Ex-Kelly star Stuckey to coach at Oran

~ Denver Stuckey will coach the boys basketball team and serve as the athletic director.

Former Kelly and Southeast Missouri State baseball standout Denver Stuckey has been hired as Oran's boys basketball coach.

Stuckey officially signed the contract Thursday. Along with his duties as head basketball coach, Stuckey will also take over as athletic director and serve as an assistant baseball coach.

The basketball job had been vacant since Jason Andrews resigned several weeks ago. Andrews served as Oran's coach for two seasons but resigned in hopes of getting the vacant Doniphan job, which he did take.

Oran superintendent Mitch Wood, who coached against Stuckey when the latter played at Kelly, said Stuckey's competitive nature will make him a good coach.

"That's one of the things that probably gave him a leg up," Wood said. "We battled against each other. He's a competitor."

Stuckey was first-team all-state in baseball his junior and senior seasons at Kelly and also excelled in basketball before moving on to a successful four-year baseball career at Southeast. His junior season at Southeast, Stuckey hit .349 with 51 runs scored and earned first-team all-Ohio Valley Conference as Southeast won the OVC title.

After his career at Southeast was over, Stuckey played several years for the Evansville Otters in the Frontier League. Stuckey spent the past two years as assistant baseball coach at Three Rivers Community College.

"I was very excited about getting him," Wood said. "I think we made a great choice. The thing that bothered me is we had four dandy candidates, and about 20 overall. It was a tough choice."

Ward signs with Drury

Former Scott City standout Tyler Ward has signed with Drury University.

Ward will transfer from Rend Lake Community College, where he spent the past two years. Ward will have three years of eligibility at Drury after sitting out his first year with a medical redshirt.

Last season Ward, a 6-foot-9 center, averaged eight points and six rebounds for Rend Lake.

Three Rivers signs Poole

New Salem Baptist Academy senior Mary Beth Poole has signed with Three Rivers Community College to play softball and volleyball.

Poole earned Missouri Christian School Athletic Association all-state honors in volleyball this past season and helped lead the Eagles to a second-place finish at the state tournament.

All-Mississippi Valley

Saxony Lutheran led the Mississippi Valley all-conference baseball team with five first-team members.

Kory Mueller, Chris Roth, Bret Steffens, Ben Courtois and Peter Winningham all made first-team from the Crusaders.

Matt Stoverink, Victor Vandeven and Eric Seiler all made first-team from Leopold.

Josh Barrett (Zalma), Kyle Conley (Zalma), Terry Wagner (Meadow Heights), John Long (Meadow Heights), Walt Ruesler (Oak Ridge), Austin Hahs (Oak Ridge) and Tyler Martin (Delta) rounded out the first team.

All-Jefferson County

Scott Blythe was the lone first-team all-conference player for St. Vincent in the Jefferson County Conference.

Greg Rellergert, Darin Yamnitz and Greg Finger all earned honorable mention.