The basketball season will get an "unofficial" start Monday at Richland High School.

Link of Interest

BOLIVAR - The Bearcats will be hosting the Truman State University Bulldogs this weekend, and will look to avenge a heartbreaking 33-30 loss last season. The Bearcats will be looking for their fourth straight senior day victory.

The SBU offense is lead by junior quarterback Dan Connors who has thrown for 1861 yards with 13 touchdowns this season. Connors has a completion percentage of 63.6% and is averaging 206.8 yards passing per game this season. Thad Everson leads all Bearcat rushers with 514 rushing yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 51.4 yards per game, and Charles Johnson leads the Bearcat receivers with 605 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 60.5 yards per game.

The Bearcat defense is lead by Zach Moore who has recorded team highs in tackles (87) and tackles for loss (7.5) this season. As a team, the Bearcats have wrapped up 18 sacks, picked off 12 passes, recovered 12 fumbles, and blocked 7 kicks on the season.

The Bearcats will look for a senior day victory, with the game set to kick off at 1:30 p.m. from Bolivar, Missouri.

The Coaches

Keith Allen has already engineered a significant turnaround at SBU, moving the ‘Cats from 0-11 his first year as interim coach, to 5-6 in 2008, to the winning record of 6-5 in 2009, and followed up with a 7-4 record in 2010. Allen served as defensive and recruiting coordinator before being named SBU head coach in 2007. His past coaching experience has included stops at San Jose State, Quincy, TCU and Oklahoma.

Gregg Nesbitt is in his 2nd season as the head coach at Truman State University. Last season Nesbitt lead the Bulldogs to a 4-7 record.

Scouting the Bulldogs

The Bulldogs enter into this weekend with a 3-7 record, coming off of a 54-0 shutout victory against Lincoln University.

TSU is lead in passing by J.B. Clark who averages 210.2 passing yards per game, lead in rushing by Harnish Ayora who averages 49.6 rushing yards per game, and lead in receiving by Anthony Brown who averages 82.6 receiving yards per game.

Defensively, Richie Schumacher with 117 total tackles and two interceptions.

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Southwest Baptist University is a four-year evangelical Christian university that was established in 1878. The main campus is located about 30 minutes north of Springfield, Missouri, in Bolivar, a town of approximately 10,000 people.

DHS alum Glen Johnson is a defensive lineman for the Bearcats.

For more information on SBU Bearcat Athletics, visit sbubearcats.com.

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

The DMS Lady Bearcat Basketball team closed their season with two big wins this week, remaining undefeated on both the seventh and eighth grade levels.

Tuesday night saw the Lady Bearcats in action against the Kennett Indians. In the seventh grade matchup, both squads put their undefeated records on the line, but the Lady ‘Cats were able to earn a big 20-point win.

The two teams played a fairly close first quarter, but the Lady ‘Cats were able to pull ahead by 3 at the end of the first. Strong play by Harley Allen and Sydney Rodgers helped the Lady ‘Cats build a 10 point lead going into halftime.

The Lady ‘Cats had some great defensive pressure and solid passing on offense to build their lead during the third quarter. Lexi May, Caroline Powers, and Cheyenne Mosbey played very strong inside the paint during the second half to help lead the seventh grade ‘Cats to a 22-point victory.

In the eighth grade matchup, the Lady ‘Cats started the game with a little adversity. Ashlynn Werneck dislocated a finger during the pre-game warmups, and she was out of the lineup, but the ‘Cats adjusted well and set off on their way to a blowout win.

The Dexter defense pitched a shutout in the opening frame, while putting up 18 points on the other end of the floor. Dakota Reynolds exploded in the second quarter, putting up 12 of the Lady ‘Cats 18 points, while teammate Julia Hahn hit a jumper at the buzzer to send the ‘Cats in the locker room up 36-0 at halftime.

Hahn opened the third quarter with a big three, while Karaline Keirsey completed the three-point play to increase the ‘Cats’ lead to 42-0 at the end of the third. Savannah Williams scored Kennett’s only points of the game at the 4:43 mark of the fourth quarter as she hit a quick 12-footer. She followed up with a single free throw later in the quarter to bring the final score to 46-3.

Thursday night saw the Lady ‘Cats pitted against the Sikeston Bulldogs, but the Lady ‘Cats again put up blowout wins on both levels.


The seventh grade squad battled back from a 6-2 Sikeston lead at the end of the first quarter to tie the game 6-6 at the half. May again had a solid performance in the paint, pulling down rebound after rebound for the Lady ‘Cats.


Dexter’s offense exploded in the third quarter, putting up 11 points in the frame to claim a 17-11 lead. The Lady ‘Cats again put up double-digits in the fourth, and played some aggressive defense to hold the Bulldogs to only three points and claim the 27-14 victory.


Mosbey led the way for the Lady ‘Cats, putting up 17 points in the contest. May and Rodgers each put in 4 points, while Allen put in 2.

The eighth grade ‘Cats, with Werneck back in the lineup, had a big offensive surge to open the game, putting up 17 points in the opening frame. Hahn played some solid defense throughout the game, and had 6 steals in the contest. The Lady ‘Cats held a commanding 23-6 lead going into the locker room at halftime.

Reynolds and Melanie McKuin stepped up their defensive efforts in the second half, racking up 4 steals each. McKuin had a great game in the paint, as she hauled in 7 boards on the night. Dexter continued to dominate through the second half, despite giving Sikeston a game-high 12 points in the fourth quarter, to claim the 43-22 victory.

Both squads were undefeated on the season, and it looks like Lady Bearcat Basketball has a great few years ahead of it when this group hits high school. 

Special to the ShowMe Times
by Kim Waldner

Two Dexter girls have become familiar faces on soccer fields throughout the region.

Julia Hahn and MaKayla Waldner are currently playing on the Sikeston eighth grade Coed All-Star Soccer Team, which recently won 1st place at the Bootheel Invitational Tournament and 2nd place in the Perryville Cup.

Both girls got their start at soccer in first grade playing on a co-ed team with Dexter Parks and Recreation, where they developed their fundamental skills and their love of the game.

When they were in second grade, they played with DPR as well as on a Dexter girls team, which competed in the Bootheel Invitational.

The following season both girls played in the 3rd-4th grade girls recreation league in Sikeston. That season is really 'when it all began', as they were selected to the All-Star team and began traveling to competitive tournaments.

A common saying among parents and coaches on the sidelines and after some big wins was “Go Sikeston.....and a little bit of Dexter”.

They were again selected to the all-star team in fourth grade and both played a huge role in their teams’ outstanding success, finishing the season 17-1.

In 2008, the then fifth grade Dexter girls were playing with the #1 ranked U-11 girls team in the state of Missouri. They have played in major tournaments in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee, representing teams from Sikeston, Jackson, and Cape Girardeau. Both girls were also guest players for a Kentucky team in the Kentucky State Cup in May 2011.

Hahn and Waldner are currently eighth grade students at T.S. Hill Middle School, and are playing on the undefeated girls’ basketball team. When not playing soccer, both girls stay busy with academics and other sports.

Both girls are members of the DMS Quiz Bowl team which won 1st in the state and region in 2011. Hahn is also a cheerleader and a member of the DMS Volleyball team, while Walder is an outstanding member of the track and field team at DMS, as well as the Cleats of Fire traveling team.

As you can see, the girls have been together a lot and consider themselves more like sisters than just teammates or friends.

Hahn and Waldner will be playing this weekend in the Fall River Rage soccer tournament in Cape Girardeau.

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

Athletes, coaches, parents, and school officials were all on hand Tuesday evening for the annual DHS Fall Sports Banquet, held in the DHS Cafeteria.

DHS Athletic Director Chuck Powers acted as the ‘master of ceremonies,’ and opened up the evening thanking everyone behind the scenes - the Press Box crew, the chain gang, Brett Dorton and his stats team, Dr. Bobby Jibben and Cory Blocker for treating injured Bearcats on the sidelines of Friday night football games, all the local churches that opened up for FCA breakfasts - that make Bearcat Athletics so successful.

The Lady Bearcat Tennis team was up first, and Coach Leanne Dooley expressed great pride in her team’s effort this season. The JV squad finished with an impressive 11-0 record.


“These JV girls really caught on quick, and they are mostly freshmen,” Dooley said. “In a few years, we will be awesome.”

The Varsity squad featured three seniors this season: Jessica Snider, Jamie Manuel, and Shanna Gant. They finished the season with a 9-7 record, and were the runners-up in the District Tournament for the second year in a row.
“We’re going to get Kennett one of these years,” Dooley said, laughing. “This season has been a lot of fun for me, and these seniors will be missed next year. I’d like to thank all the parents for their support, as well as all the boyfriends - one of the fun things with coaching the girls - for their support.”

The tennis team gives three awards; Most Doubles Wins went to Manuel and Hailee Hubbard, Most Singles Wins went to Baylee Cooper, and team MVP went to Jessica Snider.

Up next was the Cross Country team, coached by Chris Bolin. The CC squad had 18 medalists during their regular season meets, with the boys coming in First Place at two meets and the Girls coming in Third Place at one meet. Zach Connor posted a career-best 18:35 in the 5K for the boys, while Katie Justice posted a 22:06 for the girls.


“This was a young team with a lot of new faces,” Bolin said in a statement read by Powers. “I look forward to next year, and consider myself lucky to have such a great group of athletes.”

Katie Justice took home the Best Female Runner award, while Alex Rybolt was named Best Male. Malinda Mayo was named the Team MVP.


Second year head coach Lauren Hutchcraft represented the Volleyball team, and gave high praise to her squad for a successful season.


“I’m honored to be up here as a graduate of DHS; I’ve always thought once you were a Bearcat, you were always a Bearcat,” the 2003 DHS alum said. “I really enjoyed this season, and I want to commend the parents for all their support throughout the year.”

The JV squad had a highly impressive one-loss season, including a first-place finish in the SCAA Tournament. The Varsity posted a 19-10-2 record, including second-place finished in both the SCAA and District Tournaments.

“I’m proud of their hard work and dedication to the program,” Hutchcraft continued. “They were a fun, passionate group of girls.”


The three volleyball awards went to Erica Mouser (Most Valuable Defensive Player), Brittany Harris (Most Valuable Offensive Player), and Hannah Noe (Best Setter).

“It was a great year; very energetic kids,” DHS Cheerleading Sponsor Vicki Windham said. “I’ve never had as many compliments about the squad as I had this year. They’re all underclassmen, so I look forward to the next few years with these girls. I’d also like to thank our fans for always being there to support both us and the football team”

Head football coach Aaron Pixley took the stage next, and commended all his teams on one of the most successful seasons in Bearcat Football history.

“The freshmen were a hard-working group of kids, we really like this group,” Pixley said. “They struggled with injuries this year, but they’ve put up great numbers in the weight room so far. If they stick with it, they’ll see a lot of success in the future.”


“The JV did very well in the first half of the season, but they got hit by a lot of injuries as well,” he continued. “We had to bring up some freshmen to fill in, but this group also has great numbers in the weight room, and that excites me.”

“This is Dexter, we don’t outrun people,” Pixley said, laughing. “The teams we play on our schedule, they always have a lot more speed than we do. The weight room is a huge part of how we compensate for that.”


The Varsity Football Team posted a 9-2 record during their record-breaking season. They won back-to-back District Championships for the first time in over 20 years, and won the SEMO Conference Title for the first time since 2005.


“We had an outstanding season,” Pixley said. “They worked hard; nothing was given to them. This was one of the best seasons in DHS history, and I’m very, very proud of them.”


“I had 18 seniors this year, the most I’ve ever had,” he continued. “With this group, we believed we could win every game, and they put themselves in a position to win every game. They set a standard of excellence for these young guys to look up to in the coming seasons.”


The football team gives four awards at the end of the season. Left Tackle Zach Lacy was named Most Valuable Lineman; Josh Overall was named Most Valuable Back; Alex Cliff was named Most Valuable Defensive Player, but there was an interesting twist for the Team MVP Award - it was given to the entire Bearcat Offense.


“These awards are all voted on by the team,” Pixley said, “but this is the first time it’s been given to an entire group of kids. They all deserve it; this was the best offensive line I’ve ever coached. Cody Stevens ran for over 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns and threw for over 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns. Josh Overall ran for over 900 yards and 15 touchdowns, and Nick Summers ran for 600 yards and 7 touchdowns in eight games.”

“Alex Cliff is the best blocking fullback I’ve ever had; our fullbacks usually don’t run the ball, but when he did, he was extremely effective,” Pixley continued. “Tyler Miller had over 800 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns; he averaged 19 yards per catch, which is excellent. Cody Neldon and Chase Young both have bright futures here, and Jake Lee was one of the better blocking tight ends I’ve had.”

Brett Dorton was there to give an introduction to the evening’s ‘Main Event’ - the presentation of the 2011 Charles Bland Award.


“The Bearcats rewrote our record books this year, but they also found their way into the MSHSAA record books,” Dorton said. “They’re 16th in total offense per game with 434.2 yards, 5th in first downs in a season with 230, tied for 12th for touchdowns in a single game with 10 against Kennett, and 21st in average points per game with 44.8.”


“Tyler Miller’s four interceptions against NMCC tied the state record, and the two he returned for touchdowns tied him for second-best,” Dorton continued.

Dorton went on to thank several people, including: Charles Bland, avid supporter of DHS Athletics and whom the award and DHS Football stadium is named for; Alan Hedrick, founder of the Bland Award; Alan Gibson, sculptor of the original Bland Trophy; and Terry Hester, current sculptor of the award.

Jason Comfort, Bland Committee Member and ’95 winner of the trophy, was then brought onstage to announce the winner of the 2011 Bland Award: Tyler Miller.

Miller joins a brotherhood of 18 individuals, including Kevin Young, Comfort, Kent Essner, Mike Guethle, Justin Kelley, David Howard, Jason Mayer, Nathan McKay, Drew Wethington, Marc Thrower (currently a member of the DHS coaching staff), Derek Clark, Andrew Stuever, Drew Pixley, Eric Windham, Nick Hessling, Gary Summers, and Taylor Jarrell.

The Bearcats had a great fall athletic season, and look forward to the upcoming Winter Sports season. Congratulations to all who won awards, and best of luck in the upcoming season!