High School

King/Democrat-News Third-year head coach Ben Locke addresses the Lady Owls’ softball players during a recent practice. Locke’s squad has several starters returning from last year.

by Hobby King Sports Editor In his 20th season, Marshall Lady Owls’ golf head coach John Weaver is hopeful the six returning letter winners can help lead the team to success in 2022. The Lady Owls lost senior varsity players and letter winners Leah Weaver and Jada Lance.

Junior Linzie Boedeker works on her putting skills. Head Coach John Weaver says there are 10 girls out for the Lady Owls’ golf team. Boedeker is in her first year as a member of the golf team. The Lady Owls open the season at the Boonville Par-3 Challenge on Friday, Aug. 26.

By Missouri State High School Activities Association rules, fall sports practices were eligible to begin on Monday, Aug. 8. All of the athletic teams at Marshall High School began on that date, some working out in the early morning hours, while others practiced during the evening to avoid the hottest part of the day. Still, the squads that held their workouts in the morning battled high humidity.

The Marshall Junior Tennis Association completed a month of youth activities, including instruction and competition June 29. Sessions for the five age groups were held four mornings per week for some, three evenings a week for others split between the courts at Indian Foothills Park and Marshall High School.

Correction: Marshall senior Paige Klinge signed an NJCAA letter-of-intent to pay softball at State Fair Community College in Sedalia. Klinge (bottom row) was a four-year starter at catcher for the Lady Owls. She was a three-time all-NCMC selection.

Even in a sport without a clock, timing is everything. A Marshall baseball team which struggled through much of the season — taking a 7-17 record into the Class 4, District 13 Tournament at Odessa — cannot finish the campaign with a winning mark, but will wind up with the school’s second state trophy regardless.