It was another marvelous year of high school athletics in the St. Louis metropolitan area. As we all begin our summer vacation and prepare for the upcoming fall season, it is time to take a look back at some of the memorable moments of the 2012-13 season.
The Wood: Kirkwood High has been playing football for well over a century (114 years to be exact), but the Pioneers tasted state championship glory for the first time in the school’s great history. Kirkwood pasted Fort Osage 31-7 to clinch a storybook season and the well-deserved state title for the community. Twin brothers Jordan and Jarrod Bishop were the Suburban South Conference Players of the Year on offense and defense, respectively. Head coach Matt Irvin had a tremendous arsenal of speed, size and experience at his disposal and it all came together this season in an historic state championship ride.
Four-Peat: The Hazelwood Central Hawks continued its dynasty in boys track and field by winning the Class 4 state championship for the fourth consecutive year. Without a dominant star to gobble up points, the Hawks once again relied on a bevy of quality athletes in the sprints and relays to bring home another state title for the school’s trophy case. They were especially dominant in the 400-meter dash where Marcus Davis, Brandon Chunn and Matt Quarells finished first, second and fourth.
Incarnate Word Rules: Perhaps the most formidable team in the St. Louis metro area this season was the Incarnate Word Academy girls basketball team. The Red Knights rolled to a 31-0 record and the Class 4 state championship, but that does not begin to tell the story of how truly dominating this group was this season. The Red Knights routinely won games by 40 and 50 points, including the final two games of the state tournament. Sophomore forward Napheesa Collier cemented herself as one f the top underclassmen in the country while junior point guard Nakiah Bell ran the show to perfection.
Ezekiel Elliott: Male Athlete of the Year – The senior star from John Burroughs enjoyed a remarkable last season of high school athletics. He was the Player of the Year in both football and boys track. He led the Bombers to a second-place finish in the Class 3 Show-Me Bowl. Elliott amassed a Show-Me Bowl record of 419 total yards against Maryville. On the track, he won four gold medals to lead the Bombers to a second-place finish. On the basketball court, he averaged 12 points a game to help the Bombers win 20 games and a conference title. Elliott is headed to The Ohio State University.
Emmonnie Henderson: Female Athlete of the Year – One of the top female athletes in the area in recent memory, Henderson was one of the nation’s best in basketball and track. She led the Tigers to a 30-1 record in basketball and became the school’s all-time leading scorer as a senior. On the track, Henderson won the shot put and discus for the fourth consecutive year. She holds the state record in both events. She led Edwardsville to its first state title in track in and its first appearance in the state championship game in basketball as a junior in 2012. She will compete in both sports at the University of Louisville.
New School: Madison Prep opened its doors for the first time in 2013 and the boys basketball team made history by winning the Missouri Class 3 state championship. Led by young coach Tony Irons, the Bears won the state title on the 30th anniversary of his father Floyd Irons leading Vashon to its first state title in 1983. Madison used speed, quickness and toughness to overwhelm opponents. They also had the state’s top backcourt in seniors Martavian Payne and Kevin Baker to lead the way.
618 Hoops Represent: It was an excellent season for the metro east boys basketball teams as three teams advanced to the Final Four of the Illinois State Tournament in three different classes. The Madison Trojans advanced to the championship game of the Class 1A tournament. Cahokia finished runners-up in the Class 3A state tournament while winning a state-record 33 games in the process. Edwardsville finished third in the Class 4A state tournament, thus closing out a stellar postseason run for the metro east.
Cahokia Track Dynasty: The Cahokia Comanches brought home another state championship from the Illinois Class 2A state meet in Charleston. The Comanches overwhelmed the competition in scoring 99 points, which beat their nearest competitor by 59 points. Cahokia scored big in several different events, but they got huge production by their stellar jumping duo of senior Chris Moore and freshman Ja’Mari Ward.
Hazelwood Central Girls Rock: The Hawks won their first state championship in 25 years as they outlasted a group of talented teams at the Class 4 state meet in Jefferson City. Junior sprinter Ashley Henderson sparked the Hawks’ state title run with victories in the 100- and 200-meter dashes while the 4×200-meter relay ran away to a state title. Teammate Prenecia Ponds was also excellent in the sprints, which helped the Hawks win the title by 1.5 points.
A Smashing Debut: The St. Louis area was officially introduced to two magnificent freshman athletes who are making their mark locally and nationally. Jayson Tatum of Chaminade was tremendous in leading the Red Devils to the Metro Catholic Conference title and earning MCC Player of the Year honors. He was also a member of the USA 16U team that just won a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Tournament in Uruguay. Ja’Mari Ward of Cahokia took the state of Illinois by storm on the track. He won the state title in the long jump. Ward has already jumped 24 feet in the long jump and 48 feet in the triple jump as a freshman. He was one of the top athletes in the country in his age group.
