Six games already set for next year's Heartland Hoopfest

After a successful first run, the planning already has begun for next season's Heartland Hoopfest at the Perry Park Center in Perryville.

The recent event included seven high school boys basketball games, including a feature contest between nationally ranked Vashon and perennial Southeast Missouri power Charleston.

"I thought we had a good turnout for the first time, about 2,000 people, with about 1,500 for the Vashon-Charleston game," said tournament director Brian Roth, the Perry Park Center league and fitness director. "We're already looking forward to next year's event."

Scheduled for Dec. 10, next season's Heartland Hoopfest again will include seven games.

Six of the seven matchups have already been set: Notre Dame vs. DuQuoin, Ill.; Saxony Lutheran in a rematch with Festus, Mo., St. Pius, Jackson vs. Wildwood, Mo., Lafayette; Bell City vs. Kirkwood, Mo., Vianney; Perryville vs. Ste. Genevieve; and St. Vincent vs. Oak Ridge.

Vashon also will participate, and Roth said he is trying to arrange a game between the Wolverines and another nationally prominent program.

It's the boys' turn

The Scott-Mississippi Conference boys basketball tournament promises some good matchups, as the top-seeded Kelly boys try to duplicate the girls team's championship run.

With Scott City, Scott County Central, East Prairie and Delta in the field, it won't be easy for the Hawks, who have won nine of 10 since a 1-3 start.

Kelly received a first-round bye. Scott County Central is seeded second following a loss to the Hawks last Tuesday.

Scott City is seeded third, followed by East Prairie, Delta, Chaffee and Oran.

All tournament games will be played at Oran High School.

Scott County and Oran will open the tournament at 5 p.m. today. Other games today: Scott City faces Chaffee at 6:30 and East Prairie takes on Delta at 8.

The semifinals are Thursday, and the finals will be played at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

Flying like Superman

The Notre Dame boys basketball team will have a tough task today in the opening round of the Massac County High School Coca-Cola Superman Classic.

The Bulldogs, who are 8-8 and have won six of their last nine games, will open with host Massac County at 6:30 p.m. Other teams in Notre Dame's bracket include Hopkinsville, Ky., and Wheaton, Ill.

Caruthersville and Sikeston are also in the tournament. The tournament continues Thursday for first-round losers, Friday for winners and concludes Saturday with final games.

Notre Dame girls shootout

Incarnate Word Academy, one of the top girls basketball teams in the state, will be on display Saturday at the Notre Dame Regional High School Girl's Basketball Shootout.

The eight teams playing four games also includes host Notre Dame (4-8) and area teams Jackson (13-1), Central (1-13) and Poplar Bluff (9-4). Incarnate Word, 14-1 and currently ranked No. 1 in the Class 5 state poll, which recently suffered its first loss of the season to St. Joseph's Academy.

The Knights will play Poplar Bluff at 3 p.m.

Central will face Nerinx Hall (8-6) in the opening game at 1:30 p.m. Notre Dame will face St. Charles (6-7) at 4:30, and Jackson will play Eureka (8-3) at 6 in the final game of the day.

Jackson in MLK event

The Jackson girls will play be in another shootout event today when they play Oakville in the seventh annual Martin Luther King Jr. Shootout at Maryville University, located off Interstate 64 in west St. Louis County.

The teams play at 3 p.m. as part of a seven-game, single-day event.

College notes

N ASHLIE VOERG WAS A MEMBER OF THE INDIANA STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S SOCCER TEAM THAT EARNED THE NO. 1 ACADEMIC RANKING AMONG NCAA DIVISION I PROGRAMS WITH A CUMULATIVE 3.54 GRADE POINT AVERAGE. THE NATIONAL SOCCER COACHES ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA EXTENDS THE HONOR, WHICH INDIANA STATE WON FOR THE FIRST TIME. THE TEAM WAS TOPS IN THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE FOR THE FOURTH STRAIGHT YEAR.

VOERG, A SENIOR WITH A 3.20 GPA WHILE MAJORING IN RECREATION AND SPORTS MANAGEMENT, WAS FIRST-TEAM ALL-MVC FOR THE SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR. THE CENTRAL HIGH GRADUATE SCORED THREE GOALS THIS YEAR AS THE SYCAMORES POSTED A 9-10 RECORD FOR THE MOST WINS IN SCHOOL HISTORY. VOERG ALSO WAS HONORABLE MENTION FOR THE MVC SCHOLAR-ATHLETE TEAM.

N THE CENTRAL MISSOURI STATE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM IMPROVED TO 14-2 SATURDAY BY POSTING AN 84-77 VICTORY AGAINST TOP-RANKED DIVISION II EMPORIA STATE.

HELPING TO JENNIES TO THE STRONG START WERE TWO STARTERS FROM NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL -- JUNIOR LISA MILLHAM AND HER SISTER, SOPHOMORE ASHLEY MILLHAM.

LISA ENTERED LAST WEEK AVERAGING 6.4 POINTS AND 2.1 REBOUNDS PER GAME, WHILE ASHLEY WAS AVERAGING 8.2 POINTS AND 4.5 REBOUNDS PER GAME AND LED THE TEAM WITH 49 ASSISTS.

ASHLEY MILLHAM HAD A SEASON-HIGH 22 POINTS AND A GAME-HIGH EIGHT REBOUNDS IN THE VICTORY AT EMPORIA STATE.