Lion's Roar April 2019 Lion's Roar | Page 6

APRIL 2019

THE LION'S ROAR

6

Cornerstone Athletics

From our Athletic Director, Jim Kirch

The CCS athletic teams have had great success this year. All three varsity teams (co-ed soccer, boys' basketball, and girls' basketball) had winning seasons. The girls' and boys' basketball teams each won a tournament. A large part of the successes of these teams was due to our coaches: Keith Press (soccer), Jon Hussey (boys’ basketball), and Garry Light (girls’ basketball).

We also had some exciting developments for our middle school program this year. Middle school teacher, Kirsten LaBranche, has coached the middle school indoor soccer league and is now preparing for the outdoor soccer league, with which CCS has participated for the past several years. Parents, Paul and Kim Howard, have been working with a number of middle school girls who are interested in playing basketball. The desire is to field middle school teams in the near future! Special thanks go to all of the assistant coaches, parent drivers, and those loyal fans that support CCS athletics! Go, Lions!

Athletic Banquet

Boys' Varsity Basketball

The varsity boys team put together a fantastic season with a winning record of 16-4. The team had a few injuries that we managed to get through and everyone made great contributions in games and practices to be able to play at a high level. Having 7 seniors on the team certainly helped us with commitment and maturity. There are two tournaments we look forward to each year and the team did really well in both. In Binghamton, NY, in January the boys took second place after a hard fought final game. Finally, the first weekend of March was the last tournament in Newington, and we won by a good margin to cap the season.

We will have a big void to fill with all of our seniors moving on next year, but we are excited to see what God has planned for them for this next chapter. Coach Hussey and Coach Light look forward to welcoming some new players next year who are looking to develop their skills and fitness level and be a part of a great experience through high school.

Girls' Basketball

Our CCS girls’ varsity basketball team enjoyed a very successful season. After losing the first game of the year by 1 point (24-23 vs. Central Christian), the girls went on to win 12 consecutive games and finish the season with a winning 12-1 record. Included in the winning streak was taking first place at the 40th annual CBCA Tournament in Binghamton, NY, with convincing wins over host school Central Baptist Christian Academy and Ross Corners Christian School in mid-January. Our girls’ team was led by Chloe Snellenberger (senior, captain, point guard), Liza Kearney (junior, forward), and Macy Jackson (sophomore, forward). The team was coached by MCN Associate Pastor, Garry Light. The girls’ team consisted of only one senior, and one junior and looks to be competitive for the next few years!

Soccer

This year we had a successful soccer season despite the excessive number of injuries and illnesses. The soccer team finished with a 5-5-2 record. Coach Press credits this year’s success to the players, parents, and his coaching staff. This past season, he was blessed to have three assistant coaches who sacrificially gave of their time to work with this team. We are losing six seniors to graduation, four of whom were captains this year. Though we are losing a lot of experience, Coach Press is looking forward to the season next year. Go, Lions!

On March 23, we honored our varsity athletes who participated on our sports teams throughout the school year. Members of the co-ed soccer team, the boys’ and girls’ basketball teams, and their families enjoyed a delicious meal together and celebrated the students’ athletic achievements. Special thanks to Mr. Jim Kirch, our Athletic Director, for organizing the sports’ calendars this year. We also thank our coaches Keith Press, Jon Hussey, and Garry Light for their leadership and investment in the lives of our student athletes. It was a great year for our teams!