Southland honors senior athletes at double-header against Marmaduke

CARDWELL, Mo. - As the Rebels enter the final stretch of their regular season, Southland High School recognized their senior athletes.

The Rebels would face off against Marmaduke High School from Arkansas in a girls and boys basketball double-header.

Marmaduke would spoil both games, defeating the girl's team 57-14 and the boy’s team 52-43.

For the boys, Southland’s Elijah Finkbeiner would be their leading scorer with 10 points. On the girl’s side, senior Kylie Walker led Southland with nine points.

In between the two games, six Southland senior athletes were honored in front of their home fans. Cayson McCallister was the first senior to be recognized on the night.

McCallister, a cheerleader, has been attending Southland since she was in pre-school. Along with cheer, McCallister also competes for the school’s volleyball team.

She was recently nominated to be on the school’s homecoming court, and she said decorating for homecoming is her favorite memory of high school.

While she enters the second half of her final year, McCallister advises her underclassmen with wisdom and gratitude.

“If it hurts, don’t do it,” McCallister said. “I learned that the hard way.”

She thanked her parents for their support, her friends for making this journey enjoyable and her coaches for pushing her to be her best.

Kainan Baugus, a four-year basketball player and member of the Rebels' baseball team, was the next senior recognized.

He said his favorite memory from this year was beating Tri-County rivals Cooter and Holcomb by double-digits in the same week.

On Dec. 10, the Rebels fought off Cooter for a 54-40 win. Three days later, they would outscore the Hornets 78-48. These two wins were part of a six-game win streak in December. In fact, in the entire month of December, the Rebels only lost two games.

His words of advice for underclassmen were as simple as “Don’t stop believing.”

Baugus showed appreciation to his parents for making him the man he is today and his friends for helping him keep a smile through the hard times.

Trace Gibson would be the second of three boys basketball players recognized. As the power center player, Gibson was an All-District returner this year for the Rebels in his fourth season on the team. He also plays baseball for the Rebels in the spring.

He has a similar message as Baugus for the Southland underclassmen, “Don’t lose confidence.”

In concluding his time at Southland, Gibson thanks his coach, parents and teammates for being like brothers to him.

Jeremiah McMinn has been the Rebel’s starting point guard since his freshman season. Now as a senior, he is one of the team’s go-to shooters.

“Nothing will replace this time of your life,” McMinn told his underclassmates. “Live it fearlessly.”

McMinn thanks his father, who he said taught him everything he knows.

Walker was the final senior recognized in front of the home Southland fans. The only senior on the girl’s basketball team, Walker was a major factor in bringing girl’s basketball back in 2021 after a 20-plus-year hiatus. As a three-sport athlete, Walker competes in volleyball during the fall and softball in the spring as well.

According to Walker, her favorite feat of this season was reaching the 1,000 career point milestone. Southland High School would present Walker with a trophy to honor her accomplishment of 1,000 career points in only three seasons.

Even though her high school career is closing, she still encourages her teammates.

“Do your best, be confident and don’t forget to have fun,” Walker said. ‘It will be over before you know it, so enjoy every second.”

Walker thanks her coach, teammates, parents and friends who have supported her throughout the years.

“Thank you guys for believing in me and pushing me to be the best I can be,” Walker added. “I love y’all forever.”