Fall sports finalists announced for 2019 Semoball Awards

The 2018 Semoball Awards were held July 14 at the River Campus in Cape Girardeau. This year's event will be July 13.

Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

In a few days, basketball postseason begins for teams across Missouri, but for an hour Wednesday afternoon, the focus was back on fall sports.

In a live one-hour radio show on SEMO ESPN, 55 student-athletes were announced as fall sports finalists for the 2019 Semoball Awards.

Those 55 are part of the group of 150 student-athletes from 57 area high schools who will be honored at the Sixth Annual Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH on July 13 at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast Missouri University's River Campus.

Semoball Awards finalists await the next award winner announcement at the 2018 awards presentations July 14.

Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian

Several area teams won state championships this fall and produced an array of finalists. Hayti football won the Class 1 state championship and had four finalists, including running back Ivory Winters, who will play at Indiana University next fall. Advance volleyball also won a state title in Class 1 and has two representatives in Roz Schrader and Addie Curtis.

Cape Central boys swimming won its third consecutive state title and is represented by the core foursome of Jacob Bening, Daniel Seabaugh, Hyrum Dickson and Truman Vines.

Those weren't the only teams experiencing success.

Jackson football produced its first undefeated regular season in over a decade before falling in a Class 5 state quarterfinalists and has six finalists, including Southeast Missourian Football Player of the Year Jordan Kent.

Led by standout running back Q'Nairies Anderson, Charleston football won the SEMO Conference East championship, its first conference crown in 22 years, this fall. Anderson also broke the school's career rushing record, finishing with 7,982 yards. He is one of 10 finalists on the football offense side.

"I'm just really honored and thankful that I was able to get here," Anderson said.

There are also 10 finalists in the football defense and volleyball category and five in boys swimming, girls tennis and boys and girls cross country.

Anderson will continue his football career at Southeast Missouri State next fall, joining a program on the rise after the Redhawks tied a school record for wins and won a Football Championship Subdivision playoff game for the first time.

"I like to say the coaches," Anderson said on what drew him to Southeast, "and it was close to home and just the enviroment. That's it."

Tickets for the Semoball Awards are on sale, and the event's keynote speaker will be announced in March.

The Semoball Awards are presented by SoutheastHEALTH along with title sponsors SEMO ESPN Radio, the St. Louis Cardinals and rust media and bank sponsor, The Bank of Missouri. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Lucas Presson at lpresson@semissourian.com or call (573) 388-3649.

For more information, go to semoball.com/awards.

The finalists:

FOOTBALL OFFENSE

Cael Welker, Jackson

Chrivontae Moore, Hayti

Connor Tollison, Jackson

Ivory Winters, Hayti

Jimmy May, Scott City

Jordan Kent, Jackson

Maysayv'aun Harrell, Kennett

Q'nairies Anderson, Charleston

Shemyron Townsend, Poplar Bluff

Trevon Lemons, Kennett

FOOTBALL DEFENSE

Adreian Stevenson, Hayti

Bryce Norman, Jackson

Cole Amelunke, Jackson

Corbin Strong, Dexter

Jermaine Hollywood, Caruthersville

Jason Weatherspoon, Hayti

Kade Sullivan, Chaffee

Randol McDowell, Jackson

Trevon Lemons, Kennett

Tyreke Jamison, Sikeston

VOLLEYBALL

Addie Curtis, Advance

Bailey Below, Bloomfield

Camryn Baer, Perryville

Faith Hoppe, Clearwater

Hannah Wilson, Jackson

Lainey Broussard, Jackson

Khelie Spence, Poplar Bluff

Kyla Beel, Leopold

Roz Schrader, Advance

Whitney Bixler, Gideon with Risco

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

Benton Keran, Notre Dame

Blake Morris, Notre Dame

Caleb Cornelius, Saxony Lutheran

Jaden Deaton, Poplar Bluff

Luke Wendel, Jackson

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

Esperanza Zalite, Notre Dame

Kaylee Wilson, Jackson

Kennedy Bauer, Jackson

Kennedy Thies, East Carter

Margo Nea, Dexter

BOYS SOCCER

Austin Welk, Perryville

Caleb Dameron, Jackson

Christopher Palmer, Saxony Lutheran

Colten Seyer, Jackson

Tommy Taylor, Notre Dame

BOYS SWIMMING

Daniel Seabaugh, Cape Central

Hyrum Dickson, Cape Central

Jacob Bening, Cape Central

Nicholas Hux, Notre Dame

Truman Vines, Cape Central

GIRLS TENNIS

Claire Bruenderman, Notre Dame

Darcy Campbell, Kennett

Emma Phillips, Kennett

Jordan Maxton, Cape Central

Sydni McAtee, Kennett