Sports

Even after suffering their first loss season, the Puxico Indians are still riding high to start this season of boys basketball. Puxico suffered it first loss of the season Saturday evening when it lost 58-50 to Thayer in a battle of state-ranked teams — the Indians are tied for fifth in the most recent Class 2 coaches poll, while Thayer was fifth in Class 3...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – It was billed as a battle of No. 1 teams and the game didn’t disappoint the excited fans eager to see a powerhouse contest. Sikeston, top-ranked in Class 5, took on the Class 3 No. 1 team Principia on Sunday afternoon, but the Bulldogs’ late-game rally fell short 74-69 at Greenwood Laboratory High School on the campus of Missouri State University in Springfield...

The 2024 Tiger Classic boys' wrestling tournament concluded with a big bang on Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Tiger Field House, with the hosting Cape Central heavyweight, Connor Poole, defeating Kennett's Kevin Thompson by a 10-1 major decision to be the only Tiger to finish with a gold medal...

The holidays have yet to begin but BJ Ward has already gifted himself and his Southeast Missouri State teammates with a big bounce-back game. After going five games with only single-digit scoring, and a dry spell from the three-point line, Ward scored 18 points on 6-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-9 from the arc...

SIKESTON – Just eight days ago, the Sikeston Bulldogs pounded Notre Dame in the SEMO Conference Tournament by a lopsided margin of 25 points. In the first quarter on Friday night at the Sikeston Field House, it appeared that Sikeston would be off and running once again against Notre Dame as the Bulldogs built a big lead...

BROSELEY — The Poplar Bluff girls basketball team came into the Lady Royal Christmas Classic on Saturday with some swagger as the Lady Mules routed Holcomb 53-27 in the opening round. Jadyn Brandon led the Lady Mules’ offense with 11 points, while Allie Johnson was right behind her with eight in the game. The Lady Mules struggled from the charity stripe going only 6-for-14...

Two Southeast Missouri area lady wrestlers took home the gold medal in the Tiger Classic girls wrestling tournament on Friday, Dec. 20, at the Tiger Field House in Cape Girardeau. Reining Semoball Awards Girls Wrestler of the Year Ellie Douglass of Sikeston won first place in the 100-pound weight class by defeating Northwestern's Abigail Sehnert in a second-period pin...

CLARKTON — The Risco Tigers defeated the Doniphan Dons 82-53 to claim the championship of the Clarkton Christmas Tournament on Friday night. Doniphan played with grit and effort, never giving up in the game, — but Risco was taller, faster, and more physical than the Dons, especially on the offensive side, where their rebounding and inside shooting dominated the scoreboard...

DEXTER, Mo. — It was an uncharacteristic night for Sikeston and a redemptive one for Dexter.  Just two weeks removed from an 18-point loss in the third-place game of the SEMO Conference Tournament, the Lady Bearcats (3-3) turned the tables with a 52-42 victory over the Lady Bulldogs (4-5) at The Bearcat Event Center on Thursday, Dec. 19. ...

Chester girls basketball clinches the FSCB Holiday Classic consolation title by overcoming Kelly 61-55, led by Lexie Mott's 21 points. The victory capped a resilient tournament run for Chester.

ORAN, Mo. — East Prairie needed a minute to heat up Tuesday night at Oran, but once it did, there was no stopping the visitors in a 68-41 dismantling of the home team.  “We came out a little sluggish after being off for a week,” said East Prairie coach Gary Scott. “It took us a while to get going, and we played much better in the second half.  It was good to get a big conference win on the road.”...

Every year, the Jackson wrestling team spends the first month of the season compressed with major home duel meets and tournaments that span 30 teams. As the cream of the Southeast Missouri wrestling crop, the upperclassmen are always well-positioned to stand out and make a run at the state championships. An Indian has won the Semoball Award for Wrestler of the Year in each of the previous three years...

CLARKTON — The Doniphan Dons scored a convincing 58-40 victory over the East Carter Redbirds in the semifinals of the Clarkton Christmas Tournament on Thursday night. The Dons led throughout the game, combining an aggressive defense with an improved scoring proficiency that built a first half advantage that they stretched to double-digits in the second half, which prevented the Redbirds from staging any sort of comeback...

When Zoe Best was a high school basketball player at the St. Louis all-girls school, Incarnate Word Academy, she never lost a varsity game. The Red Knights girls basketball team has won 12 state championships since 2010, finished the previous four seasons undefeated, and is currently in a 124-game winning streak...

Southeast Missouri State opened the Ohio Valley Conference slate of the season with a 71-55 loss against Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 19, at the Show Me Center. Freshman Zoe Best led the Redhawks with 19 points on 7 of 18 shooting. Both Indiya Bowen and Skylar Barnes scored 10 points each for SEMO...

Southeast Missouri State linebacker Bryce Norman and kicker DC Pippin were named as first-team members in the FCS AP All-America team. SEMO offensive lineman Kobe Sixkiller was also named Offense honorable mention. Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott and Southern Utah running back Targhee Lambson, both finalists for the Walter Payton Award given to the most outstanding player in the Championship Subdivision...

Of the 12 Bluejay athletes that comprise the Charleston High School varsity boy’s basketball roster, only three of them are seniors.

As we do with every sport in Southeast Missouri State athletics (outside of football), we bemoan the Redhawks' shortcomings in the non-conference portion of the season and renew hope in time for the Ohio Valley Conference slate of the schedule. "We played a tough non-con," SEMO men's basketball coach Brad Korn said. "We'll always probably play a tough non-con."...

In a Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament preview, the Scott City Rams defeated the Kelly Hawks 87-47 Tuesday, Dec. 17, in Scott City. The Rams’ home win breaks an eight-game losing streak against their rivals. The seniors made sure to avenge those loses in a big way...

SIKESTON — Sikeston didn’t just win the SEMO Conference Championship on Friday — it left no doubt about which program owns the tournament. With a 90-52 win over Cape Central, the Bulldogs (6-0) set records for the most points scored and the largest margin of victory in a title game. The win marked a second consecutive championship and 10th overall, more than the combined total of the rest of the teams in the conference. ...

Southeast Missouri State unleashed the deafening screech of elementary school children across the area during their Monday morning matinee with in-state rival, Missouri State. The advantage from the atmosphere wasn’t enough as the Redhawks fell to Bears 77-49 on Dec. 16, at the Show Me Center...

Woodland surges past Scott County Central with a dominant 73-44 win in the FSCB quarterfinals. With standout performances from Addyson Massa and Mallary Barks, Woodland secures a semifinal spot.

The FSCB Holiday Classic's opening day featured intense matchups and standout performances, including Cape Central's thrilling OT win and St. Vincent's dominant 102-3 victory. Get the full Day 1 recap.

On Sunday, the SEMO men’s basketball team defeated NAIA opponent the Saint-Mary-of-the-Woods College Pomeroys (SMWC) 93-56 at the Show Me Center. Led by Brendan Terry’s 17 points the Redhawks' offense rolled with five players scoring in double figures. Despite being an NAIA school the Pomeroys put up a good fight for the first ten minutes of the game before the Redhawks extended the lead...

The Puxico Indians are the top seed at this year’s Bloomfield Christmas Tournament. The Indians are 5-0 this season and are winning their games by an average of 26.8 points. Three of Puxico's five wins are by 35 points or more. The East Prairie Eagles, who finished second at last year's Bloomfield Christmas Tournament, are the No. 2 seed, with Dexter, Bernie, Kennett, Risco, Van Buren and Richland rounding out the top eight seeds...

SIKESTON — The Poplar Bluff boys basketball team turned it on in the second half of the consolation final at the SEMO Conference Tournament. The Mules did so by powering past New Madrid County Central 58-35 on Friday at the Sikeston Field House. Poplar Bluff ended up going 2-1 in the tournament after dropping the opening round to Notre Dame, then winning consolation contests over Dexter and NMCC...

SIKESTON — Sikeston didn’t just win the SEMO Conference Championship on Friday — it left no doubt about which program owns the tournament. With a 90-52 win over Cape Central, the Bulldogs (6-0) set records for the most points scored and the largest margin of victory in a title game. The win marked a second consecutive championship and 10th overall, more than the combined total of the rest of the teams in the conference. ...

CHAFFEE, Mo. —  Sikeston turned a physical battle into opportunities at the free-throw line, clinching a 63-58 victory over Woodland in the third-place game of the Chaffee Lady Red Lady Invitational on Thursday.  Landri Hammontree was the driving force behind the win, pouring in 35 points, as the Lady Bulldogs (4-4) capitalized on their ability to attack the basketball and draw contact throughout the contest...

SIKESTON — By the time Notre Dame realized what hit it, the damage was done, as Sikeston applied a defensive stranglehold in the first half of the SEMO Conference Tournament Semifinal on Thursday at the Field House, laying the groundwork for a convincing 70-45 victory. ...

Doniphan, Neelyville, Portageville and East Carter are the top four seeds at the Lady Royals Christmas Classic, which tips off next Saturday (Dec. 21) at Twin Rivers High School in Broseley. Top-seeded Doniphan and No. 2 Neelyville have first-round byes...

Lady Devils clinch their first LDI championship since 2012 with a thrilling 57-51 win over Delta. The victory ends a 12-year drought and marks their first triumph over Delta since 2019.

Wrestling has always been one of those sports that has struggled with maintaining participants, and its overall health ebbed and flowed with the times. Jackson High School remains the standard in our area, always putting together full varsity lineups and sending a handful of wrestlers to the state tournament year after year. Its legacy stretches throughout the coaching ranks at Cape Central, as two of its head coaches in the 2020s were members of Jackson's 2015 team...

The Poplar Bluff basketball Lady Mules continued their winning ways on Thursday with a 44-34 win over the Scott County Central Bravettes, improving their home record to 2-0 and their overall record to 5-2 on the season. “I thought we played hard,” Poplar Bluff coach Soley Dugas said. ...

Oak Ridge girls dominate Charleston with a 62-25 victory, led by standout performances from seniors Reagan Howe and Madyson Ruehling. The win marks their second consecutive road triumph.

SIKESTON — Patience may not be a trademark, but Sikeston showed plenty of it before speeding up the game and outclassing Dexter in the opening of the SEMO Conference on Tuesday, Dec. 10.  Led by cousins PJ Farmer and Marquel Murray, the top-seeded Bulldogs (4-0) transformed a grind into a 79-37 statement win over the eighth-seeded Bearcats (3-1).  ...

SIKESTON — In a game that could have easily swung the other way, Cape Central narrowly escaped an upset by Charleston, clinching a victory in the opening round of the SEMO Conference Tournament on Monday, Dec. 9.  The seventh-seeded Blue Jays (1-3) were a constant threat, but ultimately it was the second-seeded Tigers’ (3-1) transition offense and ability to capitalize on clutch runs that secured the 62-56 win. ...

SIKESTON — Charleston had Kennett on the ropes, but the second half told a different story.  Fueled by an unrelenting will to win, the ninth-seeded Indians (2-3) roared back to claim a dramatic 77-74 win over the seventh-seeded Blue Jays (1-4) in the consolation bracket of the SEMO Conference Tournament at the Field House on Tuesday, Dec. 10. ...

SIKESTON — Jackson fended off an upset bid from New Madrid County Central, weathering a late surge to survive and advance, 43-39, in the opening round of the SEMO Conference at the Field House on Monday, Dec. 9.  Deck leads Jackson past NMCC in hard-fought battle...

The final Missouri Media Rankings for 2024 highlight the success of local high school football teams. St. Vincent leads Semoball teams, finishing third in Class 1, while Dexter and Cape Central also secure top spots.

O’FALLON, Mo. — The Sikeston wrestling teams demonstrated a competitive edge at the Fort Zumwalt North Tournament this past weekend, facing off against a challenging array of Class 2, 3, and 4 schools from across Missouri.  The tournament served as a crucial test, both mentally and physically, as the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs continue to hone their skills this season...

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — In a game that felt like a long-awaited breakthrough, Sikeston clinched a decisive 56-38 victory over Dexter in the third-place game of the SEMO Conference Tournament at Notre Dame Regional High School on Friday, Dec. 6. Executing their strategy precisely, the Lady Bulldogs (2-3) showcased their progress and determination, signaling a promising trajectory for the remainder of the season...

Paxton DeLaurent ended his college career as one of, if not the most consequential athlete in the history of Southeast Missouri State athletics. DeLaurent leaves SEMO with two of the Redhawks’ five Ohio Valley Conference titles and all the significant passing records (8,563 yards, 737 completions, 63 touchdowns in three years). He has punctuated his end by revealing his future plans by declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft...

The Southeast Missouri State men’s basketball team renewed their old rivalry with Murray State and fell 71-51 on Sunday, Dec. 8, in Murray, Kentucky. The Redhawks and Racers used to be Ohio Valley Conference rivals before Murray State moved to the Missouri Valley Conference in the 2022-23 season. Sunday was the first time the two teams met as non-conference opponents...

The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) ruled hoops star Marquel Murray eligible to compete for Sikeston during a hearing in Columbia, Missouri on Thursday, Dec. 5. Murray, a 6-foot-3 combo guard with Division I potential, whose already caught the attention of Southeast Misosuri State as a top target, is considered a high-level prospect for the Class of 2026...

Southeast Missouri State women’s soccer head coach Heather Nelson is retiring after 26 seasons, the university announced on Friday. "It is with a mix of emotions that I'm announcing my retirement from college soccer today. I'd like to start with a heartfelt thank you to my family for believing in me and always and forever being there for me,” Nelson said in a statement. ...

SIKESTON — A mixed bag of results greeted the Sikeston wrestling teams as they squared off against DeSoto and Dexter on Tuesday at the Field House in a triangular meet that would ultimately reveal strengths and weaknesses.  While a dominant early surge by the Dragons (2-0) threatened to derail the evening, the Bulldogs (1-1) ultimately clawed way back, securing victories over the Bearcats (0-2) and splitting the duals...

Transferring is a part of life in college football because not all places, and players, are created equal. Everyone who plays football or basketball at Southeast Missouri State does so because they are motivated by the opportunities that playing for the Redhawks presents them with...

ORAN, Mo. — After a 30-point performance in the opening round of the 69th annual Oran Invitational Tournament, Ross Peters, the reigning Scott-Mississippi Conference Player of the Year, kept the scoring barrage going, dropping 33 points to lead Kelly to a 73-67 win over Advance in the consolation bracket on Thursday, Dec. 5...