With fall sports coming to a close with SPC Championships in Houston last weekend, all four winter sports, basketball, soccer, swimming and wrestling, have been preparing for the start of their seasons. From Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 13-15, all four varsity teams participated in their first competitions of the year.
Basketball
On Nov. 15, the Lions’ varsity basketball team opened its season with an 80-47 win over the Liberty Christian Warriors. The Lions were aggressive out of the gate, pressing the Warriors the entire length of the court and forcing multiple turnovers. Five-star junior Dawson Battie started hot, scoring nine points in the first quarter. Sophomore Carter Burton came off the bench and hit two three-pointers as the Lions took a commanding 27-13 to end the first quarter. The Warriors were finally able to break through the Lions’ press by using deep passes to create fast-break opportunities; however, the Lions continued to move the ball well on offense and took a 15 point lead into the half. Coming out of the break, the Lions’ offense caught fire. AJ Thomas led the charge for the Lions with eight consecutive points for the Lions, who took a resounding 64-35 lead into the final quarter. Midway through the fourth quarter, Battie sent a cross-court pass to fan-favorite Tex Davison, who buried a three-pointer for his first career varsity points. The crowd and Lions’ bench erupted in celebration at the shot, and the team finished their first game of the season with an impressive 33-point victory.
Soccer
The Lions soccer team started their 2025-26 campaign with a victory over the Home School Athletic Association (HSAA) Angels on Nov. 15. Just three minutes into the match, senior Riggs Bean scored on a tap-in to give the Lions an early lead. Although the Angels would apply pressure on the Lions’ defense early in the game, sophomore goalkeeper Alex Gawel was able to keep the Angels from scoring with a few solid saves. Seizing momentum, Bean would score again off a beautiful cross as the Lions’ took a 2-0 lead into halftime. In the 57th minute, Max Bean, Riggs’s twin brother, would score off an assist from freshman Joaquin Mayo. JP Hanks tacked on the Lions’ final goal as the team rolled to a 4-1 win.
Swimming
With four SPC Championships in the last five years, the Lions swim program returned to the pool for their first meet of the season at Jesuit. Facing a Rangers’ program that has been swimming in team competitions since September, the Lions took on the challenge well. Although the team fell by a score of 129-56, the Lions saw several personnel records set as the program continued to work towards reaching peak performance. The Lions will next swim against John Paull II and Cistercian on Dec. 11.
Wrestling
The Lions’ wrestling team participated in the third annual Lovejoy Leopards Dual Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 15. As a team, the Lions went 1-3, picking up a win over McKinney Boyd. Despite the losses, the Lions competed well against high-level programs. Oliver Loehr and Ferris Gottlich both went 4-0 in their individual matches. Jackson Barnes finished 3-1 in his bouts as the Lions showed promise for the future. The Lions will next face Jesuit on Dec. 3.
