REPUBLIC, Mo. — Joplin High School’s Paula Lanta and Laela Zaidi won the Class 2 District 12 doubles championship on Thursday by beating Danielle Hopkins-Makayla Moore of Republic 6-3, 6-2.

As district champion, the Joplin team advances to the sectional round at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, also in Republic. The Eagles will play the District 11 runner-up, and the winner earns a spot on the state tournament bracket.

Lanta-Zaidl beat Ledford-Sandul of Republic 6-1, 6-0 in the quarterfinals and Kaly Ledford-Brooke Renkin of Carthage 6-1, 6-0 in the semifinals to reach the final.

The Eagles’ Gretchen White-Sarah Ingle lost their quarterfinal doubles match.

Sydney Butler finished third in singles with a 6-4, 6-1 decision over Megan McCord of Republic. Suma Ancha lost her opening-round match.

SOFTBALL

College Heights 9, Diamond 7

SARCOXIE, Mo. — College Heights scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to erase a two-run deficit and held on for a 9-7 win over Diamond in a Class 2 District 5 semifinal.

The Cougars will face Pierce City — a 7-6 winner over Purdy — in the district championship today at 4 p.m.

Diamond scored five in the second and two more in the fourth to take a 7-5 lead.

But College Heights loaded the bases with no outs and then strung together hits and fielder’s choices for a four-run outburst that gave the Cougars a 9-7 lead.

Kirsty Green held Diamond scoreless for the final three innings to preserve the win. She finished with eight strikeouts

Hailey Riesenmy was 3-for-4 for the Cougars while Nevada Moenning was 1-for-3 with three RBI and a triple. Hannah Laws was 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Bailey Bien was 3-for-4 with two RBI for Diamond while Hannah Million was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Pierce City owned a 7-2 lead in the second game before Purdy tallied four runs in the seventh inning.

Carl Junction, Monett win

MONETT, Mo. — The Bulldogs and host Cubs will decide the Class 3 District 12 Tournament at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Monett stymied Cassville 8-0 and Carl Junction outlasted Seneca 6-5 in 10 innings in the semifinals.

Sydni Beck was hit by a pitch, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a single by Katlyn Frazier in the 10th inning to lift Carl Junction.

Winning pitcher Sydney Koch, who struck out 13, and Beck each had three hits for the Bulldogs. Tasha Steele added two hits.

Marana Heath had three hits for Seneca and Bree Cornett added a pair.

Monett sophomore right-hander Allie Krueger allowed two hits, struck out 10 and walked one. Krueger also had two hits and was backed by two hits from Raigan Ratliff and two RBI from Kelsey Wiseman.

VOLLEYBALL

Joplin downs Lakers

CAMDENTON, Mo. — The Joplin Eagles stayed in the thick of the Ozark Conference race with a 25-11, 25-13 sweep of Camdenton.

“This was the best we have played all year,” Joplin coach Staci Saunders said. “We came in and beat a quality team at their place. The girls played as a team and I feel like they’re starting to hit on all cylinders.”

The win moved Joplin to 18-7 overall and 4-1 in Ozark Conference play, good for at least second place in the conference standings. Kickapoo entered the night with an unbeaten record in league play.

Joplin was led by Erin Lawellin’s 19 assists and 12 service points while Olivia Hampton had 10 kills and two blocks. Sidnee Palmer added eight service points and six digs, Leah Rader had eight kills and Jenna Herr had eight digs.

Bulldogs sweep Cassville

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction kept its Big 8 record unblemished with a 25-9, 25-16 win against Cassville.

The Bulldogs improved to 17-4-3 overall and 4-0 in the Big 8.

Katie Wiele had 11 digs for Carl Junction while Bradyn Wall had 19 assists, 12 service points and three aces. Mackenzie Irwin added eight kills and a pair of blocks.

Cassville was led by Lindsey Nolan’s eight assists and Jade Null’s four service points and three kills.

Cougars sweep Liberal

College Heights moved its Spring River Valley Conference record to 7-1 with a 25-15, 25-10 home win against Liberal.

Hannah Fuller had 10 kills while Athen Taylor added 22 assists and 12 service points to lead College Heights (11-6-5 overall). Kirsty Green had nine digs and Kayte Peters added four aces for the Cougars.

The Cougars defeated Galena 25-10, 25-19, 25-11 on Tuesday.

Verona beats Cavaliers

VERONA, Mo. — Verona defeated Thomas Jefferson 25-20, 25-13 in an Ozark 7 Conference match.

Jessica Youngberg had seven kills for Verona (8-10-3). Amanda Mullen made six kills and two blocks, and Shelby Barsotti had 12 assists.

Carthage beats Webb City

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Madi Kaepfe had 21 assists as Carthage outlasted Webb City 25-20, 28-26 in a Central Ozark Conference Large Division contest.

Chloe Shepherd had nine kills for Carthage, while MacKenzie Lewis led Webb City with seven kills, an ace and a block.

SOCCER

Joplin 7, College Heights 0

Joe Rice scored four goals — three in the first 11 minutes — and the Joplin defense held College Heights to just three shots as the Eagles rolled to a 7-0 win over the Cougars on the first day of the Joplin Tournament at the Joplin Athletic Complex.

It marked the 11th shutout of the season for Joplin (13-1-1).

Rice scored off an assist from Garrett Ward in the second minute and then got an assist from Ryan Estus in the eighth minute before netting an unassisted goal for a hat trick in the game’s first 11 minutes. Jonathan Ponce scored off an assist from Edgar Romero in the 15th minute for a 4-0 lead that Joplin took into halftime.

Ward and Waldo scored second-half goals along with Rice’s fourth goal of the game.

Joplin’s defense allowed just three shots and goal keeper Brock Renken saved the one shot that was on goal.

“We moved the ball around very well offensively and did a decent job of finishing,” Joplin coach Ed Miller said. “And the defense did a great job. Cole Shepherd, Will Krolman and Griffen Locke were great on defense today.”

Neosho topped Carl Junction 2-1 in the tournament’s other game on Thursday.

Riverton beats Webb City on penalty kicks

WEBB CITY, Mo. — After a three-goal flurry in the final 10 minutes of regulation, Riverton was able to slip past Webb City 3-2 on penalty kicks.

Webb City tied the game 1-1 on Mark Hobdy’s goal — assisted by Jimmy Campbell — in the 72nd minute. Riverton regained the lead four minutes later on Dillon Woods’ penalty kick but Webb City got a penalty kick goal of its own — from Matt Reynolds — in the 78th minute to force overtime.

Neither team scored in each of the two overtimes before Riverton prevailed 4-3 in a penalty kick shootout.

Webb City outshot Riverton 29-5.