There will be a familiar feel to the 45-member Chillicothe varsity Football team this season. The Hornets return seven offensive and seven defensive full time starters from last year's team, plus several other players that started at least one game or saw ample playing time. Of that group, seven of the seniors started at least one game as sophomores in 2006. "Anytime you have varsity experience and you're able to get them in the games and downs against good people, that's going to help" commented Coach Phil Willard, the newest member of the Missouri High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.
     The Hornets do have holes to fill including the graduation of three offensive linemen and halfback Clint Singleton, who led the team in rushing (640 yards, 4 touchdowns) and receiving (303 yards and 4 touchdowns). Returning to lead the offense is senior Quarterback Tyler Trammell, who had 604 yards and 7 touchdowns thru the air in eight games. Also returning are Senior Ends Colin Parker and Tommy Hargrave. In the backfield, Senior Kyle Dosterschill returns as a third year starter along with junior Halfback Bryce Young who led the team in scoring with seven rushing and three receiving touchdowns. Senior Fullback Clint Dysart also returns, who saw action in all ten games last season.
     Chillicothe returns their linebacker duo of Dosterschill and Hargrave to lead the defense. Coaches All State Third Team member Young returns with Parker and Stephen Quinn in the secondary.. The defensive line will be anchored by returning  two-way starter Cory Lowe and Nose Guard Clayton Dahlberg. If that isn't enough returning starters, Chillicothe also returns last year's punter and kicker. "We don't have any big division one athletes" stated Willard. "But we have a group that plays well as a team and that's going to be our strength."
     In all, Chillicothe returns six All Conference first team members, three Second Team selections and two Honorable Mention selections. Chillicothe will head to Smithville for a jamboree that includes Richmond and Knob Noster on Friday the 22nd then opens at Marshall on Friday the 29th.
<Football Schedule>
 

Softball

       Chillicothe scored two runs in the top of the 12th inning to beat South Harrison 5-3 in Bethany. "We played very tight, too many errors, too many walks, a lot of young players" commented Coach Stan Baldwin. "We hit well, but not always at the right time, and we left 12 runners on base."
     South Harrison scored in the first inning, Chillicothe responded with runs in the second and third to lead 2-1. South Harrison scored twice in the bottom of the fourth for a 3-2 lead. Chillicothe tied it up in the sixth to force extra innings. Chillicothe Freshman Sarah Baldwin went the distance on the mound, allowing three unearned runs off three hits with four walks and 14 strike outs. Chillicothe also committed five errors in the game.
     At the plate, Elizabeth Osbon went 2/6 with 2 runs and an RBI, Sarah Baldwin went 3/5 with a run and two RBIs, Heather Doss went 3/5 with a run, Bailey Keith went 1/5 with an RBI, Sam Fender and Leanne Mathew each went 1/5 and Lindy Scott went 1/4 with a run scored. Chillicothe is at home Tuesday Sept. 2nd against St Joseph Lafayette.

Girls Golf

    
Girls Tennis
     Chillicothe downed Trenton 9-0 at Chillicothe.

Boys Soccer
     Chillicothe will return most of last year's team for the school's second ever soccer season. The Hornets have 31 players, but coach Bill Allison is realistic concerning this season. "It's still going to be tough for us to make a big impact. Teams we play are teams that play through out the year, not just during the season."
     Leading the team will be Jacob Rockhold, who led the team with 15 goals last year and was co-leader in assists. Joining him will be Levi Barton and Chase Bonderer for offensive punch. All District team member Colton Allen returns as Mid-Fielder and the defense will be led by Brady Sensenich, Mahonri Reyes and All District Honorable Mention Goalkeeper Caleb Buckmaster.
     One area Allison is working on this preseason is game strategy with his young squad. "Ever touch of the ball serves a purpose and that's what we're stressing in practice. You want a numbers advantage on an offensive attack while maintaining balance in the backfield to avoid a counter attack."
     Allison says Smithville is one of the favorites to win the conference crown. Last season, Chillicothe finished 4-11 overall and 5th in the M.E.C. race.
<Soccer Schedule>
 

Cross Country
    In the nearly 40 years since Chillicothe's first Cross Country team, the Hornets have never won a Boys Cross Country Conference Championship. With last year's entire second place team returning, Coach Tim Riekena thinks this might be the year to make history. "We have a lot of talent back with nine seniors providing a lot of leadership."
    Leading the way this year will Steven Taylor and his younger sister Mary Kate Taylor, both of which were state qualifiers in 2007. Riekena says the nine seniors on the team are invaluable. "Our Seniors and Juniors have stepped it up themselves. They've made that choice to become better runners on their own." A new off-season program has helped with 12 of the 16 runners taking part in an off season mileage program. The Hornets had seven runners log 500 miles over the summer and another five runners log 300 miles. "Many of the runners are coming into the preseason in the best shape ever. This could be a very exciting year." commented Riekena.
     As for that Conference title, Riekena looks at a familiar foe. "Benton is the team we'll be chasing. They lost just one varsity runner, I know they'll be strong but we're looking forward to competing against them, and I think we can take them."
<Cross Country Schedule>
 

Volleyball

     This might be a rebuilding year for the Chillicothe Girls Volleyball team. Coach Karen Jackson lost three key players from last season's 14-15-2 team and the returning players will face new roles on the team. "We've got a lot of work to do" says Jackson, "Hopefully we can get to where we were last year."
     Numbers are up this year, with 29 girls out for volleyball including 11 freshman, the largest number in several years. The team also has height this year. "It's young height" says Coach Jackson, "so we've got to do lots of teaching and let them learn. hopefully they will come around and be very active at the net."
     Jackson thinks this will be a team that will pay their dues early, facing an opening season match with a very good Savannah team plus give straight road games. "Hopefully as the season progresses we'll really be able to come on and show our competition how good we really can be" stated Jackson.
<Volleyball Schedule>
 

Football District Assignments
     For the first time since 2003, Chillicothe will face three fellow Midland Empire Conference football teams in next year's district play. The M.S.H.S.A.A. has released new classifications and district assignments for football in 2008 and 2009. Chillicothe will compete in Class 3 District 16 with Cameron, Smithville and Savannah. None of the four teams made the playoffs in 2007, with Chillicothe and Smithville ending at 6-4, Cameron at 3-7 and Savannah at 1-9. Also new in 2008 and 2009 is an extra round of high school football playoffs. Starting in 2008, half the teams will qualify for post season, with the top two teams in each district qualifying for post season competition. Chillicothe will start the season with three non-conference games: at Marshall, hosting Odessa and at Grain Valley.

     Full Class 3 District breakdowns:
District 1: New Madrid County Central, Dexter, Kennett, Perryville
District 2: Park Hills Central, Fredricktown, Potosi, Ste Genevieve
District 3: Herculaneum, John F. Kennedy, Lutheran South, Priory
District 4: Cardinal Ritter, E. H. Lyle Charter, Miller Career, Soldan
District 5: John Burroughs, Lutheran North, McCluer South-Berkley, Trinity Catholic
District 6: Bowling Green, Lutheran (St Peters), St Francis Borgia, Winfield
District 7: Owensville, Salem, St James, Sullivan

District 8: Fulton, Mexico, Missouri Military, North Callaway
District 9: California, Eldon, Osage, Versailles

District 10: Ava, Buffalo, Logan-Rogersville, Mountain Grove
District 11: Aurora, Mount Vernon, Reeds Springs, Springfield Catholic

District 12: Cassville, East Newton, Monett, Seneca

District 13: Clinton, Holden, Pleasant Hill, Oak Grove
District 14: Boonville, Moberly, Odessa, Richmond
District 15: Lincoln College Prep, Pembroke Hill, O'Hara, St Pius X (Kansas City)
District 16: Cameron, Chillicothe, Savannah, Smithville