Mitch Coiner buried a three-pointer to open the scoring, and it was a Republic senior celebration the rest of the way. All six seniors scored as the Tigers waltzed to a 64-29 victory over Carthage, finishing the regular season 21-5, and clinching an outright championship in the Central Ozark Conference. They finished league play unbeaten for the first time since the COC expanded to two divisions. And because the league just expanded to nine teams this year, Republic becomes the first team ever to win eight COC Large games in a single season.
Treydon Rackley scored 20 points to lead the Tigers, but nearly everyone got in on the action. Ten different players scored for Republic, who led 31-12 at halftime.
Before the game, Republic honored the six seniors on the roster — Mitch Coiner, Caleb Singley, Ty Stevens, Devon Ward, and Cameron Doke.
“I couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve accomplished, especially in their senior season: to be undefeated in the COC, to be COC champs and go undefeated at home says a lot about them and how they’ve worked their entire careers at this point,” says coach Trevyor Fisher. “They are a ‘we’ type of team instead of an ‘I’ type of team. I don’t think there’s individual jealousy,” says Fisher. “They’re in it for the betterment of the entire team. They play that way offensively. They play that way defensively. They bought into everything that we’ve tried to do.”
Fisher says the players were focused, despite Carthage’s 7-15 record heading into the game, because they wanted the COC title all to themselves.
“That was our goal. We didn’t want to tie with anybody. I’m not sure when the last time a Republic team won the COC outright and undefeated, it’s been a long time. That’s something they can always remember.”
Republic opens district play next Tuesday in Nixa. They’ll meet the winner of the Carthage/Joplin opening-round game.
Scoring
Treydon Rackley 20, Hunter Creek 3, Mitch Coiner 3, Ty Stevens 6, Devon Ward 7, Cameron Doke 12, Broc Smith 5, Caleb Singley 4, Jeremy Geiger 2, Jaden DuVall2
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Crackerjack Shack Player of the Game
Republic’s six seniors capped their home basketball careers with a performance that was a perfect representation of what they’ve accomplished: tenacious defense, unselfish offense, and yet another victory. All six of them scored, and all six — Treydon Rackley, Mitch Coiner, Ty Stevens, Devon Ward, Cameron Doke, and Caleb Singley — are our Crackerjack Shack Players of the Game.
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