Every now and then the sports teams at St. Vincent High in Perryville remind the rest of the Jefferson County Activities Association that they belong, even though they’re about 35 miles south of the county line.
The Indian girls basketball team delivered that message in bold type this season, winning the JCAA small-schools championship at 4-0 en route to the winningest season in school history (27-4) and second place in Missouri Class 2.
The JCAA coaches voted senior Allie Patrick and junior Brie Rubel to the all-conference first team. Patrick topped 1,000 career points this season and was selected the conference player of the year for the second straight season after averaging 19.5 points per game in league play. Rubel is St. Vincent’s all-time assist leader. Her twin sister, Kate, was voted onto the second team.
Indian head coach Mel Kirn, in his fifth year, was a slam-dunk choice as the JCAA small-schools coach of the year. The Indians are 83-49 under him, with two district titles.
Jefferson (14-2) finished second in the conference at 3-1 but was no match for Kirn’s squad, which crushed the Blue Jays 78-37 at Jefferson in late January.
The Blue Jays were represented on the first team by junior Halayna Loyd, who also went over 1,000 points for her career and now holds the school record with 1,062. Loyd led the team with 16.3 points per game and her ability to attack the basket sent her to the free-throw line 139 times, where she made 95 (68.3 percent).
Loyd averaged 12 points per game her first two seasons.
“I took on a new role offensively,” she said. “The last two years I was mostly a 3-point shooter; this year we needed someone to get into the post. Over the summer I tried my best to fulfill that spot. At the beginning it was difficult, but (head coach Stevie Holdinghausen) helped me adapt. I worked hard in the weight room. I had to learn to fight through contact. I’ve always been aggressive. There’s nothing like scoring 3’s, but when you get that plus-one with that tough defender on you, that’s exciting.”
If she continues to refine her game, she’ll be a candidate for conference player of the year in 2026.
“That’s one of my goals,” she said.
Freshman Addison Bova took on a major responsibility as Crystal City’s point guard this year under first-year head coach Dana Hern. But instead of wilting under the pressure, Bova gave the league notice she’ll be a top talent for years to come after being named to the first team.
“I was very excited to hear the news, but I have to thank my teammates and coaches who helped me achieve that goal,” Bova said. “Before the season, it didn’t cross my mind.”
The Hornets were 11-16 overall and 0-4 in the conference. Bova scored 406 points, a pace that could result in a 2,000-point career total. She led the team with 15 points and 3.3 assists per game. Junior Maya Hankins (honorable mention) paced the Hornets with 10.3 rebounds per outing.
Bova credited fellow freshman guard Molly Reiter for helping her settle in.
“We have strong chemistry and being best friends helps,” she said. “I’m definitely looking forward to (next season) because we have a chance to compete for our conference and maybe district.”
When the Grandview girls take the floor next winter, it will be the first time since 2020 there won’t be a Wakeland there. Sisters Anna Belle and Catherine Wakeland each scored more than 1,000 points in their careers, with Catherine reaching that milestone this year as a senior. She finished with 1,223 to Anna Belle’s 1,195.
A guard, Catherine averaged 16.6 points, 2.4 assists and 3.6 steals to earn first-team all-JCAA honors. Grandview was 11-16 overall and 2-2 in conference action.
Blue Jay boys ride high
Despite losing their head coach, the league MVP and another first-team honoree after the 2024 season, Jefferson’s boys kept rolling, sweeping the small-schools title at 4-0 and winning 20 games. After repeating as Class 3 District 3 champions, Jefferson beat Soldan 69-53 in the sectional round, earning their first trip to the state quarterfinals, where they lost 72-51 to Woodland (24-8).
From the first game, sophomores Colton Broadwater and Blayne Wilson asserted themselves as top players in the conference and both were picked for the first team. A 6-4 post, Broadwater made 188 of 346 shots from the field (54.3 percent) and led the team with 15.8 points per game. He also grabbed 206 rebounds, a 7.1 per-game clip.
“He has an outside component; he doesn’t just sit in the lane,” said Blue Jay head coach Tyler Bellmyer, the small-schools coach of the year. “He knocked down more 3s at the end of the year. His work ethic is better than his talent.”
Wilson, a guard, connected on almost 40 percent of his 3-point attempts (54 of 137) and averaged 14.3 points per night. He scored 20 or more points seven times.
“He’s not just a shooter.,” Bellmyer said. “Some guys have taken 90 percent of their shots from 3; Blayne was about 50 percent. He can put the ball on the floor and make plays for himself.
“They both have very bright futures. We have more kids beyond them who could have been on the first team. I don’t want people to think this was just the Blayne and Colton show.”
A geometry teacher at the high school, Bellmyer said assistant coach Jon Debold deserves a lot of credit for the Blue Jays’ success this season.
“Me being coach of the year is only a title,” he said. “Jon’s a fantastic basketball coach and I’ve learned a whole lot about coaching basketball from him.”
Herculaneum went 3-22, including 0-4 in the league. But Blackcat junior Tanner Duncan was more than worthy of his first-team selection, leading the team in scoring (14.9 points per game), assists (3.8) and steals (2.5).
“He took on a lot more responsibility,” said Jason Jarvis, who resigned March 18 as head coach after 10 seasons at the helm. “Tanner had to break the press, then set up the offense, and we had to find out how to get the ball back to him. He didn’t shoot from the outside very well, but he found a way to get to the hole and he’s going to have a great (senior) year next year.”
Crystal City senior Nolan Eisenbeis is capping a memorable prep career as a football, basketball and baseball player. A standout quarterback, Eisenbeis had the equivalent role on the hardwood at point guard and averaged 19.4 points per game as the Hornets went 4-23 overall and 1-3 in conference play. He earned first-team honors while fellow senior Evan Wolfe made the second team, averaging 15.2 points per game. Wolfe played wide receiver in football and was Eisenbeis’ favorite target.
“We’ve been doing it together for a long time, so we made the most of it,” Eisenbeis said. “It was a combined effort between the guys.”
Eisenbeis recently signed to play baseball at Jefferson College. Several of the JCAA’s top athletes have joined the Vikings and head baseball coach Zac Bone in recent years.
“Since I was a freshman, I knew I wanted to play college baseball, and now that I’m signed, I just want to get to enjoy the game I love. I get to do the fun part of it this (spring).”
JCAA small-schools basketball
GIRLS
First team
Allie Patrick, St. Vincent; Halayna Loyd, Jefferson; Catherine Wakeland, Grandview; Brie Rubel, St. Vincent; Addison Bova, Crystal City
Second team
Kate Rubel, St. Vincent; Peyton Guffey, Jefferson; Jill Jarvis, Herculaneum; Megan Wood, Jefferson; Brooke Patterson, Grandview
Honorable mention
Lana Adams, St. Vincent; Maya Hankins, Crystal City; Abby Smith, Herculaneum; Mallory Patrick, St. Vincent; Haley Emmendorfer, St. Vincent; Sydney Riddle, Grandview; Lia Ott, Jefferson; Riley Robinson, St. Vincent
Player of the year: Allie Patrick, St. Vincent
Coach of the year: Mel Kirn, St. Vincent
BOYS
First team
Max Wheeler, St. Vincent; Nolan Eisenbeis, Crystal City; Colton Broadwater, Jefferson; Tanner Duncan, Herculaneum; Blayne Wilson, Jefferson
Second team
Clinton Pennock, Grandview; Colden Prost, St. Vincent; Evan Wolfe, Crystal City; Parker Ellis, St. Vincent; Cooper Frisk, Jefferson
Honorable mention
Brendan Martin, Grandview
Player of the year: Max Wheeler, St. Vincent
Coach of the year: Tyler Bellmyer, Jefferson