Soccer

It remains unclear as to what the intentions of the late (and oh, so great) Johnny Cash were in heading to “Jackson,” but one thing is for certain if he would have visited the town of that name in Southeast Missouri he had better have been prepared to see something victorious (and to fight traffic on a Friday night).

SPRINGFIELD – The people of Southeast Missouri may scoff at the notion of referring to any Jackson athletic program as being an underdog. However, that is precisely what the Indians were when they took to the pitch Saturday at the Lake Country Soccer at Cooper Family Complex in Springfield for the MSHSAA Class 4 Boy’s Soccer State Final.

A common theme throughout the Jackson High School athletic program is success and that starts at the top of each team. You don’t get hired to lead an athletic squad at this school if you aren’t capable of being at the top of your profession.

SPRINGFIELD – Notre Dame came into Friday’s MSHSAA Class 3 Soccer State Finals having allowed five goals throughout its entire 17-game season, while Fort Zumwalt South was averaging more than five goals per game throughout its postseason.

The Notre Dame boy’s soccer team will aim for their first state title since 2007 when the Bulldogs take on Ft. Zumwalt South in the Class 3 state championship game Friday at 6 p.m. at Lake Country Soccer/Cooper Family Complex in Springfield. For the entire Bulldogs defensive unit, this will be their final battle. Five seniors, including goalkeeper Conner Westrich and midfielder Evan Bruenderman, have been locking down the defensive side of the ball for four years...

The Jackson boy’s soccer squad has played three double-overtime games in the past 17 days of its arduous postseason journey. Comparatively speaking, the Indians’ opponent in today’s MSHSAA Class 4 state championship game (St. Dominic) has played just three one-goal games in the past month.

Sophomore soccer star Will Dodson has broken the single season goal record and the career goal record this season. The only thing left for him to do is win Notre Dame’s first state championship since 2007. It was fitting that the only goal scored by Notre Dame that punched the Bulldogs’ ticket to the Class 3 State Championship Game was a penalty kick in the 17th minute by sophomore star Will Dodson...

There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance, sort of like there is between winning and losing soccer matches that go into extra time. To the credit of Jackson boy’s soccer coach Zack Walton, he has been able to teach his athletes how to walk that thin margin without falling off a proverbial cliff.

KANSAS CITY — The first year in MSHSAA Class 3 for Notre Dame soccer will end in a championship game Friday in Springfield.

The “Heart-Attack Indians” strike again.

On a frigid 42-degree night in which Jackson soccer player Deonta Blair said he “lost the feeling” in his hands, he was still able to control his feet and it paid off in a historic way.

The Southeast Missouri State women's soccer program will be keeping it in-house on National Signing Day Wednesday with commitments by Jackson High School standouts Grace Crowden and Katelyn Miller. Miller scored 17 goals and tallied 10 assists en route to earning All-District honors as a sophomore...

As the sun sank below the western ridge of the rolling Missouri hills Monday evening, Notre Dame sophomore forward Will Dodson was in a group of Bulldog players working with senior goalkeeper Connor Westrich on penalty kicks.

Four times in the past five autumns, the Notre Dame boy’s soccer program has advanced to this point of a season.

The calendar year of 2020 has been memorable in a number of ways and few of those have been positive. However, when veteran Jackson boy’s soccer coach Zack Walton reflects on this season he is going to be all smiles. And the Indians’ year isn’t even over yet...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — For 63 minutes, Sikeston only allowed one hiccup against a tough Notre Dame squad on its home turf. Losing 8-0 on two different occasions during the regular season, Sikeston seemed outmatched. However, the stakes were much higher in their third matchup, and the underdog Sikeston Bulldogs were up for the test. Don't let the scoreboard fool you, though, as Sikeston played much harder than the 5-0 final in Wednesday's Class 3, District 1 championship game...

CEDAR HILL – If you think Donald Trump and Joe Biden were a bundle of nerves on Wednesday evening, they should have been in Zack Walton’s sneakers. The Jackson soccer coach had to endure over 102-plus minutes of watching his favored team miss opportunity after opportunity after opportunity in its C4D1 championship game against host Northwest (Cedar Hill).

PERRYVILLE — Keith Polette sent a high volley on a 40-yard free kick to the front of the net looking to connect with one of his St. Mary’s teammates. Instead, it missed everybody but the back of the net. Polette’s goal 1 minute, 39 seconds after the opening kickoff ended up being enough to spoil state-ranked Saxony Lutheran’s postseason run Wednesday night...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — They scratched and fought from the beginning, and the Sikeston boys' soccer team got rewarded in the end Tuesday night. After 40 minutes of nothing, the Bulldogs finally found the back of the net not once but twice in a 2-0 shutout over Farmington (6-11). The win marked the second-straight time this season Sikeston (5-11) defeated the Knights, ending a once lengthy drought...

PERRYVILLE – The Saxony Lutheran soccer program has established itself as one of the premier MSHSAA Class 1 programs in the state after winning six consecutive C1D1 titles through the years. However, when the Crusaders got moved up to Class 2 this season it was going to be interesting to see how they fared against the next step up in competition.

CEDAR HILL, Mo. — Veteran Jackson soccer coach Zack Walton knew his 2020 squad had the potential to get back atop its district this fall after not doing so a year ago. However, there were questions galore back in August regarding whether the Indians could even complete a season, its depth along the back end of the field, and a coach never truly knows how a team will come together as the season progresses.

There was no shortage of intense moments on the athletic fields and courts throughout Southeast Missouri last week, as area athletes prepare for the looming postseason competition.

When Perryville and Notre Dame conduct the kickoff to their boy’s soccer game tonight (6:30 p.m. at Notre Dame), the weather will be brisk (the lower 40s are projected) and possibly worsened with a freezing drizzle. However, for veteran Pirate coach Jerry Fulton, he’s viewing the late regular season contest as nothing but a positive for his program regardless of the weather.

Veteran Jackson boy’s soccer coach Zack Walton earned his salary this fall due to the fact he had to spend the last three months analyzing his team to the nth degree. That level of diligence on the Indian coaches’ part, coupled with some skilled athletes, resulted in another SEMO Conference championship.

There was no shortage of intense moments on the athletic fields and courts throughout Southeast Missouri last week, as area athletes prepare for the looming postseason competition. Sikeston boy’s soccer player, Brice Gordon, and Kelly softball player, Ava LeGrand, each excelled in their endeavors and were voted by fans as the Semoball.com Athletes of the Week...

Jackson won a home game against Cape Central Thursday, shutting down Cape Central 6-0 to improve to 11-1 on the season and 4-0 in conference play. Jackson received goals from Brayden Stowe(assist from Devin Reiminger), Chalon Domain, Sam Nispel(assist from Domian), Will Essner(assist from Domian), Mason Grindstaff, and Carson Gier(assist from Grindstaff)...

There were no shortage of intense moments on the athletic fields and courts throughout Southeast Missouri last week, as area athletes prepare for the looming postseason competition.

Only in his sophomore year, Will Dodson broke the school’s career goal record set by Paul Lynch (1985-87) while leading the Notre Dame soccer team past Cape Central 8-0 on Tuesday at Notre Dame High School. As much of his school record 50 goals have went, junior Colton Neumeyer was there for the assist. The ball got played across to Neumeyer, who slid it over to Dodson and with one booming kick down the middle of the field, the ball goes into the net for historic goal No. 50...

FARMINGTON, Mo. — Sikeston picked up its first win over Farmington since 2012 on Monday. The Bulldogs defeated the Knights 1-0, thanks to a goal from Brice Gordon. Dylan Thornbrough helped the cause with an assist. “It was back-and-forth most of the first half with both teams creating solid opportunities,” Sikeston head coach Gabe Dement said. ...

Poplar Bluff goalie Dawson Vaughan made a diving save to stop a penalty kick to keep the game tied Tuesday night, but Saxony Lutheran’s Max Richey got to the rebound first to score. Sixty-seven seconds after the Mules pulled even midway through the second half, Jace Boland outran a pair of Poplar Bluff defenders on a through ball up the middle to again break the tie...

The Jackson Indians boy’s soccer team has won their districts for three straight years but missed out on No. 4 last year. After shutting out Perryville 4-0 on Monday to improve to 10-1, the Indians look to be primed for another deep postseason run. Jackson has lost only one game this season, a 5-1 defeat to the Notre Dame Bulldogs. Outside of that game, the Indians have allowed a grand total of three goals all season, one to North County and two to Cape Central...

Over the past week, the Poplar Bluff soccer team faced the top three state-ranked teams in the area and was shut out each time. “We’ve had a tough week this week,” Mules coach Rusty Crafton said after a 3-0 loss to Perryville on Thursday night. The Pirates scored twice in the opening 10 minutes on goals by Stratton Kaempfe and Colby Hager and added a late goal by Dillion Schlimpert...

There have been no shortage of stellar athletic performances throughout Southeast Missouri of late and that was evident last week, as Bernie baseball player John Nimmo and Meadow Heights volleyball player Kylee Denman excelled in their efforts. Both were recognized Wednesday as this week's Semoball.com Athletes of the Week by Semoball.com readers...

The Notre Dame High School boy’s soccer team played as close to a perfect game as possible on Tuesday.

With Perryville winning 1-0 in the final period, Saxony Lutheran's Milo Greenfield scored a late-final period goal to tie the game at 1 and forced overtime. In the shootout, Max Richey, Paul Adams, Quinn Stevens, and Mike Hasz all scored goals while Crusader goal tender Aaron Zoellner save two penalty kicks in the shootout to seal the victory...

High school athletes throughout the state are trying to hit their stride with the MSHSAA postseason nearing and that was exhibited by both Anna Eaton and Dylan Thornbrough last week.

In a tightly played contest at home, Saxony Lutheran received a free kick goal scored by Paul Kauffman to beat Farmington Thursday 1-0. Aaron Zoellner performed the shutout on one save. It was his second shutout of the season. The OT victory improves the Crusaders to 5-2 as they head to Perryville Monday to take on a very solid Pirate team. Game time is at 5 p.m...

The Jackson boys soccer team defeated Seckman at home Monday, shutting them out 5-0. Goals were scored by Brayden Stowe(2), Devin Reminder, Deonta Blair, and Mason Grindstaff. Assists were made by Grindstaff, Noah Sparks, Will Esner, Tyson White, and Jake Sauerbrunn...

SIKESTON — The sequel ended up being as good as the original Thursday night as Poplar Bluff edged Sikeston 3-2 in overtime. “The guys kept fighting,” Mules coach Rusty Crafton said. “It was a good all-around game. A good win for us.” The Mules (4-4-1) beat Sikeston in penalty kicks on Sept. 10 at home after falling behind by two goals...

It was a good week for Notre Dame athletes both on AND off the field, as a pair of Bulldogs earned success in their athletic quests, as well as proved to be popular with Southeast Missouri fans.

There is a reason why Kennett football coach Joel Wyatt is an extraordinarily successful coach and not a member of the media or even a fan, per se. His task is to focus on the here and now, not some possible, but not definitive opponent off into the future. However, the Indian Nation – and the rest of the prep football fans (and media) throughout Southeast Missouri had to have had their interest piqued a tad when MSHSAA released its District assignments Monday.

Saxony Lutheran solidified their fourth victory of the season Monday with a win over Sikeston, shutting out the Bulldogs 4-0. Goals were scored by sophomores Jace Boland(2) and Max Richey and senior Milo Greenfield. Boland also contributed two assists while Richey added one...

Poplar Bluff celebrated its seniors in volleyball and soccer Thursday night. Emma Johnson, who suffered a knee injury prior to the start of the volleyball season, was able to join her teammates briefly on the court and the Mules responded with their first win of the season...

The Saxony Lutheran boy’s soccer team didn’t prevail in its 2-1 loss at Notre Dame Tuesday, but that doesn’t mean the Crusaders (2-2) didn’t take some positives from the experience as it relates to the team’s development this season.

Twin Rivers softball player Abbey Hester and Notre Dame swimmer Nick Landewe were strong in their competitive sports last week and popular off them, as the two earned the latest Semoball.com Athletes of the Week honors.

SIKESTON — In recent meetings, soccer matches between Sikeston and Cape Central have been more lopsided than down-to-the-wire affairs. The latter happened on Tuesday night, though, as the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 1-0 at the Sikeston Recreation Complex...

Down two goals early, the Poplar Bluff soccer team pulled even with 10 1/2 minutes left in regulation then outlasted Sikeston through overtime and five rounds of penalty kicks Thursday. Quinn Johnson, who scored the game-tying goal, ended it after Mules keeper Dawson Vaughan’s save completed the comeback for Poplar Bluff, 3-2...

The Jackson boys soccer team would have an uphill battle to start the Notre Dame soccerfest. They would take on the host Bulldogs on thursday and fall to them 5-1. Tied at zero at halftime, the Indians just could not muster much of an offensive threat, only netting the one goal. The goal was scored by Chalon Domian with the assist coming from Wil Essner...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Five different players scored as the Poplar Bluff soccer team opened its season Friday with a 5-2 win over Fredericktown at the Notre Dame SoccerFest. Alex Ketcherside and Tommy Holland each scored and had an assist for the Mules, who will play three times Saturday in the tournament. Hayden Pinderski converted a penalty kick while Dylan Harper and Zak Lipsey also scored. Blaise Rowland and Jon Grimaldo also provided an assist each...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — From start to finish, the Sikeston boys’ soccer team dictated the entirety of the game against Fredericktown in the Notre Dame Soccerfest Thursday at Notre Dame Regional High School. The Bulldogs scored their first goal two minutes into the game after sophomore Heath Poindexter converted on an early chance and put the ball right in the back of the net for a 1-0 Sikeston (1-0) advantage. That was the first of six goals for Bulldogs, who went on to shutout Fredericktown...