The fall season for local high school sports has seen success on many levels, as evidenced by several athletes being selected recently to all-state teams.

In football, Waterloo’s all-time leading rusher Derez Sayles was named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 4A All-State First Team, with teammate Owen Niebruegge listed as Honorable Mention All-State.

Sayles rushed for 1,285 yards this fall (6.2 yards per carry) with 17 touchdowns and added 148 yards receiving with another score for a WHS football squad that advanced to the second round of the playoffs.

Niebruegge was a force on both sides of the ball for the Bulldogs, rushing for 745 yards and six TDs with 377 yards receiving and four TDs in addition to being the team’s leading tackler with 85 total stops.

Also in football, Dupo’s Deegan Prater was named to the IHSFCA Class 1A All-State First Team.

Prater led the Tigers to a 9-2 season in a multitude of ways. At quarterback, he threw for 2,425 yards with 31 TDs and ran for 482 yards with 10 TDs. On defense, he had nine total interceptions. He also served as the team’s kicker. 

In boys soccer, Columbia’s Luke Dewilde was named to the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State Team for leading the state champion Eagles in scoring. 

Dewilde, a junior, recorded 34 goals and 31 assists this season, including six game-winning goals.

In volleyball, Columbia’s Ava Mathews was selected to the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association All-State First Team, with teammate Claire Sandstrom on the IVCHA All-State Second Team. 

Both were key members of an Eagles squad that finished 39-1 and won the school’s first volleyball state title this past weekend.

Mathews, who will continue her volleyball career next season at Southeast Missouri State University, recorded 248 kills, 485 assists, 124 points, 95 blocks and 264 digs this fall for Columbia. 

Sandstrom, a senior, was named Class 2A state finals MVP with 14 kills in the title game. In addition to her team-high 348 kills on the season, Sandstrom finished with 181 points and 40 serving aces.