From Baseball to Basketball, Archers Win Some and Lose Some
By: SPENCER GLEASON
Editor-in-Chief
Baseball
Six-seeded Three Rivers Community College ended the Archers’ season with a 10-6 victory over STLCC in the Region XVI Tournament. After winning their first round game, 12-2, over four-seeded Mineral Area College, the fifth-seeded Archers fell in back-to-back games of the double elimination tournament, effectively ending their season.
The Archers finished with an overall record of 30-25. They managed to stay above a .500 winning percentage, both at home (10-9) and on the road (17-11).
Collectively, the Archers’ had a batting average of .274, scored 284 runs and slammed 26 homers. The 26 homeruns gave STLCC a Top-30 spot in the country for junior college baseball programs, in the category, ranking them 28th overall for homeruns hit.
Sophomore infielder, Larry Schimsa, led the team with 10 homeruns. Schimsa also led the team in batting average, hitting .366. Five freshmen also joined in the act of hitting long balls.
Men’s Basketball
In what would prove to be Hall of Fame Head Coach Randy Albrecht’s final season, the Archers reached the 20-win plateau, finishing the season with an overall record of 20-12. It was the 28th consecutive winning season for Albrecht.
After starting the season 14-2, which included an 11-game winning streak, STLCC’s rollercoaster season in the wins and loss column bounced up and down, all the way to the Regions XVI Title game. After winning a nail biter in the semifinals, 49-48, over two-seeded Wentworth Military Academy, the three-seeded Archers’ fell to the top-seeded Scouts from Metropolitan Community College Penn Valley. The loss ended their season and their chances at a National Tournament bid.
Enis Mehmedovic was the lone returning player from the 2011-12 Archers. The 11-player squad, made up of seven freshman and four sophomores, averaged 69.9 points per game and averaged 32.7 rebounds per game.
Men’s Soccer
The Archers’ season came to an end with a 3-2 double overtime loss to Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley in the opening round of the Region XVI Tournament. STLCC finished with a record of 5-12-2.
The 2012-13 season marked the first season for Head Coach Dan O’Keefe at the helm of STLCC men’s soccer. O’Keefe played professionally for six different teams in 10 years. Afterward, he coached the women’s soccer team at Florissant Valley following the conclusion of his playing career.
As a team, the Archers scored 37 goals in 19 games. Freshman forward, Culan O’Keefe, led STLCC with eight goals, attributing to nearly 22 percent of the team’s scoring.
Softball
STLCC suffered their second loss to East Central College in the Regions XVI championship game, 12-2, in as many seasons. It was only the second time this season that the Lady Archers had lost by 10 or more runs. They finished the 2013 campaign with a record of 14-23.
The 2013 season was the first season under Head Coach Greg Ellis. Under the first season of Ellis, the Lady Archers raised their team batting average from .273 in 2012 to .291 this season.
Sophomore infielder, Tory Ellis, finished the season hitting .463 and led the team with 44 hits, eight doubles and six homeruns. The Lady Archers had five different players finishing the season hitting above .300.
Women’s Basketball
For the third straight season, the Lady Archers brought home the Region XVI Title, as they knocked off Cottey College, 56-36, in the semifinals, and Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley, 66-54, in the Region XVI Title game. The regional championship run gave the Lady Archers a berth in the NJCAA Tournament.
After coming up empty handed in the win column, the previous two seasons at the NJCAA Tournament, the 2012-13 Lady Archers made the third time count. After falling 63-43 in the first round to Illinois Central College, the Archers defeated Chesapeake College 77-67 in the consolation bracket. The win gave the Lady Archers their first ever victory at the national tournament.
Following their win against Chesapeake, the Lady Archers lost to Owens Community College, 73-51. The loss ended the Archers’ season and gave them an overall record of 20-11.
STLCC averaged 65.4 points per game and 38.8 rebounds per game.
Freshman guard, Kalah Martin, led all Lady Archer freshman in games played with 30. Her 38.2 percent shooting from the field ranked in the Top 5 on the team for girls who played in at least 19 games.
Women’s Soccer
After losing in the Regions XVI Championship game in 2011, the 2012 Lady Archers took the next step defeating Metropolitan Community College-Maple Woods 1-0 in the 2012 Regions XVI Title game. The victory helped give the Lady Archers their first NJCAA Tournament appearance.
Although the Lady Archers came away without a win in the double elimination tournament, the Lady Archers built upon what they had accomplished in 2011 to a more successful 2012 season.
The 21-girl squad, put together with six sophomores and 15 incoming freshman, finished the season 10 games above .500, with an overall record of 16-6.
Freshmen forwards Jessica Smugala (12) and Donna Jolliff (9) led the team in goals. Jolliff also led the team in assists, putting up another nine-spot in that category. Smugala was second on the team in assists with five.
