The Baer Facts

They Don't Make 'Em Like Michaela Witcher Anymore

The dean of women's athletics in St. Louis is ready to bow out after 38 years at St. Joe.

My sportswriting career, off and on has now spanned more than 40 years. That includes covering more than a zillion games. I was lucky enough to get my start at the Suburban Journals, starting in 1971. My single greatest source of pride was covering the career of Kirkwood’s basketball coach Denver Miller. He coached the Pioneers for 43 years before the administration drove him into forced retirement. Second on the list and moving up has been my relationship working with Michaela Witcher, athletic director for the St. Joseph’s Academy Angels. I wasn’t sure how to react when the word came down a couple of weeks ago, “M” was going to retire after 38 years of making the same turn into the school drive on Lindbergh Boulevard. They don’t make …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (1)

St. Joe's Athletic Director Bowing Out After 38 Years

Michaela Witcher has been at the school that long, 28 as athletic director.

Talk about a long run... St. Joseph’s Academy has had just two athletic directors the past 60 years. Rosemary Wellington was athletic director from the inception of the new campus on Lindbergh in 1954, and retired at the end of the 1985 season. The new athletic center is named in her honor. Michaela Witcher, who came to St. Joe in 1975 as a coach and health teacher has just announced her retirement after 38 years at the school. She took over AD duties from Wellington at the start of the 1986 season. They ought to name the whole school after her. Witcher is the personification of what an athletic director ought to be. What a coach has to say “Michaela has been the heart and soul of the St. Joseph’s academic/athletic program for the past 38 …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

St. Joe and Cor Jesu Clash in Class 5 State Basketball Semifinals Friday

Angles looking for 7th state title. Coach Matheny's 10th visit to the Final Four.

If past results are any indication, then the Angels of St. Joseph's Academy may just be on solid footing. St. Joe (22-5) meets Cor Jesu Academy of Affton (21-9) in the semifinals Friday night at Mizzou Arena, tipoff is 6:15 p.m. The winner advances to the Saturday night Show-Me Showdown finals at 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The consolation game will be held at 1:15 p.m. Saturday. The opponent will be either Columbia Rock Bridge (23-3) or Blue Springs of Kansas City (28-2). The Angels have previously played all of these teams this year. They beat Blue Springs 60-38 in the Visitation Academy Holiday tournament. They beat Cor Jesu on the road January 9, 65-46 and they lost to Rock Bridge January 29 in the Webster Groves Tournament 55-40. "I Like …

• Photos (2)

5 St. Joe Volleyball Players Make All-State Academic Team

Each player must maintain a 3.6 GPA or higher and play in 75 percent of all games.

  Information was provided by St. Joseph's Academy. Courtney Meek, Morgan Gresham, Lauren Gresham, Hannah Western and Grace Carter were just named to the Missouri Volleyball Academic All-State team. The Angels had a 30-5 season. The Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches association recognizes student athletes who have a 3.6 or higher cumulative grade point average and have played in 75 percent of the varsity matches. A complete list of the academic-all-state players can be found at this website.

• Photos (1)

St. Joe Shows Plenty of Intensity in 66-37 Win over Carthage in the Prepcasts Shootout

The season is being played in the memory of the late Jim Goessling, friend to all and brother of coach Julie Goessling.

The 2012-13 St. Joseph’s Academy basketball season is dedicated to the memory of the late James R. Goessling, brother of coach Julie Goessling Matheny who succumbed to Cancer late this fall. Matheny has been coaching with a special purpose and direction since this untimely death. All of the Angels players wear black warmup jerseys with the initials “JRG” and the same number 35 on the back of every garment. Saturday night, the Angels stormed onto the floor and ran away with a 66-37 win over the now 10-3 Carthage Tigers from the Springfield area in the nightcap of the Prepcasts Elite Girls Shootout V, played this year at DeSmet. Erin Nelson (Saint Louis U.) led all scorers with 22 points; Sydney Stipanovich (Pennsylvania) scored 15. Emmie …

• Photos (8)

St. Joe Student to Compete for Title of Miss Missouri

Stephanie Patton is using the beauty pageant stage to educate people about diabetes, a disease she has managed since the age of 5.

Stephanie Patton had to grow up fast. At age 5 the Kirkwood resident and student at St. Joseph's Academy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile diabetes. Now 18, Patton hopes to raise awareness about the disease as she eyes the title of Miss Missouri.  She will compete for the Miss Missouri title in June after recently winning Miss Chesterfield Valley.  "Each constant is supposed to have a platform that she wants to raise awareness about. Mine is of course raising diabetes awareness and finding a cure in my lifetime," Patton said. She follows in the shoes of Nicole Johnson who held the Miss America title in 1999. Johnson has diabetes, and Patton remembers being inspired as a child. "I wanted to wear that crown," …

• Photos (1)

St. Joe's Alyssa Jensen Appears in National Skills Contest, All Star Game

Under Armour 2012 match & skill competition airs December 23.

Senior Alyssa Jensen who wrapped up a brilliant volleyball career at St. Joseph's Academy will appear in the Under Armour 2012 volleyball match and skills competition. That match can be seen on ESPNU on Sunday, December 23 at 12:30 p.m. CST. Jensen capped her career by signing to play for the University of California-Berkeley earlier this year.

• Photos (1)

Sectional Champs: St. Joe Softball Roughs Up Hazelwood West, 13-3

Angels win in abreviated 5 inning game. Host Francis Howell next on Saturday.

It might be a fair statement to make, Hazelwood West has seen enough of the St. Joe softball team this year. Catch the photos on the Ladue-Frontenac Facebook page. The visiting Angels piled up 15 hits and limited the Wildcats to 6 hits to win their sectional showdown 13-3 Wednesday. At ABC Park September 6, the Angels trimmed West, 6-4. The win propels the Angels into a regional championship game this Saturday, home at 1 p.m. versus Francis Howell, upset winners over Troy, the defending state champs, 4-0. Game called after 5 innings The St. Joe win lasted just 5 innings. The Angels piled up 8 runs in the the fourth behind the power hitting of third sacker Anna Langhorst, a senior. She picked out a juicy third pitch from Roxanne Dennis and …

• Photos (12)
• Videos (1)

Nominations Are in Order for the Prep Athlete of the Week

Winners are nominated from MICDS, John Burroughs, Villa Duchesne, Ladue, and St. Joseph's Academy.

The time has arrived to begin the MVP process this week. You the reader will decide who will be the most outstanding athlete of the week from either Ladue High, St. Joseph’s Academy, Villa Duchesne, MICDS or John Burroughs. Take your pick. Here’s a suggested list to get the bidding going. We will collect names through Tuesday evening then present the ballot with the names most nominated: These are just some suggestions. Nominate your favorite and give us a fact or two why they would be worthy of the award. The ballot comes out Wednesday morning and voting goes until 5 o’clock on Thursday. The winner will be profiled on Patch.com Saturday or Sunday each week.

• Photos (1)

Time to Revv Up the Patch "Athlete of the Week" Contest

Winners will be selected from either Ladue, MICDS, John Burroughs, St. Joe or Villa.

For the next nine month, the Ladue-Frontenac and Olivette Patches will be selecting the “Athlete of the Week.” This is how it works This contest belong to you, the reader. You get the opportunity to both nominate and vote for your favorite athletes. We started this last spring and a number of athletes were able to get the recognition they deserved. On Mondays, we will call for nominees. Any athlete, male or female from Ladue Horton Watkins, John Burroughs, MICDS, St. Joseph’s Academy or Villa Duchesne can be nominated. Names that get nominated the most on Monday and Tuesday will comprise the Wednesday morning ballot. Voting begins Wednesday morning and concludes promptly at 5 p.m. on Thursday. Then the winner will be recognized over the …

• Photos (1)