Kenzie Storm, the Webb City bench and fans get a lift from one of her service points in the quarterfinal Thursday at Logan-Rogersville.

Volleyball’s playoff run ends at quarterfinal

Kearston Galardo gets a shot past Wildcat blockers.

Webb City’s volleyball season ended Thursday in the playoffs Thursday with a 3-1 loss at Logan-Rogersville.

The Cardinals fell behind two sets (25-19, 25-22) but came back in the third to stay alive (25-21). However, the Wildcats ended it in the fourth set 25-16.

A game highlight came when junior Kyah Sanborn passed 1,000 assists. An assist is a set that leads directly to a kill. 

“In just 1 1/2 seasons, she now holds the record for most career assists in Webb City history,” said coach Rhonda Lawrence. “She didn’t set a lot last year but would fill in when we needed her. She’s an athletic young lady and she’ll continue to smash that career record next season!”

 

Kyah Sanborn
(KAREN BROWNFIELD PHOTO)

Despite the disappointing loss, Lawrence said, “We are definitely super proud of this team.

“This season wasn’t easy, we had to fight through some valleys, and then we also have had some of the best highs. Second place at the Willard Classic and a district championship are great accomplishments.

“Only having two seniors, Kenzie Storm and Kearston Galardo, and a lot of girls transitioning into varsity roles, we made a lot of great strides in a short amount of time. We’ve watched a lot of growth for each of these core girls to peak at the right time.

“Unfortunately, we fell short last night but still have to be very proud of the effort and success we’ve achieved. These seniors will be seriously missed and they definitely helped leave a mark on Webb City volleyball history!”

Girls and boys cross country teams finish second in districts – now state bound

Both of Webb City’s cross country teams are headed to the state championships Saturday at Columbia.

The girls and boys squads each placed second Saturday in the Class 4 District 2 meet at Bolivar.

West Plains won the girls meet with a top-five combined score of 31. Webb City scored 85.

Junior Abigail Street and senior Riley Hawkins paced the girls by finishing third and fourth. Street’s time of 19.48.08 was 7 seconds faster than Hawkins’ time.

Also running for Webb City were: Alanna Bundy, 13th; Isabelle Lopez, 31st; Emily Countryman, 36th; Lauren Kuechler and Elliett Capron.

Finishing in the top 10 for the boys were seniors Dustin Brockmiller (5th) and Roman Borboa (7th), and sophomore Evan Stevens (8th). Brockmiller’s time of 16:47.15 was 10 seconds faster than Borboa’s time. And Stevens was less than a second behind Borboa.

Willard took the championship with just 5 fewer points than Webb City, 74-79.

Webb City’s other three runners were Jose Antillon (27th), Blake Vaughn (32nd), and Mason Hedger (36th).

Boys soccer season ends in second round of districts

Webb City’s soccer team won its first round of districts Monday 4-1 over the host team, Carl Junction.

Bolivar, however, defeated the Cardinals 3-1 Tuesday to advance to the final against Neosho.

Webb City’s record was 12-9.

Hawkins and Gilbert chosen first team all region

Coach Shauna Friend reports that two seniors, Peyton Hawkins and Kaylyn Gilbert are first-team members of the All-Region softball team.

The Missouri High School Fastpitch Coaches Association picked Hawkins as a first-team infielder and Gilbert as a first-team catcher.

Webb City’s season ended in the quarterfinal round of the Class 4 playoffs. 

Webb City Hall of Famer Chuck Pittman inducted into Southern Athletics Hall

Chuck Pittman holds the career-wins record as a Missouri Southern pitcher and was inducted Saturday into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.

Pittman went 29-11 during his four-year career (1989-92) at Missouri Southern State University. No other Lion pitcher has that many wins.

He posted back-to-back 10-3 seasons in 1991 and 1992, helping the Lions to the Division II College World Series in both years and a National Runner-Up finish in 1991. Pittman ranks third in career shutouts, and fourth in career starts, complete games and innings pitched. His 203 strikeouts (in 255 innings) rank sixth in MSSU history.

Prior to becoming a Lion in 1988, Pittman led Webb City to its first final-four appearance in the state baseball championships. He was inducted into the Webb City Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.

Pittman graduated in 1993 from Missouri Southern with a degree in business. He signed with the St. Louis Cardinals and played a season with the Johnson City affiliate. He has since been employed by Cardinal Scale in Webb City, currently as a heavy-capacity logistics manager. He and his wife, Allison, have two children, Chloe and Chase, and reside in Webb City.