VIENNA — The winter season of 2025 in Vienna unfolded as a stretch of steady gains, tough lessons, standout performances and the kind of quiet determination that tends to shape the school year’s first athletic chapter. From the outfields to the trails to the hardwood, each program carved its own path through the calendar offering snapshots of progress while laying groundwork for what waits in the months ahead.

Softball opened the school year with a group determined to build on last season’s strong finish. Under the direction of Jess Gibbs, the Lady Eagles reached a 12-10 record after going 17-8 the year before. The numbers do not tell the entire story of a team that battled through lineup changes and streaks while still delivering some of the program’s most dominant wins in recent memory. Their 20-3 victory over St. James on Sept. 3, that set an early tone that carried into a 16-1 showing against Cuba, a performance that highlighted both crisp hitting and control in the circle. Now well into their offseason routine the players have transitioned into the long months of conditioning that shape who they will be when next fall arrives.

Baseball mirrored that sense of movement. Guided by Tim Simmons the Eagles finished 8-6 a clear bump from the previous year’s 7-11 campaign. Even in a season with fluctuations the team showed the kind of late surge that often signals a turning point. Their 15-2 win over Plato and 9-2 win over Steelville provided early sparks before Vienna closed the schedule with a three game sweep that featured Jamestown, St. Elizabeth and Iberia. Ending on an upward climb gave the roster the confidence that the next step is within reach.

As the final innings wrapped up the focus shifted to the cross country teams who built their season around discipline, a steady community and quiet competitiveness. Per coach Dave Martins coaching style, Vienna does not designate captains in cross country as every runner’s presence influences the overall push. That approach once again proved itself at Gans Creek where both squads lined up against the state’s deepest fields. In the boys 5000 meter race junior Hunter Schwartze powered his way to a bronze medal in 16:43.10 trailing only two upper tier runners from St. Joseph’s Christian and School of the Ozarks. Sophomore Bryce Ewers added his own mark with a 30th place finish in 17:38.90 capturing all state honors in the final kick where he edged out another competitor by fractions of a second. While Vienna earned two all-state runners this year, the team’s combined efforts pushed Vienna into another year of statewide recognition.

The girls approached their season with the same mix of grit and patience. Freshman Sophia Neubert made her debut year, one to build upon by finishing 64th at Gans Creek with a time of 23:23.00, the top mark among Vienna Lady Eagle runners. Kaylee Bresnahan followed with an 86th place finish in 23:56.00 and Kaitlyn Carpenter arrived just behind in 88th at 23:57.70. The trio formed a reliable core throughout the regular season each week bringing a steadier stride, sharper pace and higher expectations. They head toward the offseason motivated by the promise of returning to the state course with another year of experience.

With winter closing in, the narrative turned indoors as both basketball programs pushed through the opening stretch of their schedules. For the boys the first half of the year unfolded with flashes of impressive rhythm interrupted at times by injuries that tilted outcomes in close contests. Entering the break at 3-4 Vienna has felt both the sting of narrow losses and the lift of decisive wins. The roster has spent much of December managing injuries to co captains Jude Stricklan and Hunter Schwartze. Stricklan missed time after taking an elbow to the eye while Schwartze exited the Stoutland matchup with a back injury in the third quarter during a game the Eagles controlled, until the late push that flipped the score to a 72-61 loss. Even so the group has shown the potential of its true form most noticeably in a 55-18 win over Chamois where ball movement, defense and pace all clicked in unison.

The boys now turn their attention to the annual tournament in Bourbon held Jan. 3 and are led by captain and all-state honoree Teagan James. Coached by Chandler Harker, Their winter opener features a game against Grandview of Hillsboro, a 3-5 team coached by Jeremy Moss who brings competitive energy and aggressive defensive schemes into the matchup. A win would send Vienna to a meeting with either Valley Park or Bourbon while a loss would set up a consolation game. Either way the tournament offers an important chance to reset the season arc and establish a tone for January.

“Being three and four is not bad,” Harker said. “But I’m not satisfied.”

Looking on the other side of the gym, the Lady Eagles navigate a schedule that demands travel over home comforts in the early weeks of Jan. Their return from break begins on Jan. 6, at Cuba followed by road trips to Iberia then into the South Callaway Tournament. Their next chance to play in front of a home crowd will not come until Jan. 22, making this stretch one that will test depth, communication, composure and the ability to generate energy without home court momentum.

Across all programs the fall season brought Vienna a blend of defining moments and the foundations for what comes next. The months ahead promise more growth, more chances to build on what has been earned and the opportunity for each team to carry its own momentum into the new year.

In addition to other sports, Archery season has also opened for Maries County R-1, giving the district another program to follow as the calendar turns. On Saturday the 3rd, both teams will head to Jefferson City for their first meet of the season, a chance to set early scores and see where they stand against a deep field. Updates on results and standout performances will be published in The Advocate throughout the season.