Dogged determination and gritty attitude will be needed this season as the Crusaders, the No. 2 small school in the STLhighschoolsports.com preseason rankings, look to complete some unfinished business.
De Smet, the No. 2 large school in the STLhighschoolsports.com preseason rankings, returns 15 starters from last year's 10-2 team including several of NCAA Division I recruits.
Right-handed pitcher Maci Knowles helped Winfield to the state tournament last fall for the first time in 29 years. She struck out 160 batters in 103 innings.
Read about some of the St. Louis area's top high school fall softball players as the season gets under way.
Cardinal Ritter running back Jamarion Parker is No. 2 on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 football recruiting countdown of the area's top senior college recruits.
Read about some of the St. Louis area's top high school boys soccer players as the season gets under way.
"We're pretty motivated," CBC's Jackson Kohl said. "It's all about getting back (to the championship game) and winning it again."
It's always been in the Lutheran North playbook. Carl Reed lived and died by the simple yet complex offensive system when he guided the Crusaders to a state title in 2019.
"Being back on the soccer field with the kids feels incredible," said Terry Michler, who missed last season on CBC's sideline because of an infection that led to an amputation.
"I'm never going to quit working and putting out everything I can on every play, in every practice," Dierre Hill Jr. said.
"Every year, the goal is always to make it to state," Highland's Ethan Greenwald said.
Howell has recorded 15 successive winning campaigns including a 14-0 mark and a Class 5 state title in 2022. It lost to CBC 28-27 in the district final last season.
The No. 4 large school in the STLhighschoolsports.com preseason rankings, Edwardsville has qualified for the playoffs 12 consecutive seasons.
CBC wide receiver Corey Simms is No. 4 on the 2024 Post-Dispatch Super 30 football recruiting countdown.
Read about some of the St. Louis area's top high school girls volleyball players as the season gets under way.
Last season, the Red Knights (31-10-1) won the Class 4 state title, their 12th state championship but first since 2005.
Cortney Walker knew what she was getting into.
MICDS — No. 5 in the STLhighschoolsports.com preseason small-schools rankings — finished 9-3 last season and fell to eventual state champion Cardinal Ritter in the Class 5 District 3 championship.
Eureka senior left tackle Jack Lange is the No. 5 recruit on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 countdown. The 6-foot-9, 295-pound Lange has verbally committed to Missouri.
Read about some of the St. Louis area's top high school girls tennis players as the season gets under way.
St. Joseph's freshman Adelyn Gross is ranked in the top 20 of her age group nationally in singles and doubles.
Roxana coach Wade DeVries said: "These guys have seen the fruits of their labor. They know what can be done with hard work and determination."
“I feel like we’re in a good place,” Crusaders coach Blake Markway said. “We always emphasize to our kids that tradition’s got to be reestablished every year."
Althoff defensive lineman Jason Dowell is the No. 6 recruit on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 football countdown of the area's top senior college football prospects. He is committed to Mizzou.
Returning 17 returning starters from an 11-1 team, Warrenton is the No. 7 small school in the STLhighschoolsports.com preseason rankings.
"There's a buzz about our program," Summit coach Eric Stewart said. "I'll be at the gas station and people will ask how's the team is going to be this year."
Hermann defensive lineman Daeden Hopkins is the No. 7 recruit on the Post-Dispatch Super 30 football countdown of the area's top senior college football prospects. He is committed to Mizzou.
Lift for Life, the No. 8 small school in the STLhighschoolsports.com preseason rankings, is coming off three consecutive district titles and was 8-5 last season.
"It was a breakout season for our program," Hillsboro quarterback Preston Brown said. "We got where we wanted to be and that's playing for a state championship. That was awesome.
Charles Bass' exploits have been well documented for East St. Louis. His presence on one side of the field has turned that area into a no-fly zone.
Check out some of the best performances produced by area high school athletes.
Check out some of the best performances produced by St. Louis area high school athletes last week.
Check out some of the best performances produced by area high school athletes last week.
"I have the opportunity to go out of high school and I wanted to jump on that," Tytus Cissell said.
"I just want to get there and compete," Ethan Bagwell said. "I love the sport of baseball."
Tytus Cissell, a Francis Howell baseball star, is among several local products expected to be selected in the MLB draft, which begins at 6 p.m. Sunday in Fort Worth.
Read about the St. Louis area's top high school baseball players and their accomplishments throughout the 2024 season.
"After trying to win for so many years, once we finally did it, it didn't feel real," Van Rhein said. "I was like, in shock."
Read about the St. Louis area's top high school girls soccer players and their accomplishments throughout the 2024 season.
Fort Zumwalt South senior Audrey Smith is the All-Metro girls soccer player of the year.
The Chargers freshman is first from St. Louis to earn Gatorade's national honor for girls soccer.
After guiding Vashon to unparalleled success, coach Tony Irons has stepped away from the basketball program and will assume the head coaching duties at Mineral Area College.
St. Mary's junior guard Zyree Collins is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro boys basketball player of the year.
Read about the St. Louis area's top high school boys basketball players and their accomplishments throughout the 2023-24 season.
Nassir Binion scored a career-high 25 points and had seven rebounds to lead the Wolverines' Class 4 boys basketball conquest.
"He brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and success to the program," Angels athletics director Maureen McVey said.
A 1979 St. Joseph's grad, Julie Matheny began as an assistant in 1992 and took over as head coach in 1999 of the Angels girls basketball program.
The girls basketball coach, who suffered a heart attack at the state tournament, will undergo outpatient physical therapy.
Incarnate Word Academy junior point guard Nevaeh Caffey is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro girls basketball player of the year.
Read about the St. Louis area's top high school girls lacrosse players and their accomplishments throughout the 2024 season.
Read about the St. Louis area's top high school boys lacrosse players and their accomplishments throughout the 2024 season.
Eureka senior Kylee Pickens is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro girls lacrosse player of the year.
MICDS senior midfielder Willy Carpenter is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro boys lacrosse player of the year.