By the Numbers

21.5

Alex Johnson set a school record in the 200 meters at the Republic Relays on April 30, running a 21.5 to break the previous mark of 22.21 that had stood since 2018. That’s more than seven-tenths of a second off an eight-year-old record — on his home track, in his own meet. Johnson also anchored the 4×100 relay in a record-breaking performance at the COC meet.

No. 1

Fair Grove’s Class 3 state ranking when Republic baseball walked off the field with a 5-3 win on May 7. The Eagles came in 19-4 and sitting at the top of the Class 3 polls. The Tigers came in 7-21, carrying an 11-game losing streak. Gabe Benjamin got the ball and went six innings to earn the win.

First

The Lady Tigers captured the program’s first conference championship this season, sharing the Central Ozark Conference West title with Webb City and Willard. Coach Jesus Zuniga’s first year at Republic ended 8-13. Three years later: 15-9 and a title.

101

Pitches from Gabe Benjamin in the Fair Grove win — 58 of them strikes. He worked six innings, scattered 9 hits, held the state’s top-ranked team to 3 runs, and struck out 6.

28-5

Republic’s goal differential across Central Ozark Conference West play — the best of the three teams that shared the division title. Webb City finished at 25-7. Willard at 16-4. Republic made the strongest case for the championship even in a three-way split.

21-3

Lucas Riffe’s regular-season singles record as a sophomore. His only losses came against the same Joplin player. He led the team to an 8-7 record before Joplin ended its district run, then qualified for the Class 3 state individual tournament — where he had more history to make.

10

Shutouts this season for goalkeeper Awbree Berning and the Republic soccer defense. The defense hit double digits in shutouts with a clean sheet in the 8-0 win at Parkview on May 12, the final regular-season game.

2

Events Avery Rossow won at the Republic Relays: shot put (10.84 meters) and discus (33.01 meters). The senior swept both throws at her home track, putting up one of the best individual performances of the day.

9-7

The tiebreaker score in Lucas Riffe’s opening match at the Class 3 state tournament — the first boys singles state match win in Republic tennis history. He trailed 2-4 in the second set, fought back to force a tiebreaker, then saved two set points before winning the final three points to take it 9-7 over Aristen Malone of Francis Howell Central.

23

Seconds between Paige Elsenraat’s two goals against Parkview in the second half — both assisted by Andie Wistrom, back-to-back in less than half a minute. Macey Mitchell added two more in 37 seconds in the same stretch.

9th

Riffe’s final placement at the Class 3 state tournament, as a sophomore. He won his first-round match in historic fashion, then drew the No. 1 seed — Pembroke Hill’s David Bell — in the quarterfinals and lost 6-3, 6-3. He’s the second Republic player to qualify for state singles and the first to win there.

3

Consecutive seasons the Lady Tigers have finished with double-digit wins. Republic went 8-13 in Zuniga’s first year. They’ve cleared double digits every season since.

4

Republic fishing boats that placed in the top 10 at Lake of the Ozarks across the April 25-26 weekend — the team’s best weekend of the season. Brake and Verstraete went 4th of 146 boats on Saturday (15.65 lbs). Delahay and Ferguson placed 2nd of 184 boats on Sunday (15.71 lbs). Edwards and Hicks went 6th. Dishman and Delahay were 7th.