As we bring the year 2010 to a close, let us take another look back at some of the great events that took place in what was another outstanding year of high school sports in the St. Louis metro area.
*A four-peat: The McCluer South-Berkeley girls track and field dynasty continued last May when the Bulldogs won their fourth consecutive Class 3 state championship. Leading the way was senior Kianna Ruff, who won the 400-meter dash and 800-meter run, and classmate Bianca Stokes, who was a stalwart in the sprints and relays.
*A new Standard: Chaminade College Prep football standout Rob Standard became the third player in five years to break the St. Louis career rushing record. Standard finished his brilliant career with 7,799 yards and 99 touchdowns. Standard broke the record that was previously held by former Timberland star Montee Ball. Standard is headed to Iowa State University.
*Red Knights Roll: The Incarnate Word Academy Red Knights were dominant all season in winning the Missouri Class 5 girls state championship. IWA rode their great defensive intensity and their stellar senior pair of versatile forward Jazmin Hitchens and point guard Chloe Nelson. The Red Knights finished the season 30-1 after defeating Blue Springs 52-43 for the state championship.
*Brotherly Love: Francis Howell Central brothers Brandon and Terrel Wilbourn brought home individual state championships from last year’s Missouri Class 4 state wrestling championships in Columbia. Brandon won the 152-pound title with a record of 52-1 while Terrell won the 130-pound state title with a perfect 51-0 record.
*So long to an old friend: Wellston High closed its doors at the end of the school year, bringing the end to a wonderful basketball tradition for both the boys and girls. In its last season, the Trojans rode the talents of star Ben McLemore to a third-place finish in the Class 2 state tournament.
*Beal goes international: For the second consecutive year, Chaminade College Prep All-American took his game to the international stage. In July, Beal led Team USA to the gold medal at the FIBA 17U World Championships in Germany. Beal averaged 19 points a game to lead the USA in scoring. He was selected the Most Valuable Player of the World Championships. He received the award from Dallas Mavericks star and German basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki.
*U-Time: University City was once the dominant boys track and field program in the state of Missouri with 17 state championships before 1980. The Lions ended a 30-year drought by winning the Class 3 state championship last May in Jefferson City.
*Blue Devils Run Wild: Maplewood Richmond-Heights blazed to victory at the Missouri Class 2 boys state track and field championships for the second consecutive year. The Blue Devils dominated the sprints and relays as they ran away and hid from the rest of the competition in a weekend-long exhibition of speed and dominance.
*The Killer B’s: For the first time in history, St. Louis had three prep basketball players who were listed among the Top 20 national rankings in the same class at the same time. Chaminade’s Bradley Beal, McCluer North’s B.J. Young and former Wellston star Ben McLemore were listed in the national Top 20 in the Class of 2011 after their tremendous player over the summer. Beal and McLemore starred for the St. Louis Eagles while Young was a star for the St. Louis Gameface. McLemore is now a top player for perennial prep school power Oak Hill Academy.
*Hawks Nest: Hazelwood Central boasted the best boys track team in the state of Missouri all season and they had the times and performances to prove it. The Hawks topped off a great season on the track by winning the Missouri Class 5 state title.
*Lions Roar: The Cardinal Ritter Lions won the Missouri Class 3 boys state championship in basketball with one dominating performance after another. The Lions closed the season on a 19-game winning streak and averaged more than 90 points a game in the postseason, including a 93-69 beatdown of Hogan Prep in the state-championship game. The Lions were stacked with such top players as Eric Clark, Mylin Jordan, Cameron Biedscheid, Wendell Crowder and Evan Jones.