The area produced a multitude of sparkling individual performances and state championship teams throughout the year. As we move into the summer months, it is time to take a look back at a great high school season in our annual St. Louis American Prep Year in Review.
To say the 2023-24 year of high school sports was tremendous in the St. Louis metropolitan area would be an understatement.
Cardinal Ritter Dominance: Cardinal Ritter College Prep continued its tremendous run of excellence across the board as it won state championships in football, boys basketball and girls track and field. After winning the Class 3 state title in football last year, the Lions jumped up to Class 5. It mattered little as Ritter dominated the competition all season, culminating in a victory over Republic in the state championship game.
In basketball, the Lions won the Class 6 state championship after winning the Class 3 state title in 2020 and Class 5 state titles in 2021 and 2023. The Lions rode a fantastic senior class to back to back state titles, led by Clayton Jackson, Quenton Parker and Nashawn Davis.
The spring belonged to the girls track team as they continued its dynasty with its fourth consecutive state championship. The Lions scored more than 100 points as they ran away with the Class 5 state crown. Ritter’s star-studded lineup dominated in the sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps at the state meet. Senior sprinter Aniyah Brown concluded her brilliant four-year career with the Lions.
V, Get Ready To Roll: The Vashon Wolverines continued its boys basketball dynasty by winning its fourth consecutive Class 4 state championship in March. The Wolverines defeated John Burroughs 68-37 in an All-St. Louis state championship game. Vashon was led by senior forward Nassir Binion, along with talented juniors Nicholas Randall, Trey Williams and Christian Williams. During the spring, head coach Tony Irons made news when he was named the head coach at Mineral Area College in Park Hills, MO, thus bringing an end to his incredible run at Vashon as its head coach.
The Streak: The incredible winning streak of the Incarnate Word Red Knights continued for another year en route to their seventh consecutive state championship. IWA defeated Kickapoo for the Class 6 state championship, while running its state-record winning streak to 134 games. Senior standout Kaylynn Janes finished her high school career without ever losing a game at IWA. Senior Zoe Best and juniors Nevaeh Caffey and Peyton Hill were also top standouts for the Red Knights.
DeSmet Scorches the Nets: The DeSmet Spartans won the Class 5 state championship in boys basketball. It was the Spartans’ first state championship in 25 years. DeSmet won the state crown with a blistering perimeter shooting attack from 3-point territory. The Spartans were on fire from 3-point range in their Final Four victories against Winnetonka and Jefferson City.
Ladue Doubles Up in Track: The Ladue Rams had a double dose of state championship glory this spring as their boys and girls both won Class 4 state titles. These two programs have been fielding excellent track and field teams for many years, but this is the first time that both have won state titles in the same season.
Metro East Double Champions: The Southwestern Conference produced two state championships at the IHSA state track and field championships in Charleston, IL. Edwardsville won the Class 3 state championship while East St. Louis brought home the Class 2 state championship trophy. Edwardsville was led by star triple jumper Malik Allen, who won the triple jump by eclipsing the magical mark of 50 feet.
JBS Girls Do it Again: The John Burroughs Bombers girls’ basketball team won its second state championship in three years. The Bombers defeated defending state champion Lutheran-St. Charles in an All-St. Louis Class 5 state final. JBS was led by its outstanding senior duo of Allie Turner and Monet Witherspoon along with talented underclassmen BreAunna Ward and Moriyah Douglass.
Lift for Life Girls Bring it Home: Lift for Life Academy brought home its second state championship in girls basketball in March. The Hawks defeated Park Hills Central to win the Class 4 state championship. Lift for Life won the state title with an exciting brand of up-tempo basketball that featured a stable of talented guards in sophomores Zha Harris, Diamond Polk and freshmen twins Amaya and Cara Manuel.
IWA Girls Track makes history: The Incarnate Word Red Knights brought home a state championship trophy for the first time by winning the Class 3 state crown. IWA was led by senior Kamari Brown in the throws and freshman Bailey Hensgens in the jumps.