High school sports producing championship competitors

For high school sports enthusiasts 2003 was a year of heartbreak and near-misses for local teams, but provided lots of reasons to be hopeful in 2004.

Eight local teams made the state final four in four different sports. And while four teams made it to the championship game, only Bell City's volleyball team brought home a state title.

While the teams had their share of troubles, several local track athletes were up for the task come state tournament time. Southeast Missouri's top track athlete was Scott City junior Loren Groves, who broke through with two state titles after several second-place finishes her previous two trips to the state meet.

Groves set the state record in the discus and also won the 100 meter hurdles. A second-place finish in the 300 hurdles and a fourth in shot put gave her another four-time all-state year and helped Scott City finish fourth in the team competition with 33 points.

Kelly's Nathan Lewer followed up a second-place finish in the high jump in 2002 with a state crown in the event in 2003. Also bringing home a state title was Jackson's Stuart McIntosh in the pole vault.

Other highlights in 2003 included two surprise state title runs by Notre Dame's girls soccer team and Central's boys soccer team. Both teams made their first trip to the state final four, with Notre Dame making it in its first-ever trip to the state tournament.

Central's run included a 25-game winning streak, in which the Tigers amassed a perfect regular season and a 25-0 record heading into the state final four. The Tigers broke a streak of eight straight sectional losses during their streak.

Basketball

After losing three starters, Notre Dame's girls basketball team was not expected to make a run at a third straight state championship game appearance in 2003. But the Bulldogs shook off a slow start and compiled a 22-8 record and a second-place finish at the state tournament. Notre Dame fell 56-52 to Duchesne in the championship game.

Jackson's girls sent coach Ron Cook out in style with a third-place finish at the state tournament. Jackson finished 22-9 and lost to the eventual state champions, Kickapoo, in the semifinals. Cook announced his resignation after the state tournament and was replaced by assistant Sam Sides.

Delta's girls team used the strong scoring of center Rebecca Below to make its first state final four appearance since 1980. Delta finished 27-3 after winning the third-place game over Worth County.

Wrestling

Jackson senior Matt Kahle finished a season full of second-place finishes with a second-place finish at the state meet. Kahle also finished second at the conference meet, district meet and sectional meet. Kahle finished the season with a 41-9 record. Kahle's teammate, Cody Rouse, finished third at state after losing his first match in the state meet. Trever Duncan was Central's top finisher with a fifth-place finish at the state meet.

Track and field

The 2003 track and field season was filled with all-state performances by local athletes. Besides state-winners Groves, Lewer and McIntosh, 12 individuals and three relay teams brought home all-state honors. Chaffee's Jennifer Vandeven was the tough-luck athlete of the year finishing second in both the 100 and 200 dashes and sixth in the 400. Other second-place finishers included Jackson's Heather West (triple jump), Central's Cody Beaton (high jump), Central's Jennifer Pancoast (1,600 meter) and Perryville's Chris Porter (triple jump).

Baseball

Oran went a step further in 2003 but still fell short of its ultimate goal. The Eagles advanced to the state finals only to lose 5-2 to Sparta. Oran out-hit Sparta 11-3 in the championship game but was doomed by a four-run third inning. The Eagles finished 22-3.

Notre Dame did not go as far as Oran in the state tournament, losing to state-champion North County in the sectionals, but the Bulldogs playoff run was nearly as memorable. In the district finals Notre Dame knocked off the highly-favored Sikeston Bulldogs, the top-ranked team in the state.

Tennis

For area tennis teams 2003 was an off year. Jackson's girls team had one of its worst seasons in recent memory and Central's girls failed to qualify anyone for the state tournament. The only local tennis players who made it to the state tournament were the doubles team of Heath Orr and Will Ramsey from Central.

Soccer

Notre Dame's girls team made their first trip to the state playoffs a memorable one, making it all the way to the championship game. Notre Dame (23-3-1) posted three straight shutouts before losing 3-0 to John Burroughs in the finals.

Central's boys soccer team had a magical season punctuated by a 25-0 start and a perfect regular season. The Tigers won their first sectional game in nine tries and nearly made the state finals, losing 3-2 in overtime to eventual state-champion SLUH in the semifinals. Along the way Heath Orr set Central's record for career goals (71) and beat his own record for goals in a season (36).

Football

Central's bid for a fourth straight quarterfinal trip came to an end with a sectional rout at the hands of North County. The Tigers season was full of ups and downs, but after defeating North County in the regular season Central had no answer for the Raiders come playoff time

St. Vincent upset Hayti the first week of district play and made its first playoff appearance since 2000. The Indians were eliminated in the sectional round by Paris.

Volleyball

For the second straight year an area team captured the Class 1 volleyball state title. Bell City started its run with a three-game win over Advance in the district finals, and then used an epic two-game battle against Bismarck to catapult them into the final four. Bell City lost the first game in the finals match before coming back for a 15-25, 25-23, 25-19 win. Bell City junior Katie Niemczyk set a state tournament record for digs.

Notre Dame made its first trip to the final four since moving up to Class 3. The Bulldogs got revenge on St. Francis Borgia, beating them in the quarterfinals. Notre Dame finished fourth.

Softball

After three straight sectional losses Central picked up its first-ever state playoff win with a 1-0 decision over Oakville. Despite a strong pitching performance from ace Megan McDonald, the Tigers fell 2-0 to Lindbergh in the quarterfinals.

Kelly made a return trip to the state playoffs only to fall in the quarterfinals. Kelly had its share of chances but fell 2-1 to Blair Oaks.

Cross Country

Notre Dame's first trip as a team to the state meet turned out a second-place finish for the boys. Another team who had unmatched success was Saxony Lutheran's boys team, the first team to compete on the varsity level in school history. Saxony's team finished fourth at the state meet. Central's Jennifer Pancoast was the top area individual finisher in ninth place in Class 4.

jjoffrayl@semissourian.com

335-6611, ext. 171