Poplar Bluff, Missouri - Poplar Bluff High School freshman Savannah Hicks was Missouri’s nomination for the National High School Spirit of Sport Award for returning to the basketball court just six short weeks after open-heart surgery.
The executive director of the Missouri State High School Activities Association nominated the 15-year-old for the award because she exceeded expectations, overcame challenging circumstances and displayed exemplary sportsmanship.
“I visited with Dr. Kerwin Urhahn, executive director of MSHSAA, about Savannah Hicks and the obstacles she has overcome to return to the court/field,” R-I Athletic Director Kent Keith announced. “I then forwarded (reporter) Ben Striker’s DAR article about Savannah for him to read. Dr. Urhahn was touched by what he heard and read.”
Over the summer, medics discovered a heart murmur or an irregular heartbeat during sports physicals provided by volunteers for student athletes. Upon further testing, Savannah was diagnosed with atrial septal defect, which is a hole between the two upper chambers of the heart.
Savannah postponed treatment until completing the varsity softball season. On Nov. 22, she received successful open-heart surgery at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. A week later, she attended a home basketball game to cheer on her junior varsity teammates. She proceeded to help keep a stat book until she received clearance from doctors to return to the court at the end of the year. On Jan. 2, she participated in practice. Four days later, she played in her first game of the season.
In addition to basketball and softball, Savannah has just learned that she made the girls soccer team. She is a member of the Mule Barn, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, active in her church youth group and in the top 10 percent of her class, according to her nomination form.
The national recipient of the award was a student athlete in Minnesota who, despite being born a paraplegic, plays football, sled hockey, wheelchair softball and track, according to a press release issued by the National Federation of State High School Associations. All 50 state associations, plus Washington, D.C., have the ability to submit a nominee to the selection committee each year, according to MSHSAA Communications Director Jason West.
Desloge, Missouri - The Dexter High School girls and boys track and field teams traveled to North County High School on Wednesday for the North County Raiders Relays. Several Bearcats brought home medals.
Below are the results:
Boys
4x2 Ben Sindle, Cole Barker, Brody Pollock and Zack Cartwright 5th place
400 Ben Sindle 4th
300H Zack Cartwright 2nd
Triple Jump Dawson Kasting 5th
Girls
4x8. Emily Ladd, Emily Page, Margo Nea and Rhylan Hillis 4th
100 Blair Rogers 4th
200 Hannah Moore 1st
4x1 Blair Rogers Rhylan Hillis, Hannah Moore and Alexa Werneck 2nd
300H Hannah Moore 4th
LJ Hannah Moore 3rd
HJ Rylan Hillis 4th
TJ Rylan Hillis 3rd
2 mile Emily Ladd 3rd
Dexter's track team traveled to Ste. Genevieve on Friday, March 31st to compete in the St. Gen Old Settlement Meet.
Shown in the photo back row from left to right: Ben Sindle, Cole Barker, Brody Pollock and Dawson Kasting. Front row from left to right: Emily Ladd, Rhylan Hillis, Hannah Moore, Alexa Werneck and Blair Rogers. Not available for photo: Zach Cartwright.
Missouri - According to preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), young turkey hunters harvested 4,060 birds during the 2017 spring youth season, April 8 and 9. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 118 birds harvested, Callaway with 91, and Gasconade with 87.
Young hunters checked 4,167 turkeys during last year's youth weekend.
Dexter, Missouri - The Dexter Lady Cats will host the 6th annual Swing Pink Softball Tournament on Saturday, April 8, 2017 with games slated to begin at 9:00 a.m. at the softball fields behind East City Park in Dexter.
The tournament will benefit the Ben Kruse 18FORE Life Foundation.
The 18 FORE Life Foundation originated in 2000, when four friends got together an decided it would be fun to raise some money for a good cause by hosting a golf tournament. In 2002, love offerings were sent out for the first time to families all over Southeast Missouri battling cancer and in need of love, hope, and encouragement.
After losing Ben Kruse in 2004, the event grew into much more than a golf tournament. The phrase Celebrate/Give/Remember was coined and guided the efforts of organizers, sponsors, volunteers and golfers as hundreds gathered for the 2005 event and over $100,000 was raised. To date they have given over 1.9 million dollars in love offerings. They hope to break the 2 million dollar mark this year!
The Lady Cats will begin the tournament at 9:00 a.m. on Field B against Southland. There will be 16 teams participating in two brackets, in addition to pool play.
The semifinals for Bracket B are at 1 p.m. and the championship at 5:00 p.m. the semifinals for Bracket A are at 3:00 p.m. and the finals are at 7:00 p.m.
The following games are set to be played along with the brackets:
Bracket A
11 a.m.
Field A - Van Buren (1) vs Portageville (*)
Field B - Clearwater (4) vs Greenville (5)
Field C - Bernie (3) vs Southland (6)
Field D - West County (2) vs NMCC (7)
Bracket B
9:00 a.m.
Field A - Winona (1) vs Charleston (8)
Field B - East Carter (4) vs Neelyville (5)
Field C - East Prairie (3) vs Puxico (6)
Field D - Dexter (2) vs Advance/Zalma (7)
Pool Play
Field J - Twin Rivers (2) vs Bloomfield (3) at 9 a.m.
Field J - Senath (1) vs Holcomb (4) at 11 a.m.
Field C - Bloomfield vs Holcomb 5 p.m.
Field C - Senath vs Twin Rivers 7 p.m.
A Silent Auction will be held throughout the day and the winners will be announced at the end of the day. T-shirts will also be available. Long sleeve are $20 and short sleeve are $15.
Dexter, Missouri - The annual Hits for Hope middle school volleyball fundraiser is slated for Thursday, April 6th at T.S. Hill Middle School between the Dexter Lady Cats and the Bloomfield Lady Wildcats. Game time is 6:00 p.m. with the 7th grade taking the floor first.
"We are excited this year to play on the court at the middle school. This is one of our biggest years with silent auction items. My office is full of great items," commented T.S. Hill Middle School Principal Scott Kruse. "The gym is already decorated with pink volleyballs made by our students and we hope to have a packed house for the event! I am always proud of these kids and what they do to help those with cancer."
Each year the athletes play in honor of someone who is fighting the cancer battle, survived their battle or passed away from cancer. All proceeds will benefit 18 FORE Life.
People from around the area and local businesses have graciously donated items for a silent auction to be held during the event. Volunteers will man the silent auction in the lobby of the middle school. Pink t-shirts with the Hits for Hope logo will also be sold to raise money.
These young athletes will be dressed in pink uniforms, pink whistles will be used by the referees and the game is always played with a special pink volleyball.
The 18 FORE Life originated in 2000, when four friends got together an decided it would be fun to raise some money for a good cause by hosting a golf tournament. In 2002, love offerings were sent out for the first time to families all over Southeast Missouri battling cancer and in need of love, hope, and encouragement.
After losing Ben Kruse in 2004, the event grew into much more than a golf tournament. The phrase Celebrate/Give/Remember was coined and guided the efforts of organizers, sponsors, volunteers and golfers as hundred gathered for the 2005 event and over $100,000 was raised.
To date, 18 FORE Life has given away just over 1.9 million dollars in love offerings and hope to break the $2 million dollar mark this year!
Please join the 7th and 8th grade girls volleyball team on Thursday, April 6th and raise money for an awesome cause! Thank you in advance for your patronage!
