Illness will postpone Gray's trip to Georgia

After receiving their high school diplomas last night, Rock Bridge graduates Logan Gray and Aron White had planned to head to Georgia together this week to begin their college football careers.

That plan has been altered.

White is still going to Athens, Ga., for freshman orientation and to enroll in Georgia’s early summer session, but Gray is going to stay in Columbia … at least for a little while longer.

Recovering from a bout with mononucleosis that caused him to miss the state track and field championships and more than a week of school, Gray still has schoolwork to complete as he continues to regain his strength and stamina.

Although he’ll miss the early summer session, Gray said he plans to join White in July.

"It might set me back a little bit, but I’m really only going to miss a month," Gray said. "I’ll still be down there by the second summer semester. It’s not like I’m going to have to miss any of fall camp or two-a-days because that would really be bad."

The Georgia coaches aren’t cutting their sick recruit any slack. Quarterbacks Coach Mike Bobo mailed Gray the Bulldogs’ playbook last week. That should give Gray something to peruse while he tries to gain back the weight he recently lost.

Gray said he weighed around 180 pounds before the illness, but now he’s dipped below 170.

"Hopefully I can get down there and not miss a beat," he said, "but definitely it’s been a setback."

● ALL-STAR HOOPS: Hickman senior Lauren Nolke put a fitting finish to her high school basketball career by scoring a game-high 20 points to lead the Blue to an 84-65 victory over the White on Friday during the St. John’s Sports Medicine Missouri Basketball All-Star Games at Drury University in Springfield.

Starting and playing 21 minutes in the game for Class 4-5 girls, the Missouri Western State recruit shot 8 of 13 from the field — including 4 of 7 3-pointers — and grabbed five rebounds. Nolke also won the 3-point shooting contest, which was held before the game.

Moberly’s Ashley Agee added nine points in 16 minutes for the Blue, and Jefferson City’s Kathryn Ommen totaled six points and five rebounds for the White.

Missouri recruit Danielle Adams edged out Nolke for most-valuable-player honors. The Lee’s Summit senior totaled 14 points and 10 rebounds in 16 minutes for the Blue.

In the girls Class 1-3 game, Harrisburg’s Laken Enochs’ four points and six assists weren’t enough to help the White avoid a 72-70 overtime loss. Blair Oaks’ Kristin Miller scored nine points and grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds in the losing effort.

In the boys Class 1-3 game, Harrisburg’s Josh Proctor helped the Blue to a 78-66 victory. Proctor scored eight points and dished a game-high six assists in 15 minutes. Blair Oaks’ Daniel Anderson added eight points for the winners.

No area players competed in the Class 4-5 boys game.

● SIGNING STUFF: Here’s a few more college signings to announce.

● Coming off a seventh-place finish in the 1,600-meter run at the MSHSAA Track and Field Championships, Hickman’s Josh Mantooth plans to run at the Division II level for Truman State.

● Harrisburg’s Eric Harmon has signed to play baseball at Northwest Missouri State. Among the area’s best baseball players, Harmon batted .577 with four home runs and 32 RBI in his senior season.

● TEKOTTE TIDBIT: After returning home this weekend for the NCAA Regional at Taylor Stadium, Miami Hurricanes outfielder Blake Tekotte (Hickman ’05) told the Tribune’s Dave Matter that he’ll head to the prestigious Cape Cod League this summer and play for the Brewster, Mass., Whitecaps.

"It plays a huge role because it’s the only time the pro scouts get to see you face really good pitching with a wood bat," Tekotte said. "They call it a pitcher’s league because all the No. 1 and No. 2 picks in the nation go to the Cape. Not too many guys hit .300 in that league, so it’s just a chance to show what you’ve got and what you can do with a wood bat. And that’s what the pro scouts care most about."

Last summer, Tekotte played in the Valley League for the Woodstock River Bandits, a team based in Staunton, Va. Baseball America named him the No. 2 prospect in the entire league behind his Miami teammate, first baseman Yonder Alonso.

A few other former area baseball standouts are already off to solid summers in their professional leagues:

● Pitching in the South Atlantic League for the Delmarva Shorebirds, a Single-A affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles located in Salisbury, Md., Chad Thall (Centralia ’04) entered June with a team-leading three saves. The left-handed reliever has appeared in 15 games, compiling a 1-1 record over 26 innings with a 4.85 ERA and 16 strikeouts.

● After a brief stint in the Chicago Cubs organization late last year, Jake Whitesides (Hickman ’00) has returned to St. Joseph for his second season of independent ball in the American Association. Listed as a designated hitter and second baseman for the St. Joe Blacksnakes, Whitesides leads the team with a .292 batting average and 12 RBI.

● Pitching for the Chattanooga Lookouts, the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds in the Southern League, Sam Lecure (Helias ’02) had compiled a 4-0 record with a 3.09 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 32 innings before going on the disabled list. Lecure was also helping himself with the stick, batting .600 (3 for 5) with a double, RBI and two walks.

● COLLEGE CORNER: Playing behind two-time Big Ten Pitcher of the Year Eileen Canney, Lauren Delaney (Helias ’06) has helped the Northwestern softball team to a spot in the Women’s College World Series. Entering Friday’s nationally televised game on ESPN in which she pitched briefly in relief, Delaney was 19-2 with a 1.64 ERA and 190 strikeouts in 154 innings. She was a third-team All-Big Ten selection. The Wildcats played a loser’s bracket finale last night on ESPN.

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Reach Rus Baer at (573) 815-1787 or rbaer@tribmail.com.

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