The top 123 athletes from southwest Missouri high schools – along with 26 teams, including those in cheerleading, dance and marching band – soon will be honored in the Sports Commission Awards presented by Elliott Lodging.
The event is a celebration of the past school year, and the remaining finalists were announced Wednesday, including the Girls Athlete of the Year and Boys Athlete of the Year.
They are among 27 categories as part of the Sports Commission Awards, set for Monday night at the Oasis Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m., with the ceremony to begin an hour later. Tables of eight are $350, while an individual ticket is $30. The program is an effort of the Springfield Sports Commission, with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame assisting. To order tickets or congratulatory ads, please call 417-889-3100.
All finalists can be found at www.mosportshalloffame.com, and winners will be announced that evening following the buffet-style dinner.
“It was a great year for a number of athletes and teams,” said Lance Kettering, Director of the Springfield Sports Commission. “We have had six years of recognizing high school athletes, and we’re proud to continue this recognition program.”
The Sports Commission Awards were determined by a selection committee, which narrowed each category to five athletes, or six in some cases if two athletes were from the same school.
In addition to the Team of the Year and Athlete of the Year, the categories cover football, volleyball, wrestling, baseball and softball as well as sports offered to both boys and girls: basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, and track and field. The night also features finalists for the Marching Band, Dance and Cheerleading Teams of the Year, respectively, as well as the Bass Fishing Tandem of the Year.
Sports Commission Awards presented by Elliott Lodging
6 p.m. June 11 at Oasis Hotel & Convention Center, Springfield
FINALISTS
GIRLS TENNIS
Mattie Miles, Rogersville High School
Anna Rader, Springfield Catholic High School
Brooke Smith, Glendale High School
Coral Tracy, Kickapoo High School
Madison Woods & Macy Abernathy, Ozark High School
BOYS SWIMMING & DIVING
Ethan Bergmann, Rogersville High School
Daniel Brinck, Nixa High School
Cole Earl, Glendale High School
Ben Hines, Nevada High School
Chris Weiss, Glendale High School
GIRLS GOLF
Zoe Brown, Purdy High School
Anna Iorio, Joplin High School
Kayla Pfitzner, Springfield Catholic High School
Jenna Teeter, Carl Junction
Amber Wilson, Camdenton High School
GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
Rachel Bagg, Reeds Spring
Kaylee Hatley, West Plains High School
Kelie Henderson, Bolivar High School
Ashley Knoll, El Dorado Springs High School
Cailee Lake, Liberal High School
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Stephen Kielhofner, Springfield Catholic High School
Ryan Riddle, Webb City High School
Easton Sabala, Hermitage High School
Ben Stasney, West Plains High School
Mark Venable, Lamar High School
SOFTBALL
Addie Darby, Webb City High School
Hallie Henderson, Purdy High School
Katie Kurima, Monett High School
Morgan Loggins, Waynesville High School
Zoey Mullings, Strafford High School
BOYS SOCCER
Dylan Brown, Republic High School
Kaueh Huttenlocher, Springfield Catholic High School
Jason Puente, Monett High School
Mitch Stephens, Glendale High School
Duece Vandaveer, Kickapoo High School
VOLLEYBALL
Birdie Hendrickson, Rogersville High School
Alana Findley, Fair Grove High School
Macey Putt, Ozark High School
Chloe Rear, Strafford High School
Leah Vokolek, Kickapoo High School
FOOTBALL
T.W. Ayers, Lamar High School
John Berry, Lebanon High School
Will Boswell, Mount Vernon High School
Durand Henderson, Webb City High School
Alex Huston, Glendale High School
Cooper Lucas, Lamar High School
BEST MARCHING BAND
Pride of Aurora Houn’ Dawg Band
Kickapoo Golden Arrow Band
Neosho Wildcat Band
Nixa Crimson Corps Marching Band
Parkview Viking Band
GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING
Ashley Baldwin, Glendale High School
Mary Bean, Liberal High School
Maddie Duncan, Glendale High School
Cabrini Johnson, Rogersville High School
Molly Moore, Glendale High School
Chloe Nelson, Ozark High School
Olivia Stoneman, Nixa High School
Madeline Wilson, Carl Junction High School
WRESTLING
Joel Barrientos, Monett High School
Donovan Benetti, Nixa High School
Adrian Hitchcock, Neosho High School
Sean Sax, Waynesville High School
Jay Strausbaugh, Rogersville High School
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Kaylee DaMitz, Skyline High School
Alana Findley, Fair Grove High School
Hayley Frank, Strafford High School
Bayley Harman, Walnut Grove High School
Katie Scott, Carl Junction High School
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cade Coffman, Mountain Grove High School
Tyem Freeman, Parkview High School
Monty Johal, Glendale High School
Quinn Nelson, Ozark High School
Logan Thomazin, Walnut Grove High School
BEST DANCE TEAM
Bolivar High School Elektra Blue
Glendale High School Crimson Girls Dance Team
Kickapoo High School Golden Girls
Willard High School Tigerettes
BEST CHEERLEADING SQUAD
Aurora High School
McDonald County High School
Republic High School
Seneca High School
Strafford High School
BOYS TENNIS
Gus Garcia, Joplin High School
Garrett Lewis, Joplin High School
Jason Nayar, Springfield Catholic High School
Tanner Powley, Nixa High School
Finn Wartick, Glendale High School
Matthew Zengel, Kickapoo High School
BOYS GOLF
Adam Cunnyngham, Galena High School
Cooper Hess, Lebanon High School
Dawson Meek, Glendale High School
Lucas Ogden, Glendale High School
Presten Richardson, Miller High School
Logan Smith, Kickapoo High School
GIRLS TRACK & FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Natalie Basham, Camdenton High School
Katie French, Marshfield High School
Madison Hicks, Crane High School
Kylie Meier, Camdenton High School
Elaina Roeder, Central High School
Jaden Wiley, Kickapoo High School
BOYS TRACK & FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Arkell Smith, Carthage High School
Nate Swadley, Willard High School
Ryan Riddle, Webb City High School
Ben Stasney, West Plains High School
Weston Wendt, Carl Junction High School
GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chloe Cash, Nixa High School
Brinn Cooper, Springfield Catholic High School
Jadyn Easley, Ozark High School
Lilly Simphaly-Ragsdale, Kickapoo High School
McKenzie Duncan, Branson High School
BASEBALL
Forrest Barnes, Ozark High School
Brett Hammit, Nixa High School
Tyler Martin, Webb City High School
Garrett Rice, Willard High School
Wyatt Sparks, Aurora High School
BEST BASS FISHING TANDEM
Andrew Johnson & John Hubbert, Bolivar High School
Dalton O’Dell & Eli Cook, Hartville High School
Ryan Cameron & Tyler Ghan, Republic High School
Kade Houchin & Kaden Dawson, Republic High School
Devan Rathbun & Caleb Haines, Parkview High School
GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Bradleyville High School Girls Basketball
Glendale High School Girls Swimming & Diving
Monett High School Softball
Kickapoo High School Girls Basketball
Strafford High School Girls Basketball
Strafford High School Softball
BOYS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Aurora High School Baseball
Carthage High School Boys Track & Field
Lamar High School Boys Cross Country
Lamar High School Football
Walnut Grove Boys Basketball
Webb City High School Football
GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Paiton Acord, Parkview High School
Natalie Basham, Camdenton High School
Alana Findley, Fair Grove High School
Hayley Frank, Strafford High School
Macey Putt, Ozark High School
BOYS ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Jace Gorn, Ozark High School
Tyson Riley, Springfield Catholic High School
Arkell Smith, Carthage High School
Logan Thomazin, Walnut Grove High School
Zeke Wall, Carl Junction High School