The Chinese calendar says this is the Year of the Tiger.
I’m starting to wonder if that’s wrong. Because through two of the three high school seasons, it sure looks like the Year of the Wildcat – especially the female version.
Blue Springs girls athletes have proven their mettle this school year, and the basketball team’s return trip to the state final four in Columbia today is just part of it.
Let’s start in the fall. The girls tennis team made it out of its district tournament and into team state play. The softball team went 23-4 and advanced to the state playoffs before getting upset by Lee’s Summit North.
Then the volleyball team – led by seniors Lisa Henning and Kirsten Erikson – topped that when they came within a whisker of winning a state title. Only a three-set loss to Ozark kept the Wildcats from celebrating their first state crown in the sport. And that first game was a 28-26 loss that could have gone either way.
This past winter season was even better. The girls swimming and diving team had what it would consider a “down year.” But their “down year” is what most schools in the state would wish for in any year, much less perennially. The Wildcats didn’t win their fifth state title in six years and their third straight, but they did finish fifth with a very young team. Many teams would die to have fifth place at state be a down year, but you could see at the state meet that they were not happy at all with it. That’s what happens when you set such high standards and usually always meet them.
With a bunch of young talent and more on the way, the Wildcats swimmers will likely return to the top of the heap where they belong.
And now the girls basketball team is returning to the state final four after finishing as last year’s runner-up to Nixa.
That’s three top-five finishes and two other state playoff appearances in seven girls sports so far.
Not a bad way to start a school year.
• Mizzou’s disappointing early departure from the Big 12 Tournament Wednesday took some of the luster off a surprising season that was supposed to be a rebuilding one.
To get anywhere in the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers are going to need bigger contributions from local products Steve Moore and Michael Dixon Jr.
Moore, a Truman High School graduate, played just seven minutes and contributed only one block and two fouls in Wednesday’s 75-60 loss to Nebraska. With Justin Safford out with an injured knee and Laurence Bowers nursing strained ligaments in his left wrist, coach Mike Anderson is going to have to put a little more trust in Moore off the bench.
Dixon, a Lee’s Summit West grad, scored eight points in 12 minutes before fouling out. He’s going to have to step up because starting guards Zaire Taylor and Kim English have gone cold. Taylor made just 2 of 14 shots while English was 2 of 11 from the field Wednesday. J.T. Tiller was just 3 of 8, making the three a combined 7 of 33.
Dixon tried to do a little too much with his defense Wednesday. He might need to focus more on offense and not fouling out with Taylor, English and Tiller struggling with their shooting.
And Hogan Prep product Marcus Denmon needs to start shooting more. He had just four shots in 24 minutes Wednesday. The Tigers need his offense.
Anderson should just turn them loose now. As a No. 8, 9 or 10 seed next week, the Tigers will really have nothing to lose. If it doesn’t work, then it will give them experience for next year when heralded recruits Tony Mitchell, Phil Pressey, Kadeem Green and Ricky Kreklow come to MU.
Blue Springs, MO —
