There are many major stories in the Springfield area sports scene through 2025, and we’re excited to cover them. We’re already imagining what some of the biggest events will be.
We made eight predictions for this year, including championships, building renovations, and how Missouri’s program will compete when it moves to Conference USA.
Parkview Basketball defeats out-of-area teams at Bass Pro Tournament of Champions
The Vikings have fallen a little under the radar since they were eliminated from the Blue and Gold Tournament. We feel they will have a chance to prove themselves at the Tournament of Champions and could beat one of the top teams coming from outside the area in the tournament.
It may not be held on the opening day, when teams from the Springfield area typically play against the strongest teams in the field. Instead, there may be a repechage match on the second day. Parkview has the length and athleticism to trouble most teams, and coach Jack Simpson will have his team ready to go. It’s always special when one of Springfield’s teams can beat one of the teams SPS brings in.
More information: Springfield area high school basketball Super 10: Who’s No. 1 after the holiday tournament?
After winning the state championship two years in a row, this Lady Eagles team looks better than most and poised to win its third consecutive title.
Their impressive performance in winning the white division of the Pink and White Lady Classic makes you believe this is the team of destiny. The seniors, led by Brooke Daniels, Ashton Bell and Kamdyn Hart, appear to be playing the best of their careers. They are competing against some of the best teams in the state in a much larger class and will be well-prepared for when the Class 3 postseason begins.
In the Springfield area, all classes of boys basketball teams will play in the semifinals against Columbia.
This may be the boldest idea, but it’s very possible. In boys high school basketball, each class has a special team, and there is a possibility that all classes will be represented in the Columbia state semifinals.
Here are some suggestions:
Class 1: Chadwick Class 2: Norwood, Hartville Class 3: Greenwood, Fair Grove Class 4: Logan Rogersville, Strafford Class 5: Parkview, Central, Bolivar, Hillcrest Class 6: Kickapoo, Republic, Nixa
Cuonzo Martin leads Missouri State basketball to Friday’s Arch Madness finals
Throughout Martin’s first season back as head coach at Missouri State, the Bears experienced ups and downs. What is beyond question is the effort the Bears put into playing every game, which could lead to a win in Arch Madness on Thursday.
During the Bears’ last trip to St. Louis as a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, we wouldn’t be surprised if they developed into a nasty team that no one wanted to play in the Thursday round of the tournament. Dew. The Bears didn’t look like the favorite team, but an opening-day upset should be unthinkable by the end of the year.
Missouri announces plans to renovate gypsum stadium
It would not be surprising if new Missouri Athletic Director Patrick Ransdell announces plans to renovate Plaster Stadium in 2025. We expect any renovation plans to be phased in and may be accompanied by some concurrent athletics capital campaign. With the transition to Conference USA.
It’s no secret that the football program needs a number of facility upgrades, including locker rooms, meeting rooms, weight rooms, and new luxury boxes. The recruits have been teased with some plans, indicating the Bears are at least hopeful.
Ideally, the Bears would announce something like this around July 1, the day they officially join Conference USA.
Joey Hawkins will lead Missouri State baseball to historic offensive performance
Since Hawkins became the Bears’ hitting coach, the team has put up ridiculous offensive numbers. The lineup he will inherit as head coach should give him a chance to have one of the best offensive seasons in school history.
The returning lineup, which features Zach Stewart, Caden Bogenpoel, Nick Rodriguez, Callie Sutherland and Teg Gollert, is quite the haul. Adding a player like Oklahoma State transfer Max Knight would make it even better.
The biggest question remains his pitching ability. The Bears have a new pitching coach in Deck McGwire and hope his impact and new arm will be enough to get the Bears back into the NCAA Tournament.
Missouri State football doesn’t finish last in Conference USA debut
The Bears made their last run in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, giving them hope heading into Conference USA. However, transitioning to CUSA can be a little more difficult than many people think.
The Bears probably won’t be a top-tier team, but I expect them to be somewhat competitive and not finish last in the league. To do that, they need to win at least two games against FBS opponents, something they haven’t done since 1990.
Nixa football OL Jackson Cantwell chooses…
The biggest question surrounding the 2025 Athletics season in the Ozarks will be where Jackson Cantwell, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2026 class, chooses to play his college football. That decision needs to be made by the start of his senior year in late August.
Where do you think he will choose? Given the family ties, the aggressiveness Tigers coach Eli Drinkwitz has shown in his pursuit, and the state’s name, image and likeness laws that allow a 6-foot-8, 300-pound player to get paid. Many expect him to end up at Mizzou. If you participate in an in-state program, you will go on to high school.
Don’t exclude others. Georgia, Alabama, Nebraska and Oregon also appear to be very attractive to him. Programs like Ohio State and Michigan have a great track record of sneaking in and sending players to the NFL.
Cantwell is very wise and weighs the pros and cons of every option. Getting the most money doesn’t seem to be the most important thing to him. He will likely end up somewhere that will help advance his football career with the goal of eventually playing in the NFL.
