Central falls behind early, suffers 56-49 loss to Bluff

Saturday, January 26, 2008
Poplar Bluff scored the first 12 points of the game against Central, but the Tigers boys basketball team refused to quit Friday night.

The Tigers rallied behind a trio of 3-pointers by Anthony Watts in the third quarter, pulling within 41-36 heading into the final quarter, but the Mules held on for the 56-49 victory.

Jajuan Bell, who scored 21 to lead Central, hit two free throws with 4 minutes left that cut Poplar Bluff's lead to four. The Tigers came up empty in two possessions to pull closer and missed a one-and-one opportunity with 1:13 left before Poplar Bluff closed the game by hitting six straight free throws.

Watts finished with 11 points for the Tigers (10-11, 2-2 SEMO) while Chase Johnson added nine.

Central (49) -- Jajuan Bell 21, Anthony Watts 11, Chase Johnson 9, Shane Nolen 4, Derek Walker 2, Landon Ewers 2, FG 18, FT 7-8, F 14 (3-pointers: Bell 3, Watts 3)

Poplar Bluff (66) -- Ben Knuckles 4, Austin Sutton 6, Chris Kilgore 5, Jay Raulston 9, Jordan Chaligoj 7, Riley Raulston 25, FG 23, FT 8-12, F 14 (3-pointers: Raulston 3, Chaligoj 1)

JV -- Poplar Bluff won 48-45

Jackson 75, Caruthersville 23

The Indians jumped out to a 51-14 halftime lead as they rolled over Caruthersville.

Spencer Goodman led the way with 15 points for Jackson (15-6). Hunter Grantham and Andrew Shrum added 12 points apiece.

Caruthersville (23) -- Williams 4, Buddy 2, Caleb Moss 6, Keithelyn Agnew 1, Ty 1, Mitchell Wooden 2, Vohland Fonda 7. FG 6, FT 2-4, F 13 (3-pointers: Moss 2, Fonda. Fouled out: none)

Jackson (75) -- Marcus Harris 3, Cody Green 6, Andrew Shrum 12, Josh Gwin 4, Spencer Goodman 15, Matt Lang 8, Jake Leet 9, Aaron Floyd 6, Hunter Grantham 12. FG 22, FT 13-14, F 10 (3-pointers: Leet, Lang 2, Goodman 2, Shrum. Fouled out: none)

Scott City 70, Meadow Heights 47

Jay Simmons drained five 3-pointers and finished with 27 points to lead the Rams.

Alex King added 18 points and Caleb Estes netted 10 for Scott City (13-4).

Dustin Hubler led Meadow Heights with 13 points.

Meadow Heights (47) -- Dustin Hubler 13, Tyler Wagner 7, Luke Nitsch 5, Ethan Mayfield 6, Zac Hotop 8, Tyler Welker 8. FG 16, FT 6-10, F 17 (3-pointers: Welker 2, Nitsch. Fouled out: none)

Scott City (70) -- John Pinkston 2, Jay Simmons 27, Shae Simmons 6, Derek Goodin 4, Caleb Estes 10, Cody Page 1, Travis Scherer 2, Alex King 18. FG 18, FT 16-26, F 9 (3-pointers: J.Simmons 5, S.Simmons. Fouled out: none)

JV -- Scott City won 53-51.

Bell City 62, Puxico 32

The Cubs won the SCAA tournament in Bloomfield behind another strong performance by Nick Niemczyk.

Bell City's standout senior guard scored 34 points, including seven 3-pointers, in the victory.

Ethan Watkins added eight points, including a pair of 3s, in the win.

Puxico (32) -- Guilliams 2, Hon 7, Smith 5, Allison 10, McClure 6, Crain 2. FG 12, FT 3-11 (3-pointers: Allison 3, McClure 2)

Bell City (62) -- Ethan Watkins 8, Nick Niemczyk 34, Phillip Gross 4, Marty Dames 4, Austin Bush 3, Brandon Bell 3, John Paul Arnold 6. FG 24, FT 4-7 (3-pointers: Niemczyk 7, Watkins 2, Bush 1)

Saxony Lutheran 72, Delta 25

The Crusaders pitched a shutout in the first quarer, opening an 18-0 lead.

Garrett Ruppel drilled five 3-points and finished with 17 points to pace Saxony (14-4).

Zach Bohnert and Max Wieser added 13 apiece in the win.

Chase Rhodes led the Bobcats with 11 points.

Saxony (72) -- Zach Bohnert 13, Ben Courtois 10, Garrett Ruppel 17, Max Wieser 13, Chris Roth 2, Bret Steffens 10, Bryant Steffens 5, Ross Gage 2. FG 27, FT 11-29, F 9 (3-pointers: Ruppel 5, Bryant Steffens 1, Courtois 1. Fouled out: None)

Delta (25) -- Justin Schrum 2, Alex Parks 4, Chase Rhodes 11, Shelby Kight 6, Robert Gramlisch 2. FG 10, FT 5-6, F 22 (3-pointers: None. Fouled out: Parks, Rhodes)

Oran 84, Leopold 71

The Eagles went 30-of-39 from the line and put together a 35-point fourth quarter to knock off the host Wildcats.

Kody Campbell poured in 35 points, while teammate Cody Romas added 21 in the win.

Leopold's Darren VanGennip had 30 points, including four 3-pointers, in the losing effort.

Oran (94) -- Cody Dirnberger 10, Kurt Rendleman 9, Cody Romas 21, Tyler Beardslee 4, Kody Campbell 35, Jake Kluesner 15. FG 31, FT 30-39, F 16 (3-pointers: Rendleman 1, Romas 1)

Leopold (71) -- Dustin Thiele 16, Cody Van De Ven 6, Wade Wiseman 4, Darren VanGennip 30, Larry Nussbaum 10, Clayton Stoverink 5. FG 29, FT 8-14, F 27 (3-pointers: VanGennip 4, Nussbaum 1. Fouled out: Thiele, Van De Ven)

JV -- Leopold won 71-54

St. Vincent 47, Grandview 30

The Indians used an impressive defensive performance to earn the home win.

St. Vincent allowed eight points in the first half and just 13 points through three quarters.

Josh Rollet scored 17 and Justin L'Hote added 16 for the Indians (6-9).

Grandview (30) -- Donnie Clark 14, Dillon Barnes 5, Shane Frederick 5, Gabe Mahn 2, Steven Capranica 2, Nick Robinson 2. FG 12, FT 6-9, F 19 (Fouled out: Wegescheide)

St. Vincent (47) -- Josh Rollet 19, Justin L'Hote 17, Shawn Renner 4, Brandon Hoch 2, Aaron Dzik 2, Zach Fischer 2, Joel Kapp 1. FG 18, FT 10-20, F 9 (3-pointers: L'Hote 1)

JV -- Grandview won 35-26

Zalma 72, Marquand 29

The Bulldogs allowed zero points in the fourth quarter on their home court.

Justin Lemons had a 21-point explosion for the Bulldogs (6-8). Steven Simmers added 12 while Colton Bailey and Travis Mergel chipped in with 11 each for the victors.

Marquand (29) -- Mayberry 2, Boyer 1, Brotherton 7, Carey 7, Vick 12. FG 10, FT 8-15, F 17 (3-pointers: Vick 1. Fouled out: Mayberry, Brotherton)

Zalma (72) -- Travis Mergel 11, Steven Simmers 12, Colton Bailey 11, Justin Lemons 21, Kevin Walker 7, Jeremy Rogers 4, Justin Stotts 2, Liam Shaw 4. FG 28, FT 13-20, F 17 (3-pointers: Murgel 2, Simmers 1)

JV -- Zalma won 76-12

Eagle Ridge 60, Collinsville Christian 30

Ben Douglass dropped 20 points as Eagle Ridge (10-6) earned the win on senior night.

Scott Edgar added 10 points for the Eagles.

Collinsville Christian (30) -- Josh Kotras 2, Christian Hartman 3, Josh Merritt 19, Jabari Mitchell 4, Christian Plair 2. FG 10, FT 10-13, F 14 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Merritt.)

Eagle Ridge (60) -- Ben Douglass 20, Daniel Cohen 8, Scott Edgar 10, Josh Wiseman 8, Sam Davis 6, Sam Riehn 8. FG 24, FT 12-19, F 12 (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Cohen.)

JV -- Eagle Ridge won 37-13.

GIRLS SWIMMINGCentral 51, Hickman 44Kickapoo 74, Central 24

Central defeated Hickman and lost to Kickapoo in a double dual match in Springfield.

Jessica Baker aided the 200 medley relay team to a second-place finish and the 200 freestyle relay team to a victory.

Baker also captured a second in the 50 freestyle and a third in the 100 butterfly.

200 medley relay -- 2. 2:06.77 (Annie Wolpers, Jessica Baker, Jennifer Willett, Mary Catherine Ford)

50 freestyle -- 2. Baker, 27.77

100 butterfly -- 3. Baker, 1:13.06

200 freestyle relay -- 1. 1:48.75 (Wolpers, Baker, Willett, Ford)

-- From staff reports