Tiger Girls Grab Winning Season, Win Double Overtime Thriller Over Shamrocks, Take Second in Districts to Finish 14-13

Worth County’s girls exorcized 11 years of futility Thursday night as they beat North Harrison 54-50 in double overtime to clinch their first winning season in 11 years. It looked like it might go to a third overtime as Anna Gladstone, on the line with six seconds left in the extra period, missed two free throws with Worth County up 52-50, the second one going in and out. But in the twinkling of an eye, none of that mattered as Jessi Badell grabbed the errant shot and put it back in; all Brandy Rivet could do was a full court heave that went wide left as time expired.

It was like the world series game last fall, where it took all the skill in the world from the Cubs to overcome 108 years of futility. Worth County had downed East Harrison, but were facing an 18-win team in North Harrison, who had beaten them 44-42 during the regular season. But it was a completely different game that took shape as Worth County raced out to a big early lead. Kaylee McElvain scored off a drive to start the game and Audry Briggs countered for North Harrison to tie it at 2. But then Worth County went off to the races sparked by a triple from Regan Allee from the right wing off a pass from McElvain. Kristin New added a drive and jumped a pass for a layup, Anna Gladstone scored off another steal, and Regan Allee added another triple to make it 14-2 with 3:54 left in the first as Worth County scored 12 points in a 1:47 span.

North Harrison sought to ride Payton Craig’s back and got back under double digits late in the first as she scored six of the next eight points as they closed to within 19-10. But then Jessi Badell converted a second chance shot into two free throws and Anna Gladstone went coast to coast, took on Brandi Rivet, and got her layup try to go down as the Tigers went  up 23-10 after one.

Once again, North Harrison responded despite a Kaylee McElvain block as Craig started going to the rack at will in the second quarter, picking up five more as Worth County finally started cooling off from the field. Craig’s drive with 1:36 left got the score under 10 again at 28-20, but then Anna Gladstone raced up the floor as she has done so many times and found Kristin New and Kaylee McElvain added a backdoor look off a pass from New to make it 33-20. Things looked roses for Worth County as Anna Gladstone took a charge on Craig with 8 seconds left and Badell added a free throw to make it 34-20 at halftime.

But it was only a matter of time before North Harrison’s run came, and they started coming on strong in the third as Craig jumped a pair of passes to get it down to 36-29 at the four minute mark. The Shamrocks got a lot more production from their supporting cast in the second half to get back in the game. They got as close as six in the third before Kristin New’s free throw made it 40-33 at the end of the quarter.

For Craig, enemy defenders have to pick their poison against her, and Worth County left her open to start the fourth from downtown instead of letting her drive, and she connected to make it 40-36. Regan Allee scored a free throw and got her to the bench with four fouls on a charge/block to make it 41-36, but it didn’t matter as the supporting cast came alive. North Harrison did what they did in the first game as Briley McClain and Kiley Gibson all went to the rack at will as they erased Worth County’s lead as McLain scooped up a carom and made a layup to put them up 43-42. Regan Allee’s free throws put Worth County back in charge at 44-43, but Audry Briggs’ free throw tied it up at 44 with 2:21 left.

The score stayed there for the rest of regulation. Regan Allee missed a triple that would have put Worth County up, but Craig missed a runner and Brandy Rivet missed a triple with 1:12 left. Anna Gladstone missed a runner and Jessi Badell missed a putback try and North Harrison sought to run it down for the last shot. But Gladstone swiped the ball from Craig to set up a last shot for Worth County. But Kristin New missed a good look from the left wing as time expired to send it to overtime.

Neither team could break the ice in the first extra period until Briley McClain grabbed an errant shot and hit two free throws with 2:07 left. But Payton Adwell, who had only scored one up to that point, scored from backdoor off a pass from Badell to tie it up. Kiley Gibson missed a runner with 1:08 left and the tieup went to North Harrison. Jessi Badell stole the ball with 1:02 left, but a bad pass gave the ball back to North Harrison with 45 seconds. Payton Craig had a late shot go down to win it in the regular season game, but she couldn’t get either a drive or a putback try to go down and Worth County got the ball back with 27 seconds left. Worth County tried to run it down again, but Craig stole the ball with 9 seconds left, and a good look from McLain on the baseline missed, sending it to another extra period.

Krissi Cox’s drive resulted in two free throws, but Badell scored from inside off a pass from Regan Allee to tie it at 48 again. Worth County got a stop and a chance to take the lead, but there was a heartstopping moment as the shot missed and two black shirts fell trying to get the offensive board. But with North Harrison going 5 on 3, Jessi Badell took a charge on Brandy Rivet and no harm was done.

The resultant possession resulted in a 3-pointer on the left baseline for Worth County. Briley McLain hit two free throws with 1:30 left to make it 51-50, but then Worth County put on a clinic, running down the clock to 30 seconds despite frantic pressure from North Harrison. Finally, Kristin New hit a free throw to make it 52-50. With 17 seconds left, Payton Craig drove into the lane to try to tie it, but lost the ball as Jessi Badell provided perfect help and would not back down. Worth County ran down the clock to 7.4 seconds in the backcourt and Anna Gladstone took on Craig and drew her fifth foul, which set up Badell’s dagger putback.

The hope for Worth County against Mercer was that the more they hung around, the better chances they would get since Mercer has not played a lot of close games this year. But it didn’t matter; they fell behind 17-5 early but battled back to trail 17-9. But then all hell broke loose after that as the Cardinals scored 10 points in a one minute span to make it 27-9. It didn’t matter whether they got a hand in Nicole Kost’s, Bailey Owens’, or Lindsay Wyatt’s face; they all hit triples while guarded for the remainder of the game and Worth County couldn’t do anything offensively as they fell 59-23.
However, they got a lot of positive comments from other players, coaches, and fans of the other schools that participated in the tournament about their play. With Mercer graduating Owens, Kost, and Wyatt along with six of their 10 players, Worth County’s girls and North Harrison will be the favorites in next year’s district, with East Harrison and Pattonsburg nipping at their heels with most of their players back.

Worth County Sheriff's Report

2-14 – People in to get a report.
2-14 – Person called to report a cow out north of Grant City. Owner notified.
2-15 – Person called needing ambulance to a resident’s house. Person had fallen and possibly broken something.
2-15 – Officer served papers.
2-16 – Person came in to talk to the sheriff.
2-16 – Some people in to talk with sheriff.
2-17 – Person in to ask about a report.
2-21 – Person in to ask about CCW.
2-21 – Person brought in a statement.
2-22 – Person came in for a CCW.
2-22 – Person came in to update some papers.
2-23 – Person called needing some information on a report.
2-24 – A person called needing an officer to check on a resident, but everything was fine. The person got hold of the resident.

Tiger Girls Erase 11 Years of Futility at Districts; Down East Harrison

Worth County’s girls had 11 years of futility to contend with at districts; the last time they had won a district match was in 2006, when Tiffany Troutwine was a senior. Just like the Cubs, when a team has a monkey of that nature on its back, it sometimes is difficult to get it off.

The Tigers had every reason to expect a running clock against East Harrison, but for once, Bill Pottorff’s Bobcats were not playing the numbers game and were able to get better as the season progressed. They had lost by the running clock to both Worth County and North Nodaway earlier in the year. But by district time, they were much closer to matching up with the Tigers. They will have nine out of their ten players back for next year, including both of their leading scorers in Natayla Selby and Lauryn Waddle. Waddle, in particular, had scored 31 points in a game earlier this year. If they can develop some quality freshmen, they will have a good foundation for the next few years.
It started off easily enough for Worth County as they scored the first five points of the game as Kaylee McElvain scored off a drive off a pass from Anna Gladstone and Payton Adwell hit a free throw and added another drive at the 4:58 mark. Despite Adwell, Gladstone, and Regan Allee all picking up two fouls in the first five minutes of the game, they continued to pull away, leading 13-7 after one quarter.

Worth County continued to build on that lead early in the second quarter. Payton Adwell and Anna Gladstone got putbacks as the Tigers worked the offensive glass well during that stretch. Anna Gladstone cut inside and got a pass from Kristin New, and Adwell added a free throw to make it 20-8 with 5:29 left.

But then East Harrison came right back. There were two differences in the two games between the two teams. The first was that they got a lot more point production out of their other three players, meaning Selby and Waddle didn’t have to carry the whole load. Kristin New played lights-out defense on Selby, but everyone else stepped up for East Harrison. The other was that their defense was much stingier; they were poking away at the ball and getting a lot more steals. Worth County was rushing the ball at breakneck speed against the Bobcats during the next stretch; it would have worked the first time, but it didn’t work this time. As a result, East Harrison came back to close to within 20-15 as Selby scooped up a carom and hit from the high post.

Regan Allee, who had missed everything up to that point, and who had faced a box and one like she had against South Harrison, suddenly connected with a triple as Jessi Badell came off the bench to stop the bleeding for Les New’s Tigers. Badell then hit Kaylee McElvain for a backdoor look and then scored off one herself off a pass from McElvain to put Worth County back up 27-15 at the half. It was the kind of strong post play that Coach New had been looking for all year from his Tigers.
Badell continued to carry the Tigers during the first three minutes of the third quarter, swatting a pair of shots. Anna Gladstone got loose on two transition looks and Regan Allee took a charge on defense as the Tiger lead grew to 31-15.

But then Gladstone picked up her third foul and East Harrison isolated Waddle at will for the remaining five minutes as the Bobcats fought back to within 12 at 42-30; she had seven of her team’s 15 points in the frame. Badell also picked up her third foul. Worth County continued to hit as Allee got untracked with a triple and a pair of free throws. Anna Gladstone came back in despite her three fouls and added a transition look. But underrated guard Alyssa Andrew’s coast to coast look cut Worth County’s lead to 10 before Kaylee McElvain’s high post shot put the Tigers back in front by 12 with 8 seconds left in the third.

McElvain’s putback made it 44-30 to start the fourth, but then once again, East Harrison got a lucky bounce of a loose ball and Klarissa Roberts was there to scoop it up and put it in to spark another Bobcat run. Pottorff’s team continued to isolate Waddle as they closed down to eight at 44-36 with 5:09 left, still plenty of time.

Neither side could score for the next three minutes after Badell hit a free throw to make it 45-36 as Worth County took boatloads of time off the clock and East Harrison couldn’t find the range. But then the Bobcats picked up another lucky carom and Roberts hit from the high post and added a drive to make it 45-40 with 1:37 left.

But then Worth County’s ballhandling saved the day in the closing seconds. The Tigers ran it down to 1:10 on their next possession, Roberts fouled out, and Anna Gladstone banked home a free throw to make it 46-40. East Harrison had a chance to make it one possession with a triple, but lost it out of bounds and Worth County ran some more time off, getting it down to 38 seconds before Regan Allee missed a 1-1. But Kaylee McElvain got a steal off the outlet, Jessi Badell was there for the layup, and Worth County was up 48-40 with 38 seconds left. East Harrison missed two tries to make it closer, and Kristin New scored her first two points of the game, two free throws, to ice it with 12.2 seconds left.

Anna Gladstone had 15 to lead the Tigers. Jessi Badell had 9, Regan Allee had 8, Kaylee McElvain had 8, Payton Adwell had 6, Sidney Troutwine had 2, and Kristin New had 2. The Tigers have faced several box and one defenses this year, but have been able to find production from their other four players in recent games.

The game also clinched a .500 season for the Tigers, as they moved to 13-12 on the season as they went into the semifinal game.

Obituary -- Rita Kay Olney 1946-2017

Rita Kay Olney passed away in her home surrounded by her family Wednesday, February 22, 2017. Rita was born September 18, 1946 to Bervin and Dorthe James in Worth, MO. She graduated from Worth County High School in 1964. After graduation, she worked at Grolier in Kansas City, MO. She returned  home and married Cleo Duane Olney, “Doey”, on March 22, 1969. To their union, three daughters; Tracy, Melissa, and Amanda were born. Family was very important to Rita and she hosted  many family dinners and birthday parties. She was a wonderful cook, and would always make sure that nobody left with an empty stomach, and that everyone had their favorite treats for special occasions. She was a nurturer and a caretaker; she could always make you feel better although, most of the time, all it took was a flash of her gorgeous smile. She possessed a one-of-a-kind sense of humor that could make anyone laugh.

Rita loved spending time at the family farm with her husband, sister, and beloved pet Minnie. She loved animals but Minnie held an extra special place in her heart. She enjoyed gardening and did a lot of canning. She also loved to cheer on some of her favorite basketball teams which include: ’82-’83 Worth County Boys’ team, Iowa State, NWMSU, Baylor, Iowa, Northern Iowa, Texas and Missouri. She also enjoyed reading mystery novels and completing puzzles.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents; grandparents Lewis and Ruth Canaday and A.S and Elizabeth James; sister, Patty; and Minnie. Rita is survived by her husband, Duane; daughters, Tracy (Jim) Meyer of Sioux City, IA; Melissa (Felix) Torres of Hayes, VA; Amanda (Donnie) Spencer of Grant City, MO; sister, Betty James of Blue Springs, MO; brothers, Roy (Donnetta) James and Randy (Joni) James  of Grant City, MO; granddaughters, Nicole, Holly, Angela, Tanya, Nia, Maya, Jaeda and Emma; step-grandchildren, Zach, Spencer, Devan and Dominic; and great-grandchildren, Noah and Kaden; and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends. She will always remain admired for the devotion she displayed to her family. She will forever be held in our hearts and will be dearly missed.

A memorial service will be held at the Prugh-Dunfee funeral home in Grant City on Saturday, March 4th at 11:00 AM.  Family will be present 1 hour before the service.

Tiger Boys Win 1st District Title Since 1983; Down Mercer

Worth County’s boys won their first district title in 33 years Friday night as they downed Mercer 67-58 to advance to the St. Joseph Civic Arena to play Braymer. The last time the Tigers had won a district, it was a regional tournament with up to 16 teams. Back in 1982-83, the Tigers were expected to have a showdown with Winston, who they beat 66-62 to win the Stanberry Tournament. But archrival Albany beat Winston 63-60, in a game in which then-Coach Don Gibson threw up the towel in celebration so high, it almost hit the ceiling. Worth County fell behind early against Albany, but fought back to take a 27-24 lead at halftime. They then proceeded to take control as Donnie Waldeier scored 34 of his 37 points in the second half as Worth County pulled away for the 71-55 victory.

Since then, Worth County had several runs to the finals, only to fall short. In 1984-85, the Tigers beat heavily favored Winston in the Regional Tournament 84-71 in Stanberry behind Kent Thompson after running away from North Andrew 101-51 in the opener and beating Stanberry 54-52 as the Bulldogs missed a last-second layup to send it to overtime. But they ran out of gas against King City and fell in the final 57-50 despite an incredible shot by Thompson from 30 feet out while surrounded by two King City defenders. The Tigers also fell short in 1995 to Jefferson, in 2003 to Mercer, and in 2007 to Putnam County when they were competing in Class 2.

In Friday night’s game, Mercer tried to set the tone early after Worth County had scored the first four points as one of the Mercer players knocked Ryan McClellan on his back as he was going in for a layup attempt. McClellan was shaken up and had to come out as Tiger Coach Bryce Schafer was enraged, but nothing was called. But after Cade Allee missed several shots to start the game, he was finally able to connect off a pass from Tevin Cameron with 3:12 left in the period to make it 9-4. Ryan McClellan came back in and hit a guarded 3-pointer off a pass from Mason hawk to make it 12-6 after one.

The margin stayed between four and nine points in the second as Tevin Cameron scored five in the period off a triple and another play where Jacob New dove on the floor to steal a ball and scoop it to Cameron for a layup; Drake Kinsella added six as his size was a big factor in the game. But Bryer Noe kept Mercer in the game with eight in the frame as Mercer trailed 26-22 at the half.
Two nights before, Mercer and North Harrison played to a 22-22 halftime tie, only for the Cardinals to score 29 points in the third quarter to dispose of the Shamrocks. Friday, it looked like it would repeat itself as they scored four quick points to tie it at 26. But then Drake Kinsella scored in transition, Cade Allee hit a triple off a pass from Kinsella, Drake Kinsella hit a free throw off a second chance, and Mason Hawk added a putback to make it 34-26 as the Cardinals had a long scoring drought.

A freshman, Camden Hartley, sparked Mercer as he knocked down a triple and Noe added a pair of free throws following a steal to make it 34-31, but that’s when Tevin Cameron stepped in. He added a triple from the left wing off a pass from Ryan McClellan, a layup following a steal of a jumped pass, and another triple off a pass from Kinsella. Cade Allee added a couple of free throws as Worth County pushed into double digits for the first time at 44-33.

Drake Kinsella’s free throw with 19 seconds left made it 48-36, but then Cashman Hartley hit a triple at the buzzer to bring Mercer back to under double digits at 48-39 and Noe followed with a baseline shot to make it 48-41 to start the fourth.

But once again, Worth County responded as Drake Kinsella converted a second chance putback and Jacob New hit Cade Allee inside to make it 52-41. Mason Hawk scored from inside off a pass from Cade Allee, Cade hit a triple after a long pass from Jacob New beat Mercer’s 1-2-2 trapping defense, and Hawk hit one of the longest shots of his career, a shot from the high post to make it 59-41 with 3:11 left. Mason Hawk added two blocks on the other end and Cade Allee one. Hawk had a career high 5 blocks for the night.

But all of a sudden, with a nearly superhuman effort, Mercer nearly made a game of it in the last three minutes. Hunter Shipley scored from inside and Cashman Hartley hit a guarded three to make it 60-46 with 2:11 left. Drake Kinsella hit two free throws for Worth County, missed a 1-1 following a stop, and got an offensive board. But then Hartley struck again and got a steal, layup, another steal off the 1-2-2 trap, and a triple to make it 62-51 with 1:09 left just like that.

Ryan McClellan hit two free throws with 59.7 seconds left, but Bryer Noe went to work, going to the rim and getting a layup. He got another one after another turnover and the lead was under double digits at 64-55 with 35 seconds left. Cade Allee hit a free throw with 26.1 seconds left, Worth County got a steal, but threw it away and Noe was there again to make it 65-58 with 16 seconds left.

Mercer elected to leave Mason Hawk open and then foul him, a tactic that Jefferson had used successfully in Albany. There was a heartstopping moment as the pass was thrown high, but Hawk came up with it right in front of the Mercer bench and was fouled with 6.7 seconds left. He made both his free throws this time and Worth County came away with the win.

“We’re in it together,” said Coach Bryce Schafer. “I told my players that we would be OK as long as we stuck together. Everyone played out of their minds tonight and our bench and fans were crazy. It took guts to play through Mercer’s runs, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

Mustang Boys Survive West Nodaway Scare

North Nodaway’s boys had won handily against West Nodaway in their first two meetings, but survived a scare and an “off night,” relatively speaking, from Peyton Coleman as they won 56-51 in the third game between the two teams. Coleman had 20 points despite being surrounded by Weston Carter and other Rocket players all night. But Arron Coleman had another career night with 17 points as the Mustangs evened their record at 13-13. This bodes well for next year, as Arron Coleman is a sophomore.

Despite only winning four games so far, West Nodaway stayed close for most of the first half behind the hot hands of Korbin Koch and Weston Carter, who did most of the scoring for the Rockets. Finally, Peyton Coleman picked Koch’s wallet and scored with 1.8 seconds and converted a 3-point play to put North Nodaway seemingly in control at 28-20.

Peyton had a highlight film play early in the third when he took on the whole Rocket team and converted a 3-point play to make it 32-20, but Rocket post player Austin Wymer scored the next five as the Rockets made a game out of it. Peyton’s triple at the third quarter buzzer made it 44-36, but Koch got hot again early in the fourth, scoring eight in a row to make it 46-44 with 5:12 left. But then North Nodaway did a good job of running down the clock and scoring points down the stretch to regain control against their archrivals.

Mustang Girls Clinch Winning Season with Victory Over Rockets

North Nodaway’s girls clinched a winning season Thursday with a 47-19 victory over West Nodaway. They were 14-11 going into districts; it was their second winning season in three years under coach Sami Jackson’s tenure. Last year, they were 12-13.

Madison Thompson’s putback and Kristin Herndon’s backdoor layup put North Nodaway up 4-0 at the 4:47 mark, but then West Nodaway did a much better job handling the ball than they did when the two teams met twice before. They made much better passes and found driving lanes early for Alissa Nelson, who scored three straight to bring the Rockets to within 4-3. Ashley Thompson’s inside shot off a pass from Bethany Herndon and a baseline shot from Alisha Davison after she had saved one from going out but North Nodaway up 8-3.

For a team that won three games, West Nodaway was hanging around, but then two things happened that is the sort of thing that happens when you have a long season. First, the Rockets sent too many players onto the court and got a technical foul that Kelsi Oberhauser converted one of two on. The Rockets hung around for the first 4½ minutes of the second quarter, trailing only 13-6. But then their best interior player, Brittney McIntyre, shoved Madison Thompson after being called for a foul and got a technical foul, giving her a seat on the bench for the rest of the game. It was the second game for North Nodaway’s girls in as many weeks that was marred by technical fouls.

Alisha Davison converted the technical shots and North Nodaway finished the half on a 9-4 run to take a 22-10 halftime lead. With the Rockets having nobody that could match up with Madison Thompson in the second half, she took over, scoring the first six points of the half to make it 28-10. North Nodaway went on to score 19 in the frame, with Kandace Damgar closing out the scoring with a triple and a pair of free throws to make it 41-13.

Tiger Teams Sweep South Harrison for First Time in 27 Years

Worth County’s teams swept South Harrison for the first time in 27 years as the girls won 53-51 in overtime and the boys won 67-56.

The last time Worth County's teams swept South Harrison was in 1989-90. The girls won by two points. With six seconds left, Lisa Sanders was called for a charge, giving South Harrison a chance to tie or win. But then she stole the ball and dribbled out the clock to preserve the win. The boys game was a track meet, with neither team able to guard the other. But Will Gladstone, uncle of current Tiger guard Anna Gladstone, scored 38 points for the Tiger victory as the boys won by 12. The boys would go on to become GRC Tri-Champs that year with King City and Stanberry. Allen Dukes, who would become a long-time football coach at Lenox, coached the Tigers that year for the boys.

The girls trailed by as much as 10 points in the second half, but came back and got the lead in the fourth quarter. But with six seconds left and South Harrison having to go the full length of the court down three, they rushed it up the floor and hit a 30-footer at the buzzer to tie it and send it to overtime. But the Tigers were able to make more free throws than their rivals in the extra period, a reversal from the first meeting between the two teams. The game was marred by a ton of hacking and fouling on both sides, as the two teams combined to go to the line 86 times that game. Regan Allee had 21 points to pace the Tigers despite facing a box and one most of the night.

The boys fell behind 13-5 early in the game, but fought back to take the lead, 29-27 at the half. From there, Cade Allee had a career night as he finished with 27 points. The Tigers took a 47-29 lead over South Harrison early and then held off repeated efforts by South Harrison to get back in the game. Drake Kinsella was a force in the second half and finished with 11. Mason Hawk had 10 points, 10 boards, and nearly had a triple double as he had 6 assists. Ryan McClellan had 9 points and 8 assists. Coach Bryce Schafer said he was pleased with how well the team shared the ball that game.

Tiger Boys Roll Past Shamrocks; Girls Drop Close One

Worth County’s boys won handily over North Harrison while the girls dropped a close one. The boys made quick work of North Harrison early, gaining a 65-36 victory. The girls fought a back and forth battle with the Shamrocks, only to come up short 44-42.

Cade Allee knocked down a triple for the boys right off the back and the boys were off to the races. Drake Kinsella followed with a shot after Jacob New kept a possession alive. A monster stuff by Mason Hawk on defense was followed by a backdoor layup from Ryan McClellan off a pass from Kinsella, and Kinsella added a free throw to make it 8-0 at the 4:39 mark of the first quarter.

Logan Craig’s free throw broke the shutout for the Shamrocks, but Ryan McClellan skipped one to Cade Allee to restart the Tigers. Jacob New got behind the Shamrock defense and Ryan McClellan aired it out to him for a layup, McClellan added a free throw, Tevin Cameron found Drake Kinsella inside, Ryan McClellan went backdoor for a pass from Kinsella, and Mason Hawk added a putback for the Tigers as they went up 19-1 after one quarter.

The avalanche continued early into the second as Ryan McClellan and Mason Hawk added free throws and Hawk cut inside for a pass from Cade Allee to make it 23-1 with 6:41 left.
North Harrison finally began finding the range as consecutive NBA 3-pointers from Randy Rinehart and J.D. Baker made it 24-7 with 5:49 left. Kinsella got a putback for Worth County that was countered by a drive from Rinehart. But then Drake Kinsella went backdoor and took a pass from Hawk and then Kinsella hit Hawk twice to make it 32-9 with 4:08 left in the frame. Baker hit two more long triples for North Harrison, but Cade Allee had the hot hand down the stretch for Worth County in the first half as they led 41-16 at the break.

Worth County scored nine in just over two minutes as they thwarted any comeback bids by North Harrison. Ryan McClellan hit Mason Hawk inside and then Drake Kinsella on the wing. Kinsella went backdoor for a pass from Hawk, Tevin Cameron scored off a Kinsella steal, and Mason Hawk added a free throw to make it 50-16 with 5:41 left in the third.

Drake Kinsella and Cade Allee each had 15 for the Tigers, while Mason Hawk had 12.

The girls were not as fortunate as they fell in a close one to North Harrison. Worth County led 16-13 off a 3-pointer by Regan Allee late in the first, but baskets by Payton Craig and Krissi Cox put the Shamrocks back in front 21-17 at the 5:50 mark of the second. Anna Gladstone’s backdoor look put the Tigers back up 23-21, and Jessi Badell had the hot hand down the stretch in the first half as the Tigers extended their lead to 27-23.

But then North Harrison made a concerted effort to drive to the rack and it paid off in the third quarter as Craig took over and North Harrison pulled ahead 31-29. Jessi Badell’s backdoor layup off a pass from Anna Gladstone and a Payton Adwell free throw put the Tigers back in front 32-31, but Briley McLain’s free throw put North Harrison back in front 33-32 after three. The Shamrocks took their biggest lead at 37-32 off Brandy Rivet’s drive before Kristin New got a pass from Regan Allee in transition to stop the bleeding and make it 37-34.

Worth County fought back and tied it up 38-38, but then fell asleep on defense as Payton Craig rushed it down the floor and put North Harrison right back in front with a 3-point play to make it 41-38. Anna Gladstone countered by a drive and a prayer that went high off the rim and in to make it 41-40. Cox’s free throw made it 42-40, but Regan Allee found Jessi Badell inside to tie it up again with 1:17 left.

The two teams exchanged turnovers, before Craig’s layup with 17 seconds put North Harrison up 44-42 and the Tigers had no answer. Anna Gladstone drove the lane and got on the line with 2 seconds left, missed the first free throw, and intentionally missed the second. Worth County got the offensive board, but couldn’t get a shot off in time.

Obituary -- John Douglas Hill 1953-2017

John Douglas Hill, 63, Martinsville, passed away February 18, 2017, at Saint Luke’s Hospital, Kansas City.

He was born December 31, 1953, the son of John and Donna (Jones) Hill. A lifelong resident of Harrison County, he raised cattle and hay.

He was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include a sister, Connie (Fred) Nail and a brother Timothy Hill, both of Martinsville; nephew Brad (Angie) Nail of Eagleville; great niece and nephew Brayden and Andi Nail; special friend Mike Bolton and a host of other family and friends.

He was baptized and came to know the Lord at Allendale Baptist Church.

Funeral services are 2 pm Tuesday, February 21 at Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City. Visitation is one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the Isabelle Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to the Isabelle Cemetery.

Obituary -- Cloyd Richardson 1928-2017

Cloyd Eugene Richardson was born December 19, 1928 in Hatfield, Missouri to Harry Cecil and Lola Jane (Thompson) Richardson. He passed away February 14, 2017 at Crestview Nursing Home in Bethany, Missouri at the age of 88.

     

Cloyd married Wanda Ann Findley on June 23, 1950 in Jamesport, Missouri. To this union 5 children were born. She preceded him in death on October 27, 1995.

     

On May 2, 1998 Cloyd was married to Mae (Cogdill) Newman. She preceded him on October 25, 2009.

     

Cloyd farmed in Northwest Missouri. He was a member of the Allendale Baptist Church.

     

Also preceding him in death were 2 infant daughters: Brenda Diane and Glenda Joy; infant son: Barry Duane; his parents; and brother: Marvin Richardson.

     

Surviving are daughter Linda Lee Eivins of Blythdale, Missouri; son Garry Eugene Richardson of Hatfield, Missouri; 1 granddaughter: Joely Diane (Matt) Francis and 4 great-grandchildren: Ethan, Caleb, Brianne, and Aiden, all of Greenwood, Indiana, and sister-in-law Helen Skroh of Osceola, Iowa.  

     

Cloyd will be sadly missed by family and friends.

     

Funeral Services will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday, February 18, 2017 at the Prugh-Dunfee Funeral Home in Grant City, Missouri. Pastor Darrell Darby will officiate. Interment will be in the Kirk Cemetery near Allendale, Missouri. Visitation will be 10:00 A.M. to service time. Memorials may be made to Allendale Baptist Church Building Fund or Kirk Cemetery.

Kristin Herndon Swipes 10, Peyton Coleman Posts 1,600th Career Point at Courtwarming

North Nodaway’s girls were thrown for a scare as South Holt’s Sadee Prussman went off on then for 16 points after knocking down everything during warmups from behind the arc. It looked for all the world like it would be one of the better games in the area as North Nodaway led 28-26 late in the half as Prussman had 16 of her team’s 26 points. But then she said something that the ref didn’t care to hear and got a technical foul. Their coach, Rick German, benched her for the rest of the game and North Nodaway was able to pull away for the 57-44 Courtwarming victory.

Madison Thompson got her normal output for North Nodaway, getting 16 points. But it was the play of Kristin Herndon along with the team’s free throw shooting which put them over the top. Herndon posted a career high of 15 points and wreaked havoc on defense with 10 steals, as she punished mistakes right and left. Bethany Herndon added 5 steals for North Nodaway.

South Holt’s boys came into Friday’s game with a 19-3 record, but North Nodaway showed they were up to the challenge of playing the Knights even though they lost 64-63. The lead swung back and forth for three quarters until the Knights finally gained some separation to start the fourth, getting an 11 point lead with four minutes left. They were still up 10 at 60-50 with 1:49 left when Peyton Coleman hit a 3-pointer and Tyler Bix added a putback to make it 60-55. North Nodaway got it down to 63-60 with 16 seconds left, but then Eric Ottman’s free throw put the Knights up 64-60 with 12.2 seconds left. 

Peyton Coleman’s 3-pointer was tipped and a scramble resulted in the ball rolling into the background out of bounds off South Holt with 2.2 seconds left, too late to affect the outcome. But at the buzzer, Coleman let fly a guarded 3-pointer that went in. The officials initially didn’t count the shot, but changed their minds and let it count to put Coleman over the 1,600 mark at 1,601 career points as a Mustang.

South Holt followed Worth County’s lead and played the same early help defense that the Tigers had used on Coleman, but the Mustangs were able to get a lot more scoring out of their other players. Coleman had 29 points. Dakota Smyser had 13, Arron Coleman had 12 (career high), Cole Bird had 7, and Tyler Bix 2. Dakota Smyser’s shooting for the Mustangs in the third quarter helped keep them in the game and even go ahead.

Tiger Boys Contain Coleman, Post 58-37 Victory

Worth County’s boys held Peyton Coleman to “only” 21 points and had a much easier time of it than the first time, winning 58-37 over North Nodaway last Tuesday. The Tigers doubled Coleman all night long, having early help whenever he tried to drive to the rim. On the other end, North Nodaway elected to sag off as much as possible, but that left Cade Allee wide open for 23 points after he had been mired in a shooting slump the first time the two teams met. Drake Kinsella got open more and more as the night progressed after a slow start, getting up to 18 for the night.

Cade Allee scored 11 points in the first period as the Tigers scored 20 in the opening period. Dakota Smyser drove and scored over Mason Hawk to start the scoring for North Nodaway, but Hawk’s putback and Drake Kinsella’s inside shot off a pass from Jacob New put the Tigers in front for good at 4-2. Cade Allee then got loose in transition and took a pass from Ryan McClellan for three and added another one off a kick out from Drake Kinsella to make it 10-2. Peyton Coleman got untracked with a drive and a 3-pointer to make it 12-7, but then saw two shots go in and out as Ryan McClellan hit two free throws off a drive, Cade Allee hit a guarded 3-pointer, and Jacob New hit a shot from the top of the key as Mason Hawk sent one of Coleman’s shots into the stage on defense.

Coleman finally got going, but Cade Allee scored eight points in a four minute span in the second and Drake Kinsella’s triple off a pass from Tevin Cameron made it 33-16 at the half. Tevin Cameron had four assists for the Tigers in the period. Mason Hawk added a monster stuff in the period.

The lead grew to be as much as 37-17, but then North Nodaway finally got going on offense and Cole Bird took a charge on defense for Mason Hawk’s fourth foul as the Mustangs got it down to 37-26. Drake Kinsella got going inside and Wayde Parman added a backdoor look as Worth County went back ahead 46-29 at the 6:50 mark in the fourth.

Dakota Smyser hit a triple off a pass from Augustus Hoepker to jump start a 7-0 run that closed North Nodaway to within 46-36 with 5:02 left, but then the Mustangs could only manage one more point the rest of the way, aided by a monster stuff by Drake Kinsella on defense.

Tiger Girls Pull One Out of the Fire Over North Nodaway

Worth County’s girls pulled one out of the fire against North Nodaway 43-39 last Tuesday in a game in which both teams looked finished at one point. It looked like Worth County was finished early as they went down for the count against North Nodaway. Then, it looked like North Nodaway was finished in the third quarter. Then, it looked like Worth County was finished after the third quarter, only to climb out of the hole to win by four.

North Nodaway started off the game by lobbing the ball into Madison Thompson at will; Kelsi Oberhauser hit a pair of free throws and a shot from the high post, Thompson scored off a lob, and Kristin Herndon added a steal. They were up 8-2 before Worth County found its footing as Anna Gladstone scored off a pullup and Kristin New got a steal. Madison Thompson scored off another lob pass, but Kaylee McElvain scored off an inside shot, Kristin New jumped a pass and went in for a layup, and Anna Gladstone went coast to coast, took on Madison Thompson, and made one of two to put Worth County up 11-10 after one, a far cry from last year when the running clock took over after three.

The game settled down into a defensive struggle. Worth County was having trouble getting the ball up the floor against Kristin Herndon; the Mustangs play a trapping defense, and Herndon is the front end of the defense. It is similar to Worth County’s. On the other end, Merrideth Spiers came off the bench and slowed down the Thompson girls. Regan Allee’s triple off a pass from Sidney Troutwine over Audrey Trimble put Worth County up 14-12, but then she sat down with three fouls. But Worth County held on defense as free throws from New and Gladstone put them up 17-12 at the break.

Bethany Herndon started off the scoring by hitting a free throw to cut Worth County’s lead to 17-13, but Merrideth Spiers hit two free throws following a putback and Kristin New scored off an Anna Gladstone steal to make it 21-13 with 6:57 left, forcing North Nodaway into a timeout.

It looked like the Mustangs were on the ropes, but then Regan Allee picked up her fourth foul and North Nodaway started making a concerted effort to get the ball into the Thompson girls, with success. Madison scored ten in the quarter and blocked two shots while Kristin Herndon got her steal count up to five and added a block. Jessi Badell’s high post shot was the only tally for Worth County as the lead was gone by the four minute mark and they fell behind by 27-23 going into the fourth.

But then Regan Allee came off the bench with four fouls and knocked down a triple to wake Worth County out of their stupor to start the fourth to make it 27-26. The Tigers went to their trapping zone, with immediate success as there was a lot more inside help on the Thompson girls. North Nodaway went to a box and one to try to stop Regan Allee, but Anna Gladstone got loose twice off passes from Jessi Badell after Madison Thompson’s free throw with 7:07 left had made it 28-26 North Nodaway. Then, as Mustang skipper Sami Jackson looked on in disbelief, Worth County turned a Kristin New steal into a Regan Allee 3-pointer to make it 33-28.

Free throws from Bethany Herndon and Madison Thompson and a steal from Kristin Herndon stopped the bleeding and made it 33-30, but then in a nearly superhuman effort, Anna Gladstone kept a possession alive by getting in between Madison Thompson and Bethany Herndon and snatching an offensive board, leading to a free throw from Jessi Badell to make it 34-30. As all the defensive attention was being focused on Allee, Jessi Badell got in behind the North Nodaway defense as Anna Gladstone was driving into traffic and was by herself for a layup to make it 36-30 with 3:12 left.
Alisha Davison, who had been quiet most of the game, suddenly knocked down a triple to make it 36-33, but Jessi Badell hit Anna Gladstone on a backdoor look and Payton Adwell and Kristin New hit free throws to make it 40-33 with 2:06 left.

But then the tide of the game turned again as Ashley Thompson, who normally struggles at the line, got fouled and hit two free throws to make it 40-35. North Nodaway switched to a man and a swarming defense forced a turnover, but Bethany Herndon missed a runner that would have made it three. Kristin New hit a free throw with 1:03 left, but then fouled out as Alisha Davison hit a free throw to make it 41-36 with 57 seconds left. Worth County tried for a layup, but Madison Thompson blocked a layup try, leading to a backdoor look to Bethany Herndon with 33 seconds left to make it 41-38, still plenty of time.

But with North Nodaway swarming and pressing, trying to get the ball back for a shot to tie, Jessi Badell beat Madison Thompson off the dribble and went in for a layup with 25 seconds for the dagger to make it 43-38. Thompson countered with a free throw with 13 seconds left, but Worth County was able to dribble out the clock for the victory.

Anna Gladstone  and Regan Allee had 11 to lead the Tigers. Kristin New 9, Jessi Badell had 7, Kaylee McElvain and Merrideth Spiers had 2 each, and Payton Adwell had 1.

For North Nodaway, Madison Thompson had 17. Ashley Thompson had 6, Bethany Herndon had 4, Alisha Davison had 4, Kelsi Oberhauser had 4, and Kristin Herndon had 4.

Jacob Wimer Honored for Tiger Boys at Senior Night

Jacob Wimer was honored at Worth County’s senior night before the boys’ 65-42 victory over Northeast Nodaway. The Bluejays had played excellent basketball over the last week, picking up their 9th and 10th wins and doubling their win total from the prior two years combined. But they were no match for Worth County’s size or their outside shooting as both Cade Allee and Ryan McClellan were hot from outside, while Drake Kinsella got some points from inside and Mason Hawk was a presence on the boards.

Wimer started and knocked down a drive after Jacob New had kept a possession alive and followed it up with another 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. Northeast slowed Worth County down with a half court trap after the Tigers had started off fast, closing to within 8-6 after a Spencer Weir 3-pointer.
Both Spencer Weir and Dylan Mildfeldt did all they could to keep Northeast close, but Worth County slowly pulled away, getting some separation midway through the second; Ryan McClellan’s free throws, Drake Kinsella’s shot from the high post, and Cade Allee’s triple with Andrew Freemyer inside his jersey put the Tigers up 25-12 with 3:21 left in the second.

Northeast twice closed it to 10 in the third as Worth County had some shots go in and out, but Ryan McClellan carried the team on his back in the last two minutes sparking an 8-0 run as he aired one out to Tevin Cameron and added a steal that lead to a tally by Cade Allee. Worth County led 47-29 after three.

Cade Allee had 19, Ryan McClellan had 13, and Drake Kinsella 10 to lead the Tigers. Daniel Craven came off the bench to knock one down from the high post in the closing seconds.

Payton Adwell, Dominique Findley, and Sidney Troutwine Honored for Tiger Girls

Payton Adwell, Sidney Troutwine, and Dominique Findley were honored at Senior Night, the Tigers thwarted an NEN bid to make a game out of it in the first quarter and won 59-25, and freshman Nevada Hoff did the worm afterwards as Worth County posted their 11th win of the season to even out their record. For a team that is unaccustomed to success, the season has marked a big turnaround as the Tigers have successfully clawed their way to .500 at 11-11. They still have plenty to play for, including their first winning season in 11 years as well as their first district win in 11 years.

While Anna Gladstone has emerged as one of the most dangerous players in the area in the open court and Regan Allee has emerged as a sharpshooter for the Tigers, it is players behind the scene such as Adwell, Findley, and Troutwine who were just as instrumental in the Tigers’ improvement this year. Whether it was Payton Adwell taking the freshmen under her wing and showing them the ropes or Troutwine, who was always pushing the rest of the team in practice, handling the ball, and being a strong defensive stopper, or Dominique Findley, the kind of person you always want on your team and who drew a lot of positive comments about her play over the years, every good team has players like that.

Also honored Monday night were Gavin Dine (pep band), Dora Martz (cheerleader), Kristen Ross (cheerleader), and Jacob Wimer (boys basketball). Will Engel and Jeremy Wimer were recognized for qualifying to go to state in wrestling for Albany, with which Worth County coops in wrestling.
Dominique Findley hit a 3-pointer early for Worth County, but Gerry Runde did all she could to keep Northeast in the game, hitting eight of her team’s 11 points in the first quarter. Northeast lead 11-9 late in the first quarter before Les New put on Worth County’s trapping zone, which seemed to throw off Northeast the rest of the night. Jessi Badell got a steal off the trap and then a putback as Worth County led 13-11 after one.

Worth County finally gained some separation in the second quarter as Regan Allee pulled up and hit a shot in traffic and Anna Gladstone picked Makayla Adwell’s wallet for a layup. Adwell wove through traffic for a layup to counter, but then Regan Allee hit a 3-pointer off a skip from Gladstone, Payton Adwell hit a free throw off a putback, and Regan Allee hit a triple off a Kristin New pass to make it 24-13.

Gerry Runde hit a triple off a pass from Makayla Adwell and Adwell added a free throw to make it 24-17, but Kaylee McElvain hit Jessi Badell inside to restart the Tigers. Anna Gladstone kicked one out to Aubrey Ragan, Kaylee McElvain scored off a Gladstone steal, and Kaylee McElvain scored a free throw to make it 31-17 with 2:01 left in the half. Gerry Runde did all she could to keep her team in the game, including driving right through a trap like a human bulldozer as she went to the rim on one play. But it was all for nought as Gladstone scored off a steal and then got loose again late in the first half. One of the Bluejay players set to take a charge, only for Gladstone to stop on a dime and dish it off to Kaylee McElvain at the buzzer, somehow avoiding the charge and getting an assist instead. Worth County led 35-17 at the half.

Neither side could do anything for the first two minutes of the second half until Dominique Findley hit a 3-pointer off a pass from Payton Adwell, which opened the floodgates for Worth County. Regan Allee followed with another; Jessi Badell got a backdoor layup off a pass from Payton Adwell, and Regan Allee hit another triple off a pass from Dominique Findley to make it 46-17 with 4:09 left.

Worth County went scoreless for the next four minutes as Makayla Adwell’s free throw made it 46-22 with 52.2 seconds left, but then Kaylee McElvain’s free throws to end the third quarter, Sidney Troutwine’s jumper to start the fourth, and a pair of baskets from Anna Gladstone triggered the running clock and put Worth County up 54-22 with 6:19 left in the game. Dominique Findley hit her third 3-pointer and Merrideth Spiers struck from the high post late in the game to make it 59-25.

Obituary -- Ova Sharr 1931-2017

Ova Manford Sharr, 85, Maryville, MO died Sunday, February 12, 2017, at Pineview Manor, Inc. in Stanberry, Missouri.

He was born August 11, 1931 in Maryville, the son John Austin and Elsie Groves Sharr. Ova was a 1950 graduate of Burlington Junction High School, and was the owner and operator of Sharr Garage in Maryville.

Ova served his country during the Korean War, with the United States Navy. He belonged to the Tri-C American Legion Post #464 in Conception Jct., MO.

Preceding him in death were his parents, son John Sharr, brother Wilmer Sharr and sister Burl Tise.
Ova is survived by his daughter daughter, Kandie (Gary) Lager, Clyde, MO, sons Jerry (Christina) Sharr, Maryville and Raymond (Shelli) Sharr Mountain Grove, MO, 6 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren and sister, Madge Horn, Maryville.

Visitation will be held at 1:00 PM Saturday, February 18th at Price Funeral Home, Maryville. It will be followed by inurnment at Orrsburg Cemetery, Parnell, MO.

Graveside military services will be by the Missouri Military Honors and Tri-C Post #464.

www.pricefuneralhomemaryville.com

Isabel Metzger, Garrett Torres Named Mustang Courtwarming Royalty

Isabel Metzger was named North Nodaway Courtwarming Queen Friday following the games between North Nodaway and South Holt. Garrett Torres was named Courtwarming King. They were crowned by last year’s queen, Brittany Wood along with Little Mr. & Miss Hopkins, Owen Coleman and Zoey Phillips.

Isabel is an exchange student from Germany. Her host parents are Steve and Samantha Brown. She is one of two in the area; Sophia Obermuller is a German exchange student who goes to Worth County.
Other candidates were Madison Thompson, Bethany Herndon, Peyton Coleman, and Augustus Hoepker. Junior attendants were Bailey Tate and Cole Bird. Sophomore attendants were Ashley Thompson and Cody Wood. Freshman attendants were Karlie Emery and Tyler Bix.

Since it was the final home game of the year for the Mustangs, the seniors from both the boys and girls squads were also recognized. Playing in their last home game for North Nodaway for the girls were Bethany Herndon, Isabel Metzger, Kelsi Oberhauser, and Madison Thompson. For the boys, August Hoepker, Dakota Smyser, Peyton Coleman, and Garrett Torres were honored.

The girls looked like they would be in a dogfight as South Holt had a player, Sadee Prussman, go off on them for 16 points in the first half. However, Prussman said something late in the first half that the refs didn’t care to hear and got a technical foul; she did not return in the second half and North Nodaway pulled away for the 57-44 win. Peyton Coleman, despite facing double teams all night, posted 29 against the Knights, but the Mustangs came up one point short at 64-63.

Eldon, Loretta Hart Named Fans of the Year for NN

Eldon and Loretta Hart were named Fans of the year for North Nodaway in between the girls and boys game against Union Star Thursday. They have been fixtures at North Nodaway sporting events for many years, always sitting in the front row. Last year, their grandson Ben graduated after playing baseball, football, and basketball for the Mustangs. Their granddaughter, Emma, got into the game Thursday and scored a basket.

The girls won their game with Union Star 61-8. Alisha Davison led the scoring with 16 points as nine Mustangs got into the scoring column. Bethany Herndon and Kandace Damgar had 8, Ashley Thompson 7, Kelsi Oberhauser and Audrey Trimble had 6, Madison Thompson had 5, Keagan O’Riley had 3, and Emma Hart had 2. North Nodaway led 19-0 after one quarter and were never seriously threatened. Bethany and Kristin Herndon each had 7 steals.

The boys also won 81-52 as they took a 29-12 lead over Union Star after one quarter. They thwarted two Trojan comeback bids after that. Peyton Coleman had 33 to lead the Mustangs. Dakota Smyser had 15, Cole Bird 10, Arron Coleman 6, Augustus Hoepker 5, Tyler Bix 4, Garrett Torres 3, and Dalton Smyser and Ryan Riley 2 each. Dalton Smyser took a charge on defense.

Obituary -- Rick Schluter 1968-2017

Rick Duane Schluter, 48, Maryville, MO died Sunday, February 5, 2017, at SSM Health St. Francis in Maryville.

He was born December 11, 1968 in Maryville to Raymond Harold and Betty Lou (Rahe) Schluter.
A graduate of Maryville High School, Rick also attended Northwest Missouri State University for two years. He had worked as a carpenter.

Rick was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Alan Schluter and sister, Gloria Lowrance.
He is survived by his sister Sharon (Terry) Poppa, Maryville, brothers, Bill (Melody) Schluter, Maryville, Keith (Tiffiny) Schluter, Hopkins, MO and Doug (Sandi) Schluter, Maryville; sister-in-law Theresa Schluter, Shenandoah, IA and Jack Adams (companion of Gloria Lowrance), Springfield, TN and numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: Rick Schluter Memorial Fund, c/o Nodaway Valley Bank, 304 North Main, Maryville, MO 64468.

Graveside Services were 2:00 PM Saturday, February 11th at Nodaway Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Maryville. Mr. Schluter's body has been cremated.

www.pricefuneralhomemaryville.com

Peyton Coleman Eclipses School Scoring Record with 37 Despite Loss

Peyton Coleman had been coming close to eclipsing the single game scoring record after tying it against Northeast Nodaway earlier this season. Friday, he finally broke it against East Atchison despite his team's 64-58 loss.

Coleman kept his team in the game in the first with six points. But Gage McAdams knocked down two triples for the Wolves, and Garrett Meyer added two driving layups and a backdoor layup as the Wolves took a 16-11 lead after the first quarter and were never headed although North Nodaway tied it once.

Coleman only had six points in the first quarter, but got the hot hand in the second, knocking down a 3-pointer over the much taller Brody Cooper to get going. Just as it looked like East Atchison would pull away behind the hot hand of Cooper to go up 23-16, Coleman headed up, getting two free throws; Cole Bird added a drive off a pass from Arron Coleman to make it 23-20 with 3:08 left in the second half. McAdams connected from the right wing, but Coleman got a putback and added a stepback three over Cooper to tie it up.

Exhausted and tired, he came out for a stretch, only to come back in late and drop yet another 3-pointer over Cooper to make it 31-30 after East Atchison had gone back up by four. But Cooper responded at the buzzer to make it 34-30 at the break. Coleman had scored 15 in the second quarter to bring his total up to 21.

Once again, it looked like East Atchison would take control as Meyer and Jake McEnaney started driving at will, and North Nodaway looked like they would be in trouble, falling behind 44-33. But then Coleman, who had been shut out so far, started getting to the line and hitting free throws, going four for four. Dakota Smyser cleaned up after a Coleman steal and then Coleman hit a triple to bring him up to 28 after three and bring his team to within 46-42. But then Meyer hurt North Nodaway again; he got a putback, had a monster stuff on Coleman, and that set up a breakaway for Cooper to kill North Nodaway's momentum and put East Atchison up 50-42 going into four.

It looked like Coleman would easily get the record; Cooper hit a couple of triples, but Coleman scored a drive and pullup, a pair of free throws, and a backdoor look off a pass from Tyler Bix to bring him up to 34 with five minutes left, plenty of time. But with his team down 56-48 with 4:04 left, as he was driving in for the points that would tie the school record, he suddenly crumpled up on the floor as he rolled his ankle and had to come out. Cole Bird scored off a Dakota Smyser steal to make it 56-50, but then East Atchison went back up 60-50 with 2:50 left as Coleman sat and a long stretch went by without any whistles to stop the clock.

Coleman finally came back in; he was still favoring the ankle, but he shared the ball, getting Arron Coleman on a backdoor look that he turned into a free throw and whipping another pass to Dakota Smyser in the corner for a 3-pointer with 1:42 left to make it 60-54. Coleman got up to 35 with a free throw with 1:11 left and make it 60-55 after Jake McEnaney threw one away.

But then North Nodaway had to start fouling and Garrett Meyer's free throw somehow rolled in to make it 61-55 with 42 seconds left. Dakota Smyser missed a drive attempt, but Cooper missed a 1-1 to give North Nodaway the ball back. Coleman finally broke the school record as he hit a pullup over an orange shirt with 22 seconds left to go over the top, making it 61-57. But North Nodaway couldn't get any closer as Meyer hit a free throw, Tyler Bix hit a free throw, and then McAdams hit two free throws with 12 seconds left. North Nodaway missed two 3-pointers at the end.

The girls fell 33-27 to East Atchison in a brutal physical battle in which the officials let everything on both ends go. The Mustangs fell behind 17-7 as East Atchison did a much better job running their trapping defense and North Nodaway could not keep them off the boards. Eight of East Atchison's 17 points in the first half were off second chance looks. North Nodaway fell behind by as much as 23-12 in the third, but then they came back as Madison Thompson had a free throw and added a putback and Kristin Herndon hit a 3-pointer from the right wing to make it 23-18.

The Mustangs got it down to three twice, got a triple from Kristin Herndon to make it 27-25 with 6:39 off a pass from Alisha Davison with 4:39 left, and then Bethany Herndon hit two free throws with 2:57 left to tie it up after getting fouled fighting for a defensive board.

Kilea Cooper missed a 3-pointer, but Jaycee Graves was there for an offensive board and went to the line to break the tie and put them up 28-27. The Wolves got a steal, got it into Kinley Thornill, who backed down Madison Thompson, got the foul call, and hit another one with 2:05 left. Kristin Herndon missed two free throws, Lily Graves hit one on the other end, and North Nodaway couldn't answer as they had a turnover and a missed 3-pointer in their next two possessions. East Atchison ran it down to 22 seconds and then Shelby McCartney hit two free throws to put it out of reach.

Drake Kinsella's Buzzer Putback Gives Tigers Victory Over King City

Worth County played their second cliffhanger in a row, but this time they came out on top in a 47-45 victory over King City in a buzzerbeater. The game was close all the way, but King City did not make the kind of insane shots that East Atchison did against Worth County the weekend before. Worth County raised its record in the GRC West to 4-3 with the win.

Cade Allee scored eight points in the first five minutes, but King City kept going to the basket and kept it close. An inside shot from Drake Kinsella off a pass from Jacob New and a putback from Kinsella made it 15-10 for Worth County before Alex Travelute's backdoor layup made it 15-12 after one.

It looked like King City would take control in the second quarter as Travelute kept getting loose for easy backdoor layups and the Wildkats took a 24-19 lead at one point. But Ryan McClellan's putback and a free throw made it 24-22 at the half.

Worth County made a concerted effort to get the ball inside to their big men inside in the third quarter. Drake Kinsella and Mason Hawk scored all 16 of Worth County's points in that period as Worth County went from two down to as much as seven up at 34-27. But then Collin Breckinridge hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer with a hand in his face to make it 38-34 and swing the momentum back in his team's favor.

King City came back and tied the game at 38 and 40 before Ryan McClellan got loose in transition to put Worth County back up 42-40 with 4:10 left. After both sides exchanged misses, B.J. Eiberger missed a 1-1 and Drake Kinsella's putback put Worth County up 44-40. Both sides missed chances as there were a lot of turnovers during the next stretch; Worth County could not pull away, while King City could not get closer. Finally, Worth County ran it down to 49.9 seconds left and Drake Kinsella hit one of two to make it 45-40. But then Collin Breckinridge came right back with a triple that made it 45-43 as everyone lost track of him. King City played for a turnover and Worth County ran it down to 31 seconds, before Jacob New missed a 1-1. King City took advantage as A.J. Saunders' runner went down with 15 seconds left to tie it at 45.

Worth County faked out King City perfectly on the next play; they looked like it would be a drive for Ryan McClellan, but they kicked it to Cade Allee for a good look on the left wing. He missed, but Drake Kinsella was there for the putback at the buzzer for the win.

Tiger Girls Post Most Wins in 11 Years; Beat King City for First Time Since 2007

Worth County's girls showed that their improvement against good teams during the Northwest Missouri Tournament was no accident, as they beat King City 42-39 Tuesday. The Wildkats had quality wins over the likes of North Andrew, South Nodaway, and South Harrison. With the win, Worth County picked up its ninth victory, the most since 2005, when they won 15. They also beat King City for the first time since 2007. So while they have not gotten their winning season yet, two big barriers fell Tuesday night.

Anna Gladstone scored right off the bat, and then Regan Allee got a steal and took on three defenders, knocking down two free throws. Anna Gladstone then grabbed a steal, got it to Payton Adwell, who threw it back to Anna for a give and go that worked perfectly to make it 6-0 with 4:39 left and prompt a King City timeout.

King City responded by pressing Worth County and trying to get Brittany Walters, their post player, more touches and they got back in the game, tying it at 6-6 after Grace Schottel's breakaway. Jessi Badell followed with an inside shot following a Sidney Troutwine strip and a Regan Allee entry pass. Grace Schottel got loose down the left side of the floor again, and Walters scored from inside again to put King City up 9-8, but Troutwine fed Kristin New cutting inside with six seconds left to put Worth County up 10-9 after one.

King City sought to get the ball into Walters more, but Anna Gladstone jumped a pass and scored on the other end to jumpstart a Tiger run. She added a drive and King City switched to a 1-2-2 to stop the drives. Walters connected to make it 14-11, but Regan Allee took a pass from Kristin New for a triple to force them out of it and Anna Gladstone went down the right side against multiple defenders to put Worth County up 19-11.

But then Gladstone picked up her third foul and King City wiped most of it out as Schottel went to the line and went three of four, Walters scored from inside again, and Shanley Muff knocked down a high post shot at the buzzer to make it 19-18 at the half.

Walters picked up her third foul early in the third pushing off on a lob attempt and her fourth trying to stop Regan Allee as she beat the King City press and converted it into a three point play with 6:11 left in the third. Jessi Badell cleaned up on a fast break and Kristin New converted another three-point play off an Allee steal as she took on three defenders to make it 29-20.

But then Anna Gladstone picked up her fourth foul and King City chipped away again, getting back to within 29-26 after three as Worth County went scoreless in last 4:35 of the third. Gladstone came back in and did not pick up her fifth foul as she stayed on for the whole period; she got a backdoor drive off a pass from Allee and a high-low look from Kristin New to put Worth County back up 33-26. Walters came back in and King City had a chance to come back to within two, but Walters picked up her fifth foul pushing off on the offensive end; Kristin New beat the press and got behind the defense and took a pass from Anna Gladstone to make it 35-29 instead of 33-31.

King City went to a trapping zone and got to within 37-34 and got a chance to tie after forcing some turnovers, but they were whistled for three seconds with 1:55 left. On its next possession, Payton Adwell, who had not scored all night, took an entry pass from Regan Allee with 1:22 to make it two possessions again at 39-34. King City missed a shot, but Worth County turned it back over again. But then Anna Gladstone swiped a lob pass and Regan Allee knocked down two free throws to make it 41-34 with 22.7 seconds left.

Worth County went full court man to man in an effort to make King City work to bring the ball up the floor, but it backfired as Jamie Heine beat everyone down the floor to make it 41-36 with 16 seconds left. Kristin New hit one of two with 13.6 seconds left, which left the barn door open as Shanley Muff got a putback and three-point play with 2.9 seconds left to make it 42-39.

Worth County had to get the ball in and King City couldn't foul at this stage, since Worth County would shoot at the other end and King City would have to go the length of the floor in an effort to score even if Worth County missed two. King City went for the turnover and the quick three-pointer, but Worth County got it into Kristin New, who dribbled out the final 2.9 seconds for the victory.