championship. Packed house. Standing room only. All in a year where four of the five high schools in St. Joe had already won a district title in basketball going in.Now, all five schools in the city can say they've won a district championship in basketball in 2022.Lafayette (18-6) got off to a 16-4 start in the first quarter, and despite a late scare, survived a tough battle with Benton and won the Class 4 District 16 championship at Springer Gymnasium, 58-56 in overtime on Friday night.It gives Lafayette boys' basketball its sixth district title since 2016 and its eighth since 2013."We left a lot of seniors with a broken heart last year," said current Lafayette senior Sam Ryan, after the Irish lost in the first round of districts to Kearney last year. "Being able to see them in the crowd and regain that district championship means the world to us, the program and the North Side community."Early on, it was all Irish. Lafayette led 10-0 less than three minutes in and eventually led 16-4 before Benton got going and made it a 20-12 ballgame entering the second.Benton kept it within single digits until halftime, but the Cardinals (18-10) went 0-for-6 at the foul line in the second quarter and trailed 30-21 at the break.Benton closed to within 40-37 with a minute left in the third, but a key three-pointer by junior Mikey Thomas gave the Irish a 43-37 advantage entering the fourth.But, that really was just the beginning. In an air tight fourth quarter, Benton managed to tie the game at 50-50 with 30.7 seconds left in regulation, outscoring the Irish 14-7 in the final quarter.The Cardinals had the ball in the final five seconds of the fourth, and senior Carson Newlon pulled up for a winning three on the left wing, but it missed at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime.The Irish got off to a 6-2 start in the extra period, leading 56-52 with 25.7 left in OT. The overtime period was sparked by a corner three from junior George Galloway, who scored all five of his points in OT."I'm just happy we got the win, though," said Galloway, overall relieved. "Really, it's big time for us. We wanted it a lot."Less than 10 seconds after Galloway's three, Benton's Kason Mauzey got fouled from behind the three-point line and made all three free throws to make it a 56-55 game with 16.7 remaining.The Irish made two of their final four free throw attempts in overtime, and Benton eventually ran out of time. The Cardinals had a chance to tie the game with just over five seconds left, but senior Denver Domann missed a second free throw attempt, allowing Lafayette to maintain a 57-56 lead.Lafayette's Cayden Cox made one last free throw to put the Irish up two with less than two seconds left.Free throws were a struggle for both teams. Benton finished 17-of-31 at the line, while Lafayette was 13-of-28.This marks seven straight wins for Lafayette after the Irish fell to Benton in the South Side, <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/1abfdd26-0d96-4441-8142-32e83b2f20c9">78-71, on Feb. 8</a>. The Irish haven't lost a game since."Back in this place, we had a sour taste in our mouth when we left on February 8," Ryan said. "Being able to come back here and beat those guys means the world to us.""Since February 8, these guys have been looking forward to this game and hoping that we both make it," Lafayette coach Kevin Bristol said after winning his third district title as the Irish head man. "That's just a product of what you saw. Hard work. Ever since Feb. 8, they've played lights out basketball."Senior Drake Davison led Lafayette with 17 points before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Junior Mikey Thomas had 13 and junior Camden Bennett scored 12 before he too fouled out late in the fourth.&nbsp;Mauzey finished his high school career with a game-high 22 points to lead Benton, including a 5-for-5 effort at the free throw line in overtime. Freshma Myles Bachali scored 14, while Domann had 11.Along with the LeBlond and Lafayette boys, the Central, Benton, LeBlond and St. Joseph Christian girls' teams have also claimed district titles in 2022. All five high schools in the city - an unprecedented run."Basketball in St. Joe right now is pretty good," Bristol said. "We just want to keep fighting and stay in this race as long as we possibly can."Lafayette will now face Richmond (21-5) in state sectionals on Tuesday at 7:45 at Liberty North.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454186615.jpeg" alt="Camden Bennett (right) dribbles against Carson Newlon (left)." />
 <figcaption>Camden Bennett (right) dribbles against Carson Newlon (left).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454207117.jpeg" alt="The Benton student section Friday." />
 <figcaption>The Benton student section Friday.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454320661.jpeg" alt="Carson Newlon." />
 <figcaption>Carson Newlon.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454343561.jpeg" alt="Kason Mauzey." />
 <figcaption>Kason Mauzey.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454228628.jpeg" alt="Cayden Cox (right)." />
 <figcaption>Cayden Cox (right).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646454272316.jpeg" alt="Lafayette students pose with the players afterward." />
 <figcaption>Lafayette students pose with the players afterward.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Lafayette survives late scare from Benton, Irish take district title in the South Side

KANSAS CITY - Missouri Western (21-8) exploded for 27 third quarter points on four made three-pointers, three of them from Jaelyn Haggard, and the Griffons rolled to a 69-55 win over Central Missouri Friday at the MIAA tournament quarterfinals at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.

The Griffons, who have now beaten UCM three times this season alone, slogged through a tough second quarter and outscored the Jennies 15-6 in that period to go up 30-18 at halftime.

Missouri Western played tenacious defense, holding UCM (19-11) to 35.1 percent shooting and forcing 20 turnovers, scoring 24 points off of those turnovers. The Griffons had 17 assists to just nine turnovers themselves.

"You know this time of year, obviously a win is huge," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "To stay alive and give yourself an opportunity is what you're playing for. I'm really proud of how our team came out. I thought we really guarded, especially in the first three quarters, extremely well."

Leading 38-26 with 4:54 left in the third, Missouri Western made four consecutive threes - two by Haggard, another by Jordan Cunningham and one more from Haggard.&nbsp;

Suddenly, it was 50-26 with 2:52 to go in the third.

"I think shots on our team are contagious," said Haggard, who finished with 12 points. "So, once one falls, I think multiple go. So, I was just kind of feeding off that energy our defensive end was providing, and just letting it fly."

UCM, whose season is likely over after coming into the game ranked No. 9 in the Central Region rankings, hit back a little in the 4th, outscoring the Griffons 23-12 over the final eight minutes, but the game was out of hand by that point, as Western led 57-32 entering the fourth.

Connie Clarke led Missouri Western with 14 points. Mary Fultz had 11 off the bench. Camille Evans scored a season-high nine points, while Corbyn and Jordan Cunningham had eight.

In all, Missouri Western's bench outscored UCM's 30-1.

"We had a lot of contributors," assistant coach Emily Wacker said. "We got to show some of our depth, and that's the kind of thing that I think can help you make a run in the postseason in a tournament where you're playing back-to-back (games)."

Brooke Litrell led UCM with 29 points. Nija Collier logged her 18th double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Missouri Western, who's likely locked themselves into the NCAA tournament with the victory Friday, moves onto the MIAA tournament semifinals where they'll face No. 1 seed Missouri Southern (23-5) on Saturday at noon.

The Lions, who beat MWSU 71-57 on February 10 in Joplin, have won a remarkable 16 games in a row.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646428004793.jpeg" alt="Jaelyn Haggard (2) celebrates after making four three-pointers, including three in the third quarter, to help Missouri Western to a 69-55 win over Central Missouri in the MIAA tournament quarterfinals. Photo by Matthew Shicks." />
 <figcaption>Jaelyn Haggard (2) celebrates after making four three-pointers, including three in the third quarter, to help Missouri Western to a 69-55 win over Central Missouri in the MIAA tournament quarterfinals. Photo by Matthew Shicks.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY - Missouri Western (21-8) exploded for 27 third quarter points on four made three-pointers, three of them from Jaelyn Haggard, and the Griffons rolled to a 69-55 win over Central Missouri Friday at the MIAA tournament quarterfinals at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City.The Griffons, who have now beaten UCM three times this season alone, slogged through a tough second quarter and outscored the Jennies 15-6 in that period to go up 30-18 at halftime.Missouri Western played tenacious defense, holding UCM (19-11) to 35.1 percent shooting and forcing 20 turnovers, scoring 24 points off of those turnovers. The Griffons had 17 assists to just nine turnovers themselves."You know this time of year, obviously a win is huge," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "To stay alive and give yourself an opportunity is what you're playing for. I'm really proud of how our team came out. I thought we really guarded, especially in the first three quarters, extremely well."Leading 38-26 with 4:54 left in the third, Missouri Western made four consecutive threes - two by Haggard, another by Jordan Cunningham and one more from Haggard.&nbsp;Suddenly, it was 50-26 with 2:52 to go in the third."I think shots on our team are contagious," said Haggard, who finished with 12 points. "So, once one falls, I think multiple go. So, I was just kind of feeding off that energy our defensive end was providing, and just letting it fly."UCM, whose season is likely over after coming into the game ranked No. 9 in the Central Region rankings, hit back a little in the 4th, outscoring the Griffons 23-12 over the final eight minutes, but the game was out of hand by that point, as Western led 57-32 entering the fourth.Connie Clarke led Missouri Western with 14 points. Mary Fultz had 11 off the bench. Camille Evans scored a season-high nine points, while Corbyn and Jordan Cunningham had eight.In all, Missouri Western's bench outscored UCM's 30-1."We had a lot of contributors," assistant coach Emily Wacker said. "We got to show some of our depth, and that's the kind of thing that I think can help you make a run in the postseason in a tournament where you're playing back-to-back (games)."Brooke Litrell led UCM with 29 points. Nija Collier logged her 18th double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.Missouri Western, who's likely locked themselves into the NCAA tournament with the victory Friday, moves onto the MIAA tournament semifinals where they'll face No. 1 seed Missouri Southern (23-5) on Saturday at noon.The Lions, who beat MWSU 71-57 on February 10 in Joplin, have won a remarkable 16 games in a row.<div><iframe src="https://anchor.fm/tommy-rezac/embed/episodes/MWSU-vs--UCM-3rd-quarter-highlights---MIAA-tournament-quarterfinals-e1f8i5k" height="102px" width="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU offense explodes in third quarter, Griffons beat Jennies in quarterfinals

Benton girls' basketball winning a district title has become something of a family tradition.

The Cardinals (22-5) have claimed their second straight district championship and the seventh in the last nine years after a 47-39 win over MEC rival Chillicothe at Springer Gymnasium Thursday.

It's a family tradition, because, well, that's how the South Side sees it.

"It does feel that way," Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels said, just after placing the cut down net around his neck. "In our locker room, it feels that way. When we talk at practice, we don't just talk about basketball. I know more about their lives than they know about their life.

&nbsp;"Because, they'll tell you anything you want to know if you ask them. So, it's about as family as you can get."

The Benton faithful packed their home gym Thursday, and they were treated to a physical game right from the get-go. The Cardinals' press forced 17 Chillicothe turnovers, and there were a combined 31 fouls called.

The Cardinals, who have now won 10 straight games, got off to an 8-2 start in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead. Benton went on a 7-0 run midway through the second to lead 24-14 with 3:52 to go in the second.

Leading 26-17 at the break, the Cardinals scored the first points of the second half and would lead by double figures several more times, but Chillicothe (23-5) made three second half triples to keep it within single digits most of the time.

Benton's lead was trimmed down to 39-36 in the last two minutes, but the Cardinals made 7-of-10 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter alone to put the game away.

"It feels great," junior Kelsey Johnson said on the victory, after leading her team with 19 points. "We've been working hard at practice for this and it really paid off. We've been in here every day looking at the banners and wanted to hang another one, so it feels great."

Fellow junior Peyton Anderson scored 12 points on a trio of three-pointers. Senior Jaida Cox scored six.

"We have to earn one more," Anderson said on the path forward in the postseason. "Which comes from working hard in practice, film work. We can't take anything for granted. We just have to earn one more."

Junior Jessica Reeter led Chillicothe with 19 points. Senior Essie Hicks had 11, as the Hornets finished their third 20-plus win season in the last four years.

Benton, who seeks its second straight trip to the Final Four and its first state championship since 2016, will see Odessa (13-13) in state sectionals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Liberty North.

"We just continue to earn one more game," Michaels reiterated. "We've done that all season long. We've told them every day when they come to practice and in the locker room, 'We're 0-0. It doesn't matter what happened before this point. You have to be 1-0 at the end of the day."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365077344.jpeg" alt="Kelsey Johnson (right) drives the lane in the first half of Benton's 47-39 win over Chillicothe in the C4D16 championship Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Johnson (right) drives the lane in the first half of Benton's 47-39 win over Chillicothe in the C4D16 championship Thursday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBenton girls' basketball winning a district title has become something of a family tradition.The Cardinals (22-5) have claimed their second straight district championship and the seventh in the last nine years after a 47-39 win over MEC rival Chillicothe at Springer Gymnasium Thursday.It's a family tradition, because, well, that's how the South Side sees it."It does feel that way," Benton girls' basketball coach Chris Michaels said, just after placing the cut down net around his neck. "In our locker room, it feels that way. When we talk at practice, we don't just talk about basketball. I know more about their lives than they know about their life.&nbsp;"Because, they'll tell you anything you want to know if you ask them. So, it's about as family as you can get."The Benton faithful packed their home gym Thursday, and they were treated to a physical game right from the get-go. The Cardinals' press forced 17 Chillicothe turnovers, and there were a combined 31 fouls called.The Cardinals, who have now won 10 straight games, got off to an 8-2 start in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead. Benton went on a 7-0 run midway through the second to lead 24-14 with 3:52 to go in the second.Leading 26-17 at the break, the Cardinals scored the first points of the second half and would lead by double figures several more times, but Chillicothe (23-5) made three second half triples to keep it within single digits most of the time.Benton's lead was trimmed down to 39-36 in the last two minutes, but the Cardinals made 7-of-10 free throw attempts in the fourth quarter alone to put the game away."It feels great," junior Kelsey Johnson said on the victory, after leading her team with 19 points. "We've been working hard at practice for this and it really paid off. We've been in here every day looking at the banners and wanted to hang another one, so it feels great."Fellow junior Peyton Anderson scored 12 points on a trio of three-pointers. Senior Jaida Cox scored six."We have to earn one more," Anderson said on the path forward in the postseason. "Which comes from working hard in practice, film work. We can't take anything for granted. We just have to earn one more."Junior Jessica Reeter led Chillicothe with 19 points. Senior Essie Hicks had 11, as the Hornets finished their third 20-plus win season in the last four years.Benton, who seeks its second straight trip to the Final Four and its first state championship since 2016, will see Odessa (13-13) in state sectionals on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Liberty North."We just continue to earn one more game," Michaels reiterated. "We've done that all season long. We've told them every day when they come to practice and in the locker room, 'We're 0-0. It doesn't matter what happened before this point. You have to be 1-0 at the end of the day."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646363727783.jpeg" alt="Benton celebrates with the district championship plaque." />
 <figcaption>Benton celebrates with the district championship plaque.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365129533.jpeg" alt="Jaida Cox (4)." />
 <figcaption>Jaida Cox (4).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365160265.jpeg" alt="Senior Lauren Burright cuts out a piece of the net." />
 <figcaption>Senior Lauren Burright cuts out a piece of the net.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365609280.jpeg" alt="Avery Morlock." />
 <figcaption>Avery Morlock.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646365215308.jpeg" alt="Coach Chris Michaels salutes the crowd after cutting down the net Thursday." />
 <figcaption>Coach Chris Michaels salutes the crowd after cutting down the net Thursday.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton gets off to strong start, fends off Chillicothe for another district title

The St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association is putting on a free event Saturday in hopes of recruiting future participants.

The 'Try Hockey For Free' event will be held at the St. Joseph Bode Ice Arena on Saturday from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., and is open for boys and girls aged 4-9.

St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association public relations director Darren Doyle says this 'Hockey For Free' event serves as their main recruiting event.

"This is really important for us, because this is our way of getting those families that can be here for 10-11 years possibly," Doyle said, "and really just persuade them to come and join the family."

Doyle says all of the necessary gear and equipment will be provided for those who participate. He says another primary goal of this event is to give young kids a real taste of hockey in a safe and fun environment.

"We put the stuff on them and we take them out and put them through some very, very basic drills," Doyle said. "We see how they like it and if they remember they had fun, they'll come back and sign up for one of our teams."

Founded in 1976 as an activity group associated with Missouri Western, the St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association is partnered with the Kansas City Youth Hockey Association, and fields five teams with kids ages 10-18, or up until their senior year of high school.

Doyle says anywhere from 100-150 kids participate, with the season starting in September and wrapping up in February.&nbsp;

"We play teams from northwest Arkansas, Oklahoma City, Kansas City," Doyle said. "Just all over. It became what it is now, which is more of a youth program and less of a college program."

No previous skating or hockey experience is required for the 'Try Hockey for Free' event. Doyle says Bode does offer skating and hockey classes if kids want to try those out first. The main ideas again being fun, low pressure and a chance at trying a new activity.

"The focus is that we get these kids into a fun environment, teach them the great sport of hockey, give them something safe and productive to do and just make friends."

Pre-registration for the event can be <a href="https://www.tryhockeyforfree.com/event_detail/877">found at this link</a>.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association is putting on a free event Saturday in hopes of recruiting future participants.The 'Try Hockey For Free' event will be held at the St. Joseph Bode Ice Arena on Saturday from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., and is open for boys and girls aged 4-9.St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association public relations director Darren Doyle says this 'Hockey For Free' event serves as their main recruiting event."This is really important for us, because this is our way of getting those families that can be here for 10-11 years possibly," Doyle said, "and really just persuade them to come and join the family."Doyle says all of the necessary gear and equipment will be provided for those who participate. He says another primary goal of this event is to give young kids a real taste of hockey in a safe and fun environment."We put the stuff on them and we take them out and put them through some very, very basic drills," Doyle said. "We see how they like it and if they remember they had fun, they'll come back and sign up for one of our teams."Founded in 1976 as an activity group associated with Missouri Western, the St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association is partnered with the Kansas City Youth Hockey Association, and fields five teams with kids ages 10-18, or up until their senior year of high school.Doyle says anywhere from 100-150 kids participate, with the season starting in September and wrapping up in February.&nbsp;"We play teams from northwest Arkansas, Oklahoma City, Kansas City," Doyle said. "Just all over. It became what it is now, which is more of a youth program and less of a college program."No previous skating or hockey experience is required for the 'Try Hockey for Free' event. Doyle says Bode does offer skating and hockey classes if kids want to try those out first. The main ideas again being fun, low pressure and a chance at trying a new activity."The focus is that we get these kids into a fun environment, teach them the great sport of hockey, give them something safe and productive to do and just make friends."Pre-registration for the event can be <a href="https://www.tryhockeyforfree.com/event_detail/877">found at this link</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646340632936.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph Youth Hockey Association putting on 'Try Hockey For Free' event

KANSAS CITY -&nbsp;The Missouri Western men’s basketball team fell just short against Rogers State in a 52-49 loss in the first round of the MIAA Tournament Wednesday night at Municipal Auditorium Arena in Kansas City.

The Hillcats (16-13, 10-13 MIAA) took a 51-49 lead with 24 seconds left, thanks to an 'and-one' from Joey Saracco. The Griffons had the ball down three with seven seconds left. Freshman Justin Bubak, who led the Griffons with 13 points on three made triples, had a look at a tying three-pointer from the corner, but it missed short of the side of the rim.

"I mean, (Bubak) had a decent look at it," assistant coach Jon Hood said after. "Any time he shoots the ball from the corner, I think it's going in. We trust Justin shooting that shot."

Hood says it’s obviously not the way they wanted to end the year, especially for their three seniors.

"There's only one happy team at the end of the year and it obviously didn't end the way we wanted it to," Hood said. "Not the way coach Martin wanted to, not the staff and especially not the seniors. And that's what it's about right now are these seniors."

Q Mays, Caleb Bennett and Tony Chukwuemeke all played their final game Wednesday in a Griffon uniform.

Freshman Taye Fields had a solid game for the Griffons with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Both teams shot under 35 percent from the field. Missouri Western was 7-of-30 from three, and 8-of-14 at the free throw line. The Griffons also had 18 turnovers.

"It's not on the guys," Hood said. "We have to put them in better positions and help facilitate them and help facilitate points."

Devin Pullum led Rogers State with 20 points. Saracco had 9. The Hillcats, who lost to Missouri Western in St. Joseph 68-52 on Dec. 2, 2021, made 14-of-17 free throws to help them secure a win.

The Griffons end the season with a 14-17 record.

Rogers State will face Northwest Missouri State in quarterfinals Thursday night at 8:15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646313538879.jpeg" alt="Justin Bubak (15) shoots a three during Missouri Western's 52-49 loss to Rogers State in the MIAA tournament Wednesday. Photo by Brandon Zenner." />
 <figcaption>Justin Bubak (15) shoots a three during Missouri Western's 52-49 loss to Rogers State in the MIAA tournament Wednesday. Photo by Brandon Zenner.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY -&nbsp;The Missouri Western men’s basketball team fell just short against Rogers State in a 52-49 loss in the first round of the MIAA Tournament Wednesday night at Municipal Auditorium Arena in Kansas City.The Hillcats (16-13, 10-13 MIAA) took a 51-49 lead with 24 seconds left, thanks to an 'and-one' from Joey Saracco. The Griffons had the ball down three with seven seconds left. Freshman Justin Bubak, who led the Griffons with 13 points on three made triples, had a look at a tying three-pointer from the corner, but it missed short of the side of the rim."I mean, (Bubak) had a decent look at it," assistant coach Jon Hood said after. "Any time he shoots the ball from the corner, I think it's going in. We trust Justin shooting that shot."Hood says it’s obviously not the way they wanted to end the year, especially for their three seniors."There's only one happy team at the end of the year and it obviously didn't end the way we wanted it to," Hood said. "Not the way coach Martin wanted to, not the staff and especially not the seniors. And that's what it's about right now are these seniors."Q Mays, Caleb Bennett and Tony Chukwuemeke all played their final game Wednesday in a Griffon uniform.Freshman Taye Fields had a solid game for the Griffons with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Both teams shot under 35 percent from the field. Missouri Western was 7-of-30 from three, and 8-of-14 at the free throw line. The Griffons also had 18 turnovers."It's not on the guys," Hood said. "We have to put them in better positions and help facilitate them and help facilitate points."Devin Pullum led Rogers State with 20 points. Saracco had 9. The Hillcats, who lost to Missouri Western in St. Joseph 68-52 on Dec. 2, 2021, made 14-of-17 free throws to help them secure a win.The Griffons end the season with a 14-17 record.Rogers State will face Northwest Missouri State in quarterfinals Thursday night at 8:15.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Rogers State sneaks past Missouri Western at MIAA tournament Wednesday

KANSAS CITY -&nbsp;The 2022 MIAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament gets underway at the Municipal Auditorium Wednesday in downtown Kansas City.

The Missouri Western men will play the final game of the day Wednesday when the No. 7 seed Griffons take on No. 10 seed Rogers State at 8:15.

Missouri Western drew the No. 7 seed after their 76-74 win at Nebraska-Kearney to round out the regular season this past Friday.

Second-year head coach Will Martin says his team is in position to play their best games of the year this week.

"Our whole goal this year was we wanted to be the most connected team in the country and play our best basketball in March," Martin said. "I think the game against Kearney - we're able to build on that so we can (play our best basketball) individually and collectively."

&nbsp;The Missouri Western men come in at 14-16 overall and 10-12 in the MIAA. Rogers is 13-12 overall and 9-13 in the league. Missouri Western beat Rogers State in St. Joseph on Dec. 2, 68-52.

The Griffon men would then see No. 2 seed and co-regular season champion Northwest Missouri State (25-5, 18-4 MIAA) in the quarterfinals on Thursday night at 8:15, should they get past the Hillcats.

For a ninth straight season, the defending national champion Bearcats clinched at least a share of the MIAA's regular season crown, following their 57-49 win over Fort Hays State in Maryville Saturday.

Northwest has won five of the last six MIAA tournament championships, but fifth-year senior, reigning National Player of the Year and now three-time MIAA Player of the Year Trevor Hudgins says it's anyone's game this year.

"I feel like this conference this year is probably the best it's been since I've been here," Hudgins told the Northwest Missourian. "There's a lot of talent, especially in the top five teams I think."

Missouri Western's coach Martin shared that sentiment.

"There's been so many people saying, 'The league's down this year, the league's down this year, the league's down this year.' No. No, this is in my four years at MoWest, this is the toughest the league has ever been."

There are five teams on the men's side with 19 or more wins. Washburn, last year's tournament champ, is the four-seed and they've won six straight games coming in. UCO, the No. 2 seed, has never won this tournament. Let the games begin.

On the women's side, it's just as competitive. Again, five teams with 19 or more wins. No. 5 seed Missouri Western (20-8, 14-8 MIAA) is one of them. The Griffons will see No. 4 seed Central Missouri (19-10, 15-7 MIAA) in Friday's quarterfinals at noon.

The Griffons beat the Jennies 68-67 in St. Joseph in December and again 82-77 in Warrensburg this season - both games ended in overtime.

After a 6-16 record in 2020-21 and missing the MIAA tournament, the Griffons are back and seek their first tournament crown since 2002 - when current UCM head coach David Slifer cut down nets as the Griffons' head coach.

Whatever happens, current head coach Candi Whitaker is proud of the turnaround and proud of the toughness her team has shown throughout the season.

"I'm really proud of how far we've come in a short amount of time," Whitaker said. "We've had a lot of returners who experienced a lot last year that really improved and got better in the offseason. Got better throughout last year and applied it this season and then our recruiting has helped. We've added some pieces that have been tremendous for us."

Friday's women's game between Western and UCM could be a 'win and you're in' situation as it pertains to the NCAA tournament. The Griffons currently sit No. 8 in the Central Region rankings and UCM is No. 9. The top eight teams in each region advance to the national tournament.

The Northwest women (17-11, 12-10 MIAA) drew the No. 6 seed and will open tournament play against No. 3 seed Nebraska-Kearney on Friday afternoon at 2:15. The championships are Sunday afternoon at 1 and 3:30.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615009738545.jpeg" alt="Alex John (4) goes up for a dunk against Washburn in the MIAA tournament semifinals in Maryville in 2021. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Alex John (4) goes up for a dunk against Washburn in the MIAA tournament semifinals in Maryville in 2021. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostKANSAS CITY -&nbsp;The 2022 MIAA men’s and women’s basketball tournament gets underway at the Municipal Auditorium Wednesday in downtown Kansas City.The Missouri Western men will play the final game of the day Wednesday when the No. 7 seed Griffons take on No. 10 seed Rogers State at 8:15.Missouri Western drew the No. 7 seed after their 76-74 win at Nebraska-Kearney to round out the regular season this past Friday.Second-year head coach Will Martin says his team is in position to play their best games of the year this week."Our whole goal this year was we wanted to be the most connected team in the country and play our best basketball in March," Martin said. "I think the game against Kearney - we're able to build on that so we can (play our best basketball) individually and collectively." &nbsp;The Missouri Western men come in at 14-16 overall and 10-12 in the MIAA. Rogers is 13-12 overall and 9-13 in the league. Missouri Western beat Rogers State in St. Joseph on Dec. 2, 68-52.The Griffon men would then see No. 2 seed and co-regular season champion Northwest Missouri State (25-5, 18-4 MIAA) in the quarterfinals on Thursday night at 8:15, should they get past the Hillcats.For a ninth straight season, the defending national champion Bearcats clinched at least a share of the MIAA's regular season crown, following their 57-49 win over Fort Hays State in Maryville Saturday.Northwest has won five of the last six MIAA tournament championships, but fifth-year senior, reigning National Player of the Year and now three-time MIAA Player of the Year Trevor Hudgins says it's anyone's game this year."I feel like this conference this year is probably the best it's been since I've been here," Hudgins told the Northwest Missourian. "There's a lot of talent, especially in the top five teams I think."Missouri Western's coach Martin shared that sentiment."There's been so many people saying, 'The league's down this year, the league's down this year, the league's down this year.' No. No, this is in my four years at MoWest, this is the toughest the league has ever been."There are five teams on the men's side with 19 or more wins. Washburn, last year's tournament champ, is the four-seed and they've won six straight games coming in. UCO, the No. 2 seed, has never won this tournament. Let the games begin.On the women's side, it's just as competitive. Again, five teams with 19 or more wins. No. 5 seed Missouri Western (20-8, 14-8 MIAA) is one of them. The Griffons will see No. 4 seed Central Missouri (19-10, 15-7 MIAA) in Friday's quarterfinals at noon.The Griffons beat the Jennies 68-67 in St. Joseph in December and again 82-77 in Warrensburg this season - both games ended in overtime.After a 6-16 record in 2020-21 and missing the MIAA tournament, the Griffons are back and seek their first tournament crown since 2002 - when current UCM head coach David Slifer cut down nets as the Griffons' head coach.Whatever happens, current head coach Candi Whitaker is proud of the turnaround and proud of the toughness her team has shown throughout the season."I'm really proud of how far we've come in a short amount of time," Whitaker said. "We've had a lot of returners who experienced a lot last year that really improved and got better in the offseason. Got better throughout last year and applied it this season and then our recruiting has helped. We've added some pieces that have been tremendous for us."Friday's women's game between Western and UCM could be a 'win and you're in' situation as it pertains to the NCAA tournament. The Griffons currently sit No. 8 in the Central Region rankings and UCM is No. 9. The top eight teams in each region advance to the national tournament.The Northwest women (17-11, 12-10 MIAA) drew the No. 6 seed and will open tournament play against No. 3 seed Nebraska-Kearney on Friday afternoon at 2:15. The championships are Sunday afternoon at 1 and 3:30.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

MWSU, Northwest basketball begin postseason journey at MIAA tournament

No. 3 Stanberry raced out to an 8-2 start, never trailed by more than a point and held on late for a massive 49-47 win over No. 2 Mound City in a Class 1 state sectional game at the St. Joseph Civic Arena Tuesday.

The Bulldogs (23-3), who had lost their last seven meetings with the Panthers in boys' basketball including 72-42 in the season opener in November, held perhaps the best player in the state of Missouri, Tony Osburn, to just two first half points and they ended the second quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 29-24 at halftime.

The lead changed hands five times, but Stanberry gained some valuable breathing room when senior Tyler Schwebach made a pair of free throws with less than 30 seconds left to put the Bulldogs up 49-44.

The free throws also put Schewbach up to 1,000 points in his career, as he led his team to victory with 21 on Tuesday.

"Seven years of losing to them," Schwebach said, "and we kind of just took it all out there and laying it all out and we got the win."

Osburn, who finished with 15 points in his final high school game and over 3,000 career points in his illustrious career, hit a quick three with 2.2 to go to make it 49-47, leading to a Panthers timeout and eventually giving Mound City one last possession.&nbsp;

Ultimately, with Stanberry pressing hard and a foul call with just 0.2 left, Mound City (27-2) was unable to get a look at a tying or winning shot, and the Bulldogs finished off a momentous win to continue their quest for their first Final Four appearance since 2016, which is also the last time they won it all.

"We beat one of the best if not the best team in the state tonight," Stanberry head coach Nick Groomer said. "Which matters when you play well. We're going to play even better. Because (Green City) is going to want to beat us. We have to play even better Saturday."

Stanberry, typically known for playing man defense, switched to more of a zone look Tuesday, putting two, sometimes three players on Osburn at all times, and then feeding the ball down low to both Schwebachs on offense.

Combined with three made triples in the first half, Stanberry's game plan worked to perfection.

"I had trouble doing that plan," Groomer said, "because we play man-to-man so much. It worked and it got (Osburn) out of his game and he's a tremendous player. He still scored 15 with two-and-a-half guys guarding him. That tells you how good of a player he is."

Seniors Austin Schwebach and Korbin Fletchall scored 10 points Tuesday.&nbsp;Seniors Brendan Tubbs and Wil Young scored 13 for Mound City in defeat.

Stanberry advances to the state quarterfinals, where they'll face No. 8 Green City (23-6) on Saturday at 7:45 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Green City beat Braymer at Civic Tuesday, 73-50.

"If we come out and lose Saturday, then honestly this game is kind of pointless to us," Schwebach said. "That's what we said after the game in the locker room. So, we just have to come out just as fired up for the next game and have a chance at the Final Four which is what we've been wanting."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646198116270.jpeg" alt="Stanberry's Tyler Schwebach (middle) celebrates with his teammates following the Bulldogs' 49=47 win over Mound City in a Class 1 state sectional matchup at the St. Joseph Civic Arena Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Stanberry's Tyler Schwebach (middle) celebrates with his teammates following the Bulldogs' 49=47 win over Mound City in a Class 1 state sectional matchup at the St. Joseph Civic Arena Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostNo. 3 Stanberry raced out to an 8-2 start, never trailed by more than a point and held on late for a massive 49-47 win over No. 2 Mound City in a Class 1 state sectional game at the St. Joseph Civic Arena Tuesday.The Bulldogs (23-3), who had lost their last seven meetings with the Panthers in boys' basketball including 72-42 in the season opener in November, held perhaps the best player in the state of Missouri, Tony Osburn, to just two first half points and they ended the second quarter on a 6-0 run to lead 29-24 at halftime.The lead changed hands five times, but Stanberry gained some valuable breathing room when senior Tyler Schwebach made a pair of free throws with less than 30 seconds left to put the Bulldogs up 49-44.The free throws also put Schewbach up to 1,000 points in his career, as he led his team to victory with 21 on Tuesday."Seven years of losing to them," Schwebach said, "and we kind of just took it all out there and laying it all out and we got the win."Osburn, who finished with 15 points in his final high school game and over 3,000 career points in his illustrious career, hit a quick three with 2.2 to go to make it 49-47, leading to a Panthers timeout and eventually giving Mound City one last possession.&nbsp;Ultimately, with Stanberry pressing hard and a foul call with just 0.2 left, Mound City (27-2) was unable to get a look at a tying or winning shot, and the Bulldogs finished off a momentous win to continue their quest for their first Final Four appearance since 2016, which is also the last time they won it all."We beat one of the best if not the best team in the state tonight," Stanberry head coach Nick Groomer said. "Which matters when you play well. We're going to play even better. Because (Green City) is going to want to beat us. We have to play even better Saturday."Stanberry, typically known for playing man defense, switched to more of a zone look Tuesday, putting two, sometimes three players on Osburn at all times, and then feeding the ball down low to both Schwebachs on offense.Combined with three made triples in the first half, Stanberry's game plan worked to perfection."I had trouble doing that plan," Groomer said, "because we play man-to-man so much. It worked and it got (Osburn) out of his game and he's a tremendous player. He still scored 15 with two-and-a-half guys guarding him. That tells you how good of a player he is."Seniors Austin Schwebach and Korbin Fletchall scored 10 points Tuesday.&nbsp;Seniors Brendan Tubbs and Wil Young scored 13 for Mound City in defeat.Stanberry advances to the state quarterfinals, where they'll face No. 8 Green City (23-6) on Saturday at 7:45 at the MWSU Fieldhouse.Green City beat Braymer at Civic Tuesday, 73-50."If we come out and lose Saturday, then honestly this game is kind of pointless to us," Schwebach said. "That's what we said after the game in the locker room. So, we just have to come out just as fired up for the next game and have a chance at the Final Four which is what we've been wanting."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646198503486.jpeg" alt="Tyler Schwebach." />
 <figcaption>Tyler Schwebach.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646198539031.jpeg" alt="Stanberry students, including members of the girls' basketball team, celebrate after the Bulldogs victory Tuesday." />
 <figcaption>Stanberry students, including members of the girls' basketball team, celebrate after the Bulldogs victory Tuesday.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646198579447.jpeg" alt="Korbin Fletchall (right) puts up a shot in transition." />
 <figcaption>Korbin Fletchall (right) puts up a shot in transition.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646198611139.jpeg" alt="Austin Schwebach goes up for a putback in the second half." />
 <figcaption>Austin Schwebach goes up for a putback in the second half.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Stanberry limits Tony Osburn, Bulldogs top Mound City in state sectionals Tuesday

Benton held Maryville to just eight second half points and zero fourth quarter points as the Cardinals (21-5) shut down the Spoofhounds in a 41-20 victory in the Class 4 District 16 semifinals at Springer Gymnasium at Benton High School Monday.

Benton, who has now won nine straight games, got off to a quick 6-0 start in the first quarter, but Maryville (15-10) countered with a pair of made threes later in the first, and only trailed 12-8 at the end of one.

Benton turned on the jets later in the second, ending that quarter on a 10-0 run to go up 25-12 at the break. The Cardinals led by double digits the rest of the way.

"For the most part, we did a pretty good job of making sure we had a hand in their face," Benton head coach Chris Michaels said. "Our press and our defense is what we live on. It's nice to score 60 points, but it's really, really nice to keep people under 30."

Maryville, who lost to Benton 65-35 at home on February 10, made just seven field goals in the entire game Monday and were held scoreless for the final eight minutes.

"I think we played real aggressive," said Benton junior Kelsey Johnson, who led her team to victory with 15 points. "Good defense, everyone hustled and boxed out. We all worked good together as a team, and I think that really helped."

Senior Lauren Burright scored nine points for Benton, while freshman Andrea Simmons had five.

"Just coming out strong defensively was our main goal," Burright said. "It always is our main goal. Our goal is to always keep (opponents) under 30 (points), so we accomplished that and came out with a win."

Benton had to go to top-seeded and perhaps, Class 4 favorite, Maryville last year for the district title game, and pulled off a massive 45-40 upset. The Cardinals made it all the way to the Final Four in Springfield, where they finished fourth.

Benton, the No. 1 seed in districts this year, gets to stay home to host Chillicothe (23-4) in the district title on Thursday night at 6 p.m.

Whether this year's road to state is harder than last is tough to say. But, Michaels and his team are treating it as such.

"Last year, we were a bit more of the underdogs," Burright said. "No one really expected us to come out and play that way. This year, I feel like we have more of a target on our back and we're the team everyone wants to beat, so we just have to come out and do the little things right."

Chillicothe topped Lafayette in the other semifinal Monday, 52-43. The Hornets and Cardinals played twice in the regular season. Chillicothe won on Dec. 1, 34-28, in the Savannah tournament, but Benton dominated the rematch in the South Side, winning that one 55-25 on Feb. 4.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646102074972.jpeg" alt="Kelsey Johnson (2) brings the ball up the floor in Benton's 41-20 win over Maryville in district semifinals Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Kelsey Johnson (2) brings the ball up the floor in Benton's 41-20 win over Maryville in district semifinals Monday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBenton held Maryville to just eight second half points and zero fourth quarter points as the Cardinals (21-5) shut down the Spoofhounds in a 41-20 victory in the Class 4 District 16 semifinals at Springer Gymnasium at Benton High School Monday.Benton, who has now won nine straight games, got off to a quick 6-0 start in the first quarter, but Maryville (15-10) countered with a pair of made threes later in the first, and only trailed 12-8 at the end of one.Benton turned on the jets later in the second, ending that quarter on a 10-0 run to go up 25-12 at the break. The Cardinals led by double digits the rest of the way."For the most part, we did a pretty good job of making sure we had a hand in their face," Benton head coach Chris Michaels said. "Our press and our defense is what we live on. It's nice to score 60 points, but it's really, really nice to keep people under 30."Maryville, who lost to Benton 65-35 at home on February 10, made just seven field goals in the entire game Monday and were held scoreless for the final eight minutes."I think we played real aggressive," said Benton junior Kelsey Johnson, who led her team to victory with 15 points. "Good defense, everyone hustled and boxed out. We all worked good together as a team, and I think that really helped."Senior Lauren Burright scored nine points for Benton, while freshman Andrea Simmons had five."Just coming out strong defensively was our main goal," Burright said. "It always is our main goal. Our goal is to always keep (opponents) under 30 (points), so we accomplished that and came out with a win."Benton had to go to top-seeded and perhaps, Class 4 favorite, Maryville last year for the district title game, and pulled off a massive 45-40 upset. The Cardinals made it all the way to the Final Four in Springfield, where they finished fourth.Benton, the No. 1 seed in districts this year, gets to stay home to host Chillicothe (23-4) in the district title on Thursday night at 6 p.m.Whether this year's road to state is harder than last is tough to say. But, Michaels and his team are treating it as such."Last year, we were a bit more of the underdogs," Burright said. "No one really expected us to come out and play that way. This year, I feel like we have more of a target on our back and we're the team everyone wants to beat, so we just have to come out and do the little things right."Chillicothe topped Lafayette in the other semifinal Monday, 52-43. The Hornets and Cardinals played twice in the regular season. Chillicothe won on Dec. 1, 34-28, in the Savannah tournament, but Benton dominated the rematch in the South Side, winning that one 55-25 on Feb. 4.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646102133222.jpeg" alt="Andrea Simmons (23) fends off Maryville's Jalea Price (12)." />
 <figcaption>Andrea Simmons (23) fends off Maryville's Jalea Price (12).</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1646102195368.jpeg" alt="Peyton Anderson (12) tries to dribble around a defender." />
 <figcaption>Peyton Anderson (12) tries to dribble around a defender.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Benton girls lock down on defense, stifle Maryville in district semi Monday

The Bishop LeBlond girls’ basketball team is a district champion for a second consecutive year as the Golden Eagles defeated Nodaway Valley 59-34 in the Class 2 District 16 championship at North Andrew High School Thursday.

The Eagles pounced on the Thunder right away, taking an 18-4 lead after the first quarter and never looking back.

Shae Lewis and Tatum Studer led three Eagles in double figures with 11 points each. Sloan Lewis scored 10. Studer, a junior, says the district title feels just as good if not better than last year.

"It's just amazing," she said. "We experienced this last year, but it feels just as good."

The Eagles led 32-12 at halftime and maintained a 20-plus point lead through much of the second half. LeBlond's full-court press defense frustrated Nodaway Valley (18-10) throughout, and helped the Eagles take control right from the beginning.

"I wish we would have carried that over a bit more in the third and fourth quarter," Studer said. "But, the defense and our press really flustered them."

Ava Graham led the Thunder with a game-high 19 points in defeat.

LeBlond head coach Jackie Ziesel says her team has worked hard all season to get to this point, as the Eagles have a 21-7 record entering the state tournament.

"Just honored our girls have made it back-to-back district championships," Ziesel said, "and for how hard they've worked all season. It seems like we just left this place not too long ago, and we're just really happy for the entire program that we were able to pull out that win tonight."

LeBlond now awaits the winner of the Plattsburg/Polo game. The Panthers and Tigers meet for a district title on Friday night at 6. LeBlond plays next on March 2 in state sectionals at Staley High School.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645795169732.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo by Kimberly Huss." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo by Kimberly Huss.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Bishop LeBlond girls’ basketball team is a district champion for a second consecutive year as the Golden Eagles defeated Nodaway Valley 59-34 in the Class 2 District 16 championship at North Andrew High School Thursday.The Eagles pounced on the Thunder right away, taking an 18-4 lead after the first quarter and never looking back.Shae Lewis and Tatum Studer led three Eagles in double figures with 11 points each. Sloan Lewis scored 10. Studer, a junior, says the district title feels just as good if not better than last year."It's just amazing," she said. "We experienced this last year, but it feels just as good."The Eagles led 32-12 at halftime and maintained a 20-plus point lead through much of the second half. LeBlond's full-court press defense frustrated Nodaway Valley (18-10) throughout, and helped the Eagles take control right from the beginning."I wish we would have carried that over a bit more in the third and fourth quarter," Studer said. "But, the defense and our press really flustered them."Ava Graham led the Thunder with a game-high 19 points in defeat.LeBlond head coach Jackie Ziesel says her team has worked hard all season to get to this point, as the Eagles have a 21-7 record entering the state tournament."Just honored our girls have made it back-to-back district championships," Ziesel said, "and for how hard they've worked all season. It seems like we just left this place not too long ago, and we're just really happy for the entire program that we were able to pull out that win tonight."LeBlond now awaits the winner of the Plattsburg/Polo game. The Panthers and Tigers meet for a district title on Friday night at 6. LeBlond plays next on March 2 in state sectionals at Staley High School.

LeBlond claims big lead early, downs Nodaway Valley for second straight district title

HAYS, KS -&nbsp;The Missouri Western women's basketball team pushed #6 Fort Hays State to the limit Wednesday night before falling 78-69 in overtime.

The game saw a blow-for-blow heavyweight fight for 40 minutes, but the Tigers (24-3, 18-3 MIAA) outscored Western 14-5 in the extra period to survive for their fifth straight win overall.

Connie Clarke led the Griffons with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Brionna Budgetts scored 17. Jaden Hobbs and Olivia Hollenbeck scored 22 and 21 respectively for Hays in a win that keeps the Tigers atop the MIAA standings with Missouri Southern.

 Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said her team was a bit fatigued by the time overtime came around.

"Thought we did a lot of great things and played really, really hard," Whitaker said. "That's the effort and determination that we need. I thought in the overtime we looked fatigued.

"We have a young team and that's where I think you can see that at times.&nbsp; Our execution was poor and our defense wasn't good in overtime. But, leading up to that, super proud of everything that we saw."

Missouri Western led by as many as nine points in the second half. The Griffons fall to 20-7 overall and 14-7 in the MIAA.

Griffon men defend well, slow game down but come short against Hays

Missouri Western held No. 18 Fort Hays State to its second-lowest point total of the season. However, the Griffons (13-16, 9-12 MIAA) were held to a season-low scoring output in a 56-42 road loss Wednesday.

The Griffons shot 39% from the field, while holding Hays to just 35% shooting. The Tigers made nine three-pointers, while the Griffons made only two.

Western trailed 21-17 at halftime and Hays used a 13-5 run to open the second half to stretch the lead to double digits and never looked back. Missouri Western coach Will Martin liked the effort defensively, but said the offense lacked at key moments late.

"That's right where we wanted the game," Martin said. "We felt like the first team to 60 was going to win this game, and it happened to be 50. I thought our guys played hard. I thought the effort was there. I thought the enthusiasm was there. We just have to execute more down the stretch and throughout the course of the game."

Will Eames led Western with 13 points. Freshman Taye Fields added eight points and nine rebounds. Jared Vitztum led Hays with 21 points, 16 rebounds and he was 5-of-6 from three.

Both Missouri Western teams conclude the regular season at Nebraska-Kearney Friday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 and 7:30. Both games are on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).

With losses by both the Nebraska-Kearney and Pittsburg State men Wednesday, the Missouri Western men are guaranteed a spot in next week's MIAA tournament as the Griffons sit ninth in the standings - a full two games above the cutoff line.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645333717682.jpeg" alt="Connie Clarke (10) led Missouri Western with 19 points and 14 rebounds in a 78-69 loss at No. 6 Fort Hays State on Wednesday. Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Connie Clarke (10) led Missouri Western with 19 points and 14 rebounds in a 78-69 loss at No. 6 Fort Hays State on Wednesday. Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostHAYS, KS -&nbsp;The Missouri Western women's basketball team pushed #6 Fort Hays State to the limit Wednesday night before falling 78-69 in overtime.The game saw a blow-for-blow heavyweight fight for 40 minutes, but the Tigers (24-3, 18-3 MIAA) outscored Western 14-5 in the extra period to survive for their fifth straight win overall.Connie Clarke led the Griffons with 19 points and 14 rebounds, while Brionna Budgetts scored 17. Jaden Hobbs and Olivia Hollenbeck scored 22 and 21 respectively for Hays in a win that keeps the Tigers atop the MIAA standings with Missouri Southern. Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said her team was a bit fatigued by the time overtime came around."Thought we did a lot of great things and played really, really hard," Whitaker said. "That's the effort and determination that we need. I thought in the overtime we looked fatigued."We have a young team and that's where I think you can see that at times.&nbsp; Our execution was poor and our defense wasn't good in overtime. But, leading up to that, super proud of everything that we saw."Missouri Western led by as many as nine points in the second half. The Griffons fall to 20-7 overall and 14-7 in the MIAA.Griffon men defend well, slow game down but come short against HaysMissouri Western held No. 18 Fort Hays State to its second-lowest point total of the season. However, the Griffons (13-16, 9-12 MIAA) were held to a season-low scoring output in a 56-42 road loss Wednesday.The Griffons shot 39% from the field, while holding Hays to just 35% shooting. The Tigers made nine three-pointers, while the Griffons made only two.Western trailed 21-17 at halftime and Hays used a 13-5 run to open the second half to stretch the lead to double digits and never looked back. Missouri Western coach Will Martin liked the effort defensively, but said the offense lacked at key moments late."That's right where we wanted the game," Martin said. "We felt like the first team to 60 was going to win this game, and it happened to be 50. I thought our guys played hard. I thought the effort was there. I thought the enthusiasm was there. We just have to execute more down the stretch and throughout the course of the game."Will Eames led Western with 13 points. Freshman Taye Fields added eight points and nine rebounds. Jared Vitztum led Hays with 21 points, 16 rebounds and he was 5-of-6 from three.Both Missouri Western teams conclude the regular season at Nebraska-Kearney Friday. Tip-off is set for 5:30 and 7:30. Both games are on KFEQ Radio (680, 95.3).With losses by both the Nebraska-Kearney and Pittsburg State men Wednesday, the Missouri Western men are guaranteed a spot in next week's MIAA tournament as the Griffons sit ninth in the standings - a full two games above the cutoff line.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western women fall in OT to Fort Hays State, Griffon also men fall to Tigers

The last time the St. Joseph Mustangs played in front of fans at Phil Welch Stadium, it was in the MINK League Championship, sweeping the Sedalia Bombers in a 12-2 victory.&nbsp;

And now, as the Mustangs look ahead to 2022, Mustangs Manager Johnny Coy has released his roster for the 2022 season.&nbsp;

The roster features 15 returning players, including Lafayette alum Ike Book, who was the 2021 Co-MVP, and Savannah alum Braden Berry, the Dan Dekraai Community Service Award winner in 2021.&nbsp;

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe last time the St. Joseph Mustangs played in front of fans at Phil Welch Stadium, it was in the MINK League Championship, sweeping the Sedalia Bombers in a 12-2 victory.&nbsp;And now, as the Mustangs look ahead to 2022, Mustangs Manager Johnny Coy has released his roster for the 2022 season.&nbsp;The roster features 15 returning players, including Lafayette alum Ike Book, who was the 2021 Co-MVP, and Savannah alum Braden Berry, the Dan Dekraai Community Service Award winner in 2021.&nbsp;Joining Book and Berry, will be four other 2021 MINK League All Stars, in Brady Holden, Will Hann, Sam Kissane and Sean O'Malley.New faces to the team include some other St. Joseph alumni, as second baseman Will Dryburg from Leblond and Camden Lutz of St. Joseph Christian also joins the team.Jack Wagner, who was a member of the 2019 St. Joseph Mustangs and is from the University of Kansas, also will rejoin the team."I am very excited to welcome these players back to the St. Joseph Mustangs baseball team. We have 15 returners who played huge roles in our 2019 and 2021 championships. This is a tremendous group of young men who won’t have to spend any time getting to know each other," Coy says. "The new additions are players who will make an immediate impact and contribute greatly in our attempt to bring another championship to the greatest fans in all of summer baseball here in Saint Joseph. We can't wait to see you on opening night Saint Joseph!"Fans will get a chance to meet the new and old players alike as the Mustangs will host Fanfest once again, on May 31st at Phil Welch Stadium.The Mustangs will then open the season on Wednesday, June 1st, matching up against the Clarinda A's. The A's won the '21 MINK League North Division, before losing to the Mustangs in the Divisional Playoff.&nbsp;You can take a closer look at the Mustangs 2022 roster <a href="https://www.stjoemustangs.com/post/2022-st-joseph-mustangs-roster-release?fbclid=IwAR0qA1_Qg9t4d_CnslkOJDg0R8VGQtdYLd-OQg4BJchFpPdQd_JOfp7Xw28">HERE</a>.&nbsp;

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