Cardinals’ offense churns out touchdowns in setting up district title showdown with Panthers

SHELBINA, Mo. — When your offense does nothing but score touchdowns, you know you’re in good shape. South Shelby football coach Adam Gunterman and the Cardinals found themselves there Friday night. The top-seeded Cardinals’ starting offense scored on all seven possessions in a 48-19 victory over fifth-seeded Macon in the semifinals of the Class 2…

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Bryant, Bowling Green outrun South Shelby in epic district championship shootout

Bowling Green's Bleyne Bryant, left, looks for running room against South Shelby during Friday night's Class 2 District 7 championship game at Charles Rash Memorial Field in Shelbina, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mark Requet, Shelby County Herald

SHELBINA, Mo. — It was an offensive shootout for the ages. Bowling Green and South Shelby, two of the highest-scoring high school football teams in Missouri, combined for 16 touchdowns, 116 points and 1,035 yards of offense Friday night in the Class 2 District 7 championship game at Charles Rash Memorial Field. In the end,…

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Canton’s state title defense hits snag with loss to La Plata in district championship game

Canton's Macie Fisher hugs teammate Kadence Taylor after the Tigers lost to La Plata 6-4 in the Class 1 District 5 championship game in La Plata, Mo. | Steve Eighinger photo

La PLATA, Mo. — There will be no repeat of that state softball title Canton won a year ago. The Tigers were eliminated from the postseason Tuesday night, dropping a 6-4 decision to La Plata in the Class 1 District 5 championship game. But Canton went down swinging. The Tigers, who end the season 20-11,…

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Cardinals clamp down defensively to knock off top-seeded Panthers in district championship

The South Shelby boys basketball team upset top-seeded Palmyra to win the Class 3 District 6 championship Friday night in Monroe City, Mo. | Ron Kinscherf

MONROE CITY, Mo. — South Shelby’s Trey Countryman wasn’t giving anyone the game ball. Thirty minutes after the final buzzer, the senior guard was still cradling this piece of history. Countryman and the rest of the Cardinals upset top-seeded Palmyra 39-22 in the Class 3 District 6 championship to capture their first district title in…

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Humphrey, Pirates grind up Jays with potent rushing attack in district title victory

Hannibal senior running back Markahl Humphrey runs away from the Jefferson City defense during Friday night's Class 4 District 5 championship game at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. | Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — The Hannibal football team outscored Jefferson City — and the thermometer — on a frosty Friday night at E.A. Porter Stadium. The Pirates’ potent run-first-and-foremost offense eventually wore down the Jays on an evening when the temperature never broke 30 degrees and ended with a 42-21 Class 4 District 5 championship victory.…

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Canton escapes tenuous seventh-inning jam, captures fourth straight district championship

The Canton softball team outlasted North Shelby 3-2 in nine innings to win the Class 1 District 9 championship Saturday in Shelbyville, Mo. | Submitted photo

SHELBYVILLE, Mo. — Some confusion about the rules regarding pitching circle visits put the Canton softball team in a precarious position with the season on the brink Saturday afternoon. Yet, the Tigers never flinched. With the Class 1 District 9 championship game tied at 2 in the bottom of the seventh and North Shelby having…

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Perfect exit: Monroe City seniors win final home game for program’s sixth straight district crown

The Monroe City boys basketball team won its sixth straight district championship Saturday night, beating Highland 69-40. Submitted photo

MONROE CITY, Mo. — The last act deserved a standing ovation. The Monroe City faithful obliged. The final time a senior class that has set itself apart as one of the most successful in program history played at home resulted in an incredible accomplishment as the top-seeded Monroe City boys basketball team won its sixth…

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South Shelby freshman buries go-ahead 3-pointer, ruins Palmyra’s chance for district upset

South Shelby’s Belle Roush, left, drives on Palmyra’s Sydney Compton during the Class 3 District championship Saturday afternoon in Monroe City, Mo. The Lady Birds won 59-55 after Roush his the go-ahead 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

MONROE CITY, Mo. — A freshman who came off the bench made the go-ahead 3-pointer in the closing seconds of the Class 3 District 6 championship game. It just didn’t happen to be one of the Palmyra girls basketball team’s talented underclassmen. South Shelby’s Belle Roush drained a 3-pointer from the top of the key…

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Palmyra girls need overtime to dispatch Highland, will face South Shelby for district championship

Palmyra's Candra King shoots over a Highland defender during Wednesday night's Class 3 District 6 semifinal in Monroe City, Mo. Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

MONROE CITY, Mo. — A 13-point halftime lead evaporated, forcing the second-seeded Palmyra girls basketball team to show some serious resolve in order to keep its season on the rails. The youthful Panthers played with poise when it mattered. Highland’s Ansley Bringer hit a 3-pointer in the waning seconds of regulation to force overtime, but…

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Cougars’ historic season comes up one play short of district championship

Highland quarterback Drew Mallett takes the snap while Brandon Holder (81) goes in motion and Robert Goehl (18) prepares to block during Friday night's game in Marceline, Mo./ | Photo courtesy of Brenda Mallett

MARCELINE, Mo. — Dave Degarmo put his words on paper, knowing the day would come he would need to deliver them to his Highland football team. Friday night felt too soon to share his thoughts, but he knew how to express them. The Cougars, in Degarmo’s fifth season as head coach, nearly captured the first…

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Pirates overwhelm Jays in district championship, roll into state quarterfinals

Hannibal quarterback Courtland Watson scores a touchdown during the Pirates' Class 4 District 5 championship game against the Jefferson City Jays on Friday night at Porter Stadium in Hannibal, Mo. Photo courtesy Mathew Kirby

HANNIBAL, Mo. — On the surface, the Hannibal football team’s 47-0 victory over Jefferson City would seem to indicate a rather lopsided verdict. And it was exactly that — and more. So very much more. Hannibal’s quicksilver-like offense, coupled with a defense that is often suffocating, were both monopolizing from the outset. The Pirates left…

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Cougars set new single-season victory mark, to play for district championship

Highland running back Robert Goehl runs between two Westran defenders during Friday night's district semifinal game in Ewing, Mo. | Photo courtesy of Brenda Mallett

EWING, Mo. — Like father, like son. While Highland’s Robert Goehl was illustrating one story with his post-game thoughts, his eyes were telling another. Finally, the senior running back halted his conversation about Friday night’s 38-0 Class 1 District 6 thumping of overmatched Westran, a victory Goehl spearheaded with 202 yards rushing, a pair of…

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Tigers able to manufacture runs, district championship with patience, persistence

The Canton softball team won the Class 1 District 9 championship with a 5-2 victory over North Shelby on Saturday at the Cotton Bowl in Canton, Mo. Submitted photo

CANTON, Mo. — The Canton softball team was forced to tweak its offensive strategy Saturday, but the Tigers proved adept at manufacturing runs in a variety of ways. Leading North Shelby 2-1 in the fifth inning of the Class 1 District 9 championship game at the Cotton Bowl, Canton used a bunt single and a…

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