On a sunny Saturday afternoon in late April, Cooper Crosnoe stood on the mound and watched a familiar face stroll up to the plate. He locked eyes with the hitter, and the two couldn't help but smile.
The batter, Jackson High School's Justice Crosnoe, had grown up playing baseball with Cooper. The bond goes deeper than that, though. The two are cousins, part of a bloodline that is synonymous with baseball in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding area.
Cooper's father, Rex, was a standout baseball player at Cape Girardeau Central High School in the late 1980s and early 90s and went on to play at Southeast Missouri State. He was following in his older brother's footsteps. After a solid career at Central and SEMO, Cory Crosnoe played a couple of seasons of minor league ball in the Atlanta Braves' organization from 1991-1992.
Their sons grew up playing together, from age 7 up until high school. That's when their paths diverged -- Cooper going to Central and Justice attending Jackson. Soon enough, Cooper Crosnoe was joined by his younger brother, Gunner, and Justice's younger brother, Chase, as Tigers.
So when Central played Jackson in that SEMO Conference Tournament game April 28, Cooper pitched against Justice with Chase playing defense and Gunner watching from the dugout. Observing that first at-bat from on deck was another member of the Crosnoe family tree, Landon Hahn, who's a step-cousin to both sides.
"We could have five cousins playing against each other -- brothers and cousins -- all in the same family," Justice said. "It all brings me back to the days where we all used to get in the backyard and play wiffle ball and have a little fun there."
Along with those informal games among family, Cooper and Justice were teammates for years on the Southeast Stingers. Gunner, currently a sophomore at Central, sometimes played up with them when they needed extra players. More often, Gunner would pair up with Chase's squad.
This year, with Chase making varsity as a freshman, all three are playing on the same team.
"It's lots of fun," Chase said. "We know each other very well. What we're good at, and what our struggles are. We just try to help each other get better each and every day."
On the Jackson side, Hahn and Justice Crosnoe have played together at Jackson for the last two years, forming the Indians' middle infield duo this season, with Hahn at shortstop and Justice at second base.
"[He's] not really blood, but I've known him all my life," Justice said.
Around Cape Girardeau, the Crosnoe name also brings attention thanks to past accomplishments, which included Rex getting drafted in the latter rounds of the 1995 Major League Baseball draft.
"When I was a kid growing up I always looked forward to playing at Cape like they did," Cooper said. "They're pretty known around here, so you're just expected to do good since you're a Crosnoe."
Along with their outstanding playing careers, both Rex and Cory have coached at various levels.
Rex was the head coach at Jackson from 2002-2006, going 66-29. Cooper recalls attending Jackson baseball games when he was six or seven and his father was leading the Indians. Now, Rex helps coach his youngest son's Stingers team.
Cory was an assistant on Central's 1994 Class 4 state champion team and a is a member of the school's hall of fame.
Today, the two have switched sides. Rex is the principal at Cape Girardeau Central Middle School, while Cory holds the same position at the Jackson Junior High. Just like their sons, the brothers are on the opposite sides of the rivalry.
In that April 28 game, Justice and Cooper took it a step further: facing off as pitcher vs. batter.
"It's kind of one of those things you have in the back of your head when you get in the box," Justice said. "Hey, I've known this kid since I've been on this earth, so you know, might as well show up and show him what I've been practicing on and see who's the better guy."
During that game and the earlier regular-season affair, Cory had divided rooting interests with a son playing on either team.
Chase grew up with a lot of friends in the Cape Girardeau Central school system and, beginning in elementary school, started to broach the topic of him attending Central schools.
He finally got his chance in sixth grade, enrolling at Central Middle School during Christmas break. His principal: Uncle Rex.
This year, the freshman has faced off against his brother Justice on the playing field.
"It's really competitive," Chase said. "He's all about it."
Justice enjoys facing Cooper just as much, especially when his cousin is on the mound.
"Going up against Cooper, man, you go up against him in the (batter's) box, and you can't help but smile at each other," Justice said.
In that first at-bat, Justice ended up reaching base on an error.
Jackson and Central could face off one more time this year in the Class 5 District 1 championship on Monday, if the third-seeded Tigers advance to the Class 5 District 1 championship, and top-seeded Jackson wins its semifinal matchup.
Even if the Indians and Tigers don't face off in the district final, the family rivalry is far from over. Chase and Gunnar Crosnoe plus Hahn will all return to their respective schools next year.
"It's cool because if Cape were to win we could talk trash to them, all my cousins over there," Gunner said. "If they win they do the same back to us."
In the future, there could even be a few more family members added to the mix.
"Going through high school, it's just always fun because we all grew up playing together, and it's really cool now that Chase goes here, and Landon goes to Jackson," Cooper said. "Landon's even got a younger brother that goes to Jackson, too, so he can play next year.
"I've got a younger brother who's in seventh grade who will play when he comes here, too. So it just keeps on going."
The same could be said for Cooper's and Justice's friendly rivalry.
There's legion baseball this summer, pitting the two against each other, and then college.
Cooper recently signed with Shawnee Community College, and Justice will be playing baseball at Southwestern Illinois College. The two schools are conference foes.
"It never ends," Cooper said.
Seemingly just like the Crosnoe family tree, with its roots spread out across the region.