Sikeston tennis team hangs tough with Charleston

CHARLESTON -- Sikeston's tennis team gave Charleston all it wanted in a 6-3 loss on Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs split the singles matches 3-3, but lost all three doubles matches to give Charleston the victory.

"They're a very good team," said Sikeston coach Brian James. "I think we competed pretty well, but we really struggled in doubles. We've just got to finish the week strong and try to figure out how to win these close ones."

In varsity singles, Charleston's Alec Peterson beat Sikeston's Peter Jones 8-1. In the No. 2 spot, Sikeston's Ryne Vickery defeated Charleston's Kyle Kemp 9-8 with a 10-8 tiebreaker.

At No. 3, Sikeston's Marc Leible defeated Charleston's Blake Branum 8-1.

"It was a very exciting high school tennis match," said Charleston coach Mitch Baker. "With the exception of number one for us and number three for them, every single match could've gone either way. We're fortunate to win."

In the No. 4 spot, Sikeston's Chris Robey defeated Charleston's Lee Hess 8-6. Charleston's Derek Hoppe beat Sikeston's Kyle Weeks 8-5 in the fifth spot, then Charleston's Jake Garrard defeated Sikeston's Logan Wagner 8-5 at No. 6.

In varsity doubles, Peterson and Kemp beat Jones and Vickery 9-7, Branum and Hess beat Robey and Weeks 9-8 with a 7-2 tiebreaker, then Hoppe and Garrard defeated Leible and Wagner 8-5.

Charleston improves to 10-1 on the year and will attempt to reschedule a match against Dexter. If the Bluejays are unable to, they will compete in the district competition on May 15 at Sikeston.

Sikeston (7-3) will be back in action today, hosting Dexter at 4 p.m.

In Monday's junior varsity match, Sikeston tied Charleston 3-3.

In jayvee singles, Charleston's Josh Moxley beat Sikeston's Matt Strom 6-4. Charleston's Drew Kemp beat Sikeston's Kyle Howard 6-3.

Charleston's Demitri Task beat Sikeston's Cody Weeks 7-5, and Sikeston's Ryan Dukes defeated Charleston's Seth Stevenson 6-1.

In junior varsity doubles, Strom and Howard beat Moxley and Kemp 7-6 with a 7-4 tiebreaker. Dukes and Weeks defeated Task and Stevenson 6-1.

VARSITY SOCCER

POPLAR BLUFF -- Sikeston's girls soccer team produced another strong second half in Monday's 4-1 loss to Poplar Bluff.

After giving up three goals in the first half, the Lady Bulldogs played Bluff even in the second as each team scored once.

"I thought we played a pretty good game," said Sikeston coach Derrick Long. "We let them score three goals in the first half, in about a six-minute span. In the second half, we played pretty well. We've played great second halves in our last two games. Maybe we can string two good halves together here soon."

For Poplar Bluff, Amanda Hoy and Beth Forrester scored two goals each. Sikeston's goal came from Alison Blurton in the opening two minutes of the second half.

"Paige Silverthorn made a really good pass to Blurton, who put it in," explained Long. "We had a lot of one-on-one breaks after that, but had trouble finishing."

Poplar Bluff (7-7-1) outshot Sikeston 19 to 9. Sikeston keeper Audra Wooley finished with 14 saves.

Sikeston (1-10) will host Farmington on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Monday's junior varsity game between Sikeston and Poplar Bluff ended in a 0-0 tie. Sikeston keeper Whitney Wallace finished with 11 saves. The Lady Bulldogs were outshot 12-8 in the loss.

JUNIOR HIGH TRACK

SIKESTON -- Sikeston's ninth grade boys track team finished its perfect season by winning the SEMO Conference meet on Monday afternoon.

The Bulldogs posted a team score of 54, followed by Cape Central with 44 and Poplar Bluff with 31.

Stephon Turner took first in the 75 meter hurdles. In the 100 meter dash, Travis Hudson took first and Kash Bratcher came in second.

The 4 x 200 meter relay team of Bratcher, Trey Oetting, Marquette Goodwin and B.J. Green took first place. The 4 x 100 team of Bratcher, Goodwin, Green and Hudson also took first.

In the 400, Green came in second. In the 300 hurdles, Turner took first. Hudson won the 200 and the triple jump. Bratcher took second in the long jump and Scott Gardner won the high jump.

"I thought we performed well," said Sikeston coach Chris Hodgkiss. "It took every point we got to win. (The ninth graders) had a really good season."

In the eighth grade boys meet, Jackson took first with 72 points followed by Cape Central with 65, Poplar Bluff with 46 and Sikeston with 30.

Sikeston's 4 x 200 relay team of Brian Branion, Dominique McCray, Brandon Washington and Aaron Klimmick took second place. The 4 x 100 team of Branion, McCray, Washington and Tommy Strong took first place. Jacob Owens won the 800.

In the eighth grade girls meet, Jackson took first with 79 points followed by Cape Central with 61, Sikeston with 30 and Poplar Bluff with 21. Chasmon Herrion took second in the 100.

The 4 x 200 team of Brittany Jenkins, Herrion, Martika Davis and Willa Triblett took first. The same group also took second in the 4 x 100.

Jennifer Millington came in second in the mile. Davis took first place in the long jump and Jenni DeWitt came in second in the discus.

"Both eighth grade teams are made up of 90 percent seventh graders," explained Hodgkiss. "They were competing against eighth graders today and really held their own."