Sports

Body CLEVELAND – Orrick varsity track and field coach Kirk Thacker had a hunch about sophomore Jonathon Harris when the season began. “I told him …, ‘I think you could make a pretty good jumper and pretty good hurdler,’” Thacker said.

Body RICHMOND – Coach Nick Persell knew his Spartans needed to win at least one of this week’s games with Holden for an outright Missouri River Valley Conference East Division varsity baseball championship.

Body WARRENSBURG – The Spartans are Missouri River Valley Conference East Division Tournament champions again in boys golf.

Body RICHMOND – Orrick golf coach Mitch Comstock saw something that was “definitely good” April 29 from Maddox Peterson and Jacob McElwee at the Richmond Invitational.

Body HIGGINSVILLE – A flesh wound could not stop Richmond senior Evan Vandiver from winning the boys 800-meter run Tuesday at the Missouri River Valley Conference East track and field championships at Lafayette County of Higginsville.

Body RICHMOND – A seventh-inning rally Tuesday, capped by Jack Gogue’s monster walk-off RBI hit and celebratory bat and helmet flips, put the Spartans a game closer to clinching the Missouri River Valley Conference East Division baseball title.

Body EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – The wind befriended Kaylee Pugh at last week’s Mineral Water Classic when the Richmond sophomore ran her leg of the 400-meter relay. Taking the baton from leadoff runner Abrey Oldham, Pugh zipped down the straightaway.

Body RICHMOND – Richmond coach Murray Dennis wished his Spartans would have given the three seniors on their varsity boys golf team a better sendoff Monday. Monday was Senior Day, with the Spartans facing Knob Noster and Orrick in a triangular at Shirkey Golf Course.

Body RICHMOND – After playing in a triangular with Richmond and Knob Noster on Monday at Shirkey Golf Course, Orrick first-year high schooler Jeffrey Singleton said he needs more practice. “Practice means progress,” Singleton said.

Body I disagree with Paul Williams and Roger Nichols. Long ago, Williams and Nichols were occasional songwriting collaborators.