Notebook: Postseason Excitement Builds For Howell North, Area Teams

The Francis Howell North girls soccer team is preparing for their Class 3 state quarterfinal match at Incarnate Word at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The Knights, who were co-champions in the Gateway Athletic Conference South, are 17-6-1.

Howell North defeated Fort Zumwalt West in sectionals, 1-0, on Tuesday to advance. Incarnate Word (15-4-1) got past Pattonville, 3-2. The Red Knights, who beat Howell North 3-2 earlier this season, won the Class 3 championship in 2008 and 2009.

Junior goalkeeper Erica Wind had the shutout for Howell North, her 10th this season, as the Knights’ defense clamped down on Zumwalt West. Sophomore Hali Long scored the game’s lone goal, just her third this season.

Pacing the Knights’ offense is Kelsey Fouch with 18 goals, followed by Megan Frkovic’s 11 goals and team-high eight assists.

Howell North track and field will send freshman Alexis Happe to the Class 4 state Track and Field Championships at Lincoln University in Jefferson City this weekend. Happe placed second at the Class 4 sectional meet last Saturday at Troy in the 1600-meter run at 5:29.13, and she also qualified in the 800. Also qualifying for the state meet last weekend was Michaela Randolph, who was second in the pole vault at 9-6, and Coleen Grone, who placed second in the 3,200 (12:24.07).

Howell North tennis is also represented at this weekend’s Class 2 state tennis tourney in Springfield, Mo. Sophomore Robbie Nicolli will compete in singles at the Cooper Tennis Complex. He is 17-3 heading into action.

The Duchesne track and field team will be represented by senior Jenny Howard in Jefferson City. Howard placed first in the 100 at the Class 3 sectional meet last Saturday in Mexico. She ran a time of 12.25, and also finished second in the 200 in 25.85. The Pioneers also qualified two other runners in the 800, with Anna Schmidt (second, 2:24.75) and Sarah Goetges (third, 2:25.29).

The Orchard Farm girls soccer team will compete in the Class 1 quarterfinals on Saturday. The 16-7 Eagles will host Kennedy (12-10) at 1 p.m. In two previous meetings this season, Orchard Farm came out on top, 4-0 and 3-2. The game’s winner will advance to the state semifinals next weekend at Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton.

Leading the Eagles' offense is junior midfielder Alexis Robbers with 27 goals and 12 assists. But it was sophomore forward Megan Boschert’s two goals that led Orchard Farm past Whitfield, 4-2, in Tuesday’s sectional match.

St. Charles girls soccer saw its season conclude with a 3-0 sectional defeat to Visitation Academy on Tuesday. The Pirates finished with a solid 14-11 mark. The season’s leading scorer was senior Erika Teson with 25 goals, followed by sophomore Autumn Olendorff with 22.

The St. Charles West track and field team will have two prominent competitors in Jefferson City. In the Class 3 meet, Jordan Baumgartner will participate in the triple jump after winning at sectionals with a leap of 35-01.5. Joselyn Covington also qualifed after placing third in the 300 hurdles in 47.68.

(Have some local sports news, or story ideas? Please email Patch sports editor Brian Doolittle at briandoolittle@hotmail.com)