Crowder College baseball coach named Coach of the Year

(From Crowder College)

Crowder College head baseball coach Travis Lallemand has been named Coach of the Year by the Midwest Scouts Association. The honor was presented to him at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City this past weekend.

“Coach Lallemand was chosen not only for the results he gets on the field, but the quality of the program he runs. He consistently develops players and builds good relationships with professional scouts,” touted Dusting Smith, Midwest Area Scout for the Texas Rangers and Association President.

Lallemand has head coach for the Roughriders since 2005. His career record of 653 wins and 280 losses has produced 6 Region Championships and named Region 16 Coach of the Year, 3 South Central District Championships, and 3 trips to the NJCAA College World Series with the most recent earning 3rd place in NJCAA Division I Baseball (2010, 2017, and 2021). 

Since 2010, the Roughriders have appeared in the NJCAA Nation poll each year and have won 40 plus games 10 of those seasons, including tow 50 plus win seasons.

Roughrider baseball players under his leadership have performed as follows:

Coach over 100 players who have signed with Division I programs
35 MLB drafted players
26 pitchers selected in MLB Amateur Draft with 50 signing with NCAA Division 1 schools
Over 200 players moving on to 4-year schools or professional baseball
48 Region 16 1st team players
11 NJCAA All-Americans
5 Region Players of the Year
4 Region 16 Defensive Players of the Year

Prior to his head coaching position Lallemand served as an assistant coach on the pitching staff for three seasons at Crowder. Lallemand is originally from Girard, Kansas. He prepped at Girard high School and went on to play collegiate baseball at Labette Community College before transferring to Berry College in Rome, Georgia.

“I am honored and humbled to receive this recognition from the MW Scouting association. I have worked with most of these individuals for the better part of my career here with a few new scouts coming on board each year, and we have developed a trusting relationship over that time. I have sat in ballparks all over the Midwest with most of these guys evaluating players and discussing our current players to come see and it means a lot that they selected me for this award,” stated Lallemand.

Lallemand and his wife Jennifer reside in Neosho with their son, Luc.

The Midwest Scouts Association is a non-profit organization consisting of scouts from all 30 MLB teams. The main purpose of the organization is to assist those in the baseball community. Additionally, the organization holds a players showcase every summer for free consisting of the best talent from the Midwest. Induction into the Hall of Fame is voted every one to two years with one coach being honored.

Photo (L-R): Dustin Smith, MWSA President presents the award to Travis Lallemand, Crowder College Roughrider Head Baseball Coach)

 

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame to honor MSSU/College Heights great Katie Gariss Marsh

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame announced on Tuesday its Class of 2021 to be inducted at the annual Basketball Luncheon that features Missouri Southern Hall of Famer Katie (Gariss) Marsh earning the organization's Filbert Five Award.

The ceremony will be held at the Oasis Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield on December 14 and is set for 11 am. An individual ticket is $50 in advance, or $60 at the door. For ticket prices and availability, call 417-889-3100.

A High School product from nearby College Heights Christian School, (Gariss) Marsh scored 2,000 career points as a Cougar and was a Class 2 All-State selection in 1998. At the conclusion of her four-year Missouri Southern career (Gariss) Marsh ranked 8th in career scoring and rebounds with 1,230 points and 588 rebounds, currently she ranks ninth in career rebounds and tenth in scoring at Missouri Southern.

As a junior in 2000-01 (Gariss) Marsh was a first-team All-MIAA and All-District selection before being an All-American after averaging 18.0 points and 8.4 rebounds per game to finish second in the MIAA in scoring and rebounds. Her nine double-doubles in her career rank tied for ninth in a Lion career and featured eight double-doubles as a junior.

(Gariss) Marsh was the CoSIDA Academic All-American of the Year in 2002, one of only two Missouri Southern student-athletes to ever earn such honor. (Gariss) Marsh graduated with a perfect 4.00 GPA, while making it through the honors program at Southern, serving as the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) President, and actively participating in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). She was a two-time Academic All-American, a two-time MIAA Presidential Scholar, a two-time Academic All-MIAA pick, and a three-time MIAA Academic Honor Roll honoree.

Marsh was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. Currently she lives in Joplin and works for Mercy Orthopedics of Southeast Kansas.

Missouri Southern soccer coach resigns

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern Director of Athletics Rob Mallory has announced a change in the leadership of the MSSU soccer program as head coach Aaron Tilsen has stepped down from his position.

Tilsen was 10-36-3 in three seasons at Southern.

A national search for a replacement will be conducted immediately.

"I want to thank Coach (Aaron) Tilsen for his service to Missouri Southern, and good luck in his future endeavors," Mallory said.

St. Louis Cardinals fire Mike Shildt

(From the St. Louis Cardinals)

The St. Louis Cardinals announced this afternoon that they have agreed to part ways with Manager Mike Shildt.

"While these decisions are difficult, both parties agreed that philosophical differences related to the direction of the organization brought us to this conclusion," stated Cardinals' President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak. "With just one year remaining on Mike's contract, it was in everyone's best interests that we address this now."

Shildt, 53, was named the Cardinals interim manager on July 15, 2018 and had his interim title removed on August 28, 2018. He spent 13 years (2004-16) in player development as a scout, coach and manager before joining the Cardinals Major League coaching staff in 2017.

In his three-plus seasons as the Cardinals Manager, Shildt posted a 252-199 won-loss record and was voted National League Manager of the Year in 2019 by the BBWAA.

Today's announcement marks just the third managerial change for the Cardinals dating to 1996, when the team hired Hall of Fame Manager Tony La Russa. Mike Matheny (2012-18) and Shildt (2018-21) have followed La Russa's 16-year tenure in St. Louis that was capped off with a World Series title in 2011.

MSSU football to entertain Fort Hays in homecoming game

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will be back at home this Saturday as the Lions play host to Fort Hays State for Homecoming 2021. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium is slated for 2 pm.

Game Information

Team Records: MSSU 1-2, 1-2 MIAA | FHSU 1-2, 1-2 MIAA
Date: Saturday, September 25
Kick-Off: 2:00 pm, CT
Location: Joplin, Mo.
Site: Fred G. Hughes Stadium (7,000)
Series Record: FHSU leads 17-13-1
Coaches: Atiba Bradley (2-2, overall/at MSSU) | Chris Brown (66-37 overall/at FHSU)

Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 101.7 and AM 1560; - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Live Coverage: www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball
Lions on Instagram: @mososports

The Series: Fort Hays State leads the all-time series 17-13-1. The Lions have a 6-8 record at Hughes Stadium and are 7-9-1 at Lewis Field in Hays. The two teams renewed their series in 2006 for the first time since 1988, with the Tigers snapping a season-long losing streak with a 10-0 win over Southern. 

Prior to that, the last time for the two to meet was when both schools were a member of the NAIA Central States Intercollegiate Conference. Southern won that game 21-10. The two teams have split the last 18 games.

The Dish On The Tigers: The Tigers are coming off their first win of the season, a 72-0 win at home over Lincoln. FHSU averages 36.7 points per game, while gaining 148.7 yards on the ground and 348.7 yards in the air for 497.3 yards of total offense per game. The Tigers are 5-of-7 in fourth down conversions this year and have thrown six interceptions, while having zero picks of their own on defense. 

Chance Fuller leads the offense for the Tigers as the quarterback has thrown for 946 yards and six touchdowns on the year. Adrian Soto has 23 carries fo 141 yards and four scores on the ground, while catching seven passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Tristan Tucker has 161 yards on the ground, while Clay Robinson has eight carries and a score. 

In the air, Manny Ramsey has the most catches at 19 for 254 yards, while Hunter Budke (12 rec.) and Monterio Burchfield (10 rec.) are the only two others with double-digit pass catches. Defensively, the Tigers are led by Layke Heimerman with 31 tackles, including 15 solo. He has two tackles for a loss and a half a sack, while aslo picking up a fumble recovery. Myles Menges has 19 stops and 2.5 for a loss, while Jordan Starks has 17 tackles, 1.5 TFL and one fumble recovery. Dalton Kuhn leads the team with two sacks. 

The Tigers will be back in action next weekend as FHSU plays host to Nebraska-Kearney for its homecoming. Kickoff from Hays is slated for 7 pm.

A Victory vs. The Tigers Would: stop a seven-game winning streak for the Tigers. It would also be the first time the Lions have won back-to-back games since the 2014 season.

Lions On Radio: The Lions will partner with Fox Sports Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. Fox Sports Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 101.7 FM, as well as AM 1560.

Lions On TV: Missouri Southern's KGCS will air every Lions home game live this year during the season. They will also re-broadcast the games on Sunday evenings at 6 pm.

Lions On The Web: All of MSSU's football games are carried live online as part of the MIAA Network. Fans can go to www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions to view live and on-demand games.

Streaming Options: Fans now have even more options to view the Lions online in their homes and on the road. Not only can you view on your computer, fans can now view The MIAA Network on its over the top apps for either Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Android TV..

Late-Game Heroics: The Lions got a game-winning touchdown pass from Dawson Herl to Brian Boyd Jr. with 41 seconds to go to go ahead 14-10 at Central Oklahoma.

Thank You Very Much: Southern defensive back Dylan Bolden had a pair of interceptions this past week at Central Oklahoma and both were key in the win. Bolden's first was a 27-yard pick six for the Lions' first score and his second was after Southern had gone ahead late and secured the win. The pick-six was the first time since Jaylon Alexander had one in 2019 against Northwest Missouri and it was the first time since 2015 for a player to have multiple interceptions.

Defensive Player Of The Week: Bolden was named the MIAA Co-Defensive Player of the Week this week for his performance at Central Oklahoma.

4th Quarter Comeback: The Lions came-from-behind in the fourth quarter for a win at UCO this past weekend. It was the first time since 2012 (MWSU) that the Lions had done that.

Pass Catchers: Ten different Lions have caught passes this season, with Brian Boyd, Jr. leading the way with nine receptions.

Young Guns: Nathan Glades ranks ninth nationally among freshmen in Division II in rushing yardage. Glades is fourth overall in the MIAA in that category (regardless of class). Dawson Herl ranks 11th nationally among freshmen in DII in passing yardage.

Linebackers R Us: Week one saw a trio of linebackers with ten or more stops for the Lions. Coleman Booker had 12 tackles, while Richard Jordan, Jr. had 11 and Colton Winder had ten. Winder followed up that performance with 12 stops in week two, while Booker added eight

National Rankings: Colton Winder ranks 27th nationally in total tackles, while ranking fourth in the MIAA in that category.

National Rankings II: The Lions rank 14th nationally in interceptions, while ranking fifth in turnovers lost (fewest), 15th in turnover margin, 23rd in fumbles lost (fewest) and 24th in passing yards allowed (fewest).

Turnover U: The Lions have forced five turnovers this season and have given up only one, ranking the Lions as one of the best teams in Division II in turnover margin.

MIAA Rankings: The Lions lead the MIAA in seven different categories this season, while ranking in the top five in 11 total.

Closing In On 200: Richard Jordan, Jr. is just two tackles from 200 career tackles at Missouri Southern.

This Week's Officials: The officials as assigned by the MIAA this week are as follows: referee: Kyle Sommer, umpire: Keith Kinley, linesman: Brian Hyatt, line judge: Jake Osgood, side judge: Brandon Bermea, field judge: Chris Kilmer, back judge: Ben Schmidt, center judge: Jonathon Webster.

Tough League/Region: The MIAA has two teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 2nd, while Nebraska-Kearney is 16th. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has four teams in the top ten and has seven teams in the top 25. There are 11 teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Joplin area on Saturday calls for a high of 84 degrees and clear skies with East wind of 7 mph. Chance of rain is 4 percent.

MSSU football on the road against Central Oklahoma

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will head back on the road as the Lions will go to Edmond, Okla. to take on the University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos this Saturday. Kickoff from Wantland Stadium is set for 7 pm.

Game Information

Team Records: MSSU 0-2, 0-2 MIAA | UCO 1-1, 1-1 MIAA
Date: Saturday, September 18
Kick-Off: 7:00 pm, CT
Location: Edmond, Okla.
Site: Wantland Stadium (10,000)
Series Record: UCO leads 6-2
Coaches: Atiba Bradley (1-2, overall/at MSSU) | Chris Bobeck (43-47 overall/at UCO)

Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 101.7 and AM 1560; - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Live Coverage: www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball
Lions on Instagram: @mososports

The Series: This is just the ninth meeting all-time between the two schools. UCO leads the series 6-2, overall. The Lions defeated Central Oklahoma 25-20 in 2012 in Edmond in the season-opener and also won 52-38 in 2014. UCO picked up a triple overtime win in 2014 in a thriller in Edmond, as well as wins in each of the last five seasons.

The Dish On The Bronchos: The Bronchos are coming off of a 31-21 loss at Emporia State where they were outscored 17-14 in the second half of the game. Quarterback Stephen Brown leads the offense, going 30-of-57 in the air for 360 yards and a touchdown, while carrying the ball 29 times for 103 yards and two scores. 

Jayce Gardner has 26 carries for 119 yards and a score, while Payton Scott has 12 carries for 33 yards and a touchdown. Through the air, Diego Richards leads the way with five receptions for 103 yards and 20.6 yards per catch. 

Marklese King has six catches for 99 yards and a score, while Gardner has caught four passes out of the backfield for 57 yards. 

Defensively, the Bronchos are led by Dylan Bucheit with 16 tackles, 13 of which are solo. Lamontre Huval has 13 stops, nine solo, and a half a tackle for a loss, while Elijah Wright has nine tackles and 1.5 tackle for a loss. Derrick Shaw leads the team with a sack, while Raq'Quan Wicks has the lone interception for the team. 

The Bronchos average 131 yards per game on the ground and 184 per game in the air for 315 per game as a team. UCO's opponents are out gaining the Bronchos by an average of 60 yards per game. UCO is 9-of-33 on third down conversions this year. UCO will be back in action next week when the Bronchos travel to Northwest Missouri to take on the Bearcats. Kickoff from Maryville is slated for 1:30 pm.

A Victory vs. The Bronchos Would: stop a six-game winning streak for the Bronchos against the Lions. It would be the first win since 2013 for MSSU against UCO.

Lions On Radio: The Lions will partner with Fox Sports Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. Fox Sports Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 101.7 FM, as well as AM 1560.

Lions On The Web: All of MSSU's football games are carried live online as part of the MIAA Network. Fans can go to www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions to view live and on-demand games.

Streaming Options: Fans now have even more options to view the Lions online in their homes and on the road. Not only can you view on your computer, fans can now view The MIAA Network on its over the top apps for either Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Android TV.

Throwin' The Pigskin: The Lions started redshirt freshman Dawson Herl this past week at Nebraska-Kearney. Herl went 8-of-16 for 60 yards in his first collegiate game. Herl followed that up with a 19-of-28 performance for 181 yards and a TD against NSU.

Don't Worry, I Got This: As the Lions were making their final drive of the game, quarterback Dawson Herl lost his helmet and had to come off the field per NCAA rules. Jaylon Banks came right in and proceeded to connect for a 12-yard pass to get the Lions the first-down.

Pass Catchers: Seven different Lions caught a pass for Southern in the opener at UNK and ten different Lions caught a pass against NSU. Ten different Lions have caught passes this season, with Brian Boyd, Jr. leading the way with seven receptions.

Rush It Up: True freshman Nathan Glades got his first collegiate start at UNK in week one. Glades had 18 carries for 63 yards and an average of 3.5 per carry. Glades followed that performance up with 106 yards against NSU, carrying the ball 17 times for an average of 6.2 per carry.

Young Guns: Nathan Glades ranks seventh nationally among freshmen in Division II in rushing yardage. Glades is second overall in the MIAA in that category (regardless of class). Dawson Herl ranks 12th nationally among freshmen in DII in passing yardage.

Linebackers R Us: Where the Lions are strong are their one-two tackling punch at linebacker with All-MIAA LB's Richard Jordan Jr. and Colton Winder prowling the field. Jordan Jr. finished atop the MIAA ranks and was tied for seventh in D-II with 120 tackles. That number was tied for the lead in D-II for all sophomores and he was tied for 11th across D-I, II, III, while setting the single-game record at Southern with 25 tackles against Washburn. Winder started seven games for the Lions but finished with 95 tackles which was second in D-II and tied for second in the MIAA. It was the fifth-most across D-I, II, III for a freshman.

Linebackers R Us II: Week one saw a trio of linebackers with ten or more stops for the Lions. Coleman Booker had 12 tackles, while Richard Jordan, Jr. had 11 and Colton Winder had ten. Winder followed up that performance with 12 stops in week two, while Booker added eight.

Kick It Up: Nick Williams had seven punts at UNK, including a long of 49 for a total of 285 yards and 40.7 per punt. Five punts resulted in a fair catch, while two were inside the 20-yard line. Williams picked up his first field goal of the year with a 32-yarder against NSU.

Closing In On 200: Richard Jordan, Jr. is just eight tackles from 200 career tackles at Missouri Southern.

This Week's Officials: The officials as assigned by the MIAA this week are as follows: referee: Dwight Neibling, umpire: Gavin Darr, linesman: Troy Davis, line judge: Jeremy Deringer, side judge: Jacob Wolf, field judge: Brandon Friesen, back judge: Tyus Heinrich-Schwieger, center judge: Justin Denning.

Tough League/Region: The MIAA has two teams in the coaches top 25 this week. Northwest Missouri is 3rd, while Nebraska-Kearney is 23rd. The Super Region Three, which the Lions are a part of, has four teams in the top ten and has eight teams in the top 25. There are 12 teams total that are either ranked or receiving votes in the poll from the region.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Edmond area on Saturday calls for a high of 95 degrees and clear skies with a south-southeast wind of 9 mph. Chance of rain is 5 percent.

Missouri Southern football to entertain Northeastern State Saturday

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team play host to Northeastern State this Saturday for the team's home opener. Kickoff from Fred G. Hughes Stadium is slated for 2 pm.

Game Information

Team Records: MSSU 0-1, 0-1 MIAA | NSU 0-1, 0-1 MIAA
Date: Saturday, September 2
Kick-Off: 7:00 pm, CT
Location: Kearney, Neb.
Site: Ron and Carol Cope Stadium (2,500)
Series Record: UNK leads 11-7
Coaches: Atiba Bradley (1-1, overall/at MSSU) | JJ Eckert (0-12 overall/at NSU)

Media Coverage

MSSU Radio: Fox Sports Joplin 101.3, 101.7 and AM 1560; - Mike McClure, Play-by-Play, Scott Boudreaux, Color
Live Coverage: www.mssulions.com/coverage
Lions on Facebook: Facebook.com/mososports
Lions on Twitter: @mososports; @mosofootball
Lions on Instagram: @mososports

The Series: This will be the 25th meeting in the series between the two schools. Northeastern State leads the series 12-11, but the Lions have won 11 of the last 17 games between the two teams. Northeastern State was the Lions' first-ever opponent as a four-year school as NSU downed Southern 45-0 in 1968. 

The RiverHawks dominated the series early on, winning the first seven games in a row, but it has been mostly Southern over the last nine outings. The Lions are 4-7 in Tahlequah, while holding an 6-5 mark in Joplin with one game being vacated by the Lions in 1997. The 86-7 win in 2019 set school records for total offense (743), points (86), margin of victory (79), and first downs (42).

The Dish On The RiverHawks: The RiverHawks are coming off an opening-week loss to Emporia State at home, 38-7. NSU picked up 56 yards on the ground and 103 in the air against Emporia State for 159 yards total. The RiverHawks had the ball for 25 minutes compared to 35 for ESU. 

NSU used a pair of quarterbacks, but three different players threw a pass in the opener. Jacob Medrano went 7-for-12 in the game with 47 yards, while Grant Elerick was 4-for-11 for 36 yards and an interception. Isaiah Davis and Darious Hopkins saw the action on the ground with five carries and 30 yards for Davis, while Hopkins had eight rushes for 28 yards and a score. 

Through the air, four different RiverHawks saw the bulk of the action with Dashawn Williams catching seven passes for 18 yards, Malik Antwine had five receptions for 42 yards, while Keon Moore and Tre Currin picked up two and one pass, respectively. Defensively, the RiverHawks were led by Marques Williams with ten tackles, seven being solo. Marco Garcia and Antonio Johnson were two of four different players with six stops, while Blake Corn had two sacks. Northeastern State will be back in action next week as the RiverHawks will play host to Pittsburg State on September 18. Kickoff from Doc Wadley Stadium is set for 6 pm.

A Victory vs. The RiverHawks Would: be the third in a row for the Lions and 12 in the last 18 games against the RiverHawks.

NFL Representation: The Lions will have Brandon Williams as the lone MSSU alum in the NFL this season. Williams has blossomed into one of the best interior defensive linemen in the NFL and in 2017 became one of the highest-paid, as well, signing a five-year, $54 million contract.

NFL Executive: Former Lion and former NFL wide receiver James Thrash is in his third season serving as the NFL and NFLPA's Appeals Officer. He hears all appeals for the NFL regarding on-field player discipline. Thrash played 12 seasons in the NFL for the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles.

Lions On Radio: The Lions will partner with Fox Sports Joplin this year as Southern can now be heard on three separate FM stations, as well as an AM station. Fox Sports Joplin will air the Lions' games on 101.3 and 101.7 FM, as well as AM 1560.

Lions On TV: Missouri Southern's KGCS will air every Lions home game live this year during the season. They will also re-broadcast the games on Sunday evenings at 6 pm.

Lions On The Web: All of MSSU's football games are carried live online as part of the MIAA Network. Fans can go to www.themiaanetwork.com/mssulions to view live and on-demand games.

Streaming Options: Fans now have even more options to view the Lions online in their homes and on the road. Not only can you view on your computer, fans can now view The MIAA Network on its over the top apps for either Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku and Android TV.

New Head Coach: Former Lion Atiba Bradley will be the new head coach for the Lions this year. Bradley played for the Lions and graduated in 2005. He was a student assistant in 2006 and returned as an assistant coach before making other coaching stops at Missouri, Quincy, South Dakota and McKendree.

Defensive Lineage: Three former Lions' defensive coaches, all whom current head coach Atiba Bradley and assistant coach Joe Bettasso learned under, are in high-profile positions. Scottie Hazelton (04-05) is the Defensive Coordinator at Michigan State, Brian Ward (2005) is the Defensive Coordinator at Nevada and Todd Wash (2004) is the Defensive Line Coach for the Detroit Lions in the NFL.

Green And Gold Alums: The Lions have four members of their staffs that were either players or earned a degree from Missouri Southern. Head Coach Atiba Bradley, as well as Defensive Coordinator Joe Bettasso and Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator Matt Rahl all played for the Lions, while Director of Operations, Rylee Hartwell is a MOSO grad.

Throwin The Pigskin: The Lions started redshirt freshman Dawson Herl this past week at Nebraska-Kearney. Herl went 8-of-16 for 60 yards in his first collegiate game.

Pass Catchers: Seven different Lions caught a pass for Southern in the opener at UNK. Chris Boudreaux had two catches, while Jaedon Stoshak, Keandre Bledsoe, Ty Harvey, Brian Boyd, Jr., Jeremy Brown and Akeem Gilmore each caught a pass.

Rush It Up: True freshman Nathan Glades got his first collegiate start at UNK in week one. Glades had 18 carries for 63 yards and an average of 3.5 per carry. Jeremy Brown, Brian Boyd, Jr., Chris Boureaux and Dawson Herl were part of six different Lions rushing the ball in the opener.

Up Front: The offensive line will see some reshuffling as it loses three that had at least three starts in 2019 but return Mohamad Al-Ramahi, Lepopeasenuu Tito-Fualaau, Michael Brown and Labrentae Davis all with starting experience. Transfers Theodore Bullard started in the game at Southern Nazarene, while Al-Ramahi and Tito-Fualaau and Caden Coulson saw time as a blocker as well.

Linebackers R Us: Where the Lions are strong are their one-two tackling punch at linebacker with All-MIAA LB's Richard Jordan Jr. and Colton Winder prowling the field. Jordan Jr. finished atop the MIAA ranks and was tied for seventh in D-II with 120 tackles. That number was tied for the lead in D-II for all sophomores and he was tied for 11th across D-I, II, III, while setting the single-game record at Southern with 25 tackles against Washburn. Winder started seven games for the Lions but finished with 95 tackles which was second in D-II and tied for second in the MIAA. It was the fifth-most across D-I, II, III for a freshman.

Linebackers R Us II: Week one saw a trio of linebackers with ten or more stops for the Lions. Coleman Booker had 12 tackles, while Richard Jordan, Jr. had 11 and Colton Winder had ten.

Punt It Up: Nick Williams had seven punts at UNK, including a long of 49 for a total of 285 yards and 40.7 per punt. Five punts resulted in a fair catch, while two were inside the 20-yard line.

Long Time No See: The opening game this year at Nebraska-Kearney was the first time in 672 days the Lions had played an MIAA football game with the 2020 season being cancelled due to Covid-19.

Closing In On 200: Richard Jordan, Jr. is just 12 tackles from 200 career tackles at Missouri Southern.

This Week's Officials: The officials as assigned by the MIAA this week are as follows: referee: Brian Moore, umpire: David Burham, linesman: James Brigance, line judge: Phil Lombardi, side judge: Jason Boswell, field judge: Josh Schmidt, back judge: Travis Huffman, center judge: Phil Kirgin.

Weather Report: The weather report for the Joplin area on Saturday calls for a high of 95 degrees and clear skies with a south-southwest wind of 17 mph. Chance of rain is 1 percent.

MSSU announces 2021 football promotional schedule, gameday information

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Lions will play six home games this year at Fred G. Hughes Stadium under the leadership of first year Head Coach Atiba Bradley and the Missouri Southern Athletic Department has announced its list of athletic promotions for the fall.

This season's promotions include free giveaways and fun theme games and events. Fans are also invited to join us for a pre-game tailgate each home game beginning four hours before kick-off.

New to this year will be the Pride Walk. The Southern Football team will meet at Young gym and walk down Victory Lane and down to the field 2 hours and 15 minutes before each game. The team will be joined by the Lion Pride Marching Band, MSSU Cheerleaders and want to welcome all tailgaters to cheer them on along their walk. Gates will open one hour before kick-off and, as always, kids 12 and under will be admitted for free for all home football games.

All away games will also be featured again this season at our Official Away Game Watch Party Destination, Gusano's Pizza, at 3929 E 7th Street, STE E, in Joplin. Below is the promotional schedule and important gameday information will follow that.

2021 Promotional Schedule

September 11th vs. Northeastern State University - 2 pm

The Lions will kick-off the 2021 season with the Gold Rush game. We will have 1,000 free Gold Rush t-shirts to the first 1,000 fans in attendance and are encouraging all fans to wear their Lion gold! We will also be handing out rally towels to the first 500 fans in attendance. The home opener will be sponsored by Freeman Health System.

September 25th vs. Fort Hays State University - 2 pm

Join us as the Lions take on the Tigers for our annual Homecoming game! The homecoming parade will begin at 11 am on campus with the game following at 2 pm. This contest will also serve as our All-Class football alumni game. This years' Homecoming game will be sponsored by KOAM-TV.

October 2nd vs. Pittsburg State University - 2 pm

This years' Spirit Day will feature 500 "rival game" t-shirts to the first 500 fans in attendance. Today's game will be sponsored by The Joplin Globe.

October 16th vs. University of Central Missouri - 4 pm

This is our annual Pink Game! We have partnered with the American Cancer Society and their annual event "Real Men Wear Pink" as well as the local organization Home4You. Hope4You is an acronym for help, outreach, prevent and educate. We will be selling Pink t-shirts and all proceeds will go to Hope4You breast cancer foundation. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a pink Lion tumbler as they enter the stadium on game day! Our Pink game will be sponsored by FOX-14/CW TV.

October 30th vs. Missouri Western State University - 2 pm

Join us as we host our 2021 Hall of Fame inductees; Steve Forbis (1982-1984 Football), Chuck Pittman (1989-92 Baseball), Kimi (Shank) Reed (2006-10 Women's Track & Field/XC) and Jamie Burnham (Track & Field/XC Coach), as well as the 1986 and 1990 softball teams. We will have a recognition for the inductees at halftime. This year's Hall of Fame game will be sponsored by KODE TV.

November 6th vs. Northwest Missouri State University - 2 pm
To celebrate Senior Night and Military Appreciation Day we will be giving out
Southern Football patriotic lion t-shirts first 500 fans in attendance! Any current or former member of the Armed Services who shows their military ID will receive free admission to the game. The final regular season home contest will be sponsored by KSN-F TV.

Covid protocols are still in place at Missouri Southern. There will be no capacity limits at this year's games, but social distancing and masks are highly encouraged for all unvaccinated individuals.

There have been changes to field-level access this year. Only credentialed gameday workers, as well as players and coaching staff will be allowed on the field and sideline. This change has been made due to NCAA rules and regulations guiding field access, as well as safety for the players and coaches. Access to the field/sideline will be strictly enforced. Fans wishing to come on the field can do so after a ten-minute period following the game.

Doors to the North Endzone Facility will be locked at the start of the third quarter. All access to the building at that point is for authorized personnel only or those already in the building.

The Pride Walk is something special and fans are encouraged to be a part of it at every game. Come out and support your Lions every home game. Be loud and proud!

MSSU Athletic Department saddened by death of former women's basketball coach Jim Phillips

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern athletic department is saddened to hear of the passing of former women's basketball coach and MSSU Athletics Hall of Famer Jim Phillips.

Phillips, 78, passed away on Friday, August 20, with his daughters at his side. A native of Douglasville, Ga., Phillips was born on August 9, 1943 in Mayfield, Ky.

Phillips was inducted into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. He is the second-winningest coach in Missouri Southern women's basketball history. His career mark of 129-72 from 1981-88, served as the most wins in Southern history until Maryann Mitts broke the record in 2008-09.

Phillips was the NAIA District 16 Coach of the Year when he helped the Lions to a second-place finish in the national tournament in 1982, the highest finish in school history. He was also an Area IV and National Coach of the Year Finalist in that same year.

He was also named the District 16 Coach of the Year in 1984 and he was the Central States Intercollegiate Conference Coach of the Year in both 1984 and 1985. He served on the NAIA District 16 national committee from 1982-88 and was the chair from 1982-84. Prior to Southern, Phillips also served as the head women's coach at Virginia State University from 1975-79. He helped the team to its highest-ever finish nationally (fifth, 1978). From Southern, Phillips went on to coach at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee.

Phillips' 1985-86 team went 25-7 and the 25 wins is tied for the second-highest total wins in a women's basketball season at Southern. He helped coach three different CSIC players of the year (Pam Brisby, Margaret Womack and Anita Rank), and two freshmen of the year, while coaching the NAIA District 16 player of the year in 1982 (Brisby).

Phillips earned a bachelors degree in English from Austin Peay and completed his masters degree in education from Utah State University. He earned a doctorate in health, physical education and recreation from Middle Tennessee State University. He is survived by his daughters Melody (Logan) Creasy and Jamie (Jason) Durant; grandchildren: Gracen, Paisley, Samantha, Judson, Hayden, Freeman, and Piper, and numerous friends.

A celebration of life service will be held today at 1:00 pm at Shackleford Funeral Directors located at 104 Hill St, Waynesboro, TN 38485. Visitation will be August 24th from 12:00 pm until the hour of service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to the Go Sports Ministry of First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 1796, Douglasville, GA where he was a member.

Roughrider Scholarship Rodeo scheduled

(From Crowder College)

The 9th Annual Roughrider Scholarship Rodeo will be held August 20 and 21, 608 Field Avenue, Neosho. Gates open at 6pm with the rodeo starting at 7:30pm.

Tickets are available in advance: $10-Adults, $8-children ages 6-12; 5 and under are free; and may be purchased at Crowder College Bookstore, First Community Bank locations, and Eric Norris-State Farm Insurance.

Tickets may be purchased at the gate for an additional $2 each. This event is a scholarship fundraiser for student in the agriculture program.

Top rodeo contestants will compete in nine different events which is ACRA/IPRA sanctioned. 

Local vendors and concessions will also be available. Sophie Duch,14 year old trick rider will perform her specialty act that is sure to entertain. This event is sponsored in part by RiverBend Casino and Hotel, Wyandotte, OK as well as many local sponsors.

For more information please call 417.455.5720.

Kids Free Fishing Day scheduled at Roaring River State Park

(From Missouri State Parks)

Roaring River State Park invites the public to its annual Kids Free Fishing Day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21. Youth will have the opportunity to fish for free all day, along with the opportunity to connect with nature and participate in many different activities.

Children 15 and younger can get their free tags from the hatchery the night before the event – Friday, Aug. 20 – and Saturday, Aug. 21. One section of the river will be designated for youth under the age of 15 to fish in all day. Adults may only fish in this area if accompanied by a child who is participating in the free fishing day.

Children are encouraged to bring their own fishing pole and equipment. Volunteers will be present to help in any way possible. Parents/guardians are welcome to help the children as needed, but only one pole between the helper and the child may be used at any time.

Free hot dogs, chips and soda will be available between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

There are programs and activities scheduled throughout the day available to both children and adults. Programs will include fish cooking, fish casting, fly fishing, knot tying, fly tying, watersheds, furs and skulls, live snakes, a hatchery tour and more.

Programs are subject to change depending on staffing and weather. There will be live bluegrass bands playing periodically throughout the day. Children who attend three of these programs will be entered in a drawing held at 5 p.m. that day and must be present to win. Programs are open to all, but only children are allowed to enter the drawing.

The public is strongly encouraged to follow social-distancing guidelines and be proactive in protecting themselves and others.

Roaring River State Park is located seven miles south of Cassville on Highway 112 in Barry County. For more information about the event, contact the park office at 417-847-2539.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Missouri Southern football practice begins Saturday

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

The Missouri Southern football team will open up fall practice tomorrow when the Lions take the field at Fred G. Hughes Stadium for a morning practice.

The Green and Gold will suit up in helmets as the team meets for its first practice at 10:30 am inside the stadium. The Lions will have nine practices before the first day of classes. 

Tomorrow's practice is just with helmets to help re-acclimate the student-athletes back into their sport. The team will have two practices with helmets and two with shells before its first full-pads practice on Wednesday, August 11.

Practice times are listed below. The team's first scrimmage will be on August 14. Fans are welcome to attend practices, but must remain in the stands at all times and practice social distancing or wear masks when that can not be observed.

MSSU Football Preseason Practice Schedule
8-7: 10:30 am
8-8: 3:15 pm
8-9: 10:15 am
8-10: 10:15 am
8-11: 10:15 am
8-12: 10:15 am
8-13: 10:15 am
8-14: 10:5 am (Scrimmage)
8-15: 3:15 pm

Carl Junction's Jillian Kennedy among seven added to MSSU volleyball team

(From MSSU Lions Athletic News)

Missouri Southern volleyball coach Kalie Mader has announced the addition of seven players to finalize the 2021 roster. The list includes five high school players and two Division I transfers.

What I admire most about this class is they all have an intense passion for the game, love to be in the gym and will continue to pour their hearts into MSSU volleyball," Mader said. "It's going to be fun to watch them bring depth, skill, and competitiveness to our gym. Additionally, I am excited to see how we can help each of them grow."

Below are short bios of each incoming player and Coach Mader's take on each of them.

Francesca Enna - Enna originally signed with Division I South Dakota State where she redshirted ... Enna prepped at Staley High School where she had 359 digs and 36 aces as a senior ... She was a two-time Academic All-State honoree and a member of the National Honor Society.

Coach Mader Says - Frankie is a determined player with excellent communication skills and we are excited to add more depth to our backrow.

Josey Goldberg - Goldberg prepped at Pea Ridge High School where she played volleyball and basketball for the Blackhawks ... On the volleyball court, Goldberg was a four-year letter winner for coach Jessica Woods where she finished her career with over 1,000 kills and digs ... Goldberg was a four-time All-Conference and All-State selection ... On the basketball court, Goldberg was a two-time letter winner as a forward.

Coach Mader Says - Josey is a very skilled player with lots of experience. I really think she will add finesse to our pin hitters.

Emily-Kate Lonergan - Lonergan prepped at Blue Valley High School where she lettered in both volleyball and track and field for coaches Dave Johnson (volleyball) and Andrew Reeves (track and field) ... On the volleyball court, Lonergan was an All-Conference pick as a senior where she helped the team to a State Championship ... In track and field, Lonergan was an All-State selection as a senior, finishing fifth in the triple jump at the Kansas 6A State Championships.

Coach Mader Says - I am so excited to have EK in the gym. Her passion for the game is unmatched and her versatility will serve our team in more ways than one.

Avery Lanning - Lanning was a two-year letter winner in both volleyball and track and field at Har-Ber High School ... On the volleyball court, Lanning played for coach Cassie Loyd ... Playing for the Ozark Juniors Club Team, Lanning led the team in digs in her sophomore, junior and senior seasons ... On the track, Lanning ran the hurdles, while also throwing the shot put and discus for coach Chris Clinton ... She placed fifth at the state meet as a sophomore in the shot put.

Coach Mader Says - Avery is a fantastic player and teammate, with a love for the game. I am excited to add her depth to our roster for 2021.

Irina Alekseeva - Alekseeva transfers to Southern from East Tennessee State University ... Alekseeva did not play at ETSU due to Covid-19 and transferred to ETSU from Dayton where she redshirted her junior season ... Prior to Dayton, Alekseeva was a two-year starter at Iowa Western Community College where she finished her career with 997 kills and a 3.56 kills per set average and a .288 hitting percentage ... She was an NJCAA All-American in 2017 and 2018 while leading her team in kills each season, finishing in the top ten in kills nationally each year ... Also an All-Region selection at IWCC, she led the team to a third-place national finish in 2018, while leading the team in kills, assists and aces ... She was twice named the National Player of the Week in 2018, while earning a conference player of the week honor seven times. High School - Alekseeva prepped at Beacon High School in Beacon New York where she earned four varsity letters under head coach Ron Gapliaro ... Alekseeva was also a member of The School of Olympic Reserve in Russia.

Coach Mader Says - Irina brings a lot of high level experience to our gym and a competitive mentality that will allow us to continue to grow.

Bonnie Hegarty - Hegarty prepped at Manhattan High School where she was a letter winner in volleyball and track and field for the Indians ... On the volleyball court, Hegarty was a two-time All-Conference selection, earning three varsity letters in the process for coach Krista Skucius ... Hegarty finished her senior season with an attack average of .472.

Coach Mader Says - Bonnie is such a hard worker, her skill, her will and her mentality will be great to add to what we already have.

Jillian Kennedy - Kennedy prepped at Carl Junction High School where she was a three-time letter winner for coach Cheryl Sharples, as well as lettering in track and field, throwing the javelin ... on the volleyball court, Kennedy helped the Bulldogs to a pair of District Championships, including a 24-7 record her senior season ... She was a two-time All-District and All-Conference selection, while earning three Academic All-State honors ... Over her junior and senior seasons, Kennedy finished with 38 blocks, 298 kills and 55 aces.

Coach Mader Says - Jillian is not only a hard-worker but a versatile player, her presence will be a wonderful add to our gym.

The Lions open up the 2021 season on September 3 and 4 when Southern will play in the Drury Invitational in Springfield.