The Creve Coeur Patch Sports Year In Review

As 2011 draws to a close, Creve Coeur Patch is taking a look back at some of the biggest stories of the year in a variety of categories, and we want to know what you think, too. Here are three we picked out, in no particular order:

Bradley Beal's Senior Season

The standout brought a close to one of the most storied high school basketball careers in St. Louis basketball history with a senior season filled with accolades and nationwide attention. He led the Red Devils to the state quarterfinals, averaging 32.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 2.7 steals per game.

Normally, "all-everything" is little more than a lazy writer's platitude, but in this case, Beal literally fit the bill. He was a Parade Magazine first team All American, selected to play in

Just a few months after graduation, Beal has already become a factor for the University of Florida Gators, with some prognosticators identifying him already as a possible 2012 NBA Draft Lottery pick.

The Year of The Receiver

Few communities around the country can claim one NCAA Division I caliber wide receiver, but Creve Coeur area schools could boast three in 2011. Durron Neal, Brandon Sheperd and Jehu Chesson were among the best at their position around the country, en route to accepting scholarship offers from Oklahoma (Neal), Oklahoma State (Sheperd) and Michigan (Chesson).

Neal earned Class 6 Offensive Player of the Year honors, Sheperd led Parkway Central to a district title while Chesson helped Ladue overcome a slow start as all three squads made a dent in the postseason.

Neal will finish his high school career on the national stage early next month as a participant in the in San Antonio.

Soccer Standouts

Creve Coeur has a proud pedigree when it comes to soccer, and in 2011, the squads at and De Smet reminded the state why. The Rebels were literally perfect, going 27-0 on their way to a state title, many by shutout. The De Smet Spartans were propelled to a state championship thanks in part to

Notes:

We learned about some big sports stories which will still be playing out over a matter of years, including at Butler in the fall of 2013, and the We'll be following both stories with interest.

Congratulations to all the athletes who excelled on and off the playing field in 2011. Tell us what you think of the biggest sports stories of the year, and vote in our poll!