As we inch closer to the start of Missouri State High School Activities Association district action, there were many conference titles on the line this past week while a big series between two of the top baseball teams happened over in Illinois. We also saw a pair of coaches join some elite company with wins as well this week.
Let’s get caught up in this week’s edition of the Friday Fast Break.
On the links, the Priory golf team claimed the Metro League championship at Glen Echo Country Club this past Wednesday afternoon. Luke McLaughlin brought home the individual title with an even-par 71. The round by McLaughlin was one of the lowest scores recorded in the area this spring. The Ravens will now get ready to play in the MSHSAA Class 5 districts at the Links at Dardenne Monday morning.
In the GAC Central golf championships, Fort Zumwalt South claimed the team title with a score of 324 while Washington placed second with a score of 337. Joe Friedel claimed the individual title by shooting a one-over par 72 in the tournament held at Wolf Hollow. The Bulldogs will participate in the MSHSAA Class 4 districts on Monday at the Golf Club at Wentzville.
In one of the biggest two-games series this season, Edwardsville and Belleville East split a pair of games this week. In the first game Tuesday, the Lancers snapped the Tigers’ winning streak with a 2-0 win while Edwardsville bounced back to take the second game 9-5 Wednesday afternoon. In the Belleville East win Tuesday, the Lancers scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead and held on to give the Tigers their first loss of the year. Kannon Walker and Zander Mueth combined to limit Edwardsville to six hits on the day. In the series finale, the Tigers broke open a tie game with two runs in the fifth and three runs in the sixth to earn the win. Spencer Stearns paced the Tigers with a hit and three runs batted in while Grant Huebner added a pair of hits and an RBI in the win.
Carter Cox tossed his second no-hitter of the season as the Bulldogs defeated Fort Zumwalt North 11-0 in five innings Wednesday afternoon. He backed up his no-hitter last week with another dominating performance in the win with eight strikeouts and two walks in the contest. Gavin Reidel paced the Fort Zumwalt South offense with three hits and a pair of RBIs in the win.
On the soccer field, Nerinx Hall remained in control of the MWAA with a 3-1 win over Visitation Tuesday evening. The Markers have a 3-1 record in the conference and are tied with Cor Jesu, whom they defeated earlier in the season. In the win over Visitation, Emma Gianino scored a pair of goals while Ella McAleenan added a goal to pace the Markers in the win.
Annie Wayland and Tony Perkins each hit milestones in wins over the past week in coaching news. Wayland claimed her 200th victory as the head coach of the Parkway West girls’ soccer team while Perkins, longtime Howell baseball coach, earned his 600th win as a head coach. Congratulations to both Wayland and Perkins on this outstanding accomplishment!
Districts were released by MSHSAA for both girls’ soccer and baseball this week with action beginning next weekend. You can find all of the district brackets at www.mshsaa.org.
Track and field districts for Classes 1 and 2 are set to take this weekend as teams and individuals are looking to advance to the sectionals next weekend. Area teams in Class 1 will head to Grandview High School in Hillsboro while local teams in Class 2 travel to New Haven this weekend.
On the tennis courts, teams and individuals are looking to advance to Springfield’s state championships this weekend as districts are taking place around the area.
The state water polo tournament is in full swing on Saturday as the top-seeded Jr. Bills of St. Louis University High School will open play Saturday afternoon against either Pattonville or Clayton at 2:30 p.m. at John Burroughs. Parkway West, the second seed in the tournament, will play either Parkway North or John Burroughs Saturday at noon at Burroughs.
Jim Powers has been covering prep sports in the St. Louis area for 15+ years and a part of the Missouri State High School Activities Association Championship Broadcasts for the past 11 years. Powers is also a part of the Fox 2 Verlo Mattress Prep Zone Friday nights at 10:10 during the football and basketball seasons. If you have a prep sports story, please contact Jim at japowers2421@yahoo.com. Follow Jim at @hssportscaravan
