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School Sports

  • Former South Central pitcher drafted by Royals

    Former South Central High School pitcher Spencer Patton was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in the 24th round (726th overall) of the Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday night.

    "I could not be happier," Patton said. "I was willing to play for anyone that was willing to give me the chance to play.

    "I like the way (the Royals) handle their minor leagues," he said. "They bring in raw talent and build their players."

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  • Senior Spotlight: Audra Donaldson

    Two surgeries early in her high school career were not enough to make Audra Donaldson quit playing softball.

    A condition in the recently-graduated Vandalia athlete’s feet left her with tendons that were too short, and she first had surgery to correct them after her freshman year.

    That surgery, which included cutting out the tendons, stretching them out and replacing them, did not fix the problem, and Donaldson was back under the knife after her sophomore year.

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  • Lady Aces lose sectional title game in 'rebuilding' year

    LEBANON – Mulberry Grove softball coach John Barnes spilled plenty of appreciation for his nine-person team after the Lady Aces lost to Calhoun, 5-4, on Monday.

    “This was the hardest year of coaching,” Barnes said. “I had nine kids, who could take advantage of their coach anytime they wanted, as far as, ‘I don’t have to listen or do what you say, because you barely have enough (players).’

    “That didn’t happen, and that’s the type of kids we have.”

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  • Austin, Bell fail to make finals at state

    Through rainy conditions, the Illinois High School Association state meet went on as scheduled, with preliminaries last Thursday.

    Two Vandalia athletes – senior Daniel Bell and junior Quenten Austin – battled through those conditions, and while neither made the finals, both bettered their qualifying marks.

    “I think the goal was for them to run a personal best, and their personal best would re-set the school record,” said coach Jane Bell. “It was a little disappointing that the weather prevented them from doing that.

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  • College Report: Mahon named all-conference

    No team is complete without a relief pitcher.

    Not even for the Ohio Valley all-conference team. When selecting a relief pitcher, St. Elmo grad and Southeast Missouri State  senior Logan Mahon was definitely going to be discussed and be in the mix. Mahon was named to the OVC's second team.

    In league action, there was almost none better. Mahon got the proper setup, and he earned six saves in OVC games. His six saves were  the best in conference.

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  • Vandalia, South Central legion teams start season

    Legion baseball will be back on the diamonds in Vandalia this week, with both the Sr. and Jr. Legion teams opening their seasons.

    Between June 1 and June 9, the Sr. Legion team, which is coached by Luke Hohlt, will play seven games, including five at home. The season opened on Wednesday with a home doubleheader against Carlyle.

    The Jr. Legion team, which is coached by TK Kinkead, has its first game on Thursday at Salem and opens the home season on Monday against South Central. Both games are 6 p.m. doubleheaders.

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  • Vandalia High School Softball Awards

    The Vandalia High School softball team held its banquet last week, and coach Brian Buscher handed out several awards.

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  • Girls basketball camp

    Vandalia High School girls basketball coach Michelle McNary last week held a skills camp for girls in grades K-8.

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  • Lady Aces lose sectional title game

    LEBANON — The Mulberry Grove High School softball team lost to Calhoun in the sectional championship game on Monday, 5-4.

    The Lady Aces scored one run in the bottom of the seventh inning, and had two runners on when the final out was recorded.

    For Calhoun, it was the school's first-ever sectional title.

    A full story from the game will appear on Page 1B of the June 2 edition of The Leader-Union, and a photo gallery from both sectional tournament games will be posted on www.leaderunion.com later in the week.

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  • Lady Aces to play for sectional title

    LEBANON — The Mulberry Grove High School softball team will play for a sectional championship against Calhoun on Monday after defeating Marissa on Saturday, 4-3.

    That game will be held at Lebanon High School at 1 p.m.

    The Lady Aces never trailed against Marissa, holding, at worst, a tie at two after two innings. Mulberry Grove scored two more runs in the third, and held the Lady Meteors scoreless until the bottom of the seventh.

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