It was a rocky morning south of Joplin as a severe storm rolled through the Neosho area Tuesday morning With a tornado warning being issued from the storm there were several areas that saw damage in the area “Most of the major damage is on the eastern side of Newton County between Fairview and Wentworth area,” Newton County Matt Stewart said to NewsTalk KZRG “We had some damage there south of Neosho as well “We’re just thankful that there weren’t any major injuries from this storm and thankful for our public that are out trying to help clear the roadways,” Stewart said “We’re just asking everybody to be very careful as they’re doing that because there are several power lines that are down.” authorities are asking the public to stay away from one area in Neosho in particular—just north of Wentworth there’s some power poles that are down blocking the roadway with some down lines,” Stewart said we’re trying to get those clear as we’re asking people to try to avoid that area.” The Neosho Police Department has asked the Missouri State Highway Patrol to investigate a use of force incident that is going viral on Facebook Read the full statement from Neosho PD below: an incident involving use of force took place near the intersection of Valley Street and Coler Street in Neosho Officers from the Neosho Police Department Newton County Juvenile Office were on scene first followed by officers from the Neosho School District The individual at the focal point of the incident is a juvenile and was not injured We understand that members of our community may have seen a video of the incident circulating online The Neosho Police Department leadership is fully aware of the situation and remains firmly committed to transparency and accountability To ensure a thorough and unbiased review of the incident we have formally requested the Missouri State Highway Patrol conduct an independent investigation to include the actions taken by officers at the scene We recognize members of the community may have concerns please know the Neosho Police Department will keep the community informed and additional information will be provided as information becomes available for release April 30 the Newton County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant just east of Highway 60 and Palm Road The warrant stemmed from an investigation conducted by the Newton and Jasper County Sheriff’s Offices The Newton County Sheriff’s Office received information of possible stolen property at the address on Highway 60 Detectives with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office located property that had been stolen from Liberty Utilities in Jasper County detectives located suspected methamphetamine and firearms inside the residence Detectives seized approximately 250 grams of methamphetamine along with six firearms This is the 8th search warrant that has been served by the Newton County Sheriff’s Office this year The Newton County Sheriff’s Office and its partner agencies are committed to combating illegal drug activity in our communities The Newton County Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with information about illegal drugs in our communities to call 417-451-8333 to report the activity SPRINGFIELD — Two state-ranked COC foes locked proverbial horns Thursday as the Glendale Falcons (4-3) hosted the Neosho Wildcats (12-1) at home in a clash of Class 6 elite 8 team in Class 6 while the host Falcons sat one slot behind behind the arm of ace and University of Arkansas commit Brody Crane battled back from multiple deficits en route to the come-from-behind 12-8 win Crane sports a fastball that tops out in the low 90’s I was just coming in and try to work ahead,” said Crane “I didn’t have my best stuff today but when the team rallies behind me like that The tilt lived up to the billing as the Wildcats improved their overall record to 12-1 the message from skipper Keith Kilgore was simple: play as a team Battled through a lot of adversity,” said Kilgore when Oklahoma State University commit Sebastian Norman went yard on the solo blast who would close out the game nearly three hours later connected for the RBI double in the top of the second Glendale plated two more runs in the bottom of the second and a lot on trust — relationship building And they keep finding a way to win,” said Kilgore a credit to plate discipline throughout the night but he competed to give us an opportunity to win,” added Kilgore “This was a great team win; had a lot of quality at-bats.” The resolve was not lost on anyone in the dugout or in the stands how we are going to get better,” said Kilgore The approach at the dish could not be matched with two strikes or two outs and sometimes both just dug in the cleats and gripped the bat a little bit tighter “The kids have bought in to the philosophy They enjoy playing this game,” said Kilgore But then we had to have a different approach at the plate when it got late We have worked hard on shortening swings and have confidence with a two-strike mentality That two-stroke discipline made an appearance in the fourth when Liam McInturff drew the bases loaded base-on-balls which gave the ‘Cats their first lead of the game After Glendale starting hurler Easton Friesen tied the game 5-5 on his fourth-inning RBI single the Wildcats responded in the sixth as Kanten Smith drilled the 2-run round tripper as the Wildcats The Wildcats did what they had to do: knock out Glendale’s Friesen “It is just the mentality that we all believe in each other Glendale responded in their half of the sixth when an RBI double by Norman and a two-run homer by Friesen swung the favor back to the host igniting a thunderous spark in the visitors’ dugout Neosho plated four runs in the top of the seventh to close it out as Rodriguez came in and allowed two walks and one single in his three-out performance Neosho is at Fort Smith Southside on Saturday and the Falcons are in Springdale By Brennan Stebbins (For OzarksSportsZone.com) There’s a new coach guiding Neosho’s baseball team this season with Keith Kilgore coming to the Wildcats after previously serving as an athletics director in northwest Arkansas He’s also serving as the school’s activities director “I am a newcomer to the COC but understand that the conference is loaded with great teams,” Kilgore said “Respect the game and your opponent,” he said of his coaching philosophy “Player relationships are key and team culture wins championships.” He takes over a Neosho team that went 10-23 last spring after winning 17 games two years ago having compiled a career record of 322-137 in 16 seasons with a state championship in 2002 and a state runner-up finish in 2012 “We return several individuals that can provide the leadership and experience necessary to find success,” he said and cited “great kids who work hard and are coachable” as program strengths The Wildcats will have 12 returning lettermen in all and four newcomers are in the mix for playing time “Last year’s group did not have the season desired but were competitive all season and played their best ball in districts,” he said Senior Kanten Smith is the only returner with postseason honors after he was named to the Central Ozark Conference second team as a catcher a triple and two homers and he drove in 15 runs The Wildcats graduated players like Quenton Hughes (pitcher and shortstop) Colton Southern (infielder) and Drake Swift (outfielder) but the team featured at least seven juniors and a sophomore who contributed struck out 18 batters in 11 innings on the mound while juniors like Cade Spiva (.333 hitter with 8 steals) Hudson Williams (.280 with 18 runs and 22 walks and 8 steals) 13 strikeouts) and Liam McInturff (14 strikeouts in 9.2 IP) were other contributors logging 33.1 innings and 29 strikeouts with a 3.99 ERA Neosho will host a jamboree March 14 with Lamar “Hopefully in some great weather and to strengthen our team culture,” Kilgore said The Wildcats open their home slate against Grove part of a stretch of games against Pittsburg By Pat Dailey (For OzarkSportsZone.com) Neosho’s wide array of talented underclassmen continued to take steps toward fulfilling their potential by capturing seven individual championships and the Class 4 District 3 team title Saturday The Wildcats totaled 267.5 points to outdistance the field by 81 points “Our group knew we were going to be something special,” 175-pound sophomore champion Kaymon Rhone said we were competing with all the older teams That gave us the confidence we needed and told us how good we’re going to be in the future.” We’re graduating just two guys on varsity,” said 113 sophomore champion Tucker Feagens “We’ll be returning most of our guys (and) we have some of the best coaching in the state.” “We’re all stepping up and doing really good We’ve been looking forward to this,” 138 sophomore champion Kelton Shaffer said it would be cool to do something in Class 4 we haven’t done yet.” which has nine Class 3 state championships in the past 15 years Rhone (35-8) turned to a lat-drop for a takedown in the final minute of his 4-1 victory versus Ozark’s Dayton Moison in the 175 final “That’s my bread and butter,” Rhone said “I felt the pressure coming in and I hit it It usually goes good for me and it did there I started hitting (the lat-drop) last year and I’ve been hitting it a lot this year Feagens (35-10) sought and gained revenge while posting a 5-0 victory versus Lebanon’s Kaleb Branch in the 113 final CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM DAY 2 OF THE TOURNAMENT so I was thinking about that match the whole time,” Feagens said I don’t think I wrestled my best match I let him be on offense the whole time and I was just defending what he was doing My game plan today was to attack and not let him attack.” Shaffer (40-10) won by fall in 5:45 in the 132 final against Ozark’s Colton Wilson after trailing going into the final minute “I wrestled him in a dual and it was a one-point match Neosho freshman Marztian Ioanis (31-14) won 7-6 in the 106 final against Randy Teo Neosho junior Carter Howard (43-3) picked an 11-2 win in the 157 final against Grady Mortensen Wildcats sophomore Lincoln Howard (42-6) won by technical fall 16-0 over Owen Diemoz Neosho junior Chase Kivett (39-3) also won by technical fall 17-2 against Ozark’s Graham Bennett in the 190 final Falcons’ Lang knocks off defending state champ  Glendale senior Shawn Lang (36-5) emerged victorious as the No 5 seed in a loaded 120 weight class that also included defending state champion Ryzen Isringhausen (46-1) two-time district champion Kamdon Vonholten (31-5) there were incredibly nine 120-pounders with 25 wins or more I told my coach that I don’t care what my seed is That’s the mentality I carried with me the past few days.” Lang handed Isringhausen only his second career loss pulling out a 9-3 overtime victory in the semifinal round He followed up by edging Vonholten 4-2 in their title tilt “I’ve been told multiple times that if you think you’re going to win you’re going to win and if you think you’re going to lose I repeat in my head that I’m a champion and I have what it takes to be here.” Willard 285-pounder Brady Griffin downed Neosho’s Everson Tomlinson for the fourth time this season and was happy he needed to go the distance to do it Griffin collected a 5-0 victory in the 285 final Griffin can turn his attention toward a run at a state title he’d like to renew his friendly rivalry with defending state champion Elmotie Williams CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS FROM DAY 1 OF THE TOURNAMENT we’re on opposite sides (of the bracket) and I’ll get to see Elmotie in the finals,” Griffin said Willard’s Caleb Caldwell (23-4) won the 144 championship 6-2 against Neosho’s Fisher Butler They also met in the 144 final at the COC Tournament Caldwell has bounced back well from a sprained ankle that sidelined him for four weeks But we’re making the best of it,” Caldwell said “I sprained my other ankle last season and it set me back pretty good I’m ready to go get that (state) title,” he added We’re going to have four titles (at Willard) Willard Porter Talbot (35-2) pinned Republic’s Chase Hicks in 3:06 in the 215 final Ozark seniors Caden Harrington and Keaton Hurst earned championships “We wanted to make one last stand,” Hurst said He upset Glendale’s Chance Hensley 4-2 in the semifinal round and knocked off Republic’s Keaton Overcast 4-3 in their title tilt I’ve wrestled him three or four times and it’s always been a one-point match,” Harrington said Hurst (33-3) downed Carthage’s Caden Groom 11-5 in the 126 final avenged a 7-2 loss to Willard’s Noah Rogers at the COC Tournament by recording a 4-1 victory in the 150 title tilt Wilson was glad to see Rogers in the final “I was glad to have another shot to wrestle him,” said Wilson “I know I’m better than him and I needed one more chance to prove it.”