Sports

Rebuilding with mechanics

Six starters return to a Southwest softball team billing itself as in a rebuilding year and ready to battle through growing pains. Emily Snyder, Southwest softball coach, said the Lady Trojans have been working through the summer to improve, specifically in regard to mechanics.
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Bulldogs bring ‘sneaky good’ potential

With six returning starters taking to the diamond for Wheaton this season, Bulldogs Baseball Coach Tucker Dermott said this year is one of the most promising for his squad to be “sneaky good.” Excited for Wheaton’s positional and lineup versatility, as well as its pitching depth and experience, Dermott said the Bulldogs have a lot of players up for spots who can play anywhere. “Being a small team in the past, I’ve had to make it work because of our lack of depth,” he said.
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Cassville girls making strides

The Cassville girls basketball team was a shade away from a .500 record this season, but how much the team has improved year-to-year is in the scorebook. Cassville Girls Basketball Coach Clayton Bagby said the Lady Wildcats (12-15, 3-3) endured a transition year and made themselves better during it.
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Tigers searching for 4

The Exeter baseball team is entering this season with high expectations having lost only two players, and the Tigers are taking aim at a fourth straight Ozark 7 title and a deeper run in districts. Matt Tripp, Exeter baseball coach, said the young Tigers squad struggled to reach potential last season, but the outlook this year is on the up.
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Faith in a champion

James wins Cassville's 3rd state title; Roark medals for first time Cassville senior Faith James wrestled her final high school match on Thursday, and she left the mat with a new title to add to her resume — state champion. Upon pinning Oak Grove's Lauren Phillips in 2:12 in the 135-pound title bout of the 2024 MSHSAA State Championships at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, James screamed, jumped and cried as she began to process accomplishing the biggest goal of her prep career.
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Leveling up

High school wrestlers set the goal each year to improve upon their previous season’s finish, and Cassville’s boys accomplished that goal with sequential flair at the 2024 MSHSAA State Championships. Sophomores Riley James, 150 pounds, Tristan Thompson, 157 pounds, and Colten Roark, 165 pounds, were joined by freshman Kaleb Artherton, 106 pounds at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, bringing home three medals among the group of four.
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Back-to-back!

A sizable contingent of Southwest boys basketball fans collectively held their breath on Saturday as a Lamar 3-pointer sailed toward the basket as the game’s final buzzer sounded. The shot missed, and that held breath escaped into screams of joy as the Trojans secured their second consecutive Class 3, District 12 championship.
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