Local players make All-Region teams

Alex Heuring, a 6-4 senior center who helped lead the Oran boys basketball team to the Class 2 final four, was honored for his efforts by being named to the 2013 Southeast Missouri All-Region boys squad in Class 2.

The teams were selected by a voting panel of area sports writers.

Heuring averaged 15.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game for the Eagles, who finished 27-5 and in fourth place at the Class 2 state tournament.

Joining Heuring on the first team was 6-4 senior Ethan Barr of Advance, who averaged 21.9 points and 9 rebounds per game for the Hornets (21-8), who lost to Oran in the Class 2 District 3 championship.

Oran senior Kody Moore received second-team honors.

* CLASS 1: Quarterfinalist Scott County Central (16-14) placed two players on the first team. Larandis Banks, a 5-11 junior, and Jaylen Porter, a 5-10 senior, represented the Braves. Banks led the Braves in scoring at 19.8 ppg, while Porter averaged 15.1. Joining them on the first team are Oak Ridge's Ryan Below, a 6-3 senior who averaged 19.5 points and 10.2 rebounds a game for the Blue Jays (20-7); and Leopold's Kyle Stroder, a 6-5 senior who averaged 21.9 points a game for the Wildcats (24-3).

Junior Cameron Davis of Leopold and senior Tyler Masters of Scott County Central were named to the second team.

* CLASS 3: Scott City senior Ryan Brock was named to the second team.

* CLASS 4: Central placed two players on the second team in senior Garan Evans and junior Jamal Cox.

* CLASS 5: Karson King, a 6-5 junior who averaged 15.4 points a game, and 6-7 sophomore Blake Reynolds, who averaged 11.4 points and 6.6 rebounds a game, received first-team honors for Jackson, which lost in a state quarterfinal and finished the season 19-11.

Cooper-Johnson on first team

Alayah Cooper-Johnson, a 5-8 senior forward who averaged 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.4 steals a game for Central (12-14), was named to the 2013 Southeast Missouri All-Region girls squad in Class 4.

Joining Cooper-Johnson on the first team is Perryville senior Natalie Gremaud, a 5-10 forward who averaged 18.4 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.3 steals a game for the Pirates (14-11).

Junior guard Annie Seibert of Notre Dame was named to the second-team.

* CLASS 5: Jackson placed two players on the first team in 5-7 senior Danielle Daume (10 ppg) and 5-5 freshman Cassidi Tomsu (11.1 ppg) as the Indians (15-13) reached sectional play.

* CLASS 3: Josie Long, a 5-9 junior, was selected to the first team for Woodland (18-6). Long averaged 21.2 points, 10 rebounds and 4.7 assists.

Brianna Mueller, a 5-7 freshman from Saxony Lutheran, received second-team honors.

* CLASS 2: Chaffee's Ellie Sigman, a 5-11 senior, was chosen second team.

* CLASS 1: Scott County Central (20-7) had two representatives on the first team as 5-8 junior Mikaela Blissett, who averaged 27.1 points and 10.8 boards a game, and 5-7 senior Ann Dennis (17.3 points, 12.1 rebounds a game) were honored for the Braves, who lost in a Class 1 sectional.

Also named to the team was Delta's 5-6 senior Michela VanGennip, who averaged 24.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 4.2 steals and 3.3 assists per game for the Bobcats.

2013 Southeast Missouri All-Region Basketball

BOYS

Class 5

First Team

Stacy Gipson, 6-6, jr., Poplar Bluff; Lance Gray, 5-11, sr., Poplar Bluff; Karson King, 6-5, jr., Jackson; Blake Reynolds, 6-7, soph., Jackson; Chris Stocks, 6-2, soph., Poplar Bluff.

Class 4

First Team

J.T. Jones, 6-3, jr., Sikeston; Kevonte Mitchell, 6-4, jr., Kennett; Antonio Primer, 6-4, sr., Kennett; Vashawn Ruffin, 5-10, sr., Sikeston; Drew Skaggs, 6-2, sr., Park Hills Central.

Second Team

Jordan Ankrom, 6-3, soph., Farmington; Markeith Bratcher, 6-0, sr., Sikeston; Dylan Coleman, 6-3, soph., Potosi; Jamal Cox, 6-5, jr., Cape Central; Garan Evans, 5-11, sr., Cape Central.

Honorable Mention

Clayton Gielow, 6-2, sr., Ste. Genevieve; Quinn Poythress, 6-5, soph., Notre Dame; Colin Schirmer, 6-6, jr., Perryville.

Class 3

First Team

Michael Hull, 5-11, sr., Charleston; Willie Jimmerson, 5-9, soph., New Madrid County Central; Ryan Parham, 5-11, sr., Charleston; Brian Patterson, 6-7, sr., Doniphan; Steven Rodgers, 6-0, jr., Caruthersville.

Second Team

Ryan Brock, 6-4, sr., Scott City; Cortez Dobbins, 6-1, soph., Malden; Ethan Roach, 6-1, sr., Clearwater; Michael Snider, 6-0, sr., Twin Rivers; Damion Tipler, 6-3, jr., East Prairie.

Honorable Mention

Steven Barnett, 6-6, sr., West County; Darrion Carter, 6-3, sr., Charleston; Sumner Foster, 6-3, sr., Charleston.

Class 2

First Team

David Baker, 6-1, sr., Bernie; Ethan Barr, 6-4, sr., Advance; Alex Heuring, 6-4, sr., Oran; Jamie Massey, 6-7, sr., Holcomb; Maurion Newbill, 5-10, sr., Hayti.

Second Team

Ethan Boyer, 6-1, sr., East Carter; Seth Harris, 6-3, sr., South Pemiscot; Ryan Johnston, 6-5, jr., Bismarck; Kody Moore, 6-0, sr., Oran; Dusty Parsons, 6-2, sr., Van Buren.

Honorable Mention

Frankie Burden, Jr., 6-5, jr., Hayti; Peyton Montgomery, 5-11, soph., Chaffee; Dominique Walker, 6-1, sr., Portageville.

Class 1

First Team

Larandis Banks, 5-11, jr., Scott County Central; Ryan Below, 6-3, sr., Oak Ridge; Jordon Pavy, 6-1, jr., Risco; Jaylen Porter, 5-10, sr., Scott County Central; Kyle Stroder, 6-5, sr., Leopold.

Second Team

Larenzo Cornell, 6-3, sr., South Iron; Cameron Davis, 6-1, jr., Leopold; Mark Gargac, 6-9, sr., Naylor; Marcus Hampton, 5-7, jr., South Iron; Tyler Masters, 6-3, sr., Scott County Central.

GIRLS

Class 5

First Team

Danielle Daume, 5-7, sr., Jackson; Danielle Farmer, 5-10, sr., Poplar Bluff; Cassidy Harris, 5-10, soph., Poplar Bluff; Cassidi Tomsu, 5-5, fr., Jackson.

Class 4

First Team

Alayah Cooper-Johnson, 5-9, sr., Cape Central; Natalie Gremaud, 5-10, sr., Perryville; Brittany Harris, 5-11, sr., Dexter; Alison Jarrell, 5-8, jr., Dexter; Rachel Williams, 6-0, sr., Farmington.

Second Team

Emilee Gibson, 5-9, sr., Potosi; Terra Helm, 5-9, sr., Fredericktown; Hannah Noe, 5-8, jr., Dexter; Paige Patterson, 6-0, jr., Dexter; Annie Siebert, 5-6, jr., Notre Dame.

Honorable Mention

MacKenzie Jones, 5-3, soph., Park Hills Central; Kourtney Kekec, 5-10, soph., North County; Mikala Nichols, 5-6, sr., Sikeston.

Class 3

First Team

Benesha Childress, 5-9, sr., New Madrid County Central; Tori Cole, 6-1, sr., Twin Rivers; E'Neikqua Ewing, 5-10, sr., Charleston; Josie Long, 5-6, jr., Woodland; Lexi Morris, 5-8, soph., Clearwater.

Second Team

Sierra Frazier, 4-11, soph., Charleston; Karen McGloson, 5-10, sr., New Madrid County Central; Brianna Mueller, 5-7, fr., Saxony Lutheran; Hannah Sadler, 5-11, jr., Twin Rivers; Anna Thomas, 5-7, soph., Arcadia Valley.

Honorable Mention

Lexi Stockton, 5-5, sr., Twin Rivers.

Class 2

First Team

Taylor Clifton, 5-4, sr., Senath-Hornersville; Darcy Latham, 5-9, jr., Bismarck; Kayla Maupin, 5-10, sr., Neelyville; Greniqua Rodgers, 5-10, jr., Hayti; Carrie Shephard, 5-6, jr., South Pemiscot.

Second Team

Hannah Adams, 5-4, sr., Viburnum; Gretchen Koller, 5-8, sr., Valle Catholic; Brooke Sheppard, 5-9, sr., Neelyville; Ellie Sigman, 5-11, sr., Chaffee; Rachel Tom, 5-7, jr., Senath-Hornersville.

Honorable Mention

Jaysa Jenkins, 5-6, jr., Van Buren; Shelby Moon, 5-5, fr., Neelyville.

Class 1

First Team

Mikaela Blissett, 5-8, jr., Scott County Central; Ann Dennis, 5-7, sr., Scott County Central; Jacey Skaggs, 5-11, fr., Bunker; Andrea Sullivan, 5-1, sr., Naylor; Michela VanGennip, 5-6, sr., Delta.

NOTE: Because of the few number of schools, there was no second team or honorable mention for Class 5 boys and girls and Class 1 girls.

All-SEMO Conference

Nine local players were recently named to the All-SEMO Conference basketball team, which was honored at the 55th annual Poplar Bluff Letter Club Basketball Banquet.

Junior Jamal Cox of Central joined junior Karson King and sophomore Blake Reynolds of Jackson, along with Notre Dame sophomore Quinn Poythress, on the boys team. Named to the girls team were senior Alayah Cooper-Johnson of Central; seniors Danielle Daume and Megan Williams of Jackson; and junior Annie Seibert and senior Miranda Fowler of Notre Dame.

All-SEMO Conference

Boys

Vashawn Ruffin, Sikeston, 5-10, sr.; Karson King, Jackson, 6-5, jr.; Jamal Cox, Cape Central, 6-6, jr.; Michael Hull, Charleston, 5-10, sr.; Willie Jimerson, New Madrid Central, 5-9, soph.; Ryan Parham, Charleston, 5-11, sr.; J.T. Jones, Sikeston, 6-3, jr.; Markeith Bratcher, Sikeston, 6-0, sr.; Blake Reynolds, Jackson, 6-7, soph.; Stacy Gipson, Poplar Bluff, 6-7, soph.; Quinn Poythress, Notre Dame, 6-5, soph.

Player of the Year: Ruffin.

Top scorer: Willie Jimmerson, New Madrid Central.

Coach of the Year: Greg Holifield, Sikeston.

Girls

Danielle Farmer, Poplar Bluff, 5-1, sr.; Cassidy Harris, Poplar Bluff, 5-10, soph.; Alayah Cooper-Johnson, Cape Central, 5-8, sr.; Brittany Harris, Dexter, 6-0, sr.; Alison Jarrell, Dexter, 5-10, jr.; Danielle Daume, Jackson, 5-5., jr.; Annie Siebert, Notre Dame, 5-6, jr.; Miranda Fowler, Notre Dame, 6-0, sr.; Hannah Noe, Dexter, 5-9, jr.; Megan Williams, Jackson, 5-11, sr.

Player of the Year: Brittany Harris, Dexter.

Top scorer: Brittany Harris, Dexter.

Coach of the Year: Chad Allen, Dexter.

Final basketball polls

With the basketball season over and state champions crowned, Southeast Missouri has a number of teams that received votes in the final Missouri Basketball Coaches Association/MOsports.com poll of the season.

On the boys side, Oran (27-5), which reached the state final four in Class 1, finished fourth in the final poll. Scott County Central (16-14), state quarterfinal losers to eventual Class 1 champion Eminence, finished eighth. Jackson (19-11), which lost to eventual Class 5 runner-up DeSmet in the state quarterfinals, ranked ninth in Class 5.

For the girls, Saxony Lutheran (25-3), beaten in the Class 3 sectional by Twin Rivers, was eighth in the final poll.

Triple killing

If a double play is a pitcher's friend, C.J. Seger has an even newer best buddy.

Seger, a freshman on the Advance baseball team, saw his first varsity action on the mound Thursday in a mop-up role during the Hornets' 14-0 loss to Oran. Seger took the mound in an unenviable position: the top of the seventh with the bases loaded and the Eagles' Hunter Schlosser at the plate.

After his customary warm-up throws, Seger was ready. The Eagles had already plated five runs in the inning and were looking to add more.

Seger's first two offerings missed the mark, but he slipped the third past Schlosser for a called strike. Schlosser zeroed in on Seger's fourth pitch, lining a shot to short. Advance freshman Crey Miles speared the liner for one out, then tagged Oran's Jacob Priggel, who had broken from second on contact, for out number two. Miles then alertly tossed across the diamond to first, where the throw to first baseman Ethan Barr doubled up Bear Hicks for a triple play.

The rarity may have been lost in the rout, but it didn't go unnoticed by Advance coach Bob Moses.

"That was a freshman that started that," Moses said, noting the Advance roster is littered with underclassmen, including four freshmen that started against Class 1 powerhouse Oran. "They're learning on the job. They're a work in progress."

-- From staff reports