Poplar Bluff, MO - The Rib City Shootout will be held at Libla Family Sports Complex on the campus of Three Rivers College in Poplar bluff this week.
Girls basketball will be held on Wednesday, June 17th and Thursday, June 18th. Boys basketball will be held on Thursday, June 18th and Friday, June 19th.
The event was originally scheduled on May 29th and 30th; however the first few Rib City Shootouts were postponed due to COVID-19 virus pandemic.
Rib City Shootout Director, Chad Allen, stated that there will be additional shootouts at the Bearcat Event Center in Dexter and the Cape Girardeau SportsPlex. At this time the Libla Center will have 50% fan capacity. The Cape Girardeau SportsPlex will also allow fan, but the Bearcat Event Center will probably not allow fans in the building at this time.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 - Girls Basketball
Libla Center Court 1
11:15 a.m. Park Hills Central vs Dexter
12:00 p.m. Park Hills Central vs Tipton
12:45 p.m. Crane vs South Iron
1:30 p.m. Southeast Dynasty vs Ellington
2:15 p.m. Dexter B Team vs Park Hills Central B Team
3:00 p.m. Tipton vs Ellington
3:45 p.m. Crane vs Southeast Dynasty
4:30 p.m. South Iron B Team vs Park Hills Central B Team
5:15 p.m. Crane vs Doniphan
6:00 p.m. Dexter B Team vs South Iron B Team
6:45 p.m. Tipton vs East Carter
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 - Girls Basketball
Libla Center Court 2
11:15 a.m. South Iron vs Doniphan
12:00 p.m. Twin Rivers B Team vs Park Hills Central B Team
12:45 p.m. Twin Rivers vs Brown County, IL
1:30 p.m. Tipton vs doniphan
2:15 p.m.Cran vs Park Hills Central
3:00 p.m. Parks Hills Central vs Doniphan
3:45 p.m. East Carter vs Brown County, IL
4:30 p.m. South Iron B Team vs Park Hills Central B Team
5:15 p.m. Crane vs Doniphan
6:00 p.m. Dexter B Team vs South Iron B Team
6:45 p.m. Dexter vs Brown County, IL
7:30 p.m. Park Hills Central vs Ellington
Wednesday, June 17, 2020 - Girls Basketball
Bess Activity Center
2:15 p.m. Twin Rivers B Team vs South Iron B Team
3:00 p.m. Twin Rivers vs South Iron
3:45 p.m. Dexter B Team vs Twin Rivers B Team
4:30 p.m. Dexter vs Twin Rivers
5:15 p.m. South Iron vs East Carter
Thursday, June 18, 2020 - Girls Basketball
Libla Center Court 1
9:15 a.m. East Carter vs Southeast Dynasty
10:00 a.m. Tipton vs South Iron
10:45 a.m. East Carter vs Dexter
11:30 a.m. Tipton vs Southeast Dynasty
12:15 p.m. Doniphan vs Dexter
1:45 p.m. Tipton vs Crane
2:30 p.m. Ellington vs Brown County, IL
Libla Center Court 2
9:15 a.m. Crane vs Dexter
10:00 a.m. Doniphan vs Brown County, IL
10:45 a.m. Crane vs Ellington
12:15 p.m. Crane vs East Prairie
1:00 p.m. South Iron vs Brown County, IL
2:30 p.m. Southeast Dynasty vs South Iron
4:00 p.m. East Carter vs Ellington
We may see some summer sports for the high school seniors as soon as July! The SEMO Conference athletic directors met on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 to discuss plans for All-Star games for seniors in baseball, tennis, golf and track.
"The SEMO Conference ADs along with coaches are working on events for our senior spring athletes to allow them a chance to compete one last time before they leave us," commented Dexter High School Athletic Director Josh Dowdy. "The idea is to try and have an "all-star" game/match/tournament for outgoing senior spring sport athletes within our conference during the week of July 6th - July 11th."
"Details of when and where the events will take place is still being coordinated with coaches and athletic directors," continued Dowdy.
As you may know there is a lot to planning just one tournament or event. This will be quite the endeavor for the coaches and ADs, but well worth it to see the athletes compete one more time.
This will be the first ever high school all-star games featuring seniors who lost their 2020 season due to COVID-19. Most of the events will probably take place in Cape Girardeau and Sikeston.
There are eight teams comprising the SEMO Conference for baseball: Cape Girardeau, Dexter, Jackson, Kennett, New Madrid, Notre Dame, Poplar Bluff and Sikeston.
Dexter, MO - Garrett Henson is the 18 year old son of Dennis and Elizabeth Henson. He is the grandson of Ray and Mabel Henson of Puxico, MO and Woody and Miriam Chenault of Monticello, IL.
Garrett has participated in Future Business Leaders of America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Future Farmers of America and Pep Club.
Garrett also has played basketball and baseball all four years in high school. He played baseball for the Missouri Bulls, SEMO Spartans, and the Charleston Fighting Squirrels.
When asked what Garrett’s most memorable moment was with Dexter baseball, "It was hitting a walk-off against Jackson!" His most memorable moment in summer baseball was winning back-to-back State titles with the SEMO Spartans.
Garrett’s baseball season was cut short due to COVID-19 and the coronavirus epidemic so he started a lawncare business with fellow classmate and teammate Haden Hillis as a way to earn extra cash. He is also finishing his three dual credit courses online with SEMO and Three Rivers College.
"Garrett Henson is a laid back kid. He doesn’t ride the emotional roller coaster of a baseball game," commented DHS head baseball coach Drew Pixley. "He stays right in the middle, where things should be."
"Garrett probably would have been one of our top two pitchers this spring. He’s very difficult to hit when he stays down in the zone. With him being every bit of 6’5”, and maybe taller, he throws straight over the top. That high of a release point working down to a hitter is an extremely difficult angle to make solid contact. If he would’ve had the opportunity to have a consistent spring, he could have done some really good things."
"For the past two seasons, Garrett has always stayed in the lineup. He’s had some very good moments for us, but one in particular sticks out in my mind. His sophomore season at home versus Jackson. Jackson is a very solid program every year. There always at the top of our conference. But this particular game, we stayed in it and kept it close. We tied the game in the 7th inning. With 2 outs, Garrett is up to bat. He came through with a 2 strike single down the first base line, and we scored the winning run. It wasn’t a pretty hit. But in that high pressure situation as a sophomore, in a conference game, and at home in front of his hometown fans, he found a way to get the job done."
"This season is one I’ll never forget because of what could have been. Garrett was always asking me if I thought we would play the season, which tells me he was ready for competition. I really wish I would have been able to see these seniors compete this spring," stated Pixley.
Garrett’s future plans after high school are to attend the Trulaske College of Business at the University of Missouri - Columbia, where he will be a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.
Dexter, MO - MTCCCA announced its Academic All-State runners. Dexter High School had six athletes to earn these honors.
Athletes must be nominated by their head coach who must be a current member of MTCCCA. Each athlete must have competed in a State series meet of which a district, section or state meet satisfies that requirement. Each athlete must meet one of the following criteria: 25 or higher on the ACT, 1150 or higher on the SAT or 3.6 cumulative GPA at the end of the fall semester.
"I am very proud of their hard work on the course and in the classroom," commented DHS head cross country coach Leonard Morse.
Athletes are Margo Nea, Madison Slaton, Andrew Ellinghouse, Alanie Lacy, Sophia Chasteen, and Kalyn Traw.
Dexter, MO - Haden Hillis is the 18 year old son of Tory and Darren Hillis and brother to Rhylan Hillis. He is also the grandson of Ron and Jo Bloemer and Gladys Hillis and Bruce and Lynn Hillis.
He is a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Sr. Beta and FCLA. He has also played on the football team three year, baseketball team three year and baseball four year.
Haden was one of the original members of the Spartans Baseball team and won state two years and has been playing some type of summer baseball now going on 11 years. You could say Haden love the game!
What are Haden's most memorable moments in high school baseball? Throwing a no hitter in the first JV game of his freshman year against Kennett and throwing another no hitter hi freshman year in his first varsity debut against Notre Dame!
When asked how has the COVID-19 affected you this year, Haden said, "It has definitely taken away memories that I as well as every high school seniors across teh country will never get back. It truly makes you put into perspective that you shouldn't ever take anything fro granted."
"Haden Hillis is the toughest kid I know. He played the entire football season this year with a torn quadriceps muscle, and started every single game," commented Dexter High School baseball coach Drew Pixley. "Last football season, he broke his collarbone twice, and hated to have to come out of the game. That quality in him will take him a long way in life, being able to battle through tough times."
"Haden was our team leader on the diamond. He’s not a very vocal kid, but he’s tough, always has a great attitude, and competes HARD. Those are qualities, that combined, would make a desirable player on any team," continued Pixley.
"Hillis would be a very pivotal pitcher in our rotation. He has natural cut to his fastball, which isn’t typical. But it was very effective when he stayed low in the strike zone. Even through his leg injury, he was able to lift from the waist up and I thought he had a tremendous winter in the weight room. He’s definitely able to handle the bat better and could have possibly been a heart of the lineup type of player."
"I was really excited coming into this season to see how Haden would bounce back, and I know he was too. To see their season end like this is saddening, but I know these kids will take on their next challenge the right way. I will miss all of these seniors, and their teammates will too," stated Pixley.
Haden wanted to add that he has a great respect for all of his coaches. Coach Aaron Pixley was his reason for getting back involved in football, a sport Haden also loves. "He is always a positive on the football field."
"Coach Drew always believed in us and we were set to have a memorable senior year on the baseball field," stated Hillis. "Coach Cody Boyer was the first text received with encouragement and support when I heard "NO SPRING SPORTS!"
"Coach Becker has helped coach me since I was in the 2nd grade," continued Hillis. "He has always believed in me. I will miss all of these coaches and I appreciate all of them as well.
Haden's future plans after graduation is to attend the University of Missouri - Columbia and major in accounting.
