Ladue Football Done In For Season By Weather And Westminster

Thursday's district playoff opener was delayed for 50 minutes at the outset due to severe lightning storm. Once things got rolling, it was all Wildcats in a 28-0 victory over the Rams.

BALLWIN -- About 30 minutes before the start of Thursday's MSHSAA Class 4 District 3 playoff opener at Parkway West High School's Longhorn Stadium, between Westminster Christian Academy and Ladue, Mother Nature decided it was time she show everyone thinking about football what real power was. First, the skies opened and a furious storm followed. Then, just for good measure, the lightning strikes began and sent everyone running for cover. The water and light show continued for nearly an hour before the first-round playoff game between two of the more underrated teams in the area. Early on in the game, it seemed lightning struck again -- only this time it wasn't Mother Nature. Instead, it was Westminster junior quarterback Brett Bond who …

• Photos (12)

Westminster Beats Lutheran South For The Third Time, Makes It Back-to-Back State Baseball Titles

Wildcats jump on Lancers for seven runs in the first inning, then cruise to second straight state baseball championship.

In Friday's nerve-racking state semifinal game against Marshall, the Westminster Christian Academy baseball team needed a seven-run outburst in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull out a victory that kept the Wildcats' back-to-back state title hopes alive. (Read Previous Story: Late Inning Rally Lifts Westminster To Second Straight State Title Game Appearance) On Saturday though, in the MSHSAA Class 3 state championship game at historic Meador Park against Lutheran South, Westminster didn't wait nearly as long to blowup the scoreboard. The Wildcats jumped on opposing starter Ryan Strohm for seven runs in the top of the first inning, and cruised their way to a 10-4 victory over the Lancers, that makes Westminster the first repeat state …

• Photos (20)

Late Inning Rally Lifts Westminster To Second Straight State Title Game Appearance

Seven-run sixth inning gives Wildcats the chance to defend their state championship against league rival Lutheran South.

Nerves were getting frayed, and the fans were getting worried, but the members of the Westminster Christian Academy baseball team weren't concerned at all. Well, maybe they were a little. But thanks to a huge seven-run sixth inning, the Wildcats rallied for an 8-2 win over upset-minded Marshall (MO) High, in the state semifinals at Meador Park on Friday, and now will get to play for the MSHSAA Class 3 state championship for the second straight year. Westminster won its first ever state baseball title last year, and will be the first Missouri team to advance to the state championship game in back-to-back seasons since Sante Fe did it in '08 and '09. The last back-to-back state champions in Missouri was Blair Oaks in Class 2 in '05 and '06. …

• Photos (2)

Parkway South Fights Off Lafayette Challenge, Brings Home District Baseball Championship

Patriots erase memories of nightmare loss in last year’s semifinals to claim their second district title in the last three years.

For an entire year, the Parkway South baseball team had to sit around and think about what could’ve been last year, when despite being one of the top-ranked teams in the area, they were bounced from the district playoffs early in an upset loss to rival Eureka. Through all those workouts, practices, and weight-training sessions, the Patriots concentrated on one collective goal -- getting back to the district championship game and this time winning it. (Be sure to "Like" Patch on Facebook - check out our page here.) And that year-long dream finally became a reality for Parkway South on Tuesday, as the Patriots outhit, outpitched, and thoroughly outplayed pesky league rival Lafayette, for an 8-4 victory, that gave South its second district …

• Photos (25)

Live Streaming State Wrestling, All Mats With Commentary

Watch your wrestlers in Columbia!

Part 2: Concussion Education, Awareness Essential to Protect Young Athletes

Mandatory education combined with supplemental instruction and reference materials will hopefully lessen the danger and impact of concussion-related sports injuries.

Mandatory education combined with supplemental instruction is the biggest key to Missouri’s new concussion legislation, according to Dr. Mark Halstead. (Read Part 1 of this series.) “The biggest things we can do with concussions are to better recognize the signs and symptoms, and discuss appropriate ways to deal with them after a concussion occurs,” said Halstead, Director of the Sports Concussion Program at Washington University. “As long as we can continue to educate people at all levels—parents, coaches, athletes, teachers, athletic directors, etc.—we will be able to make a difference.” Under the new law, education is required for coaches, players and parents. The Missouri State High School Activities Association provides materials for …

• Photos (2)

State’s Concussion Law Aims to Protect Student-Athletes

The MSHSAA is now outlining the regulations and procedures with the new state law regarding sports-related concussions.

Dan Lohse remembers the instant and massive headache. The football was overthrown to the Vianney senior wide receiver from High Ridge, but a helmet-to-helmet collision still occurred with a cornerback early this season. “I actually played the rest of the game,” Lohse said. “At first, I didn’t think anything of it, but when it became the fourth quarter and I had the same headache, I knew something was wrong.” Lohse's injury is among the estimated 300,000 sport-related brain injuries that occur annually in America according to the Brain Injury Resource Center. This summer, Missouri lawmakers made the Show-Me State one of 30 with a law aimed at protecting youth athletes from further brain injuries by returning to play too soon.   (*Note: This…

• Photos (1)