With the high school sports season behind us, it’s time to look back.
This is the sixth and final poll in a series the Journal Star is rolling out this summer, asking readers to select various superlatives across the 2025-26 season — including top teams, coaches, plus male and female athletes.
It’s time to name the Peoria-area high school Girls Coach of the Year. Head to pjstar.com/sports to vote. The poll closes at noon Thursday. Information about the nominees is below.
Last week, Metamora track and field coach Sheridan Ray was named the fans’ choice for 2026 Journal Star Boys Coach of the Year.
Patrick Gornik, Dunlap tennis
The Eagles not only made program history, but also put themselves into the Peoria-area record books. Dunlap finished second in Class 1A, becoming the highest finisher for a local girls team at the tennis state finals. Sophomore Anna Yu, the Journal Star Girls Tennis Player of the Year, led the charge with her second-place singles finish, making her the first-ever Peoria-area singles player to play for a tennis state championship. Yu (12 points), sixth-place doubles finishers Isabella Gusso and Katherine Brewer (eight points), singles player Alassea Michel (five points) and doubles duo Melaina Humbles and Berkeley Stigall (three points) accounted for Dunlap’s 28 points.
Tiffany Klaus, Tremont volleyball
The Turks went on a Cinderella run to the Class 1A state finals, ending with the highest finish in program history. Tremont (23-19) ended up as the state fourth-place finisher after being seeded fourth in the regional. On their way to the Final Four, Klaus guided her team to victories over two No. 1 seeds as well as a three seed. Maybe the Turks’ biggest victory came in the Elite Eight where they knocked off top-seeded Hartsburg-Emden in a three-set classic. Tremont then battled eventual state champion Cissna Park in the state semifinals before falling to Norris City in the third-place match. Sophomore Nora Parsons was named to the Journal Star Small-School All-Area Team.
Joni Nightingale, Deer Creek-Mackinaw basketball
The Chiefs reached new heights during the 2025-26 season. Dee-Mack (34-3) brought home the Class 1A state championship trophy with a convincing 15-point title-game victory. Nightingale’s team had suffered back-to-back Class 2A sectional title losses before a move down to Class 1A. The road to the state finals featured four consecutive blowouts before a nailbiter against Wethersfield in the supersectional. From there, it was pretty smooth sailing as the Chiefs won both of their state finals games by double digits. Senior Dalia Dejesus was the driving force for Dee-Mack, garnering Journal Star Small-School Player of the Year honors following the season.
Kim Barth, Washington basketball
The Panthers were locked in and ready for success during the 2025-26 season. Washington was coming off a Class 3A state third-place finish and was hungry for a state championship. Mission accomplished. Barth led the Panthers to the Class 3A state championship, winning the program’s first-ever title by a postseason average of nearly 30 points per victory. Four senior starters and all-staters — Avery Tibbs, Becca McDougall, Mazzy O’Brien and Dani Guedet — led the charge accompanied by freshman phenom Kate McDougall. Washington (35-2) boasted Tibbs as the Journal Star Large-School Player of the Year, while Guedet, O’Brien and Becca McDougall were All-Area.
Zach Statham, Morton soccer
The Potters made program history with their trip to the Class 2A state finals. The Mid-Illini Conference champs (26-2-1) finished as the Class 2A state runner-up following a state record-setting season in 2026. During its run to the Final Four, Morton set a new Illinois High School Association single-season consecutive shutout streak by going 19 matches in a row without allowing a goal. In just his first season as the Potters head coach, Statham helped the Potters break through to the Final Four for the first time in program history. All-staters Abby Brooks and Madi Greiner, along with 37-goal scorer Claire Ceresa, were named to the Journal Star Girls Soccer All-Area team.
Germaine Fairchild, Dunlap softball
The Eagles returned to the state finals for the first time in 34 years during the 2026 campaign. Dunlap (30-10) marched its way to the Final Four following a dramatic walk-off victory in supersectionals. Once at the state finals, Mid-Illini Conference champ Dunlap lost to eventual state champion Antioch in the semifinals before falling to Oak Park Fenwick 1-0 in the state third-place game. Fairchild saw her team shut out three postseason opponents including a pair of double-digit victories in regional and sectional titles. Illinois signee Sutton Centoni earned Journal Star Softball Player of the Year honors along with All-Area selection Lexi Hamer.
Adam Duvall is a Journal Star sports reporter. Email him at aduvall@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @AdamDuvall.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Vote now for Peoria Journal Star Girls Coach of the Year for 2025-26
Reporting by Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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By Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star | USA TODAY Network
