Month: August 2021

   The 2021 season got off on the right foot for Reeds Spring and Hollister as they both picked up road wins in Big 8 Cross-Division Games.  Branson did not fair as well at Nixa.

    The Wolves got off to about as good of a start as anyone could ask.  Evan Gross picked up the opening kickoff and took it back 86 yards for a touchdown.  After a defensive stop, Reeds Spring put together a sustained drive that ended with a Caden Wiest receiving touchdown.   Wiest would add another touchdown reception in the second half.  Gross would score four times on the night and do it in about every way conceivable.  He ran for one, caught one,  had a kick return for one, and had a fumble recovery for one.  Wolves beat East Newton 49-20.

  The Tigers trailing by one late in the 3rd quarter at Monett got touchdowns form Blake Russell and Luke Calovich to pick up a big road win.  Russell would run from 120 yards on the night and Calovich was good for 178 in the air as the Tigers had nearly 400 yards of total offense.  They defeated the Cubs 42-27.

  Branson got a pick 6 to take the early lead at Nixa but the Eagles got rolling and defeated the Pirates 42-6 in Central Ozarks Conference Action.

  The Forsyth Panthers will kickoff their season tonight and you can hear the game on Moarksports.com

       The Missouri State Activities Association released their Class and District lineups this morning for Fall Sports and there are some changes. Football, Volleyball, Softball, and Soccer all saw changes

 FOOTBALL

   Reeds Spring, Hollister, and Branson all noticed changes within their districts.  The Wolves and Tigers will notice that Mt Vernon is no longer a district foe.  The Mountaineers have moved down to Class 2.  They are replaced by Buffalo and Mountain Grove.  

  Branson will notice that it will finally get to play someone outside the COC.  They have been sent East for their District and are the only COC school in the district.

 Class 3 District 6

Aurora

Buffalo

Cassville

Hollister

Mtn Grove

Reeds Spring

Seneca

 

Class 5 District 5

Branson

Camdenton

Central

Glendale

Lebanon

Rolla

Rolla

Waynesville

 

Class 2 District 3

Ava

Forsyth

Houston

Mtn View Liberty

Catholic

Strafford

Willow Springs

 

        Volleyball

   Reeds Spring, Hollister, and Forsyth were all together last year but not the case this season.  Branson Volleyball moves up to Class 5

Class 3 District 11

Aurora

Cassville

Clever

Reeds Spring

Catholic

 

Class 3 District 10

Ava

Forsyth

Hollister

Mtn Grove

Willow Springs

 

Class 5 District 11

Branson

Kickapoo

Ozark 

Nixa

Republic

 

Class 1 District 7

Blue Eye

Bradleyville

Chadwick

Fordland

Galena

School of the Ozarks

 

Softball

Big changes on the Softball front as they have gone down to only 8 Districts

Class 3 District 4

Aurora

Cassville

Logan-Rogersville

Monett

Reeds Spring

Salem

Seneca

Willow Springs

 

Class 4 District 6

Branson

Carl Junction

Hillcrest

McDonald County

Neosho

Parkview

Webb City

Willard

 

Soccer

  Another sport in which they went to larger districts.  Branson stays Class 3

Class 3 District 5

Branson

Glendale

Hillcrest

Lebanon

Marshfield

Parkview

Catholic

West Plains

 

  

   The 2021 High School football season kicks off tomorrow night.  Any one that knows me knows that I am always excited for another year, behind the mic, calling Wolves football games.  However, this year, there will be something missing.

   Since, I believe, 2005 Gary Jones has been to my right, in the analyst chair.  We have seen the Wolves grow from a struggling program, to a contender.  We have called games in monsoon type conditions, to dense fog, to games that were so hot, they would actually stop the game under today’s rules.  We have been up and down the highway, the main roads, and the back roads.  He has been there with me to celebrate things like the Wolves finally breaking through against Bolivar, and winning the last two Small COC championships.  He has been there with me through tough times, like the first time behind the mic after losing my dad.  But when I sign on from East Newton tomorrow Night, Gary will not be there.  He has decided to step away.

    While I will miss our banter on the air, what I am going to miss, more than anything are those trips.  The talks on the way to the game or on the way home from the game.  Most of the times the conversation had noting to do with the football game itself.  Talks about life, that is what I will miss.  Hearing the latest about his granddaughter Logan (she is committed to play Volleyball at Arkansas, by the way), and about fishing.  Our talks about basketball and the community that we both love. 

  Now, don’t get me wrong.  Gary is not going anywhere.  He can’t get rid of me that easy, we live in the same neighborhood, go to the same church, heck, I am in “his” Sunday School Class.  We will still have plenty of chances to talk, its just not going to be the same.

   Next time you see him, give him the same hard time you always do… But, also thank him.  He has been a huge part of bringing football to Wolves Nation for 15 years, and that’s not counting his time on the sideline.

  THANKS GARY…  LOVE YOU BUDDY.