The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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November 15, 2012

Carthage's Bridges, Feagans sign with Division I schools

By Anvil Welch Globe Sports Writer

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Drew Bridges and Trevor Feagans, senior student⁄athletes at Carthage High School, signed national letters of intent with NCAA Division I programs on Wednesday.

Trevor, the son of Melanie and Brian Feagans, will wrestle at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville.

Drew, the son of Carlene and Mark Bridges, signed to play baseball at Missouri State University of Springfield.

Both athletes indicated that teaching and coaching at the secondary level are future possibilities.

A throng of teammates, schoolmates, relatives and coaches attended the ceremonies in the high school gym.

Feagans, who’s finished second at 119 pounds, fifth at 125 and second at 132 in state competition, will bring a career record of 129-11 into his senior season, Tiger coach Kenny Brown said.

“He’s amazing,” Brown said. “He’s very dedicated. He’s goal-oriented. He knows what he has to do to reach his goal of a championship. He’s been very close. I’m hoping this is the year.”

The academic all-stater has been a district champion three times and a conference titlist twice.

Said Feagans: “I’m bigger and stronger. I’ll move up to 138 this season. I haven’t won yet. But I’m working on that goal — a championship — this season.”

Feagans said a friend from Warrensburg, Cole Rogers, is a sophomore on this year’s SIUE Cougar squad (coached by David Ray) and first told Feagans about the program, which competes in the Southern Conference.

All-stater Bridges, a 6-foot-3, 215-pounder who bats left and throws right, is ticketed to play shortstop and pitch in the spring under the Tigers’ Mike Godfrey. But he’ll probably play third base at MSU for Keith Guttin.

Bridges, who’s lined up to play a fourth summer for the Springfield-based Midwest Nationals, admitted he might sign a professional contract rather play for the Bears.

“I hope to be drafted in the spring,” Bridges said. “I don’t know what round it will take for me to sign. My goal is to play pro baseball.”

Bridges, who hit seven home runs as a sophomore, averaged .457 last season with 11 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs and 27 runs batted for a 16-10 edition. He was 4-5 on the mound with a 1.83 ERA and 76 strikeouts in 611⁄3 innings.

For Bridges, who like Feagans should be a four-year stalwart for the Tigers, it was MSU all the way.

“It’s the only school I really cared for or considered, “ he said. “I like the coaching staff. I know some of the players. It’s Division I, it’s close to home. It’s a winning program.”

MSU, which competes in the Missouri Valley Conference, finished 40-22 and was a regional participant last season.

Godfrey naturally doesn’t mind Bridges’ choice of MSU.

“He had several options,” Godfrey said with a smile. “I know it’s a neat opportunity, though. I played for Coach Guttin (at MSU after attending Crowder College).”

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