Celebrating excellence: top athletes from fall sports selected for Semoball Awards

The fall finalist for the 2025 Semoball Awards has been announced on Tuesday, Feb. 25.

The finalists have been decided by the sports editors of the Southeast Missourian, Sikeston Standard-Democrat, Delta Dunklin Democrat in Kennett, and the Daily American Republic in Poplar Bluff. The sports editors meet after the conclusions of the fall sports season and debate over the top five or ten of each sport.

It has been a solid fall for the Southeast Missourian area. On the gridiron, Jackson, Dexter, and St. Vincent won district titles while Cape Central, Perryville, and Caruthersville saw their season end in the district title game.

On the volleyball court, Advance returned to the Class 1 championship game while St. Vincent won third place in Class 2.

In softball, Chaffee returned to the Class 2 final four and came back with the third-place trophy.

A local duo took home the tennis doubles state championship. Woodland once again won the Class 2 boys' cross-country championship. Last but not least, a Cape Central swimmer broke a state record while winning a pair of titles to cap his career.

Football-Offense finalists

Jay Edmundson - Poplar Bluff

Nick Buchheit - St. Vincent

Barrett Wheeler - Perryville

Chase Richardet - Perryville

Kai Crowe - Jackson

Zai'Aire Thomas - Cape Central

Rustyn Underwood - Scott City

Jett Grams - Dexter

Sammy Bryant - Caruthersville

Tavion Ware - East Prairie

Football-Defense finalists

Jamonte Alexander - Caruthersville

John Schwartz - St. Vincent

Nolan Alford - Dexter

Carson House - St. Vincent

Deshaun Henderson - Charleston

Oscar Dominguez - Caruthersville

Darryl Jordan - SIkeston

Ty Atkins - Chaffee

Tyson Ford - Jackson

Zion Bell - Malden

Boys Soccer finalists

Waylon Huber - Perryville

Treyton Barnett - Perryville

Tristan Wiggins - Sikeston

PJ Farmer - Sikeston

Dylan Strothmann - Jackson

Braden Thompson - Jackson

Diego Chahin - Notre Dame

Alex Bedell - Poplar Bluff

Joe Cao - Cape Central

Brayden Moore - Saxony Lutheran

Volleyball finalists

Reagan Howe - Oak Ridge

Ashtyn Van de Ven - Leopold

Addison Carlton - Advance

Bailey Henry - Bernie

Brie Rubel - St. Vincent

Gloriaha Farmer - Portageville

Katy St. John - Jackson

Chloe Hendrix - Holcomb

Ella Gardner - Kennett

Kate Nichols - Dexter

Boys Cross Country finalists

Aidan Niedbalski - Jackson

Lane McBryde - Jackson

Aiden Morris - Notre Dame

Cameron Bell - Dexter

Chase Wendel - Jackson

Bair Hopkins - Perryville

Landon Street - Van Buren

Ben Dowdy - Dexter

Carter Hennemann - St. Vincent

Calvin Layton - Woodland

Girls Cross Country finalists

Annika Barks - Jackson

Emma Niedbalski - Jackson

Martina Ressel - Notre Dame

Lily Coy - Notre Dame

Ella Harris - Bernie

Emily Marriott - Cape Central

Faith Rouggly - Woodland

Reagan Meyer - St. Vincent

Alivia Miller - East Carter

Rylie Brown - Malden

Boys Swimming finalists

Phineas Theall - Cape

Wade LaValle - Jackson

Hudson Dennis - Notre Dame

Kaiden Cracraft - Notre Dame

Tommy Haz - Notre Dame

Girls Golf finalists

Julia Schlitt - Jackson

Madison Thrower - Jackson

Olivia Thetford - Poplar Bluff

Grayson Maurer - Notre Dame

Elizabeth Barnette - Notre Dame

Girls tennis finalists

Bean - Holcomb

McAtee - Holcomb

Vita Galati - Notre Dame

Kaitlyn Booker - Poplar Bluff

Molly Maurer - Poplar Bluff

The Semoball Awards will take place at the La Croix Church on July 18, 2025.