In this episode of The Starting Lineup, Scott Puryear and Ned Reynolds welcome Chris Parker from The Ozone for a full breakdown of playoff football across the Ozarks, from heavy-hitting Class 6 clashes to the growing wave of 8-man programs. Nixa’s comeback win over Joplin sets the stage for a massive showdown with undefeated Helias, while Carthage, Capital City, Lamar, Mountain View Liberty, Seneca, and Thayer all headline their own high-stakes quarterfinal matchups. The trio digs into scheduling quirks, redistricting shifts, and why stopping the run remains the real postseason separator. They also spotlight the 8-man “game of the week,” Lockwood vs. Archie, and break down how the faster, leaner version of football continues to explode across Missouri’s small-school communities.

The conversation shifts to winter sports, with Chris previewing over 100 basketball teams heading into tipoff week, early jamborees, and key games like Link Academy vs. Springfield Central. They run through wrestling favorites such as Springfield Catholic, state-level swimming wins from Glendale’s Carson Butler, and big updates in college hoops and football — including Arkansas’ narrow loss to LSU, Texas A&M’s wild comeback, Evangel’s playoff success, and what Mizzou fans should watch heading into the holiday stretch.

In this episode of The Starting Lineup, Scott Puryear and Ned Reynolds welcome Chris Parker from The Ozone for a full breakdown of playoff football across the Ozarks, from heavy-hitting Class 6 clashes to the growing wave of 8-man programs. Nixa&rsquo;s comeback win over Joplin sets the stage for a massive showdown with undefeated Helias, while Carthage, Capital City, Lamar, Mountain View Liberty, Seneca, and Thayer all headline their own high-stakes quarterfinal matchups. The trio digs into scheduling quirks, redistricting shifts, and why stopping the run remains the real postseason separator. They also spotlight the 8-man &ldquo;game of the week,&rdquo; Lockwood vs. Archie, and break down how the faster, leaner version of football continues to explode across Missouri&rsquo;s small-school communities.
The conversation shifts to winter sports, with Chris previewing over 100 basketball teams heading into tipoff week, early jamborees, and key games like Link Academy vs. Springfield Central. They run through wrestling favorites such as Springfield Catholic, state-level swimming wins from Glendale&rsquo;s Carson Butler, and big updates in college hoops and football &mdash; including Arkansas&rsquo; narrow loss to LSU, Texas A&amp;M&rsquo;s wild comeback, Evangel&rsquo;s playoff success, and what Mizzou fans should watch heading into the holiday stretch.

Stay in the Game with 102.1 The Won – Springfield’s Sports Hub

Welcome to the official 102.1 The Won — your all-access pass to local sports, expert picks, live betting odds, and real-time updates for the Springfield, MO area.

-Local Coverage, Local Voice — In-depth coverage of Springfield-area teams and sports stories you care about.
-Live Sports Odds & Boards — View real-time odds for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more.
-Pro Picks & Betting Insights — Daily expert picks and analysis to help you level up your game.
-On-Air Shows & Podcasts — Stream live shows like VSiN Primetime, Keys to the Kingdom, and more.
-Alerts & News — Get notified on big games, breaking scores.

Stay in the Game with 102.1 The Won &ndash; Springfield&rsquo;s Sports Hub
Welcome to the official 102.1 The Won &mdash; your all-access pass to local sports, expert picks, live betting odds, and real-time updates for the Springfield, MO area.
-Local Coverage, Local Voice &mdash; In-depth coverage of Springfield-area teams and sports stories you care about. -Live Sports Odds &amp; Boards &mdash; View real-time odds for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and more. -Pro Picks &amp; Betting Insights &mdash; Daily expert picks and analysis to help you level up your game. -On-Air Shows &amp; Podcasts &mdash; Stream live shows like VSiN Primetime, Keys to the Kingdom, and more. -Alerts &amp; News &mdash; Get notified on big games, breaking scores.