Sports

The Monett boys basketball team is looking past a Tuesday loss to Nevada and setting its sights on Big 8 Conference play, the thick of which begins on Tuesday. Jeremy Land, Monett head coach, said his team has struggled with some inconsistency, especially defensively, which in part led to a 64-49 loss to Clever on Tuesday...

The Pierce City boys basketball team is turning its attention to conference and district play for the remainder of the season, aiming to continue improving game by game. The Eagles (3-12) fell to Purdy on Tuesday in a close contest, 50-47. Down 2 in the final minute, Pierce City was forced to foul and attempt to close the gap, but Purdy held on for the win...

A hard-fought game on the hardwood Thursday ultimately did not go Pierce City’s way, as the Lady Eagles lost to Wheaton in overtime, 50-44. The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a hot start, popping a trio of three-pointers for a 9-0 lead and extending the gap to 16-3 at the end of the first quarter...

The Monett girls wrestling team took home fourth place in the Big 8 Tournament on Wednesday, with three earning top-three finishes. Cassville and Marshfield were named co-champions of the event with 152 points each. Seneca took third with 95, and Monett was fourth with 49 points...

The Monett boys wrestling team came close to bringing home some gold medals Saturday, but three grapplers fell just short and had to settle for silver. At the Branson Invitational, Simon Hartline, Joshua Harvey and Harrison Merriman all collected second-place honors in their respective weights...

The Verona girls basketball team has not had a full roster since before Christmas, but that is not stopping the Lady Wildcats from racking up wins. At 12-6, Verona is on an 8-day respite after Monday’s 53-40 win over Southwest on the road. Brandon Weiss, Verona coach, said the team has equaled its win total from last season, and has faced plenty of challenges along the way...

Focus on the process, not the outcome. That is the advice Ben Hohensee, Monett boys wrestling coach, is giving his team as the Cubs head into the Big 8 Tournament Friday. Saddled with some injuries, Monett is hoping to have most of its team back this week, but Hohensee said the squad will still be light...

The Monett girls wrestling team took second place in the 14-team Lady Tiger Pride Battle in Willard on Saturday, with two girls taking first, one earning second and another finishing third. Marshfield won the event, posting a score of 113. Monett earned second place with a score of 57, and Sikeston was third with 51...

A fast start from Pierce City allowed the team to hang on to a late lead and pick up a road win Thursday at Purdy. The Lady Eagles, 6-9, led 29-15 at halftime, and while Purdy turned up the heat in the final quarter, the lead never dipped into single-digits and the Lady Eagles ruled the nest, 52-37...

The Monett boys wrestling team split contests Thursday in dual action at Logan-Rogersville High School. The Cubs were victorious over the home team, 48-36, but fell in action against Lebanon, 61-15. Ben Bluel won both of his matches at 132, defeating Logan-Rogersville’s Daniel Christian by fall in 0:33 and Lebanon’s Cole Patton by fall in 3:21...

The Verona boys basketball team is looking to rebound from a pair of recent losses as conference play is underway. The Wildcats (6-11), stuck with Southwest on Thursday through the first half, but the Trojans pulled away after the break and handed Verona a 72-49 loss at home...

The Monett girls wrestling team is looking to make some noise today in Willard, as six varsity grapplers will hit the mats at the 18-team Lady Tiger Pride Tournament. Justin Semerad, Monett girls wrestling coach, said although placing as a team with so few competitors is not as realistic, he is hoping for strong individual finishes from his squad...

The Monett wrestling team competed in its home tournament on Saturday, hosting 16 squads and finishing fifth in the team standings. Pleasant Hill won the event with 332 points. In second was Bolivar with 253, third was Willard with 233.5, fourth was Osage with 187.5, and Monett rounded out the top five with 159...

For only the second time since November, the Purdy girls basketball team had all five of its regular starters on the floor Friday, and it paid off. The Lady Eagles overcame a 10-point deficit in the third quarter to come away from Cassville with a 46-41 win...

Multiple local athletes raked in more than just presents over the Christmas break. At the Southwest Holiday Tournament, six boys and four girls from local squads were named to the All-Tournament teams. Marionville won the boys tournament, with Jordan Williams being named the Most Valuable Player. Cassville won the girls’ side, with Sharayah Seymour being named MVP...

The Monett girls wrestling team competed in the Gem City Scramble in Diamond on Monday, with three Lady Cubs earning third-place finishes. Finishing in third were: Abby Jastal, who went 3-2 with two pins; Brooke Bluel, who went 3-2 with one pin; and Emily Hinojosa, who went 1-3 with a pin...

Verona standout Paige Bauer was recognized this week for an achievement on the court, scoring her 1,500th point for the Lady Wildcats.

A strong schedule and gaining experience have been the pitfalls for the Monett girls basketball team this season, which is searching for its first win as the new year begins. The Lady Cubs fell to Nevada on Thursday, 51-31, but Head Coach Josh Kleine said there were some bright spots against the tough opponent...

The Monett wrestling team struggled as the 2020 calendar year ended, dropping four duals in Carthage, but there was an upside. The Cubs fell to Hickman, 42-33; Carthage, 39-24; Nixa, 51-25; and Raymore-Peculiar, 45-33. Although the team had a tough go, two wrestlers fared well in their contests, as Ethan Umfleet and Harrison Merriman were undefeated on the day...

The Monett school district’s athletics department has joined a small club this school year, as it is one of four in the CoxHealth athletic trainer system to have two trainers at its disposal. Dan Schmutz, athletic training coordinator for CoxHealth Monett, said the district and CoxHealth agreed to the move in the summer of 2020, especially with how COVID-19 was affecting sports...

When it comes to narrowing down 10 years of work into a list format, invariably tough choices are made in what to include and what gets left out. With the final five items left on my All-Decade countdown, each step became a tough choice, but one that I could look myself in the mirror and justify...

When it comes to fishing for trout at Roaring River State Park, not many can say they do it as often or as well as Tim Homesley. For about 50 years, Homesley, owner of Tim’s Fly Shop just north of the river, has been pulling out trout by the thousands, and he enjoys offering tips to anglers hoping to make the best of their fishing trips to the crystal clear waters of Roaring River...

Late night talk show host David Letterman made millions of dollars off one simple little skit – The Top 10 list. A few years ago the idea was commandeered by The Monett Times and at the end of the years the The Top 10 news and sports stories from the previous year are released...

One of my favorite athletes of all time, Wayne Gretzky, once said, “The highest compliment that you can pay me is to say that I work hard every day, that I never dog it.” The Great One’s statement is spawned from sports, but it transcends the ice in his case and can just as easily be applied to life and a career...

Monett’s Harrison Merriman, (No. 56) made a clean sweep on the All-State selection teams as he was named to both the Missouris Coaches and to the Media All-State football team on Monday.

Monett schools has more than 100 years of sports history. State Champions, All-Americans, All-State Selections and numerous other accolades have been awarded to individuals and teams representing the Purple and Gold over the years. Now, the time has come for the district to honor those that contributed so much to making the sports history at the district...

Pierce City quarterback Chanse Ford, pictured, and defensive lineman Cody Hyde both earned Class 1 Third Team All-State honors for the Eagles this season.