By FRED KRONER
Which of Mahomet-Seymour’s 20 athletic teams was the most successful during the first 25 years of this century?
Surprisingly, there is not just one correct answer.
It depends on point of view and how success is defined.
If the determining factor is state championships in team sports, then the top three would be boys’ cross-country, boys’ golf and volleyball.
Boys’ cross-country captured back-to-back state crowns in 2016 and 2017. Boys’ golf was the state’s leader in 2010 and volleyball was triumphant in 2024.
If the criteria is state championships in individual sports, then the top spots on the list would go to boys’ cross-country, boys’ track and field, girls’ track and field and wrestling.
The girls’ track team produced seven individual champs, followed by boys’ track and field (six), wrestling (two) and boys’ cross-country (one).
However, there are even more ways to look at overall success in a sport.
If consecutive winning seasons is the criteria, then girls’ soccer (17 in a row) and baseball (16 in a row) are the top qualifiers.
If total winning percentage so far in the 2000s is the choice, then wrestling (77.2 percent) is the standard-bearer, followed by girls’ soccer (70.7 percent).
How about adding up the total number of victories in sports where those are tallied regularly? Then you are back to volleyball (523), followed by baseball (509).
The best program for the past 25 years? Legitimate claims can be made by boys’ cross-country, boys’ golf, girls’ soccer, boys’ track and field, girls’ track and field, volleyball and wrestling.
That means seven of the 20 athletic programs would be in the conversation, which helps to reinforce the quality of athletes within the school district in the last 2 ½ decades.
As an aside, girls’ soccer is unfortunately unique in another area. To make the all-quarter-century team, merely making an All-Area first-team chosen by The News-Gazette wasn’t an automatic qualification.
In all, M-S girls’ soccer had 30 different athletes who were accorded with an All-Area first-team designation. There were spots for 21 representatives on the all-quarter-century team.
To be fair, it should also be noted that in most years this century, there were not more than 10 high schools in The News-Gazette area which offered girls’ soccer, contrasted to more than 40 schools in sports such as baseball, basketball, football and track and field.
Sixteen of those 21 girls’ soccer spots went to athletes who were All-Area first-team at least twice.
Incredibly, the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association has selected postseason All-State teams for girls since 1990. In the 13 years that soccer was played in the spring (the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19), M-S has had a first-team All-Stater in 12 of those years. Thirteen Bulldogs were honored with two gaining recognition in 2022 (Brea Benson and Cayla Koerner).
The overall total of 13 represent nine different athletes. Sarah Van Wingerden (2012-14) was chosen three times while Meredith Johnson-Monfort (2017-18) and Paislee Welge (2024-25) were each picked twice.
Since the streak started in 2012 the only year (besides 2020) where an athlete from M-S was bypassed was 2016.
Without further ado, Mahomet-Seymour’s Quarter-Century girls’ soccer team.
KATIE BELL, Class of 2006, F. Two-time News-Gazette All-Area first-teamer netted team-high 14 goals as a senior and tied for team-lead with 19 as a junior.
BREA BENSON, 2022, MID. Two-time All-Area first-teamer totaled 54 career goals and 67 career assists (No. 2 in school record book). Eighteen of her goals and 27 of her assists came as a senior. Was chosen to the Illinois Soccer Coaches Association All-State team as a senior.
NADIA BIEGLER, 2024, MID. All-Area first-teamer as a senior was a four-year varsity starter for teams that had a combined 58-18-6 record and won four regional championships.
NYAH BIEGLER, 2021, MID. Two-time All-Area first-teamer collected 19 goals and 19 assists as a senior and was recognized as the Area Player of the Year as well as an All-State selection.
KATHY BRADLEY, 2013, GOALIE. Two-time All-Area first-teamer allowed nine goals in 15 matches as a senior and 23 goals in 34 matches her final two years. Registered nine shutouts as a senior and 13 shutouts as a junior.
ALEYNA BRUNNER, 2015, F/MID. Two-time All-Area first-teamer earned All-State status as a senior after making a team-high 21 goals and adding an area-best 14 assists. As a junior, had 11goals and nine assists.
ABBY BUNTING, 2023, DEF. Two-time All-Area first-teamer was a defensive mainstay who helped M-S shut out 22 foes in her final two seasons.
KELSIE DONLEY, 2010, F. Two-time All-Area first-teamer and school’s first Area Player of the Year as a junior after a 12-goal, seven-assist season. As a senior, recorded nine goals and 12 assists. Later coached the Bulldogs and was Area Coach of the Year in 2019.
LAUREN ELLIS, 2006, DEF. Two-time All-Area first-teamer and top defender as a senior for a team which permitted nine goals in 19 matches. As a junior, helped her team register 11 shutouts while yielding 14 goals in 20 matches.
SARAH HOHENSTEIN, 2018, GOALIE. All-Area first-teamer as a senior, posting 15 shutouts and allowing 15 goals in 24 matches that year and yielding 56 goals in 70 career matches. All-Area second-teamer as a junior.
MARISSA IZATT, 2004, MID. Three-time All-Area first-teamer posted 22 goals and seven assists as a senior after a nine-goal, five-assist junior season for a team that reached the sectional finals. Had nine goals as a sophomore while focusing primarily on defense.
LAINEY JACOBS, 2028, GOALIE. All-Area first-teamer posted 10 shutouts as a freshman for a 15-win regional championship team which outscored the opposition 68-26 in 23 matches.
MEREDITH JOHNSON-MONFORT, 2018, F/MID. Three-time All-Area first-teamer and two-time Area Player of the Year amassed 117 career goals (No. 2 on school list) and 44 career assists. Hit 43 of her goals as a senior, 34 as a junior, 24 as a sophomore and 16 as a freshman. All-Area second-teamer as a freshman. Two-time All-Stater with the Illinois Coaches Association.
CAYLA KOERNER, 2022, F. Two-time All-Area first-teamer and Area Player of the Year as a senior rewrote the school record book with 60 goals in a season, 137 goals in a career, 37 assists in a season and 86 assists in a career. Her season goal and assists totals are among the top 10 all-time in the IHSA record books. Had 49 goals and 30 assists as a junior. All-Area second-teamer as a freshman. Coaches Association All-Stater as a senior.
MADDIE LOUIS, 2019, DEF. Two-time All-Area first-teamer sparked a defense that produced 17 shutouts in 26 matches as a senior. As a junior, helped squad that limited opposition to 15 goals in 24 matches. All-Area second-teamer as a sophomore.
BREONNA SNYDER, 2018, DEF. All-Area first-teamer as a junior provided a spark for a defense that yielded 24 goals in exactly 24 matches.
KALLIE STUTSMAN, 2023, DEF. Two-time All-Area first-teamer received All-State honors as a senior after helping Bulldogs shut out nine opponents.
SARAH VAN WINGERDEN, 2014, MID. Three-time All-Area first-teamer and Area Player of the Year as a senior, when she also landed All-State honors for the third time. Finished with 12 goals and 19 assists as a senior as well as a combined 67 goals or assists in 67 career varsity matches.
HILLARY VEITCH, 2010, GOALIE. Three-time All-Area first-teamer allowed 11 goals in 17 matches as a senior and 79 goals in 69 career matches. All-Area second-teamer as a freshman.
MADDY WADE, 2019, F/MID. All-Area first-teamer, Area Player of the Year and an All-State pick as a senior when she had a team-high 24 assists to go with 27 goals for a squad which won a school-record 24 matches. All-Area second-teamer as a junior.
PAISLEE WELGE, 2026, DEF. Three-time All-Area first-teamer was a defensive stalwart as a junior for a squad that permitted 26 goals in 23 matches. She led a defense that allowed 33 goals in 20 matches her sophomore season and earned All-State accolades as a junior and as a sophomore. As a freshman striker, scored a team-high 21 goals.
