Sports

Mission accepted
Multi-sport athlete Brendyn Paulsen, a senior at Southwest High School, narrowed his future focus on Friday, signing to play baseball at the next level with Mission University in Springfield. Paulsen, who is in the midst of district tournament basketball this week and has his senior season of baseball just around the corner, said putting his name down was a dream come true.

‘Cats cruising toward competitive district playoffs
Every basketball team wants to be playing their best at the season’s end, and with a highly competitive Class 4, District 12 tournament on the horizon, Caleb Reynolds, Cassville boys hoops coach, said his Wildcats are ding just that.

All Rhoads lead to Evangel
At the start of his senior year, Cassville tight end Cosmo Rhoads had no plans to go to college, let alone become a college athlete. A recent stroke of opportunity altered his plans, as he signed on Feb.
Scoreboard, Feb. 14
The Cassville girls wrestling team is sending two athletes to the 2024 MSHSAA Girls Wrestling State Championships Feb. 23-24 in Columbia.

Lady Wildcats look for late-season push
A back-and-forth season when it comes to results, the Cassville girls basketball team is using its last four regular-season contests to prep for a Class 4, District 12 tournament run from the middle of the pack.

Hopping along to JeffCo: Hoppes signs letter of intent
A three-time All-State softball player seeking a school record fourth award this season, Purdy senior Jessi Hoppes will be a hop, skip and a jump away from home in the fall, signing a letter of intent on Jan. 29 to continue her career at Jefferson College.

Once an Eagle, always an Eagle: Lee signs for college ball
Once an Eagle; always an Eagle. Purdy baseball senior Hunter Lee will not change mascots as he prepares to move to the next level, signing a letter of intent on Jan.

Cole crosses 1,000-point mark
An Aurora girls basketball player with a Barry County connection has crossed the 1,000-point mark in her prep career. Junior Kylee Cole was 14 points shy of 1,000 going into a Jan. 29 Warrior Classic contest against East Newton. Cole put up 28 points in the 55-24 victory, achieving the milestone in the process. Cole averages 22 points per game. She is the granddaughter of the late John Cole and Linda Cole, of Exeter, and Howard and Jackie Burns, also of Exeter. Her great-grandmother, Gwen Hilburn, lives in Seligman, and she has numerous aunts and uncles from both Barry County towns.

Cassville wrestling winding toward districts
The Cassville wrestling program tossed around its weight in the Big 8 last week, testing the waters against potential road blocks in the fast-approaching district and state tournaments. Cassville’s boys and girls squads hosted Seneca for a dual on Jan.
Scoreboard, Jan. 31
The Cassville boys basketball team (8-11) took fifth place in its second consecutive tournament recently, and the Wildcats are heading into Big 8 Conference play. Cassville opened the 39th Annual Spokane Invitational Jan.