The spring season will surely hold much excitement for high schools across the area. Here is a preview of what’s to come.
BASEBALL:
Westminster Christian Academy was the lone area state champion in 2013. The Wildcats had an amazing 33-3 season capped by a 2-1 victory over Oak Grove in the Class 4 championship game. Westminster will enter the 2014 season on a 22-game winning streak. Shane Benes’ home run scored Westminster’s only runs in the title game. It was his 11th of the season, which led the entire St. Louis area. Benes, a shortstop who also hit .417 and drove in 37 runs, is a senior this season. The biggest question mark coming into the season at Westminster will be on the mound. Ben Lovell and Davis Vanderslice, both seniors ,combined for a 17-0 record last year. Senior 6-foot-4 Brennan Hehner won all seven of his decisions as a junior last year with an ERA of 1.91. Junior Luke Matheny also was dominant in limited action with a 5-0 record and a 0.78 ERA. The offense should be solid with the return of Benes, senior third baseman Caleb Hicks (.406, 36 RBI) and senior catcher Brett Bond (.360 and 41 RBI, which was second in the St. Louis area.) The Metro Catholic Conference should be strong again this season. CBC finished second in the state in Class 5 last year, while Vianney and Saint Louis University High also made it through districts and all the way to the quarterfinals. CBC will certainly miss Justin Paulsen, who led the entire St. Louis area with 48 RBI. He was second to Benes in home runs with eight. Senior Jake Burger (.437 with 31 RBI) and junior pitcher Matt Vierling (6-0, 2.65 ERA) were top underclassmen for the Cadets last year. SLUH will have to rebuild on the mound. The Junior Bills lost pitchers Brian Howard and Andrew Quinn, who both had ERAs under 1. Vianney loses power hitter Matt Brown, but one of its top pitchers from last year, Jake Hemphill (8-1), is a senior. Other top players who were underclassmen last season include: Whitfield senior Justin Chu (.469); Chaminade senior Matt Donahue (.467); John Burroughs senior Jake Wood (.444); Ladue senior Ryan Glazer (.442); Marquette senior Matt Scheibel (seven home runs); and Parkway Central senior Zack Lazenby (six home runs).
GIRLS SOCCER
St. Joseph’s Academy had another outstanding season in 2013. The Angels were 19-3 and third in the state in Class 3. They return their leading scorer, senior Kaley Nieters (20 goals), but will certainly miss Haley Kavanaugh, who scored 17 goals. Webster Groves should have another outstanding team after a 22-3-1 record last season. The Stateswomen had the misfortune of being in the same district as St. Joseph’s and saw their season end in the district championship game. They return the core of their team, including junior Maddie Pokorny, who scored 26 goals last season. Webster also has a good group of freshmen and will bring back its top defender, Peyton Beck, who played only four games last season. “I think we are a better overall team this season, although it will be very hard to duplicate our record,” says Webster Groves coach Chris Allen, whose team also won 20 games in 2012. “We have been flying under the radar a bit, but last year was a big season as we won the conference and the CYC Tournament. It is a dream to go to the final four, and I think we have that kind of capability, although we are in a brutal, brutal district.” Visitation and MICDS will be among the other schools to watch this spring. The Vivettes were 15-6 last season. They lose top scorer Jade Klump (20 goals) but bring back one of the area’s top players in senior Sarah Price, who scored 18 goals last season. MICDS was 17-3 and the Rams return their top two scorers in junior Klasey Medelberg (17 goals) and senior Caroline Militello (16 goals).
TENNIS
Two area teams figure to be among the best in the state as the boys compete in the spring. MICDS is the defending Class 1 champion, while Clayton returns its top four players, including the two who competed for the individual state singles crown last season. MICDS returns its top three players, Joe McAllister, Tyler Raclin and Geoff Raclin, who all placed at the individual state tournament last year, McAllister in singles and the Raclin brothers in doubles. Clay Campbell and Constantine Veronikis also return from the state lineup with newcomers Rex Serituk and Rohit Chouhan adding tennis experience and depth. “We are approaching this season as a completely new opportunity to improve individually and as a team with each match,” Rams coach Patrick Huewe says. “This year will have new challenges of its own that will keep our guys focused on getting better each day instead of dwelling on repeating as state champs.” Clayton may not have the depth of MICDS but the Greyhounds have as good a top of the lineup as any team in the state. Mac Rechan returns as not only the top player on the Greyhounds, but the top player in Class 1 in the state. He won the state singles crown, beating his teammate Joey Dulle in the championship match. Dulle himself is a two-time state champion in doubles. Josh Lee completes the all-senior and experienced top half of the lineup. Another senior, Adam Rangwala, also returns this season. “My goal for a senior-laden Greyhound team is to get to state as a team,” says Clayton coach Susie Luten. “I know MICDS is extremely strong but I feel we can compete. Of course, another goal is Mac defending his state championship.” CBC had the top area finish in Class 2. The Cadets were led by Alex Pozo, who advanced to the semifinals of the individual state tournament.
WATER POLO
Saint Louis University High continued its dominance in waterpolo with its 16th Missouri Water Polo Championship. And the Junior Bills did so in dramatic fashion with a last-second goal in an 11-10 win over MICDS in the title game. Victor Castro, who is a captain this season, scored the game-winner with 1.3 seconds remaining. He is one of only a few returning players for the Junior Bills, who graduated all seven starters from their state title team. Two-meter Jack Brauer, defender Colin Derdeyn and goalie Arthur Larson will be counted on to pick up the slack this season. “Will the lack of experience derail the Junior Billikens?” SLUH coach Paul Baudendistel asked. “Time will tell. Our goal for this season is the same as our goal every season: be the best team we can be. Some of the players think differently, focusing on wins and losses. But I don’t want us to be the best. I want us to be our best.”
BOYS GOLF
Every stroke counts in the state tournament. MICDS coach Ron Holtman certainly knows that. His Ram team came within a stroke of winning the state tournament in 2012, falling to St. Francis Borgia. But last year it was a different story as MICDS won a close one. The Rams won by three strokes over Cape Girardeau Notre Dame. The Rams should be among the favorites again this spring as two state medalists were freshmen last year. Drew Lilly finished second while Michael O’Keefe was 25th. Another interesting development to watch for this season will be whether Vianney’s Matt Mueller can defend his state championship. Mueller, who is now a senior, won the Class 4 individual championship last year. Marquette had the top area team finish in Class 4 last season. The Mustangs were third.
LACROSSE
MICDS defeated Ursuline 12-7 in the championship game of the Missouri Scholastic Lacrosse Association last season. And the Rams appear loaded as they get set to defend their title. Leading scorer Rebecca Wellford returns, as does goalie Ellis Chaifant and a talented core of returning seniors led by Olivia Polk, Gabby Putnam and Emily Kyman. “The leadership and hard work of the seniors show continuously,” MICDS coach Traci Phipps says. “I have high expectations for this team. We are expecting our players to work twice as hard, since everyone wants to knock us down because we are the defending champs. Last year does not matter. It’s a new year, a new team and we are going to have to work twice as hard to achieve our goals.” MICDS won its last 10 games last season, and 15 of its last 16.
VOLLEYBALL
The boys compete in the spring and a pair of teams in the Town & Style coverage area will defend state titles. For one of the teams, the state crown was a new experience; for the other, it was old hat. The Lafayette boys matched their girls team with a state title in 2014, their first. The Lancers, who finished 31-5-1, defeated CBC in the championship game in Class 3. Their top two players in kills, Alex Moll and Adam Kerr, graduated, but senior outside hitter Mike Chard and senior setter Jakob Jozwiakowski were key underclassmen contributors last season. Vianney has been one of the most dominant teams in decades, and the Griffins were at it again last year, winning their final 12 matches en route to the Class 3 title. Vianney, which finished 26-7-1, defeated Westminster Christian Academy in the championship game. Grant Carter and David Siebum, who will be juniors this year, led the team in kills last season, while setter Kyle Foley, who will be a senior, led the team in assists.
TRACK
John Burroughs was the area’s top boys team in 2013. The Bombers finished second in state in Class 3, but that was because of a dominant effort by Ezekiel Elliott, who has graduated. Elliott capped his amazing high school career with state championships in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, 110-meter high hurdles and 300-meter low hurdles. CBC and Marquette had top-five finishes in Class 4 and both teams return some key athletes. The highlight for the Cadets’ third-place team finish was a championship in the meet finale, the 4×100-meter relay. Two of those runners, Jerrick Powell, who was a freshman, and Stephan Hickman, who was a sophomore, were underclassmen. Distance runner Noah Kaupilla keyed Marquette’s fifth-place finish as a team. Kaupilla won the 800-meter run, finished second in the 1,600-meter run and ran a leg of the 4×800-meter relay, which finished second. Kaupilla also excelled in the fall in cross country, winning a state championship. SLUH’s Raymond Wingo is another returning state champion. He won the prestigious 100-meter dash last season. A freshman excelled in girls track last season. Brentwood’s Sophia Rivera swept the two throwing events, the shot put and the discus, in Class 2. Maplewood actually had the best finish in any class from the area. The Devils were fifth in Class 2. Essence Brewer, who was a junior last year, led the way. She won the 400-meter dash and was third in the 200-meter dash. Parkway North and MICDS each finished in 10th place at state. The Vikings did so in Class 4. They graduate state champion Amber Alexander (high jump), but four girls who placed in relays: Brianna Hilt, Jasmyne Suber, Diarra Newson and Kayla Clay, who were underclassmen. MICDS won the 4×400-meter relay, although three of the runners were seniors. Geneva Lee, who was a freshman, is the lone returning runner from that relay. Katherine Laughlin and Sara Ory return from the 4×800-meter relay team, as does Lee. They finished third.
By Bill Hester
