The 2024 Post-Dispatch All-Metro spring series continues with girls track and field.
Read more about girls track and field, and other high school sports, at STLhighschoolsports.com.
Parkway Central senior Skyye Lee is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro girls track and field athlete of the year.
All-Metro girls track and field first team
![A'Laji Bradley, Pattonville](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/93/293cafae-e930-11ee-a043-7f8450bb386e/65feff7370b87.image.jpg?resize=150%2C178 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/93/293cafae-e930-11ee-a043-7f8450bb386e/65feff7370b87.image.jpg?resize=200%2C238 200w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/93/293cafae-e930-11ee-a043-7f8450bb386e/65feff7370b87.image.jpg?resize=211%2C251 225w)
A’Laji Bradley, Pattonville
Sprints: A'laji Bradley, senior, Pattonville
Closed high school career by winning Missouri Class 5 state championships in 200 and 400 meters while finishing second in the 100. Bradley had state-leading times in all three events (11.58 seconds in 100 at Kirkwood; 23.51 seconds in 200 state final; 54.13 in 400 at sectional meet). Was undefeated in the 200 and 400 this season. Also won 400 state title as a sophomore. As a junior was state runner-up in 200 and 400 and third in the 100. Helped Trinity win Class 4 team state title in 2021 before school closed. Signed with the University of Kentucky.
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Elena Rybak, Father McGivney
Middle: Elena Rybak, junior, Father McGivney
Driving force behind Father McGivney's Illinois Class 1A team state championship, the first girls championship in school history. Rybak won individual titles in the 800 and 1600 meters and ran on state-winning 1600 and 3200 relays. Her personal-best time of 2:10.06 in the state final was the best performance in the area and the area's fastest in a high school 800 in more than a decade. She was undefeated in the 800 and won five individual titles in the 1600 including a personal-best time of 4:54.07, which is the third-best in the area.
![Natalie Barnard, Lafayette](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/2a/b2a6a526-3efc-11ee-b164-57c687d9f011/64e172aa7a79f.image.jpg?resize=150%2C197 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/2a/b2a6a526-3efc-11ee-b164-57c687d9f011/64e172aa7a79f.image.jpg?resize=160%2C210 200w)
Natalie Barnard, Lafayette
Distance: Natalie Barnard, senior, Lafayette
The 2023 All-Metro cross country runner of the year won the 1600- and 3200-meter titles in the Missouri Class 5 state meet. Barnard's 10:32.66 in the 3200 was a Class 5 state meet record and gave her a repeat title in the event, though her 10:29.56 to finish third at the Kansas Relays was the area's and state's best. Barnard's winning 4:49.40 was her season best in a high school race. She also helped the Lancers to a runner-up finish at state in the 3200 relay. She is signed with the University of Missouri.
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Kyndall Spain, Cardinal Ritter
Hurdles: Kyndall Spain, junior, Cardinal Ritter
Won Class 5 state championships in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, the first sweep in Missouri's highest classification since 2019 (Tyra Wilson, Rock Bridge). The title in the 300s was her second in a row. Spain also ran on a runner-up 1600 relay and finished fifth in the 200, helping Cardinal Ritter win an unprecedented fourth successive team state championship. Spain's personal-best times of 13.64 seconds in the 100s and 42.43 in the 300s were second in the area only to Parkway Central's Skyye Lee.
![Bailey Hensgens, Incarnate Word](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/4e/a4ef4f04-2f70-11ef-a7c1-a33cd5bb41e1/6674dc682b51f.image.jpg?resize=150%2C192 150w, https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/4e/a4ef4f04-2f70-11ef-a7c1-a33cd5bb41e1/6674dc682b51f.image.jpg?resize=191%2C245 200w)
Bailey Hensgens, Incarnate Word
Vertical jumps: Bailey Hensgens, freshman, Incarnate Word
Helped Incarnate Word win Missouri's Class 3 team state championship, the first team trophy in program history. Hensgens won the state title in the high jump with a leap of of 1.70 meters (5 feet and 7 inches). She was undefeated in seven meets, including conference, district and sectional titles. At state, she overcame two misses at 1.66 meters with a last-attempt clearance on her way to the crown. Hensgens also ran on the Red Knights' state-winning 800 relay (1:42.87), was sixth in the long jump and qualified in the 300 hurdles.
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Aaliyah Elliott, John Burroughs
Horizontal jumps: Aaliyah Elliott, senior, John Burroughs
Elliott closed career by winning first state championship, capturing Missouri Class 4 long jump title with a mark of 5.92 meters (19 feet, 5.25 inches), just off her season and area best of 5.93 meters. She had finished as state runner-up in long jump the last two seasons and was fourth as a freshman. Her senior state meet also featured third-place finishes in the triple jump (11.33 meters; 37 feet, 2.25 inches) and 100-meter hurdles, and she ran on the Bombers' fifth-place 400 relay. Signed with Ohio State University.
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Joi Story, Edwardsville
Throws: Joi Story, sophomore, Edwardsville
Became Edwardsville's first girls state champion in more than a decade by winning the Illinois Class 3A discus title. Story's state-winning effort of 42.39 meters (139 feet, 1 inch) was just behind her season and area best of 43.1 meters (141-5) that won the sectional title a week before. Story won seven discus titles and swept Southwestern Conference championships in the discus and shot put. Top shot put mark of the season was 11.22 meters (36-9.75).
![Kayda Austin, Cahokia](https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/stltoday.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/6e/c6e3b482-ebb0-11ee-8f34-e712fd854f0f/66033239d34e7.image.jpg?resize=90%2C122)
Kayda Austin, Cahokia
Multi-events: Kayda Austin, senior, Cahokia
Won Illinois Class 2A state meet championships in the 100 and 200 meters for the second consecutive season and did it with personal-best times of 11.69 seconds (100) and 23.72 (200). Those efforts ranked among the best in the area and Illinois for all classes. She was unbeaten in the 100 and won all but one race in the 200, finishing runner-up to Pattonville's A'laji Bradley. Austin also helped Cahokia finish second at state in the 800 relay and third in the 400 relay. She ran on a state-winning 800 relay as a junior.
All-Metro girls track and field second team
Sprints: Aniyah Brown, senior, Cardinal Ritter
Ohio State signee won the 100-meter title in Missouri's Class 5 state meet for third time in four seasons with time of 11.60 seconds, the area's second-fastest of the season. She also was second in the 200, ran on the runner-up 1600 relay and was fourth in the 400 as the Lions won their fourth consecutive state team championship.
Middle: Luciana Medina, senior, Nerinx Hall
Signed with the University of Nebraska, Medina ran to Missouri Class 5 state meet runner-up finish in the 800 meters with time of 2:11.93. Season best in 800 of 2:10.70 came a week earlier to win sectional title. She also was third at state in the 400 for the second consecutive season and she helped Markers 3200 relay finish fourth.
Distance: Evyn Humphrey, senior, Francis Howell
Made the most of her first Missouri Class 5 state meet appearance by finishing second in the 3200 meters and fourth in the 1600, with high school personal bests in each race (10:51.37 in the 3200, 4:57.99 in the 1600). Won GAC South, district and sectional titles in each race. Signed with Hillsdale College.
Hurdles: Jersy Nelke, junior, Winfield
Capped undefeated campaign in 100-meter hurdles with a Missouri Class 3 state championship, becoming the school's first two-time track state champ (she won Winfield's first track state title in 2023). Ran personal-best time of 14.24 seconds in state final. Also was third in 300 hurdles state final with a personal-best time of 45.43.
Vertical jumps: Avery Foster, sophomore, Fort Zumwalt East
Had area's best vault of 3.68 meters (12 feet, 1.25 inches), which was a program record. Capped season by winning Missouri Class 4 state title with clearance of 3.66 meters (12-0), becoming the program's second state champion in any event. Foster made her first five attempts at state and was only jumper for final two heights.
Horizontal jumps: Hannah Wallace, senior, Cardinal Ritter
Won five meets during unbeaten triple jump season, capped by Class 5 state championship leap of 12.16 meters (39 feet, 10.75 inches). Personal-best mark was 12.52 meters (41-1) at sectional. Also second in Class 5 state high jump to help Lions win fourth consecutive team state title. Signed with St. Louis University for basketball.
Throws: Kamari Brown, senior, Incarnate Word
Helped Red Knights win the first team state championship in program history by winning Missouri Class 3 discus title and finishing fourth in shot put. Brown's state-winning discus throw of 42.21 meters (138 feet, 6 inches) was a personal best. Won district and sectional titles in both discus and shot put. Signed with Northern Iowa.
Multi-events: Jahmeshia Patterson, freshman, Festus
Did a little bit of everything for Tigers in breakout debut season. She anchored Festus' championship 400-meter relay in the Missouri Class 4 state meet, which ran a school-record time of 47.87 in the prelims. Patterson also was third in the 100 (school-record 11.75), fourth in the 200 and fourth in the 100 hurdles (school-record 14.46).
All-Metro girls track and field third team
Sprints: Alaina Lester, senior, Althoff
Ran to personal-best times in three Illinois Class 1A state final races, winning the 200 meters in 24.29 seconds while finishing second in the 100 in 12.15 and third in the 400 in 56.23. Also finished second in triple jump with leap of 11.36 meters (37 feet, 3.25 inches). Signed with Southeast Missouri to play volleyball.
Middle: Josie Baker, senior, Kirkwood
The future Iowa State Cyclone picked up a third-place finish in the 800-meter run at the Class 5 state meet in 2:12.32 and also was the 1600 runner-up in 4:52.33. Her season-best time in the 800 was 2:11.35 during runner-up finish at sectional meet. Was 1600 state champ as a junior and three-time qualifier in 800.
Distance: Cameron Crump, junior, Waterloo
Crump ran to outstanding fourth-place showing in the 3200 meters in Illinois Class 2A state meet. Crump's time of 10 minutes, 38.08 seconds, was a personal best, the second-fastest in the area this season and set a program record. She also was conference and sectional champion in the 3200 and had season best of 5:09.78 in the 1600.
Hurdles: Amyjia Robinson, sophomore, Belleville West
Southwestern Conference champion in both the 100- and 300-meter hurdles, with personal best times of 14.99 and 45.26 seconds, respectively. Sectional runner-up and Illinois Class 3A state qualifier in both races and also ran on Maroons' 400 and 1600 relays at state.
Vertical jumps: Bella Jones, junior, Ladue
Won Missouri Class 4 high jump title with a personal-best leap of 1.64 meters (5 feet, 4.5 inches), which ranked among the area's best. Jones also won district and sectional titles in the high jump and her state crown helped Ladue win the state team championship. She also ran on fourth-place 400 relay at state.
Horizontal jumps: Uyoyoghene Omunu, sophomore, Parkway North
Omunu did a little bit of everything, but she excelled at the triple jump. She capped off her season with a Class 4 state championship on a jump of 11.66 meters (38 feet, 3.25 inches), the second-best jump of area athletes this year. She also captured four triple jump titles this season, including district and sectional meets.
Throws: Maddie Fowler, senior, Cor Jesu
Threw pair of personal bests in Missouri's Class 4 state meet and earned the shot put title while finishing third in the discus. Fowler's effort in shot was 14.10 meters (46 feet, 3.25 inches), and she had toss of 39.95 meters in discus (131-1). Won sectional titles in both, won all but one meet in shot. Signed with Bucknell University.
Multi-events: Aaliyah Rogers, freshman, Ladue
Helped the Rams to Missouri's Class 4 state team championship. Ran a personal-best time of 2:11.59, the second-fastest in the area this season, to finish second at state in the 800 meters. Also at state, ran a leg on Ladue's winning 1600 relay and runner-up 3200 relay. Won a district title in the 800, was second at sectional meet.
Parkway Central senior Skyye Lee is the Post-Dispatch All-Metro girls track and field athlete of the year.