From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — Carl Junction fired a school-record team score and captured the Big 8 Conference golf championship on Thursday at the Mount Vernon Municipal Course.

The Bulldogs, led by medalist Adam Mertens’ 72, posted a four-man total of 297. The Bulldogs also received a 74 from Jordan Burks, 75 from Josh Davis, 76 from Reilly Hughes and discarded a 78 from A.J. Whistler.

“We played as well as we have all year,” Bulldogs head coach Ryan Jones said. “We’ve been hoping to get things going. I feel like we have some pretty good golfers but they haven’t played up to their potential until today.”

Mount Vernon nipped Cassville 319-320 for second-place honors, followed by Monett 342, Aurora 355, Seneca 363 and Lamar 375.

Mertens and Dakota Brown of Mount Vernon matched 2-over-par 72s, and Mertens won a playoff with a par on the first hole.

A three-way tie for third involved Taylor VanZandt of Cassville, Weston Newell of Mount Vernon and Burks. VanZandt won the playoff for the third-place medal by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole.

Davis, Hughes and Whistler finished 6-7-8 in the individual standings. Cassville’s Kyle Mills was ninth with 79, and Mount Vernon’s Jackson Tettenhorst completed the top-10 with 81.

The annual Bird/Dog Classic, co-hosted by Webb City and Carl Junction, is scheduled today at Briarbrook Golf and Country Club. A shotgun start is set for 8:30 a.m.

TRACK

Monett sweeps

MONETT, Mo. — Monett claimed the boys and girls team titles in the Monett Invitational track meet.

The Cubs scored 118 points in the boys division, and McDonald County edged Stockton 99-95 for second-place honors.

The Cubs won only one event — D.J. Dunmire in the pole vault — but they picked up four second places and four thirds.