Our Heartiest Congratulations Graduates...and Graduates to Be. This is Duerrisms for the Week of May 20th. We are presented, as always, by the fine people at ADVANCE Physical Therapy. I am still licking my wounds from the travesty of justice that was the NBA Draft Lottery....but fortunately, we've got plenty of projects and lots of good Spring Playoff action to dull the pain.
On a business note: the people have spoken and we have our GRIDIRON PLAYBOOK Cover Shoot Heroes picked. We have also set June 8th as our photo shoot, here in Quincy at 10:00am. You will need to appear in full game day uniform. And we need to have confirmation of attendance from our "winners" before May 30th, so we can invite alternates if need be. You can e-mail me at cduerr@khqa.com or call me at the station at 1-800-935-7070. Our at large winners are Clark County's Mason Owen, Illini West's Stefan Flynn, Concord Triopia's Jacob Fricke, and Hannibal's Jordan Strickland. Our voters choice winners are Maverick Woodside of Rushville/Industry, Devon Johnson of Pittsfield, Derrick Hull of Central/Southeastern, Joe Chinn of Monroe City, Adam Wright of Palmyra, and Trey Yocum of Bushnell Prairie City Avon. Again, we need to know your availability ASAP, so we can plan accordingly with our alternates if someone can not attend. If we do not hear from you, we will assume you can not be part of the shoot.
Still need GRIDIRON PLAYBOOK questionnaires from QND, Illini West, Keokuk, Fort Madison, Van-Far, Louisiana, Paris, Mark Twain, Pleasant Hill, Jacksonville, Macomb, Winchester West Central, Beardstown, and West Prairie. If you see your coaches before the end of the school year, please remind them to submit the material so we can get you all some love in the Football Preview Magazine. And a big thanks to all who have already submitted their forms
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KHQA/ADVANCE Student Athlete of the Week
We have wrapped up our fourth season of the KHQA/ADVANCE Physical Therapy Student Athlete of the Week, and will award our twin scholarships to our Male and Female Student Athletes of the Year coming up on June the 4th at a special ceremony at Quincy University's Hall of Fame Room. Thank you to all who helped participate in allowing us to salute the best and brightest among our Tri State Seniors. And be on the lookout for winners, announced on the KHQA Late News on Thursday, June 5th.
2008/2009 Honorees
Week One: TAYLER ONION, Rushville-Industry Volleyball, Basketball, and Track
Week Two: AMANDA DARNELL, Quincy Notre Dame Cross Country
Week Three: JILLIAN YODER, North Shelby Softball
Week Four: TIM DENNEY, Jacksonville Routt Football, Baseball
Week Five: PARKER FREIBURG, Quincy High Golf
Week Six: MACY BROSS, Palmyra Softball
Week Seven: ROSS HUTSON, Illini West Football, Baseball
Week Eight: KACHINA HUDSON, Mark Twain Softball
Week Nine: CALEB GRAY, West Hancock Football, Basketball
Week Ten: DAHN KEMP, North Shelby Football
Week Eleven: ALI COOPER, Quincy High Tennis
Week Twelve: CHLOE BARNES, Quincy Notre Dame Basketball, Volleyball
Week Thirteen: AARON ZETTERLUND, Keokuk Football, Soccer
Week Fourteen: LYNN WILLIAMS, Clark County Football
Week Fifteen: CHELSEA REUTENAUR, Hannibal Volleyball, Basketball
Week Sixteen: ASHLEY TREASTER, Hannibal Volleyball
Week Seventeen: JACOB STENDBACK, Pittsfield Wrestling
Week Eighteen: DAVIS HENDRICKSON, Macomb Football, Basketball, Baseball
Week Nineteen: HENRY JOHNSON, Pittsfield Basketball, Baseball
Week Twenty: BRETT GLASER, Macomb Football, Basketball, Baseball
Week Twenty One: ALAN KELLER, Palmyra Basketball
Week Twenty Two: TREVOR PEZLEY, Central Lee Basketball
Week Twenty Three: JULIE GARMOE, Holy Trinity Basketball
Week Twenty Four: ZACH WOOD, Southeastern Basketball, Track and Field
Week Twenty Five: MATT PATTERSON, South Shelby Football, Basketball, Baseball
Week Twenty Six: CASSIE FERGUSON, Pittsfield Vollleyball, Basketball
Week Twenty Seven: LAURA WILLIAMS, Monroe City Basketball
Week Twenty Eight: DEVEAN OMOHUNDRO, Clopton Basketball
Week Twenty Nine: CHRIS HAAS, Warsaw Track and Field
Past Winners:
2007/2008: LUKE GUTHRIE, Quincy High/University of Illinois (golf)
2006/2007: KATELYN BASTERT, Illini West/Duke University (cross country/track)
2005/2006: MIKAL BENCOMO, Clopton/SEMO (Womens Basketball)
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Fearless Duerr Regional Baseball Championship Picks:
Winchester Regional: Griggsville-Perry
Sciota Regional: West Prairie
Routt Regional: Routt
North Greene Regional: Pittsfield
Macomb Regional: Macomb (though my gut has told me all week to pick West Hancock)
Class 1-District 11: LaPlata
Class 2-District 5: South Shelby
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PLAYOFF DIAMOND MUSINGS
Congrats to Pittsfield's Henry Johnson, who beat Rushville/Industry on Saturday Morning to surpass Stan Moss as the school's All Time Wins Leader with 23 victories. You can read more about Hank's college options below.
Neil Hugenberg's seeming inevitable march toward KHQA Player of the Year honors took a sizable hit Monday with the Pirate's loss to Fort Zumwalt North in the District Opener. It's not that Neil, who came back from a career threatening back injury, isn't still in the conversation; but the Pirates unexpectedly quick exit in District Play and late collapse seriously erodes the Pirate right-hander's favorite status and throws this race wide open among nine kids. And all nine other kids still have games to play to augment their resumes.
Talk about from the Out House to the Penthouse: LaPlata's new Baseball Facility, though difficult to find, is a tremendous leap forward and one of the finer baseball diamond's in Northeast Missouri. Probably doesn't hurt when your Superintendent is Baseball Junkie and Former North Shelby Svengahli Steve Carvajal.
Finally got my first chance to see Van-Far this week and was really impressed, despite the Indians heartbreaking loss to Palmyra in extra-innings. It is a shame Brock Teague got hurt early, because that is one impressive kid swinging a bat. The real future of the Indians, however, is Adrian Davis. The sophomore outfielder might be the best pure athlete to grace Northeast Missouri Baseball since Adam Coleman at Bowling Green. Davis is already a quality left-handed stick, despite his relative newness to the sport, and had six home runs this season. He also has a cannon for an arm and is the best defensive outfielder we've seen this year not named Davis Hendrickson (although he has similar range) Davis is supposed to be one heck of a point guard as well, if and when the Indians ever hash out their basketball coaching situation.
Give Josh Hopkins a ton of credit at Palmyra. He filled some of the region's biggest coaching shoes when he took over for Mark Loman and has gotten the Panther program peaking at the right time. While the Panthers are a senior dominated team, there is an impressive young nucleus in place lead by Austin Hinkle and Jacob Bross to help push the Panthers fight their way back to the top of the Clarence Cannon Conference down the road...if Macon ever decides to relinquish it's strangle-hold. And keep an eye on sleeper Jared Burke, who has bright future at second base.
Hard to find a better player than a healthy Dakota Damron. Palmyra's Catcher does everything well, but I am especially impressed with his plate discipline. That is the thing that doesn't translate until you watch him let the ball get deep into the strike zone and work pitches.
Hard to argue with Paul Scifres as the Clarence Cannon Conference Coach of the Year. Despite the Cougars near-miss in District Semifinal play, there is no question that the Cougars were the most improved program in all of Tri State Baseball this season. Graduation will take a heavy toll next year, largely because Scifres helped turn this Senior Class from non-descript to impressive in one quick spring. The Cougars had five seniors honored with All Conference accord this year, including first team picks Paul Power and Robert Maloney, the biggest breakout talent of the season. That, my friends, is good work.
The Oakland A's had "The Bash Brothers" so I guess South Shelby's powerhouse crew needs a nickname, now that the Cardinals look like the District 5 Favorites. How about "The Thunder Triplets" as Bryce Johnston, Wil Mefford, and Justin Wilt provide as powerful a Murderer's Row as you will find in Tri State Baseball. Those guys are strong enough to hit the ball out of any park, perhaps even Yellowstone National. The Cardinals put guys on base at the top of the line-up and force you to pitch to their power, which is clearly not a good proposition, especially for power throwers. Just ask Skyler Jameson, who could not get his terrific fastball past those guys. If I am Josh Hopkins, I roll on Friday with a pitcher who may not throw hard enough to break glass and try to keep the middle of that lineup off balance.
Loving the Louisiana Trips this week: not only for the wide open baseball competition but because I got to spend 10 minutes hanging with two of my favorite (and funniest) Louisiana Bulldog alums: PJ Shepard and Stormy Smith. Hearing PJ talk about his stint at Culver Stockton Football this season as the world's fastest kicker was just plain comic gold.
Paris might be our last Northeast Missouri team standing at the end of the playoffs, provided the Coyotes can upset Sturgeon for the District Title. In Tuesday's win over Glasgow, Freshman Cole Lockhart was the unsung hero, going 2x3 at the plate with 2 RBI and making a key defensive stop in the second inning to help seal the deal.
Best sentimental story of the Postseason: Beardstown's Ron Steffen. The long time Tiger Softball skipper is reportedly in the midst of his swan song season with the Lady Stripes and there are few classier or better people in coaching. The Lady Tigers are undeniably gifted (although had to dodge a major upset bid by Illini West on Tuesday) and playing on their home digs this weekend. Here's hoping Beardstown gets to prolong Steffen's stellar career for as many games as possible.
Best game of the weekend: Griggsville-Perry vs Virginia/AC Central Softball Showdown at West Central for all the Regional Marbles. This is no less than an Elite Eight worthy game and sadly the loser, doesn't even get a measly regional title to show for their efforts. Taylor Jockish/Lacy Emrick pitching duel should be worth the price of admission alone.
Best Sleeper: Pittsfield, who I have winning the Auburn Regional. In full disclosure, I actually had Pleasant Hill here originally, but a loss to Carrollton derailed Blake Skillman's fine reclamation projection this season (spurred by the luminous Stephanie Moesch and pitcher Lauren Damron) Jason Pressey's Lady Saukees can flat rake in the middle of the line-up and Kaity Schultz actually seems to get better as a hitter as the quality of the hurler improves. Schultz and Danielle VanWinkle can both put a ball over the fence in an instant. If the pitching holds up, the Lady Saukees could be around for much longer than most people anticipated.
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RANDOM MUSINGS
Monroe City's Joe Chinn, who led the state of Missouri in interceptions as a junior, is garnering Division One recruiting attention from Mizzou. PowerMizzou.com reports that Joe's outstanding showing at the NIKE Combine in Chicago (he posted the 18th highest SPARQ score in huge talent pool) pinged radar with the Tiger staff and that Joe got a visit from Offensive Coordinator Dave Yost earlier this month. Division One recruiting, especially at the small school level, is always strange dance and there is no hard offer for Joe to come play for the Tigers and no guarantee that one will develop. By the same token, Chinn has given himself a fighting chance to be seen by the likes of Mizzou and Northwestern and Iowa State as an escalating talent who could well play his way into a free education.
All State Illini West Guard Kyle Hartzell has ended his recruiting derby and will play for Missouri S&T next year. Quality run blocker who should have no problem giving the Miners a splash of power to go with their finesse based offense. Also, earlier this month, QND's leading tackler from 2008, Brandon Kientzle quietly signed with Saint Ambrose to continue his football career.
The Bozz Era Begins: Darin Bozzola, assistant to both Rick Little and Don Capaldo at West Hancock, will take over for the later as head Varsity Titan Coach in the wake of Don's "resignation" earlier this Spring.
Alan Koch will take over the Athletic Director Duties at Mark Twain for Mike Thompson, whose contract was not renewed this Spring. In talking with Alan, it is still up in the air at this point whether he will get to continue as the Tigers Head Baseball Coach (a position that he has filled very well, given how far that program has come) but he remains optimistic that the School Board will allow him to continue to man the dugout in Center. It appears that Matt Hudson will fill Mike Thompson's shoes as the Tigers Head Football Coach. Mark worked at the lower levels of Hannibal football this past year and was well thought of. He is not only a Mark Twain alum, but one with impeccable credentials. He graduated in 1994 and had a storied career at both Mark Twain and Missouri Valley. He played for both Fred Bouchard (JV) and Tom Gramates in football and also I believe placed in the State Track Meet in the Long and Triple Jumps. And he was a tremendously successful student too boot. Sounds like a winning hire.
Do or Die Bowl Cringe moment of the Year: Javis Vineyard badly tweaked a hamstring this past weekend in the Principia Track and Field Sectional Running the 100 Meter. We nervously await an injury report.....
You are indeed a Good Man, Charlie Brown. And our old friend Charlie is now also the newly installed Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Sullivan High School. The former Unity assistant and Gary Brickman disciple has been a long time fixture at Rochester and big part of the Rockets Success as an assistant. Now, Charlie takes on a program that has gone just 9-54 since the 2001 season. We wish Charlie well and hope to see him down the road on the playoff path in a few years.
College comings and goings for a pair of former South Shelby Lady Bird Basketball stars. Despite a strong Freshman campaign that saw her make 17 starts, the Quincy Herald Whig reports that former KHQA Player of the Year Runner-UP Erin Mayes has opted not to return to the hardwoods at Truman State. Erin will continue to matriculate as a student in Kirksville studying Business Administration, but will not play basketball. Erin is both a very serious and bright student and a no nonsense, goal oriented kid. There have been widely circulated tales of "internal disfunction" within the Lady Bulldog Basketball Program for the better part of the last six months. And as someone with working knowledge of the environment at Truman told me unsolicited this Winter, "It's just not a very fun situation for anyone involved." Erin has always been a student first and an athlete second and, from a purely speculative standpoint here, I wonder if the toxicity of the situation just proved to be too much drama for a quiet, hardworking, classy young lady who always was more about team and chemistry that she was about selfish personal aims.
After a year away from basketball coming out of high school, Sarah Eagan has resurrected her career at Mineral Area Community College and will now head off to play for AMC Coach of the Year Dan Chapla at NAIA National Tournament Qualifier William Woods.
Quietly, C-SC Baseball Coach Tim Southers is cherry-picking some very good sleepers from the Tri State High School Talent Pool. After getting Quincy High's Macey Ferguson-Smith earlier this spring, Southers followed up this week with Keokuk's Kelsey Payne, who has a nicely honed offensive game and is just a flat out winner with two Elite Eight appearances in her career.
Expect Canton Guard and first team All Do or Die Selection Justin Ellison to land at John Wood next season. He is techincally a walk-on, but Ellison is regarded as intriguing project in Mike Elbe's backcourt equation.
KHQA has confirmed through various sources now that former Palmyra Coach Brad Gooding has been offered and has verbally accepted the Principal Position at Illini West. And as we previously told you, the rumblings in Hancock County have former Quincy High/Quincy University star Andy Waggoner as a prime candidate to replace Troy Noble as the Chargers Boys Basketball Coach. Waggoner had strong but short stints running programs at Hannibal, West Pike, and Payson Seymour before taking a job in the Private Sector.
Former Hannibal Assistant Tyler Clark replaces Cody Leonard at South Shelby, as the Tri State Coaching Carousel is finally starting to slow down. Clark has never been a head varsity coach, but his resume is extremely pedigreed after stints with some of the Show-Me State's more visible programs: Parkway North, Lafayette, St Joe Central. As best we can surmise from Clark's previous work and the scuttlebutt we've heard out of Shelbina, the "run and gun" system Leonard employed the last two years will be replaced with a more "traditional" offense. Translation: don't expect to see South averaging in the 80 points per game range next season.
After getting the "Bret Hart in Calgary" treatment from the Kirksville School Board, Chuck Arnold has landed on his feet as the new head basketball coach at Winfield. He was also courted by Wentzville Holt and Holden in the process.
Kudos to Hannibal LaGrange Baseball Coaches Clay Biggs and Darren Funk, who have put together an extraordinary incoming class of talent. The Trojans have picked up commitments from John Wood's top battery: Ace Josey Garnett and Catcher Levi Graham (who I consider the two best area prospects available in the region, High School or JUCO) as well as quality hitters Justin Miller and Tyler Leihenseder. Garnett is an especially quality get, given the dearth of returning pitching outside of Justin Lucas, who made the leap into quality Number One Starter by season's end. On top of that, H-LG has sprinkled in four year players Clint Hamilton and Bryce Bristow from Pittsfield thus far...with designs on the Saukees All Time Pitching wins leader Henry Johnson as well. Johnson is still considering Truman State, where his brother Clayton starred, but as a baseball walk-on I believe. The El Diablo signing might be the most critical. He is, for my money, the best defensive player in Tri State Baseball and Clay Biggs desperately needs a middle infielder to step in this season. Hamilton makes sense at second base and is a kid capable of making that conversion quickly. Bristow is a great risk-reward signing in that he has only just started to realize his potential as an ideal lead-off hitter. He has pulse-quickening speed and I think he could be a kid four years that coaches puzzle over how he slipped under radar.
Ace out, Ace in. Greg Wathen just keeps restocking his program, convincing Illini West's Luke Burling to join the Blazer Program after interest from a host of JUCO suitors. Luke's Big Brother, the late great Jacob Burling, was an unbelievable talent at Upper Iowa and I actually think Luke's upside puts him on target to be a Division Two or better prospect after his stint at JWCC. The Blazers will also add Unity's top pitcher, Josh Gronewold this week; one of the great all around talents in Tri State sports. Gronewold has top notch stuff. He hasn't always gotten top notch run support, but playing for Wathen (who coached Josh's Unity skippers Travis Cooley and Shawn Altgilbers) will certainly serve to heighten his mental game. There wasn't a whole lot of hype about the JWCC Freshman Class last spring, but the way Ethen Baker, Nick Burke, Blake Harper, and Daniel McMahon played down the stretched last season, along with the return of Andrew Jurgesmeyer gives the Blazers a potentially potent line-up. If JaVaun West or Burling assume the ace mantle and Highland's hard-throwing Jeremy Platt pans out this could well be another 30 win season.
News that slipped by our radar this past weekend: Central Lee has qualified a nice contingent of Track and Field Athletes for State. On the boys side, Trevor Pezley earns his invitation in both the Long Jump and as part of the 4x100 Relay team along with Jay Wilsey, Justin Fett, and Brad Vogel. The Hawks 4 x 200 Relay of Jay Wilsey, Andrew Krehbiel, Justin Fett, and Brad Vogel also qualifies. Vogel also gets in in the 100 meter Dash. Lance Kramer is State-Bound in the 110 High Hurdles. Andrew Krehbiel, Jake Shannon, Tyler Foreman, and Lance Kramer all qualify in the Shuttle Hurdle Relay, while Krehbiel goes as an individual in the 400 Low Hurdles and 800 Meter Run. On the girls side, Lynnely Parker is State Bound in the 100 and 200 meter Dash and 100 High Hurdles. Distance star Katie Hocker qualifies in the Mile and Two Mile. And the 4x100 meter team of Erica smith, Ludo Venafro, Jessica Hunold, and Parker book state passage as well.
Canton State Golf Qualifiers Erik Potts (who finished 12th in the state) and Paul Ricketts signed this week with John Wood. Also big time congratulations to Paris' Gavin Ragsdale, who posted a Top 10 individual finish at the Class 1 State Golf Tournament in Nixa.
Don't forget Baseball Fans, our special 30 minute "Welcome to the Hannibal Caveman" Show airs May 30th and 31st at Noon. Set your DVR's.
Scuttlebutt from back home is that the King's Brass loves Syracuse Point Guard Jonny Flynn. As much as I am heartbroken by the Ricky Rubio swindle, I could actually live with Flynn or Memphis swingman Tyreke Evans (don't call him a point guard) and by the end of the Draft Lottery Debacle (rigged) I was actually something less than ready to jump off the Memorial Bridge.
