Nearly 200 student-athletes and 10 teams from southwest Missouri high schools will be honored this summer during the 12th annual Sports Commission Awards. Sponsored by Elliott Lodging, the ceremony is set for Tuesday, June 18 at the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds in Springfield. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the awards show to begin at 7 p.m.
The Springfield Sports Commission and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame announced the awards ceremony Friday, with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame assisting for a seventh consecutive year. Finalists for fall and winter sports can now be found at www.mosportshalloffame.com.
Here’s a rundown:
- A total of 34 categories will feature the top athletes and teams from across southwest Missouri during the 2023-2024 school year, with each nominee chosen by a selection committee.
- A video celebrating the success of each athlete in each sport will be shown during the evening, with finalists introduced on stage and a winner of that category announced shortly thereafter.
- The printed program will include athletes’ bios detailing their accomplishments of the past school year.
- Each individual finalist in attendance will be given a commemorative keepsake.
- Each winner in the various categories will receive a trophy honoring their achievements.
Athletes will be recognized in tennis, golf, swimming and diving, cross country, softball, soccer, volleyball, football, wrestling, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Sports offered to girls and boys are split into their respective categories.
Football has finalists for offensive skill positions, linebackers & defensive backs, and linemen. Wrestling will include lower weights and upper weights. A category for emerging sports will include bass fishing, bowling, esports, stunt, target shooting and boys volleyball. Additionally, the SCAs will recognize the Spirit Awards featuring the top marching band, cheerleading team and dance squad.
Additionally, the Sports Commission Awards also will feature finalists for boys and girls Teams of the Year and Athletes of the Year, along with Performance of the Year. The SCAs also will highlight Inspiration Awards.
All finalists for fall and winter sports are chosen by a selection committee. Spring sports to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tables of eight are $400, while individual tickets are $50 in advance, or $60 at the door. Numerous sponsorships also are available, as well as associate sponsorships and congratulatory ads for the event program. Call the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at 417-889-3100 for more information.
“We are always excited to celebrate the success of our high school athletes here in the Ozarks,” said Lance Kettering, Executive Director of the Springfield Sports Commission. “And they deserve recognition for all the hard work they’ve put in. It’s great that we can tell their stories once more. We also appreciate Elliott Lodging for being the presenting sponsor the past 12 years and appreciate that the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame is helping to put on the event.”
This marks the seventh year with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame’s involvement. The Hall of Fame is led by CEO & Executive Director Byron Shive.
“I know I’m not alone in thinking back fondly about my own experience playing high school sports. There are so many life lessons that can be learned playing high school sports and so many lifelong friendships are formed by playing on these teams,” Shive said. “Working with the Springfield Sports Commission to host the Sports Commission Awards is a great way for the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame to showcase the many great student-athletes that are playing here in the Ozarks. It has become one of our staff’s favorite events of the year, and it is a fun and enjoyable evening for everyone who attends.”
FINALISTS FOR FALL & WINTER SPORTS
GIRLS TENNIS
Caitlin Archer, Logan-Rogersville High School
Elana Hadi, Central High School
Olivia McGruder, Lebanon High School
Elizabeth Smith, Monett High School
Chloe Stenger, Glendale High School
Britney Ung, Springfield Catholic High School
………………………………………
BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING
Jason Allen, Central High School
Hudson Andrews, Glendale High School
Sawyer Andrews, Glendale High School
Bryce Ruder, Kickapoo High School
Ethan Vance, Camdenton High School
Nathan Wardlow, Joplin High School
………………………………………………………..
GIRLS GOLF
Page Bowman, Glendale High School
Emree Cameron, Nevada High School
Marlee Edgeman, Marshfield High School
Josey Roberts, Ozark High School
Emma Spurlin, Logan-Rogersville High School
Grace Tiedemann, Springfield Catholic High School
Savannah Thessing, New Covenant Academy
………………………………………………………..
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Ellsie Estes, Ozark High School
Mackenzie Harris, Nixa High School
Julia Jump, Bolivar High School
Alexandra Li, Central High School
Ayden Spotila, Bolivar High School
Alayna Stewart, Kickapoo High School
Abigail Tague, Lebanon High School
Gracie Troester, Republic High School
…………………………………………………………..
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Aaron Ashley, Nixa High School
Ian Horton, Joplin High School
Wyatt Klaiber, El Dorado Springs High School
Chase Sorrell, East Newton High School
Evan Stevens, Webb City High School
Chance Tindall, Joplin High School
……………………………………………………………..
BOYS SOCCER
Caeden Cloud, Nixa High School
Brady Goodson, Logan-Rogersville High School
Caleb Lepant, Ozark High School
Rian Mulherin, Springfield Catholic High School
Liam Olson, Kickapoo High School
Phin Scott, Ozark High School
Misha Trimble, Glendale High School
Welle Welle, Carthage High School
…………………………………………………………………
GIRLS SOFTBALL
Reece Anderson, Willard High School
Jenna Belcher, Republic High School
Carleigh Kinnaird, Neosho High School
Alyson Miller, Willard High School
Hailey Presley, Marion C. Early High School
……………………………………………………
VOLLEYBALL
Reagan Baade, Ozark High School
Jacy Bray, Nixa High School
Bella Faria, Kickapoo High School
Rilynn Finley, Republic High School
Kya Johnson, Kickapoo High School
Paige Pearcy, Nixa High School
Mollie Thomas, Marshfield High School
………………………………………….
FOOTBALL-LINEMEN
Jayden Antonelli, Nixa High School
Jackson Cantwell, Nixa High School
Talan Chandler, Nevada High School
Dontrell Holt, Joplin High School
Kellen Lindstrom, Glendale High School
Carter Nation, Republic High School
…………………………………………………………..
FOOTBALL-LINEBACKERS & DEFENSIVE BACKS
Brock Bruner, Fair Grove High School
Gage Depee, Branson High School
Hugh Eaton, Marionville High School
Khiler Nance, Lamar High School
Spencer Ward, Nixa High School
Alex Wilkerson, Lamar High School
……………………………………………………….
FOOTBALL-OFFENSIVE SKILL POSITIONS
Kade Durnin, Camdenton High School
Jax Glendenning, Lebanon High School
Jack Heaney, Nevada High School
Briggs Hughston, West Plains High School
Kellen Lair, Fair Grove High School
Jackson Marrs, Seneca High School
Quin Renfro, Joplin High School
Wyatt Woods, Republic High School
………………………………………………………
GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING
Lucy Hough, Lebanon High School
Chloe Miller, Carl Junction High School
Missy Mizell, Lebanon High School
Addy Moore, Kickapoo High School
Reese Moore, Glendale High School
Sophia Sechler, Greenwood Laboratory School
Paige Sheridan, West Plains High School
…………………………………………………………
GIRLS WRESTLING – LOWER WEIGHTS
Halea Bartel, Lebanon High School
Abigail Fuglsang, Camdenton High School
Addison Hawkins, Nixa High School
Faith James, Cassville High School
Jessa Joiner, Lebanon High School
Kelsey Watts, Nixa High School
…………………………………………………
GIRLS WRESTLING-UPPER WEIGHTS
Mariyah Brumley, Lebanon High School
Brenya Crahan, Nixa High School
Cali Dupree, Nixa High School
McKenzie Moffet, Waynesville High School
Clara Rathmann, Camdenton High School
Isabella Renfro, Seneca High School
………………………………………………….
BOYS WRESTLING-LOWER WEIGHTS
Carter Foglesong, Carl Junction High School
Carter Howard, Neosho High School
Ryzen Isringhausen, Branson High School
Brant Laughlin, Seneca High School
Andrew Manley, Seneca High School
Cooper Moore, Bolivar High School
………………………………………………………………………..
BOYS WRESTLING-UPPER WEIGHTS
Brady Griffin, Willard High School
Jayce Hitt, McDonald County High School
Samuel Murphy, McDonald County High School
Jace Renfro, Seneca High School
Malachi Rider, Nixa High School
Porter Talbot, Willard High School
…………………………………………………
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Ashton Bell, Fair Grove High School
Kylee Cole, Aurora High School
Kya Johnson, Kickapoo High School
Allyssa Joyner, West Plains High School
Lauren Luebert, Marshfield High School
Elsie Larsen, Strafford High School
Misora Nambara, Republic High School
Mikayla Pilley, Kickapoo High School
Kylie Scott, Carl Junction High School
Ellie Smith, Walnut Grove High School
……………………………………………………………..
BOYS BASKETBALL
Chase Branham, Logan-Rogersville High School
Tyrique Brooks, Central High School
Aidan Burns, Thayer High School
Collin Clark, Greenwood High School
Barron Duda, Webb City High School
Keion Epps, Central High School
Jacob Lafferty, Sparta High School
Adam McKnight, Nixa High School
Brady Nicholson, Ash Grove High School
Amare Witham, Glendale High School