STORM CENTER: A COLUMN BY SPORTS EDITOR ERIC X. VICCARO The fine art of tomahawk throwing is alive and well in Ste. Genevieve County. And that’s what the sports editor learned on a recent, warm August afternoon at Hands-on History at the Linden House here in historic downtown. The learning center had its first-ever tomahawk…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald In the middle of August, coaches are springing forth with optimism as the 2020-21 fall sports seasons draw near. “I think our first week went fantastic,” said Samer Zoughaib, the boys’ and girls’ cross country coach at Valle Catholic. “All in all, it was a very good start…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald For the first time ever this Sunday, Ste. Genevieve will play host to a Professional Disc Golfers Association-sanctioned event. “It legitimizes everything we have done so far,” said Ste. Genevieve resident Steve Hoog, one of the players set for competition in this 36-hole event at Pere Marquette Park.…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Five former Valle Catholic High School and seven ex-Ste. Genevieve High School athletes are currently playing college sports somewhere in the United States. Many of them have been impacted by the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic that’s affecting the world. Originally the Ohio Valley Conference suspended fall sports through Sept.…
GOLF RESULTS Aug. 8-9 At Ste. Genevieve Golf Club Championship Flight 1, Tanner McKinney and Kellen Bader, 117; 2, Greg Hilbert and Greg Ladd, 123; 3, Brian Stewart and Scott Boyer, 124 “A” Flight 1, Rick Meyer and Scott Meyer, 127; 2, Mark Beare and Jason Buskohl, 130; 3, Bob Pavelonis and Gary Ryan, 130…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Optimism is growing for the possibility of high school sports this fall. The Missouri State High School Activities Association Board of Directors met on Aug. 4 in a virtual conference as the governing body deals with the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. And the board ultimately decided to grant relief…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Earlier this week, the Missouri State High School Activities Association released a statement indicating fall sports would go on as schedule. That means it’s game on for high school volleyball. And the season is rapidly approaching, with both Ste. Genevieve and Valle Catholic High School opening the slate…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Ste. Genevieve native Abbie Stolzer was a walk-on to the Webster University women’s track and field team. Which only speaks louder volumes for her accomplishment. Stolzer on July 29 was named to Webster’s all-decade outdoor track and field squad in the event of discus. “I reached out to…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Face it. Ste. Genevieve County is a remarkable runner’s paradise. Look at all the cross country championship placards adorning the wall inside Peggy J. Johnson Gymnasium at Ste. Genevieve High School. See all the hard work that’s going into the cross country program at Valle Catholic, under head…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald The Ste. Genevieve Riverdogs 14-under baseball team recently capped the summer 2020 season in grand style. The Riverdogs clipped the St. Clair (Ill.) Stars 4-3 in the championship game of a tournament at Pacific – striking out the side in the fateful seventh inning to give them the…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald The Ste. Genevieve High School football team has a new opening week opponent for the hopeful 2020 season. Meanwhile, Valle Catholic’s football schedule may be changing on the fly thanks to concerns over COVID-19 (coronavirus). Both Valle Catholic and Ste. Genevieve are coming off successful seasons. The Warriors…
The United States Marine Corps and American Volleyball Coaches Association announced on July 20 that Missouri S&T would be given an academic award. One of the members of the Missouri S&T roster is Ste. Genevieve’s Avery Reed, a junior outside hitter. This marks the 11th consecutive year the Miners have earned this award. In order…
Excitement Disc Golf will present the Pere Marquette Open on Sunday, Aug. 23 at Marquette Park in Ste. Genevieve. This is a Professional Disc Golfers Association (PDGA) “C” Tier event. Pre-registration is required, with check-in from 8-8:45 a.m., with tee-off time set for 9 a.m. There will be two rounds of play. Social distancing is…
Famous jazz vocalist Al Jarreau, who sang the theme to the 1980s smash television hit, “Moonlighting,” also lent his talents to another tune. The 1988 song was titled, “All or Nothing At All.” And that seems to be the approach for the Missouri State High School Activities Association as it relates to playing fall sports…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Three years ago, the Ste. Genevieve R-II School District and Ste. Genevieve Golf Club in Zell began a partnership to provide junior golf clinics. “The first time we did it three years ago, honestly, I was shocked,” said Ste. Genevieve Golf Club professional Chad Schilli. What shocked Schilli…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Thanks to COVID-19 (coronavirus), high school volleyball season currently hangs in a delicate balance. But, local coaches Nancy Fischer and Carla Basler are both optimistic it will happen. And when it does, Missouri scholastic volleyball players will be knee pads deep in a sweeping change to how the…
By ERIC X. VICCARO Ste. Genevieve Herald Ste. Genevieve R-II students will be creating some camp memories during the next few weeks. Camp memories will be made as part of eased restrictions due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). School district officials report parents and guardians must complete, sign and return a waiver before his or her child…
Ste. Genevieve High School wrestling coach Jared Bonnell and assistant wrestling coach Justin Roth were both recently recognized with awards from the Missouri Wrestling Association. Bonnell was honored as the District 1 Girls Wrestling Coach of the Year, and Roth was recognized as Assistant Coach of the Year. Ste. Genevieve R-II athletic director Dr. Jeff…
Emily Huelskamp has competed in several prestigious rowing events during her career, but she still hopes to make one of the biggest events before she retires. The Ste. Genevieve High School alumnus has been selected to the U.S. Rowing Team and has represented her nation in the World Rowing Championships. “I was able to make…
Christian Boyer has been a consistent presence for Ste. Genevieve’s boys basketball team over the past few years. Recently he was recognized for his work in the classroom. The senior was named to the academic all-state basketball team. In order to receive the honor, a player has to be nominated by their coach, who must…
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has either canceled or caused the postponement of sporting events at just about all levels all over the world. Student-athletes from Ste. Genevieve involved in college fall sports were able to complete their seasons, while those in winter or spring sports faced the possibility of their seasons being cut short by…
The Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) board voted last Thursday to grant relief of portions of the by-laws that include summer limits on contact between coaches and student-athletes. Dependent upon approval from local and state health officials, the MSHSAA board voted to make the summertime dead period and the summer limits on contact…
Mallory Weiler had a successful basketball career with Valle, which included helping the Warriors claim their first district championship in 20 years. When the season came to a close for all teams, she earned one more prestigious honor. The senior basketball and softball athlete recently earned academic all-state honors for the past basketball season. According…
There will be no crack of the bats this spring. This sports season won’t end with a final out or a decisive 4×400-meter relay. It ended with announcements and news releases last Thursday. The spring sports season, the start of which already had been postponed twice due to COVID-19, was canceled last week. Missouri Governor…
Countless spring sports athletes have had their seasons cut short due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Those who have been affected the hardest are the high school and college seniors. Connor Basler is no exception. The Valle Catholic alumnus was supposed to play his senior year of baseball at Southeast Missouri State University, but due to…
The event that local high school spring athletes feared would happen actually took place last Thursday. The spring sports season officially was called off by the Missouri State High School Activities Association. About a week before the spring sports season began, schools closed for three weeks to help combat the spread of COVID-19. During this…
Middle and high school gyms were filled throughout winter with basketball games and wrestling events, but a newer venue recently saw plenty of activity in a different sport. Fans gathered for another season of Ste. Genevieve Youth Gym Hockey over the past few months at the Progress Sports Complex on the campus of the Ste.…
Jay Pope hasn’t been the head coach for Ste. Genevieve High School’s boys track program for long, but he has already put a lot of focus and praise on his athletes. But those athletes might not get a chance to compete on any track during Pope’s first season at the helm. Due to the COVID-19…
Just like any athlete, Taylor Werner finds herself in unfamiliar territory. The former Ste. Genevieve distance running phenom and current senior at the University of Arkansas has put together a storied athletic career, but like many athletes, her athletic career has been put on hold due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. “I was actually with…
With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down schools and businesses worldwide, it was only a matter of time before more businesses in the Ste. Genevieve area were affected. Valle Catholic High School and Ste. Genevieve High School spring sports have already been postponed until April 6 as of a couple of weeks ago. While those sports…