By Chris Parker
These power rankings are based on dominance by class and not a strictly head-to-head ranking.
1. Kickapoo (C6 – 7-2)
When fully healthy, this is the best team in the state. Kickapoo has two losses by one point to Rolla and five points to Incarnate Word Academy. They played those two games without Bella Fontleroy, who is one of the top recruits in the nation for the junior class. Since that tournament, Kickapoo has beaten Nixa by 23 and Republic by 28. Indya Green is a returning all-state selection and playing like it averaging 20 points and 11.9 rebounds per game. Fontleroy has averaged 14 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Kaya Goldsby (10 points, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals), Rachel Senn (7.7 points, 3.3 rebounds) and Madie Barrett (7 points, 3.6 rebounds) give Kickapoo a bevy of weapons to lean on. This team is cleaning up on the offensive glass averaging 18 offensive rebounds per game. Kickapoo is the top seed on the top of the Pink bracket with a likely semifinal game against either Strafford or Mt. Vernon in the cards. Willard, Ozark and Skyline are the top three seeds on the bottom of the bracket.
2. West Plains (C5 – 8-0)
West Plains has been, in a word, dominant so far this year. The Zizzers are out to an 8-0 start and getting it done on both ends of the court averaging 59 points per game while yielding just 27 points per game. The closest game West Plains has played so far this year was a 13-point win over Ozark. Two of West Plains’ eight opponents have failed to reach the 20-point mark with another two scoring just 22 points. Senior MacKenzie Brunson is averaging 17 points per game and crossed the 1,000-point barrier for her career earlier this season. She scored 31 in a win over Mountain Home on Saturday. Ashton Judd is averaging a double-double for West Plains with 17.5 points and 10 rebounds per game. West Plains is the top seed on the bottom of the White Division bracket facing Greenwood in an opening round game next week. Republic, El Dorado Springs and Camdenton are the other seeds on their side of the bracket.
3. Strafford (C3 – 6-1)
Strafford does have one loss and it is to a team lower on this list in Class 5 Willard. Strafford played that game without all-state point guard Emma Compton. The five-time defending state champs got a nice break with the new classes going from one of the smallest schools in Class 3 to one of the biggest while a lot of their recent competition moved up to Class 4. These rankings are based on dominance by class, and the Strafford girls have to be the favorite in Class 3 until another in-class team can knock them off. They beat defending Class 3 runner-up Licking by 12 and Class 2 final four participant Blue Eye. Their bracket in the Pink & White is tough with Mt. Vernon as the No. 3 seed on their half and Kickapoo as the No. 1 seed.
4. Mt. Vernon (C4 – 6-0)
Mt. Vernon has been rolled so far this season. The Mountaineers are out to a 6-0 start beating teams by an average of 24.3 points per game. The schedule hasn’t been soft either. Mt. Vernon owns wins over Class 6 Carthage and Class 5 teams Carl Junction and Neosho. They have gotten it done with players contributing up and down the roster. Missouri Southern commit Lacy Stokes and Morningside College commit Ellie Johnston are each averaging 19.3 points per game in the early going. Stokes has also added in 7.5 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 5.5 steals per game. Johnston has contributed 5.2 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 1.7 assists per game. Cameryn Cassity (7.8 points, 4 rebounds, 1.5 assists) and Raegan Boswell (4 points and 4 rebounds per game) have also been key contributors. Mt. Vernon has a chance for some statement victories in next week’s Pink & White tournament. The Mountaineers are the No. 3 seed in the top of the Pink bracket where Strafford is the No. 2 seed and Kickapoo is the No. 1 seed.
5. Willard (C5 – 7-0)
Willard is a fun team to watch. They have balance throughout the roster where truly any player can beat you on a given night. The numbers back it up with three players averaging in double figures with another two averaging nine points per game. Another crazy stat is that Willard is assisting on 70% of their baskets. The Lady Tigers have some high-quality wins on the schedule already beating five-time defending Class 3 state champion Strafford and two-time defending Class 1 state champion Walnut Grove. The Lady Tigers have won their first seven games by an average of 20 points per game. They are the No. 1 seed on the bottom half of the Pink Bracket where Ozark (No. 2), Skyline (No. 3) and Central (No. 4) are the other seeded teams. Kickapoo is the top seed on the top half of the bracket. Playing Kickapoo in for a Pink Division title would be a great measuring stick for this team.
6. Walnut Grove (C1 – 4-1)
Walnut Grove had the beginning of its season put off by a COVID quarantine. When the Lady Tigers did get going, they played up four classes against Class 5 Willard and lost by 13. Since then, Walnut Grove has won four in a row by margins of 31, 56, 32 and 37. They are the two time-defending state champions in Class 1, and they have what they need to make a run at a third straight.
7. Skyline (C3 – 5-0)
Skyline has been a fixture on the Class 2 final four with 10 appearances since 2008. This year, the Lady Tigers move up to Class 3. They do avoid our local pod heading north with Class 3 District 13. So far, Skyline is averaging 66 points per game while yielding 36. Yes, they are averaging a turbo clock victory every time out. Tuesday’s win over one-loss Tipton was their smallest margin of victory so far this year at 16 points. Skyline has a real shot to make a run as a No. 3 seed in the Pink Division. They open with a tough test against Marshfield. Ozark is the No. 2 seed on their half of the bracket with Willard as the No. 1 seed. Kickapoo is the No. 1 seed on the top half of the bracket that features Strafford and Mt. Vernon as the Nos. 2 & 3 seeds.
8. Rolla (C5 – 6-2)
Rolla is a young team this year, but that hasn’t stopped the Lady Bulldogs from jumping out to a strong start. Their signature win is a one-point win over Kickapoo (who was playing without Bella Fontleroy). Losses have come against Republic and Lutheran North. Both were the third games of tournaments. Juniors are leading the way for Rolla with Savannah Campbell (14 ppg), Taniya Corley (10.1 ppg), Carli Libhart (9.3 ppg) and Madison Mace (6.1 ppg) sitting as the four leading scorers. Freshman Willow Gideon (5.9 ppg) and Jessica Pritchett (5 ppg) also provide balance.
9. Nixa (C6 – 6-2)
Nixa started out the season on fire with four straight wins including beating Carl Junction in CJ’s home tournament title game. That tournament also included a 91-point(!) victory over a JV team followed by a 49-point victory over Neosho. Nixa is 2-2 in its past four games with losses to Fayetteville (25) and Kickapoo (23). Nixa has a ways to go to compete on the level of Kickapoo, but now the Lady Eagles know where they need to be. Macie Conway is leading the team with 17 points per game. There is a ton of balance past her with five players averaging between 6.25 and 9.6 points per game. Coach Jennifer Perryman acknowledged that there is still a lot of room to grow for this team. It is growth that should accelerate in a tough White Bracket at the Pink & White tournament. Nixa is the No. 1 seed on top with Carthage, Waynesville & Blue Eye as the other seeded teams. West Plains and Republic are the top two seeds on the other side.
10. Hollister (C4 – 9-0)
Hollister is off to one of the best starts in the area at 9-0. The Lady Tigers won the Crane Tournament and are in the semifinals of the Walnut Grove Holiday Classic. So far, Hollister has played just one game in class beating Cassville by 28 points. Other quality wins include Ava (5-2), Crane (6-2) twice and Class 6 Ozark. Bug Bailey is leading the way with 26.5 points per game and five assists per game. She had 14 total turnovers in the team’s first eight games. Gabby Franciskovich is averaging 11 ppg. Hollister will play a strong Miller team in the Walnut Grove semifinals before facing either Walnut Grove or Ash Grove in the next game.
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11. Waynesville (C6 – 4-0)
No team has turned things around more from last year to this year than Waynesville. The Lady Tigers have already won four games. One more victory in the Pink & White Tournament and they will have matched last year’s win total. The talent is off the charts for Waynesville led by senior Grand Canyon University signee Naudia Evans. Evans has averaged 16.5 points per game through her first four games. The difference maker this year? Freshman Breona Hurd. Hurd is ranked in the Top 25 in the nation in the freshman class by ESPN. She has averaged 17.5 points per game so far and has yet to be held below 14 points. Evans and Hurd combined to outscore all four of Waynesville’s opponents so far.
12. Miller (C3 – 8-1)
Miller moved up to Class 3 this year, but the Lady Cardinals are still positioned to make a run at a final four. They have beaten Class 5 Webb City (twice), and Class 4 Lamar along with wins over fellow Class 3 school Fair Grove and 2020 Class 2 final four participant Blue Eye. The lone loss was playing up three classes against Kickapoo. Miller again is led by a three-headed attack featuring Payten Richardson (15.8 ppg), Claudia Hadlock (14.5 ppg) and Kaylee Helton (14.3 ppg). Hadlock leads the team in assists at 5 and Helton leads the team in rebounding at 6.3. Miller will face unbeaten Class 4 Hollister in the Walnut Grove Holiday Classic semifinals before facing Walnut Grove or Ash Grove in the game after that.
13. Carl Junction (C5 – 6-2)Â
Carl Junction continues to rack up wins. The Lady Bulldogs are out to a 6-2 start with the lone losses coming to Class 6 Nixa and undefeated Class 4 Mt. Vernon. Destiny Buerge has shouldered the scoring load in her sophomore year at 20.9 points per game while also leading the team at 3.9 steals per game. Jessa Hylton (9.4 ppg), Kylie Scott (7.7 ppg) and Hali Shorter (7.1 ppg) provide some balance on the scoring sheet after Buerge. Scott is leading the team in rebounding at 9.7 per game.
14. Blue Eye (C2 – 4-3)
Blue Eye is the first Class 2 team on this list. The Lady Bulldogs were a final four participant last year and are out to a 4-3 start this season. The three losses are among the most on this list, but they are all quality with an out-of-state loss to Bergman (Ark.), an overtime loss to Miller and a six-point loss to Strafford. Blue Eye is more than capable of a return to the final four.
15. Crane (C2 – 6-2)
Crane has two losses on the season with both coming to undefeated Class 4 Hollister by 15 points the first time and five the second time. Wins over Class 3 Ash Grove and Class 4 Cassville top the list. Zoe Reel is once again leading the Lady Pirates with 23 points per game and 7.5 rebounds per game. Gracie Brawley (9.7 ppg), Emrey Ellingsworth (6.8 ppg), Kailey Vaught (6.2 ppg) and Danielle Cutbirth (5.5 ppg) also bring scoring punch.
16. Chadwick (C1 – 7-1)
Chadwick has one loss so far this year to Class 3 Sparta by 13 points. Otherwise, the Lady Cardinals have run through their schedule unbeaten. Chadwick has played one game in class so far and won that game by 31 points.
17. Carthage (C6 – 7-3)
Carthage’s losses are to Kickapoo (by 11), Carl Junction (by 1) and Mt. Vernon (by 18) this year. The Lady Tigers are led by senior Hailey Fullerton with 19.4 points per game. She also crossed the 1,000-point barrier for her career. Kiana Yates is just behind her at 16.1 ppg. They will get some tough tests in next week’s Pink & White Lady Classic. They are a two seed sharing a bracket with No. 3 Waynesville and No. 1 Kickapoo. West Plains is the top seed on the bottom of the bracket.
18. Republic (C6 – 2-3)
It is a losing record, yes. But Republic has played one of the toughest schedules in the area with wins over Springdale Har-Ber and Rolla and losses to national power Incarnate Word, Jefferson City and Kickapoo with a couple of those losses coming without their best player Kaemyn Bekemeier. Bekemeier will give Republic the best player on the court most nights, which is a huge plus. The bottom line is, Republic has won 10 district titles in the past 12 years. This 2-3 start is likely to head to a finish with at least 15 wins for the 11th season in a row. Republic resides on the bottom half of the White Bracket in the Pink & White as a No. 2 seed. El Dorado Springs is the three seed with West Plains as the No. 1 seed.
19. College Heights (C2 – 9-1)
College Heights went 26-3 last year and is off to a 9-1 start this season. The Lady Cougars’ lone loss came to Class 3 Strafford by 33 points, which is why they are behind a three-loss Blue Eye team in the same class. Blue Eye only fell to Strafford by six points. Nixa, Carthage and Waynesville are the top three seeds on the top half of the bracket.
20. El Dorado Springs (C4 – 5-1)
El Dorado Springs has won all five of its games by an average of 31 points per game while losing their lone game to Class 3 Skyline by 14 points. We will learn a lot more about El Dorado Springs next week as they joined the Pink & White Lady Classic this year and are a No. 3 seed on the bottom of the White bracket where they will open with Rogersville. West Plains and Republic are the top two seeds on El Dorado Springs’ half of the bracket.
