As incoming freshmen hit the soccer field for the first time at
Glendale (Springfield), they may want to brush up on their Falcon soccer history first.
Glendale boys and girls soccer coach Jeff Rogers isn’t about to grill the newcomers as they hit the field running. But he does expect first-year players to take some pride in putting on a Falcon jersey.
"I want them to know who last season’s all-staters were," Rogers said after notching the 600th win of his career with a 10-0 shut out of Hillcrest (Springfield) on Tuesday, "who scored the most goals and who had the most assists. I want them to know how many district championships we’ve won and how many final fours we’ve been to.
"I want them to look at who our leading scorer is and say, ‘He got this, so I want to get that ... I want it to mean something to them when they put on that red and blue uniform."
Rogers arrived at Springfield-Glendale in 1988 as the school’s boys junior varsity coach. In 1990, he took over the boys head coaching duties and then started the girls program in 1995. Shortly after his arrival, Rogers came to the realization that the Falcons needed a change of mindset. He then incorporated a new attitude and the program has since become one of the most competitive in the state.
Under Rogers’ guidance the Falcons have earned 18 district titles collectively, including four trips to the Final 4. In 2008, the Falcon boys fell to Rockhurst in the state final.
"Year-in and year-out, we continue to field competitive teams, both the boys and girls," Rogers said. "It’s amazing what we’ve been able to achieve. The pride that the kids take in this program means as much to me as the wins and the championships.
"It’s a neat program to be a part of."
The Falcons now stand 9-4 on the season and 4-1 in the Ozarks Conference league standings. Rogers, who has been coaching at Glendale for 20 years, is completing his 35th season with the Falcons. He earned win No. 500 on Sept. 4, 2007 with a 4-0 win over Waynesville. Rogers stands fourth on the Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association all-time wins list behind Trinity’s Vince Drake, Oakville (St. Louis)’s Dave Robben and Lee's Summit North’s Tim Richardson.
Elms takes game to East Buchanan
Cori Elms may walk into an ideal coaching situation next winter when she leads the East Buchanan (Gower) girls basketball program into battle for the first time. The former DeKalb coach, who posted a 176-71 record with the Tigers, will take over a program that loses just one player off of a 14-9 campaign in 2009-10.
While at DeKalb, Elms led the Tigers to four straight district titles from 2004-07, including final four appearances in 2005 and 2006. DeKalb won the Missouri Class 1 state title under Elms in 2006.
"It was very hard," Elms told the St. Joseph News-Press. "I feel like we’re a family. We do a lot of things together, since I’ve had the opportunity to coach them in softball and basketball. It was a really hard time to leave.
"There is no great time to leave, but I just felt this was the right opportunity."
Gwartney, Stokes accept coaching bids
Chris Gwartney and Ryan Stokes have agreed to accept McDonald County (Anderson) coaching positions vacated by former Mustang football coach Sean Price and boys basketball coach Mike Austin. Gwartney moves into the lead position after assisting Price the past three seasons. Stokes, meanwhile, comes to McDonald County from Miller, where he led the Cardinal to a 59-23 mark over the past three seasons.
Other coaching catches
Former Parkway West (Ballwin) assistant basketball coach and 1992 Longhorn graduate John Wright takes over the school’s head coaching position, replacing the newly retired Bill Sodemann. After learning under Sodemann the last 14 seasons, Wright becomes the school’s third basketball coach. Former Logan-Rogersville (Rogersville) head wrestling coach Dustin Martin has accepted the same position at Nixa. Martin replaces former Eagle coach Brian Olivera.
Hot shot
McDonald County’s Charlie Bridenstine went 4 for 5 from the plate Friday, including a grand slam, and knocked in seven runs in a 15-12 Mustang win over Carthage. He also earned the win on the mound after tossing six innings. Last week Bridenstine brought in a run with a double that helped McDonald County squeeze out a 3-2 win over Webb City, ending a three-game skid.
William Chrisman ends conference losing streak
Alivea Disney scored a goal in the 73rd minute of a 2-1 win over Winnetonka (Kansas City) last week, securing the Bears’ first Suburban Big Seven win since April 5, 2006. The narrow victory broke a 47-game conference skid.
"I thought the girls played a great game," Bear coach John Straub told the Independence Examiner, "especially in the second half. I was proud of them for fighting hard while at the same time maintaining a calm head. It was a nice conference win."
Missouri boys track and field leaders
100 meters – Anthony Hall, Kansas City-Center, 10.55; Dorial Green, Springfield-Hillcrest, 10.62; Spencer Davis, Hazelwood Central, 10.68; Chris Gilyard, Blue Springs South, 10.74; Marquise Hill, Trinity, 10.80.
200 meters – Marquis White, North Tech, 21.80; Marcus Taylor, Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 21.90; Ronald Dumas, Kirkwood, 21.97; Blake Carter, Fort Zumwalt North, 22.10; Jared Ingram, McCluer, 22.14.
400 meters – Mike Hester, Hazelwood Central, 48.28; Ronald Dumas, Kirkwood, 48.35; Don Shumpert, Hazelwood East, 48.91; Chris Campbell, Holt, 49.04; Cory Jones, Timberland, 49.21.
800 meters – Dalen Fink, Fort Zumwalt North, 1:56.02; Huns Pitia, Staley, 1:56.42; Nick Seckfort, St. Louis University High, 1:57.03; Daniel Everett, Westminster Christian, 1:57.04; Danny Thater, Springfield-Kickapoo, 1:57.82.
1,600 meters – Kevin Colon, Lee’s Summit West, 4:19.04; Maksim Korolev, Harrisonville, 4:19.11; Daniel Everett, Westminster Christian, 4:20.24; David Lambus, University City, 4:21.60; Danny Thater, Springfield-Kickapoo, 4:23.05.
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, 9:28.82; Drew Padgett, Ladue Horton Watkins, 9:30.10.
110 hurdles – Dapo Akinmoladun, Grandview, 14.54; Spencer Dudley, St. Charles, 14.56; Zach Ferguson, Poplar Bluff, 14.56; Nic Ford, Centralia, 14.64; Ezekiel Elliott, John Burroughs, 14.70.
300 hurdles – Walter Powell, Hazelwood East, 37.80; Xavier Kennedy, Ritenour, 38.60; Keith Murphy, University City, 38.79; Zach Ferguson, Poplar Bluff, 38.90; Nic Ford, Centralia, 39.54.
400 relay – Eureka, 42.14; Hazelwood Central, 42.42; Lee’s Summit West, 42.44; Liberty, 42.69; Kirkwood, 42.80.
1600 relay – Hazelwood Central, 3:18.23; McCluer, 3:22.59; Riverview Gardens, 3:22.59; Maplewood-Richmond Heights, 3:23.45; Timberland, 3:23.56.
3,200 relay – Columbia-Rock Bridge, 8:02.47; St. Louis University High, 8:04.23; Farmington, 8:09.24; Festus, 8:09.48; Springfield-Kickapoo, 8:12.64.
Discus – Thomas Ligon, Ozark, 171-4; Shon Kyle, Windsor Jefferson County, 169-0; Evan Boehm, Lee’s Summit West, 165-8; Vince Talley, Mexico, 161-3; Brian Cooper, Troy-Buchanan, 160-6.
High Jump – James White, Grandview, 6-10; Seth Matlock, Nixa, 6-8; Tim Williams, Waynesville, 6-8; Josh Jones, Troy-Buchanan, 6-8; Harrison Irvie, MICDS, 6-6; Nathan Hancock, Fort Osage, 6-6; Tyler Calhoun, Ozark, 6-6; Christian Kirk, St. Charles West, 6-6; Jermaine Jones, Park Hill Central, 6-6; Mitch Hatten, Cameron, 6-6; Jacob Kent, Ste. Genevieve, 6-6.
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; Seaton Owensby, Nixa, 14-6; Kyle Morse, Francis Howell North, 14-4; Logan Halloran, Staley, 14-0; Raymond Woldtredt, Cape Girardeau Central, 14-0; Lucas Hart, Jefferson City, 14-0.
Shot Put – Shon Kyle, Windsor Jefferson County, 56-8; Jordan Chrisman, Blue Springs, 55-5; Nick Smith, Park Hill, 55-2; Will Bruce, Lee’s Summit North, 54-0; Joe Windsor, Kearney, 53-1.
Triple Jump – Thomas Ligon, Ozark, 46-8 1/2; Jeremy Lampley, McCluer, 46-5; Dapo Akinmoladun, Grandview, 46-4 1/2; Dorial Green, Springfield-Hillcrest, 45-11 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; Jazmin McCoy, North Kansas City, 12.04; Cara Forte, Kansas City-Center, 12.04.
200 meters – Tiffeney Cannon, Beaumont, 23.03; Ayeshia Ewing, Cardinal Ritter, 25.17; Shawntanay Johnson, Fox, 25.20; Tianna Valentine, Hazelwood East, 25.38; Jaronica Owens, McCluer, 25.46.
400 meters – Montenea Roye, Ladue Horton Watkins, 55.93; Samantha Levin, Ladue Horton Watkins, 56.66; Kianna Ruff, McCluer South-Berkeley, 57.15; Asia Thomas, Cape Girardeau Central, 57.64; Cheyenne Hoerr, Affton, 57.72.
800 meters – Samantha Levin, Ladue Horton Watkins, 2:14.07; Jessica Jackson, Neosho, 2:15.87; Alyssa Rebecca, Eureka, 2:17.96; Lauren Collette, Springfield-Kickapoo; 2:18.17; Landon Wachter, Jackson, 2:19.20.
1,600 meters – Sarah Goetges, Duchesne, 4:43.30; Samantha Levin, Ladue Horton Watkins, 5:01.02; Colleen Quigley, Nerinx Hall, 5:01.16; Jessica Jackson, Neosho, 5:03.29; Krista Menghini, St. Josephs Academy, 5:05.99.
3,200 meters – Colleen Quigley, Nerinx Hall, 10:59.69; Sierra Jenkins, Clinton, 11:03.04; Courtney Wood, Neosho, 11:07.68; Megan Yohe, Liberty, 11:08.32; Krista Menghini, St. Josephs Academy, 11:09.12.
100 hurdles – Tiffani McReynolds, Pembroke Hill, 13.73; Jordan Stiens, Maryville, 14.51; Lindsay Vollmer, Penney, 14.87; Nikki Wetstein, Windsor Jefferson County, 14.92; Mackenzie Evans, St. Joseph-Central, 15.14.
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 – McCluer, 49.13; Riverview Gardens, 49.16; Hazelwood East, 49.18; Hazelwood Central, 49.50; Blue Springs, 49.94.
1,600 relay – Riverview Gardens, 3:54.36; Ladue Horton Watkins, 3:56.60; Hillsboro, 3:59.97; McCluer South-Berkeley, 4:04.80; McCluer North, 4:04.81.
3,200 relay – Kirkwood, 9:32.07; Neosho, 9:36.97; Lee’s Summit West, 9:38.09; Smithville, 9:44.08; Eureka, 9:45.65.
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 – 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.
Long Jump – Erika Miller, Mexico, 19-1 1/2; 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.
Shot Put – Jill Rushin, Jackson, 48-7 1/2; Kylie Cornman, Liberty (Mountain View), 44-11; Ashlee Shimmin, Joplin, 42-6; Sarah Hall, Columbia-Hickman, 40-10; Kelsey Benoit, Centralia, 40-6.
Triple Jump – Ahshane Johnson, Moberly, 39-5 1/2; Jackie Mesh, Grain Valley, 36-10; Hali Ford, Affton, 36-5 1/2; Shelby Cable, De Soto, 36-4; Holly Wilmarth, Maryville, 36-3 3/4.
