The 2015-16 high school sports season comes to an end with the Ozarks bringing home over a dozen team state championships. We got to thinking, "which school had the best athletic year?" and thought we would see what you the fans think. The ten finalists are an even mix of area big schools and small schools based on MSHSAA enrollment numbers. They were picked based on a points system that reward teams for district championships, state appearances and state championships. Voting runs until Friday at 5:00 pm, one vote per day, per IP address. We'll announce the winner along with this year's 1 Awards nominees on the final O-Zone Show Friday, 11:30 pm on the Ozarks CW.
Bolivar – The Liberators weren’t just successful in a couple sports, they won district titles in boys basketball, girls basketball, boys cross country, girls cross country, girls soccer and girls tennis. Throw in state ranked baseball and football teams and you have a pretty dominant athletic year.
Catholic – The Irish may not have killed it in the big three (football, basketball and baseball), but they cleaned up elsewhere. A state championship in boys cross country was the crown jewel to go with state appearances by girls cross country, boys golf and a 9th place finish in boys track. Boys soccer added a district title and the girls were a goal away from their 14th consecutive district crown.
Crane – Most people will think of the Lady Pirates’ dynasty basketball program that cruised to its fourth straight state title this spring, but don’t discount the fact that many of those same girls and boys hoopsters led Crane to top 11 finishes at state track and a district championship on the volleyball court.
Hermitage – The Hornets field nine sports and did quite well across the board. The boys cross country team captured its second straight state title in rather convincing fashion while the ladies made it to state. They didn’t win any other district titles, but were in the finals for boys basketball, girls basketball and softball.
Kickapoo – For one of the area’s most successful programs this was a banner year even for their standards. It started in the fall when the football team stunned the state by reaching the Class 6 final four and the softball team shocked Ozark to steal the district. By winter, the girls basketball team ended an 11-year drought by winning the Class 5 title, while the boys took nationally ranked Chaminade down to the wire, finishing second. The state ranked baseball team was upset in the district championship, but the girls track team showed well with a pair of state titles; Allison Bailey in the 800m and Jordan Sanders in the inaugural javelin. If that wasn’t enough, both swim teams sent multiple athletes to state, including an individual title for Samuel Senn and girls tennis made the final four.
Plato – With an enrollment of just over 200 the Eagles made the most of the 2015-16 campaign. The baseball team has racked up 25 wins to reach the Class 2 final four. The softball teams was 19-2 before falling just one run shy of reach the final four. The boys cross country team earned a top 10 finish at state and both basketball teams finished with winning records.
Rogersville – While the Wildcats didn’t win any state championships they won district titles in an incredible seven different sports; volleyball, girls soccer, softball, girls tennis and state appearances in boys cross country, boys golf and girls golf.
School of the Ozarks – Despite being the newest school in our area the Patriots did quite well athletically, led by their legs. Both boys and girls cross country made state. The SOTO ladies finished seventh at state track led by Evelyn Carswell’s high jump gold while Keaton Tillack won the Class 1 110m hurdle title. And the boys basketball trucked its way to the quarterfinals before falling 58-49 to Gideon.
Skyline – This was a senior class for the ages for the Tigers. Dylan Mountain, Chipper Berry and company led the Tigers to their first football final four. Many of the same athletes turned in their cleats for basketball shoes on the way to a district title. Not to be outdone, the Lady Tigers were back in the final four for where they fell to Crane for the fourth straight year. And to cap things off, the boys ran away with their second straight state track title.
Strafford – Final four was a term uttered often along I-44 this year. The Indians went to state in four different sports. The girls basketball team won its first state title and with the core of the team returning next year could be in for a long run of success. The volleyball team took a heart-breaking loss in the Class 2 championship, but again return a lot next season. Both boys golf and boys cross country also made it to the state tournament. Baseball and boys basketball game won twice as many games as they lost.
