Sports

By Jason Hoekema The last, final excursion for the Lady Bears in the 2018-2019 season occurred Monday at the Class 3, District 11 Missouri State High School Activities Association tournament in Clever, Missouri.  Placed in the 7th seed, the Ava Lady Bears were pushed into a contest against the number two seed, Fair Grove High…

By Jason Hoekema There is only room for one victor in a basketball game, and it sometimes comes down to a pivot in momentum during a short period of the game that decides its outcome.  The Bears traveled to Mountain View to play against the Liberty High School Eagles on Thursday, Feb. 14 and did…

By Jason Hoekema Monday, Feb. 18 marks the start of the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 11 playoff tournaments for the Ava Lady Bears and the 19th for the Bears.  The Varsity Lady Bears will be playing their final regular-season game on the road against Liberty-Mountain View, who are currently…

ABOVE: From left: Araina Evans, Lauren Mendel, Ashton Bewley, and Emily Stillings pose together following their final home game as high school seniors. BELOW: Ava Senior Emiliy Stillings, center, receives a hug and gift bag from freshman teammate Lauren Hall during a pregame ceremony to celebrate the team’s seniors at their final home game on…

From left: Drake King, Tom Emerich, Caleb Johnson, and William Mork stand for a photograph following their final home game which ended with a win over Cabool High School on Tuesday, Feb. 12, in Ava. 

From Behind 10, To Ahead 10. Ava Tops Salem at Hoopcoming By Jason Hoekema It was Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “Shallow men believe in luck or in circumstance. Strong men believe in cause and effect.”  This very much sets the mood for the rollercoaster game Ava and Salem were playing on Friday, Feb. 8 as both teams were establishing their own cause and effect…

  By Jason Hoekema Like the girls’ game on Monday, the Ava Bears boys’ basketball team took to the maple strips one last time at home. Tuesday marked the last time four seniors would ever play a sanctioned game on the court they have practiced and played-on with their family of friends and teammates.  Also…

Joshua Garner (left) placed second in the boys division of the Skyline Middle School Archery tournament on February 2nd. Joshua is pictured with Skyline coach, Terry Prock.