Which Missouri high school athlete had the best week?
Each week, SBLive scours the state for the top winter sports performers, from wrestling to basketball to hockey during the week of Jan. 27-Feb. 1.
Congrats to Ramello Smith from Raytown,who won last week’s SB Live Athlete of the week poll. He garnered 53.3% of the votes. He gave the Blue Jays a 64-63 win over Lee’s Summit on Wednesday in the Summit Grill Shootout by hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer.
Scroll down, read up on the nominees and cast your vote for your winner. Voting closes Sunday, Feb. 9 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.
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If you would like to make a nomination in a future weeks, email swanson@scorebooklive.com.
The Goldbugs’ senior guard had 37 points against Collegiate School of Med-Bio Science, 20 against Metro and then 31 against Dupo, Ill., in three games last week.
JennaBuzzanga, Knob Noster girls basketball
The forward had 15 points in a game against Concordia on Jan. 29 and led the Lady Panthers with 22 points in a 65-49 win against Leeton on Jan. 27.
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Lily Carr, Spokane girls basketball
In a 64-57 win against Pleasant Hope, the sophomore tallied a school-record 48 points.
Nevaeh Coffey, Incarnate Word girls basketball
The Indiana pledge scored a game-high 20 points to led the Red Knights to a 60-48 against Alton, Ill. That gave her 1,000 points in her career.
Jade Daniel, North Shelby boys basketball
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The 6-foot-2 senior helped the Raiders to a 77-50 win against Meadville on Friday and surpassed the 1,000-point mark in his career.
Kole Deck, Jackson boys basketball
The 6-foot-6 senior tallied 21 points against Ladue Horton Watkins on Jan. 31 and had 23 in a win against Cape Girardeau Notre Dame on Jan. 28.
Aaron Dillingham, Carl Junction boys wrestling
The Bulldogs claimed the first-ever Ozark Mountain Conference team championship and the sophomore was the first-ever Most Oustanding Wrestler. He outscored his foes 28-7 to win the 150-pound title on Saturday.
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Dominic Eakins, DeSoto boys wrestling
The sophomore improved to 31-5 with a 3-0 mark at the 47th DeSoto Bob Georger Classic on Saturday, winning the 144-pound bracket.
Roslyn Fiorino, West Plains girls swimming
The junior won the 100-yard backstroke, took second in the 100-yard freestyle and was part of a winning 200-yard medley relay team at the Ozark Mountain Conference championships.
Chaney Gray, Pleasant Hill girls basketball
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During a 54-40 win against Adrian on Jan. 28, the senior scored her 1,000th career point for the Chicks.
Devin Harrison, Liberty boys wrestling
The North Dakota commit won by a tech fall in the 132-pound finals of the George Hoover Invitational on Saturday. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Eli Herbert, Grain Valley boys basketball
The Liberty University pledge had a school-record 44 points in a 64-58 win over Fort Osage on Jan. 28 at the Grain Valley Invitational. He followed that up with 23 points in a win against Kansas City East Christian.
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Kaylee James, Carthage girls wrestling
The freshman improved to 31-1 on the year with a 3-0 run at the Central Ozark Conference championship on Jan. 31. She won the 130-pound title for the Lady Tigers.
Reyd Johnson, Leeton boys basketball
In the fifth-place game of the F&C Bank Cougar Classic, the senior tallied 47 points in the Bulldogs’ 64-59 win against Kansas City Lutheran.
Alyxandrea Keifert, Marshfield girls wrestling
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The senior took home first place in the 130-pound bracket with a win by pin in the Ozark Mountain Conference Tournament on Friday.
Brendan Matt, North Platte boys basketball
The junior tallied 28 points to help the Panthers beat Mound City in the first round of the North Platte Invitational on Jan. 28.
Callie McWilliams, South Shelby girls basketball
In a 64-57 win in overtime, Williams had a game-high 22 points and surpassed the 1,000-point mark for the Lady Cardinals.
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Missy Mizell, Lebanon girls swimming
At the Springfield Invitational on Saturday, the junior won the 50-yard freestyle with a new meet record (24.08), won the 100-yard backstroke with a school-record time of 58.85. She was also part of the 200-yard medley relay that also broke a school record.
Mya Pflasterer, Elsberry girls basketball
The William Woods signee scored 25 points in a 54-50 win against Louisiana on Jan. 29 in the Bowling Green Tournament. She surpassed the 1,000-point mark in that game as well.
Jalea Price, Maryville girls basketball
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A day after signing with North Central Missouri College, the senior scored her 1,000th point for the Spoofhounds on Thursday.
Avery Rausch, Lee’s Summit girls basketball
The Truman State pledge had a career-high 30 points against Bishop Miege on Feb. 1. She had 27 points in a win against Blue Springs on Jan. 30.
Tristan Reed, John Burroughs boys basketball
He hit 11 of 14 shots and tallied 24 points in a 72-53 win over Whitfield on Tuesday, surpassing 1,000 points in his career. He followed up with 26 versus Westminster Christian Academy.
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CJ Schmitten, Plattsburg boys wrestling
The freshman won the 106-pound bracket at the KCI Conference Tournament on Jan. 28, getting a pair of major decisions.
Carter Shipers, Chillicothe boys wrestling
He posted a 3-0 mark at the Macon Quad and secured his 150th career win during the event on Jan. 30 against Macon, North Callaway and Palmyra.
Ramello Smith, Raytown boys basketball
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The senior scored his 1,000th career point by dropping 28 in an 80-64 win against Kansas City Ruskin on Jan. 28.
Peyton Wiseman, Springfield Catholic girls basketball
The senior, a Louisiana Tech soccer signee, scored her 1,000th point on Jan. 28. She followed that with 23 points in a win against Conway on Jan. 30.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll are intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Gov. Mike Kehoe announced two gubernatorial appointments Friday to vacant positions in mid-Missouri counties.
Doug Miller, of California, Mo., was appointed as Moniteau County associate commissioner, district one.
Miller is a Moniteau County native who has worked as a middle school physical education and health teacher in the county for 27 years. Since 2021, he has worked as an office manager for Rackers Manufacturing and a bus driver for the California school district.
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Rodney Southard, of Rolla, was appointed as Maries County eastern district commissioner.
Southard is a fifth-generation Missouri farmer who previously worked as a support specialist for NEW Solutions and a surface water specialist for the U.S. Geological Survey. He is currently the chairman of MU Extension in Maries County.
Edge rusher turned out to be a strong position for the New Orleans Saints last season. Saints edge rushers combined for 28.5 sacks in 2025, with Chase Young and Cameron Jordan accounting for 20.5 sacks and 52 pressures. Jordan is currently a free agent and will be in his 16th season if he does return. This leads most believing that the team will pursue a young edge rusher in the draft. One option could be Missouri Tigers pass rusher Zion Young if this happens. Young is one of a handful of talented edge defenders that could still be on the board midway through the second day. Here is a closer look at the profile of perhaps one of the more underrated defenders in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Zion Young bio
Position: Edge
College: Missouri Tigers
Height: 6-feet, 6 inches
Weight: 262 pounds
Out of Westlake High School in Georgia, Young initially committed to the Michigan State Spartans in the Big Ten. He’d see limited playing time during eight games in 2022 but still managed a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss among 21 total stops. Young was much more involved for the Spartans in 2023, recording 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He’d enter the transfer portal after that season, landing with the Missouri Tigers in the SEC.
A stout Missouri defense was strengthened with Young’s addition. He contributed 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss among his 42 total stops in 2024. Last season, Young solidified his attention from NFL scouts. He led the Tigers with 16.5 tackles for loss, second best in the SEC, in addition to 6.5 sacks. Those numbers earned him 1st Team All-SEC honors.
Strengths
Prototype size and length for both 3-4 and 4-3 fronts
Displays good power and leverage on contact
Strength to muscle through double-teams
Sets the edge extremely well against the run
Keeps blockers off–balance with combination of speed and power
Sets up inside moves with good arm extension
Weaknesses
Inconsistent pass rush production
Lacks refined counter moves
Not a great bend around the outside of tackles
Must do a better job at disengaging for pursuit
Questionable agility for a stand-up edge rusher
Zion Young 2026 draft outlook
Most predictions have Young being selected in the second or third round. He does have the power and upside to be a surprise first round selection for the right scheme. While his agility and athleticism creates some questions, there is little doubt that he has the raw power and tenacity to be a defensive contributor.
New Orleans is expected to add an edge rusher within the first two days of the draft. With an emphasis on an improved run defense, Young could be a welcomed addition to their system as a strong side defender. Young’s upside as a pass rusher would govern how much he plays early, but he would likely be an immediate part of any defensive rotation along the outside.
KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
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Thousands showed up to Mill Creek Park on Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri, in a wave of protests across the country criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration.
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Thousands show up to protest current administration at KCMO ‘No Kings’ rally
Multiple protesters told KSHB 41 News they participated in the protest because they feel like it is the only way their voices can be heard.
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Sharon
“Congress is not working for us,” said Sharon, a protester at Mill Creek Park. “I have called my Congress people numerous times.”
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It was the third wave of ‘No Kings’ protests across the country since June 2025.
“I’ve been here for each of the ‘No Kings,’ and I’ll admit that I’m frustrated that I have to be back here again,” protester Carter Taylor said.
Taylor is a teacher for Kansas City Public Schools with AFT Local 691, and she said she showed up to represent her students.
“I hope that everyone here doesn’t just stay here today — that they donate to food banks, that they check in on their public schools,” Taylor said.
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Protesters marched on the Country Club Plaza in a wave of No Kings protests across the country on March 28, 2026.
Protesters held signs critiquing the current administration’s stances on tariffs, ongoing wars and immigration enforcement, among other things.
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Lonnie Beattle
“It means that people care,” protester Lonnie Beattle said. “People care about what’s going on in this country, and people are not happy with what’s going on in the country.”
