Joplin's Watts becomes COC champion for third straight season
Sep. 29—SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Call it a three-peat.
By winning the No. 1 singles bracket at the Central Ozark Conference tournament on Wednesday, Joplin's Emma Watts is a three-time conference champion.
The senior (19-6) won the two previous years in doubles with former Eagle Astrid Cardenas.
In her singles matches, Watts took care of business. She won by scores of 8-2 against Republic, 8-1 over Nixa and 8-3 versus Ozark.
Joplin's Brynn Driver dropped her matches at No. 2 singles. The senior fell to Willard 9-7 and Ozark 6-1.
Both of Joplin's doubles teams made it to the consolation finals.
At No. 1, Mya Ndedi-Ntepe and Jensen Vowels dropped an 8-6 decision to Willard before bouncing back with a 6-0 shutout over Neosho. The duo suffered a 6-3 setback to Ozark in consolation.
Joplin's No. 2 team of Alex Carson-Bonnie Smith defeated Neosho 6-1 before losing to Republic by an identical score. The duo picked up victories over Carthage and Webb City by finals of 6-2 and 6-0, respectively.
Carson-Smith fell to Carl Junction 6-2 in the consolation final.
Nixa won the overall COC title. Joplin continues its season with districts coming up.
Neosho softball earns 19th win
NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho softball team used a combination of superb pitching and timely hitting to put away Willard 6-2 in Central Ozark Conference action on Wednesday at NHS Athletics Complex.
Neosho improved to 19-4 and 6-2 in the COC.
The Wildcats opened with a 2-1 lead after two innings. The Tigers tied the game at 2 with one run in the top of the fifth, but Neosho broke the tie with three runs in the bottom half of the frame.
Carleigh Kinnaird set the tone for the Wildcats in the circle. She went the distance and allowed just two runs on six hits.
Kinnaird racked up four strikeouts and walked three.
At the plate, the Kinnaird sisters had a day for Neosho. Autumn Kinnaird tripled and doubled twice while driving in one run, while Carleigh Kinnaird slugged a two-run home run as part of the Wildcats' rally in the fifth.
Maelynn Garrett and Grace Johnson each drove in runs for Neosho as well.
The Wildcats are off the rest of this week. Neosho hosts Grove (Okla.) on Monday.
