Page 2 - Fatima Comets News Today

The Helias Crusaders didn’t play their best game. But when they needed it, they put enough together to find a way to win. “The last couple of innings, we shored things up and got the win,” Helias coach Chris Wyrick said after the Crusaders defeated the Fatima Comets 5-3 on Thursday at Lions Field.

For years, the Jefferson City Jays have had to watch the championship game of their home tournament, the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic, from the stands, hoping the next year would be their chance to finally play for the title. That chance finally came Friday night, and the Jays didn’t let the opportunity slip through their fingertips.

There are two teams making their debut this week in the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic. The Fatima Comets are one of them, and they’ve been relishing this opportunity for a long time. “Our kids are super excited,” Fatima coach Ryan Robertson said. “They’ve been growing up watching this tournament as kids. They come to practice during Christmas break every year, talking about the tournament, the performances, the teams."

The bragging rights are back in Osage County. Tuesday night’s rivalry matchup was a seesaw battle, but the Fatima Comets never trailed. Fatima ended the first half on an 8-0 run and made plenty of free throws in the fourth quarter, pulling away to a 57-46 victory against the Blair Oaks Falcons. The win snaps an eight-game losing streak for the Comets against the Falcons, but Fatima coach Ryan Robertson was quick to note Blair Oaks made it difficult on his team to finally break the streak Tuesd...

The Fatima Comets have watched the Joe Machens Great 8 Classic year after year from the bleachers at Fleming Fieldhouse. This year, they’ll be one of the eight teams playing on the court. “They were excited to go watch. For them to be a part of it, you can feel the energy from them,” Fatima coach Ryan Robertson said of the Comets’ first Classic appearance during Wednesday’s press conference. “They’re excited, they want to compete.

The previous two postseason matchups between the Blair Oaks Falcons and the Fatima Comets had been instant classics. The Falcons made sure Tuesday night’s Class 4 District 8 Tournament semifinal game was more one-sided. Wil Libbert pitched a one-hitter through six innings and Blair Oaks piled on five runs in the bottom of the third inning to pull away to a 7-0 win against Fatima at Southern Boone High School.

The Fatima Comets have hit the ground hitting. Fatima scored a total of 34 runs Saturday in opening the baseball season with a pair of wins. That momentum carried over to Monday as the Comets posted a 10-2 victory against the Helias Crusaders at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

There has been one constant at the Class 1 boys basketball Final Four during the past four seasons: the St. Elizabeth Hornets. St. Elizabeth is making its fourth straight Final Four appearance, but the Hornets are looking for that elusive first state championship. And to get there, they’ll have to beat the No. 1-ranked team.

The Fatima Comets were trying to hold the ball for the final 48 seconds of regulation Wednesday. At best, they were hoping for a buzzer-beating win. At worst, the game would go into overtime. Then Desmond White brought a new worst-case scenario into the picture for the Comets.