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Zyree Collins, St. Mary’s basketball

The reigning All-Metro boys player of the year, Collins was named most valuable player after helping lead the Dragons to the championship of the Fort Zumwalt North Invitational. The 6-foot senior guard had 36 points, 10 assists and three steals in the title game as St. Mary’s beat Rock Bridge 77-61. In a 71-69 semifinal victory against the host Panthers, Collins provided 35 points, nine assists and five rebounds. He opened the event with 34 points, five assists, four steals and four rebounds during a 78-38 win over Normandy. Collins, who is uncommitted, owns Dragons career records for scoring, field goals made, free throws made and steals, along with single-season program records for points scored (851 in 2023-24) and field goals made (303 in 23-24). He is averaging 31.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.5 steals this season.

Wyatt Dannegger, Francis Howell North wrestling

A sophomore, Dannegger improved to 28-0 by winning the 106-pound championship in Francis Howell’s Kyle Thrasher Memorial Tournament. Dannegger won his first two matches with pins in less than one minute, then advanced by medical forfeit in the quarterfinals, a 7-1 decision in the semifinals and finished by winning a 7-0 decision in the title match against Staley senior Gunner Dahms. The Thrasher title was the fifth of the season for Dannegger, who also has won at Howell North, Fort Zumwalt East and St. Charles West in addition to the Gateway Athletics Conference meet. Dannegger was 38-7 as a freshman, falling one win short of a medal at state, before earning All-American honors over the summer in two events — Greco Roman (third) and Freestyle (fourth) — at the USA Wrestling Under-16 National Championships in Fargo, N.D.

Ashley Hilton, Hillsboro basketball

The Hawks repeated as champions of their 44th annual tournament with a big helping hand from Hilton, a 5-foot-9 junior forward who nearly averaged a double-double in three games at the event. She opened the tournament with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists in a 77-39 victory against Herculaneum, then scored a career-high 36 points to go along with 10 rebounds and three steals in a 60-35 semifinal win over Sullivan. In a 50-32 win over Freeburg in the title game, Hilton provided 17 points, 11 rebounds and four steals. Hilton was an all-tournament selection along with teammates Kyra Matlock and Katelyn Wiethop. For the season, Hilton ranks among area leaders with averages of 20 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.2 steals for the 15-2 Hawks. In the fall, she was a third team All-Metro softball honoree.

Ella Hunter, Ursuline basketball

A 5-foot-10 senior forward, Hunter earned most valuable player honors while helping the Bears (16-3) win the 11th annual Washington Tournament championship with their 11th successive victory. Hunter closed the tournament with her eighth double-double of the season, providing 14 points and 12 rebounds during Ursuline’s 56-43 victory against Fort Zumwalt West in the title game. In a 60-33 win over Warrenton in the opening round, Hunter had 15 points and four rebounds, and she had 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals during a 67-45 semifinal victory against Lutheran South. Earlier this season, Hunter also was an all-tournament selection as Ursuline won the Marquette Tournament. A four-year varsity player, Hunter is averaging 12.7 points and 10.7 rebounds a game.

Amaya Manuel, Lift for Life basketball

A 5-foot-7 sophomore guard, Manuel produced a pair of double-doubles as the Hawks won two games last week to push their winning streak to seven games and season record to 15-4. In a 92-22 victory against East St. Louis, Manuel led Lift for Life with 23 points, a career-high 12 rebounds, three steals and two assists. Manuel then had 20 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals as the Hawks beat Cardinal Ritter 54-51 in a showdown between the top two-ranked Class 5 teams by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. Lift for Life’s win was its first ever against Cardinal Ritter after losing the seven previous games in the series from 2011-22. Manuel averages 16.3 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.8 steals per game after leading the team in scoring last season at 17 points a game on the way to the Class 4 state championship.

Jordan Speiser, Lutheran St. Charles basketball

In a 68-43 victory against Owensville in the championship game of the 25th annual Hermann Invitational, Speiser became the all-time leading scorer in program history. Her 24-point effort in the title game gave Speiser, a 6-foot-1 senior guard, 2,113 career points and moved her past the previous record of 2,102 set in 2003 — by Cougars coach Erin (Pauk) Luttschwager. Speiser was named the tournament’s MVP, including a 13-point performance in a 76-17 semifinal win over host Hermann and 18 points in the first round against Gateway Legacy Christian. She averages 20.3 points and 3.1 assists and is the area leader in 3-pointers per game (3.7) and free-throw percentage (86.4). Signed with Kansas State, Speiser has been selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game on April 1 in Brooklyn and the Nike Hoop Summit on April 12 in Portland.

Emery Woehrmann, Borgia basketball

A 6-foot-1 sophomore guard, Woehrmann helped the Knights to the championship of the 63rd Union Invitational and was named the tournament’s most valuable player. He scored 20 points and had six assists to open the tournament in a 69-52 win over host Union, then scored 36 points — including six 3-pointers — to go along with four assists and three steals in a 75-49 semifinal win over Lutheran South. Woerhmann closed the tournament with 18 points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds as the Knights beat Sikeston 67-61 for the championship, avenging losses to the Bulldogs in the tournament’s title game the last two seasons. For the season, his first at Borgia, Woehrmann is averaging 24.3 points and 3.4 assists. He has made 64 of 157 3-point attempts along with 85 of 105 free throws for the Knights (13-5), winners in 11 of their last 12.