By Don Ketchum

Here are some of the state’s top athletes from 2011-12 whom I enjoyed watching and/or interviewing for AIA365.com . . . those listed are from Phoenix, Scottsdale, the southwest and northwest Valley and northern Arizona.

Devon Allen, Phoenix Brophy Prep. Perhaps the state’s most versatile athlete, he excelled as a receiver and defensive back for the Broncos and developed into a record-setting sprint and hurdles sensation in track and field. The best thing of all is that we will be able to see him again as a senior next year.

Trae Armstrong, Glendale Deer Valley. He never lets up on the accelerator as a sprinter and running back. Has a football scholarship to Idaho but could wind up at a bigger school while going the track route.

Torey Braly, Cottonwood Mingus. She excelled as a top-notch soccer player and helped lead the track team to the Division III championship.

Ryan Castellani, Phoenix Brophy Prep. A big, strapping outfielder-pitcher who will be back for two more years. You might just see him in the major leagues some day.

Sarah Fakler, Phoenix Xavier Prep. She has become one of the top distance runners in state history, winning cross-country and track events, and will be back as a senior next year.

D.J. Foster, Scottsdale Saguaro. A solid, all-around football player who helped the Sabercats win the Division III title. The running back-defensive back has signed with Arizona State.

Casey Jahn, Phoenix Northwest Christian. The hard-charging running back helped the Crusaders win the state championship as a junior in 2010 and became the state’s career rushing leader as a senior in 2011, finishing with 7,333 yards and 107 touchdowns. He is headed to Northern Arizona.

Rolonda  Jumbo, Chinle. Won a combined 10 state championships in cross country and track.

Calvin LeBrun, Phoenix Sunnyslope. The sophomore left-hander pitched like a senior, leading the Vikings to the Division II baseball crown.

Ryder Nielsen, St. Johns. He was a rare four-time state champion in wrestling, one of the toughest sports, bar none.

Brick Paskiewicz, Peoria Sunrise Mountain. The pitcher-outfielder kept laundry-detergent makers in business with a perpetually dirty uniform. He will be back with a clean slate as a senior next year.

CeCe Pearl, Peoria. The Panthers finished as Division II state runner-up and the forward was a major factor all season. Few players worked harder.

Jasmin Pratt, Goodyear Estrella Foothills. She overcame an early season injury to add to her collection of state-champion medals in the sprints.

Pablo Rivas, Laveen Cesar Chavez. The forward helped his team reach the Division I basketball final. He can run, jump out of the gym, has long arms and is developing a nice shooting touch around the basket. He will be back for two more seasons.

DeWayne Russell, Peoria. The senior point guard’s last-second, game-winning assist in the Division II title game will go down as one of the top plays in state-tournament history. And after interviewing him when the Panthers won a holiday-tournament game, he gave me my first athlete-reporter “chest bump.’’ That in itself is worth something.

Amado Sanchez, Phoenix Carl Hayden. I watched him play soccer for four years and he always seemed to come up with big plays. He was one of the reasons why the Falcons were state-tourney contenders.

Darian Slaga, Anthem Boulder Creek. Are you kidding me? She was really a freshman? She played basketball well beyond her years, and is versatile enough to play anywhere on the floor.

Tamara Statman, Phoenix Horizon. The goggle-wearing freshman, better known as “T,’’ pitched and hit with the best of them as the Huskies reached the Division I state softball tournament.

Shilpa Tummala, Phoenix St. Mary’s. The senior helped the Lady Knights capture the Division I state basketball title and earn national-champion status. She also is an outstanding student, sometimes wearing thick, black-framed glasses (not sure if they’re real or for style) off the court that go along with the fact that she is headed for Harvard.