Bauman Says Valle’s An Outlier
By ERIC X. VICCARO
EVICCARO@STEGENHERALD.COM
COLUMBIA — When the Missouri State High School Activities Association draws district assignments, geographical outliers can take place.
Valle Catholic head girls’ basketball coach Brian Bauman said the Warriors themselves may be considered an outlier.
“We are the most northern team in our district,” Bauman noted. “District 4 has Crystal City and teams from St. Louis. I would’ve liked being in that district.”
Bauman said there’s no clear cut favorite in Class 2, District 4, which features Crystal City — and the like — however that can’t be said in Class 2 District 3 where Valle Catholic was placed.
Oran is expected to be the top team in District 3, according to Bauman.
Other schools assigned to Class 2 District 3 are Advance, Meadow Heights, Puxico and St. Vincent of Perryville.
“Oran is definitely the strongest team in our district and will get the No. 1 seed,” Bauman said. “They will be hosting the tournament as well.”
Bauman said the Warriors match up well with the rest of the field, with the likely chance Valle Catholic (7-11 record) could be seeded as high as third.
Oran currently stands at 9-3, with its only losses to Delta, Class 6 Jackson and powerhouse Central of Park Hills — with the Rebels coming out on top 53-40 on Jan. 16.
As noted in last week’s wrestling district assignments story, Ste. Genevieve athletic director Dr. Jeff Nix reported MSHSAA divided up schools beginning in the Bootheel until working into the northwest corner by Maryville.
The Dragons have been placed in a different district this year, bumping from Class 4 District 1 to Class 4 District 2.
District 2 could be considered a glorified version of the Mineral Area Activities Association’s Large School Division.
The district features Dragons’ rivals Central, Potosi and Fredericktown plus St. Clair and Herculaneum.
“It’s a pretty solid district,” Ste. Genevieve head coach Jordanna Walk-Robison said. “But Park Hills Central stands out as one of our biggest challenges.”
