Portageville rebounds from first loss to beat Kelly (12/23/07) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com BROSELEY -- After suffering their first loss of the season, the Portageville Lady Bulldogs bounced back nicely Friday night, coming away with a 58-40 win over the Kelly Lady Hawks in the third-place game of the 11th annual Lady Royals Christmas Classic...

Dexter rallies past Naylor for Twin Rivers title (12/23/07) Lady Bearcats wear down Naylor in fourth quarter for second straight championship in Twin Rivers Lady Royals Holiday Classic

Dexter beats Kelly to reach Twin Rivers tournament final (12/21/07) Bearcats will play Naylor; Kelly to face Portageville for third; NMCC plays for ninth

Walk excited to assist at Three Rivers (08/10/08) After 20 years at Twin Rivers, he will join the staff for the women's basketball team.

Catching up with: Mary Kalich (08/06/08) Former college girls basketball player will be inducted to Poplar Bluff Sports Hall of Fame.

Triple threat: Katelyn Heil is Standard Democrat's top female athlete (07/07/08) Dexter junior shined while competing in tennis, basketball and track

Basketball: It's not just a winter sport anymore (07/02/08) Teams use summer to polish up their skills

Catching up with: Fred Johnson (07/01/08) 'Once a Raider, always a Raider'

Sarah Ruff will play softball at TRCC (07/01/08) Kelly standout will play softball, may play basketball

Three dimensional: Jones named Athlete of the Year (06/30/08) East Prairie senior Tony Jones led Eagles in football, basketball and track to earn Sikeston Standard Democrat honor.

Dowdy takes charge at Advance (06/22/08) The summer off season has brought about a high school coaching change in Stoddard County, but it won't require a major revamping of sideline apparel. Josh Dowdy has traded in his Puxico orange and black for the same colors at his new positions at Advance High School. Only the Puxico Indian logo will need to be replaced with Advance's Hornet...

Catching up with: Chad Allen (06/17/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer The 2007-08 basketball season brought more than one change for Chad Allen. Besides leaving Puxico for Dexter, Allen switched from coaching boys to coaching girls. As it turned out, the transition couldn't have gone much more smoothly...

Johnson to play two sports at Williams Baptist (05/19/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer There are many multiple-sport athletes in high school but rarely do athletes play more than one sport in college. Twin River's Briana Johnson is an exception. Johnson recently signed to play basketball and volleyball at Williams Baptist in Walnut Ridge, Ark...

TRCC signs Portageville's Penn (05/14/08) By Alex Abate ~ DAR POPLAR BLUFF -- Kellye Penn knows what it takes to win. She led Portageville to its first district title in 20 years this past season and is looking to take her winning to another level. She recently signed to play basketball at Three Rivers Community College, the same place her mother, then Susan Spencer, played in 1981-82...

Wilson twins choose different colleges (05/08/08) Doniphan's Charles Wilson recently signed his letter of intent to play at Williams Baptist while Chandler Wilson signed with Iowa Wesleyan.

Semoball High 5 basketball teams (05/06/08) Check out the stories and video of the top five boys and top five girls players in Southeast Missouri for 2007-08.

SEMOBALL 5 BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM (05/02/08) The five players selected for the Semoball 5 team, which includes players from all classes (Click on players' names to read more, see video interviews): G -- Jake Leet, Jackson, 6-3, senior G -- Nick Niemczyk, Bell City, 6-1, senior F -- Drew Thomas, Scott County Central, 6-0, junior...

Drew Thomas, Scott County Central (05/02/08) Junior 6-0, guard

Michael Porter, Sikeston (05/02/08) Junior 6-6, forward

Ryan Willen, Notre Dame (05/02/08) Senior 6-8, center

Nick Niemczyk, Bell City (05/02/08) Senior 6-1, guard

Jake Leet, Jackson (05/02/08) Senior 6-3, guard

SEMOBALL 5 GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM (05/02/08) The five players selected for the Semoball 5 team, which includes players from all classes (Click on players' names to read more, see video interviews): G -- Hailee Deckard, Naylor, 5-10, senior G -- Sara Woodgeard, Greenville, 5-10, senior G -- Katelyn Heil, Dexter, 5-10, junior...

Sara Woodgeard, Greenville (05/02/08) Senior 5-10, guard

Hailee Deckard, Naylor (05/02/08) Senior 5-10, guard

Katelyn Heil, Dexter (05/02/08) Junior 5-10, guard/forward

Jane Morrill, Notre Dame (05/02/08) Sophomore 6-0, center

Aereill Davis, Poplar Bluff (05/02/08) Senior 5-6, guard

Raiders pick up Jamarcus Williams (04/25/08) The Charleston grad is transferring from UT-Martin's football program to play basketball at Three Rivers.

Blackwell to play at MUST in Rolla (04/18/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer DONIPHAN -- Doniphan's Jaysa Blackwell has always wanted to play college basketball and now she has the chance to do so. Blackwell signed her letter of intent to play basketball for Missouri Universirty of Science and Technology, formerly University of Missouri-Rolla, Thursday afternoon at Doniphan High School...

Lady Raiders sign Ferguson for softball (04/15/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Poplar Bluff standout Stefanie Ferguson has been a good leadoff hitter for the Lady Mules over the past four seasons and now she is ready to step into a new batter's box. Ferguson signed her letter of intent Tuesday to play softball at Three Rivers Community College next season...

Bell City's Niemczyk follows father's footsteps to TRCC (04/15/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Nick Niemczyk is glad to be following in his father's footsteps. Nick's father, Pat, played for Three Rivers' national championship team in 1979 and this past Friday, Nick signed his letter of intent to continue his basketball career with the Raiders...

Blue will take on new role at Three Rivers (04/11/08) Twin Rivers guard will stay close to home to play basketball.

It's official: TRCC lands Woodgeard (04/09/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer GREENVILLE -- Sara Woodgeard has had to wait over a month, but she can now breathe a small sigh of relief. After verbally committing to play basketball at Three Rivers in late February, Woodgeard signed her letter of intent Tuesday to play for the Lady Raiders next season...

Hall of Famer steals awards show (04/06/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Lou Brock's message to the high school athletes gathered at the B.A. Sports All-Star Gala on Saturday was simple: "Nobody can do it better than you." The baseball Hall-of-Famer and former St. Louis Cardinal covered several topics and told more than a few stories of his experiences in professional baseball, but he always came back to how each individual must take responsibility for his own success...

Up-in-the-air senior makes pitch (04/06/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Van Buren's Brandon Tucker was honored to be part of the B.A. Sports All-Star Extravaganza on Saturday afternoon, but the soon-to-be high school graduate also wants to cement some plans for the future. Tucker would like to play college basketball but doesn't have anything nailed down. He is hoping to try out for Three Rivers or possibly College of the Ozarks in the near future...

Coaches all-state team includes Porter, Penn and others (03/30/08) Six local players recognized by state basketball coaches

Doniphan players lead OFC selections (03/27/08) DAR Staff The All-Ozark Foothills Conference was led by three Dons and a pair of Lady Eagles. Charles Wilson, Chandler Wilson and Tyler Collins led Doniphan to the OFC title while coach Jason Andrews was named Coach of the Year. Clearwater, Naylor and Twin Rivers each placed two players on the team. Luke Hillis and Kyle Randolph qualified from Clearwater, while Eagles Travis Thomas and Caleb Johnson and Royals Kenny Johnson and Dylan Stockton were also honored...

Greenville senior Sara Woodgeard makes all-state again (03/27/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Sara Woodgeard sat glued to a chair, watching her teammates run and down the floor and make up all the plays. Now she is the one everyone is watching. Back in sixth grade, Woodgeard sat the bench, but now she has just finished her Greenville basketball career and was recently named to the Class 3 All-State squad for the third time...

Hailee Deckard earns all-state honors (03/27/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Naylor's Hailee Deckard capped off an outstanding high school career with a spot on the Class 2 All-State basketball team for a third straight season. The point guard averaged a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds a game and displayed a balanced game that also accounted for 8 assists and 4 steals per game as she led the Lady Eagles to the quarterfinal round of the MSHSAA Class 2 playoffs...

All-state team released (03/26/08) Eight local players honored by Missouri sports writers.

Semoball High 5 FINAL BASKETBALL rankings (03/26/08) BOYS 1. (tie). Notre Dame (24-6) ... Class 4 state champions with wins over Lincoln Prep and St. Charles West. Last ranking: 1 (tie). 1 (tie). Jackson (20-8) ... Indians won a Class 5 district championship and their season-ending loss was against the eventual state champion. Last ranking: 1 (tie)...

Southeast Missouri all-region team (03/26/08) Southeast Missouri All-Region BOYS Class 5 First team Jake Leet, Jackson Spencer Goodman, Jackson Hunter Grantham, Jackson Jay Raulston, Poplar Bluff Jajuan Bell, Cape Central Coach of the year -- Darrin Scott, Jackson Class 4 First team Ryan Willen, Notre Dame...

ALL-STATE BASKETBALL and FINAL POLLS (03/26/08) Missouri all-state high school basketball teams, from the Missouri Sportwriters and Sportscasters Association, and final rankings, for classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. CLASS 5 BOYS First Team Dusty Allen, 6-5, sr., Kickapoo Jordan Dressler, 6-8, jr., Rock Bridge...

The All-Standard Democrat basketball teams (03/24/08) The 2007-2008 All-Standard Democrat Basketball Team is a collection of the top basketball players in the Standard Democrat coverage area. Teams were selected by David Jenkins, Josh Mills, Andrew Powell and Chris Pobst. Teams in our coverage area include: Sikeston, Charleston, Dexter, East Prairie, Kelly, Oran, Portageville, Richland and Scott County Central. Photos were taken by David Jenkins...

Heil's record-breaking season leads Dexter (03/24/08) The junior averaged 18.4 points per game en route to Standard Democrat girls basketball player of the year honors.

Sikeston's Porter makes presence felt (03/24/08) The 6-foot-5 junior is the Standard Democrat player of the year in boys basketball.

SEMO Conference players honored for achievements (03/20/08) By Brad Hurt ~ SEMO News Service POPLAR BLUFF -- Some of the best coaches and players in Southeast Missouri shared the spotlight Wednesday night as representatives from the member teams of the SEMO Conference gathered in the student center of Poplar Bluff High School for the 50th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet...

Cookson to return to Scott County Central (03/19/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- After the Scott County Central Braves came back from Columbia with a third-place finish in the 2008 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown last week, there were many who didn't know for sure if the head coach for the Braves would be back on the sidelines for next season or not...

Scott County Central loses thriller to Jefferson (03/14/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com COLUMBIA -- It was one of the most anticipated match-ups throughout the 2008 MSHSAA Show-Me Showdown. It was one of the most anticipated matchups throughout Class 1. It was even one of the most anticipated match-ups throughout the state of Missouri...

NMCC's season ends at hands of the Blue Devils (03/10/08) Eagles rally late but are unable to overcome deficit

Two more to go: Braves heading to Columbia (03/10/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com WEST PLAINS -- It seems that the Scott County Central Braves (27-2) have made a habit of opening the first quarter with a very quick lead throughout the season. At the West Plains Civic Center on Saturday, the Braves did just that to put away the Chadwick Cardinals, 98-73, in the Class 1 quarterfinal round to advance to their first final four appearance since 1994...

Seniors lead teams in playoff runs (03/09/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer FARMINGTON -- Naylor's Hailee Deckard and Greenville's Sara Woodgeard have had some great battles over recent seasons. However, both players' careers came to an end Saturday afternoon as their respective teams fell in the MSHSAA quarterfinals at the Farmington Civic Center...

Metro stops Greenville in Class 3 quarterfinal (03/09/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer FARMINGTON -- Greenville was lulled into hibernation Saturday afternoon by the defending state champs. The Lady Bears, who averaged just over 70 points per game during their playoff run, were held to half that by Metro of St. Louis, losing 43-34 in the MSHSAA Class 3 quarterfinal...

Clopton wears down Naylor in quarterfinal (03/09/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer FARMINGTON -- Naylor ran into a dangerous, deep opponent Saturday in the MSHSAA Class 2 quarterfinal. Clopton used a 12-3 run in the third quarter and wore down the Lady Eagles 65-53 at the Farmington Civic Center. "We just ran out of gas and made errors we don't usually make," Naylor assistant coach Gene Deckard said. "We played hard and I felt like the game came down to who had the most gas."...

NMCC will try to contain high-scoring Devils (03/07/08) By Josh Mills sd_sports@yahoo.com FARMINGTON -- When the New Madrid County Central Eagles began their season at home with the Riverbend Classic, it looked as if it could be a long season. Memphis Central handled the ball, and the Eagles, by a score of 63-41. NMCC bounced back the following game with a victory over Byhalia, Miss., 71-61, then dropped four of their next five games...

Scott Central to take on small Chadwick team (03/07/08) Braves hoping to extend 19-game winning streak

Clopton ends St. Vincent's season (03/06/08) PARK HILLS, Mo. — The St. Vincent girls basketball team knew it faced a difficult challenge Wednesday night. The Indians, playing in a Class 2 sectional contest, were matched up against Clopton, a team it lost to by 21 points last year in the same round of the state playoffs. And the Hawks returned all five starters from last winter...

Greer battles pain, taller players (03/06/08) Notre Dame junior Austin Greer is described by teammate Ryan Willen as being straightforward -- something Willen received a first-hand glimpse of early this season when he returned to practice after missing five games with an ankle injury. "My first day back to practice we came into the locker room, and I sat down and [Greer asked], 'Are you ever going to play any defense?'" Willen said. ...

Woodgeard, Greenville end Portageville's season (03/06/08) Greenville senior nets 41 points as PHS finishes 25-4

New Madrid's determination pays off (03/06/08) NMCC victorious in defensive game; moves to quarterfinals

Delta ends Bravettes season in sectional (03/05/08) Scott Central stayed with the Lady Bobcats in first half

Runaway: Scott Central races by Bell City 80-53 (03/05/08) Braves advance to Class 1 Quarterfinal Saturday afternoon

Himmelberg, ND set sights on Class 4 title (03/05/08) Notre Dame senior Mark Himmelberg drew inspiration from a movie he went to see Friday night. After watching the latest Will Ferrell movie, "Semi-Pro," he felt an added boost as he and his Notre Dame teammates prepare to play in the Class 4 state final four basketball tournament...

Scott County Central thumps Bell City 80-58 in Class 1 sectional (03/05/08) POPLAR BLUFF -- The frustration has finally ended for Scott County Central. After losing to rival Bell City in a Class 1 sectional game for four straight years, the Braves finally ended the Cubs' domination in the fifth meeting, beating them 80-58 on Tuesday night at Poplar Bluff High School...

Himmelberg, ND set sights on Class 4 title (03/05/08) Notre Dame senior Mark Himmelberg drew inspiration from a movie he went to see Friday night. After watching the latest Will Ferrell movie, "Semi-Pro," he felt an added boost as he and his Notre Dame teammates prepare to play in the Class 4 state final four basketball tournament...

Himmelberg, ND set sights on Class 4 title (03/05/08) Notre Dame senior Mark Himmelberg drew inspiration from a movie he went to see Friday night. After watching the latest Will Ferrell movie, "Semi-Pro," he felt an added boost as he and his Notre Dame teammates prepare to play in the Class 4 state final four basketball tournament...

Himmelberg, ND set sights on Class 4 title (03/05/08) Notre Dame senior Mark Himmelberg drew inspiration from a movie he went to see Friday night. After watching the latest Will Ferrell movie, "Semi-Pro," he felt an added boost as he and his Notre Dame teammates prepare to play in the Class 4 state final four basketball tournament...

Himmelberg, ND set sights on Class 4 title (03/05/08) Notre Dame senior Mark Himmelberg drew inspiration from a movie he went to see Friday night. After watching the latest Will Ferrell movie, "Semi-Pro," he felt an added boost as he and his Notre Dame teammates prepare to play in the Class 4 state final four basketball tournament...

Braves end Bell City's season (03/05/08) POPLAR BLUFF - The much anticipated sectional meeting between two of the state's best Class 1 teams didn't come close to living up to expectations. Scott County Central had five players score in double figures and the Braves jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in an 80-58 win over the Bell City Cubs Tuesday at Poplar Bluff High School...

NMCC seeking sectional win (03/04/08) NMCC lost at Doniphan back in December

Portageville hopes to tame Lady Bears (03/04/08) Lady Bulldogs looking to advance to the quarterfinals

Rivals meet in sectional (03/04/08) Rivals Bell City and Scott County Central will meet today in a Class 1 sectional contest for the fifth straight year. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:45 p.m. at Poplar Bluff High School. The Cubs (25-3) have won all four previous sectional meetings against the Braves (23-2), and then have gone on to appear in the state final four each time...

Scott Central girls upset Oran in district final (02/29/08) Bravettes will take on Delta in the Class 1 sectional

Braves, Cubs set for rematch (03/03/08) Scott Central and Bell City will square off on Tuesday night at 7:45

Redemption: Dons win rematch with Malden (03/02/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor This year it was Doniphan's turn. The Dons used a stifling man defense, crashed the boards and got 27 points from senior Charles Wilson to win the MSHSAA Class 3 District 2 title, beating Malden 49-43. "We remember what it felt like last year to lose to them by two," Wilson said. "But we came back with redemption and won this game."...

'Total team ball' lifts Greenville girls (03/02/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Through all the celebrating, the hugs, the team photo and talking with fans in the lobby of the Bess Activity Center, Greenville senior Lindsay Henson still held onto the MSHSAA Class 3 District 2 championship plaque Friday night...

Naylor sprints to title (03/02/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer HOLCOMB -- The Naylor Lady Eagles began their mental preparation for Friday's MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 final before they even left their hometown. After encouraging and motivating each other throughout the day, the Lady Eagles took to the court against rival Neelyville and cruised to a 54-22 win...

Hale lands in third final four in four years (03/02/08) FARMINGTON -- When Paul Hale was hired nearly four years ago to coach the Notre Dame boys basketball team, the school's principal, Brother David Migliorino, called it a grand slam. On Saturday night, Migliorino repeated, "We couldn't ask for anything more."...

Nothing but Iron: Van Buren's upset bid fizzles (02/29/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer VAN BUREN -- It was a tale of two halves Thursday night for the Van Buren Bulldogs in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 championship. They went into the half down just three but scored eight points in the second half as South Iron cruised to a 67-35 district championship victory...

NMCC wins district championship (02/29/08) By David Jenkins ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PORTAGEVILLE -- When NMCC sophomore Dontre Jenkins was younger, he used to be a manager for the Eagles basketball team and watched as they won three district titles. Now Jenkins has one of his own as NMCC defeated Portageville 61-41 for the Class 3, District 1 title Thursday night...

Braves roll past Gideon in district final (02/29/08) Scott Central sets up yet another match-up with Bell City in the Class 1 sectional

Bernie holds off Camels, will face Hayti for district title (02/29/08) HOLCOMB, Mo. -- For the second time this season, the Bernie Mules met the Campbell Camels, and all those in attendance saw a quality high school basketball game. However this one had a lot more riding on it as this time a spot in the 2A district finals was on the line. And just like earlier this year, it was the Bernie Mules who were still standing when the smoke cleared...

Mules hold on, reach district finals (02/29/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer HOLCOMB -- Although they stood only one win away from reaching the district championship game Thursday night, the Bernie Mules knew they couldn't look too far ahead. Their opponents, the Campbell Camels, made sure the Mules had to give everything they had to pull out a 73-60 win that sent them into the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 final against Hayti...

Top-seeded Hayti rallies past Naylor boys (02/29/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer HOLCOMB -- Although they faced a superior physical team on Thursday night, the Naylor Eagles made Hayti earn a 67-56 win in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 semifinal. With the win, the Indians continued a string of "firsts" that have marked this season. The team captured its first Bloomfield Christmas Tournament title, its first Bootheel Conference title in several years and with its record now at 20-6, its first 20-win season in a decade...

Buzzkill: Puxico's playoff run ends (02/29/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor CHAFFEE -- Once again, the Puxico Indians saw another team's half-court prayer answered Thursday night in the MSHSAA Class 2 District 3 championship game. Brett Steffens knocked down a shot from the half-court circle just before the end of the first quarter, giving Saxony Lutheran a lead the Crusaders held the rest of the night, winning 66-52...

Dawg-gone fun: Van Buren seniors win third title (02/29/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer VAN BUREN -- The Van Buren Lady Dawgs held off a late run from Bismarck and took home their third MSHSAA Class 2 District 2 title in four years, winning on their home floor Thursday night, 62-46. Britney Peterson and Whitney VanWinkle each had 20 points for Van Buren (17-7) in the win while Taylor Grant added 18...

Portageville girls win first district crown in 20 years (02/29/08) Lady Bulldogs explode in the third quarter to beat Kelly

Mules down Campbell again to make district final (02/29/08) HOLCOMB, Mo. -- For the second time this season, the Bernie Mules met the Campbell Camels, and all those in attendance saw a quality high school basketball game. However this one had a lot more riding on it as this time a spot in the 2A district finals was on the line. And just like earlier this year, it was the Bernie Mules who were still standing when the smoke cleared...

Central AD will vacate position (02/29/08) Central athletic director Mark Ruark resigned the position effective July 1, 2008, after serving three years in the job. Ruark has been at Central for the past 23 years. He served as an administrator for the past 14 years, spending the first 11 as an assistant principal before accepting his role as athletic director...

Rozier's shot secures title as St. Vincent wins 40-38 (02/29/08) CHAFFEE -- Meadow Heights' defense collapsed on Lacey Siegmund, causing a moment of panic. She dealt with the pressure by delivering a perfect bounce pass to teammate Elizabeth Rozier. "I looked up and saw a girl in front of me, and I saw Elizabeth," Siegmund said. "I was like, 'I don't want to take the last shot.' So I gave it over to her. She was wide open."...

SCC girls upset top-seeded Oran (02/29/08) GIDEON, Mo. -- Every time Brianna Johnson went to the free-throw line Thursday night in the Class 1 District 1 championship game, a member of the Scott County Central boys basketball time cheered her on from the corner by yelling, "Take your time, Missy."...

Hallacious comeback: Markers rally past Bluff (02/28/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor FARMINGTON -- The Lady Mules couldn't have dreamed a better start Wednesday to the MSHSAA Class 5 Sectional against ninth-ranked Nerinx Hall. The second half however, was a nightmare for Poplar Bluff. After scoring just two first-quarter points, the Markers used a 19-3 run in the third quarter to rally for a 56-39 win at the Farmington Civic Center...

Dexter goes cold, falls in Class 4 sectional (02/28/08) Lady Bearcats can't find basket in second half; end season at 22-5

Farmington puts Lady Bearcats' dreams on ice (02/28/08) PARK HILLS, Mo. -- All season long the Dexter Lady Bearcats were known as a high-scoring basketball team, averaging 65 points per game. Wednesday night, the offense disappeared. Facing a Farmington team that finished second in state a year ago, the Lady Bearcats were unable to find the basket in the second half, losing 48-35 to the Knightettes in a Class 4 Sectional Wednesday night...

Notre Dame scores first 39 points in 75-32 sectional rout (02/28/08) PARK HILLS, Mo. -- The Notre Dame student section confidently proclaimed the Bulldogs the victor over De Soto even before the opening tip of the Class 4 boys sectional basketball contest Wednesday night at Mineral Area College. "It's all over," the section chanted as they watched the Bulldogs and Dragons perform their pre-game warmups...

Webster Groves eliminates Jackson boys in Class 5 sectional (02/28/08) FARMINGTON, Mo. -- The Webster Groves High School boys basketball team pretty well had its way from start to finish during a December meeting with Jackson. That wasn't quite the case Wednesday night as the Indians hung within striking distance of the Statesmen for a good portion of the Class 5 sectional...

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: State poll (02/27/08) MOBERLY _ The Missouri state high school regular-season basketball rankings for 2007-2008 in classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as compiled by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Records are through Sunday. For classes four and five, these are the final rankings until the end of the postseason...

Puxico earns shot at district title (02/27/08) Bloomfield falls short of upset

Portageville slips past Scott City with OT shutout (02/27/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PORTAGEVILLE -- The last time the Portageville Bulldogs took on the Scott City Rams, the victory went to the Rams, by a score of 72-48. Too bad for Scott City that it wasn't in the district tournament, because the second meeting between the two schools ended up with Portageville stealing the win to advance to the championship game. The Bulldogs took the contest into overtime, where they held the Rams scoreless, winning by a final score of 45-35...

NMCC shocks Charleston (02/27/08) Bluejays' run of six straight district titles comes to end

ROUNDUP: Bell City rolls into district title game (02/27/08) Nick Niemczyk poured in 29 points as top-seeded Bell City routed Leopold 81-43 Tuesday night in the semifinals of the Class 1 District 2 boys basketball tournament at Zalma. Phillip Gross added 13 points for the Cubs and Marty Dames contributed 10. Dustin Thiele led Leopold with 18 points. Darren VanGennip added 15...

Scott Central to play for title (02/27/08) Oran senior Kody Campbell scores his 1,000th point in loss.

Bell City wins big in district opener (02/26/08) ZALMA, Mo. -- Bell City's Phillip Gross knew he and his teammates were in store for a fun game Monday against Bunker when he threw up a shot during the first quarter while falling down. The attempt bounced off the top of the backboard, up in the air and then fell straight down through the net for two points...

Leopold slips past Zalma 83-81 in OT (02/26/08) ZALMA, Mo. -- Leopold's Darren VanGennip was confident in his ability to deliver in the clutch during a tie game against Zalma on Monday with 26 seconds left in overtime. "I just had the ball and I felt like I needed to score," VanGennip said. "So I just made up my mind and shot it...

Bell City bombs Bunker from start, wins 96-32 (02/26/08) ZALMA, Mo. -- Bell City's Phillip Gross knew he and his teammates were in store for a fun game Monday against Bunker when he threw up a shot during the first quarter while falling down. The attempt bounced off the top of the backboard, up in the air and then fell straight down through the net for two points...

Braves pound N. Pemiscot 94-37 (02/26/08) The Scott County Central boys basketball team raced out to a 41-point halftime lead and cruised to a 94-37 first-round victory over North Pemiscot in Class 1 District 1 action at Gideon High School. The Braves scored 38 points in the first quarter and led 63-22 by halftime...

Favored girls teams roll into semifinals (02/25/08) By Chris Pobst, Josh Mills and Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PORTAGEVILLE -- The top-seeded teams rolled in the first round of the girls Class 3, District 1 tournament setting up semifinal action tonight. State-ranked Portageville will take on New Madrid County Central at 6 p.m. while Kelly and Caruthersville will battle at 7:30 p.m. with the winners playing for the district championship Thursday at 6 p.m...

Seeds hold in first day of tournament (02/25/08) Scott City survives scare from No. 6 seeded East Prairie

District champs: Dexter girls claim crown (02/25/08) Dexter rallies in second half to claim district championship; Lady Bearcats erase halftime deficit, then shave coach's head

Disappointing end: Sikeston falls to ND in district final (02/25/08) Sikeston offense unable to get on track in title game Willen scores 23 for Notre Dame as SHS held to a season-low in points

Poplar Bluff girls bank first district since 2005 (02/25/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor JACKSON -- Aereill Davis needed help getting to the locker room following the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship game. Davis' teammates were there for her after Poplar Bluff's leading scorer injured her ankle in the first quarter Friday night. The Lady Mules held off Jackson 48-40 then gave the senior a piggy-back ride off the court...

Jackson girls fall to Bluff in district final (02/23/08) JACKSON -- Poplar Bluff's Jasmin Sumrall was unfazed when Jackson staged a late comeback against her team Friday night. The Indians, after trailing by as many as 12 points in third quarter, stormed back to make it a one-point deficit with 5 minutes, 45 seconds left in their Class 5 District 1 girls basketball championship game...

Jackson boys repeat as district champions (02/23/08) JACKSON -- The Jackson High School boys basketball team anticipated a close game with Poplar Bluff. Why wouldn't the Indians? After all, when the squads met a little more than a month ago, Jackson won by five points. Nothing that happened in the first quarter of Friday night's Class 5 District 1 championship game suggested that the rematch would be any different...

Perryville girls fall in district semifinal (02/23/08) Dexter jumped on Perryville early in their Class 4 District 1 girls basketball semifinal at the Perry Park Center on Friday, and the Pirates never had a chance to mount a rally. The Bearcats opened an 11-point lead after the first quarter, and cruised to the 64-31 victory...

Naylor girls want to make up for lost run (02/22/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer After missing out on the playoffs last season, Naylor is primed to erase that bitter memory with a deep playoff run. The Lady Eagles are led by senior Hailee Deckard, who gives opposing defenses headaches night in and night out. Deckard's surrounding cast includes several players who can step up and have a big game...

Redemption: Dons hungry for another shot at title (02/22/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer The top-seeded Doniphan Dons are heading into the MSHSAA Class 3 District 2 tournament with vivid memories. The Dons remember all too well losing to Malden in the district final by two points, 67-65. "That will motivate us because we know what it felt like to lose," Doniphan senior Charles Wilson said. "We are hungry for that district title."...

Greenville girls over 'mental' road block (02/22/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Greenville is heading into the MSHSAA Class 3 District 2 tournament as the top seed. The Lady Bears will face East Carter in the first round of competition and will also have the advantage of being the host school. Last year, the Lady Bears lost in the second round to Doniphan after being up by 14 points early and the year before that fell to Kelly in the district final, 50-49. ...

Bernie seeks first district title since 1992 (02/22/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer If you blink, you just may miss the Bernie Mules, whose high-speed brand of offense has accounted for a 19-5 record as of Tuesday. The Mules, who open the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 tournament as the No. 2 seed against No. 7 seed Holcomb at 4 p.m. Saturday, love to push the ball and make their living by knocking down the 3-pointer...

ND, Sikeston fans scramble for tickets (02/22/08) Tickets for the Class 4 District 1 boys basketball championship game between Notre Dame and Sikeston are not easy to obtain for the general public. Just ask anyone who stood in line Thursday at Sikeston High School waiting for two hours to purchase tickets...

Jackson's 3 barrage buries Seckman (02/21/08) JACKSON -- The Jackson girls basketball team lives and dies by the 3-pointer most nights. The Indians lived by it against Seckman in Class 5 District 1 semifinal action Wednesday. Jackson, which scored 13 points in the first 13 minutes, 12 seconds of the contest, caught fire from 3-point range late in the second quarter and stayed hot throughout the third quarter to overcome a 10-point first-half deficit and rout the Jaguars 66-41...

Saxony Lutheran improves to 18-5 with win (02/21/08) Zach Bohnert scored 16 points while Garrett Ruppel added 14 to lead the Saxony Lutheran boys basketball team to an 83-50 victory over Zalma on Wednesday. Colton Bailey struck for 23 points for the Bulldogs (9-13). Saxony Lutheran (18-5) used a 31-point second quarter to pull away...

Tribe runs out of gas against NMCC (02/20/08) NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians gave the New Madrid County Central Eagles all they wanted for three quarters before the tank hit empty early in the final period. The Eagles ran off 12 straight points in the fourth quarter to break open a close game and hand Kennett a 61-49 loss here Tuesday night in SEMO Conference action...

Lady Tribe shocks NMCC, wins final SEMO Conference game (02/20/08) From staff reports NEW MADRID, Mo. -- The Kennett Lady Indians' drought in the SEMO Conference is over. Playing in their final game as a member of the league, the Lady Indians used a strong second half to shock the New Madrid County Central Lady Eagles 56-49 here Tuesday night...

Scott County Central trounces Advance (02/20/08) Gillespie leads SCC with 20 points and six steals

Season ends for Sikeston girls (02/20/08) By David Jenkins ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PERRYVILLE -- All year long the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs Aachilles' heel has been turnovers. Tuesday night, turnovers bit the Lady Bulldogs one last time in a 73-22 loss to Fredericktown in the quarterfinals of the Class 4, District 1 Tournament...

ROUNDUP: New Madrid County defeats Kennett 61-49 (02/20/08) Staff reports NEW MADRID -- The New Madrid County Central boys got an early preview of their first round district opponent Tuesday night, defeating the Kennett Indians 61-49. The Eagles, who will play Kennett again Saturday night in the first round of the Class 3, District 1 Tournament, outscored Kennett 18-11 in the fourth quarter to blow open a close game...

Scott City puts away Portageville (02/20/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SCOTT CITY -- The Scott City Rams welcomed in the Portageville Bulldogs on Tuesday evening, and within 32 minutes handed their visiting opponent a 72-48 loss. The Bulldogs never really got off the ground, as Scott City's players were firing on all cylinders on Senior Night...

ROUNDUP: Bloomfield rallies past Kelly; Naylor wins in OT (02/20/08) By DAR STAFF BLOOMFIELD -- Kyle Williamson's layup with three seconds left Tuesday gave Bloomfield an 80-79 win over Kelly. The winning basket completed a Wildcat charge from a 17-point first-half deficit and gave Williamson a total of 19 points in the game, all in the second half...

Surging Mules get shot at district title (02/20/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor JACKSON -- Poplar Bluff is looking to spoil the party at The Pit. The Mules advanced to the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 championship game with a 79-61 win Tuesday night against third-seeded Hillsboro. Poplar Bluff (11-14) will face host Jackson (19-7) at 7 p.m. Thursday for the district title...

Bluejays work overtime to beat Dons (02/20/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer DONIPHAN -- Whenever Charleston needed a basket Tuesday night, it turned to junior Donald Dixon. Dixon had eight of the Bluejays' 12 points in overtime and scored 29 as they moved past the Doniphan Dons, 56-54. "We wanted to get the ball to Don (Dixon)," Charleston coach Danny Farmer said. "Don can score and that is one of the things he does well. He is instant offense."...

Malden defeats Twin Rivers (02/20/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer MALDEN -- In a preview of a possible second-round matchup in next week's MSHSAA Class 3 District 2 tournament, Malden used a strong first half to defeat Twin Rivers 69-54 on Tuesday. The Royals will have the No. 2 seed while the Green Wave will have the No. 3 seed at Greenville when the tournament gets underway Saturday...

Jackson completes season sweep (02/20/08) JACKSON -- When Jackson's Jake Leet described teammate Hunter Grantham on Tuesday night, he called him an "animal down low." Grantham certainly was a force near the basket during the third quarter of the Indians' district contest against rival Central...

Perryville girls advance to district semifinal (02/20/08) The Perryville girls basketball team played tenacious defense to advance in the Class 4 District 1 tournament Tuesday. Alicia Kueker scored 16 points and Alyssa Bauwens added 15 as the Pirates downed Ste. Genevieve 45-30. The Pirates advance to face top-seeded Dexter on Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Perry Park Center...

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: State poll (02/20/08) Missouri prep basketball rankings MOBERLY _ The Missouri state high school regular-season basketball rankings for 2007-2008 in classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as compiled by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Records are through Sunday...

Portageville's defense smothers Lady Hawks (02/19/08) Lady Bulldogs have been dominant in seven-game win streak

Dexter boys win, face top seed in semifinals (02/19/08) By DAR STAFF PERRYVILLE -- Sophomore John Bowman hit two of his five 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help Dexter close the door on Ste. Genevieve in the opening round of the MSHSAA Class 4 District 1 tournament on Monday. With the 81-68 win, the fifth-seeded Bearcats advanced to Wednesday's semifinals, where they will face top-seed Sikeston...

Poplar Bluff, Hillsboro square off for spot in final (02/19/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Poplar Bluff's roller-coaster ride can be summed up in the Mules' final two games of the regular season -- a 43-point loss to Notre Dame and a 16-point win against Charleston. "If we can figure out how to bottle that from game to game this team -- I'm not saying they can produce a miracle -- but this team will definitely surprise some people," said Mules coach Lamont Frazier of his team's effort against Charleston...

Lady Mules not looking past first step (02/19/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Poplar Bluff heads into the postseason on a roll, winners of their last 13 games, and as the top seed in the MSHSAA Class 5 District 1 tournament in Jackson. But to get a shot at their first title since 2005, the Lady Mules must not overlook Cape Central...

Chaffee boys hit 10-win plateau (02/19/08) There's two reasons to celebrate in Chaffee today. The Red Devils boys basketball team earned win No. 10 in a season for the first time since the 1979-80 season with its 54-37 victory over Delta on Monday. Plus senior Andy Hendrix scored 25 points, putting him over 1,000 points in his career...

Central boys will play Jackson in district semifinal (02/19/08) JACKSON -- Jajuan Bell didn't miss during the first quarter. In fact, he nearly outscored Fox on his own. Bell delivered in the first half, then Chase Johnson took over in the second as Central defeated Fox, 67-57, in their Class 5 District 1 boys basketball opener Monday night...

Central girls reach district semis with 49-46 win (02/19/08) JACKSON -- Central found itself down two points in the middle of a dogfight in its Class 5 District 1 opener Monday night. With less than 4 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Tigers' Wendi Zickfield and Sadie Pittman willed their team past Fox...

SEMOBALL HIGH 5 BASKETBALL RANKINGS (02/18/08) BOYS 1 (tie). Jackson, Notre Dame, Sikeston 4. Scott County Central GIRLS 1. Poplar Bluff 2. Dexter

Sikeston falls to Lady Tigers (02/18/08) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- For the final time this season, the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs stepped onto their home court Saturday afternoon to take on the Cape Central Lady Tigers. In a game that was delayed earlier in the week due to icy conditions, it was the visiting team that found the right footing as they managed to slide by the Bulldogs, 53-41...

Scott County trumps Scott City for third time (02/18/08) Braves maintain perfect record in conference play.

ROUNDUP: Kelly boys fall; Kelly girls win (02/18/08) Staff reports JACKSON -- Matt Lang scored 17 points, while Marcus Harris, Jake Leet and Hunter Grantham added 15 apiece as the Jackson boys basketball team won its tuneup for district play Saturday. Jackson earned the 80-57 victory over Kelly. The Hawks stuck with Jackson through the first quarter, but the Indians (18-7) managed to shake Kelly in the second quarter, opening a 10-point lead at halftime...

ROUNDUP: Puxico holds off Bloomfield; Naylor rallies (02/15/08) By DAR STAFF Puxico jumped to a 17-9 lead after the first quarter and held off a run to beat Bloomfield 71-58 Thursday night. "We just came out and really asserted ourselves," Puxico coach Josh Dowdy said. "J Hon hit three 3s in the first quarter and that really opened us up."...

Central may face Jackson for fifth time this season (02/18/08) The Jackson vs. Central rivalry game has been a common occurrence this winter. The two boys basketball teams have played each other four times. And there is still a chance for one more meeting in the Class 5 District 1 tournament this week. District action begins today at Jackson High School...

'Deer down Gideon for title (02/17/08) COOTER, Mo. -- Going into Friday night, the Clarkton High School varsity basketball program had won 18 of its last 19 Tri-County Conference battles. The one loss? A buzzer-beating heartbreaker at the hands of Campbell in the finals of last year's conference tournament...

Scott County dunks South Pem for 20th victory (02/17/08) First half slams help Scott Central to big halftime lead

Bravettes pull out win against South Pemiscot (02/17/08) Game had six lead changes within last three minutes

Local teams ready for district play (02/17/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PERRYVILLE -- The Class 4 District 1 boys and girls basketball district tournament will be getting underway Monday evening at the Perry Park Center in Perryville. In the boys bracket, the Sikeston Bulldogs will be rolling into Perryville with the No. 1 seed, receiving a bye in the first round. Sikeston's first contest will be against the winner of the St. Genevieve (4) vs Dexter (5) game at 6 p.m. on Wednesday evening...

New Madrid puts it together for homecoming (02/17/08) Eagles earn 80-67 win over district rival Portageville on Friday night

Sikeston concludes regular season at 21-3 (02/17/08) With win, Sikeston is co-champion of SEMO Conference.

Naylor beats Donettes; Twin Rivers runs past Hayti (02/17/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer NAYLOR -- The Naylor Lady Eagles outscored Doniphan 12-2 in the second quarter to build a double-digit lead and sent their seniors out on top with a 48-34 victory over the Donettes. Naylor senior Hailee Deckard, who will play for the University of Missouri-St. Louis next season, led the way in her final home game, scoring 13 points...

A fresh start: Mules open senior night with 11-0 run (02/17/08) Chaligoj scores 30 points to lead Poplar Bluff past Charleston 73-57.

Get caught drinking, and prepare to sit (02/17/08) Scott City High School student-athletes caught possessing or consuming alcohol for the first time are punished with a two-week suspension, preventing them from participating in games. Still, two Rams athletes, who play both football and basketball and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor alcohol charges in between the fall and winter sports seasons, were able to continue participating without having to miss a single contest...

Willen played limited minutes as a freshman before developing into a force (02/17/08) Cathy Willen found a checklist last summer that her son, Notre Dame 6-foot-8 senior Ryan Willen, made before his sophomore year of high school. The list, which she found inside his closet and has since placed in a scrapbook for him, included four goals that he wanted to prove to his family that he could accomplish. ...

Jackson finishes regular season 18-7 (02/17/08) Matt Lang scored 17 points, while Marcus Harris, Jake Leet and Hunter Grantham added 15 apiece as the Jackson boys basketball team won its tuneup for district play Saturday. Jackson earned the 80-57 victory over Kelly. The Hawks stuck with Jackson through the first quarter, but the Indians (18-7) managed to shake Kelly in the second quarter, opening a 10-point lead at halftime...

Bearcats end regular season with win over Cape Central (02/17/08) Dexter played its best all around game of the season and the results were a convincing, 71-43, SEMO Conference win over the Cape Central Tigers Friday on Senior Night for the Bearcats. "Personally, I didn't know we could play that well," Dexter coach Rob Nichols said after the surprisingly easy win. "That's the best we've played all year. Defensively, rebounding, offensively, they just played with a lot of confidence and it showed on the court."...

Sikeston's Bland still alive in Columbia (02/16/08) Sikeston senior out of running for state title, can still finish third

Tigers drop regular-season finale to Bearcats, 71-43 (02/16/08) The Central boys basketball team hoped for a solid performance to warm up for Monday's Class 5 District 1 basketball tournament. The Tigers were forced to settle for a lopsided defeat, falling at Dexter 71-43. Central trailed by 10 at halftime, then the Bearcats pushed the lead to 25 entering the fourth quarter...

Ice has teams scrambling to make up games (02/15/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer As the competition on the basketball court heats up late in the season, unpredictable winter weather can create headaches for teams. With a tight window of opportunity in the final month of the season to reschedule postponed games before the start of district tournaments, coaches and athletic directors face the decision of whether to make up the games at all...

Senior moment: Poplar Bluff girls earn share of SEMO title (02/15/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Poplar Bluff's seniors went out with a bang Thursday night. The Lady Mules earned a share of the SEMO Conference title and picked up win No. 20 on Senior Night by beating Doniphan, 63-20. "It was kind of sad to see it go, but we're not done yet," said senior Stefanie Ferguson of her final game at Peters Gym...

ROUNDUP: Dexter girls pull away from Twin Rivers (02/15/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com BROSELEY -- The Dexter Lady Bearcats overcame a slow start to defeat the Twin Rivers Lady Royals on the road Thursday night, 83-54. The Lady Bearcats, ranked seventh in Class 4, came out a little sluggish after their loss to Poplar Bluff on Wednesday night...

Sikeston starts fast, survives Eagles rally (02/15/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- After building a sizable lead early in the game, the Sikeston Bulldogs were able to hang on and take care of the New Madrid County Central Eagles, 70-56. The Bulldogs forced the Eagles into several turnovers throughout the first quarter, outscoring NMCC by 13 points to take a 20-7 lead...

Sikeston's Bland cruises in first match (02/15/08) Staff reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com COLUMBIA -- Sikeston wrestlers Gavilan Bland and Jacob Murphy began their quests for state wrestling titles Thursday night in Columbia. Bland, making his third-straight appearance at the state championships, dominated Jonathan Dahlman of Webb City in the first round, winning by technical fall 17-2. He will wrestle Warrensburg's Dan Schreimann today...

Portageville gets complete team effort (02/15/08) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com EAST PRAIRIE -- Since the opening tip-off of the 2007-08 basketball year, Portageville head coach Eric Ellerbrook has preached to his kids that the key to a successful season lies behind playing well as a team...

Kelly kicks losing streak to Delta (02/15/08) Hawks defeat rival Bobcats for first time since 2005

Lady Tribe starts fast, wins big on Senior Night (02/15/08) The Kennett Lady Indians' seniors weren't the only one to step into the spotlight on Senior Night. Freshman Jerica Wheeler scored a team-high 14 points and sophomore Allyson Luce scored all six of her points in the first quarter to lead the Lady Indians to a 52-31 victory over the Charleston Lady Bluejays Thursday night at Kennett Middle School...

Bell City turns back Hayti 70-63 (02/15/08) Nick Niemczyk continued a stellar season by dropping 34 points on senior night to guide Bell City past Hayti, 70-63, in boys basketball. Phillip Gross netted 20 points for the Cubs (21-2), who were ranked No. 3 in the latest Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association state poll...

Kelly girls earn revenge in third meeting with Delta (02/15/08) BENTON -- The third time was a charm for Kelly. Kelly and Delta played twice this season before Thursday night, with the Bobcats coming away with victories both times -- one in the championship game of the Chaffee Invitational and the other in the Scott Mississippi Conference title game...

Comeback trail: Poplar Bluff rallies to beat Dexter (02/14/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor DEXTER -- Poplar Bluff made up for a horrendous second half back in December by putting together a brilliant one Wednesday night to climb into the race for the SEMO Conference title. The Lady Mules rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat Dexter 61-53, producing a three-way tie atop the SEMO standings with the Lady Bearcats and Jackson...

Lady Mules surge past Dexter in second half (02/14/08) Poplar Bluff win forces three-way tie atop SEMO Conference

Campbell, Gideon soar into semifinals (02/14/08) COOTER, Mo. -- The third-seeded Campbell Camels came away with a victory in their opening round 67-52 win over the sixth-seeded host Cooter Wildcats in the final game here Wednesday night. In Wednesday's other first-round varsity game, Gideon rolled past North Pemiscot...

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: State poll (02/13/08) The Missouri state high school regular-season basketball rankings for 2007-2008 in classes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as compiled by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

Risco shoots down Chargers (02/12/08) COOTER, Mo. -- The Risco Tigers used a strong second half and an outstanding outside attack as they knocked down nine 3-pointers to pull away with a 76-59 win over the Delta C7 Chargers in the opening round of the Tri County Conference tournament here Monday night at Cooter...

Dexter closes case for top seed in districts (02/10/08) Bearcats defeated Perryville 52-36 for second win against a top Class 4 District 1 foe in the week.

Richland knocks off state-ranked Clarkton (02/10/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com RICHLAND -- The Richland Rebels played host to the state-ranked Clarkton Reindeer on Friday night, the Rebels used a big third quarter to gain the lead and went on to win, 80-71. Richland was down by one point at halftime, 36-35. But, the Rebels outscored Clarkton 25-14 to take a 10 point lead at the end of the third quarter...

Sikeston overcomes slow start to beat Cape Central (02/10/08) By David Jenkins ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Cape Central Tigers gave the Sikeston Bulldogs fits for a half of Friday night's SEMO Conference basketball game. But the Bulldogs wasted no time in the second half coming to life and putting away the Tigers 59-44 to improve to 19-3 and 6-1 in conference...

Charleston utilizes bench to beat Portageville (02/10/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PORTAGEVILLE -- The Portageville Bulldogs' district foe, Charleston, came to town Friday evening, stealing a victory from the home team. The Bluejays started with a different set-up on the floor to begin the game, and over the course of 32 minutes, nine players got involved in the 78-65 win...

Scott Central starts fast in win at Oran (02/10/08) Braves started off on a 16-0 run to put away Eagles

Malden holds back Puxico (02/10/08) By DAR STAFF Puxico missed a shot to tie Friday night as it fell to Malden, 51-48. Malden jumped out to an early lead and had a 15-8 edge after the first quarter. "They got off to a 7-0 start and we had our backs against the wall," Puxico coach Josh Dowdy said. "We responded and started turning up the defensive intensity. I thought we executed better offensively than we have all year long."...

Naylor comes away with OFC title in third try (02/10/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer For the third straight year, Naylor participated in the championship game of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament, and for the first time in those attempts came out on top, surviving a hard-fought battle with Greenville Friday night at the Bess Activity Center...

Doniphan beats Twin Rivers, defends OFC title (02/10/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Doniphan got big performances from its senior leaders and used a big second quarter to hold off Twin Rivers 58-49 in the Ozark Foothills Conference championship game Friday night at the Bess Activity Center. Seniors Tyler Collins and Charles Wilson came through on the biggest stage for the Dons. Collins scored a game-high 25 points while Wilson added 16 points, including 12 in the second half...

Notre Dame whips Poplar Bluff in first half (02/10/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A week before the end of the regular season, the Poplar Bluff Mules suffered their most lopsided loss of the season Friday night, losing to state-ranked Notre Dame, 81-38. "A humbling experience like this can do a lot for you," Mules coach Lamont Frazier said. "It makes you realize that you're not there yet and you still have some work to do."...

Bell City's Niemczyk nominated to play in McDonald's hoops game (02/10/08) BELL CITY -- With his nomination to the McDonald's All American£ High School Boys Basketball Team, Nick Niemczyk of Bell City High School was recently recognized as one of the top prep standouts in the nation. The 6' 1" Guard ranks among the top 1,500 nominees competing to fill one of 24 positions on the Boys Team, which will feature an East vs. ...

Crusaders' 'D' puts squeeze on Leopold in 56-40 home win (02/09/08) Saxony Lutheran's defense choked Leopold's offensive efforts in the first and third quarters. The Wildcats shot a combined 3-of-23 (13 percent) in those two quarters Friday night. The Crusaders capitalized on their defense to slow down Leopold and earn the 56-40 victory in boys basketball...

Portageville girls reach final of Bootheel tourney (02/08/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SENATH -- The Portageville Lady Bulldogs improved to 19-3 with a win over the Malden Lady Wave Thursday night in conference tournament play, 80-39. "Malden came out and played really well. They disrupted us on offense and caused us to miss a lot of shots in the first half," said Portageville head coach Eric Ellerbrook. ...

Oan defeats East Prairie on the road (02/08/08) Kielhofner finishes with a triple-double

Kelly girls get past New Madrid 56-51 (02/08/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com NEW MADRID -- The Kelly Lady Hawks traveled to New Madrid County Central to take on the Lady Eagles on Thursday night, the Lady Hawks came away with a victory in close one, 56-51. The "battle of the lady birds" was a tight one the whole way. The biggest lead for either team was nine points, which was achieved by the Lady Hawks in the fourth quarter...

Braves win rivalry game at New Madrid (02/08/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com NEW MADRID -- The rivalry matchup between the Scott County Central Braves and the New Madrid County Central Eagles got off to a slow start on Thursday night, as both teams struggled to find any rhythm early on. Unfortunately for NMCC, the Braves found their rhythm first, going on to defeat the Eagles, 61-46...

Charleston girls knock off Sikeston 44-29 (02/08/08) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CHARLESTON -- The Lady Bluejays captured their second win of the season Thursday night after beating arch-rival Sikeston 44-29. The Lady Bulldogs had a hard time finding a handle on things without senior point guard Amber Minner, who was out due to sickness, as numerous turnovers and an unsteady tempo seemed to plague the visiting team throughout...

ROUNDUP: Campbell edges Caruthersville for Bootheel title shot (02/08/08) By DAR STAFF SENATH -- Campbell reached the finals of the Bootheel Conference Tournament with a 61-59 win over the Caruthersville Lady Tigers here Thursday night. The Lady Camels made four free throws in the final 10 seconds to secure the win. "We kind of went through a rough spell where we were trying to see what kind of team we were going to be with our new juniors and everybody kind of finding their role," Campbell coach Daren Ellsworth said. ...

Donettes push past Twin Rivers in OFC third-place game (02/08/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- With the momentum of a buzzer-beating shot lifting their spirits going into halftime, the Doniphan Donettes put together a big third quarter to put away Twin Rivers in the third-place game of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament 55-40...

Naylor boys top Clearwater for third place in OFC (02/08/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- It wasn't a pretty win by any means, but the outcome for Naylor was a satisfying third-place finish in the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament as the Eagles held off Clearwater 41-35 Thursday. The Eagles scored six of the final 10 points after Kyle Randolph pulled the Tigers to within four points with a long two-point jumper from near the top of the key 2 minutes into the fourth quarter...

Bell City holds off Clarkton in battle of ranked teams (02/08/08) Nick Niemczyk hit five 3-pointers and tallied 35 points before fouling out late in the game as Bell City fended off a furious Clarkton comeback for an 81-78 victory in boys basketball Thursday. The Cubs (20-2) led by 16 points at the half, but Clarkton outscored Bell City 52-39 in the second half to close the gap...

Sikeston storms by Oran (02/06/08) Strong second half propels Bulldogs to 18th win of the season

Twin Rivers runs past Naylor, into final (02/07/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Twin Rivers trailed only once Wednesday in advancing past Naylor into the championship game of the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament with a 68-45 win. The Royals will face Doniphan for the title at 8 p.m. Friday at TRCC's Bess Activity Center...

Second-half surge lifts Lady Bears in OFC tourney (02/07/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- There will be another meeting between Naylor and Greenville and this one will decide the Ozark Foothills Conference championship. Greenville controlled the beginning of each half to defeat Doniphan 56-45 Wednesday, moving into the championship game of the OFC girls bracket...

Morrill sinks winner with 1 second left (02/07/08) PERRYVILLE -- When Notre Dame sophomore Jane Morrill attempted a jump shot a few feet from the basket with 1 second left in a tied game Wednesday, she had no idea how much time was left on the clock. All she knew was that she was struggling offensively in the second half, with only four points and an 0-for-3 performance from the free-throw line...

ROUNDUP: Portageville gets key district win over East Prairie (02/06/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com EAST PRAIRIE -- The Portageville Bulldogs earned a key district win over East Prairie, defeating the Eagles 79-68 in overtime. East Prairie, playing their first game in 10 days, fought back from a 14-point deficit and held a 63-61 lead with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation. However Portageville's Dominic Trotter hit a game-tying shot as time expired, sending the game into overtime...

Scott Central pulls away in fourth quarter to beat Saxony Lutheran (02/06/08) Braves outscore the state-ranked Crusaders by 14 in the final quarter.

ROUNDUP: Ellington outscores Van Buren in OT (02/06/08) By DAR STAFF Ellington outscored Van Buren 15-8 in overtime to earn a 82-75 win Tuesday night. "We just went back to our gameplan that we had," Ellington coach Chris Miller. "We were bigger inside and our post guys are used to playing physical. We got defensive stops and that was the difference in the game."...

Malden weathers storm, beats Clarkton 81-68 (02/06/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer MALDEN -- Mother Nature did its best to stop Malden's momentum Tuesday night but the Green Wave weathered the storm. Malden had a 46-32 lead over visiting Clarkton at the 4:38 mark of the third quarter when the game was delayed 30 minutes due to a tornado warning...

Doniphan returns to OFC final (02/06/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Doniphan took an early lead and never allowed Clearwater the chance to make a close game of it Tuesday, advancing to the championship game of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament with a 51-36 win. After playing the top-seeded Dons close for the first 2 minutes of the game, the Tigers succumbed to intense defensive pressure applied on the ball, resulting in numerous turnovers...

Deckard scores 2,000th point in Naylor win (02/06/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- A milestone achievement for Hailee Deckard highlighted a scrappy win for Naylor as the Lady Eagles overcame a 30-point performance by Kaylee Blue to beat Twin Rivers 72-64. Deckard recorded her 2,000th career point during the third quarter of the Ozark Foothills Conference semifinal...

Mules set tone with inside job (02/06/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Lamont Frazier's campaign strategy on Super Tuesday was simple for his Poplar Bluff Mules -- throw it inside early. Jay Raulston scored the first six points at Peters Gym and had 13 of his game-high 21 points by the end of the first quarter as the Mules beat Caruthersville 58-24...

Notre Dame makes short work of Tribe (02/06/08) One night after the Kennett Indians won their first-ever Bootheel Conference Tournament championship, they were reminded that the SEMO Conference is a lot tougher road to walk. The Notre Dame Bulldogs jumped out to a big early lead and were never seriously challenged by the Tribe in a 50-17 route Tuesday night in a game that was called at halftime because of the threat of severe weather...

Braves record steady victory (02/06/08) For a meeting of two state-ranked small schools, Scott County Central's visit to Saxony Lutheran on Tuesday night didn't produce the most intense clash of styles. Instead, there was a sense that Scott County Central's 67-47 victory was more along the lines of preparation for future games for both teams...

Jackson rallies from 17-point deficit to defeat Central (02/06/08) Jackson senior Jake Leet already has a game-winning shot against conference rival Notre Dame on his resume this season. And Tuesday night he added a game-winning blocked shot to his list of late-game heroics against SEMO Conference foes. With his team leading 49-48 with 7 seconds remaining, Leet rejected Central's Jajuan Bell who drove to the basket for a layup. Leet held on to the ball, and the Indians held on for a 51-48 victory at the Show Me Center...

Jackson girls defeat Central 46-33 (02/06/08) The Jackson High School girls basketball team trailed archrival Cape Girardeau Central for much of the first three quarters Tuesday night. Not that the Indians felt uncomfortable in that situation. "That's the way we play," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "I think we've been behind in every game we've played the last month...

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