The Eureka High baseball team oozes with college talent.
A vacuum at third base, Craig Ringe has signed to play at St. Louis University. Not one, but three Wildcats – Jaxson Joggerst, Ben Lackey and John Haberkorn – have signed to pitch at Southeast Missouri State University. Lefthanded pitcher Cade Gustafson signed with Missouri Southern State University.
Those five seniors are the core of a team that started the season in the Troy Buchanan Tournament last week. Eureka is 4-1 after beating Francis Howell Central 3-1 in the opener March 19, followed by a 2-1 win over North Point Wentzville on March 20. After beating Gateway Legacy Christian Academy 8-3 March 21, the Wildcats lost 4-3 to Francis Howell High in the tournament semifinals before shutting out the host Trojans (3-2) 4-0 in the third-place game Tuesday.
Against the Spartans in Cottleville, Carson Leuthauser smacked a two-run home run off Howell Central pitcher Cooper Pearson in the first inning, and it proved to be the game-winning hit.
On the bus ride to Howell Central, Leuthauser said he received some motivating words from teammate Levi Fieser.
“Before we got here, Levi was pumping me up and that carried over onto the field,” Leuthauser said.
“Leuthauser had the big swing in the first inning and that turned out to be the difference. Then we got an insurance run,” Eureka head coach Ken Droege said.
“We took some good at-bats. We had some good swings. But it also showed us things we need to adjust to make us that really tough team that we need to be later in the year.”
The Spartans cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second when Jackson Elliott reached safely on an error on the outfield, then came around to score on two separate errors by the Wildcats.
“We played good baseball in the first game, but there’s a lot of things we’re going to clean up,” Droege said.
Lackey was the starting pitcher against FHC, and aside from the unearned run, he pitched well in four innings. Coaches don’t leave their pitchers on the mound to complete games this time of year.
“We don’t want to go too heavy too soon,” Droege said.
The Wildcats scored their unearned insurance run in the fifth off of Spartan reliever Kannen English, who pitched the final three innings after Pearson completed the first four. Sweeney reached on an error and scored from second base on an RBI single by Ringe. The third baseman scooped up his share of ground balls and completed the out.
“Craig Ringe played a hell of a game,” Droege said, “He’s aggressive. That’s what you get out of seniors.”
One of several tall righthanders on the team, Nathan Rutz (pronounced Roots) relieved Lackey to start the fifth and retired the side. In the sixth, FHC had two outs when Rutz fell behind 3-0 in the count, only to come all the way back and get the strikeout to end the inning.
“Go out there, lock it down, and compete in the zone and get a (win) for the boys,” said Rutz. “(3-0 count) I challenged him with fastballs. I think we have the arms to go far. We have to take it one game at a time.”
After completing one of the top careers in Eureka basketball history, Joggerst was the winning pitcher in the win over North Point, throwing five shutout innings.
Last season, Joggerst, Lackey and 2025 graduates Michael Siebels and Ralph Gianino, all pitched more than 30 innings. Haberkorn was close with 28 IP. Gustafson had a record of 4-2.
Eureka has won 20 or more games in each of the last four seasons. The Wildcats are again in Class 6 District 2, where their 2025 season ended in the championship game against Parkway South. Eureka is at the Patriots on April 11.
Wildcats open with road win against defending state champs
After injuries had a major impact on the Eureka High girls soccer team’s season last year, head coach Mike Hanna said the Wildcats are healthy and ready for 2026.
“We’re pretty excited. We’re back and healthy. We feel confident about what we’ll be able to do,” said Hanna, who is also the head coach of the school’s boys team.
Eureka began the new season Thursday with a 3-2 victory at St. Joseph’s Academy. The Angels collected their eighth state championship last year, claiming the Class 3 title. Only Incarnate Word Academy (9) has more state crowns. The Wildcats opened 2024 with a 3-2 loss on a blustery, rainy day at St. Joe’s before going on to win 20 games.
“We don’t get too hung up on the first game, but St. Joe’s is the state champ and a tall task,” said Hanna, who guided Eureka to a record of 8-8-2 last year. “It’s a good trial by fire for our girls. The schedule is as hard as it gets. We’re in the Champions League at North Point (High) in Wentzville (on Saturday).”
Senior Marleigh Allen and junior Caroline Conley transitioned from the basketball court to the soccer pitch this month, and the two soccer forwards are keys to the team’s success. Allen scored more than 900 points in her basketball career and scored 14 goals for the soccer team her sophomore year. During the seventh game of last season at Parkway Central, Allen suffered a painful, lasting hamstring injury that cut her season short. She’s just as much of a playmaker in soccer as she is a threat to score.
“Her sophomore year was tremendous and last year we were excited and hopeful and her hamstring got worse and worse,” Hanna said. “She took a lot of the year off for soccer. She played lots of minutes in basketball.
“She’s excited to play and everything is about the senior buy-in. We’re trying to get her to be more of a playmaker. We think a lot of the offense will run through her.”
And right to the feet of Conley, who led the Wildcats with 15 goals and 33 points. On the hardwood this winter, Conley was a solid contributor across the board in points, rebounds, assists and steals. In soccer last spring, she scored at least two goals four times and had a hat trick against Parkway South High.
“She finds the net,” Hanna said. “Last year when everyone went down she was the last one standing and even though everyone knew she was going to shoot, she still scored her goals.”
Hanna hopes to get additional scoring up top from juniors Addy Niedergerke and Joselyn Zambo.
In the midfield are freshman Elli Kirn, juniors Abby Bennett, Tyler Youngwith, Addison Hall and Kate Lynch. Bennett has been on the varsity three years, but missed last season with a knee injury.
Another Wildcat returning from an injury last year is junior Emerson Robb, who Hanna said “runs the show” in the backfield.
“She was surrounded by D1 talent her freshman year and didn’t blink,” Hanna said.
Freshman Heidi Garrett is in the backfield, along with returning seniors Jenna Branham and Mikaela Mathison. Sophomore Lyla Johns can play in the back or midfield.
Replacing 2025 graduate Jenna Selbert in goal is sophomore Addie Clark, who was Selbert’s backup last year.
“We stress to our goalie to make the simple saves and keep us in the game. She seems confident. She got a lot of reps in practices but played sparingly during games.”
Class and district assignments were released by MSHSAA on March 20, and Eureka remains in Class 4 District 4. Lebanon High and Waynesville High were replaced by Kirkwood High and Parkway West High. District champion and Suburban Conference rival Lafayette is also in District 4. The Lancers shut out the Wildcats 1-0 in the district semifinals and won the conference game 2-1. Eureka hosts Lafayette on Tuesday, April 7.
“Even when I feel like it might be a high-scoring game, it’s tight,” Hanna said of the intra-district rivalry. “Summit’s been young the last few years and they feel like they have a good team. Lindbergh and Cor Jesu are back strong as ever. I don’t think you’ll see teams run away with it.”
Eureka boys volleyball talented but inexperienced
After retiring from teaching, Jim Biggs took a job that required enough travel that it made it impossible to coach volleyball.
Then a job opening for boys volleyball head coach at Eureka High opened, and Biggs jumped at the chance, taking over the team for the 2025 season. His experience as a player and coach goes back decades. He was an assistant for the Eureka girls volleyball team that won the 2018 state title under current head coach Jodie Fowler, and he took the Wildcat boys to the final four before the sport came under the control of the Missouri State High School Activities Association in 2024. Before coaching at Eureka, Biggs was an assistant at St. Joseph’s Academy for four of its nine state titles.
“I was very much interested in coming back. It’s kind of in your blood,” said Biggs two days before Eureka began its season Wednesday after deadline at Seckman High. The Wildcats open their home schedule tonight (March 26) against Mehlville High. In Biggs’ first season back, Eureka was 12-2 before suffering a 10-game losing streak and finishing 15-13.
With three seniors – Edmond Chen, Bodie Wilken and Anderson Cotterell – on a roster mainly of players without a lot of experience, Eureka will take time to find its footing.
“We’re very young. There’s a lot of sophomores,” Biggs said. “Almost all of them have never played until high school last year. Some played for volleyball clubs. I’m not sure what to expect because of our youth and inexperience, but what I hope to see are building blocks for future success.”
Before the season began, two Wildcats suffered injuries that will keep them off the court for the first week or so.
Sophomore Rudy Lange was the quarterback on the school’s JV football team. Biggs said Lange’s athleticism stood out before he was in an auto accident that required stitches in his head.
“He is one of the most natural volleyball players I’ve ever seen,” said Biggs. “He’s played one year of volleyball and will start. He played some varsity last year as a callup. He can hit. He is learning how to pass. We’re going to face some people that can rap the ball. He has a lot of natural things that you don’t see often.”
At 6-6, sophomore Brody Gielow is the team’s tallest player, but he fractured his wrist at practice and will be reevaluated to see if he can play April 9.
A 6-5 right side hitter, Wilken just completed basketball season with the Wildcats, where he was one of the team’s top 3-point shooters averaging almost eight points per game. Sophomore Tyler Krauss is taller (6-3) than most setters. Junior Nate Davis and sophomore Blake Leuthauser are the middle hitters. Junior Justin Klipsch returns at outside hitter, where he’s joined by freshman Liam Pieschel. This is Chen’s first year on the varsity. He was a setter for the JV last season, but is the starting libero. His brother, Ethan, a junior, is a MH/RS. Sophomore Charlie Winslett plays in the back row.
“Edmond’s shown a lot of talent in serve-receive,” Biggs said. “He stays in for all rotations.”
This year Biggs said the ball’s going to be distributed to everyone.
“We do have a lot of strength offensively in the middle. Bodie has a heavy ball that’s very difficult to play. It takes time to get a setter ready. Hope to make the adjustment by the start of the postseason.”
MSHSAA added a second class to boys volleyball this year. Lafayette (2024) and De Smet last year have won the two state championships since MSHSAA took over. The Wildcats are in Class 2 District 3 that will be hosted by Lafayette in May. The state championships will be held at the Show-Me Center in Cape Girardeau.
Biggs said MSHSAA’s takeover was necessary to spur growth in the sport.
“The minute they sanctioned it, we added 30 or 40 teams overnight. They (MSHSAA) shortened our season. They set up districts like they do for every sport. Geographic, instead of seeded. It’s growing outside of the St. Louis area, which was needed.”
Biggs said the junior class STL is very strong.
“It’s rare to find a team starting as many freshmen and sophomores as I am, and the ones that are have been playing for or five years. We have athleticism and height. We’re going to make a lot of errors to start, but I want them to play in a way in the end that’s going to win. Playing it safe doesn’t work against the big boys.”