A Monett man stole money from United Missouri Bank in Monett and fled — for all of about 6 minutes
Monett police responded to a 911 call at the bank around 4:30 p.m
24-year-old Tristan Ferdig of Monett entered the bank
demanded money and then fled on foot with $3,148 in bills
Police confronted Ferdig a short distance from the bank
where he refused to follow commands and was taken into custody "after a brief struggle with no injuries." The capture took place within 6 minutes of Ferdig fleeing the bank
No weapons were displayed and all stolen money was recovered
From 2022: Springfield bank robbery suspect wrote demand note on his birth certificate, feds say
Ferdig is charged with a class D felony charge for stealing $750 or more as well as a class E felony for resisting/interfering with arrest for a felony
The MPD states that there is no danger to the public but asks anyone with information regarding this case to contact Detective Sgt
Scott Landreth at MPD through the department's emergency number
(This story was updated with more information.)
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Margaret Ann (Rainey) Whitlock, age 95, of Monett, MO passed away on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at Lacoba Homes Inc. in Monett, MO. She was born in Lebanon, MO on Thursday, April 25, 1929; daughter of Ellis Conrad and Alice (Barrows) Rainey.... View Obituary & Service Information
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has been named assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Monett
Sooter has been principal of Monett High School since mid-2023
He was previously the high school principal in Reeds Spring and Marshfield
"Serving as the principal of Monett High School has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career
"This new role is an opportunity to continue serving Monett schools in a broader capacity
and I am committed to building on the strong foundation that has been established
I look forward to working alongside our incredible team to ensure Monett schools continues to thrive and provides a student-focused
Sooter has demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication to student learning during his time in Monett," said Mark Drake
"We are excited to have him step into this role and continue serving our students
More: In Missouri, rural districts with national forest land grapple with federal funding loss
Sooter was named New Principal of the Year in southwest Missouri by the Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals
His longest administrative stint was in Reeds Spring
where he was assistant principal for three years and principal for nine years
Sooter has a bachelor's degree from Evangel University
a master's degree from William Woods University
a specialist degree and a doctorate from Lindenwood University
Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInMONETT
(KY3) - A man from Monett has been charged for robbing a bank on Thursday
24-year-old Tristan Ferdig is charged with stealing $750 or more and resisting arrest
Barry County authorities received a 911 call stating the United Missouri Bank on E
Employees told police Ferdig walked into the bank and demanded cash
Investigators say Ferdig gave a teller a zip lock back with “Give me all the money” written on it
The teller then filled the bag with a little over $3,000
Officers arrested him after a brief struggle
Monett Police Chief George Daoud states no weapons were displayed during the robbery
Ferdig has stolen from grocery stores in the past
To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com
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A proposed roundabout in Monett has created significant strife in the past year in the small town with a population of less than 10,000. On Election Day
Monett voters will also decide the fate of the intersection project
After an initiative petition process garnered 500 signatures
the question whether or not to accept an ordinance to stop the roundabout was placed on the November ballot
Because of the particular wording of the question
a "yes" vote would prevent the city from proceeding with the roundabout while a "no" vote would allow the roundabout to be constructed
The roundabout would be installed to address what Mayor Randy Burke
describes as an "awkward" intersection at Central Avenue and Broadway Street linking the roadways with Frisco and Front Streets while improving pedestrian connectivity
But the city has more than this planned under the Central Avenue Improvement Project
Other improvements include stormwater drainage
With funding coming from the Missouri Department of Transportation and through a federal Transportation Alternatives Program
Burke said the other improvements are currently contractually bound up with the roundabout
The Transportation Alternatives Program is particularly focused on funding non-motorized transportation projects with an emphasis on bike and pedestrian infrastructure
The ballot question pertains only to stopping the roundabout portion of the project
With more than $780,000 already spent on planning and design
Burke said the city would likely have to spend more to re-design the project if voters stop the roundabout from proceeding
He also noted that the city could lose out on the funds received from MoDOT and the federal program if plans have to change
MoDOT has committed just over $2.2 million and the city would receive almost $400,000 through the federal program
The final estimate for the full project is roughly $7.6 million
meaning that the bulk of the cost burden would fall on the city
Those opposing the roundabout have frowned upon the city's claims it could lose funding and money already invested as a way to scare people into supporting the roundabout; they see continued spending on the project as unnecessary and a bigger waste
While the city has framed the project as a safety solution
one of the citizens leading the effort to stop the roundabout
said the traffic at the intersection does not justify a roundabout
A conceptual study on the intersection completed by MoDOT in 2010 is partially how city landed on the project. The study noted that the 5-year crash rate then was 719.75 crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to the city's website
Some citizens say this data point is misleading
instead pointing to crash rates per number of vehicles entering the intersection as a better comparison and noting that since 2014 there have been 12 total crashes reported to the Monett Police Department at the intersection
advocate for a 'yes' vote on the roundabout question
questions why the city was using a 14-year-old study and said he has been unable to access the 2010 study because MoDOT's retention schedule for such reports is only seven years
If the roundabout project survives the Nov
the city would begin the bidding process next year with construction completion expected by the end of 2026
In 2015, when Monett created a Long-Range Transportation Improvement Plan
the roundabout was discussed and included as a potential future project
It received a low score on the decision-making matrix used to prioritize projects
not because it was seen as unnecessary but rather because of the high level of risks associated with logistics obstacles and high costs which would make implementation more difficult
the roundabout is separated from the rest of the Central Avenue improvements
the roundabout alone was estimated to cost a total of $2.84 million
which with inflation would amount to roughly $3.5 million today
Most stakeholders involved in the planning process indicated via survey they saw the roundabout as important
though one resident commented with similar sentiments as today's opponents
saying the roundabout was a waste of money
to allow the "city to make an informed decision as to whether the roundabout will provide the best return on investment in the community." For those rallying to stop the roundabout
this is a key problem with the proposal — they say the money would be better spent on different intersections
There are various ideas and thoughts about what should be done to the intersection of Central and Broadway
Some have suggested adding traffic signals (currently the intersection is regulated by stop signs)
some want to revert back to a previous intersection design
while others simply want the portion of Broadway that currently sits downhill from the intersection to be built up to the same level
Debbie Stewart said for almost the past two years residents have tried to share their thoughts and ideas on the intersection yet they "fell on deaf ears."
the city would have to acquire seven properties near the intersection
with some 70 additional properties impacted by right-of-way easements and other more minor acquisitions
Among those opposing the change are several property owners who would be affected by the roundabout and lose decades-old businesses
owner of Wellbaum Properties which his family has run for the past 70 years
said property owners were never notified of the roundabout proposal while it was still in the idea phase
when it seemed the city had already decided on it and was moving forward with the plans
The city has already begun negotiations with those seven property owners with a professional negotiator and third-party appraisals and reviews
Burke emphasized that no purchase will be made until the results of the election are known
owner of the La Duranguena Mexican Supermarket
said it seems like the property owners were already being "pushed out." He described the offer as "nothing" compared to what would actually be necessary to move his business
which has stood at the intersection for 35 years
Some of the property owners criticized the city for proceeding with the negotiations ahead of the election
pointing to the city spending more money on something that may be unnecessary if the ballot question passes
Beyond the economic impacts losing these businesses would have
Randall emphasized the need to preserve historic businesses even if they are not on the historic portion of the street
If the roundabout is allowed to go through and property owners refuse to sell their land voluntarily
eminent domain could be used to acquire the properties
Burke said he is hopeful to avoid the practice
"Eminent domain should always be the last resort," he said
Directly across the street from Wellbaum Properties
where a large banner advocates for a 'yes' vote on the ballot question
hangs a "No Means Go" sign advocating for the roundabout as a step toward progress in Monett
said despite having to sell his property to the city
he believes the roundabout would fix what he sees as a dangerous intersection
He told the News-Leader his sister was injured in a crash at the intersection in the 1990s and he has noticed a lot of "close calls" there through the years
"The way I see it — the sacrifice of a few for the safety of many," Coatney said
Review our Missouri Voters Guide: Your Guide to the 2024 Election
The fate of the odd intersection will be decided at the polls in less than two weeks
those hoping to find another solution remain cautiously optimistic
"I'm hoping we not only prevail but that voters gain appreciation of their power over local decision," Norton said
highlighting the role everyday citizens played in bringing the question to the ballot
Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader
Residents of Newton, Barry, Lawrence and McDonald counties are invited to attend a public meeting about CAFOs — concentrated animal feeding operations — in the area
Leah Heidlage is a Newton County resident and community member of Farms Not Factories
The meeting will offer a chance for people to get more information and to respectfully share their concerns
and she hopes it can also start a dialogue about legislation as well as what it looks like to live in an environmentally responsible way
According to Heidlage, she and her neighbors in the Newton County area found out last year that five limited liability corporations applied to establish 35 chicken houses in the area
which would house more than 1.7 million chickens
There are various CAFOs already in the area
"the sheer number (of chickens) was shocking" when it came to the applications
but we ask for a responsible number," Heidlage said
More: MO Supreme Court ruling against Cedar County spurs worries about Springfield water supply
Of the five applications, one was withdrawn and one has been approved. Como Poultry LLC, which had planned to bring 370,280 chickens to Pierce City, withdrew its application. Waggoner's Rolling Hills Farm LLC wants to bring 339,500 birds to Pierce City
In 2023, the Missouri Supreme Court handed down an opinion that upheld a state law prohibiting counties and health center board from enacting stricter regulations on CAFOs than the state
state regulations aren't necessarily one-size-fits-all
executive director of SWMO Water and former head of drinking water operations for Springfield City Utilities
Unlike the rest of the state, southwest Missouri has what is known as karst topography: a landscape characterized by caves
If agriculture organizations dispose of more manure than plants can absorb
the contaminants can wash into streams and groundwater
there need to be proper environmental controls and monitoring
and the Supreme Court decision keeping it in place
local governments in Missouri can't enact their own rules or regulations if they would be stricter than the state
Jeffrey "Jeff" Alan Brattin was born January 28, 1968, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Monett, MO. He lost a hard fight with cancer on April 28, 2025, at Mercy Hospital in Joplin. Jeff was saved and baptized at a young age at Temple Baptist Church... View Obituary & Service Information
The family of Jeffrey "Jeff" Alan Brattin created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories
Jeffrey "Jeff" Alan Brattin was born January 28
By Tyler Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The injury bug has already invaded the Monett baseball program so far this year
Three players are out for the foreseeable future
but veteran head coach Michael Calhoun has plenty of fuel in the Cubs’ tank
as left-handed pitcher Aiden Clapper and Carson Burtrum make their returns to the diamond
Back in the fold this year are Aidan Clapper (senior)
Collin Umfleet (junior) and Samuel Carr (sophomore)
Young and Umfleet are the returning full-time starters
was lost last year but is back and hungry for a district crown
While the adjustments were made unexpectedly
as most are throughout the game of baseball
those adjustments now are serving the Cubs well — taking those lessons learned into the spring campaign
“We had a lot of guys throughout the year who got banged up or hurt
They may not have been ready for it but proved to do the job for us,” Calhoun said
is one player to watch as the season progresses
“Carson had an injury shortened sophomore season
I look for him to have a great bounce- back year on the mound and being one of our top pitchers this spring,” Calhoun said
“Aidan will be our centerfielder when he is not on the mound
He has turned himself into an excellent pitcher and he is one of our best offensive players,” Calhoun said
Honors for Clapper included 1st Team All-Conf
(OF); 1st Team unanimous All-District; Academic All-State
Clapper hit .365 and went 3-2 with a 2.58 ERA last year
6’1” junior Tucker Anderson has excelled so much he may have earned the starting gig behind the dish
“Tucker will be competing and has a great opportunity to be our starting catcher
and I am excited to see how he is able to contribute both offensively and behind the plate,” Calhoun said
Gone are Evan Witt (.408 avg.) and Alex Huntress (5-4
repetition is vital when it comes to the upcoming season
The Cubs finished middle of the pack in the Big 8 with a 3-3 record last year
receiving the top seed in districts but fell to district champion Aurora in the semifinals in nine innings
The youth movement is one of a plethora of reasons for optimism this season
“I am excited about the youthful experience we have coming back this spring
We have a lot of young men who got valuable experience and reps in varsity games and situations last year,” Calhoun said
I am excited to see who emerges into what role on our team
Last year’s season was up and down at times
I look for more consistency throughout our lineup
and defensively to help us get to the next level.”
And that next level is a district championship
“We will be a team that will be fundamentally sound and work to do the best we can for all 21 outs each and every game we play
we want to work as hard as we can to best represent ourselves
most of the same teams in the Big 8 Conference
Every game during conference play will be a challenge
and I look forward to us competing and continuing to grow as a team and program.”
The Cubs will head to Joplin for the March 17 jamboree to face the host and Carthage
Monett hosts Southwest Washburn for the home opener
Bradley "Brad" Young Archer, age 58, of Monett, MO passed away on Monday, November 25, 2024, at Cox Medical Center South in Springfield, MO. He was born in Monett, MO on Wednesday, June 29, 1966; son of John Paul and Carmen (Summers) Archer.... View Obituary & Service Information
The family of Bradley "Brad" Young Archer created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories
I spent the first eighteen years of my life in Monett
I see the marching band that I used to play trombone in
I see the younger siblings of my old friends in the running for Miss Merry Christmas
I see some pretty elaborate floats and some floats that are hay bales on a trailer
but I don’t think the kids here see a difference – everyone has candy
I see the tall buildings that have remained vacant downtown for decades and a coworking space and a brewpub we apparently have now and a lot of trucks – fire trucks
all blaring their horns in what I assume is an organized attempt to clip my mic
I wanted to learn more about how the Monett Christmas Parade operates
so a few days before I came home I talked to Jasmine Burks
who works at the Chamber of Commerce and was in charge of the parade – this was actually her first year
The process started in late October/early November with Burks reaching out to last years’ participants – they got first dibs
Burks also reached out to area schools at this time
"We said we were going to cap it at 75 this year – definitely did not," Burks admitted
I’ve actually had six people sign up yesterday [the fifth of December]."
Everyone was emailed their number ahead of time
Those numbers were divided into four sections
with lineup times for each section staggered by fifteen minutes to prevent congestion
And that lineup itself seems like sort of a puzzle
the VFW here in town – those are all going to be at the beginning of the parade
you also want to make sure that you have good 'performing floats' scattered throughout
that way not all of them are in the front of your parade
it can get boring and people are going to leave
Same thing with the grouping of the cars… same thing with bands… And the horses
They include 'Santa’s Pick' (best overall)
'Community Spirit,' 'Most Festive' and 'Best Holiday Theme.'
I also drove through the light display that goes up every year in the park
I was curious to learn about the process behind this other local tradition
they’re the ones who store all the decorations," Burks explained
every year in November they’ll get those out
and then they’ll put them throughout the park
We have a map that’s in place from previous years that we go off of."
But if somebody did want to sponsor a light display
"I think when I was looking at things yesterday
the cheapest I could find was around $2-3,000," said Burks
our electrician that we’ve hired will go around
for example… And then we do a run through making sure everything is working great the day before we open."
"I’d say it probably costs us around $10,000."
"Wow." I'm genuinely surprised at that figure
Burks does me one better: "The candy canes alone are several thousand dollars."
Those candy canes are distributed by the volunteers of the Elf Hut
I did it myself once or twice as a Boy Scout
"A lot of people have been doing it for 10
I had made plans to set up at the Elf Hut with a recorder for a while
But there was a miscommunication on my part
I ended up walking up to the folks volunteering that night and saying 'hi
I work at the public radio station up in Springfield
and I got to spend some time with the family while they did their thing
Some of them were very excited about the complimentary hot chocolate
Another was very focused on the hand counter
emphatically yelling the total number whenever it went up - "16!"
nightly attendance has mostly sat in the upper 200 or so
but last week there was an evening where over 500 people came through
Assuming a conservative estimate of three people per car
a woman with a couple of kids comes through
She doesn't have any cash to give and feels a bit awkward about it
but that's no matter – they ask how many candy canes she wants
"Not a lot of people want to or can afford to drive to Springfield to go look at lights
and stuff like that," Burks told me at the end of our conversation
being able to bring to your community something to look forward to
something that benefits the kids – that’s something that I think is special."
Donna Beckett receives the Monett Area Chamber of Commerce’s Community Service Award for long-term contributions benefitting the town’s welfare
Cory Hartman won the Young Professional of the Year honor from the Monett Area Chamber
Big Business of the Year honor from the Monett Area Chamber went to Schreiber Foods
received the trophy from José Guerra at right
Great Dave’s Coffee won Small Business of the Year from the Monett Area Chamber
Monett boys basketball enters head coach Andrew Ballock’s second season with more familiarity in his system and expectations
“The biggest difference from this year’s group is that they have completely bought in to what we as a coaching staff are trying to preach,” Ballock said
“Our overall standard of how we conduct ourselves daily has risen causing the culture of our program to trend in the right direction.”
Landyn Brandt returns for his senior season after earning second-team all-conference honors as a junior
“Landyn does a lot of great things for our basketball team
but his greatest asset on the court is his ability to put pressure on the defense around the rim,” Ballock said
“He has a good frame and athleticism which allows him to be able to have a huge impact scoring the ball at the basket.”
Brandt will be relied on to lead both in the box score and in the huddle
“My expectations for Landyn this season are for him to pick up where he left off last year regarding affecting the game in the stat sheet
for him to be a great leader for this group,” Ballock said
I don’t care as much about the numbers he can put up
I want to see him be a leader with his voice and his actions throughout the day-to-day grind of the season and help lead this team to success.”
Fellow seniors Logan Kutz and Landon Thrasher also return
rim protection and rebounding from his center spot
also provides length and scoring around the rim
Young can run the offense and is good at creating shots for others
Look for Aidan Clapper (senior guard/forward)
Jack Stephens (sophomore guard) and Carson Nestleroad (sophomore guard) to be newcomers
“Our biggest strength will be that they are very coachable,” Ballock said
“This group has been and will continue to be a very fun group to coach
They are willing to accept coaching and try to apply that to their play on the court
Our depth mixed with a few guys with length will allow us to do some different things on both ends of the floor.”
Ballock sees areas for improvement on both ends of the floor
we need to become a better defensive team all around
on the ball and team defense,” Ballock said
this year we must keep the ball popping and play for each other.”
“I want to see our guys play with a much more competitive edge,” Ballock said
“We plan to make practices very competitive with hopes that it will transfer to our gameplay
I want to see our culture and standard continue to rise
I would love to see this group play for each other
and the Cox Monett Hospital since the early 1990s
BY KYLE TROUTMAN ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com
The Cassville boys and girls track and field teams brought home a total of 30 individual medals
Lady Wildcats Evelyn Elliott and Aaliyah Franklin brought home the only golds on the day
with Elliott taking the 100-meter dash in 13.71 seconds
and Franklin handedly taking the discus and shot put top finishes with distances of 31.6 and 10.91 meters
said midway through the regular season slate of meets
she’s satisfied with how her team is performing
The girls are very competitive and want to win.” The boys team also finished 6th
The Wildcats’ 4×800 relay team of Jameson Barnes
Preston Driskill and Trever Garnett took the top finish of the day
earning 2nd in the relay with a time of 9:07.68
said the Wildcats have been improving through the season
“We did better [last] week at our two meets (Monett and Mt Vernon) than we did our first meet of the season at McDonald County,” he said
“We are seeing a lot of our boys getting new PRs each meet
That’s our goal as a team each meet is to improve and perform better than we did at our last meet
Cassville’s squads completed the fourth of eight regular-season meets Thursday at Mt
The teams traveled to Clever on Tuesday and compete next at East Newton on Thursday
and the Wildcat Relays are scheduled for next Tuesday
Flehmer said the home meet is always a special one for the Lady Wildcats
“We are always excited to compete at home in front of our friends,” she said
“It’s always nice to be home since we are the most comfortable on our track
We have a good chance of being in the top two of team standings.”
Weldy echoed the sentiment and hopes his boys will use this week as preparation
“It’s always fun to compete at your home regardless of the sport,” he said
“So our guys will be ready to compete and do their best when we have our home meet on the
We have 2 meets this week (Clever & East Newton)
so hopefully we keep improving and we are ready to have a great day on the 22nd
Varsity boys individual results at Monett:
Varsity girls individual results at Monett:
Gerald "Rodney" Wrobleski, age 66, passed away on Sunday, September 8, 2024, in Monett, MO. He was born in Monett, MO on Monday, March 10, 1958; son of Gerald and Betty (Craton) Wrobleski. He married Melissa McCaffrey on Saturday, January 31,... View Obituary & Service Information
The family of Gerald "Rodney" Wrobleski created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories
Claims he was retaliated against for reporting racial
The Pritchard Family Auto Stores Mason City Motor Speedway hosted an electrifying afternoon and evening of racing Sunday with the “May The Fourth Be With You” event featuring the K
Sports Park Raceway kicked off its season Saturday night with the KS Engineering Iron Man USRA Stock Cars Series driven by Terminator Chassis highlighting action in the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Serie
I-35 Speedway delivered high-octane racing Saturday night during Highway 36 Auto & Diesel Night featuring the Summit USRA Weekly Racing Series
© Copyright 2025 United States Racing
the 10th year at the helm of the Monett girls soccer program could be one of a challenging nature
who authored a 5-14 record last year and graduated six players
having balance in the roster is fresh landscape for Bluel and company
We had a season last year where our numbers started out [fine] and they plummeted for different reasons throughout the season
We are going to have a bunch of new girls but will for sure have some returning lettermen.”
Those lettermen include Milly Villa (defender)
Back in the box this year will be McElheny
Returning starters and seniors include the aforementioned players (outside of Gaines)
who finished with 23 goals and will be called upon again this year in leading the offense
Aguirre is a player in which Bluel has some options regarding positioning
someone we are looking at for some leadership,” Bluel said of Aguirre
sometimes up front; just kind of depends on what we need
Bluel said he expects the next step from Aguirre
who will serve as a field general this spring — serving as an extension of the coaching staff — as she helps to usher in the new wave of Lady Cubs
“I expect her to continue to be a goal scorer for us this year
She has a way of getting goals from the midfield with freekicks and top-of-the-box shooting
[and] I expect her to help our team through the season with positive energy as a captain.”
McDonald County and Aurora at the preseason jamboree
“It would be a new jamboree that we have never done before,” Bluel said
“We are interested in getting a look at the new [BIG 8] conference
Aurora and Cassville two games each for our conference.”
The home opener is scheduled for March 24 against Neosho
but with another season under their proverbial belts
Bluel said taking those lessons learned into the spring will be vital to this year’s success
Keep an eye on Abby Inman’s maturation process as she hits the pitch for her senior campaign
Said Bluel: “Abby Inman has played for us all four years and is a defender
Looking forward to her stepping up in a leadership role
and [I] usually have her move up during the game and try to attack some
She is fit enough to handle that up and down play.”
Another player to watch is junior Liliana Merida
“She is a forward/midfielder/outside midfielder and is one of our most-skilled players that we have
She gets on the ball and does not lose it very much
She will always finish with some sort of positive direction for the team — either passing or shooting,” Bluel said
By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Monett Football will be under new leadership this year and the pedigree couldn’t be more elite when it comes to high school football
Ben Mauk is the son of legendary high school coach Mike Mauk
who is one of the most innovative offensive minds we’ve seen in high school football
Football in Ohio and ultimately becoming a 3-star recruit that played at Wake Forest and Cincinnati where he threw for 3,121 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior
He’s spent his entire life in a locker room
learning from the likes of his dad and other football greats like Brian Kelly
helping to prepare him to take over at Monett
the program’s fourth consecutive season below .500
“I grew up the son of a Hall of Fame coach in Ohio
so I believe my entire life has been a coaching experience,” said Mauk
“I have learned and modeled the most from my father
Our players need to know our coaches’ number one job is to love them as players
their number one job is to love each other as players
We are working to bring back former alumni and contributors to the Monett Football program to restore the pride and history/tradition of Monett Football
One of the first things we have done as a new staff is to build relationships
We want positive working relationships with our administrators
We have been investing and caring about the kids
that attend Monett and foster positive rapport with everyone
we will make Monett Football great again.”
Monett returns three starters on both offense and defense
but that’s not something Mauk is overly concerned with
The Cubs are having open auditions all over the field in hopes that competition will bring out the best in everyone and allow the team to be as prepared as possible moving forward
Mauk has been impressed by the overall leadership of his seniors
despite the low numbers of them in the program
He believes Landyn Brandt and Aaron Soriano have shown promise at receiver
Danny Ungeni will look to lead the offensive line of a unit that will likely be one of the top passing attacks in Missouri if history holds true
“Our fans can expect our offense to play fast and put the ball in the air,” said Mauk
“We want to get our kids in space and let them make plays
They will learn when it is appropriate to head to the concession stand
because they won’t want to miss any offensive plays.”
Porter Reed and Aidan McCall-Thomas will look to anchor the defensive line
while Riley Rhea will provide leadership in the secondary
Walker Bradow will transition to a linebacker spot for the Cubs
“Our fans can expect our defense to fly around and get back to Monett Football,” said Mauk
“We will be physical up front and play fast
We are looking for the toughest kids in the school so we can line them up when opposing teams have the ball.”
Monett hasn’t won a district championship since 2016
which happened to be the Cubs state championship run that saw them go 14-1
In a three-year span the program went 33-7 with a pair of district titles
Getting back to that level of success won’t happen overnight
but we’ve seen coaches in the Big 8 make major strides early on in their tenure
looking at Seneca as the most recent example
Mauk’s unique style of play and high-level expertise could be exactly what Monett needs as it looks to right the ship of the football program
“For us to compete for conference and district championships
we will need to focus on what we can control,” said Mauk
“What are we doing well that we need to continue
“I believe we have the support of the administration and community
but nothing in life worth anything ever is
we need to change the culture of the football program
Our players need to know our coaches love them
and they need to know that they love each other
Monett will open the 2024 regular season at Nevada on Aug
The Cubs will play their first home game under Mauk on Sep
Monett volleyball is coming off a two-win season
but the number in the win column should increase this season with an experienced group returning
“We are returning a lot of experienced players who have been playing on varsity for the past few seasons,” Monett head coach Jennifer Nichols said
“They have a desire to work hard and improve
Their resilience and dedication are some of their biggest strengths.”
The returning players include Sarah Negre (senior DS/libero)
Morgan Wright (junior setter) and Peyton Brandt (sophomore OH)
Negre led Monett with 234 digs as a junior
“Sarah is one of our most energetic players,” Nichols said
“She is a great teammate and will be the first to celebrate or pick someone else up
She has been working very hard on her defense and passing.”
Brownlee was the top player at the net for Monett last season with 13 blocks
“Addalyn is a very smart player and sees the court well,” Nichols said
Goetz was strong from the service line in her sophomore season
“Carsyn led our team in aces last year with 28,” Nichols said
“She has a very effective serve and back row attack
Carsyn has worked all off season to improve her serve receive and defense.”
Merriman earned second-team all-conference honors by leading Monett in kills in 2023
“Meredith was named honorable mention all-district last season and second-team all-conference,” Nichols said
“She led the team in hitting percentage and kills with 186.”
Wright returns after handing out 249 assists last season
“Morgan has worked to get stronger over the off season and summer,” Nichols said
“She led the team last year with 249 assists and had 96% serving percentage.”
Brandt was the top player in serve receptions with 415 as a freshman
“Peyton led the team with serve receive rating last year,” Nichols said
“She is a strong all-around player who brings consistency to the team.”
Senior Karlee McCallister returns to the volleyball court this season after she played softball her junior year
“She is one of our strongest players and it shows on the court and during conditioning,” Nichols said
“Karlee leads by example and is extremely coachable.”
“We want to compete this year at all levels,” Nichols said
“We have been working really hard to build a strong fundamental foundation and expect to see that transfer into game play.”
By Denise Tucker (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
The Monett Lady Cubs achieved their first winning season since 2017-2018 and coach Josh Kleine is excited about his team’s prospects for 2024-2025
“We went 16-11 last season and bring back six or our top seven players,” said Kleine
who enters his fifth season with the Lady Cubs
“We are excited for the upcoming season and think we should compete in every game this year
but we expect to play well as a team and compete every night
A key for us this season is to cut down on our turnovers and make more free throws.”
Monett brings back six players to a team that finished 4-2 in the Big 8 West Conference last season
led by all-conference performers Meredith Merriman and Kilee Wilson
junior power forward – Averaged 13.5 points
6.8 rebounds per game; earned Class 4 All-District 10 and All-Big 8 West Conference honors; could reach 1,000 career points this season
“She has been our leading scorer the last two years,” Kleine said
“She is very good scoring around the basket and knows how to get open
She has a very good mid-range game as well but is also very unselfish
She is one of the best post players in our conference
and we expect her to have a great junior year.”
2.4 steals per game; named all-conference honorable mention and all-conference defensive team
“She can score from all three levels and is one of our best athletes
“She is the hardest worker on the team and does all the little things that help us win
She rebounds very well and has the ability to guard anyone on the opposing team
She has also become a dependable scorer for us.”
She can stretch the defense out with her 3-point ability
She should have more success this year as she has become a better ballhandler and more confident on the court.”
She has good vision and knows when and where her teammates will be open
She also has the ability to knock down the outside shot.”
“She is a good defender and also attacks the basket well
She can guard the other team’s best defender when we need her to.”
The Lady Cubs will add some depth in newcomers Hannah Parris and Vayla Smith
junior forward – “She saw some varsity time last year
but she should be a key contributor this year,” Kleine said
She also has the ability to change shots around the basket on the defensive end with her length.”
senior – “She hasn’t played since her freshman year
She will make an immediate impact on the defensive end
She’s one of the fastest players on our team and can defend in the full-court
She can also attack the basket and score.”
Kleine said that filling Arryanna Seelyes’ defensive role will be a challenge
“She was a 6-foot-1 senior that changed a lot of shots around the rim
and grabbed a lot of rebounds,” Kleine said
Monett opens the regular season at home against Sarcoxie on Nov
25 and will compete in the Crane Lady Pirate Tournament on Dec
“With the Big 8 going back to one division
our conference schedule will be tougher with Aurora and Mount Vernon coming in,” Kleine said
We should be able to play nine or 10 players
We also will have scoring threats from both the inside and outside
which will make it tougher for teams to guard us.”
Webb City will be at Willard Thursday and at the Carthage tournament Friday
The Webb City Sentinel isn’t a newspaper – but it used to be
This “newspaper” seeks to carry on that tradition as a nonprofit corporation
Landyn Brandt and Caseye Brandt (mom) pose together after Landyn’s commitment to play football as a Lion at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin
Brandt signed his letter of intent during a signing ceremony on Wednesday
The fallen KRMO radio tower barely missed the tower shack as it fell and twisted on Oct
Dewayne Gandy praised the Monett Electrical Department’s wiring of the facility
which shut off power to the spot immediately without disrupting service to the neighborhood
Monett Utilities Superintendent Skip Schaller observed fallen wiring could have easily started a fire under current dry conditions
Vayla Smith and Parris Smith are all smiles after Vayla’s commitment to continue her academic and athletic career as a Jennie on the University of Central Missouri track team
Smith signed her letter of intent during a signing ceremony on Monday
(KY3) - Police in Monett arrested a man who was wanted on several warrants
Police originally linked Laane Sneed to a theft at a craft fair on Sunday
they say he is no longer a suspect in that case
Police did not provide the evidence that did not make him a suspect
If you have additional information regarding this incident or know the whereabouts of Sneed
please contact the Monett Police Department at 417-235-4241
Police say there is no threat to the public at this time
Monett is hosting a Repurposed Faire Festival this weekend