The Semoball Podcast

The 24th episode of the Semoball Podcast is a bittersweet one. Podcast host and Southeast Missourian/Semoball sports editor Josh Mlot (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballJosh">@semoballJosh</a>) sits down with Southeast Missouri State beat writer Trent Singer (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballTrent">@semoballTrent</a>) on the eve of his final day as a Southeast Missourian and Semoball writer. After three and a half years working both the local high school and SEMO beats, Singer is moving on to other pastures (quite literally, because what else is in South Dakota?). We offer him a proper exit interview and chat with him about some of his memories of his time here in Southeast Missouri, talk about what the future holds and say farewell to someone who has been integral in making local sports coverage tick during the last few years. So, thank you, Trent. Subscribe to this podcast via iTunes and leave us five-star comments and reviews in the iTunes stores to help us get in the ears of more people. And spread the word. Definitely spread the word. This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.  

In Episode 23 of the Semoball Podcast, Southeast Missourian sports editor and podcast host Josh Mlot (@semoballJosh) sits down with friend (or frenemy?) of the pod, Notre Dame boys basketball coach Paul Unterreiner. The coach talks about the season so far, why defense isn't complicated and a pair of matchups in the upcoming week with geographical and conference rivals Jackson and Cape Girardeau Central. Most importantly, Unterreiner gets to call out the venerable podcast host for his (incorrect) upset pick in the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament episode (episode 22) of the podcast. (Go to semoball.com/podcast to access the archives and give it a listen) Sit back, enjoy and subscribe to the podcast via iTunes. You can also leave iTunes comments and reviews to give us feedback and help spread the work. Thank you so much for listening! This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

It's almost time for Santa to leave gifts under the Christmas tree, so we offer our gift to all of you ... An in-depth audio preview of the 2017 Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament! Southeast Missourian sports editor and podcast host Josh Mlot (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballjosh">@semoballJosh</a>) sits down with fellow Southeast Missourian writers Trent Singer (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballtrent">@semoballTrent</a>) and Phillip Suitts (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballphillip">@semoballPhillip</a>) to break down this year's edition of the Xmas Tourney bracket, talk matchups and make excellent predictions. We swear, the predictions are excellent. Sit with us for an hour and get yourself ready for a week of high school basketball fun at the Show Me Center. Oh, and have a wonderful holiday! For more info on the tournament now and throughout the week, go to <a href="http://www.semoball.com/christmas">our Christmas Tournament hub.</a> Be sure to check out that page and <a href="http://www.semoball.com">Semoball.com</a> for all your coverage of the action. Also follow us on Twitter to get live updates throughout the games, and watch for daily Facebook Live streams from the Show Me Center, as well as a live streaming webcast of the final day's big games. Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes and leave us five-star iTunes comments and reviews to help us spread the word about the podcast. You can also download the new Semoball app from the iTunes Store for free and access content with your newspaper or digital subscription. This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.  

Welcome back to another episode of the Semoball Podcast. Episode 20, to be exact. Thanks for joining us. This is a SEMO-centric pod, as we talk Southeast Missouri State football and men's and women's basketball, as well as catch up with a SEMO alum. In the first segment (3:40), Southeast Missourian and Semoball sports editor Josh Mlot (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballjosh">@semoballJosh</a>) sits down with SEMO beat writer Trent Singer (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballtrent">@semoballTrent</a>) to catch up with where Redhawks football is at this point in the season, before going in depth on the men's and women's basketball teams to preview the seasons ahead. In the second segment (57:12), Mlot interviews Brian Roth (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/stlambush2013">@stlambush2013</a>), a Southeast Missouri State alumnus and currently the general manager of the St. Louis Ambush, a professional indoor soccer team. The two talk about what Roth's job actually entails, his path from SEMO to the Ambush and the re-imagining of Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. Then Roth offers up his fan voice on Redhawks sports — the good and bad — as he flies his passionate flag. Find the St. Louis Ambush online <a href="http://www.stlambush.com">HERE</a>. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help improve the show and spread the word. This episode was produced by Josh Mlot.

We're no longer teenagers! The Semoball Podcast is back for Episode 20, and we appreciate you being here with us to celebrate the big two-oh. Host and Southeast Missourian/Semoball.com sports editor Josh Mlot (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballjosh">@semoballJosh</a>) catches up with Daily American Republic sports editor Brian Rosener (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballbrian">@semoballBrian</a>) in the first segment (2:12), as the pair reviews last week's big Poplar Bluff-Jackson football game. They chat about Mules football and catch up with the other Poplar Bluff teams and how they're doing in the final stretch of the fall season. Segment No. 2 (31:37) features special guest Tyler McLemore, wide receiver with the Southeast Missouri State football team. In a week that has been filled with controversy in the world of sports, McLemore's week is downright feel-good — he became a father on Saturday. Mlot chats with McLemore about his whirlwind of a week, fatherhood and the intertwining of SEMO athletics and family. Subscribe to the show via iTunes and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the show and spread the word. You can find a full archive of podcast episodes — and listen to all of them — at <a href="http://www.semoball.com/podcast">semoball.com/podcast</a>. Thanks for listening! This episode was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

It's a big weekend for Southeast Missouri State sports, with the football team playing its home opener Saturday after the women's soccer team begins conference play at Houck Field on Friday. Ahead of all that, we recorded Episode 19. In the first segment (2:23), host and sports editor Josh Mlot (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballjosh">@semoballJosh</a>) sits down with Southeast Missourian SEMO beat writer Trent Singer (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/semoballtrent">@semoballTrent</a>) to talk about what we've learned about Redhawks football through two weeks of the season, and what's ahead, including the weekend's home opener against regional rival Southern Illinois. Segment No. 2 (39:55) features an interview with Southeast senior soccer player Maddy Cornell. The Redhawks co-leading goal scorer at the moment, Cornell traveled a long way to pull on a Redhawks uniform. She talks about life in the Land Down Under, why she left surfing and beaches to come to Cape Girardeau and the state of the team as it prepares for the most important games of the year. Be sure to head to <a href="http://www.semoball.com">Semoball.com</a> to get in-depth coverage from the weekend and beyond. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the podcast and spread the word. This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

School is back in session, which means high school athletics return. In particular, this week marks the start of the 2017 high school football season in Southeast Missouri. Episode 18 of the Semoball Podcast is long, but covers a ton of ground. Podcast host and Southeast Missourian/Semoball.com sports editor Josh Mlot (@semoballJosh) talks with those in the know about the teams, expectations and question marks for football in the region. First up (2:30), Josh talks with Sikeston Standard Democrat sports editor Chris Pobst (@semoballChris) about the teams in his neck of the woods, including Charleston's trajectory and what teams like Hayti and Sikeston bring back (or don't). In the second segment (30:17), Josh catches up with Daily American Republic sports editor Brian Rosener (@semoballBrian) to get the lowdown on Poplar Bluff, and what he hears sounds familiar — a potent offense. Finally (43:30), Josh chats with Southeast Missourian high school sports reporter Phillip Suitts (@semoballPhillip) about the teams in their coverage area, from the high-powered offense of Jackson to some major personnel losses to which team might be poised to take a step forward. Be sure to head to Semoball.com throughout the season to get the most in-depth coverage of not only football, but all fall sports. You can get more in-depth season previews of our football teams there now. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the podcast and spread the word. This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

With just days until the 2017 Semoball Awards, podcast host and Southeast Missourian/Semoball.com sports editor Josh Mlot (@semoballJosh) sits down with some friends of the podcast to talk about the annual event. In the first segment (3:30), Josh is joined in the studio by Southeast Missourian high school sports reporter Phillip Suitts (@semoballPhillip) to run through what will go down the night of the event, and what to look forward to. Most importantly, we hash out Phillip's night-of outfit. In the second segment (25:00), Josh gets on the phone with Poplar Bluff girls swimmer Morgan McAtee, one of just two student-athletes in the four-time Semoball Awards finalist club. She talks about her season, its disappointing end, her teammates and, most importantly, cheesecake. The Fourth Annual Semoball Awards are Saturday, July 8, at the Bedell Performing Arts Center at Southeast Missouri State's River Campus. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the show starts at 7 p.m. Former St. Louis Cardinals star and World Series MVP David Eckstein will be conducting a Q&A session as the keynote speaker. For more information or to purchase tickets, go to semoball.com/awards. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help spread the word. For a full archive of podcast episodes, got to semoball.com/podcast. The podcast is recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

Welcome back for Episode 16 of the Semoball Podcast. We are a week and a half away from the 2017 Semoball Awards at the Southeast Missouri State River Campus, so podcast host and Southeast Missourian sports editor Josh Mlot caught up with two of the finalists set to be honored at the event. First up is Jackson's Colten Weber (4:31). Weber is a two-sport standout for the Indians and will continue his baseball career in college next year, but earned a Semoball Awards nod for his efforts in boys soccer. We talk to Weber about both sports, a hiccup in his recruiting and the influence of his brother, Nolan. In the second segment (20:26) we catch up with Notre Dame track and field athlete Claire Morrill. The junior was a part of multiple school records this season and had a pair of all-state finishes in Class 4, where the Bulldog ladies performed very well. She talks about how that success was built, teammate and phenom Riley Burger and her own superstitions. Thanks for listening and be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes as well as leave us iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve and spread the word. An archive of all podcast episodes can be found at semoball.com/podcast. You can get more information on the Semoball Awards at semoball.com/awards. This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

The magic number is four. With the 2016-17 high school athletic calendar coming to a close this week, four Semoball-area teams are state bound, as Bell City baseball, St. Vincent baseball, St. Vincent girls soccer and Notre Dame girls soccer are all headed to the final four. Podcast host and Southeast Missourian sports editor Josh Mlot caught up with a representative from each team to talk about how these teams got where they are, what the moment means and more. First up (5:00), Bell City senior catcher Bobby Wright joins the podcast to talk about three-peats, sandwiches and fashionably torn clothing. In the second segment (15:13), Notre Dame senior goalkeeper Abby Rollet talks about busted ear drums, stiff defense and what it's like to have pulled on the uniform of two of the teams at state this week. Then (26:50) St. Vincent senior central midfielder and captain Faith Kapp discusses the ties that bind her Indians squad and the feeling of (finally) getting over the district hump. We close the podcast (44:07) with St. Vincent senior pitcher Tyler Monier, who chats about dental work and his team's unlikely postseason run. Follow @semoballJosh on Twitter for coverage from the Class 1-2 girls soccer championships and @semoballphillip for updates on the Class 1-2 baseball championships. And, of course, get all the best coverage online at Semoball.com. Subscribe to this podcast via iTunes, and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the podcast and spread the word. This podcast was recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

Where'd Episode 13 go, you ask? We'd rather not talk about that, but I explain in this episode's intro. So we'll pour one out for the lost Eckstein interview, retire No. 13 as an episode number and keep chugging right along. In the first segment (8:17) of this episode, host Josh Mlot (@semoballJosh) talks with Southeast MIssouri State soccer player Jasmin Hilliard about her newfound status as Puerto Rico national team hopeful. In the second segment (23:20), Bell City senior Cole Nichols joins the podcast to explain the juggling act of helping his baseball team push for a deep postseason run while also qualifying for the top rungs of the track & field season. Finally, we wrap things up (41:57) as Southeast Missourian high school sports reporter Phillip Suitts (@semoballPhillip) joins Mlot in studio as they run through the district seedings and brackets for the upcoming baseball postseason. Thanks for listening and be sure to subscribe via iTunes and leave us iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the show (or inflate our egos ... preferably) and get the podcast into more people's ears. Go to Semoball.com for daily sports coverage and check out an archive of our podcast episodes. The Semoball Podcast is recorded and produced by Josh Mlot.

THIS TIME FOR REAL... A glitch in the recording from Episode 12 saw part of the episode dropped. We apologize for the error, and quickly go through the missing names here.

It's time for another big Semoball Awards finalist reveal, this time with winter sport student-athletes. Podcast host and Southeast Missourian sports editor Josh Mlot sits down with SE Missourian high school reporter Phillip Suitts to go through the nominees in boys and girls basketball, girls swimming & diving and wrestling. In the final segment (30:36), Mlot sits down and talks with Sikeston's Josh Stinnett, who had already been a finalist for football defense for the fall but added wrestling to the list as well. Stinnett's season came to an unsettling end when he broke a vertebrae seconds into his third-place bout at the Class 3 state tournament. The two Joshes talk about the experience, recovery and how he views his accomplishments. Remember to go to semoball.com/awards to get your tickets for the 2017 Semoball Awards on July 8 at Southeast Missouri State's River Campus. You can subscribe to the podcast via iTunes, and please leaves us iTunes comments and reviews to help us spread the word and improve the show. The Semoball Podcast is produced by Josh Mlot.

In the 11th episode of the Semoball Podcast, Southeast Missourian sports editor and podcast host Josh Mlot sits down with Saxony Lutheran coach Chris Crawford inside the illustrious Semoball Studios. Crawford is coming off a season as an assistant coach with the Crusaders boys basketball team and beginning his first season as head coach of the two-time defending state champion Saxony Lutheran girls soccer team. First, Crawford talks about how he ended up in Southeast Missouri after spending the first 18 years of his life in Minnesota, before we get into the successes of the boys basketball team (and getting fired by head coach Kevin Williams) in 2016-17. The conversation then delves into major transition this season for Crusader girls soccer and whether he'll get more than 37 days to prove himself. The conversation wraps up with a quick discussion of the U.S. Men's National team, what it's like to call for a coach's head when you are a coach and Minnesota United's not-so-glorious start to life in MLS. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help spread the word and provide us with feedback (good or bad ... but mostly good). This podcast is produced by Josh Mlot.

In the 10th episode of the Semoball Podcast (we've reached double digits!) host Josh Mlot (@semoballjosh) is joined by Southeast Missourian high school sports reporter Phillip Suitts (@semoballphillip) to chat about the three area teams heading to Columbia this week for the Show-Me Showdown final four in Classes 1-3. In case you've missed it, those would be Advance boys, Oran boys and Oran girls. We also take a second for the Jackson boys & girls sectional matchups at midweek. Many of the opponents are mostly unknown to us, but that doesn't stop us from talking. In a great second segment (41:21), Josh sits down with four of the Advance Hornets — Dawson Mayo, Preston Wuebker, Brendan Crader and Armani Vermillion — to talk about bonding, coach Bubba Wheetley, Vermillion's jump-shot origins and, of course, flatulence. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the show and help spread the word. Listen to old episodes of the show at semoball.com/podcast The Semoball Podcast is produced by Josh Mlot.

Following the release of fall sport finalists for the 2017 Semoball Awards, Southeast Missourian and Semoball.com sports editor Josh Mlot sits down with Southeast Missourian high school reporter Phillip Suitts to run through all 55 finalists and talk a little bit about the athletes. The duo pulls back the curtain a little on the process that goes in to selecting the nominees and other critical topics, like the year 1994. Or whatever slips out of Phillip's mouth. There are also interviews with three of the finalists — Jackson quarterback Cooper Callis, Cape Girardeau Central swimmer and two-time reigning Boys Swimmer of the Year Brogan Davis and Advance volleyball player Alanis Below. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us improve the project as well as get it into more peoples' ears. Thanks for listening.

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2017. Hope the first few days haven't let you down too much. The folks at the Southeast Missourian got together on New Year's Eve and talked out their experiences from the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament that took place in the final week of 2016. Listen in as host Josh Mlot (@semoballjosh) discusses the basketball that was with writers Phillip Suitts (@semoballphillip) and Trent Singer (@semoballtrent), including the highs, the lows, the Hornets and much more. Subscribe via iTunes and leave iTunes reviews and comments to help the show grow. Provide feedback via email to sports@semissourian.com, just put "Podcast" in the subject header. And get local sports coverage at semoball.com, along with a podcast archive at semoball.com/podcast.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, a wonderful holidays to all!It's that time of year, and with it comes an annual rite of passage — holiday basketball tournaments.We preview and break down two of the area's biggest holiday boys basketball tournaments, as the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament and Bloomfield Christmas Tournament get set to kick off on Monday, Dec. 26, the morning after Christmas.Southeast Missourian and Semoball.com sports editor Josh Mlot (@semoballjosh) hosts as he talks to the Southeast Missourian's Trent Singer (@semoballtrent) and Phillip Suitts (@semoballphillip) as well as the Daily American Republic's Ben Striker (@semoballben) to get a feel for what's on tap next week.The first segment (5:26) catches Singer — "vacationing" in South Dakota — to discuss the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament. The second chat (44:18) is with Suitts, as they continue to dig into the Missourian's premiere event at the Show Me Center. The podcast wraps up with Striker (73:34) looking at a wide-open Bloomfield event, plus a little bonus girls basketball talk.Go to Semoball.com throughout the week for in-depth coverage of both events, as well as semoball.com/christmas16 for some bonus coverage.Please email feedback to sports@semissourian.com with "Podcast" in the subject header, and leave iTunes reviews and comments to let us know how to get better and help spread the word.This podcast is produced by Josh Mlot.

We don't like to call it long, we like to call it in-depth.   The sports staff of the Southeast Missourian convenes on Thanksgiving Eve to preview the basketball season in our marathon Thanksgiving Basketball Extravaganza.   Trent Singer, Phillip Suitts and sports editor Josh Mlot go through all 35 of the Southeast Missourian's high school basketball teams, discuss a few other teams in southeast Missouri worth keeping an eye on and chat a little bit about Southeast Missouri State hoops.   Happy Thanksgiving!   NOTE: The original plan was to release this as a two-part episode, with the first part a review of the fall season. Unfortunately, that chunk of the episode crashed during post-production and was lost. So all you get is our winter look-ahead.   Send us feedback via email at sports@semissourian.com. Just put "Podcast" in the subject header.   Subscribe via iTunes and leave iTunes comments and reviews to help us spread the word.   This podcast is produced by Southeast Missourian sports editor Josh Mlot.  

It's been a little while, but after a couple of busy weeks, we're back with Episode No. 5 of the Semoball Podcast. Ahead of Sunday's Missouri Sports Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, host Josh Mlot sat down with former Notre Dame Regional High School boys basketball and boys soccer coach Brad Wittenborn to talk about his career and successes as his MSHOF induction nears. Wittenborn captured multiple state championships in both sports, won hundreds of games and left a lasting impression at Notre Dame — his name graces the school's soccer complex. Subscribe to the podcast via iTunes and leave iTunes reviews to help us improve. You can contact us by email at sports@semissourian.com; put "podcast" in the subject hearder. Also available online at semoball.com/podcast