Blog

By Jim Wieners

Last fall, North County Christian, a MSHSAA affiliated registered school, took third last year in the Missouri Christian State GIRLS VOLLEYBALL Tournament. No MSHSAA member school in North County took home a state trophy last fall with Incarnate Word Academy finishing the closest in Girls Volleyball, finishing as Class Four Quarterfinalist. This year IWA, an 11-time State Volleyball Champion, hopes to make their first trip to Cape Girardeau, the site for the MSHSAA Championships since 2011.

Meanwhile two Suburban North Conference teams, Pattonville and Ritenour, had winning overall records but both were eliminated in districts. With the exception of North County Christian none of the area high schools had winning records and Hazelwood Central was the only Suburban North team to win districts.

SOFTBALL — Only two North County high schools, McCluer North and Ritenour, both Suburban North Conference Schools, had winning records and both were eliminated in district tournaments last year. McCluer North won the Suburban North title last year. Hazelwood West was the only team to advance past district tournament play before being eliminated in the Sectional round by Quarterfinalist St. Joseph’s Academy.

GIRLS TENNIS — No schools had singles or doubles players qualify for state last year. Incarnate Word Academy was a district team champion last year in Class Two, District Five but was eliminated in the first round of team sectionals. McCluer North won the Suburban North Conference team title last year but was eliminated in the Class Two, District Five finals by IWA.

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY — Runners to watch that were state qualifiers last year include Libby Hercules, Kelsey Hunn, Tori Kruse, Brittany McGinnis and Kelsey Murphy, Incarnate Word Academy (Class Three) and Kaiah Farid, Zoe Hamber, Marie Karg, Martina Karg and Karsten Klotzer, Lutheran North (Class Two).

GIRLS GOLF — Players to watch from Incarnate Word Academy that qualified for state last year are Amanda Ressel and Liz Francis.

WINTER — GIRLS BASKETBALL — Incarnate Word Academy is seeking to repeat as MSHSAA State Champions for the second time after winning back to back in 2010 and 2011, both in Class Five. This time IWA is competing in Class Four and was undefeated last season. North Technical is coming off their best season ever in finishing fourth in Class Three while North County Christian was second in Missouri Christian State.

GIRLS SWIMMING & DIVING — Athletes to watch include Hazelwood West Freestyle swimmer Jessica Nichols and Incarnate Word Academy diver Julia Foster. Nichols finished 14 in the 50-Yard Freestyle and competed in the 100-Yard Freestyle Preliminaries. Foster finished 11th in One-Meter Diving.

SPRING TEAMS TO WATCH — Hazelwood Central Girls Track and Field will defend their Class Four State title while Incarnate Word Academy Girls Soccer is a Class Two Quarterfinalist.