UPDATE: THERE ARE CHAMPIONS AMONG US

Over the last weekend a group of young men from Central High School, more commonly known as the Cape Central High School baseball team, was victorious in the state championship playoff against Joplin. These young men represented themselves, our school, their coaches, their teachers, their parents and this community to the degree of integrity and sportsmanship and competitiveness of which all should be proud.

The Tiger baseball team, making its 11th appearance in the final four -- more state playoff appearances than any other team in Missouri -- unfortunately did not receive the recognition for being the No. 1 team in the state, as we should have from the newspaper to our north. Contrary to the opinion of the St. Louis newspaper, there is a community and there are people south of the St. Louis area.

Notre Dame High School holds the second-highest number of appearances in the state final four playoffs. These young men have maintained and held the prestige of Southeast Missouri baseball and have proven once again that good teachers and good coaches produce quality programs and quality young people.

Also contrary to the reports from the newspaper to our north, teams of the St. Louis area and other portions of the state did not lose their ball games to the Tiger baseball team; they were defeated by good, sound, fundamental play of baseball. Now they can rightfully be called champions. To the players and the coaches, "Thanks for the memories."