When some student-athletes graduate from high school, their loss is felt across three seasons.
In the fall, Tanner Duncan was Herculaneum High’s leading wide receiver, catching 24 passes for 441 yards and seven touchdowns. Playing defensive back, Duncan intercepted two passes. He was selected to the Quad County Conference first team.
In the winter, Duncan was the focal point of the Blackcats on the hardwood where he was one of the leading scorers in the St. Louis area with 19.3 points per game and 66 3-point baskets. He was picked to be on the first team in the Jefferson County Activities Association small-schools division.
With the baseball season recently concluded, and Duncan now a graduate of Herculaneum High, he departs as the JCAA small-school’s two-time baseball MVP after winning it in 2025 and 2026. Duncan is a plus player at the plate, on the mound and defensively as an infielder. His brother, Jordan, a 2020 graduate, was the same type of player and was robbed of his chance to be the conference MVP because of COVID.
Blane Boss is the head coach of the Herculaneum football and baseball teams.
“This season Tanner did just about everything for us on the diamond and was our leader and top overall player,” Boss said. “He led us in just about every offensive category, and was one of our top guys on the mound.”
Duncan finished as the school’s career leader in triples (9). In his four seasons, Duncan never batted below .300, and this year hit a career high .427.
“Tanner is an irreplaceable player who’s been a cornerstone for us the last four years,” Boss said. “He’s had such an impact on Blackcat athletics and kids like him don’t come through often. For him to be an impact player in three sports is rare these days and he was first team all-conference in all three sports. That shows how special he was, and I know we will miss him dearly.”
Herculaneum finished the season with a record of 17-8 and as co-champions in the conference with Jefferson. Eli Strinni (infield), Connor Hedrick (outfield) and Austin Brinkley (utility, pitcher) were the other Blackcat players voted (by the conference’s coaches) on the first team. All three could return next year.
Before Duncan begins attending Jefferson College and playing baseball for the Vikings and former Herculaneum coach Zac Bone, he’s playing American Legion baseball for Festus Post 253.
“I wouldn’t want to spend my four years anywhere else. I really enjoyed all three sports,” Duncan said. “I feel like I left my mark at Herky.”
Duncan said his top moment on the mound was pitching a complete-game, 1-hit 9-0 shutout against the Blue Jays, who won the Class 3 District 3 championship and advanced to the state quarterfinals.
“All of my pitches were working, and I had a whole lot of confidence behind me,” Duncan said.
Jefferson head coach Robert Kuehnle was named the Coach of the Year for the second year in a row. Kuehnle guided the Blue Jays to a school-record 22 wins and two epic playoff games that cut both ways.
After scoring four runs in the seventh to beat Valley Park High 4-3 in the sectionals, Jefferson was one out away from beating a Scott City High team that was 33-1 coming into the quarterfinals.
The Rams tied the game in the seventh and won it 4-3 in the eighth. They finished fourth in the state after losing both games in Ozark on June 3-4.
Matt Wood (infield), Bo Davis (outfield), Parker Taylor (catcher) and Jack Klump (pitcher) were the four Blue Jays selected to the first team. Davis got hot at the plate in the playoffs, hitting a home run against St. Pius X in the District 3 final, another against Valley Park, and doubling against Scott City. Klump was the starting pitcher in the district final and sectional.