Legion news: Sikeston's season is done

Coaches for Cape Girardeau's and Scott County's American Legion teams were informed this week that Sikeston's Legion team has ceased its season, leaving District 14 at four teams.

The district tournament, scheduled for July 22 to 25, has been moved from Sikeston to Jackson's Legion field.

Sikeston, which had some rainouts this week in what was going to be its first action since a June 26 loss to Ste. Genevieve. Post 114 has had player shortages in past years and another offense of forfeiting a game for player shortages could have resulted in the loss of the program's charter.

In the 2005 district tournament at Dunklin County, with a zone berth on the line in the elimination bracket final, Sikeston fell one short of the required 12 players and was forced to forfeit the game to Cape Girardeau.

Cape Girardeau coach Dave Meyr said Friday he had received word that day, and the adjustment would remove any outcomes from the district records involving Sikeston.

"They've done the smart thing because you can get your charter pulled," Meyr said.

The double-elimination district tournament will begin July 22 with two first-round games at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. The losers will meet July 23 at 5 p.m., with the winners playing at 8 p.m. On July 24, the losers bracket final will be at 5 p.m. with the first championship game at 8 p.m.

An if-necessary game to decide the championship would be played at 7 p.m. July 25.

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The buzz that Cape Girardeau would host a regional tournament in the American Legion playoffs has been around since last year and still can be heard from time to time.But Meyr said Friday that Cape won't be hosting a regional — which pits champions from several states — this year or next year.

Meyr, who traveled to Paducah, Ky., to check out the regional last year, said Capaha Field would be a worthy facility, but American Legion baseball seeks a commitment of $18,000 to run regional tournaments. The manual for region hosts outlines several committees to handle aspects of the tournament.

The bid rotation on the American Legion national Web site has Missouri slated for a Central Plains Regional in 2010, which means the bid would be due by the end of the year. The region includes Minnesota (listed for 2009), Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. 

This year's regional tournament will be played in Minot, N.D., and hosted by the Minot (Post 26) Vistas, who have won the last two state championships and will be hosting their first national tourney. The Missouri state champ will play Minot in the first round on Aug. 14.