The holiday season is here and 2022 will soon be in the books. There were a number of top sports moments, athletes, teams and highlight-filled games to keep the Allen County area entertained throughout the year.
Here’s our take of some of the best moments, athletes and games from 2022.
Allen men’s basketball
The Red Devils enjoyed quite the season by qualifying for NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Danville, Ill. 
Allen advanced to the national tournament after taking down Johnson County in the Region VI championship game, 74-72. The regional title was the Devils’ first since 1989.
Iola’s Brett Willis sets school’s 100m record
Mustang senior Brett Willis capitalized on his appearance at the Kansas State Track and Field Championships last spring.
Willis secured second place in the Class 4A 100-meter sprint with a time of 10.74 seconds. It was a neck-and-neck race. Willis finished only .06 seconds behind Chanute’s Rawley Chard and was .11 seconds ahead of Bishop Miege’s Jaylen Burch.
The time set a new record in the event for Iola High School.
Willis then went on to finish in fourth place in the 200-meter dash in 23.73 seconds to cap an impressive high school career.
Willis signed to run track at Emporia State University where he is currently a member of the track team.
Marmaton Valley siblings Jaedon and Janae Granere
The Graneres impressed at the Class 1A state track meet in Wichita in May when Jaedon finished in third place in the boys 200-meter dash with a time of 24.07 seconds. Janae took fourth place in the triple jump and eighth place in the long jump. 
The siblings are still on the younger side of the high school roster. Jaedon is a sophomore and Janae a junior.
Iola baseball earns state bid
