It was a very exciting year of high school sports in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Not only did the athletes from the area reach statewide and regional prominence, but also broke through on the national stage as well. Before we put the equipment away for the summer, here is a look back at some of the top highlights of the 2015-16 school year.
Chaminade breaks through: The Red Devils finally captured that elusive Class 5 state championship in boys’ basketball to culminate a fantastic season against a national-level schedule. All-American performer Jayson Tatum put his personal stamp of a spectacular career with one 40-point performance after another, including 40 points in the state-championship game against Springfield Kickapoo. The Red Devils also featured Division I recruits Tyler Cook, Michael Lewis and Will Gladson.
V, get ready to roll: Vashon returned to the basketball mainstream by winning the Class 4 state championship. Head coach Tony Irons followed in the footsteps of his legendary father Floyd Irons as he brought back the tradition of winning at “The V.” Led by junior standouts Daniel “Peanut” Farris and Levi Stockard, the Wolverines defeated Sikeston in an epic overtime contest in the state semifinals and St. Joe Lafayette in the championship game.
Cahokia track dynasty continues: It was another year and another state championship for the Cahokia boys’ track and field program. Despite losing superstar jumper Ja’Mari Ward to a knee injury, the Comanches used their superior depth to win their sixth consecutive Illinois Class 2A state championship. The previous week, Cahokia girls’ won their second consecutive Class 2A state championship.
Bombers break the cycle: John Burroughs has been chasing a Class 3 state championship in football for several years, finishing second in their past four appearances in the Show-Me Bowl. Last fall, the Bombers broke through in a big way as they defeated Odessa 30-6 for the state title at the Edward Jones Dome. The Bombers were led by record-setting tailback Jake Bain, quarterback Tyler Foote and dynamic athletes Ronald Smith and Chris Brooks. In the spring, the Bombers won the Class 3 state championship in boys’ track and field.
Althoff’s historic title run: Belleville Althoff was dominant in winning the Illinois Class 3A state championship, the first in the school’s history. After finishing runners-up in 2015, the Crusaders came back in 2016 with a vengeance, defeated Lincoln Way 64-37 for the state title. Junior forward Jordan Goodwin was a dominant force in leading the Crusaders. Goodwin got great support from senior Division I recruits Tarkus Ferguson and Brendon Gooch.
East Side returns to the top: East St. Louis returned to the winner’s circle in boys track as they won the Illinois Class 3A state championship. The Flyers were a true team as they dominated the sprint relays in winning the school’s 11th state championship in boys track and first since 2008.
A goal to remember: Antoine Givens of Webster Groves enjoyed a moment that every high school athlete dreams about in late November. Givens scored the dramatic game-winning goal in overtime to give the Statesmen a 3-2 victory over St. Dominic in the Class 3 state-championship game. Givens’ goal gave the Statesmen back-to-back state championships.
MICDS spring cleaning: It was quite a spring for the athletic program at MICDS. The Rams won five state championships in what was an incredible run of success. MICDS won state titles in baseball, girls track, boys lacrosse, boys golf and boys tennis. They also took home a second-place trophy in girls’ lacrosse during the spring.
McCluer South-Berkeley girls: The Bulldogs fell one point short of winning a Class 3 state championship in 2015, but came back and broke through to win the state championship in 2016 after a spirited battle with John Burroughs. The Bulldogs won the state title on the last event when they won the 4×400-meter relay. Junior Raheema Westfall brought home the state title with a big anchor leg to bring the Bulldogs back from behind.
Area track superlatives: There were some incredible individual performances in area track and field during the spring. Senior Ja’Mari Ward of Cahokia delivered an effort of 53 feet 5 ½ inches, which was the best in the country. Junior A.J. Epenesa of Edwardsville threw the discus 206 feet to become the best in the country while Brentwood star thrower Sophie Rivera qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the javelin with a throw of 180 feet 4 inches.
