‘Engineered’ comebacks, historic achievements and risky gambles. These are just some of the magical moments that left lasting impressions during a thrilling high school sports year.
Hadley’s Car
Nothing made us smile more than watching Hadley drive her custom-made car.
The daughter of Edwardsville boys lacrosse coach Zac Bilyeu has limited use of her legs due to a cerebral palsy diagnosis. Prior to a lacrosse game against Kirkwood, Edwardsville senior attacker Cohen Schmidt and his WormGear Warriors robotics team presented Hadley with a repurposed, toy jeep that required only her hands to drive.
Schmidt completed a joyous night by scoring the game-winning goal in overtime to power Edwardsville to a dramatic, 13-12 victory. https://metrosportsstl.com/2026/05/04/schmidt-delivers-robotic-car-game-winning-goal-as-edwardsville-defeats-kirkwood-in-ot-thriller/.
Public School Prowess
Parkway West girls soccer and Ladue girls lacrosse soar to new heights
Kate Hardy scored twice and Grace Wright netted the game-winner to lead Parkway West over powerhouse St. Dominic and a trip to the state semifinals for the first time in program history. Hardy was a freshman on a Parkway West team that finished the season with a 1-17 record. Three years later, the Longhorns won 21 games and placed third in the state of Missouri in Class 4. https://metrosportsstl.com/2026/06/02/hardy-scores-twice-leads-parkway-west-past-st-dominic-to-earn-improbable-inaugural-final-four-berth/
On the same field three days earlier, the Ladue girls lacrosse team shocked top-seeded John Burroughs to advance to the girls lacrosse state championship game for the first time since 2012. Vicky Derdoy recovered from a shattered thumb to score four goals and led Ladue, which lost its first 12 games to start the 2022 season, to a hard-earned, state title game appearance. https://metrosportsstl.com/2026/05/28/ladue-shocks-top-seed-john-burroughs-in-semis-sets-up-all-public-school-championship-game-with-eureka/
Coaches roll the dice to help their teams hoist trophies
Sullivan football coach Eddie Haar decided to go for broke. During the Class 4 District 2 championship game against top-seeded Vianney, Haar dialed up a two-point conversion in overtime instead of kicking the game-tying extra point. The play call was even more risky, as senior Chase Blue executed a Superman dive for just the second reception of his career to give the Eagles their second district title since 2013. https://metrosportsstl.com/2025/11/17/sullivan-two-point-gamble-pays-off-in-double-overtime-victory-over-vianney-for-district-title/
MICDS boys basketball coach Travis Wallace seemed content to slow down the pace against high-flying, high-scoring Sikeston during the Class 5 state title game. But in the second half, Wallace decided to speed up the game with a 1-2-2 full court press that rattled Sikeston, led to a 22-5 third quarter run and sent the the Rams to their first state title since 2002. https://metrosportsstl.com/2026/03/31/class-5-micds-goes-12-to-upend-sikeston-capture-first-state-title-since-2002/