One of the most memorable baseball games in recent years was the thrilling, eight-inning 14-13 win by Francis Howell over Vianney in last spring's Class 4 semifinals in Springfield.
What makes that game even more impressive is the amount of Division I talent on the Meador Park diamond that afternoon -- seven players combined from the two teams.
The latest is Vianney junior catcher Jack Klages, who recently gave an early verbal commitment to Mizzou.
For more recruiting news and notes, check out Nate Latsch's latest notebook.
LANCER LEADER LIVIN' LARGE
The first public school championship in 30 years has led to a prestigious award for an area field hockey coach.
Lafayette's Kate O'Connell was named the national high school coach of the year by the 3,000-voter National Field Hockey Coaches Association.
The 25-year-old led her alma mater to a 22-1 record and is the youngest coach and first from the Midwest to receive the honor.
For more on O'Connell's award, check out Brett Auten's story.
STARTER'S KIT
Granite City boys basketball coach Steve Roustio needed a fifth starter. Troy Garcia had already established himself as a threat coming off the Warrior bench.
Problem solved.
Garcia stepped into the starting lineup and immediately paid dividends in helping the Warriors to victories in his first two starts. And the junior guard/forward has been on the court for the opening tip ever since.
Scott Marion has this closer look at Garcia.
WEEKEND REWIND
There was lots of great action both Friday and Saturday. For an up-to-date look at our latest basketball coverage, click here for the boys and here for the girls. The Winter Classic was Saturday, so here is a look at our latest hockey coverage. And we also had some exciting wrestling action, so to check up on all the latest there, click here.
ON THE TOWN, MONDAY STYLE
Readers can come back to the site late Monday to catch up on the game action. Here's what we're covering.
• McCluer (14-2, 0-1, No. 5 LS) is coming off the championship of the Belleville East Round-Robin boys basketball tournament and McCluer North (15-1, 3-0, No. 2 LS) is riding a super-sizzling 13-game winning streak. The two Suburban North Conference heavyweights collide at 5:30 at North.
• A top-10 large-schools girls basketball battle takes place in St. Charles County when No. 9 Nerinx Hall (11-7) visits No. 10 Francis Howell Central (14-4). Tip-off is 6.
• The Ameritime Classic boys tourney has a new home as it moves from Parkway West to Missouri Baptist and it gets underway with four first-round games today -- Lafayette (9-5) vs. Borgia (16-2, No. 6 SS) at 4; defending champ Hazelwood Central (11-4) vs. Parkway Central (11-5) at 5:30; Parkway West (3-11) vs. De Smet (12-5, No. 7 LS) at 7; and De Soto (15-3, No. 4 SS) vs. Parkway South (11-4) at 8:30.
• The Fort Zumwalt North Invitational boys tourney also begins with two first-round games -- Ritenour (4-11) vs. Troy (13-6) at 5:30; and Holt (9-8) vs. Pattonville (8-8) at 7.
• Mississippi Conference girls basketball foes square off when Carlyle (10-12, 5-3) travels to Columbia (14-7, 3-4) for a 7:45 tip.
THE VIEW FROM ELSEWHERE
• Thomas Halter learned Saturday morning his grandmother had unexpectedly passed away. As Jon Poorman of the Springfield News-Leader reports, the Glendale senior guard decided to go ahead and play in the Houlihan's Winter Classic championship game that night and scored 22 points to lead the Falcons to a 75-54 win over Carthage.
• We told you last week how Dane Church's Saxony Lutheran hoops squad beat his brother Drew's Cape Central team. Now, SEMOball.com's Rachel Crader gives us the Church family backstory.
