New Orleans, LA - In an exclusive report by SMT Sports, Dexter has yet another reason to be proud of the athleticism found in the Waldner family. MaKayla Waldner has placed 4th in the AAU Junior Olympics today in the championship meet in New Orleans, Louisiana.

MaKayla competed in the pentathlon, scoring an incredible point total of 2,913. The pentathletes are many times considered to be among the most skilled athletes. In Ancient Greece, the training was often considered useful for military service. Each of the five events in the pentathlon was thought to be useful in war or battle.

Even though the events are now 100M Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Put, Long Jump and the 800M Run, the level of athleticism has not changed. The Pentathlete is extremely skilled and able to perform at very high levels compared to others.

MaKayla was seeded 7th going into the competition with a field of 47 girls in the competition. She was sitting in 6th place prior to the last event, where she ran a great 800M to move up two spots, finishing 4th overall.

In the pentathlon, competitors are awarded a certain number of points based on their performance in each specific event. The overall winner is the competitor with the highest points total at the completion of all five events.

The road to the AAU Junior Olympics is not an easy one. MaKayla has been very dedicated in her training. She is coached by Kevin Lewis (pictured above) and has competed all summer to reach this level of excellence.

Competing in St. Louis earlier this summer in the AAU district meet, MaKayla placed first in all five of her events. Her victories there qualified her for the for AAU regionals in Lawrence, Kansas.

At the regional meet, Waldner competed in the pentathlon, pole vault, high jump, 100m hurdles & the 200m hurdles. At the regionals, she added five additional gold medals and the opportunity to compete in the AAU Nationals.

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MaKayla Waldner proudly receives her 4th place medal at the AAU Junior Olympic Championships in New Orleans, Louisiana.

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MaKayla Waldner is the eighth grade daughter of Bob and Kim Waldner and comes from a great heritage of athletes. Both Kim and Bob were college athletes and have already seen their older daughters, Sammy and Brittney, excel in athletics running track at the college level. Her older brother, Trevor, has also had an outstanding wrestling career at DHS.

The Dexter Bearcat football team completed their summer workout program this week. There is a great expectation coming off the 2010 season as the Bearcats return a lot of great talent to the gridiron.

Coach Aaron Pixley commented that the boys have worked really hard throughout last year on the weights and have continued to improve their size and strength. That was very evident in their final practice this past Friday.

Many of the Bearcats are searching for a life after high school on the football field. Returning linebacker and running back Nick Summers was not apart of the final practice as he and lineman Theo Gaul, were at camp at Lindenberg College in St. Louis.

Tyler Miller is another outstanding college candidate and attended several camps throughout the summer. Tyler's summer has been jam packed with camps, Boys State as well as a full-time job as a life guard at the local swimming pool.

One of the most evident changes you will find is with the Bearcats returning quarterback, Cody Stevens. Cody has put good weight throughout the Spring and Summer weighing in around the 180 pound mark. He's got one of the builds that looks "Photoshopped".

Most importantly, Cody's mobility has not been hampered by the additional weight. He was extremely strong during final practice running drills leading the entire team in all 10 of the 200 yard runs.

Cody also attended several camps and received high rankings from all the combine drills performed. Most recently, he attended a combine at Southwest Baptist University.

"Cody really impressed our coaching staff," commented SBU redshirt Junior and former Bearcat Glen Johnson. "His athleticism was what really got them talking."

The list of returning starters for the 2011 Bearcat team is long and brings a lot of hope and potential to the season. Some notable 'Cats that bring with them high expectations are:

JAKE LEE - DE/TE: Jake was a quick study in the program as he found himself in a starting role early in his sophomore season. He has a certain "nasty" about himself on the field that makes him very hard to handle by opponents. He will fill the shoes of All-State Tight End Morgan Hedrick. Jake has seen time at that position in double tight situations in past seasons and will offer a big target to Cody from that position.

ALEX CLIFF - LB/RB: Alex is the ultimate utility man on the team and fits in nicely wherever he is needed. He is a bruiser from the running back position and delivers a powerful running style. His blocking ability was a key in the 2011 season to open up holes for Josh Overall and Nick Summers. From his linebacker position, Alex can "slams the door" in the face of opponents. He's noted by the coaches to be a downhill linebacker that is quick to fill gaps at the line of scrimmage.

GARRETT WRAY - S/WR: Garrett was a great surprise last season. A product of Coach Pixley's weight room, he has developed into a strong physical player from the defensive side of the ball. Last season, Garrett was able to see a lot of action helping the Bearcats in post season action.

JOSH OVERALL - RB/LB: Josh Overall is an elusive runner and creates a lot of problems for opponents. Josh has incredible hip movement that is seen in very few running backs at the high school level. He is a team player and will be one of the strong leaders for the Bearcat this season.

Many other positions and players will be very strong in 2011. The ShowMe Times will continue to preview players as the season gets approaches.

Dead week runs all next week. Then on August 8th, the Bearcats will begin the season practices.

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

The 2011 Rib City Shootout came to a close last night, with the DHS Lady Bearcats taking first place in both the varsity and eighth grade divisions.

Tournament officials were able to squeeze over 150 games into the two-day basketball extravaganza. 
The two-day tournaments, divided between boys and girls, took four weekends this summer, with plans to expand to up to six.


“We’ve crammed roughly 600 basketball games into eight days,” Chad Allen, event organizer and LBB head coach, said. “We’re going to six weekends next summer - three for the girls, and three for the boys.”

The Varsity Lady ‘Cats didn’t lose a game during the final two days of the shootout, with most of their wins being double-digit blowouts. The only close games the ‘Cats played came on Friday, with a one point win over Eminence and a nine point win over Lake County in the semi-finals.

The Lady ‘Cats were without the services of Mollie Whitehead, who was out with an ankle injury, but teammates stepped up to fill her role well. Alison Jarrell continues to have an outstanding three-point shot, and the one-two punch of Paige Patterson and Brittany Harris was too much for most teams to handle.


The eighth grade ‘Cats, coached by DHS alums Abbie Warren and Ashlee Taylor, managed to squeak out a one-point victory over the Notre Dame Junior Varsity team to win their division.

"That was a big win for our young girls to beat a JV level team", commented Coach Chad Allen.


The Varsity ‘Cats will be back on the courts again this winter, when they look to defend their District Championship and get to the state tournament.

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Day One

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Day Two

By Andrew Cato, ShowMe Times Sports Editor

The Lady ‘Cats are having an impressive showing at the final round of the Rib City Shootout.

The team has yet to lose a game on the varsity level, and seems poised to win the tournament.


The Lady ‘Cats had a close game with Eminence this morning, winning by only one point, but have been on the upper hand of double-digit wins in the rest of their games - the ‘Cats dropped Potosi last night with a 70-19 final score.


Pool play has ended for the Lady ‘Cats, and they are currently waiting to learn their final semifinal matchups, set to begin at 4:45 p.m. this evening (July 29).
Head down to the Bearcat Event Center tonight and catch some great basketball action as the Lady ‘Cats fight to win the Rib City Shootout!

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Make sure to check back with the ShowMe Times Saturday morning for a full report of the last round of the Rib City Shootout!


From the Missouri Department of Conservation

The fish are starting to become more lively in area rivers and lakes, but anglers are going to have to make a educated selection on where to fish at to have any luck. Most rivers and lakes are still a little slow in the midst of the area's heat wave, but Duck Creek, Castor River, and Wappapello seem to be picking up.

SOUTHEAST REGION (573) 290-5858

LAKES

Clearwater Lake: 88 degrees, normal, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

Council Bluff: 89 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish fair on liver and worms after dark; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

Cypress Lake: 89 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good in 2'-3' depths using crickets, worms, and stinkbait; crappie slow in 3' depths using minnows and jigs; bluegill and redear sunfish fair in 1'-3' depths using crickets, small jigs, and small pieces of worms; largemouth bass slow in 2'-3' depths on spinnerbaits and jigs; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/26/2011)

Duck Creek: 89 degrees, falling, clear; largemouth bass good on topwater lures; bluegill, redear sunfish and warmouth sunfish good on crickets. (Report made on 7/28/2011)

Lake Girardeau: 86 degrees, normal, clear; channel catfish fair on worms; largemouth bass fair on topwater lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

Perry County Lake: 88 degrees, dingy; channel catfish fair on worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

Robert DeLaney Lake: 86 degrees, normal, channel catfish fair on worms, liver, stinkbait and live sunfish; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/26/2011)

Wappapello: normal, black bass fair early and late on plastic worms and crankbaits; crappie fair on minnows and jigs in the river channel above Chaonia Landing; bluegill fair on crickets and worms; channel catfish fair at night on live bait and nightcrawlers on trotlines and jug lines. Anglers should note the 9" minimum length regulation for crappie on Wappapello Lake. All areas around the lake are now open since the lake water level has dropped. Call the Wappapello Lake Recreation Hotline for updates at 573-222-8139. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

RIVERS

Black River (near Annapolis): 80 degrees, low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

Castor River (above Zalma): low, clear; black bass good on Rapalas and Beetle Spins; sunfish good on jigs and jigs with spinners. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

Lower Black River (Clearwater Dam): normal, dingy; crappie fair on minnows; bluegill fair on worms; black bass fair on worms and topwater lures; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/26/2011)

Mississippi (below Charleston): normal, dingy; channel catfish fair on live frogs and worms; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/26/2011)

Mississippi River (Cape Girardeau): high, muddy; channel catfish and blue catfish good on cut baits; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

St. Francis (above Wappapello): low, clear; all species slow. (Report made on 7/26/2011)

St. Francis (below Wappapello): 80 degrees, normal, dingy; channel catfish good on stinkbait and chicken liver; flathead catfish good on live bait, sunfish and goldfish; bluegill fair on waxworms; black bass fair on artificial bait and spinnerbaits; all other species slow. (Report made on 7/27/2011)

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Anglers are invited to send photos of their fishing trips to the ShowMe Times. Just email acato@showmetimes.com. Be sure to include the name of the fisherman, the date of the catch, where it was caught, weight and - if you care to share - what type of bait you were using!