PHOTO CREDIT: SAM CANTONWINE – The STC softball team celebrates their victory against Vinton-Shellsburg on June 16, 2025.

If you were around in 1965 and found yourself heading to your local movie theater, the odds are you probably bought a ticket for ‘The Sound of Music’–the year’s highest grossing film. In it, Julie Andrews famously sang ‘…these are a few of my favorite things…’. She sang about her love for kittens, warm mittens, and schnitzel with noodles. Ever since then, the song has carved its way into the conscience of our society (though some radio stations seem to claim it’s a Christmas song–of which I respectfully disagree). With that said, as the 2025-2026 school year has come to an end, I couldn’t help but think of the song and ask myself the question: ‘What were some of my favorites this year in local sports?’

And, so, allow me to share with you a list of my top-10 ‘favorite things’ from this past school year. But first: a word on how this works. By ‘favorite things’ I mean favorite moments in time from this past sports-season cycle. The list includes the 2025-2026 school year, with summer sports of 2025 included. It will cover South Tama and Meskwaki Settlement School athletics. And, though we love our alumni now excelling at the college level (*ahem*, JoJo), this list will only include high school sports. It pains me to leave out certain moments and even certain sports altogether–but such is the nature of a top-10 list. This week, we will look at #10-#6; next week we will continue with #5-#1.

And, so, without further ado, here are a few of my favorite things:

10. Monday night, June 16, 2025: STC girls softball snaps long losing streaks

It had been four seasons since STC recorded a win in softball. And eight seasons since they had won a game in the WaMaC conference. But all of that came to an end in this moment last summer, when STC defeated Vinton-Shellsburg, 11-1, in the first game of a double-header. Then-freshman Shelby Johannsen had two hits and two RBIs for the Trojans. And freshman Layla Pansegrau pitched four solid innings to help secure the victory for STC. ‘The win was nothing short of amazing for the girls and the program,’ said STC softball head coach Kodi Hillman after the win.

PHOTO CREDIT: ROSS THEDE – MSS freshman Bree Scabbyrobe runs at the 2025 state cross country meet.

9. Thursday evening, Oct. 23, 2025: MSS freshman Bree Scabbyrobe qualifies for state cross country

Running at the state qualifying meet in Jewel, Scabbyrobe became only the second Meskwaki cross country runner to ever qualify for the state meet. The other was Shye Johnson in 2020. ‘She gave everything she had to get through it,’ said MSS cross country head coach Tracy Sienknecht told the Chronicle’s Jonathan Meyer after the race. ‘You could see her growth with every meet.’ A week later, Scabbyrobe bettered Johnson’s state meet time, finishing in 77th place in Fort Dodge with a time of 21:26.9. Scabbyrobe also went on to qualify for the state track and field meet this spring in the open 400, joining teammate Dorothy Bear who ran the 400 hurdles. Quite an impressive debut to Scabbyrobe’s high school sports career.

8. Thursday evening, Oct. 16, 2025: STC volleyball secures most wins in 13 years

The Trojans defeated Vinton-Shellsburg, 2-0, at the annual WaMaC conference tournament at Solon High School. The win gave STC their most victories (19) since they went 18-14 in 2013. Five days later, the Trojans fell to Pella Christian in the first round of the playoffs. But it was an outstanding season for STC, full of memorable moments. Head coach Emily Chyma and the team earned multiple WaMaC honors at the conclusion of the season: junior Paisley Bro (1st team); sophomore Maylee Rucker and Stella Zmolek (2nd team); and seniors Rylee Ridout and Madeline Paxton (honorable mentions).

7. Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026: STC senior Marcus Bear qualifies for first state wrestling tournament

PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE BRANT – STC junior Paisley Bro earned a spot on the WaMaC all-conference first team. She and her Trojan teammates won the most games for the volleyball program in 13 seasons.

It was a Valentine’s Day that Bear will never forget. Competing at the state qualifying meet at Benton high school, Bear qualified for his first state tournament at 175 lbs. He defeated Wilton’s Corban Buford in the semifinal round before falling in the championship to Nevada’s Isaac Williams. However, just moments after the championship match, Buford won his consolation match, ensuring that there would be no wrestle-back and a securing a second place for Bear. Bear watched the events unfold next to his coaches, and joyfully celebrated with them and his teammates, as the top two finishers in each weight class automatically qualified for state. Bear went on to go 2-2 in Des Moines to close out his highly successful wrestling career at STC. Earlier in the season he had celebrated his 100th career victory as a Trojan. Bear recently announced that he will be wrestling at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo this next year.

6. Thursday night, May 14, 2026: STC’s Scout Ridout wins the 100 hurdles

Competing at the state qualifying meet in Mount Vernon, the sophomore ran a time of 15.18 to finish in first place and automatically qualify for the state track and field meet in Des Moines. But what made this moment so special to me was the reaction of her teammates. Ridout was mobbed on the infield moments after her victory. There were multiple hugs for Ridout and even tears from her fellow athletes. In her freshman campaign, Ridout just missed out on qualifying for state in the event. Nine days later, Ridout ran 14.74 to set a new personal-best time and finish in 3rd place in class 3A. She also competed in three other events at state, including the 100, 200, and the 4×100 relay with teammates Brylee Nelson, Sydney Arp, and Maylee Rucker.

Join us next week, as we continue the countdown with my top five ‘favorite things’ from the 2025-2026 school year in local high school athletics.

PHOTO CREDIT: MARK BEAR – STC senior Marcus Bear competed at his first state wrestling meet this past winter.

PHOTO CREDIT: STEVE BRANT – STC sophomore Scout Ridout runs the 100 hurdles at the state qualifying meet in Mount Vernon on May 14, 2026.