Dexter, Missouri - If you are missing high school baseball perhaps tonight is the night to check out the SEMO Spartans 19u baseball home opener at East Park in Dexter. Since the DHS Class of 2020 baseball season was cancelled due to COVID-19 four athletes, Carson Bell, Garrett Henson, Mason Keena, and Haden Hillis, will have an opportunity to play a few more games.
These four have been playing several years together and helped the Spartans win Junior Babe Ruth state championships in 2016 and 2017.
Former DHS baseball coach Brian Becker is the head coach of the Spartans.
They will open their season Tuesday, June 2, 2020 as they host the Charleston 18u team around 8 p.m. at East Park.
2020 Summer Schedule:
June 2 vs CHARLESTON 18U 8 p.m.
June 4 vs JACKSON 19U 6 p.m.
June 8 vs SIKESTON 17U 6 p.m.
June 11 vs EAST PRAIRIE 6 p.m.
June 14 vs TROPICS 19U 3 p.m.
June 15 vs TROPICS 17U 6 p.m.
June 18 vs SIKESTON 19U 6 p.m.
June 23 vs CHARLESTON 19U 6 p.m.
June 25 at East Prairie 6 p.m.
June 30 at Jackson 19U 6 p.m.
July 3 at Tropics 19U @ Advance 6 p.m.
July 13 vs TROPICS 17U 6 p.m.
The Mules Booster Club has named Emily Spencer and Gage Rowland of Poplar Bluff High School the April Athletes of the Month, presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors.
Gage, a senior track and field runner, jumped 13 feet, 11.25 inches in the pole vault, ranking him ninth in the state in 2020; jumped 23 feet, 7.75 inches in the indoors long jump, ranking him second in the state and seventh in the country that same year; and jumped 14 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault, and was named All-State in 2019. In the classroom, he has maintained a 10.306 grade point average.
He is a “great kid” and a “very hard worker,” said his coach Mark Barousse, noting that Gage signed a National Letter of Intent to run track for Lindenwood University.
Emily, a senior soccer player, has averaged 15 tackles per season with 60 career tackles; and has lettered all four years of her high school career, being named All-Defense during her freshman and junior years, and most improved during her sophomore year. In the classroom, she has maintained an 11.3 GPA.
“She is a team player and a leader on/off the field; she wants what’s best for her team and teammates,” said Rusty Crafton, her coach. “She is [a] very coachable player and always eager to find ways to improve her game. [I] look forward to seeing good things out of Emily in the future after she graduates high school.”
Pictured: Presenting the AOM awards to Gage Rowland and Emily Spencer on Wednesday, May 13, is Booster Club member David Rowland.
Photo and article by Tim Krakowiak, Communications/Marketing Direct
We may see some summer sports for the high school seniors as soon as July! The SEMO Conference athletic directors met on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 to discuss plans for All-Star games for seniors in baseball, tennis, golf and track.
"The SEMO Conference ADs along with coaches are working on events for our senior spring athletes to allow them a chance to compete one last time before they leave us," commented Dexter High School Athletic Director Josh Dowdy. "The idea is to try and have an "all-star" game/match/tournament for outgoing senior spring sport athletes within our conference during the week of July 6th - July 11th."
"Details of when and where the events will take place is still being coordinated with coaches and athletic directors," continued Dowdy.
As you may know there is a lot to planning just one tournament or event. This will be quite the endeavor for the coaches and ADs, but well worth it to see the athletes compete one more time.
This will be the first ever high school all-star games featuring seniors who lost their 2020 season due to COVID-19. Most of the events will probably take place in Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.
There are eight teams comprising the SEMO Conference for baseball: Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Jackson, Kennett, New Madrid, Notre Dame, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston.
Apply during May for MDC’s first elk hunts in fall
Apply May 1 - 31 through MO Hunting app, or permit vendor.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer Missourians the state’s first elk-hunting season in modern history starting this fall. MDC will issue five permits for hunting bull elk for the 2020 season this fall. Four general permits will be for the public and one permit will be reserved for qualifying area landowners.
To apply for an elk permit, applicants must be Missouri residents at least 11 years of age by the first day of the hunt. Those selected to receive a permit must have their hunter-education certification or be exempt by age (born before Jan. 1, 1967) before they may purchase the permit.
Apply for the random elk-permit drawing May 1 - 31 online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, through MDC's free MO Hunting app, through a permit vendor, or by calling 1-800-392-4115.
Applicants can check to see if they have been selected for an elk-hunting permit online starting July 1 at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits after logging into “Manage Your Account” and selecting “View My Special Hunt History.”
Elk-Hunt Details
For this first elk season, MDC has designated a nine-day archery portion running Oct. 17-25 and a nine-day firearms portion running Dec. 12-20. The five permits will be for bull elk and will be valid for both portions. All permits will be assigned through a random drawing.
“The timing of the season was designed to come after the peak of elk breeding during late September and early October and to avoid the elk season coinciding with portions of the firearms deer season,” explained MDC Elk and Deer Biologist Aaron Hildreth.
MDC will require a $10 application fee for those applying for the general permits. Qualifying landowners will not be required to pay the $10 application fee when applying for the landowner permit. Those selected for each of the five permits must pay a $50 permit fee.
MDC will limit the random drawing to one application per-person, per-year with a 10-year “sit-out” period for those drawn for a general permit before they may apply again. If selected for a landowner elk permit, qualifying landowners will not be required to wait 10 years before again applying for a landowner elk permit. Qualifying landowners may apply once each year for a general elk hunting permit and for a landowner elk permit but are eligible to receive only one permit annually.
The landowner elk permit is limited to resident landowners with at least 20 acres within the “Landowner Elk Hunting Zone” of Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties. Zone boundaries are shown in the application. The landowner permit is nontransferable and may only be filled on the landowner’s property.
General permits can be used in Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties, except the refuge portion of Peck Ranch Conservation Area. Like the landowner permit, general permits are nontransferable.
“The allowed hunting methods for each season will be the same as for deer hunting,” Hildreth said. “The permits will allow for the harvest of one bull elk with at least one antler being at least six inches in length. Successful hunters must Telecheck their harvested elk, like for deer.”
Appreciation of Area Landowners
“Local landowners have been supportive of the reintroduction of elk to the area and many have worked hard to create habitat that benefits elk and many other wildlife species,” Hildreth said.
While any qualifying landowner within the “Landowner Elk Hunting zone” is eligible to apply for a landowner elk permit, Hildreth encourages only those who have elk on their property to apply.
“Although the elk population is expanding, there are still many areas in the Landowner Elk Hunting Zone where there are no elk at this time,” he explained. “If a landowner has not seen elk on their property, I would encourage them not to apply under the landowner permit so it can go to a landowner who has a better chance of being successful. We still encourage them to apply for a general permit.”
MDC Elk Restoration Efforts
Missouri’s first pending elk hunt comes after years of restoration efforts of the once-native species by MDC, numerous partners including the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and many supporters including local communities and area landowners.
Elk are a native species in Missouri but were hunted to extinction in the state through unregulated hunting during the late 1800s. With the help of numerous partners and supporters, MDC reintroduced about 100 elk to a remote area of the Missouri Ozarks in 2011, 2012, and 2013. Most were cow elk with some calves and immature bulls. Their numbers have grown to more than 200, and their range has expanded in recent years to cover portions of Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties. The area consists of nearly 80 percent public land interspersed with tracts of private property.
“Our plan was to offer a limited season for hunting elk in Missouri once the herd reached a minimum of 200 animals with an annual herd growth rate of at least 10 percent, and a herd ratio of at least one bull for every four cow elk,” Hildreth said. “Those goals have been met.”
He added that MDC hopes to eventually reach a target population of 500 elk and will use hunting to manage herd size and location.
MDC gathered public input on elk hunting during 2018 and 2019 at several public meetings in communities around the elk restoration zone and through online public comment periods.
Dexter, MO - Garrett Henson is the 18 year old son of Dennis and Elizabeth Henson. He is the grandson of Ray and Mabel Henson of Puxico, MO and Woody and Miriam Chenault of Monticello, IL.
Garrett has participated in Future Business Leaders of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Farmers of America and Pep Club.
Garrett also has played basketball and baseball all four years in high school. He played baseball for the Missouri Bulls, SEMO Spartans, and the Charleston Fighting Squirrels.
When asked what Garrett’s most memorable moment was with Dexter baseball, "It was hitting a walk-off against Jackson!" His most memorable moment in summer baseball was winning back-to-back State titles with the SEMO Spartans.
Garrett’s baseball season was cut short due to COVID-19 and the coronavirus epidemic so he started a lawncare business with fellow classmate and teammate Haden Hillis as a way to earn extra cash. He is also finishing his three dual credit courses online with SEMO and Three Rivers College.
"Garrett Henson is a laid back kid. He doesn’t ride the emotional roller coaster of a baseball game," commented DHS head baseball coach Drew Pixley. "He stays right in the middle, where things should be."
"Garrett probably would have been one of our top two pitchers this spring. He’s very difficult to hit when he stays down in the zone. With him being every bit of 6’5”, and maybe taller, he throws straight over the top. That high of a release point working down to a hitter is an extremely difficult angle to make solid contact. If he would’ve had the opportunity to have a consistent spring, he could have done some really good things."
"For the past two seasons, Garrett has always stayed in the lineup. He’s had some very good moments for us, but one in particular sticks out in my mind. His sophomore season at home versus Jackson. Jackson is a very solid program every year. There always at the top of our conference. But this particular game, we stayed in it and kept it close. We tied the game in the 7th inning. With 2 outs, Garrett is up to bat. He came through with a 2 strike single down the first base line, and we scored the winning run. It wasn’t a pretty hit. But in that high pressure situation as a sophomore, in a conference game, and at home in front of his hometown fans, he found a way to get the job done."
"This season is one I’ll never forget because of what could have been. Garrett was always asking me if I thought we would play the season, which tells me he was ready for competition. I really wish I would have been able to see these seniors compete this spring," stated Pixley.
Garrett’s future plans after high school are to attend the Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he will be a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.
