Kelly softball players pull in all-state honors

A Class 2 state title helped Kelly land four players on the all state team picked by the Missouri Softball Coaches Association.

All four Kelly players were seniors, led by pitcher Whitney Beggs. Beggs nearly pitched a perfect game in the state championship game, allowing a hit in the bottom of the seventh inning. Other first-team members for the Hawks were infielders Jessica Burnett and Kelly Essner. Essner played shortstop while not on the mound, and Burnett was the Hawks' third baseman. Burnett was one of Kelly's top hitters, while Essner was strong in the field and dominant on the mound.

Senior outfielder Rachel Kline made the second team. Kline added another strong bat to the Hawks' lineup as well as good speed on the base paths.

Notre Dame made its first final four and had two all-state members on the Class 3 squad. Sophomore first baseman Kristain Burger made first team after a strong year at the plate. Burger led the team in RBIs and set the school record for home runs with four. Senior shortstop Whitney Ostendorf, who was another big bat in the lineup as well as one of the top fielders in the area, made the second team.

SEMO Conference releases all-conference football teams

A conference championship helped Jackson dominate the SEMO North all-conference roster.

Jackson had six first-team members on offense and seven on defense. Andy Glass first team on both offense and defense as a lineman. Other Indians to make the first team on offense were senior running back Austin Bock, senior linemen Matt James and Zach Brazer, senior receiver Neal Grossheider and senior tight end Brad Crader.

On defense, Jackson had six more seniors make the squad. Billy Uren and Cole Jansen joined Glass on the line, linebackers were Blake Ulrich and Eric Poythress, and defensive backs Nathan Leoni and Jason Meystedt also made the squad.

After a down year, Central had just one first-team member in senior linebacker Brandon Twiggs. On the second team, Central had three on offense and two on defense.

Jackson had nine more players on the second team -- five on offense and four on defense.

Scott City was well represented on the SEMO South all-conference team after a turnaround season that ended a win short of a district title. The 9-1 Rams had four players on the first-team offense and six players on defense.

On offense, seniors Mark Johnston, Matt Schaefer, Luke McClellan and Jarred Pullen represented the Rams. Scott City defenders to make the squad were Josh Marshall, Jonathan Barr, Dane Gibson, Josh Carroll, Shaun Hann and Schaefer at kicker.

Chaffee placed two players on the first-team offense and one on defense. Junior receiver Geoff Mirly and senior lineman Gabe Walker made the offensive squad, while sophomore David Rhoda made it on defense. Scott City had four second-teamers and Chaffee had five.

Notre Dame players tabbed all-district

Notre Dame had 10 players land on the Class 2 District 1soccer teams.

Seniors Mark Unterreiner, Bryce Willen and Dee Goodin, and junior Jacob Wengert, all made the first team. Second-team members included senior Blake Essner and juniors Frankie Ellis, Abe Dirnberger, Jason Delgado, Andrew Buelow and Nathan Kolda.

College notes

• Quincy sophomore Alex Wieser, a Central graduate, scored a game-high 15 points in the Hawks' season-opening 83-52 win over Illinois-Springfield on Nov. 15.
• Indiana State senior soccer player Ashlie Voerg, a Central graduate, earned first-team all Missouri Valley Conference honors. Voerg is the only Sycamore soccer player to earn first-team honors twice.