Local highlighs of the sports year

February

16 -- IN A 110-67 VICTORY AGAINST ZALMA, THE MEADOW HEIGHTS BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM CONVERTED 24 3-POINT FIELD GOALS TO TIE A STATE RECORD SET BY SCOTT CITY IN 1997. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS," MEADOW HEIGHTS COACH TOM BROWN SAID, "BUT SOMETHING WAS JUST IN THE AIR, AND WE JUST KEPT HITTING EVERYTHING."

21 -- JACKSON JUNIOR CODY ROUSE SETTLED FOR SECOND PLACE IN THE CLASS 3 145-POUND DIVISION OF THE STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT AFTER LOSING A 5-4 DECISION TO MARQUETTE'S BOBBY CONN.

26 -- A SCHEDULED MEETING FOR THIS DATE BETWEEN MEADOW HEIGHTS AND SAXONY LUTHERAN WAS CANCELED THE PREVIOUS WEEK DUE TO INCIDENTS THAT TOOK PLACE DURING SAXONY LUTHERAN'S 71-64 COME-FROM-BEHIND VICTORY ON FEB. 7.

28 -- THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE WOMEN'S TRACK TEAM WON THE OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIP.

28 -- THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM LOST TO TENNESSEE-MARTIN TO FINISH 11-16 -- THE PROGRAM'S THIRD STRAIGHT LOSING SEASON. SOUTHEAST TIED FOR LAST IN THE OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE WITH A 4-12 LEAGUE MARK.

March

5 -- TOP-SEEDED AUSTIN PEAY DEFEATED SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 72-55 IN THE OVC WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT SEMIFINALS. SOUTHEAST FINISHED 16-13.

6 -- THE NOTRE DAME GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM WAS KEPT FROM REACHING THE CLASS 4 STATE FINAL FOUR FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR BY A 58-55 OVERTIME LOSS TO ST. JAMES IN THE QUARTERFINAL ROUND.

14 -- KAREN STUPPLES, THE TOURING PROFESSIONAL FOR CAPE GIRARDEAU'S DALHOUSIE GOLF CLUB, WON HER FIRST LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE TOUR'S SEASON-OPENING EVENT, THE WELCH'S/FRY'S CHAMPIONSHIP IN ARIZONA.

18 -- THE KELLY SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD OF EDUCATION REVERSED COURSE FROM ONE WEEK EARLIER, WHEN IT HAD DECIDED NOT TO REHIRE ROD MCQUERTER AS GIRLS BASKETBALL COACH, AND VOTED TO RETAIN MCQUERTER FOLLOWING A MEETING THAT INCLUDED PLEAS FROM CURRENT AND FORMER PLAYERS.

20 -- LED BY DOMINITRIX JOHNSON'S 40-POINT PERFORMANCE, THE BELL CITY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM DEFEATED ST. ELIZABETH 74-62 FOR THE CLASS 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.

22 -- THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE GYMNASTICS TEAM FINISHED NINTH IN THE REGION TO JUST MISS A SPOT IN THE NCAA SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL MEET BUT QUALIFIED FOUR INDIVIDUALS FOR THE EVENT.

24 -- THE MISSOURI BASEBALL TEAM, OFF TO ITS BEST START SINCE 1985, DEFEATED SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 6-3 IN A GAME THAT ATTRACTED AN ANNOUNCHED RECORD CROWD OF 3,084 FANS TO CAPAHA PARK.

April

4 -- SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE CROSS COUNTRY COACH ERIC HEINS TOPPED A FIELD OF 1,290 RUNNERS TO WIN THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS MARATHON. HEINS, 26, COVERED THE 26.2-MILE COURSE IN 2 HOURS, 25 MINUTES AND 42 SECONDS TO WIN BY MORE THAN SEVEN MINUTES.

25 -- THE TENNESSEE TITANS DRAFTED SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY LINEMAN EUGENE AMANO IN THE SEVENTH ROUND OF THE NFL DRAFT.

25 -- TIM SANDFORT OF COLUMBIA AND KIRSTEN WINKLER OF MCKENZIE, TENN., WON THE MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TITLES IN THE STEAMBOAT CLASSIC TRIATHLON.

May

8 -- THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE WOMEN'S TRACK TEAM WON ITS SECOND STRAIGHT OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP, AS HEATHER JENKINS WAS NAMED THE CONFERENCE'S OUTDOOR FEMALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE YEAR.

18 -- THE CENTRAL HIGH GOLF TEAM FINISHED 10TH IN THE CLASS 4 STATE MEET, LED BY TODD OBERGOENNER'S 11TH-PLACE FINISH.

21 -- KELLY HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR NATHAN LEWER WON HIS SECOND STRAIGHT CLASS 2 HIGH JUMP TITLE BY CLEARING THE BAR AT 6 FEET 6 INCHES.

22 -- SCOTT CITY SENIOR LOREN GROVES WON HER SECOND STRAIGHT CLASS 2 STATE DISCUS CHAMPIONSHIP BY SETTING A CLASSIFICATION RECORD WITH A THROW OF 151 FEET, 7 INCHES. SHE ADDED THREE MORE TOP FIVE FINISHES AT THE MEET AND FINISHED HER CAREER WITH 15 TOP-FIVE STATE FINISHES, INCLUDING THREE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS.

22 -- SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE, WHICH HAD COME THROUGH THE LOSERS BRACKET OF THE DOUBLE-ELIMINATION OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT, LOST 5-1 TO JACKSONVILLE STATE IN THE TITLE GAME. SOUTHEAST FINISHED 29-28.

29 -- THE NOTRE DAME GIRLS SOCCER TEAM SETTLED FOR FOURTH IN THE CLASS 1 STATE TOURNAMENT WITH A 2-1 LOSS TO O'HARA IN THE BULLDOGS' SECOND STRAIGHT FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE.

29 -- PERRYVILLE'S KYLE DOBBELARE WON THREE INDIVIDUAL MEDALS -- SECOND IN THE 110-METER HURDLES, FIFTH IN THE 300 HURDLES AND SEVENTH IN THE LONG JUMP -- TO HELP PERRYVILLE FINISH SEVENTH IN THE CLASS 3 STATE TRACK MEET.

June

3 -- THE ORAN BASEBALL TEAM, BIDDING FOR ITS FIRST STATE TLTLE IN ITS SEVENTH STATE FINAL FOUR APPEARANCE, LOST 4-3 TO ARCHIE IN THE CLASS 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME. THE WHIRLWINDS SCORED THE WINNING RUN ON A WILD PITCH IN THE BOTTOM OF THE SEVENTH INNING.

5 -- BRYAN KELPE OF CAPE GIRARDEAU WON THE TYWAPPITY TRAILS 5-KILOMETER RUN IN 17 MINUTES AND 51 SECONDS. KACI PILCHER TOPPED THE WOMEN'S DIVISION IN 22:35.

7 -- ADVANCE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE GARRETT BROSHUIS, A JUNIOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, WAS DRAFTED IN THE FIFTH ROUND OF MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S FIRST-YEAR PLAYER DRAFT BY THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS.

30 -- IN A UNANIMOUS DECISION, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE'S BOARD OF REGENTS VOTES TO RETIRE THE INDIANS AND OTAHKIANS NICKNAMES AND REPLACE THEM WITH REDHAWKS.

July

11 -- THE TRADEWATER (KY.) PIRATES DEFEATED THE PLAZA TIRE CAPAHAS FOR THE NATIONAL BASEBALL CONGRESS MID-SOUTH REGIONAL. BOTH TEAMS ADVANCED TO THE NBC WORLD SERIES.

15 -- HARRIETT MYERS AND DIANE FOWLER TEAMED UP TO WIN THE 26TH ANNUAL LASSIES CLASSIC AT CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTRY CLUB, MARKING THEIR RECORD SIXTH TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP, ACCOMPLISHED OVER A SPAN OF EIGHT YEARS. MYERS, WHO HAD A HOLE IN ONE, DRAINED THE WINNING PUTT IN A PLAYOFF.

August

1 -- ENGLISH GOLFER KAREN STUPPLES, THE TOURING PRO FOR DALHOUSIE GOLF CLUB IN CAPE GIRARDEAU, WON HER FIRST MAJOR -- THE WOMEN'S BRITISH OPEN. SAID DALHOUSIE DIRECTOR OF GOLF JACK CONNELL: "SHE REALLY IS A GENUINELY GREAT GIRL WHO'S BEEN THROUGH HARDSHIPS AND PERSEVERED. IT'S A GREAT STORY AND SO NEAT; SHE'S DESERVING AND HAS WORKED SO HARD FOR IT."

September

13 -- CENTRAL HIGH SENIOR BASKETBALL PLAYER SCOTT CHESTNUTT, WHO HAD RECENTLY BEEN GRANTED ELIGIBILITY FOR THE 2004-05 BASKETBALL SEASON, WAS CHARGED BY THE CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTY PROSECUTING ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH A CLASS D FELONY OF UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.

20 -- JACKSON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR JASON SCHAFER, A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL'S BASKETBALL TEAM, DIED AS A RESULT OF INJURIES SUFFERED IN A SINGLE-VEHICLE CAR ACCIDENT LATE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT.

25 -- THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE FOOTBALL TEAM -- AFTER OPENING THE SEASONS WITH ROAD LOSSES TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND DIVISION I-A SCHOOLS BOWLING GREEN AND CENTRAL MICHIGAN -- DEFEATED SAMFORD 51-48 IN FOUR OVERTIMES.

26 -- ERIC HEINS, THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY TRACK COACH, COASTED TO A FIRST-PLACE FINISH IN THE 24TH ANNUAL CITY OF ROSES HALF MARATHON WITH A TIME OF 1 HOUR, 10 MINUTES AND 20 SECONDS.

October

1 -- TG MISSOURI WON THE LARGE DIVISION OF THE CAPE GIRARDEAU PARKS AND RECREATION'S CORPORATE GAMES, WHILE YELLOW BOOK WON THE DIVISION FOR COMPANIES WITH 99 AND FEWER EMPLOYEES.

22 -- SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE HOSTED A CEREMONY TO RETIRE THE INDIANS NICKNAME.

23 -- THE KELLY HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL TEAM DEFEATED BISHOP LEBLOND 1-0 TO WIN THE CLASS 2 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP; NOTRE DAME FINISHED THIRD IN CLASS 3.

November

5 -- THE PERRYVILLE FOOTBALL TEAM EDGED DEXTER 47-41 IN A TRIPLE-OVERTIME CLASSIC TO EARN A CLASS 3 DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP. PERRYVILLE RALLIED FROM A 28-7 DEFICIT, SCORED A TOUCHDOWN AND CONVERSION KICK IN THE FINAL MINUTE TO TIE THE GAME AND SURVIVED ONE OVERTIME ON A MISSED EXTRA POINT BY DEXTER.

5 -- THE CHAFFEE FOOTBALL TEAM LOST 40-0 TO COMPLETE ITS SECOND STRAIGHT 0-10 SEASON. CHAFFEE, 1-29 IN THREE YEARS, HAS NOT WON SINCE AN OCT. 11, 2002, WHEN THE RED DEVILS DEFEATED EAST PRAIRIE.

6 -- THE SAXONY BOYS CROSS COUNTRY CAPTURED THE CLASS 1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, WHILE NOTRE DAME FINISHED FOURTH AMONG THE CLASS 2 BOYS.

20 -- SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE LOST 47-9 TO OVC CHAMPION JACKSONVILLE STATE AND CLOSED THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON WITH A 3-8 OVERALL MARK AND A 3-5 CONFERENCE RECORD.

27 -- ST. VINCENT TOPS EAST BUCHANAN 21-0 TO CAPTURE THE CLASS 1 STATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

December

9 -- SCOTT COUNTY CENTRAL PLACED BOYS BASKETBALL COACH MELVIN PORTER ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE, PENDING THE OUTCOME OF AN INVESTIGATION FROM SCOTT COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE MISSOURI DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES. SCOTT COUNTY PRINCIPAL DELANE BECKWITH, A VETERAN COACH WITH 12 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, TOOK THE HELM ON AN INTERIM BASIS.

18 -- WILLIE PONDER, A SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE PRODUCT IN HIS SECOND YEAR WITH THE NEW YORK GIANTS, SCORED HIS FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN BY RETURNING A KICKOFF 91 YARDS AGAINST THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS. HE FINISHED THE GAME WITH A TEAM-RECORD 259 YUARDS ON EIGHT RETURNS.

30 -- THE JACKSON BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM CHARGED INTO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF THE SOUTHEAST MISSOURIAN CHRISTMAS TOURNAMENT WITH AN 11-0 RECORD FOLLOWING A WIN AGAINST RIVAL CENTRAL.