Sports

Odessa got Excelsior Springs again in varsity boys tennis. Less than two weeks after falling to the Bulldogs 6-3 at Excelsior Springs, the Tigers lost to Odessa 5-0 Monday in the dual, or “team,” portion of the Class 1 District 4 Tournament.

Excelsior Springs’ boys tennis dual Monday with visiting Odessa gave the Tigers a chance to bid farewell to one of their own. The competition was likely the final home dual for senior Mitchell Blankenship, who has been with the high school program for three seasons and is set to graduate May 15.

On April 23, Excelsior Springs honored its senior varsity baseball players. Some of the honorees responded to the recognition by cranking out hits to help the Tigers cruise to a 7-1 win over Belton.

ALMOST A HAT TRICK Kinley Rogers was almost unbeatable in the throwing events at the Mineral Water Classic. Rogers, who’s set to graduate high school this month from Excelsior Springs, won the discus and shot put at the April 24 track and field meet at Tiger Stadium.

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to PRO High heat, drop kicks, random observations and points that amuse are all part of the wide, wide world of sports at the community and national levels. I had an Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh moment a few days ago.

NEARLY EQUALLED Excelsior Springs nearly matched its longest winning streak this season in varsity baseball. A 9-6 loss Monday to Warrensburg at Excelsior Springs in a tussle of teams both nicknamed the Tigers ended the local baseballers’streak at six games.

Excelsior Springs tennis coach Richie Marsh and his boys netters are about to do some traveling. The Tigers are slated to play in their first road competition of the season April 20 – a Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference-Blue Division dual with Grandview.

ATTRACTING ATTENTION The Excelsior Springs varsity baseball team is making members of the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association take notice. In its April 6 poll, the association ranked the Tigers fourth in the state for Class 4 programs.

For the Excelsior Springs varsity girls soccer squad, the final score of a game is less important than the team’s performance during it, according to coach Brett McKenzie. The girls performed well the morning of April 11, when they pasted Cameron 8-0 at Tiger Stadium to open the Excelsior Springs Tournament, McKenzie opined.