High School Sports

GIDEON — No. 2 seeded Kennett pulled out a narrow overtime victory against Caruthersville in a championship semifinal of the Gideon Bulldog Classic Thursday night. The semifinal went back and forth with no clear winner until the end. Both teams played inexperienced offensively, shedding light on issues that will need to be corrected going forward...

ORAN, Mo. — They aren't the biggest team, but this Oran boys' basketball squad is a scrappy bunch and showed that heart against a bigger Advance team on Thursday evening. Heading into the semifinal matchup of the 65th Oran Invitational Tournament, Eagles head coach Joe Shoemaker knew what his team was facing...

DEXTER – Notre Dame girl’s basketball coach Kirk Boeller has some bad news for the rest of Southeast Missouri: The Rubel girl is markedly improved from a year ago. What is even worse for the area teams is, the player that has made tremendous strides is the OTHER Rubel girl.

DEXTER — The second-seeded Jackson Indians were hit-and-miss offensively Thursday night in the semifinal round of the SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament. The Indians shot a solid 42% (18 of 43) from the field but went through a pair of droughts in the middle two quarters before finishing strong for a 45-29 victory over third-seeded Cape Central at the Bearcat Event Center...

HAYTI - The Hayti Indians varsity girls basketball team dug itself an early hole but still found a way to mount a comeback against the Campbell Camels without putting on a shooting clinic Thursday night. No. 1 seeded Hayti forced multiple turnovers with its full-court press in the closing minutes of regulation as it overtook No. 2 seeded Campbell 45-42 in the championship of the Al Jackson Classic at Hayti High School...

CHARLESTON – Looking to stay undefeated on the young season, Charleston got their first taste of conference action Thursday night when hosting Notre Dame in the Bulldog’s first game of the season. A dominant start by Notre Dame allowed the Bulldogs to hold off a late charge from the Bluejays en route to a 72-64 final that serves as a preview for a potential SEMO Conference Tournament matchup next week...

CAMPBELL — Bernie and Campbell will go at it again in the finals of a season-opening tournament. The two top seeds advanced to the final a year after host Bernie won by five points. This time it’s Campbell looking to win on its home floor Friday night...

VAN BUREN — The Lady Dawg Classic was exactly that. Ellington and Twin Rivers needed every second of double overtime to settle the championship game. Eventually, it was Twin Rivers’ Brianna South at the foul line, no time left, nobody around her, tie game, all the pressure. She swished the bonus attempt to deliver a 62-61, championship upset Thursday night...

The Kennett Indians wrestling program enters its 2020-21 campaign looking to develop a youthful squad under the leadership of a new head coach. Andrew Webster, who assisted with the program last season, was named head wrestling coach let week. “I was the assistant coach last season,” Webster said. ...

DEXTER, Mo. — Without its leading scorer and point guard, the Sikeston girls’ basketball team managed to find a way to pull out a hard-earned victory over Dexter on Wednesday. Due to illness, junior Amyari Blissett did not play against the Lady Bearcats, leaving head coach Alisha Wills in a bind. She, and the team, though, managed to stave off a late comeback from Dexter, 46-43, to advance to the consolation finals of the SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament...

The seedings have been released for the Clarkton Christmas Tournament. The eight-team varsity boys basketball tournament takes place Dec. 14-18 at Clarkton High School. Defending champion East Carter County, which is off to a 1-1 start after beating Willow Springs 70-49 and suffering a 73-62 loss to Park Hills Central, has received the No. ...

DEXTER — The Saxony Lutheran girls basketball team learned its lesson from the previous night. After falling behind 11-3 against Kennett in a consolation quarterfinal on Tuesday night, seventh-seeded Saxony Lutheran dictated play from the start in its 61-32 victory over sixth-seeded Poplar Bluff in a consolation semifinal of the SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament on Wednesday night at the Bearcat Event Center...

The South Pemiscot varsity girls basketball squad finished the 2019-2020 season with a record of 3-17. Head coach Robert Farmer is pushing his small but experienced squad of nine players to the best of their abilities as they look for a much improved 2020-2021 season...

GIDEON - Four players scored in double digits to help carry the No. 6 seeded Senath-Hornersville Lions past the No. 7 seeded Gideon Bulldogs 68-48 in a consolation semifinal at the Gideon Invitational Thursday. Senath-Hornersville led 20-12 after one quarter, 30-23 at halftime, and 43-36 at the end of the third quarter before pushing its final margin of victory to double digits...

Editor's Note: Unfortunately, due to COVID, the team was unable to get a team picture but one will be printed in Pemiscot Press at a later date. The Cooter Wildcats are coming off a very successful 2019-2020 season, where they finished with a record of 17-9, a Class 1 District 1 Championship and a berth in the Class 1 Sweet Sixteen...

The Jackson High School football program has run roughshod over every opponent that has stepped on the field this season.

DEXTER — Seventh-seeded Saxony Lutheran spotted the Kennett Indians an early lead then came roaring back for a 47-33 victory Tuesday night at the Bearcat Event Center. The ninth-seeded Indians took an 11-3 after one quarter before Saxony Lutheran rallied for a victory in a consolation quarterfinal of the SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament...

GIDEON - Kennett Indians boys basketball coach Corbin Clark wasn’t sure how several of his players would respond when they got their first opportunity to play at the varsity level at the Gideon Invitational. “It has kind of been a nerve-racking time as a coach because we knew we had very little varsity experience coming back,” Clark said. "We didn’t know exactly what to expect at the start of the season.”...

GIDEON - Caruthersville Tigers boys basketball coach Lamont Bell didn’t have the opportunity to install all of his offensive sets before his squad’s season-opener against the Senath-Hornersville Lions at the Gideon Tournament Tuesday night. “We’ve kind of been behind due to some other circumstances,” Bell said. "We’ve missed a lot practices just like other teams. We didn’t get a lot of our sets in before the season.”...

DEXTER — Notre Dame coach Kirk Boeller wants full-court pressure defense and an efficient transition game to be his team’s bread and butter this season. The top-seeded Bulldogs showcased that ability in a 61-33 victory over eighth-seeded Dexter in the quarterfinal round of the SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament on Monday night...

DEXTER - Veteran Sikeston girl’s basketball coach Alisha Wills “knew it was going to be a battle” when referencing her team’s game Tuesday with New Madrid County Central.

The times for the championship semifinal games in the SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament have been switched. No. 2 Jackson will face No. 3 Cape Central at 6 p.m. and No. 1 Notre Dame will meet No. 4 New Madrid County Central at 7:30 p.m. Both games will be played at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter...

Bloomfield senior Melanie Phillips likes the attitude of the coaching staff at Central Baptist College in Conway, Arkansas. That’s one reason Phillips chose the NAIA college to continue her softball playing career. The Mustangs finished 15-2 last year before the season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They were ranked No. 16 in the nation when the season ended...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Dontrez Williams scored a game-high 26 points for the Sikeston boys’ basketball freshman team on Tuesday against Notre Dame. He had help as well. David Mills, the Bulldogs leading scorer through the first two games, pitched in with 19 in Sikeston's 62-58 victory...

The South Pemiscot Bulldogs rebounded nicely about 24 hours after suffering a 72-60 quarterfinal loss to the Clarkton Reindeer at the Gideon Invitational. No. 5 seeded South Pemiscot beat No. 8 seeded Delta C-7 56-20 in a consolation semifinal Tuesday at Gideon...

CAMPBELL — The first two baskets given up on the season by Bernie came after offensive rebounds. It wasn’t a trend that lasted long. The Mules clamped down under the boards and took advantage of their own offensive rebounds in a 73-32 win over Puxico to open the Campbell Invitational on Tuesday night...

The South Pemiscot Bulldogs varsity boys basketball squad is coming off a 13-12 season in 2019-2020. The Bulldogs are under new leadership this season as head coach Jordan McGowan takes over the coaching duties after a recent stint at Gideon High School...

Graduation, COVID-19 and an influx of female wrestlers mean the 2020-21 wrestling season will be one of change for the Dexter Bearcats. The Bearcats lost eight seniors from last season, including four state qualifiers. Travis Waldner, a four-time state qualifier, placed second in the 170-pound class, ending his senior season with a 50-1 record...

Trenton Johnson, 17, of South Pemiscot High School recently lost a hard-fought battle with COVID.He was greatly loved by his family, teammates, classmates and teachers and he loved them all just as much. He was a vital part of many families and will be missed by all...

The eighth-seeded Dexter Bearcats made a pair of big plays late to win their opener in the 2020 SEMO Conference Girls Basketball Tournament. After the Bearcats watched a 13-point third-quarter lead evaporate to two points, Dulcie Pullen finished on a fast break, taking a feed by Sydney Asberry...

GIDEON - TheClarkton Reindeer trailed the South Pemiscot Bulldogs by single digits throughout the first half but still found a way to rally for a win Monday night. No. 4 seeded Clarkton won the second half by 20 points as it overcame a 36-28 halftime deficit to beat No. 5 seeded South Pemiscot 72-60 in a quarterfinal of the Gideon Invitational varsity boys basketball tournament...

SIKESTON — There are guidelines that fans will need to know ahead of the SEMO Conference Boys Basketball Tournament starting Saturday. For each game, schools are given 250 total tickets, with the tickets available for families and fans alike. After the conclusion of each tournament game, fans will receive a passcode to give to each athlete and their families to watch the following contest. ...

ORAN, Mo. — Physicality was one of the main areas of concern for the Scott County Central boys’ basketball team on Tuesday evening. Winning the rebound battle by 11 over the Braves, the Advance Hornets went on to rout the No. 6 seed in the 65th Oran Invitational Tournament Quarterfinals at Oran High School. The Hornets pulled down 35 rebounds to the Braves 24 en route to their 81-50 victory...

VAN BUREN — Ellington’s Kaylee King put on a show for the second night in a row. After finishing with 38 points in an opening-round blowout against eighth-seeded Mountain Grove Christian Academy, King scored 35 against a fifth-seeded Van Buren squad focused on keeping her from touching the basketball to lead the Whippets to a 59-50 win in the Lady Dawg Classic semifinals Tuesday in Van Buren...

ORAN, Mo. — Despite a slow start to Monday’s opener of the 65th Oran Invitational Tournament, the host and second-seeded Oran Eagles still managed to find its groove before halftime hit. With Bell City riding a 21-game losing streak, the Eagles would push that mark to 22, after an 84-36 drubbing of the Cubs at Oran High School...

O’FALLON — Jackson football coach Brent Eckley had barely been able to take a breath and enjoy his team’s recent MSHSAA Class 5 Semifinal romp over Fort Zumwalt North when he was already being asked about the next challenge on the Indians’ schedule.

DEXTER — Without its top player, senior forward Madison Lambert, who remains out this week due to illness, the Jackson girl’s basketball squad can build its depth, which will be needed as this season progresses. So her absence is a positive, right?

DEXTER – There aren’t going to be many opponents feeling sorry for the Poplar Bluff girl’s basketball program this winter after the success it achieved last season.

Poplar Bluff will have to wait a little longer for its all-time leading scorer in girls basketball to make her college debut. Bess was slated to suit up for Saint Louis University against Missouri on Sunday, but the game was postponed. The Billikens are scheduled to host Memphis on Friday in a game that will be available on ESPN+. It’s the first of four straight games between now and Dec. 17 where Bess can be found on the sports leaders’ subscription service...

CARDWELL - The Southland Rebels outlasted North Pemiscot 76-58 for its first varsity boys basketball win. Host Southland trailed 20-19 after one quarter of play but won each of the final three quarters by single digits to secure an 18-point victory...

The Hayti Indians return boys basketball squad returns three starters off a 19-9 team that saw some success in winning the Bootheel Conference Tournament, capturing fourth place in the talent-heavy Bloomfield Christmas Tournament, and defeating Neelyville at the buzzer in the Class 2, District 1 semi-finals last season...

Hayti Indians girls basketball coach Craig Rodgers has completely turned the girls basketball program around. Rodgers has won more games in his four years at the helm (54-42), than the previous nine years combined (36-115). He brings his “no nonsense, in your face” approach to the girls, and expects nothing less than the ultimate prize in the end...

CAMPBELL — Neelyville weathered the storm in the middle quarters Monday night, then held Twin Rivers at bay for much of the fourth, not giving up a point for six full minutes. The Tigers scored eight straight points to pull ahead for good in a 51-41 win over Twin Rivers to open the Campbell Invitational...

The Advance girls basketball team held Bloomfield scoreless into the second quarter and rolled to a 56-14 victory Monday night at Bloomfield. The Hornets took a 26-0 lead into the second quarter extended that advantage to 40-3 at halftime to win for the first time in three games this season...

In the 2019-2020 basketball season, the Caruthersville Lady Tigers finished with a 7-12 record. The Tigers have experienced leaders returning under head coach Bradley Sneed as this year’s group of ten players consists of three seniors, six juniors and one sophomore...

The Caruthersville Tigers are coming off a 9-13 season in 2019-2020 under returning head coach Lamonte Bell. T he Tigers saw their last two seasons come to an end in the Class 3 District 1 playoffs against the reigning district champion Charleston Bluejays...

The North Pemiscot boys basketball program enters its 2020-21 season under the direction of a new head coach. “This is my first year as basketball coach at North Pemiscot," North Pemiscot coach Matt Bell said. "Our focus this year is to get better every day and be competitive in all our games. Covid-19 has affected our team, but I know it has affected everyone...

The Delta girls basketball started their 2020-2021 campaign off with a bang Monday night blowing out Puxico 99-15. Delta got 5 players in double figures, being paced by Allie Hampton and Sierra Berry each scoring 16 points. Puxico didnt have one player in double figures...

Delta outscored Eminence 57-40 in the first half and never trailed in the contest, winning in convincing fashion Saturday 92-79. The big story in the game was Delta senior Colby Crader scoring his 1,000 point in his career. Crader led all Bobcat scorers with 29 points while Evan Bartels and Carter Scherer each added 19 each...

The host Van Buren Lady Dawgs earned the only upset of the first round as four local teams reached the semifinals of the 2020 Lady Dawg Classic. Fifth-seeded Van Buren topped fourth-seeded Koshkonong 55-48. The top three seeds, respectively, Ellington, Doniphan and Twin Rivers, advanced as well...