BOYS BASKETBALL
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CHRISTIAN 76, FAITH BIBLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (ROSEMOND, ILL.) 40: Tommy Kunz got the basketball season off to a flying start by scoring a career-high 40 points as MVCS took its opener at the home of Faith Bible. Kunz now has 1,777 points for his MVCS career, which started in eighth grade.
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The Warriors led from the opening tip, leading 18-11, 32-23, and 56-35 after the first three quarters, then outscored the Falcons 20-5 in the fourth quarter en route to the win.
Schneider has coached for 35 years and he said he doesn't remember any player around this area who topped 2,000 points, Tommy Kunz will top that total, barring any injury. Coach Schneider said he will keep the public aware of Tommy's progress to the 2,000-point plateau.
"It takes kind of perfect circumstances for someone to get to 2,000 points in high school," Schneider said. “We were down when Tommy joined the varsity and he started in eighth grade. He became our go-to scorer almost immediately. We are a small Christian school and we have our ups and downs but Tommy and Joey Kunz have helped us get back to where we want to be as a team. Tommy and Joey are in the gym every night for an hour or two after practice, practicing."
The coach pointed out that in the COVID-19-shortened season MVCS only played 17 games, so Tommy Kunz's feat even with eighth-grade participation is incredible.
Tommy is an exceptional student and has made straight-As in his MVCS career and may end up as senior class valedictorian, Coach Schneider said. Tommy plans an engineering career and the coach is uncertain about where he will eventually go to school or his basketball status.
Tommy Kunz and Joey Kunz are both powerhouse players for MVCS. Schneider said the pair "simply outwork" everyone else and set a great example for the other players.
Cam Golike added 13 points for MVCS, while both Joey Kunz and Drew Gaworski had 11 points each and Peyton Wright had a single point. Stephen Hardwick led Faith with 19 points.
The Warriors start the season off 1-0 and play at Eagle Ridge Christian in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Friday night at 6:30 p.m.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
FAITH BIBLE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (ROSEMOND, ILL.) 49, MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CHRISTIAN 38: Faith Bible started out on the right foot in the opening quarter, with MVCS coming back to within three points at three-quarter time before falling to the Falcons in the season opener at MVCS.
Faith led after the first quarter 16-12, then extended the lead at halftime to 29-22 before the Warriors cut the lead after three to 33-30, but the Falcons outscored MVCS in the fourth 16-8 to pull away for the win.
Anna Gaworski led the Warriors with 19 points, while Audrey Crowe had 12 points, Jessie Huels scored five points and Sarah Markel had two points. Grace Jeffrey led Faith with 19 points, while Katie Christer added 17 points.
MVCS girls open its season 0-1 and travel to Cape Girardeau, Mo. to play Eagle Ridge Christian Friday evening at 5 p.m.
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