The Doghouse

Send us Fan Mail Standards beat rules every day, and that’s the backbone of what we’re building in Sikeston. We brought head baseball and softball coach Wyatt Pratt into the Dog House to pull back the curtain on how a former Bulldog turned coach is shaping a system that raises the bar for everyone—players, parents, and the community that shows up in red and black. Wyatt shares his path from Sikest...

Send us Fan Mail Start with a bank basement in 1967, add a mainframe, and you get a young draftsman who learns banking by programming its guts. That’s where our guest, Rick Adams, began—and from there, his story braids into Sikeston’s story: building institutions, mentoring leaders, and treating every person across the desk like the most important voice in the room. We wanted our 50th to feel like...

Send us Fan Mail The gym felt like a title game before the ball even went up. By the final buzzer, an 83–47 win over ranked Puxico had the crowd buzzing about defense, depth, and the kind of culture that turns December tests into March confidence. We walk through how the Bulldogs imposed pace from the opening tip, smothered shooters, and took away paint touches, then highlight the balanced scoring...

Send us Fan Mail Santa doesn’t just happen. He’s stitched, planned, insured, and invited. We open with Bulldogs basketball—an 8–0 surge, a 35–3 third-quarter storm, and Kobe Thomas lighting up the gym with a school record 10 threes—then step into a different kind of arena where belief is the whole game. Meet Rod “Santa” Anderson, the neighbor who treats every visit like a promise kept. Rod shares...

Send us Fan Mail A nail-biting three-peat sets the tone, but the real pivot comes when New Madrid County Sheriff Joey Higgerson joins us and lifts the veil on what modern public safety looks like across 700 square miles. We start on the hardwood—Dexter’s disciplined 1-2-2, Sikeston’s shift to pace, clutch shooting, and bench sparks that flipped a fourteen-point hole into a title. Then we walk stra...

Send us Fan Mail A packed night in the Dog House: we start with Bulldog basketball—balanced scoring, disruptive defense, and the SEMO Conference gauntlet—then go deep with Marine veteran and speaker Ricky Johnson on addiction, trauma, accountability, and turning pain into purpose. Ricky doesn’t varnish anything. He talks about early exposure to alcohol, sexual trauma, years lost to meth and DWIs,...

Send us Fan Mail Step into a season built on speed, depth, and Bulldog grit. We open the gym and walk you through exactly how Sikston plans to win: a 2-2-1 pressure look that morphs into a matchup zone, five-man rebounding, and a bench deep enough to keep traps fresh and legs lively into the fourth. After a crisp Jamboree against Hazelwood East, MICDS, and STEAM, we break down what clicked, what s...

Send us Fan Mail The doors open at three and the line already snakes to the road. That’s how you know you’re in Southeast Missouri, where high school gyms become pressure cookers and small-town pride shakes the rafters. We invited Andrew Moore and David Jenkins from SEMO Sports Zone to sit down with us and map the pulse of this region—what’s rising, what’s shifting, and why the games still matter...

Send us Fan Mail The most meaningful change in a town rarely starts on a stage—it starts at a table. We invited Pastor John McAfee into the Dog House to explore how simple, stubborn acts of service can transform lives in Sikeston: a hot lunch, a steady job, a safe place to sleep, a suit that fits, a ride that arrives on time. The conversation stretches from church life to city life, but the heartb...

Send us Fan Mail Rivalry may spark the fire, but standards keep it burning. We welcomed Charleston principal and longtime coach Michael Minner into Bulldog Country for a candid, funny, and deeply practical conversation about building programs that last—on the field and in the hallways. From the unlikely origin of the “Fighting Squirrels” to the day-to-day habits that turn talent into teams, Minner...

Send us Fan Mail The cameras don’t just capture the game; they capture a town. We sit down with coach‑producer Steve Beydler to chart Sikeston’s journey from SPS TV 12 and VHS replays to a fully featured Bulldog Nation Network running instant replay, telestrator analysis, and polished graphics with AyCorp Media/Sports. It’s a story of leadership behind the lens, the patience to teach new crews, an...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered who’s behind the bold red-and-black look of Sikeston Athletics? Meet Brian Henson — the creative force shaping how Bulldog Nation looks, posts, and shows pride. As Graphic Arts instructor at SCTC and the designer behind Sikeston Athletics’ social media, Brian’s fingerprints are all over the Bulldog brand. We dive into his classroom at the Sikeston Career & Techno...

Send us Fan Mail Some people talk about being all-in for Bulldog Nation. Andon Christian actually lives it. He’s a full-time college student, an assistant football coach, and the radio voice of the Sikeston Bulldogs — and that’s before you even mention his work as Sports Editor for the Southeast Arrow and host of the “Between the Hashes” podcast. Now, Andon’s taking his Bulldog pride to the hardwo...

Send us Fan Mail Some careers are defined by a single yes. Doug Still’s was shaped by a few wise no’s—and the grit to keep going. We sit down with the Sikeston lefty to trace the full arc: little league diamonds and travel-ball vans, a strategic jump to JUCO to keep the draft door open, and a breakout year at Missouri State that led to an 11th-round call from the San Francisco Giants. It’s a story...

Send us Fan Mail Some games linger. Poplar Bluff did—early special teams trouble, turnovers at the worst times, and penalties that yanked us out of scoring range. We felt the sting, then rolled up our sleeves with someone who has seen every side of this: Coach Charlie Vickery. He’s back on the Sikeston sideline, and he brought history, humility, and a map for where we’re going. We start with the r...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered what makes a community truly thrive? In this enlightening episode, we dive deep into the beating heart of Sikeston – Missouri Delta Medical Center.  Jason Schrumpf, CEO of Missouri Delta, and Amy Alcorn, Director of the Missouri Delta Foundation, join us to reveal how rural healthcare serves as both a lifeline and economic powerhouse. With 900 employees and a $180 mi...

Send us Fan Mail When basketball defined Fred Thatch's identity, few could have predicted the twists his journey would take. In this deeply personal conversation, Sykeston's all-time leading scorer opens up about his evolution from small-town phenom to the man he's become today. Fred's candor about his physical struggles during his college career at Saint Louis University revea...

Send us Fan Mail What makes a small town truly special? In this heartfelt episode, we sit down with Natalie Coppage, Communications and Marketing Specialist for Sikeston R6 School District and District Liaison for the Sikeston Public Schools Foundation, to explore how our schools serve as the heartbeat of the community. Natalie shares her journey from Sikeston graduate to returning professional, b...

Send us Fan Mail When Shannon Holifield steps into a room, her energy and passion for education are immediately evident. In this revealing conversation, the Sikeston R6 School District Superintendent takes us on her remarkable journey from Division I basketball player to educational leader, sharing the philosophy that's transforming an entire community. "As your school goes, so goes your...

Send us Fan Mail The Doghouse welcomes a transformative new leader to Bulldog Nation - Athletic Director Matt Johnson, a 1992 Sikeston graduate who returns home after gaining valuable experience at schools across Missouri. After beginning his career teaching engineering and coaching multiple sports at Sikeston, Johnson's path took him to leadership roles with the Missouri Department of Educat...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build championship-caliber basketball programs at the Division I level? SEMO head basketball coaches Brad Korn and Briley Palmer pull back the curtain in this captivating conversation about their journeys, philosophies, and the state of college basketball today. Coach Palmer's path from Farmington High School to Mineral Area College to the SEMO sideline r...

Send us Fan Mail The Doghouse welcomes Coach Jim May, who brings fresh energy and a clear vision to Sikeston football after 15 successful years at Scott City. What started as an unexpected career move has become a passionate mission to restore Bulldog football to greatness. Coach May reveals the remarkable transformation happening in the weight room, where his players have improved from 5 bench pr...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when small-town basketball intensity meets medical excellence? Dr. Cord Sheehy, a 2013 Sikeston High School graduate and basketball player, takes us through his remarkable journey from the field house to treating young athletes as a pediatric sports medicine specialist. Cord's path wasn't always clear. Initially focused on baseball, his trajectory shifted af...

Send us Fan Mail Stepping onto the pitch with Coach Gabe Dement reveals what truly makes Sikeston soccer special - it's not just about winning games, but building character through perseverance and family. After playing collegiate soccer at Hannibal LaGrange, Dement's journey took him from reluctant insurance salesman to passionate educator and coach. For the past 13 years, he's led...

Send us Fan Mail Tristan Wiggins reflects on his journey from a devastating leg injury to becoming a two-sport standout at Sikeston High School. Despite experiencing a dislocated tibia and fractured patella in eighth grade that sidelined him for over a year, Wiggins bounced back to help lead the Bulldogs to memorable seasons in both basketball and soccer. • Overcoming a serious leg injury that req...