Bell City

What I learned from living the initial 52 years of my life in the state of Indiana was that Hoosiers are passionate about three things: religion, farming, and sports. And depending on the time of year and whether the Indiana University men’s basketball team is underachieving or not, the order of those things could fluctuate.

Another successful spring sports season has concluded, and awards have been doled out to student-athletes in the Southeast Missourian's coverage area. Notre Dame girls soccer won its second Class 2 state championship in three seasons, and other teams, such as Saxony Lutheran baseball and St. Vincent girls soccer, also advanced to the final four...

The all-region softball team has been released. Kennett freshman Kyra Jaco, Oran junior Kaylee Payne, Campbell senior Elizabeth Steward, Puxico senior Bailey Burns, Holcomb sophomore Bailey Cupples, and Malden sophomore Hailey Rojas were selected first-team all-region infielders...

The Notre Dame girls track and field team won five events to win the Class 4 Sectional 1 meet on Saturday at West Plains High School in West Plains, Missouri. Riley Burger accounted for three of those first-place finishes for the Bulldogs. The Notre Dame junior swept the jumping events (high jump, long jump and triple jump) to help propel the Bulldogs to the sectional championship. ...

The reigning Class 1 baseball state champions are still alive. Oran beat Bell City 3-2 on a Dawson Menz walk-off single in the Class 1 District 2 championship Tuesday at Bell City High School. The Eagles (10-9), who lost five starters from last year's championship team, had coughed up a two-run lead in the top of the seventh before Menz produced that two-out single to right field. Kole Simms scored the game-winning run after reaching on a one-out walk and advancing to third on a bunt and balk...

The Notre Dame girls track and field team won its third consecutive district title Saturday at the Class 4 District 1 meet in Park Hills, Missouri. Riley Burger led the way with three individual gold medals and was part of the first-place 800 relay. Burger won the long jump, triple jump and high jump...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — Luke Nichols pitched a three-hit shutout, leading the Bell City baseball team to a 3-0 win over the Blue Jays on Tuesday at Charleston. Nichols struck out 12 and walked two in seven innings. Stephen Willis was charged with the loss, allowing one unearned run on one hit with five strikeouts and two walks in two innings...

DEXTER, Mo. — Carson Aycock and the East Prairie baseball team spoiled the Dexter Bearcats’ senior day Monday at East Park. Aycock pitched a no-hitter, striking out 12 and walking one in seven innings. Senior Caleb Hoggard was charged with the loss, allowing two runs on three hits with no strikeouts or walks in one inning. Hoggard was one of seven pitchers used by the Bearcats...

The Delta boys track and field team captured the program's first Class 1 District 1 championship thanks to two first-place finishes Saturday at Cape Girardeau Central High School. The Bobcats scored 86 total points, 16 more than second-place Community High School...

Bryce Morgan pitched a complete game one-hitter with 10 strikeouts to push Kelly's baseball team past Oran 4-0 on Tuesday. Drew Dirnberger was the only player to register multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-3 with a double and a single. Dawson Menz was the only Eagle to get a hit in the game...

The Jackson track and field team swept the north division titles at Saturday's SEMO Regional Conference Meet at Notre Dame Regional High School. The Indians bested the host Bulldogs by 14 in the North Division to clinch the girls title while the boys finished 38 points ahead of Poplar Bluff for the championship.

Notre Dame secured a share of the SEMO Conference regular-season championship with an 8-6 win over host Sikeston on Tuesday. The Bulldogs finished in a tie atop the standings with co-champion Jackson. Sikeston's Noah Hicks hit for the cycle, but his bat was not enough to overcome Notre Dame...

The Jackson boys golf team cruised to victory at the SEMO Conference Tournament on Monday at Foxhaven golf course in Sikeston, Missouri. The Indians finished with a team score of 301, 26 strokes better than second place Dexter's 327 and had three golfers finish in the top five at the tournament as Carsen Silliman took home the individual championship with an even par 71. Case Englehart tied for 2nd with a three-over 74, and Seth Waters finished 5th with a six-over 77...

The Advance baseball team broke a tie with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on for a 6-4 win over Bernie to claim the Stoddard County Activities Association championship on Wednesday in Advance, Missouri. Layton Keith got the win in relief for the Hornets (11-3), giving up one run in 3 1/3 innings while Noah Sauceda had a team-high three hits...