SCOTT CITY DUO NAMED TO CLASS 2A FIRST TEAM

The basketball teams at Scott City High School had a combined record of 46-11 this year, with the boys winning their second consecutive district championship.

And two of the players who helped lead the Rams and Lady Rams to more than 20 wins apiece have been rewarded by being named first-team all-state in Class 2A.

Scott City's Dustin Cauble and Sara Emerson are two of several Southeast Missouri players named to first and second all-state teams in classes 1A and 2A as voted on by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association.

The 3A and 4A all-state teams will be announced Thursday.

Cauble, a 6-foot-4 senior, is a repeat member of the 2A first team. With a feathery touch around the basket, he averaged 26 points per game to lead the Rams.

"Dustin had another great season for us and he had a super high school career," said Scott City coach Derek McCord. "He's really a tremendous offensive player."

Emerson, a 5-10 senior, was a four-year starter for the Lady Rams. She particularly displayed her all-around skills this season by averaging 21 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and four assists per game to lead Scott City in all four categories.

"I don't think I've had a player that could do as many things as Sara," said Scott City coach Randy White. "She was a joy to coach."

Also an excellent student, Emerson ranks first in her senior class and recently signed a letter of intent to play basketball for Friends University in Wichita, Kan.

Another area performer -- Notre Dame's Melissa Maurer -- made the 2A girls second team.

Maurer, a 5-6 junior, averaged nine points per game on a balanced Notre Dame squad that surprised a lot of people by finishing second in the state.

"We were a really balanced team this year so nobody had any super high numbers," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim. "But Melissa was a very steady player for us. She did a really good job."

Outside the immediate area, several other players made the all-state first team: East Carter County's Benji Stahl and Bismarck's Julie Faulkner in 2A; and Richland's Tony Herrion and North Pemiscot's Lemi Williams in 1A.

Stahl, a 6-2 senior, averaged 14 points for an extremely balanced East Carter squad that placed second in the state.

Williams, a 6-6 senior, averaged 29 points and 11 rebounds per game while Herrion, a 6-3 senior, averaged 26 points and 12 rebounds per contest as Richland made it to the 1A quarterfinals. He also started for last year's Richland team that captured the state championship.

Faulkner poured in an average of 27 points a contest to pace Bismarck's girls.

In final state rankings, Notre Dame wound up third and East Carter ninth in 2A girls while East Carter was second and Scott City seventh in 2A boys. In 1A, Richland's boys and Bunker's girls both finished sixth.

All-State Basketball

(Area Selections)

FIRST TEAM

Class 1A Boys

Tony Herrion (Richland) 6-3 Sr.

Lemi Williams (North Pem) 6-6 Sr.

Class 2A Boys

Dustin Cauble (Scott City) 6-4 Sr.

Benji Stahl (East Carter) 6-2 Sr.

Class 2A Girls

Sara Emerson (Scott City) 5-10 Sr.

Julie Faulkner (Bismarck) 5-7 Sr.

SECOND TEAM

Class 1A Girls

Amanda Ritter (Bunker) 5-9 Sr.

Class 2A Boys

Brandon Stone (Bernie) 6-0 Sr.

Class 2A Girls

Melissa Maurer (Notre Dame) 5-6 Jr.

Kari Harbison (Caledonia Valley) 5-4 Sr.