CHS'S HAYES SIGNS WITH FOREST PARK

Cape Girardeau Central High graduate Emory Hayes became the fourth member of the Tiger's district-champion basketball team to earn a scholarship when he signed with Forest Park Community College recently.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Hayes averaged five points and five rebounds a game for coach Brett Reutzel in his only year at Central. Reutzel considered Hayes a major factor in the Tigers' success.

"He was the spark plug we needed this year," said Reutzel. "Emory was the catalyst that got our other big men to play better. He kick-started us on the defensive aspect of the game.

Although he didn't sport the statistical numbers of the usual college recruit, Hayes knew his roll on the talented Central team and played it well.

"He's a very good role player," said Reutzel. "He didn't have double figures in rebounds, but he kept our opponent's big guy off the boards.

"He can score in the post, but that's not his strength as a basketball player. His strength is playing post defense and crashing the boards."

Reutzel thinks Hayes will be a perfect fit for Forest Park coach Glen Brown.

"Emory's a banger, and that's what they were looking for," said Reutzel. "Coach Brown told me, `I need somebody who can go in there and rebound and play physical.' I told him Emory was his man."

Chaffee's Wolsey headed to BAC

Former Chaffee High athlete Jimmy Wolsey has been awarded a baseball scholarship to Belleville (Ill.) Area College for the 1997-98 school year.

Wolsey played for Dyersburg (Tenn.) State College during the 1996-97 season, earning the school's freshman player of the year award.

A former all-conference baseball player at Chaffee, Wolsey will join a BAC team that was ranked among the nation's top 20 junior-college squads last season.