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>.

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

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;

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;

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;

St. Joseph Mustangs announce roster for 2022, 15 players return

It was a busy night Tuesday for Class 1-3 boys' and girls' district basketball action.

Class 1 District 15 semifinals @ St. Joseph Christian: St. Joseph Christian 58 Pattonsburg 46 Stanberry 40 DeKalb 30. Stanberry’s Lexi Craig scored her 1,000th career point.

The Lions and Bulldogs meet for a district title on Friday night at 6 at Christian. The Lions seek their first district title since 2012.

Class 2 District 16 semifinals at North Andrew: Bishop LeBlond 71 East Atchison 51 Nodaway Valley 42 North Andrew 38

The Eagles and Thunder meet for a district title on Thursday night at 6. The Eagles look to repeat as district champions.

Class 2 District 15 semifinals in Gallatin: Polo 50 West Platte 37 Plattsburg 51 North Platte 39

The Panthers and Tigers meet for the title on Friday night at 6.

Class 1 District 16 semis at Mound City: Mound City 64 Rock Port 37. Mr. 3000 - Mound City’s Tony Osburn scored his 3000th career point in the game.

The Tigers and Panthers meet for the title on Thursday at 6. Mound City goes for its 5th consecutive district crown.

Class 3 District 15 semifinals at Lawson St. Pius X 64 East Buchanan 30 Mid-Buchanan 47 Lathrop 44

The Dragons and Warriors meet for a district title on Friday night at 6. Mid-Buchanan shoots for a sixth straight district championship.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639197474378.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostIt was a busy night Tuesday for Class 1-3 boys' and girls' district basketball action.GirlsClass 1 District 15 semifinals @ St. Joseph Christian: St. Joseph Christian 58 Pattonsburg 46 Stanberry 40 DeKalb 30. Stanberry’s Lexi Craig scored her 1,000th career point.The Lions and Bulldogs meet for a district title on Friday night at 6 at Christian. The Lions seek their first district title since 2012.Class 2 District 16 semifinals at North Andrew: Bishop LeBlond 71 East Atchison 51 Nodaway Valley 42 North Andrew 38The Eagles and Thunder meet for a district title on Thursday night at 6. The Eagles look to repeat as district champions.Class 2 District 15 semifinals in Gallatin: Polo 50 West Platte 37 Plattsburg 51 North Platte 39The Panthers and Tigers meet for the title on Friday night at 6.Boys'Class 1 District 16 semis at Mound City: Mound City 64 Rock Port 37. Mr. 3000 - Mound City’s Tony Osburn scored his 3000th career point in the game.Worth County 61 Platte Valley 40The Tigers and Panthers meet for the title on Thursday at 6. Mound City goes for its 5th consecutive district crown.Class 3 District 15 semifinals at Lawson St. Pius X 64 East Buchanan 30 Mid-Buchanan 47 Lathrop 44The Dragons and Warriors meet for a district title on Friday night at 6. Mid-Buchanan shoots for a sixth straight district championship.You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

KFEQ/St. Joseph Post area high school scoreboard - February 22, 2022

Missouri Western led by as many as 10 points in the first half and led 66-58 with 4:02 remaining, but Missouri Southern (14-12, 11-9 MIAA) ended the game on a 13-2 run and stunned the Griffons, 71-68, on Monday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse in the Griffons' final home game of the season.

The Griffons (13-15, 9-11 MIAA) made just one of their last six shots in the game and made just one of their last 11 three-point attempts after starting 5-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first half.

Missouri Southern, who led for only 3:41 of Monday's game, went up 68-66 with 1:23 to go off of a Stan Scott layup, completing a 10-0 run. Will Eames tied the game at 68 with 59 seconds to go off of a long range jumper.

The Griffons had the ball, down 69-68, with 25 seconds left. Coming out of a full timeout, the Griffons let about 18 seconds run off the clock before Eames took a right-handed floater that missed off the front of the rim from just a few feet away.

Southern's R.J. Smith rebounded and was then immediately fouled. In the double-bonus, Smith made both free throws, giving the Lions a 71-68 lead with 7.5 seconds remaining.

Out of a 30-second timeout, Q Mays trotted the ball up the floor and stopped for a three on the right wing that missed well short. Missouri Southern got the rebound as time expired, completing their comeback and deflating Western's momentum in their home finale.

"When you have one or two guys who aren't on board with the scout or the plan, it's hard to execute it," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "That's what you saw tonight. We all have to be on the same page. It's nobody's fault, and I take full ownership and accountability. But, when you're playing games like this, everyone has to be on the same page.

"The last minute-and-a-half, we weren't on the same page and it cost us the game."

Avery Taggart scored a career-high 25 points to lead the Lions to victory, including a 5-of-9 effort from beyond the arc. Stan Scott had 18 points and four rebounds.

Caleb Bennett, playing in his final home game as a Griffon, led his team with 17 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from three. Will Eames had his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Q Mays had 12 points and five assists.

Missouri Western rounds out the regular season this week on the road, traveling to No. 22 Fort Hays State (21-4, 16-4 MIAA) Wednesday and Nebraska-Kearney (11-15 overall, 7-13 MIAA) Friday. Both games will start at 7:30 following the women's matchups.

Monday's loss also drops the Griffon men to ninth place in the MIAA standings - just one game out of 10th. The top 10 teams in the conference standings advance to the MIAA tournament in Kansas City Mar. 2-6. Seeds 7-10 will have play-in games on the 2nd.

"The ramifications are real," Martin said. "There's no question about it. We have two big games, and you have to go on the road and try to steal one from Hays. Then, you play a tough Kearney team who shoots the ball really well on their senior night."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645498772308.jpeg" alt="Missouri Western's Caleb Bennett (11) scored a team-high 17 points in the Griffons' 71-68 loss to Missouri Southern Monday. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Missouri Western's Caleb Bennett (11) scored a team-high 17 points in the Griffons' 71-68 loss to Missouri Southern Monday. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMissouri Western led by as many as 10 points in the first half and led 66-58 with 4:02 remaining, but Missouri Southern (14-12, 11-9 MIAA) ended the game on a 13-2 run and stunned the Griffons, 71-68, on Monday night at the MWSU Fieldhouse in the Griffons' final home game of the season.The Griffons (13-15, 9-11 MIAA) made just one of their last six shots in the game and made just one of their last 11 three-point attempts after starting 5-of-6 from beyond the arc in the first half.Missouri Southern, who led for only 3:41 of Monday's game, went up 68-66 with 1:23 to go off of a Stan Scott layup, completing a 10-0 run. Will Eames tied the game at 68 with 59 seconds to go off of a long range jumper.The Griffons had the ball, down 69-68, with 25 seconds left. Coming out of a full timeout, the Griffons let about 18 seconds run off the clock before Eames took a right-handed floater that missed off the front of the rim from just a few feet away.Southern's R.J. Smith rebounded and was then immediately fouled. In the double-bonus, Smith made both free throws, giving the Lions a 71-68 lead with 7.5 seconds remaining.Out of a 30-second timeout, Q Mays trotted the ball up the floor and stopped for a three on the right wing that missed well short. Missouri Southern got the rebound as time expired, completing their comeback and deflating Western's momentum in their home finale."When you have one or two guys who aren't on board with the scout or the plan, it's hard to execute it," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "That's what you saw tonight. We all have to be on the same page. It's nobody's fault, and I take full ownership and accountability. But, when you're playing games like this, everyone has to be on the same page."The last minute-and-a-half, we weren't on the same page and it cost us the game."Avery Taggart scored a career-high 25 points to lead the Lions to victory, including a 5-of-9 effort from beyond the arc. Stan Scott had 18 points and four rebounds.Caleb Bennett, playing in his final home game as a Griffon, led his team with 17 points, including 3-of-5 shooting from three. Will Eames had his fifth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Q Mays had 12 points and five assists.Missouri Western rounds out the regular season this week on the road, traveling to No. 22 Fort Hays State (21-4, 16-4 MIAA) Wednesday and Nebraska-Kearney (11-15 overall, 7-13 MIAA) Friday. Both games will start at 7:30 following the women's matchups.Monday's loss also drops the Griffon men to ninth place in the MIAA standings - just one game out of 10th. The top 10 teams in the conference standings advance to the MIAA tournament in Kansas City Mar. 2-6. Seeds 7-10 will have play-in games on the 2nd."The ramifications are real," Martin said. "There's no question about it. We have two big games, and you have to go on the road and try to steal one from Hays. Then, you play a tough Kearney team who shoots the ball really well on their senior night."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Missouri Western loses late lead, Lions stun Griffons in home finale Monday

The Mid-Buchanan boys’ wrestling team is a Class 1 state champion for a second straight year.

The Dragons finished at the top of the Class 1 race with 171.5 points at the MSHSAA state wrestling tournament at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The Dragons had two state champions in freshman Spencer Cunningham at 106 pounds and junior Wade Stanton at 195 pounds.

Stanton finished his season with a 44-2 record, while Cunningham was 34-2. Of the 13 boys who qualified for state, seven came home with a state medal.

Class 1 113 - Mid-Buchanan’s Dallas Grippando medaled third. The senior finished his year at 27-5.

Class 1 126 - North Andrew’s Dawson Fansher medaled 2nd - his highest finish in his fourth year at state. He ended his senior season with a 31-1 record, falling in his title match in a 3-1 decision. Mid-Buchanan’s Clancey Woodward medaled 5th at 126 as well.

Class 1 145 - Maysville’s Kaleb Jestes medaled 2nd. The junior was 46-10 this year.&nbsp;

Class 1 160 - West Platte’s Cameron Williams medaled 3rd. The senior ended his season at 40-10. Mid-Buchanan’s Colton Kirkham medaled 5th at 160. The sophomore has now medaled at state twice.

Class 1 170 - Mid-Buchanan’s Zach Kelly medaled 5th, ending his junior year at 41-7.

Class 1 182 - Mid-Buchanan’s Denton Biller medaled 2nd. Meanwhile, Logan Bottcher of Gallatin medaled 4th and David Brown of West Platte 6th.

Class 1 195 - West Platte’s Lane Scott medaled 6th.&nbsp;

Class 1 285 - Mid-Buchanan’s Seth Cruz medaled 3rd for his second state medal. He beat Stanberry’s Austin Colven, who medaled 4th.&nbsp;

In Class 2, Cameron finished 4th in the team standings with 95 points and five state medalists.

Class 2 113 - Cameron’s Caleb Husch earned his third career state medal, finishing second. Savannah’s Gage Schottel medaled at state for a second straight year, coming home 5th.

Class 2 120 - Cameron’s Ryker Smith finished 3rd after medaling 2nd last year. Smith ends his senior year with a 41-1 record.

Class 2 126 - Cameron’s Tanner Riley medaled 2nd, ending his senior season at 49-4.&nbsp;

Class 2 138 - Cameron’s Brecken Gates medaled 4th after finishing 6th last year. Gates ends his senior year at 46-8.&nbsp;

Class 2 145 - Benton’s Bishop Rush got his first career state medal, coming home 4th. Cameron’s Chase Short medaled 5th.

Class 2 160 - Lafayette’s Jay Griener is a state champion after a 1-0 decision in his title match. Greiner, a junior, had medaled 2nd at state in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Greiner ends the year at 61-1 - setting a state record for most wins in a single season.

Class 2 182 - Savannah’s Cooper Burnsides medaled 6th.

100 - Lafayettes' Isa'Bella Mendoza placed 6th, ending her senior year at 28-7. She'll go onto wrestle collegiately at Chadron State College.

110 - Mid-Buchanan's Haley Sampson placed second in her fourth state appearance. She finished her senior year at 36-7.

141 - Mid-Buchanan's Layson Hafley earned her second career state medal, placing 6th. She ends her senior year at 36-7.

174 - Plattsburg's Payge Fuller medaled at state for a third straight season, placing fourth. She ends her senior year at 24-4.

194 - Cameron's Hollie Hedgpath placed 6th after medaling at state last season. Her junior year ends at 32-10.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645449832190.jpeg" alt="Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe Mid-Buchanan boys’ wrestling team is a Class 1 state champion for a second straight year.The Dragons finished at the top of the Class 1 race with 171.5 points at the MSHSAA state wrestling tournament at Mizzou Arena in Columbia. The Dragons had two state champions in freshman Spencer Cunningham at 106 pounds and junior Wade Stanton at 195 pounds.Stanton finished his season with a 44-2 record, while Cunningham was 34-2. Of the 13 boys who qualified for state, seven came home with a state medal.All other area state medalistsClass 1 113 - Mid-Buchanan’s Dallas Grippando medaled third. The senior finished his year at 27-5.Class 1 126 - North Andrew’s Dawson Fansher medaled 2nd - his highest finish in his fourth year at state. He ended his senior season with a 31-1 record, falling in his title match in a 3-1 decision. Mid-Buchanan’s Clancey Woodward medaled 5th at 126 as well.Class 1 145 - Maysville’s Kaleb Jestes medaled 2nd. The junior was 46-10 this year.&nbsp;Class 1 160 - West Platte’s Cameron Williams medaled 3rd. The senior ended his season at 40-10. Mid-Buchanan’s Colton Kirkham medaled 5th at 160. The sophomore has now medaled at state twice.Class 1 170 - Mid-Buchanan’s Zach Kelly medaled 5th, ending his junior year at 41-7.Class 1 182 - Mid-Buchanan’s Denton Biller medaled 2nd. Meanwhile, Logan Bottcher of Gallatin medaled 4th and David Brown of West Platte 6th.Class 1 195 - West Platte’s Lane Scott medaled 6th.&nbsp;Class 1 285 - Mid-Buchanan’s Seth Cruz medaled 3rd for his second state medal. He beat Stanberry’s Austin Colven, who medaled 4th.&nbsp;In Class 2, Cameron finished 4th in the team standings with 95 points and five state medalists.Class 2 113 - Cameron’s Caleb Husch earned his third career state medal, finishing second. Savannah’s Gage Schottel medaled at state for a second straight year, coming home 5th.Class 2 120 - Cameron’s Ryker Smith finished 3rd after medaling 2nd last year. Smith ends his senior year with a 41-1 record.Class 2 126 - Cameron’s Tanner Riley medaled 2nd, ending his senior season at 49-4.&nbsp;Class 2 138 - Cameron’s Brecken Gates medaled 4th after finishing 6th last year. Gates ends his senior year at 46-8.&nbsp;Class 2 145 - Benton’s Bishop Rush got his first career state medal, coming home 4th. Cameron’s Chase Short medaled 5th.Class 2 160 - Lafayette’s Jay Griener is a state champion after a 1-0 decision in his title match. Greiner, a junior, had medaled 2nd at state in both his freshman and sophomore seasons. Greiner ends the year at 61-1 - setting a state record for most wins in a single season.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645449992729.jpeg" alt="Jay Greiner wins. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Jay Greiner wins. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>Class 2 182 - Savannah’s Cooper Burnsides medaled 6th.Girls' wrestling results100 - Lafayettes' Isa'Bella Mendoza placed 6th, ending her senior year at 28-7. She'll go onto wrestle collegiately at Chadron State College.110 - Mid-Buchanan's Haley Sampson placed second in her fourth state appearance. She finished her senior year at 36-7.141 - Mid-Buchanan's Layson Hafley earned her second career state medal, placing 6th. She ends her senior year at 36-7.174 - Plattsburg's Payge Fuller medaled at state for a third straight season, placing fourth. She ends her senior year at 24-4.194 - Cameron's Hollie Hedgpath placed 6th after medaling at state last season. Her junior year ends at 32-10.&nbsp;

Mid-Buchanan boys win second straight title, Lafayette's Jay Greiner wins gold

Will Eames tied his career-high with 25 points, leading five Griffons in double figures as Missouri Western (13-14, 9-10 MIAA) scored an 80-75 win over Emporia State on Senior Night Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.

Missouri Western, who had lost at Emporia State 76-64 on Jan. 6, built a 35-22 lead with 5:50 left in the first half and led 40-34 at the break. Emporia State (18-7, 13-6) hit back, regaining the lead, 48-47, with 14:44 left off of a Peyton Rogers-Schmidt dunk.

The lead changed hands 15 times in all, and MWSU took the lead for good with 1:42 to go. After an offensive foul on Emporia State's Tray Buchanan, Hornets head coach Craig Doty was called on an ensuing technical foul, giving Missouri Western's Caleb Bennett two free throws.

Bennett made both, putting the Griffons ahead 74-73. Missouri Western got the ball back after the free throws, and they took advantage, as Eames hit a floater with 1:24 left to give the Griffons a 76-73 advantage.

Down 78-73 with 43 seconds left, Emporia State had the ball, but turned it over after a long pass down the sideline went out of bounds.

On the ensuing inbounds play, Bennett flung the ball down the floor to a wide open JaRon Thames, whose dunk gave the Griffons an 80-73 advantage with 32 seconds to go, essentially putting the game away.

"I love that this group stays connected no matter what," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "And you saw that tonight in a game that we had to have. These guys stepped up and I'm glad we were able to do it on Senior Night."

Bennett, Q Mays and Justin Bubak all scored 12 points to compliment Eames' 25. Taye Fields also came off the bench, scoring 11 points to go with eight rebounds. Thames finished with eight points as well.

"It was definitely a fun game," Eames said. "It was definitely like a playoff environment out there. Emporia is a really, really good team and they have two elite guards. They're really tough. This was a big win for us to get this win at home. I'm just proud of our guys."

MWSU shot 52.9 percent from the floor (27-of-51), including 11-of-18 from three. Emporia's Jumah'Ri Turner scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Hornets. Tray Buchanan had 16, while Brenden Van Dyke had 13 points and eight boards.

Missouri Western will play its eighth game in 16 days Monday when they welcome Missouri Southern (13-12, 10-9 MIAA) to St. Joseph for a makeup game. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

MWSU women fall behind early, never recover in loss to Hornets

Emporia State made 11 threes, scored 28 third quarter points and played one of their best games of the season in an 84-67 win over Missouri Western at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday.

The Hornets (13-12, 8-11 MIAA) jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first 3:25 of the game, and would never trail for the entire evening.

After getting beat by the Griffons 81-67 in Emporia this past Tuesday, the Hornets made the right adjustments on defense, turning Missouri Western over 17 times and holding them to 4-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc.

"I thought we were out toughed in every way in this game," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "Particularly to start. I mean, every loose ball. Every defensive rebound we should have been getting. (Emporia) is a very talented team. I think this team is capable of playing like this all of the time."

Emporia State was led in scoring by Tre'Zure Jobe, who had a game-high 22 points to go with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.

Ehlaina Hartman had 19 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three. Victoria Price had 16 points to go with four steals.

Corbyn Cunningham, playing in her final home game as a Griffon on Senior Night, led the Griffons (20-6, 14-6 MIAA) with 15 points - all in the second half. Jordan Cunningham came off the bench to score 13. Connie Clarke had her seventh double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

The Griffons have two big road trips to round out the regular season - at No. 9 Fort Hays State (23-3, 17-3 MIAA) Wednesday and at Nebraska-Kearney (20-6, 15-5 MIAA) Friday. Both games start at 5:30 p.m.

"We have two opportunities ahead of us that are important," Whitaker said. "It's going to be up to our team. Are they going to show up? I think when we're good and we're locked in and we're being physical, I think we're as good as anyone in the league or maybe the country. And when we're not, we're not very good."

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWill Eames tied his career-high with 25 points, leading five Griffons in double figures as Missouri Western (13-14, 9-10 MIAA) scored an 80-75 win over Emporia State on Senior Night Saturday at the MWSU Fieldhouse.Missouri Western, who had lost at Emporia State 76-64 on Jan. 6, built a 35-22 lead with 5:50 left in the first half and led 40-34 at the break. Emporia State (18-7, 13-6) hit back, regaining the lead, 48-47, with 14:44 left off of a Peyton Rogers-Schmidt dunk.The lead changed hands 15 times in all, and MWSU took the lead for good with 1:42 to go. After an offensive foul on Emporia State's Tray Buchanan, Hornets head coach Craig Doty was called on an ensuing technical foul, giving Missouri Western's Caleb Bennett two free throws.Bennett made both, putting the Griffons ahead 74-73. Missouri Western got the ball back after the free throws, and they took advantage, as Eames hit a floater with 1:24 left to give the Griffons a 76-73 advantage.Down 78-73 with 43 seconds left, Emporia State had the ball, but turned it over after a long pass down the sideline went out of bounds.On the ensuing inbounds play, Bennett flung the ball down the floor to a wide open JaRon Thames, whose dunk gave the Griffons an 80-73 advantage with 32 seconds to go, essentially putting the game away."I love that this group stays connected no matter what," Missouri Western coach Will Martin said. "And you saw that tonight in a game that we had to have. These guys stepped up and I'm glad we were able to do it on Senior Night."Bennett, Q Mays and Justin Bubak all scored 12 points to compliment Eames' 25. Taye Fields also came off the bench, scoring 11 points to go with eight rebounds. Thames finished with eight points as well."It was definitely a fun game," Eames said. "It was definitely like a playoff environment out there. Emporia is a really, really good team and they have two elite guards. They're really tough. This was a big win for us to get this win at home. I'm just proud of our guys."MWSU shot 52.9 percent from the floor (27-of-51), including 11-of-18 from three. Emporia's Jumah'Ri Turner scored a game-high 29 points to lead the Hornets. Tray Buchanan had 16, while Brenden Van Dyke had 13 points and eight boards.Missouri Western will play its eighth game in 16 days Monday when they welcome Missouri Southern (13-12, 10-9 MIAA) to St. Joseph for a makeup game. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.MWSU women fall behind early, never recover in loss to HornetsEmporia State made 11 threes, scored 28 third quarter points and played one of their best games of the season in an 84-67 win over Missouri Western at the MWSU Fieldhouse Saturday.The Hornets (13-12, 8-11 MIAA) jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first 3:25 of the game, and would never trail for the entire evening.After getting beat by the Griffons 81-67 in Emporia this past Tuesday, the Hornets made the right adjustments on defense, turning Missouri Western over 17 times and holding them to 4-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc."I thought we were out toughed in every way in this game," Missouri Western coach Candi Whitaker said. "Particularly to start. I mean, every loose ball. Every defensive rebound we should have been getting. (Emporia) is a very talented team. I think this team is capable of playing like this all of the time."Emporia State was led in scoring by Tre'Zure Jobe, who had a game-high 22 points to go with five rebounds, four assists and three steals.Ehlaina Hartman had 19 points on 4-of-7 shooting from three. Victoria Price had 16 points to go with four steals.Corbyn Cunningham, playing in her final home game as a Griffon on Senior Night, led the Griffons (20-6, 14-6 MIAA) with 15 points - all in the second half. Jordan Cunningham came off the bench to score 13. Connie Clarke had her seventh double-double of the season with 11 points and 12 rebounds.The Griffons have two big road trips to round out the regular season - at No. 9 Fort Hays State (23-3, 17-3 MIAA) Wednesday and at Nebraska-Kearney (20-6, 15-5 MIAA) Friday. Both games start at 5:30 p.m."We have two opportunities ahead of us that are important," Whitaker said. "It's going to be up to our team. Are they going to show up? I think when we're good and we're locked in and we're being physical, I think we're as good as anyone in the league or maybe the country. And when we're not, we're not very good."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1645333717682.jpeg" alt="Photo via GoGriffons.com." />
 <figcaption>Photo via GoGriffons.com.</figcaption>
 </figure>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

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