Sports

Many varsity new runners are taking to the cross country trails this season for Excelsior Springs. On the girls side, the Tigers graduated everyone from last season’s team.

If Excelsior Springs’ upcoming varsity football season could be summed up in one word, it would probably be familiarity. The Tigers have a familiar face leading them: Mark Faubion, who enters his sixth season as their head coach.

The Tigers have a quest in varsity softball, according to coach Megan Gilbertson: They want a district title this season. “We got a taste of playing in the championship game last year and these girls are willing to put in the work to get us there again,” said Gilbertson, whose club fell to Platte County in the Class 4 District 8 title game.

A group of returning netters has Excelsior Springs tennis coach Richie Marsh excited about this fall. “Our fans can expect to see our girls competing from start to the end,” said Marsh, who’s in his 12th season leading the program.

Excelsior Springs is youth-heavy this season in high school volleyball. Of the 25 players in the program, only three are seniors.

Summer is over for fall sports athletes at Excelsior Springs High School. On Monday, practices began for five sports at Excelsior Springs: football, boys soccer, softball, girls tennis, cross country and volleyball.

Like other sports teams, the Excelsior Springs varsity softball squad is looking for leadership from within the players’ ranks this fall. Senior Karli Shipman intends to be one of those leaders.

Former coach Terri Irons is prepared to make her Excelsior Springs Athletic Hall of Fame induction speech. Sort of.

For the first time in eons, I find myself thrilled to watch or listen to NFL preseason games. And for the first time in maybe ever, I find myself wanting to watch or listen to Raiders preseason games.

When Rick Schwab stepped aside from coaching Excelsior Springs High School wrestling and moved into his current administrative position with the school district, he didn’t completely leave wrestling.