Riley Mathews, Columbia soccer

The Eagles are back in the Class 1A state tournament for the first time since they won the title in 2019, and Mathews has been a driving reason why. A senior midfielder who was recruited as a center back by Indiana State University, Mathews has helped Columbia (23-2-3) go unbeaten in its last 17. She scored one goal in a 6-1 win over Quincy Notre Dame in the Class 1A Virden North Mac Super-Sectional, bringing her season totals to 36 goals and 18 assists for 90 points, which ranks near the top of the area leaderboard. The Eagles face Williamsville at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in a state semifinal at North Central College in Naperville.

Danny McAuliffe, SLUH water polo

A senior defender, McAuliffe helped lead the Junior Billikens to their 24th Missouri Water Polo district title with an 11-4 victory against De Smet. McAuliffe scored one goal and provided four assists in the title game. Two days earlier in a 16-5 win over Parkway Central in the district semifinals, McAuliffe had a career-best performance of 14 points with five goals and four assists. For the season, he ranked among area leaders with 130 points on 44 goals and 42 assists. McAuliffe was named MWP’s Blue Conference player of the year. He also was defensive player of the year and first team all-district.

Robby Preckel, Lafayette track and field

A senior multi-sport athlete, Preckel earned medals in all three throwing events in Missouri’s Class 5 state meet. He is only the second athlete to earn all-state status in all three throwing events since javelin was added to the Missouri state meet in 2017. Pattonville’s Dakari Streeter was the first in 2018. Preckel finished fourth in javelin, sixth in shot put and eighth in discus; the top eight finishers at state track and field earn medals and all-state status. Signed with Northwestern for football, Preckel was conference, district and sectional champion in javelin and also was fourth in event at state last year.

Jordan Schneider, Parkway South baseball

The Patriots are in the state semifinals for the second time ever and first time since 1999, and Schneider played a big part in getting them in the final four with a leading role in a quarterfinal series sweep at Jackson. A junior center fielder and pitcher, Schneider got the win on the mound in South’s 3-1 victory in Game 1, striking out six and scattering three hits in six innings to pick up the win. In a clinching 2-1 win in Game 2, he was 2 for 4 at the plate and drove in both runs. For the season he is hitting .429 with 31 RBI and 34 runs scored and is 4-2 pitching with 33 strikeouts. South plays Blue Springs South at 4 p.m. Friday in a Class 6 semifinal at Ozark Mountain Sports Complex.

Kyndall Spain, Cardinal Ritter track and field

A senior who has signed with the University of South Carolina, Spain closed her high school career by sweeping Missouri’s Class 5 state titles in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles for the second successive season, including a third consecutive win in the 300s. Spain set a Class 5 state meet record of 13.37 seconds in the 100 hurdles, and she set an all-classes state meet record of 40.80 seconds in the 300 hurdles. The 300 hurdles record was set in the Class 4 race after standing since 2014, but Spain immediately beat the new mark by .75 of a second. Both performances rank near the top in the nation this season.

Justin Terhaar, Father McGivney baseball

A senior third baseman who has signed with UMSL, Terhaar has helped the Griffins reach the Class 1A state tournament for the second time in program history and first time since 2021. Terhaar ranks near the top of the area leaderboard in many categories, including his .509 batting average with 48 RBI, 55 runs scored, 36 stolen bases and 24 walks. He was 1 for 2 with two RBI and two walks in a 12-2 victory against Hardin Calhoun in the sectional title game after going 2 for 4 with two RBI and two stolen bases in a 17-2 win over Christ for Rock in the sectional semifinals. Father McGivney plays Pawnee at 1 p.m. Friday in the 1A state semifinals at the University of Illinois.

Ella Vaughn, Fort Zumwalt South soccer

A freshman defensive midfielder, Vaughn is heading to her second state semifinal in four months. Vaughn has helped the Bulldogs (17-5-1) record seven shutouts in a row heading into their fifth consecutive Class 3 state semifinal appearance. Last week, that included a 3-0 win at Fort Zumwalt East in a district final, then a 4-0 victory at John Burroughs in a state quarterfinal. A first team all-GAC Central selection, Vaughn has seven goals, five assists and three game-winning goals this season. In March, she helped lead Zumwalt South’s girls basketball team finish a program-best third in the Class 5 state tournament.