Jock 98.7 Top 100 Southwest Missouri Athletes
Springfield Jock 98.7
Top 100 Southwest Missouri Athletes
Advertisement
No. 15 John Howard, Springfield
Springfield native John Howard has been a member of three Olympic cycling teams
and represented the United
States for 12 years as a member of the national team. In his 30-year
career as a cyclist, he has won 12
national championships in 3 separate categories: road racing, cyclo-cross and
off-road mountain bike racing.
John won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia in 1971,
becoming America’s first
international road racing champion. He held the world land speed record of 152
mph for 11 years, and still
holds the world 24-hour endurance record of 539 miles.
Among his many other victories are the 1,000-mile Tour de Baja; the Tour of
Newfoundland; Tour de Neuville,
France; the Willston Handicap on the Isle of Man; and third overall in the
Nissan Tour of Ireland. In 1980,
he switched his career to triathlon, winning the Ironman World Championship a
year later. In 1989, he
was inducted into the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame, and he is also a member of
the Springfield and Missouri
Sports Halls of Fame.
No. 16 Melody Howard, Marshfield High School
Melody was the first superstar women’s basketball player whose high-profile
career coincided with the
rise of the sport to prominence in southwest Missouri. The Marshfield High
School teams she led set a
still-standing state record of 102 wins in a row between 1987 and 1990, winning
three consecutive state
championships. Melody scored 2,155 points over her high school career with the
Lady Jays.
She went on to become the top three-point shooter in Missouri Valley Conference
history, as the leading
scorer on the first Lady Bears’ teams to reach the NCAA tournament and capture
the hearts of Ozarks fans.
Melody’s freshman year, SMS won its first-ever NCAA game, losing in the
second round to Tennessee. Her
sophomore year, they went to the Final Four, and Melody made all-Gateway
Conference first team. She
was first team all-Missouri Valley Conference her junior and senior years, and
finished her career as
the school’s all-time leading scorer with 1,944 points. She still ranks first
in Valley history in
3-pointers made, with 258, and her single game record of 11-threes is also a
conference record. All four
SMS teams on which she played won conference regular season and tournament
titles, and reached the NCAAs,
with the 1993 team making it to the Sweet 16.
After her Lady Bears career, Melody went on to play for Denver of the women’s
American Basketball League.
She is a member of the SMS, Missouri Valley and Missouri Sports Halls of Fame,
and is one of three
women’s players to have her SMS uniform number retired.
No. 17 Scott Bailes, Parkview High School
Scott was a Parkview High School baseball standout that went on to a substantial
major league career as a
left-handed relief pitcher. After pitching junior college ball, and the 1981
season with coach Bill Rowe’s SMS Bears, Scott was drafted by the Pittsburgh
Pirates, but made it to the big leagues in 1986 with the Cleveland Indians,
winning 10 games that year. He remained with the Indians for 4 full seasons,
then spent 3 years with the California Angels. Arm
injuries shortened his first professional career, but after returning to
Springfield and spending several
years in private business, he made a comeback with the Texas Rangers in 1998,
and pitched two more seasons.
Now permanently retired from professional baseball, he lives in Springfield and
continues to play in adult leagues.
No. 18 Mark Bailey, Glendale High School
Glendale graduate Mark Bailey was one of the most versatile and dominant
athletes of the late 70s and
early 80s in SW Missouri. He became a basketball starter for the Falcons of
coach Jack Roberts his
junior year, and helped Glendale reach the state quarter-finals, where they lost
to a St. Louis DeSmet
team led by future Mizzou star Steve Stipanovich. That same year, the
hard-hitting Bailey led the
Falcons to a state baseball championship.
He played both sports at SMS, lettering three years in both baseball and
basketball. Mark helped the
baseball Bears to their last two NCAA Division II regional appearances, in 1980
and ’82, when they
advanced to the Division II World Series in Riverside, Calif., in Bill Rowe’s
final season as coach. Playing
both infield and designated hitter, Bailey was a Division II All-America as a
junior in ’82, and
finished his college career with a .369 batting average, 167 hits and 146 RBIs.
He played on coach
Bill Thomas’ final SMS basketball team, and for Bob Cleeland’s first team in
1981, the Bears’ last year in
Division II. In 73 games, he scored 503 points and recorded 315 rebounds.
Mark was drafted by the Houston Astros in 1982, was converted to a catcher, and
made it to the major
leagues in just 2 years. He played in 340 big-league games with the Astros and
Giants. His best season was
1985, when he hit .265 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs. Mark has remained in
the Houston organization, and now
is serving as the Astros’ bullpen coach. He’s a member of the SMS Athletics
Hall of Fame.
No. 19 Jason Pyrah, Willard High School
Willard native Jason became a world class distance
runner, competing in two Olympics. In high school, in
1987, he won the 800, the 1600 and the 3200-meter runs
in class 3A. He still owns the two fastest metric
mile times in state history, with a record of 4:03.54,
which was the fastest high school time in the country
in ’87. His best 800-meter time in high school, a
minute-51 and a quarter, is still a 3A state record as
is his best 3200-meter time of 9:07.48.
In college, at Brigham Young, he was a 6-time
All-America in cross country and track, and finished
fourth in the 1500 meters at the 1992 NCAA
championships. He was an Academic All-America as
well, and was a 2-time national champion in the indoor
mile. In 1996, he finished third in the Olympic
trials and competed in the games in Japan, and was
second in the 2000 U.S. trials, finishing 10th in the
1500-meter finals in Sydney.
No. 20 Steve Warren, Kickapoo High School
Steve was one of the top football linemen Springfield
has ever produced, helping lead Kickapoo to its
deepest advancement in the playoffs, the class 5A
semifinals, in 1995. Steve was named a first-team
All-American and the Midlands Region defensive player
of the year by the National Recruiting Advisor. He
earned first-team all-state honors in both his junior
and senior years. Steve also lettered two years in
basketball, and was the 1996 state champion in the
shot put, setting a school record that year of
55-feet-7 ¼.
He then went on to letter four years at Nebraska,
making first team all-Big 12 and second team
All-America his senior year of 1999. Steve holds the
Cornhuskers’ record for most passes broken up by a
defensive lineman, with 10 in his career. He went in
for the injured Jason Peter in the 1997 Big 12
Championship game and had 5 stops in the Huskers’ win
over Texas A&M. He had 6 tackles in the 2000 Fiesta
Bowl vs. Tennessee, anchoring a defensive line that
included fellow Missourian Grant Wistrom.
Steve was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay
Packers, and played for them during the 2001 and ’03
seasons. He is currently living in Lincoln, NB and
awaiting another NFL opportunity.
No. 21 Jerry Anderson, Marshfield High School
Jerry came to SMS from Marshfield and lettered four
years each in basketball and track between 1951 and
’55. He was a track standout as a long jumper, high
jumper and sprinter, but it was as a guard in
basketball that he achieved the most stardom, both for
himself and for his school. He played for the Bears
in three NAIA national tournaments, including the
back-to-back championship teams of 1952 and ’53. He
was named Most Valuable Player at the national
tournament in both 1953 and in ’54, when SMS finished
third. Jerry received the NAIA Sportsmanship Award in
1955. He was a 2-time all-America selection.
In 1971, he was named to the NAIA all-time
all-tournament team, and in 1987, he was selected for
the NAIA 50th anniversary all-tournament team. Jerry
finished his SMS career with 1,000 points, which was
2nd in school history at the time. He was part of the
inaugural class of the SMS Athletics Hall of Fame in
1975, and is one of three players in Bears history to
have his jersey number retired.
No. 22 Jason Whittle, Camdenton High School
Jason came to SMS after an all-state high school
football career at Camdenton. Coach Bob Shore’s
Lakers made one of their regular playoff appearances
in Jason’s junior year of 1992. Recruited by coach
Jesse Branch at SMS, Whittle started his college
career as a defensive tackle, but moved to the
offensive line his sophomore season and was a 3-year
starter. He was a 2-time Gateway Conference
all-academic selection, and in 1995 received the
Arthur Briggs Award as the football Bears’ top
scholar-athlete. Jason was a co-captain in his senior
year of 1997.
He signed with the N.Y. Giants in 1998, originally as
a deep-snapping specialist, but soon moved into
regular duty on the offensive line. He was a starting
tackle during the 2001 Super Bowl against Baltimore,
marking the first time an SMS football product had
played in the NFL championship game. Before the
current season, he signed as a free agent with Tampa
Bay and is currently playing for the world champion
Buccaneers.
No. 27 Bill Thomas, Buffalo High School
Bill had one of the most-enduring and accomplished
athletic careers in SMS history. He was the leader of
coach Eddie Matthews’ 1949 Buffalo High School team
that won the last one-class state championship in
Missouri history, beating Kansas City Rockhurst in the
finals. After one season at Westminster College in
Fulton, Thomas became a 3-year starting guard for the
Bears. SMS was the 1951 MIAA runner-up, and went on
to win league titles each of the next two years,
winning back-to-back NAIA national championships.
Thomas was a 2-time all-conference selection under
coach Bob Vanatta, and was an NAIA All-America in
1953. That year, he was one of the Fabulous Four,
which defeated Indiana State in the national
semifinals playing the last three minutes of the game
with only four men on the floor against the Sycamores’
five. It was dribbling and free throw shooting by
Thomas, the only SMS starter still in the game, that
propelled the Bears to victory.
After his playing days, Bill stayed at the school as
assistant coach, then began a 16-year career at Bears’
head coach in 1964 and is the 2nd winningest coach in
SMS history with 265 victories and 8 conference
championships, more than any other coach in MIAA
history. Three of his teams finished as national
runners-up in NCAA Division II, and he was the 1974
national coach of the year. He is a member of the SMS
Athletics Hall of Fame, the Springfield Area Sports
Hall of Fame and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
No. 28 Rusty Medearis, Ozark High School
Rusty was one of the best major college football
players to come out of the Ozarks after his career in
Ozark. He was a 2-time all-state selection and a USA
Today honorable mention as a SR. He was also a 2 time
all Ozarks selection, he earned the Central Ozarks Conference MVP award as a
Jr and Sr and was named all conference as an
offensive guard. Rusty was a 4 year letterman in
football, and he won 2 varsity letters in baseball,
track and basketball. In basketball he averaged 22
pts and 15 boards his senior season.
At the University of Miami, he spent a redshirt year
in 1989. In 1990, in his very first start vs Texas
Tech, all he did was get recognized by Sports
Illustrated as its defensive player of the week…all he
did in that game was sack the QB 5.5 times, a career
high, record 12 tackles, a career high 9 solo tackles, three assists and one QB
pressure. In 1992, his junior
season was ended by an injury to his knee, which
required reconstructive surgery and he sat out all of
the 1993 season. After the surgery on his knee, Rusty
earned his degree from Miami. Athlete #28….Rusty
Medearis.
No. 29, Greg Cavener, Parkview High School
No. 30 Don Faurot, Mt. Grove
No. 31 Larry Phillips
No. 32--Danny Bolden, Central High School
No. 33--Rod Kanehl, Senior High School
No. 34--Preston Ward, Senior High School
No. 35--Dale Long
No. 36 Donnie Smith
No. 37--Gary "Peanut" Adams, Springfield Central High School
No. 38--Earl Denny, Golden City High School
No. 39--Bevo Looney, Central High School
No. 40--Tina Robbins, Joplin High School
No. 41--Chuck Williams, Buffalo High School
No. 42--Keith Drumright, Hillcrest High School
No. 43--Jimmie Dull, Buffalo High School
No. 44--Matt Miller, Parkview High School
No. 45--Christie Freeman
No. 46--Mitch Ware, Aurora High School
No. 47--Bobby Detherage, Hillcrest High School
No. 48--Jackie Jewsbury, Kickapoo High School
No. 49----Jeanette Tendai, Glendale High School
No. 50----Cathy Reynolds
No. 51----TOM TALBOT, Springfield Senior High School
No. 52---PAUL MULLINS, Mt. Vernon High School
No. 53---RHONDA BLADES-BROWN, Parkview High School
No. 54---Tara Mitchem, Glendale High School
No. 55---Tom Shultz, Glendale High School
No. 56---Stan Utley, West Plains High School
No. 57---Gerald Perry, Springfield Senior High School
No. 58---Dennis Heim, Monett High School
No. 59---Virgle Frederick, Parkview High School, Drury
No. 60---Carl Reese, Springfield Central High School
No. 61---Kevin Parsons, Glendale High School
No. 62---Bill Helfrecht, Glendale High School
No. 63---Anne Cain, Springfield Glendale
No. 64---Michelle Langsford-Dickemann, Springfield Central
No. 65 Larue Savage
No. 66---Mark Smith, Webb City High School
No. 67----DARRELL PAUL, Bradleyville High School
No. 68 Kelly Snider, Hillcrest High School
No. 69, Bill Jasinski, Parkview High School
No. 70, David Pike, Central High School
No. 71, Joanie French, Parkview High School
No. 72, Mr. Jim Ewing
No. 73, Chris Zinn, West Plains High School
No. 74, Dean Roper
No. 75, J.H. "Speedy" Collins
No. 76, Ken Lanning
No. 77, Jeff Pigg, Rogersville
No. 78, Gail Fredrick, Drury College
No. 79, Manny Oliver, Springfield Central High School
No. 80, Henry May, Monett High School
No. 81, Gary Garner, West Plains High School
No. 82, Ann Cook, Glendale High School
No. 83, Sonny Stringer, Willow Springs High School
No. 84, Bruce Hollowell
No. 85, Stu Dunlop, Parkview High School
No. 86, Bill Stringer, Central High School
No. 87, Cindy Henderson-Snead
No. 88, Doug Middleton, Kickapoo High School
No. 89 Flora Mitchell
No. 90 Denver Dixon, Springfield Central High School
No. 91 Lynn Nance, Granby High School
No. 92 Don Carlson, Republic
No. 93 Melissa Grider Sadler, Marshfield
No. 94 Karenssa Barr, West Plains High School
No. 95 Jodie Adams, Parkview High School
No. 96 David Combs, Bradleyville High School
No. 97 Mary Jo Wynn, Hartville
No. 98 Penny Clayton, Hillcrest
No. 99 Charlie Campbell, Ava
No. 100 Kellen Allen, Springfield Hillcrest
For the most comprehensive coverage of Missouri High School athletics on the
net, try MOsports.com premium coverage today!
MoSports.com has set the precedent for the state's sports and recruiting
coverage on the Internet. Following are just a few reasons to subscribe to
MoSports.com:
The best updates: Stay updated on sports and recruiting coverage in
the state that is second to none!
Premium Message Forums: An exclusive members only message board
where you can ask the MoSports.com experts questions.
here to join the MOsports.com Community Today