Finalist Bios 2021 

Humanitarian Hometown Hero Award (Presented by, Joslin’s Jewelry) 

Dayton Moore 

CYITML was founded by Royals General Manager Dayton Moore to support youth baseball, education, faith-based organizations and events, and families in crisis. Our flagship program is C-10 Mentoring & Leadership, which gives high school students an opportunity to become better leaders and prepare for the future. 

Bob Kendrick  

Established in a one-room office in 1990, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is a privately funded, not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America.  Kendrick is the President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. 

Jennifer McCartney 

Kansas City Heroes is a Pay It Forward group committed to lending a helping hand to people in need through our actions. Kansas City Heroes helps people with disabilities, senior citizens, the houseless, veterans, and single-parent homes by providing acts of kindness. Jennifer is the Founder/President of the Pay It Forward nonprofit in Kansas City.  

Laurent Duverynay-Tardif  

Tardif started the LDT foundation to organize turnkey events that encourage a balance among sports, arts, and studies, with a special focus on Elementary Cycle 3. He opted out of the 2020 NFL season to work the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic as he is the first active player in the NFL to earn a medical degree.  

Travis Kelce 

Travis Kelce won the #WPMOYChallenge for his involvement in the Kansas City community. He started Eighty-Seven & Running, which helps underserved youth strive to become productive citizens by mentoring and motivating them to explore and develop their abilities while learning critical life skills.   

The Border Patrol with Nate & Steven 

The Border Patrol on Sports Radio 810 WHB is hosted by Steven St. John and Nate Bukaty.  Over the past 20 years, both hosts have been involved in countless charitable endeavors throughout Kansas City.  Steven is on the Board of Directors for Sheffield Place, ALS Association Mid America Chapter, Greater Kansas City Hispanic Development Fund, MC Walk and involved regularly in countless other charitable organizations.  Nate is the Founder and President of the Sean D Biggs Memorial Foundation for Cancer Prevention and executive board member of the Victory Project, Volley Llama Charity Event benefitting Noah’s Bandage Project, emcee for the Boys Hope Girls Hope Trivia Night Fundraiser and much more. 

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Perseverance Award (Presented by, Ryan Lawn & Tree) 

Logan Pfeister 

After undergoing open-heart surgery this summer, sophomore Logan Pfeister is competing with the cross-country team again at Mill Valley. Earned state medial on 4×800 relay. 

Ashton Larson  

The 12-year-old Overland Park resident competed at the World Cup in Taiwan last week as part of the 12 and under U.S. national baseball team. Last month, he competed against 110 other athletes, selected from thousands across the country, for 18 spots on the national team.  

Avery Mertz  

Park Hill High School’s Avery Mertz is a senior who will be going to Drake University next year. Avery has been a captain for the last 2 seasons. Avery has battled Covid-19 and other injuries. She battled back from hip surgery for this past 2021-2022 to come back the week before districts. She never missed a single training or game.  

Wentric Williams III 

Williams III lost his father, Wentric Williams II, who died suddenly from an aneurysm on Sept 26, 2020. Williams III – the oldest of six siblings – rushed for 249 rushing yards and 4 TDs the following weekend to lead Liberty to a win at Rock Bridge. The junior went on for 1,355 rushing yards and 17 TDs, as well as helping the Blue Jays to the state wrestling title as the Missouri Class 4 state champion in the 182 class. 

Salvador Perez  

Salvy missed all of 2019 with Tommy John surgery, then missed summer camp due to COVID, as well as missing three weeks during the 2020 season due to an eye condition. Perez earned a spot as all-MLB First Team, and the 2020 American League Comeback Player of the Year. 

Alex Smith 

The former Chiefs quarterback returned to Washington from a broken leg suffered in 2018 and earned the 2020 AP Comeback Player of the Year honor.  

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Champions Leadership Award (Presented by, Silverstein Eye Centers)   

Conrad Hawley 

The senior quarterback led Raymore-Peculiar to the Missouri Class 6 state football championship in 2020. Hawley earned the Simone Award for top Kansas City player and will be playing at Kansas in the fall. 

Chris and Angie Long 

Angie and Chris Long, the husband-and-wife team behind Palmer Square Capital Management, returned to Kansas and brought the new NWSL Kansas City soccer team with them. They have brought a new team to the Kansas City market while being tremendous community leaders throughout the process. 

 Kenneth Lenger 

 Kenneth Lenger Led Liberty High School to second straight wrestling title, getting a gold himself. Also leading the cross-country team to third place at state.  

Kennedy Taylor 

Taylor helped lead Shawnee Mission Northwest to an undefeated season and the Kansas Class 6A state girls’ basketball championship, posting 19 ppg and 13.5 rebounds during the state tourney. Kennedy will play at Colorado next year. 

Tim Kluempers  

St. Thomas Aquinas’ rugby head coach Tim Kluempers. Founding the team in 2007, Kluempers’ Saints claim 12 consecutive state titles from 2008-19, including a national championship in 2017. 

Ben McCollum 

McCollum led Northwest Missouri State to its third men’s basketball NCAA Division II national championship in the last four seasons. The 40-year-old earned his fourth NABC Division II Coach of the Year award in 2021. 

Terry English 

English retired after 45 years as the Bishop Miege head basketball coach with a 910-168 record and 22 state titles, including the 2021 Kansas Class 4A state championship. English was named the MaxPreps National Coach of the Year for 2020-21. 

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Clutch Performance Award (Presented by, Metcalf CARSTAR) 

Christopher “JJ” Johnson 

Born partially deaf, Christopher plays QB in high school starting and is starting his senior year. He always uplifts other people and is never down on himself either. He attends Blue Springs High School and is a part of Epic 7 Midwest.  

Robert Moore 

Arkansas Razorback player, Earned three awards during the season – SEC Co-Player of the Week (Feb. 24) and SEC Co-Freshman of the Week (March 16), as well as Perfect Game National Player of the Week on Feb. 24 … First Arkansas freshman to earn player of the week honors from the conference. Attended Shawnee Mission East HS.    

Cooper Marsh  

Cooper is a 2x State Champion QB. In two state championship games Cooper gained 668 total yards and 10 touchdowns, going 9-0 in the playoffs as a starter.  

Tyler Geiman  

The Blue Valley grad swished a 57-footer from half court as the buzzer sounded to knock off eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State, 69-68, in the MIAA men’s basketball championship game. 

 Joe Pleasant 

With Abilene Christian trailing, 52-51 and :02 left in its NCAA Tournament first-round game vs Texas, the Blue Valley Northwest grad – just a 58% free-throw shooter – stepped to the line and nailed both charity tosses to propel the Wildcats to a 53-52 upset over the Longhorns. 

 Jordan Weber 

The Mizzou pitcher fired a no-hitter over Iowa State in the NCAA Regional, to send the Tigers to Super Regional vs James Madison. The Lee’s Summit West grad won 12 games with a 2.82 ERA for Mizzou in 2021. 

Chris Nilsen 

The Park Hill grad knocked off Sam Kendricks, the American record holder in the pole vault and was the only U.S. vaulter to clear 5.90 meters in the US Olympic Trials to advance for Team USA in the Olympics in Tokyo. 

Carson Liggett 

Liggett helped boost Blue Valley to the Kansas Class 6A state baseball title, going 3-0 in the three state games. The Louisville commit fired 9 innings with just 1 earned run allowed over the state championship weekend. 

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Male High School Athlete of The Year (KS) – (Presented by, 23rd Street Brewery) 

Kendall Diggs 

Diggs was named to Collegiate Baseball’s first-team All-American team. The third baseman was tabbed the Kansas 5A Player of the Year for St. Thomas Aquinas, and will play at Arkansas next year. 

Kevin Glenn 

Glenn won the Kansas Class 6A state title for Blue Valley West in both the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard individual medley. His 49.54 time in the 100-yard backstroke broke his own state record (2020). Glenn will be attending Florida State next year. 

Ethan Kremer 

Kremer notched his third Kansas Class 5A wrestling title, finishing 23-1 in the heavyweight division. The senior also bolstered the Mill Valley defensive line in its back-to-back Class 5A state football titles, and has committed to play at Colorado School of Mines. 

Ben Kudrna 

Kudrna was named first-team All-American by Collegiate Baseball. The right-handed pitcher helped Blue Valley Southwest to the Kansas Class 5A state title and is an LSU commit. 

Carson Liggett 

Liggett helped boost Blue Valley to the Kansas Class 6A state baseball title, going 3-0 in the three state games. The Louisville commit finished with a perfect 9-0 record, and a ridiculous 0.80 ERA and 0.67 WHIP. 

Mark Mitchell 

Mitchell shared the DiRenna Award for the top Metro boys basketball player in 2021, in helping the Stags to the Kansas Class 4A state title. Mitchell, a top 10 recruit nationally in the 2022 class, holds offers from nearly everyone, including Kansas, Duke, North Carolina, UCLA and others. 

Chance Rinkol 

The Blue Valley standout won the Kansas Class 6A golf state championship – as a freshman. Rinkol was runner-up in the Kansas City Junior Championship last summer. 

DJ White 

White was the leading scorer for the St. Thomas Aquinas state soccer championship team, earning first-team all-state honors as well. White will play for Coastal Carolina next year. 

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Female High School Athlete of The Year (KS) – (Presented by, One Request) 

Caroline Bien 

Bien was named the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year at St. Thomas Aquinas, and will play for Kansas next year, already being named the Big 12 Preseason Freshman of the Year. 

Grace O’Keefe 

O’Keefe was named the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year, helping St. Thomas Aquinas to the Kansas Class 5A state title. O’Keefe will play for Missouri State. 

Kennedy Taylor 

Taylor helped lead Shawnee Mission Northwest to an undefeated season and the Kansas Class 6A state girls basketball championship, posting 19 ppg and 13.5 rebounds during the state tourney. Kennedy will play at Colorado next year. 

Payton Verhulst 

Verhulst was named the Kansas Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020 and 2021, as well as the DiRenna Award winner for top player in the Metro area. The Louisville commit helped lead Bishop Miege to three consecutive Kansas Class 4A state titles. 

Kendra Wait 

Wait became the first Kansas female to win four golds at the state track and field championships in 108 years. Wait took home gold in the Kansas Class 6A gold in shot put (41’2.5″), pole vault (11’0″), long jump (18’5″) and 100 meter (12.02). Wait, who was named the Kansas Gatorade Volleyball Player of the Year in 2019, will play volleyball at Creighton next year. 

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Male High School Athlete of The Year (MO) – (Presented by, Wholesale Batteries) 

Conrad Hawley 

The senior quarterback led Raymore-Peculiar to the Missouri Class 6 state football championship in 2020. Hawley earned the Simone Award for top Kansas City player and will be playing at Kansas in the fall. 

Ethan Lee

The Liberty North junior brought home four golds at Missouri Class 5 state track meet, finishing first in the 800, 1600 as well as with the 4×400 and 4×800 relay. 

Ryan Lee 

Lee won his second Missouri state title in as many attempts, as the Pembroke Hill junior ran away with the Missouri Class 5 title by six strokes. 

Kal Miller 

Miller won his second Missouri Class 4 wrestling title with a perfect 33-0 mark in the 152 class. Miller will be wrestling at Maryland ahead. 

Bennett Stirtz 

Stirtz helped lead Liberty (26-4) to the Missouri Class 6 state championship game, averaging 21 ppg, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 blocks during the postseason. The junior was a first-team all-state Class 6 selection. 

Daniel Worth 

Worth took home three gold from the Missouri Class 2 swimming championships – 200-Yard Medley Relay, 100-Yard Butterfly, 100-Yard Breaststroke and bronze in the 200-yard Freestyle Relay. In his high school career, the Virginia commit won 13 golds and set the Missouri state record in the 100-Yard Breaststroke. 

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FEMALE HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – MISSOURI

Addison Beagle

Beagle helped lead Liberty North to the Class 5 state volleyball title. The junior was named the Gatorade Player of the Year in Missouri in 2020-21.

Makayla Clark

Makayla won the Missouri Class 5 gold in the 800 meter with a time of 2:11.59. The junior at Lee’s Summit West also also took home gold in the 1600 with a 5:01.31 mark, as well as second as part of the Titan 4×400 meter relay. 

Caleia Johnson

Johnson was the Missouri Class 5 state champion in the 400 meter (55.23), as well as second in the 200 meter and 100 meter. The Park Hill senior also was part of the 4×100 meter relay, which took fourth.

Grace Slaughter

Grace racked up buckets at a record pace, averaging 27.3 ppg to lead the Metro this year. Just a sophomore at Grain Valley, Slaughter already is committed to Mizzou.

Annica Valmassei

Valmassei won the Missouri Class 2 state diving title in the Missouri 1-meter diving championships with 431.70 cumulative points. The senior will attend Davidson collegiately.

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Male College Athlete of the Year (Presented by, Walker Medical Linen)  

Nick Bolton 

Bolton was selected as first-team All-SEC for Mizzou for the second year in a row, notching 95 tackles, as well as a second-team All-American. The linebacker was selected in the second round by the Chiefs. 

Tyler Geiman 

The Blue Valley grad earned his second first all-MIAA selection in 2020-21, and hit a half-court shot to win the MIAA basketball tournament over Northwest Missouri State. 

Evan Hailes 

The former Blue Valley West trackster was the Big South Conference champion in the triple jump at Winthrop and qualified for the NCAA East prelims. 

Trevor Hudgins 

Hudgins was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year, as he helped lead Northwest Missouri State to its second straight NCAA Division II national basketball championship.  

KC Lightfoot 

The Lee’s Summit grad set the NCAA indoor pole vault record at 5.94 meters, then the Baylor junior finished in the top three at the U.S. Olympic trials to make Team USA and compete in the Olympics in Tokyo. 

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Female College Athlete of The Year (Presented by, Krucial Staffing) 

Caroline Crawford 

The Lansing grad earned all-Big 12 first team and all-Big 12 Rookie team honors as just a freshman at Kansas. Crawford was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week three times, and earned a spot on the USA Volleyball U20 National Training Team. 

Kylie Deberg 

Deberg was named a second-team All-American and first-team all-SEC after a standout season for Mizzou volleyball. The three-time All-American transferred to LSU this past June. 

Arianna Fisher 

The junior holds the Mizzou record in the triple jump, and finished seventh in the U.S. Olympic trials. 

Audrey Fisher 

The Central Missouri senior was named to the All-MIAA first team for the third time. A grad of Olathe Northwest, Fisher looks to be named her third All-American as the honors will be released ahead.   

Brooke Wilmes 

The Mizzou centerfielder was named an NCAA Division I third-team All-American, and helped the Tigers to the NCAA Super Regionals. 

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KC Metro Coach of the Year (Presented by, Bob Hamilton Plumbing Heating AC Rooter and Electrical) 

Terry English 

English retired after 45 years as the Bishop Miege head basketball coach with a 910-168 record and 22 state titles, including the 2021 Kansas Class 4A state championship. English was named the MaxPreps National Coach of the Year for 2020-21. 

Craig Ewing 

Ewing led St. Thomas Aquinas in the fall to the Kansas Class 5A state title with a 15-3-3 mark, then guided the Saints girls to a 17-4 mark and the Kansas Class 5A state crown in the spring. Ewing has won 17 boys and 16 girls Kansas state titles with Aquinas. 

Ryan Phifer 

A year after Blue Valley North reached the Kansas Class 6A state boys basketball semifinals as the tourney was called off during the Mustangs quarterfinal win, Phifer guided BVN all the way to the Kansas Class 6A state title at 21-3. 

Tom Radke 

Radke steered St. James Academy to its first state football title, taking the Kansas Class 4A state championship and beating Bishop Miege, 36-35, in the semis to halt the Stags six-peat. 

Tony Scardino 

Scardino guided Blue Valley to a 22-3 record and the Kansas Class 6A baseball state championship – the fifth state title since 2010 for the Tigers. 

Roger Stirtz 

Stirtz oversaw Liberty’s run to the Missouri Class 6 state championship game, and a 26-4 overall record before bowing out to Kickapoo in the title game. 

Tyler Stewart
Stewart led the Cougars to the Kansas Class 6A state title and a perfect 23-0 season, including beating Bishop Miege along the way.

Katie Dowden
Talk about domination – Dowden led the Eagles to an undefeated season and state title in Missouri Class 5 at 24-0.

KC Metro Male School/Team of the Year (Presented by, Hen House) 

Blue Valley Baseball 

The Tigers featured six Division I commits and won the Kansas Class 6A title with a 22-3 record, including a thrilling comeback win in the title game over Gardner-Edgerton. 

Liberty Baseball  

The Blue Jays (32-9) rolled in the Missouri Class 6 state baseball tourney, winning the final three games by an average of 4+ runs per game, including an 8-4 win over Ft. Zumalt West. 

Liberty Wrestling 

The Blue Jays demolished the field with 226 points, nearly doubling second-place CBC (117). Four Jays won their classes, while two more finished second. 

Mill Valley Football 

The Jaguars (10-2) repeated as Kansas Class 5A state football champs, with a 42-7 crushing of St. Thomas Aquinas in the semis, and posting 49 on Wichita Northwest in the title game. 

Raymore-Peculiar Football 

A year after losing to DeSmet in the semifinals, the Panthers returned under first-year head coach Sean Martin and blanked DeSmet, 23-0, in the championship game to win the Missouri Class 6 football title. 

St. James Football 

St. James Academy won its first state football title, taking the Kansas Class 4A state championship and beating Bishop Miege, 36-35, in the semis to halt the Stags six-peat. 

St. Thomas Aquinas Rugby 

The Saints won its 12th Kansas title under Tim Kluempers and finished 24-2 and ranked No. 6 in the nation. 

KC METRO FEMALE SCHOOL/TEAM OF THE YEAR

Shawnee Mission Northwest Basketball
The Cougars finished with an undefeated 23-0 season and the Kansas Class 6A state title, beating Bishop Miege and rolling the Sunflower League along the way.

Bishop Miege Basketball
As usual, the Stags won the Kansas Class 4A state tournament in Terry English’s final season as head coach.

St. Thomas Aquinas Volleyball
Kansas Class 5A is arguably the toughest class in both Missouri and Kansas with the likes of St. James Academy and Lansing, and the Saints outlasted Lansing in the state title match.

Liberty North Volleyball
Talk about domination – the Eagles finished undefeated in Missouri Class 5 at 24-0.

Lee’s Summit North Softball
The Broncos reached the Missouri Class 5 state final and narrowly losing, 1-0, to finish 28-4

CAN’T STOP WATCHING PLAY/MOMENT (Presented by, Xfinity Mobile) 

Better Sooner Than Later for K-State 

Down 28-7 early in the third quarter at Oklahoma, K-State scored 31 second-half points to match the largest comeback in school history for an improbable 38-35 win over the Sooners. 

Busio Boosts SKC with Free Kick 

With a capacity crowd returning to Children’s Mercy Park, Gianluca Busio ignited Sporting Kansas City with a stunning free kick that sparked three goals in a 14-minute span for a 3-2 comeback win over Houston. 

Geiman for the MIAA Title 

With Washburn trailing 69-69, Blue Valley grad Tyler Geiman swished a 57-footer from half court as the buzzer sounded to knock off eventual national champion Northwest Missouri State in the MIAA men’s basketball championship game 

Henne Heroics 

No Mahomes? No worries as Chad Henne subbed in for an injured Patrick Mahomes with a trip to the AFC Championship Game on the line. Leading 22-17 in the final minutes and facing 3rd-and-14, Henne’s 13-yard scramble set up a Henne pass to Tyreek Hill on fourth down to seal the win. 

Tyreek Goes Bonkers vs Bucs 

Tyreek Hill went ballistic against Tampa Bay in the November matchup of the eventual Super Bowl foes. Hill racked up 203 receiving yards in the first quarter, including touchdowns of 75 and 44 yards. The total fell shy of Qadry Ismail’s record in a quarter (210, 1999) 

Weber’s No-No in Regional 

Jordan Weber, a grad of Lee’s Summit West, left no doubt with a no-hitter in the NCAA Regional Final for a 5-0 win over Iowa State to send Mizzou to the softball Super Regional. 

Kansas City Fan of The Year (Presented by, The Kansas City Steak Company) 

Superfan Chris Coats 

This Royals superfan has attended 1,000+ Royals home games and hasn’t missed a game he was able to attend since 2004.  

Colin Couch   

Colin is from Olathe and is 20 years old. Despite being wheelchair-bound, he manages to attend every single Hawk Talk and is always the first smiling face the KU football team sees when they get off the team bus on gamedays.  Colin was born with a condition that will keep him from ever walking or forming words to speak, but he is sharp as a tack when it comes to following his Jayhawks and win or lose is the most supportive fan KU could ever hope to have.  

Bob Hergert  

Bob and his wife Loretta make the trip every match day to Children’s Mercy Park from Leavenworth.  Bob has been a season ticket member with Sporting KC since the 2014 season.  You can catch Bob cheering on the boys in blue from the top of section 127 and never misses an opportunity to talk Sporting.  No matter what the topic of discussion is, he’ll always leave you with a “Go Sporting” closing from the heart. 

Kansas City Medical Professional of The Year (Presented by, Krucial Staffing) 

 Dr. Jasmine Cipporah Gordon 

Saint Luke’s Hospital, specializes in Hospital medicine.  

Dr. Jason Eppler  

Emergency Medicine Physican Leader in Kansas City – Regional Medical Director for Kansas City’s 13 HCA ERs and ER Medical Director at Research Medical Center’s Level 1 Trauma Center.  Jason helped coordinate COVID-19 relief efforts across Kansas City and the surrounding region.

Dr. Steve Reintjes  

North KC Hospital Neurosurgeon, spinal  

Dr. Kirk McCullough  

Orthopedic sports medicine and foot/ankle surgeon at KC Orthopedic Institute.  

Dr. Ameet Deshmukh   

Emergency Medicine Specialist in Kansas City, MO.  He is affiliated with medical facilities Overland Park Regional Medical Center and Research Medical Center. 

Heather Smith, RN  

Smith stayed in the epicenter of the pandemic, New York, for two months caring for patients.  

Dr. Michael Lewis   

Associate Professor, Associate Division Chief, Director Cystic Fibrosis Program, Director Pediatric Inpatient Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit in the Division of General Pediatrics at The University of Kansas Health System.  

Morgan Fellers, RN 

Morgan is an ICU nurse in the Saint Luke’s Health Center.