Here are some of the best quotes from Peoria-area high school athletes and coaches for 2023.

January

“Our main goal is to just win. Win, win and keep winning. … Keep stacking up the wins and get better as we go.” — Richwoods boys basketball player Greg Burnside on the mentality of the Knights team.

“I didn’t have a lot of alley-oop plays designed up. Now the problem is I have to go on YouTube and figure out new ones." — Farmington boys basketball coach Marty Lozier on his prolific dunker, Keauntrey Barnes.

“I love the Mid-Illini. I figured maybe I’d have a good little group to try to make better and do some damage.” — Canton girls basketball coach Maribeth Dura on taking over the Little Giants program.

“Now as (seniors), we’re just trying to push the underclassmen and try them to get the same success that we had as freshmen.” — Havana girls basketball player Kaity Robison on the good mix of players on the Ducks team.

February

“I just keep trying to get better every single day. … Just kind of do what I know how to do, go out and wrestle.” — Washington boys wrestler Kannon Webster on the building his legacy before going to Illinois.

“That was ‘Action’ Jackson. … She took it upon herself to do that.” — Peoria High girls basketball coach Meechie Edwards on Lions junior Allannah Jackson guarding the opponent's best player.

“We know the target on our back got even bigger, being No. 1, so we work harder each day and we just got to keep putting in the work.” — Metamora boys basketball player Ethan Kizer on becoming Class 3A's top-ranked team for the first time in program history.

“Our main goal is postseason, and I think that the rest of the season is just going to keep us carrying on into the postseason.” - Deer Creek-Mackinaw girls basketball player Addison Swadinsky on her and the Chiefs record-setting season.

March

“Don’t matter if it’s Chicago. Don’t matter if it’s East St. Louis. Don’t matter if it’s Peoria.” — Metamora boys basketball coach Danny Grieves on the perception of a Mid-Illini Conference school not being able to become state champions.

"To get here is really a big accomplishment for all of us." — Peoria High girls basketball player Aaliyah Guyton on finishing the season with a Class 3A third-place victory.

“We had kind of turned that corner to where we were playing like we thought they were capable of, and we felt at that point, if they put in the work in the offseason and if we can get established early next year, we can probably get better." — Illini Bluffs boys basketball coach Clay Vass on his team's growth as the season progressed.

“It’s my senior year, and I want to be the best.” — Metamora softball player Katy Ramage on her expectations for the 2023 season.

April

“Her bat — really freaking good. You throw her anything and she’ll take it as far as she wants to.” — East Peoria softball player Keerrah Brown on her senior teammate Gracie Luna.

“My top, all-time performance.” — Illini Bluffs baseball player Josh Vaughn on striking out 20 batters.

"I'm definitely excited. Just the part of being able to spend time with my family, them not having to travel every time (to see me play). All of my families like cousins, aunties, uncles being able to see me as well. It’s just more convenient in that way.” — Richwoods boys basketball player Lathan Sommerville on transferring back to Peoria.

“Absolutely, got to be the best.” — Illinois Valley Central softball coach Max Bundy on where Katie Petran ranks all-time as a Grey Ghost pitcher.

May

“Her attention, and (work) ethic towards her pitching has just really improved.” - Washington softball player Malone McKinley on her teammate and pitcher Brooklyn Ogden.

“Stats don’t lie.” - East Peoria baseball player Owen Hidden on if he's better than his big brother, Landen.

“What changed? The results changed, but the process didn’t really change." — Richwoods baseball coach Patrick Hogan on his team winning a Class 3A regional as a seventh seed.

“We’ve never had a girl pole vaulter (state champion) before, so I’m happy to be the first.” — Elmwood/Brimfield pole vaulter Mya Strahm on winning the Class 1A state title.

June

“… I don’t think there’s a better way to go out my senior year. Three other seniors. We went out with a bang.” — Henry baseball player Colton Williams on helping the Mallards finish as the Class 1A state runnerup.

“Basically, the same hit." — Illini Bluffs softball player Lily Hicks on her game-winning hit in the 2023 Class 1A state semifinals that was very similar to her 2022 walk-off state title winner.

“They’ve been picking me up this whole playoffs, and I finally got a chance to pick them up.” — Richwoods baseball player Max Schwartz on his 4-for-4 effort at the plate in a Class 3A sectional title.

“The Mid-Illini is just so solid, and I think it’s one of the best conferences in the state. For us to both be here at this time is great.” — Washington softball coach Stephanie Lawson on playing conference rival Metamora for a Class 3A sectional championship.

July

“This is a huge job that I’m looking forward to. I’m truly blessed for this opportunity. This is one of the best programs in the state. I know that going into it when I applied for the job, when I was interviewing for the job. I knew how big this job was and I just knew how big basketball was at this school.” — Richwoods girls basketball coach Shamar Hill on taking over the Knights program.

“When you follow someone like a Darrell Crouch or Pat Ryan … you don’t want to lose a step going into the next head coach. It just made good sense and it’s going to be a good transition, especially for the staff.” — Washington athletics director Herb Knoblauch on naming Todd Stevens as the new head football coach.

“He’s going to carry a load, for sure, for us. We’re looking to feed him a little bit, get him the ball and do what he does." — Eureka football coach Jason Bachman on making sure running back Mason Boles carries the ball.

“I was a little weak last year, so I just needed to get stronger and keep building muscle and weight.” — Peoria Notre Dame boys basketball player Eoin Dillon on adding weight to his frame ahead of his senior season.

August

"I love the atmosphere, and I love the turf." — Peoria High football player Gary Rutherford III on playing at the newly renovated Peoria Stadium.

“She loves me and everything, but when she gets those pads on, man, she knows how to hit. … She’s a hard-nosed girl." — Washington football player Carter Prina on his mom, Kim Hartzler, going viral for tackling at mom's night.

“There’s definitely a lot of excitement, but then there’s also a little nervousness like if you don’t play well. But mostly excitement, just being able to develop with new guys and just have fun and play basketball.” — Metamora boys basketball player Cooper Koch on his transfer to the reigning state champion Redbirds.

“They’re the ones that actually kind of pushed me, because when we saw (the Dunlap job) become open, they’re like, ‘Mom, you really should get back into coaching. You really enjoyed it and we loved coming to your games and we loved being a part of it.’ " — Dunlap girls basketball coach Becky Fulkerson on getting hired as the news head coach.

September

“I just realized that like even when (Seth Glatz) got knocked down on a bad run, he got right up, and the next play was even better than the last (play) it felt like. … It takes all of us. I’m really happy for us right now.” — Morton football player Seandon Buffington on his mindset as a running back.

“I’d say we were pretty prepared. We were pretty like comfortable talking to coaches because the coaches didn’t make it weird or anything when they were talking.” — Metamora softball player Kaidance Till on the recruiting process as one of the nation's top players.

“It’s two different sports, but at the same time, you got to be a leader in both. You got to show out. You got to do your thing.” — Washington football player Kainon McQueary on being an all-state player in both football and lacrosse.

“I like it a lot. … If there was only one quarterback, we wouldn’t really be competing with anybody, so with each other we make each other better.” — Dunlap football player Mack Sutter on sharing quarterback duties with teammate John Bargen.

October

“I don’t remember the last time there’s been a school in this area who started a football program literally first year, no history of football. It was a learning experience for everybody involved — the coaches, the administration, kids. We’ve had those bumps in the road this season, but I think we have a solid young group that we can build on for the future, for sure.” — Peoria Quest football coach Mauriece Coates on the trials and tribulations of founding a football program.

"From from that point forward in the second half, we knew that one goal would probably stand up if we defended as a team, and we did that the rest of the game. We were able to hold them out." — Peoria Notre Dame boys soccer coach Mike Bare on his team's supersectional victory that sent the Irish to the Class 2A state finals.

“I never thought the day would come when she would pass. She was always my biggest role model and taught me to be a good person. Everything I do is for her. Every win is a great win.” — Morton football player GB Kruzick on dedicating his senior season to his late mother, Diane Kruzick.

"She's just been a leader for our team all year long. Really one of those girls, even outside of the coaches, she just worked hard. Always working on her game, working on her ball striking." — Peoria Notre Dame girls golf coach Ed Olehy on senior golfer Ella Coulter, who helped lead the Irish to a Class 1A state third-place finish.

November

“We did really well today. When you run your best race, the last race of the year, that’s all you can ask for as a coach. … There’s a lot of (teams) that have No. 1 runners. We just happen to have one of the best in the state which really helps.” — Elmwood/Brimfield boys cross country Gregg Meyers on his team's Class 1A state third-place finish led by Isaiah Hill's fifth-place overall finish.

“We were all so competitive. Like it really didn’t even matter. Still to this day, family holidays, we still make everything a competition.” — Morton volleyball player Graci Junis on getting a competitive advantage from her two older brothers.

“People are excited about football. It’s been really cool to be a part of and build and hopefully continue to make it a tradition that people look forward to and are excited about football." — ROWVA/Williamsfield football coach Grant Gullstrand on growing the football team in nine different townships, cities and villages.

“(Coach Daniel Ruffin) wants me to shoot the ball way more, so I’m definitely going to start doing that for us.” — Peoria High boys basketball player Leshawn Stowers on seeing his role increase for his junior season.

December

“I mean, Emy is one of the toughest physically, mentally people that I know. … That’s something not a lot of siblings might admit, but I admire her toughness.” — Peoria Notre Dame girls basketball player Mya Wardle on playing with her younger sister, Emy Wardle.

“We want a banner. We want a banner on that wall to show how we are. Prove to everybody else that we can do it because we know we can. We just want to show everybody else. We want people to come back and look and be like, ‘That was our class. That was our success that we fought for.’” — Peoria Heights girls basketball player Janessa Wallace on the expectations for the Patriots this season.

“You could hear a pin drop. I told them, ‘It’s just time my time to go.’ ” — Metamora boys basketball Danny Grieves on telling his players and coaching staff he was retiring a year early.

“It’s usually 50-50." - Eureka girls basketball player Mya Edwards on who wins 1-on-1 between her and her twin sister, Ivy Edwards.

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: Best quotes of 2023 from Peoria-area high school athletes and coaches