Zumwalt West, Kickapoo both enter final game with something to prove
COLUMBIA, MO — Today’s 12 p.m. third place game between Fort Zumwalt West and Springfield Kickapoo features two teams with very different takes from the norm as far as the final game of the season goes.
Rather then slink away into the offseason without a shot at a state title, both the Jaguars and Chiefs will be looking to put an exclamation on pretty solid seasons.
“We’re here and now we’ve got to play for third,” Zumwalt West coach Monica Tritz said. “That’s what I was trying to explain to the girls. You have to come out and be ready to play for third. As long as our last game is a ‘W’, I think we can all go home and smile a little bit.”
Thursday offered Zumwalt West very little chance to smile as the Jags fell behind 9-0 on the way to a 55-36 loss to Incarnate Word Academy (29-1).
IWA was led by 19 points from Chloe Nelson while Jazmin Hitchens added 18.
“I definitely think we’re better than what we played tonight,” Tritz said. “I could give you 25 excuses (for the rough start) but I am not going to.”
In the loss, Zumwalt West committed 22 turnovers to Incarnate’s six.
Kelsey Jones led Zumwalt West with 14 points. Katelyn Kingsborough added eight points while Jasmine and Janna Swopshire added five points apiece.
“We’ve got two seniors who have done a tremendous job for us in their careers,” Tritz said. “We’re going to come out hard tomorrow and play for them.”
While Zumwalt West couldn’t survive an early blitz, the Jags opponent Friday had control of its semifinal before letting a loss to Blue Springs slip away by a 52-41 score.
Up five at 43-38 with 6 minutes, 37 seconds left to play, Blue Springs (26-3) outscored Kickapoo 14-3 in a final push that made the difference.
“You know, coming out in a noon game, we’re going to come out with the same intensity we did today,” Kickapoo’s Casey Carroll said. “The coaching staff has prepared us and it’s a big deal. We’re going to pull it out.”
Carroll led Kickapoo (24-6) with 13 points while Annie Armstrong added 11 points.
This season, Kickapoo has been led by Carroll (5-foot-10) and her 12.7 points per game average.
Also, Kickapoo has a pair of double digit scorers in senior forward Makenzie Smith (5-11) at 12.3 points per game and junior Jordan Graham (5-9) at 10.4 points a game.
For Kickapoo’s coach, Friday’s game will feature two teams looking for redemption to end their respective seasons.
“I think both teams are in the same boat here,” Kickapoo co-coach Stephanie Phillips said. “These are two teams that would rather not be playing in the noon game tomorrow. I think it goes both ways.”
The teams have two common opponents this season in St. Joseph’s Academy and Columbia-Rock Bridge. Zumwalt West was 0-3 against those teams while Kickapoo was 1-2.
Zumwalt West fell twice to the Angels by scores of 65-50 Feb. 6 and 45-44 Feb. 16 as well as dropping a 47-32 decision to Rock Bridge Feb. 5.
Kickapoo fell to St. Joe’s 63-47 in the season opener Dec. 6 and 44-38 to Rock Bridge on Jan. 23 before rebounding to beat Rock Bride 41-24 in a state quarterfinal game March 6.
This is the first trip for Zumwalt West to the state tournament while Kickapoo is here for the sixth time, never having finished fourth.
Popularity: unranked
