Four years ago, the Montgomery County Middle School eighth-grade boys basketball team finished with an undefeated season.

Six of the players on that squad helped the Montgomery County High School boys basketball team reach this year’s Class 3 Show-Me Showdown at Mizzou Arena. They were juniors Clayton Parker, Tyler Erwin, Isaiah Thomas, Sean Rodgers, Jay Rodgers and Tatum Wessel.

That propelled Sam Clark to come to Columbia and watch the players. He was the head coach of that MCMS team during the 2020 season.

“It’s awesome to watch them kind of grow,” Clark said. “We always thought that we could see them go this far and they actually did.”

The Wildcats finished fourth in the tournament after losing to Thayer in the third-place game. It was the school’s first trip to the State Final Four since 1974.

Clark said he has high hopes that the Wildcats will return to the Show-Me Showdown in 2025 since they return most of their players.

“They have a really good shot of coming back next year,” he said.

Parker, Erwin, Thomas, Wessel and the Rodgers cousins helped the 2020 MCMS team finish with a 15-0 record. Clark was in his first season as coach that year. The Wildcats won 12 regular season games and captured the Bowling Green Tournament with a 3-0 record. They completed an undefeated season by beating North Callaway in their final game, which Clark had to miss due to COVID-19 quarantine issues.

Since the six players joined the high school program in the 2021-22 season, they have been successful. They helped the Wildcats win two Eastern Missouri Conference titles and two district championships and finish with three winning seasons. Parker has scored over 1,000 points and earned all-EMO honors three times, Thomas was named to the all-league team twice and Erwin received his first all-EMO award this year.
Clark, who coached the MCHS JV squad in the 2021-22 season, said he was happy that his former players helped the Wildcats qualify for the Show-Me Showdown.

“The fact that they have done it with that pressure was really amazing,” Clark said.

Clark, who is now working in the medical field, said he enjoyed watching the Wildcats play in the semifinals against Summit Christian Academy. He sat in one of the front row seats at Mizzou Arena.

“There was so much pride with how they carried themselves and handled adversity,” Clark said. “It’s really awesome to watch the talent they have.”

Parker said he was thrilled with Clark’s support of the team. Clark, who lives in Wentzville, also got to watch the squad play against Versailles in sectionals on Feb. 27.

“Him coming along with us since eighth grade has been amazing,” Parker said. “He shows that he’s a true coach and a true friend. He loves us and we love him, too.”