The Advocate’s 2022 Star of Stars: The best of the best boys athletes in every sport | High School Sports
ELI HOLSTEIN
FOOTBALL • ZACHARY
Holstein led the Broncos to a 15-0 record and the Class 5A title. He was voted Offensive MVP on the All-Metro Class 5A/4A team and Class 5A all-state team. He passed for 3,228 yards and 30 touchdowns. Holstein had 518 yards rushing and 14 TDs.
CALEB ACKMAN
CROSS COUNTRY • ZACHARY
Ackman started a season of success by winning his first fall race, and he never stopped excelling. A senior who was voted the Outstanding Runner on the All-Metro team by local coaches, Ackman ran the area’s top three-mile time of 15 minutes, 10.1 seconds.
CHRISTOPHER RICHARDSON
SWIMMING • UNIVERSITY
Richardson set an all-divisions LHSAA record of 1 minute, 37.91 seconds in the 200-yard freestyle and set three Capital City Swim League records. He was Outstanding Swimmer at the LHSAA’s Division III meet and was a CCSL Swimmer of the Year.
RAYDEN INGRAM
WRESTLING • LIVE OAK
It was a season of perfection for Ingram, who compiled a 36-0 record as 145-pounder. He won the Louisiana Classic, Greater Baton Rouge Metro and LHSAA Division I titles. Ingram had a four-year record of 124-25 and earned Outstanding Wrestler honors at the Metro tournament.
AXEL AGURCIA
SOCCER • DENHAM SPRINGS
Agurcia was selected the area’s All-Metro MVP and Division I, District 3 overall MVP for the second straight season. He led the Yellow Jackets to the Division I quarterfinals. The center-midfielder had 27 goals and 12 assists and is now a four-time All-Metro selection.
JALEN BOLDEN
SOCCER • ZACHARY
Bolden earned a litany of accolades while leading the Broncos to a second straight Class 5A crown with averages of 20 points, 10 rebounds and 4.0 assists. The ULM commitment was voted the Outstanding Player of District 4-5A, Class 5A and in the 5A title game.
KAIDEN LANG
POWERLIFTING • CENTRAL
Lang simply overpowered the competition at the LHSAA’s Division I meet by over 100 total pounds while competing at 275 pounds. He had a total lift of 1,700 pounds with a squat of 710 pounds and a deadlift of 690 pounds.
PRESTON WEST
BOWLING • DUTCHTOWN
There are trendsetters and record-setters. West was both. He set a Louisiana high school record with a regular-season game average of 238.38 pins to lead the Griffins to the playoffs, where they set another state record for a six-player scratch score.
CODY MIDBOE
GYMNASTICS • WALKER
Midboe, a junior, had missed previous LHSAA meets because of injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, he won the Level 10 all-around title at his first LHSAA meet. He had an overall score of 73.700 points. Midboe posted top marks in five of the six events.
MICHAEL DUDLEY
TENNIS • THE DUNHAM SCHOOL
Twice as nice is perhaps the best way to frame Dudley’s senior season for the Division IV Tigers. He finished with a 12-0 record and won a second consecutive Division IV singles title, which helped Dunham claim a runner-up team finish.
BOYD OWENS
GOLF • EPISCOPAL
Owens was the area’s only LHSAA individual champion, winning a one-hole playoff to claim the Division III title. He ranked among local leaders in the regular season and shot a 66 to place second at regional. Owens had a 5-under-par 139 at the Division III tournament.
WINSTON DECUIR
TRACK • CATHOLIC
Decuir excelled in sprints/middle distance while helping the Bears win their first 5A title since 2019. He won the 800 meters in 1 minute, 54.97 seconds and had the area’s top 400 time of 46.90. His anchor leg helped Catholic win the 4×400 relay.
DJ PRIMEAUX
BASEBALL • CENTRAL
Primeaux helped the 5A Wildcats advance to the quarterfinals. He was 10-4 on the mound with a 1.57 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 80⅓ innings. Primeaux also batted .422 with nine doubles, three triples, three home runs and 29 RBIs.
Athlete of the Year Winners through the Years
1986: BUCKY RICHARDSON, Broadmoor High School
1987: TODD KINCHEN, Trafton Academy
1988: JAMES MIMS, La. School for the Deaf
1989: BRADFORD BANTA, University High School
1990: DANIELLE SCOTT, Woodlawn High School
1991: REGINALD HAYES, Broadmoor High School
1992: MONTE BURKE, Catholic-Pointe Coupee
1993: SHAEETA BROWN, Brusly
1994: TREY McCLURE, Central
1995: TODD McCLURE, Central (boys); APRIL BROWN, Episcopal (girls)
1996: JIMMY WILLIAMS, Episcopal (boys); JENNY STREIFFER, Baton Rouge High (girls)
1997: TRAVIS MINOR, Catholic (boys); ASHLEY LEWIS, Central (girls).
1998: KENDRICK SHANKLIN, Catholic (boys); SHELLY RIPPLE, Parkview Baptist (girls)
1999: ERIC LOUIS, Zachary (boys); BRITNEY HURST, Southern Lab (girls)
2000: MICHAEL CLAYTON, Christian Life (boys); KATE RIPPLE, Parkview Baptist (girls)
2001: MARCUS SPEARS, Southern Lab (boys), KATE RIPPLE, Parkview Baptist (girls)
2002: RYAN LEWIS, Central (boys); SEIMONE AUGUSTUS, Capitol (girls)
2003: JAY LUCAS, Redemptorist (boys); MEGHAN O’LEARY, Episcopal (girls)
2004: GLEN DAVIS, University (boys); KELLIE EUBANKS, St. Amant (girls)
2005: CARY KOCH, Dunham School (boys); FAITH PETERS, University (girls)
2006: ANDREW LOUPE, Episcopal (boys); TIFFANY WESLEY, Parkview Baptist (girls)
2007: CHAD JONES, Southern Lab (boys); TEAGRA CLIFTON, Capitol (girls)
2008: RYAN LEWIS, Catholic (boys); JASMINE SCOTT, St. Michael (girls)
2009: JULIUS WARMSLEY, St. Michael (boys); TAYLOR MIMS, Episcopal (girls)
2010: JEREMY MEYERS, St. Michael (boys); KK BABIN, St. Michael (girls)
2011: RONALD MARTIN, White Castle (boys); DOMINIQUE BRISCO, Baton Rouge High (girls)
2012: LANDON COLLINS, Dutchtown (boys), BRITNEY WASHINGTON, West Feliciana
2013: DARIAN CLAIBORNE, Port Allen (boys), TONI RODRIGUEZ, St. Amant (girls)
2014: JAZZ FERGUSON, West Feliciana (boys), KARA GREMILLION, St. Amant (girls)
2015: JAZZ FERGUSON, West Feliciana (boys), KARA GREMILLION, St. Amant (girls)
2016: COLIN BONE, Catholic High (boys), NICKY DAWSON, Parkview Baptist (girls)
2017: BRIGGS BOURGEOIS, St. Amant (boys); JANIE O’CONNOR, Zachary (girls)
2018: JAVONTE SMART, Scotlandville (boys); RAEGAN WILLIS, Central (girls)
2019: KEILON BROWN, Zachary (boys); MARY-CATHRYN COMEAUX. Brusly (girls)
2020: No Star of Stars event
2021: CHRISTOPHER HILTON JR., Zachary (boys); ARIEL PEDIGO, Parkview Baptist (girls)
2022: BRYCE LEONARD, Ascension Catholic (boys); AVA RICHE, St. Joseph’s Academy (girls)