Five local players named all-state

~ Bell City was represented on the coaches' Class 1 team by Liggins and Bogan.

Three area teams made the trip to the state final four in basketball this season, and all three were represented on the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association all-state team, which was released last week.

Bell City, runner-up in the Class 1 boys tournament, topped the list with two all-state players. Jeff Liggins, a senior, made the squad for the second straight season. Will Bogan, a 6-foot-10 junior in his first season of high school basketball, also made the team after averaging a double-double this season for the Cubs.

Advance's leading scorer, junior Alex Steil, made the Class 2 boys team. Steil averaged more than 15 points a game for the Hornets, who finished third in their first trip to the final four since 1975.

Delta junior Shea Smith made the Class 1 girls squad. Smith led the Bobcats in scoring this season at more than 16 points a game. The Bobcats finished the season 28-2 and took third place at the final four.

Also making the all-state team was Scott County Central sophomore D.D. Gillespie. Gillespie averaged more than 22 points a game and helped lead the Braves to their third straight district title in his first season at Scott County after transferring from Bell City. Scott County lost to Bell City in a Class 1 sectional.

Football foes lined up

Chaffee's struggles on the football field have been well documented over the past few seasons, but a pair of new opponents may help its chances of getting back in the win column next season.

The Red Devils will host Liberty High School of Mountain View, Mo., in Week 2 and will travel to Rector, Ark., in Week 4. Rector finished its season winless at 0-9 last season, and Liberty has struggled to win games over the past few seasons.

Chaffee has lost 34 straight games dating back to the 2002 season.

Central, which has had its own share of struggles the past two seasons with just five combined wins, will have two fewer heavyweights to worry about on its schedule next season. Eureka and St. Louis University High School were dropped, as was Normandy. The Tigers have added Parkway North, New Madrid County Central and St. Charles to the schedule.

Newcomers to Jackson's schedule include Francis Howell, Parkway North, Clayton and Class 5 district newcomer Parkway West. The Indians will open at home with Howell.

Scott City's only addition is district newcomer St. Pius, while Perryville added Pacific and De Soto to its schedule.

St. Vincent opens its season with McCauley Catholic, a Class 1 district-winner last year. District addition Portageville is the only other newcomer to St. Vincent's schedule.

Scott-Miss all-conference

Scott County Central basketball players D.D. Gillespie and Brittney Peet earned player of the year honors in the Scott-Mississippi Conference.

Gillespie was one of two Braves players on the boys first team, joined by fellow sophomore Caleb Johnson. In his first year with the Braves after playing for Bell City as a freshman, Gillespie averaged more than 22 points per game in leading Scott County to a third straight district title.

Kelly, the conference champions on the boys side, had three players make first-team: seniors Jordan Felter and Brandon Ayers and junior Spencer Ayers.

Ethan Watkins (Scott City), Alex King (Scott City), Terrance Below (Delta) and Aaron Kinder (Delta) also made the first team.

Kelly coach Cory Johnson earned coach of the year honors.

On the girls side, the Bravettes' Peet earned top player honors, while conference champion Delta was represented on the first-team by Shea Smith, Kaci Menz and Ashley Deprow.

Mindy Hendrix (Chaffee), Debra Hall (Kelly), Erica Michelsen (Oran), Tiffany Glastetter (Oran), Brittany Ponder (Kelly), Kegan Orr (Chaffee) and Amanda Lawless (Scott County Central) rounded out the first team.

Delta coach Randy White was the coach of the year.