Upsets Likely to Upend Eight Man Rankings

The following were the preseason Eight Man Football Rankings:

1.North Andrew
2.Stanberry
3.Southwest Livingston
4.North West Nodaway
5.Rock Port
6.Hardin Central
7.St Joseph Christian
8.Albany
9.Stewartsville
10.Mound City

There were some interesting results in the Missouri Eight Man Football Rankings that will likely result in some changes. Worth County came into Friday night's game with Rock Port unranked after having only won three games last year. That will change after Worth County's 54-8 win over #5 Rock Port. Other ranked games:

#1 North Andrew 48, #7 St. Joseph Christian 12
The defending two-time state champs rolled to a 32-6 lead over the Lions, with a new coach this year. But two injuries tested their depth, forcing Coach Jonathan Schoonover to play people out of position. The Lions justified their preseason ranking as they went the distance over the Cardinals.

#2 Stanberry 80, #4 North West Nodaway 48
Stanberry justified its current position as one of the teams to beat this year, but the Muskets are not going anywhere despite losing prize runningback and receiver Trevor Meyer. Quarterback Koby Reynolds and his stable of receivers rewrote the passing recordbook last year and could do so again this year. Stanberry led 40-20 at the half, but could never put North West Nodaway away.

#3 Southwest Livingston 86, Northwest Hughesville 0
Games like this are why the Highway 275 Conference put in a rule requiring games to end after one team goes up by 45 or more points. The Wildcats keep coming close to getting to St. Louis and look to go over the hump this year.

Worth County 54, #5 Rock Port 8
Worth County showed that they belong in the rankings, but Rock Port is not as bad as the score indicates. They still have a solid line behind which backs Brady Minter and Colby Linthicum can run. Rock Port had a touchdown run called back by a penalty, two bad snaps go over the center's head, and a squib kick late in the first half that Worth County was able to recover. Take those away, and it's a much closer game.

For Worth County, they show that they belong in the conversation this year. Brevyn Ross, Issac Alarcon, and Ben Badell are all threats to break away and score. If they clean up some of the mistakes in the first game, they will be one of the teams to beat along with North Andrew, Stanberry, North West Nodaway, and Southwest Livingston.

#6 Hardin Central 76, #9 Stewartsville 20
Hardin-Central, which has a cooperative with Norborne this year, had little trouble disposing of #9 Stewartsville.

#8 Albany 60, Greenfield 28
Greenfield, Worth County's next opponent and a district foe, scored first on Albany, but the Warriors took control and pulled away for the win. This Friday, Worth County will travel to Cameron to play Greenfield, a southwest Missouri school which formed an emergency eight man program last year. Coach Chris Healy said that they will likely try to spread the field out on teams. It will be a good tuneup for Worth County's upcoming showdown against North West Nodaway.

East Atchison 38, #10 Mound City 36
The other shocker was the Wolves' win over Mound City. The one-time powerhouse Panthers fell on hard times last year, while a new coach has lit a fire under the dormant Wolves. Worth County assistant coach Jon Adwell was on the players' backs all night about not converting extra points and this game was a prime example -- after Mound City failed to convert an extra point to tie the game at 30, the Wolves scored and converted an extra point attempt to make it 38-28. That made Mound City's last score meaningless.

Game of Interest:
Nodaway/South Holt 41, South Nodaway 14
The new cooperative won its first game Friday night. For the South Holt kids, it was the first time they had tasted victory since 2011. This game was not the kind of debut that new Longhorns coach Dan Collins wanted. For Worth County, every game will be tough and there will be no weak teams this year. That means that they will have earned everything they get.

Tigers Rout Rock Port 54-8 in Third Quarter

In last year's final game, Worth County was trailing North-West Nodaway late in the fourth quarter when they got a glimmer of hope. They had just scored and if they could recover an onsides kick, they might have made things interesting. The squib kick was placed perfectly and Brevyn Ross was the only one within five yards of it. He made a diving lunge at the ball, only for it to squirt away into the hands of a blue shirt. The Muskets ran out the clock and ended Worth County's season. 

By contrast, a play late in the first half of Worth County's game with Rock Port Friday had a different outcome. Worth County had just scored with 46.7 seconds left in the first half to break up a tight game and take a 26-8 lead over Rock Port. Worth County was seeking to keep Rock Port from breaking off a long kickoff return; the ensuing kick was placed perfectly, where nobody but Brevyn Ross could get to it. This time, he came up with the errant kick just before it went out of bounds and Worth County had the ball again on the Rock Port 29. Quarterback Ben Badell scrambled to the 15 on the next play and then two carries by Issac Alarcon put Worth County into the end zone up 32-8 with 26.5 seconds left. Worth County had scored twice in the last 20.2 seconds. 

The momentum carried into the third quarter. Brevyn Ross ran back the ensuing kickoff to the Rock Port 18, and two plays later, got to the Rock Port 5 behind a block from Mason Hawk. Issac Alarcon shot through on a quick hitter to score and Ross followed an Alarcon block to make it 40-8 with 10:46 left. A bad snap on third down and long along with a 15-yard participation penalty after a Rock Port player had made a hit after losing his helmet drove Rock Port back to the 10 and they were forced to punt. Worth County used a short field, starting at the Rock Port 36 and Brevyn got a block from Nate Pointer for 13 yards down to the 16. Two plays later, a Rock Port linebacker shot through and had quarterback Ben Badell all wrapped up, but he somehow got the ball off to Ross, who took the busted play for nine yards to the 3. Ben Badell ran in the remaining three yards to make it 46-8.

Brady Minter ran back the ensuing kickoff for Rock Port to the 40, but Dalton Auffert and Nate Pointer forced a quarterback hurry as Brevyn Ross nearly picked off a pass, Ryan McClellan broke up another pass that would have gone for six had it been caught, and Dalton Auffert batted down a pass on fourth down as Worth County took over on its own 38. Three plays later, on fourth and three, Ben Badell fooled everyone with a quarterback keeper. Tristan Miller threw a perfect seal block to spring him loose and Chris Alarcon threw the final block to get him in the end zone from 35 yards out. Brevyn Ross ran in the extra points to end the game.

Rock Port started off on the wrong foot as they went three and out. On the ensuing fourth down, the shotgun snap went over the punter's head and Worth County recovered at the Rock Port 20. Rock Port struggled with its long snapping game all night. Three plays later, Brevyn Ross followed an Issac Alarcon block and cut back inside to score from 15 yards out to make it 6-0 with 8:53 left. Worth County was able to convert on fourth down all night long. Rock Port went three and out on its next series and elected to pin Worth County on its own 15 instead of going for it on fourth and three at its own 36. But Brevyn Ross broke three different tackles around the right end to get into Rock Port territory at the 34. Worth County converted another fourth down to the 22 when Rock Port jumped offsides and Issac Alarcon scored on a spread draw from the 14 to put Worth County up 12-0 with 4:28 left in the first.

A long kickoff return by Minter and a 36 yard run by Colby Linthicum put Rock Port on the board and Linthicum ran in the extra points. Worth County was faced with third and 20 on its next series at its own 23, but Ben Badell threw a long pass to Chris Alarcon to get Worth County out of trouble down to the Rock Port 23. Four plays later, Issac Alarcon was in the end zone; he ran in the extra points to make it 20-8. Issac then made a touchdown saving tackle on Linthicum and a holding penalty wiped out a Blue Jay touchdown run before Worth County held. Ben Badell fooled everyone with a fake handoff to Brevyn Ross and scampered 22 yards to the Rock Port 15 to set up Worth County's score late in the half to make it three possessions.

Brevyn Ross rushed for 168 yards for the Tigers. Ben Badell ran for 76. Issac Alarcon had 65 yards and five touchdowns. 

Hopkins Journal Closes Doors

The Hopkins Journal has closed its doors; last week was its last issue. Their editor cited declining circulation and advertising revenues. The Sheridan Express will cover the Hopkins area to the best of its ability. Any operation has to grow, be fruitful, and multiply; if it doesn't, it will have to close its doors. While it is a challenge to cover three school districts instead of two, we will seek to do so to the best of our ability. The Sheridan Express is now on sale at Wilson's Grocery in Hopkins; we are published every Wednesday and we will deliver new papers every Thursday morning. We will continue to cover Sheridan, Worth County, and Northeast Nodaway exactly as we have been. We can't replace the Journal in peoples' hearts; many people were very loyal to that paper. That is how it kept its doors open for a long time. However, there is a void with their departure and we will seek to fill it the best we can.

Softball Tigers Split at Eagleville

The Worth County Softball Tigers won one, lost one, and tied one at Eagleville Wednesday evening. Their first game was a 6-1 loss at the hands of Mercer. The second was a 5-5 tie with highly-regarded North Harrison. The third was a 7-2 win over South Harrison.

Assistant coach Tyler Miyashiro said that the games were not indicative of how the team played. Two of the games were played on Eagleville's T-Ball field, meaning balls were really easy to hit out of the yard. That means that Worth County's girls, who are coached by Dave Gilland to hit the top half of the ball, were operating at a disadvantage. But Miyashiro said that, "We did a good job of getting on base and moving runners around." The Tigers jumped out to an early lead against the Shamrocks before North Harrison came back in the last inning to tie it. Worth County faced an improving South Harrison squad in the third game, but took advantage of a wild pitcher to take the victory.

Rikky Hunt, Hailey Hunt, and Payton Adwell each pitched one game. "About everyone contributed that day," said Miyashiro.

School Approves Random Drug Testing Policy for Athletes

The Worth County School Board approved a policy requiring random drug testing for athletes at their regular Board of Education Meeting Thursday. This policy also applies to students who park on school grounds. This also applies to all students who participate in MSHSAA activities such as band, choir, cheer squad, and academic bowl. It does not apply to activities that are not under the MSHSAA umbrella, such as FCCLA, FBLA, and FFA. Northeast Nodaway students who participate in Worth County's football cooperative would not be tested under the program. Students from 7th grade to 12th grade would be covered; parents can opt to have their students placed in the random pool. If a student does not initially qualify to be placed in the pool, but then later goes out for a MSHSAA sport, the student would be placed in the pool at that time. Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz told the Express that the school could not order a test of a specific individual based on hearsay allegations of drug use under the new policy.

District employees would not have the authority to waive testing of a student who was selected randomly under the policy. A positive test would not result in academic sanctions, suspension from school, or referral to law enforcement. However, students who test positive may be suspended from covered activities and/or lose parking privileges on school property.

Stormy McClellan, Curriculum and Assessment Coordinator, reported on the school test scores that were released last week. The state will release a more detailed breakdown of test scores, allowing the school to focus on areas in need of improvement. Some of the areas that were covered by the test were not covered in school.

Assistant Principal Chuck Borey has implemented a policy with the goal of creating a "complaint-free world" in the school building. All staff get wristbands; if they complain, they have to switch their band from one wrist to the other. The goal is to go 21 days without complaining. The program was created by Will Bowen, who spoke at a conference Mr. Borey attended. It takes the average person 4-7 months to get through the 21 days without a single complaint.

Loren Jackson has received an Exemplary School Bus from the Missouri Highway Patrol for having all the buses pass inspection last spring. He also received a Total Fleet Excellence Award as well. He has earned these awards for the last several years.

Borey reported that the elementary building was working on character education for its students. This month, the word of the month is "responsibility." There will be a different character word every month. Tiger paws will be given to students caught displaying positive character traits. A character store will be established so that students can spend their tiger paws. A boy and a girl will be named "character superstars of the month" from both primary and intermediate. Community service projects involving the students will be planned. 90% of parents participated in the elementary open house on Monday, August 17th.

Enrollment this year at Worth County is at 318, up two from last year.

Principal Jon Adwell reported on the new teachers at the school this year. Farrah Richey has moved to Special Education, where she is working on the Odyssey Software. Blair Owens is teaching ACT Prep and Senior Seminar and has been talking about college expectations for students. Adwell said that Donald Heaton, the new music teacher, was highly organized and thorough with inventory. Tyler Miyashiro has been really good at communicating with parents and has ideas for improving the students' test scores. Sean Thurm has been organizing his students into communities, or "homes," which are rewarded for meeting high expectations.

Superintendent Dr. Matt Martz reported that teachers will now be evaluated based on student performance, among other things. This is a requirement by the state. The current projected deficit is now at around $170,000, down from $215,000 at the start of the school year. Martz said that the school could bring it down some more. He also gave board members a video presentation about a statewide goal to make Missouri a top 10 state in the nation for education by 2020. To get there, three goals were listed -- making every high school graduate high school or career ready, giving all children access to early childhood education, and putting an effective teacher in every classroom.

Board members took a tour of the facilities before the meeting. Items in need of improvement noted by members include the gym bleachers and floor, the boys locker room, a standing water issue east of the new stairwell caused by a plugged drain, and bathroom stall doors in the elementary that are rusted. Dr. Martz will come up with a comprehensive list of needed repairs before next month's meeting. The school can pass a $500,000 bond issue with no tax increase in 2016, or a $750,000 bond issue with no tax increase in 2017. Currently, the school is deficit spending, which Dr. Martz said that the school could not afford to keep doing.

Obituary -- Warren "Shorty" Willis 1921-2015

There will never be another Shorty.
Warren Edgar Willis, 94, born January 23, 1921 in rural Pattonsburg, Missouri, passed away peacefully in the company of his family on Thursday August 6th at the Northwest Medical Center in Albany, Missouri.

Warren was the youngest of five brothers and three sisters, and as such grew fond of fried chicken necks as it was the last piece left on the platter. All his siblings Walter Willis, Wiley Willis, Gordon Willis, Harley Willis, Burl Willis, Crystal Willis Burt, Leola Willis Trimble, and Della Willis Shaw predeceased him. He is also predeceased by his parents John D. Willis and Eliza Sweat Willis.

Warren was a self-described “little potato, but hard to peel”. He served as a cook in the United States Army 61st Ordinance Ammunition Company, and peeled plenty of potatoes himself. Service to his county took him to Latte Island in the Pacific then to Hiroshima, Nagasaki and Tokyo. He was honorably discharged at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, on July 7, 1946, as a technician fourth grade. He received a Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Ribbon, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon with Bronze Arrowhead, and the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Bronze Star.

In November 1948 he married Lois Clifton Bozarth at the Baptist minister’s home in Pattonsburg, Missouri. To this union in 1954 Robin Lorraine Willis was born, and she survives Warren at Albany, Missouri. Lois preceded Warren in death in 1956. In December 1967 he married Nellie Lea Boner Marsh, and she survives Warren at their home in Albany. 

Three step-sons that he treated as his own also survive him: Larry Edward (Linda) Marsh and Danny Lee (Mindy) Marsh both of Albany, and David Allan (Tammy) Marsh of Surprise, Arizona. Warren’s grandson, Anthony Ray Willis of San Diego, California was, and is, his brightest star. Warren was proud of all of Tony’s accomplishments in his military and civilian life, and beamed when he spoke of him. Also surviving is Harold (Marilyn) Willis of St. Joseph, Missouri, a nephew that was especially close to Warren. 8 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and 29 nieces and nephews, also survive.

Except for a two year period in 1950-1952 when he worked at the General Motors Fairfax plant, he spent his working life, mostly as manager, in the Pattonsburg, Stanberry, and Grant City cap factories. Obviously he was a man of many hats.

Warren loved gardening, and would probably be proud to be called the Robin Hood of everyone else’s produce raised in excess. It would thrill him to deliver vegetables to his family and friends, especially roasting ears and tomatoes.

Warren also loved the simple farm life, and especially horses. It would likely please him, to be called a “Horse Trader” of all things. He enjoyed observing the humble life of the Amish, and expressed on many occasions that he wished to go back to that way of life. The Great Depression left a substantial mark on his life, instilling within him a grittiness that lasted through his last breath.

Funeral Service: 11:00 AM Monday, August 10 at the Liberty Baptist Church, McFall, with burial in the Oak Ridge Cemetery, Pattonsburg. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church, where friends may call anytime after 9:00 AM Monday. In lieu of flowers the family would appreciate donations to the Northwest Medical Center Foundation, Inc. in Warren’s honor for his beloved nursing staff, or the Oak Ridge Cemetery, in care of the Roberson-Polley Chapel, 403 N. Hundley, Albany, MO 64402. Online condolences: www.robersonpolleychapel.com

Obituary -- Chase Michael Stooksbury 2007-2015

Chase Michael Stooksbury, the son of Jeff Stooksbury and Tera (Henry) Stooksbury was born on June 10, 2007 in Maryville, Missouri. On November 11, 2009, Chase was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma. He passed away on Wednesday, August 19, 2015 at the young age of 8 years old. 

Chase was a 2nd Grader at Virginia E. George Elementary in Albany. He was an honorary firefighter for Liberty Fire Department in Liberty, Missouri.

Survivors: mother, Tera (Jay Quigley) of Albany; father, Jeff (Amanda Rowland), Maryville; brothers, Jeffrey and Trey; step-sisters, Haylen; Jaidon; step-brother, Matthew, all of Maryville; grandparents; Ronnie and Peggy Stooksbury, Albany; Scott & Heather Henry, Grant City; great-grandmothers, Beverly Myers, Albany; Bea Medd, St. Joseph, MO; aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his great-grandfathers, Jack Myers, Norm Ramsey and Seagle Henry; great-grandparents, Nellie and Rowland Stooksbury.

Celebration of Life: 1:00 PM Saturday, August 22 at the Roberson-Polley Chapel, Albany with burial in the Grandview Cemetery, Albany. There is no scheduled family visitation however friends may call anytime after 2:00 PM on Friday at the chapel. Memorial contributions: Ronald McDonald House or the Chase Michael Stooksbury Memorial Fund in care of the Roberson-Polley Chapel, 403 N. Hundley, Albany, MO 64402. Online Condolences: www.robersonpolleychapel.com