Local teams compete at state, conference championships

Excellence in sports is a tough task to begin with, so imagine our awe that a handful of teams in the area have managed to accomplish great things this season, making high school baseball and soccer and college track and field exciting to follow.

Consider the Bell City baseball team, which captured its third consecutive Class 1 championship. Not only did they win, but they did it in notable fashion -- as Cole Nichols pitched a one-hit shutout, leading his team to the 10-0 victory against Wellsville at CarShield Field the day after teammate Austin Hicks struck out 10 batters and gave up only a single run in the semifinal win.

While the St. Vincent baseball team did not end the season with a championship, they did end it with a great run. They battled to get to state. It required rallies in the sectional and quarterfinal games to even have a chance to compete at that level, and they showed they had it in them to make that push. That takes a lot of determination. In the end, they fell short, losing to Lincoln 9-3 in the Class 2 third-place game at CarShield Field.

Putting that loss in perspective, player Blake Hennemann said, "We lost, but I'd still rather be here than losing in the last round or sectionals and not even getting here."

Girls soccer represented our area well also. Notre Dame kicked its way to victory this year, winning the Class 2 championship in a 2-1 win against Springfield Catholic. Winning a championship is big stuff no matter how it's done, but who doesn't like a tense game? Notre Dame took the title in exciting fashion. It would take overtime and dramatic stops for the girls to secure that victory, and they delivered.

The St. Vincent girls soccer team took care of business also, defeating Summit Christian Academy to secure the Class 1 championship. The 2-1 win brought the school its second state title and a whole lot of joy.

Senior Lauren Carron, who kicked the goal that clinched the title, said, "I think every single emotion is running through me right now," adding, "I'm so proud of my team and so proud of what we've done this season."

It has been a memorable season for local high school sports, but let's not forget college, namely Southeast Missouri State University's men's track and field. The Redhawks won a second straight Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championship in May, also doing our area proud.

Congratulations to our student-athletes for their dedication and hard work.