It was a trying year as the COVID-19 pandemic raged across the St. Louis metro area. Despite working against tremendous odds, high school sports seasons in the area were completed – and they offered plenty of excitement.
Here is a recap of a great season in the St. Louis American Prep Year in Review.
V, Get Ready to Roll: The Vashon Wolverines concluded a dominating boys’ basketball season by winning the Class 4 state championship, which is the 12th in the school’s storied history. The Wolverines defeated Westminster Christian to win the title in Springfield. They were led by Division I recruits Nick Kern (VCU), Keshon Gilbert (UNLV) and experienced senior guards Reco Bailey and Tre’von Love.
A Ritter Repeat: After winning the Class 3 state basketball championship last season, the Cardinal Ritter Lions were bumped up to Class 5. All the Lions did was repeat as state champions, only in the bigger class. The Lions staged a series of dramatic late-game comebacks to take the state title. Ritter had late victories over University City and DeSmet in the playoffs, but the biggest rally came in the state semifinals. Ritter came back from 17 points down to defeat Van Horn in double overtime. The Lions completed the championship repeat with a victory over Bolivar.
Incarnate is the Word: The biggest dynasty in Missouri girls’ basketball added another chapter in 2021 as the Red Knights won the Class 6 state championship. After dominating the Class 4 landscape for the past several years, the Red Knights were bumped up to Class 6. The result was the same as IWA completed a 29-0 season with a victory over Webster Groves to win the state title. The Red Knights were led by stellar point guard Saniah Tyler and talented Natalie Potts.
Whitfield Makes (Her)story: The Whitfield girls have been knocking on the door of a state championship for the past five years with several trips to the Final Four. This season, the Warriors broke through by defeating West Plains to win the Class 5 state championship, which is the first in girls’ basketball in school history. The Warriors were led by senior guard Kelsey Blakemore and a talented group of young players.
STEAM Academy heats up track: The school’s name changed, but state championship success still comes to STEAM Academy at McCluer South-Berkeley. The Bulldogs won the Class 2 state championship in convincing fashion with twin sisters, Cheyenne and Chelby Melvin, each winning a pair of individual events at the state meet. Senior Leah Thames was also a state champion in the sprints.
Trinity girls go out in style: Trinity Catholic closed its doors at the end of the school year, but the girls’ track and field team provided a final athletic memory by winning the Class 4 state championship in the last event in the school’s history. The Titans became back-to-back state champions as they won the Class 3 state title in 2019 as well. They were led by state championship performers Sydney Juszczyk in the javelin and Brooke Moore in the triple jump.
Ritter girls dominate the track: Cardinal Ritter was bumped up to Class 5 and all the Lions did was win the school’s first state championship in girls track in convincing fashion. Not only did Ritter win the state title, but it also won with a talented group of freshmen athletes that are poised for a tremendous run in the future. The leader of the pack this spring was freshman sprinter Aniyah Brown, who won state titles in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
Mascoutah rules the track: The Indians won the IHSA Class 2 state championship in boys’ track and field. It was the school’s first state championship in any sport since the football team won in 1979. The Indians got a big boost from outstanding senior thrower Barry Evans, who won the state title in the discus.
Althoff girls win their first: The Crusaders made history in girls’ track and field this spring when they won the IHSA Class 1A state championship, the first in the school’s history. The Crusaders were led by senior standout Nariah Parks and a supporting cast of young talented athletes.