Sports

The Cassville girls basketball team (7-2) saw a five-game win streak snapped on Wednesday with a 40-36 loss to Blue Eye. The Lady Wildcats won the five prior, defeating Greenwood, 47-46 in overtime; Mt. Vernon, 44-38; Wheaton, 55-22; Sarcoxie, 36-32; and Reeds Spring, 35-18. The Lady Wildcats are playing in the Southwest Tournament this week, where they were runners-up last year. Cassville opened play Monday against Wheaton. The final game of the tournament is today.

CS Bank has made a donation that will benefit both the boys and girls basketball teams at Cassville High School. In partnership with CS Bank, the Cassville basketball teams have purchased a basketball shooting machine for athletes to use during practices. The machine acts as an automatic rebounder, instantly rebounding a made or missed shot and giving a direct return pass for another shot. Front row, from left: Cassville players Ashlynn Bryan and Marianne McCrackin; Morgan Mitchell and Marla Shore, with CS Bank; and players Macie Walker and Maci Barton. Back row: Cassville players Caleb Leach, Hernan Hernandez, Isaac Hadlow, Peter Littlefield, Ethan Lamborn, Aidan Cook and Mason Gautney.

The Purdy boys basketball team has already accomplished something this season it has never done before, at least as far back as MSHSAA records go. With a win over Wheaton on Friday, the Eagles moved to 10-2 on the season, marking the first time on record they have produced double-digit wins by the end of December.

A total of 13 girls wrestled in two 120-pound brackets at the Nixa Girls Invite on Dec. 12, but none were any match for the tandem of Kailey Artherton and Annie Moore.

In the 106-pound bracket at the Bentonville West Invitational Dec. 10, the winning wrestler was on the mat four times, but never for more than a minute.

The Exeter boys basketball team played in the Pierce City Invitational Nov. 28 through Dec. 3, falling to Marshfield in the opening round, 77-44, Verona in the consolation semifinal, 86-73, and Crane in the seventh-place game, 74-66. Nathan Tackett is pictured pulling in a rebound for the Tigers in the game against Verona.

The Southwest boys basketball team has started the season at 4-3, with three seniors and three juniors leading this year’s squad. Rusty Roe, Southwest boys basketball coach, said the Trojans lost two starters from last season in Cruz Marquez and Caden Uthe, but they return plenty of firepower.

For Cassville senior Jolie Evans, the reward for running is the result at the end, and the standout is will start a new chapter of rewards next year as a runner for Washburn University. Evans signed recently to the school, running cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in the spring.

Five seniors are on the Cassville boys basketball roster this season, aiming to lead the team to new heights and under new management. Clayton Bagby, Cassville boys basketball coach, said he is excited to be returning to his roots.