It was a heck of a matchup for a event semifinal.

Deer Creek from Edmond, Okla., was a late addition to the eight-team subject within the Jefferson Financial institution Vacation Hoops Basic. Not lots was identified in regards to the Antlers.

Properly, it seems they had been fairly good.

Deer Creek was ranked No. 1 in Oklahoma’s largest classification heading into the Basic. And so they had been on the identical facet of the bracket because the Jefferson Metropolis Girl Jays, ranked No. 1 in Missouri’s largest class.

Jefferson Metropolis gained its opening spherical sport by 35 factors towards Hickman, Deer Creek then posted a 36-point victory towards Eureka to shut the primary day of the occasion.

It was No. 1 vs. No. 1. And never for the title.

“They’re pretty much as good as marketed,” Girl Jays coach Brad Conway mentioned heading into the matchup. “It is a good problem for us, we will discover out areas we’re environment friendly in and areas the place we have to put in some work.

“We’ll must play certainly one of our higher video games.”

It was a sluggish begin for each groups, who mixed for 11 turnovers within the opening 4 minutes. However Jefferson Metropolis was in a position to calm down within the remaining 4 minutes of the primary quarter, keyed by a pair of Hannah Linthacum 3-pointers to outscore Deer Creek 14-6 to take an 18-10 lead.

Regardless of battling foul bother within the second quarter — the Antlers sat their two main scorers — Deer Creek was in a position to dangle round and trailed 24-20 on the half.

Deek Creek opened the third quarter with a 5-Zero run to take its first lead since early within the sport. However Jefferson Metropolis responded with a 6-Zero run of its personal to take the lead for good and carried a 37-32 benefit into the fourth quarter.

“The youngsters willed themselves to do it,” Conway mentioned. “Our execution obtained higher.”

The Antlers did not go away, trimming the Girl Jays’ benefit to 2 factors on three events. Jefferson Metropolis led 41-39 halfway via the fourth quarter earlier than occurring a 14-Zero run in a three-minute span to ice what turned out to be a 55-44 victory.

Hannah Nilges completed with 17 factors to guide the Girl Jays, Kara Daly added 16, whereas Linthacum totaled 14.

Jefferson Metropolis dominated on the boards, ending with a 37-19 edge in rebounds to beat a 27-11 deficit in turnovers.

Hannah Linthacum pulled down 11 rebounds, whereas Sarah Linthacum and Daly had 10 every.

The victory improved the Girl Jays to 9-Zero on the season. The subsequent day, Jefferson Metropolis obtained win No. 10 by besting undefeated Blue Springs South 51-29 within the championship sport.

The subsequent week, sparked in no small half by the victory towards Deer Creek, Jefferson Metropolis entered the MaxPreps nationwide rankings at No. 25.

“It is good recognition for the children,” Conway mentioned on the time. “It is a testomony to all the work the children have been placing in and the best way we have been enjoying of late.”

The Girl Jays remained within the rankings for 2 weeks, beginning the season with 13 consecutive victories earlier than falling to Webster Groves within the Union Match.

Jefferson Metropolis’s season ended with a loss to Rock Bridge within the title sport of the Class 5 District 9 Match in Columbia. The Girl Jays (22-4) completed with a No. 6 rating by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Affiliation.

III

It was the third assembly of the volleyball season between the Jefferson Metropolis Girl Jays and Helias Girl Crusaders.

Jefferson Metropolis had snapped a 10-match dropping streak to Helias in its first assembly within the common season with a 16-25, 25-22, 25-14 victory at Rackers Fieldhouse. The Girl Jays then gained 25-17, 25-20 when the 2 met later at Fleming Fieldhouse.

However assembly No. Three was a very powerful of all. It was for a district title.

Jefferson Metropolis was the No. 1 seed within the Class Four District 12 Match in Warrensburg, one spot forward of Helias, which was in search of its sixth consecutive district championship. The 2 gained their semifinals to arrange a conflict for a berth within the state event.

The Girl Jays had been in a position to end off a season sweep of the Girl Crusaders to advance to the state event for the primary time since 2017 with a 25-20, 15-25, 25-21 victory.

Jefferson Metropolis dropped a two-set determination to Willard within the sectional spherical and completed the season with a file of 29-6-2.

III

They needed to work further time to get it accomplished.

The Jefferson Metropolis Jays had been hungry for a berth within the boys soccer postseason after not successful a district championship since capturing back-to-back titles in 2012-13. The defending district champion Rock Bridge Bruins had been standing of their approach as the 2 obtained set to satisfy for the crown in Columbia.

Jefferson Metropolis led 1-Zero on the half on a purpose by Ethan Blake earlier than Rock Bridge knotted the competition with about 12 minutes to go in regulation.

The 2 time beyond regulation durations had been scoreless and the competition headed to penalty kicks. The opening spherical of 5 shooters for every workforce led to a tie at Three to arrange sudden loss of life. Each groups missed within the sixth spherical and scored within the seventh. Jefferson Metropolis then tallied a rating in Spherical eight earlier than Rock Bridge’s shot went off the put up to provide the Jays the title.

Jefferson Metropolis then defeated Springfield Central 3-Zero within the sectionals earlier than falling 1-Zero to Lee’s Summit West within the quarterfinals.

The Jays ended the season with a file of 18-6, ranked No. eight within the remaining Missouri Excessive Faculty Soccer Coaches Affiliation ballot. Within the energy rankings by the MHSSCA that comes with knowledge corresponding to energy of schedule, Jefferson Metropolis completed No. 5 in Class 4.