Khloey Sperry Goes Beast Mode Against Shamrocks in Hawk Win; Lani Briggs Scores 15 for North Harrison

Lani Briggs did all she could to help North Harrison win Thursday night, posting 15 points. But Khloey Sperry went beast mode for Gilman City, posting 19 points and 17 boards as the state-ranked Hawks did nothing to hurt their #6 ranking, beating North Harrison 51-34.

The Hawks were without their coach, Kaitlyn Eoff, who was having a baby. She also missed the next night, a road trip to archrival Tri-County. But it didn’t matter as the Hawks kept winning with a 47-27 win over the Mustangs, their district final opponent from last year. Assistant Danny Lisle managed the team, while Eric Lewis, looking different in blue, came out of retirement and back onto the bench to assist.

Gilman City is enjoying some parallels to the 2008 season, when they set a school record with 24 wins. That year, their coach, Tina Holt, also had a baby, Kash during the course of the season. If the name sounds familiar, Kash Holt is a major force for Princeton’s boys squad this year.

The first meeting between the two squads was a neck and neck battle at Gallatin before Gilman City pulled away. But this time, Avery Gregg started stealing the ball early and often to put the Hawks in front. Khloey Sperry followed with some free throws to give Gilman City a 10-4 lead. Ava Rinehart hit a 3-pointer to stop the bleeding, but Sperry, who was getting hammered all night, hit another free throw and Gregg converted off a Hailey McClure steal to make it 13-7 after one. Gregg started the second quarter with a 3-pointer and Alli Burke hit another to make it 19-7.

North Harrison tried to rally after Addison Milligan got an offensive board and Jaxcynn Hansel fed Hali Smith, who drew a foul and hit two free throws to make it 19-9. But soon after, Hansel went to the bench with three fouls. The Shamrocks would hold their own with Hansel, their best shot-blocker and rebounder, on the floor, but would struggle against the relentless Hawk rebounding attack when she was on the bench. Sperry hit another free throw and Paisley Taggart hit a free throw and then went back door and got a pass from Alli Burke to make it 23-9.

North Harrison had a glimmer of hope at the end of the half when Gracie Young hit a free throw and Ava Rinehart stuffed the much taller Pyper Taggart, rushed it up the floor, and fed Lani Briggs at the halftime buzzer to make it 23-13.

But Khloey Sperry carried the Hawks on her shoulders, airing one out to Avery Gregg for a fast break and two free throws. Sperry then flung the ball out for another long pass, and Hailey McClure tracked it down and fed Alli Burke for three to make it 28-13.

The Shamrocks kept hanging around as Ava Rinehart scored twice and Lani Briggs scored off a drive to keep it at 32-19. But then Alli Burke stepped around Hansel and got the benefit of a charge/block call to draw her fourth foul, and Gilman City began to pull away again. Khloey Sperry got to the line after a third-chance try and hit two, Tenley Griffith got on the board with a baseline shot, and Avery Gregg cashed in off a Hailey McClure steal to make it 38-19.

Despite Hansel being on the bench, North Harrison found new life when Ava Rinehart hit a 3-pointer, Hali Smith scored from inside, and Lani Briggs added a free throw to cut it to 38-25. But once again, Khloey Sperry carried the Hawks on her back in the fourth, scoring 10 of her 19 points, slashing to the rim at will, and adding a coast to coast layup. Alli Burke added three as Gilman City led by as much as 51-29. Lani Briggs did all she could for the Shamrocks, getting seven in the quarter, but it wasn’t enough.

For North Harrison, Lani Briggs had 15, Ava Rinehart 10, Hali Smith 8, and Jaxcynn Hansel 1.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 3 blocks. Hali Smith and Ava Rinehart had 2 each.

Jaxcynn Hansel had 10 boards. Hali Smith had 9, Addison Milligan and Gracie Young 7, Lani Briggs 5, Raegan Hogan 3, Ava Rinehart 2, and Kaydence Lambert 1.

Ava Rinehart and Addison Milligan had 3 assists each. Hali Smith and Jaxcynn Hansel had 2 each while Kaydence Lambert had 1.

Addison Milligan had 3 tips. Hali Smith, Lani Briggs, and Ava Rinehart had 2. Gracie Young had 1.

Lani Briggs had 4 steals. Hali Smith had 3, Addison Milligan 2, and Ava Rinehart 2.

For Gilman City, Khloey Sperry had 19 points. Alli Burke had 14, Avery Gregg 13, Paisley Taggart 3, and Tenley Griffith 2.

Khloey Sperry had 6 blocks. Tenley Griffith had 1.

Khloey Sperry had 17 boards. Tenley Griffith had 14, Avery Gregg had a career high 9, Hailey McClure and Alli Burke 3, and Paisley Taggart 2.

Hailey McClure had 5 assists. Alli Burke, Avery Gregg, and Khloey Sperry had 4.

Tenley Griffith, Khloey Sperry, Ava Rinehart, and Alli Burke all had 3 tips. Paisley Taggart and Hailey McClure had 2 each.

Avery Gregg and Khloey Sperry had 4 steals. Tenley Griffith, Hailey McClure, and Alli Burke had 2 each.

 

 

Community Calendar for January 14th, 2026

Community Calendar items are free of charge. To submit, email us at express@grm.net. All events are subject to change or last-minute cancelation.

January 14th —Blood Drive, Ravenwood United Methodist Church, 2 pm. Sponsored by the NEN Student Council.

January 14^th – Shamrock Basketball vs. East Harrison at South Harrison Tournament, 7:30 pm.

January 15th — NEN Junior High Scholar Bowl will host a meet starting at 4:30 pm.

January 17^th – James Burns benefit, Parnell, 5 pm. Pulled pork dinner. On November 21^st, James Burns received a kidney transplant. Proceeds will go to pay expenses for the Burns family.

January 18th — Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Jefferson Student Council. $10 minimum donation per person. Children 6 and under are free.

January 19th — No school or mail delivery. Martin Luther King Day.

January 20th — Northeast Nodaway FFA will host a supper in the Old Gym at 5:30 pm. Varsity Basketball vs. Platte Valley will follow at 6 pm. Booster Club Cake Walk will take place during the ballgames.

January 20th — Tiger Basketball vs. Princeton, 5:30 pm.

January 20th — Mustang Basketball vs. Nodaway Valley, 6 pm. There will be a cake walk during the intermissions. Proceeds will go towards the North Nodaway PTO.

January 21st — Worth County School Board Meeting, 6 pm.

January 21st — North Nodaway School Board Meeting, 6 pm.

January 22^nd -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

January 22nd — NEN and North Nodaway Junior High Scholar Bowl at South Holt, 4:30 pm.

January 22nd to 24th – Rose Theatre performance of “Trapped in a Villain’s Web or – Weave Me a Loan.” 7:00 pm each night. Tickets are $12 and will be available at the Rose Theatre website.

January 23^rd – Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast, 7:30 am to 9:30 am, Worth County Senior Center. Free will donation.

January 23rd — Tiger Courtwarming vs. North Harrison, 5:30 pm.

January 24^th – Tri-C Fire Department Annual Soup & Chili Supper, 5 pm to 8 pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, Conception Junction. Free will donation.

January 24th — Hopkins CBC Bingo, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Community Building.

January 27^th – Maryville Chamber of Commerce Power Hour, 8:30 am to 9:45 am, Nodaway County Administration, 403 N. Market, Maryville. Topic: Legislative Issues Impacting Rural Education. Speakers: Duane Martin, EdCounsel, John Rinehart of L.J. Hart, Nancy Greeley of Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education, and others.

January 27^th – NEN DARE Graduation, 2:15 pm, Samson Court.

January 31^st – Nodaway County Cattlemen’s Association Roundup. Northwest Ag Learning Center, 22893 Highway 71, Maryville. Doors open at 5:30 pm. Dinner at 6:30 pm. Election, scholarship awards, and auction to follow.

February 1^st – Legion Breakfast, Parnell Legion Hall, 8 am.

February 3^rd -- Private Pesticide Applicator Training (PPAT) and Ag Update, Worth County - Grant City - Participants will learn how to safely and effectively use Restricted Use Pesticides (RUP) in compliance with Missouri Department of Agriculture and EPA standards, covering certification requirements, regulations, and best practices for agricultural pest control.

February 9^th – North Nodaway Baseball and Softball Signup, Hopkins Community Building, 6 pm. For baseball, softball, and t-ball.

February 11^th – Worth County Suicide Prevention Coalition Kickoff, Worth County Fairgrounds, 5 pm. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call 988. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

February 12^th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

February 14^th – Michael Pierce Band of Warsaw (MO) in concert at the Dusty Cowgirl in Grant City. Prime Rib special starting at 6 pm. The concert will begin at 9 pm.

February 15^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Tri-C Ball Club.

February 19^th – Shamrock Basketball vs. East Harrison, 6 pm. The Little Rocks and Mini Rocks will perform.

February 21st — Hopkins CBC Bingo, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Community Building.

February 26^th -- Hopkins Food Pantry, 3 pm to 5 pm, Hopkins Christian Church Parsonage.

February 28^th – Active Shooter Training for Churches, Stanberry Baptist Church, 9 am to 5 pm. Covers all aspects of active shooter situations. Cost is $97. To register, visit www.phhtraining.com.

February 28^th – Bingo, 7 pm, The Dusty Cowgirl, Grant City.

March 8^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Redden Family – American Cancer Society/Hospice.

March 21st — Hopkins CBC Bingo, 6:30 pm, Hopkins Community Building.

 April 19^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to fund scholarships.

April 22^nd – Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation 20^th Anniversary Celebration, Mozingo Event Center, 6 pm. Keynote Speaker: Ernesto Sirolli.

June 21^st -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to the Heart of America Tractor Club.

July 19^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Post 464 veterans programs.

August 16^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Cameron Veterans Home.

September 20^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Sons of the American Legion Post 464.

October 18^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Post 464 membership.

November 15^th -- Tri-C Memorial Post 464 Pancake Breakfast, 7 am to 11 am, Conception Junction. Proceeds to Ladies Auxiliary Unit 464.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rylee Ruckman Leads Balanced Attack as Winning Streak Reaches Four; Lily Blane Bright Spot for Mustangs

Worth County’s winning streak for the girls reached four and they hit their 10th win of the season Monday with a 49-22 win over shorthanded North Nodaway. The Mustangs were without one of their main players, Lacy Riley (flu), and the Mustangs struggled to score without her in the lineup. Meanwhile, Rylee Ruckman led a balanced attack for the Tigers with 13 points. Lily Blane did all she could for the Mustangs, scoring 14 for them despite getting keyed on.

The Tigers completely outplayed the Mustangs, forcing 25 turnovers while turning it over only 11 times themselves. They outrebounded North Nodaway 30-21.

Worth County took a big early lead as Kristen Tracy scored from the right baseline, Megan Tracy got loose in transition, Audrey Runde got loose on the boards and converted, Rylee Ruckman hit two free throws, Kristen Tracy knocked one down from the high post,  Kambree Briner went backdoor, and Keira Hardy converted a third-chance putback to make it 14-0. Six different Tigers scored during the run.

Lily Blane hit back to back 3-pointers to cut it to 14-6 as Jackie Wray kicked one out to her and Eliza Clements got an offensive board and fed her for another. But the rest of the half belonged to the Tigers as Rylee Ruckman drove and hit two free throws and Audrey Runde hit a 3-pointer to make it 19-6 after one. The Tigers pulled away to a 27-10 halftime lead and always led by at least that margin the rest of the way.

Worth County, with 10 wins on the season, has already improved on its record from last year, when they won eight.

For Worth County, Rylee Ruckman had 13, Kristen Tracy 12, Audrey Runde 7, Kambree Briner 6, Kennedy Murphy 4, Keira Hardy 3, and Megan Tracy and Kynlee Steele 2.

Audrey Runde had 8 rebounds. Rylee Ruckman, Kristen Tracy, and Megan Tracy had 5, Kambree Briner 4, Kynlee Steele 2, and Keira Hardy 1.

Kambree Briner had 6 assists. Rylee Ruckman, Megan Tracy, and Keira Hardy had 3, Audrey Runde 2, and Kristen Tracy 1.

Audrey Runde and Keira Hardy had 4 steals. Megan Tracy, Kristen Tracy, and Kennedy Murphy had 3 while Kambree Briner, Rylee Ruckman, and Kynlee Steele had 2.

For North Nodaway, Lily Blane had 14 and Jackie Wray and Zoey Phillips had 4 each. Zoey started showing a newfound willingness to attack the basket, hopefully laying the groundwork for future success.

Eliza Clements was a bright spot on the boards, grabbing 6. Jackie Wray and Lily Blane had 5, Zoey Phillips 3, and Pyper Smith 2.

Eliza Clements had 4 assists. Jackie Wray had 2 while Trynzlee Ebrecht and Pyper Smith had 1.

Zoey Phillips had 3 steals. Trynzlee Ebrecht had 2 and Eliza Clements, Jackie Wray, and Pyper Smith had 1.

 

Kristen Tracy Boards 21 as Tigers Escape Stanberry

Kristen Tracy went beast mode for Worth County, grabbing 21 boards, and Kambree Briner grabbed another 12 as Worth County held off a frantic Stanberry rally Friday and overcame numerous mistakes to hand the Bulldogs their first conference loss. Worth County has two conference losses, at the hands of Albany and King City, but they still have the ability to play spoiler for the rest of the conference. Since Stanberry is a district opponent, the game will help with their seeding for the district tournament.

For the first seven minutes, the referees didn’t call any fouls and let everything go as the game was scoreless during that stretch. The focus of the game for Worth County was to pack things in tight against Stanberry six-footer Katelyn Shisler and make them beat them from outside. Shisler and the Bulldogs had controlled the offensive glass against North Harrison, grabbing 23 offensive rebounds in that game.

Finally, Audrey Runde hit a 3-pointer after Kristen Tracy kicked one out after a wild scramble for the ball with 1:13 left in the first to break the shutout. Addison Graham countered with a free throw, but Megan Tracy hit a 3-pointer to put the Tigers up 6-1 after one.

Tasha Stoll hit a 3-pointer for Stanberry to cut it to 6-4 and Stanberry threatened to do to Worth County what they did to North Harrison, fly to the offensive glass and collect a ton of rebounds. They grabbed 12 in the first half, but somehow, Worth County never trailed and even built on their lead. Kambree Briner scored off a drive, Briner caught Stanberry napping in transition defense and went coast to coast before finding Megan Tracy for her second triple, Rylee Ruckman hit a 3-pointer, Audrey Runde knocked one down from the high post, and Kambree Briner scored off a drive as Worth County somehow built up a 17-8 lead at the half despite all the offensive boards for Stanberry.

The question was how well Worth County would respond in the third quarter, which has been their downfall all year. They started off well as Kambree Briner cut inside and scored and Megan Tracy hit her third triple of the game as Worth County built up a 22-8 lead at the 7:02 mark. But all of a sudden, Shisler, who has a good 3-point shot to go with her inside game, knocked one down to spark a Stanberry run. Tasha Stoll slashed and scored and Kynzee Adcock added a transition basket to cut it to 22-15.

Audrey Runde stopped the bleeding with a pair of free throws, and Runde’s drive built the lead back up to 27-17 early in the fourth.

But Stanberry kept coming, getting Shisler loose in transition and Tasha Stoll added a 3-pointer to cut it to 28-24 by the 3:35 mark. Kristen Tracy, who had been lights-out with her rebounding in the second half, finally got on the board, knocking down a shot from the high post to stop the bleeding.

But Stanberry kept coming, going back to what worked for them earlier as they used offensive rebounding by Ellie Dias and Kynzee Adcock to make things interesting. Back to back putbacks by Adcock cut the Bulldog deficit down to 32-29 at the 1:15 mark of the fourth quarter.

Kristen Tracy countered, knocking down two free throws with 1:03 left to make it 34-29 and Kambree Briner added another to make it 35-29 as Stanberry had to start fouling.

Adcock’s free throw cut it to 35-30, and Stanberry had to foul. But all of a sudden, Worth County could not buy a free throw and put Stanberry away. First, Stanberry put Tracy on the line; she missed two, only for Kambree Briner to get the offensive board. Briner missed two free throws, only for Kristen Tracy to grab the offensive board. Stanberry finally stole the ball and Tasha Stoll converted on the other end with six seconds left to make it 35-32.

Stanberry then put Kristen Tracy on the line with 4.6 seconds; Tracy missed both, only for her to grab her own rebound with 3.7 seconds left against four Stanberry defenders as Worth County had sent their other four players back to prevent a tying 3-pointer. Finally, after the Tigers had missed nine straight free throw tries at the line, Kristen Tracy hit one to make it 36-32 before Eva Cameron rushed it up the floor and hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Audrey Runde had 10 points for the Tigers. Megan Tracy had 9, Kambree Briner 8, Kristen Tracy 5, and Rylee Ruckman 4.

Megan Tracy and Kambree Briner had 1 block.

Kristen Tracy had 21 boards. Kambree Briner had 12, Rylee Ruckman 4, Audrey Runde 2, and Megan Tracy and Keira Hardy 1.

Kambree Briner had 5 assists. Kristen Tracy had 2 and Rylee Ruckman 1.

Audrey Runde and Megan Tracy had 4 tips. Kristen Tracy and Rylee Ruckman had 2 and Kambree Briner had 1.

Kristen Tracy had 4 steals. Audrey Runde had 2 and Rylee Ruckman 1.

 

Stop the Bleed Law Takes Effect in Missouri

A new Missouri law that went into effect Jan. 1 will benefit the agricultural community, says Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri Extension state specialist for health and safety.

Senate Bill 68, known as the “Stop the Bleed Act,” mandates that all public and charter schools in the state implement protocols for traumatic blood loss and equip their facilities with bleeding control kits.

The act requires schools to place bleeding control kits in easily accessible areas and areas deemed high-risk. At least one staff member per school must receive annual training on how to use a kit.

Having trained personnel in rural communities will increase awareness of safety on farms and in rural communities, says Funkenbusch. “Rural Missourians will benefit from an increased awareness of how to respond to a bleeding incident.”

The American College of Surgeons program teaches three ways to stop the bleed:

Using hands to apply direct pressure.

Packing a wound to control bleeding.

Applying a tourniquet.

“Medical personnel aren’t the only ones who can save lives,” says Funkenbusch. She points to increased public awareness of the Heimlich maneuver and CPR, in addition to automated external defibrillators as lifesaving methods that no longer require formal medical training.

Many times, the first person on site can save a life until medical personnel arrive at the farm or transportation is available. “The first moments are critical,” she says.

Alongside construction, agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries, according to the National Safety Council. The injury rate for Missouri’s approximately 90,000 farms – 90% of which are family-owned – is almost double the national average for all occupations, according to a survey by the Central States Center for Agricultural Safety and Health in Omaha, Neb.

“Farmers and ranchers, their family members and others are at risk every day,” says Funkenbusch. “Rural residents also face another serious risk factor: distance from emergency medical care and trauma centers, which results in delayed treatment.”

The law provides civil liability immunity for school personnel who use the kits in good faith, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct. Schools are also required to inspect the kits annually and restock them after use.

This legislation aligns with a national effort to train citizens in providing immediate aid in emergencies.

MU Health Care offers free “Stop the Bleed” training for groups and companies. Email stopthebleed@health.missouri.edu for information.

Find more information about the national campaign and training at www.stopthebleed.org.

Brock Healy Has 25 as Tigers Finally Win Close Game

Worth County, who had struggled in close games recently, finally pulled one out of the fire, beating Stanberry 51-42 Friday behind 25 points from Brock Healy. It came at a price, with Hayden Sanders’ ankle injury returning and Caleb New getting knocked out of the game after getting an elbow to the face and getting two of his teeth knocked backwards.

Caleb New, Cole Ruby, and Brock Healy put Worth County up in front 7-3 early, but Stanberry kept hanging around, getting scoring from four different people in the first quarter. Parker Ginther was a handful while Jake Holtzclaw, Pax Schieber, and Hudson Groomer also contributed. Aiden Graham, their 6’4” post player, clogged up the post, forcing Worth County to take some tough shots as Stanberry was following Maryville’s lead. Stanberry regained the lead at 8-7, but Caleb New hit two free throws and Brock Healy hit a 3-pointer to give Worth County some separation at 12-8. Ginther hit a guarded three and Groomer’s baseline shot put Stanberry up 13-12 before Brock Healy put Worth County back in front 15-13 with a triple after one.

But things threatened to snowball for Worth County in the second quarter as Ginther hit another guarded three and Stanberry built up a 21-17 lead midway through the second quarter.

With Worth County trailing by four, Caleb New caught an elbow to his face that forced him out of the game. But then, the Tigers pulled together as well as they had all year, using a 21-5 run to take control of the game.

Jordan Dannar got loose behind the Stanberry defense for two, Brock Healy converted a three-point play after a drive, and Ethan Lininger hit two free throws before Ginther’s free throw for Stanberry cut it to 24-22 at the half.

Brock Healy slashed to the basket, Ryder Smyser got a putback, and Healy added a free throw before Ginther’s free throws cut the Bulldog deficit to 29-24. Cole Ruby hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Brock Healy hit a pair of free throws and followed up with a driving layup, and Ethan Lininger scored from inside to make it 38-25 with 1:12 left in the third.

But then Stanberry followed the lead of Maryville and got their big man, Aiden Graham, going, and the tide began to turn again. Graham, Holtzclaw, Pax Schieber, and Jaren Stoll all contributed as the Bulldogs put together a frantic 10-0 rally that made it 38-34 with 5:25 left. At that point, Hayden Sanders came limping off the floor after he had reinjured his ankle.

Cole Ruby scored off a drive and Brock Healy scored off a steak to stop the bleeding and make it 42-34 with 4:50 left. Stanberry could afford to be very aggressive with no team fouls and plenty of fouls to give, but they never got closer than six.

Ryder Smyser got four points down the stretch to give the Tigers a 49-40 lead with 45 seconds left. Parker Ginther scored off a drive with 16 seconds left to make it 49-42, and there was a heartstopping moment as Stanberry nearly got a steal off their press, but they lost it out of bounds and Brock Healy hit two free throws at the end to seal it.

Brock Healy had 25 points for the Tigers. Cole Ruby had 10, Ryder Smyser 6, Caleb New and Ethan Lininger 4, and Jordan Dannar 2.

Ryder Smyser had 1 block.

Ryder Smyser had 9 boards. Brock Healy had 7, Ethan Lininger 5, Cole Ruby and Brayden Combs 3, Caleb New and Jordan Dannar 2, and Hayden Sanders 1.

Caleb New had 3 assists. Brock Healy, Hayden Sanders, Brayden Combs, Jordan Dannar, and Dylan Smith had 2 and Cole Ruby had 1.

Brock Healy had 4 tips. Caleb New had 3, Jordan Dannar, Cole Ruby, and Brayden Combs had 2, and Hayden Sanders, Ethan Lininger, and Ryder Smyser had 1.

Ethan Lininger and Cole Ruby had 4 steals. Brock Healy and Brayden Combs had 2 and Caleb New had 1.