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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Six local high school athletes earned Athlete of the Year honors and many others were nominated in their individual sports at the 14th Annual Springfield Sports Commission Awards last week at the Gillioz Theatre in Springfield.
Awards were presented in conjunction with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
The awards honor the best athlete in each sport, regardless of school size.
Joplin’s Ava Doll was selected the girls cross country athlete of the year after capturing the Class 5 state title last fall in Columbia with a time of 18:06.4. Doll’s state championship season included smashing a personal goal of a sub-18-minute run, which she accomplished in the Class 5 District 2 meet with a 17:46.01 effort.Doll became the first cross country athlete in school history to capture a state title and was named Gatorade Player of the Year for Missouri.
Carthage’s Landon Bland was named the football linebacker or defensive back athlete of the year. The Oklahoma State University recruit helped lead the Carthage Tigers to a 12-1 record last season and a runner-up finish in Class 5.
Three area wrestlers were selected as athletes of the year after stellar seasons on the mat.
Carthage sophomore Kaylee James was named the girls athlete of the year in wrestling for upper weights. James finished 51-1 en route to a 140-pound state championship in Class 2. She was named Sports Illustrated’s National Champion in her weight class after defeating SI’s no. 2 pick, Ariel Biggs, in the state finals.
Seneca swept the boys category for wrestling as senior Jace Renfro was the pick for boys wrestling-upper weights and Caden Groom was selected as the top athlete in the lower weights. Renfro and Groom, a junior last season, were a big part of Seneca’s runner-up finish in Class 2 .
Renfro logged his second straight state title with a 38-1 record at 190 pounds and Groom, a junior, captured the 138-pound title after going 43-3 on the season.
Webb City junior Louden Bolinger was picked as the boys field events athlete of the year after capturing the Class 5 shot put title with a heave of 65’10.5” — the 12th best throw in the nation among high schoolers last season.
Other honors
In addition to the individual accolades, Carl Junction Cheer was presented the spirit award by the Commission.
Webb City’s Brooke Hedger and Araceli Perez, along with Joplin winner Doll, were among the seven nominees in girls cross country.
Four of the eight nominees for the football linebacker or defensive back award were also local athletes. Among those were winner Bland and Carthage teammate Jordan Brunnert, Seneca’s Hunter Hanes and McDonald County’s Ryder Martin.
In the football-offensive skills category, four of the eight nominees were also local. Zane Browning, of Carthage; Brodie Probert and Roman Miller of Seneca; and Marcus Lopez-Durman, of Carl Junction, were all honored as nominees. Nixa’s Adam McKnight was picked as the winner.
Seneca’s Renfro, Carl Junction’s Gavin Beachner and Carthage’s MJ Martsolf were among the seven nominees for football-linemen. Nixa’s Jackson Cantwell was selected for the award.
Carthage’s Henry Laytham was one of ten nominees for boys soccer. Springfield Catholic’s Matthew Gerety won the award.
Carthage’s Will Wright was on of eight nominees for boys swimming and diving. Carson Butler, of Glendale was selected for the award.
Neosho’s Autumn Kinnaird and Olivia Emery, Webb City’s Liz Rheums and Carl Junction’s Kady Hunt were among the 10 nominees for the softball award. The winner was Nixa’s KaMiah Johnson.
Carl Junction’s Brooklin Leggett and Brooke Jasperson joined New Heights Christian Academy’s Layla Masena in the field of field of eight nominees for girls tennis. Springfield Catholic’s Catherine Cunningham was selected as the player of the year.
Carl Junction’s Elsa Dogotch and Carthage’s Olivia Manning were among the eight nominees in girls swimming and diving, in which Lebanon’ Missy Mizell was tabbed the winner of the award.
Carl Junction’ Lopez-Durman, along with Seneca winner Renfro, was among the five wrestlers nominated for boys wrestling-upper weights and CJ’s Isabella Montez joined a group of seven nominees for girls wrestling-lower weights. Republic's Mabel Rogers was named the top wrestler in that category.
In the boys wrestling-lower weights, four of the five nominees, including Seneca winner Groom, were local athletes. Joining Groom were teammates Brant Laughlin and Eli Manley and Carl Junction’s Camdon Kunkel.
Joplin’s Brecken Green and Carl Junction’s Cooper Vediz were both selected as nominees for baseball. Kickapoo’s Brody Wilson was named the top player.
Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School’s Will Twiss was among six finalists for the boys track award. Gage Hale, of Logan-Rogersville received the award.
In girls track, half of the eight nominees were from our area, including Liberal’s Abby Barton; McDonald County’s Samantha Dowd; Hedger, of Webb City; and Chloe Storm, of Jasper. Bria Wright, of Ozark was selected for the Award.
Lamar’s Terren Williams joined Webb City winner Bolinger as one of nine nominees in boys field events.
In girls field events, Pierce City’s Paige Fenske and East Newton’s Kaylea Holmes were among the six nominees. Marshfield’s Gracelyn Bull was picked for the award.
The Boys Athlete of the Year 10 nominations included CJ’s Beachner and Lopez-Durman, Seneca’s Renfro and Lamar’s Williams. Nixa’s McKnight was named boys athlete of the year.
Liberal’s Barton and Carl Junction’s Montez were both among nine girls nominated for girls athlete of the year, which was won by Marshfield’s Bull.
Seneca Football, the Class 3 state champions last season, was among seven finalists for boys team of the tear. Logan-Rogersville boys basketball received that award.
Continue reading...
Awards were presented in conjunction with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
The awards honor the best athlete in each sport, regardless of school size.
Joplin’s Ava Doll was selected the girls cross country athlete of the year after capturing the Class 5 state title last fall in Columbia with a time of 18:06.4. Doll’s state championship season included smashing a personal goal of a sub-18-minute run, which she accomplished in the Class 5 District 2 meet with a 17:46.01 effort.Doll became the first cross country athlete in school history to capture a state title and was named Gatorade Player of the Year for Missouri.
Carthage’s Landon Bland was named the football linebacker or defensive back athlete of the year. The Oklahoma State University recruit helped lead the Carthage Tigers to a 12-1 record last season and a runner-up finish in Class 5.
Three area wrestlers were selected as athletes of the year after stellar seasons on the mat.
Carthage sophomore Kaylee James was named the girls athlete of the year in wrestling for upper weights. James finished 51-1 en route to a 140-pound state championship in Class 2. She was named Sports Illustrated’s National Champion in her weight class after defeating SI’s no. 2 pick, Ariel Biggs, in the state finals.
Seneca swept the boys category for wrestling as senior Jace Renfro was the pick for boys wrestling-upper weights and Caden Groom was selected as the top athlete in the lower weights. Renfro and Groom, a junior last season, were a big part of Seneca’s runner-up finish in Class 2 .
Renfro logged his second straight state title with a 38-1 record at 190 pounds and Groom, a junior, captured the 138-pound title after going 43-3 on the season.
Webb City junior Louden Bolinger was picked as the boys field events athlete of the year after capturing the Class 5 shot put title with a heave of 65’10.5” — the 12th best throw in the nation among high schoolers last season.
Other honors
In addition to the individual accolades, Carl Junction Cheer was presented the spirit award by the Commission.
Webb City’s Brooke Hedger and Araceli Perez, along with Joplin winner Doll, were among the seven nominees in girls cross country.
Four of the eight nominees for the football linebacker or defensive back award were also local athletes. Among those were winner Bland and Carthage teammate Jordan Brunnert, Seneca’s Hunter Hanes and McDonald County’s Ryder Martin.
In the football-offensive skills category, four of the eight nominees were also local. Zane Browning, of Carthage; Brodie Probert and Roman Miller of Seneca; and Marcus Lopez-Durman, of Carl Junction, were all honored as nominees. Nixa’s Adam McKnight was picked as the winner.
Seneca’s Renfro, Carl Junction’s Gavin Beachner and Carthage’s MJ Martsolf were among the seven nominees for football-linemen. Nixa’s Jackson Cantwell was selected for the award.
Carthage’s Henry Laytham was one of ten nominees for boys soccer. Springfield Catholic’s Matthew Gerety won the award.
Carthage’s Will Wright was on of eight nominees for boys swimming and diving. Carson Butler, of Glendale was selected for the award.
Neosho’s Autumn Kinnaird and Olivia Emery, Webb City’s Liz Rheums and Carl Junction’s Kady Hunt were among the 10 nominees for the softball award. The winner was Nixa’s KaMiah Johnson.
Carl Junction’s Brooklin Leggett and Brooke Jasperson joined New Heights Christian Academy’s Layla Masena in the field of field of eight nominees for girls tennis. Springfield Catholic’s Catherine Cunningham was selected as the player of the year.
Carl Junction’s Elsa Dogotch and Carthage’s Olivia Manning were among the eight nominees in girls swimming and diving, in which Lebanon’ Missy Mizell was tabbed the winner of the award.
Carl Junction’ Lopez-Durman, along with Seneca winner Renfro, was among the five wrestlers nominated for boys wrestling-upper weights and CJ’s Isabella Montez joined a group of seven nominees for girls wrestling-lower weights. Republic's Mabel Rogers was named the top wrestler in that category.
In the boys wrestling-lower weights, four of the five nominees, including Seneca winner Groom, were local athletes. Joining Groom were teammates Brant Laughlin and Eli Manley and Carl Junction’s Camdon Kunkel.
Joplin’s Brecken Green and Carl Junction’s Cooper Vediz were both selected as nominees for baseball. Kickapoo’s Brody Wilson was named the top player.
Thomas Jefferson Independent Day School’s Will Twiss was among six finalists for the boys track award. Gage Hale, of Logan-Rogersville received the award.
In girls track, half of the eight nominees were from our area, including Liberal’s Abby Barton; McDonald County’s Samantha Dowd; Hedger, of Webb City; and Chloe Storm, of Jasper. Bria Wright, of Ozark was selected for the Award.
Lamar’s Terren Williams joined Webb City winner Bolinger as one of nine nominees in boys field events.
In girls field events, Pierce City’s Paige Fenske and East Newton’s Kaylea Holmes were among the six nominees. Marshfield’s Gracelyn Bull was picked for the award.
The Boys Athlete of the Year 10 nominations included CJ’s Beachner and Lopez-Durman, Seneca’s Renfro and Lamar’s Williams. Nixa’s McKnight was named boys athlete of the year.
Liberal’s Barton and Carl Junction’s Montez were both among nine girls nominated for girls athlete of the year, which was won by Marshfield’s Bull.
Seneca Football, the Class 3 state champions last season, was among seven finalists for boys team of the tear. Logan-Rogersville boys basketball received that award.
Continue reading...
