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| FALL SPORTS NEWS 2006-2007... | ||||
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Football | Homecoming | Softball | Cross Country | Golf | Volleyball | Tennis | Swim Team Fall Sports Archives | Fall Sports 2006-2007 |
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 Caption:
People of all ages turned out for the annual CHS intrasquad scrimmage held at the Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium Friday
night, August 18, 2006.
Although conditions were rainy, the lightning from thunderstorms in the Chillicothe vicinity held off long enough for the football team to get in some much needed practice time as part of the annual “Meet the Hornets” event for CHS fall sports teams. C-T Photo/Butch Shaffer First Competitions of CHS
Fall Sports Seasons Nearing
With practices underway as of this week, focus begins shifting to the start of interscholastic competition for the seven 2006 Chillicothe High School fall sports programs. The very first CHS action against another school's team will be the junior-varsity softball team's home game against Princeton at 5:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 21, the first date allowed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association for games, matches, or meets this year. The varsity softball Lady Hornets will begin game competition the following day with a trip to Bethany to face South Harrison at 5:30 p.m. Head coach Stan Baldwin and assistant Jim Radel have 21 players out this season as the Lady Hornets seek to defend their Midland Empire Conference and Class 3 district titles.
Also defending conference and district championships are the Lady Hornets' golf and tennis teams under coaches Vickie Garrett and Amy Baker, respectively. With only one returning varsity lineup regular from last year among the nine out, the golf Lady Hornets will face a significant challenge to repeating those 2005 titles. They'll start competition with a home match against Trenton Tuesday, Aug. 22. The tennis Lady Hornets, surprise district titlists a year ago with freshmen in the top three spots in their singles lineup, now appear to be well-positioned to continue their long-running dominance of the MEC and enjoy even more success on the district level. They'll get their first taste of match action against another school Tuesday, Aug. 22, also as Trenton visits. The fourth CHS fall sport team to get into competition this season will be the second-year boys' swimming program, which MSHSAA has shifted from a winter sport to fall. After having three team members in the program's inaugural year, coach Paulette Crawford has twice that many this year. The group will hit the water against outside foes Thursday, Aug. 24, when the Hornets host a home meet for the first time. That will be at the Grand River Area Family YMCA pool at 4 p.m. The 28-strong volleyball Lady Hornets, with the only new head coach in CHS fall roster, will have their first match at St. Joseph: LeBlond Thursday, Aug. 31. Karen Jackson, top assistant coach the past couple of years after a couple of years guiding the freshman squad, has ascended to the head coach's chair as Pam Gabel, head coach since the program began in 1994, has stepped down from the high school program to coach the Chillicothe Middle School team. The varsity football Hornets, with about 35 upperclassemen out at present, will go next, opening their regular season with a visit to Maryville Sept. 1. The previous Friday, they'll participate in an interschool scrimmage at Excelsior Springs again, facing Smithville, Richmond, and Knob Noster. That scrimmage is set for a 4:30 p.m. start. The last CHS fall sports team to get into competition this year again will be the cross country teams. Jill Watkins' squads are to open by hosting an invitational meet Tuesday, Sept. 5, at the Green Hills Golf Course. A “Meet the Hornets' event at which all CHS fall sports teams will be introduced is slated for Friday, Aug. 18, at Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium. Introductions will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by an intrasquad football scrimmage. Food will be served at the stadium, starting at 5 p.m. Those attending are asked by CHS athletics director, to bring soap or bath towels.
CHS Pigskin Trio
All-District Three 2006 Chillicothe football Hornets - from left, offensive guard Phillip Earley (59), junior running back Clint Singleton (30), and defensive tackles Michael Smith (52) - today were named all-northwest district by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.
Senior linemen Phillip Earley and Michael Smith and junior running back Clint Singleton represent the 2006 district-champion Chillicothe High School Hornets on this year's Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association (MSSA) northwest district combined Classes 3-5 all-district football team announced this morning. For defensive tackle Smith and offensive guard Earley, it is a repeat selection, while Singleton is honored for the first time by the media group, which met Nov. 16 to make its annual selections. All three Hornets garnered their second postseason honors. Last week, Midland Empire Conference coaches were unanimous in naming Smith all-conference at his defensive spot and Singleton was a first-team selection, as well. Earley was second-team all-MEC at both guard and defensive end. Smith, a two-year starter on the defensive side who also started on the offensive line this year, had as outstanding a season as any Hornets defensive lineman has produced in many years. In a rare, noteworthy accomplishment for a defensive lineman, he led Chillicothe in both overall tackles (83) and unassisted stops (30). The quick 5'11”, 220-pounder also was far and away the team's leading pass rusher, producing nine quarterback sacks among an estimated two dozen or so tackles behind the line of scrimmage. In addition to his productivity between the snap and whistle, Smith also was the team's emotional leader, his fire and zeal and vocal encouragement a constant for all his teammates to rally around. Earley, 6' and 195 pounds, was the clear-cut ratings leader among Chillicothe offensive linemen under the grading system used by the coaching staff, CHS head coach Phil Willard informed the C-T. His blocking for the run helped the Hornets produce a pair of 500-yards-plus ballcarriers in Singleton (844) and sophomore Kyle Dosterschill (557) and a more-active passing game which, even with starting quarterback Austin Sloan missing nearly three full games, generated nearly 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns. His season's work was made more impressive by the fact that an early-season illness kept him out of a couple of games and led to an 18-pound weight loss that he had to overcome. Singleton is the latest in the long line of multipurpose threats. A tough runner unafraid of taking the ball into the hole between the tackles despite his 5'9”, 170-pound physique, Singleton handled the ball from scrimmage more (146 times) than any other player. Of those 146 touches, 128 came on runs which gained an average of 6.6 yards and seven touchdowns, the longest scoring jaunt being a 52-yarder against St. Joseph: Benton. With speed to go with his toughness, he also was Chillicothe's deep threat in the passing game, making 18 catches for a team-leading 307 yards. His four receiving touchdowns came from distances of 40 (twice), 42, and 59 yards, the latter at Boonville in the district title-clinching win being the Hornets' longest play of the year. Singleton played full-time both ways, just as Earley and Smith did, and was the Hornets' top man in pass coverage at cornerback. Although it didn't factor into his district selection, he tied for the team lead in interceptions with two, returning one for a touchdown. District champ football Hornets honored Friday
CAPTION: Honored at Friday night's annual Chillicothe football Hornets postseason awards program with either the Coaches' Award or as the top player in their position group were, from left: senior Casey Prewitt and sophomore Tyler Trammell, co-top wide receiver; senior Brooks Stephens, co-Coaches' Award; senior Michael Smith, top defensive lineman and Shawn M. Trager Memorial Scholarship recipient; senior Austin Sloan, co-Coaches' Award and top linebacker/defensive back and special teams; junior Clint Singleton, top offensive back; and senior Phillip Earley, top offensive lineman.
Eleven varsity lettermen shared in 11 special awards presented Friday night during a postseason recognition event for the 2006 Chillicothe High School football Hornets with heavy focus on the players and little reflection on the team's overall performance. The awards portion of the event, held in the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center for the first time following a Hy-Vee-catered meal in the CHS commons (a conflicting event necessitated the commons being cleared as early as possible Friday evening), saw Hornets head coach Phil Willard and assistant coaches Bill Shaffer, Jeff Staton, and Chad Snyder (Dave Mapel had a prior commitment and was not present) introduce and make specific remarks about every player on the varsity or junior-varsity level - a couple of which were freshmen - who earned either a full (25) or provisional (7) varsity letter for 2006. Of the 25 full lettermen, 10 were seniors and one was a freshman. Following letter presentations and remarks and the presentation of summer weightlifting session pins to about 15 or 16 player, Willard announced the recipients of this year's special awards. Co-recipients of the Coaches' Award for overall dedication and contribution to the team were seniors Brooks Stephens and Austin Sloan. Named best at their positions in 2006 were: Offensive back - junior running back Clint Singleton; Offensive line - senior guard Phillip Earley; Receiver - (shared) senior wide receivers Casey Prewitt and sophomore Tyler Trammell; Defensive lineman - senior tackle Michael Smith; Linebacker/Defensive Back - linebacker Sloan; and Special Teams - placekicker/punter Sloan. Tabbed most improved in their position groups were: Defensive lineman - junior tackle Nathan Followwill; Defensive back - junior strong safety (monster) Tyson Blattner; Offensive lineman - sophomore guard Cory Lowe; and Offensive Back - sophomore Kyle Dosterschill. A final highlight of the proceedings was the announcement of Smith as the recipient of the third-annual Shawn M. Trager Memorial Scholarship for the 2006-07 school year. The scholarship, named for the late Hornets football standout, consists of a $1,000 award and plaque, both of which will be officially presented at the Seniors Awards Assembly next May. Making the announcement and presentation on behalf of the Trager family and the scholarship committee was Shawn's father, Matt. Grain Valley Harvests Sectional Win
C-T photo / Butch Shaffer It worked once, but not quite a second time. The Chillicothe football Hornets fell behind a Missouri River Valley Conference opponent at home, allowing three touchdowns and trailing by 12 points at halftime, in the opening week of Class 3 District 14 play back on Oct. 20, then rallied to pull out a last-second 22-19 victory over Odessa. Last night, in the opening round of the state playoffs, another MRVC squad - the co-champion Grain Valley Eagles - built a 21-0 lead after three quarters at Chillicothe's Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium before the Hornets came buzzing back. As they did against Odessa, the Hornets scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns, but that still left them one short as Grain Valley (10-1) rode away with a 21-13 triumph. The defeat ended Chillicothe's season with a 5-6 record, the first time in 14 years the Hornets have not been at or above .500 at season's end. It is only CHS' third losing campaign since 1961. Despite an uphill battle, the Hornets didn't go without a fight. They nearly had a chance at a miraculous comeback after narrowing the gap to 21-13 on a 10-yard Austin Sloan-to-Tyler Trammell touchdown pass with 1:16 remaining, but the subsequent onside kick was ruled to have been touched by a Chillicothe player first before going the required 10 yards, giving the Eagles the ball where it was illegally touched. Chillicothe partisans and at least one neutral observer perceived the bouncing ball as first having glanced off a Grain Valley player's leg, which would have made it a free ball and Chillicothe's covering of it legal. When the call stood in the visitors' favor, they ran out the clock, converting one first down to do so, and secured their berth in the state quarterfinals at Kansas City against St. Pius X on Monday. Pius, in an ironic balancing of the scales, edged previously-undefeated Midland Empire Conference champion Platte County 17-14 at Platte City on a late field goal. Last year, a controversial penalty call against SPX gave Platte County a second attempt at a winning field goal in the last seconds and the Pirates capitalized to win. “Our kids - it's typical of all year - didn't give up and got back in the football game,” CHS head coach Phil Willard lauded. He later added, “We don't like ending this way, but, at the same time, we're proud of our kids.” Statistically, the defense-controlled game played out remarkably evenly aside from the punt return.
Chillicothe used 90 second-half passing yards to end up with 182 total yards, while Grain Valley's 150 ground yards keyed a 195-yard output. With Grain Valley daring the Hornets to pass the first three periods, Chillicothe's ground game was overwhelmed, managing only 72 yards in 32 carries. Junior Clint Singleton's team-best 51 yards on 12 rushes brought him to just over 840 yards for the year.
C-T photo / Butch Shaffer
Hornets Up Where They Belong With Boonville crowding the line of scrimmage to defend Chillicothe's running game, the Hornets took to the air for a season-high 161 yards and three touchdowns while pirating three Pirates passes and limiting Boonville to four completions and 14 yards in 23 attempts. With its defense stymieing the home team at every turn - Boonville had only 69 total yards prior to a 41-yard run on the game's second-to-last play, Chillicothe used its ability to strike through the air to easily complete a three-game sweep of Class 3 District 14 play this season. As a result, the 5-5 Hornets will enter the state playoffs for the 23rd time in their history - and first time in three years - next Wednesday when they host the 9-1 Grain Valley Eagles in a 7 p.m. sectional game. Grain Valley wrapped up the District 13 championship Thursday night, as well, waxing Oak Grove 34-6. Chillicothe senior quarterback Austin Sloan clearly had the best game, statistically, of his two-year tenure as starting quarterback. Among his eight completions in 16 attempts were a 59-yard scoring hookup with running back Clint Singleton in the first quarter, a 27-yard TD strike to end Casey Prewitt in the third, and a 12-yard connection with Tyler Trammell in the fourth. He now has nine touchdown passes in 2006, despite missing two full games and most of another. Sharing the spotlight with Sloan was the CHS defense, which posted its second-consecutive district shutout and now has not allowed any points in the last 10 periods. The victory was Chillicothe's third in a row after going only 2-5 during Midland Empire Conference play. Statistically, the numbers put up by Sloan and the three receivers he hooked up with were the offensive highlights. Sloan finished eight of 16 for 161 yards with the three scores and no interceptions, one of the most impressive CHS passing performances in several years. Trammell had four catches for 49 yards, giving him now 15 receptions on the year, even though he played nearly 2-1/2 games at quarterback. The two grabs each by Prewitt and Singleton increased their season totals for 17 apiece. Singleton still has the most yardage with 308. At stake for the Hornets in next week's playoff opener not only will be advancement in the playoffs - probably to a road rematch with MEC champion Platte County, but also making certain this season doesn't produce Chillicothe's first losing record since the 1992 club finished 4-6 a year after the most recent of CHS' five state championships. Decked By Dysart
C-T photo / Butch Shaffer RICHMOND - The winless Richmond Spartans undoubtedly had junior Clint Singleton, the Chillicothe Hornets' leading ballcarrier and pass receiver, in their sights Friday night as they took the field, hoping to spring an upset. They never saw another Clint coming. CHS sophomore Clint Dysart, nicked up at various times this season and therefore only sparingly worked into the Hornets' offensive lineup, galloped for 143 yards on only six carries, scoring from both 47 and 49 yards in the second period, to help power the Hornets past the host Spartans 41-0. “We've certainly been wanting to make more use of Clint,” Phil Willard, Chillicothe head coach, said of the sophomore. “Unfortunately, between playing in (junior-varsity) games and practice, we couldn't keep him healthy long enough.” Dysart, a somewhat-more-powerful back than the Hornets' top tandem of Singleton and sophomore fullback Kyle Dosterschill, made his first impact for the varsity Hornets in short-yardage-situation carries in week seven at Cameron. His running there helped Chillicothe establish some offensive momentum after falling behind 21-0 in that eventual 28-13 loss, but he also got his bell rung in the fourth quarter. He completely missed the close district-opening win over Odessa while still recovering from his concussion, but was back in uniform for his offensive and special-teams duties at Richmond and made his presence felt. With the Chillicothe defense having limited the Spartans to six yards of total offense in the opening period, the Hornets still were on top only 7-0 four minutes into the second quarter when Dysart was inserted and got his first carry on a first-and-10 from the Hornets' 37. He gained 16 yards, using a nice cutback read to find a crease, to move the yardsticks, then burst off left guard off the strong side of the Hornets' unbalanced set and went all the way to make it 13-0 at the 7-minute mark of the quarter. Less than two minutes later, after senior cornerback A.J. Kohl's interception of an overthrown pass and return - he made it to the end zone, but a blocking penalty during the runback spotted the ball at the RHS 16, Dosterschill made it 20-0 in three-consecutive runs. After forcing David Arnold's fifth of six first-half punts - Richmond managed only two first downs and 27 total yards in 26 offensive plays before halftime, the Hornets took possession at their own 30. Given Richmond's inability to move the ball against the CHS defenders, Michael Smith's 21/2 sacks and Kohl's pick highlighting the opening-half play of the Hornets' ‘D,' the outcome seemed a foregone conclusion at that point and proved to be. After Richmond tried and failed to convert a fourth-and-1 at its own 29 on the subsequent possession, the Hornets cashed in for the game's last points. After Dysart picked up 16 on the first play, they overcame a five-yard penalty with seven more runs, senior Brett Marriott getting his first touchdown of his varsity career from a yard out on the second snap of the fourth period. That closed the scoring. Held to 52 total yards through three stanzas, Richmond tacked on another 41 in the last quarter against the CHS reserves to finish with 91 total yards on 45 plays. Chillicothe rushed 32 times for 226 yards (7.1 per carry) while getting all 55 net passing yards on the early TD pass to produce a modest 281 total yards. Given the stingy defense and the effective rate of gain on the ground, Willard proclaimed the critical district win “a total team effort.”
C-T photo / Butch Shaffer With Odessa having mauled Boonville 39-7 Friday, the Hornets have undisputed possession of the district lead at 2-0, but their requirement for capturing the title this week is little changed. Rather than this being a winner-take-all showdown, as it would have been had Boonville also improved to 2-0, the Hornets have the slightest bit of “wiggle room”, should they fall at Boonville. Their only sure bet, however, is to prevail Thursday night.
CAPTION: Chillicothe quarterback Austin Sloan prepares to launch the long third-down pass which ignited the Hornets' game-winning field goal drive in Friday's 22-19 victory over Odessa. Sloan's third-and-12 aerial connected with Tyler Trammell for 34 yards - the last of the sophomore receiver's four catches for 72 yards - to move the ball into Odessa territory in the final 65 seconds of the game. Chillicothe eventually got the ball to the Odessa 5, from where Sloan kicked the winning field goal with 3.8 seconds to go. C-T photo / Paul Sturm Somehow, it's not quite fitting that the winning points of the Chillicothe-Odessa football game Friday night came on a placekick, but you won't find Chillicothe's Hornets kicking about it. Eleven plays after Odessa came up empty playing to win in regulation time, rather than improving its chances of going to overtime, Hornets senior Austin Sloan sneaked a 23-field goal attempt from the middle of the field just inside the left upright to give Chillicothe (3-5) a 22-19 comeback victory at home in the first week of Class 3 District 14 action for 2006. The field goal, with 3.8 seconds left on the clock when it was whistled good, completed a rally from a first-half deficit of 13-0 and a 19-7 halftime hole. It concluded a 64-yard, 11-play CHS march after Odessa (4-4) threw an incompletion on a bold fourth-and-7 gamble at the Hornets' 31 with 1:46 remaining. Instead of being 80 yards away from the end zone had Odessa done nothing more than punt the ball across the CHS goal line and potentially farther if the punt could be downed inside the 20, Chillicothe had both less distance to cover to get into possible field goal range and the emotional boost of the fourth-down stop. The winning drive looked unlikely when the Bulldogs stopped Sloan for a 2-yard loss on first down and forced him to throw the ball away on a second-down rollout. However, on third-and-12 from the 29, instead of playing it safe himself and running the ball to, at least, either force OHS to use its last timeout or get the clock well below a minute before a fourth-down punt, Chillicothe head coach Phil Willard and offensive coordinator Dave Mapel agreed to let it all hang out. They called for a long pass, a fade route to sophomore wide receiver Tyler Trammell down the CHS sideline, and it proved to be a golden call. Sloan - having shown signs of rust as he returned from a nearly-three-week absence with an injury to his passing hand - uncorked probably his finest pass of the night, arching the ball past midfield and just inside the sideline. Trammell, who had been able to drive the cornerback inside some, was able to get separation as he then faded toward out of bounds and cradled the ball just before going out of bounds for a stunning 34-yard gain to the Odessa 37. With still 1:05 to go, Chillicothe was within probably 15-17 yards of the strong-legged Sloan's field goal range since the Hornets were going into a southerly wind. After taking its last timeout, Odessa once more tried to make a stand, only to give up a big third-down conversion as Chillicothe created a massive chasm up the middle on a third-and-12 draw play. Sophomore Kyle Dosterschill, whose 4-yard run had tied the game at 19-19 with 4:35 remaining, used the big hole to pick up 14 to the 25, earning another set of downs. Sticking with a hot hand, Chillicothe sent Dosterschill forward for six and then popped him free for another 13 to the 6. After spiking the ball to stop the clock, a 1-yard Dosterschill gain off the left side positioned the ball right in front of the goalposts. After a timeout, Sloan's kick angled left, but was ruled to have been inside the upright. Statistically, it was a game of two distinct halves. Chillicothe outgained its visitors 187-73 in the second half after Odessa had an even-bigger 207-69 advantage in the first two quarters. Hooper, already over 1,000 yards for the season before the game, had 64 of the 80 rushing yards on his team's game-opening scoring drive and, as mentioned previously, finished with 146 on 29 carries. Harvey tacked on another 96 yards as Odessa unofficially ran for 248, but threw for only 32. Dosterschill ran for 77 yards on 18 attempts with one TD to lead a 165-yard CHS ground game. Trammell had four catches for 72 yards and a score as Sloan was going seven of 18 for 91 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Having snapped a four-game losing streak and with a win in its district opener, Chillicothe will travel to Richmond next Friday to face the winless Spartans. Richmond was thrashed by Boonville 40-19 Friday.
C-T photo / Butch Shaffer Football Hornets Build
Momentum for District in Loss at Cameron CAMERON - The Chillicothe football Hornets seemingly scored a victory within a loss Friday night. The Hornets tumbled to 2-5 on the season and finished Midland Empire Conference play 2-5 with a 28-13 defeat at Cameron, but in the process seemed to create positive momentum for themselves heading into a very winnable Class 3 District 14 schedule next week. Cameron held a 21-0 lead barely 13 minutes into the contest at Dave Goodwin Field, but the Hornets bowed their necks and at least played the 6-1 Dragons to a standoff overall the rest of the way, including outscoring them 13-7. Against a Cameron defense generally regarded as quite strong, Phil Willard's Hornets - even with senior quarterback Austin Sloan again unavailable due to a nerve injury in his throwing arm - generated significant offense over the last three periods. Junior running back Clint Singleton unofficially rushed for 139 yards on 19 carries with scoring runs of eight and 31 yards. Sophomore quarterback Tyler Trammell, although still bedeviled by ballhandling demons - he fumbled the ball away twice and recovered his own drop a third time - made a number of on-target passes as the game wore on, suggesting the Hornets may be able to have some run-pass balance even if Sloan is unable to return. Unfortunately for the Hornets, the Dragons had what it took to cash in quickly on short fields three times and added a blocked punt they recovered in the CHS end zone for their four TDs. The first of two 4-yard scoring runs by Cameron sophomore quarterback Sean Skilling came on the fourth play of a 45-yard drive that followed a short Sloan punt and 10-yard return. In the final minute of the first quarter, Sloan's second punt attempt from about his own goal line was knocked back by Jordan Tharp and fallen on by Tyler Reese just inside the back line of the end zone. With Brent Seifert's second PAT, it was 14-0, Cameron. Reese's interception and return plus an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Hornets quickly gave the Dragons the ball again and, after starting at the CHS 35, they scored in three plays - Skilling hitting Jeff Rooney on a square-out route from the 9 for the TD. With 10:58 left before halftime, the Dragons were in front 21-0. After Chillicothe didn't move again, Cameron started in Hornets territory again at the 49, but were stopped for a 1-yard gain on a fourth-and-2 play at the 30, junior tackle Nathan Followwill making the stop on Seifert. That seemed to turn the game as the Hornets sprung Singleton for a 19-yard run two plays later and, a bit later, followed a Trammell-to-A.J. Kohl 12-yard pass play on third-and-4 with a 29-yard trek by Singleton to get the ball to the Dragons' 5. After two short runs and a procedure penalty, the Hornets beautifully executed a pitch sweep with Singleton out of the triple-stack "I," the ball carrier going around left end to pay dirt from eight yards away on a third-down play. The Hornets moved the yardsticks three times in the last two minutes before finally trying a 32-yard field goal on the last play of the half. Although he had plenty of distance, Sloan saw his boot go wide left and Chillicothe had to settle for being down by 14, rather than 21-10. A Trammell fumble gave Cameron the ball at the Hornets 30 about three minutes into the third period and, three plays later, Skilling again squirmed in on a keeper from four yards away. After an exchange of possessions, Chillicothe started at its own 25 midway through the third quarter and went "to the house" in 10 plays. Just after crossing midfield, Trammell found Singleton for an 18-yard pickup to the 31. On the subsequent snap, the Hornets again had outstanding execution on a wide play to the left, flanked back Brett Marriott coming in motion toward the ball to provide an early seal block and two linemen and another back leading Singleton around the corner where he turned upfield and went the 31 yards to the end zone standing up. With 4:40 left in the third quarter, Chillicothe was back to within two touchdowns of the heavily-favored Dragons, although Sloan's extra-point kick was blocked. Chillicothe then marched from its 20 to Cameron 19 before losing the ball on downs. When Cameron didn't move the sticks, Seifert punted in the final minute of the game, a low, tumbling kick right between the Hornets' twin deep men, one of whom muffed the catch, allowing the Dragons to recover. After one kneeldown, Cameron had its somewhat-shaky 28-13 win. For Chillicothe, the way it gave as good as it got the final 33 minutes of the game against the defending Class 2 state champs portends well for their ability to compete with and beat their upcoming district foes - Odessa at home next Friday in the home finale and then winless Richmond and Boonville on the road. None of those three have distinguished themselves thus far this season in a jumbled Missouri River Valley Conference. If Chillicothe can solve its giveaways problems, it has a reasonable chance to getting back to the .500 mark by the end of the regular season, which would coincide with winning its district and reaching the state playoffs after a two-year absence. Smithville Holds
On for First-Ever Grid Win Over Chillicothe With two first-quarter touchdowns in less than two minutes after Chillicothe turnovers, the unbeaten Smithville Warriors looked ready to run the Hornets out of their own Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium Friday night. However, the Hornets steadied themselves and didn't give the Warriors a chance to heave a sigh of relief that the Midland Empire Conference victory was clinched until the final two minutes when, down 20-14 and with only one timeout left, Chillicothe lost the ball on downs at its own 29. The game saw a multitude of turnovers - the Hornets (2-4, 2-4 MEC) committing four giveaways via a pair of fumbles and two interceptions and the Warriors (6-0, 3-0) handing the ball over three times on a fumble and two pickoffs. The eventual difference in the game was that all three Smithville touchdowns - Zach Welch's 3-yard runs and Andrew Jones' 8-yard catch - came after CHS turnovers, while Chillicothe cashed in after only one of its three takeaways. Smithville drew first blood with 4:56 remaining in the opening quarter when Welch capped a six-play, 62-yard drive with his 3-yard run. The key play of the possession was a 40-yard completion from Zach Frerichs to wide receiver Nathan Daraban on a quick slant that took the ball to the CHS 20. After Welch's score, quick penetration by an SHS defensive lineman jarred the ball loose as Trammell tried to hand off on a second-and-10 play at the Hornets 10. Recovering at their own 3, the Hornets threw a short pass to Singleton on the next play, but cornerback Daraban came up to make a strong hit a second later and jarred the ball free. Jones recovered at the 8 and caught a high Frerichs toss across the middle on the next play for a touchdown and a 14-0 Smithville lead. Shaken, the Hornets finally stirred in the second period. The defense twice coming up with interceptions, the CHS offense used the momentum shift to spark to life. After Clint Singleton gained five, senior Brett Marriott burst through a hole off left guard and dashed 29 yards across midfield. Next play, Singleton went 29 yards off left guard on a counter play and the Hornets were first-and-goal at the Smithville 7. After picking up another five on two runs and then being penalized five, the Hornets got on the scoreboard when Singleton found an angle to the right corner of the end zone at the 5:37 mark of the second stanza. An athletic, leaping, one-handed interception by 6'6" defensive end Jones at the CHS 13 set up the Warriors with a very short field again in the third quarter and, three plays later, Welch lugged it to make the score 20-7, Smithville. Given another chance to feel sorry for itself and give up, Chillicothe fired back instead. Starting from its 34, it picked up a couple of first down, the first set up by another nice Marriott carry and the other on a 13-yard Singleton gain. On the next play, from the SHS 40, Singleton motioned out of the backfield and ran the Hornets' pet deep pass play, a post pattern. Once more it worked and sophomore quarterback Tyler Trammell led his back perfectly for a 40-yard touchdown that, with Austin Sloan's conversion kick, brought Chillicothe to within six with 1:36 to go in the third period. The Hornets got the ball back in good field position and advanced it to the SHS 30 with still more than seven minutes to go, but got no further. Savannah ran some time off on its next possession and punted Chillicothe deep into its own end of the field with less than three minutes to go. When the Hornets couldn't move the sticks, the Warriors took over on downs and ran out the clock. The visitors ended up with a slight advantage in total offense (234-214) and had the extra takeaway. The Warriors might have sustained their early advantage more easily had it not been for Daraban suffering an ankle injury while being tackled at the end of an 18-yard catch-and-run on a second-and-19 play in the second quarter. That catch had been his third of the night for 72 yards. Jones finished with five catches for 49 yards and the one score. Welch ran 28 times for 90 yards and Frerichs was nine of 16 throwing for 129 yards with one TD and two interceptions. For Chillicothe, Singleton again was the big weapon, gaining 145 yards on 24 rushes and catching both of Trammell's completions for 45 yards. He also scored both CHS touchdowns. The Hornets played without senior quarterback/linebacker Austin Sloan, aside from his two extra-point kicks and one punt. A timetable for his return to offensive and defensive duty remains uncertain as he tries to get over an injury to his ulna nerve suffered in last week's Savannah loss. Hornets
Fall to Savannah in Homecoming '06
C-T Photo / Catherine Stortz Ripley The stands at Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium were nearly filled to capacity as the Chillicothe Hornets hosted the Savannah Savages for the 88th annual Chillicothe High School homecoming Friday night. Beneath mostly clear skies with just a hint of fall chill, senior Tara Jeffries was crowned homecoming queen and Austin Sloan was crowned king. The coronation followed the game which saw Savannah beat Chillicothe 21-7. With the CHS Marching Hornets and flag corps members uniformly positioned on the football field, each member of the homecoming royalty was escorted down the 50-yard line. The student body had voted on the king and queen earlier in the week but the winners were not announced until during the coronation ceremony. Jeffries is the daughter of Doug and Michelle Jeffries. Sloan is the son of Bob and Carol Sloan. The king and queen both were presented with gifts donated by Sensenich Jewelers. Jeffries is a member of the Spanish Club, Key Club, FFA, and girls “C” Club. She participates in softball, is on the honor roll, and was a freshman homecoming attendant. She is a member of Pleasant Grove United Methodist Church and plans to attend the University of Missouri-Columbia and major in elementary education. Sloan is a member of the student council, Spanish Club, National Honor Society, and boys “C” club. He plays basketball and football, and has earned All-Conference awards in both sports, as well as being nominated for the All-District football team and KMZU Dream Team. Sloan serves as the senior class vice president, is on the honor roll, and has earned an academic letter. He is an FCA captain, and also attends the United Methodist Church and Christ for Life youth group. He plans to attend college and pursue a career in financial planning. In addition to Jeffries, queen candidates were Meagan Scott, Alison Critten, Kristen Jeschke, and Sierra McCown. In addition to Sloan, this year's king candidates were Cole Minnis, Carter Lindley, Matt Oleson, and Phillip Earley. Platte County Pummelling C-T photo / Butch Shaffer PLATTE CITY - Outstanding offensive diversity the Chillicothe Hornets once again could not match led to another Platte County Pirates victory Friday night. Running with effectiveness inside and out and exploiting Chillicothe's season-long difficulty defending the long pass, the Pirates improved to 12-1 all-time against Chillicothe with a 35-10 home romp in PCHS' Midland Empire Conference opener Friday night. "We're happy," Platte County head coach Chip Sherman reflected after having suggested, "Šif we played 'em again tomorrow, I bet you we couldn't do this." "Anytime you can beat Chillicothe (2-2, 2-2 MEC), it's a good day," Sherman said. Platte County (4-0, 1-0 MEC) unofficially rolled up 237 rushing yards on 45 carries and quarterback Jake Crawford hit on 11 of 14 throws for another 204 yards and two touchdowns. Not only was Platte County balanced offensively on the ground and in the air, it also was relatively equally efficient in each half. It unofficially gained 245 yards in the first half and another 196 in the second. Chillicothe unofficially finished with 167 yards of total offense - 98 in the air and 69 on the ground. It had the only two turnovers of the game, both on interceptions thrown by Sloan. "It was a disappointing night, the way we played," the Hornets coach remarked. "There were some good things. I felt like our defensive line, at times, fought their rear ends off. Offensively, we've just got to get a lot more consistent." Chillicothe will have its 2006 Homecoming game next Friday against Savannah. Platte County, which has lost only once to Chillicothe ever, will be at St. Joseph: Benton next week. Ground Roast C-T photo / Butch Shaffer The oldie was still a goodie for the Chillicothe football Hornets Friday night. Over the years, the Hornets have used a punishing, relentless running game to dominate their games with St. Joseph: Lafayette. Even though this year's Hornets are seeking to diversify their attack, when it came to playing the Fighting Irish, they prospered by living in the past. Sophomore fullback Kyle Dosterschill not only enjoyed the first 100-yard game of his career, he surpassed 200 - carrying 22 times for 212 yards and three touchdowns as Chillicothe ground down Lafayette 42-13 in Midland Empire Conference play at CHS' Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium Friday. Not only did Dosterschill reach triple digits on the ground, so did junior halfback Clint Singleton, whose 151 yards from scrimmage included 109 and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Singleton tacked on a 42-yard touchdown pass reception early in the second half which set the "running clock" rule into effect for all but the last 1:40. The running success was more impressive because it was built on the work of a reconfigured offensive line, which was without senior guard Phillip Earley. He missed the contest because of illness, the C-T was told. “(Senior tackle) Michael Smith made a big move inside to guard,” related Willard. “That was big for us. I know he wasn't feeling real well tonight either. Then (sophomore) Justin Followwill filled in at tackle.” On defense, despite being somewhat under the weather, Smith produced the Hornets' two quarterback sacks, giving him the team lead now with 21/2. Senior Brett Marriott took Earley's end spot and filled in nicely, including making one tackle for a loss and another for no gain in the first quarter. The No. 1 defense's shining moment came in the last half of the second quarter, stopping an Irish drive that began at the Chillicothe 45 at the CHS 1. Chillicothe had the game's only takeaway, a first-quarter pass theft by senior safety Casey Prewitt that set up the short field which resulted in Dosterschill's 5-yard score that made it 21-0. Alec Thurmon, CHS' 300-pound nose tackle also appeared to intercept a shovel pass in the second quarter, but it was ruled the ball hit the ground, although Thurmon said it was just pinned between his arm and body. “We had some pretty good, solid defensive line play,” said the Chillicothe head coach, who - in the absence of offensive coordinator Dave Mapel - for one night added the offensive play-calling chores to his usual work as defensive coordinator. Mapel was at the funeral visitation for his father, who died last Wednesday morning. “Our secondary made some plays - Casey made a nice interception. That was good, to get an interception finally.” St. Joseph: Benton Picks Way Past Hornets Again
C-T photo / Paul Sturm For the second year in a row, a budding Chillicothe football Hornets drive for go-ahead points against the St. Joseph: Benton Cardinals was turned on its head and instead propelled the Cardinals to a Midland Empire Conference victory. With Friday's game in Chillicothe tied 7-7 and the Hornets in possession near midfield, Benton junior free safety Ashton Noland cut in front of intended CHS receiver Casey Prewitt on a post pattern, made the pick of Austin Sloan's pass, and raced about 65 yards unfettered to the south end zone to give the Cardinals a lead they'd not relinquish in an eventual 21-14 victory. In the first half, sophomore strong safety Jake Kretzer played zone coverage perfectly and took down a Sloan pass for a lengthy return. That one didn't become points, but it did keep the Cardinals in early control of field position. After Noland's pickoff and TD, Benton (1-0, 1-0 MEC) scored what would be the decisive touchdown on a long, but quick, drive later in the third quarter. Back-to-back lob passes on fade routes to Kyle Cline from Bryce Schoenfelder combined to produce 71 yards and put the ball on the CHS 4 less than two minutes after Benton took over on its 13. The 87-yard scoring drive ended on its sixth snap when Noland darted in from four yards away. A two-point conversion pass from Schoenfelder to Cline made it 21-7. Instead of being spooked, however, Chillicothe (1-1, 1-1) struck back even more quickly. It covered 81 yards in four plays and 1:43, junior Clint Singleton slipping through a hole on the right side, making a slight cutback, and then racing away to the end zone on a 52-yard run. With the conversion kick, Chillicothe was back to within one score, 21-14, with a minute left in the third period. However, neither team could score in the fourth. Benton held onto the ball for 14 plays on its ensuing possession before turning it over on downs at the Chillicothe 38. The loss took the shine off Singleton's big night. He unofficially rushed 12 times for 105 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career, and he caught three throws for another 75 yards. He had a touchdown each way. The opposing quarterbacks had very similar numbers, except for the two interceptions Benton made. Sloan unofficially finished 11 of 23 for 147 yards with a TD and two picks. Schoenfelder, a surprising second-team All-State choice last year, was nine of 19 for 145 yards. He had no scoring passes and no interceptions. Chillicothe will host the conference's other St. Joseph member, Lafayette, next Friday at 7 p.m. Lafayette was ripped by Maryville in its regular-season opener Friday. Opportunistic Hornets
Claim 2006 Season Opener at Maryville 30-14
(C-T file photo / Paul Sturm) MARYVILLE - The 2006 high school football season is off on the right foot for the Chillicothe Hornets, thanks to opportunism and good special teams play. Chillicothe took advantage of "short" fields four times to score touchdowns, including a pivotal, lightning-strike 54-yard, five-play dash in the last 41 seconds of the first half that gave them a 16-7 intermission lead, to defeat the Maryville Spoofhounds 30-14 in a Midland Empire Conference game. Chillicothe never trailed after getting on the scoreboard before they even touched the ball. After failing to gain a first down on the game's initial series of downs, Maryville put itself behind the eight-ball when, from its 28, the punt snap went way over punter Tyler Oglesby's head. To prevent a Hornets recovery for a touchdown or possession inside the MHS 5, Oglesby swatted the ball out the back of the end zone and the Hornets were ahead 2-0 94 seconds after the opening kickoff. Four minutes into the second quarter, the CHS defense helped force a botched handoff in the Spoofhounds backfield and 6'7", 300-pound defensive tackle Alec Thurmon fell on the ball at the MHS 45.
On first down, sophomore Tyler Trammell showed great hand-eye coordination in tracking Austin Sloan's high-arching pass which came directly over his head rather than over a shoulder as he angled toward the east sideline. The catch went for 28 yards to the 17 and five plays later Kyle Dosterschill slammed into the end zone from a yard away. With sophomore Colin Parker's extra-point, Chillicothe was on top 9-0 midway through the second quarter. Maryville answered with a 14-play, 80-yard drive culminated by a fourth-and-1 18-yard touchdown pass from Andy Walter to Tanner Archer with only 42 seconds remaining in the half. In a misunderstanding, according to MHS head coach Chris Holt, his placekicker onside kicked rather than squibbing it farther downfield. Chillicothe alertly had reserve quarterback and strong safety Tyson Blattner in the front line and he covered the ball at the CHS 46.
An inside reverse run by Trammell gained 17 yards on first down and, two plays later, another long fade route for Trammell resulted in a first down at the 14 with 14 seconds left. A short completion that went out of bounds and an incompletion left 5.8 ticks on the clock with a third-and-6 situation from the 10.
Maryville needed only one offensive play to get those seven back following halftime. After the Hornets fumbled the ball away at their 37 a couple of minutes into the third period, the 'Hounds went for the halfback option pass and, when Chillicothe's safety bit, Malcom Swinford's pass was gathered in by a wide-open Archer at about the 15 and he darted into the end zone. Once more gaining possession near midfield or in Maryville territory, the Hornets put themselves in much-better position with an eight-play scoring drive highlighted by Clint Singleton's 22-yard run off right tackle behind pulling guard Cory Lowe's block. Singleton got the eventual payoff, going in from 5 yards out with 2:11 to go. With another Parker PAT, it was a more-comfortable 30-14 margin which held up. Singleton quietly finished, by C-T unofficial count, with 92 yards on 17 carries for the Hornets. Sloan was six of nine through the air for 58 yards in the first half before finishing seven for 12 for 70 yards with the one TD and no interceptions. Chillicothe had 157 yards rushing for 227 yards of total offense. Maryville outdistanced the Hornets with 177 yards through the air and another 123 on the ground for an even 300 total. The difference was field position, which Chillicothe taking advantage of its four chances where it started beyond its own 45. Maryville's best field position, outside of the time it cashed in from the Chillicothe 37 with the halfback pass, was its own 36. It started at its 20 or worse six times. With a 16-point road win in the season opener under its belt, Chillicothe will have its home opener next Friday against highly-regarded St. Joseph: Benton. By PAUL STURM,
C-T Sports Editor August 21, 2006
Football
Hornets' Will Hit Road A Half-Dozen Times in 2006 Season The 2006 Chillicothe football Hornets will open their season Friday, Sept. 1, with a trip to Maryville, the first of six away games the Hornets will play next regular season. The Hornets' schedules for the 2006-07 scheduling cycle were set by CHS head coach and athletics director Phil Willard Thursday following the Missouri State High School Activities Association's release that morning of the classification/district assignments for the next two seasons. Assigned by MSHSAA to Class 3 District 14 with three Missouri River Valley Conference members again, the 2006 CHS schedule will be the same as in 2004. In week eight, the Hornets will host Odessa, followed by trips to Richmond and Boonville. Richmond probably will have the most returning starters and may be considered the district favorite. If it works out that way, perhaps not so ironically, it will be the third year in a row that Chillicothe will have to play the district favorite on the road. In 2004, favored Richmond edged the Hornets at home and went on to take the district crown, just as Odessa did last fall. Prior to district competition, the Hornets will play their seven-game MEC schedule with four road games and three at home. MEC play will include, for the second-straight year, a trip to Platte County - in week four (Sept. 22). Although it would not have affected conference play, Platte County remained in Class 3 for 2006 and 2007 by the slimmest of margins. Its official enrollment total for classification purposes was 800, which turned out to be the largest enrollment of any Class 3 school. The smallest Class 4 school is St. Louis: Soldan with 801. Had it not been for three schools - Hardin Central, Norborne, and Hughesville: Northwest - abandoning 11-man play for eight-man ball the next two years, Platte County would have been pushed up into Class 4. Any one of those staying in Class 1 would have bumped PCHS up to Class 4. In addition to visiting Platte County, the Hornets' conference finale will be at Cameron in week seven (Oct. 13). During conference play, Chillicothe will have home games with St. Joseph: Benton (week two), Savannah (week five), and Smithville (week six). The 2007 schedule will be just the opposite - in terms of home and away games - of the 2006 slate, meaning six Hornets home games in '07. Football Hornets'
District the Same COLUMBIA - The Chillicothe football Hornets - for the first time in a while - will have the same 10 opponents four years in a row. The new enrollment-based classifications and district assignments for the 2006-07 football seasons in Missouri were revealed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association this (Thursday) morning and Chillicothe's remained unchanged from the 2004-05 schedule cycle. As in the past two years, the Hornets will contend against three Missouri River Valley Conference schools to their south - Richmond, Odessa, and Boonville - in Class 3 District 14. Phil Willard, Chillicothe High football head coach and athletics director, was in Kansas City at a meeting with all other Midland Empire Conference school representatives, those from the West Central Conference, and a few independent schools, this morning to receive the new assignments and hammer out the pigskin schedules for 2006 and 2007. For Chillicothe, it is possible those slates will be ordered exactly as they have been the past two years, but other MEC schools may have to switch theirs around some, impacting when they could play CHS. While the Hornets' situation is effectively unchanged from the past two years, Cameron, which won the 2005 Class 2 state title after being runnerup in 2004 with an outstanding team, is shifted up to Class 3 the next two years. It has been grouped in District 16 with fellow MEC schools Platte County, Smithville, and Savannah. Maryville is now the lone Class 2 school in the MEC. St. Joseph's Benton and Lafayette stay in Class 4. |
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Best-Ever CHS
Softball Year Celebrated
Chillicothe Lady Hornets softball had success written all over it in 2006. Advancing farther in state play than any of their predecessors, compiling the most wins ever in the program's 11-year history, and producing the highest team batting average ever, this year's Lady Hornets were no diamond in the rough on the diamond. They were well-polished with many sparkling facets to admire. This year's team was feted last Tuesday night at the program's annual postseason awards dinner, held in the Chillicothe High School commons. Head coach Stan Baldwin, whose fifth season at the helm saw the team's final and most memorable victory - a 7-5 victory over defending state champion Kearney in a state tournament sectional-round game at Chillicothe's Daryl Danner Memorial Park - stand as the 100th of his tenure, presided over the festivities. He presented letters to the varsity team, announced five special award winners, briefly spoke of the season, and presented each team member with a specially-selected “gag” gift. Selected to receive special awards for their performance and demeanor during the 2006 season were:
As part of his introduction of the individual varsity players, Baldwin cited any postseason honors they had received to date, with the Missouri Fastpitch Softball Coaches Association yet to have announced its All-State team. Cook, Lowe, and junior right fielder Carole Myers were selected to the all-region team. Chosen to the all-district tournament squad were sophomore catcher Chelsea Sturguess, Jeffries, Cook, Lowe, Mathew, and Myers. Tabbed all-Midland Empire Conference were first-teamers Cook, Myers, and Sally Baldwin (utility player), second-teamers Lowe, Sturguess, Mathew, and Jeffries, and honorable mention choices Heather Doss, the sophomore third baseman, and Brock. Baldwin noted that he felt Lowe, who had the pitching decision in every game of the teams' 21-5 season, deserved first-team pitcher on the all-MEC team. Chillicothe shared the league crown with Platte County, each at 6-1. It was CHS' fourth-straight year of winning the MEC title either outright or as co-champion. The 21 victories earned by the 2006 Lady Hornets equaled the team record set in 2003. Percentage-wise, the 21-5 mark also was the best in team annals, just better than the 21-6 mark of 2003. The Class 3 district crown was Chillicothe's second-straight and third in four years, but their sectional victory over Kearney was a first, advancing them to the state quarterfinals. There, they lost 11-7 to Harrisonville, which went on to capture the Class 3 state championship. It was the second year in a row which Chillicothe was eliminated in state play by the eventual champion. Coach Baldwin also pointed out that this year's team batting average of .332 far surpassed the prior CHS record mark of .313. He attributed their unparalleled success to their dedication to team play. “I've said it several times, beginning early in the year, that this was the best group of ‘team' ballplayers I've ever coached,” the coach related. “ŠI truly enjoyed working with them.” Fourteen girls received varsity letters, two of them provisional. Of those 14, only three were seniors - Brock, Jeffries, and Cook. Each of those three was a four-year letter winner, having been part of teams which fashioned a composite record of 79-24. Chillicothe assistant coach Jim Radel, who leads the junior-varsity team in its games, introduced all of those players and related statistics and observations about each as he did so. “It's fair to say the junior-varsity ladies had a great season,” he said of the group which won 16 of 20 games, batted a composite .377, and outscored its opponents 133-65 overall. Nine Softball Lady Hornets
Get All-MEC, District or Region Kudos Nine members of the 2006 Chillicothe High School softball Lady Hornets - all of their regular starters - have received some degree of postseason recognition after the club was co-champion of the Midland Empire Conference, won the Class 3 District 16 tournament title, and advanced to the state tournament quarterfinals. With the Missouri Softball Coaches Association's (MSCA) All-State teams yet to be announced, the Lady Hornets already have had three players chosen all-region, six all-district, and three first-team all-MEC with nine Chillicothe players overall earning some level of all-conference honors. Senior shortstop Kerri Cook - a second-team MSCA All-State pitcher last year, junior pitcher Mallory Lowe, and junior outfielder Carole Myers were picked to the all-region team, chosen from among the four teams in the quarter of the state tournament bracket in which Chillicothe participated. Selected to the all-district tournament team were those three players, senior outfielder Tara Jeffries, junior first baseman Sara Mathew, and sophomore catcher Chelsea Sturguess. Earning first-team all-MEC laurels were Cook on the infield, Myers in the outfield, and, as a utility player, junior outfielder Sally Baldwin. Second-team all-conference choices from the Lady Hornets were pitcher Lowe, catcher Sturguess, infielder Mathew, and outfielder Jeffries. Given honorable mention on the all-MEC squad were senior second baseman Mandi Brock and sophomore third baseman Heather Doss. The honors follow a season in which the Lady Hornets:
Cook could become the first CHS player ever to be a two-time All-Stater, doing so at a different position. She led the team in numerous offensive categories - runs batted in (23), home runs (two), triples (five), doubles (11), extra-base hits (18), runs scored (26), total bases (62), and slugging percentage (.756), and OBSP [on-base percentage plus slugging percentage] (1.240). Myers was the team's speedy, lefthanded-swinging, leadoff hitter and filled the role well, leading the team's regulars in batting average (.489), hits (45), and on-base percentage (.495). Her 25 runs scored were one less than Cook's team-high total. Moved from shortstop to right field this year, she was a weapon there with her speed, her range taking away basehits and her throwing arm a deterrent to baserunners. Her defensive impact was never more apparent than in the 2-0 district tournament championship win over St. Joseph: Lafayette when she charged in to field a would-be ground-ball basehit and throw Lafayette's leadoff batter out at first, and - to end the game - raced in to snare the same hitter's sinking line drive bid for a hit at her shoetops. Lowe pitched nearly every varsity inning for the Lady Hornets and earned the decision in all 26 games. She used control and change of speeds to keep opposing hitters off balance, allowing only 124 hits in 1721/3 innings pitched with a 2.07 earned run average. Mathew's four RBIs in CHS' district semifinal victory and her two key bunts in the district championship win played a pivotal role in getting the Lady Hornets to state, while Sturguess and Jeffries made impacts both offensively and defensively to earn their district recognition. Sally Baldwin was a pesky hitter in the bottom third of the CHS lineup, drawing a team-high 11 bases on balls to help produce a .381 on-base percentage which was third-best on the team. Lady Hornets' Finishing Kick Too Late
C-T photo / Paul Sturm
C-T photo / Paul Sturm INDEPENDENCE - The Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets put on a terrific, noble finishing kick in their Class 3 state quarterfinal game against Harrisonville Saturday. Unfortunately, they had seen the Lady Wildcats get too far in front of them. "That's just the way it goes," CHS head coach Stan Baldwin commented for the C-T as he sat in the bleachers shortly after the game. "The girls got their heads up and came back and made a real respectable game out of it." Both teams played well enough to have had reasonable claim to having earned the victory. With one key break, Harrisonville simply capitalized a bit more fully on its offensive opportunities it both earned and was given. The Lady Wildcats received five walks and had one batter reach on an error to go with their 10 basehits. Chillicothe ended up out-hitting Harrisonville 11-10 and also had a batter reach to start a scoring inning, but received two less bases on balls (three). The difference was Chillicothe stranded seven - five in the final two innings as it attempted to make a huge rally - and Harrisonville only three. Statistically, Chillicothe's 11-hit attack was highlighted by Tara Jeffries' three-hit, two-RBI, two-runs-scored game and Sally Baldwin's two hits and two driven in. Eight of the nine Lady Hornets had hits. For Chillicothe, the defeat concluded their accomplished 2006 season short of its ultimate goal of a state title, but not short of noteworthy accomplishments, including its farthest advancement ever in state play and repeat Midland Empire Conference and district titles among 21 victories which tie the 2003 team for the most ever by a CHS club in its 11-year history. This year's 21-5 record is the best ever, one loss better than the 2003 squad's 21-6 mark. This year's team included only three - second baseman Mandi Brock, shortstop Kerri Cook, and center fielder Jeffries. With the junior-varsity team guided by Jim Radel having had a terrific season, the 2007 Lady Hornets should have a real chance to follow through on coach Baldwin's assertion that good and greater things lie within reach.
C-T Photo / Butch Shaffer
Last Gasp Revives
Lady Hornets
C-T file photo / Paul Sturm ST. JOSEPH - What loomed as a frustrating loss was first salvaged and then eradicated by the Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets yesterday. Two-out singles by the Nos. 8 and 9 hitters in its order - Chelsea Sturguess, who went four for five, and Sara Mathew - catapulted Chillicothe into a 3-3 tie with host St. Joseph: Bishop LeBlond in the seventh inning. After neither team scored further until the 11th, the Lady Hornets scored what proved to be the winning run on a Tara Jeffries leadoff triple to right field and winning pitcher Mallory Lowe's double to right-center. After giving herself the lead, Lowe (17-3) worked a 1-2-3 bottom of the 11th, fielding a comebacker for the final out after coaxing a couple of infield popups. “My girls never gave up,” a pleased and proud CHS coach Stan Baldwin commented. “Lowe pitched a fine game (11 innings, six hits, three earned runs, four walks, four strikeouts) and the defense was good. “We hit the ball hard all night, but didn't put it together until the seventh.” The victory improved Chillicothe's record to 17-3 with two regular-season games remaining next week before the start of the district tournament. For the Lady Hornets, Myers, Jeffries, and Doss each chipped in two hits to go with Sturguess' 4-for-5 game. The varsity Lady Hornets will observe “Senior Day” Monday when they host Trenton. Miscues, Silent
Bats Thwart Perfect MEC Diamond Mark SMITHVILLE - The Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets are Midland Empire Conference champions for a fourth-straight year. They may even be undisputed champs for a third-consecutive time (although full information on the league standings could not be ascertained before press time Wednesday). They just won't be undefeated league champs for a third year in a row. The Smithville Lady Warriors took advantage of a second-straight game of limited hitting and fielding and throwing difficulties to stun the visiting Lady Hornets 7-2 yesterday (Tuesday). It was Chillicothe's first MEC defeat since 2003 and ended their league-games winning streak at 21. “Errors really hurt us and our bats were dead,” assessed Stan Baldwin, Chillicothe head coach, after his team suffered a second loss in as many days following its capture of the title in the Chillicothe Invitational tournament last Saturday. It is thought either Platte County or St. Joseph: Benton might have only one conference (to Chillicothe) and could share the league crown with the Lady Hornets, but C-T attempts to find out those clubs' MEC record before press time were unsuccessful. It may turn out that everyone else has lost at least twice in conference play and Chillicothe still would be outright champ. Tuesday's game with Smithville was still up for grabs until the Lady Warriors put four runs on the scoreboard in the home half of the sixth inning to convert a narrow 3-2 edge into a comfortable margin. The Lady Hornets could not muster a threat against winning pitcher Adrienne Ballor in the seventh, going down in order to drop to 15-3 overall this fall. They finish league play 6-1. Smithville, which entered the action with at least two MEC losses and therefore no chance of catching Chillicothe in the final standings, improved to 11-6 overall. Chillicothe did lead early in the game, but not for long. Tara Jeffries doubled leading off the top of the second inning. With one out, Lowe reached on an infield hit and, with two down, Heather Doss drove home both with a hit to right-center. After that, the Chillicothe bats went almost totally silent. The only subsequent Lady Hornets hit was Kerri Cook's two-out double to center in the third. Ballor retired the last nine batters she faced in succession. Hamilton Surprises
Softball Lady Hornets The Hamilton Lady Hornets were in a perfect position yesterday (Monday) and took full advantage of it in handing the Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets only their second loss in 17 games this fall, 9-4, at Danner Park in Chillicothe. Chillicothe had played and won four times Saturday to win its own tournament for the first time ever. That included an intense battle with 2005 Class 3 state champion Kearney. With CHS having its final Midland Empire Conference game today with a fourth-straight league title there for the taking, Hamilton - regularly a very solid program and again that way this season, was “sandwiched” between on the Chillicothe schedule and indeed caught the Lady Hornets emotionally off-balance. “We had one of those down days,” CHS coach Stan Baldwin said of his team's performance. “We didn't hit our best, had (three) errors that really hurt, and (pitcher Mallory) Lowe was a little tired Š (after) four games Saturday.” Monday's game saw Chillicothe jump in front 2-0 after one inning and regain the lead 4-3 after two. It was still a 4-4 game after five before Hamilton produced its second three-run inning in the sixth with the help of two errors and then two in the seventh. Hamilton's Jessica Woody had a game-tying solo home run over the center field fence in the third and also singled. Lacey Jones had a double and single and Danielle Leeper two singles for Hamilton. Molly Schieber was the winning pitcher. For Chillicothe (15-2), Kerri Cook went two for three with two runs batted in and Mandi Brock had a double, single, and RBI. In the junior-varsity game, Hamilton also prevailed 6-4 when it scored five runs in the top of the final inning. Jaryn Black had a two-run single and Lindy Scott a double for CHS. Softball Lady Hornets Run Table, Win Own Tourney Photo supplied / Paul Sturm For the first time ever, the Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets reign as champions of their own tournament. And it didn't come easily. Winning twice by one run and twice in games when they could never quite shake a seemingly-overmatched foe. When, with the potential tying run in the on-deck circle, Mallory Lowe retired a Richmond batter on a ground ball to third baseman Heather Doss, the squeeze of the throw by first baseman Sara Mathew allowed the Lady Hornets and their fans to erupt in celebration of earning the title of the 2006 Chillicothe Invitational tournament. “A great day for CHS softball!!” rightfully proclaimed Chillicothe head coach Stan Baldwin. It is the first time since the inaugural event in 1998 that CHS has kept the crown home, C-T research determined Monday. Baldwin's Lady Hornets not only captured the tournament title with a 4-0 mark, including a 5-4 victory over the defending Class 3 state champion Kearney Lady Bulldogs, but raised their season record to 15-1. After hosting a solid Hamilton team Monday, Chillicothe will have a chance to sew up a third-consecutive outright Midland Empire Conference championship and fourth-straight MEC title overall Tuesday when it visits Smithville. The Lady Hornets are 6-0 in MEC action to date. Chillicothe finished with 10 hits in the game, led by left fielder Sally Baldwin's 3-for-4 showing. Shearer, Lowe, and Cook each drove home a couple. State tournament sectional opponents at Kearney last October, with the Lady Bulldogs prevailing 5-0 as the first step toward its state title, Chillicothe and Kearney figured to have a “battle royal” when they met in the first of the round-robin games between first-place teams from pool play. They did. After Kearney posted a couple of unearned runs in the first inning, singles by Lowe and Doss in the top of the second gave Chillicothe a scoring chance it cashed in as No. 9 hitter S. Mathew poked an RBI hit to right. Chillicothe tied it in the top of the third and almost took the lead. Stupendous defense by Chillicothe junior center fielder Tara Jeffries enhanced the Lady Hornets' momentum in the bottom of the third. First, she dashed almost straight back to reach high and catch Kristen Hessel's drive a step from the center field fence. Then Brittany Johnson laced a drive toward the wall in right-center, only to have Jeffries flash over and make a running, leaping snag only a couple of strides from the barrier. It stayed 2-2 until the top of the sixth when back-to-back errors put Sally Baldwin and Doss aboard. S. Mathew reached on a fielder's choice without Kearney getting an out. With one down, Brock's second hit of the game was a huge two-run double to right-center, giving Chillicothe the lead. Cook then hit a fly to center to score S. Mathew. With the time limit expiring, meaning its at-bat would be its last, Kearney got close on Ashley Hudson's one-out, two-run single. After another hit, Lowe got No. 3 hitter Hessel on a fly to Jeffries and cleanup girl Johnson on a popup to Brock to end it. “We finally beat
Kearney,” coach Baldwin commented. “We had too many errors (six), but we
hit well (10 hits) and hung in there and won.” Brock, Mathew, Myers, and
Lowe each had two-hit games against Kearney. Photo supplied / Paul Sturm Second-Straight
No-Hitter for CHS' Lowe C-T photo / Paul Sturm Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets junior pitcher Mallory Lowe made it two in a row and four in a row yesterday. Righthander Lowe threw a second-consecutive no-hitter - this time allowing five baserunners after being perfect against Savannah last Thursday - and her fourth-straight shutout as the Lady Hornets bested the visiting Marceline Lady Tigers 4-0 at Chillicothe's Daryl Danner Memorial Park. “She hit her spots very well,” CHS coach Stan Baldwin remarked. “(Third baseman Heather) Doss and (shortstop Kerri) Cook helped her out,” having either an assist or putout on 11 of the 21 Marceline outs. Lowe struck out another five. Lowe (9-1) issued a pair of walks and hit one batter and Cook had a pair of errors to account for the Lady Tigers' five baserunners. Marceline never had more than one aboard in any inning. Chillicothe (9-1) scored twice in the bottom of the first inning of the non-conference game. Leadoff hitter Carole Myers drew a leadoff base on balls from losing pitcher Kensie Cavanah. Batting second in a rearranged lineup with center fielder and cleanup hitter Tara Jeffries not in action, Sara Mathew also drew a walk. After a sacrifice bunt by Mandi Brock, a wild pitch scored Myers and moved Mathew to third. Walks to Cook and Chelsea Sturguess loaded the bases and a fifth free pass, to Lowe, forced home Mathew. Only a line drive double play off a sizzler hit by Sally Baldwin prevented a monster inning and kept it 2-0. A two-out, bases-empty free pass to Sturguess in the Chillicothe third led to the next run. Courtesy runner Samantha Fender dashed to third base as Lowe singled to right and Baldwin got the RBI with a two-out hit to center. The game's final tally came in the CHS fifth. After leaving the bases loaded in the fourth, the Lady Hornets got the leadoff girl aboard next inning as Lowe grounded one into right field for her second hit. Sally Baldwin bunted her to second and Doss' roller to shortstop got her to third with two outs. After a walk to Brooklyn Shearer, who started in right field with Myers shifting to center, the speedy Myers tapped one to the first baseman. Her overhand throw back to first caused the second baseman covering there to be back on her heels. As a result, she dropped the short toss as Lowe scored. Defending champion Chillicothe stands 4-0 in league action to date.
C-T photo / Paul Sturm Mallory Lowers Boom
C-T file photo / Paul Sturm SAVANNAH - Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets junior pitcher Mallory Lowe wasn't just very good against the visiting Savannah Lady Savages Thursday. With help from an adjusted defense, she was perfect. The righthander set down all 15 batters she faced, recording four strikeouts while her defense ably handled the rest in a 13-0 five-inning road blowout. The team's defensive performance was all the more impressive because senior shortstop Kerri Cook missed the game with an injury, according to CHS coach Stan Baldwin. Her replacement, sophomore Heather Doss, who moved over from third base, saved Lowe's gem with a great catch in the fourth inning, the coach marvelled. On top of that, versatile junior Brooklyn Shearer took Doss' spot at the hot corner and “also had a great defensive game,” Baldwin reported. Shearer handled three consecutive ground balls in the second and third innings without incident. Offensively, it was a late eruption which allowed the Lady Hornets (8-1, 4-0 MEC) to win by the 10-run-lead rule in five. They led only 1-0 through three innings, but poured across eight runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth. What ended up as a 16-hit CHS onslaught included a 3-for-4 game for leadoff hitter Carole Myers and two-hit games each for Mandi Brock, Tara Jeffries, Chelsea Sturguess, Lowe, Sally Baldwin, and Doss - the Nos. 3-8 batters. Brock, filling in in Cook's No. 3 spot, drove in four runs, while Sturguess, transplanted from the No. 8 spot to No. 5, plated three runs. Doss drove in a couple. The CHS jayvees improved to 6-1 with a 7-2 victory. CHS Softball Lady Hornets
Pound Out Rout of Cameron It wasn't quite a perfectly-played game, but it came satisfyingly close. “We are playing well!” enthused head coach Stan Baldwin after his Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets disposed of the Cameron Lady Dragons 10-0 in six innings at Chillicothe's Daryl Danner Memorial Park yesterday. Improving to 7-1 overall and 2-0 in the Midland Empire Conference, the Lady Hornets ripped 14 hits Tuesday while playing errorless defense behind junior pitcher Mallory Lowe, who gave up only three hits while walking two in the shutout. Chillicothe put a hammerlock on the game in the bottom of the third inning. Scoreless to that point, the contest turned the Lady Hornets' way with a seven-hit, seven-run torrent. The bottom of the batting order got things going as sophomore catcher Chelsea Sturguess drew a leadoff base on balls. Courtesy runner Samantha Fender stole second and continued on to third when the catcher's throw got away. Sara Mathew's bunt single made it 1-0. The top of the order now up, Chillicothe poured it on. Carole Myers bunted for a hit and Mandi Brock doubled in Mathew. A Kerri Cook hit plated Myers and Tara Jeffries' groundout to second brought in Brock for a 4-0 lead. A wild throw to first on Heather Doss' RBI grounder to shortstop was followed by a double by Lowe. Then, on a passed ball, both Doss and Lowe scored for a 7-0 cushion. Mathew singled home Sally Baldwin and Fender in the fifth after Baldwin doubled and Sturguess singled and Fender, courtesy running again, stole second. The Lady Hornets then ended it a bit early in the sixth when Doss reached on a dropped third strike, stole second, moved to third on Lowe's grounder to second, and scored on a wild pitch. Myers finished the day three for four, while Brock, Mathew, and Lowe each collected a pair of hits. Mathew drove in three runs. In the junior-varsity game, freshmen Caitlin Mitchell and Leanne Mathew combined on a one-hitter in a 5-0 five-inning win. Chillicothe (5-1) had 12 hits in that game, L. Mathew and Lindy Scott collecting three each and Fender two. One Big Inning,
Defense, Strong Pitching Do Job
C-T photo / Paul Sturm The formula Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets head coach Stan Baldwin hopes his team will put into action to produce another very successful season this fall was displayed, front and center, Tuesday afternoon at Daryl Danner Memorial Park in Chillicothe. Very good pitching backed by solid defense and supported by timely hitting and small-ball execution is the way Baldwin envisions the 2006 Lady Hornets and that's the way they defeated the visiting St. Joseph: Lafayette Lady Irish 5-1 in a non-Midland Empire Conference meeting. “Great defense,” enthused the coach, noting Mandi Brock's two great plays at second base and another standout stab by shortstop Kerri Cook. With their big plays and error-free work by the rest of the defense, Lowe kept the Lady Irish in good check. Lowe (3-0) allowed three hits and her first earned run in three games this year. She was a bit wilder than she has been, issuing four bases on balls to match her strikeouts total. Ahead 1-0 through 4-1/2 innings, the Lady Hornets (3-0) turned three hits, a couple of Lafayette errors, and a passed ball on a third strike into four runs that put them in full charge in the fifth. Left fielder Sally Baldwin singled to center leading off and sped all the way to third when the ball got by the center fielder for an error. Sophomore catcher Chelsea Sturguess immediately delivered her with an RBI double to left. The next batter, Sara Mathew, swung and missed strike three, but the ball eluded the Lady Irish catcher, allowing Mathew to reach first and Sturguess to move to third. The next two batters were retired without the runners moving, but Cook, the No. 3 stick in the CHS lineup, came through with a clutch hit. Her two-out single drove home both runs, making it 4-0. After an error let her take second, Cook darted in on Tara Jeffries' two-out hit to right. “Our bats came alive,” coach Baldwin said with relief. The Lady Hornets' initial run, scored in the second, came from a Jeffries leadoff single, a Heather Doss sacrifice bunt, and a missed throw by the LHS first baseman on S. Baldwin's would-be inning-ending grounder. Jeffries and Sturguess had 2-for-3 days to lead Chillicothe's seven-hit game. CHS Diamond
Girls Eyeing More Gold
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The 14-member Chillicothe High Lady Hornets tennis squad continued first-week preparations for its upcoming season today at the Daryl Danner Memorial Park courts. (C-T photo / Paul Sturm)
CAPTION:
Chosen most improved Chillicothe football Hornets at their positions in 2006 were, from left: sophomore Kyle Dosterschill, offensive back; sophomore Cory Lowe, offensive line; and junior Nathan Followwill, defensive line. Unable to be present for the photo was junior Tyson Blattner, most improved defensive back.
C-T photo / Paul
Sturm
CAPTION: Grain Valley senior Billy Creason (22) has a crease up the sidelines as he returns a first-quarter punt during last night's Class 3 state playoffs sectional game in Chillicothe. Having taken Austin Sloan's punt at his own 42, Creason made a couple of nice cuts and received several good blocks to break free for a hugely-important 58-yard touchdown return that not only provided the game's first points, but ultimately was the difference in the Eagles' 21-13 victory over Chillicothe's Hornets. Seen in vain pursuit of Creason for Chillicothe are sophomores Cory Lowe and Kyle
Dosterschill.
CAPTION: Chillicothe senior end Casey Prewitt makes a clutch catch for a 28-yard fourth-quarter gain to set up the Hornets' second and last touchdown in Wednesday's state playoffs game against Grain Valley. Prewitt had six receptions for 66 yards on the night.
CAPTION:
Chillicothe sophomore running back Clint Dysart is all by himself on his way to his first touchdown Friday.
CAPTION:
As Richmond defensive back Jordan Adkins watches as he falls, Chillicothe sophomore receiver Tyler Trammell makes a juggling catch of an early pass from Austin Sloan Friday at Richmond. After securing the ball, Trammell completed a 55-yard touchdown play.
Barely-Good Field Goal Keeps Chillicothe Kicking In District
CAPTION:
Senior quarterback Austin Sloan (3) is slated to rejoin 675-yard rusher Clint Singleton (30) and the rest of the Chillicothe Hornets offensive lineup Friday night when the Hornets host the Odessa Bulldogs in the first game of the Class 3 District 14 playoffs. Also a third-year starting linebacker Sloan has not played either offense or defense the last 23/4 games, due to an injury, but - barring a late-developing problem - is expected to be back in both of his normal roles Friday.
CAPTION: Tara Jeffries, daughter of Doug and Michelle Jeffries, was crowned queen of the Chillicothe High School Homecoming. Austin Sloan, son of Bob and Carol Sloan, was crowned king. The coronation was held following the football game against Savannah Friday night at Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium.
CAPTION:
One of Chillicothe's two highlight plays of Friday evening's 35-10 loss at Platte County was this 37-yard Tyler Trammell reception of an Austin Sloan pass. The completion moved the ball from the Pirates' 46 to their 9, but the Hornets couldn't push it in the rest of the way, settling for a 26-yard Colin Parker field goal that made it 14-3.
CAPTION:
Thanks to blocking like this by the Chillicothe Hornets linemen and lead backs, Hornets sophomore running back Kyle Dosterschill (7) was able to gain 212 yards on 22 carries and teammate Clint Singleton 109 yards on 13 rushing attempts Friday night as the Hornets steamrolled visiting St. Joseph: Lafayette 42-13 at Litton Stadium.
Caption:
Chillicothe Hornets senior quarterback Austin Sloan is congratulated by Jack Willard, son of the Hornets head coach, after his 40-yard touchdown pass to Clint Singleton tied Friday's game 7-7 in the third quarter. St. Joseph: Benton went on to prevail 21-14.
CAPTION:
Despite battling leg cramps in the second half, senior defensive tackle Michael Smith was a repeatedly noticeable presence in the Chillicothe football Hornets' 2006 season-opening 30-14 victory at Maryville Friday, including having at least half a sack.
The lightning from thunderstorms in the Chillicothe vicinity Friday evening,
August 18, 2006, held off long enough for the inexperienced Chillicothe High School football Hornets to get in some much-needed intrasquad scrimmage time as part of the annual “Meet The Hornets” event for CHS fall sports teams at Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium. Although the
varsity/junior-varsity group didn't get in as many snaps as the coaching staff would have liked, it did get in 15-20 following an
approximately 10-play freshman team workout. The gridiron action followed a hot dogs-and-fixins' meal provided free of charge by the
Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets special award recipients for the 2006 season were announced by head coach Stan Baldwin during last Tuesday's annual postseason awards
dinner: senior shortstop Kerri Cook was named outstanding offensive player, junior pitcher Mallory Lowe most valuable player, senior center field Tara Jeffries most improved player, senior second baseman Mandi Brock outstanding defensive player, and junior first baseman Sara Mathew Coaches' Award winner.
C-T photo / Paul
Sturm
CAPTION:
Chillicothe Lady Hornets second baseman Mandi Brock gets the out at first base on a close play on a sacrifice bunt by Harrisonville's Heather Tracy during the top of the second inning of Saturday's Class 3 high school girls' state softball tournament quarterfinal game at Independence's Adair Park. CHS pitcher Mallory Lowe had fielded Tracy's bunt and made the throw to first. At right, Lady Hornets first baseman Sara Mathew has hit one knee to get out of the line of fire on Lowe's throw. Despite a gallant late comeback, Chillicothe lost to Harrisonville 11-7.
CAPTION:
Chillicothe senior center fielder Tara Jeffries slides safely into third base on her fourth-inning triple that drove in the team's first run.
A trip to the state quarterfinals and the 100th win of their coach's career are reasons to celebrate for Chillicothe High School Lady Hornets softball team members and their coach, Stan Baldwin. The girls won 7-5 over Kearney during sectional play at Daryl Danner Memorial Park Wednesday night. The team travels to Independence on Saturday to play either Harrisonville or Boonville in the second round of state playoffs.
CAPTION:
Chillicothe Lady Hornets sophomore catcher Chelsea Sturguess ripped four hits Thursday, including one with two outs in the seventh inning which scored the second run of CHS' three-run inning that sent their game at St. Joseph: Bishop LeBlond to extra innings. Chillicothe won in 11, 4-3.
CAPTION: Making her second great catch in as many batters, Chillicothe Lady Hornets center fielder Tara Jeffries makes a leaping, running catch of a fly ball just in front of the fence in right-center field during the third inning of Saturday's game against defending Class 3 state champion Kearney. The batter before, Jeffries had raced back to within a step of the fence just to the left field side of straightaway center to pull in a drive that would have gone for extra bases. Buoyed by those plays, which came right after CHS had tied the game 2-2, Chillicothe went on to win 5-4 and eventually capture the title in its own tournament.
CAPTION:
The Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets won their own tournament for the
first time in nine-year history Saturday, wrapping up the title in
undefeated fashion with a 14-8 victory over Richmond. Team members include,
from left: Front row - Mandi Brock, Kerri Cook, Tara Jeffries; Middle row -
Sara Mathew, Mallory Lowe, Carole Myers, Brooklyn Shearer, Sally Baldwin;
Back row - head coach Stan Baldwin, Chelsea Stuguess, Leanne Mathew,
Samantha Fender, Lindy Scott, Heather Doss, and assistant coach Jim Radel.
CAPTION:
Chillicothe Lady Hornets junior outfielder Carole Myers hits a sixth-inning ground ball to the first baseman. When the throw to first was dropped, Myers was safe at first, allowing the last of Chillicothe's runs to score in its 4-0 victory over Marceline Monday. Lady Hornets pitcher Mallory Lowe had a no-hitter in the victory.
Caption:
Chillicothe Lady Hornets sophomore third baseman Heather Doss snares a sharp fifth-inning grounder off the bat of Marceline cleanup hitter Casey Gladbach. Doss made an on-target throw to first to retire the side, helping preserve Mallory Lowe's second-straight no-hitter. Doss was busy at the hot corner, handling six chances - five grounders and a line drive - flawlessly in Monday's 4-0 Chillicothe victory.
Caption:
Chillicothe softball Lady Hornets junior pitcher Mallory Lowe retired all 15 Savannah batters she faced Thursday, her perfect game paving the way for a 13-0 CHS five-inning road victory.
CAPTION:
Chillicothe Lady Hornets pitcher Mallory Lowe tosses the ball a short distance to first baseman Sara Mathew to retire St. Joseph: Lafayette's Calyn Cook for the final out of Chillicothe's 6-1 home victory Tuesday afternoon. Lowe picked up her and the team's third win.
CAPTION:
Kerri Cook, a second-team 2005 All-State pitcher, is back to anchor the CHS pitching staff, in addition to playing shortstop some, as a senior. A year ago, she threw two no-hitters - including a perfect game - and had a 15-4 record with a 0.95 earned run average.