Playoff-bound Moniteau boys basketball denies rival Karns City berth in District 9 tournament
CHERRY TWP — Not many people outside of Moniteau’s gym were talking about the Warriors when the 2025-26 boys basketball season began.
They are now.
Behind 19 points from senior guard Andrew Zepeda and a defense that forced 21 turnovers in the final three quarters, Moniteau kept arch-rival Karns City from qualifying for the District 9 Class 3A playoffs with a 49-41 victory Wednesday on the Warriors’ floor.
Moniteau improved to 15-6 on the season and will be a major player in the district’s Class 2A tournament, which begins next week.
“We were tired of people not paying attention to us,” said senior forward Brendin Sankey, who scored 12 points in Wednesday’s victory. “This season put us back on the map. It was one of our goals at the start of the year.”
Moniteau weathered an early storm as Karns City (10-12) jumped out to a 17-5 lead.
“We came in ready to go, and I expected nothing less,” KC coach Jalen Price said. “All of our guys knew the situation (needing to win to extend the season).”
Sankey’s bucket with 6:20 left in the second quarter jumpstarted a 14-5 run that had the Warriors trailing by just three points at halftime, 22-19.
After committing just a single turnover in the first period, taking care of the ball became increasingly difficult for the Gremlins as Moniteau’s defense began to assert itself.
“It starts with our guards, Ian Ross and Andrew Zepeda,” Moniteau coach Jake Jewart said. “They fly all over the place and do a great job of applying pressure.
“It took us a while to adjust to the physicality of tonight’s game.”
The lead changed hands three times in the third period, but the Warriors went on top for good when Zepeda’s conventional three-point play gave his team a 30-28 edge with 2:46 left in the quarter, which ended with KC staring at a 37-29 deficit.
Cole Johnston, who paced KC with 17 points, hit a 3-pointer to bring the Gremlins to within 44-41 with 2:41 remaining, but Karns City did not score again.
“We have no seniors on the team and had young guards out there tonight going up against a senior-laden opponent,” said Price, who watched his team start the season 8-3 before losing nine of its last 11.
“Our guys never lost confidence,” Price said. “A season has highs and lows. We began the season well, but weren’t able to get it done in the second half of the year.”
Conversely, Moniteau has won six of its last seven contests.
Before the District 9 playoffs, the Warriors will compete in the KSAC tournament as the No. 4 seed and will face top-seeded Clarion at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Clarion University’s Tippin Gymnasium.
The conference tourney will have no bearing on seedings for the district playoffs.
“We don’t have a very strong tradition with boys basketball here at Moniteau,” Jewart said. “To have the opportunity to play a great team like Clarion in a great atmosphere, I’m looking forward to it.
“To see us come together this season, and be able to compete with good teams, I’m very proud of our guys.”
KARNS CITY 41
Bryce Galan 2 1-6 6, Cole Johnston 8 0-0 17, Xavier Bartoe 2 0-0 5, Trevor Geibel 1 2-2 4, Josh Peters 2 2-2 6, Trevor Rumbaugh 1 0-0 3, Keagan Schrecengost 0 0-0 0, Owen Kaufman 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 5-10 41.
MONITEAU 49
Ian Ross 1 1-4 3, Brendin Sankey 3 6-8 12, Dawson Cook 4 1-2 11, Andrew Zepeda 6 7-7 19, Carson Minnear 1 0-0 2, Brennan Kelly 1 0-0 2, Weston Cook 0 0-2 0, Corbin Fallen 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 15-23 49.
Karns City 13 9 7 12 — 41
Moniteau 5 14 18 12 — 49
3-point goals: Karns City 4 (Galan, Johnston, Bartoe, Rumbaugh); Moniteau 2 (D.Cook 2).
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Karns City and Moniteau battle over possession of the ball in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Karns City’s Cole Johnston (11) shoots a 3-pointer in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Karns City’s Bryce Galan (3) passes the ball in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Karns City’s Bryce Galan (3) passes the ball in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Brendin Sankey (5) takes it to the rim in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Dawson Cook (24) blows a kiss towards the student section after defeating Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Weston Cook (20) takes it to the rim against Karns City in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Brendin Sankey (5) shoots a 3-pointer against Karns City in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Andrew Zepeda (30) dribbles the ball past Karns City’s Xavier Bartoe (23) in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Karns City’s Bryce Galan (3) dribbles the ball past Moniteau’s Carson Minnear (4) in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau’s Carson Minnear (4) dribbles the ball past Karns City’s defense in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau defeated Karns City 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Karns City’s Cole Johnston (11) hugs Moniteau’s Brendin Sankey (5) after Karns City fell to Moniteau 49-41 in a boys basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at Moniteau High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
