Sports

While the varsity season may be over, the postseason award train is steadily moving forward for spring sport athletes. In the Class 1, District 6 tournament, Wheaton’s Klay Reed, Verona’s Kolton Pinkly and Caleb Hillhouse, and Exeter’s Jared Alverson, Ethan Caddell and Trevor Nelson led the area charge...

It is no secret that usually the longer a team can keep a coaching staff together, the better off a program will be in the long run. However, no matter what level of sports a person follows, there will always be coaching turnover. Some coaches leave for better opportunities, others to be closer to family, but whatever affairs necessitate change, there is always turnover...

The International Dehydrated Foods (IDF) Cal Ripken Rookie League baseball team of the 2018 Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League.

The Four States Dental Cal Ripken Minor League baseball team of the 2018 Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League.

With the voting complete and the awards announced, five Monett baseball players secured six spots on the 2018 Big 8 All-Conference baseball team. For the Cubs, pitcher Corey Spain earned First Team status for his play this season. Landing on the Second Team was Zach Blevins, designated hitter...

In an attempt to address a growing need, the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) has launched a campaign to recruit more high school officials for every member sport. The Missouri State High School Activities Association was formed in 1926 to give direction to amateur interscholastic competition between member schools. One of the functions of the MSHSAA in this area is the registration and training of athletic game officials...

The International Dehydrated Foods (IDF) Cal Ripken T-ball team of the 2018 Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League.

The Monett Sales and Rentals 12-and-under softball team of the 2018 Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League.

One of the most explosive and dynamic basketball players in the state of Missouri has announced his intention to play basketball at the college level. Purdy High School 2018 graduate Colt Keeling signed papers binding him to Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and to Coach Jeff Boschee’s Lions this fall...

The Monett WaterThrashers swim team will head to Lamar on Saturday for the team’s third meet of the season. Head Coach Charles LeGarce said the team is off to a good start, having taken second place out of 12 squads in the team competition at Nevada in the first weekend in June. Last weekend, the squad doubled up and had two days on contests, taking third place of the 12 teams competing. Thirteen teams are expected in Lamar...

The 3D Corporate Solutions Cal Ripken Rookie League baseball team of the 2018 Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League.

The Family Care Chiropractic 8-and-under softball team of the 2018 Monett Youth Baseball and Softball League.

There is an old saying, “to the victor, goes the spoils.” Nowhere was that more true than for the Pierce City baseball team when it came to the Spring River Valley All-Conference baseball team. The Eagles were the undefeated regular season champions and secured seven spots on the roster...

There are several different methods coaches and fans can use to determine how much talent a team has. One metric that is easy to use is what other coaches think of a team’s players when it come to the all-conference teams voting. In the case of Pierce City, the team landed five players on the Spring River Valley All-Conference, as voted on by the member schools...

Purdy athletic director and former Monett coach Alan Spencer recently received state-wide recognition for another passion, being a track official.

Four area athletes, including three from Monett, will join a group of nearly 100 finalists for the coveted Springfield Sports Commission Awards. On Monday, Monett’s Joel Barrientos, wresting; Katie Kurima, softball; Jason Puente, soccer; and Purdy’s Zoe Brown, golf, along with the other nominated athletes, will attend the Sports Commission Awards presented by Elliott Lodging, a ceremony that will honor the top high school athletes and teams from throughout southwest Missouri...

The West All-Stars’ domination in the 17th annual Sertoma Grin Iron Classic continued again this year with a 42-3 romping of the East All-Stars in the prep football finale. The West has won 15 of the 17 meetings, with this game being the most lopsided on the scoreboard...

Without a doubt, the Aurora High School baseball team proved that it was the best team in Class 4 with a 2-0 win over St. Mary’s on Saturday. This season, Cassville fell 5-0 to the state champions and saw firsthand how the never-say-die mantra of the Houn’ Dawgs worked...

This week the Monett softball team hosted its annual youth camp.

Although she would not say anything before the event, Monett Track Coach Kelly George was a bit nervous as her daughter Kaesha George prepared for the Class 4 state javelin competition. Those nerves were transformed into joy and tears of happiness filled her eyes when Kaesha launched the javelin 138-11 to claim the Class 4 title and set a new record for the class...

Growing up in a 19-foot trailer and learning to play basketball on a dirt court helped Missouri State University basketball coach Dana Ford develop the mental toughness needed to break through the rocky road of life and climb to through the ranks to become a Division 1 basketball coach...

The Missouri Veterans Home Assistance League has announced the third annual Duffers for Veterans Golf Tournament, which will be held on June 16 at the Honey Creek Golf Club north of Aurora. The golf tournament will be a fundraiser to benefit the veteran residents of the Mt. Vernon Missouri Veterans Home. This will be a four-man scramble with registration times of 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The number of flights based on entries. A team must consist of four people...

The Pierce City baseball team is hosting its inaugural men’s and women’s Pierce City Alumni Baseball Tournament on June 2 at 1 p.m. at the high school. The entry fee is $25 and includes a free T-shirt. All proceeds will benefit the Pierce City basketball team. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for students and concessions will be available...

The Missouri Department of Conservation will offer Free Fishing Days June 9 and 10 to all persons without having to buy a fishing permit, trout permit or trout park daily tag for fishing at any state run facility. Fishing limitations on fish numbers and size will continue in place...

There will be a youth baseball June 4-7 at Exeter High School. Exeter High School head coach Matt Trip will direct the program in conjunction with U.S. Baseball Academy. Classes are available for players in grades K-9 and are limited to seven players per coach. Sessions are offered in hitting, pitching, fielding and base running...

The 28th Mark Welch Annual Memorial Benefit Golf Tournament will be held June 3 at Honey Creek Golf Club (417-678-3353), located five miles north of Aurora. Tee times are 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. This year’s tournament benefits a family from Crane whose 14-year-old son is going to St Louis for brain surgery because of severe seizures...

The Pierce City baseball team is hosting its inaugural men’s and women’s Pierce City Alumni Baseball Tournament on June 2 at 1 p.m. at the high school. The entry fee is $25 and includes a free T-shirt. All proceeds will benefit the Pierce City basketball team...

Monett tennis coach Jason Smith is offering three tennis camps to all interested school students this summer. From July 9 -13 from 9 to 9:45 a.m., he will host kids from the Central Park and intermediate schools (grades three to six). From July 9-20 from 10 to 11 a.m., high school girls can receive instruction, with boys following from 11 a.m. to noon...

For the first time since 2003, Monett claimed a first place finish at the track and field state championship. Kaesha George won the title with a throw of 138-11 in the javelin. Kelsey Dalton achieved All-State status with an eighth place finish in the 100-meter dash...

In what has become one of the ultimate honors in southwest Missouri, on Friday in the 17th annual Sertoma Grin Iron Classic will be contested at JFK Stadium in Springfield. Monett’s Coy Butterworth and Pierce City’s Trenton Byers, both offensive linemen, are among those included on the impressive West roster...

Monett residents have a reason to pay attention to Oxford, Miss., on Friday as one of its own sons and his baseball team invades Ole Miss for the NCAA Regional baseball playoffs. Aaron Patton, alumnus of Monett High School and the Billikens of St. Louis University, earned an automatic berth into the NCAA playoffs...

Area youth in grades kindergarten through sixth are invited to attend a youth skills workshop presented by the Monett High School coaching staff and players from May 31. The cost is $25 and includes a T-shirt for those that preregister. Kindergarten through second-grade camp is from noon to 1 p.m., with third- and fourth-grade students camping from 1-2 p.m. and fifth- and sixth-grade players slated for 2-3 p.m. each day...

The Monett high school baseball team will conduct its annual youth baseball camp for youth in kindergarten through sixth grade on May 31 at North Park. The camp will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon, and the cost is $35 and includes a T-shirt. For more information, people may contact Michael Calhoun at mcalhoun@monettschools.org or call 417-440-0519...

A softball camp for girls entering grades four through eight is set for May 29-31 from 9-10:30 a.m. at Monett North Park. The state champion Monett High School coaching staff and players will conduct the camp, which will center on fundamentals growth incorporating fun and challenging games...

The Monett school district took time to honor its athletes at the annual all-sports banquet. Each respective sport was recognized for its achievements and the four-year participants were recognized. Additionally, Cub Award Winners for each sports were named along with the top Male and Female Athletes of the Year and four-year participant winners...

St. Louis native Mark Schupp is a goal oriented individual. In 2014, he made a lofty goal and on Wednesday, he will be one step closer to completing his task. Schupp set his sights on playing every golf course in the state of Missouri and will be in Monett on Wednesday, May 30, playing Windmill Ridge Golf Course...

Members of the Monett volleyball team recently volunteered to pick up trash on Highway 60 inside the Monett city limits.

Monett Kaesha George is the state champion javelin thrower. On Friday in Jefferson City at the state track meet, George threw the javelin 138-11, which is also a new state record for Class 4. A full recap of state track competition will appear in the Wednesday issue of The Monett Times...