West Nodaway Drops North Nodaway Cooperative

On Wednesday, December 9th, the West Nodaway School Board voted by a 6-1 vote to drop the football cooperative agreement with North Nodaway that had been in place since 2014. West Nodaway will enter an all sports cooperative agreement with Nodaway-Holt, which is leaving its cooperative with South Holt. That will leave both North Nodaway and South Holt on the drawing board as far as a football program is concerned. On Thursday, the Nodaway-Holt school board approved a five year cooperative agreement with West Nodaway that covers all sports.

The upper limit for an eight man football cooperative for Missouri is 150 students. The combined enrollment for West Nodaway, Nodaway-Holt, and North Nodaway is 155, which would put them over the limit, unless they wanted to go 11 man. 

North Nodaway Superintendent Chris Turpin said that he would be looking at all of North Nodaway’s options. Worth County and Northeast Nodaway border North Nodaway to the south and east, but both schools are happy with their current cooperative. Maryville borders North Nodaway to the south, which means that North Nodaway is free to pursue an agreement with Platte Valley, consisting of Jefferson and South Nodaway. A cooperative of those three schools would be close to 130 students, which is below the threshold of 150 students. Similarly, North Harrison is bordered to the south by South Harrison, an 11 man power, meaning they were free to make their cooperative agreement with Pattonsburg.

The other option for North Nodaway would be to strike out on their own. That would involve figuring out how many students would be needed to field a competitive program. Back in the 1970’s, North Nodaway dropped their football program for a few years due to lack of numbers and restarted it when interest revived later that decade.

Previously, North Nodaway had conducted a survey regarding interest in an all-sports cooperative. Responses were receptive to the idea, but less receptive if West Nodaway were involved. Most students were willing to be part of such a cooperative. 

MSHSAA member schools can have cooperative agreements with different schools for different sports. For instance, Worth County can continue their football cooperative with Northeast Nodaway and enter into a basketball cooperative with North Nodaway. The complication is that a basketball cooperative agreement with North Nodaway would force Worth County to compete in Class 2 in basketball, since the combined enrollment for the two schools is 129, and the cutoff for Class 1 is 78. Such a cooperative with Northeast Nodaway would also require a move up to Class 2 in basketball, since the combined enrollment would be 105. 

However, schools can compete in Class 2 in basketball and still offer eight man football. That is because the cutoff for Class 1 (78) is much lower than the cutoff for eight man football (150). The new West Nodaway and Nodaway-Holt sports cooperative would compete in Class 2 in basketball, since their combined enrollment is 105 students; however, since their combined enrollment is less than 150, they can still compete in eight man football.

Ben Boswell Hangs 30 on King City as Bluejays Break Skid

Ben Boswell hung 30 points on King City Friday night as the Northeast Nodaway Bluejays broke a losing skid in a big way, beating King City 74-24. The Bluejays fell 72-48 to Worth County; they then invaded Stanberry and played better against a team that has had their number in recent years, but fell 49-42. 

It looked like that would continue at first, as Kystin Aborn got a putback and Parker Muff converted a backdoor layup for King City to put the purple shirts up 4-0, but from there, it was all Northeast.

Dylan McIntyre cut inside to get a pass from Zach Pride, Lane Dack got loose in transition, and from there, Ben Boswell got the hot hand to will Northeast past King City.

First, Lane Dack got a tip, Zach Pride got a steal, and Ben was there for the finish. Boswell got a steal and finished at the line with two free throws, then Ben inbounded a pass to Auston Pride, who threw it back to him for a basket. Ben then got a tip and steal to put the Bluejays up 12-4. Auston Pride then scored off a drive after getting a pass from Boswell to make it 14-4.

King City was trying to backdoor Northeast, and they got one when Parker Muff converted, but then Auston Pride kicked one out to Ben for three. Following a King City turnover, Dylan McIntyre drove the left baseline and converted a reverse layup after Austin got him the ball. Muff hit a free throw, but Auston Pride’s putback and Ben Boswell’s 3-pointer off a pass from Zach Pride made it 24-7 after one.

King City scored off a chicken salad bucket after a ball scramble that bounced in the hands of the purple shirts, but then Northeast started driving at will. Boswell and Auston Pride each got to the rim twice; then, Dylan McIntyre got the hot hand with six straight points to make It 37-9, Then, Zach Pride hit Ben Boswell on the left side, Lane Dack got a steal to Colton Swalley, who fed to Ben for the finish, and then Swalley got a steal to Lane Dack, who fed Ben for another finish to make it 43-9. King City burned two timeouts during the stretch to no avail.

Northeast turned things over to its reserves for the remainder of the second quarter and King City cut it to 46-13 at the half, but the starters came back in for the third quarter. Ben Boswell got to 30 as he got a putback, scored off a Dylan McIntyre steal, and Auston Pride saved one from going out of bounds to Boswell. Dylan McIntyre added a backdoor layup, a free throw, and an inside shot, and Zach Pride added a putback as Northeast scored the first 13 points of the third quarter before the reserves took over.

The second string took over for the fourth quarter as Ben Boswell, Dylan McIntyre, and Auston Pride rested; Zach Pride had the hot hand in the period with seven points, including a 3-pointer. Brycen Kennard got on the board after Colton Swalley fed him a skip pass, and Brayden Munns showed some scrappy play and converted a three point play for the Bluejays.

Ben Boswell had 30 points, Dylan McIntyre 15, Zach Pride 11, Auston Pride 7, Brayden Munns 5, Lane Dack 4, and Brycen Kennard 2.

Auston Pride had 4 blocks.

Auston Pride and Lane Dack had 8 boards. Dylan McIntyre had 5 boards, Zach Pride 4, Brayden Munns, and Colton Swalley and Ben Boswell 1.

Northeast had 28 assists on the night; Auston Pride had 8, Lane Dack and Dylan McIntyre 5 each, Colton Swalley 4, Zach Pride 3, Ben Boswell 2, and Brayden Munns 1.

Zach Pride had 8 tips. Lane Dack had 6, Auston Pride 3, and Colton Swalley, Ben Boswell, Dylan McIntyre, and Brayden Munns 2 each.

Ben Boswell had 6 steals. Colton Swalley had 5, Lane Dack 4, Zach Pride 3, Auston Pride 2, and Brayden Munns 1.

Alex Rinehart Has 25 as Tiger Boys Drop Trojans

Alex Rinehart hung 25 on Nodaway-Holt and Worth County put the Trojans away in the third quarter after the Trojans tried to make a stand after getting behind. The Tigers pulled away to a 59-26 running clock victory.

The Trojans were much better than last year; with just one win last year, they already have two wins under their belt. But it was Worth County who started out of the gate quickly as Aydan Gladstone got behind the Trojan defense and Alex Rinehart hit him inside to make it 4-0. Rinehart went coast to coast following a block from Aydan Gladstone and Alex Rinehart added a steal to make it 8-0. Nodaway-Holt was putting up a good fight defensively, but they were getting no good looks on offense and Worth County was sharing the ball well and beating them down the floor. 

Nodaway-Holt broke the shutout, but then Alex Rinehart scored the next four and then Tyler New cut inside for a basket after Aydan Gladstone got an offensive board to make it 14-2.

The Trojans finally started to get untracked offensively, but then Alex Rinehart drove off a Tyler New ball screen and got to the rim to make it 18-6 after one quarter.

Worth County had just come off an 83-69 track meet loss to Mound City, one of the top teams in the area, the night before, and they still felt the effects of that game, as there were some stretches where they were sloppy with the ball and committed some unnecessary fouls. But after Nodaway-Holt cut it to 20-9 early in the second, the Tigers turned it on again as Jackson Smith hit Alex Rinehart cutting inside, Jackson Runde pushed one ahead to Tyler New for three, Aydan Gladstone hit Alex for a drive against four red shirts, and Aydan Gladstone inbounded one to Jackson Runde for three to make it 30-9 at the 3:21 mark.

Nodaway-Holt fought back as they got into the double bonus for the rest of the half, and they hung with Worth County until the early portion of the third, when it was 39-20. But following a Worth County timeout, Jackson Runde got untracked with two straight 3-pointers. Nodaway-Hold jumped a pass and converted, but then Aydan Gladstone pushed coast to coast after a stop, Grant Cameron got on the board after Aydan Gladstone had a drive and kickout, Alex Rinehart added a free throw, Reid Gabriel came off the bench and got a tipin, and Alex Rinehart hit a 3-pointer from the right side off a pass from Tyler New to make it 56-22 after three and trigger the running clock.

Alex Rinehart had 25 points for the Tigers. Aydan Gladstone had 14, Jackson Runde 11, Tyler New 5, Grant Cameron 3, and Reid Gabriel 2.

Aydan Gladstone had 3 blocks. Jackson Smith and Alex Rinehart had 1.

Jackson Runde had 12 boards. Aydan Gladstone had 7, Alex Rinehart 5, Jackson Smith 4, Reid Gabriel 3, and Lucas Wake 1.

Aydan Gladstone had 6 assists. Jackson Runde and Alex Rinehart had 5 each. Tyler New had 3, and Jackson Smith 2.

Aydan Gladstone and Grant Cameron had 4 tips. Jackson Runde and Alex Rinehart had 3 each, Tyler New had 2, and John Galanakis 1.

Grant Cameron, Aydan Gladstone, and Alex Rinehart had 4 steals each. Jackson Runde had 2, and Lucas Wake and Jackson Smith 1.

Five Years Ago, Mark Abplanalp Saved Someone’s Life

Five years ago, Postal Carrier Mark Abplanalp saved someone’s life when he realized one of his customers had not picked up his mail. The USPS paid tribute to his actions later that year on their Facebook page. Here is the tribute:

Rural Carrier Mark Abplanalp delivered mail to a farm on a recent Tuesday. When he returned two days later, he noticed the mail was untouched.

That’s when Abplanalp’s instincts kicked in.

He called the sheriff, who began searching for the farmer with help from the man’s son-in-law.

They found the farmer about a mile from home. He was using his tractor to do some chores when the vehicle broken down. Since the farmer walks with a cane and has no cell phone, he was stranded for three days.

The farmer was extremely thirsty but otherwise OK.

Abplanalp is thankful he discovered the man was missing. "If I was delivering on Wednesday, I probably could have saved him a day," he said.

Thank you for your keen eye, Mark!

Late Notice – Duane “Comish” James

Duane “Comish” James passed away Saturday after a five year battle with cancer. He was an institution in Worth County, having run Comish’s Service for over 30 years. In 2014, he celebrated the 30th anniversary of his business. Over the years, he formed an unlikely friendship with Rev. Len Green, who started his ministry at Crossroads (Assembly of God) at the same time. 

He was a rabid Tiger fan, although he never hesitated to call out the school when he thought they were wrong, like the time he felt they were being unfair to seniors by not letting them in free. He once said the secret to his success was by treating everyone equally. 

In recent years, Comish developed a passion for history; he discovered that one of the Pony Express riders, Robert Stricklen, was buried at the Grant City Cemetery. 

He had a big heart and never knew a stranger; he was just as friendly with the nurses doing his chemo as he was with anyone walking in his shop to learn the latest gossip around town. When Country Corners was restarting, he even sent people their way, as they needed the money more than he did. He was a dedicated husband, father, and grandfather, and his happiest moments were on his tractor with his grandson.

Obituary -- Gary Staten 1950-2020

Gary Eldon Staten, 70, of Ravenwood, Missouri, passed away Saturday, December 12, 2020, at his home in Ravenwood.

Gary was born in Maryville, Missouri, on March 31, 1950, to Irene (Treese) and Eldon Staten. He joined a sister, Donna Jean and nine years later a sister, Cindy Leah. Their family moved from Hopkins to Ravenwood in 1955.

He graduated from Northeast Nodaway High School, Class of 1968. During high school he met and fell in love with Cynthia (Cindy) Deanne Coffelt. After attending Northwest Missouri State University for two and one-half years, they married on January 26, 1969, during an eight-inch snowstorm.

Gary farmed and drove a gravel truck for most of his life.  He could fix anything and was a life-long student. There wasn’t a tool or gadget that he hadn’t researched or used. In 2010 they retired from the farm and moved into Ravenwood.

They enjoyed camping, traveling, and visiting their children and grandchildren. Gary was a member of the West Union Primitive Baptist Church of Maryville and had served his community and county on many boards and committees. He and Cindy were approaching their 52nd wedding anniversary.

He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law, Wesley Coffelt; brother-in-law, Rolland Walker; and sister-in-law, Linda Dougan.

He is survived by his wife; son, Mark (Lori) Staten of Tarkio; daughter, Mende (Tim) Kemper of Hawk Point, MO; and five grandchildren: Gentri, Bryli, and Quin Staten and Ava and Addison Kemper; sister, Donna Walker; sister, Cindy Leah (Jim) Welch; sister-in-law, Vickie (John) Brown; brother-in-law, Keith Dougan; sister-in-law, Virginia (Bill) Bateman; mother-in-law, Mary Coffelt; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Gary has been cremated under the care of the Bram Funeral Home.  His memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM, on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at the Bram Funeral Home, Maryville, MO. 

The burial will follow in the Oak Lawn Cemetery Association, Ravenwood, MO.

The family suggests memorials for Oak Lawn Cemetery, Ravenwood.

Obituary -- Robert Jobst 1933-2020

Robert Raymond Jobst, 87, of Pickering, MO, passed away on Sunday, December 13, 2020, at his home in Pickering surrounded by his family.

Robert was born on June 5, 1933, in Parnell, MO, and lived in the Parnell and Pickering, MO areas all his life.  His parents were Raymond and Nellie (Hawk) Jobst.

He graduated from Parnell High School, class of 1951. Robert joined the US Army and proudly served his country in the Korea War from 1953-55. 

He was a journey man union carpenter and bridge builder.  He worked for Loch Sand & Construction in Maryville, for 18 years. 

He was a member and attended the Pickering United Methodist Church.  A charter member of the Pickering Lions Club; he helped many years with the annual horse show and pancake breakfast.  He was a Lions Melvin Jones recipient.  He liked to Coon hunt and raised hunting dogs.  He was a Scout leader with the BSA Troop 64; and was a member of Mic-O-Say.  He was an avid sports fan and had coached and umpired little league; and had helped organize the men’s slow pitch league.  He was the Trustee with the Union Township Board.

His parents preceded him in death, as well as his brother, Bud Jobst, and sister, Evelyn Hunt.

On February 16, 1958, at the Blythedale, Missouri Christian Church, Robert was united in marriage to Donella Moore.  She survives of the home in Pickering.

His other survivors include his children: Roberta (Steve) Turner, Hopkins, MO, Rebecca Jobst, Kansas City, MO, and Robert (Debbie) Jobst, Maryville, MO; 3 grandchildren: Tyler (Ashley) Turner, Megan (Adam) Auffert, and Mallory Jobst; 4 great grandchildren: Laney Turner, Landon Turner, Cayden Auffert, and Kinley Auffert; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 AM, Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at the Bram Funeral Home, Maryville, MO.  The burial will follow in the Nodaway Memorial Gardens, also of Maryville.

The family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested in Robert’s name to the Pickering Lions Club, or the Pickering United Methodist Church.