JH LADY VIKES WIN WEMO TOURNAMENT; JH VIKES GO TWO AND OUT

Cass Midway's junior high basketball teams have been on a strange odyssey this week. The teams were scheduled to play Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday in the Western Missouri Conference Junior High Tournament at Drexel. "Old Man Winter" altered the schedule a bit.

On Monday, December 15, Midway's JH Lady Vikes won their first game in the tournament without taking a single shot. Osceola chose to forfeit to Midway rather than face the winter elements on the long trek to Drexel from St. Clair County.

Midway's JH Vikings did travel to Drexel on Monday to face Adrian in a WEMO JH Tournament first round game.

Adrian led Midway 8-5 at the end of the first quarter; however, the JH Vikes rallied to lead the JH Blackhawks 18-14 at the half. Adrian edged in front of Midway 22-20 by the end of the third quarter. The final score was JH Blackhawks 37 and JH Vikings 27.

Peyton Semsch had a team high 11 points for the JH Vikes. Nate Fischer scored 6 points. Dylan Wise and Christian Cromer each scored 3 points. Nick Sparks and Kyle McLellan added 2 points apiece.

After Tuesday's games were postponed because of the wintry weather, the tournament resumed with games on Thursday, December 18. The JH Lady Vikes faced Adrian in a championship semifinal, and the JH Vikings met Rich Hill in a consolation semifinal.

The JH Lady Vikings led Adrian 12-7 at the end of the first quarter of play. Midway's lead on the JH Lady Blackhawks was 21-15 at halftime. The JH Lady Vikes led the JH Lady Blackhawks 25-21 at the end of the third quarter, but Adrian rallied to tie Midway 29-29 at the end of regulation play. Midway regrouped and emerged from overtime a 36-32 winner.

Cady Wright scored a team leading 14 points for the JH Lady Vikes. Kathleen Yoakum and Kateri Yoakum each scored 8 points. Shelby Admire chipped in 4 points, and Kaitlyn Purtle added 2 points to the victory.

Rich Hill roared out to a 13-4 lead on the JH Vikes in the boys' consolation semifinal game. The JH Tigers held a 17-10 lead on Midway at halftime. Rich Hill led Midway 27-16 after three quarters of play. The JH Vikes put together a great fourth quarter rally, but the JH Tigers held on to defeat Midway 31-30, end the season for the JH Vikes.

Dylan Wise netted a team high 11 points for the JH Vikings. Peyton Semsch scored 8 points, and Kyle McLellan scored 7 points. Christian Cromer and Bobby Zielinski each scored 2 points.

The JH Lady Vikes played Rich Hill in the girls' championship game of the WEMO Conference Tournament at Drexel on Saturday, December 20.

Rich Hill took an 8-2 first quarter lead on Midway, but by halftime, the JH Lady Vikes had tied the JH Lady Tigers 12-12. Midway forged in front of Rich Hill 23-18 by the end of the third quarter. The JH Lady Vikes held on to win the WEMO JH Conference Basketball Tournament 33-28 over Rich Hill's JH Lady Tigers.

Kathleen Yoakum had a team high 19 points for the JH Lady Vikes. Cady Wright scored 9 points. Kateri Yoakum had a 3 point game, and Shelby Admire scored 2 points.

Congratulations to head coach Mary Cromer, assistant coach Alania Carver, and the 2008 Midway JH Lady Vikings' basketball team.