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Thursday, November 20, 2008

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Kelly 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 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 Player of the year: Moore battles through adversity (11/16/08) BENTON -- Four years, a few position changes, a few injuries and a few awards have proven quite a successful career for Kelly High School senior Katee Moore. The 2008 Standard Democrat Player of the Year has compiled an impressive stat line while on the diamond for head coach Rhonda Ratledge's Lady Hawks, but Moore is quick to point towards teammates and not shine in the spotlight... Kelly trio earns all-state honors (11/09/08) BENTON -- It's a very impressive feat when you can have a representative from a team be named as an All-State selection. What's even more impressive is when a team can say they have three All-State selections. None other than the Kelly Lady Hawks can now say the latter... Johnson, Kern back on familiar ground (11/07/08) BENTON -- Dedication is key when it comes to a cross country race. It's a good thing that Kelly High School will be represented by Tara Johnson and Cody Kern in the Missouri state cross country meet, because the dedication that these two runners show to their sport is second-to-none... Two Kelly runners headed to state cross country meet (11/04/08) ST. LOUIS (SMNS) -- Kelly was able to qualify one boy and one girl runner to the state cross country meet, and they both did so with top-10 finishes Saturday afternoon. Tara Johnson finished fifth in the girls race with a time of 21:41, while Cody Kern was eighth in the boys race... Second Place: Lady Hawks fall short in search for state championship (10/27/08) ST. JOSEPH -- Five runs on nine hits provided just enough offense to end the Kelly Lady Hawks' season on Saturday afternoon, but the Class 2 runner-up squad didn't go home feeling as if an entire 23-5 season was a loss. "What a way to go out," said Kelly head coach Rhonda Ratledge following the Class 2 championship game. "Any team in the state of Missouri would trade places with us right now. That's what I told the girls, 'There's no reason to hang your heads.' We'll take second place."... Kelly to play for state title (10/26/08) ST. JOSEPH -- The Kelly Lady Hawks have returned to the state championship game on the softball diamond. A 3-1 victory over the Marion C. Early Lady Panthers on a chilly Friday morning at Heritage Park in St. Joseph has given the Lady Hawks a chance to add more hardware to the trophy case at Thomas W. Kelly High School... Soaring high: Lady Hawks play through adversity (10/23/08) BENTON -- Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines adversity as a state, condition or instance of serious or continued difficulty. This is a word that the Kelly Lady Hawks know all too well. During the past few seasons, there have been multiple injuries to some players that have threatened not only their ability to play softball, but also their ability to perform everyday tasks... Unfinished business (10/22/08) BENTON -- For the second consecutive season, the Kelly Lady Hawks are heading to the Final Four in softball. The Lady Hawks have a record of 22-4 on the season as they head into their Friday morning contest with the Marion C. Early Lady Panthers. The Lady Panthers ride into St. Joseph with a 21-8 record... HEADED TO STATE: Kelly Lady Hawks advance to second straight final four (10/20/08) BALLWIN -- The Kelly Lady Hawks' 22nd win of the season has landed them a spot in the 2008 Class 2 State Tournament. The Lady Hawks won their bid to the coveted tourney by defeating the Fatima Lady Comets 7-1 in front of a packed crowd at the Ballwin Athletic Association on Saturday afternoon... SEMO Conference cross country results (10/16/08) Results from Thursday's meet at Notre Dame (Central girls and Notre Dame boys won team titles): Learning curve: Kelly ousts youthful Royals in softball sectional (10/15/08) Twin Rivers' bats stay cold in Class 2 state playoff loss. Lady Hawks advance (10/15/08) BENTON -- It took four innings to do, but the Kelly Lady Hawks finally broke free from what was becoming the pitcher's duel that everyone was expecting. Kelly's Danielle Dock and Twin River's Carlee Vancil, who each have been highly touted as some of the area's best hurler's, both took the mound for their respective teams in the sectional round of the Class 2 state tournament on Tuesday with the Lady Hawks finishing on top 7-0... Twin Rivers faces Kelly in softball playoffs (10/14/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Twin Rivers will be facing what many consider perennial royalty this afternoon. The Lady Royals will face Kelly, which finished third at state last year, in the MSHSAA Sectional game at 4 p.m. today in Benton and know they will have to be sharp... Lady Hawks win 24th district title (10/13/08) BENTON -- The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team and district titles go hand-in-hand. The Lady Hawks hoisted their 24th district championship trophy on Saturday by defeating the Crystal City Lady Hornets 10-1. This also improves an already impressive streak that Kelly has built within those years. For 22 out of 23 seasons, the Lady Hawks have been able to call themselves district champions... Kelly powers by Lady Rams in semifinals (10/12/08) BENTON -- The Kelly Lady Hawks moved one step further towards a district title on Friday afternoon using a combination of stellar hitting and the arm of Danielle Dock to cruise past the Scott City Rams 15-0 after four innings. "We hit extremely well," Kelly head coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "The girls came out swinging. We got our timing down and laid it in there."... Lady Hawks riding momentum into the district tournament (10/07/08) BENTON -- The last game of the regular season for the Kelly Lady Hawks meant that it was a special day for the senior class on the softball team. Luckily for them, they pulled out a close 3-2 win on the field on Monday afternoon against Jackson to finish their final regular season... Kelly's Dock no-hits Oran Lady Eagles (10/02/08) ORAN -- The Kelly Lady Hawks ended their two game losing skid on Wednesday afternoon with a 9-0 win over the Oran Lady Eagles at Oran High School. Danielle Dock pitched a no hitter for the Lady Hawks and allowed only five baserunners due to five walks. She also struck out 10 and at one point retired 10 straight batters in a row... 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... Kelly unable to solve Notre Dame pitching (09/30/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs improved to 19-0 on the season Monday evening as they defeated the visiting Kelly Lady Hawks by a score of 6-0. The Lady Hawks really couldn't get things going against Notre Dame hurler Erika Reinagel as she held the visitors to just one hit while racking up 14 strikeouts. She also walked three in the victory... Kelly wins on diamond, Charleston netters and Oran softball fall short (09/25/08) PERRYVILLE -- The Kelly Lady Hawks traveled to Perryville on Wednesday and came back with a 6-3 win over the Lady Pirates. Heather Beggs (5-0) threw all seven innings giving up three runs (two earned) on three hits and four walks. She also had six strikeouts... Dock one-hits Poplar Bluff (09/24/08) BENTON -- If the Kelly Lady Hawks are ever in need of scoring runs they could wait until the later innings, especially the fifth inning. The Lady Hawks scored four runs in the fifth to give them a solid lead over the Poplar Bluff Mules on Tuesday that would seal the 5-0 win... 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... Kennett takes down Sikeston in tennis (09/18/08) SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs fell to the Kennett Lady Indians' tennis team on Wednesday afternoon. "The girls played a lot better than yesterday," said DeWitt. "Kennett is a strong team. All six of their varsity players are seniors." In varsity singles, Brook Burcham (K) defeated Jacarra Lampkin (S) 8-4, Hanna Lack (K) defeated Caroline Murray (S) 8-0, Susan Shetley (K) defeated Erica Garrett (S) 8-0, Hope Sparks (K) defeated Brooke Partridge (S) 8-0, Samantha Geary (K) defeated Jessica Hutchcraft (S) 8-0 and Anna Grantham (K) defeated Rachel Murphy (S) 8-0.. ... Lady Hawks rattle bats in late innings for win (09/16/08) BENTON -- For most of the season, the Kelly Lady Hawks have scored late in a game but have managed to pick up wins on the softball diamond. On Monday, they continued their habit of waiting as they waited until the fourth inning to rattle the bats, but they proved victorious over the Delta Lady Bobcats 9-1... Big fifth inning lifts Kelly past Cape Central (09/12/08) BENTON--The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team defeated the Cape Central Lady Tigers 3-0 Thursday to improve to 8-1 on the season. The game was a battle of pitching and defense. Danielle Dock pitched for Kelly while Amanda Nichols took the duties for Cape Central. Both are highly-regarded pitchers in Southeast Missouri... Sikeston falters in late innings (09/11/08) BENTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs suffered their second consecutive loss on Wednesday as they played solid defense until the fifth inning only to allow a close game to slip away yet again, this time to the Kelly Lady Hawks on their home field. Kelly eventually scored 10 runs in two innings to send Sikeston home with an 11-1 loss... Lady Hawks blow past Scott City, 11-1 (09/10/08) BENTON -- It didn't take long for the Kelly Lady Hawks to put away the visiting Scott City Lady Rams on Tuesday afternoon, putting the ten-run rule into effect in a 11-1 five inning game. The quick pace, which was just a little bit over an hour, was mostly due to the solid pitching of Jessica Riley who threw all five innings in the shortened game... Lady Tigers rally past Sikeston, 3-2 (09/10/08) SIKESTON -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs softball team dropped a close one on Tuesday afternoon to the visiting Cape Central Lady Tigers. The one-run final, 3-2 in favor of Cape Central, in no way indicated how the first five innings of the game went for Sikeston as they led 2-0 until the top of the fifth... Sikeston finishes tourney in fifth (09/08/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Sikeson Lady Bulldogs softball team came away with a fifth place finish from the 2008 Notre Dame Softballfest over the weekend by winning their final three games after dropping the first one on Friday. They defeated Ste. Genevieve 15-6, Oran 7-6 and Chaffee 3-0... Notre Dame downs the Lady Hawks in title game (09/08/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU-- The Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs Softball team defeated the Kelly Lady Hawks 2-0 to claim the championship of the Notre Dame SoftballFest tournament Saturday in Cape Girardeau. The defensive struggle was a pitching duel between two of the premier pitchers in the area in Notre Dame's Lauren Reinagel and Kelly's Danielle Dock... Lady Hawks fly by Chaffee (08/27/08) CHAFFEE -- The Kelly Lady Hawks soundly defeated the Chaffee Lady Devils, 7-0, at Frisco Park in Chaffee Tuesday afternoon. The Lady Hawks combined sound hitting and near flawless pitching of Danielle Dock to overcome a talented Chaffee team. Leading the Lady Hawks in hitting was Londyn Backfisch who used her remarkable speed to record an inside the park home run in the top of the fourth inning. The junior finished 3-for-3 with one RBI and one stolen base... Offenses rule on fall baseball's opening day (08/26/08) By DAR STAFF The Doniphan Dons got three runs in the first frame on the way to a five-inning 11-1 win over Van Buren. Travis Moe and Ethan King each had two RBIs for the Dons while Zack Swindle had one. "We scored runs, we kind of took what the pitcher gave us," Doniphan coach Jason Rose said. "I was pretty proud overall of how we swung the bats."... Lady Hawks down East Carter 11-1 (08/26/08) Ellsinore - The Kelly Lady Hawks wasted no time bringing on the offensive display in 2008 as they downed the East Carter County Lady Redbirds by a score of 11-1 in six innings. In the victory the Lady Hawks poured on 14 hits, plating two runs in the first, one in the third, six in the fourth, one in the fifth and one more in the sixth to pull ahead by the 10-run mercy rule... Experienced Lady Hawks looking for final four return (08/17/08) BENTON -- After finishing third in the Class 2 state tournament in 2007, the 2008 Kelly Lady Hawks softball team is ready for another shot at No. 1. "Yeah, I think we have the potential to make another state run," said head coach Rhonda Ratledge. "We're very excited and we're working hard."... Rodeo blood flows through local teen (07/15/08) Mallory Cowger ready to compete in world's largest rodeo for the second time Sarah Ruff will play softball at TRCC (07/01/08) Kelly standout will play softball, may play basketball Scott City wins pitchers duel over Kelly (05/14/08) Scott City scores only run of game in bottom of sixth Local athletes qualify for state championships (05/14/08) Staff reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com JEFFERSON CITY -- Local track and field athletes from Class 1 and 2 will be competing in the state meet on Friday and Saturday in Jefferson City. In Class 1, the Scott Central Braves had a good showing at the Class 1 Sectional as five have advanced to the state meet... Charleston rallies past East Prairie to advance (05/13/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CHARLESTON -- Usually with the game on the line and all options pointing in a specific player's direction, that particular athlete wants to be the one to put their team over the top with the game winning play. But, for Chase McClendon on Monday night, he was thinking differently... Local players honored on all-conference team (05/09/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Seven local baseball players were named to the SEMO Conference 1st Team for the 2008 season. From Dexter Eric Windham (P), Caleb Miller (IF) and Mason Noe (IF) were selected. Sikeston s first team selections included Chase Ferrell (C) and Scott Droddy (IF)... 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... '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. ... Kelly outslugs NMCC in SEMO tourney opener (04/25/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com NEW MADRID -- The Kelly Hawks lofted four home runs in Thursday's 11-7 contest against the New Madrid County Central Eagles to advance in the SEMO Conference Tournament setting a date with the No. 1 seed Dexter Bearcats today in Dexter... Bearcats open tournament play at home today against a tough Kelly Hawks squad (04/25/08) Dexter High School will begin its quest for a SEMO Conference Tournament title today at home against the Kelly Hawks. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p. m. at Dexter's East Park ball field. Dexter enters the tournament as the No. 1 seed after the Bearcats have put together a 6-1 conference record, 10-3 overall. Kelly, the tournament's No. 9 seed, earned a shot at Dexter by defeating No. 8 New Madrid County Central, 11-7, in the tournaments only play-in game Thursday at New Madrid... Kelly falls short against Notre Dame (04/18/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Kelly Hawks baseball team battled hard on Thursday afternoon, coming up shy of a victory in a 12-11 loss to the Notre Dame Bulldogs. The contest, scheduled originally to be played at Kelly High School, was moved north to Notre Dame due to poor field conditions following the recent rainfall... Kelly earns first baseball victory, 7-4 at Charleston (04/08/08) Hawks defeat previously unbeaten Bluejays on the road Dexter keeps Kelly reeling (03/27/08) Scott delivers for Dexter with two down in the fifth ROUNDUP: Bloomfield gets early lead, beats Advance (03/27/08) By DAR STAFF ADVANCE -- The Bloomfield Wildcats got off to a strong start Wednesday against Advance and improved to 2-1 on the season with a 10-5 win. The Wildcats scored three times in the first inning and tacked on four more runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach... Scott delivers in Dexter win over Kelly Hawks (03/27/08) Tyler Scott's two-out single with the bases loaded plated three runs and Eric Windham picked up his second win of the season on the mound as the Dexter Bearcats defeated the Kelly Hawks, 4-1, at home Wednesday in SEMO Conference baseball action. Windham and Kelly pitcher Craig Irvin were locked in a pitcher's duel through four innings before Ethan Lee's RBI single in the fifth broke the scoreless battle and pushed the Hawks a head 1-0... Chaffee's hitting grounds Kelly (03/25/08) Barber pitches another complete game for Charleston Portageville girls win first district crown in 20 years (02/29/08) Lady Bulldogs explode in the third quarter to beat Kelly Kelly girls fall in title game (02/29/08) Host Portageville rallied from a five-point halftime deficit to beat Kelly 53-34 in Thursday night's Class 3 District 1 girls championship game. Kelly led 23-18 at the break, but was outscored 35-11 in the second half, including 9-0 in the fourth quarter... Redhawks netters collect first victory in weekend split (02/26/08) Southeast Missouri State's women's tennis team knocked off Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday to pick up its first win of the season. The Redhawks won four of six singles matches and two of three doubles matches to earn the 5-2 victory over UNK (2-2). On Sunday, the Redhawks fell 7-0 to undefeated Nebraska (9-0)... 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 Scott City boys reach district semifinals (02/25/08) The Scott City boys basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Class 3 District 1 tournament with a 52-48 overtime victory Saturday over East Prairie in Portageville, Mo. The third-seeded Rams trailed the sixth-seeded Eagles 32-28 entering the fourth quarter, but rallied to send the game into overtime... 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... Portageville's defense smothers Lady Hawks (02/19/08) Lady Bulldogs have been dominant in seven-game win streak 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... Redhawks softball drops pair of games in Louisiana tourney (02/18/08) After scoring 25 runs in winning its first three games, the Southeast Missouri State softball team scored a total of two runs in a pair of losses Sunday as it concluded play in the Mardi Gras tournament in Monroe, La. After collecting only three hits in an 8-1 loss to Iowa State, Southeast managed just four hits in a 2-1 loss to host Louisiana-Monroe... 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... Kelly kicks losing streak to Delta (02/15/08) Hawks defeat rival Bobcats for first time since 2005 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... 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... 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... 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... ND boys make quick work of Kennett (02/06/08) The Notre Dame boys basketball team only needed two quarters to notch its 16th win of the season. Notre Dame led host Kennett 50-19 at halftime when the game was called because of a tornado warning. Ryan Willen led the Bulldogs (16-6) with 19 points. Nick Koeppel and Mark Himmelberg each had eight... Sikeston boys cruise to easy road win (02/05/08) Risco boys, Portageville girls each claim victories Poplar Bluff girls shake off rust, beat Kelly 64-28 (02/05/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor The Lady Mules gave Poplar Bluff's future cheerleaders plenty to cheer about Monday night. Aereill Davis had 10 steals, eight points and seven assists for Poplar Bluff, which forced a season-best 32 turnovers and beat Kelly 64-28... 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... New Madrid earns key conference win against Mules (01/30/08) Risco rallies in fourth quarter to knock off the North Pemiscot Mustangs ROUNDUP: Doniphan clinches OFC boys title (01/30/08) By DAR STAFF Doniphan clinched the regular-season OFC title Tuesday with a 65-31 win over Clearwater. Charles Wilson scored 25 points for the Dons (15-4, 6-0 OFC). Mitch Granier and Greg Davis each scored eight points. Luke Hillis scored 13 points to lead Clearwater, which trailed by five after one quarter before getting outscored 17-6 in the second... 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."... Scott County Central blows by Kelly (01/30/08) Braves' pressure defense takes toll on Kelly in 83-51 rout. Kelly girls roll past Charleston (01/29/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com BENTON -- The Charleston girls fell to the Kelly Lady Hawks Monday night by the final score of 60-31. "It was a good game for both teams, but it was a big win for us because of districts," said Kelly head coach Rod McQuerter. "I'm just proud of the girls. They came out and played hard with a positive attitude."... 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... Back on track: Sikeston rebounds from loss at Jackson (01/27/08) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- After Tuesday night's results in Jackson, anything but a solid win on Friday night would have been a disappointment for the Bulldogs. In order to do so, they would have to take care of a tough Kelly Hawks team who came in with a winning game plan... ROUNDUP: Risco loses to Gideon; NMCC drops OT thriller (01/23/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com RISCO -- A third quarter collapse by the Risco Tigers Tuesday night, insured a Gideon Bulldogs win, 77-56. "We were in it at the half," Risco head coach Brandon Blankenship said. "In the second half they kind of put us away."... 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... 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... East Prairie holds off Kelly for third in Scott-Miss. tourney (01/19/08) East Prairie limited Kelly to three points in the second quarter, then held on for the 73-63 victory in the third-place boys basketball game at the Scott-Mississippi Conference tournament Friday in Delta. Tony Jones scored 33 points to lead the Eagles... Scott City holds off Kelly in Scott-Miss semifinals (01/18/08) Scott Central to face Rams in finals after 84-60 win over East Prairie Thursday night 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... Woodland girls stop Oran 55-44 (01/15/08) Lauren Johnson netted a game-high 29 points to lead Woodland to a 55-44 victory over Oran in a girls basketball showdown Monday. Taylor Steckman added 14 points for the Cardinals (6-8). Cheyenne King poured in 22 points for Oran. Woodland (55) -- Lauren Johnson 29, Kyla Choate 6, Taylor Steckman 14, Becky Brannon 4. Kaitlin McCormick 2. FG 20, FT 5-6, F 16 (3-pointers: Steckman 2. Fouled out: Lacey Moore)... Delta wins Scott-Mississippi tournament (01/14/08) Oran blows out Scott City to claim third place trophy Free-throw shooting proves difference for Bobcats (01/13/08) Delta sophomore Taylor Smith kept telling herself not to miss when she made two trips to the free-throw line in the final 15 seconds of Saturday's Scott-Mississippi Conference girls basketball tournament title game against Kelly. The Bobcats led by one point both times... Kelly slips past Oran (01/11/08) Lady Hawks set up meeting with Delta in Scott-Mississippi tourney final Oran girls beat East Prairie (01/10/08) Kelly beats Chaffee in other first round game at Scott-Miss tourney with double-double by Kayla Cissell Scott City needs two OTs to knock off the Red Devils (01/05/08) Jay Simmons drained four 3-pointers and had a game-high 36 points as he led the visiting Scott City Rams to a double-overtime 66-61 victory over Chaffee on Friday. "Jay Simmons is an unbelievable player," Chaffee coach Tyson Moyers said. "We guarded him every way we knew how to guard him."... Kelly Hawks fly by Sikeston's girls (01/04/08) By Andrew Powell ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Slow second and third quarters for the Lady Bulldogs proved to be too much for Sikeston to overcome Thursday night, helping the Kelly Lady Hawks to cruise to a 51-34 road victory. "Kelly is a very tough team," said Sikeston coach Homer Jackson. "They play in a system where all their players are on the same accord, with each fulfilling their roles and you got to give them credit."... Steffens leads Saxony to 10-point win (01/04/08) Bret Steffens went to work early, scoring eight points in the first quarter, to help lead the Saxony Lutheran boys basketball team to a 57-47 victory at Oran on Thursday. Steffens finished with a team-high 17 points and 12 rebounds. Max Wieser added 12 points and Ben Courtois 11. Austin Kwikkel chipped in 13 rebounds for the Crusaders (9-2)... Hawks fend off Hornets (12/30/07) The Kelly Hawks avoided a slow start, a problem that had plagued them earlier in the tournament, and defeated Advance 58-53 on Saturday to capture the consolation championship at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. "It feels good to get something out of it," Kelly guard Levi Felter said. "We won three in a row. That's the first time we've done that all year."... Consolation final: Kelly's fast finish wears down Advance (12/29/07) Levi Felter scored nine points and had a dramatic assist for the Hawks in the final period. Consolation semifinal 2: Kelly pulls away from Oak Ridge (12/28/07) Kelly 69, Oak Ridge 50 By Rachel Crader ~ Semoball.com Kelly coach Nathan Wills was not surprised to see his team challenged by the Oak Ridge Blue Jays in the first half of Friday's consolation semifinal in the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament... Hornets win tourney's first thriller in overtime (12/28/07) Advance sophomore reserve Matt Ware grabbed an offensive rebound and banked it in with just seconds to go to give the Hornets a 59-58 victory over the Chaffee Red Devils in the consolation quarterfinals of the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament on Thursday at the Show Me Center... Christmas tourney Consolation 3: Kelly overwhelms Meadow Heights (12/27/07) By Rachel Crader ~ Semoball.com The Kelly Hawks were able to make big runs early in both halves and record a 78-42 victory over Meadow Heights in the third consolation game Thursday at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. The Hawks, who led 14-2 early on, held an eight-point lead at halftime, but an 18-2 run to start the third quarter helped put the game out of reach... 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 6: Kelly puts up fight but falls to Rams 73-48 (12/26/07) By RACHEL CRADER ~ Semoball.com At the end of the first quarter, Kelly first-year coach Nathan Wills could be heard screaming at his team from across the Show-Me Center. He wasn't impressed with their defense, or their rebounding, or, seemingly, anything else... Greenville places fifth in Lady Royals classic (12/23/07) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Sara Woodgeard scored 23 points, nearly half of her team's total Friday night, as Greenville put away host Twin Rivers 48-32 in the fifth-place game of the Lady Royals Classic. The Lady Royals held their opponents in check in the first quarter, but Greenville's offense warmed up as the game went along and gradually stretched the margin between the teams... Portageville, Kelly advance in Lady Royals Christmas Classic (12/19/07) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com BROSELEY -- The Lady Royals Christmas Classic continued play on Tuesday night, as Dexter, Naylor, Kelly and Portageville all notched victories. In the third game of action, the Kelly Lady Hawks took down the Clearwater Lady Tigers by a score of 49-34... Kelly boys hold off Puxico for second win (12/19/07) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com KELLY -- The Kelly Hawks were able to stop a second half run by the Puxico Indians on Tuesday night, to pull out their second victory of the season, 66-55. The Hawks managed to lead for most of the game. But, the Indians made a charge during the second half, especially during the third period... High school roundup: State-ranked Bernie Mules break the century mark (12/19/07) Bernie had six players score in double figures as the Mules defeated North Pemiscot, 106-45, in a laugher on the road Tuesday. Zach Curry's 20 points led the Mules, while teammates Jake Owens and Jake Smith each netted 16. Silas Dill chipped in with 15 points and a team-high nine rebounds, while Jake Welch and Quinton Stevens scored 12 and 11 points, respectively... Scott City boys win, improve mark to 4-0 (12/19/07) The Scott City boys basketball team remained perfect through four games with a 70-38 drubbing of Poplar Bluff at home Tuesday night. The Rams bolted to a 19-2 lead after one period and a 36-11 advantage at halftime. Six-foot-5 senior center Alex King led the Rams with 17 points and 10 rebounds, while guard Jay Simmons recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds. Shae Simmons added 10 points, and Caleb Estes chipped in with 12. Derrick Laxton had six rebounds and five assists... Kennett, Lady Lions two and out at Lady Royals Christmas Classic (12/18/07) BROSELEY, Mo. -- The stay at the Lady Royals Christmas was a short and unpleasant one for the Kennett Lady Indians and the Senath-Hornersville Lady Lions. Both southern Dunklin County teams went 0-2 at the annual Christmas Tournament, losing first-round games on Saturday, then dropping a pair of consolation games Monday evening... Despite weather, tourney starts and top seeds roll (12/16/07) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- The day got off to an ominous start as the nasty weather outside produced a leak in the gym ceiling. The 12 hours of hoops was on track to finish Saturday night with the threat of snow. At presstime, half of the eight games were completed... 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... Defending champ Dexter is top seed in Lady Royals Classic (12/14/07) By Brad Hurt ~ DAR Sports Writer If you ask Dexter coach Chad Allen how his Lady Bearcats got to be the top seed heading into the Lady Royals Classic, which begins Saturday in Brosley, the answer is simple. "My girls work well together," he says. Allen and his team sit in the precarious position of being labeled the best in a field of 16 teams, meaning they will get everyone's best shot, beginning with No. 16 seed East Carter when the tournament starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday... Twin Rivers presses Kelly for win (12/12/07) By DAR STAFF Twin Rivers pulled away from Kelly by controlling the midsection of the game, outscoring the Hawks 55-29 in the second and third quarters in a 79-45 win Tuesday night that pushed their record over the .500 mark. Kenny Johnson led the Royals (4-3) with 19 points, while Kyle Oberkramer followed his big game on Saturday with 12 points... Twin Rivers pulls away for win vs. Kelly (12/12/07) Standard Democrat staff reports BROSLEY -- Twin Rivers pulled away from Kelly by controlling the midsection of the game, outscoring the Hawks 55-29 in the second and third quarters in a 79-45 win Tuesday night that pushed their record over the .500 mark... Kelly girls shut down East Prairie (12/11/07) Lady Hawks use run at end of first quarter to erase sluggish start Defensive Delta captures Chaffee championship (12/10/07) Oran slips by Scott City for third; Scott Central is fifth Kelly beats St. Vincent for first win of season (12/09/07) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com BENTON -- The Kelly Hawks basketball team took care of business Friday night by defeating the St. Vincent Indians by a score of 52-47. "I think tonight was the best game we've played so far," Kelly head coach Nate Wills said. "We've made a lot more progress in the last two days and the kids came out hungry tonight."... Delta rides its defense to title (12/09/07) CHAFFEE -- Delta senior Sarah Keys said she knew playing a strong zone defense would be the main way to upset a tall and quick Kelly team in the Lady Devils Invitational championship game "We worked on defense the day before in practice," Keys said. "We played a lot of defense. We practiced against our JV. We played defense while they played offense."... Woodland boys slip past Chaffee (12/08/07) Three Woodland players scored in double figures as the Cardinals held off Chaffee for a 55-52 road victory Friday night in boys basketball action. Adam Cureton and Jordan King each had 13 points for the Cardinals (3-2), while Kyle Reynolds added 11... Delta, Kelly to play for title of Chaffee basketball tourney (12/07/07) Sara Blattel scored 20 points and Taylor Smith added 12 as Delta knocked off Oran 47-35 in the semifinals of the Chaffee girls basketball tournament Thursday. The Bobcats will face Kelly for the title Saturday. The Hawks beat Scott City 48-35 on Wednesday... Kelly advances to Chaffee tourney championship game (12/06/07) Chaffee rallies to beat East Prairie in overtime; Oran bests Scott Central Portageville takes advantage of Kelly's errors in win (12/05/07) Bulldogs shoot 57 percent from field in 64-39 victory Kelly holds off East Prairie, Sikeston fall to Delta in Chaffee girls tourney (12/04/07) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CHAFFEE -- The 31st annual Chaffee Lady Devils Invitational Tournament got underway on Monday evening, in an exciting night of high school girls basketball. Kicking off the night was the No. 1 seed Kelly Lady Hawks flying by the No. 8 seed East Prairie Lady Eagles by a score of 62-32... Hawks, Rams claim tourney wins (12/04/07) Top-seeded Kelly rolled over eighth-seeded East Prairie in the opening round of the Lady Devils Invitational on Monday night, collecting a 62-32 victory at Chaffee High School. Londyn Backfisch had a game-high 19 points to lead the Hawks (2-0). Kayla Cissell netted 17 points and Sarah Ruff added 15... Kelly's girls bedevil Chaffee 60-29 (11/30/07) Strong start helps Kelly coast to first win of the season SEMOBALL GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM (11/30/07) The top seven girls runners in Southeast Missouri: Kelly girls win opener in rout (11/30/07) BENTON, Mo. -- Kelly junior Debra Hall was a little nervous heading into her team's season opener against Chaffee on Thursday night. "We were all nervous," she said of her team. "First game of the season and we lost a lot of seniors from last year."... SEMOBALL BOYS CROSS COUNTRY TEAM (11/30/07) The top seven runners in Southeast Missouri: Richland shocks Portageville in opener (11/28/07) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com ESSEX -- The Richland Rebels shocked the Portageville Bulldogs Tuesday night behind Drew Thornton's 27 points, 70-68. "It's a huge win," said Richland coach Casey Knight. "You couldn't ask for a better way to start the season to pull off the win against a quality team like Portageville."... Richland shocks Portageville (11/28/07) ESSEX -- The Richland Rebels shocked the Portageville Bulldogs Tuesday night behind Drew Thornton's 27 points, 70-68. "It's a huge win," said Richland coach Casey Knight. "You couldn't ask for a better way to start the season to pull off the win against a quality team like Portageville."... Central, Jackson boys advance to semifinal showdown (11/28/07) Central and Jackson set up a Friday meeting in the semifinals of the Farmington Invitational with wins Tuesday in the opening-round games. The teams will meet 7:30 p.m. at the Farmington Civic Center, with the tourney's third-place and final games set for Saturday... Scott County Central, Bell City earn wins (11/27/07) Top two seeds advance in first round of Oran tournament Braves, Cubs win in Oran tourney (11/27/07) Drew Thomas poured in 27 points and D.D. Gillespie hit for 22 as the Scott County Central boys basketball team rolled to a 94-62 victory over Oran on Monday. Caleb Johnson scored 11 and Toby Heeb had 10 as the Braves won their first game in the Oran tournament... Bulldogs dominate honors (11/22/07) The Notre Dame softball team came close to a perfect season this fall, going 29-1 and finishing third in the state in Class 3. And with the Bulldogs' success on the diamond came many individual honors for the players. Notre Dame pitcher Lauren Reinagel, who posted a 28-1 record, earned Class 3 all-state honors. ... Hawks return three from last season's state-ranked squad (11/19/07) The Kelly Hawks came within one win of the Class 3 final four last season. Coach Rod McQuerter, the reigning Class 3 girls all-district coach, has led the Hawks on an impressive run over the last six years, compiling a 133-39 record. They've won four district titles in the last five seasons... Kelly's new coach wants to pressure teams with speed (11/19/07) Nathan Wills wants to turn his Kelly Hawks loose. He's ready to run. "I think it's going to be kind of surprising this year," he said. "Kelly has always had a bunch of big, hard-working country boys. This year really, we don't have as much size as in the past. We have a lot of athleticism. We're a lot faster than I think they have been in a long time and we're going to try to use that to our advantage."... Four area softball players earn all-state (11/13/07) Kelly's Casey Kern is an all-state first-team selection, while Ruff earns second-team honors; Oran's Kiehlhofner and Urhahn also second-team selections, in Class 1 Pair of Hawks earn return trip to Jefferson City (10/28/07) ST. LOUIS -- Kelly junior Tara Johnson had one goal in mind at Saturday's Class 2 District 1 cross country meet at Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis County. "I just wanted to break the Herculaneum pack," Johnson said. "Last year they had all of their runners finish in the front."... Kelly ends up with third-place finish in Class 2 softball state tourney (10/21/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat COLUMBIA -- The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team took home third-place hardware on Friday afternoon, as they fell in their semifinal game to the Palmyra Lady Panthers 7-0, then bounced back to beat the Marion C. Early Lady Panthers 4-1, in the MSHSAA Class 2 state playoffs for the third-place trophy... Notre Dame took relaxed approach to consolation final (10/21/07) Notre Dame sophomore Lauren Reinagel was doing some dancing out on the mound while she warmed up for the third inning of the Class 3 third-place consolation game against Platte County on Friday. And she was even smiling from ear to ear while she faced some batters... Hawks end on high note after shutout in semifinal (10/20/07) COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The lone senior on the Kelly softball team, Sarah Ruff, had a tough week of practice leading up to the Hawks' Class 2 semifinal game against Palmyra on Friday. "I was throwing up in the outfield," said Ruff, who missed Monday and Tuesday because she was sick. "And then Wednesday's practice it rained. The week didn't go so hot for me but we looked forward to coming here this weekend and I was just looking forward to it."... Ruff provides senior leadership for Kelly softball team (10/19/07) She is the only senior on the Class 2 state semifinal team. Left speechless: Mules run down three medals, lower times (10/12/07) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor BENTON -- Poplar Bluff cross country coach Beth Lewis was speechless after seeing her runners’ times Thursday at the SEMO Conference meet. “When they all have PRs, you can’t ask for anything more,” said Lewis in a voice so soft from screaming that she couldn’t help but laugh at herself mid-sentence... Bulldogs face Webb City in Class 3 semifinals (10/19/07) Lauren Reinagel and her Notre Dame teammates headed for the state softball tournament Thursday, but Reinagel made sure she was ready well before then. "I have my bags packed and I'm really excited," she said Wednesday. "I packed about Saturday night when I got home."... Kelly continues title quest (10/18/07) The Hawks take on defending state champion Palmyra in Friday afternoon's semifinal. Kelly's catcher returns to the field after two torn ACLs (10/18/07) Kelly catcher Brittany Brantley felt more than pain when she tore her left anterior cruciate ligament, meniscus and medial collateral ligament playing softball in May 2006. Brantley had just recovered from a tear of her right ACL, so thoughts of another major surgery, an additional four months of physical therapy and the possibility she would never again catch a ballgame rushed through her mind... Casey Kern, Kelly softball (10/17/07) The Kelly softball team is returning to the state final four for a second straight year, playing Friday in Columbia at the Rainbow Softball Complex. It is the 11th time in school history the Hawks have made it to this round of the playoffs. And the team play of first baseman Casey Kern is one important reason Kelly is still in contention for its third state title... Kelly starting pitcher remains a mystery in playoffs (10/17/07) It's 30 minutes before a postseason game begins and Kelly softball coach Rhonda Ratledge continues to mull over one of the most important pregame decisions. Who's going to be her starting pitcher? Jessica Riley and Heather Beggs both warm up like they're going to get the nod. They admit their coach never tips her hand to reveal which way she's leaning... Kelly advances to state final four (10/15/07) Hawks shut out Principia in Class 2 quarterfinal. Kelly blanks Principia (10/14/07) BALLWIN -- Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge waited and waited to tell Heather Beggs that she'd pitch the Hawks' Class 2 state quarterfinal game against Principia on Saturday. "About 20 minutes before," Beggs said. "She asked me if I wanted the game ball and I thought about it and said, 'Yeah, this is the quarterfinal game and I'm ready.' ... She has been going with her gut feeling and this was her gut feeling today."... Kelly, Notre Dame ready for quarterfinal action (10/13/07) Rhonda Ratledge wanted a schedule packed with challenges to prepare properly for the next two weeks. Ratledge's Kelly Hawks faced Notre Dame, a Class 3 state quarterfinalist, twice this season. Kelly played in the Jackson tournament and the Notre Dame SoftballFest. ... ND boys, Central girls win SEMO meet (10/12/07) Logan Davis set a course record to help the Notre Dame boys claim the SEMO Conference title by 42 points over runner-up Central on Thursday in Benton, Mo. Davis finished in 16 minutes, 9 seconds to edge second-place finisher Travis Blalock of Poplar Bluff by 8 seconds. ... Kelly bunts its way past East Carter (10/11/07) By BRAD HURT ~ Sports Writer Armed with their "small ball" style of offense, the Kelly Lady Hawks overcame a sluggish start to overwhelm East Carter 9-2 in Wednesday's MSHSAA Class 2 sectional playoff. "Once they got started on their bunting and running, we didn't know how to handle it," East Carter coach Angie Bowman said. "We don't face teams that do that. That was the key to the game."... Kelly uses 12-hit effort to reach quarterfinals (10/11/07) POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Armed with their small ball style of offense, the Kelly Hawks overcame a sluggish start to overwhelm East Carter 9-2 in Wednesday's Class 2 sectional playoff. "As long as I've been coaching, you can't take the small ball away," Kelly coach Rhonda Ratledge said... East Carter softball team has come a long way (10/09/07) By BRAD HURT ~ Sports Writer ELLSINORE -- Before the biggest game of the season, the East Carter softball team found itself stuck indoors Monday, forced to practice in the elementary school gym by a steady rain. "We need the rain, but the team really needs to be out on the field," said assistant coach Robert Eudaley... Kern's bunt decides extra-inning battle (10/07/07) PERRYVILLE -- Kelly cleanup hitter Casey Kern had a chance to break a tie and send her team home a winner with one solid swing. She stood in the batter's box during the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday against Crystal City with runners on second and third base and one out... Central's Ford-Pingel secure third trip to state tournament (10/06/07) Sarah Ford and Lindsey Pingel are headed back to the state tennis tournament. The Central doubles team blew past its competition in the district tournament Friday to earn its third straight trip to the state tournament. Ford and Pingel defeated Eureka's Kelsey Ferguson and Shannon Ferguson, 6-0, 6-3, in the semifinals. They then teamed to beat Parkway South's Danielle Poe and Stephanie Krieger, 6-1, 6-1, in the finals... Central doubles team rolls in district play (10/05/07) Sarah Ford and Lindsey Pingel didn't miss a beat. The Central doubles pair cruised through the first day of the district tennis tournament Thursday, earning a berth in today's semifinals. Ford and Pingel have won the district title and earned trips to the state tournament the last two years... Kelly holds off Jackson 4-3 (10/02/07) The Hawks finished the regular season at 16-6. Reinagel throws no-hitter as Notre Dame stays perfect (09/30/07) Notre Dame pitcher Lauren Reinagel fired her second no-hitter of the season to help the Bulldogs defeat Notre Dame (St. Louis) 3-0 on Saturday. Reinagel struck out nine while walking just one batter. WP -- Lauren Reinagel (21-0). LP -- Bauer. 2B -- Whitney Eftink (ND Cape). Multiple hits -- Notre Dame (Cape), Erika Reinagel 2. Record -- Notre Dame (Cape) 22-0... Poplar Bluff outslugs Kelly again (09/28/07) Staff reports ~ Standard Democrat BENTON -- The Kelly Lady Hawks softball team fell victim to the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules 8-6 Thursday afternoon. Poplar Bluff jumped on Kelly early, scoring all eight runs in the first two innings with three in the first and five in the second... Nichols' 10 strikeouts lead Central to win over Chaffee (09/28/07) Amanda Nichols struck out 10 batters to help Central to a 5-3 victory over Chaffee in softball action Thursday. Nichols walked five and allowed three runs in seven innings. Casey Popp and Mia Russell each had two hits for the Tigers (8-15), who had six overall... Kelly's bats go silent in 3-0 loss to Notre Dame (09/25/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat BENTON - The Kelly Lady Hawks were at home on Monday afternoon, playing host to the Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs, and suffered a heartbreaking loss, 3-0 in seven innings. "This one was tough," Kelly head coach Rhonda Ratledge said. "Our first inning cost us the game today. We had two unearned runs in the first, and if we wouldn't have had that, we would've had a one-run ball game."... ND tracks down win over Kelly (09/25/07) Notre Dame leadoff hitter Erika Reinagel said over the past three years Bulldogs coach Jeff Graviett and her other coaches have helped her realize she does not have to drive the ball hard to get on base. Instead, all she has to do is use her quick speed... Schabbing leads Central to title (09/23/07) Central girls cross country coach Mark Hahn thought Saturday's performance may have put his team on the radar. More likely, the Tigers became a primary target after their victory at the Hancock Invitational in Jefferson Barracks Park in St. Louis County... Kelly softball bounces back by thumping Perryville (09/20/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat BENTON - The Kelly Lady Hawks defeated Perryville on Wednesday afternoon in six innings due to the 10-run mercy rule, 11-1. For the Lady Hawks, it was their second victory against Perryville in one week, as they defeated them over the weekend in the Jackson Invitational as well... Saxony Lutheran soccer team improves to 6-1 with victory (09/20/07) Bryant Steffens scored twice and added an assist to lead the Saxony Lutheran boys soccer team to a 6-2 victory over North County on Wednesday. The Crusaders improved to 6-1 with the win. Brett Rodewald, Mark Buerck, Casey Hemman and Ben Courtois all scored a goal in the win. Courtois added a pair of assists... Poplar Bluff finally beats Kelly in teams' third meeting (09/19/07) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ Sports Editor The third time was indeed the charm for the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules against Kelly. Following losses of 3-2 and 3-1, Breanna Moore delivered a game-winning single with no outs in the bottom of the seventh Tuesday afternoon to lift Poplar Bluff to a 6-5 win... Kennett scalps Kennett 12-4 in girls softball (09/19/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat SIKESTON - The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs softball team was back in action Tuesday afternoon, playing host to the Kennett Lady Indians, but lost in seven innings, 12-4. The Lady Bulldogs were looking to bounce back, after a loss on Monday afternoon to the Jackson Lady Indians, in which head coach Tiffany King said the team looked great in the losing effort... ND softball remains unbeaten (09/19/07) The Notre Dame softball team kept its perfect season going Tuesday afternoon -- but just barely. Notre Dame slipped past host Goreville, Ill., 6-5 to run its record to 17-0. Alexis Ralls hit a two-run home run in the top of the fifth inning to wipe out a 5-4 deficit and put the Bulldogs on top for good... Runners find balance between friendships and finishes (09/16/07) When Ronny Schabbing and Brittany Moreland are not competing on the cross country course for the Central girls team, they often enjoy going together to Texas Roadhouse. "My [favorite] meal is ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans and bacon," Schabbing said... Kelly pounds East Prairie 10-0 in six innings (09/14/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat EAST PRAIRIE -- The East Prairie Lady Eagles were in search of their second straight victory on Thursday afternoon, when they hosted the Kelly Lady Hawks, but were defeated in six innings, 10-0. "This was just typical Kelly softball," East Prairie head coach Steve Stokes said. "They can all hit the ball and they capitalize on mistakes."... Central soccer blanks Poplar Bluff (09/14/07) Zach Zaruba netted two goals to lead the Central boys soccer team past Poplar Bluff 3-0 on Thursday. Brooks Osburn tallied a goal, Jared Kinder added two assists and Dustin Welker added an assist in the victory. JV -- Central won 7-0. Jackson 3, Carbondale 0... Backfisch homers; Kelly blanks Cape Central (09/13/07) Staff Report ~ Standard Democrat BENTON -- Londyn Backfisch capped a Kelly softball victory with a solo home run to left field as the Lady Hawks topped Cape Central 4-0 on Wednesday. Backfisch, who went 2-for-3 in the game, also had a single. Casey Kern, who had two hits in three atbats for Kelly, hit a double and collected two RBIs... Riley, Kelly shut out Central (09/13/07) Jessica Riley pitched a five-hit shutout and Londyn Backfisch homered as the Kelly softball team beat visiting Central 4-0 on Wednesday. Riley struck out two and walked two as the Hawks improved their record to 10-2. Backfisch and Casey Kern both had two hits for the Hawks. Kern drove in two runs... Kelly boys, Poplar Bluff girls win team titles at Kelly Invitational (09/10/07) Staff Report ~ Standard Democrat BENTON -- Two area high school cross country teams are celebrating championships after competing Saturday at the Kelly Invitational. In the varsity boys race, Kelly won the team title as Cody Kern finished second overall. Poplar Bluff runner Travis Blalock won the boys competition in 16-minutes, 25 seconds... Early runs propel Kelly past Sikeston in softball (09/07/07) Sikeston played its first home game after a 10-game road trip to open the season. Rams dump Bulldogs (09/06/07) Brittany Licare had 21 digs to lead the Scott City volleyball team to a victory over Notre Dame on Wednesday. Jordan McFall had two aces and eight assists as the Rams (2-0) earned the 25-19, 25-22 victory. Brooke Simpson added four aces, 18 digs, nine kills and two kill blocks for Scott City... Kelly gets going late to beat Scott City (09/05/07) Staff Report ~ Standard Democrat SCOTT CITY -- The Kelly High School softball team scored seven runs during its seventh inning Tuesday to secure a 10-1 win against Scott City. The Lady Hawks (8-2 overall) plated one run in the first inning and added two more tallies in the second, and led 3-0 all the way until Scott City scored its run in the sixth... Backfisch blasts HR in Kelly's 10-1 victory (09/05/07) Kelly's Londyn Backfisch says she is a typical leadoff hitter, using her speed to get on base and score runs. Throughout her softball career, the 5-foot-3 sophomore had never previously hit a home run that cleared the outfield fence, except during practice... Kelly finishes second in Notre Dame SoftballFest; Sikeston, Oran each finish 2-2 (09/04/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat CAPE GIRARDEAU - The Notre Dame Classic softball tournament was once again a huge success, as many local teams battled it out on the diamond, but in the end the homefield Notre Dame Lady Bulldogs proved to be too much for everyone, including the Kelly Lady Hawks, as they won the championship game 9-0 in seven innings... Charleston tennis team beats Dexter (09/04/07) Staff reports ~ Standard-Democrat CHARLESTON -- With four victories in singles competition and two more wins in doubles, the Charleston High School girls tennis team defeated Dexter 6-3 Tuesday. Lindsay Burke (No. 3), Mary Kate Renaud (No. 4), Kayla McKenzie (No. 5) and Chelsea Stallings (No. 6) won their matches for the Lady Bluejays. Burke was an 8-3 victor over Emily Vines, Renaud topped Catherine Kinchen 8-3, McKenzie knocked off Kristyn Lemons 8-2 and Stalling upset Kendra Rinehard 8-3... Reinagel pitches Notre Dame to crown in SoftballFest tournament (09/02/07) When Lauren Reinagel pitched for the Notre Dame junior varsity team last fall as a freshman she said she had about four other teammates sharing time with her on the mound. But now a sophmore, Reinagel is the varsity's ace and she has been called upon to pitch five of her team's first six games. Two of those games came Saturday, including a 9-0 victory over Kelly to help her host team win the Notre Dame Softballfest tournament... Jackson, Notre Dame take home division victories at Jackson meet (09/02/07) Notre Dame's seniors and Jackson's juniors came out as the only local teams to win their divisions at the Jackson Invitational on Saturday. The annual opener for many cross country teams in the area covers a 2.5-mile course instead of the usual 3.1 miles and has teams divided by grade in school instead of the top seven runners... Central softball blanks Kelly (08/31/07) Amanda Nichols took matters into her own hands Thursday. Nichols scored Central's lone run and picked up the win on the mound as the Tigers defeated Kelly 1-0 in a softball showdown. Nichols singled in the second, went to second on a sacrifice bunt, took third on a fielder's choice and scored on a passed ball... Central spikers down Perryville (08/29/07) The Central volleyball team improved to 2-0 with a 25-21, 14-25, 25-20 win over visiting Perryville Tuesday night. Wendi Zickfield led the Tigers' attack with 13 kills. Taylor Kirn had 11 digs, Katie Scholl recorded 16 assists, and Carissa Wheeler and Rita Walter both had six blocks... Kelly softball blanks Malden 11-0 in five innings (08/24/07) MALDEN -- Heather Beggs pitched a two-hit shutout as the Kelly High School softball team trounced Malden on Thursday in a game that was stopped by the 10-run rule. Beggs, who was backed by 11 runs and 12 hits, hurled five innings, striking out five and walking two... Jackson softball posts win over Kennett (08/24/07) The Jackson softball team improved to 2-0 this season with its victory over Kennett on Thursday. Jessica Tuschhoff struck out nine batters to help Jackson pick up the 6-1 road win. Kelci Kieth went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs, a stolen base and a home run, while Brittany Feeney had a perfect night at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs, one RBI and four stolen bases for the Indians... Kelly blasts Chaffee 8-1 in softball (08/23/07) Staff reports ~ Standard Democrat BENTON -- Lana Whitworth went 3-for-4 with a trio of doubles as Kelly routed Chaffee 8-1 on Tuesday. The Lady Hawks (2-0 overall) took a 2-0 in the first inning before adding one run in the third. Chaffee ended the shutout by scoring a single tally in the fourth, but Kelly answered with two runs in the bottom half and tacked on three more runs in the sixth... Jackson tennis defeats Bluff to collect first win of season (08/22/07) After losing its season opener earlier this week, the Jackson girls tennis team earned its first victory Tuesday, defeating Poplar Bluff 8-1. Chelsea Jones, Maura Neader, Ellyn Beil, Alison Keiper and Raechel Batz all won their singles matches for the Indians. Jackson's only loss was by No. 1 Erinne Haff, who was defeated by Morgan Allen 8-3... Kelly softball opens with win at East Carter (08/21/07) The Hawks needed only five innings for the season-opening victory. 2007 high school softball preview capsules (08/20/07) Central Tigers Last year's record: 15-13 Returning Starters: Amanda Nichols, jr., pitcher; Sirena Watkins, sr., pitcher; Jenna Matthews, sr., infielder; Casey Popp, sr., infielder; Mia Russell, sr., outfield. Top Newcomers: Victoria Schabbing, soph., infield; Tori Ourth, soph., infield; Kayla Bredekant, soph., outfield; Jamie Hillier, jr., catcher; Taylre Scott, soph., catcher; Jennifer Willette, jr., infield; Cara Parkinson, jr., outfield; Lilli Robinson, jr., outfield... Softball powers reload (08/20/07) Notre Dame softball coach Jeff Graviett will be without his top offensive player this fall, junior leadoff hitter Paris Burger, who tore her ACL and meniscus while playing basketball July 28 and will spend the next four months recovering. "When I did it, I was so upset because I knew that there was something seriously wrong and I knew I wasn't going to be able to play," said Burger, who underwent surgery last Monday and must exercise the knee for 10 minutes of every hour she is awake. ... After final four run, Kelly heads into fall with one senior (08/20/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat BENTON -- Heading into the girls softball season, hopes are high for a young team of Kelly Lady Hawks. The squad begins action on Monday when it hosts East Carter County at 4 p.m. Things will look a little different this season for head coach Rhonda Ratledge, whose squad went 25-7 overall in 2006 and reached the semifinal round of the MSHSAA Class 2 Girls Softball State Tournament. ... Kelly's Mallory Cowger pursues title of national high school rodeo queen (07/18/07) By Michelle Felter ~ Standard Democrat If there's one thing Mallory Cowger isn't, it's shy. "I just love going out and talking to new people," the 15-year-old said. Her bubbly attitude will come in handy Thursday as she begins the competition for National High School Rodeo Queen in Springfield, Ill... Deason decides to stay close to home (07/11/07) By TROY HYDE ~ DAR Sports Writer When is getting to play basketball at Lyon College just not good enough? When a player has the chance to play his home games just 20 minutes from his house for a team that is Division I Southeast Missouri State University... ALL-STATE BASEBALL (06/26/07) The all-state team from the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association: Kelly's Spencer Ayers selects Williams Baptist (06/10/07) WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. -- The Williams Baptist College basketball team will have the services of Spencer Ayers starting this fall. Ayers, who is from Sikeston, Mo., recently signed his commitment to play for the Eagles. Ayers, a 6-foot-3 forward, is a 2007 graduate of Kelly High School in Benton, Mo. He was picked the past two seasons for the All-Conference team, as well as the Southeast Missourian Christmas All-Tournament team. He was also named a BA Sports All Star this year... The old college try (06/02/07) A glance at how area athletes fared this spring at the collegiate level. Baseball n Central graduate Sean Bard earned first-team Southwestern Athletic Conference after a monster season for Mississippi Valley State's baseball team. Bard, a junior college transfer from Mineral Area College, had team highs with a .376 average, 52 RBIs, 41 runs, 9 home runs and 21 doubles. Bard also walked 32 times... FINAL TRACK HONOR ROLL (05/29/07) Top 10 performances in each event as reported in the five newspapers that are media partners with Semoball.com, through the state meet May 26: (Note: Performances in preliminaries and by individuals in relay meets are not included; only events where an individual is eligible to score points for his or her team.)... All-SEMO Conference baseball team (05/21/07) 2007 SEMO Conference Baseball Team First Team Honorable Mention PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Blake Slattery, Cape Central COACH OF THE YEAR: Kevin Self, Sikeston... Saxony's Etzold wins four titles in final state meet appearance (05/20/07) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Saxony Lutheran's boys track and field team added four more first-place medals to its haul on Saturday, but it was not enough to knock off defending Class 1 champion Polo at the Class 1 and 2 state track and field championships at Dwight T. Reed Stadium... Bluejays end Kelly's season with upset in district baseball (05/16/07) Derek James ~ Standard Democrat CHARLESTON - The sixth-seeded Charleston Bluejays pulled off a first-round upset in stunning fashion as they defeated No. 3 Kelly 18-7 on Monday in the Class 2, District 2 Tournament at Hillhouse Park. Charleston opened an 11-0 lead in the top of the third inning and never looked back. ... ND, St. Vincent soccer teams will meet for district title (05/15/07) Top-seeded Notre Dame and No. 2 St. Vincent eked out one-goal semifinal wins Monday to move on to the championship of the Class 1 District 1 girls soccer tournament in Perryville. The Bulldogs (15-2-1) edged No. 4 Perryville 2-1 in one semifinal, and No. 2 St. Vincent knocked off No. 3 Sikeston 1-0 in the other semifinal. The championship game is 4:30 p.m. Wednesday... Old rivals Scott City, Chaffee may cross paths (05/14/07) Scott City is one of the hottest baseball teams in the area, having won nine of its last 10 games. Chaffee finished its regular season at 15-9, one of its best regular seasons in years. The Scott-Mississippi Conference rivals have the top two seeds in the Class 2 District 2 tournament which begins today in Charleston... Rams' Goodin is plain good at sectional meet (05/13/07) Scott City junior Derek Goodin liked the addition of a sectional meet in Class 2 track for the first time this spring. "You need to perform two meets in a row," Goodin said. "You are not a fluke if you get into state this way." Goodin is no fluke. He didn't just qualify but did so as a sectional champion in the 300-meter hurdles... Class 2 sectional results from Principia (05/12/07) Girls 100 Meter Dash Girls 200 Meter Dash Girls 400 Meter Dash Girls 800 Meter Run Girls 1600 Meter Run Girls 3200 Meter Run Girls 100 Meter Hurdles Girls 300 Meter Hurdles Girls 4x100 Meter Relay 5) Courtney Meyers 5) Iesha McDaniel 5) Britany Albus... Goodin, Essner secure sectional victories for Scott City track (05/12/07) By BILL HESTER Special to the Southeast Missourian Scott City junior Derek Goodin liked the addition of a sectional meet in Class 2 track for the first time this spring. "You need to perform two meets in a row," Goodin said. "You are not a fluke if you get into state this way."... BASEBALL, GIRLS SOCCER DISTRICT BRACKETS (05/11/07) Check out the schedules for the upcoming tournaments. Freshmen may set pace at sectionals (05/11/07) A crop of freshmen athletes in Southeast Missouri is looking to make its mark on the state level in girls track and field. Kelly's Londyn Backfish, Scott City's Stephanie Essner and Saxony Lutheran's Cassie Simpher, all freshmen, will each compete in four events Saturday in sectional meets. All three should be among the favorites in their events. The three have all run under a minute in the 400 meters, which could make them contenders at the state meet next week... BASEBALL, GIRLS SOCCER DISTRICT PAIRINGS (05/11/07) BASEBALL Class 4 District 1 (at Hillsboro) Monday, May 14 -- First round: (4) Seckman vs. (5) Fox, 4 p.m.; (3) Hillsboro vs. (6) Poplar Bluff, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 15 -- Semifinals: (1) Cape Central vs. Seckman or Fox, 4 p.m.; (2) Jackson vs. Hillsboro vs. Poplar Bluff, 6:30 p.m... Track honor roll (05/10/07) BOYS AND GIRLS top performers through May 9 Modglin no-hits Kelly (05/09/07) Scott City starter Ryan Modglin threw his second no-hitter in the span of a week in a 10-0, five-inning win Tuesday over visiting Kelly. Modglin struck out the first six batters he faced and finished with 11 strikeouts. Last week against Kennett, Modglin struck out 15 in a no-hitter. He struck out 17 in a two-hitter at the Red Devils Classic on April 21... Two freshmen combine to win five events at districts (05/06/07) Kelly freshman Londyn Backfish set personal records in four events en route to four district titles at the Class 2 District 1 track meet Saturday at Jackson. Backfish picked up sectional berths in the 100, 200, 400 and high jump with her four wins. The top four in each event advance to the sectional round. The sectional will be at Principia on May 12... MSHSAA members vote to expand football playoffs (05/04/07) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ Sports Editor There won't be a separate playoff for private schools, but the postseason bracket for football will expand in 2008. Missouri State High School Activities Association member schools voted 321-92 against a proposal to split the public and nonpublic schools into separate playoffs for every sport except football... Semoball Girls Track Honor Roll (05/03/07) Top 10 performances in each event as reported in the five newspapers that are media partners with Semoball.com, through April 29... Oran's stifling defense baffles Kelly in nonconference baseball (05/02/07) Derek James ~ Standard Democrat BENTON -- The Oran Eagles dodged just enough bullets from the Kelly Hawks to pull out a 2-1 victory against the cross-county rival on Tuesday at Kelly High School. Oran took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning and managed to thwart four straight rallies by the Hawks over the next four innings with solid pitching and salty defense... Eagles dump Hawks (05/02/07) The visiting Oran Eagles dodged just enough bullets from the Kelly Hawks to pull out a 2-1 victory against the cross-county rival Tuesday. Oran took a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning and managed to thwart four straight rallies by the Hawks over the next four innings with solid pitching and strong defense...