Finalists announced for Semoball Awards

We are just a few weeks away from the annual Semoball Awards, coming July 8.

Semoball.com, a regional sports website for high school, college and community sports, recently announced the spring sports finalists for standouts in track, baseball, softball, girls soccer, golf, tennis and other awards. For a complete list, please go to semoball.com/awards.

Tickets still remain for the awards show, which if you're a local sport fan already know, is a high-end awards show held every year to recognize the top athletes in their respective sports from all across Southeast Missouri. The awards are voted on by sports editors from five major newspapers in Southeast Missouri and other broadcasters from the Southeast Missouri ESPN Sports Radio Network. Coaches and fans from the 57 high schools in the Semoball coverage area nominate athletes for the panel's consideration. The awards show comes with a red-carpet experience as well as heavy hors d'oeuvres before the awards are given in ESPY-like style. This year, former St. Louis Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein, who won the World Series MVP for St. Louis in 2006, will give the keynote address in a Q&A format. It should be lots of fun. Eckstein is an athlete deemed too small to make it, but he overcame that stereotype to become one of the best shortstops and leadoff hitters of his era.

Tickets are available for the VIP experience, where you can spend some time with Eckstein and get a photo taken with him. Use the Father's Day promo code DAD17 to get $25 off your VIP ticket before June 19. General-admission tickets are $40, with discounts for groups. In honor of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Poplar Bluff girls basketball coach Kirk Chronister, a discount is available for general admission tickets using the promo code LIFETIME17. Finalists attend for free. Go to semoball.com/awards and click on the ticket button to order your tickets.

The Semoball Awards show is always an unforgettable experience for the local athletes who have worked so hard to become the area's best. And we enjoy putting on the show every year, thanks in part to our wonderful sponsors, which include presenting sponsor SoutheastHEALTH, First Midwest Bank (Official Bank Sponsor), Athlon Sports & Life, SEMO ESPN Radio, the St. Louis Cardinals, rustmedia and your local newspaper.

Congratulations to all the finalists, and we hope to see you at this year's award show July 8 at the River Campus.