The 2024-25 Peoria Journal Star high school sports season officially ended in late June with the crowning of the final spring all-area teams and players of the year.

From all-conference picks to all-staters to state champs — here are each of the Peoria-area players of the year, along with links to our stories and all-area team lists for each of the 19 Illinois High School Association sports for which we choose teams.

FALL

Lane Wheelwright, Farmington

FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior is the third from his school to be named player of the year, leading Farmington (12-1) to the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time in program history. The North Central College commit threw for 2,097 yards on 128-of-214 passing (60 percent) with 25 touchdowns, while rushing for 10 TDs and 323 yards despite missing the last two regular-season games with an injury. Wheelwright was named the LincolnLand Conference-Large Division Offensive Player of the Year, all-LincolnLand-Large Division unanimous first-team quarterback and Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 2A first-team all-state.

• Meet the team: Player of the year and the all-area team

Mia Lamberti, Limestone

VOLLEYBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Following a breakout freshman season, Lamberti proved to be a huge factor in leading Limestone to a 32-win season and a Class 3A state runner-up finish. The 6-foot sophomore setter/outside hitter nearly went for a triple-double (16 kills, 14 assists and six digs) in the state title match. She and Brittany Robinson (2017) are the only two Limestone players to be named POY. She finished with 455 kills, 451 assists, 180 digs, 64 aces and 11 blocks. Her individual accolades include Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association second-team all-state and all-Mid-Illini first team.

• Meet the team: Volleyball player of the year and the all-area team

Maxwell Kirby, Peoria Notre Dame

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Kirby proved there was no sophomore slump in 2024. Kirby ran his best races in the final four weeks of the season, finishing as the Big 12 Conference runner-up (14:58.4) and then had a phenomenal postseason. He won the Class 1A regional on his home course in 15:57.7, then took home the Class 1A Elmwood Sectional with a time of 15:04.5. His season finale came with a fourth-place finish at the Class 1A state finals in a personal-best 14:47.6. Kirby never finished outside of the top 25 in 11 races this season.

• Meet the team: Boys cross country runner of the year and the all-area team

Sophia Ramirez, Washington

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER OF THE YEAR: Ramirez picks up her second Journal Star girls cross country runner of the year award in three seasons. The junior was a Class 2A all-stater thanks to her 25th-place finish in a personal best time of 17:50.6. She bounced back following a 40th-place finish last season. Her postseason began by winning the Class 2A Dunlap Regional in 18:07.2. She came in fifth at the Class 2A Metamora Sectional (17:41.7), while taking runner-up at the Mid-Illini Conference Championship (18:09.2). Ramirez’s nine-race slate included seven top-10 finishes.

• Meet the team: Girls cross country runner of the year and the all-area team

Connor Watson, East Peoria

BOYS GOLFER OF THE YEAR: Watson is once again the Peoria-area’s top prep golfer, being named the 2024 Journal Star boys golfer of the year for a second successive season. He becomes just the fifth golfer to win the award multiple times, joining a list that includes Tommy Kuhl (2014, 2016, 2017), Trevor Gold (2011, 2013), Jordan Fahel (2009, 2010) and Jonathan Hauter (2006, 2007). Watson was steady all season, wrapping up his high school career tied for fourth at the Class 2A state finals. He shot a final-round 2-under 69 at Normal’s Weibring Golf Club course, joining David Perkins (2013 Class 2A fourth place) for the best individual finish in program history. In the sectional, Watson, who was regional runner-up, took home medalist honors with a a 6-under 72 at the U of I Golf Course in Savoy. He had seven birdies — 1, 4, 8, 11, 12, 13 and 17 — in his round.

• Meet the team: Boys golfer of the year and the all-area team

Sydney Hunt, Dunlap

GIRLS GOLFER OF THE YEAR: The 2024 Journal Star Girls Golfer of the Year played consistent golf throughout her sophomore season. During the regular season, she posted seven top-5 finishes including two victories highlighted by a win at the Champaign Central Invite. The second win from Hunt was taking medalist honors at the Mid-Illini Conference Tournament. She began the Class 2A postseason play with an individual championship at the regional level. Hunt shot a 6-over 77 at Lake Bracken Country Club in Galesburg. Her winning round was seven shots better than the nearest golfer, helping Dunlap claim the team regional title. She missed qualifying for the state finals by six shots.

• Meet the team: Girls golfer of the year and the all-area team

Kayden Hudson, Peoria Notre Dame

BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The senior forward notched 41 goals and added 12 assists and is a three-time Journal Star Player of the Year. He finishes his prep career as a two-time all-American (2023, 2024), a three-time all-state selection (2022, 2023, 2024) and a three-time first-team all-Big 12 Conference selection. Hudson is one of 40 players in the country selected to play in the 2024 High School All-American Game on Dec. 14 in Charleston, S.C. He played last summer for the USL2 Peoria City soccer team, and has committed to Michigan State.

• Meet the team: Boys soccer player of the year and the all-area team

Annie Yingling Dunlap

GIRLS SWIMMING AND DIVING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: The 2024 Journal Star girls swimming and diving athlete of the year made the 2024 state meet semifinals in diving. She advanced to the semis thanks to a 17th-place finish in the quarterfinals with a score of 205.70. In the semifinals, the junior ended her season with a 18th-place finish thanks to her score of 304.60 just missing the finals by two places. Yingling advanced to the state meet thanks to winning the sectional with 428.15 points. She won the Mid-Illini Conference diving event with a Pekin pool record of 434.65. Her season included setting school records in the six-dive (278.00) and 11-dive (434.65) events.

• Meet the team: Girls swimmer of the year and the all-area team

Anna Yu, Dunlap

GIRLS TENNIS PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The freshman and Journal Star Player of the Year has been under the tutelage of former Dunlap star and three-time Journal Star boys tennis Player of the Year Victor Spolidório, who went 153-12 in his prep singles career and went on to play at Northern Illinois. Yu won six matches at Class 1A state in late October. She earned first-team all-state honors and was 41-6 from the No. 1 singles spot and did not lose to a Peoria area player all season. At state, her two losses were to players who finished higher in the tournament. Her 41 singles wins were most in the state among varsity girls singles players.

• Meet the team: Girls tennis players of the year and the all-area team

WINTER

Dietrich Richardson, Manual

BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The 2025 Journal Star player of the year becomes the eighth Manual award winner and first since Rolando “Pee Wee” Brown in 2019. Richardson, a 6-foot-7 guard, averaged 17.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists in leading the Rams to a 23-win season and a Class 2A fourth-place finish. “Definite true leader,” Manual coach Marvin Jordan said. “You don’t have to get on him about getting on other guys and holding him accountable because he understands how important it is for himself, but more importantly for the team.” The Bradley-bound senior was named to the five-member, first-team all-tournament team at the Pontiac Holiday Tournament. His individual accolades include all-Big 12 Conference first-team and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state first team.

• Meet the team: Boys basketball player of the year and all-area team

Julia Mingus, Peoria Notre Dame

GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The 2025 Journal Star player of the year becomes just the third Irish player to win the award in its 33-year history, joining Mya Wardle (2024) and Stephanie White (1994). Mingus, a 5-foot-6 senior guard, averaged 15.4 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the Irish, who were a 33-win team and the Class 2A state runners-up. “She is one of the top two-way players in the state,” PND coach Layne Langholf said. She’ll play next season for Division-II Illinois-Springfield. Her individual accolades include all-Big 12 Conference first team, Big 12 Conference player of the year and Illinois Basketball Coaches Association all-state second team.

• Meet the team: Girls basketball player of the year and all-area team

Wyatt Medlin, Washington

WRESTLER OF THE YEAR: The 2025 Journal Star wrestler of the year becomes the fifth Washington grappler to become a repeat winner, joining Kannon Webster, Jace Punke, Jacob Warner and Dylan Reel. Medlin won back-to-back state titles, claiming a tech fall at 157 pounds. The Illinois commit still has another prep season after finishing 48-3 during his junior campaign. Medlin went 4-0 in postseason dual-team matches as Washington finished second in Class 2A.

• Meet the team: Wrestler of the year and the all-area team

Carson Olson, Galesburg

BOYS SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Olson completed his high school season by being a two-time state medalist. He swam to a pair of top-14 finishes at state meet highlighted by ninth-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley. Olson clocked in at 1:15.95, improving his state prelim time by a half-second. His final prep race was the 100-yard butterfly where he took 14th in 50.0 seconds. He was also a member of two state-qualifying relays — the 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle. Both of those relays finished in the top-26 of the state prelims.

• Meet the team: Boys swimmer of the year and all-area team

SPRING

Davis Weeks, Dunlap

BASEBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The 2025 Journal Star player of the year becomes the second successive Dunlap player to win the award. The senior infielder batted .495 on 52 hits with 11 doubles, three triples, two home runs and 32 RBIs for the Eagles (28-8), who made a Class 3A sectional semifinal. He added 43 runs, walked 20 times and stole 33 bases. In 52.1 innings, the Michigan State signee went 6-3 with 94 strikeouts and a 1.74 ERA in 11 appearances. He posted a .931 fielding percentage. His individual accolades include Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Class 3A first-team all-state and all-Mid-Illini Conference first team.

• Meet the team: Baseball player of the year and all-area team

Kaidance Till, Metamora

SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Till becomes the award’s first three-time winner. Till batted .648 on 59 hits with 18 doubles, two triples, 17 home runs and 40 RBIs for the Redbirds (28-8), who made the Class 3A Sweet Sixteen. The Ole Miss signee added 52 runs, walked 43 times and stole eight bases. The senior infielder posted a .949 fielding percentage. Her individual accolades include Class 3A Illinois Coaches Association all-state first team and all-Mid-Illini Conference first team.

• Meet the team: Softball player of the year and all-area team

Trae Brickner, Peoria Christian

BOYS TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: The 2025 Journal Star boys track and field athlete of the year is a Class 1A state champion. He won the 300-meter hurdles in a personal-best 39.08 seconds, outdistancing himself from runner-up Mason Booker of Sullivan (39.12) by 0.04 seconds. Brickner was also a sixth-place state finals finisher in the 110-meter hurdles at 15.01 seconds. During his junior season, he also had personal-bests in the 100 (11.62 seconds), 200 (23.79 seconds), 400 (54.78 seconds), pole vault (12-0) and long jump (21-11.75). He is the first from the school to win the award.

• Meet the team: Boys track and field athlete of the year and all-area team

Aubrey Phillips, El Paso-Gridley

GIRLS TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: The 2025 Journal Star girls track and field athlete of the year put on an impressive display in helping the Titans win the Class 1A state championship. She won two state titles including the high jump crown, clearing 5 feet, 5.75 inches. Phillips, who will compete at DePaul as a heptathlete, also anchored the winning 4×200-meter relay (1:41.96) and was a part of the runner-up 4×400-meter relay (3:59.63). She also finished fifth in the shot put at 40 feet, 0.5 inches. During her senior season, Phillips competed in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 100 hurdles and long jump.

• Meet the team: Girls track athlete of the year and the all-area team

Ava LaFollette, Peoria Notre Dame

GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR: The junior forward poured in 57 goals and added nine assists in 29 games for the 26-2-1 Irish, and is the 2025 Journal Star High School girls soccer Player of the Year. Her 57 goals were the most in school history for the boys and girls programs, and landed 15th all-time on the IHSA single-season goalscoring list. She 108 goals in 74 career varsity games. She scored five goals in a regional final victory, and three goals in a 3-0 supersectional win over New Lenox Providence to send Notre Dame to state. LaFollette was a unanimous all-Big 12 Conference first-team selection and was named all-state by the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association. That adds to a resume that already includes IHSSCA All-Sectional honors her previous two seasons, and all-Big 12 Conference honors last season.

• Meet the team: Girls soccer player of the year and all-area team

Alex Fei and Ethan McRaven, Dunlap

BOYS TENNIS PLAYERS OF THE YEAR: The seniors teamed up for a fifth-place doubles finish at state after a season in which both players reached 100 career varsity wins. It was Fei’s fourth trip to the state finals; he went the first three times as a singles player. McRaven became the sixth player at Dunlap since 2012 to reach 100 career wins, and not long after that Fei reached 100 to become the seventh. The IHSA all-state first-teamers were 35-1 record, the most doubles wins in the IHSA this season, according to tennisreporting.com. Fei and McRaven won the Mid-Illini Conference tournament doubles championship, and both went on to earn Mid-Illini Conference first-team selections. They beat Metamora rivals Tommy Sopko and Adam Culp in a state consolation quarterfinals battle to hold off the Redbirds in the Class 1A team race.

• Meet the team: Boys tennis player of the year and the all-area team

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: 2024-25 Journal Star high school players of the year for Peoria area