Sports

4 Wildcats claim conference titles
The Cassville boys wrestling team turned in a 12-medal performance at the Big 8 Tournament on Friday, with four Wildcats standing atop the podium in first place. As a team, Cassville finished in second place behind Seneca, with 250 points to the Indians’ 292.5.

3 Lady ‘Cats take Big 8 gold
The Cassville girls wrestling team had 10 participants in the 6-team Big 8 Conference Championship in Monett on Jan. 22, three of whom returned home with gold medals.

‘Cats wrestle up classes in Branson
Tktroutman@cassville-democrat.com he Cassville boys wrestling team is getting into the nitty-gritty of the season, coming off a sixthplace finish as the smallest school in the Branson Invitational and preparing for the Big 8 Conference meet this week and districts and state in February. Nathan Fortner, Cassville boys wrestling coach, said this season has been about progression, and the Wildcats have had no shortage of such.
Tigers finding new identity mid-season
Exeter boys basketball coach dislikes the phrase “rebuilding year,” but there are not many other ways to describe this year’s Tigers squad as they find their new identity. After losing a strong group of seniors to graduation last year, Williams said Exeter is still working to find its best lineup, a work in progress.
Scoreboard, Jan. 22
The Cassville girls basketball team (12-3) has now won 10 of its last 11 contests following a 3-win week Jan. 13-16.

Cassville pressing through competitive schedule
In the absence of a Christmas break tournament, the Cassville boys basketball team is ready to turn the season’s corner and use back-to-back tournaments as a springboard to Big 8 Conference play. At 1-8, the Wildcats have played a competitive schedule, facing only one squad with a sub-.500 record, Buffalo, which they beat in the Strafford Tournament, 48-46, on Dec.

Eyes fixed on the Big 8, reaching state
All Missouri wrestling roads end at Mizzou Arena, and the Cassville girls wrestling team is eyeing a Big 8 title and multiple qualifiers to the Girls State Wrestling Championships Feb. 26-27.

Lady ‘Cats earn holiday hardware
It has been four years since the Cassville girls basketball team lifted the Southwest Girls Holiday Tournament trophy, and for the fourth time in the competition’s 11-year history, the Lady Wildcats are title-holders again.

Coaches reflect on tourney performances
A total of 15 teams participated in the Southwest hoops tournaments from Dec. 27-30, 2024, with one local team winning a title and another taking third.

Two grand
Southwest senior Kasen Holder reached a milestone with this off-balance layup, tallying his 1,000th and 1,001st career points with the 2-point play in the opening minutes against Gentry at the Southwest Holiday Tournament on Dec. 30, 2024.