Here are 33 outstanding accomplishments of current prep players, prep alumni, and prep coaches during 2015 (in random order):
Prep players
- Andrayah Adams (St. Paul Como Park) — Point guard put CP on the map by leading the metro in scoring, leading her team to its first City Conference title ever, and signing with St. John’s (NY) on a scholarship.
- TT Starks (Hopkins) — The guard capped off a brilliant basketball career by leading the Royals to the Class 4A state title.
- Mikayla Hayes (Park Center) — The center led the Pirates to their second-straight Class 3A title.
- Jia Lewis and Jada Lewis (Minneapolis Edison) — The sisters led the Tommies to a second-place finish in Class A girls’ track and field competition.
- Suzi Gilreath (Fridley) — The point guard had an outstanding season for the Tigers and signed to play at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- Kyla and Kailey Adams (Richield) — The sisters led the Spartans to a surprising appearance in the Class 3A state girls’ basketball tournament.
- Damario Armstrong ( Maranatha, Osseo) — After leading Maranatha Christian to Class A runner-up in basketball, he transferred to Osseo and helped the Orioles capture the 5A football crown as a wide receiver.
- Sam Gubbrud (St. Paul Central) — The quarterback led the Minutemen to an outstanding season and was named Offensive MVP of the Twin Cities District.
- Jalen Mobley (St. Paul Johnson) — The point guard led the Governors to a second-place finish in Class 3A, scoring 52 points in a double-OT Twin Cities victory over Minneapolis North.
- Tyler Johnson (Minneapolis North) — The quarterback led the Polars to the Class 1A state title game.
- Jalen Suggs (Minnehaha Academy) — The guard is the No. 1-ranked eighth grade basketball player in the nation.
- Jarvis Johnson (DeLaSalle) — He capped off an outstanding prep basketball career with a fourth consecutive Class 4A title and MVP honors at the Inner City All Star Classic.
- Gerard Gardner (St. Paul Central) — The all-conference football player, who attended Wyoming University this fall, was the first recipient of the Stacy Robinson Leadership Award named after the 1980 St. Paul Central graduate who went on to play for the New York Giants.
- D. Spielman (Eden Prairie) — The RB/WR/DB/R was named Mr. Football and the Metro Player of the Year.
- crown, the 6’-6” forward was dubbed the No. 1 player in the class of 2017.
- JT Gibson (Champlin Park) — He was named Mr. Basketball and metro Player of the Year after leading the Rebels to a runner-up finish in Class 4A.
- Gary Trent Jr. (Apple Valley) — After leading his team to the Class 4A boys’ basketball championship.
Prep alumni
- Tyus Jones (Apple Valley) — Led Duke University to the NCAA men’s basketball title last March before being drafted by the Timberwolves.
- Larry Fitzgerald (Holy Angles) — The All-Pro wide receiver has led the NFL Arizona Cardinals to a 13-2 record.
- Michael Floyd (Cretin Derham Hall) — The wide receiver is part of the Arizona Cardinals’ success.
- Marcus Williams (Hopkins) — The former point guard for the 2009 Class 4A state basketball champs and North Dakota State football star played defensive back for the New York Jets of the NFL.
- Ricky Suggs (St. Paul Central) — The former football and basketball standout, who graduated in 1980 and starred at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, was recently inducted into the Minutemen’s athletic Hall of Fame.
- Tyrone Minor (St. Paul Central) — The former Minutemen track and field great, who graduated in 1989, went on to Drake University and the University of Minnesota before being recently inducted into the Hall of Fame of his alma mater.
- Siyani Chambers (Hopkins) — The point guard and 2012 Mr. Basketball winner led Harvard to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament last spring as a junior.
- Ra’Shede Hageman (Minneapolis Washburn) — The defensive end, who went on to star at the University of Minnesota, played defensive end for the Atlanta Falcons of the NFL.
Coaches
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- John Robinson (St. Paul Como Park) — He led the Cougars’ girls’ basketball program to unprecedented heights.
- Vern Simmons (St. Paul Johnson) — The veteran coach led Johnson to a second-place finish in Class 3A boys’ basketball.
- Scott Howell (St. Paul Central) — An all-football player for his alma mater in 1983, he also led them to the Twin Cities District (Maroon Division).
- Larry McKenzie (Minneapolis North) — He became the first African American to be inducted into the Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association (MBCA) Hall of Fame.
- Charles Adams (Minneapolis North) — led the Polars to a second-place Class 1A football competition.
- Robert Mestas (Minneapolis Roosevelt) — Minnesota’s Mr. Basketball in 1995, the former Teddie coached his alma mater to within one game of the Class 2A state tournament.
- Jamin Cook (Minneapolis Washburn) — He had the Millers within one game of a state tournament appearance.
- Marcus Hill (Breck) — The former point guard (2006), who later went on to star at Minnesota State University-Mankato, recently returned to coach at his alma mater.
Mitchell Palmer McDonald welcomes reader responses to mmcdonald@spokesman-recorder.com.
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