In class 1, Springfield Catholic finds itself ranked #2 to start the season after a third place finish last year.  Only defending state champion St. Vincent is ranked [...]]]> The preseason state girls soccer poll was released last week.  And with matches starting Monday, what better time to see who is favored as we start the season.

In class 1, Springfield Catholic finds itself ranked #2 to start the season after a third place finish last year.  Only defending state champion St. Vincent is ranked higher.  Greenwood is the only other area team under consideration.

No ranked teams in class 2 and only Bolivar is being considered.

And in class 3, Glendale returns a host of talent from their team that finished fourth last year.  They’ve recognized with a preseason #9 ranking.  While Rolla is also under consideration.

If you’d like to see the entire poll, just click on over to our good friends at Springfield Soccer.  Now, blow the whistle and kick off.

2010 Polk County League All-Conference Basketball Teams

GIRLS

First team

Second team

When asked how many state titles Ozarks teams would win last weekend, those that answered [...]]]> Last weeks QotW clearly divided the readership of OS.Net into 5 distinct categories.  And I think displayed a perfect cross section of the inhabitants of the Ozarks.  Let’s take a closer look and see if my theory is right shall we.

When asked how many state titles Ozarks teams would win last weekend, those that answered all 4 were the zealots.  Fervent in their belief that basketball in the Ozarks tops anything else in the state.  You have to admire their fire, but you also realize that they might seek to destroy you if you don’t agree with them that Melody Howard was actually a basketball goddess come to earth.  Last year’s Missouri Challenge Cup results are just further proof of their convictions.  Thankfully this group is small composing only 3% of the vote.

Secondly come the naysayers who voted for 0 titles.  Those folks that are only happy when everyone around them is unhappy.  Not only can they not believe that anyone would think that our teams could even begin to compete with ANY other teams anywhere, they’re ticked that their tax dollars are used to do it.  In a basketball game between the 2005 Kickapoo Chiefs and a team composed of Clay Aiken, Verne Troyer, a tree sloth, and a couple of sofa cushions, they’d take the cushions and give 10 points because those boys were just a bunch of hot dogs.  Best exemplified by a frequent, unwelcome caller to SportsTalk.  Also a fairly small group as they made up 8% of the total.

Next were the optimists who thought 3 trophies would be coming back home.  They’re also known as the cheery ones.  They’re in touch with reality, but only so they can encourage it to smile and tell it what a wonderful day it is.  These are the same people that show up at the coffee pot Monday morning telling you to turn that frown upside down.  Which you do as soon as you dump a hot cup of coffee on them.  They picked 3 because even though our kids are just great, darn it, someone had to lose.  Thought this group made up 16% of the vote, their numbers would be higher if so many of then didn’t take it upon themselves to try to cheer up Bobby Knight, Mike Ditka, Albert Belle, etc.

Choosing 1 were the pessimists.  They’re fairly in touch, but they always see the tarnish on the silver lining.  If something bad can happen, it will happen.  But sure things so still exist, very rarely.  They always make sure to take their one step back before their two steps forward, just in case.  You never know.  Sometimes life has roughed them up to teach them this lesson, other times they just know.  And you’d do well to listen and put on those clean underwear in case you’re in a car accident.  A bigger group, they made up 27% of the vote.

But finally, we have the moderates.  Who chose correctly 2 state titles.  They see things clearly and without blemish.  Cutting right to the heart of the issue.  They set aside every bias, every predisposition and simply see things the way they are.  They bring balance to the force.  And they made up the largest group at 46%.

46%!! Well that shoots a 12 gauge shotgun size hole in my theory.  If there’s one thing I know from working with and meeting people every day, it’s that you’re lucky if 1 in 5 meets the above description.  Oh well, I guess some folks just got lucky.

We got a good omen right off the bat as O’Hara, who Webb City defeated in the semifinals, won the class 4 girls 3rd place game 40-37 over St. [...]]]> Since I was running all over the country Saturday and could only Twitter updates, here’s the wrapup on the final day of Show-Me Showdown I for 2010.

We got a good omen right off the bat as O’Hara, who Webb City defeated in the semifinals, won the class 4 girls 3rd place game 40-37 over St. Dominic.

Next came Republic in the class 4 boys 3rd place game against Soldan out of St. Louis.  The first half couldn’t have gone much better as Kevin Stander scored 9, Jonathan Combs 7, and Republic lead by as many as 13 in route to a 29-23 halftime lead.  But Soldan opened the second half with an 11-3 run to grab their first lead of the day.  Republic fought back and regained a lead they would hold until midway through the fourth quarter on a pair of Nick Yocum free throws.  Exactly halfway through the final period, Soldan took a 51-50 lead on a 3 pointer, and then they let Breir West take over.  West scored the last 11 points for Soldan and hit all of his free throws to finish with 34 points for the game and keep Republic from coming back as they win 62-55.  Stander finished with 19 to lead Republic, with Yocum getting 12, and Joshua Morrow 10.  The Tigers end up with a fourth place finish in state and a very respectable showing in Columbia.

Next up was the class 4 girls championship with Webb City looking to finish off their incredible season and avoid a second consecutive second place finish.  Standing in their way was a formidable Cape Girardeau Notre Dame team who came in at 26-4.  The Lady Cardinals held the lead for most of the first period as Kyndal Clark nailed a pair of three pointers.  But ND would grab the lead with a minute left and hold it for most of the second quarter.  Webb City struggled with their shooting early hitting only 39% in the first half as they trailed 26-25 at the break.  In the third perios, ND got their lead to three before an 8-2 run put Webb on top by three.  A pair of ND free throws cut that to one before Webb City ripped off a 9-2 run capped by another Clark three to start the fourth quarter.  From there ND could get no closer than three points as Hailey Roderique scored 9 of her game high 18 points down the stretch to help hold off any charge allowing Webb City to take home their first girls basketball state championship!  Breanna Baker had 14 points, Kaitlin Jaeger 13, and Clark 11.  30-1 on the season, a state title, and a fantastic finish to a dream year for coach Brad Shorter and the Lady Cardianls.

Next came the shocker of the weekend as Kearney, who had knocked Republic into the 3rd place game, upset undefeated St. Francis Borgia 47-43 in the class 4 boys championship.  And when Blue Springs took a two point lead into halftime against powerful Incarnate Word in the class 5 girls title game, it looked like more magic was in the air.  But IWA assumed control early in the third and won the class 5 girls state title 52-43.

The final game of the evening gave Hillcrest a chance to repeat history and win a second state title to go with their 1984 championship.  The first half saw Doriel Green open the scoring  with a dunk two minutes in, four ties, and Oakville only shooting 33%.  But they had the lead at halftime 21-19.  The second half saw Hillcrest lead off with a dunk again, this time by Trey Starks who scored the first 6 points of the half to lift the Hornets back into the lead.  But the teams would trade the lead back and forth with Oakville leading by as many as six until with 2:21 remaining, they lead by four.  Then Doriel Green took over.  First, a Green block lead to a fastbreak layup and a free throw for Taylor Sade.  The next Oakville possession ended with another block by Green.  Doriel would hit back to back layups followed by four straight fouls shots as he had a hand in every one of the 11 straight points scored.  When the run ended, 15 seconds were left, Hillcrest was up by 7, and the celebration was ready to begin.  Hillcrest claimed their second state title in only their second trip to the final four with a 54-49 final!  Green finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and 3 blocks.  Trey Starks lead the scoring with 22, and Taylor Sade had 11.  The Hornets finish the season 25-7, closing with 13 straight wins to take the class 5 state title.  A great job by coach John Schaefer to mold this team into championship form.

And so a great weekend in Columbia for the Ozarks contingent came to a close.  The Kickapoo Lady Chiefs fell short of a state title, but got a satisfying 3rd place game win.  Republic didn’t win, but proved that they certainly did belong.  Webb City fulfilled their destiny and dream.  And Hillcrest found a return to past glory much to their liking.