SOUTH BEND — There is a lot of balance across the board when it comes to state championship success at South Bend Saint Joseph High School.
As a whole, the school has won 12 IHSAA state titles, coming in eight different sports. Of those championships, eight have come in the 21st century, making the last 25 years highly successful for the school.
With so much tradition and history, which athletes standout above the rest since 2000? Here’s the Tribune’s list of the best Saint Joseph athletes the last 25 years, listed in alphabetical order. Honorable mentions are listed at the bottom as well.
Molly Bellia, class of 2024
Bellia just finished one of the best girls tennis careers in area history, going 103-6 in her four seasons on the court. Individually, she was the IHSAA state champion in 2021 and state runner-up in 2023. Team-wise, Bellia led the Huskies to the state championship this past spring after finishing state runner-up in 2021 and 2023 and reaching the state semifinals in 2022.
Trevor Carroll, class of 2013
Carroll won an impressive 14 swimming sectional championships and was the back-to-back IHSAA state champion in the 200-yard freestyle in 2012 and 2013. He was named the Northern Indiana Conference’s swimming MVP three times as well. Carroll went onto swim collegiately at the University of Louisville.
John Cavanaugh, class of 2004
An all-state player in both soccer and track, Cavanaugh had a decorated career at Saint Joe. His senior year was the highlight, as he was a starting defenseman on the boys soccer team that went 24-0, winning the single-class state championship in the fall of 2003. He followed that up by finishing runner-up in the 800-meter run at the state track finals in the spring of 2004. Cavanaugh would continue his track career in college at Notre Dame, earning All-American honors with the Fighting Irish.
Ryan Keckley, class of 2003
Keckley shined on the tennis court for Saint Joseph. He was on three regional-winning teams from 2000-02, adding a semistate title and state runner-up appearance in 2002. His senior season also saw him go 26-0 individually, winning the individual state championship. Currently the head tennis coach at San Diego State University, Keckley was inducted into the Indiana Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame this year.
Melissa Lechlitner, class of 2006
Lechlitner was a four-year starter for the Saint Joseph girls basketball team, ending her career with 1,701 points scored. She was a key figure of the 2005 Class 3A state championship team that went 25-1. As a senior, she was named the NIC’s MVP, an Indiana All-Star and finished runner-up in the Miss Basketball voting. Lechlitner went onto play college basketball at Notre Dame.
Susan Pinnick, class of 2004
Pinnick played three sports at the school, shining brightest on the soccer pitch. She finished her career with 76 goals and 36 assists, leading Saint Joe to the 2003 state championship game back when it was the one-class era. Pinnick was named Indiana Miss Soccer for her senior season. She earned all-state in track as well, placing 10th in the 400-meter dash at the state finals in the spring of 2004. In college, Pinnick was part of the Notre Dame women’s soccer team that won the NCAA national championship in 2004.
Mary Cate Pruitt, class of 2021
Arguably the best distance swimmer in area history, Pruitt was a three-time IHSAA state champion in the 500-meter freestyle race in her career. She also won 15 sectional championships and finished in the top-10 in 14 events at the state finals across her four seasons. Pruitt is entering her senior season of swimming collegiately at Notre Dame, where she’s already been a two-time captain of the team.
Sydney Smallbone, class of 2007
All Sydney Smallbone did was win at Saint Joseph. She reached the final four of the girls basketball state tournament in each of her four years, including winning the Class 3A state title as a sophomore in 2005. As a senior, she was an Indiana All-Star and finished runner-up in the Miss Basketball voting. After her college career at Tennessee, Smallbone returned to Saint Joseph, coaching the girls basketball team to a state title in 2017.
Jordan Taylor, class of 2008
Taylor was an integral part of Saint Joseph’s football team that reached the Class 3A state championship game in 2007. An All-State selection, Taylor finished the season with a state-best 2,385 rushing yards, adding 25 rushing touchdowns along the way. For his career, he finished with 3,250 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns. Taylor was also a key part of two sectional-winning track teams, competing in the shot put, high jump, long jump and 100-meter dash.
Maddy Yergler, class of 2018
Another standout tennis player for Saint Joseph, Yergler was a four-time conference MVP. She reached the individual state semifinals in 2017 and was the individual state champion in 2018. Her greatest team success came her sophomore year when Saint Joe finished as state runner-up in 2016. Yergler was on teams that won four sectional, four regional and three semistate titles during her career as well.
Honorable mentions
Tony Carmola (class of 2017), Mary Grace Godfrey (class of 2006), JR Konieczny (class of 2021), Aimee Litka (class of 2005), Jayce Lee (class of 2024), Jennifer McCoy (class of 2002), Bridget Pluta (class of 2000), Daniel Pries (class of 2022), Bridget Veldman (class of 2011), Aislynn Walsh (class of 2019), Berkley Zache (active; class of 2025), Riley Zache (class of 2024).
Special thanks to Saint Joseph alum and historian Ross Havens for help with this list.
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