SOFTBALL: Kohrs picks Cougars

Du Quoin High School senior Alexis Kohrs made her college choice official on Wednesday, signing a letter of intent with Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville to become the newest member of the Cougars softball team.

Kohrs was already an All-State, All-South, All-SIRR Conference star at Sparta High School before moving to Du Quoin prior to the fall of 2011. In her one year with the Lady Indians, she set single-season team records with 21 wins in the pitching circle and 11 home runs at the plate while adding to her resume with another All-State, All-South, All-SIRR campaign.

"It doesn't really feel like it's time yet to move on yet," Kohrs said, "(but) I'm ready to go off and start playing with the older kids and get used to it."

Before she does that, however, Kohrs and her Lady Indian teammates hope they have much more to accomplish this spring. Kohrs was named team MVP for Du Quoin's Sectional finalist team a year ago which set the school record for team wins with 36, and the majority of that team returns for 2013.

"This year my goal is to take my team as far as we can go, win conference again," Kohrs said. "Maybe relive the memories of last year, maybe more. I also want to get better than what I was last year with strikeouts, and hitting, and everything to get prepared for college."

SIU-E softball is coached by Sandy Montgomery, who enters her 25th season with the Cougars in 2013. SIU-E, which plays in the Ohio Valley Conference, became a full Division-1 school for NCAA girls' softball after 2010. The Cougars play their home games at Cougar Field near the campus in Edwardsville.