Winter & Spring Athletic Recaps

WINTER AND SPRING

Athletic Recaps

Boys Basketball

The SPX boys basketball team grew over the course of the season, eventually punching their ticket to the playoffs! Led by underclassmen Vincent Doucet ‘23 and Bryson Wheatfall ‘25, it was a fast-paced season with some big wins. The Panthers ultimately fell in the Area round but fought hard and will look forward to a season with a team full of playoff experience! Congratulations to Bryson Wheatfall ‘25 for placing an Honorable Mention in All State.

Girls Basketball

SPX girls basketball had a season to remember, bringing home a tournament win and a playoff berth! Led by VYPE Private School Girls Player of the Year, Zachara Perkins ‘24, the Panthers dominated on route to a 21-11 record. Though they fell in the Area round of playoffs, the girls basketball team has a lot to look forward to next year! Congratulations to Zachara Perkins ‘24 for placing 1st Team and Farren Donald-Wright ‘22 for placing an Honorable Mention in All State.

Swimming

This season, the SPX swim team flourished! Despite new changes to their schedule, the swim team broke barriers and climbed to new heights! Stephanie Birkelbach ‘23 broke the school record (her own!) in the 500 Freestyle with a new time of 5:15.53! At the 2022 State Invitational, all four competing female swimmers placed Top 10 in both the medley relay and freestyle relay. Maddie Davis ‘23 was awarded Most Improved and Victoria Robertson ‘23 was awarded Most Dedicated at the SPX Winter Sports Banquet.

Boys Soccer

It was a big playoff season for the SPX boys soccer team in a year filled with growth! After making their way through a District gauntlet, the Panthers gave it their all in a back-and-forth match with Central Catholic. Though they fell 4-2, it was a great season for the Panthers as they grew their ownership of the sport! Congratulations to Parker Milligan ‘22 and Parker Jackson ‘22 for placing Honorable Mentions in All State.

Girls Soccer

Spring 2022 brought the best season in the history of SPX girls soccer. An emotional ride took them to becoming State Finalists! VYPE Coach of the Year, Laura Flores, encouraged the team to dream big. Together, they came within 90 minutes of the State Championship. Wins over St. Dominic Savio Catholic (7-0), San Antonio Christian School (1-0), and St. Agnes Academy (2-1) propelled the Panthers to the State Championship Match along the way. The team practiced tirelessly, fought hard, and inspired the campus with victory after victory throughout their memorable and historic season! Congratulations to Emma King ‘24, Margo Matula ‘23, and Tessa Dabney ‘25 for placing 2nd Team in All State.

Tennis

The tennis team improved greatly during this season. The team practiced hard and gritted out more wins, sending Granger BeringJames ‘24 to the State Tournament as an alternate and Jefferson Page ‘22 into the main bracket. Jefferson finished in 3rd place after a hard-fought match.

Photos courtesy of Wayne Donnelly and Michael Starghill Photography

Golf

It was big season of progress for the golf team, with both boys and girls sending players to Regionals! The boys sent three individual qualifiers to Regionals during a season in which they consistently flirted with the top of the table, eventually winning the Incarnate Word Invitational. The girls team grew to be serious contenders in their district. Paige Vaglienty ‘25 won the Klein Cane Tournament towards the end of the season and the entire team moved on to Regionals after a 4th place finish at the District Tournament.

Track & Field

The track team had a young squad this year, but our Panthers worked hard and grew all season! The girls team overcame several obstacles, setting personal records along the way and qualifying two relays to Regionals. The boys team had several good showings, collecting medals throughout the season. Two athletes qualified for Regionals and Joshua Mitchell ‘24 qualified for the State Meet in Long Jump, where he finished sixth!

Rugby

SPX rugby put up another winning season, with its largest squad in program history at 34 players. While picking up big wins against Strake Jesuit, Dallas Jesuit, and Lake Travis, the team found a new mascot- saving a beloved stray dog they named Buster. With Buster on the sidelines, the rugby team fought their way to a runner-up finish in Single School Competition.

Baseball

The 2022 baseball season ended in the second round of TAPPS D1 playoffs. Although the season culminated on a note of disappointment, there was plenty to be proud of with these Panthers. Varsity baseball finished the regular season 16-12 with an 8-4 record for second place in the district.

Along the way, SPX baseball ran into some powerful teams within Texas and took care of business. SPX baseball defeated: the #6th ranked 6A UIL Clear Falls, the #8th ranked 5A UIL Friendswood, the #1 ranked D1 TAPPS Concordia Lutheran (twice), the #3 ranked D1 TAPPS St. Thomas (three times), the #3 ranked D2 TAPPS Lutheran South Academy, and the #4 ranked D2 TAPPS Second Baptist Academy. SPX baseball boasted two No-Hitters throughout the season, with Casan Evans ‘24 and Kyle Winkler ‘22 combining for a No-Hitter against Second Baptist HS, and Casan Evans ‘24 solo No-Hitting Concordia Lutheran HS! Congratulations to Casan Evans ‘24 for placing 1st Team and Jackson Mobley ‘23 for placing 2nd Team in All State.

Softball

The softball season provided an opportunity for our young team. An inexperienced squad finished the season with a 15-15 record and 6-2 in district play. Having lost three tremendous players to college, fresh faces played a tremendous role in lifting the program and keeping the standard. They look forward to next season, with nearly all players reuniting! Congratulations to Victoria Hunter ‘23 and Sophia Erazo ‘23 for placing an Honorable Mention in All State.

Girls Lacrosse

It was a season full of highs and lows, as the team was in a building year, but the Panthers fought hard all year! With a large freshmen class of players who had never played the sport before, the team showed great enthusiasm and a willingness to learn a new sport quickly. Led by their remaining seniors, the SPX girls lacrosse team found the determination to fight a powerful and competitive season!

Congratulations to Alex Konicki ‘22 for placing an honor in All State.

Boys Lacrosse

It was a historic season for the SPX boys lacrosse Team! The Panthers opened Divisional play with strong wins and finished the regular season with a double-overtime loss to Emery, only to see Emery Weiner one week later in the Regional Semifinal Playoff game. The Panthers took it to Emery Weiner and held off the Jaguars 14-12. This marks the first-ever victory for the SPX boys lacrosse team over the Jaguars! Despite the loss of their Regional Final match, the Panthers had one more opportunity to get to the State Final Four with a game against Austin’s Rouse High School. In a back-and-forth battle, the Panthers pulled out the win 11-10, giving SPX its first State Final Four appearance in program history. In the State SemiFinal, against eventual State Champions Trinity Valley, the Panthers lost a hard-fought battle 17-6. Overall, it was a season to remember, with big firsts and huge wins! and huge wins! Congratulations Congratulations to Reed Pollard to Reed Pollard ‘22 and Kaid ‘22 and Kaid Nygren ‘22 for Nygren ‘22 for placing 1st Team placing 1st Team in All State.

For Buster!

MEET THE SPX RUGBY TEAM’S FAVORITE PUP

During a routine Spring practice, the SPX rugby team encountered a stray dog in a park. When it wandered into a nearby yard, the dog was attacked by two other dogs chained on the property. The team quickly stepped in and got the dog to safety. Burke Battenfield ‘22 contacted his sister with the Animal Justice League. The boys fell in love with the dog almost instantly and named him “Buster.” In games following the rescue, the rugby team united around the chant, “For Buster!” before their games and declared him their official team mascot. The family of player Grant Stringellow ‘22 fostered Buster. Our rugby pup has won the hearts of many in the Houston community, and was featured on FOX 26 News, KPRC Houston

Life, and in articles in the Texas Catholic Herald and The Leader News.

“It’s really special,” SPX rugby team member

Hayden Llorens ‘22 reflected mid-season. “He’s a fighter. We’re fighters, so we are all just trying to stay in the fight and win.”