Boys basketball

Weber’s wave of scoring helps North Callaway boys hold off Wellsville 66-51

The ankle is definitely better for North Callaway senior Matthew Weber.

North Callaway vs Wellsville Doubleheader Photos

After missing the first five games of the season, Weber scored his 1,000th point and was on a shooting spree Tuesday at home in a 66-51 win against Eastern Missouri Conference foe Wellsville-Middletown. Weber scored a season-high 35 points while knocking down six 3-pointers and tallying a career-high seven steals. 

Head coach Matt Miller said that combination of offense and defense from his leading scorer helped the Thunderbirds (10-6, 3-1 EMO) pull away from Wellsville (5-7, 0-3 EMO) in the fourth quarter after maintaining margins of about eight points most of the game.

“When Matthew sees the ball go through the hole, he becomes a better defender,” Miller said while laughing. “Those two things played hand in hand tonight. He’s been scoring the ball pretty well, but he hasn’t really been shooting the ball all that great. I told him earlier today, ‘Just continue to take good shots within the offense and you’re going to start hitting them.’”

Miller said he knew Weber is capable of a game like Tuesday’s as the senior has been doing that for years. Mainly, Miller is happy Weber took good shots and wasn’t forcing much.

Weber said he was glad he was “in the moment” several times to give North Callaway key shots, including when Wellsville was as close as four points at 19-15 in the first quarter prior to Weber converting from deep. 

“I really wouldn’t have had those open shots if it wasn’t for everybody out there,” Weber said. “I think the team played a big role, and I was just the one to hit the shots tonight.”

North Callaway plays at conference foe Clopton (12-4, 3-0 EMO) at 7 p.m. Friday.

Carroll scores career-high in Community R-6 boys’ 64-47 win at Bunceton

While the Community R-6 boys made adjustments Tuesday in Bunceton, there was no adjusting to Mason Carroll.

The Trojan scored a career-high 37 points to lead Community to a 64-47 victory against Bunceton/Prairie Home. 

Head coach Tad Shotten said the officials called the game “tighter” than the Trojans (9-8) were expecting, so they made adjustments to how they guarded. A constant through the night was Carroll.

“Mason was the story of the night, though. I’m really proud of him on his career night,” Shotten said. “You are just always happy to see one of your players exceed and all their hard work pays off. He is a very hard worker and a very coachable kid that doesn't let his ego get to him. He is very grounded. The guys kept looking for him when he got it rolling. It was a good sign to see them feed the hot hand.”

Community plays at Paris (7-7) at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Van-Far 49 Clark County 43 in Tony Lenzini tournament in Palmyra. Nikos Connaway scores 30 points on his birthday, snd Gage Gibson followed with 10 points. Van-Far faces Monroe City at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Plato 61 Missouri Military Academy 48 in Belle Varsity Tournament. MMA faces Chamois at 7 p.m. today.

Paris 62 Madison 25 in Madison

Girls basketball

Shryock, Blevins early shooting leads Ladybirds to 61-37 win vs Wellsville

When they are both rolling, the North Callaway girls are hard to stop.

Natalie Shryock and Riley Blevins combined for 10 3-pointers to tie a season-high total for the Ladybirds as they defeated Eastern Missouri Conference foe Wellsville-Middletown 61-37 on Tuesday at home.

Head coach Tim Turlington said the success from the perimeter starts from within the arc as Blevins finished with four assists behind Abrielle Burgher’s team-high eight. Shryock had 24 points off six 3-pointers, Blevins scored 14 points thanks to four 3-pointers, Ellie Bedsworth had nine points and Lakyn Hartley added eight points off the bench.

“With those two floating around the perimeter, they have to respect it,” Turlington said. “One thing both girls have been doing better and very well the last month or so is penetrating and hit the jumpshot, penetrate, pull and kick, and all that kind of stuff. We can be hard to guard when we’re playing like that.”

Turlington said North Callaway’s offense has been executed like that before this season but “probably not to that large of effect.”

“Riley may be on one night. Natalie may be on one night. Or both just a little bit,” Turlington said. “We’ve never had both of them knocking it down like they were tonight. When they do that, we’re a tough out.”

North Callaway plays at conference foe Clopton (6-8, 1-2 EMO) at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Community R-6 girls’ seniors take control early in 58-39 win in Bunceton

It was the more experienced Lady Trojans that emerged early Tuesday night in Bunceton.

The Community R-6 girls defeated Bunceton/Prairie Home 58-39 for the team’s seventh straight win. The Lady Trojans won the first quarter 22-9 thanks to 15 combined points from seniors Sarah Angel and Kayla Jett.

Head coach Bob Curtis said Bunceton/Prairie Home (8-9) is getting better with its star Madison Brown, and Community (14-2) sealed the game with 31 points and a 9-for-14 clip at the free throw line in the second half. The play from Angel, who had 19 points, and Jett, who finished with nine points, made a big difference.

Community plays at Paris (4-11), who snapped its nine-game losing streak Tuesday night at Madison, at 6 p.m. Friday.

Centralia 62 Boonville 34 in Centralia

Paris 43 Madison 13 in Madison

Boys and girls wrestling

Mexico boys win matches, girls win dual vs Moberly

Mexico wrestling split duals at home Tuesday night against Moberly.

In the teams’ second straight home duals against a North Central Missouri Conference foe, the boys lost 63-16 and the girls won 36-12 against the Spartans.

For the boys, Casey Minter at 138 pounds defeated Caleb Buxton by a 14-5 major decision, and Grant Van Horn at 144 pounds pinned Austen James in the third period. Moberly defeated Mexico in nine bouts, including a 3-2 decision of Tyler James over Watson Azdell at 126 pounds.

For the girls, there were five double forfeits, and open victories by Layla Fierge, Abby Bowen, Emileigh Woods, Karisa Hayden, Choice Foster and Alexus Johns. No matches were wrestled in the dual.

Look for the full stories in the Saturday, January 21, 2023, edition of the Mexico Ledger.