Addie Iddings Tosses Back-to-Back One Hitters; Cheyenne Miller Triples as Panthers Reach .500

Pattonsburg went home early for the second night in a row as Addie Iddings tossed back-to-back one hitters, Cheyenne Miller crushed a triple, Kaitlyn Estes continued on her hitting tear, and Pattonsburg rolled to a 17-2 win over Mercer Tuesday, September 30th. Pattonsburg has clawed their way back to .500 with the win, winning five of their last six and scoring 11 or more runs in four of those games. Ten different Panthers got at least one hit in the win.

Jayden Goble and Kaitlyn Estes got two hits each. Kara Bernardino, Addie Iddings, Emsleigh McCrary, Vanessa Weigand, Claire Christensen, Rosalynn Cameron, Carlie Pittsenbarger, and Cheyenne Miller all had one hit. The Panthers only struck out twice. Jayden Goble and Rosalynn Cameron had doubles. Cheyanne Miller had a triple. Jayden Goble stole three bases and Kara Bernardino had one.

Mercer, still searching for its first win, has started showing the ability to hang around with teams; they hung around with Gilman City for a while before the Hawks floored them with a 14-run outburst. They did the same with Pattonsburg, leading them 2-1 at one point before Pattonsburg scored six in the third and ten in the fourth to finish the game.

Pattonsburg reverted back to the sloppy play that hurt them earlier in the year as Paisley Wells scored on an error in the first to put Mercer up 1-0. 

Jayden Goble singled to center and stole second and third in the Panther first.  An errant pickoff attempt scored Goble to tie it at 1-1.

The sloppy play continued in the second as Sari Rogers reached on an error, Payton Davis put down a sac bunt, and Emma Stark got the lone Mercer hit to put her team up 2-1.

Neither side could get anything going in the next two frames as Vanessa Wiegand was caught stealing by Mercer catcher Kylie Holt and Pattonsburg catcher Isabella Burger gunned down Holt trying to steal third to end the Cardinal third. Vanessa Weigand at third and Rosalynn Cameron made catches in the field in that inning.

But Addie Iddings walked to start the Panther third. Walks lead to runs and sure enough, Kara Bernardino (running for Iddings) stole second. Isabella Burger was plunked and Kaitlyn Estes singled home Bernardino to tie it at 2-2 as Carly Pittsenbarger (running for Burger) took second. Emsleigh McCrary singled to load the bases. Vanessa Weigand flied out to center fielder Lily Stark, but Carly Pittsenbarger tagged up and scored to make it 3-2. Claire Christensen singled to center as Kaitlyn Estes scored to make it 4-2 and McCrary took second. Christensen and McCrary took second and third on a passed ball. Rosalynn Cameron was out trying to stretch a double into a triple but got both runners home to make it 6-2. Cheyenne Miller tripled to restart the Panthers and Jayden Goble doubled her in to make it 7-2. 

Mercer tried to answer in the fourth as Payton Davis tried to circle the bases after a throwing error by catcher Isabella Burger, but she was thrown out at the plate for the final out.

Emsleigh McCrary walked with one out in the Pattonsburg fourth. Walks lead to runs and sure enough, Vanessa Weigand reached on a dropped line drive and Claire Christensen walked to load the bases. Carly Pittsenbarger singled to center to score McCrary to make it 8-2 and the bases remained loaded. Cheyenne Miller struck out for the second out, but nine of the Panthers' ten runs scored with two outs in that inning. Kara Bernardino singled to left field to score Christensen and Weigand to make it 10-2, and Pittsenbarger advanced to second. Addie Iddings singled to right to score Pittsenbarger to make it 11-2 and put Bernardino on third. Isabella Burger walked on four pitches. Kaitlyn Estes singled to score Iddings and Bernardino and Iddings to make it 13-2 and put Burger on second. Emsleigh McCrary walked, and Vanessa Weigand was plunked to force in a run to make it 14-2. Claire Christensen reached second on an error as McCrary and Estes scored and Weigand took third to make it 16-2. Carly Pittsenbarger fought back from a 1-2 count and walked, and Cheyenne Miller walked on a 3-2 count to force in a run and end the game early.

Tenley Griffith Strikes Out 100th Batter as Gilman City Wins Second Straight

Tenley Griffith struck out her 100th career batter and hit two triples, and things got back to normal for Gilman City as they went home early against Grundy County, beating them 14-2 Tuesday, September 30th. The Hawks scored in every inning but the fifth in the win and stole 13 bases. Alli Burke showed herself to be a capable backup, pitching the last two innings for the Hawks.

Alli Burke got three hits in the game. Tenley Griffith, Avery Gregg, and Khloey Sperry got two. Parker Crabtree, Caitlynn Chalfant, and Hailey McClure got one each. Only one batter struck out. Avery Gregg, Caitlynn Chalfant, Hailey McClure, and Khloey Sperry had doubles. Tenley Griffith had two triples. Alli Burke went deep.

Khloey Sperry had 3 steals. Alli Burke, Avery Gregg, and Tenley Griffith all had 2. Caitlynn Chalfant, Hailey McClure, Kayleece Puls, and Parker Crabtree had 1.

Sperry reached right away on an error to start the game after putting it in play with two strikes and that opened the floodgates. Sperry stole second and Avery Gregg singled to center to score her to make it 1-0. Gregg stole second. Tenley Griffith got two strikes on her but crushed the first of her triples to right field as Gregg scored to make it 2-0. Alli Burke turned on the first pitch and singled as Griffith scored to make it 3-0. Alli Burke stole second. Kayleece Puls had a long at bat, but struck out. Parker Crabtree picked her up, turning on the first pitch and singling to right as Burke scored to make it 4-0.

Gilman City overcame a pair of errors in the first inning as Tenley Griffith struck out the last batter looking after a long battle. Avery Gregg made a catch in center field in the frame.

Back to back doubles by Khloey Sperry and Avery Gregg put the Hawks up 5-0 in the second. Griffth lined out to short and Gregg was doubled off, but Alli Burke picked her up by crushing a home run to make it 6-0. Back to back errors came back to cost Grundy County as Caitlynn Chalfant doubled home Kayleece Puls and Parker Crabtree to make it 8-0. 

A pair of walks led to Grundy County's first run, but with one out in the Hawk third, Khloey Sperry singled and Avery Gregg walked. Tenley Griffith tripled again with two strikes on her to score both runs to make it 10-1. Alli Burke singled home Griffith to make it 11-1. Kayleece Puls walked, and they took second and third on a passed ball. Burke scored on a passed ball to make it 12-1 as Puls took third. 

In the fourth with one out, Tenley Griffith walked, stole second, and went to third on a passed ball. Alli Burke walked to set up a first and third situation and the Hawks pulled off a successful double steal of second and home to make it 13-1. Caitlyn Chalfant was out on an infield fly and an automatic out, but the ball got away and Burke scored to make it 14-1. 

Area Courthouse, Police, and Crime Reports for October 1st, 2025

On September 16th, Gregory Hogan (46) of Trenton failed to appear in Daviess County Associate Circuit Court on a charge of Careless & Imprudent Driving (Accident). Bond was set at $1,000, cash only.

On September 22nd, Victoria Vaughn (24) of Bethany pleaded guilty in Harrison County Associate Circuit Court to charges of Trespassing, Stealing, and Unlawful Entry Into Motor Vehicle. She was placed on six months probation and fined $100 plus costs by Judge Carrie Clark. Judge Jay Hemenway recused himself from the case. Prosecutor Michael Wulff recused himself from the case and Prosecutor Kelly Wayne Puckett was appointed. Defendant must make restitution, have monthly drug testing, seek drug treatment, and follow recommendations.

On September 22nd, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Ryan Simmonds (46) of Maryville alleging Violation of Protection Order. Bond was set at $5,000 signature bond. Defendant must stay at least 1,000 feet from the victim, their residence, or their job.

On September 23rd, the Maryville Fire Department reported on its Facebook page that at 12:55 pm that day, units were dispatched to a residential structure fire in Maryville. Firefighters extinguished the blaze and discovered multiple deceased pets in the structure. The cause is undetermined due to multiple potential ignition sources in the area of origin.

On September 23rd, Gentry County Prosecutor Jessica Jones filed charges against Lynsey Chan (36) of King City alleging Delivery of Controlled Substance (Felony) and two counts Involuntary Manslaughter (Felony). Bond was set at $100,000, cash only.

On September 24th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Ricky Jorgensen (43) of Lathrop alleging Harassment (Felony) and Stalking. Bond was set at $10,000, cash only. Defendant may have no contact with victims or witnesses. Defendant must wear GPS monitoring device. Defendant is currently on probation in Caldwell County on a charge of Possession of Defaced Firearm.

On September 24th, Harrison County Prosecutor Michael Wulff filed charges against Kristy Cox (40) of Bethany alleging Harassment (Felony). Bond was set at $10,000, cash only, posted by the defendant.

On September 25th, Jimmie Wright (67) pleaded guilty in Harrison County Circuit Court to charges of DWI (Felony) and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Felony). He was placed on five years probation by Judge Matthew Krohn. Defendant must submit to alcohol monitoring for 180 days. Defendant may not operate a motor vehicle. 

On September 24th, Phillip Tucker (51) of New Hampton pleaded guilty in Harrison County Associate Circuit Court to a charge of DWI. He was placed on two years probation by Judge Jay Hemenway. Defendant must make $300 contribution to Law Enforcement Restitution Fund and successfully complete an alcohol education program as designated by probation.

On September 24th, Judge Jay Hemenway revoked the probation of Gregory Johnson (49) of Bethany in Harrison County Associate Circuit Court and sentenced him to 90 days in jail in addition to time served. The defendant had been on probation on a charge of Stealing and picked up a new charge of Violation of Protection Order. The defendant pleaded guilty and he will serve it concurrently.

On September 25th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Brittany Karstens (42) of Jameson alleging Domestic Assault. Bond was set at $5,000, cash only. Defendant may have no contact with the victim.

On September 25th, Garrett Coats (24) of Sunrise Beach (MO) was sentenced to seven  years in the Missouri Department of Corrections in Camden County Circuit Court after he admitted to violating probation by picking up new charges in Nodaway County. The defendant had been on probation in Camden County for charges of Domestic Assault (Felony).

On September 26th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Matthew Brady (52) of Kansas City alleging Burglary (Felony) and Stealing (Felony). Bond was denied. Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson also charged Randall Peterman (35) of Richmond with Burglary (Felony), Stealing (Felony), Unlawful Possession of a Firearm (Felony), and Property Damage (Felony). Bond was denied. Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Lenzey Bledsoe (33) of Independence alleging Burglary (Felony) and Stealing (Felony). Bond was denied. An affidavit from the Daviess County Sheriff’s Department alleged the defendants broke into someone’s house and stole power tools, knives, a laptop computer, and a pair of binoculars.

On September 26th, Daviess County Prosecutor Andrea Beth Gibson filed charges against Brian Hedrick (67) of Pattonsburg alleging Property Damage (Felony) and Obstruction of Public Roadway. Bond was set at $5,000, cash only.

On September 26th, Nodaway County Prosecutor Tina Dieter filed charges against Darrell Zukowski (57) of St. Joseph alleging DWI and Speeding (96 mph).

On September 26th, Judge Corey Herron issued an arrest warrant for Tameika Russell (38) of Forest City in Nodaway County Associate Circuit Court following receipt of a bond violation report. Bond was denied. The defendant is facing charges of Delivery of Controlled Substance (Felony), Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

On September 29th, Judge Ryan Horsman revoked the probation of Kayla Jones (32) of Kansas City in Livingston County Circuit Court and sentenced her to five years in the Missouri Department of Corrections, consecutive to all other sentences. Defendant receives credit for 199 days served. The defendant had been on probation for a charge of Possession of Controlled Substance (Felony).

Charges listed are merely allegations. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it is to determine guilt or innocence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. 

 

 

Tower Choir in Concert October 5th

Northwest Missouri State University’s Tower Choir will return to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception at Conception Abbey to present a concert on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The Tower Choir is under the direction of Dr. Adam Zrust, an associate professor of music and the chair of Northwest’s School of Fine and Performing Arts.

The concert, which is free and open to the public, begins at 3 p.m. Conception Abbey is located 17 miles southeast of Maryville.

The Tower Choir is an audition-based choral ensemble that is consistently invited to state conferences. The ensemble performs concerts for high schools, colleges, universities, churches, institutions and organizations throughout the region.

About the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

Completed in 1891, the basilica is considered one of the wonders of the four-state region and beyond. In 1999, the monastery completed a $9 million restoration of the structure and its historic Beuron murals.

With 2,009 pipes, the basilica organ was designed for Conception Abbey by M. L. Bigelow and Company of American Fork, Utah, and completed in 1997. The wood pipes were constructed by the Bigelow company while the majority of its metal pipes were produced in Zeist, Holland, by the firm of Jacques Stinkens. The largest metal pipe, the 16’ Prestant, is 18.5 feet tall, 10 inches in diameter and weighs nearly 400 pounds. The largest wood pipe is 16 feet tall, 19 inches wide and 22 inches deep. The organ also contains seven large wood pipes recycled from the 1911 Kimball organ that once stood in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, Salt Lake City.

 

Invasive Lotus Treatment Scheduled at Mozingo Lake

Mozingo Lake Recreation Park will begin treatment of the invasive lotus plant that has spread across much of the north end of the lake. The treatment effort is being conducted by a licensed contractor with assistance from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and has been reviewed and approved by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The treatment will take place October 2-3, 2025, and will involve the use of drone spraying. To ensure the effectiveness of this effort, the north side of the lake past the city boat ramp will be closed to disturbance during and after treatment. Treated areas must remain undisturbed for at least three (3) days following application.

Officials emphasize that this process will not impact the water quality supplied by the Maryville Water Treatment Plant. Mozingo Lake Recreation Park appreciates the public’s cooperation and understanding as steps are taken to protect and enhance the long-term health of the lake.

 

USDA Makes Second Economic Assistance Payment

USDA Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced Friday that the USDA is issuing a second Emergency Commodity Assistance Program payment to eligible producers for the 2024 crop year. The Farm Service Agency has already provided over $8 billion in payments to eligible producers to mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices.

“Initial ECAP payments were factored by 85% to ensure that total program payments did not exceed $10 billion in available funding. Since additional funds remain, FSA is issuing a second payment,” said Deputy Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Brooke Appleton. “As producers continue to face market volatility, these payments along with the entire suite of supplemental disaster assistance programs, will help producers navigate market uncertainty, pay down debt for the 2024 crop year, and secure financing for the next crop year.”

Payments will automatically be made to eligible producers with approved ECAP applications who received an initial payment. Any application approved after Sept. 25, 2025, will receive one lump sum payment. Authorized by the American Relief Act, 2025, these economic relief payments are based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. 

 

Hawley Bill Would Allow Americans to Sue AI Companies for Liability

On Tuesday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced legislation that would classify Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems as products. This would allow for liability claims when an AI system causes harm. AI systems like Copilot, ChatGPT, and Grok have been accused of driving people to commit suicide.

“When a defective toy car breaks and injures a child, parents can sue the maker. Why should AI be treated any differently? This bipartisan legislation would apply product liability law to Big Tech’s AI so parents — and any consumer — can sue when AI products harm them or their children,” said Hawley.

The AI Lead Act would:

—Classify AI systems as products, allowing for product liability claims to be brought against companies if their AI system causes harm.

—Incentivize AI companies to design their systems safely rather than rushing AI systems to market.

—Hold AI companies accountable without stifling innovation by allowing for the continued development of beneficial AI systems.

 

 

Kaitlyn Estes Goes Deep, Addie Iddings Tosses One Hitter as Panthers Go Home Early

Kaitlyn Estes went deep, Addie Iddings tossed a one hitter, and Pattonsburg got to go home early Monday as they beat Stewartsville/Osborn 16-1 in three innings. The Panthers have been trying to claw their way back to .500 all year, and they are nearly there at 8-9 after Monday's win. They have won three out of their last four, fueled by the bat of Estes and the rest of the Panthers.

The Panthers had 10 hits, and seven different players got at least one. Jayden Goble, Isabelle Burger, and Kaitlyn Estes got two hits while Emsleigh McCrary, Vanessa Wiegand, Rosalynn Cameron, and Cheyanne Miller each had one. Isabella Burger, Jayden Goble, Kaitlyn Estes, and Rosalynn Cameron had doubles, while Estes had a home run. Pitch selection was excellent as the Panthers did not strike out all night. Iddings only gave up one hit and struck out five batters.

It looked like it would be another adventure for the Panthers as Scarlett Pirak reached second on a pair of errors to lead off the game. The Panthers almost got out of the inning as Laine Downs popped out to catcher Isabella Burger and Anna Ramey struck out. But the errors came back to cost them as Jaelyn Hahn singled home Pirak to put OSHS up 1-0.

But then Jayden Goble reached on an error and took second on a passed ball. Another error scored Goble to tie it at 1-1 and put Addie Iddings on second. That was enough to open the floodgates as Isabella Burger doubled to center as Iddings scored. Kaitlyn Estes doubled to left as Claire Christensen (running for Burger) scored to make it 3-1. Emsleigh McCrary grounded out to second to put Estes on third. Vanessa Weigand singled to center to score Estes. Kara Bernardino, Rosalynn Cameron, and Cheyenne Miller all walked to force in a run to make it 5-1. Walks lead to runs and sure enough, Jayden Goble singled to score Bernardino and Cameron to make it 7-1 after one.

With one out, Isabella Burger reached second on a dropped fly ball. Kaitlyn Estes was plunked by a pitch and Emsleigh McCrary singled to load the bases. Vanessa Weigand was plunked to force in a run and make it 8-1. Kara Bernardino grounded into a force at third as McCrary was out, Estes scored to make it 9-1, and Weigand took second. Rosalynn Cameron was out trying to stretch a double into a triple, but Bernardino and Weigand scored before the out, making it 11-1. 

Rosalynn Cameron had a short memory as she made a catch in center field in the Wildcard third.

Cheyenne Miller got a single to lead off the third. Jayden Goble doubled, and Miller scored all the way from first. Goble took third on the throw home. Addie Iddings reached on an error as Goble scored to make it 13-1. Isabella Burger singled, and Kaitlyn Estes finished it with a home run to left field, scoring Iddings and Christensen (running for Burger). 

Andi Nail Doubles Twice as Shamrocks Rise From the Dead Against Bobcats

Andi Nail showed some newfound power with two doubles and North Harrison overcame monster nights from Sloane McClain (4 hits), Khloe Ponjavic (3 hits), and Lainey Thompson (3 hits) as the Shamrocks came from behind to beat East Harrison 8-7 Monday.  The Bobcats teed off early and often against North Harrison with 16 hits and the Shamrocks committed four errors as well. But somehow, North Harrison got off the canvas and used a six run sixth inning to overcome a 6-2 deficit. The Shamrocks now have won three out of their last four games going into Thursday's showdown with Albany. A Shamrock win over Albany would knock them into a tie for first. A Warrior win would give them an outright GRC West title regardless of what anyone else does.

Six different Shamrocks got hits for the night. Lani Briggs had three, Raegan Hogan and Andi Nail two, and Hali Smith, Ava Rinehart, and Jaxcynn Hansel one each. Andi Nail had 2 doubles, and Ava Rinehart and Raegan Hogan had 1. Lani Briggs had a triple. Against Lainey Thompson's high heat, they only struck out three times. 

East Harrison drew first blood in the bottom of the second when Sloane McClain singled. Phoenix Ratliff struck out after a long battle, but Khloe Ponjavic singled McClain to third. Shayla Vandiver grounded out to Andi Nail at first as McClain scored.

North Harrison got the run back in the top of the fourth. Raegan Hogan beat out an infield hit and Andi Nail doubled her over to third. Jaxcynn Hansel grounded out to shortstop Taylor Whitker as Hogan scored to make it 1-1.

Sloane McClain singled to lead off the Bobcat fourth. Phoenix Ratliff grounded out to move her to second. Khloe Ponjavic singled McClain to third. McClain scored on a passed ball to put East Harrison in front 2-1 as Ponjavic took second. Shayla Vandiver walked. Avarie Thompson singled Ponjavic home to make it 3-1 before Andi Nail caught Taylor Whitaker's pop fly to get the Shamrocks out of the inning.

Addison Milligan reached on an error in the Shamrock fifth and Hali Smith laid down a sac bunt, moving her to second. Lani Briggs turned on the first pitch she saw and singled her home to make it 3-2.

But then Lainey Thompson walked to start the Bobcat fifth. Walks lead to runs and sure enough, Sloane McClain singled Thompson to second. Thompson stole third and McClain later took second on defensive indifference. Phoenix Ratliff grounded out to Hansel as Thompson scored, and McClain took third. Ponjavic took second on defensive indifference and Khloe Ponjavic singled them both home to make it 6-2. Once again, Andi Nail continued to be the steady hand for the Shamrocks even as everything was threatening to unravel around her as she caught Vandiver's pop fly to get the second out. Jalyn Cain singled Ponjavic to second but left fielder Raegan Hogan caught Avarie Thompson's pop fly for the final out.

North Harrison started clawing back as Raegan Hogan doubled to left and stole third. Andi Nail doubled her home to make it 6-3. Jaxcynn Hansel singled Nail to third and then stole second. Kathryn Parkhurst grounded out to score Nail and move Hansel to third to make it 6-4. Hansel scored on a passed ball to make it 6-5, but Becca Welling grounded out for the second out. It looked like East Harrison would get out of the inning, but Addison Milligan walked to keep the inning alive. Walks lead to runs and sure enough, Hali Smith hit a pop fly single behind first and Milligan, off on contact with two outs, took third. Smith stole second and Lani Briggs tripled them both in to put North Harrison up 7-6. Ava Rinehart doubled in Briggs to make it 8-6.

Taylor Whitaker tripled to lead off the Bobcat sixth and Lainey Thompson doubled her home to make it 8-7. Thompson took third on a passed ball. Aspen Zerbe hit a ground ball that Lani Briggs had no chance to get her on. But Briggs cut down Lainey Thompson at the plate to preserve the lead. Sloane McClain singled Zerbe to second, but Phoenix Ratliff grounded to Jaxcynn Hansel, who stepped on third for the second out. The Shamrocks finally got Khloe Ponjavic out as she hit a grounder to Becca Welling at second, who threw to Briggs at second for a force and the final out.

Once again, North Harrison had to hang by their fingernails after going in order in the seventh. Shayla Vandiver singled to center. Jalyn Cain popped out to Andi Nail, but Avarie Thompson reached on an error to put runners at first and second. Taylor Whitaker struck out swinging, but Lainey Thompson, who was three for three, was up to bat. But catcher Ava Rinehart picked Avarie Thompson off first to end the game. It was the third pickoff for Rinehart in the last three games. 

Megan Tracy Tosses One Hitter as Tigers Down Spoofhounds 15-0

Worth County threw Megan Tracy into the fire again two days after she had struggled to contain North Harrison, and she responded by tossing a one-hitter as the Tigers pulled away to a 15-0 victory over Maryville Monday. The red-hot Tigers have won 10 out of their last 11 games with the win going into Thursday's game with King City. A win over King City and a loss by Albany to North Harrison would hand Worth County, and possibly Princeton and Stanberry as well, a tie for the GRC West title with the Warriors. 

The Tigers unloaded on Maryville with 13 hits. Riley Ridge had 3, Kristen Tracy, Audrey Runde, and Rylee Ruckman had two, and Kambree Briner, Megan Tracy, Addison Gray, and Keira Hardy had 1. Eight different Tigers had hits and they walked seven times and didn't strike out at all. Kambree Briner, Kristen Tracy, and Megan Tracy had doubles. The Tigers stole eight bases; Riley Ridge had 4 and Addison Gray, Keira Hardy, Audrey Runde, and Megan Tracy had 1. Megan Tracy walked three and stuck out five in four innings of work and the Tigers only made one error behind her.

Riley Ridge got the Tigers started in the first when she beat out a bunt single and stole second. Kambree Briner popped out, but Riley Ridge stole third. Kristen Tracy got two strikes on her but singled to left to score Ridge to make it 1-0. Audrey Runde singled to center and she took second and Tracy third as the ball got away. Worth County had a baserunning blunder when Runde tried to go to third on a grounder to short and was tagged out as Megan Tracy reached first, but Tracy stole second and Addison Gray singled two runs home to make it 3-0. 

Sadie Briner hit a line shot to start the Spoofhound second, but right at pitcher Megan Tracy. Mercedes Hall reached on a dropped fly ball by Addison Gray in left, but Gray stuck with the play and threw out Hall trying to advance to third to kill a potential rally.

With one out in the Tiger second, Rayleigh Smith walked and Riley Ridge beat out a bunt single. Kambree Briner popped out, but Kristen Tracy turned on the first pitch and crushed a double to center as both Smith and Ridge scored. Tracy took third on the throw home. Audrey Runde singled in Tracy, catching hold of the first pitch again. Megan Tracy and Addison Gray walked to load the bases. Walks lead to errors and sure enough, Rylee Ruckman hit a hard ground ball that turned into an error as Megan Tracy and Audrey Runde scored to make it 8-0.

Jesslyn Grayson got the lone hit for Maryville with one out in the third, but Ella Eckley popped out to Audrey Runde and Avah Eckley struck out. 

With one out in the Tiger third, Riley Ridge swung away and singled to center and stole second and third. Kambree Briner walked. Riley Ridge scored on a passed ball to make it 9-0 Briner took second on a wild pitch. Kristen Tracy walked. Walks lead to errors and sure enough, Audrey Runde reached on a dropped pop fly to load the bases. Megan Tracy was thrown out trying to stretch a double into a triple, but she cleared the bases with the hit to make it 12-0.

Audrey Runde threw out Addisyn Jenson-Pleasance trying to steal third in the fourth inning after she had walked to lead off. 

Rylee Ruckman singled with two strikes on her and Keira Hardy beat out a bunt. Rayleigh Smith walked. Rylee Ruckman scored on a wild pitch to make it 13-0. Braelyn Fletchall walked. Kambree Briner doubled to score Hardy and Smith and the Tigers got to go home early.

Bexlie Busby Triples as Junior High Bluejays Drop Bulldogs 10-3

Bexlie Busby got a key triple to salt the game away as Northeast Nodaway's junior high overcame an early deficit and beat East Buchanan 10-3 Monday. 

It looked like a long day after one of the Bulldogs circled the bases to start the game after a single got away and rolled to the wall. But Bluejay pitcher Audrie Villegas got out of the inning and the Bluejays started working the pitch count, getting on at will in the first two innings. Emma Wilmes walked, and Maddie Faustlin was plunked. A wild pitch was thrown around, allowing both to score and putting the Bluejays up 2-1. Ellie Jackson and Kiley Yost singled and Bexlie Busby crushed a triple down the left field line, scoring both and making it 4-1. Audrie Villegas walked, and Aubrey Wilmes hit a pop fly between the mound and third that dropped in. Bexlie Busby, showing the same sort of daredevil skills as her older sister Baylie, made a dash home and was safe to make it 5-1. For the Bluejays, three of their hits came with two strikes, including Busby's blast.

Josie Jago grounded out to score Jeanie Houghton to cut it to 5-2 for the Bulldogs in the second.

Two more two-strike hits set up the Bluejay second. Eryn O'Connell beat out an infield hit and Khloe Burns grounded out to move her to second. Emma Wilmes hit a pop fly that dropped in between second and right field to score O'Connell to make it 6-2. Maddie Faustlin caught hold of her first pitch and crushed one off the left fielder's glove for a base hit as Wilmes took second. Ellie Jackson caught hold of another first pitch and reached on an error when the shortstop held the ball. Kiley Yost reached on an error when the Bulldogs tried to get a force at third, but the third baseman's foot was off the bag. A run scored on the play to make it 7-2. Bexlie Busby was plunked in the foot to force in a run to make it 8-2 and Aubrey Wilmes grounded one into center. East Buchanan got the force at second, but two runs scored to make it 10-2.

Northeast subbed freely in the third, getting some new players some looks. East Buchanan pulled off a successful double steal of second and home in the fourth to cut it to 10-3, but Bexlie Busby successfully started a rundown to get out of the inning.

Emma Vicker Circles Bases to Spark NEN; Bluejays End Skid With 16-6 Win

Northeast Nodaway's softball team had gone through a brutal week after their 9-8 win over OSHS, completing a sweep over them. The week-long layoff after that killed any momentum they might have had, and they fell flat against Stanberry 10-0. The Bulldogs scored at least one run in every inning before ending the game early. 

Blair Nelson was a bright spot during that stretch. She went two for two in the Stanberry game including a triple. Mylee Wilmes and Ashlynn Kennard also had hits. 

After committing seven errors in the Stanberry game, the scoreboard didn't show it, but they showed improvement as they cut their errors down to one in their 16-1 loss to Hamilton to start the North Andrew Tournament Saturday. Hamilton teed off on Northeast, getting 16 hits in the win. Mylee Wilmes had 3 hits that game, with Paizlee Norman, Rylee Scadden, and Ashlynn Kennard getting one. 

They did better against North Andrew than the last time but fell 10-2 against the Cards in the third-place game of the North Andrew Tournament Saturday. They got some good swings against Teigan Miller, but couldn't cash in. Blair Nelson had another two-hit game, going 2 for 3 with a double. Rylee Scadden, Mylee Wilmes, and Ashlynn Kennard also had hits. 

The East Buchanan game Monday featured two teams desperate for a win, with the Bluejays having two so far and the Bulldogs with one. Paizlee Norman and Aubrey Fetters got hard hits, but right at people in the early innings while the lone run in the first two innings came when Bristol Hicks walked, stole second, stole third, and came home on a throwing error in the second to put Northeast up 1-0.

After hacking at the first pitch too much in the first two innings and having no hits to show for it, they showed a lot more plate discipline the rest of the way. With two outs, Paizlee Norman and Rylee Scadden worked walks and Blair Nelson singled Norman home to make it 2-0. Scadden took third and Nelson second on the throw home. Mylee Wilmes followed with a single to left center to score two more to make it 4-0.

Pitcher Addie Thummel gave up only one hit and only needed five pitches to get through the fourth, but disaster struck in the fifth as East Buchanan suddenly started teeing off. Rylee Hill doubled, and Makayla Roe singled to get home the first run. Leah Herpel forced Roe at second for the first out, but then a throwing error put runners on second and third and Herpel scored on a wild pitch to make it 4-2. Thummel, who had rarely gotten this deep in a game before, started fighting the strike zone and walked Makenzie McDowell. McDowell was thrown out stealing second by catcher Paizlee Norman, but Ember Sparks scored on the play to make it 4-3. Madelyn McCoy beat out a slow roller, Isabelle Steeby walked, and East Buchanan continued to tee off, with Ava Hall hitting a double and Lindsey Herpel hitting a single to put the Bulldogs up 6-4 before Northeast finally got out of the inning.

At that point, they could have easily folded, but when East Buchanan threw away Emma Vicker's routine grounder, allowing her to circle the bases, the floodgates opened for the Bluejays. Vicker, out for the first time this year as a junior, is the unofficial mascot of the team with the loudest voice and the most creative huddle breaks, and that play got the whole team going again. Paizlee Norman singled and stole second; the throw got away, and she came in to score to make it 6-6. Rylee Scadden singled to center, stole second, and took third on a throwing error. Blair Nelson singled her home to make it 7-6. Mylee Wilmes walked. Bristol Hicks grounded into a force at third, but a dropped throw got away as Wilmes scored to make it 8-6, Hicks took third, and Addie Thummel second. 

Aubrey Fetters showed a newfound ability to bunt and got one down perfectly. Hicks broke for the plate and scored as Fetters reached first and Thummel third to make it 9-6. Fetters stole second. Piper Gray singled to center as Thummel scored to make it 10-6 and Fetters took third. Gray stole second. Emma Vickers reached on a dropped third strike as Gray took third. Fetters was out at the plate breaking for home on the play, but Gray scored on a wild pitch to make it 11-6.

East Buchanan tried to get back in the game in the sixth. With one out, Ember Sparks hit a pop fly into no-man's land between the mound and shortstop, and Makenzie McDowell beat out a grounder to third to put runners on first and second. But Madelyn McCoy hit a grounder to Blair Nelson, who stepped on third and threw to first for a double play to get out of the inning.

A dropped throw and a dropped fly ball put Blair Nelson and Mylee Wilmes on first and second. Bristol Hicks forced Nelson at third but beat out the double play try to first as Wilmes went first to third on the play. That opened the floodgates after Hicks stole second. Addie Thummel singled to left to score two to make it 13-6 and took second on the throw home. Aubrey Fetters, who had been robbed of extra bases earlier in the game, crushed a double down the left field line to score Thummel to make it 14-6. She took third on a passed ball. Piper Gray reached on a dropped third strike and the throw to first got away as Gray reached third and Fetters scored to make it 15-6. Gray came home on a wild pitch and the Bluejays, staring at defeat at one point, got to go home early. 

John White, Debra Nicholson Celebrate 50th Anniversary

John White and Debra Nicholson were married October 18th, 1975, at the United Methodist Church in Pickering. The young couple had an unusual start to their memorable day with Debbi attending the Northwest Homecoming Parade and John beginning his first day as an auctioneer at the sale barn in Bedford. They honeymooned at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City — not typical of today’s weddings!

They reside on the Nicholson Family Farm and are the parents of Danae (Tyler) Halvin, Keely (Brad) Cline, and Tanna (Luke) Campbell and grandparents of Tayden, Nevaeh, Caspian, Hadley, Elley, Hudsen, Reed, and Ridge. Their late parents are Herbert and Marion Nicholson and Forrest and Iona White.

John and Debbi celebrated their 50th anniversary with an Alaskan vacation. A family celebration will be held later. To make their golden anniversary even more special, cards may be mailed to 14860 Katy Road, Hopkins, MO 64461.

 

Grant City Seeks Grant for New Playground Equipment

City Administrator Lizzie Jeanes told the Grant City Council at their regular meeting Wednesday that the city is looking into new playground equipment. There has been some carving and damage to current equipment; the city is going to go for a larger grant amount with playground and exercise equipment.

The yellow house that burnt on east First Street has been cleaned up.

There has been progress on a few letters of violation that the city previously sent.

The Lead Lined Pipe Survey reimbursement sent in $95,281.25 and the invoice has been paid. The city is awaiting a reimbursement by the DNR.

Power poles are going up for the sewer plant.

The city will put together a plan for the sidewalk and the empty spot where the building collapsed to protect the water line.

The council voted to pay $50 to sponsor the Homecoming Parade.

The Midwest Data contract is up for renewal. The city computers are outdated, including the server, and Windows is about to end support for Windows 10. Midwest Data will update the main computer, add more security, and continue with backup and recovery. The council voted to renew the contract.

Ryan Fletchall reported that the city had fixed the firetruck filler. The city completed a sewer tap for the Christian Church fellowship hall.

The pool guy installed the new filter, and work on the Lovers Lane project is wrapping up.

The council voted to purchase one flush hydrant.

Tyson Troutwine reported taking the mini excavator to Maryville to have it serviced before buying the extended warranty. He reported putting tubes in, widening the corner at Briggs Street and Lagoon Road, ditching, cutting brush, and doing shoulder work.

Approved Paving will come around October 15th or 20th.

The council approved building permits for Brianna Dillavou, Aaron Moad, Danny Campbell, and Kevin Kobbe.

 

Colton Crone, Kaos Sweiger Get In on the Act as Panthers Roll Stanberry

Pattonsburg put away Stanberry in the third quarter and the fourth quarter was left for the reserves, a rarity for the Panthers. Wyatt Maize, Gage Fortner, Camden Griffith, and Gavin Humphrey all put up their usual numbers. But they were able to get a pair of freshmen in on the act in the fourth quarter as Colton Crone (a cousin of Panther standout Carter Crone) and Kaos Sweiger hooked up for a pair of touchdown passes as the Panthers pulled away to a 72-19 win.

Now, the tough part of their schedule comes up. Undefeated King City will come to town Friday for Homecoming, and then Pattonsburg will travel to face a tough St. Joseph Christian squad. They close out their regular season with games against Worth County and archrival Albany. 

The Panthers got off to a slow start as Stanberry hung around, trailing 16-6 and then 24-12 before Pattonsburg pulled away to a 48-19 halftime lead. Anything could happen, and they were stuck behind the chains after letting the play clock get down to one second and Fortner planted the turf after getting sacked. But a bubble screen to Wyatt Maize sprung him loose and he took it to the house to make it 54-19 with 10:50 left in the third.

From there, Pattonsburg made a goal line stand to seal the win. The first was after a fluke play occurred, when one of the Panthers batted Drew Parman's pass in the air, but right to Pax Schieber, who took it to the 25. Pattonsburg then set up fourth and eight at the 23, only for Gavin Humphrey to slip and fall and Stanberry completed a long pass to the 9 to keep the drive going. Carries by Parman and Jake Holtzclaw took it to the three and then Jace Estrada dropped Parman at the three to set up fourth and goal. Jace Estrada came through again, dropping Parman at the one and Pattonsburg had held on downs. 

A pair of penalties kept Pattonsburg in check at first, but a 21-yard catch and run by Wyatt Maize took the ball to the 28 and a first down. From there, Wyatt Maize got loose for 44 yards to the Stanberry 8, and a horsecollar penalty put it on the four. Brant Jensen broke up a pass, but then Camden Griffith caught a pass to make it 60-19 with 1:48 left.

After the third quarter, Stanberry threw in the towel and the teams turned it over to their reserves. Alex Young and Henry Frank combined on a tackle for loss after Stanberry had gotten as far as the Pattonsburg 26, and then Beau Gibson and Jeremy Pittsenbarger combined on a sack to set up fourth down. Pittsenbarger got a sack and forced a fumble, recovered by Kayson Sims at the Stanberry 34.

Beau Gibson slipped a series of tackles to the 27 and then picked up six more to the 21. That set up a pass from Colton Crone to Kaos Sweiger from 21 yards out with 6:30 left.

Gibson showed what he was made of on defense, dropping the Stanberry back on the ensuing kickoff at the 27. Pattonsburg overcame an offsides penalty to get a stop as Jeremy Pittsenbarger blew up a keeper and Kaos Sweiger and Beau Gibson stopped a third down scramble short of the first down. Colton Crone broke up a fourth down pass and Pattonsburg got the ball back on downs. Two long passes from Crone to Sweiger got Pattonsburg back in the end zone as time expired. 

Wyatt Maize completed one pass attempt for five yards. Gage Fortner was 18 for 29 for 326 yards and six touchdowns. Colton Crone completed three of four passes for 71 yards.

Wyatt Maize had 10 carries for 168 yards. Gage Fortner had one carry for three yards, and Beau Gibson had 2 carries for 14 yards.

Wyatt Maize had 4 catches for 119 yards. Camden Griffith had 7 catches for 110 yards. Kaos Sweiger had 3 catches for 63 yards. Gavin Humphrey had 7 catches for 110 yards. Evan Mason had 1 catch for 8 yards.

Camden Griffith had 12 tackles. Ryker Fortner was moving up the tackle charts, getting 6. Wyatt Maize had 5, Alex Young and Gavin Humphrey had 4, Kaos Sweiger, Beau Gibson, Jeremy Pittsenbarger, Collin Mason, and Andrew Craig had 3, and Jace Estrada, Henry Frank, Drake Sperry, and Remington White had 2.

Camden Griffith and Jeremy Pittsenbarger had 2 tackles for loss. Collin Mason and Andrew Craig had 1.

Jeremy Pittsenbarger had 1.5 sacks. Camden Griffith and Collin Mason had 1 and Beau Gibson had 0.5. Kayson Sims had a fumble recovery.