Stories from Saturday, August 26, 2017

The process of becoming a certified law enforcement officer is fairly extensive in the state of Missouri. A person is required to complete a nearly 700-hour police academy, fingerprint background based investigation and pass a state exam administered by the Department of Public Safety...

Hi neighbors. Every year I am amazed at how quickly the summer passes and how soon school starts again. There are some students who at least act like they don’t want to return to school, but most are eager to get back to the daily routine. Knowing that there will be things to learn, things to do, friends to see each day and a social lunch make most ready for school to start...

Pearl Louise Hoffman, 86, El Dorado Springs, passed away Friday, Aug. 25, at COX South Neuro Trauma ICU in Springfield, Mo. Pearl was born Jan. 13, 1931, in Vernon County, to Ben F. and Marie Shaffer. She married Ronald Hoffman on May 26, 1951, in Eureka Springs, Ark., and he survives of the home...

The Bronaugh Lady Wildcats earned a decisive two-set victory over the visiting Sheldon Lady Panthers on Thursday. Bronaugh (1-0 overall, 1-0 GVVC) was led by its two seniors — setter Abby Robertson, who registered 15 service points; and middle hitter Becca Raper, who tallied seven kills in the 25-14, 25-12 rivalry-game victory...

The Cottey Comets volleyball team was defeated in its season opener on Thursday; a three-set road-match against Ottawa University’s junior varsity team. The Comets dropped the first set 25-18, and the second and third sets by identical scores of 25-21...

Entering his second season as cross country coach, Sheldon’s Mike Galimberto is looking for big things out of his program. “New year, new team,” said Galimberto. “It is exciting to get the season started.” Sheldon is the only area-county school with a cross country team, and has three members on its squad: Senior Matt Bogart, sophomore Nici Hites and freshman Judd Loyd...

It should be a fun and entertaining year on the court for the Hume Lady Hornets volleyball team, with its players now under the tutelage of former NCAA Division I player, 24-year-old Jackie Harter. “Having a new coach brings about a lot of new learning experiences and changes to what the players are used to,” Harter told the Daily Mail...

It was a tough season for the Sheldon Lady Panthers a year ago, as they concluded the 2016 campaign 2-18-1. The Lady Panthers and first-year head coach Emily Godsey are looking for improved results this season. “I have high hopes that we will finish the season with a winning record,” said Godsey. “I also expect to see great growth in my girls. We have set high team goals as well as individual goals. I expect great things from these girls.”...

Nevada golf coach Brian Leonard has high expectations for his girls golf team, comprised of three seniors and two juniors. “If we can continue to improve in the early part of the season I feel we have the potential to qualify as a team for the sectional tournament,” said Leonard, who is entering his 13th season as the girls golf coach...

Under second-year head coach Ryan Watts, the Nevada High cross country program is growing in numbers with 44 combined student-athletes across high school and middle school. “Our strength will be in our depth,” said Watts. “If someone has an injury or is unable to run for whatever reason, we have a good number of runners to plug-in and keep things moving in a good direction.”...

The 2016 tennis season was one of the best in recent memory for Nevada High School, as the Lady Tigers captured the Class 1 District 12 championship and qualified for the state tournament, finishing the season 14-2 overall. In addition, the Lady Tigers finished second in the West Central Conference...

It wasn’t very long ago that the Nevada Lady Tigers softball program was basking in the glow of a state championship. In 2010 Tammy Holcomb’s squad captured the Missouri Class 3 crown, en route to a 23-5 season. Last year, however, Nevada concluded the season 9-15 overall, as the program experienced a decrease in student-athletes going out for the team. Now there is reason for optimism, as the Lady Tigers return experience at key positions while adding an influx of new talent...

The Northeast Vernon County Lady Knights volleyball team hopes to parlay returning experience into a winning season on the court. An injury-plagued 2016 season led to a 5-10 overall record, as the Lady Knights won just two games in the Golden Valley Vernon County Conference. On its roster, NEVC has four seniors and four juniors...

The 2017 Nevada Tigers swim team is made up of seven swimmers; five sophomores and a pair of freshman. “With such a young group of kids we have a lot of room for growth but also a lot of potential,” said second-year head coach, Clayton Wheeler. “Our main weakness is overall age, but most of our swimmers have been swimming for a number of years...

The Nevada Tigers sent shock waves through the ranks of Missouri high school football Friday night stunning Kansas City powerhouse Center High Yellowjackets, 36-28 at Logan Field. The West Central Conference victory improves the Tigers to 1-1 overall and 1-0 in WCC-play, while Center falls to 1-1 overall and 0-1 in the West Central Conference...

The Nevada Lady Tigers won two of three games on Friday at the 13th annual Joplin High School Paige Neal Christina Freeman Softball Tourney. Nevada opened play with a convincing 9-1 victory over Carl Junction. The Lady Tigers followed up with a 6-2 win over host-Joplin. Nevada then continued on in pool play, falling to Park Hill South, 12-0. The loss was the first of the season for the Lady Tigers (3-0)...