MAYB tournament concludes with crowning of champions

Mid America Youth Basketball and Southeast Youth Sports Club teamed up for another weekend of basketball in the area on Saturday and Sunday.

The event, which featured 73 boys and girls basketball teams from fourth to 12th grade, was played at Saxony Lutheran High School, Jackson High School and Southeast Missouri State University's Student Recreation Center.

MAYB area director Darrin Pruitt said at least four states were represented in the tournament, which started at 8 a.m. Saturday.

"This is a really good area for this kind of stuff," Pruitt said. "We've had to turn away 27 teams before, but this year we took everyone."

Pruitt, who coaches both a fifth and sixth grade boys team and an eighth grade girls team, and his wife started the non-profit Southeast Youth Sports Club last year.

"It's a way to get kids involved," he said.

The number of teams in the competition has grown significantly since last year, when MAYB and Southeast Youth Sports Club worked together for the first time. Another MAYB tournament is planned for July 29th-31st in Cape Girardeau.

"We have more courts this year than before," Pruitt said. "This year it really ballooned. I expect there to be at least this many in July."

Pruitt admitted, however, that the tournament encountered a few obstacles over the weekend.

"This tournament has had its glitches," he said. "Anytime you bring 73 teams into the area and try to get each team three games in two days, it's tough."

In the eighth grade girls championship game, the Southeast Lady Wildcats cruised to a 43-27 victory over the SEMO Cats of Dexter, Mo.

Wendi Zickfield of the Lady Wildcats led all scorers with 17 points. Teammates Katie Moore added nine points and Taylor Sanders had six.

In the third place game of the eighth grade girls division, the Missouri Flyers hammered the Cape County Copperheads 42-18.

Results of the other girls championship games: fourth grade -- Blue Devils 15, Lady Royals 14; fifth grade, Missouri Rim Rattlers 28, St. Louis Lady Cougars 22; high school, Lady Monarchs 42, Missouri Flyers 40. Results of sixth and seventh grades were not available.

Results of the boys championship games: fourth/fifth grade -- Jackson Flash 36, St. Mary Bluejays 13; sixth grade -- Eagles 67, Airborne 30; seventh grade -- Jets 73, Knights 34; eighth grade -- Roy-Lee All-Stars 62, SEMO Warriors 39; ninth/10th grade -- Prime Time Ballers 46, Columbia Flames 36; 11th/12th grade -- Jefferson County Predators 53, Jackson 52.