Lions Sports Update (12/9)

BASKETBALL
Last week, the St. Mark’s varsity basketball team competed in the 62nd annual Bob Straus Knights of Columbus Tournament at Jesuit. On Thursday, December 5, the Lions opened against Santa Fe High School from near Houston. Sophomore Wes Jackson sparked the offense with several transition finishes, and a strong group of upperclassmen carried the momentum into the second half. Senior Sam Blumenthal hit two three-pointers, senior Whit Turner added a deep three of his own, and juniors Tex Davison, Archer Wilburn, and Reid Smith powered through tough baskets in the paint while securing key rebounds, leading to a convincing first-round win.

On Friday evening, the Lions faced Grand Prairie in a tightly matched semifinal. Early foul trouble and turnovers put St. Mark’s in a deep hole, trailing by 20 late in the third quarter. But the Lions showed tremendous resilience, using a trapping press to claw their way back. Senior Spencer Hopkins and junior Dawson Battie—who finished with a game-high 31 points—led the scoring surge. Senior Pranav Danda anchored the defense and steadied the offense, while junior AJ Thomas delivered an impressive defensive performance throughout. The comeback fell just short, with the Lions ultimately dropping the semifinal by two points.

In Saturday’s third-place game against host Jesuit, the Lions controlled play from the outset. Junior Asher Collins energized the team early and punctuated the momentum with a thunderous third-quarter dunk as St. Mark’s pushed the lead to nearly 20. Freshman Trevez McMiller reached double figures, and seniors Pranav Danda and Spencer Hopkins provided steady, disciplined guard play. Strong late-game execution from AJ Thomas helped secure a 63–51 victory. Battie’s standout performance across all three games earned him a place on the All-Tournament Team. This week, the Lions return to tournament play at Coppell High School from Thursday through Saturday.

WRESTLING
After Thanksgiving break, the varsity wrestling team traveled to Jesuit on Wednesday, December 3. The Lions competed in eight matches and won three, with Jesuit taking the dual 51–28. On December 5–6, the team entered the demanding “Rumble at Rockwall,” a 45-team tournament featuring programs from Texas and Louisiana, including four prep schools. Six Marksmen advanced to day two—Beau Bacon, Kui Fine, Jackson Barnes, Parker Oskoui, Oliver Loehr, and Abram Knight. Three reached the medal round: junior co-captain Oliver Loehr earned silver; senior co-captain Jackson Barnes placed fifth; and sophomore Parker Oskoui finished sixth. With 67 points, St. Mark’s placed 26th overall and was the highest-ranked prep school in the field.

All Marksmen and wrestling supporters are invited to the 57th Annual Lonestar Christmas Tournament this Friday and Saturday in Spencer Gym, featuring more than 20 teams from Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Wrestling begins at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 12.

SOCCER
The varsity soccer team added two more wins last week, improving to 4–0. On Tuesday, the Lions traveled to Nolan Catholic, entering halftime in a scoreless draw before breaking the match open. Senior Christian Denis struck twice—first capitalizing on a fumbled free kick from Mateen Mostafavipour, then finishing a sequence built by senior Ollie Morgan and junior David Dickson. Dickson, returning from injury, later added two goals of his own off assists from sophomore Ian Cho and senior captain Kazim Hussain. Junior goalkeeper Harlan Smith earned the shutout in the 4–0 victory.

On Thursday, St. Mark’s faced a strong Kinkaid side in their toughest test to date. After weathering sustained early pressure, the Lions settled in defensively behind senior captain Alex Dahlander. Early in the second half, a high press forced a turnover deep in the corner, where senior Riggs Bean won the ball and crossed to his brother, senior Max Bean. His shot deflected off the keeper and crossbar before junior David Dickson finished the rebound for the game’s only goal. The Lions continued generating chances, and sophomore goalkeeper Alex Gawel preserved the shutout. This week, St. Mark’s hosts North Central Texas Academy on Monday and Parish Episcopal on Tuesday.

SWIMMING
The varsity swim team was idle last week and will host Cistercian, Oakridge, John Paul II, and Alcuin on Thursday, December 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the Levering Pool in the Zierk Athletic Center.