With the beginning of Chillicothe High School’s 2025 spring sports competitions only a week away, the annual spring “Meet the Hornets” event co-sponsored by the school and Chillicothe Booster Club will be held next Thursday (March 20), as usual in the school commons and gym.
The boosters-hosted meal – free to athletes, coaches and club members and available for purchase by the general public – will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the commons. Serving will continue until 7 p.m.
At 7 p.m., members of the 2025 Hornets and Lady Hornets involved in track and field, baseball, boys’ tennis and golf, and girls’ soccer will be introduced, concluding the event. Coaches of the respective teams often conduct informational meetings with parents either before or after the introductions portion of the event.
There is no charge to attend.
CHS spring season action – not counting scrimmage “jamborees” in baseball and soccer – will commence the following day (Friday, March 21) when the soccer Lady Hornets – with Shannon Grable returning as head coach after a 4-years hiatus (during which he still assisted) – host a 2-days, 4-teams, round-robin tournament involving Kirksville, Marshall and Lone Jack, in addition to Chillicothe.
There will be 4 and 6 p.m. matches at Jerry Litton Memorial Stadium II on March 21 and then four more – at 9 and 11 a.m. and 1 and 3 p.m. – the next day.
The baseball Hornets are slated to open the season with six road games in a row, starting March 22 at 1 and 3 p.m. at Marshall against Tipton and then the host Owls.
Their first home action isn’t due to happen until March 31 when Macon visits for a 5 p.m. contest.
The diamond Hornets will participate – weather permitting – in some scrimmages at Macon next Tuesday.
The CHS track-and-field teams’ first outing will be on the Litton Stadium track March 25 at 4 p.m. With the retirement of long-time Hornets head honcho Bill Shaffer after last season, Kellen Overstreet is the new boys’ team head coach. Samantha Yoko returns for her second year as girls’ program leader.
The thinclads’ opener will be followed by meets at Brookfield April 1 and Savannah April 3 before the annual Chillicothe Joe Shy Relays are pegged for Friday, April 11.
According to online schedules, Chillicothe will host both the Midland Empire Conference Championships (May 5) and Class 3 district meet in which they’ll participate (May 10).
The tennis Hornets, with Weston Baker returning as head coach, are due to start matches March 25 at Carrollton. They won’t welcome a foe to the refurbished Daryl Danner Memorial Park courts until April 11 when St. Joseph: Lafayette visits.
The golf Hornets – with Cody Glenn succeeding retired coach Jim Wheeler and inheriting a nearly-totally-new roster – will get competition underway (weather permitting) on March 25, as well, but they’ll be at home (Green Hills Golf Course) to play Cameron.
