Bloomfield

The adage is that “Defense wins championships,” and Bloomfield High School volleyball coach Brasley Conner is aware of that.

MARBLE HILL – Veteran Bernie High School volleyball coach Rachel Vernon has had to manage her athletes on a possession-by-possession occurrence throughout this season, and that was evident in Thursday’s five-set win over Bloomfield in the Consolation Bracket championship match of the Stoddard County Athletic Association Volleyball Tournament at Woodland High School.

MARBLE HILL — The semifinals are set for the Stoddard County Activities Association volleyball tournament. Top-seeded Dexter downed No. 8 Richland 25-9, 25-6, 25-4 on Monday, while third-seeded Woodland defeated No. 6 Bloomfield 25-17, 25-22, 25‑16 later that evening. On Tuesday, No. 2 Advance beat seventh-seeded Puxico 25-15, 25-6, 25-11, and No. 5 Bell City defeated fourth-seeded Bernie 25-15, 25-13, 17-25, 25-16...

For a lot of towns, Friday night lights means high school football played in stadiums with green fields. But not every town. For many of Southeast Missouri’s smaller towns, Friday night lights has a different meaning — high school volleyball played under the lights in gymnasiums on hardwood floors...

The Dexter Lady Bearcats volleyball team started its season in strong fashion Tuesday night when took a 25-17, 25-23, 25-14 straight-set victory over Arcadia Valley at the Bearcat Event Center. In other action Tuesday, Bernie improved to 2-0 on the season after taking a 25-11, 24-26, 25-12, 25-22 win over Sikeston, while Advance swept Richland 25-6, 25-15, 25-14. ...

The Poplar Bluff Mules football team will face a stiff challenge when district play starts in November. The Missouri State High School Activities Association released district assignments for all fall sports except for cross country on Friday — and the Mules learned they will be joined in Class 5 District 1 by not only two-time defending district champion Cape Central, but also by defending Class 5 state champion Cardinal Ritter...

With a solid core of young, but experienced, veterans returning, the biggest question for the Advance Hornets volleyball team might be about the intangibles. The Hornets have graduated all-staters Lexi Hoffman and Abigail Kennedy, but return two other all-state players and several key players from last season's state championship squad. And while Advance has just one senior on its roster, the Hornets' returning juniors and sophomores bring a wealth of experience to the court...