St. Louisan Mike Rodgers has enjoyed a stellar amateur track and field career at the high school and collegiate levels. Last weekend, Rodgers added a national championship to his impressive list of credentials. Rodgers won the men’s 60-meter dash at the United States Indoor National Track and Field Championships in Boston on Sunday. In his first national competition, Rodgers defeated a talented field with a winning time of 6.54 seconds. He came into the meet with the nation’s top time in the event.
“This was my first U.S. Finals race, so my nerves were killing me,” Rodgers said. “I had some great competitors in the race, but I knew I needed to hold on to my top U.S. time and I did that. It’s just so exciting to be here.”
A former prep star at McCluer South-Berkeley, Rodgers went on to collegiate stardom at Lindenwood University and Oklahoma City where was a NAIA national champion and All-American sprinter at both schools. Rodgers was instrumental in leading both schools to NAIA national championships in men’s track.
Congratulations, Mike. Way to represent the ‘Lou.
The brand new Chaifetz Arena, on the campus of Saint Louis University, will be the host of the upcoming McDonald’s Riverwar All-Star Basketball Games.
The event, which features talented boys and girls players from all over the state of Missouri and Illinois, will be held on Saturday, April 12 as part of the grand-opening weekend for the new 10,000-seat arena. The 7th annual Riverwar will feature three All-Star games, including a girls’ game, a St. Louis vs. Kansas City game and the main event, which is the Missouri vs. Illinois game. The Missouri vs. Illinois girls game will be held at 3:30, followed by a slam-dunk contest at 5 p.m. The 1-70 Showdown between St. Louis and Kansas City will take place at 6 p.m. The finale will be the Missouri vs. Illinois boys game at 7:30 p.m.
In a year where there has been an abundance of talent in the Class of 2008, it should be a great event to showcase the new home of the Saint Louis University Billkens. The complete rosters are scheduled to be announced on March 5, but some of the top players expected to play are Scott Suggs of Washington, the McCluer North trio of Torres Roundtree, Femi John and Anthony Booker, John Brandenburg of DeSmet, Kramer Soderberg of St. Charles West and Drew Hanlen of Webster Groves.
For more information, go to the website, www.showtymebasketball.com.
*Major props to former Vashon High and University of Missouri football standout William “The Helicopter” Franklin, on turning in a time of 4.37 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis over the weekend. Franklin’s time was tied for the second fastest among the wide receivers at the combine. At a robust 215 pounds, Franklin may have put a little extra change in his pocket on draft day.
*Congratulations for former Sumner High wrestling standout Donte’ Butler, on his third-place finish at the National Junior College Athletic Association Nationals last weekend in Rochester, Minn. Butler finished third in the 125-pound weight class. He is a freshman at Neosho Junior College. Butler won five of his six matches at the national tournament to earn his medal. Butler was a four-year standout at Sumner, earning four all-state medals during his stellar career with the Bulldogs.
*Washington High basketball standout Scott Suggs recently became the all-time leading scorer at the school, while leading the Bluejays to their first district championship in 23 years in the process. The 6’6” Suggs broke the record on Saturday afternoon when he scored 20 points in the Bluejays’ 63-51 victory over Eureka in the Class 5, District 6 semifinals at Francis Howell. Suggs broke a 55-year old record, which was held by 1953 WHS graduate Eddie Ronsick. Suggs added 28 more points in Washington’s 58-48 victory over Lafayette in the district championship game to bring his career total to 1,732 points.
*My deepest sympathies go out to the family of Janet Wallace, a former co-worker and a close friend to my mother Sandra Austin. Janet passed away last week. Her husband, Tony, is the former boys basketball coach at Berkeley High School and is now a school administrator. Together, they raised three lovely daughters, including Janell Wallace, who was a former Ms. Gateway Classic winner. Funeral services were held last week at the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church on Shreve.
*Congratulations to the Maplewood girls’ basketball team on winning the South Central Athletic Association championship. Led by first-year coach Deidra Cason, the Blue Devils finished the regular season with a 17-4 record. On the boys’ front, Maplewood junior standout Bryant Allen recently received a scholarship offer from Gary Pinkel’s University of Missouri football program. The 6’0” Allen has also received basketball offers from the likes of Saint Louis University, Southern Illinois and Missouri State. He is one of the top all-around athletes in the metro area.