Saxony takes its next step on path to full sports slate

Two years ago Saxony Lutheran High School had just 19 students and was without a sports program.

Fast-forward to this school year and the 4-year-old school is staging a crusade on all fronts. A future home of the Crusaders is under construction, student enrollment has increased to 57 and the school will compete in three sports.

After a big debut in junior varsity basketball last year, Saxony is adding cross country and JV volleyball this fall. The school aims to have baseball and softball for the 2004-05 school year when it will reside in its new home just off Interstate 55 near Fruitland.

"We hope to offer every sporting event and activity that all public schools offer," Saxony Lutheran athletic director John Daniel said. "We'll do that as soon as there is enough student interest."

Fed by five Lutheran grade schools in the region, Saxony has a goal of 85 students next year and more than 100 in 2005-06.

"We're two years off from that magic 100 number, which will make us look and feel like a mainstream high school," Daniel said.

Daniel said there are 10 members on both the cross country and volleyball teams.

Larry Cleair will lead the cross country team, which will compete in nine meets before the Class 1, District 1 meet. The squad will compete in either varsity or junior-varsity on a meet-by-meet basis. The Crusaders will debut Tuesday in the Chester (Ill.) Invitational.

Amy Birk, who coached at Perryville High School last year, will lead the volleyball program. The JV team has 18 games and two tournaments on its schedule. The Crusaders will debut Tuesday with their only home game of the season. Christ Our Savior Lutheran High School of Evansville, Ill., will visit for the season opener.

The teams look to follow the path established by the JV basketball team, which posted a surprising 19-4 record in its maiden season.

The basketball program will compete in the Mississippi Valley Conference this year in its move up to the varsity level. The school also will field a JV team.

Horrell returns to coach Chaffee basketball team

Brian Horrell will return to the sideline for Chaffee boys basketball this year. Horrell coached the varsity during the 2000-01 season when the Red Devils went 5-19.

Horrell follows David Mirly, now the boys basketball coach at Woodland.

Central's Hudson to play baseball at Murray State

Central graduate Seth Hudson is attending Murray State and will play baseball for the Racers. Hudson, Central's career stolen-base leader, batted .480 over his final two years at Central. He finished second on the school's all-time hits list, just one hit shy of the record.

Notre Dame starts its year in a festival style

High school sports, which began this week with a handful of events, will quickly reach full force next week, and Notre Dame will do its part with its annual sports festival. The school will hold an eight-team varsity volleyball tournament, an eight-team junior-varsity volleyball tournament, an eight-team varsity soccer tournament and an eight-team varsity softball tournament. The softball tournament begins Wednesday, soccer on Thursday and volleyball on Friday. All the tournaments will hold championship games Sept. 6.

Show-Me Showcase set for Sept. 27 at Rec Center

B.A. Sports will hold its Show-Me Showcase basketball event on Sept. 27 at the Student Rec Center on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. The showcase is an opportunity for high school juniors and seniors, as well as junior-college freshman and sophomores, to be seen by college coaches.

The showcase, for boys and girls, will consist of 4-on-4 games and will include slam dunk and 3-point competitions.

Joining the B.A. Sports staff this year is former Southeast women's coach Ed Arnzen, former Jackson girls coach Ron Cook and former Charleston andNew Madrid County Central coach Lennies McFerren.

For info, call (888)887-8482, or go online to www.bapromotions.com.