Soccer

Max Cairns’ impact for the Cape Central Tigers goes deeper than the stat sheet. While he scores his fair share of goals and assists on many as well, but Cairns also impacts scoring chances by his vocal leadership. “It’s a trait that I’ve developed,” Cairns said. “It definitely took work. I didn’t get here overnight.”...

After being held to two goals over their last three games, the Notre Dame Bulldogs erupted for six goals in a 6-1 rout of the St. Pius X Lancers on Tuesday. The win snapped a three-game skid for the Bulldogs. “It feels really good,” Bulldogs coach Matt Vollink said. “One of the things we’ve talked about is we have a tough schedule and we play tough teams. Hopefully as the season goes on those tough games against quality teams will pay off.”...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. — Despite a narrow 2-1 defeat at Poplar Bluff on Thursday, September 21, the Sikeston boys’ soccer team showed its ability to go head-to-head with top teams in the district and the SEMO Conference. With a breakthrough on the horizon, the Bulldogs (5-7-0) demonstrated their potential against the Mules (6-2-1), signaling that the team is on the cusp of making a significant impact when the postseason rolls around...

Within a few short days, the Jackson soccer team went from being blanked by Lindbergh at home on Monday to shutting out Perryville 5-0 on Thursday on the road at Perryville, Mo. "It's a big win," said junior Blake Cain. "It definitely helps our forward momentum going into the next game. It's a good refresher as well."...

It took a scoreless half and several chances but the Poplar Bluff Mules took down Sikeston 2-1 on Thursday at Mules Stadium for its second-straight SEMO Conference win and its second-straight district victory. With the win, Poplar Bluff has now won four in a row and five of its last six matches dating back to Sept. 1...

SIKESTON — The Sikeston soccer team saw its three-game winning streak snapped at the hands of Saxony Lutheran at the Sports Complex on Monday, September 18. The Crusaders (6-4) employed an effective game plan that proved both frustrating and defeating for the Bulldogs (5-6), resulting in a 4-1 victory...

The Jackson Indians fell to Cor Jesu in three sets (25-16, 25-23, 25-21) on Monday, Sept. 18, in Jackson, Mo. Katy St. John led the Indians with 10 kills, followed by nine from Nadia Wasilewski and seven from Ella Domian. Holland Guilliams led the Indians with 10 digs and Ava Wessell had 10 assists. The Indians (8-3) return to host Sikeston on Tuesday...

CARBONDALE, Ill. — In a dog-eat-dog battle, the Sikeston soccer team asserted its dominance, leaving Cardonale (Ill.) chasing its tails. The Bulldogs (4-5-0) won their second consecutive match with a 2-0 at the Terriers’ (3-4-1) home field on Thursday, September 14...

The years of the Jackson boys’ soccer team winning the state championship or playing for the state title feel distant after an 8-13 2022. After a 3-0 win over Northwest (Cedar Hill) on Wednesday, Sept. 13, the Indians have started the season with a 5-0 record. They have certainly exceeded the community’s expectations but whether or not this hot start is a surprise to the players is mixed...

The last time Poplar Bluff beat Cape Central in boys soccer, none of the Mules roster had made it to high school ... or junior high. It was back on Sept. 20, 2016, when the Mules last beat the Tigers, in a 7-0 drumming at home. While Thursday wasn’t a drumming, it was a 2-0 victory and a shutout for the Mules, something Rusty Crafton was excited about after the game...

SIKESTON — Setting the stage for the season, Sikeston Soccer opened its home game schedule with an emphatic 8-2 win over Windsor at the Sports Complex on Wednesday, September 13, 2023. In a remarkable feat, the Bulldogs (3-5) are already on the brink of equaling their entire goal tally from last season, with 26 goals in just eight games, compared to 27 goals in 23 games last year. It was also the first instance since 2015 that the team scored eight or more goals in a single game...

Perryville dominated Festus with an 8-0 victory on Tuesday in Perryville. The Pirates scored seven goals in the first half, and after a quick halftime break, scored the final goal within the first minute of the second half. Treyton Barnett notched his second hat trick of the season...

A pair of first half goals held up as the Cape Central Tigers downed the Sikeston Bulldogs 2-1 on Tuesday at Cape Central High School. Just 11 minutes into the contest, Kamryn West kicked off the scoring to make it 1-0 Tigers. “It was great composure by Kamryn, especially as a freshman,” Tigers coach Jared Dobbs said. “It was great to see. He was very patient and finished with a nice shot off his left foot.”...

Perryville softball (2-9) hosted Herculaneum (1-6) on Tuesday and took a routing win, defeating the Blackcats 20-4 on the backs of a powerful offensive performance. Kylee Stortz led the Pirates offensively, driving in six runs including a second-inning grand slam to unload the bases and eventually complete a 10-run frame to truly establish the team’s offensive onslaught...

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) ruled standout athlete PJ Farmer eligible to compete for Sikeston High School Athletics during a hearing in Columbia, Missouri on Wednesday, September 6. “I’m overcome with joy and quite thankful that this process is behind us,” Farmer said. “I’m more than grateful for the support I had and currently have and I can’t wait for the season to kick off.”...

The Notre Dame soccer team is 3-3 on the season, but also a perfect 2-0 against adversaries from Illinois. “It was good to represent Missouri in a great way,” Notre Dame senior Bryce Sides said. Sides led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 victory at home over Marion on Wednesday at Notre Dame Regional High School with his first-ever hat trick...

It took almost two weeks into the season but the Poplar Bluff Mules boys soccer team had a home match and it couldn’t have gone much better as they took down the Terriers of Carbondale (Ill.), 4-0. The win puts the Mules at 3-2-1 on the year. After about 15:00 scoreless minutes to start the game, senior Alec Papanicolaou found the back of the net off of an assist from Blaise Rowland and Kolby Greenwall...

MARION, Ill. — The Sikeston boys’ soccer team earned its first of the season in a border battle at Marion High School on Thursday, August 31. The Bulldogs (1-2) released a relentless offensive onslaught, capitalizing on a strategic formation change to secure a commanding 7-3 victory over the Wildcats (1-2)...

The wheels are back in full motion for the Poplar Bluff High School Mules soccer team as they capture their first win of the season. The Mules recently traveled to Carbondale, IL, to compete in the Boys Soccer Greg Kline Invitational and got a 5-1 victory over Anna-Jonesboro Community High School and tied 1-1 with Murphysboro High School...

Most times, games aren’t decided in the first half. Well, that wasn’t the case for the Cape Central Tigers as they defeated the Poplar Bluff Mules 2-1 on Thursday in the first game of the Notre Dame SoccerFest at Notre Dame Regional High School. The Tigers were able to create multiple chances early by using their speed to get to the outside...

SIKESTON — A tsunami of young and returning talent has hit the Sikeston boys’ soccer program. Evolving the Bulldog “pups to predators’ and propelling them toward a season that could mark a turning point for the program. “This team is unique due to the number of experienced and hard-working freshmen we have,” said Sikeston coach Gabe Dement. “We expect them to inject competition into our practices that will help the entire team improve.”...

A pair of first-half goals was all the Notre Dame Bulldogs needed in their 2-1 win over the Perryville Pirates on Tuesday at Notre Dame Regional High School. After a furious start by the Pirates, the Bulldogs were able to weather the storm. “I think sometimes we are a little slow to get started,” Bulldogs coach Matt Vollink said. “Perryville came ready to play and they were putting pressure on us early.”...

Despite losing their two prolific goal scorers, the Notre Dame Bulldogs feel they will still be a force to be reckoned with in 2023. The graduation of Will Dodson and Cole Bruenderman is going to leave a major hole not only on offense but also from the leadership perspective...

The 2023 Semoball Awards completed a goal for Jackson soccer player, Justi Nelson. Ever since her freshman year, the Jackson standout dreamed of winning the Semoball Award. “I remember just wanting to win it ever since my freshman year,” Nelson said. “It really pushed me to get to that goal.”...

Nothing beats the joy of delivering for your team. Notre Dame soccer player Will Dodson was honored for doing just that with the Boys Soccer Athlete of the Year Award at the 2023 Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH on Friday, July 14, at LaCroix Church in Cape Girardeau...

It’s time for Fall sports, and Poplar Bluff High and Junior High are preparing for the next phase in school athletics. Provided are the latest tryouts and practice dates for the Fall athletic season.

For children throughout Southeast Missouri, who have a devotion to athletics, and an even stronger pull to Jesus Christ, today’s “Power Camp” at the Cape SportsPlex, which is conducted by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Southeast Missouri, may be as great of an experience as you can combine. “FCA’s goal is,” FCA Area Director Darrin Scott explained, “can we bring every athlete and every coach to know Jesus and get them into a church where they can grow?

KENNETT – In just over a month from now, Kennett's newly-revived soccer program will be taking the field for the first time in more than a decade. If the tremendous effort and subsequent growth shown by the players over the course of the last 20 summer contact days is any indication of what is to come, some of the team's opponents may be in for a surprise, according to head coach Jeremy Westerfield...

After a tremendous season in both singles and doubles, Notre Dame’s Charlie West was awarded with the Boys Tennis Athlete of the Year award at the 2023 Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH on Friday, July 14, at LaCroix Church in Cape Girardeau...

Local coaches lend a helping hand to increase engagement with the youth by involving their favorite sports and capturing the true essence of faith. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Poplar Bluff hosted its first Power Camp at First Baptist Church. The Power Camp is for youth who want to develop their sports skills. This camp provides excellent instruction and competition through sports-specific and multi-sport focus.

Balancing school with athletics is one of the most common challenges high school athletes face. For Cape Central’s Sam Cairns, he was awarded the Bank of Missouri Male Scholar Athlete Award at the 2023 Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH on Friday, July 14, at LaCroix Church in Cape Girardeau...

The scenery will change for one Poplar Bluff Lady Mule, but her work ethic toward becoming a better person and athlete will remain the same at the collegiate level. Graduating Senior Nevaeh Larkins signed a National Letter of Intent to continue her athletic career by playing soccer at Mineral Area College.

SIKESTON — Budding soccer stars gathered at the Sports Complex in Sikeston from May 30 through June 2 for the Ninth Annual Sikeston Bulldog Youth Soccer Camp. Over the course of the weekend, 42 children from first through seventh grade along with 30 alumni and current players, took part in the camp, with the older players helping to guide and instruct the younger ones on the finer points of the game...

After the start of their career was filled with question marks, Anna Mueller and Ava Perry had a dream ending to their careers at Saxony Lutheran High School. As the duo was set to begin their freshman season with the Crusaders soccer program, the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the 2020 spring sports season...

KENNETT – After years of effort and a recent successful school board vote, the first player evaluations for Kennett High School's brand new soccer team were finally held Wednesday, June 7, 2023. The KHS soccer program was abandoned following the 2009 season, but now, two KHS teachers who happened to have played on the high school team while they were in school and have coached their own children in the Kiwanis Youth Soccer league have answered the call to build the program from the ground up beginning this fall.. ...

Every high-level athlete will eventually see their sports career come to an end, but it's the memories that will last forever. After four years as a starter with the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules’ soccer team, Olivia Carda officially hangs up her cleats to begin the next chapter of her life. Though her final season was challenging, Carda managed to make the best of it by working hard to make her team better.

FENTON - After a crushing loss in the semifinals, the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders responded on Saturday morning. The Crusaders beat the Bishop LeBlond Eagles 2-1 to claim third place in the Class 1 State Tournament at World Wide Technology Soccer Park...

FENTON - A quick start was the difference in Saxony Lutheran’s 4-0 loss to Villa Duchesne on Friday in the Class 1 State Semifinal at World Wide Technology Soccer Park. Villa Duchesne opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Georgia Leary scored on a penalty kick...

As the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders take the field in the Class 1 State Semifinal against Villa Duchesne the presence of sophomore Camille Richey is sure to be a big factor. After the Crusaders defeated the Metro Panthers 2-0 on Saturday, May 29, coach Chris Crawford had high praise for the way Richey plays the game...

An all-around effort propelled the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders to a 2-0 win over the Metro Panthers on Saturday at Saxony Lutheran High School. After Metro had the first real scoring chance early in the first half, the Crusaders would proceed to turn every future Panthers attack away...

The St. Vincent girls’ soccer team’s season came to an end on Saturday after falling to Ursuline Academy 7-0 in the MSHSAA Class 3 State Quarterfinals at the Bank of Missouri Soccer Complex in Perryville. The Indians entered the contest having scored 33 goals in their last seven games but had no answers for the Bears’ attack...

It took just four minutes for Nerinx Hall to find the winner, going up by a goal and holding on to the lead to take a 2-0 victory against the hosting Jackson Indians and advance to a MSHSAA Class 4 semifinal in Fenton, Mo. The Jackson defense, spearheaded by senior Emilia Wunderlich and led in goal by sophomore Camryn Alsdorf, held the Markers to just two goals in a rematch of 2022’s quarterfinal matchup, in which Nerinx Hall took a 5-0 victory in Webster Groves, Mo...

After a dominating run through the Class 1 District 1 Tournament, the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders will try to keep it going on Saturday in the Class 1 State Quarterfinal against the Metro Panthers. The Crusaders were the No. 1 seed in Class 1 District 1 and they cruised to a 9-1 win over Kelly in the semifinals and an 8-0 win over Gateway Science Charter in the championship game...

If you like goal-scoring, then Saturday’s Class 3 State Quarterfinal match will be for you. The St. Vincent Indians (19-4) will host Ursuline Academy at 12 p.m. on May 27 in Perryville. Both teams feature high-powered offenses capable of scoring goals and scoring them quickly...

The season didn’t end like the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules’ soccer team wanted, but it laid the foundation for the next season.

Championship experience can go a long way no matter what sport the experience comes in. The Jackson Indians’ soccer team has a wealth of such experience after winning their sixth-straight district championship with a 2-1 win over Oakville on Thursday, May 18, in Jackson...

Saxony Lutheran senior Anna Mueller did something on Friday that she has waited years to do. After the Crusaders defeated Gateway Science Academy 8-0, she took the Class 1 District 1 championship trophy, held it over her head, and ran across the field in jubilation...

A pair of second-half goals proved to be the difference in the Jackson Indians’ 2-1 win over the Oakville Tigers in the Class 4 District 1 championship game on Thursday. Thursday's win marked the sixth-straight district title for the Indians. “You just can’t put that into words,” Jackson coach Justin McMullen said. “It speaks volumes of the players that have been here. I’ve been very blessed to have some good coaches.”...

The Poplar Bluff junior high boys soccer team won the NEA Junior High School League Championship last week in just the second season in program history. Coaches Andrea Carroll and Mike Anderle said they are proud of their teams effort this season, especially taking down a familiar foe in the title game...

After upsetting No. 3 Lindbergh on Saturday, the No. 6 seeded Notre Dame Bulldogs saw their season come to an end with a 3-0 loss to the No. 2 seeded Oakville Tigers on Tuesday in Jackson. Oakville controlled much of the attack from the start and they were rewarded with a goal from Grace Kestler just four minutes in...