Semoball

Semoball Awards: Tanner Duncan named Comeback Athlete of the Year

Tanner Duncan and family pose on the red carpet before the ninth annual Semoball Awards, Friday, July 8, 2022.
Photo by India Hampton, special to the Southeast Missourian

Kennett's comeback kid has made it official – 12-season athlete Tanner Duncan battled to overcome a life-altering injury during the football season only to return to the diamond in the spring, helping propel the Indians to a third place finish in the Class 4 State Championship. Now, Duncan has been named the Comeback Athlete of the Year at the ninth annual Semoball Awards.

“It feels awesome,” Duncan said. “I've been working toward this all year and it's just a great feeling to be chosen for this award. There were a lot of people in the running that deserve it too, and I'm very grateful for it.”

Duncan played baseball, basketball and football throughout high school, and he proved himself to be an asset on each team. In the Indians' third game of his senior season, he took a hit directly to the knee, which shattered his kneecap and tore his patella tendon.

After undergoing an extensive reconstructive surgery, he was left with a recovery time slotted to take around six months. When it rains it storms, though, and while still recovering Duncan fell and fractured his kneecap again, adding even more time to the process.

He missed out on the majority of the football season and the entirety of his senior basketball season. He didn't know whether he'd be able to play baseball again with the Indians until just days before the season opener.

In the short time before his injury, the defensive captain had already racked up around 40 tackles. Kennett Football Coach Andrew Webster said it was a huge blow to the team when they lost Duncan.

“Man, he had to work so hard to get back,” Webster said. “He was second to none on work ethic. He just put so much time in and was so determined. It was really cool to see him get that award, but it would be hard to imagine someone going through more than him this past season to get that award.”

He'd go on to not only help thrust the Indians to another Final Four win, but he also made second-team Class 4 All-State and earned All-SEMO Conference honors after seven months of rehabilitation and determination.

Kennett's Tanner Duncan fires a pitch to the plate earlier this season at Indian Park in Kennett.
File photo

“It takes hard work and perseverance,” Duncan explained. “You have to get a good mindset. And when something happens in your life, whatever it is, you can't let it set you back and you can't dwell on it. You have to find a way to keep moving forward to achieve your goals. The world doesn't stop for your inconvenience at the time; you have to find a way to get back on your feet.”

Duncan said it was devastating not knowing whether his time playing competitive sports was over forever while sitting out during the remainder of the football and basketball seasons. He's an athlete inside and out, and started varsity on the football team all four years.

Time after time, he found himself falling back on the morals and resilience instilled him by his mother, the late Cassie Duncan.

“This is monumental in my career,” Duncan said. “I've gone through a lot in high school; I lost my mother right before football my sophomore year, and I lost my grandparents. And through it all I've been able to fight back and I've been able to not let what has happened to me define me.”

His goal throughout it all has been to enable himself to attend college through his athleticism, and now he's doing it.

Duncan will take his place behind the plate as catcher for Three Rivers College next year. He said that hopefully he'll get the attention of some larger schools while playing for the Raiders. For now though, he said he's just trying to get better a day at a time.

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