Charleston, Missouri - The Charleston Fighting Squirrels began their season this week and have a very promising season ahead.

The Squirrels were formed in 2005. They have 7 Missouri State Titles, 8 Regional Berths, 3 Regional Championships, and 3 trips to the World Series.

Playing on the 17u team are Alex Guzman, Braxton Housman, Will Biggs, Dillon Mize, Wyatt Pratt, Austin Autry, Dalton Coots, Will Pratt, Max Ault, Jacob Pedigo, Stephen Christian, Jason Jarrell, Trey Kirkpatrick, Brandon Grimes, Seph Kesselring, McKenzie Worth, Jackie Jenkins, and Sam Wallace.

Playing on the 19u team are Colton Hampton, Hunter Cook, Chandler Youn, Bruce Simmons, Cameron Clark, Jason Mattison, Blake Simmons, Austin Aldridge, Ty Householder, Brady Bibbs, Colton Averett, Blake Wolferding, Chase Urhahn, Andrew Thompson, Tim Fox, Adam Pope, Corson Crosnoe, and Luke Harris.

Below is the 2015 Schedule

Date	Team	Time	Location
5/30	17U Squirrels (Round Robin)	2 p.m.	Hillhouse Park/Charleston
6/1	at Cape Girardeau Legion	6 p.m.	Capaha Park/Cape Girardeau
6/2	at Sikeston Legion	6 p.m.	VFW Stadium/Sikeston
6/4	at Mayfield, Ky.	6 p.m.	Graves County High/Mayfield
6/8	at Dexter Babe Ruth	6 p.m.	Dexter City Park
6/9	vs. SEMO Pirates	6 p.m.	Hillhouse Park/Charleston
6/11	at Blytheville Legion	5:30 p.m.	Blytheville Complex
6/12-13	Fighting Squirrel Classic	TBA	Hillhouse Park/Charleston
6/14	Charleston Riverdogs	2 p.m.	Hillhouse Park/Charleston
6/15	at Jackson Legion	6 p.m.	Legion Field/Jackson
6/16	at Sikeston Legion	6 p.m	VFW Stadium/Sikeston
6/17	at Riverbend Ducks	6 p.m.	New Madrid City Park
6/18	at Pemiscot County Legion	6 p.m.	Caruthersville
6/19-20	Bleacher Bum Invite	TBA	Hillhouse Park/Charleston
6/22	at Paducah Legion	6 p.m.	Brooks Stadium/Paducah
6/25	St. Louis Stars	TBA	St. Louis
6/26	DeSoto	8 p.m.	Jefferson High/Festus
6/27	Jefferson City Legion	12:30	Jefferson College/Hillsboro
6/27	Festus Legion	3 p.m.	Jefferson College/Hillsboro
6/28	Tupelo, Mississippi	12 p.m.	West City Park/Festus
6/30	Wayne County Lumberjacks	6 p.m.	Clearwater High/Piedmont
7/7	Poplar Bluff	6 p.m.	Poplar Bluff High/Poplar Bluff
7/9	at Paducah Legion	6 p.m.	Brooks Stadium/Paducah
7/10-19	Babe Ruth State Tournament	TBA	Hillhouse Park/Charleston
7/23-27	Babe Ruth Regional Tournament	TBA	Lyons, Kansas
8/8-8/15	Babe Ruth World Series	TBA	Klamath Falls, Oregon

Warrensburg, Missouri - Are you missing football season? Come cheer on the Blue and Gold football teams as graduating high school seniors play football to raise funds for the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation!

Noah Kronk, Dylan Bazarian, and Drake Mitchell of Dexter, Missouri were selected to play on the Lions All-Star Football Team

The 39th Annual Missouri Lions All-Star Football Game will be played at the University of Central Missouri (UCM) Campus, Warrensburg, MO on Saturday, July 18th. The game features outstanding 2015 graduated high school football players from around the state to play one last game with and against their peers before entering the world of college or other careers.

The game is divided into Blue and Gold Teams. Heading this year’s Blue squad will be Coach Mark Barousse from Poplar Bluff High, and the Gold team will be led by Coach Matt Webb from Maryville High School.

The annual event was created in order to benefit the youth of Missouri and to raise funds for the Missouri Lions Eye Research Foundation (MLERF), including Heartland Lions Eye Banks, and has raised over $200,000 for this statewide Lions project.

The players and coaches will spend the week getting acquainted, learning plays and two-a-day practice sessions, and opportunities to volunteer in the local area.

On Saturday, the pre-game festivities will begin at 6:30 p.m. with kick-off scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Walton Stadium/Vernon Kennedy Field on the University of Central Missouri (UCM) Campus, Warrensburg, MO.

Game tickets are $7 in advance (or $10 at the gate) and are available by contacting me or through the Missouri Lions State Office at (573) 635-1773. Children 5 & under will be free, and Student Tickets (1st grade thru college) will be $3.00 in advance ($5.00 at the gate). This year the Missouri Lions State Athletic Committee has once again voted to allow any “youth” football player wearing their jersey, free admission to the game when accompanied by a paid adult.

The Lions of Missouri invite you to come enjoy one of the best High School football games you will ever see.

Jefferson City, Missouri - MaKayla Waldner's name is synonymous with athleticism earning her four State Championship Medals at the MSHSAA Class 3 Track and Field Competitions on Saturday. Waldner who just completed her junior year at Dexter High School will be back that's a guarantee for next year.

Waldner took first place in the 300m hurdles winning by nearly a full second.  Her time 42.89.

She finished second in the 100m hurdles at 15.44.  Constance Jackson of North Technical won in 15.25.

She finished second in the 200 just .72 of a second from the winner.  Her time 25.92.

She jumped for 5th place in the long jump at 16 feet, 11.5 inches on her final attempt. This was a sport she did not spend much time practicing as she felt she was more of a runner.

Waldner is not new to the scene at state level competitions.  She earned two medals in 2014 in the 100m and 300m hurdles.

Her brother, Trevor Waldner,sent her a text right after the 100m hurdles and told her, “I didn’t know we celebrated 2^nd place as a family and she better win the 300m hurdles.”  What brotherly love!!  That really put things into perspective for Waldner and she wanted the win.

When asked of  MaKayla about her wins over the weekend, "It feels amazing to know that all my hard work as finally paid off.  The countless hours I have spent training and preparing for the State Meet really paid off for me.  I couldn't thank my mom or coaches enough for it."

"I went into this season with my own goals," continued MaKayla, "And I tackled them every step. I wanted a state championship and I got that. I've just realized if I set out to have a goal nothing is going to stop me except for the excuses I find."

This is Kim Waldner's first year as the head Track and Field Coach for Dexter High School.  She just so happens to be MaKayla's mom as well.  She is both proud as a coach and as a parent!

“I couldn’t have asked for a better weekend for her,” stated head track coach and mother, Kim Waldner.  “We were both disappointed in her long jump performance, but she said ‘oh well maybe next year. I should practice that event.”

“Kevin Ellis her AAU coach told her that she wouldn’t run a 42 in hurdles because the track was wet and rainy,” continued Coach Waldner.  “She wanted it and went out and got it!”

She single-handedly gave the Dexter Bearcats Track and Field Team a score of 30 points to put the team in sixth place, missing out on a team trophy by just 1 point. 

"We didn't realize how close she was to a team trophy," continued Coach Waldner.  "I think next year she will go after one."

Way to go MaKayla!  The Dexter community is extremely proud of your accomplishments!

Essex, Missouri - Richland High School Clay Shoot Team recently competed against the Dexter Police Department at a competition at the Dexter Shooting Range.

The Richland students participated in the Spring Break ’Em Tournament on April 11^th at the Poplar Bluff Gun Club.  This was the second meet that the Rebels had competed in and interest in the program is so large that they had to split the team into A and B squads for the tournament.

“I am very proud of this team,” stated head coach Jarrot Basler.  “We have learned and grown vastly together since our first practice in September.  With us having all freshmen and sophomore athletes this year will be bringing an even more competitive team for the 2015-2016 school year.”

Josh Shidler finished second overall out of 66 participants while shooting in the Spring Break ’Em Tournament.  It was only the second time Shidler had ever competed in a competition.

“Josh picked up a shotgun for the first time in September at our first practice,” said Basler.  “He was at the middle to low end of the squad at first.  He improved his form and set the goal of being the top shot.  Through hard work and determination he saw his goal come to fruition.”

Shown in the photo are front row from left to right: Ben Pearce, Josh Shidler, Megan Cullum, Garet Phillips, and Lane Brown.  Back row from left to right are Clayton Harriel, Gerlynn Grossius, Josh Boyet, Shawn Knox, and Luke Rhodes.

Dexter, Missouri - For those of you who are missing basketball season, you will be in for a very special treat as the Rib city Shootout returns this summer.  Beginning Friday, May 29^th the middle school and junior high girls basketball teams will take the court at the Bearcat Event Center.

This is the 6^th year for the Shootout in Dexter and it is now the premier summer event for basketball teams in the region.  According to Chad Allen, Dexter High School Lady Cats basketball coach more than 350 teams are expected to compete this summer from at least 5 different states. 

The Rib City Shootout was developed in 2010 to provide athletes a setting in which to compete and improve their skills during the off-season.  It is an inexpensive way for middle school athletes to experience a beneficial developmental opportunity.

Go to their website www.ribcityshootout.com to learn more about these awesome events or contact Chad Allen at ribcityshootout@gmail.com or give him a call (573) 421-4571.

Below is the schedule for the 2015 middle school/junior high girls basketball shootout slated for Friday, May 29^th at the Bearcat Event Center.  Three courts will be available and each is designated as a 1, 2, or 3 depending on which court they are assigned.

9:00 a.m.

Kennett 8^th vs Puxico MS (EC1)

Mayhem vs New Madrid (EC2)

Perryville vs Meadow Heights (EC3)

9:45 a.m.

Dexter vs Puxico (EC2)

10:30 a.m.

Dexter 7^th/8^th vs Kennett 8^th (EC1)

New Madrid vs Perryville (EC2)

Dyer County vs Mayhem (EC3)

11:15 a.m.

South Pemiscot MS vs Poplar Bluff 7^th (EC1)

Dexter (A) vs Hoxie, AR (EC2)

Northview, Tn Jr. High Puxico MS (EC3)

12:00 noon

Crystal city vs Dexter (B) (EC1)

Murphysboro vs New Madrid (EC2)

Puxico vs Meadow Heights (EC3)

12:45 p.m.

Kennett vs Perryville (EC1)

Dyer County vs Dexter (A) EC2)

Puxico MS vs Poplar Bluff MS (EC3)

1:30 p.m.

Hoxie, AR vs New Madrid (EC1)

Poplar Bluff 8^th vs Northview, Tn Jr. High (EC2)

2:15 p.m.

Crystal City vs Meadow Heights (EC1)

Dexter (A) vs Murphysboro, IL (EC2)

Dyer County vs Kennett (EC3)

3:00 p.m.

Poplar Bluff 8^th vs Kennett 8^th (EC1)

Dexter 7^th/8^th vs Poplar Bluff 7^th (EC2)

Puxico MS vs South Pemiscot MS (EC3)

3:45 p.m.

Crystal City vs Puxico (EC1)

Kennett vs Murphysboro (EC2)

Dyer County vs Hoxie (EC3)

4:30 p.m.

Dexter (B) vs Perryville (EC1)

Dexter (A) vs Mayhem (EC2)

Northview, TN Jr. High vs Dexter 7^th/8^th (EC3)

5:15 p.m.

Murphysboro vs Crystal City (EC1)

Hoxie vs Puxico (EC2)

Poplar Bluff 8^th vs South Pemiscot MS (EC3)

6:00 p.m.

Dexter (B) vs Meadow Heights (EC1)

Mayhem vs Kennett (EC2)

Northview, TN Jr High vs Kennett 8^th (EC3)

6:45 p.m.

Dexter 7^th/8^th vs South Pemiscot MS (EC1)