Four local teams have two dozen state entries (05/12/08) There are going to be some busy Saline Area athletes later this week at the MSHSAA Class 1 Track and Field Championships at Jefferson City. Sophomores Niki Kruger of Slater qualified for state in four events and sophomore teammate Jeremy Wilson placed three times Saturday during the Section 3 meet at Marshall. Santa Fe had three make the cut in three events -- senior Ramon Gordillo, junior Darin Buford and sophomore Lauren Aversman -- as did Lady Wildcats freshman Ana Jackson...

Valley signs two Greyhounds (05/08/08)

Chiefs, Lady 'Cats third in district (05/05/08) Ana Jackson is a very fast young lady. The Slater freshman showed that Saturday throughout the MSHSAA Class 1, District 5 Track and Field Championships at Marshall -- especially in her final circuit. The Lady Wildcats were in sixth place halfway through the last event, the 1,600-meter relay, but a strong leg by sophomore Niki Kruger got them to within 20 meters of the leader...

'Hounds ripped by Northwest (05/02/08) HUGHESVILLE -- Not all of the winless Sweet Springs baseball team's losses have been embarrassing, but Thursday's was certainly forgettable. Northwest of Hughesville used a 12-run second inning, which required only five hits on its part, to demolish the visiting Greyhounds in five innings, 18-2. Sweet Springs pitchers issued 10 walks and its fielders committed four errors -- three during the Mustangs big rally...

Track & Field Round-up/Chiefs win four I-70 gold medals (05/01/08) A strong group of distance runners paced the Santa Fe boys' track and field team to third place Tuesday in the I-70 Conference Championships at Marshall Junior Darin Buford won the 800-meter run (2:12.19) and ran the third leg of the victorious 3,200-meter relay (9:09.50). Sophomores Jeff Knipmeyer, Derrick Kennedy and Hunter Rolf were also members of the quarter...

Softball/Sweet Springs 15, Windsor 4 (04/25/08) ALMA -- The Sweet Springs softball team again came away from the I-70 Conference Tournament with a trophy, although it was the consolation prize instead of the runner-up award it won last year. The Lady Greyhounds cruised to a 15-4, five-inning victory over Windsor during Thursday's game at Alma -- to where the meet has now been moved after rains left the Concordia Park fields a mess...

Crest Ridge knocks 'Hounds out of tourney (04/23/08) ALMA -- Sophomore Ben Owens had four hits, scored five runs and drove in three runs Tuesday as Crest Ridge eliminated the Sweet Springs baseball team from the I-70 Conference Tournament at Alma, 15-9. The Greyhounds were staked to a 5-2 lead in the second inning when junior Blake Vogelsmeier clocked a three-run homer. However, Sweet Springs would be shut out over the net three frames while the Cougars scored at least three runs during each of their final four at-bats...

St. Paul disposes of 'Hounds (04/22/08) ALMA -- The last time they met, the Sweet Springs baseball team gave up 10 runs in the first inning and nine more in the second during a 20-7 April 2 loss at St. Paul. Monday's first-round match-up in the I-70 Conference Tournament -- played at Alma due to wet grounds in Concordia -- didn't contain any such disasters, but was yet another loss for the young, winless Greyhounds, 11-1 in five innings...

Lady Chiefs win tourney opener (04/22/08) ALMA -- Junior Chelsea Gieselman pitched six shutout innings before allowing a run and sophomore Danielle Bock banged out four hits Monday as the Santa Fe softball team beat Sweet Springs, 5-1, in the first round of the I-70 Conference Tournament at Alma...

Prep Diamond Round-up/Chiefs romp on Northwest (04/17/08) HUGHESVILLE -- Junior Taylor Wesley tossed his second shutout of the season Wednesday as the fourth-ranked Santa Fe baseball team pounded Northwest of Hughesville, 16-0 in five innings. Wesley struck out nine batters, although the four walks and three hits he yielded meant the Mustangs (3-1) had runners on base in every frame -- but wound up stranding seven of them...

Prep Diamond Round-up/Chiefs improve to 6-0 (04/15/08) WELLINGTON -- Senior Kenzie Thorp's two-run homer in the fourth inning Monday gave the Santa Fe baseball team the lead en route to a 6-2 non-conference victory at Wellington-Napoleon. In a rematch between 2007 Class 1 sectional foes, the Tigers (1-3) jumped out front on sophomore Christian Nixdorf's solo shot in the first, then got an unearned run in the second...

Prep Diamond Round-up/Chiefs keep pounding foes (04/08/08) ALMA -- How dominant has the Santa Fe baseball team been this spring? Consider this: the Chiefs banged out 14 hits Monday during a 13-3, five-inning home win over Windsor, and saw their team batting average fall. Going into the contest, Santa Fe was hitting a collective .616, but only managed one hit through the first two frames...

Saints send 'Hounds packing (04/03/08) CONCORDIA -- The Sweet Springs baseball team scored the first and last runs of its road game Wednesday, but St. Paul racked up 20 runs in between for a 20-5, five-inning victory at Concordia. Sophomore Aaron Schlatweiler started the game well enough for the Greyhounds, leading off the first inning with a single and coming in on one of two errors which resulted in two runs...

Late rally sinks Lady 'Hounds (04/03/08) CONCORDIA -- St. Paul scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to put a quick end to a 12-2 victory over the visiting Sweet Springs softball team Wednesday. Up to that point, the Lady Greyhounds were very much alive. Sophomore Kristin Jones singled in a run in the fifth and sophomore Kathleen Tyler singled and scored on a grounder in the sixth to cut a 4-0 deficit in half...

'Hounds drop pair at Crest Ridge (04/01/08) CENTERVIEW -- Crest Ridge scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to break a 2-2 tie en route to a 5-4 non-conference home win over the Sweet Springs baseball team. The Greyhounds were playing catch-up after a wild pitch allowed junior Tucker Waggoner to come in with the game's first run with two outs in the bottom of the second inning...

Softball/Northwest 11, Sweet Springs 1 (03/28/08) HOUSTONIA -- Sophomore Mariah Wiskur tossed a three-hitter Thursday as Northwest of Hughesville downed the visiting Sweet Springs softball team, 11-1 in five innings. Junior Shadow Wiskur sparked the Lady Mustangs' offense with three hits, including a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Merideth Norfleet also had three hits and scored twice and senior Ashton Miller contributed a two-run single in the fourth for Northwest (1-0)...

Prep Diamond Round-up/Santa Fe calms Whirlwind (03/27/08) ALMA -- Having met in the MSHSAA Class 1 quarterfinals two of the previous three years, it appeared the Santa Fe and Archie baseball teams were starting to form a long-distance rivalry. While the programs' first two meetings were close, each winning once, Wednesday's clash at Alma showed a decided swing in the balance of power -- which now lies entirely with the Chiefs, who banged out 20 hits during an 18-0, five-inning drubbing...

2008 All-I-70 Conference Basketball (03/11/08) Boys First Team Honorable Mention Girls First Team Honorable Mention...

Class 2, District 8 Hoops/Lady 'Hounds make first trip to district finals (02/28/08) CONCORDIA -- The Sweet Springs Lady Greyhounds are advancing to the Class 2, District 8 championship game, and they have the clutch shooting of senior Laura Keesaer to thank. The Greyhounds (17-10) trailed 32-30 when Keesaer drained the game-winning three-pointer with 45 seconds remaining. Sweet Springs went on to sink four free throws, sealing a 37-32 victory over the Fayette Falcons (10-16)...

District Hoops Round-up (Boys)/'Cats, Chiefs move into semifinal round (02/27/08) CONCORDIA -- There may be no hotter boys' basketball team in the Class 2, District 8 Tournament field than Slater. The Wildcats came from behind again Tuesday for their fifth straight win, a 61-58 decision over host St. Paul of Concordia -- senior Aric Falls making four straight free throws during the final 1:05 to pull out the victory...

Lady 'Hounds knock out Santa Fe (02/26/08) CONCORDIA -- This is the tale of two teams. Both of the girls' basketball squads which played the nightcap in Monday's opening round of the Class 2, District 8 Tournament at Concordia are very young, Sweet Springs with only one senior starter and Santa Fe with no upperclassmen on the roster. The slight edge in experience possessed by the Lady Greyhounds proved decisive in their 49-37 victory...

Sweet Springs splits finale (02/25/08) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs boys' basketball team won't have to go into the Class 2, District 8 Tournament at Concordia this week on a skid. The Greyhounds snapped a four-game losing streak Saturday with an 82-54 non-conference home win over Northwest of Hughesville, making up a game postponed Thursday. Sweet Springs sank 15 out of 45 shots from three-point range, four players -- sophomores Zach Thomas, Billy Martin, Craig Sims and Tyler Dohrman -- each making three of them...

'Hounds drop pair at Orrick (02/18/08) ORRICK -- The Sweet Springs boys' and girls' basketball teams closed out the I-70 Conference schedule Friday with losses at Orrick, neither game particularly close. The Bearcats added to an 11-point halftime lead in the boys' nightcap with a 23-9 third-quarter run behind 12 points from senior Taylor Griffin to claim an 86-65 victory. Griffin scored 23 points and senior Aaron James led Orrick (11-10, 5-2 I-70) with 24 points, nine rebounds and three steals...

Prep Hoops Round-up/'Cats end Salisbury jinx (02/13/08) SLATER -- Seniors Aric Falls and Austin Foster didn't start, but were around at the end Tuesday to help the Slater boys' basketball team end a 15-game losing streak against Lewis and Clark Conference rival Salisbury. Falls hit three shots down the stretch and Foster sank four free throws during the fourth quarter to give the Wildcats a 63-58 home victory -- their first over the Panthers since Feb. ...

'Cats get sweep on home court (02/12/08) SLATER -- The Sweet Springs girls suffered what head coach Boyd Jones called "a horrific second quarter" Monday to lose a 59-43 non-conference contest at Slater. Junior Rachel Gonzalez teed off with 12 points during the Lady Wildcats' 24-4 second-period run. While the Lady Greyhounds pounded the ball inside to sophomores Kristin Jones and Rachel Thornton for 14 of their 20 points during the third quarter, they were unable to cut the deficit to under seven points...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Lady Chiefs, "Hounds post I-70 Conference wins (02/06/08) ALMA -- The Santa Fe girls' basketball team jumped out to an early lead and added to it steadily during the second half Tuesday, pulling away from Wellington-Napoleon for a 53-37 I-70 Conference home win. Freshman Gia Baldwin scored eight first-half points as the Lady Chiefs took a six-point lead into the break. Junior Dani Heimsoth keyed a 14-8 third quarter with eight points...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Tigers 3-9 against Prairie Home (02/05/08) MALTA BEND -- When it was crunch time, the Malta Bend boys' basketball team put it all on the line. That was literally the case Monday, when eight straight free throws down the stretch gave the Tigers a 65-60 home win over CCAA rival Prairie Home, which lost to them for the third time since Jan. 17...

2008 prep grid districts, schedules announced (01/28/08) The Marshall football team will have familiar foes with which to contend in Class 4, District 8 the next two years. The Owls were put into a loop with NCMC rivals Hannibal and Kirksville, along with holdover district member Helias, in the biennial redistricting released Friday by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA). ...

Prep Hoops Round-up/'Hounds come out of Windsor with trophies (01/28/08) WINDSOR -- The Sweet Springs boys' basketball team blew out to a 50-16 halftime lead and disposed of Chilhowee, 79-46, in Saturday's consolation final of the Windsor Tournament. Sophomore Zach Thomas buried a pair of three-pointers among his 15 first-half points for the 'Hounds, who gave up 25 points during the third period before holding their opponent to five points in the fourth...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Lady Chiefs return to finals (01/25/08) SLATER -- The seventh-seeded Santa Fe girls' basketball team pulled off another upset Thursday in the 27th Wildcat Classic at Slater. Two days after bumping off No. 2 seed Pilot Grove, the Lady Chiefs came from behind to register a 48-47 decision over No. ...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Lady 'Hounds romp in tourney debut (01/22/08) WINDSOR -- The Sweet Springs girls' basketball team responded to their disappointing Homecoming loss Friday to I-70 Conference rival St. Paul by whipping Calhoun, 66-31, Monday in the first round of the Windsor Tournament. Five Lady Greyhounds scored in double figures, led by junior Stephanie Krause with 13 points. That was matched by Melanie Hendricks of the Lady Eagles (1-11), who found themselves buried when Sweet Springs went on a 17-4 run after coming out of halftime with a 14-point lead...

Keesaer three gives Lady 'Hounds I-10 win (01/14/08) ALMA -- The term "senior leadership" is bandied about commonly, but it is seldom so starkly demonstrated as it was Friday for the Sweet Springs girls' basketball team. Late in a game in which she did so much of the grunt work, like playing sticky defense and banging the boards, the Lady Greyhounds' only senior starter had her chance to shine -- Laura Keesaer making the decisive shot of the contest from three-point range with 2:17 left for a 44-41 I-70 Conference victory at Santa Fe...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Lady 'Hounds win I-70 Conference debut (01/09/08) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs girls' basketball team rolled out to a 14-0 start Tuesday to defeat visiting Wellington-Napoleon, 51-31, in the I-70 Conference opener for both teams. The Lady Tigers (1-9, 0-1 I-70) had no player score more than six points, although they only lost the final three frames by six points...

New Franklin Tournament (01/07/08) Boys Westran 66, Slater 51 NEW FRANKLIN -- The third meeting of the season between Lewis and Clark Conference rivals Slater and Westran went to the Hornets, the Wildcats losing Saturday's third-place game in the 79th annual New Franklin Tournament, 66-51, while playing without senior Aric Falls -- their leading scorer, who injured his hand two days earlier...

Owls fall to district foe Oak Grove (01/04/08) By Chris Allen Sports Editor OAK GROVE -- A strong fourth-quarter run couldn't make up for the Marshall boys' basketball team being what head coach Richard Berry called "flat" coming out of halftime Thursday during a 52-42 non-conference loss at Oak Grove...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Chiefs win fourth straight to open LaCoMo tourney (01/03/08) CONCORDIA -- Juniors Brett Case and Taylor Wesley each made all four of their free throws during the fourth quarter as the Santa Fe boys' basketball team eventually shook off tenacious St. Paul for a 57-44 decision Wednesday in the first round of pool play in the Lafayette County Tournament at Concordia...

Sweet Springs city officials settle lawsuit filed by former employees (01/02/08) Sweet Springs city officials settle lawsuit filed by former employees

79th New Franklin Tournament/'Cats begin NFT title defense with win (01/02/08) NEW FRANKLIN -- Defending boys' champion Slater held onto a slim lead during the fourth quarter Saturday to beat Northwest of Hughesville, 49-41, for a first-round victory in the 79th New Franklin Tournament. Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Sweet Springs girls produced a mild upset with a 44-42 decision over the Lady Mustangs.

'Hounds hit century mark (12/19/07) MALTA BEND -- It was bound to happen eventually. All the run-and-gun Sweet Springs boys' basketball team needed to break the 100-point barrier was an opponent that had enough firepower to stay close enough so that the "continuous clock" rule wouldn't be invoked during the fourth quarter...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Chiefs impressive at Shoot-out (12/17/07) SEDALIA -- The Santa Fe boys' basketball team used a 13-0 third-quarter spree to turn an eight-point halftime lead into an easy 58-22 victory Friday over Northwest of Hughesville during the State Fair Community College/W-K Chevrolet-Buick Holiday Shoot-out at Sedalia...

'Hounds race past LaMonte (12/14/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- At a speed which could compete at LA Raceway on Friday night, Sweet Springs lapped the LaMonte boys' basketball team a couple of times Thursday. Head coach Tim Smith's Greyhounds aren't the first to run and gun, but their engines had too much horsepower for the undermanned Vikings -- with only six players in uniform, one unavailable in the first half -- to keep pace during a 94-39 non-conference rout...

Lady 'Hounds improve to 4-1 (12/14/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Sweet Springs' power inside and quickness outset were a lethal combination for the visiting LaMonte girls' basketball team Thursday during a 56-40 non-conference loss. The Lady Greyhounds produced 16 second-chance points and forced 42 turnovers, 26 on steals during the game. They took an 18-point lead into halftime thanks to 24 takeaways and 53.3-percent shooting from the field...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Green Ridge boys top Sweet Springs (12/10/07) Boys Green Ridge 79, Sweet Springs 69 SWEET SPRINGS -- Senior Brett Shoop erupted for 35 points during Green Ridge's 79-69 non-conference win Friday at Sweet Springs. The Tigers (4-1) led by 14 points and halftime 16 points heading into fourth quarter. Senior John Birdwell tallied five of his 17 points down the stretch to hold off the Greyhounds...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Lady 'Hounds coast to home win (12/10/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- After a close start, the Sweet Springs girls' basketball team applied the defensive clamps Friday and stuffed visiting Green Ridge for a 45-20 non-conference win. Tied 7-7 after one period, the Lady Greyhounds got nine points from junior Stephanie Krause during a 14-3 second-quarter surge -- and out-scored the Lady Tigers 11-4 and 13-6 during the final two frames to secure their third straight victory...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Concordia beats Chiefs for I-70 tourney crown (12/03/07) ALMA -- The Santa Fe boys' basketball team stayed close for a while, but couldn't keep up with the hot shooting of senior John Miller during a 63-55 loss Saturday in the championship game of the I-70 Conference Tournament at Alma. The teams were tied at 11 after the first period, but Miller connected four times from long distance during the next two quarters to give the Orioles an eight-point lead heading into the final frame. ...

Prep Hoops Round-up/Lady Owls squeak by in season opener (11/30/07) For a little more than a half, the Marshall girls' basketball team's season opener went about as well as could be expected Thursday -- a little rough, but not especially pressing. Then the Lady Owls suffered a cold spell and saw a 14-point lead erased by Boonville before pulling out the semifinal victory in the second annual Marshall Tournament, 46-43...

Chiefs fly by runnin' 'Hounds (11/28/07) ALMA -- Nobody asked the Santa Fe boys' basketball team whether it was ready to run and gun, but the Chiefs didn't seem to mind. Sweet Springs debuted its new approach to begin the post-Kueker era Tuesday in the first round of the I-70 Conference Tournament at Alma, and the host team went wild. Santa Fe sprinted to a 33-11 start and rolled over the Greyhounds, 86-50...

Prep Girls' Hoops Round-up/Lady Chiefs win season, I-70 tourney debut (11/27/07) ALMA -- Whatever Dani Heimsoth's been eating lately, maybe Santa Fe head girls' basketball coach Tina Burton should buy it by the case. Heimsoth went off for a career-high 26 points Monday as the fifth-seeded Lady Chiefs upset No. 4 St. Paul, 55-38, in the first round of the I-70 Conference Tournament at Alma. Santa Fe blanked the Saints, 11-0, in the first quarter -- Heimsoth unloading for 11 points -- but saw that margin narrow to four heading into the final frame...

Prep Grid Round-up/'Cats stop losing streak at 20 games (11/05/07) SALISBURY -- What would become a 20-game losing streak for the Slater football team began at Salisbury during a Class 1, District 14 title showdown two years ago. That's also where the skid ended Friday, with the Wildcats pulling out a victory in the game's final minute, beating the Lewis and Conference rival and seven-time-defending district champions, 22-20...

Prep Grid Preview/‘Hounds have chance at winning season (11/01/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Friday will make the end of the 2007 football season for all three Saline Area Class 1 teams, but only Sweet Springs has a chance to finish with a winning record. After back-to-back 4-6 campaigns, the Greyhounds are looking to wind up in the I-70 Conference's first division during their finale at winless St. Paul, which won last year's Class 1, District 8 tilt, 48-0...

Prep Grid Round-up/No. 4 Tipton sinks Sweet Springs, 47-0 (10/29/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Sweet Springs head football coach Tim Smith can relate to Clint Hurdle's plight. Just as the Colorado manager was helpless while watching his team steamrolled in four World Series games by the Boston Red Sox' machine, Smith's Greyhounds "ran into one" Friday during a 47-0 home loss to fourth-ranked Tipton to eliminate them from contention in the Class 1, District 8 race...

Prep Grid Preview/Chiefs face No. 1 Orrick (10/25/07) ALMA -- The Santa Fe football team got the Class 1, District 13 schedule off to a good start last week with a 24-0 victory at Wentworth Military Academy. When the Chiefs return home Friday, though, they'll be facing a whole different cat -- a Bearcat, that is, from top-ranked Orrick. Those ‘Cats are looking to run the table on the I-70 Conference for the second straight year, after four one-loss seasons...

Prep Grid Round-up/Chiefs open district play with win (10/22/07) LEXINGTON â€" Wentworth Military Academy had little more than heart to bring to battle Saturday during its Class 1, District 13 opener against Santa Fe. With six starters out of action, including speedy senior halfback Chris Doak, the Red Dragons were unable to generate much offense during a 24-0 home loss. ...

Volleyball/Sweet Springs 2, Hardin-Central 0 (10/17/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Senior Caroline Tyler had five kills Tuesday to pace Sweet Springs to a 25-13, 25-11 non-conference home victory to the soon-to-be-defunct Hardin-Central volleyball team. Senior Laura Keesaer had six of the 15 aces recorded against the Lady Bulldogs (3-12), who will disband their net program at the end of the current season. Junior Stephanie Krause provided three spikes, three digs and a block to the Lady Greyhounds' win...

Volleyball/Northwest 2, Sweet Springs 0 (10/16/07) HUGHESVILLE -- Kaysinger Conference power Northwest of Hughesville overwhelmed the visiting Sweet Springs volleyball team Monday, 25-11, 25-6. Senior Ashton Miller dropped in four aces for the Lady Mustangs (25-3-1), while the Lady Greyhounds -- who average 2.7 aces per game -- got none...

Lady 'Hounds 1-3-1 at Lone Jack (10/15/07) LONE JACK -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team beat I-70 Conference rival St. Paul Saturday to reach the consolation finals of the Lone Jack Tournament. After tying Diamond (17-25, 25-20) to begin pool play, the Lady Greyhounds dropped tilts against St. Mary's (25-15, 25-14) of Independence and Crest Ridge (25-12, 25-20)...

Prep Grid Preview/'Cats hope to end skid before districts (10/11/07) SLATER -- When the season began, Slater head football coach Tom Doherty thought his team could be a factor in the Class 1, District 3 race. That may still be the case, but entering it with an 18-game losing streak would make it seem like an even steeper uphill climb. ...

Prep Net Round-up/Ervin, Lady Owls ace Rock Bridge (10/10/07) COLUMBIA -- Senior Cortni Ervin's jump serve can at times bedevil opponents, and that seemed the case Tuesday as the Marshall volleyball team enjoyed a 26-28, 25-16, 25-12 non-conference victory at Rock Bridge (8-9). Ervin recorded a school-record nine aces -- along with a team-high 12 kills, plus 15 digs and a pair of blocks -- while putting all 21 of her serves in play...

Lady 'Hounds 1-3 at I-70 meet (10/09/07) ALMA -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team proved tough in second games during all four of its matches Saturday in the I-70 Conference Tournament at Alma. Unfortunately, the Lady Greyhounds were only able to win one of those, a 27-25, 25-22 decision over Wellington-Napoleon in the second round of pool play. The other preliminaries were losses to two strong opponents, St. Paul (25-13, 25-21) and Crest Ridge (25-19, 26-24) -- which reached the finals before falling to Santa Fe in three sets...

Prep Grid Round-up/'Hounds rally again to pull out I-70 win (10/08/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- For the second week in a row, the Sweet Springs football team needed a fourth-quarter comeback -- and got it Friday for a 20-19 I-70 Conference home win over Crest Ridge. That the Greyhounds were even close enough to salvage the victory was amazing, considering that the Cougars took their defense to the woodshed -- accumulating 429 total yards. ...

Volleyball/Santa Fe 2, Sweet Springs 0 (10/05/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Santa Fe volleyball team reached the .500 plateau for the first time this season and moved into a tie for first place in the I-70 Conference with Thursday's 25-10, 25-19 win at Sweet Springs. The Lady Greyhounds gave a battle in the second set with a defense led by junior Morgan Fuehring's eight digs, but couldn't match the visitors' firepower at the net. Sweet Springs (3-10, 1-6 I-70) was limited to five kills, two by senior Laura Keesaer...

I-70 Conference net race up for grabs (10/03/07) The I-70 Conference volleyball race has been thrown into a tizzy this week, and Santa Fe finds itself right in the midst of it. After dropping their league opener to Crest Ridge, the Lady Chiefs have reeled off three straight wins -- including Tuesday's grueling 25-17, 25-27, 25-23 home decision over St. Paul, which came into the match as the only team without a conference loss...

Prep Grid Round-up/'Hounds pull one out of the fire (10/01/07) BRAYMER -- A gamble which didn't work for Green Bay coach Mike Holmgren in his Super Bowl XXXII loss to Denver paid off Friday for Sweet Springs' Tim Smith. After a blocked extra point following senior Ronnie Hunter's 3-yard touchdown run to start the fourth quarter left the Greyhounds trailing Homecoming host Braymer by a point, Smith recalled a tactic used by Holmgren while watching the clock tick down towards defeat -- and it sparked a comeback for a 20-14 victory...

Prep Grid Preview/Chiefs challenge No. 6 Concordia (09/27/07) ALMA -- There may not be any special name to the annual clash between I-70 Conference neighbors Santa Fe and Concordia, but its still one of the most notable rivalries in high school football in this region. Up until the Orioles ended a 24-year drought with a 22-6 win at Alma last year, it was a rather lopsided series. The Chiefs are hoping that won't be the start of a trend when they head to sixth-ranked Concordia on Friday...

Volleyball/Orrick 2, Sweet Springs 0 (09/26/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- One of the best Orrick clubs in years rebounded from a loss in its I-70 Conference opener last week against Santa Fe to defeat the host Sweet Springs volleyball team Tuesday, 25-10, 25-19. The Lady Greyhounds put up a fight in the second game, taking an eight-point lead, but troubles in receiving serves doomed them. The Lady Bearcats dropped in 13 aces during the match...

Volleyball/Crest Ridge 2, Sweet Springs 0 (09/25/07) CENTERVIEW -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team gave I-70 Conference rival Crest Ridge a hard time during the first set of a 27-25, 25-11 road loss Monday. Senior Laura Keesaer had five kills and four digs and sophomore Kristin Jones came up with three blocks for the Lady Greyhounds...

Prep Grid Round-up/No. 1 Orrick hands 'Hounds first loss (09/24/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Senior Taylor Eubank ran for 173 yards and three touchdowns Friday as top-ranked defending I-70 Conference champion Orrick downed No. 9 Sweet Springs, 42-12. The visitors' first two scores were within 57 seconds of each other in the opening period, when Eubank's 36-yard run was followed by a recovered onside kick and a 31-yard Eubank run...

Volleyball/Windsor 2, Sweet Springs 0 (09/21/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team was hoping to record back-to-back I-70 Conference victories during Thursday's home match against Windsor, but it didn't happen. Led by senior Megan Sheffield's five kills and three blocks, the visiting Lady Greyhounds (2-8, 1-2 I-70) grabbed a 25-20, 25-21 decision -- and not due to poor play on the part of the Blue and Gold...

Prep Grid Preview/No. 9 'Hounds face No. 1 Orrick (09/20/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- It may be early in the season, but that doesn't mean there aren't games of import in the fourth week of the high school football schedule. Take Friday's contest at Sweet Springs, where the ninth-ranked Greyhounds host defending I-70 Conference champion Orrick -- the No. 1 team in Class 1...

Lady 'Hounds pick up road win (09/18/07) CREIGHTON -- Sophomores Katie Davidson and Kristin Jones each had five aces to lead the Sweet Springs volleyball team to a 25-23, 25-20 non-conference win at Sherwood (1-6). The Lady Greyhounds were down 23-18 in the first game before Davidson (8) served up seven straight points. Sweet Springs only missed three serves during the match...

Prep Grid Round-up/'Hounds improve to 3-0, 'Cats now 0-3 (09/17/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Senior James DeWeese ran for 175 yards and four touchdowns as Sweet Springs spoiled Santa Fe's I-70 Conference opener Friday with a 28-7 Homecoming win. DeWeese struck first on the third play of the game, rumbling 41 yards for a score. He went in from 6 yards on the first snap of the second quarter to cap a 12-play, 90-yard drive which began after the Chiefs were stopped on fourth down deep in home territory...

Prep Grid Preview/I-70 backyard brawl coming between 'Hounds and Chiefs (09/13/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Homecoming is a time for celebration, but it won't be much of a party if Sweet Springs suffers its first loss of the season. The Greyhounds play their first I-70 Conference home game Friday against Santa Fe -- which used to dominate the series until 2002, when Sweet Springs captured its first conference crown in 20 years. ...

Volleyball/Norborne 2, Sweet Springs 0 (09/12/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team didn't get across-the-board production Tuesday during a 25-18, 25-10 non-conference home loss to Norborne (4-1). All five of the Lady Greyhounds' kills and both aces came from either sophomore Kristin Jones or junior Stephanie Krause, and only four players recorded digs -- led by sophomore Kim Rennison's three...

Volleyball/Smithton 2, Sweet Springs 0 (09/11/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- It's too early to tell how the Sweet Springs volleyball team will fare in the I-70 Conference race. The Lady Greyhounds are surely glad they're not in the Kaysinger Conference after dropping their third match in as many tries against clubs from that league Monday, falling at home to Smithton (5-1), 25-18, 25-15...

Prep Grid Round-up/'Hounds open I-70 schedule with win (09/10/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Three Amigos are together again in the Sweet Springs backfield, and Blue and Gold boosters are glad to have them. With a combined 284 rushing yards, seniors Chris Dickinson (127 yards), James DeWeese (111) and Ronnie Hunter (46) each scored touchdowns Friday during the Greyhounds' 33-20 I-70 Conference victory at Windsor...

Newscope/Monday, September 10 (09/10/07) Sweet Springs school board to meet Sept. 13 The Sweet Springs Board of Education will meet on Thursday, Sept. 13, at 8 p.m. to approve a graduation and a senior trip date. They will also hear an update about the student trip to Washington, D.C...

Newscope/Friday, September 7 (09/07/07) Arnold man injured in motorcycle accident on I-70 Sept. 6 According to a report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Gary C. Dickerson, 55, of Arnold, was moderately injured Thursday afternoon, Sept. 6, when his 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle ran off the left side of the roadway and overturned, ejecting him from the bike, on I-70 near the Blackwater River...

Volleyball/Sacred Heart 2, Sweet Springs 0 (09/07/07) SWEET SPRINGS --The Sweet Springs volleyball team is showing improvement so far this season, but still has a long way to go to handle perennial Kaysinger Conference power Sacred Heart. The Lady Gremlins (4-0) got six kills and 26 assists from junior Paige Shipley to claim a 25-10, 25-5 road win Thursday. The Lady Greyhounds' offense was limited to one kill -- by junior Stephanie Krause, who also had a team-high five digs -- and sophomore Katie Davidson's ace...

Prep Grid Preview/Wildcats enter L&C territory (09/06/07) SLATER -- As dangerous as Paris proved itself to be last week with its 21-0 victory over defending Lewis and Clark Conference champion Marceline, at least it isn't Hogan Prep. Slater was glad to have survived its 73-6 drubbing by the seventh-ranked Rams -- which last year lost the MSHSAA Class 2 Show-Me Bowl by eight points to Blair Oaks -- without injuries. The 'Cats will even get all-conference senior Aric Falls back for Friday's home opener against No. 9 Paris, which they beat two years ago...

Volleyball/LaMonte 2, Sweet Springs 1 (09/05/07) LA MONTE -- The Holcombe sisters did in the Sweet Springs volleyball team Tuesday, but not without a fight. Senior Chante and freshman Lacie Holcombe each knocked down three shots for LaMonte (1-1) during its 25-19, 24-26, 25-16 non-conference win over the visiting Lady Greyhounds...

Prep Grid Round-up/Upsets rule the day (09/04/07) My, how fortunes can change rapidly in Class 1 high school football. Take, for instance, the happenings in the I-70 and Lewis and Clark Conferences, not the least of which was Sweet Springs' shocking 27-0 upset of seventh-ranked Fayette. Meanwhile, new-look Santa Fe blanked Braymer, a playoff club last year, by a 12-0 margin in new head coach Andy Frerking's homecoming. Even defending L&C champion Marceline took its lumps, receiving a league hit at the hands of Paris, 21-0...

Volleyball/Sweet Springs 2, Lone Jack 1 (08/31/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs volleyball team got the season off on the right start Thursday with a 22-25, 25-23, 26-24 non-conference home win over Lone Jack. The Lady Greyhounds "played together and stayed focused," according to head coach Kristen Niemeyer, after trailing the Lady Mules (0-2) early. Sophomore Kathleen Tyler debuted nicely at setter, assisting 12 of Sweet Springs' 16 kills and serving up four aces...

Prep Grid Preview/Hogan Prep tall order for 'Cats (08/30/07) SLATER -- If Slater head football coach Tom Doherty is "anxious" about Saturday's season opener against Hogan Prep at Kansas City, there's a good reason why. "I think we know we're facing pretty tough competition," Doherty admitted. Doherty's concern comes from recalling last year's 41-6 home loss -- which began what would be an 0-10 season for the Wildcats -- but also the Rams' run to the MSHSAA Class 2 championship game, in which Hogan Prep lost a 32-24 decision to defending champion Blair Oaks.. ...

Fall '07 Prep Preview ... SSHS Volleyball/Lady 'Hounds hope to make gains (08/29/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Success has never come easily to the Sweet Springs volleyball team. It could be argued that it has never arrived at all for the Lady Greyhounds, although their four-win 2006 season was an improvement over the previous year -- when they had only one victory to their credit. Sweet Springs has never advanced past the quarterfinal round of the I-70 Conference Tournament, which began in '98...

Kreisel takes Multi feature at SSMC (08/23/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Stan Kreisel probably doesn't intend to finish second in the Multi class season standings at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex for a third year in a row. The Warsaw driver has moved from fifth to second place in the series since the beginning of the month, narrowing the margin between himself and leader Nathan Benson from 288.5 to 168.5 points with six dates remaining, after winning Saturday's feature...

Sweet Springs saves money on liability insurance, approves reimbursement for sewer repair (08/14/07) The Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen approved a new insurance coverage plan Monday, Aug. 13, saving enough money to cover an unexpected sewer repair bill. The new insurance policy presented by Summit Insurance Group representative Don Burdolski will save the city more than $3,000 over its current coverage for law enforcement and public entity liability...

Felker wins twice at major SSMC event (08/02/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Andrew Felker may find the one-sixth mile dirt oval at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex to his liking. The veteran Micro sprint car driver from Carl Junction had a big time on the final night of the inaugural Missouri State Show-Me Showdown at the Saline County track, winning two feature races and placing second in another Saturday...

Shields upset winner at SSMC (07/26/07)

Kreisel repeats as Multi class winner at SSMC (07/19/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Is 18 the lucky number for Warsaw driver Stan Kreisel? There must be something to it, for Kreisel's No. 18 Multi class micro sprint charged to the front from the 18th position to take the checkered flag in Saturday's feature race at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, duplicating both his start and finish position from the previous week...

Two Kreisels win at SSMC (07/12/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- If Warsaw driver Stan Kreisel was going to win his second Multi class feature race Saturday at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, he was going to have to come up through the pack to do it. Both he and Concordia's Nathan Benson, the season points leader heading into the night, did so -- taking the top two spots after starting in the 18th and 17th positions, respectively. ...

Shepard picks up win at SSMC (06/28/07) SWEET SPRINGS - Gilliam's Brett Shepard had a nice early run Saturday at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex, but - like other Saline Area drivers - things went downhill the rest of the evening. Shepard won the second heat in the Multi Class, but dropped to third in the trophy dash and sixth in the feature, won by Jamie Wilson of Olathe, Kan...

Benson wins at SSMC (06/14/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Local driver Dwayne Benson won the popular Multi-Car Class feature race Saturday at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex. Benson was fourth in the third heat -- behind Sweet Springs' Jacob Knipmeyer and Chris Koch -- and didn't take part in the trophy dash, but came on in the main event to take the checkered flag...

I-70 Softball Tournament/Lady Chiefs claim sixth conference title (05/15/07) Santa Fe senior Sarah Christopherson had one more game left in her right arm, the soreness of which had kept her off the mound for nearly a month. The Missouri Valley College recruit tossed a four-hit shutout, her third of the season and the sixth in her career, as the Lady Chiefs won the championship game of the weather-delayed I-70 Conference Softball Tournament at Concordia -- beating Sweet Springs, 5-0, for their sixth title...

Class 1, District 15 Baseball/Chiefs romp; 'Cats, 'Hounds finished (05/15/07) CONCORDIA -- The top-seeded Santa Fe baseball team had no problem disposing of No. 8 Slater in the first round of the Class 1, District 15 Tournament at Concordia, rolling to a 26-4, five-inning blowout Monday. Earlier, No. 7 Sweet Springs lost a 9-3 decision to second seed Pilot Grove to see its season end...

Saline area teams qualify 21 for state (05/14/07) No matter what happens this week, Slater senior Craig Anderson may long and fondly remember Saturday's Class 1, Section 3 Track and Field Championships at Marshall. Anderson won two gold medals, including the 100-meter dash (11.44 seconds), and qualified for the state meet in four events. ...

'Hounds end slump at winless Slater (05/11/07) SLATER -- When the Sweet Springs and Slater baseball teams met Thursday on Lions Field, one was bound to emerge feeling a little better about itself heading into district play. The Greyhounds had lost seven in a row and the Wildcats were seeking their first victory of the season -- and still are, after Sweet Springs rolled to a 14-7 non-conference win...

Softball/Sweet Springs 6, Crest Ridge 4 (05/11/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- Freshman Kristin Jones' three-run double in the bottom of the fifth inning gave the Sweet Springs softball team the lift it needed to win its final home game of the season Thursday, 6-4 over Crest Ridge. The Lady Greyhounds went into the frame with a 3-1 lead before singles by senior Cymantha DelRosario, senior Jennifer Vogelsmeier and sophomore Stephanie Krause loaded the bases for Jones' two-out smash...

Lady 'Hounds turn on hitting machine (05/09/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- The Sweet Springs softball team has batted well throughout most of this season, but nothing like its 20-hit performance Tuesday during a 13-10 non-conference home win over LaMonte. When a club's lead-off hitter goes five-for-five, while also driving in five runs -- as did freshman Katie Davidson, equaling a state record for hits in a game -- good things are bound to happen. ...

'Cats back on top of track district (05/07/07) Santa Fe's bid for a third straight boys' track and field crown in the Class 1, District 5 Championships at Marshall was derailed Saturday by Slater, which had won the title in 2004 before the Chiefs' run. The Wildcats won five events and qualified 13 entries for the sectional meet, to be held Saturday at Marshall -- a change in the MSHSAA format, which had previously dispensed with a second pre-state level for the small schools...

Kueker goes from 'Hound to Hawk (05/04/07) SWEET SPRINGS -- It was both a celebration and an unburdening Thursday when Andrew Kueker signed an NCAA letter-of-intent with Division II men's basketball power Quincy (Ill.). His family, parents Dennis and Nancy Kueker, friends and seemingly the bulk of his Sweet Springs senior classmates were there to watch Kueker -- as they have done on the hardwood for the past four years or longer. ...