Blog

By Jim Wieners

Football was the only sport that resulted in two North County high schools playing in state semifinals. Hazelwood Central, after winning 15 straight semifinal games (including Hazelwood High in  1972), lost their first one this season as the Hawks fell in a heart-breaker to eventual Class Six Runner Up Columbia-Rock Bridge. Lutheran North, who lost their first four games before winning their next nine, could not stop red-hot Lamar from eventually rolling to their third straight Class Two State title.

Hazelwood Central, 12-1 overall and Suburban North Conference champions with a 7-0 record, had a 74-player roster which included 25 seniors. Lutheran North had a 35-player roster which included just six seniors so their future seems bright, especially next season. Meanwhile McCluer South-Berkeley, a Class Three Quarterfinalist (10-2), had a 33-player roster which included 12 seniors.

CROSS COUNTRY-About 12 Girls, including three seniors, and  four boys, including three seniors, competed Nov. 9 in the MSHSAA State Championships in Jefferson City. Only Lutheran North sophomore Zoe Hamber took home a state medal as she finished fifth in Class Two Girls State.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL — While Pattonville won the Suburban North Conference title Hazelwood West was the only North County team to advance past districts before losing to eventual state semifinalist Marquette (Rockwood School District). Hazelwood Central, a district runner up, North Technical, Pattonville and Ritenour were the only North County high school with winning overall records.

BOYS SOCCER — No teams from North County were able to advance past districts. McCluer North, Suburban North Conference champion and the only North County team with a winning overall record, and Trinity Catholic each finished second in district tournaments.

BOYS SWIMMING AND DIVING — McCluer North was the only Suburban North team to send a swimmer (Nick Kuper) to compete in the MSHSAA Championships Nov. 15-16 at the St. Peters Rec-Plex and competed in two events while Hazelwood Central (Clayton Janvrin), Hazelwood West (Trenton  Bartlett) and Pattonville (Colin Parker) each sent a diver. None of them placed nor took home medals.

FALL SOFTBALL — Five of the eight teams in the Suburban North Conference including conference champion Hazelwood West had winning overall record but only Hazelwood West won a district tournament. Trinity Catholic, which had a losing record, was also a district champion because none of the teams in the district had a winning record. No teams advanced past the sectional round.

GIRLS TENNIS — McCluer North and Pattonville shared first place in Suburban North Conference team standings but Incarnate Word Academy advance past districts in the post-season team tournament before being eliminated in the sectional round. Incarnate Word doubles players Katie Winkler and Jessica Stumpf and Lutheran North singles player Emily Elizabeth McFarland each qualified to compete in the MSHSAA State tournament Oct. 25 in Springfield, Mo.

GIRLS GOLF — Two Incarnate Word Academy golfers, Amanda Ressel and Elizabeth Francis, and Suburban North Conference champion Nicole Callahan from Suburban North team champion Pattonville were the only golfers from North County high schools to compete Oct. 21-21 in the MSHSAA Class Two State Championships in New Bloomfield  but did none of them took home medals. All three finished in the top 45.