Area digest

Kelso Klassic games set for this weekend

KELSO, Mo. -- The 19th annual Kelso Klassic, which was postponed in June because of rain, is scheduled for Friday through Sunday at Kelso City Park.

Teams from Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee make up the 14-team field that will compete in a double-elimination format. They are: Kelso Supply, Kelso Connection, Kelso Fastpitch, Guaranteed Air Freight of of Vandalia, Ill., Nokomis Bud Light, Belleville (Ill.) Wolfpack, Memphis (Tenn.) Dawgs, T-Town KC of Teutopolis, Ill., Black Gold Fastpitch of Hermann, Mo., Memphis Po-Men, Belleville Eager Beavers, Elkville (Ill.) Ward's Chrysler, Radom (Ill.) Lee's Sports Falcons and Memphis Posse.

After games at 8 and 9:30 p.m. Friday, the tournament resumes at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and lasts all day with semifinals at 7:30 and 9 p.m. The championship is at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Puxico gym will bear name of former coach

PUXICO, Mo. -- A ceremony Aug. 15 will officially change the name of the gymnasium at Puxico High School to the Arnold Ryan Gymnasium in honor of former boys basketball coach Arnold Ryan.

Ryan, who also coached and taught classes at Woodland High School in Marble Hill, led Puxico to two state championships in 1951 and '52 and to a third-place finish in '53. A book, "My Name Is Mister Ryan" by former area sports writer Matt Chaney, chronicles the life and career of Ryan, who died in 1970. Autographed copies of the book are available at Puxico High School to help fund a sign with the gym's new name.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony at the high school, which will include Ryan's widow, Nola Ryan, his children and other family members. Many former players, coaches and teaching colleagues also are expected to attend.

No time has been set yet for the ceremony. For information, contact Carroll Cookson at (573) 222-3832.

Atchison, Hemmann eighth in rodeo finals

Jackson's Ty Atchison and Oak Ridge's Jeremy Hemmann finished eighth in team roping at the National High School Finals Rodeo this week in Farmington, N.M.

Atchison's and Hemmann's performance was the best among area competitors. Charleston's Evin and Sam Burke finished 41st out of the field of 93 team roping teams. Atchison also finished 50th in the saddle bronc. Delta's Brent Menz was 41st in steer wrestling, and Poplar Bluff's Matt Boyers was 20th in bull riding.

New Hamburg Heat are 1-1 in national pool play

The New Hamburg Heat 18-and-under ASA softball team finished 1-1 in pool play at the national 18-and-under ASA tournament in Hastings, Neb.

New Hamburg beat Damilico, Neb., Wednesday 7-5. Dana Essner got the win for the Heat after striking out eight and walking none. Stacey Schwartz had three hits to lead the offense. Amanda O'Brien added two hits.

The Heat lost their tournament opener 3-2 Tuesday to Fontana, Calif. New Hamburg led 2-0 going into the bottom of the seventh before Fontana rallied. Schwartz and Ashley Kern had two hits apiece in the loss.

New Hamburg will play at 8 a.m. today as the tournament continues.

Vandyke wins weekly Chip-A-Ways event

Waunita Vandyke won Class A of the weekly Cape Girardeau Chip-A-Ways competition this week.

Mary Higgins won in Class B. Mary Vancleve won the play of the day, which was score on even holes. Bev Wink was the low-putts winner.

Leopold teen heads to national horseshoe event

Tyler Elfrink of Leopold will compete in the horseshoe world championships this week in Wisconsin.

The tournament is a two-week event in which Elfrink, 16, will pitch four different days against some of the best junior pitchers in the world.

"At this stage, he is competing with the best of the best," said Southeast Missouri Horseshoe Association president Randy Grady.

Elfrink will pitch only against competitors his age, but the competitors will come from across the globe to compete this year in the United States.

-- From staff reports