Tennis anyone? (03/16/10)
sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Entering his second year at the helm of the men's tennis program, Sikeston Bulldog's coach Russ Dial is hoping to build on the experience earned last season by a fairly raw group of players. "Last season was like a new beginning for a lot of these guys who have never participated in organized tennis before," coach said. "They were learning basic fundamental techniques."...

Cardinals get scare in 6-5 loss to Mets (03/16/10)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Francisco Rodriguez looked like the dominant pitcher he was with the Angels. K-Rod wore prescription sunglasses in a spring training debut delayed by conjunctivitis, the same look he used to have with the Angels. After Rodriguez retired the side on seven pitches Monday, Angel Pagan hit a two-run, ninth-inning homer off Pete Parise to give the New York Mets an 6-5 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals...

Pujols bristles at report of being traded for Phillies' Howard (03/16/10)
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Albert Pujols for Ryan Howard? Let's just say the MVP sluggers don't plan to pack their bags anytime soon. Talk of a megatrade kept baseball buzzing Monday following an ESPN report the Philadelphia Phillies were thinking about asking the St. Louis Cardinals if they'd like to swap star first basemen...

Redhawks bring hot bats into contest (03/16/10)
The Southeast Missouri State baseball team will look to build on its impressive home record today and remain hot at the plate. Southeast will reach the halfway point of its 10-game homestand with a 3 p.m. contest against Freed-Hardeman. The Redhawks, 7-8 overall, are 6-1 at Capaha Field this year. The Lions, an NAIA squad from Henderson, Tenn., are 13-7 and have won five straight...

Role players help SCC stay on roll (03/16/10)
A new cast of supporting characters has emerged during Scott County Central's run to the Class 1 boys basketball final four. The Braves lost 10 players from last year's state championship team, but they've filled the holes with three juniors and a sophomore...

Kennett Indians season comes to an end after quarterfinal loss (03/15/10)
The Kennett Indians' run has come to an end after a 76-62 quarterfinal loss to the Cardinal Ritter Lions in Farmington on Saturday night. It was an incredible season for Kennett as this basketball team got the whole community caught up in the excitement...

Late run lifts Lady Eagles over Delta (03/15/10)
sd_sports@yahoo.com POPLAR BLUFF -- With just under six minutes left in the ballgame, it seemed the Delta Lady Bobcats had things under control against the Naylor Lady Eagles. That's when Naylor's Moriah Goodrum took over. Goodrum scored nine fourth quarter points to lead Naylor to a 42-37 win over Delta in the state quarterfinals...

SCC rolls: Braves blast Risco 100-53 to advance to final four (03/15/10)
sd_sports@yahoo.com POPLAR BLUFF -- After a mere one minute and 45 seconds ran off of the clock in the first quarter the Scott County Central Braves punched their ticket to their third final four in as many years. The Braves quickly gained a 10-0 lead over the Risco Tigers that did nothing but set the tone for their 100-53 win on Saturday afternoon at the Bess Activity Center on the campus of Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff during their Class 1 quarterfinal game...

Southeast baseball leans on unlikely contributors (03/15/10)
Southeast Missouri State's unusual rash of injuries created opportunities for two players who saw little action early in the year. Casey Jones and Tim Rupp, teammates last season at Forest Park Community College in St. Louis, have taken advantage. Jones and Rupp both continued their torrid hitting Sunday as the Redhawks routed North Dakota 14-4 to take two of three in the weekend series at Capaha Field...

Missouri to open vs. Clemson in NCAA tourney (03/15/10)
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Missouri Tigers are headed to their second consecutive NCAA tournament. Missouri received the No. 10 seed in the East Region and will face seventh-seeded Clemson on Friday in Buffalo, N.Y. The Tigers were pleased to be included in the field announced Sunday, especially after a 75-60 loss to lowly Nebraska last week in the first round of the Big 12 tournament...

Contest offers prizes for college hoops prognosticators (03/15/10)
The Southeast Missourian and semoball.com are hosting the March Mayhem NCAA basketball tournament bracket contest presented by Stereo One. Participants, who are allowed to make their picks after each round of play, are eligible to win both local and national prizes...

Southeast rounup: Tennis team claims its first OVC victory vs. Tenn. St. (03/15/10)
A look at all the Redhawks action from the weekend.

Notre Dame comes up short in Class 4 title game (03/14/10)
Columbia, Mo. -- Notre Dame didn't have enough to overcome Webb City's firepower. The Bulldogs fell to Webb City 60-53 in the Class 4 girls basketball championship game Saturday at Mizzou Arena. Webb City (30-1) had four players in double figures, led by Hailey Roderique with 18 points...

A few Bulldogs get their first experience at a state final four (03/14/10)
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Notre Dame senior Katherine Blasiney and classmate Lacy Boeller were two of the few upperclassmen who had yet to make a trip to a final four. "It's just amazing to make it here," Blasiney said after her team's loss in the Class 4 championship game Saturday at Mizzou Arena. ...

Webb City defense takes toll on 'Dogs (03/14/10)
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Notre Dame girls basketball coach Renee Peters was happy to look at the bright side with a one-point lead over top ranked Webb City entering halftime of the Class 4 state championship game. "That was one better than we started the game with and that was the momentum we had," Peters said...

Redhawks remain unbeaten in MIC (03/14/10)
The Southeast Missouri State gymnastics team continues to roll through the Midwest Independent Conference. Southeast finished its regular-season MIC schedule perfect for the second year in a row with Friday night's 194.225-190.350 win over Centenary (La.) College at Houck Field House...

Albert Pujols returns from week off with two singles (03/14/10)
JUPITER, Fla. -- Albert Pujols, who returned to action after taking a week to rest a sore back, hit two hard singles in the St. Louis Cardinals' 8-5 victory against the Houston Astros on Saturday. Pujols said his back did not bother him when he swung and it did not get tight...

HS BKB - SCC gamer (03/14/10)
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Scott County Central asserted its dominance early and often Saturday. The Braves scored the first 10 points of the game and Risco never stood a chance in their Class 1 boys basketball state quarterfinal at Three Rivers Community College...

Blues continue hot stretch on road with 5-1 victory against Blue Jackets (03/14/10)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Andy McDonald had a goal and two assists and the St. Louis Blues scored three times in the second period to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-1 on Saturday night. David Backes, David Perron, Alexander Steen and B.J. Crombeen added goals for the Blues, who have won seven of eight. They came into the game in 10th place in the Western Conference, six points behind eighth-place Calgary...

Eagles rally in fourth quarter to end Delta's season in quarterfinals (03/14/10)
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- The ghosts of last season haunted the Delta Bobcats during the fourth quarter Saturday. The Bobcats grabbed a five-point lead before going into an offensive shell. Naylor jumped on Delta's timidness to pull out a 42-37 victory in their Class 1 state quarterfinal Saturday at Three Rivers Community College...

Bulldogs find way to state title game (03/14/10)
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Notre Dame Bulldogs kept catching up and catching up. The Bulldogs delivered a 1-2 punch during a 30-second span in the fourth quarter that put them ahead for good and into the state championship after knocking off St. Dominic 62-55 in a state semifinal game Friday at Mizzou Arena...

Redhawks split two games with North Dakota (03/14/10)
The offensive numbers say Southeast Missouri State should have swept Saturday's doubleheader at Capaha Field. But a bad inning and a weird play helped North Dakota pull out the seven-inning nightcap 6-5 after Southeast romped 15-4 in the nine-inning opener...

Panthers fall to Thayer 51-40 in quarterfinal (03/14/10)
POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- An impressive season for the Meadow Heights girls basketball team ended one win short of the final four for the second consecutive year. The Panthers fell into an early hole during Saturday's Class 2 quarterfinal against Thayer at Poplar Bluff High School...

Track Preview: Looking to repeat as Class 3 champions, Sikeston will need returners to take on bigger roles (03/14/10)
SIKESTON -- It may be a huge void to fill but the defending Class 3 boys state champions are up to the challenge. A team led heavily by their jumpers, the Sikeston boys track and field team is facing big question marks after graduating a trio of jump standouts. Individual state champion Cal Lane, Domonic Fondon and Demetrius Jackson were all a huge chunk of that 44 points that gave the Bulldogs their first boys state championship in school history...

Prep Softball: Lady Eagles are seeking another big season (03/14/10)
NEW MADRID -- The New Madrid County Central Lady Eagles go into every season looking to have the perfect season. This season will be no different. "Our goal every year is to go undefeated," NMCC head coach Steve Rogers said. "We were close last year. We were probably a pitch or two here or there from doing that."...

Mules are Columbia bound (03/13/10)
POPLAR BLUFF -- Bernie punched its ticket to the MSHSAA Class 2 Final Four in convincing fashion. Bernie scored the games first 11 points and the Mules never looked back in a 61-29 quarterfinal win over Hayti at Peter Gym in Polar Bluff Saturday afternoon...

Notre Dame girls basketball team falls to Webb City (03/13/10)
The Bulldogs were defeated 60-53 in the Class 4 state championship game.

Notre Dame girls basketball team advances to Class 4 title game (03/12/10)
The Bulldogs defeated St. Dominic 62-55 on Friday afternoon at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo.

Bernie will play Hayti Saturday in Poplar Bluff (03/12/10)
The Bernie Mules are one win away from a trip to the MSHSAA Class 2 Final Four. Bernie will be looking to punch its ticket to the big dance Saturday when the Mules take on Hayti in a 2:45 p. m. quarterfinal game at Peters Gym in Poplar Bluff. Bernie (26-4) defeated Oak Ridge to win the District 3 title, then defeated Van Buren, 64-23, in a sectional game to reach the quarterfinals...

Scott Central v. Risco: Tigers to face high-powered Braves (03/12/10)
sd_sports@yahoo.com POPLAR BLUFF -- The Risco Tigers know what they are up against. They know their opponent has the talent and they know they have the experience, past or present, to do what they have done so many times before. "You have to respect them," Risco head coach Brandon Blankenship said. ...

Wisconsin transplant hopes to start curling club in St. Louis (03/12/10)
ST. LOUIS -- When Nancy Rogers moved to St. Louis from Wisconsin more than a year ago, her first question was: Where's the curling club? St. Louis seemed like a natural place for the sport often referred to as "shuffleboard on ice." Big metropolitan area. Long cold winters. Lots of ice rinks...

Duncan faces former team and pitching coach father (03/12/10)
JUPITER, Fla. -- In years past, when Chris Duncan wanted a pregame word with his father, he simply walked into the office adjacent to the clubhouse. On Wednesday, they had to chat outside the batting cage when the Nationals came to play the Cardinals. Chris is in Washington's camp as a nonroster invitee...

Blues slip past Islanders in shootout (03/12/10)
UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- This was one point the St. Louis Blues couldn't let slip away. Fighting to get back into the Western Conference playoff race, the surging Blues found themselves in a shootout with the slumping New York Islanders. Then T.J. Oshie, Brad Boyes and goalie Chris Mason took care of business...

Redhawks softball team falls 12-1 to Illinois State (03/12/10)
Illinois State banged out 16 hits and scored 10 unanswered runs Thursday as it defeated the Southeast Missouri State softball team 12-1 at the Southeast Softball Complex. Illinois State (10-8) scored in all five innings, including two runs in the first. Southeast sliced the lead in half in the bottom of the first with an unearned run, but the Redbirds got the run back in the second, then followed that with three three-run innings...

Cardinals rally for preseason victory (03/12/10)
JUPITER, Fla. -- The Florida Marlins got another strong start from ace Josh Johnson but a bad ending from their closer Thursday. Johnson struck out four in three scoreless innings before the St. Louis Cardinals beat up on closer Leo Nunez during a five-run ninth for a 5-3 win...

Notre Dame faces St. Dominic in today's Class 4 semifinals (03/12/10)
Notre Dame girls basketball coach Renee Peters took her team to a camp last summer. And by no coincidence, the camp was at Mizzou Arena in Columbia, Mo. "I told them there was a reason I brought them to this camp," Peters said. "I told them I want them to take a look around and be motivated to get back here this year."...

Area digest (03/12/10)
Dalhousie Golf Club earned the American Junior Golf Association's volunteer award for the Rolex Tournament of Champions. The award is given to the AJGA event that "builds the model team of volunteers committed to the success of the championship," the release announcing the ward said...

Mules roll into quarterfinals (03/11/10)
PARK HILLS -- Bernie's defensive execution was sharp from the opening tip in the Mules' MSHSAA sectional game against Van Buren Wednesday night at Central High School in Park Hills. And when the offense came around in the second half, it was all Bernie in a 64-23 rout of the Bulldogs...

Spring practice (03/11/10)
For more pictures and stories from the Standard Democrat, click here to log on to the electronic edition....

Meadow Heights draws on old lesson to beat Bismarck (03/11/10)
PARK HILLS, Mo. -- The foundation for Meadow Heights' harassing defense started being laid after the Panthers suffered a thrashing eight or nine years ago. "The first game that they ever played in their life that I coached them they got beat 30-0, and I said we need to make some changes," Panthers coach Mitch Nanney said. ...

Redhawks weather ninth-inning grand slam (03/11/10)
After what transpired in Wednesday's top of the ninth inning, it would have been easy for the Southeast Missouri State baseball team to collectively say "here we go again." A two-out grand slam by Missouri State's Aaron Conway that tied the contest certainly was depressing for the Redhawks...

Bradshaw matures into leader role at Notre Dame (03/11/10)
Allyson Bradshaw shied away from a leadership role on Notre Dame's 2008-09 girls basketball team. This season the 5-foot-7 junior point guard has embraced the role, and it's made all the difference. "Allyson has really stepped up to a leadership role," Notre Dame coach Renee Peters said. "She's gifted and a strong athlete. When you look at her you see someone who wants to make her teammates better and who wants to win."...

Meadow Heights sinks Bismarck in sectional (03/11/10)
PARK HILLS, Mo. -- Meadow Heights' junior Heather Dietiker remembers her team's sectional game against Bismarck a season ago. "I remember it being really close," Dietiker said. "I did not want that this year, so we said we need to have a stretch because I hate close games. It's nerve-wracking."...

Redhawks win home opener in 8 innings (03/11/10)
The Southeast Missouri State softball team snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday with a win in its home opener. Southeast scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat visiting Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne 4-3. The Redhawks improved to 5-7 while IPFW fell to 6-7...

Tribe advances to quarterfinals after taking down #1 Arcadia Valley (03/10/10)
The Kennett Indians are still playing basketball and are advancing to the state quarterfinals. The Indians advanced after defeating Arcadia Valley 77-57 on Wednesday night. More to come later.

Lady Indians come up short against Greenville (03/10/10)
The Lady Indians basketball season has come to an end after they were defeated 54-49 by Greenville on Wednesday night. More to come later.

Stingly Delta defense downs St. Elizabeth (03/10/10)
PARK HILLS -- The Delta Lady Bobcats' pressure was too much for St. Elizabeth Tuesday night. Delta capitalized on numerous Lady Hornet turnovers to cruise to a 61-39 win in a Class 1 Sectional game. The Lady Bobcats jumped out to a quick lead on St. Elizabeth, but it came at a price...

Bennett leads Tigers to school's first playoff win (03/10/10)
POPLAR BLUFF -- When Brandon Bennett is shooting with confidence, he can give opponents fits. Just ask the Dora Falcons. Sitting on the bench with four fouls, the Risco senior had to watch as Dora began mounting a final charge in the fourth quarter of Tuesday's Class 1 Sectional game at Poplar Bluff. But once back in the game, Bennett took over, leading the Tigers to a 70-63 win, the first playoff win in school history...

SCC stings Hornets 96-46 (03/10/10)
PARK HILLS -- Scott County Central's Dominique Porter gets a bit overlooked with the likes of all-staters Bobby Hatchett and Otto Porter usually running the show. But, he doesn't mind that though. The 5-10 sophomore knows that it's his job to help those two out any way that he can...