Arhmad Branch, Festus basketball
The junior guard made four 3-point baskets and scored a game-high 24 points as the Tigers beat Farmington 66-56 in the first round of the Class 5 District 1 tournament at De Soto on Saturday. Festus improved to 20-5 this season. A starter for three years, Branch is the team’s second-highest scorer, averaging 13 points, and tops the Tigers with five assists per game. He will only need about 200 points as a senior to reach 1,000 for his career.
Haiden Schoessel, Eureka girls swimming
The sophomore emerged as one of the top sprinters in the state at the MSHSAA swimming and diving championships, Feb. 18-19 at the Rec-Plex in St. Peters, when she won the 50-yard freestyle in 23.38 seconds and finished second in the 100 freestyle in 51.35. Schoessel also swam legs on the Wildcats’ medal-winning 400 freestyle relay (fifth, 3:39.12) and 200 medley relay (seventh, 1:52:58).