December 2018

#2 Life in the Big 8 Begins

Number two on the list is play beginning for Hollister and Reeds Spring in the Big 8 Conference.

The Tigers and Wolves were joined by former COC members: Rogersville, Catholic, and Marshfield, along with Nevada. The six schools were added to the existing eight and split into two divisions. The five former COC members along with Mt Vernon and Aurora make up the east and Monett, East Newton, Cassville, McDonald County, Lamar, Nevada, and Seneca make up the west.

Despite many predictions the east has fared very well.

In Football the east won the head to head matchups. And, when the champs met, head to head in the playoffs, it was, Mt Vernon, the East Champ that came out on top. (In case you are wondering: Yes the old COC schools were above .500 without considering the added wins the the Mountaineers and Houn Dawgs brought)

In volleyball the east swept the head to head matchups at the end of the season

And in softball, McDonald County claimed the championship,but Reeds Spring and Rogersville were right there, and in contention until the final game.

The total 14 team conference makes up one of the toughest leagues in the state.

#3 College of the Ozarks Parts way with Nike..

The number three story in the countdown was one that made National News. The College of the Ozarks decided to no longer dress their athletes in Nike apparel.

In response to Nike’s support of Colin Kaepernick and the kneeling for the National Anthem controversy: The college, sticking to its core values, decided that it would no longer support the company.

“In their new ad campaign, we believe Nike executives are promoting an attitude of division and disrespect toward America,” said College of the Ozarks President Jerry C. Davis in a statement. “If Nike is ashamed of America, we are ashamed of them. We also believe that those who know what sacrifice is all about are more likely to be wearing a military uniform than an athletic uniform.”

The College has been extremely consistent in standing up for its core values. They gave up hosting the NAIA Division II National Basketball Championships after the organization refused to require that all teams commit to requiring their players to stand for the National Anthem.

The volleyball team was the first effected, they immediately began wearing t-shirts to play in. The mens and womens basketball teams have switched to Adidas and Under Armor uniforms.

#4 Ben Moler Ends Football Career at Reeds Spring

The #4 story in the countdown is the Reeds Spring Football career of Ben Moler.

I have said it before, watching Ben Moler walking in street clothes does not automatically intimidate you. But put on a tape of the linebacker and you have a totally new story. Not the biggest, not the strongest, but the dude gets to the ball as good as anyone I have seen at this level. Its a tribute to his hard work and study of the game.

He accumulated nearly 300 solo tackles in his nearly three years starting for the Wolves. I am not alone in my praise. He is a two time Conference Defensive player of the year and a two time All-State selection. He even got recognition for his work on the offensive line this year from other Big 8 coaches.

Not only his playing ability but his leadership will be missed. He was really like having another coach on the field.

My choice for the Perry Phillips Broadcasting Player of the Year, has likely played his last football game (not counting what should be an invitation to play in an all-star game next summer). Despite offers to continue his playing career, as of now, he is looking forward to baseball season and then on to life as regular college student.

#5 Blue Eye Basketball…

The number 5 story in this years countdown is shared between the Boys and Girls Basketball Teams at Blue Eye.

It was a special winter made even more special by the fact that the school was hosting Districts for only the second time in the current gymnasium.

The Girls were the top seed and got a bye into the semi-finals. In that round they rolled Galena 94-33 and claimed the Championship with a 20 point win over Miller. It was on the the State Tournament.

It was on to Carthage High School for a matchup with Pierce City. It was a slower pace defensive struggle but the Lady Bulldogs prevailed to the tune of a 34-25 victory.

That set up a date with perennial power Skyline at the O’Reilly Family Event Center on the Drury University Campus in Springfield. The Lady Tigers would end the season for Blue Eye but the memories of the 24 win season and the friendships made along the way will last a lifetime.

A full eight team field awaited the Bulldogs at Districts. Like the girls, they were the top seed. Their games were a little closer but the end results were the same… BLUE EYE VICTORIES.. Miller, Verona, and Crane all fell victim to the Andrew Mitchell led Bulldogs, who claimed the title for the fist time since the Final Four run of current assistant coach, Trey Patton, and his classmates.

The run for the Bulldogs would come to an end in the sectional round. They dropped a tough 69-63 decision to Purdy. 21-6 proved the be the final mark as the Bulldogs served notice that they are back.

#6 Hollister Football Changes

The #6 story in my countdown could easily be counted as two, or even three, stories in one.

Jacob Hamon, who had been with the Hollister Football Program from its inception, got the chance to join the staff at Branson and took it. Hamon was a star defender with the Pirates in his playing days.

The Tigers were able to land former Mountain Grove head coach, Rich Adkins, to take over the program.

Adkins brought in his split back veer offense. The Tigers looked as physical as they have ever been. They fell just points short of hosting a district playoff game this season. And, without doubt, look to be a team on the rise.

#7 Izzy Erickson has a Season for the Record Books

The #7 story in my countdown is the dominating season that Reeds Spring’s Izzy Erickson had this fall.

She was in a word…. DOMINANT.

At the plate she hit for average and power. Despite he size she can deliver a wallop. Izzy hit well over .400 this season. She tied the single season home run record and is set to obliterate the career mark with still a year to go.

In the circle she was simply amazing. The 12-5 record is impressive, as are the three saves. But, how bout the fact that she struck out 230 batters in 117 innings? Want more? She walked only 22. That amounts to a 10.45 to 1 K to BB ratio, unheard of.

She was the Big 8 Pitcher of the Year and earned All-State Honors.

#8 Blue Eye Girls Cross Country

The number 8 sports story of 2018 is the Blue Eye Girls Cross-Country Team.

Led by Riley and Avery Arnold, the Blue Eye Cross Country team dominated the competition all year long. The finished the year as the Class 1 State Runners-up.

The Freshmen sisters went one-two most of the year, including the State Championship Meet.

The Lady Bulldogs finished with the best average time at the Championships and fell just 13 points short of taking home the team state title.

Get ready to hear more from these girls in the future… they graduate NOBODY. Of the six girls that competed FIVE are freshman to go along with one junior.

#9 Coach Burgi Hangs Em Up…

We move to my #9 story of 2018…..

Coach John Burgi, retired from coaching at the end of the 2018 Hollister Tiger Baseball Season. He remains the schools athletic director.

Burgi had been the baseball coach at Hollister since the 2012-2013 school year. He came to Hollister after a highly successful stint at Jonesboro Valley View High School in Arkansas. In ten seasons leading the Blazers, Burgi was 229-83. He won two state titles, guided another edition to the semifinals. He won five regionals and sent seven of the 10 teams to the state tournament.

Burgi also spent nine years leading the baseball program at Carthage High School and another nine as the head man at Hutchison Community College in Kansas.

He is among the most personable guys you would ever want to meet. His knowledge of the game is hard to match. Its easy to say that he is a mentor and friend to tons of coaches all over Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas.

Last January he was inducted into the Missouri Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame.

#10 Duncan and Garrison say Goodbye to Branson Soccer…

My top ten sports stories of the year starts with Branson Soccer. And, more specifically the graduation of arguably the two best girls to ever wear a Branson Soccer Uniform

McKenzie Duncan and Lauren Garrison have set marks that future Lady Pirates will have their work cut out in matching.

Duncan leaves BHS as the most prolific goal scorer in the programs history. Her 70 career goals are 10 more than the next two players on the list combined. She also has the mark for goals in a season and her six goals against Mountain View-Liberty, last Spring, is the single game mark.

But its more than just goals. She also owns the school record for assists in a game, season, and career. And just like goals, its not close. Her career assist record is more than the next three names on the list combined.

This past season she was named All-Conference, All-District, All-Area, and All-State.

She is continuing her Soccer career at Palm Beach-Atlantic in Florida, where she recently completed her Freshman season.

While Duncan was making sure the ball got put in the net, Garrison was keeping balls out of the goal at the other end. She owns every saves record imaginable. That includes an incredible 27 saves in a game against Nixa her sophomore year. She had 192 that season alone, and owns the top three seasons in school history.

This past season she received All-Conference and All-District honors.

Garrison chose to play basketball in college and attend Rockhurst University. She suffered a knee injury and is on her way to recovery.

Pink and White Brackets revealed..

The brackets and matchups have been released for this years Pink and White Lady Classic at Drury University in Springfield.

One again a loaded field led by Strafford will take the courts of the O’Reilly Family Event Center and the historic Weiser Gym.

Neither Branson nor Blue Eye received one of the seeded spots in the field… They are in the same portion of the Pink Bracket. Branson will face #8 Parkview at 4:30 on December 26th while Blue Eye takes on Kickapoo at 7:30.

Here is a look at the first round matchups of both divisions..

Pink (opening round in Weiser Gym on Dec. 26)

No. 7 Republic vs. Glendale @ 9:30 a.m.
No. 2 Ozark vs. Hillcrest @ 11 a.m.

No. 6 Rogersville vs. Spokane @ 12:30 p.m.
No. 3 Mount Vernon vs. Buffalo @ 2 p.m.

No. 8 Parkview vs. Branson @ 4:30 p.m.
No. 1 Strafford vs. Lebanon @ 6 p.m.

No. 5 Kickapoo vs. Blue Eye @ 7:30 p.m.
No. 4 Jonesboro AR vs. Thayer @ 9 p.m.

White (opening round in O’Reilly Family Event Center on Dec. 26)

No. 7 Fair Grove vs. Marshfield @ 9:30 a.m.
No. 2 Nixa vs. Central @ 11 a.m.

No. 6 Willard vs. Aurora @ 12:30 p.m.
No. 3 West Plains vs. Carthage @ 2 p.m.

No. 8 Skyline vs. Bolivar @ 4:30 p.m.
No. 1 Fort Smith Northside vs. Springfield Catholic @ 6 p.m.

No. 5 Clever vs. Wheatland @ 7:30 p.m.
No. 4 Lutheran North vs. Camdenton @ 9 p.m.

Boy’s Blue and Gold Seeds will be released tomorrow.