Cape Central

A year ago, the Jackson football team claimed its first SEMO Conference North championship since 2013 with a 41-27 win over Poplar Bluff. The Indians have a chance to make it two in a row at 7 p.m. today when they travel to face the Mules. Both teams enter 2-0 in conference. Thanks to a head-to-head tiebreaker, the Indians can clinch the crown with a conference game remaining if they pull out the road victory against Poplar Bluff...

Kelly Ivy threw a complete-game shutout, allowing just one hit in guiding the Kelly softball team to a 9-0 win over Perryville on Wednesday in Benton, Missouri. Ivy walked one batter and didn't record a strikeout. She helped herself at the plate with an RBI...

The Notre Dame softball team posted three consecutive wins on Saturday and downed Parkway South 10-0 in five innings to win the championship of the Jackson Invitational Tournament at the Shawnee Park Sports Complex. Aba Estes hit a triple and drove in two runs to lead the Bulldogs in their championship victory over the Patriots while Alex Lovell added a double and two RBIs...

The Advance volleyball team captured its fifth win in a row, defeating Saxony Lutheran 25-23, 24-26, 25-18 on Thursday at Saxony Lutheran High School. Allie Sprink recorded a double-double to lead the way for the Crusaders, finishing with 15 assists and 15 digs to go along with seven kills. Lexie Barnes also had a double-double for Saxony (12-6), recording 13 kills, 10 assists and eight digs, while Laurel Mueller chipped in 17 digs and five kills...

Terry Flannigan has seen both sides of the Chaffee-Scott City rivalry. The first-year Chaffee football coach was the head man at Scott City for two separate stints, in the 1990s and 2000s. Now Flannigan leads the Red Devils into a matchup against the visiting Rams at 7 p.m. today...

The Kelly softball team pounded out 21 hits to secure a 19-3 win over Jefferson in four innings Wednesday in Benton, Missouri. Alyssa Moore finished 3-for-3 with four RBIs to lead the Hawks' offense. The game was a rematch of last year's Class 2 District 3 championship game, which the Blue Jays won 2-0...

For two volleyball programs trying to build a foundation and create consistency, communication was at the heart of everything -- both good and bad -- for Cape Girardeau Central and Scott City on Wednesday night. The host Rams bounced back from a tough opening set to take Game 2, but basic errors down the stretch allowed the Tigers to overcome a sluggish start to the decisive third set and grab a three-game victory -- 25-14, 19-25, 25-18 -- in a SEMO Conference matchup at Scott City High School...

The Notre Dame volleyball team overcame a 20-17 deficit in both games to eke out a 25-23, 25-23 conference victory over Poplar Bluff on Tuesday in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Alexa Clark's serve clipped the net and fell in to break a 23-all tie in the first game, while her serve helped the Bulldogs rally in the second game...

Lainey Broussard dished out a whopping 42 assists and had four digs as the Jackson volleyball team had to dig deep but eventually found a way to pull out a three-set squeaker over Park Hills Central -- 25-18, 25-27, 25-23 -- on Monday in Park Hills, Missouri...

Pool A New Haven split Hillsboro 25-13, 21-25 Notre Dame def. NMCC 25-07, 25-08 New Haven def. NMCC 25-04, 25-12 Notre Dame def. Hillsboro 25-21, 25-18 Pool B Farmington def. St. Vincent 25-23, 25-22 Calvary Lutheran def. Gideon/Risco 25-15, 25-11 Farmington def. Gideon/Risco 25-15, 25-18...

SIKESTON, Mo. -- Cape Central football coach Arlen Pixley headed into Friday's game with a goal: not to give Sikeston any extra possessions. One play in and that plan was ruined. Sikeston opened the game by recovering an onside kick. Pixley and his staff had practiced that scenario hundreds of times this week, rolling balls at players to simulate an onside kick...

Last year, Cape Central football entered a Week 4 matchup against Sikeston fresh off a close win over Farmington. Last week, the Tigers once again squeaked by Farmington and improved to 3-0, but this time they hope the Week 4 result plays out differently...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- T.K. Ayers and Danny Cruz scored 78 seconds apart to give the Cape Girardeau Central boys soccer team an early two-goal lead Thursday, and the Tigers pulled away for a 4-1 road victory against SEMO Conference foe Poplar Bluff. Ayers finished with two goals in the game and was a steady scoring threat for Central...

The Jackson boys soccer team got a first-half goal and held on the rest of the way to grab a 1-0 victory over host Notre Dame in the championship of the Notre Dame Soccer Fest on Saturday evening in Cape Girardeau. It was the second year in a row the Indians (5-0) claimed the event title, and in the process handed the Bulldogs (4-1) their first loss of the year...

Aaron Harris didn't expect the football. After all, he hadn't had a catch all game and he wasn't the first option on the play. But when the ball ended up in his hands he knew what to do. With Cape Girardeau Central football down by one and time running out, the Tigers' star running back snagged a pass along the left sideline, shook off a would-be tackler and rumbled down the field for a game-winning, 41-yard touchdown with four seconds left...

Kristen Barwick doubled twice and scored two runs as Notre Dame softball beat Van Buren 8-3 to deal their visiting Bulldogs their first loss of the season in the opening round of pool play at the Notre Dame Softball Fest. Ali Lynch went the distance in the circle to take the win for Notre Dame (7-1). She allowed three earned runs, struck out four and walked two...

Coming off a 26-point loss, Jackson football got back to the basics in practice this week. The Indians focused on the basic tenants of football, such as blocking and tackling, as they prepared for their home and SEMO Conference North opener against Sikeston at 7 p.m. Friday...

Thanks to two second-place finishes, St. Vincent cross country won both the boys and girls team titles in the largest-ever St. Vincent Invitational at Perry Park Center in Perryville, Missouri, on Wednesday. On the boys side, Joseph Baer came in second with a time of 18 minutes, 5 seconds, as the Indians finished 13 points ahead of second-place Steeleville (Ill.). Corin Carroll was second in the girls race, and St. Vincent edged Valle Catholic and Poplar Bluff by five points...

Lexie Barnes posted a double-double with 10 assists and 10 digs to go along with seven kills, as the Saxony Lutheran volleyball team defeated St. Vincent 25-18, 20-25, 25-18 on Tuesday in Perryville, Missouri. Allie Sprink recorded 13 assists and seven kills for Saxony Lutheran (6-1). Macy Morehead finished with 16 digs and five kills, and Laurel Mueller added five kills and nine digs. Ashley Fritsche notched 12 digs to pace the Crusaders defensively...

Olivia Hukel served four aces and dished out five assists, as the Cape Girardeau Central volleyball team defeated Puxico 25-10, 25-19 for its first win of the season Tuesday in Puxico, Missouri. Karly Thomas notched 19 digs and hammered four kills for Central (1-2)...

The Cape Girardeau Central boys soccer team finished second at the Greg Kline Invitational in Carbondale, Illinois, on Saturday. The Tigers went 2-1 over the two-day tournament.

Saxony Lutheran junior Caleb Cornelius offered up a standout performance as he finished fourth in a field of more than 400 cross country runners at the First to the Finish Kickoff Classic on Saturday in Edwardsville, Illinois. Cornelius ran a 16:40.20 to garner a top-five result, just 11 seconds off the winner, Jackson Stewart of Decatur St. Teresa...

The Kelly football team went on the road Friday and came home with a 27-6 victory over Crystal City, picking up its first victory since 2015 and snapping a 15-game losing streak. The Hawks (1-1) controlled the game via their rushing attack, namely with the performance of freshman running back Evan Urhahn, who carried the ball 20 times for 232 yards and all four of Kelly's touchdowns...

It was a wild final night at the Woodland Invitational volleyball tournament, as the final four matches all went three sets, capped off by the third-seeded host Cardinals pulling off their second upset of the night with a 25-21, 26-28, 25-20 victory over top-seeded Saxony Lutheran for the championship...

It was like stalking prey. Cape Girardeau Central's Jared Neikirk positioned himself, held his spot and pounced when he saw the opening. At the end, Neikirk got a quality win early in the cross country season as he passed and pulled away from a pair of Jackson runners -- reigning Semoball Awards Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year Ean Buffington and Gage Kinder -- to win the boys senior race at the 23rd Annual Jackson Invitational on Saturday at Jackson City Park...

Bridgette Swinford blasted a grand slam to lead the Chaffee softball team to its first win of the season, a 17-6 decision against Jefferson on Thursday in Festus, Missouri. Kylie Wilhite was the winning pitcher and also doubled for Chaffee (1-2). She allowed four earned runs and recorded seven strikeouts and one walk...

The Scott City and St. Vincent football teams share the same colors -- yellow and blue, which adorn their primary jerseys -- but when it comes to offenses, the similarities end. The Rams of Scott City rely on a ground attack bolstered by a smash-mouth style of play, running the ball 48 times for 308 yards in their season opener last week. The Indians, on the other hand, put their quarterback in the shotgun, spread a defense out and try to pick it apart through the air...

Class 1 Show-Me Conference Head coach: Dayna Powell, 29th year Assistant coach: Chad Sierman Last season's record: 14-0 Postseason result: State champions Number of seniors graduated: Two What are your team's strengths?: We have great leadership. We have athletes who are hard-working, dedicated and focused. They understand and can manage the pain of training. They work well together, are good friends and love to race. Touching the wall first is always the goal...

CLASS 1 DISTRICT 1 Head coach: Linda Ruddy, 5th year Assistant coach: Donna Ryan Last season's record: 11-3 Postseason result: Second in District 1 Number of seniors graduated: 16 overall, four from varsity What are your team's strengths?: Congenial and supportive of one another; everyone is anxious to learn and improve...

Allison Bray carded a 3-over-par 75 to earn co-medalist honors, as the Notre Dame girls golf team started its season on a high note and clinched the championship of the 13-team Midwest Shootout Classic on Tuesday at Far Oaks Golf Course in Caseyville, Illinois...

With minutes to go until halftime, Cape Girardeau Central football was locked in a dogfight. It was tie game, and Liberty (Mountain View) had just picked off a pass in Central territory. Then, on a second-and-15, Central senior Matt Nussbaum stepped in front of a pass and charged down the left sideline to the Liberty 2-yard line. ...

When Brogan Davis was younger, he hated swimming practice. It took up so much of his schedule, he felt he didn't have time to make friends. He would wake up, go to school, go to practice and then go home, only to wake up the next day and do it all over again. While Davis trained year-round, he admitted he would often go through the motions at practice, not giving it his all...

Cape Central football coach Arlen Pixley knows everyone loves a good cakewalk. But that might not be the best way to prepare his team. The good news, if you approach things with that mindset, is that the Tigers will have no cakewalk tonight in their season opener...

For Cape Central football coach Arlen Pixley, the questions surrounding this year's team bear an eerie resemblance to last season's question marks. How do you replace a Division I-level talent? Last year, the Tigers had to fill the void left by Al Young, now a sophomore for Southeast Missouri State football and a Carr Trophy winner. ...

With another softball season set to begin Friday, teams across the state are preparing for their opening games. Practice has been underway for weeks, and programs like Notre Dame, Jackson and Cape Central are all scheduled to open their campaigns this weekend...

When Terry Kitchen showed up at work Monday morning, he didn't think much of seeing new Cape Girardeau Public Schools Superintendent Neil Glass begin "opening day" of the 2017-18 academic year by addressing all of the school district's teaching staff...

Kaylea Bard, left, and Madison Klingeman, right, from Scott City High School load up their bus for Stuff the Bus at Walmart on Saturday in Cape Girardeau. Organized by United Way of Southeast Missouri, the Stuff the Bus event saw athletic teams from schools across the area volunteer time to help collect school supplies for underprivileged children. ...

Months removed from winning its first state title in program history, the Cape Central boys swimming team continues to rack up awards. The National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association released its All-America lists on Friday, as several Tigers were represented...

The Semoball Cup ended up being a battle of the Bulldogs that needed overtime to decide. Megan Heisserer's golden goal to lift Notre Dame to the Class 2 soccer title also happened to clinch the Cup. In the closest finish in the early history of the award, Notre Dame edged Van Buren by 4.79 points in the standings that determine which area school had the most athletically successful school year...

From across Southeast Missouri, people descended upon Cape Girardeau on Saturday night for the region's premier sports awards show. More than 150 student-athletes from 57 area high schools were on hand for the Fourth Annual Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH at the Donald C. Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast Missouri State University's River Campus, as awards were handed out in 25 sports categories...

Twelve high school student-athletes earn recognition for their accomplishments on the baseball field this spring

Jersey number: 23 Positions played during high school season: Shortstop, pitcher Summer team: Top Gun Academy Twitter handle: @kpayne04 Favorite warmup song: "Turn My Swag On" by Soulja Boy Favorite bat to use: Rawlings Favorite place to play: University of Tennessee...

Jersey number: 2 Primary position: Center mid and forward After-graduation plans: Attending Arkansas State University in the fall and majoring in psychology to work toward a masters in behavioral therapy Twitter handle: @callihouse5 Favorite warmup song: "Lose Yourself" by Eminem...

State events and finishes: 1,600-meter relay (4th place), 800 meters (5th place) Twitter handle: @ClaireMorrill Favorite team/personal tradition: Ice bath two nights before a meet, and eat a Cutie an hour before the race Favorite warmup song: Any time music plays at a track meet is a good day...