SCOTT CITY REMOVES WHITE FROM GIRLS BASKETBALL DUTIES

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- According to former Scott City girls basketball coach Randall White, Scott City's school board removed him as coach, although he had the support of both the high school principal and the school superintendent.

White, who will retain his status as a teacher at Scott City, has been at the school for 23 years. He coached girls basketball for 17 years and has been very successful over his career.

White said he was given no reason for his removal as coach.

White is the latest of three successful Scott City coaches who have been on the hot seat. Two years ago, boys basketball coach Derek McCord -- one of the most successful coaches in the region who has taken a so-so program and turned it into a power in Southeast Missouri -- was almost removed, but a large host of supporters showed up in his defense at a board meeting.

Last year, first-year football coach Roy Williams -- a 35-year veteran who had won a state title and had been to the final four five times earlier in his career -- was relieved of his head football job after leading the Rams to a 10-2 record, including a loss to the state champions in the state quarterfinals. The Rams followed Williams' only campaign at Scott City with a 7-3 record and a loss to Charleston in the district championship game.

This time it was White, who led the varsity Lady Rams to a 19-8 record. Scott City's junior varsity went 23-1 this past season.

"I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet," White said. "I've got several options. I still have a teaching position so there's no hurry."

White also coached the volleyball team for about 10 years and between the two programs has more than 900 wins.

Groves in a groove at Scott City

SCOTT CITY, Mo. -- Loren Groves isn't just whipping the girls.

She's beating the boys, too.

Groves, just a freshman, has already established herself as one of the best athletes to walk the halls of Scott City High.

In recent meets, she has broken school records in the 300 hurdles (48.53), the 100 hurdles (15.85) and the discus (116-3). Her fourth event is the high jump. She's just learning the event, but has already posted an impressive leap of 4-10.

"She's phenomenal," Scott city co-coach Randy White said. "She has entered four events in every meet and has won all four events in every meet."

The fact that she can only participate in four events poses a welcomed dilemma for Scott City's track coaches.

"I'll tell you something," White said. "She can do anything she wants to do and can do it well. She can run the 100, the 200, the 400 and she could throw the shot. But she's limited to four events. That's the problem."

Her best times in the 100 and 300 hurdles at a recent meet were better than any of the boys' times.

Rubel headed to Meramec C.C.

Mark Rubel, a 6-foot-4 shooting guard from Notre Dame, has signed to play basketball at Meramec Community College in St. Louis.

Rubel averaged 13 points and led the team with 49 steals for the district champion Bulldogs this past season.

Meramec is a successful Division II junior college program which beat Three Rivers Community College for the first time last year.

Chaffee fares well vs. district competition

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- With Chaffee's 9-0 win over Woodland this past week, the Red Devils remained perfect over their competition against potential Class 2A, District 2 foes.

Chaffee also posted a 10-2 win over Notre Dame, a 15-3 win over Scott City and a 3-2 win over Kelly.

But the Red Devils, in the midst of an 11-game winning streak and ranked third in the latest coaches' state poll, are hardly a sure thing to win the district tournament. And they know it.

"Kelly's got (Justin) Simpher who can beat us and Notre Dame can score enough runs to beat anybody," Chaffee ace Matt Stroup said. "And we don't know what Crystal City's got."

Crystal City, last year's surprising state champion, is in District 2 for the first time.

Chaffee has perhaps the best one-two pitching punch in the district with Stroup and G.P. Glueck. And Stroup thinks his best days are yet to come.

"May is usually when I start feeling good," said Stroup, who had some arm troubles during the mid-season last year. "Compared to last year, I feel real good."

Bell City findsitself ranked in 1A

Don't look now, but the Cubs are rolling.

Not just the Chicago Cubs, but the Bell City Cubs too. Bell City currently stands at 10-0 and is ranked 10th in the coaches' Class 1A state poll.

Sure, Bell City has played some weak competition this year, which has padded many of the Cubs' statistics.

But the Cubs have also beaten some solid teams, including Woodland 8-2 and Charleston 6-0.

Gabe Scherer has posted a 0.70 earned run average and has struck out 35 on the mound, while batting .516 with seven doubles and three triples. Ben Duncan leads the team with a .586 average and 19 runs batted in.

Watch out for 1A District 2

Bell City is just one of three teams ranked in the Class 1A, District 2.

Oran (7-1) is ranked second, while Bell City and St. Vincent are tied for 10th. St. Vincent is the defending 1A state champion, but has taken some lumps against bigger schools so far this year.