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Marshfield and Bolivar took care of business in the semifinals of the Missouri State High School Activities Association Class 4 District 9 Basketball Tournament at Bolivar on Tuesday, Feb. 19, setting up the most anticipated game of the 2007-08 season.

Marshfield defeated Buffalo 77-54 and Bolivar downed Willard 69-39 on Tuesday, setting up a championship contest on Thursday at 7 p.m. which will feature the top teams in the Class 4 state rankings.

Number one Marshfield improved to 26-0, while second ranked Bolivar has lost only twice this season, in the finals of the KTXR Tournament to Class 5 Kickapoo and at Marshfield.

Thursday night’s finals will be played at Bolivar High School, which seats approximately 2,000.

“We had that many at our conference game with Bolivar,” Marshfield coach Gary Murphy said. “And this game has much more significance.”

Bolivar Activities Director Todd Schrader said that the weather could be a problem. “We will move the game to Saturday if the weather gets bad. We may have to move the boys finals (scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m.) to Saturday, as well. If so, we’ll have about a four hour break between the two.”

“If we play as scheduled Thursday, the gates will open at 5:30 p.m.,” Schrader said. “We were able to get everyone in when Rogersville and Willard met in the boys final four years ago, so we think we can accommodate everyone.”

Marshfield 77, Buffalo 54

The Lady Jays and Buffalo were in a close battle through the first half of the first semifinal Tuesday. Marshfield led 17-16 after one period and 39-33 at intermission.

Buffalo stayed close with outstanding free throw shooting in the first half. The Lady Bison made 14-of-16 free throws before intermission.

But the Lady Jays won the third period 21-7.

“We really needed that,” Marshfield coach Gary Murphy said. “We didn’t want Buffalo to feel like that had a chance in the fourth quarter.”

Junior Morgan Smith scored 8 points in the big third period, and Marshfield got a pair of treys, one each from freshman guards Alley Bruton and Amanda Gourley.

“I thought our defense was good,” Murphy said.

The Lady Jays forced 25 turnovers in the game.

Senior Sara Jane Plemmons led Marshfield with 20 points, 12 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists and a block. She made 8-of-12 field goals in the game.

Amanda Gourley added 17 points to the winning attack, hitting 4 treys with 4 rebounds and a steal in the game.

Morgan Smith finished with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and a block in the game for the Lady Jays.

Senior forward Lacey Boshe posted a double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, a steal and an assist for Marshfield.

The dynamic senior post duo of Lacey Boshe and Sara Jane Plemmons combined for 30 points, 22 rebounds, 2 steals, 4 assists and a block, hitting 13-of-23 field goals in the game.

Senior Jaysa Hartman handed out 4 assists with 3 rebounds and a steal for Marshfield.

Alley Bruton finished with 5 points, 2 assists and a rebound for the Lady Jays.

Junior Latasha Baderdeen made her first appearance in a Marshfield game since early December, when she was hospitalized and underwent two surgeries for a blood clot in her arm. Latasha Baderdeen had four points and a steal for the Lady Jays.

“It was an emotional lift for us,” Murphy said. “It’s a tribute to Latasha that she was able to return so soon. She worked hard in therapy. She was grinning from ear to ear the last two days in practice.”

Ashley Boshe scored 2 points with a rebound and an assist; Hannah Keeth and Hailey Diehl each scored 2 points; Anna Glenn scored a point with 2 steals and a rebound and Kassie Hyde had an assist for Marshfield.

Senior Kylee Henderson led Buffalo with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 steals and an assist in the game.

Michaela Arthand added 10 points and a rebound to the Lady Bison attack.

Meg DeMuri finished with 9 points and 5 rebounds for Buffalo.

Cheynne Pierce scored 6 points and had a team-high 8 rebounds for the Lady Bison.

Jordan Davidson also scored 6 points for Buffalo with 3 steals and 2 rebounds in the contest.

Heidi Schmied added 9 points, 2 rebounds and an assist to the Lady Bison effort.

Brittan Glasscock had a rebound for Buffalo.

Bolivar 69, Willard 39.

Casey Garrison led Bolivar with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 8 steals, 4 blocks and 2 assists in the win over Willard.

Bolivar jumped on top 16-6 after one period, even though Garrison did not score in the opening stanza. The Lady Liberators led 32-15 by intermission.

Garrison scored 13 points in the third period, which ended with Bolivar on top 51-22.

Haley Blair added 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal to the winning attack.

Rachel Sawyer finished with 10 pointsm, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists and a block for Bolivar.

Andrea Porter added 9 points, 2 assists, a steal and a rebound to the Lady Liberator effort.

Crystal Guiot finished with 5 assists and 5 rebounds for the winners.

Kiley King scored 12 points for Willard with 5 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist in the game.

Myriah Blair also scored 12 points for the Lady Tigers with 4 rebounds, 4 steals, an assist and a blocked shot in the contest.

Janine Bird scored 6 points with 3 rebounds; Ann Bird finished with 4 points, Amanda Allen finished with 3 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals and an assist; Kenna Greer had 6 rebounds and an assist; Brittney Carpenter had 4 rebounds and a steal; Sammie Gortheroole had 5 rebounds and Courtney Wallace had a rebound for Willard.

Jessica Rumfelt had 5 points, 4 rebounds and an assist; Katie Roweton had 4 points and 2 rebounds; Lindsey Lehman scored 3 points with a rebound; and Julie Lollar scored 2 points for Bolivar.

Thank you Kim Atkison for taking photo’s!