In last week’s American, we took a look at some of the top events from the 2016-17 high school season in sports. This week, we will take a look at the 2017 St. Louis American prep Athletes of the Year in their respective sports.
Football: Jeff Thomas (East St. Louis) – One of the top wide receivers in the country, Thomas had 1,158 yards of receiving and 15 touchdowns to lead the Flyers to the Class 6 state championship. His last-second touchdown catch against Glenbard North in the state quarterfinals was the play of the year for the football season. The prep All-American is headed to Miami (FL).
Boys Basketball: Courtney Ramey (Webster Groves) – The 6’4” junior guard led the Statesmen to the Class 5 state championship with his all-around play and clutch shooting. Ramey averaged 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 53 percent from the field. He has already committed to the University of Louisville.
Girls Basketball: Lauryn Miller (Kirkwood) – The 6’2” senior forward led the Pioneers to their first ever Class 5 state championship. She averaged 18.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks while shooting 54 percent from the field. A four-year starter at Kirkwood, Miller has signed at UCLA.
Baseball: D.J. Stewart (Westminster) – The standout pitcher/outfielder led the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the Class 4 state tournament. On the mound, Stewart had an 8-1 record with 76 strikeouts, only 10 walks and a 0.53 earned run average. At the plate, Stewart batted .409 with 35 runs batted in. An Eastern Illinois signee, Stewart was also drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the Major League Baseball Draft.
Boys Track: Rayvon Allen (Rockwood Summit) – The senior jumper led the Falcons to the Class 4 state championship. He recorded an effort of 50 feet 10 inches in the triple jump, which is among the best marks in the country. He is also a 24-foot long jumper and a state-champion both events. He also anchored the Falcons’ 4×400-meter relay to a first place finish, which clinched the overall team state title. Allen is headed to Wichita State University.
Girls Track: Alicia Burnett (Fort Zumwalt South) – Burnett was one of the most talented freshman sprinters in the country. She has gone from a national age group star to a young high school phenom. In her first state meet, she won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes at the Class 4 state meet.
Wrestling: D.J. Shannon (CBC) – Shannon was the Class 4 state champion at 160 pounds as a junior. He recorded a 48-0 record this season. He was the state champion at 152 pounds as a sophomore.
Volleyball: Leketor Member-Meneh (Lutheran South) – The senior outside hitter led the Lancers to a 34-3 record and the Class 3 state championship, the first in school’s history. She was a dominant performer as she led the St. Louis area with 610 kills and 7.8 per set. She has signed with the University of Missouri.
Boys Soccer: Aliff Rush (John Burroughs) – The senior midfielder led the Bombers to the Class 2 state championship. Rush scored 34 goals and added nine assists, including eight game winning goals. He recorded four goals in the state semifinals and championship game.
Girls Soccer: Naomi Ferguson (MICDS) – The talented freshman forward scored 20 goals and had eight assists to lead the Rams to a Class 3 district championship and a surprise run to the state quarterfinals.
Field Hockey: Amanda Isom (St. Joseph’s) – The senior forward played a key role in the Angels’ run to the state championship. She finished the season with 22 goals and 16 assists while earning All-MWAA honors.
Softball: Makayla Hurst (Timberland) – The junior catcher/first basemen finished the season with a batting average of .559 with five home runs and 36 runs batted in. An All-Gateway Athletic Conference performer, Hurst has already given a commitment to the University of Utah.
Lacrosse: Olivia Proctor (MICDS) – The talented sophomore midfielder helped lead the Rams to the state championship by scoring 41 goals, including nine during the Rams postseason run to the title.
Tennis: Janel Dean (Parkway North) – The talented junior was a Class 2 state qualifier at No. 1 singles as she was a district runner-up and a winner at the sectional tournament.
Boys Cross Country: Clinton Heffner (McCluer North) – The senior earned All-State honors after finishing 18th in the Class 4 state meet. Heffner was also a district runner-up and third-place finisher at the Class 4 sectional meet.
Girls Cross Country: Lizzie Dejoie (Parkway Central) – The senior earned All-State honors after finishing ninth at the Class 4 state meet. The was also a runner-up finisher at the Suburban Central Conference and district meets.