Central Ozark Conference
- Thread starter Razzy417
- Start date
I know Webb lost a few good seniors but I think they still have better players in their program than Carthage. I think CJ, Nixa and Ozark will be close with Willard a half a step behind them.
Nixa will be missing one of their two best players, a senior who came down with a very unfortunate health issue that had been previously undetected until after last season. That will set them back some. But they have a lot of talented and athletic girls and if they can ever learn to play together, they could exceed expectations. A lack of size will hurt them as well.
Willard has a lot of returnees and a promising crop of juniors and sophomores who will give them a boost, and they have a good coach.
Not saying for sure Willard will be better, just explaining my rationale for having them ahead of Nixa.
Wont quibble on the Webb City-Carthage flip flop. That could go either way.
Willard has a lot of returnees and a promising crop of juniors and sophomores who will give them a boost, and they have a good coach.
Not saying for sure Willard will be better, just explaining my rationale for having them ahead of Nixa.
Wont quibble on the Webb City-Carthage flip flop. That could go either way.
The biggest weakness of CJ last year IMO was outside shooting. They have a freshman this year that may be able to help with that, although it is questionable to ever depend on a freshman.
Katie Scott is arguably the best player (other than Priscilla Williams who is nationally ranked and going to Syracuse) or at least the one who makes the biggest positive impact, of anyone in the conference. And they have other good sized girls as well. Scott kills teams with her scoring, inside or out, and passing, often to cutters for layups. And that zone they play is tough. A team with good outside shooters and ball movement and someone with enough size to guard Scott can beat them.
You're right though that they will need some knock-down perimeter shooters to loosen up the tightly packed D sure to be played against them.
Last edited:
Republic, Nixa and Ozark all hit a lot of 3s on CJ last year. CJ is a class down from those schools so they can avoid those teams in districts.
Or they are a class down because they have around 1,000 students while those other schools have 1500-1800... MSHSAA makes those decisions are far as class and district assignments.
Gotcha. I took it wrong the first time...
I'm puzzled as to why Joplin, a school of 2500 kids, cannot come up with more competitive girls basketball teams. Their new gym is super nice, looks like a college gym.
Also want to say that Branson could be a dark horse if they can get Priscilla Williams enough help this season.
My theory is that Joplin has 3 private schools and 2 of them have good girls teams. There are multiple girls on College Heights and McAuley that would be the best player on Joplin. Also the daughter of Jeff Haffer was a really good player but she quit after JH to focus on soccer.
Originally she was going to MSU but the new coaches came along and I guess pushed her away and now she's going to Drury
Just curious, but what is the issue at Branson? I haven't gotten a chance to get down that way and see them play, but just looking at their roster, they were huge.
I heard Priscilla transferred out to a prep school in Arkansas. Clara Fronaberger tore her ACL in May playing soccer so that could affect Repmo early. Scott is an absolute monster, but teams are just going to triple her and sit everyone in the paint if nobody steps up on the perimeter and hits shots. CJ will score 38 in games and Scott will have to have 28-30 of them. Ozark is so deep i think people don't realize how good they are bc they don't have a star player. Willard keeps getting better all the time under Adamson, but I agree they are still a half step behind the top 3. Carthage got a new coach, he was the DOBO for MSU with the Harpers and then was at Rogers Heritage for a year or two. Interested to see what he can do there. Branson without Priscilla will really struggle to score (If she is actually gone).
Ozark
Republic
Nixa
Willard
CJ
Webb City
Carthage
Branson
Neosho
Joplin
Ozark
Republic
Nixa
Willard
CJ
Webb City
Carthage
Branson
Neosho
Joplin
An ACL would put anyone out for 9 months at a minimum. It would be hard to come back from that this year.
I didn’t know that about Fronabarger. That will set Republic back as she more than anyone is their catalyst on both ends. Very very competitive girl. Had I known that I would not have picked them to finish first. So this thing is wide open...
As for Priscilla I’ve heard the same rumor but I’ve been told very recently by parents of a Branson varsity player that she’s still in Branson and will be playing for them AFAIK
Ozark has Braden and Hitt back and a good crop of sophomores that will be getting varsity time this season. It may take a while for them to gel but Brewer is another good coach who should have them playing better as the season goes along. They have as good of a shot as anyone to win this conference.
CJ had a defensive specialist as their 5th starter that provided almost no offense. Her replacement this year will be more of an offensive threat while not giving up much on D.
After seeing Carl Junction this weekend up front and close at the Fieldhouse in Springfield, I can testify that they will not be a one girl team this year. They have plenty of tough girls to play alongside Katie Scott and even some that can make 3's. That's why I think they will be one of the area's best 4a teams, if not the best in SWMO
They in fact did lose one. I know who it is and it’s addition by subtraction as far as that team goes
I have no knowledge of the roster at Carl Junction, but it is not uncommon for a girl to be an obvious varsity player as a freshman. A lot of teams start freshman. Maybe it's just obvious she is a varsity player, but like I said I don't know that situation, so if you've actually seen them play you'd have a better idea than me.
Was the purpose of this thread to discredit a 14 or 15 year old kid? You know the kind of person who would post this is pretty insecure.
So how is this prognosis looking so far? Looks like Ozark and CJ should be at the top with Republic close behind. Then Nixa, Branson, Carthage all bunched together with Willard who IMO is underachieving a little below that group, followed by WC, Neosho and Joplin as predicted.
Republic loses Fronaberger with another ACL tear. Terrible break for her. With her healthy I wouldn’t have been surprised if they made another deep postseason run. I didn’t see Carl Junctions kids not names Katie Scott stepping up like they have. I was way wrong on what I thought in preseason.
