Editor’s Note: As part of the Courier-Tribune’s year in review coverage for 2021, we asked athletics programs in Kearney, Liberty, Liberty North and Smithville high schools to tell us who their “unsung heroes” are, those worthy of recognition but whose efforts are often behind the scenes. Th…

Editor’s Note: The Courier-Tribune’s Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year for Liberty, Liberty North, Kearney and Smithville were selected by sports writer Mac Moore based on his opinions from covering the teams and using insights provided by area coaches when available.

Editor’s Note: The Courier-Tribune’s Boys and Girls Athletes of the Year for Liberty, Liberty North, Kearney and Smithville were selected by sports writer Mac Moore based on his opinions from covering the teams and using insights provided by area coaches when available.

Athlete of the Year:

The Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference released its 2020-21 Gold Division all-conference selections and 10 local players made the list.

LIBERTY — Liberty boys basketball has won so many games by double-digits this season that the team has little experience in games decided by one possession.

The Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference released its 2020-21 Blue Division all-conference selections and 13 local players made the list.

LIBERTY — Liberty boys basketball clinched a spot in the Show-Me Showdown with dominant performances in the state sectionals and quarterfinals last week.

LIBERTY — Liberty boys basketball outlasted a resilient Truman team to win a second straight district championship.

KEARNEY — Kearney boys hoops preached the need for lockdown defense as they faced No. 1 seed Platte County in the district final on Thursday, March 4 at Platte County High School.

SMITHVILLE — Smithville boys basketball had its resurgence season ended in the Missouri Class 5 District 16 semifinals.

KEARNEY — With just five varsity players outside of quarantine, Kearney boys basketball opted to sit out the final two weeks of the season to get healthy for a postseason run.

LIBERTY — Liberty boys basketball completed a three-game sweep of their matchups with crosstown rival Liberty North this season.

SMITHVILLE — Smithville boys basketball has waited five years for a postseason victory, but it did not take very long for the Warriors to show they were ready to end that streak on Saturday, Feb. 27.

LIBERTY — Liberty North boys basketball built on its 2-game win streak to close the regular season by earning a double-digit victory in the first round of the postseason.

LIBERTY — Liberty boys basketball extends its win streak to eight games as the Blue Jays earn at least a share of the Suburban Gold conference title.

SMITHVILLE — The Smithville boys basketball team finished off a season sweep of Winnetonka with a 51-49 thriller that was much different than the first time these two teams faced.

LIBERTY — The Liberty North boys basketball team finally got back in the win column, but were unable to earn their second win streak of the season.

LIBERTY — Liberty boys basketball won two games last week to win the team’s fourth straight game.