By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
The stage is set. No. 1 Bolivar hosting No. 2 Marshfield has become a reality after a pair of blowout wins Tuesday night in Bolivar.
The Marshfield girls took center stage first, and didn’t disappoint. The Bluejays turned a close halftime game into a 23-point rout after pulling away in the third period to end Buffalo’s season 77-54. Bolivar then ended the suspense with a 69-39 thumping of Willard.
Now the two Central Ozark League rivals can determine the Class 4 favorite by going head-to-head in Bolivar Thursday at 7 p.m. Undefeated Marshfield won the regular season battle with a 47-43 decision. Now, the Liberators have their eyes set on returning the favor at home.
In the first match up, Bolivar was holding the ball for the last shot in a 43-43 game. But two steals and the ensuing lay-ups sealed the January triumph late in the game for the Bluejays.
“We were fortunate to play Bolivar at our place,” Bluejay coach Gary Murphy said. “If we had lost at our place, and then were expecting to come in and win at their place, that would be a tough sell. It would be monumental for us to go there and beat them.”
Last season Marshfield displayed a strong post game, but struggled at times to shoot from the perimeter. The inability to loosen up a defense from the outside prompted some to pick Marshfield, tradition and all, to finish in the middle of the pack in the conference race this season. But a pair of freshmen have more than made up for that former weakness.
Both Allie Bruton and Amanda Gourley have displayed the ability to shoot the ball as well as contributing in other areas.
Gourley is a guard that is shooting 37 percent from behind the arc. The 5-foot-3 starter leads the team in 3-pointers made. Bruton, on the other hand, doesn’t shoot the ball a lot, but when she does the 5-5 guard is usually successful. She’s also a good ball handler, great passer and displays quick hands on defense.
“Luckily for us, there is no moment that is too big for them,” Murphy said of the success of his first year players. “They don’t panic. They’ve played well beyond their years.”
First-year starting point guard Jaysa Hartman is a 5-6 senior that is a talented distributor. Junior Megan Smith averages just over 10 points a game off of the bench for the Bluejays. The inside game is handled by four-year starters Lacey Boshe and Sara Jane Plemmons.
Boshe (6-0) has signed to play at Missouri State and has been an instrumental part of the Bluejay program over the past four seasons.
“She is just a multi-dimensional player,” Murphy said. “She can score inside, knock down the three, rebound and she is our best free throw shooter.”
Plemmons (5-10) is more of a blue-collar player. She is ultra competitive and very tough.
The Bluejays also returned LaTasha Baderdeen, who had to sit for much of the season with a blood clot in her right arm. Baberdeen had two angioplasty surgeries to right the ship.
“This has been a great season,” Murphy said. “It’s been a lot of fun. I’m going to miss the seniors when the season ends. I expected to do well this year, but I don’t think anyone expected us to run the table this year.”
Class Leaders (Boys) – Raytown (Class 5), St. Charles West (Class 4), Hogan Prep (Class 3), Clever (Class 2) and Scott County Central (Class1).
Class Leaders (Girls) – Hickman Mills (Class 5), Bolivar (Class 4), South Shelby (Class 3), Westran (Class 2) and Rock Port (Class 1).
Missouri Boys Basketball Rankings
Top 10
1. Raytown (24-0)
2. St. Charles West (25-1)
3. Kickapoo (22-4)
4. Webster Groves (22-3)
5. Rock Bridge (22-2)
6. McCluer North (20-4)
7. Branson (21-4)
8. Springfield Central (17-6)
9. Parkway South (24-2)
10. Waynesville (18-5)
Class 5
1. Raytown (24-0)
2. Kickapoo (22-4)
3. Webster Groves (23-3)
4. Rock Bridge (22-2)
5. McCluer North (20-4)
6. Springfield Central (17-6)
7. Parkway South (24-2)
8. Waynesville (18-5)
9. Lee’s Summit West (17-6)
10. DeSmet Jesuit (16-9)
Class 4
1. St. Charles West (25-1)
2. Branson (21-4)
3. Sikeston (21-3)
4. Webb City (20-4)
5. Carl Junction (18-5)
6. Republic (17-8)
7. McCluer South (22-6)
8. St. Francis Borgia (20-5)
9. Logan-Rogersville (15-7)
10. Northeast Law and Public Service (13-5)
Class 3
1. Hogan Prep (18-4)
2. Cardinal Ritter (19-3)
3. Maplewood-Richmond Heights (20-4)
4. Charleston (15-7)
5. Lafayette County (12-6)
6. Willow Springs (21-4)
7. Mount Vernon (15-9)
8. East Newton (19-5)
9. Bowling Green (23-0)
10. Highland (18-5)
Class 2
1. Clever (23-2)
2. South Iron (23-1)
3. Harrisburg (20-3)
4. Thayer (25-1)
5. Wellington-Napoleon (20-2)
6. Concordia (20-3)
7. Mid-Buchanan (17-6)
8. Sturgeon (19-4)
9. Eskridge (14-9)
10. Paris (18-5)
Class 1
1. Scott County Central (21-2)
2. Bell City (21-2)
3. Newtown-Harris (23-0)
4. Glasgow (21-2)
5. LaPlata (21-1)
6. Chadwick (17-4)
7. Eminence (16-5)
8. Fair Play (21-2)
9. Lesterville (18-4)
10. Mound City (15-4)
Missouri Girls Basketball Rankings
Top 10
1. Hickman Mills (25-0)
2. Incarnate Word Academy (24-3)
3. Blue Springs (23-2)
4. St. Joseph’s Academy (21-4)
5. Bolivar (23-2)
6. Kickapoo (19-5 )
7. Hickman (19-6)
8. Rock Bridge (19-6)
9. Marshfield (24-0)
10. McCluer South (22-3)
Class 5
1. Hickman Mills (25-0)
2. Incarnate Word Academy (24-3)
3. Blue Springs (23-2)
4. St. Joseph’s Academy (21-4)
5. Kickapoo (19-5)
6. Hickman (19-6)
7. Rock Bridge (19-6)
8. Liberty (18-6)
9. Ozark (20-5)
10. Fort Osage (19-5)
Class 4
1. Bolivar (23-2)
2. Marshfield (24-0)
3. McCluer South (22-3)
4. Notre Dame de Sion (13-7)
5. Platte County (22-3)
6. Republic (17-6)
7. Branson (14-5)
8. St. Dominic (23-1)
9. St. Joseph Benton (20-4)
10. St. Francis Borgia (20-5)
Class 3
1. South Shelby (20-1)
2. Mount Vernon (19-4)
3. Blair Oaks (21-2)
4. Springfield Catholic (14-5)
5. North Callaway (20-3)
6. Palmyra (14-5)
7. Seneca (14-8)
8. Skyline (21-3)
9. Stockton (13-7)
10. Hermann (16-6)
Class 2
1. Westran (22-0)
2. Penney (22-0)
3. Osceola (18-0)
4. McAuley Catholic (11-7)
5. Canton (20-2)
6. Smithton (22-1)
7. Crest Ridge (22-0)
8. Naylor (21-2)
9. North Platte (19-3)
10. Fordland (17-4)
Class 1
1. Rock Port (21-3)
2. Northeast (19-3)
3. New Franklin (16-4)
4. Meadville (23-0)
5. South Nodaway (15-5)
6. Delta (19-2)
7. Gilman City (20-1)
8. Mound City (17-5)
9. Silex (15-8)
10. DeKalb (17-5)
