When a team finished the season with an overall record of 13-13 and a conference mark of 4-4, it’s easy to assume that it was average.
But the De Soto High baseball team was anything but mediocre in 2025, and all signs point to the Dragons being able to compete for championships in the Jefferson County large-schools division and in Class 5 District 1. MSHSAA released class and district assignments March 20, and
De Soto remains in District 1 with conference archrivals Festus High and Hillsboro High.
The Dragons’ four games – JCAA large-school teams meet twice in a home-and-home series – against the Tigers and Hawks were decided by a combined five runs. Both games against Festus were 1-0 shutouts.
“We have multiple seniors who’ve been in the program for four years,” De Soto head coach Kyle Huey said. “They’d be leaders in any program. Our underclassmen fall right in line and follow those leaders. We have three juniors, so we’re small there. We’re relying on sophomores to fill roles, like bats or legs off the bench. Our strong suit is our pitching and defense. The majority of our seniors have played multiple positions and pitched in big games.”
Senior lefthander Blake Coleman could be the ace of any team in the conference, district or beyond, and De Soto is hitching its wagon to him after he averaged two strikeouts per inning (76 in 37 2/3) last season. Coleman outdueled Festus power lefty Jackson Smith in a 1-0 shutout. Coleman fanned 11 or more batters in each of his last two starts. He’s signed to play at Southeast Missouri State University.
“As a program, we’ve put a lot of time in the weight room, two days a week starting in August,” Huey said. “Blake went to the next level. He’s taken it to the next level to get more fit, and prepare himself this season and at SEMO.
Not a strikeout machine like Coleman, senior Connor Heister worked 37 1/3 innings and posted a record of 2-3 and 4.13 ERA. This is Heister’s third year on the varsity.
“He just wants to compete,” Huey said.
Also part of the pitching staff are seniors Will Weber, Austin Milton and Nate Christopher and juniors Shayne Scurlock and Chet Rector. Of the 14 players on De Soto’s roster, 10 or 11 can pitch.
“Scurlock had an incredible outing in the jamboree. Rector has an electric arm,” Huey said.
Senior catcher Levi McCullough has been a wall behind the plate since his sophomore year, Huey said.
“Skilled, athletic, manages the game well.”
First base will see a rotation of Coleman, Heister and Christopher.
“All three are capable of handling that position,” Huey said.
At second base, junior Trey Blair got a chance to swing the bat, got a hit and didn’t look back last spring. Blair is backed up by sophomore Owen Wilhoit. Weber switched from second base to shortstop, while Christopher, Wilhoit and Heister take turns at third.
There’s no question that senior Brenton Drummond is one of the top center fielders in the conference. One of the Dragons’ top football players and the third-place finisher in Class 3 at 126 pounds during wrestling season, Drummond’s defense on the diamond sets him apart.
“We’re going to let him run things down,” Huey said. “You couldn’t ask for a better kid. He lays it on the line in football and wrestling and he brings that energy to the diamond.”
Rector will patrol left field and Milton is in right field.
If De Soto had an Achille’s heel last year, it was its offense. The Dragons were shut out in five of their losses. Still, Huey saw positive signs.
“We started keeping track of quality at-bats last year and the guys ran with it and we put together a more team-orientated system. The guys are willing to lay down a bunt or drag out an AB to pump up the pitch count.”
In a sign of just how dedicated the Dragons are to unseating Festus and Hillsboro at the top of the conference and in the district tournament, Huey said at a 6 a.m. weightlifting session last week, 25 of the 29 players attended.
“We are bringing back a majority of our guys and they’re hungry to bring home some hardware.”
Hawks look to break down district barrier
Ever since Michael Brewer stalked the mound and dominated hitters until he graduated in 2019, the Hillsboro High baseball team has had the talent to win the Jefferson County Activities Association large-schools division.
That’s fine and dandy for local bragging rights, but the Hawks haven’t won a district championship since Brewer’s senior season, and more importantly, they’ve watched their archnemesis from Festus win every Class 5 District 1 title since COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 season. Brewer was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 2019 Amateur Draft, and pitched at several levels in their minor-league system until 2024.
This season is no different from the last five. Hillsboro and Festus are the favorites to win the conference, with De Soto joining the race because of its roster with all-JCAA players at key positions. Perryville High and Windsor High are the other two large-schools teams. JCAA large-school teams play each other in a home-and-home series. Last season, the Hawks beat the Dragons 7-5 and 7-6, and split with the Tigers (1-0 win, 2-0 loss). Festus ended Hillsboro’s season with a 7-4 win in the District 1 semifinals.
Postseason success has eluded the Hawks. North County High in Bonne Terre is hosting District 1 this year.
“There’s a lot that comes with that,” Hillsboro head coach Matt Thompson said about the district drought. “We all think success is winning the conference, but we have to focus to get past you know who (Tigers). It’s never easy. They’ve won state (Festus won in 2023) when we won the conference and quarterfinals other times. Our possibilities are endless if we can get past them.”
In a conference replete with college-bound pitching, senior Jackson Marks returns after splitting time with 2025 graduate Easton Day as Hillsboro’s top starter. Marks threw 47 1/3 innings, struck out 62 batters and had an ERA of 1.77. A member of the basketball team this winter, Marks didn’t allow a run in his inning against SLUH in the jamboree.
Senior Hunter Grewe and sophomore Cash Linderer are starting pitchers, and junior Hunter Hoban is the closer. Linderer has put on size and muscle and his pitches have been clocked in the upper 80s.
“He’s invested in his training,” Thompson said.
Juniors Coleton Hicks and Cameron Hill will see time on the mound. Hicks is a 6-8 forward on the basketball team.
Thompson said freshman Cody Reese has “big-time talent” and his pitches are in the low 80s. It’s not clear how much time Reese will spend on the mound, but he’s batting in the middle of the lineup and starting at first base.
The Hawks have proven that two Partneys are better than one, and that’s the case again this season with junior twin brothers, Max and Zach. Max Partney set the school record with 40 stolen bases (he has 71 in two seasons) and hit nine home runs in 2025. Max hit three homers in his team’s 15-0 season-opening win against Ste. Genevieve on March 20. Zach is a three-year starter behind the plate.
“He’s the leader of our team. He leads by example,” Thompson said of Zach. “He’s one of the hardest workers we have. He’s always the kid who toughs it out, gets dirty.”
Seniors Cole Wynn and Riley Wallace return to the outfield, after starting half of the games last year. Senior Brendan Poyner was a starter as a sophomore, but had a broken hand last year. Poyner, who was the co-leading scorer on the basketball team, will bat leadoff and play second base and outfield. Senior Nick Groner is the starter at right field. Thompson said senior Nickolas Carroll was a JV stalwart, but has been promoted to pitch and play infield.
“We’ve reloaded pretty well,” Thompson said.
“We have young guys who got varsity time. We lost some real center pieces in Gunner Sutton, Keynen Drury and Aidan Roland. Replacing them will be very difficult.”