Thunderbirds trio selected for Eastern Missouri Conference team

The North Callaway boys didn’t have them on the floor in every game this season but were hard to stop when their three all-conference players were available.

Senior Matthew Weber and juniors Sam Pezold and Isiah Craighead each averaged double-digit scoring and impacted the game in several other ways for a North Callaway team that finished 16-13 and as district champions for the first time since 1999. The trio were each selected to the Eastern Missouri Conference team for their efforts.

Weber had the most impressive season to earn a first-team all-conference nod despite sitting out the first five games with an ankle issue. He led the team in scoring at 18.2 points per game along with averaging 3.9 rebounds and two steals and finishing with a 37 percent field goal percentage, a team-high 55 3-pointers made and a team-best 74 percent free throw percentage.

Back in early January, Weber scored his 1,000th career point in a 53-42 win against South Callaway and then reached a new milestone later in the season. In the first round of districts against New Bloomfield, when the Thunderbirds won 71-40, Weber became the school’s all-time leading scorer to break a record that was owned by Mike Love from 1972-75.

Earning second-team all-conference spots were Pezold and Craighead as they were the second and third leading scorers on the team. Pezold averaged 13 points, 4.6 rebounds, a team-high 2.5 steals, shot 37 percent from the floor, made 48 3-pointers and finished 66 percent on free throws. Craighead had to sit out seven games after sustaining a concussion but finished with averages of 10.2 points and 6.5 rebounds and shot 61 percent from the floor and 72 percent on free throws.

Ladybird duo leads for second straight season to two all-EMO selections

The North Callaway girls program has been on an upward trajectory the last few years.

After going 5-17 two seasons ago, North Callaway has posted records of 11-14 and 15-12 this season. Sophomore Natalie Shryock and junior Riley Blevins led the Ladybirds of last year and earned all-conference nods then and did the same this year to be selected for the Eastern Missouri Conference team again.

Shryock was named to the first team after being the team’s leading scorer at 13.3 points per game and averaging 3.9 rebounds and two steals. She led the team in 3-pointers made at 71 at a 34 percent clip while Blevins made a still numerous 42 for the second-most at a team-high 37 percent from 3-point territory. Shryock also led the team with a 79 percent performance at the free throw line.

For Blevins, she averaged 11.7 points to be the second Ladybird to average double figures while averaging four rebounds, 4.3 assists and four steals for a solid all-around game and a second-team all-EMO selection. She shot 43 percent from the floor and 66 percent from the free throw line.