From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage won the Carl Lewton team trophy for overall points in the annual Carthage Invitational.

The Tigers won the boys division and scored 200.5 points overall to 191 for Neosho and 171.5 for East Newton.

Neosho ran away with the girls title, scoring 148 points. Seneca edged McDonald County 65.5-62 for second place.

In the boys division, Carthage scored 154 points to 117.5 for East Newton and 72 for Joplin.

Carl Junction senior Seth Hackney turned in the dominant individual performance with a meet-record throw of 60 feet in the shot put.

Wesley Smith sparked Carthage with victories in the 110-meter high hurdles and triple jump. East Newton’s Jacob Khan doubled in the 100 and 200 dashes.

Double winners in the girls division were Neosho’s Courtney Wood (1,600 and 3,200) and Monett’s Tiffany Carver (200 and long jump).

East Newton’s Matt Bandy won the Erick Grove Mile.

Joplin received individual victories from Colby Snyder (pole vault), Loan Simon (300 hurdles) and the 4x800 relay team.

In the girls division, Joplin’s May Lee was second to Carl Junction’s Sagan Graskemper in the 100 and Ashley Shimmin was second to Carl Junction’s Devyn McPherson in the shot put.



BASEBALL

Eagles fall 4-1

JENKS, Okla. — Barrett Noirfalise’s second-inning homer was the only run Joplin could muster, as the Eagles fell to Sand Springs 4-1 Thursday in opening action of the Trojan Tiger Baseball Classic.

The Oklahoma team only had one more hit than the Eagles (0-3), with a 6-5 edge at the plate.

Joplin junior John McDermid had no walks and struck out three in going the distance.

“He gave us a chance to win today,” said Joplin coach Kirk Harryman. “We just couldn’t hit.”

Nobody for the Eagles had more than one hit.

The pool-play tournament continues today with Joplin taking on Tulsa Memorial at 5 p.m. and Broken Arrow at 7:30. The Eagles are playing in the Oklahoma City side of the pool against others from the Tulsa side. The tourney wraps up Saturday.

College Heights wins

College Heights scored 10 runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to topple visiting Northeast Vernon County 18-8 at Joe Becker Stadium.

Ryan Bridgford and David Rice led the way for the Cougars, with Bridgford going 4-for-4 and two RBI and Rice 3-for-5 with three RBI.

College Heights (1-3) will go against the Joplin junior varsity team at 4:30 p.m. today on the Joplin field.



Carl Junction 6, Riverton 0

RIVERTON, Kan. — Zak Porath flirted with a no-hitter and Nate Thomas secured the last out and homered as the Bulldogs prevailed in the nonconference game.

Porath, a senior left-hander, struck out nine before Wes Hefley delivered a two-out single. Thomas, a senior right-hander, relieved to close out the Rams.

Thomas’ 3-for-3 included a solo home run in the fifth. He also walked for the Bulldogs (4-1).

Riverton hurlers Hefley and James Barrett, both seniors, combined for seven strikeouts.



SOCCER

Joplin 3, Willard 0

WILLARD, Mo. — Lauren Copple scored two goals and assisted on another as Joplin squared its season record at 1-1.

After a scoreless first half, Copple scored off a pass from Stephanie Taylor at the 55-minute mark.

Copple scored again eight minutes later, and Kelsey Sanders scored at 70:00, assisted by Copple.

The Eagles owned a 27-2 advantage in shots on goal. Joplin goalkeeper Randi Russell stopped both Willard attempts.

Joplin returns to action today, playing the Neosho junior varsity at 5 p.m. in the Neosho Tournament.



GOLF

Carthage wins

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Trevor Freeman’s 1-over-par 37 keyed the Tigers’ 166-175 dual victory over Webb City at Briarbrook.

Webb City’s Andrew Maier shot a 40 over the front nine.



COLLEGE BASEBALL

OCC falls twice

BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. — Bethany College pounded out 34 hits Thursday in sweeping a baseball doubleheader from Ozark Christian at the Field of Dreams in Baxter Springs.

Bethany, ranked 24th in the latest NAIA poll, needed only five innings in each contest to win 16-3 and 22-5.

Daniel Rankin went 2-for-2 with one RBI on a solo home run in the opener, while Clay O’Dell went 2-for-3 with three RBI in the finale for OCC (2-7). Two of O’Dell’s hits were homers.

The Ambassadors will be host to St. Louis Christian in a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Joe Becker Stadium.