The Linn County Mustangs, on Tuesday night, rallied from a 10 point deficit at the end of the third quarter, hitting a basket with two seconds remaining to stun the Slater Wildcats at Chillicothe High School. On Saturday afternoon, the comeback wasn’t nearly as dramatic, but the reward was much greater, as the Purdin school advanced to the Class 1 Show-Me Showdown with a 55-49 victory over Wellsville.
In the game, played at Salisbury High School, Jase White led Linn County (15-7) with 23 points, while Michael O’Kane added 12, advancing the Mustangs to their first Show-Me Showdown appearance since 1967. The Mustangs trailed by eight points at the half, before surging to the win, and the trip to Springfield, in action heard on KTTN FM 92.3.
Wellsville, finishing the season at 13-14, was paced by 16 points from Keith Mayes, while Mitchell Canterbury had 13, and Dennis Hunt 11 points. Linn County, on the state semifinals on Friday, will play the Jefferson Eagles at 4:30 PM.
On Friday night, Jefferson ended the unbeaten run of the HDC Champion Winston Redbirds, downing WHS at the St. Joseph Civic Arena, 55-39, in a state quarterfinal heard on Hot Country Z 101.7. Clayton Merrigan led Jefferson with 13 points, with Nathan Jermain adding 11, and Koby Stoll 10 points. Winston, ending the year at 26-1, had 14 points from senior Cy Uthe, with Jakub Hisel scoring 11, and Jacob Lewis 10 points.
Despite 35 points from junior All-State selection Brooke Littrell, the dream of the Green City Lady Gophers to head to state ended at Salisbury on Saturday, in a 61-50 loss to Community. The win for the Lady Trojans advances the rural Laddonia district into the Show-Me Showdown for the first time, with CHS playing Stanberry on Friday night at 8:10 in Springfield. Stanberry advanced with a 51-30 win over GRC rival Worth County on Friday night at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.
In Saturday’s victory, Community (26-2) had 21 points from Natalie Thomas, 12 from Delany Bowers, and 10 from Brianna Bremer.
