In 2023, KHS athletics had many memorable achievements. From individual and team state championships, to dominant seasons and unforgettable games, here are the top five KHS athletic moments.
Honorable Mention: Individual State Champions:
In the past year, multiple student-athletes have received awards in various sports. Josie Baker, senior, finished first place in the Class 5 Girls’ 1600m run with a time of 4:52.78 in the spring of 2023. Levi Rowan, senior, finished second in the Class 5 Boys’ Cross Country Championship with a time of 14:52.10. Max Marcus, senior, won the Class 2 Boys’ Swim and Dive 200m and 500m freestyle championships with times of 1:39.63 and 4:31.92 respectively.
5. Construction beginning on new turf fields – While this isn’t a game or specific moment, it is a project that when finished, will provide a boost to KHS athletics. Spring and fall sports athletes will have to worry about indoor practices, game cancellations or terrible field conditions less, thus improving KHS athletics as a whole.
4. KHS vs WGHS 2023 baseball game – A Friday night rivalry game that had many special moments. Highlighted by a leadoff home run, and a crazy triple play that left the Statesmen crushed, both moments went viral on GSV. The Pioneers’ bats and gloves shined under the lights, along with a great turnout from the student section, something that doesn’t happen very often for baseball games.
3. KHS boys’ varsity basketball 2022-2023 season – While it didn’t end the way KHS wanted, the boys varsity basketball 2022-23 season was still a fun one. New hire, Coach Sam Briscoe, led the Pioneers to a 24-3 record, including a 20 game win streak. The season was highlighted by tournament championships in the MICDS and Circle 7 tournaments, and a victory over WGHS (no surprise there). Overall, it was a historic season for the basketball program, their best since a 20-8 finish in the 2013-2014 season.
2. 2023 Boys’ lacrosse state championship – KHS got its revenge from its state championship loss in 2022, winning the MSLA Class 1 state championship versus Ladue, 20-11. Alongside winning the Suburban X11 conference championship for the second year in the row. It’s not every year we see a state championship, so they are always awesome to celebrate.
1. Racquetball wins second straight national championship – Something that doesn’t happen often, and especially not twice in a row, Kirkwood’s Racquetball team won its second straight national championship in 2023. Not state, national. The girls’ team placed first overall and the boys’ team placed second, combining for 5100 points, 2300 points ahead of the second place team. A sport that isn’t always celebrated within the student body, however we can all celebrate this.
