Dave Riggert – Page 401 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Missouri Western finishes tied for 15th at NSU Men’s Golf Classic

Posted on September 20, 2016

MUSKOGEE, OKLA. – The Missouri Western Men’s Golf team finished with an 894 for a final team score at the NSU Men’s Golf Classic in Muskogee, Oklahoma.

The Griffons were led by Jakob Rudosky and Patrick McCarthy who both finished with a 220. Rudosky and McCarthy had identical scores of 73 for each round of day two. Kevin Kim shot a 226 and finished both rounds with a 75 for the second day. Lucas Horseman came in with a 228 for the tournament, with a final round of 75. Jake Giles ended the tournament with a 246 for the Griffons.

Missouri Western’s completed its first 54 hole tournament of the fall season, after weather shortened last week’s UNK Invite. The Griffons travel to Lake City, Minnesota on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4 for the JR Watkins Invite hosted by Winona State University.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest volleyball sweeps Truman State Tuesday

Posted on September 20, 2016

By David Boyce

MARYVILLE, Mo. – In Northwest Missouri State’s 25-19, 25-23, 25-20 victory over Truman State Tuesday evening at Bearcat Arena, the players showed the traits of why they earned a spot in the American Volleyball Coaches Association top 25 for the first time in school history.

The No. 22-ranked Bearcats improved to 12-0 in front of a spirited crowd of 329 fans.

“Personally, I don’t like thinking about the rankings,” said Northwest senior outside hitter Miranda Foster. “I know being 22 is an awesome step for our program, but we are hungry for more. There is more in our tank, and we know that.

“It was really important for us to get this win because people talk and hype us up and that is a good thing. But we have to keep our heads on and understand we have to take it point by point. It was important for us to focus on this match.”

The Bearcats started the match without one of their leading hitters, senior middle hitter Jackie Becker and her back-up, sophomore middle hitter Sofia Schleppenbach.

But the outstanding hitting of Foster and sophomore Maddy Bruder more than made up for the loss of two key injured players. Bruder finished with a team-high 15 kills and Foster added nine.

Sprinkling in kills were junior Alexis Williams and junior Darcy Sunderman. They gave the Bearcats more than enough firepower to beat Truman State. Sunderman had eight kills and Williams added six.

Putting the hitters in favorable positions for kills was junior setter Sarah Dannettell, who had 34 assists. And keeping the ball alive for the Bearcats was sophomore libero Olivia Nowakowski, who had 21 digs.

“We have been talking since preseason about the depth of our team,” Foster said. “I think tonight was just another test of that. Yes, Jackie is one of our key players, and Sofia is vital to our team, too. Tonight proved high vital every single one of us are. It was important for us to get this win. We did well.”

The Bearcats showed in the first set that they weren’t going to allow Truman State to pull off an upset. Tied at 10-10, Northwest scored the next three points and never faced a tie score for the rest of the first set. With a 17-15 lead, the Bearcats scored six straight points for a commanding 23-15 lead.

During the second set, the Bearcats revealed another necessary characteristic of a top 25 team. Northwest was trailing 6-4 when it scored seven straight points for an 11-6 lead. The Bearcats appeared to be rolling to an easy second set, but Truman State had other ideas.

The Bulldogs closed to 17-16 and had all the momentum. Northwest needed to make a play to halt Truman State’s run. Bruder came up with a block for a Northwest point.

Truman State kept battling even when it faced a 23-20 deficit. At 24-21, the Bulldogs twice fought off set point. On the third set point, they made a couple of nice saves, but had no answer when Bruder finished off the set with a strong kill.

“The biggest thing that was going through my head was put the ball away and finish this rally because it was definitely a big back and forth, back and forth rally,” Bruder said. “Sarah put me in a great position to split the block. Sarah found it. It was all my teammates. I just saw the hole in the block and went swinging for it. I terminated the ball, got the rally over, got the game over.”

Another key component of a top 25 team is to maintain intensity with a commanding 2-0 lead. Northwest did exactly that late in the third set as Truman State pushed the Bearcats to play at a high level.

Truman State held several leads midway through the third set, including 12-11. Northwest moved in front 16-14, but the Bulldogs fought back to tie the set at 18-18-18 and 19-19.

The point of the set came next. Dannettell made the perfect set, placing the ball just above the net for Sunderman to make a powerful kill that was impossible to dig.

“It was beautiful,” Sunderman said of the set. “I was struggling at the beginning. I decided I am going to focus on my feet and attack the ball with my feet and the rest would come through, and it worked out. Sarah gave me a good set to put the ball away and I did. I did my job.”

Momentum swung completely in Northwest’s favor for the rest of the set. The Bearcats scored five of the last six points after Sunderman’s kill to finish off the match.

“One thing we focused on was staying at our level,” Sunderman said. “After that, we really pressed forward and played at our level.”

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri releases 2016-2017 women’s basketball schedule

Posted on September 20, 2016

COLUMBIA, MO. – Mizzou Women’s Basketball announced its full 2016-17 schedule on Tuesday. The Tigers will host 18 guaranteed home games at Mizzou Arena, including two exhibition contests and 16 regular season matchups. Mizzou could potentially face 11 opponents that competed in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

“Looking at our full schedule, we will have 16 games at home and that is certainly our favorite place to play,” head coach Robin Pingeton said. “The support from our community and the environment that they help create has been really fun and special and we appreciate everyone’s support. We had the largest increase in attendance in Division I women’s basketball last year and it is my hope that we will be able to continue to build on that.”

Mizzou opens its slate with a pair of exhibition games against Central Missouri and Truman State on Nov. 1 and Nov. 7, respectively. The Tigers begin the regular season by hosting Abilene Christian at Mizzou Arena in the first round of the 2016 Preseason WNIT. This is the first time Mizzou has competed in the 16-team tournament, which features three guaranteed games and potential matchups against Nebraska, Washington and Notre Dame, among others. The second round is set for Nov. 13/14, the semifinals will take place Nov. 17 and the championship game is slated for Nov. 20.

“We are excited to not only start our season playing at home in Mizzou Arena but to also be participating in the prestigious WNIT tournament,” Coach Pingeton said. “They have put together a great field that I know will be very competitive.”

Following the Preseason WNIT, Mizzou returns home on Nov. 22 to face Indiana State for the second time in program history. Over Thanksgiving, the Tigers will head to Freeport, Bahamas, for the 2016 Junkanoo Jam. At the holiday invitational, Mizzou clashes with Creighton on Nov. 25 at 1:15 p.m. CT. A day later, Coach Pingeton’s squad will play either Dayton or Georgia Tech.

Mizzou then comes back to Columbia for two home games against Western Illinois and Missouri State on Nov. 29 and Dec. 2 before traveling to Indianapolis on Dec. 4 to square off with IUPUI. After that trip, the Tigers host four consecutive contests at Mizzou Arena vs. SIU Edwardsville, Wichita State, UT Martin and UC Riverside. Mizzou is a combined 13-0 all-time against those four programs.

The Tigers round out the nonconference slate with a road trip to Saint Louis on Dec. 21. Mizzou has never lost to the Billikens in 20 all-time meetings.

The Tigers open Southeastern Conference play with a home contest against Georgia on New Year’s Day before hitting the road to face Kentucky on Jan. 5. Both of those games will air on SEC Network. The Tigers host Alabama on Jan. 8 and then travel to LSU on Jan. 12 and Vanderbilt on Jan. 15. After an SEC Network-televised home matchup with Texas A&M on Jan. 19, Mizzou heads to rival Arkansas on Jan. 23.

A quick homestand the following week features contests against Auburn on Jan. 26 and Kentucky on Jan. 30. Mizzou hits the road Feb. 5 to take on Mississippi State at 1:30 p.m. on ESPNU. The Tigers knocked off the then-No. 6 Bulldogs last season, 66-54. Mizzou ends a road swing with a trip to national power Tennessee on Feb. 9, which will air on SEC Network.

After hosting Arkansas on Feb. 12 and traveling to Florida on Feb. 16, the Tigers will square off with vaunted South Carolina at Mizzou Arena on Feb. 19. That matchup will be televised on ESPN2.

Mizzou will wrap up its regular season with senior night vs. Ole Miss on Feb. 23 and a road game at Alabama on Feb. 26. The SEC Tournament will be held March 1-5 in Greenville, S.C.

“We are really looking forward to this season,” Coach Pingeton said. “The team has put in a lot of work over the last several months. None of us are satisfied and we want more, but we understand that only comes with a lot of hard work.”

Click here for full schedule.

— Mizzou Athletics —

Benton hangs on to defeat Savannah 46-37

Posted on September 19, 2016

The Benton football team snapped a two-game losing streak as they beat Savannah 46-37 Monday night at Sparks Field.

The game was rescheduled from last Friday after the field was too wet to play on.

The Cardinals, who improve to 2-3 this season and 1-2 in the MEC, led wire-to-wire but had to hang on for the win.

Benton jumped out to a 26-0 lead in the first quarter before the Savages started to rally. Savannah hadn’t scored a touchdown since week one of the season, but they started to mount a comeback in the second quarter with 14 unanswered points and they trailed 33-17 at halftime.

Savannah pulled to within one possession twice in the second half as they trailed 33-30 and 39-37, but Benton answered both times with a scoring drive of their own.

The Savages remain winless as they are 0-5 this season and 0-3 in the MEC.

It’s a short week for both teams as they each play Friday. Benton travels to Maryville and Savannah plays host to Cameron.

Missouri Media High School Football Rankings

Posted on September 19, 2016

CLASS 6

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. CBC (12), 4-1, 138, 1
2. Blue Springs (2), 4-1, 126, 2
3. Kirkwood, 4-1, 105, 3
4. Rockhurst, 5-0, 101, 5
5. Jefferson City, 4-1, 75, 6
6. Hazelwood Central, 5-0, 73, 7
7. Lee’s Summit, 4-1, 44, 10
8. Springfield Kickapoo, 4-1, 41, 4
9. Raymore-Peculiar, 4-1, 38, NR
10. Eureka, 4-1, 19, 8

Dropped out: No. 9 SLUH

Also receiving votes: Park Hill (3-2), 4; SLUH (3-2), 3; Lee’s Summit West (3-2), 2; Blue Springs South (3-2), 1

CLASS 5

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Chaminade (12), 4-1, 136, 1
2. Battle (2), 5-0, 123, 2
3. Staley, 4-1, 113, 3
4. Liberty, 5-0, 93, 4
5. Glendale, 5-0, 81, 7
6. Nixa, 5-0, 76, 5
7. Fort Zumwalt North, 4-1, 64, 6
8. Park Hill South, 4-1, 39, T9
9. Jackson, 4-1, 19, NR
10. Liberty North, 2-3, 9, 8
Dropped out: No. T9 Timberland

Also receiving votes: Timberland (4-1), 6; Vianney (1-4), 5; William Chrisman (5-0), 3; Pattonville (2-3), 2; Carthage (5-1), 1

CLASS 4

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Kearney (14), 5-0, 140, 1
2. Carl Junction, 4-1, 121, 4
3. Parkway North, 4-1, 108, 2
4. Hannibal, 4-1, 80, 7
5. Platte County, 3-2, 77, 3
6. St. Dominic, 5-0, 69, 5
7. Webb City, 3-2, 67, 8
8. Ladue, 4-1, 48, 9
9. Hillsboro, 5-0, 24, 10
10. Smithville, 5-0, 19, NR

Dropped out: No. 6 Harrisonville

Also receiving votes: Harrisonville (3-2), 17

CLASS 3

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Maryville (12), 5-0, 138, 1
2. Blair Oaks (2), 5-0, 128, 2
3. Center, 5-0, 100, 4
4. Monett, 4-1, 90, 5
5. McCluer South-Berkley, 5-0, 78, 6
6. John Burroughs, 3-2, 63, 3
7. Park Hills Central, 5-0, 58, 7
8. Richmond, 5-0, 57, 8
9. Mexico, 3-2, 27, 9
10. Osage, 5-0, 24, 10

Also receiving votes: Odessa (3-2), 5; Hogan Prep (5-0), 1; Oak Grove (3-2), 1

CLASS 2

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Lamar (14), 4-0, 140, 1
2. Mtn. View-Liberty, 5-0, 123, 2
3. Centralia, 5-0, 114, 3
4. Mountain Grove, 5-0, 92, 4
5. Trinity, 5-0, 78, 5
6. Lutheran North, 4-1, 66, 7
7. Malden, 5-0, 63, 6
8. Fair Grove, 5-0, 42, 8
9. Macon, 5-0, 27, 9
10. Lawson, 4-1, 16, 10

Also receiving votes: South Callaway (5-0), 7; Brookfield (3-2), 1; Lexington (5-0), 1

CLASS 1

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Valle Catholic (14), 5-0, 140, 1
2. Marceline, 5-0, 123, 2
3. Hamilton-Penney, 5-0, 114, 3
4. Lincoln, 5-0, 98, 4
5. Hayti, 5-0, 81, 7
6. Cass-Midway, 5-0, 70, 8
7. East Buchanan, 4-1, 49, 10
8. Maysville, 4-1, 23, NR
9. Polo, 4-1, 18, 6
T10. Monroe City, 4-1, 15, NR
T10. Lockwood, 4-1, 15, 5

Dropped out: No. 9 Westran

Also receiving votes: Ash Grove (5-0), 8; Westran (4-1), 6; Wellington-Napoleon (4-1), 5; Thayer (3-2), 5

Ventura posts first complete-game win, Royals beat White Sox

Posted on September 19, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Yordano Ventura kept his pitch count down, which enabled him to go nine innings for the first time in the majors.

Ventura picked up his first complete-game victory, Kendrys Morales hit a three-run homer and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 8-3 Monday.

The Royals have won three straight, keeping their faint playoff hopes flickering with 12 games remaining. The Royals went 14-5 against the White Sox this year.

“My goal today was try to get as many outs as I can as quick as I can and go deep in the game and that’s what I did today,” Ventura said with catching coach Pedro Grifol as his translator. “I’m happy with it.”

Ventura (11-11) gave up nine hits, struck out five and walked one. His only other complete game in the majors was a 3-2 loss July 28 at Texas.

“He was outstanding,” Royals catcher Drew Butera said. “He was efficient with his pitches. He had great movement, great life. He was really good.”

Ventura had allowed 10 runs, 17 hits and six walks in 11 1/3 innings in losing his previous two starts. He threw only 16 pitches in a 10-batter span to end the fifth and into the seventh.

“He did a phenomenal job of managing his pitch-count,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “He put himself in a position with a five-run lead to have a complete-game. He got through eight with 92 pitches. He just pitched a great game.”

Morales homered off Carlos Rodon (7-10) in a four-run fifth. Morales homered in back-to-back games, bringing his total to 29. The last Royal to hit 30 home runs in a season was Jermaine Dye, with 33 in 2000.

Paulo Orlando and Alcides Escobar homered in the second for the Royals. Eric Hosmer drove in two runs with a pair of singles, giving him 97 RBI.

Billy Burns had three hits, was hit by a pitch, stole a base and scored two runs.

“They’re a good ballclub,” Rodon said. “Guys that have been in the game for a while and just understand that, make me throw pitches and get deep in the count, and they did a really good job of that. They swing the bat well, but our guys swung the bat well, too. Some hard balls hit and some home runs, and that’s baseball.”

Jose Abreu and Carlos Sanchez hit solo home runs for the White Sox. Todd Frazier added an RBI single and had two hits off Ventura.

“He’s throwing 97, 98 (mile per hour),” Frazier said late in the game. “That’s tough to pick up, tough to lay off, too, as well, because it looks like a strike and comes off. He had good command, basically.”

DUAL EJECTIONS

Plate umpire Toby Basner ejected Escobar in the fifth for arguing balls and strikes. When Yost interceded, Basner thumbed him, too.

TRAINER’S ROOM

White Sox: INF Tyler Saladino (sore left calf) was out of the lineup for the third consecutive game. “We could play him, but I think an extra day would be best for him,” White Sox manager Robin Ventura. … DH Justin Morneau (neck discomfort) returned to the lineup after missing the previous six games.

UP NEXT

White Sox: RHP James Shields, who is 0-5 with a 9.37 ERA in his past nine starts, will start Tuesday at Philadelphia. RHP Jake Thompson will start for the Phillies.

Royals: RHP Edinson Volquez, who gave up nine runs on seven hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings in a Thursday loss to Oakland, will start the series opener at Cleveland. The Indians will counter with RHP Josh Tomlin.

— Associated Press —

Missouri Western’s Blaufuss earns weekly MIAA volleyball honor

Posted on September 19, 2016

ST. JOSEPH – Missouri Western Volleyball’s Kortney Blaufuss has been named MIAA Volleyball Athlete of the Week. Blaufuss started all four matches this past weekend in the GAC-MIAA Crossover at Shawnee, Oklahoma. In her four matches, Blaufuss recorded 171 assist, 33 digs, nine kills, eight blocks and three aces.

Blaufuss had 39 assists in a sweep over Southeastern Oklahoma State with eight digs, three blocks, two kills and one ace. In another sweep against Southern Nazarene, she had 38 assists, nine digs, two aces and one block. Against Northwestern Oklahoma State, Blaufuss dished up 39 assists, eight digs, two blocks and a kill. In the final match against Southwestern Oklahoma State, she had a career high 55 assists, eight digs, six kills, and two blocks. The performance of 55 assist will tie her for ninth all-time in assist for a four set match.

— MWSU Athletics —

Northwest volleyball team enters AVCA Top 25 at No. 22

Posted on September 19, 2016

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team was ranked 22nd by the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Monday. The 11-0 Bearcats completed a 3-0 weekend at Central Missouri after receiving votes in last week’s poll.

According to AVCA records, this marks the first time a Northwest Missouri team has earned a top-25 ranking. The Bearcats return to the court on Tuesday, Sept. 20, against Truman State in the team’s final non-conference match of the year. The match is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. in Bearcat Arena.

— Northwest Athletics —

K-State’s Heath named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week

Posted on September 19, 2016

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Thanks to a 75-yard punt-return touchdown in the third quarter last week against Florida Atlantic, Kansas State wide receiver/returner Dominque Heath has been named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday morning.

The honor was the first in Heath’s career and K-State’s 21st special teams player-of-the-week honor since 2011. Additionally, the accolade marked the Wildcats’ 38th Big 12 player of the week citation since 2011, which ranks second in the league.

Heath fielded a third-quarter Florida Atlantic punt and weaved his way down the far sideline for his first-career punt return touchdown. It was K-State’s nation-leading 41st combined kick- and punt-return touchdown since 2005 and nation-leading 102nd non-offensive score since 1999. Heath also hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass as he became the first Wildcat since 2012 with a receiving and punt-return touchdown.

Kansas State hosts Missouri State on Saturday in a 6:10 p.m., contest at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

— KSU Athletics —

Chiefs’ offense struggles in 19-12 loss at Houston

Posted on September 18, 2016

HOUSTON (AP) — DeAndre Hopkins got Houston going early and defense and special teams did the rest in a 19-12 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Hopkins had 113 yards receiving and a touchdown and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to help the Texans to the victory .

Novak connected from 32, 24, 31 and 43 yards for the Texans.

Cairo Santos made three field goals in the fourth quarter to cut the lead to 19-12, but Houston recovered the onside kick with less than a minute left to seal the victory.

The Texans (2-0) showed that they are a much different team than the one that was embarrassed in a 30-0 wild-card playoff loss to the Chiefs (1-1) in January, when quarterback Brian Hoyer had five turnovers.

New quarterback Brock Osweiler did throw two interceptions but the Chiefs had more trouble taking care of the ball, with Houston’s defense setting a franchise record by recovering three fumbles in the first half.

“Our defense really stood up there and when they had to in critical situations played well,” coach Bill O’Brien said.

The first came when a high snap sailed over Alex Smith’s head. J.J. Watt shoved him out of the way with one hand and pounced on it, showing he was getting back to his old self after July back surgery.

Osweiler, who finished with 268 yards passing, connected with Hopkins on a 27-yard touchdown pass on the next play to make it 7-0.

“When your defense makes a big play or your special teams make a big play, on offense you need to take that momentum and finish with a touchdown,” Osweiler said. “That’s exactly what took place in that moment.”

Watt continued to shine later in the first quarter when he took Smith down for his first sack this season, forcing the Chiefs to kick a field goal that made it 7-3.

Houston was leading by seven in the second quarter when Spencer Ware fumbled, Kevin Johnson scooped it up for his first career recovery and returned it 52 yards. The Texans couldn’t get their offense going after that and settled for a 24-yard field goal to make it 13-3.

John Simon forced the last fumble of the half on his strip-sack of Smith. It was recovered by Whitney Mercilus. But once again Houston failed to move the ball and Novak’s try for a 57-yard field goal fell short as time expired in the first half.

“We had way too many mistakes today,” coach Andy Reid said. “Too many penalties. Dropped balls. You name it. Turnovers, we had three turnovers. All these things led to points. That’s my responsibility.”

Marcus Peters intercepted Osweiler at the goal line on Houston’s first possession and picked him off again late in the third quarter.

That led to a 43-yard field goal that cut the lead to 13-6.

A field goal by both teams after that left the Texans up 16-9.

FULLER FLOURISHES

Houston rookie receiver Will Fuller finished with four receptions for 104 yards to become the first rookie in franchise history with consecutive 100-yard receiving games to start his career. The 21st overall pick in this year’s draft had 107 yards receiving in his NFL debut last week.

INJURY REPORT

Houston rookie WR Braxton Miller injured his hamstring in the first half and did not return. He doesn’t think the injury is serious, but will have an MRI on Monday.

ELITE COMPANY

Watt finished with 1.5 sacks on Sunday to give him 76 in his 82nd career game. He’s the second fastest in NFL history to reach 75 sacks behind Hall of Famer Reggie White who did it in 65 games.

NO, NO, NO

Peters learned that wagging your finger in the face of an opponent like NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo did after blocking a shot is frowned upon on the NFL.

Peters forced an incompletion on a deep ball thrown to Fuller in the second quarter and wagged his finger at him for several seconds. The move earned him a 15-yard penalty for taunting and a warning that a second such penalty would result in an ejection.

“He’s competing against a guy and made a nice play on the ball.” Reid said. “But you can’t wag your finger — they’re going to get you.”

SPREADING THE WEALTH

Hopkins and Fuller gave Houston two players with at least 100 yards receiving for the eighth time in franchise history and the first time since 2013.

BRING IT BACK

Kansas City rookie Tyreek Hill had a 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown negated because of a holding penalty late in the fourth quarter.

UP NEXT

Kansas City hosts the Jets next Sunday.

Houston travels to meet New England on Thursday night.

— Associated Press —