Duchesne Girls Celebrate Their Victory over University City. Scroll for story. First Capitol News Photo by BOB BARTONMY COLUMN MIKE MCMURRAN - First Capitol News Sports Editor
Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make a difference. As many of you probably know, writing for this fine weekly is not my main source of income. As a matter of fact, when I first began writing for the paper, it was costing me money, with travel and all. On more than one occasion, my lovely wife Lynn asked me why I was committing so much time to the paper. She probably still wonders, but pretty much allows me to do my own thing. Ditto for Bob Barton – except I am quite sure it still costs him money. I on the other hand probably break even – which is fine with me.
Allow me to try and answer the “why do you do it?” Primarily, I believe the point-of-view of this publication is very much needed in St. Charles City. I began reading this paper about 3 years ago. I anxiously awaited my Saturday delivery, and pretty much read it from cover to cover. Still do.
As time went on, more and more people were asking Tony to add a Sports Section – as indicated by the Letters to the Editor. With my background in high school sports, over 20 coaching or administrating, I knew I was just the guy to do it. We, I mean to say, I, started slowly, covering maybe a game or two a week. When readers nominated worthy student-athletes, we would have an athlete of the week. Slowly it took off. My photography background was poor, at best, and so I recruited Barton to help me out. Bob is what really made this thing take off. I truly think that some day Bob will make a living with his camera. He has already been published in a national publication, as well a regular contributor to The St. Louis American. The truth is Bob and I very much enjoy working together, and hope to continue doing so for some time. Again I will present the question: Why do we do it?
This past Sunday was one of the “perks,” if you will. Sunday, at the championship game of the Missouri Valley Tournament, sitting on the court, in the very front row, at the base line, was Bob Barton and camera. Sitting immediately behind the Southern Illinois University’s bench, close enough to hear Coach Lowery yell instructions to his players, was yours’ truly. The first row of seats to the general public were behind me – now those are truly some Bob Uecker specials.
Now, I wouldn’t be doing the Missouri Valley Conference justice if I didn’t write a word or two about the tournament. By the time this week’s edition comes out, the fact that SIU topped Bradley 59-46 to earn their fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament will be old news. Allow me to shed some light upon a couple of other incidents that went relatively unreported.
Most everyone read about SIU cheerleader Kristi Yamaoka, and her spill to the Savvis Center floor during a gymnastic routine. I am here to say that I was one of the few who was watching the routine closely – very closely. Ms. Yamaoka hit the back of her head on the floor after falling at least 15 feet. She was clearly knocked out (remember, I was in the front row). It took all of about 3 seconds to summon the stretcher to the court. Remember now, this game was on national television, CBS none the less, so time is at a premium. The game was stopped for at least 8-10 minutes, with all eyes on the emergency medical personal attending Yamaoka. It was quiet, very, very quiet. After Yamaoka came to, and was placed on the stretcher, she waved to the crowd to let them know she was o.k.
Knowing that she was at least alive and conscious, the Saluki band began playing the SIU fight song. As Yamaoka was being wheeled off the court, in front of a crowd of over 13,000 spectators, she began to wave her arms to the fight song, in perfect precision. All this while having her head taped to an emergency backboard and loaded onto a stretcher. It was a very moving, and at the beginning, frightening turn of events.
Another incident you will read about only in the FCN, was the family celebration assistant coach Rodney Watson had minutes after the conclusion of the game. Watson gave his wife Blake a big kiss and hug, along with a lady I am assuming was his mother. Then Watson gave his 9 year-old daughter, Olivia Watson a big kiss and hug. Remember now, I was right there soaking all this in. Watson’s daughter hugged her daddy back, and said, “Daddy, I love you and am so proud of you,” as he picked her up over the Savvis Center wall and brought her down to court level. I think Barton was crying.
United Hockey League
Molly McMaster to become
First Female River Otter
Part of a Colon Cancer Awareness Project
By Louis J. Launer
As a part of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the United Hockey League and The Colon Club are allowing Molly McMaster to participate in one game in every UHL city. McMaster will make her appearance as a Missouri River Otter on March 15 against the Flint Generals.
McMaster was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer on February 19, 1999, her 23rd birthday. Since her battle with cancer, McMaster founded The Colon Club a national nonprofit organization dedicated to education and awareness of the disease.
“Colorectal cancer can happen to anyone at any time and I am determined to prove that to everyone who will listen,” stated McMaster. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing hockey and getting my message out to a whole new crowd.”
McMaster did appear in St. Charles last month during the all-star break. That was when final preparations and clearances were made for her to participate as a UHL player. Originally, she wanted to do this for her hometown of Glens Falls, New York, home of the Adirondack Frostbite. But UHL Commissioner Richard Brosal felt that there needed to be a wider exposure and awareness than just one team.
“This is an opportunity for the UHL to make a huge difference in educating people about this disease,” Brosal said. “We want to fill the arenas when Molly plays, but more importantly, our goal is to send a life-saving message to as many fans as possible.”
McMaster has already seen the River Otters in action. This past Friday, she played one game in a Flint Generals uniform and the River Otters was the visiting team in Flint. McMaster impressed a crowd of 2,684 at Perani Sports Arena in Flint.
Wearing a Generals jersey with No. 06 on it, McMaster lined at right wing to start the game along with Flint forwards Dave Stewart, Terry Marchant, Brent Currie and J.P. Morin. Her shift lasted 27 seconds and took her to both ends of the ice before she went to the bench.
McMaster stayed on the Flint bench the entire game. Because the Generals were playing one man short, coach Bobby Reynolds kept her around in case he needed someone to serve a penalty. In her two previous appearance at Adirondack and Danbury, she stayed on the bench for the first period and left to talk to fans for the rest of the game.
McMaster spent five minutes in the penalty box after Flint rookie L.P. Martin received a boarding major and a game misconduct midway through the first period of a penalty-riddled game.
Blake Stewart of the River Otters dumped the puck into the Flint end and it bounced off the boards toward Flint goaltender Jason Saal. He attempted to fire the puck in, but it took a bounce in a weird fashion off his stick and deflected off the goal post into the net to give the River Otters a 1-0 lead. Mark Odut also scored for Missouri with 54.3 seconds left in the first period.
Jim Duhart, who played in Flint a good part of his career made it 3-0 when he scored what eventually became the game-winner at 3:34 into the second.
“It was a big character, win,” said Duhart to the Flint Journal. “We lost a couple of guys to injuries in the first period. But our team showed composure and we worked hard.”
Flint has still a chance for the UHL Playoffs. The River Otters are very doubtful to make the playoffs. But Duhart knows about Missouri’s other role during this season’s stretch run.
“I don’t know if we’ll make the playoffs,” he said, “but we want to be spoilers.”
THE CURSE OF MARK REEDS LIVES: The Kalamazoo Wings are back in first place in the UHL’s Central Division with their 7-1 win over the River Otters on Saturday in Kalamazoo. Reeds, who used to coach the River Otters before going to Kalamazoo, has had a stellar year for the K-Wings. They have been battling defending Colonial Cup champion Muskegon Fury for the top spot in the Central Division all season. It looks like the K-Wings will have an interesting and exciting stretch run for playoff position. With the win over the River Otters, the K-Wings remained undefeated in regulation in their last eight games and touted a five-game winning streak to end the week. Unnessary penalties by the River Otters allowed the lopsided loss. The next afternoon, the Quad City Mallards defeated the River Otters, 3-1. Jeff Brown was the only River Otter to score the only goals in both games.
Girls Class 4
Duchesne returns to Final Four
50-47 win over University City
By: Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Trips to Columbia and the final four of the Missouri State High School Activity Association’s girls basketball tournament are becoming old stuff for Duchesne’s head coach Charlie Elmendorf, “But this year is extra special,” Elmendorf said, just minutes after his Pioneers had topped the Lions of University City 50-47 in quarterfinal action at Hazelwood Central High School. “In years past we have always had a ‘go to’ player, someone who we looked to when we needed a big basket,” he offered, “we also entered district play as a number one seed.”
Such is not the case this season, on both fronts. The Lady Pioneers entered quarterfinal play against the Lions with a meager, yet identical record of 16-12. The Lion’s line-up featured LaShayla Bell, who was averaging over 15 points per contest. In the district title game with Jennings, Bell scored 35 points. Duchesne hasn’t a player averaging in double figures. “This was a team effort,” said Elmendorf, “this win is the direct result of the schedule we play, both conference and non-conference.”
To get out of district the Pioneers had to take on St. Dominic, a team they lost to earlier in the season, and then battle St. Charles High, the number one seed. “Our conference this year was tough, real tough,” he said, “battles with St. Charles and Holt prepared us for games like today. Today’s game was physical, very physical.”
So physical that U. City’s Bell fouled out with 1:34 remaining in the game – with U. City up 45-42. At one point in the 4th quarter, the Pioneers could only muster free throws. “We would drive the basket and they would foul. We would go for a rebound and they would foul. We would miss a lay-up and they would foul,” Elmendorf explained.
It game came down to the final 34 seconds and U. City holding a 45-44 lead. Liz Boschert, who was doubled teamed, managed to get off a perfect pass to sophomore Erica Sams who nailed a 9-foot jumper. The play gave Duchesne the lead, but it was the free throw shooting of Sarah Sullivan that doomed the Lions. “Like I said, we don’t really have any stars on this team, we play a team concept game,” Elmendorf concluded.
Duchesne, who won the state title in 2004, were led by Boschert’s 13 points.
The Pioneers will put their 17-12 record on the line Friday morning when they take on Lee’s Summit West (21-8) in a 10:35 a.m. tip off. The other semifinal contest will feature Lutheran South (24-5) against Ozark (23-6). The winners will meet Saturday at 12:10 p.m. in the title game.
THE BULL IS READY TO RIDE
By Mike Thompson
It was like we had never really left….the players showed up in great shape, the drills were sharp and precise, or as well as could be expected for the first practice of 2006…Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt was in midseason form, for certain, as time after time his voice bellowed throughout the indoor facility the Rage will employ in the coming year:
“Way too deep on that cover seven route”
“Watch the man coming across the middle”
“Let’s go…let’s go…next group”
“Don’t stop until that whistle is blown, not if you want to make this football team”
And at one point, seeing something he didn’t like, Wyatt jumped up from his seat on the sidelines, and belted out the message loud and clear:
“The championship begins TODAY”
Loud…clear…and to all 36 players looking for a spot on the Rage 22 man game day roster this year…understood!!
The National Indoor Football League enters its sixth season of play next weekend, and the RiverCity Rage is primed and ready. This enraged bull, snorting and pent-up since the unexpected opening round playoff defeat last July to the Cincinnati Marshals, has practiced now for the last 2 weeks with the spirit and focus that has Wyatt enthused about his team’s chances in 2006. “I’ve treated every one of these practices like a mid-season practice. I’ve got to instill a work ethic in this team that will carry over into the season and all year, for that matter. We lost our drive, our focus, towards the end of last year and we ended up getting the door to the title slammed in our face. So, I’ve established from the get-go that we’re here to work. On the depth chart, every practice counts towards where a player will be when the next practice comes around.” Pausing briefly, Wyatt smiled and said, “I’ll say this…they’ve responded well. Whoever we play in 2006 is gonna run into a buzz saw.”
One speaks for the offense, the other from the defensive side of the line, but both sum up the feeling that has festered the wound of this football team since that opening round loss last summer at Savvis Center. Rage quarterback Clay Groefsemsa: “I spent all summer working on my Dad’s farm in California, and not one day went by that I didn’t reflect on that loss. I’d be out in the fields, replaying that game over and over in my mind, reliving every play, especially in the second overtime. Maybe I was a bit hard on myself, but throwing that interception that ended our chances, well, let’s just say I had the chance to play football locally for Fresno in the AF2 this year, a bit closer to my home, but I just couldn’t leave this organization behind. I couldn’t let my career in St. Louis end that way. I had to be back.”
Asked about how that would translate on the football field this season, Grofsema couldn’t hold back. “This entire program is a win-win situation this year. We’re playing at Savvis, the coaching staff is pumped-up, and that’s filtered its way down to the players. I’m ready, the team’s ready, and the way it ended last year, well, it’s just another reason to be motivated to take it all.”
Rage Linebacker Terrell Washington thinks this Rage team has the ability to go all the way. An NIFL leader last season in tackles, fumbles forced and recovered, Washington says the loss to Cincinnati was tough to accept. “We had their number twice during the regular season, and then to have them come in and take it away, it was hard to handle. Like a lot of guys on this team, I’ve had to zero in on why that happened and dedicate myself to making sure I don’t spend another off season like this past one. I started my off-season training program the day after that game. I came to camp ready.”
Washington says the move to Savvis will only help this football team in 2006. “We’ll be center stage at one of the best venues in the Midwest, downtown playing our games in the best sports city in America. There’s nothing like a crowd to pump up a team, and we saw that last year at playoff time. It’ll be great to have all seven home games at Savvis Center, and trust me, from the look of this team, we’ll have our share of playoff games there, too.”
Rage Team Physician Eugene ‘Doc’ Bell couldn’t agree more. When asked to evaluate the condition of the returning players and newcomers, Bell said “they came to camp in Ram’s shape. I’ve noticed from the charts that a number of players lost or gained weight according to their individual needs, and everyone has been working out on a regular basis since the end of last year. Hey, this is pro football; these guys know the importance of finding the edge that allows them to keep their jobs. They look great and it’s reflected this early in practice on the field.”
For those who have followed the amazing career of Rage All-Star receiver Scott Pingel, the news may come as a bit of a shock, but Scott has decided to retire from the indoor game. Citing family responsibilities and the demands of his career as a teacher and football coach at CBC High School, Pingel can look back on a career as one of the most prolific receivers in the history of the NIFL. Rage Head Football Coach Mike Wyatt says his absence will be felt. “You don’t lose a player of Scott’s talent without feeling the loss, and we will feel it, on the field, in the locker room and on the practice field.” Wyatt explains, saying “I’ve seldom, if ever, seen a player of Scott’s calibre work so hard on the practice field. It was an inspiration to me and to the other guys on the team to see a player who could have mailed it in, so to speak, from time to time, but he never did it. Every route, every play was run with the same dedication and precision he used in the games. He never had a bad practice in all the years we were together. One of the NIFL’s greatest players was also one of its hardest workers. You know the message that sends to the other players on this team…that’s what I’ll miss most of all.”
The RiverCity Rage will open the chase for the title on Saturday, March 18th when the team travels to Houston to take on the Katy Copperheads. The home debut at Savvis Center will give Rage players, coaches, and fans the chance to make up for a summer’s worth of restlessness. Sunday, March 26th…3pm…Savvis Center….The RiverCity Rage meet the Cincinnati Marshals.
The championship begins today
