Basketball
MS Girls
Record: 2-16
The middle school girls basketball team worked very hard this season. They improved in every aspect of the game from the first game to the last. There were several games when the outcome could have gone either way. The ladies are taking what they learned and building on that in the off season to make for a force to be reckoned with next season.
MS Boys-A Team
Record: 8-6
The middle school boys Crusaders basketball team finished the season with a record of 8-6 and finished 3rd in overall standing in the Raleigh Area Athletic Conference. The team was led at large by its 8th graders Derick Stokes, Max Andrew Searcy, Ryan Byrd, Bradley Goldberg, Braydon Plummer, and Michael Coe. The team’s future is bright as two 6th graders found themselves working their way into the starting lineups. Both Omar Rodriguez and Cannon Diggs are returning to GCS in the Fall.
MS Boys-B Team
Record: 4-6
The boys B-Team was led by 1st year coach Ryan Weeks and Josh Shackelford. The boys found themselves in many close contests over the course of the season as they finished with a record of 4-6. The team was led in almost every category, statistically, by 6th grader Jordan Wilson.
JV Girls
Record: 8-8
The JV Girls basketball team was led by Coach Heather Hughes with a record of 8-8. The Crusaders were led at large by the freshman trio of guard Reagan Lindholm, forward Sydney Damude, and forward Allison LoChirco. They led the team in just about every statistical category over the duration of the season. The young team had success against JV and Varsity teams, alike, as they competed in a very tough schedule. We are very excited to see this team grow and develop, as it is only in its 2nd season here at Grace Christian School.
JV Boys
Record: 17-2 Conference: 4-0
The JV boys dominated the conference and most of the games they played throughout the season. The boys would finish with an overall record of 17-2. Its losses were to 4A Providence Day and 3A Trinity Christian. The team had strong guard play, from Nate Jones, Caleb Ellis, Patrick Larson, and Grant Jacques over the course of the season. Forwards Barrett Bullard, Ryder Zingelmann, and Isaiah Streeter dominated both the paint and the glass all season long. The team was also hot behind the arch all season long by sharp-shooter Carter Cummings, Jack Hunter, Jayden Smith, and Grayson Harmon.
Varsity Girls
Record: 32-3
The Varsity Girls started the basketball season with one goal in mind: another state championship. On February 25, 2023, against Wayne Country Day, they accomplished their goal, beating their opponent by 25 points in the state championship. The Crusaders were led all year long by Junior Captain, Sarah Strong, who finished the season as a first team All American, Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year, and Miss Basketball North Carolina. In addition to those accolades, her jersey will be hung in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in Indianapolis for the 2023-2024 school year. WIth all of their starters returning, and a handful of new additions, the Lady Crusaders will enter the school year as the favor to win the 3A State Championship.
Varsity Boys
Record: 23-11
The Crusaders were led by Coach Wilson in his 7th year at the helm for the Varsity Boys Basketball team. The boys started off strong and put the conference on notice when they stormed out of the gate with 4 consecutive wins against conference opponents. They would finish the season in conference play and be crowned RAAC conference champions. The boys were led this season by all-state guard My’Kai Butler and senior guard Landon Wester. While the boys’ run in the state playoffs was stopped prematurely, we are excited for what this young team can accomplish next season.
Swimming
This year the Crusaders were excited to launch a new sport, swimming. With close to 20 participants this season, the Crusaders continue to impress opponents and improve at each and every meet. They were led by the duo of Addison Peavley and Maddison Stubbs, who would compete in multiple events at the State Championship meet. We are very excited to see the continued growth of this program, led by Toni Couture, as she enters her 2nd season with the Crusaders.