Boys soccer

Mexico blows by Chillicothe 6-0 for third straight win

After coming off the low point of the season, Mexico boys soccer is reaching its highest.

On Monday, the Bulldogs ended a season-high eight game losing streak with a 3-2 win at Moberly and then won their season-high third straight on Saturday after defeating Chillicothe 6-0 on Senior Night. It was Mexico’s third shutout of the season — its first against an opponent not named Moberly — and second time this week a Bulldog scored a hat trick after having one such performance in the previous 19 games.

Head coach William Gleeson said he believes Mexico (7-14) is peaking at the right time after going on a stretch that involved the Bulldogs facing several state-ranked teams without a full roster. He said the Bulldogs’ game on Saturday demonstrated the reason for the recent hot streak.

“We’re getting better at working that ball, and honestly, taking shots,” Gleeson said. “Before, we were always hesitant about taking a shot. We (then) thought, ‘If you’re open, take a shot.’ We’ve been taking more shots, and when you take more shots, you’re apt to make more.”

Gleeson said the mid- to long-range shots don’t always convert as well as Mexico was in the first half, but the same philosophy applies, meaning when the Bulldogs were open, they were immediately sending it toward the net.

Saturday was an abnormally windy day at Chris Hotop Field so Gleeson said Mexico wanted to take advantage of the conditions both teams were given.

“We tried to get with the wind the first half so we could try to score quick and play it defensively more in the second half,” Gleeson said. 

In the 25th minute, a Chillicothe (7-10-1) defender had the ball at his feet but was unable to clear it, which gave Brendan McKeown the opportunity to boot it across the field into the left side of the net. Five minutes later, Bryce Carter had some space around him before he placed a shot above the goalkeeper for a goal.

Both of those shots were outside the penalty box as was the third goal scored by Mexico in the 10th minute of the second half. Goalkeeper Emille Scanavino, who made five saves, snagged a ball that was literally up for grabs around the net and then heaved the ball that was flagged down by Walker along the left side. The speedy Walker kept going until he was all alone and was within striking distance to make it 3-0.

“Our defense turned back into offense,” Gleeson said. “Ultimately, that’s where we want — we get that transition, work the ball up, get a good score. It really worked out pretty nicely.”

Gleeson said Mexico is not overlooking its road game Thursday at Helias Catholic (4-17) — after losing nine of the previous 10 meetings with the Crusaders — but admitted the Bulldogs were pleased to see they play their first district game at 2 p.m. Saturday against Wright City (10-6-1) in Mexico. The bracket was released on the same night Mexico defeated the Wildcats 4-2, but Gleeson said the Bulldogs can’t be too confident.

“It’s hard to beat a team twice,” Gleeson said. “The trick is going to be getting these boys to settle in and still play our game and not take too much for granted that they’re going to win.”

Look for the full story in the Oct. 26, 2022, edition of The Mexico Ledger and on the website on the same day.

Cross country at Bowling Green Invite

Centralia girls finish 2nd, boys 4th at Bowling Green Invite

The competition was numerous Friday in Bowling Green but so were Centralia’s runners near the top of the standings.

The Lady Panthers finished second with 80 points behind Father Tolton’s 40 points because of four top-20 runners — of 158 runners. The boys took fourth at 120 points, which was two points shy of the 118 from St. Charles and Bowling Green, and had five in the top 40 out of 196 runners.

Jozelynn Bostick had the top Centralia finish with her seventh-place time of 20:03.96, Kenedee Moss was 13th with a time of 21:06.51, Shelby Lewis had a 17th-place time of 21:34.38 and Annie Robinson rounded out the Lady Panthers in the top 20 with her 20th-place time of 21:57.96.

Father Tolton’s Elyse Wilmes had the top girls 5,000-meter time at 18:29.63.

JR Lesher finished with the Centralia boys’ best time of 17:29.10 in ninth place, Carter Moss was 10th with a time of 17:37.15 and John Holiman gave the boys its final top-30 runner with his 27th-place time of 18:19.13. Dryst Bostick finished 36th with a time of 18:37.44, and Landon Moss was 40th with a time of 18:50.88.

Southern Boone’s Connor Burns had the best boys 5,000-meter time of 16:13.14.
Centralia runs in the Class 3 District 3 meet on Saturday at Fulton.

Ramsey, Peuster star for Mexico

Mexico’s Thomas Peuster had Senior Night festivities Friday night at the football game.

Peuster couldn’t think about that, though, as he and the Mexico cross country team competed at the Bowling Green Invite. He snagged 30th place for the Bulldogs with his time of 18:30.40 while Maggie Ramsey finished 28th with a time of 22:56.49 for the Lady Bulldogs.

Tyler Grimes was the next best finisher for the boys with his 33rd-place time of 18:34.80. The boys finished 10th out of 21 schools with 315 points.

The girls were fourth out of 18 teams at 157 points. Senior Sidney Turlington was the next best finisher in 35th at a time of 23:17.04, Kalea Henneberry had a 36th-place time of 23:19.92 and senior Viviana Benjamin finished 48th with a time of 23:48.43.

Mexico competes at the Class 4 District 3 meet on Saturday at Parkway Central in Chesterfield.

North Callaway’s Schmauch in top 25

Pressley Schmauch was North Callaway’s best runner again Friday.

Schmauch finished 22nd in the girls 5,000 meters at the Bowling Green Invite to be the only North Callaway runner in the top 25. She had a time of 22:13.24.

Grace Rasmussen had the girls’ next best finish with a 38th-place time of 24:20.42.
On the boys’ side, Brendan Reinhard had the highest finish in 38th place with a time of 18:42.07.

North Callaway runs in the Class 3 District 3 meet on Saturday in Fulton.

Paris’ Kinnaman stands alone in top 25

Mairyn Kinnaman has shined at every meet this season for Paris, including on Friday.

Kinnaman was the only Paris runner to finish in the top 25 at the Bowling Green Invite, finishing 21st with a time of 22:05.38.

Alexandra Tullius was the only other Lady Coyote to run, taking 42nd with a time of 23:37.13.

Landen Chapman had the boys’ best finish in 52nd with a time of 19:09.39, and David Elzea was 154th with a time of 22:52.77.

Paris competes in the Class 1 District 3 meet on Saturday in Fulton.

Quiroga top finisher for MMA

Gerardo Quiroga had the best finish for Missouri Military Academy on Friday.

At the Bowling Green Invite, Quiroga ran to a 91st-place finish with a time of 20:29.50. Michael Pfeifer had the next highest finish in 105th place at a time of 20:53.49.

MMA runs in the Class 2 District 3 meet on Saturday in Fulton.

Childs, Hayden run for Van-Far

Erin Childs and Richard Hayden got some work in before districts Saturday.

On Friday at the Bowling Green Invite, Childs finished 106th with a time of 26:30.95 in the girls race, and Hayden was 175th with a time of 24:26.58 in the boys race.

Van-Far competes in the Class 1 District 3 meet on Saturday in Fulton.

Community R-6’s Jennings competes at Bowling Green Invite

Callie Jennings was the lone Community R-6 runner at the Bowling Green Invite on Friday.

Jennings finished 156th with a time of 33:59.06 in the girls race.

Community runs in the Class 1 District 3 meet on Saturday in Fulton.