As Brittany Howard's (Los Altos, Calif.) final kill hit the floor in the U.S. Girls Youth National Team’s 25-19, 25-21, 15-25, 25-17 championship win over No. 1 seed Mexico on Sunday, Nixa (Mo.)’s Regan Peltier got caught up in the moment.
“I screamed as loud as I could,” Peltier said following the championship win in the NORCECA Girls Youth Continental Volleyball Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala. “I jumped up and down and was hugging everybody I could.
“It was cool to be a part of that team and be able to qualify for (the Youth Olympics in) Singapore. I remember thinking, ‘What do I need to do to make this team?' ”
After the U.S. won its fifth straight tournament title (played every two years), Peltier and 5-foot-7 Windsor (Imperial) sophomore Haley Pouliezos hope to represent Missouri and the U.S. in the August Youth Olympics and the World Tournament in Turkey in the summer of 2011.
The 6-2 Eagle sophomore, a sub in the third set of the championship win over Mexico, tried out for the team over the Christmas break with 49 other girls through USA Volleyball’s ‘High Performance.’ The cut was then trimmed to 25 girls and then down to the final 12. Although the U.S. was in the midst of a championship-winning streak, Peltier, Pouliezos and company didn’t necessarily carry a heavy burden to keep the streak going.
“There is some pressure,” Peltier said, “because you’re expected to win. The coaches never said anything about needing to win – they never brought it up. They just reminded us that we needed to perform at our best … then whatever happens – happens.”
The U.S. swept through pool play with wins over the Dominican Republic (25-12, 25-18, 25-15), Jamaica (25-4, 25-7, 25-4) and Canada (25-14, 25-12, 25-14). They then took three straight sets from Puerto Rico (25-23, 25-16, 25-18) to qualify for the finals against top-seeded Mexico.
Jim Stone’s squad won the first two sets (25-19, 25-21) against Mexico before falling for the first time in the tournament in the third game (25-15). The U.S. then won the fourth game 25-17. Pouliezos, the U.S.’ designated libero, recorded 12 digs and 11 service receptions in the championship win.
“We had a very good team,” Peltier said. “We loved each other. Every girl on that team was competitive and wanted to win. We didn’t just want to win – we wanted to beat the other team.
“We knew each other pretty well and knew how each of us played. If one of us became ill or was injured, then another girl could step in. We had a lot of depth on the team.”
The U.S. won the first NORCECA Girls Youth Continental Championship in 1998 and fell to Puerto Rico in 2000. Then the Americans won titles in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Davis steps down
Fulton (Mo.) head boys basketball and baseball coach Darrell Davis has decided to call it a career at Fulton beginning June 30. The 1974 Fulton graduate spent the past 32 years working for the Fulton school district in some capacity.
Besides serving as the school’s assistant principal, Davis coached baseball for 31 seasons, boys basketball for 21 years and as the school’s athletic director the past 15 years. Davis led the Hornet baseball team to a state title in 1990 and to third-place finishes in 1995 and 2009. The Hornet basketball team’s highest finish under Davis was a third-place trophy in 1996.
“Today was emotional, telling the baseball and basketball players I wasn’t coming back,” Davis told the Fulton Sun. “That was one of the toughest things I’ve done in a long time. I’ve done some soul-searching and our teacher retirement program is very good.
“I’ve been thinking about this since basketball season and I really made up my mind two weeks ago, and it took me this long to make the decision. I feel good with it.”
Heavy hitter
Blue Eye slugger Zach Campbell carried a big stick last week. The senior belted a pair of round-trippers in his final two at-bats to lead the Bulldogs to a 10-0 win over Clever on April 28. Then on Monday, Campbell went 4 for 4 with four home runs to carry Blue Eye to a 27-4 triumph over Spokane.
Campbell’s four home runs in the latter contest tied the state record for home runs in a game with Beaumont (St. Louis)’s Pete Vitale (1950), Hickman (Columbia)'s Jake Whitesides (1999), Jamestown’s Jeremy Haldiman (1999) and Blue Eye’s Brandon Coleman (2001). With his six home runs in six straight at-bats, Campbell broke the state record of four, which was held by six players.
Missouri boys track and field leaders
100 meters – Anthony Hall, Center (Kansas City), 10.55; Marquis White, North Tech (Florissant), 10.56; Chris Bledsoe, Eureka, 10.60; Dorial Green, Hillcrest (Springfield), 10.62; Spencer Davis, Hazelwood Central (Florissant), 10.68.
200 meters – Marquis White, North Tech, 21.80; Spencer Davis, Hazelwood Central, 21.89; Marcus Taylor, Maplewood-Richmond Heights (Maplewood), 21.90; Ronald Dumas, Kirkwood, 21.97; Blake Carter, Fort Zumwalt North (O'Fallon), 22.10.
400 meters – Mike Hester, Hazelwood Central, 47.95; Ronald Dumas, Kirkwood, 48.35; Tellis Smith, Sumner (St. Louis), 48.49; Scott Rehnquist, Watkins (St. Louis), 48.49; Don Shumpert, Hazelwood East (St. Louis), 48.91.
800 meters – Nick Seckfort, St. Louis University, 1:55.29; Dalen Fink, Fort Zumwalt North, 1:56.02; Huns Pitia, Staley (Kansas City North), 1:56.42; Corey Schaffer, Christian Brothers (St. Louis), 1:56.71; Daniel Everett, Westminster Christian, 1:57.04.
1,600 meters – Daniel Everett, Westminster Christian, 4:16.66; David Lambus, University City (St. Louis), 4:17.58; Caleb Hoover, College Heights Christian (Joplin), 4:18.40; Kevin Colon, Lee's Summit West, 4:19.04; Maksim Korolev, Harrisonville, 4:19.11.
3,200 meters – Maksim Korolev, Harrisonville, 9:13.57; David Everett, Westminster Christian, 9:24.99; David Lambus, University City, 9:28.16; Zach Herriott, Rockhurst (Kansas City), 9:28.82; Drew Padgett, Ladue Horton Watkins, 9:30.10.
110 hurdles – Spencer Dudley, St. Charles, 14.36; Dapo Akinmoladun, Grandview, 14.54; Zach Ferguson, Poplar Bluff, 14.56; Nic Ford, Centralia, 14.64; Ezekiel Elliott, John Burroughs, 14.68.
300 hurdles – Walter Powell, Hazelwood East, 37.80; Xavier Kennedy, Ritenour, 38.60; Keith Murphy, University City, 38.78; Zach Ferguson, Poplar Bluff, 38.90; Zach Gray, Lee’s Summit West, 39.27.
400 relay – Hazelwood Central, 41.90; Eureka, 42.14; Grandview, 42.32; Lee’s Summit West, 42.44; McCluer South-Berkeley, 42.52.
1,600 relay – Hazelwood Central, 3:15.05; Ladue Horton Watkins, 3:20.47; McCluer, 3:22.59; Riverview Gardens, 3:22.59; Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 3:23.45.
3,200 relay – Jennings, 8:01.99; Columbia-Rock Bridge, 8:02.47; Hazelwood Central, 8:03.41; St. Louis University High, 8:04.23; McCluer South-Berkeley, 8:06.89.
Discus – Brian Cooper, Troy Buchanan, 172-3; Thomas Ligon, Ozark, 171-4; Shon Kyle, Windsor Jefferson County, 169-0; Steven DeShazer, Raytown, 166-5; Evan Boehm, Lee’s Summit West, 165-8.
High Jump – James White, Grandview, 6-10; Jermaine Jones, Park Hill Central, 6-9; Seth Matlock, Nixa, 6-8; Tim Williams, Waynesville, 6-8; Josh Jones, Troy-Buchanan, 6-8.
Long Jump – Clark Tanksley, McCluer, 23-2 1/4; Nic Ford, Centralia, 22-7 3/4; Darion Boure, University City, 22-7 3/4; Dorial Green, Springfield-Hillcrest, 22-5 3/4; Blake Carter, Fort Zumwalt North, 22-5.
Pole Vault – Josh Morgan, Branson, 15-0; Kyle Morse, Francis Howell North, 14-8; Seaton Owensby, Nixa, 14-6; Kyle Wessel, Hannibal, 14-6; Logan Halloran, Staley, 14-0; Raymond Woldtredt, Cape Girardeau Central, 14-0; Lucas Hart, Jefferson City, 14-0; Kenneth Williams, University City, 14-0.
Shot Put – George McKinney, Neosho, 57-5 1/4; Shon Kyle, Windsor Jefferson County, 57-1; Brian Cooper, Troy Buchanan, 56-9; Jordan Chrisman, Blue Springs, 55-5; Nick Smith, Park Hill, 55-2.
Triple Jump – Thomas Ligon, Ozark, 47-5; Dorial Green, Springfield-Hillcrest, 47-3 3/4; Jeremy Lampley, McCluer, 46-5; Dapo Akinmoladun, Grandview, 46-4 1/2; Darion Boure, University City, 45-11.
Missouri girls track and field leaders
100 meters – Collin Groves, Orchard Farm, 11.54; Alexis Bates, St. Joseph Central, 11.74; Tiffani McReynolds, Pembroke Hill, 11.79; Ariane Jordan, Blue Springs, 11.80; Ekate Lymon, Waynesville, 11.95.
200 meters – Tiffeney Cannon, Beaumont, 23.03; Montenea Roye, Ladue Horton Watkins, 25.00; Ekate Lymon, Waynesville, 25.01; Ayeshia Ewing, Cardinal Ritter, 25.17; Shawntanay Johnson, Fox, 25.20.
400 meters – Kianna Ruff, McCluer South-Berkeley, 55.42; Montenea Roye, Ladue Horton Watkins, 55.93; Samantha Levin, Ladue Horton Watkins, 56.66; Asia Thomas, Cape Girardeau Central, 57.64; Cheyenne Hoerr, Affton, 57.72.
800 meters – Jessica Jackson, Neosho, 2:13.28; Alyssa Rebecca, Eureka, 2:13.32; Samantha Levin, Ladue Horton Watkins, 2:14.07; Colleen Quigley, Nerinx Hall, 2:14.75; Dallis Bailey, Conway, 2:15.74.
1,600 meters – Sarah Goetges, Duchesne, 4:43.30; Samantha Levin, Ladue Horton Watkins, 5:01.02; Colleen Quigley, Nerinx Hall, 5:01.16; Courtney Wood, Neosho, 5:02.12; Jessica Jackson, Neosho, 5:02.29.
3,200 meters – Liga Blyholder, Lee’s Summit West, 10:57.48; Courtney Wood, Neosho, 10:59.12; Colleen Quigley, Nerinx Hall, 10:59.69; Sierra Jenkins, Clinton, 11:03.04; Megan Yohe, Liberty, 11:08.32.
100 hurdles – Tiffani McReynolds, Pembroke Hill, 13.73; Jordan Stiens, Maryville, 14.51; Lindsay Vollmer, Penney, 14.87; Nicole Douglas, Parkway West, 14.90; Shannelle Williams, Hazelwood West, 14.90.
300 hurdles – Tiffani McReynolds, Pembroke Hill, 43.72; Lindsay Vollmer, Penney, 45.00; Jordan Stiens, Maryville, 45.07; Nicole Douglas, Parkway West, 45.44; Shanelle Williams, Hazelwood West, 46.20.
400 relay – Raytown South, 48.43; Hazelwood Central, 48.70; Hazelwood East, 48.90; McCluer, 49.13; Riverview Gardens, 49.16.
1,600 relay – Ladue Horton Watkins, 3:54.00; Riverview Gardens, 3:54.36; Eureka, 3:58.58; Hillsboro, 3:59.97; Raytown South, 4:01.34.
3,200 relay – Eureka, 9:14.49; Kirkwood, 9:32.07; Neosho, 9:33.62; Lee’s Summit West, 9:38.09; Lindbergh, 9:43.82.
Discus – Jill Rushin, Jackson, 150-7; Sandra Hampton, Lee’s Summit North, 143-0; Kelly Klusmeyer, Boonville, 140-1 1/2; Dahlia Dyson, Fort Zumwalt West, 139-1; Deanna Price, Troy-Buchanan, 138-4.
High Jump – Jasmine Reynolds, Waynesville, 5-6; Morgan Whitson, Moberly, 5-5; Breanne Borman, Festus, 5-4 1/2; Mackenzie Schweitz, Lafayette (Wildwood), 5-4; Shelby Sutherland, Moberly, 5-4; Nikki Larson, Troy-Buchanan, 5-4; Anna Holtermann, Washington, 5-4; Jasmine Reynolds, Waynesville, 5-4; Alauna Ray, McCluer, 5-4; Kelsey Hampton, Potosi, 5-4; Amber Thomas, Stockton, 5-4.
Long Jump – Erika Miller, Mexico, 19-1 1/2; Ekate Lymon, Waynesville, 18-7; Ahshane Johnson, Moberly, 18-3 1/2; Jakyra Shelton, North Kansas City, 18-0; Jackie Mesh, Grain Valley, 17-7; Andrea Locke, William Chrisman, 17-7.
Pole Vault – Sydney Hasse, Kearney, 11-6; Shelby Franklin, Monroe City, 11-0; Maggie Givens, Branson, 11-0; Sara Page, Liberty, 10-11 3/4; Vanessa Langford, Bronaugh, 10-9; Rachel Ederle, Affton, 10-9.
Shot Put – Jill Rushin, Jackson, 48-7 1/2; Kylie Cornman, Liberty (Mountain View), 44-11; Ashlee Shimmin, Joplin, 42-6; Roxanne Koke, Waynesville, 41-6 3/4; Sarah Hall, Columbia-Hickman, 40-10.
Triple Jump – Ahshane Johnson, Moberly, 39-5 1/2; Jackie Mesh, Grain Valley, 36-10; Lauren Waterbury, MICDS, 36-7; Hali Ford, Affton, 36-5 1/2; Shelby Cable, De Soto, 36-4; Amber White, Cuba, 36-4.
