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Even with his team firmly in control, an all-too-familiar feeling washed over Smithville coach Greg Smith at the start of the fourth quarter.

This was crunch time now, when his Warriors had suffered so greatly over and over again last season. As if on cue, the squad gave up a touchdown on the opening play of the final quarter, doing nothing to quell its coach’s anxiety.

Opponents beware.

Smithville appears to have added a new weapon to its ever-growing offensive arsenal — the home-run threat.

Though the Warriors reeled off their fair share of game-breaking plays last season, quick-strike scoring efforts were often too few and far between for coach Greg Smith’s liking. But those highlight-reel performances were on display throughout Smithville’s opening victory against Cameron.

Known best for her prowess on the pitching mound, Kaily Purtle apparently added another component to her game recently.

The Smithville senior punctuated her team’s solid showing in the Greater Kansas City Suburban Softball Invitational by blasting a solo home run and lifting the Warriors to a fifth-place finish in the Gold Bracket on Thursday, Aug. 26.

LIBERTY, Mo. — With so many fresh faces along the back line, Smithville boys soccer coach Jon Reed expected a few growing pains in the early-going.

Sure enough, inexperience across the pitch led to an uncomfortable start to the season for the Warriors, who got off on the wrong foot with a 3-0 loss against Liberty on Monday, Aug. 30.

A change of pace provided the perfect remedy for Smithville’s girls golf team last week.

On the heels of a lackluster season debut at Maryville, the Warriors bounced back in impressive fashion, taking second place out of 12 teams at the Orrick Invitational on Friday, Aug. 27. In a unique event which combines individual and team competitions, each Smithville team placed in the top five in their respective event to put the team back on track.

Attaining revenge was on the agenda this week for Smithville’s volleyball team.

In a challenging first week of the regular season, the Warriors opened play Tuesday, Aug. 31, against St. Pius X — the same team that ended their season in the Class 3 District 16 championship game a year ago.

Smithville’s football team bucked a series of trends during its 28-7, opening-night win against Cameron.

With the victory, the Warriors won their season-opener for the first time in three years. The team also moved to 1-0 in conference play, marking the first time Smithville has won its Midland Empire Conference opener since 2006.

More importantly, Smithville closed the game in positive fashion by keeping the Dragons out of the end zone on their final two possessions of the game to finish on a strong note. Last season, the Warriors lost five times after holding the lead in the fourth quarter.

Big plays propelled the high-flying Warriors throughout the game, including two scoring plays of 49 yards or more. The defense also stood out by recording four takeaways and limiting the Dragons' offense from start to finish.

For more coverage of the contest, click here to reach the Warriors Watch blog or pick up next week’s edition of The Smithville Herald.

One word — two syllables in length — has pervaded Greg Smith’s vocabulary more than any other this summer. Finish.

In the weight room. Finish.

During team camp last month. Finish.

Throughout two-a-days. Finish.

Suffice to say that Smithville enters the regular season with a little pent-up aggression.

Last week’s abbreviated jamboree has the Warriors’ football team chomping at the bit entering their Week 1 clash against conference foe Cameron on Friday, Aug. 27, when the entire team will get a chance to pop pads with the Dragons at Smithville High.

Nick Nance doesn’t quite understand what all the hype is about.

Yes, Smithville will jump into the Class 4 ranks for the first time in a surprising move that pits them against much larger schools. But the fact that the Warriors are the second-smallest program in the class doesn’t affect the junior running back or the way he’s preparing for the upcoming season.