Homecoming Heartbreak: Sikeston unable to hold on to 22-6 halftime lead (10/05/08) SIKESTON -- The bid for a 4-2 record came up shy for the Sikeston Bulldogs on Friday evening as the visiting New Madrid County Central Eagles overcame a 22-6 halftime deficit to win by a final of 40-29 to spoil Homecoming festivities. NMCC on the other hand now sits at 4-2 on the season as they prepare for Park Hills Central on Friday...

Poplar Bluff falls short at Lesterville (10/01/08) By DAR STAFF LESTERVILLE -- The Poplar Bluff volleyball team played a tough Lesterville squad Tuesday night, but came away empty-handed against the sixthranked team in Class 1. The Lady Mules gave Lesterville all they could handle, but still lost both games, 25-21 and 25-19...

Sikeston soccer and tennis teams fall (10/01/08) JACKSON -- The Sikeston Bulldog soccer team fell to 2-12 on the season with a 4-0 loss to the Jackson Indians on Tuesday. A breakdown in the second half was the back-breaker for the Bulldogs in an otherwise tight first half. It was 1-0 Jackson at half time but three goals in a span of five minutes proved to much for the visiting Bulldogs...

Jackson beats Poplar Bluff with late goals (09/30/08) By ROB TATE ~ DAR Sports Writer A telling statistic in soccer that usually indicates how much pressure one team is putting on the other is goal kicks. Monday night against Jackson, Poplar Bluff had 11 goal kicks to Jackson's one in the second half. Jackson handled the ball in the Poplar Bluff defensive zone a majority of the game and came away with a 4-2 victory...

Lady Tribe wins 14th game, stays perfect in Bootheel play (09/30/08) CARUTHERSVILLE, Mo. -- The Kennett Lady Indians volleyball served 16 aces on the night as it stayed perfect in Bootheel Conference play with a 25-14, 25-14 win over the Caruthersville Lady Tigers here Monday. "Our serving game was on real good," Kennett coach Laura Ort said. "We worked on it in practice a little on Friday. We've really just talked about hitting our spots and being more effective servers."...

Bulldogs rout Cape Central for third win (09/28/08) SIKESTON -- A lot has changed since the last time the Sikeston Bulldogs met up with the Cape Central Tigers on the gridiron. That contest, held last November in Cape Girardeau, featured a 27-20 victory that slipped away from the Bulldogs on a cold evening at Houck Stadium...

Dexter netters blanked by Jackson (09/26/08) Dexter's Lady Bearcats tennis team suffered a 9-0 loss at home Thursday to the visiting Jackson Lady Indians. "Jackson is a very strong team," Dexter coach Leanna Dooley stated. "Our girls are working hard, but their lack of court time shows against tough competition...

Bulldogs looking for revenge on Tigers (09/25/08) SIKESTON-- The Sikeston Bulldogs football team will look to rebound from the well contested loss at Jackson last week when they take on the Cape Central Tigers at home on Friday. Sikeston head coach Kent Gibbs felt his team played well last week. "Overall, It was apparent that our kids thought they could win," Gibbs said. ...

Jackson rolls past Sikeston (09/24/08) SIKESTON -- Consistency was what both coaches were looking for in the Sikeston-Jackson volleyball match on Tuesday night at the Sikeston Field House. The Lady Indians found it. Sikeston did not. The Lady Bulldogs fell in two sets 25-9 and 25-14. "We have to learn how to put together one consistent match," Sikeston head coach Steve Beydler said. ...

SHS comes up short: Jackson defensive stand stifles upset bid (09/21/08) JACKSON -- As the clock rolled down to 9-minutes remaining in the fourth quarter of Friday's game with the Jackson Indians, the Sikeston Bulldogs had four downs to try to pick up a first down and an opportunity to tie if not take the lead in the game. As all four downs dwindled away, so did the momentum of the game as Jackson took over on downs and eventually pushed their lead further out in front of the visiting Bulldogs before they eventually went on to win by a final score of 35-14...

Kelly eases past East Prairie (09/19/08) BENTON-- The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team improved to a record of 11-1 with a 10-0 win over the Lady Eagles of East Prairie Thursday in Benton. Pitcher Jessica Riley and the Kelly defense played solid Thursday, stifling East Prairie's offensive efforts...

Lady Bulldogs breeze through East Prairie with victory (09/18/08) EAST PRAIRIE -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs handled business on Wednesday afternoon as they traveled to East Prairie, defeating the Lady Eagles 17-0 in five innings. For Sikeston, it was a display of offense as they rattled off 14 hits in four innings at the dish, chipping in nine walks as well...

Sikeston looking to carry their momentum north to Jackson (09/18/08) SIKESTON--Optimism is in high volume around the Sikeston Bulldog football program as they prepare to travel to Jackson to take on the Indians Friday night. "I think our kids are optimistic," Sikeston head coach Kent Gibbs said. "You talk to them around school and there is a lot more optimism within our football program. The outlook of our kids that 'hey, we have a real shot at winning these games' is so much better. Our boys are excited to play and that just makes things a lot better."...

SHS Wins shootout (09/14/08) SIKESTON -- It has been nothing but Dexter Bearcat dominance over the Sikeston Bulldogs on the football field for the last six years. On Friday night though, the Bulldogs ended the Dexter winning streak in a 49-27 victory at Sikeston Public High School Stadium...

Second half comeback falls short for Bearcats, lose 49-27 (09/14/08) By Chris Pobst SEMO News Service SIKESTON -- It has been nothing but Dexter Bearcat dominance over the Sikeston Bulldogs on the football field for the last six years. On Friday night though, the Bulldogs ended the Dexter winning streak in a 49-27 victory at Sikeston Public High School Stadium...

Sikeston netter fall at Jackson (09/12/08) JACKSON-- The Jackson Lady Indians tennis team defeated Sikeston's Lady Bulldogs 9-0 Thursday in Jackson. "We played better today," Sikeston tennis coach Lynn DeWitt said. "Our goal is to improve every match and I feel that we are doing that. Even if the scores don't reflect it."...

Oran scores early in 16-2 win (09/10/08) ORAN -- The Oran Lady Eagles had no problems scoring runs in their game against the Jackson Lady Indians junior varsity squad as they came away with a 16-2 win. The Lady Eagles scored 12 runs in the first two innings while allowing only two Jackson runs to score in the first inning...

Dexter passes first road test with win over Jackson (09/05/08) JACKSON -- Dexter passed its first road test with flying colors as the Lady Bearcats battled for a three-game win over the Jackson Lady Indians Thursday, 25-23, 22-25, 25-19. Seniors Jessica Satterfield and Cathryn Heil both had big nights at the net, combining for 29 kills. Satterfield knocked down 17 and added a team-high 12 digs to go along with nine assist and two blocks. Heil charted 12 kills and a team-high 11 assists to go along with nine digs and one block...

Dexter rallies to down Kennett in season opener (09/03/08) KENNETT -- Dexter overcame a injury and a scrappy much of Kennett Lady Indians as the Lady Bearcats posted a come-from-behind, 14-25, 25-16, 25-21, Tuesday on the road in the season-opener for both volleyball squads. With a revamped starting lineup due to the loss of Dexter's Abbie Warren to injury, Kennett took advantage of the situation and got off to a quick start in front of the home crowd with a 25-14 win in the first game. ...

Lady Indians start season 0-1 (09/03/08) KENNETT - Dexter overcame an injury and a scrappy much of Lady Indians as the Lady Bearcats posted a come-from-behind, 14-25, 25-16, 25-21, Tuesday on the road in the season-opener for both volleyball squads. With a revamped starting lineup due to the loss of Dexter's Abbie Warren to injury, Kennett took advantage of the situation and got off to a quick start in front of the home crowd with a 25-14 win in the first game. ...

Central tops Jackson at Cor Jesu softball tournament (08/31/08) By Bill Hester ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian KIRKWOOD, Mo. -- The weekend had been a frustrating one for Taylre Scott and the rest of the Central softball team. The Tigers played two excellent games on the first night of the Haberstroh Cor Jesu Tournament, losing 2-1 contests to Affton and Notre Dame-St. Louis on Friday...

Sikeston falters late (08/31/08) FREDERICKTOWN -- The Sikeston Bulldogs kicked off the football season on Friday evening as they traveled north to play the Fredericktown Blackcats. After an intense four quarter battle the home team prevailed as the Blackcats downed their visiting opponent 42-29...

Big plays hurt Jackson in 32-31 loss to Riverview Gardens (08/30/08) By Bill Hester ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian ST. LOUIS -- It didn't take Van Hitt long to have his first major decision as Jackson's football coach. Hitt took over the Jackson varsity job this season after 29 years as an assistant. His Indians scored a touchdown with 30 seconds to play Friday night to pull within one point of Riverview Gardens in the season opener for both teams...

Oran rolls past St. Vincent for first win of the season (08/27/08) PERRYVILLE -- The Oran Lady Eagles started the season on a positive note Tuesday afternoon, defeating St. Vincent 14-0. Oran was held scoreless for the first three innings before breaking through for six runs in the top of the fourth inning. The Lady Eagles added three more in the fifth and five in the seventh...

Charleston will be unproven in the 2008 season (08/21/08) CHARLESTON -- Gaining experience will be the focus of the Charleston Lady Bluejays tennis team this year. Coach Seth Benton's squad is a young one. Losing five of the top six and seven of the top nine to graduation will mean a new look for the Lady Bluejays this season...

KST takes second in the Jackson Championship Swim Meet (08/01/08) JACKSON, Mo. -- The Kennett Swim Team swam their way to second place at the Jackson Championship Meet on Saturday, July 26, 2008. KST managed to rack up a total of 1,012 points. They came in just 130 points behind the Gator Swim Team, but blew the third place Jackson Swim Team out of the water with a 659-point difference...

D.C. Dodgers repeat as District XIV Champions (07/29/08) JACKSON, Mo. -- The Dunkin County Dodgers Post 303 took home the gold for the second year in a row after a 3-0 game sweep at the District Tournament in Jackson. In their first game, the number one seed Dodgers blew out the number four seed Cape Girardeau in a 12-0 victory...

Dunklin County rallies twice to defeat Jackson in tournament (07/24/08) JACKSON, Mo. -- The Dunklin County American Legion team is one win away from its second consecutive District 14 championship, following a come-from-behind 11-9 victory against host Jackson that began Wednesday night and ended in the wee minutes of Thursday morning at Legion Field...

Jackson 2008 football schedule (07/18/08) Aug. 29 -- at Riverview Gardens Sept. 5 -- at Parkway South Sept. 12 -- at Gateway Tech Sept. 19 -- Sikeston Sept. 26 -- Hazelwood Central Oct. 3 -- Farmington Oct. 10 -- at Poplar Bluff Oct. 17 -- at Eureka Oct. 24 -- Rockwood Summit Oct. 30 -- Cape Central...

D.C. takes number one seed (07/17/08) The Dunklin County Dodgers clinched a No. 1 seed in the upcoming District XIV tournament with a 10-0 win over Cape Girardeau on Wednesday night in Senath. The No. 1 seed means that the Dodgers (32-15, 4-2 District XIV) will play their first game in the district tournament Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Jackson...

Big second inning fuels Dodgers in split (07/02/08) BLYTHEVILLE, Ark. -- The Dunklin County Post 303 Dodgers have made a habit of scoring a lot of runs in a short amount of time this season against the Blytheville Casons. Post 303 put up nine runs in the second inning of the first game of a doubleheader to roll to a 15-4 win before losing 6-5 in the nightcap to settle for a split here Tuesday...

Jackson ends Redbirds' winning streak in split (06/27/08) One night after scoring 34 runs in a doubleheader against Dexter, the Dunklin County Redbirds were stymied in a 7-3 loss to District XIV foe Jackson before posting 18 runs in the nightcap of the twin bill. Jackson starting pitcher Brett Thomas was crafty in six innings of work in game one, scattering seven hits and give walks while striking out three and allowing just one run to a Dunklin County lineup that has routinely battered teams via the 10-run rule...

Leadership: Hunter, Branum are our Players of the Year (06/20/08) It seems like Dustin Hunter and Shane Branum have been fixtures in area high school baseball for years. Both have been making major contributions to their respective teams since their sophomore years, so it is no surprise that both of them emerged this year to not only lead their respective teams, but to also be named as the Daily Dunklin Democrat Players of the Year...

Mizzou focused on gridiron for 2008 season (06/19/08) With the vast majority of their starters coming back from a 12-2 team that ended last season ranked fourth in the nation, it would be understandable if the Missouri Tigers were feeling the pressure of national title expectations. But that is not the case, not if Tuesday means anything...

Dodgers ride arms to three wins over weekend (06/17/08) SENATH, Mo. -- Dunklin County Post 303 manager Jamie Johnson said before the season that one of his team's major strengths was its pitching. That was quite obvious over the weekend, as the Dodgers won three of their four games, getting complete games from their starters in all three victories...

Dodgers down district foe Scott County (06/11/08) Post 303 takes district contest, settles for twinbill split

Stonewalled again: Jackson stops Poplar Bluff 3-2 (05/14/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ Sports Editor HILLSBORO -- Having already been shutout three times by Jackson this spring, the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules tried something different Tuesday in the MSHSAA Class 2 District soccer semifinal. The result, however, was the same -- another one-goal loss to the state-ranked Indians...

Kelly races out to big lead to spoil Senior Day for Indians (05/09/08) The Kelly Hawks raced out to a big lead and held off a late comeback to defeat the Kennett Indians 7-4 Thursday at Indian Park, spoiling Senior Day for the Tribe. In other area baseball games, it was Senath-Hornersville 10, Holcomb 3; Cooter 9, South Pemiscot 7; and North Pemiscot defeated Gideon...

Mills pitches Dexter to victory over Tribe (05/08/08) DEXTER, Mo. -- Ben Mills has not made many starts on the mound this season for the Dexter Bearcats. But one couldn't tell that Wednesday against the Kennett Indians. In just his second start of the season, Mills scattered 10 hits and pitched out of several jams to lead Dexter to an 8-2 victory over the Tribe at East Park...

Mills pitches 'Cats to victory over Kennett (05/08/08) DEXTER, Mo. -- Ben Mills has not made many starts on the mound this season for the Dexter Bearcats. But one couldn't tell that Wednesday against the Kennett Indians. In just his second start of the season, Mills scattered 10 hits and pitched out of several jams to lead Dexter to an 8-2 victory over the Tribe at East Park...

Tribe shuts out Lions (05/07/08) The Kennett Indians seem to just have the Senath-Hornersville Lions' number on the baseball diamond this spring. For the second time this spring, the Tribe's pitchers shut down the Senath-Hornersville offense, as Trey Bazzell and Corey Henfling combined to hold the Lions to just one hit in a 4-0 win at Indian Park Tuesday...

Jackson rolls past Sikeston in second half (05/02/08) Jackson scores four goals in 2nd half to get the win

Conference champs: Lady Tribe wraps up outright Bootheel title with win (05/01/08) In the midst of the season's homestretch, the Kennett Lady Indians softball team seems to be peaking at the right time. The Lady Tribe continued its recent hot streak Wednesday at Indian Park, scoring 13 runs in the bottom of the first inning to roll to a 15-0 victory over the Caruthersville Lady Tigers and lock up the Bootheel Conference title...

'Cats rally to take third place at conference tourney (04/29/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Dexter staged yet another last ditch rally to take third place at the SEMO Conference baseball tournament with a 5-4 win over Jackson Monday at Capaha Park on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau. Dexter, the tournament's No. ...

South Pem makes Tribe pay for mistakes (04/26/08) HAYTI, Mo. -- Errors. Walks. Hit batsmen. Missed opportunities. All of them combined to doom the Kennett Indians' chances of winning the Bootheel Conference Tournament. The Tribe issued five walks, hit four batters and made a pair of costly sixth-inning errors as it fell 5-3 to the South Pemiscot Bulldogs in the tournament championship game here Thursday at Indian Field...

Branum leads Tribe to Bootheel finals (04/24/08) HAYTI, Mo. -- As one of just two seniors on the pitching staff, Shane Branum has emerged as a team leader this season for the Kennett Indians. Wednesday was no exception, as Branum pitched the Tribe past the Portageville Bulldogs 9-1 in the semifinals of the Bootheel Conference Tournament here at Indian Field...

Tribe golfers wrap up undefeated regular season (04/24/08) From staff reports CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians may not have had their best day on the golf course, but it was good enough for the Tribe to finish undefeated in dual and triangular matches. Ryan Richardson and Randy Crawford each shot 44 as Kennett finished with a score of 180, enough to outdistance both Doniphan (194) and Saxony Lutheran (195) Wednesday at Dalhousie Golf Course...

Dexter looks impressive in easy win over Portageville (04/22/08) Dexter's Lady Bearcats were clicking on all cylinders Monday, pitching, hitting and defense. The combination practically ended the game before it started Monday as Dexter defeated the visiting Portageville Lady Bulldogs, 15-0, in three innings. Stephanie Jackson threw a no-hitter for her three innings of work, the defense played flawless ball and the Lady 'Cats banged out 11 hits in just two innings at the plate...

Lady Tribe runs past Hayti to stay perfect (04/22/08) HAYTI, Mo. -- It may have taken the Kennett Lady Indians a little while to get started Monday, but when they did, they were unstoppable. The Lady Tribe erupted for 10 runs in the top of the fourth inning to break open a close game and also stole 14 bases on the day to roll past Hayti 15-1 in a Bootheel Conference game here at Al Jackson Field...

Jackson edges Mules with goal from the corner (04/18/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ Sports Editor Kasey Crowden did her best impression of David Beckham -- if Becks was left-footed -- to beat the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules. The Jackson midfielder scored from a corner kick in the 28th minute Thursday night at Whiteley Park to give the Lady Indians a 1-0 win...

Lady 'Cats defeat Bloomfield for SCAA tourney title (04/18/08) ADVANCE -- Dexter scored three runs in the first inning then used a solid defensive effort and the pitching of Stephanie Jackson to hold on for 3-1 win over Bloomfield in the championship game of the SCAA softball tournament Thursday at Advance. "You've got to say something good about all the girls," Dexter coach Tammy Crowley said after the game. "It wasn't just one or two players, it was the whole team. They all played great and I couldn't be more proud of them."...

Fundamentals help 'Cats fabricate win over Indians (04/17/08) Even Dexter baseball coach Brian Becker has to be impressed with this year's team. After building a quick 6-0 lead over Jackson, the Bearcats must have had that sinking feeling as they watched the Indians begin to chip away and eventually overtake them, 7-6, with two runs in the sixth...

Tribe struggles at plate; Clarkton rolls at Delta (04/16/08) JACKSON, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians' struggles at the plate continue. For the third game in a row, the Tribe was held to five hits or less as Jackson pitcher Caleb Hosey tossed a two-hitter in a 7-1 victory over the Indians here Tuesday. In other games Tuesday, it was Senath-Hornersville 3, Malden 2; and Clarkton 13, Delta C7 3, while in softball it was South Pemiscot 15, Delta C7 3...

Bearcats come up short against Dooley and Oran (04/16/08) Oran's offense staked pitcher Steven Dooley to an early 6-0 lead and that was all the all-state hurler needed as the Eagles defeated the Dexter Bearcats, 7-5, Tuesday at the East Park ball field in Dexter. Dooley worked five innings to pick up the win, allowing six hits and walking two. The hard-throwing right-hander set nine Dexter batters down on strikes while working with a big early lead...

Mid-inning meltdown: Tribe allows 13 runs in fourth and fifth innings in SEMO loss (04/16/08) For the first three innings on Monday, the Kennett Indians seemed headed to their fourth straight win. Then the wheels came off and things fell apart over the next two innings, sending the Tribe to a 13-10 loss to the New Madrid County Central Eagles in a SEMO Conference baseball game at Indian Park...

Lady 'Cats defeat Doniphan, improve record to 3-1 (04/13/08) Dexter's Lady Bearcats improved to 3-1 on the season with a 6-4 win over Doniphan at home Friday. Senior Amanda Dooley had two hits, including a 2-run home run and scored twice, while Stephanie Jackson (1-1) went the distance on the mound to pick up the win...

ROUNDUP: SIkeston soccer shuts out Harrisburg (04/10/08) Oran, Cooter baseball teams win convincingly

Jackson tosses no-hitter against Lions (04/09/08) SENATH, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians broke out of their slump Tuesday in a big way against their biggest rival. After the Indians allowed 19 runs in their last two games, Austin Jackson tossed a no-hitter to lead the Tribe to a 1-0 victory over the Senath-Hornersville Lions in Bootheel Conference action on a rainy afternoon here Tuesday...

Tribe rallies for SEMO win against Notre Dame (03/28/08) Struggling with errors and with their bats, things looked bleak for the Kennett Indians against Notre Dame on Thursday. But the Tribe never gave up. "We kept fighting until the very end," Kennett senior Shane Branum said. "That's what definitely kept us in the ballgame. We never gave up even though we were down after making a few errors. We just kept fighting hard."...

Tribe takes down Malden for first win (03/23/08) After managing just one hit in an Opening Day loss Monday, the Kennett Indians knew they needed to swing the bats better to defeat Malden on Friday. "We were definitely going to need some hits today," Kennett pitcher Shane Branum said after Friday's contest. "After coming off of a game where we had (only a) couple, that was my main concern because I knew we would play good defense. As long as we hit the ball good, I knew we'd be all right."...

Dexter's Heil wins SEMO Conference post season honor (03/20/08) POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- 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 annua Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet...

Lady Tribe makes history with Opening Day win (03/18/08) It was a historic day for the Kennett Lady Indians soccer team. After winning just one game last season, the Lady Indians jumped out to a big early lead and took a 5-3 win over the Paragould Lady Rams Monday evening at Indian Park. It is the first time that a Kennett High School soccer team has started the season with a victory...

Tribe starting New era (03/18/08) Saying that the Kennett Indians baseball team has a "new" look this season may be the biggest understatement of the spring. The Tribe has new hats and new uniforms. With just three seniors and a group of talented freshmen on the roster, there are plenty of new faces...

Jackson promotes Hitt to head football coach (02/28/08) Van Hitt, an assistant football coach at Jackson High School since 1979, was named the Indians head coach Wednesday. Hitt replaces Carl Gross, who retired Jan. 24 after leading the Indians to eight district titles over 19 seasons. Hitt, a 1965 graduate of Jackson and a former football player at Southeast Missouri State University, has been the Indians' defensive coordinator for 19 seasons...

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...

Jackson promotes Hitt to head football coach (02/28/08) Van Hitt, an assistant football coach at Jackson High School since 1979, was named the Indians head coach Wednesday. Hitt replaces Carl Gross, who retired Jan. 24 after leading the Indians to eight district titles over 19 seasons. Hitt, a 1965 graduate of Jackson and a former football player at Southeast Missouri State University, has been the Indians' defensive coordinator for 19 seasons...

Jackson promotes Hitt to head football coach (02/28/08) Van Hitt, an assistant football coach at Jackson High School since 1979, was named the Indians head coach Wednesday. Hitt replaces Carl Gross, who retired Jan. 24 after leading the Indians to eight district titles over 19 seasons. Hitt, a 1965 graduate of Jackson and a former football player at Southeast Missouri State University, has been the Indians' defensive coordinator for 19 seasons...

ND, Jackson prep for sectionals (02/27/08) Notre Dame coach Paul Hale watched his Bulldogs rout De Soto by 35 points in the regular-season matchup between the two schools 12 days ago. But Hale has stressed to his team that tonight's second meeting could be more difficult since the stakes are higher...

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...

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...

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...

Indians battle pressure in fifth meeting with Tigers (02/20/08) JACKSON -- The outcome of Jackson-Central V was the same as the previous four meetings this season, but this one counted most. It ended Central's season at 11-15, and it allowed Jackson to move on to the Class 5 District 1 championship game, which will be played Thursday night in Jackson...

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...

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...

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...

Sikeston takes bite out of Tribe (02/17/08) SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Sikeston Bulldogs came into Friday evening's match-up against the Kennett Indians with three things at stake. A win would give them a share of the SEMO Conference title, a 21-3 regular season record, their best in decades, and a solid victory heading into the district tournament...

Jackson's Peiffer earns fifth-place finish at 215 (02/17/08) COLUMBIA -- Jackson junior wrestler Blake Peiffer could afford to think a little about next year after capturing the fifth-place match at the MSHSAA wrestling championships. Justin Miller had to be consoled with thinking about how far he had come since last year...

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...

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...

High school roundup--Bernie wins shootout against Bloomfield (02/17/08) BLOOMFIELD -- Two teams that like to run the floor locked up Friday and it was the Bernie Mules that won the shoot-out over Bloomfield, 90-82. Senior Silas Dill scored 22 points to lead four Mules in double figures. Quinton Stevens his three 3-pointers on his way to 19 points, while Jake Smith and Jake Welch connected for 16 and 13 points, respectively. Dill also added 11 rebounds to his statistics for the night while Welch dished out eight assists...

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...

Jackson's Peiffer drops into hunt for third place (02/16/08) Jackson junior Blake Peiffer's march toward a state wrestling title ended Friday when he lost his Class 4 215-pound state quarterfinal match in Columbia, Mo. Peiffer lost to Oak Park's Kolton Kono, 6-4. But Peiffer rebounded to defeat Ritenour's Derreon Richardson, 6-1...

One Jackson wrestler advances (02/15/08) Jackson junior Blake Peiffer was the lone local wrestler to win his first-round match Thursday at the state meet in Columbia. Peiffer defeated Hazelwood West's Blake Oecki by major decision, 11-2, in their Class 4 215-pound match. He will face Oak Park's Kolton Kono, who enters 29-3, in the next round...

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...

Slow starts dooms Jackson (02/10/08) Parkway South jumped on Jackson early, and the Indians couldn't mount a rally as the Patriots earned the 56-29 girls basketball victory Saturday. Ashten Howard led Jackson with 10 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. The Indians dropped to 12-9 with the loss...

Seven Jackson wrestlers qualify for state (02/10/08) ST. LOUIS -- Jackson senior Justin Miller spent part of last February in St. Louis at Children's Hospital for surgery to repair a hole in his heart. He was back in St. Louis this February, but this time he was standing on the top of the podium after winning the Class 4 District 1 wrestling championship at 152 pounds. His championship helped the Indians to a fourth-place team finish in the tournament at Lindbergh High School...

HS Rdp (02/09/08) Jackson 66, NMCC 55 The host Indians improved to 17-7 behind Spencer Goodman's 22 points. Jackson finally put away the Eagles in the fourth quarter. Marcus Harris scored 16 points and Hunter Grantham added 12 in the win. New Madrid (55) -- Dontre Jenkins 13, Bryan Waters 10, Justin Beasley 4, Kony Ealy 14, Josh Minner 6, Eddie Macklin 4, Lennies McFerren 4. FG 23, FT 7-17, F 17 (3-pointers: Jenkins 1, Ealy 1. Fouled out: None)...

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...

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...

Jackson girls shut down Sikeston in second half (02/05/08) Lady Bulldogs' halftime lead undone by just three second-half points in 48-29 loss.

Jackson girls rally behind strong 'D' (02/05/08) The Jackson girls basketball team entered halftime down by six at Sikeston on Monday. The Indians decided it was time for some defense after the break. Jackson allowed one point in the third quarter and two in the fourth as it allowed three points in the entire second half. Jackson outscored Sikeston 28-3 in the decisive half...

Charleston boys cool off Jackson with 63-48 SEMO Conference win (01/30/08) CHARLESTON -- In its climb to the top of the SEMO Conference and superiority in Southeast Missouri, the Jackson boys basketball team has beaten Notre Dame twice, Sikeston twice and Cape Central three times. But the Indians don't have the answer for Charleston, the Class 3 defending state champion that has ridden a roller coaster to a 13-7 record...

Jackson wrestlers edge Farmington in wrestling dual (01/30/08) The Jackson wrestling team remained perfect in dual matches and gained a measure of revenge by edging SEMO Conference tournament champion Farmington 37-34 on Tuesday night in Jackson. "It seems like we always have some great matchups with Farmington," Jackson coach Steve Wachter said. "It was a great effort by us, it was a great effort by them. Just a typical match with Farmington."...

Perryville girls rout Crystal City (01/29/08) Perryville outscored Crystal City 24-6 in the second quarter to help secure the 62-34 road win in girls basketball action Monday. Ava Johnson scored 16 for the Pirates (15-4) to lead the way. Kendra Schilli chipped in 12, and Alicia Kueker netted 11 in the win...

Gross says he knew it was time to retire (01/27/08) With the news already reported that Jackson football coach Carl Gross submitted his retirement letter to the school board, the coach confirmed his decision Saturday. Gross said he retired Thursday -- effectively immediately -- from his positions as football coach, track and field assistant coach and science teacher...

Central falls behind early, suffers 56-49 loss to Bluff (01/26/08) Poplar Bluff scored the first 12 points of the game against Central, but the Tigers boys basketball team refused to quit Friday night. The Tigers rallied behind a trio of 3-pointers by Anthony Watts in the third quarter, pulling within 41-36 heading into the final quarter, but the Mules held on for the 56-49 victory...

Tigers will join Indians in Class 5 District 1 for football (01/26/08) The annual Central vs. Jackson football game could have more at stake in the coming years. Central learned Friday that the school's increased enrollment has forced its football program to move from Class 4 to Class 5. The Tigers have been placed in District 1 of that class, along with rival Jackson, which advanced to the Class 5 state semifinals last season...

Gross to step aside as Jackson football coach (01/26/08) Jackson football coach Carl Gross submitted a letter of resignation from his positions as football coach, assistant track and field coach and junior high school science teacher. The letter from Gross, who has led the Indians football team for 19 years, was given to the school board, but has not yet been accepted, Jackson assistant superintendent James Welker confirmed Friday...

Indians' Keith repeats late feat vs. ND (01/25/08) Jackson senior Kelci Keith attended the Jackson at Notre Dame boys basketball game Jan. 11, when her classmate Jake Leet swished a 17-foot jumper with 8 seconds left to beat the Bulldogs. She thought that game-winning shot was exciting. Little did she know that the next time the Indians and Bulldogs girls teams played each other, she would do the same thing Leet did...

Perryville girls pummel Woodland (01/25/08) The Perryville girls basketball team continued to roll as it earned a 74-27 victory against Woodland on Thursday. The Pirates held the Cardinals under 10 points in three of the four quarters. Perryville (13-4) led 42-10 at halftime. Alyssa Bauwens scored 18 points, while Alicia Kueker had 14 to lead Perryville...

Levi Rayburn, Jackson wrestling (01/23/08) Jackson freshman Levi Rayburn entered Saturday's SEMO Conference tournament match as a No. 3 seed in the 103-pound weight class. He left a conference champion. Rayburn won his semifinal match over Farmington's Todd Brackett, whom he lost earlier this winter at St. Charles West. He then defeated No. 1 seed Ethan Swingle of Poplar Bluff in a 2-0 decision to claim the title...

Dexter takes lead in SEMO Conference girls race (01/23/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer DEXTER -- Locked in a tight, physical conference battle with Jackson, the Dexter Lady Bearcats scored 12 straight second-quarter points to give themselves an edge early in the conference race with a 50-36 home win Tuesday night...

Dexter girls 'manhandle' Jackson (01/23/08) Lady Bearcats prevail in physical, defensive contest

Jackson shocks Sikeston 76-54 (01/23/08) Bulldogs unable to get revenge from SEMO Conference semifinal loss in overtime

Scott City wins OT thriller over NMCC, 66-64 (01/23/08) The 12th win of the season for the Scott City boys basketball team came in thrilling fashion. Jay Simmons hit about a 30-foot shot with one second left in regulation to force overtime, and the host Rams went on to beat New Madrid County Central 66-64 Tuesday night...

Indians cage 'Dogs (01/23/08) Jackson's Spencer Goodman was healthy. And unstoppable. Sikeston's Michael Porter spent the night in foul trouble. With that combination of factors, Jackson overpowered visiting Sikeston 76-54 in a SEMO Conference showdown Tuesday night. The win left Jackson (14-6) at 5-0 in the SEMO Conference with four league games to play. Sikeston, 13-3 and ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 4, suffered its first conference loss...

Lady Tribe runs out of time against Sikeston (01/22/08) It could be argued that the Kennett Lady Indians did not lose Monday night -- they just ran out of time. Trailing by as many as 17 points in the third quarter and by 10 with a minute left in the game, the Lady Tribe made it a three-point game in the game's final minute before falling to the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs 52-48 in a SEMO Conference contest...

St. Vincent girls pound Kelly 53-20 (01/22/08) The St. Vincent girls basketball team jumped to an 18-point lead after the first half and cruised to a 53-20 victory against visiting Kelly on Monday night. Courtney Besand paced a balanced scoring attack for the Indians (12-3) with 12 points. Jessica Welker added 11, while Lacey Siegmund, Brooke Brown and Elizabeth Rozier each had eight...

Jackson girls hit by point shortage (01/22/08) CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- It is difficult to win a basketball game on any level when your team has more turnovers than points. That was the case for most of the game Monday for the Jackson girls squad. The Indians finished the game with 21 turnovers and 25 points as they fell to Oakville 44-25 in the first game of the Martin Luther King Classic at Maryville University in St. Louis County...

Local swimmers find out how they stack up against state's best (01/20/08) Jackson sophomore Cailin McGinnis is in a pickle most high school swimmers only dream of being in. The sophomore has already qualified for the state meet in five individual events, but she can swim in only two individual events at state. So she has to take time to decide which two are her best races...

Central, Jackson girls come up short at shootout (01/20/08) Central struggled to get going during its game at the Notre Dame Shootout girls basketball event Saturday. The Tigers faced Nerinx Hall in the first game of the day, and fell to the Markers 68-29. Nerinx Hall led 53-15 at halftime. Wendi Zickfield led the Tigers with 11 points before fouling out. Central went 9-of-20 (45 percent) from the free-throw line...

Farmington edges Jackson for wrestling crown (01/20/08) SIKESTON -- The final round of the SEMO Conference wrestling tournament was not quite a dual-meet showdown between Jackson and Farmington, but it had that feeling with three head-to-head championship matches and several more bouts that had both teams in control of their final scores...

Braves, Rams reach final (01/18/08) It will be a battle of Scotts in the Scott-Mississippi Conference boys basketball tournament title game. No. 2 seed Scott City defeated Kelly 56-52, while top-seeded Scott County Central beat East Prairie 86-59 in semifinal action Thursday in Delta...

Jackson wrestlers set sights on 17th SEMO conference championship (01/18/08) Jackson sophomore Clay Rouse made a list of three goals entering this wrestling season -- to win 35 matches, claim a SEMO Conference title and qualify for the state tournament in the 112-pound weight class. Rouse, who has competed since he was 4 years old, has wrestling in his blood...

Bulldogs drop second straight road game (01/17/08) The Notre Dame girls basketball team limped into halftime after shooting 13 percent in the first two quarters Wednesday. What made the Bulldogs' woes even worse is that St. Joseph's shot 76 percent in the opening half. The Angels enjoyed an 18-point lead at halftime and cruised to the 77-43 victory. St. Joseph's entered the game ranked No. 10 in Class 5 in the latest Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association poll. Notre Dame was ranked No. 10 in Class 4...

Campbell takes down Lady Indians for second time (01/16/08) After taking down the Lady Indians by 13 points earlier this year in the Lions Invitational Tournament, the Campbell Lady Camels traveled to Kennett Tuesday night hoping for a repeat. When the final buzzer sounded, they had gotten just that after a an impressive defensive effort helped them to a relatively easy 45-26 victory in Bootheel Conference action at Kennett High School...

Treat for Leet: Jackson senior leads Indians past Poplar Bluff (01/16/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor With the game tied midway through the fourth quarter Tuesday night, Jackson's Jake Leet knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Less than a minute later the senior did it again, leading a late Indians charge at Peters Gym...

Leet stays hot as Jackson boys top Bluff 69-64 (01/16/08) Jake Leet was the hero for the second straight game as the Jackson boys basketball team picked up another victory. Leet poured in 32 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, as the Indians slipped past host Poplar Bluff 69-64 Tuesday night. Jackson improved to 13-5 overall and 4-0 in SEMO Conference play. Poplar Bluff is 5-10 and 1-1...

Jackson downs Notre Dame with late shot (01/12/08) There is something about Notre Dame that brings out the best in Jackson's Jake Leet. For the second time in two weeks, Leet burned the Bulldogs. This time the fire was especially hot. Leet, a 6-foot-3 senior guard, swished a jumper from about 17 feet away with 8 seconds remaining Friday night, lifting the Indians past the host Bulldogs 65-63...

ND, Jackson meet in rematch of tourney final (01/11/08) Jackson vs. Notre Dame Round II. Tonight marks the rematch between two of the top high school boys basketball teams in the area -- the Indians and Bulldogs -- who last dueled in the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament title game 13 days ago. Jackson was the victor in that contest, beating the Bulldogs 61-53...

Delta, Kelly advance to final of Scott-Mississippi tourney (01/11/08) Taylor Smith and Alison Burger both scored 12 points to lead top-seeded Delta to a 57-30 victory against No. 4 Scott City in the semifinals of the Scott-Mississippi girls basketball tournament Thursday at Scott County Central High School. Brittni Deprow added nine points in the win...

Central boys rally for win (01/09/08) The Central boys basketball team staged a fourth-quarter rally Tuesday night to notch its ninth victory of the season. Central outscored visiting Francis Howell North 25-16 in the final period to prevail 60-59. Shane Nolen led the Tigers (9-7) with 17 points. Jajuan Bell added 14 points...

Portageville cruises to 14th victory (01/08/08) Penn and Walker combined for 35 points in 78-21 win against South Pemiscot

Bollinger, Howard lead Jackson girls' romp past NMCC (01/08/08) Cassandra Bollinger scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the Jackson girls basketball team to a 69-27 victory against New Madrid County Central on Monday. Ashten Howard tied for the team lead with seven rebounds, and added 11 points for Jackson (8-3)...

Hot Tigers put cold Tribe on ice (01/06/08) Hopefully Friday night's 72-40 loss to the Cape Central Tigers will go down as the lowest point of the season for the Kennett Indians in hindsight. While that remains to be seen, there is little doubt that it is the Tribe's lowest point to date. The Tigers scored the game's first nine points and never looked back, hitting shot after shot while keeping Kennett in check to roll in a SEMO Conference contest...

Jackson falters in shootout (01/06/08) Parkway South sophomore Scott Pohle said his team knew it needed to use its speed against Jackson on Saturday. "We wanted to move the ball and be quick and fast," Pohle said. "We thought that they were a little bit bigger and we were a little bit smaller, so we could run on them. And I think we did that."...

Wilson captures 160 crown, Jackson wins team title (01/06/08) CHESTERFIELD, Mo. -- Central wrestler Zach Wilson liked the feeling of being on the top step of the podium. The junior made his first appearance there Saturday after winning the 160-pound championship at the Marquette Invitational. Wilson had finished third at Fort Zumwalt and fifth at the Tiger Classic in Cape Girardeau...

Meadow Heights rallies for third (01/06/08) Sparked by freshman Jillian Mills' 3-pointer in the second quarter Saturday, Meadow Heights rallied from a 20-6 deficit in the second period to avenge a loss to Woodland earlier this season. Meadow Heights knocked off Woodland 57-39 in the third-place game Saturday at the Delta New Year's Tournament...

ROUNDUP: Jackson girls surge past Doniphan for 45-39 win (01/04/08) By DAR STAFF Jackson overcame a one-point halftime deficit and outscored the Doniphan Donettes 8-2 over the final 2 minutes to break a tie and come away with a 45-39 win. "We had our chances," Doniphan coach Jimbo Blackwell said. The Donettes (6-3, 1-2 SEMO) got the game off to a good start and held a five-point lead after the first quarter before the Jackson defense turned up the pressure...

Charleston falls to Notre Dame in semifinals (12/30/07) Top seed unable to overcome Notre Dame's Ryan Willen

Leet, Grantham lead Indians to tourney title (12/30/07) Hunter Grantham said his friends call him by two different nicknames:~ Jackson avenged last year's loss in the championship game. Big Red and Big Country. "Everyone says they'll call me [it] because I'm big, red-headed and I stick out," he said...

Guards deserve respect (12/30/07) You won't find much love for the true point guards on the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament's all-tournament team. In fact, you found very few of them on the ballot, despite several standout performances. "Point guards are the most underestimated people," said Jackson shooting guard Jake Leet, who assisted backcourt mate Marcus Harris against Notre Dame's press in the tournament's championship game. ...

Indians take control in second quarter (12/29/07) When Jackson beat Scott City on Thursday to advance to the semifinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament, Hunter Grantham dominated first-half play while Jake Leet led the Indians in the second half. It was the other way around Friday night when the Indians met Central in the semifinals at the Show Me Center...

Jackson watches upset, takes care of business (12/28/07) Jackson's Hunter Grantham spent time watching an exciting game before he stepped onto the court with his team for some Christmas Tournament quarterfinal action Thursday at the Show Me Center. The 6-foot-5 senior glanced on from the sidelines as No. 7 Central upset No. 2 Bell City...

Bluejays christen tourney with rout (12/27/07) The 63rd annual Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament got off to a familiar start for the Charleston Bluejays. Playing the first game of the tournament as the No. 1 seed for the fifth-straight year, the Bluejays rolled past the 16th-seeded Delta Bobcats 97-41...

GAME 3: Jackson overwhelms Meadow Heights (12/26/07) By Rachel Crader ~ Semoball.com The third-seeded Jackson Indians wasted little time opening up a big lead over Meadow Heights en route to a 91-42 victory. Jackson, behind senior Jake Leets's 15 first-half points, led the overmatched Panthers 53-28 at the break and never looked back...

Bell City eager to defend Christmas tournament title (12/24/07) Third-year Bell City coach Brian Brandtner says one of the finest moments he has experienced while leading the Cubs came when his team won last year's Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. "Growing up in the area and being around the Christmas tournament as a small child on up, my whole life, the teams you watch only win it so often," he said. "So it's such a great honor to win it. That was absolutely a special moment."...

Crowd disappoints event organizers (12/24/07) Jackson boys basketball coach Darrin Scott and Show Me Center tournament director David Ross were in the same boat Saturday night at the conclusion of the inaugural Pepsi Showcase. Both had learned some lessons they hope to apply in the future. Scott's Indians, who entered the week state-ranked, suffered their second straight loss, and this one was downright ugly. Jackson fell 72-51 to Webster Groves in the event's nightcap...

Bell City eager to defend (12/23/07) Third-year Bell City coach Brian Brandtner says one of the finest moments he has experienced while leading the Cubs came when his team won last year's Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. "Growing up in the area and being around the Christmas tournament as a small child on up, my whole life, the teams you watch only win it so often," he said. "So it's such a great honor to win it. That was absolutely a special moment."...

Jackson rebounds from loss, places third (12/22/07) Jackson junior Ashten Howard couldn't find the basket in the first half. After going 0-for-4 in the first two quarters, she sizzled in the second half, scoring 15 points to lead the Indians past Central, 55-50, in the third-place game Friday at the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center...

Sixth-seeded Bulldogs reach tournament final (12/21/07) The final four of the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic know each other well from the Farmington Invitational earlier this season. But the Notre Dame Bulldogs are doing their best to reintroduce themselves as a team with confidence. The Bulldogs hammered Jackson 52-34 in a championship semifinal game Thursday night at the Show Me Center, avenging a 14-point loss Dec. 1 in the fifth-place game at the Farmington Invitational...

Farmington opens tourney with 64-6 rout of Crusaders (12/20/07) Top seeded Farmington led 50-0 at halftime and won 64-6 as they made easy work of a young Saxony Lutheran team in the first round of the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic. Brooke Valleroy, Emma Meraz and Kara Verseman each had two points for the Crusaders...

Blake Peiffer, Jackson wrestling (12/19/07) Blake Peiffer's Saturday ended with a loss. But the Jackson junior hasn't had many of those this year. Peiffer finished second in the 215-pound weight class Saturday at the Tiger Classic wrestling tournament hosted by Cape Central to lead the Indians to a seventh-place finish...

STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL POLL (12/19/07) The Missouri state high school boys and girls basketball rankings, as compiled by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. Records are through Sunday. BOYS CLASS 1 CLASS 2 CLASS 3 CLASS 4 CLASS 5 GIRLS CLASS 1 CLASS 2 CLASS 3 CLASS 4...

Ice-cold shower: Mules let 11-point lead slip away (12/18/07) Poplar Bluff falls to Jackson 48-42

Second half once again is Rams' undoing (12/18/07) ST. LOUIS (AP) -- The St. Louis Rams' 11th loss was a lot like the other 10. They can play with anybody in the NFL, at least for a while. After trading touchdowns with the Green Bay Packers in the first half of Sunday's 33-14 loss, the Rams (3-11) were undone by critical mistakes, missed opportunities and poor special teams play. It's a bumpy road they've traveled numerous times...

St. Vincent girls roll past Meadow Heights (12/18/07) Lacey Siegmund led the way for St. Vincent, scoring a team-high nine points and grabbing 10 rebounds as the Indians rolled past Meadow Heights 51-30 in a girls basketball game Monday night in Perryville. Brooke Brown (eight points, seven rebounds) and Kelsey Cissell (eights points, eight rebounds) also played well...

Showcase puts prep hoop talent on display (12/18/07) Various players with the potential to become the next Michael Jordan or LeBron James will compete in a 14-team Pepsi Showcase at the Show Me Center on Saturday. That was the message delivered by Show Me Center director David Ross at a news conference Monday to promote the one-day high school shootout event...

Poplar Bluff swimmers improve times but fall to Jackson (12/14/07) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Poplar Bluff got off to a good start Thursday night as the Lady Mules won their first relay race of the season. But that lead quickly disappeared as Jackson outscored the host in each of the next three races, winning nine in all to take the meet 96-72...

Goodman steps up as Jackson holds off Tribe (12/16/07) With two of its big men sidelined, Jackson needed someone to step up Friday night. Enter Spencer Goodman. Goodman scored a game-high 27 points and presented matchup problems all night long as he led Jackson to a 67-59 victory over the Kennett Indians in SEMO Conference action...

Jackson's Peiffer holds own against rival (12/16/07) Jake Glore has been Blake Peiffer's nemesis on the wrestling mat the past two years. Peiffer almost turned the tables Saturday night, but the Jackson High School senior fell just a bit short. Peiffer dropped a tense 2-1 decision to Glore -- a Seckman senior -- in the 215-pound championship match of the 34th annual Tiger Classic high school wrestling tournament...

Jackson secures road win at line (12/15/07) The Jackson boys basketball team was 19-of-22 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter to seal Friday night's 67-59 road win over Kennett. Spencer Goodman led the Indians with 27 points, while Kyle Keith added 11. Ahead 30-27 at halftime, Jackson outscored Kennett 16-7 in the third quarter and then held off the host squad down the stretch...

Back in the Bluff: Lady Mules host Jackson on Monday (12/14/07) Poplar Bluff's meeting with its rival will be the 63rd meeting between the two rivals with Poplar Bluff holding a 32-30 series lead.

Notre Dame swimmerssweep three-team meet (12/14/07) Notre Dame took first place in all 11 events as it rolled at the St. Vincent three team girls swimming meet Thursday. Brittany Menz and Lauren Castleman led the Bulldogs by aiding in the victories by the 200 medley relay, the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay. Castleman also won the 50 freestyle and Menz won the 100 freestyle...

Jackson girls defeat Perryville 66-51 (12/14/07) JACKSON -- Ashten Howard said Jackson coach Sam Sides employs a simple philosophy on when to take shots. "He's a real good believer in that if you're open, to keep shooting, especially when you're on," Howard said. "Keep shooting and it will fall."...

Kennett for 3: Tribe drains 12 triples to pull off upset of Hayti (12/13/07) With all of the struggles that the Kennett Indians have had shooting the basketball early in the season, it just seemed they were due for a breakout game. That said, calling the Tribe's performance against Hayti a breakout game might be a big understatement...

'Cats struggle against Indians (12/12/07) JACKSON - The fact that Dexter dropped a 78-48 decision on the road to the Jackson Indians, one of the elite teams in the area this season, didn't come as much of a surprise to anyone Friday night. It was the way the Bearcats lost that concerns Dexter coach Rob Nichols...

Greer's return sparks ND to win over NMCC (12/12/07) Junior Austin Greer made his season debut after returning from a back injury and scored 20 points to lead the Notre Dame boys basketball team past visiting New Madrid County Central 62-57 Tuesday night. "He looked pretty good. He gave us some scoring inside," said Notre Dame coach Paul Hale, whose squad has been without the 6-foot-1 Greer and 6-8 Division I recruit Bryce Willen since the start of the season...

Dexter gets a breather against CHS (12/11/07) After opening the season against four of the best teams in the SEMO Conference, the Dexter Bearcats got to take a breather Monday night at home with a 73-28 win over the Caruthersville Tigers. But the Bearcats can't relax for long. Dexter will plunge back into the upper echelon of the SEMO Conference tonight when the Bearcats travel to Jackson for a game against the state-ranked, Class 5 Indians...

ND's Reinagel named Southeast Missourian Softball Player of the Year (12/11/07) Notre Dame sophomore Lauren Reinagel said her best performance during her first varsity season came at the Jackson Invitational, when she pitched four games in one day, winning every one. Reinagel's dominance was the main reason the Bulldogs won that tournament for the first time in school history. Afterward she declared her arm felt just fine...

All-Southeast Missourian football team (12/11/07)

Charleston grabs top seed for Southeast Missourian basketball tournament (12/10/07) The Charleston Bluejays were awarded the top seed in the annual Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament that will be played at the Show Me Center. Charleston, which has won the tournament 15 times but has not reached the title game the past four years, will kick off the tournament against No. 16 Delta at 9 a.m on Dec. 26...

Back to back: Charleston repeats at SEMO Conference tournament champion (12/09/07) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- The Charleston Bluejays repeated as SEMO Conference champions Friday night after knocking off the Jackson Indians 63-56. In what proved to be a see-saw battle between Charleston's athleticism and Jackson's size, the Bluejays managed to pull away in the end with steady pressure and clutch shooting down the stretch...

Morrill nets 21 as Bulldogs earn win (12/09/07) Jane Morrill scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead the Notre Dame girls basketball team to a 57-43 victory against Westminster on Saturday. Paige Schumer added four points and seven rebounds, while Alex Fowler had seven points and six boards...

Jackson's running back kept the offense moving (12/09/07) Jackson's Adam Zweigart knew he had worked hard lifting weights, running track and doing all he could to get his body in shape during the offseason in preparation for the 2007 football season. But he was not sure what his role would be with the Indians...

Jackson's boys bid for title falls short (12/08/07) SIKESTON, Mo. -- Because the Charleston boys basketball team struggled shooting from the outside during Friday night's SEMO Conference tournament championship game, the Bluejays went to Plan B -- the inside game. By the end of the night, the Bluejays had demonstrated their ability to hit from inside, outside and in transition during a 63-56 victory against Jackson...

Sikeston loses big lead, SEMO semifinal to Jackson (12/07/07) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Bulldogs' inconsistencies finally caught up to them Thursday night when the Jackson Indians leaned on a big second half to propel them to a thrilling 74-69 overtime victory in the semifinals of the SEMO Conference Tournament...

Jackson reaches final at Sikeston (12/07/07) SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Jackson Indians looked overpowered against Sikeston in the first half Thursday, heading into the locker room down by 12. The Indians didn't just have to worry about stopping the Bulldogs' 6-foot-6 junior Michael Porter, who poured in 16 points before halftime...

Eagles oust 'Cats from SEMO Conference tourney (12/06/07) SIKESTON -- New Madrid County Central's Koney Ealy scored a game-high 18 points and was an imposing figure around the basket as the Eagles defeated the Dexter Bearcats, 51-44, during SEMO Conference tournament action Wednesday at Sikeston. Dexter only trailed 23-20 at the half, but the Bearcats went ice cold in the third period and could only manage five points in the frame as the Eagles pulled away for an 11-point advantage, 35-25...

Tribe gets first win (12/06/07) SIKESTON, Mo. -- After struggling to put the ball in the basket the first two games this season, Wednesday night was just what the doctor ordered for the Kennett Indians. The Tribe drained six 3-pointers and put up 30 points in the second quarter alone to roll to a 67-36 win over the Caruthersville Tigers in consolation play at the SEMO Conference Tournament here Wednesday...

Five Hayti Indians earn All-State honors (12/06/07) Class 1First teamOffense Quarterback Ryan Humes, 6-1, 190, jr., West Platte All-Purpose Morgan Duff, 6-1, 190, sr., Princeton Running Backs Ethan Harris, 5-11, 180, sr., South Shelby; Michael Lowther, 6-2, 170, sr., Thayer; Taylor Eubank, 6-1, 189, sr., Orrick...

Problems with the Central pool pump kept swimmers on land (12/06/07) Many members of the Central team did karaoke and other similar activities instead of actual swimming during the first two weeks of winter practice. "We did karaoke, but not the singing kind," Tigers senior Amity Downing said, laughing. "So it is like this ..."...

Jackson has three players honored on all-state team (12/06/07) The awards keep mounting for the Jackson football team. Running back Adam Zweigart, linebacker Blake Peiffer and defensive back Matt Lang all earned a spot on the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association's Class 5 all-state football team Wednesday...

Sikeston tops stubborn Mules; Notre Dame squeaks by Dexter (12/05/07) In other action at the SEMO Conference tournament, Jackson cruised past Cape Central in teams' second meeting of the season.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: All-state team (12/05/07) The Associated Press Here are the All-State Football Teams as selected by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. QB -- Ryan Humes, 6-1, 190, jr., West Platte. All-Purpose -- Morgan Duff, 6-1, 190, sr., Princeton. RB -- Ethan Harris, 5-11, 180, sr., South Shelby...

High school honors (12/05/07) Class 2 All-Region Soccer (Southeast Region) Parker Rawdon, sr., forward, Clayton; Scott Belsky, sr., midfielder, Clayton; D J Lambert, sr., goaliekeeper, Lutheran South; Nick Platipodis, jr,, sweeper, Lutheran South;Nelson Dorvlo, sr., forward, University City; Patrick McCaffey, so., forward, DuBourg; Sam Brotherton, jr., midfielder, Affton; Clint Carder, jr., midfielder, De Soto; Alex Haverstick, so, forward, De Soto; Scott Droddy, sr., goalkeeper, Sikeston; Patrick Wulfers, sr., forward, Farmington; Mike Alvarado, jr., forward, Windsor; Ty Williams, sr., forward, Notre Dame; Ryan Willen, sr., Midfielder, Notre Dame; Mark Zimmer, sr., defender, Notre Dame; Ryan Bass, jr., goalkeeper, Notre Dame; Mark Himmelberg, sr., defender, Notre Dame; John Unterreiner, jr., midfielder, Notre Dame; Joda Holloway, jr., midfielder, Notre Dame.. ...

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Coaches all-state team (12/05/07) All-state football teams for classes 1 through 5, selected by the Missouri High School Football Coaches Association:

Jackson's dominance on boards buries Central (12/05/07) SIKESTON, Mo. -- Jackson's Hunter Grantham said his team focused a great deal on rebounding in practice after it escaped with a four-point overtime victory against Central last Friday night. "We had a good, hard Sunday practice and came out Monday and practiced real hard and emphasized a lot on rebounding," Grantham said. "And it showed tonight."...

Indians earn all-state honors (12/05/07) Fresh off winning the Carr Trophy last week, Jackson's Matt Lang continued to be honored for his strong season Tuesday, not only earning first-team all-state honors by the Missouri Football Coaches Association, but also receiving the co-defensive player of the year award for Class 5...

Notre Dame fends off Dexter (12/05/07) The short-handed Notre Dame boys basketball team survived an upset bid as the Bulldogs opened their season Tuesday night in the SEMO Conference tournament at Sikeston. Top-seeded Notre Dame, playing without 6-foot-8 all-stater Ryan Willen and fellow returning starter Austin Greer -- both are injured -- slipped past No. 8 Dexter 65-59...

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: FINAL STATE POLLS (12/05/07) The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The final state rankings for Missouri high school football voted on by a 12-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parenthesis, followed by won-loss record, points and last week's ranking...

'Cats play there way in to SEMO tourney (12/04/07) SIKESTON -- Kevin Hart poured in 24 points to lead the No. 9 Dexter Bearcats to a 55-49 win over No. 8 Kennett in one of two play-in games to open the 2nd Annual SEMO Conference Tournament at Sikeston Monday. The 6'3" senior did most of his damage inside, posting up and crashing the boards for offensive rebounds. ...

Tigers place second at FZN tournament (12/03/07) Central placed second in the the Green Division of the FZN wrestling tournament with 172 points Saturday. The Tigers finished behind only Fort Zumwalt North (286 points) and wrestled their way past Webster Groves (154 points), Sumner (102 points) and Parkway Central (69 points)...

Central rides Bell to third at Farmington tournament (12/02/07) Central finished in third place at the Farmington basketball tournament with a 48-37 win over Doniphan on Saturday. Senior Jajuan Bell scored 22 points to lead the Tigers. Senior Shane Nolen also played well, chipping in 13 points. The game was tight throughout with the Tigers leading by only three at halftime and by three at the end of the third...

Jackson downs Central in OT in semis (12/01/07) The Jackson boys basketball team overcame a 13-point, second-half deficit Friday night to defeat Central 58-54 in overtime to reach the championship game of the Farmington tournament. Jackson, which improved to 2-0, will try to defend its tournament title today at 7:30 p.m. when it faces Salem in the championship game...

SEMO tournament tips off Monday (11/29/07) Notre Dame has No. 1 seed (List of games at bottom of story)

Jackson senior named top football player in Southeast Missouri (11/29/07) POPLAR BLUFF -- It wasn't just versatility that made Jackson senior Matt Lang the best football player in Southeast Missouri. Versatility combined with excellence. "He's one of those five-in-one guys," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "And everything he did, he did pretty dog-gone well."...

Richland shocks Portageville (11/28/07) ESSEX -- The Richland Rebels