Semoball finalists announced for spring sports, top awards

The final round of finalists were announced recently for the eighth annual Semoball Awards, the area's premier awards show for high school sports.

These student athletes and coaches will join fall and winter sports finalists for the show in July:

Baseball: Bryce Morgan (Kelly), Skylar Morrison (Campbell), Kannon Carr, (Poplar Bluff), Ty Johnson (Oran), Dylan Thornbrough (Sikeston), Reese Robinett (Kennett), Justin Moses (Jackson), Ray Ochoa (East Carter), Nate Rhew (Holcomb) and Eli Brown (Saxony Lutheran).

Softball: Hannah Burk (Holcomb), Hailey Burnett (Notre Dame), Ann-Marie Simpson (Perryville), Caroline Lochmann (Notre Dame), Alyssa Spane (Oran), Jenna Gibson (Southland/Senath-Hornersville), Mikayla Mikels (Advance), Kate Hughes (Kelly), Payton Reinbott (Neelyville) and Allie Eaves (East Prairie).

Girl's soccer: Grace Crowden (Jackson), Leah Buerck (Perryville), Katelyn Miller (Jackson), Hannah Miller (Notre Dame) and Adrienne Weibrecht (Perryville).

Boy's tennis: Thomas Southard (Notre Dame), Jacob Ford (Cape Central), Ryder Boles (Dexter), Parker Nagy (Poplar Bluff) and Gavin Harden (Notre Dame).

Golf: Alex Wiseman (Poplar Bluff), Ryan Collier (Dexter), Carsen Silliman (Jackson), Paige Compardo (Notre Dame), Ella Overstreet (Jackson)

Boy's track and field: Brandon Fonda (Caruthersville), Jaden Deaton (Poplar Bluff), Jadarius Pigg (Poplar Bluff), Evan Bruenderman (Notre Dame) and Luke Nichols (Charleston).

Girl's track and field: Britney Jordan (Caruthersville), Laticia Hamilton (Caruthersville), Anna Thomason (Saxony Lutheran), Antwanasia Blonia-Smoot (Malden) and Kendall Holweg (Delta).

Coach of the Year: Brent Eckley (Jackson football), Aaron New (Kennett baseball), Steve Fowler (Campbell basketball), Zack Walton (Jackson soccer) and Joe Bickings (Oran baseball).

Comeback Athlete of the Year: Daniel Dickerson (Jackson), Hunter Jenkins (Poplar Bluff), Gracie Metzger (Jackson), Jordan Moore (East Carter) and Dawson Hill (Bloomfield).

Sportsmanship Award: Riley Polk (New Madrid County Central), Lexi Jansen (Notre Dame), Katie Griffin, Kinsley Murphy (Van Buren), Haley Smith (Notre Dame) and New Madrid County Central boy's golf.

The Lifetime Achievement Award winner is Jim Bidewell of Portageville.

Each school has an opportunity to nominate athletes for The Bank of Missouri Male and Female Scholar Athletes of the Year.

Every athlete named a finalist from a fall, winter, spring or top award is considered a finalist for the SoutheastHEALTH Male and Female Athletes of the Year.

Special thanks to presenting sponsor SoutheastHEALTH, official bank sponsor The Bank of Missouri, and title sponsors rustmedia, SEMO ESPN Radio, St. Louis Cardinals and your local newspaper. Thanks also to sports sponsors Crader Distributing and your local STIHL dealers and Hudson Chiropractic.

We look forward to celebrating the success of all the athletes on July 10 at the Rock N' Roll Drive-In in Chaffee. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a red carpet experience, food trucks and interactive activities. The show begins at 8:30 p.m., and a sports-themed movie will be shown following. Tickets can be purchased online at semoball.com/awards.

Congratulations to all the finalists for this year's Semoball Awards.