By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Saturday's first Pepsi Showcase in Cape Girardeau brings some of the top high school basketball talent in Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee together for a chance to compete against the very best. That's just the way Show Me Center director David Ross wants it.
"Competitive athletes have a strong desire to compete against the best competition," Ross told the Southeast Missourian. "It is one of our goals to provide regional schools with the opportunity to play top quality opponents in a great basketball environment."
In all, 14 schools will compete in seven different contests beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 and continuing into the night at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau. The Showcase pits De Soto against Farmington in the opening contest, and concludes with Webster Groves going up against Jackson in the nightcap at 8:30 p.m.
In between, seven other Missouri schools will tip off against each other as well as two schools from Illinois and one from Tennessee.
Showcase Players to Watch: Ryan Willen (Notre Dame Cape Girardeau), Anthony Booker (McCluer North), Torres Roundtree (McCluer North), Femi John (McCluer North), Joe Jackson (White Station/Memphis, Tenn.), Ferrakohn Hall (White Station/Memphis, Tenn.), Drew Hanlen (Webster Groves), Jesse Perry (Gateway Tech), Brett Thompson (Vienna, Ill.) and Tyler Griffey (Lafayette).
Pepsi Showcase Schedule
De Soto vs. Farmington - 10 a.m.
Fort Zumwalt South vs. Poplar Bluff - 11:45 a.m.
Vienna (Ill.) vs. Cape Central - 1:30 p.m.
Lafayette vs. Pinckneyville (Ill.) - 3:15 p.m.
Gateway Tech vs. Notre Dame Cape Girardeau - 5 p.m.
McCluer North vs. White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) - 6:45 p.m.
Webster Groves vs. Jackson - 8:30 p.m.
Carter Masters Win 400
When Jennings head basketball coach Randy Carter arrived at the school, one of his career goals was to get to 200 wins before he reached the 200-loss plateau. However, on his arrival to his 200th win, Carter's record stood at 200-204.
Carter, who reached 400 wins a week ago with a 58-50 triumph over Lutheran North, did have his work cut out for himself, however, in obtaining that goal. He had dug himself a pretty deep hole after getting off to a 14-87 mark at Fort Zumwalt High School. Since then, Carter has put together a 387-217 record.
There is just one feat left for Carter to make his career complete - a state championship.
Carter took the milestone in stride.
"It's just another win along the way but it'll probably mean a lot more when I'm sitting in a nursing home some day thinking of the good old days," he told the Northwest County Journal following Thursday's eight-point win over the Crusaders.
Carter followed in the shadow of Jennings coaching legend Hal Moore, who is in the Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame after producing more than 500 wins himself.
"It's pretty amazing in this day and age that Jennings has had only two coaches in almost 40 years," Carter told the Southeast Missourian.
Boys Basketball Top Scoring Performances
Thursday - Logan Colston scored 25 points for Thomas Jefferson in a 74-52 loss to Logos.St. Francis Borgia's Nathan Scheer poured in 25 points in a 57-44 loss to Christian Brothers.Friday - Charonn Woods ripped the cords for 24 points for Metro Academy in an 81-48 win over Cleveland.Construction Career's Barry Robinson scorched the nets for 34 points in a 65-62 loss to E. H. Lyle.Kendrick Brown scored 29 points for Soldan in an 80-59 win over Lovejoy.St. Clair's Phillip Lashley poured in 24 points in a 79-70 win over Pacific.A. J. Messmer ripped the cords for 27 points for Timberland in a 50-48 win over Howell Central.Lutheran South's Peter Eggers scorched the nets for 24 points in a 57-48 win over Lutheran North.Colby White scored 24 points for Seckman in an 82-61 loss to Eureka.Holt's Ryan Mertz poured in 24 points in a 55-46 win over Warrenton.Lincoln Prep's Beaumont Beasley scorched the nets for 27 points in a 71-51 win over Westport.Garrett Stutz scored 25 points for North Kansas City in a 46-45 loss to Oak Park.Pleasant Hill's Lee Stoppleman poured in 25 points in a 66-33 win over Carrollton.West Platte's Erick Roe scorched the nets for 43 points in a 69-53 win over Plattsburg.Quentin Berry scored 24 points for Mansfield in a 57-39 win over Catholic.Bolivar's Preston Guiot poured in 26 points in a 68-57 win over Monett.Monett's Patrick Dargan ripped the cords for 24 points in a 68-57 loss to Bolivar.Lane Brewer scorched the nets for 24 points for Alton in a 69-41 loss to Willow Springs.Aurora's Ryan Carmichael scored 24 points in a 76-70 win over McDonald County.Tyler Shaver poured in 25 points for McDonald County in a 76-70 loss to Aurora.Lutheran's Austin Reyelts ripped the cords for 25 points in a 65-60 win over Miami.Saturday - Hogan Prep's Marcus Denmon ripped the cords for 37 points in a 94-52 win over Metro Academy.Charles Johnson scorched the nets for 25 points for Hogan Prep in a 94-52 win over Metro Academy.William Chrisman's Justin Clark scored 30 points in an 85-67 win over Blue Valley North (Kan.).
Girls Basketball Top Scoring Performances
Thursday - Kassie Walker scored 26 points for Arcadia Valley in a 75-45 win over Bismarck.Hazelwood East's Channon Haywood poured in 28 points in a 67-63 win over Visitation.Gwen Williams ripped the cords for 24 points for Fort Zumwalt West in a 50-46 win over St. Charles West.Oak Grove's Lauren Richeson scorched the nets for 25 points in a 56-37 win over Higginsville.Lindsey Letsinger scored 25 points for New Covenant in a 57-22 win over Niangua.Greenfield's Loganne Grider poured in 24 points in a 45-35 win over Marionville.Sara Paschall ripped the cords for 24 points for West Plains in a 55-49 win over Poplar Bluff.Marshfield's Lacey Boshe scorched the nets for 26 points in a 73-46 win over Lebanon.Friday - Danisa Bennett scored 26 points for Ladue in a 49-48 win over Pattonville.Pattonville's Brittany Cook poured in 26 points in a 49-48 loss to Ladue.Chelsea Grimshaw ripped the cords for 24 points for Seckman in a 43-42 win over Eureka.Samantha Heck scored 35 points for North Callaway in a 64-57 win over Harrisburg.Harrisburg's Ashley Fisher poured in 31 points in a 64-57 loss to North Callaway.Yvonne Anderson ripped the cords for 29 points for Columbia Hickman in a 52-46 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.).Republic's Kara Blankenship scorched the nets for 29 points in a 66-44 win over Joplin.Breanna Daniels scored 26 points for Hollister in a 49-44 win over Galena.
Football: Coaching Resignations
Four-time Springfield Quarterback Club Coach of the Year, Gary Hurst, announced his intention to step down as Glendale's head football coach Monday.
After roaming the sidelines for the past 21 seasons at Springfield Central and Glendale in the Springfield School District, Hurst acknowledged to the Springfield News-Leader that winning just wasn't as exciting to him anymore.
"Winning didn't feel like winning anymore. Winning felt like a relief. That's when I knew it was time to get out," he told the Leader. "I want to win. To me, it's about winning football games and winning seasons. But I want it to be fun."
Hurst resigned after six seasons as head coach at Glendale. He compiled a 32-31 record for the Falcons, including an 0-3 mark in the playoffs following district championships in 2003, 2006 and 2007. Glendale lost to state runner-up Belton 41-12 in the quarterfinals of the Missouri state football playoffs this past season.
Although, he is not entertaining thoughts of getting back into coaching next season, Hurst did tell the Leader that he would listen to any offers.
Perryville head football coach Rick Chastain will resign from his post, as well, after compiling a 17-34 record in five years with the Pirates.
In 2004, Chastain led Perryville to its only district championship during his second tenure as head coach at the school. Chastain guided the Pirates to two district titles from 1985-1990, giving the Pirates three playoff appearances under his guidance in 11 seasons as head coach.
After getting off to a 3-0 start during the 2007 season, Perryville lost its next six games before defeating Kennett 31-20 in the finale to earn a 4-6 mark in Chastain's final season at the school.
