Warren County high school athletics continued to find success in 2017.

Here are the most memorable stories of the last 12 months:

Warrenton football ends conference streak: With its 53-27 win at Orchard Farm Oct. 6, the Warrenton football team captured the school’s first GAC North title, as well as the first conference title since 2001.

“This is all very rewarding for us after we’ve put in so much hard work through all these years,” senior Johnny Wiltsch said.

The Warriors finished the regular season 8-1.

“They play for each other,” Head Coach Steve McDowell said. “And that’s the biggest thing that’s really helped us this season, is the leadership they’ve given.”

Wright City relay team breaks record: The Wildcat 400-meter relay team broke — and reset — the school record four times last spring.

Mercedes Wray, Emajahnai Hunter, Kia Campbell and Danielle Dyer posted a time of 50.45 seconds in the Class 3, Sectional 2 meet in May to qualify for the state meet.

All four runners are expected to return next spring.

“They got the experience, and it’s pretty overwhelming,” former track Head Coach Sue Wright said of running at the state meet. “But now they have that under their belt and they’re all back, and that’s the best part of this.”

Warrenton softball wins fifth straight conference title: The Warriors posted an 8-0 record in Gateway Athletic Conference North games this season to capture the program’s fifth straight conference title.

Warrenton was led by senior Destinee Frost, who was eventually named the GAC North’s Player of the Year.

Frost pitched in 18 games, posting a 2.37 earned-run average and striking out 57 batters. At the plate, she led the team in home runs (13), RBIs (49), on-base percentage (.581) and slugging percentage (1.115).

The Warriors finished 14-12 overall, and eight Warrenton players were named to All-GAC North teams.

Jansen caps off impressive hoops career: Jenny Jansen completed the best career in Warrenton girls basketball history by earning her second-straight spot on the Class 3 all-state team.

She finished the season with 16.9 points per game, a 49.6 shooting percentage and 6.5 rebounds. 

She set the school scoring record and finished her career with 1,779 points.

“I hope that helps other people be successful because I want this school to be in a place where we keep winning,” Jansen said. “That’s what I came here four years ago wanting to do.

Wildcats send six to state: The 3,200-meter relay team joined javelin thrower Kailyn Gudermuth and distance runner Erin Tomschin in Jefferson City in late May for the Class 3 state meet.

Tomschin suffered a sprained ankle in the 3,200 and finished 16th overall.

The relay team completed its race in 10th place (50.95 seconds).

Gudermuth, despite not competing in javelin prior to the season, finished ninth overall, and the relay team finished 10th.

“...for only doing it a month and a half, I can’t be too ashamed of the results,” Gudermuth said. “I’m not disappointed in the season overall.”

Warrenton  girls win third straight district title: After winning the first district title in 2015, the Warrenton girls basketball team reeled off two more titles in 2016 and 2017.

The Warriors beat St. Dominic, 41-34, March 3 to advance to the sectional against Incarnate Word.

“Winning this means all the hard work the last three years paid off,” Jenny Jansen said.

Warrior duo reaches state title matches: Warrenton senior wrestlers Drake Meine (170 pounds) and Jacob Null (220) ended their careers with second-place finishes at the Class 3 tournament in Columbia in Feb.

Meine nearly pinned Raytown South’s Ottis Peeler in the second period, but couldn’t hold on for the pin.

“It got out of hand late, but we were just going for broke trying to win the state title,” Warrenton Head Coach Kevin Fowler said.

Moments later, Null found himself in a lower-scoring match against  Platte County’s Casey Jumps.

Null was whistled for stalling the match in the second period, which gave Jumps a 2-1 lead. 

Neither wrestler would score another point.

“He wrestled the game plan that we wanted him to wrestle perfectly,” Fowler said.

Villinger returns to state: While he didn’t reach the title matches like his teammates, Warrenton’s Jerrett Villinger qualified for the state tournament for the second straight season.

He finished the season 40-8, and is on pace to become the only four-time state qualifier in Warrenton history.

“He has nothing to hang his head about,” Fowler said, “but he’s capable of coming down here in the next two years and shooting for state titles.”

Wildcat boys set distance record: The Wright City 3,200-meter relay team of Jake Mueller, Stephon Norwood, George Pezold and Gavin Waters set the school record at the team’s district meet at Lutheran North May 13.

The quartet finished third overall in 27.48 seconds to qualify for the sectional meet.

“I don’t look at record, I just tell them to go out there and beat their times,” Head Coach Sue Wright said. “But it was nice to see them break the record.”

Smith makes it back-to-back: Warrenton senior quarterback Brenden Smith was named the GAC North’s Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season after leading the Warriors to a 9-2 record and share of the GAC North title.

Smith threw for 1,797 yards and 22 touchdowns, and ran for 2,016 yards and 31 touchdowns. “It feels great to see all the hard work I’ve put in come through with an award like this,” Smith said.

Warriors win fourth straight conference track title: The Warrenton girls track team made easy work of its competition May 5 at Winfield, capturing the GAC North title for the fourth straight season.

“I think it means more for our seniors than anything,” Head Coach Steve Wurtzel said. “I told them that’s not something everyone gets to experience, so enjoy it. I challenged my juniors to see if they can join the elite club next year, too. So it’s exciting.”

Toebben makes it to state: Warrenton freshman Travis Toebben shot an 8-over 78 at the Class 3 Sectional at the Links at Dardenne in early May to qualify for the state meet in Sedalia.

Toebben picked up pars on his final two holes of the round, which eventually saved his season. He made the cut without any room to spare. “Qualifying for state this year will only help him in the future,” Warrenton Head Coach Aaron Jinkerson said.