Spartan Country
Spartan
Competitors, Spartan
Champions
DEBBIE HIGGINS
OVERCOMING SHORTER SEASONS, SMALLER CROWDS, AND QUARANTINES
BRENDAN GILJUM
Head Coach: Aedryan Cox, @DeSmetWrestling Wrestling finished its season with five state qualifiers, three state placers, and back-to-back State Champion Jacobi Jackson ’21 — who is also the first three-time state finalist in Spartan history and the All-Metro wrestler of the year! Led by Jacobi and fellow seniors Tanner Jackson and Colton King, the team prevailed through a very difficult season. Despite many opportunities being cut short because of COVID-19, our wrestlers had several consistent team and individual showings, including a second place team finish at districts and a fifth place team finish at state.
STL HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
Wrestling
Basketball Head Coach: Kent Williams, @KentWilliams33, @DeSmetBBall Winning De Smet Jesuit’s 33rd basketball district championship — the first in eight years — the Spartans were a mainstay in the top five for STLToday.com’s Top 10 Area Large Schools in a COVID-shortened 22-game season. Winning the Circle 7 Showdown for the third straight year and competing in one of the state’s toughest schedules, the Spartans averaged just under 60 points per game while holding their opponents to 47 points per game. Notable accomplishments included Brian Taylor ’22, first All-State selection since 2013; Jeremiah Walker ’21, 17th player to join our 1,000-point club; Sekou Gassama ’21 setting school records (makes and attempts) scoring 24 points while shooting 17–20 from the free-throw line against Chaminade; and Justin Duff ’23 setting a school record with eight steals vs. Lafayette. 6 Odyssey
SUMMER 2021
Racquetball Head Coach: Brendan Giljum, @DeSmetRball The Spartan racquetball squad was young and hungry this year. Thankful to be able to play safely with the pandemic, the young men out-performed even their own expectations against a very tough MOHSRA schedule. Senior leadership set the tone of hard work, and the entire roster grew because of it. Joseph Hartrich ’21 made the 2nd Team All-State while teammates Chris Beason ’22, Cole Schelling ’21, and Drew Weber ’21 earned Honorable Mention All-State.
KEVIN JEFFRIES ’21
WINTER
