Growing up playing soccer, there was not much that beat getting a hat trick (scoring three goals in the same game), and even though my field now is less grass and more ink, there are still hat tricks to be had.

For the past two years, on the fourth Wednesday in October, I have written about Cassville sports. Let’s make it an easy hat trick.

In 2023, the column focused on fall sports teams’ success. On the heels of a blowout win for the Wildcats in the Barry County Brawl, it was pointed out that all four fall sports teams that keep win-loss records were above .500 — the first time in at least 15 years all four had done so.

The success also marked major transitions for all four sports over the four years prior, as football, volleyball, softball and boys soccer all had seasons with less than five wins. Interestingly, all four teams have also seen head coaching changes since 2022.

As the ebb and flow of sports go, only football and softball are above .500 this fall, and they are doing so in magnificent fashion — especially in the last week.

The Wildcats gridders played Monett at Burl Fowler Stadium and withstood an onslaught of plays from scrimmage by the Cubs, 89 to be exact. The 48-46 victory was decided after time had expired, with senior Tristan Thompson making the stop on a 2-point conversion after the Cubs scored as time expired.

As far as high school football games go, it was one of the most exciting in recent memory. Cassville went down early, then pulled ahead late. Pick sixes from Thompson and fellow senior Colton Roark made the difference overall. Interestingly, they are both multiple- time state wrestling medalists, with Roark winning a title last year.

Just as Wildcat Nation recovered from the emotional blitz on Friday, the softball team delivered another slap on Monday.

An adage of sports is that it’s difficult to beat a team three times in a season. For the Lady Wildcats, there was little doubt as they churned out a hat trick of wins over the Lady Indians with a 4-0 victory, earning their second district title in program history after making history once already this season by winning their first ever Big 8 Conference championship.

Interestingly, Cassville shut out Seneca in all three contests this season, 3-0 at home, 3-0 on the road and 4-0 for the title.

Watching those two teams this fall, the keys to success are evident. Dedication, work ethic, high IQ and natural skill are all evident, but the biggest key to success I see is the passion.

The Wildcats football team has won four games in a row, seeing their defense steadily improve game by game over that time. A big driver of that improvement is the little things — like when Easton Hughes or Sky Yang come up after a big tackle flexing and screaming, “Let’s go!,” or when Chance Freed bats away a pass 8 feet in the air and is nearly bowled over by Carlos Barrientos doing a jump celebration at the sideline.

For the Lady Wildcats, it’s the atmosphere they create with their chants and celebrating one another’s great plays. Every batter has a call from the dugout, and the number of chants for specific situations are too many for me to count. A photographer favorite on Monday was the constant “meowing” whenever Seneca called time to have a chat in the circle. In big leagues, you get the “Jeopardy!” theme song in those moments, and in Cassville, you get “meows.”

While it may seem silly to some, I see it as a way the team is staying fully engaged in the game. While there may be a lull in play, the chants require constant focus as a team to keep up. Teams with that kind of energy and having that much fun stay dialed in — and they win.

Looking ahead, the Wildcats are in great position to make some noise in the district playoffs, and all roads will almost certainly lead through undefeated Class 3 No. 1-ranked Seneca — who Cassville played the closest in the season opener at just a 6-point loss.

The Lady Wildcats will hit the road Saturday to face Southern Boone in Ashland in Class 3 state quarterfinal action. The MSHSAA website’s matchup comparison is not always clear as day, but on paper, the teams appear evenly matched. A first Final Four appearance is definitely within reach.

Best of luck to both teams as they aim to make those postseason dreams come true. Win or lose, Wildcat Nation is enjoying the ride.

Kyle Troutman has served as editor of the Cassville Democrat since 2014 and owner/publisher since 2023.

He is a three-time ISWNE Golden Dozen award winner.

He may be reached at 417-847-2610 or ktroutman@cassville- democrat.com.