2016 brought more success to the trio of Warren County high schools.

From the softball fields to basketball courts and everywhere in between, Warrenton, Wright City and Liberty Christian athletes made the most of the last 12 months of competition.

The year is highlighted, of course, by the Warrenton softball program’s second straight Class 3 state championship.

The Warriors won their fourth consecutive district and conference championships this season, and the senior class finished its career with an undefeated record in the Gateway Athletic Conference North.

The team cruised into the Class 3 Final Four with a combined winning margin of 28-3 in wins over St. Dominic and Incarnate Word.

And while the team was led all season by senior pitcher Kaylee Anderson and senior shortstop Jenny Jansen, the Warriors had plenty of help along the way.

In its 4-0 semifinal win over Smithville, junior infielder Destinee Frost collected three hits and two RBIs, as well as saving runs with three line-drive snags at first base.

Anderson shut out Smithville, and did the same the next day against Sullivan in the title game, propelling the         Warriors to a 3-0 win.

Warrenton posted a 55-3 record over the last two seasons.

“Coming into the year, you lose good players from a team that was phenomenal, and if you told me we’d end up 27-1, I don’t think I would have taken that bet,” Head Coach Trevor Hibbs said. “They had to make sure last year’s championship plaque had a partner and wouldn’t be lonely.”

Andrews wins Class 4 high jump title:

Warrenton senior Lalita Andrews knew she had a shot to win the high jump championship in May, but wasn’t sure what to expect during her first trip to the state meet in Jefferson City.

Andrews missed her first attempts at 5-foot-1, 5-2, and 5-3.

And after missing her first jump at 5-4, nerves crept into play.

“I told myself I had to get it on the second try,” she said, “because third try would be really hard.”

She did, tying a personal best and setting a Warrenton school record.

It was the first individual girls state title in school history.

“I didn’t expect to clear 5-4 again,” she said, “but there was a lot of competition today, so it pushed me to jump higher.”

Christopher finds podium in Jefferson City:

Wright City’s Kyle Christopher had hoped for a better finish, but he couldn’t be upset with a fourth-place finish in the Class 3 discuss championships.

Christopher had a final distance of 167-1.

“I’m alright with it,” he said. “It’s not what I wanted, but I came out and got all-state, and that was the goal from the beginning.”

Christopher reached the finals with an early toss of 162.

“We didn’t want to get too excited early on, and we knew 150 would get him to the finals,” Wright City Head Coach Fred Ross said.

Christopher shattered the previous school record of 138 feet in the first meet of the season, and finished his career as the best discuss thrower in Wright City history.

Eagles fall in overtime of state championship:

For the second straight season, the Liberty Christian boys basketball team lost in overtime of the Missouri Christian Schools Athletic Association state championship game.

The Eagles lost to Overland Christian, 64-61.

“They kept telling me they had enough heart to win it all,” Head Coach Butch Clark said. “And I told them you can have all the heart in the world, but you still have to execute.”

Liberty Christian held a nine-point lead with three minutes left in the game, but Overland Christian’s press led to turnovers.

The Eagles finished with 17 turnovers.

“We just didn’t respond well late,” Clark said.

Liberty Christian finished the season 24-8, and Clark retired after 11 seasons with the program.

Tomschin runs to state for third time:

Wright City senior Erin Tomschin finished her high school career 3-for-3 while trying to qualify for the state cross country meet in Jefferson City.

Despite the jump from Class 2 to Class 3, Tomschin cut over a minute off last year’s time, finishing the race in 21 minutes, 11.63 seconds.

“Her development from when she was a sophomore until now was huge,” Wright City Head Coach Sue Wright said. “What she accomplished and where she came from was great.”

Warrenton boys basketball team ends postseason losing streak:

It was a win nine years in the making. 

Warrenton erased deficits of 10 points at halftime and 15 points in the third quarter, and the Warriors knocked off Mexico, 60-55, in the first round of the Class 4, District 8 tournament in March.

Caleb Strauss led the way with 22 points and 22 rebounds.

Trevor Alberternst and Brenden Smith added 12 points each, and Clayton Schowe led the team with five assists.

It feels pretty good,” Warrenton Head Coach Mike Uffmann said. “The boys worked hard. We had kids come and help me scout, they bought in and they knew they had a chance to win.”

Warrenton lost to Kirksville in the semifinals, and finished its season 9-18.

Warrenton girls basketball wins second straight district title:

Warrenton came back from a late six-point deficit to beat Fulton, 48-42, in overtime of the Class 4, District 8 championship in March.

Ashtyn Dixon connected on a go-ahead corner 3-pointer with just over a minute remaining in the extra frame.

“I was in disbelief when it went in,” Dixon said.

Warrenton trailed 19-16 at half and found itself down three with a minute left in regulation, until Jenny Jansen drove the length of the court for a layup and foul to tie the game.

“There wasn’t any coaching involved there,” Head Coach Greg Williams said. “It was players making plays.”

Warrenton lost its next game to St. Charles in the sweet 16, finishing the season 21-6.

Lutheran St. Charles beats Wright City in district title for second straight season:

After a Chase Jones double tied the game at eight in the top of the seventh inning to force extras, Lutheran St. Charles’ Kory Carter started a rally with a base-hit up the middle.

Carter advanced to second on a walk and later scored on an infield error, sending Lutheran St. Charles to the state tournament for the second consecutive season.

Wright City finished the year 18-7 thanks to a lineup that featured six seniors.

Freak accident ends Filipek’s season:

Late last season, Warrenton wrestler Dan Filipek was ranked 20th in the nation in the 160-pound weight class and was the heavy favorite to win the Class 3 160-pound title.

But while warming up on senior night Feb. 3, the senior collided with a teammate and ruptured his spleen, ending his season with a 39-0 record.

Johnny Blankenship, who eventually won the 160-pound state title, was defeated by Filipek in a tournament earlier in the season.

Blankenship beat Filipek in the 145-pound state championship in 2014, and the duo was expected to meet again in the 160-pound title match.

“Honestly, I don’t think he cares about standing on the podium because he’ll know he beat that kid,” Warrenton Head Coach Kevin Fowler said.

Filipek agreed.

“Beating the kid that beat me my sophomore year was icing on the cake,” he said. “That made the news a little easier to take.”

Keeven qualifies for state golf tournament:

Warrenton’s Dillon Keeven shot an eight-over par in the Class 3, Sectional 2 golf tournament in May to qualify for the first state tournament of his career.

Keeven earned pars on his final two holes, but a rain delay forced him to wait for the rest of the field’s results.

He eventually earned his spot at state by one stroke,.

“He’s determined to be really good, and he wants to play in college,” Warrenton Head Coach Matt Griffin said. “No we know where we have to improve for next year.”