Area high school teams reach the state Final Four Tournament

There's no shortage of athletic talent in Southeast Missouri. We celebrate the top 200 athletes across the region each summer at the Semoball Awards for their individual accomplishments and how their efforts impacted their teams. For many of these athletes (and coaches), one of the top goals each year is to reach the Final Four.

This spring, there were three teams in the Southeast Missourian's coverage area that accomplished this goal: Jackson baseball, Saxony Lutheran girls soccer and Chaffee baseball.

The Jackson baseball team was fun to watch this year. The team included a talented roster of players who grew up playing ball together, many on competitive travel teams. The team included four players who ultimately received Class 6 First Team All-State honors: Caden Bogenpohl, John-Paul Sauer, Baden Hackworth and Cooper Rhodes. Jackson took home third place after defeating Nixa 2-1.

The Saxony Lutheran girls soccer team also took home third-place honors following their win over Bishop LeBlond in the Class 1 State Tournament. Abby Haley and Maggie Hillin picked up goals for the Crusaders in the victory.

Chaffee baseball also pulled out a third-place finish with a victory over Maysville in the Class 2 State Tournament. Chaffee was led this season by junior pitcher Levi McKinnie.

We'd also like to give a nod to the many state qualifiers for individual sports. These are special memories the athletes will take with them for years to come.

We're big believers that the lessons from high school sports can translate throughout many areas of life: teamwork, perseverance, hard work. The list goes on.

Congratulations to all these athletes and teams on excellent seasons.