Athletics

Winter Athletes Persevere through the Season

by Lance Quessenberry Athletic Director

The end of Christmas break means the high school athletic schedule is about to heat up. Our basketball, swimming, and wrestling teams have several regular season events and tournaments coming in January and February that will keep them very busy. Our student athletes not only stay busy with athletic commitments, but also their academic requirements. However, they never cease to amaze with how well they do athletically and academically. They recognize the commitment required to be successful at both and put in the hard work to make it happen. The winter season is the longest of the three sports seasons, and athletes can feel that at times. In James 1:2-4, the Bible speaks to persevering through difficult times. Perseverance means “persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” It is part of God’s design for each person’s journey to maturity. This is a perfect picture of what athletes experience, both individually and as teams, as they persist through difficult times to achieve success. Through the difficult times, they mature into the best player and team they can be. We look forward Lance Quessenberry to watching our SCA teams compete and persevere during this winter sports season on the court, in the pool, on the mat, and in the classroom. We know they will have difficult times, but they will find reward and growth in the end.

Where Faith and Football Collide!

by Todd Berck Varsity Head Coach In this world that focuses on what’s next, I like to reflect on the last five years since God brought me to serve at SCA. When I stepped onto campus for the first time in February of 2017, I knew this was an opportunity to grow a football program into something special. God has blessed us with great families and young men who work extremely hard. Our facilities have improved every year with the addition of the track, press box, bleachers, and, most recently, a new bermuda grass surface. With the new multi-purpose building set to be complete next year, we will have new locker rooms, weight facilities, and so much more. Over the last five years, our athletes have won an average of nine games per season, including three district titles and four consecutive conference championships. We have logged over 1,000 hours of community service as we have reached out to help others. My goal when I came to SCA was to build a program that would honor God. One of the ways we do this is by striving for excellence. I tell our players all the time that people won’t listen to the mediocre. We want our program to share Christ and show our fellow classmates and competitors that when you play for Christ and give Him the Glory, regardless of the outcome, He will use it to bring others to Him and bless our efforts. I hope you will encourage your students to become a part of our program in some way. I can’t wait for next fall!!

Athletics

Baseball Reaches Two Significant Milestones with Most Recent College Signing

On January 12, senior Morgan Wilkins (baseball, Dordt University) joined several others from his class in committing to compete in their sport at the college level next year. These include Nate Bartlett (baseball, Truman State University), Jordan Drum (track & field, Missouri State University), Garrett Ferguson (baseball, Missouri State University), Maddie McConnell (soccer, Grand Canyon University), Lauren McCoy (cross country, Benedictine College), Lincoln Sprouse (football, Washburn University), and others who are still making decisions. Morgan’s signing was unique for two significant reasons, however. His commitment makes three college commits playing on this year’s varsity baseball team. Although the overwhelmingly successful program has had several athletes go on to play in college, this is an SCA record for the most baseball players in one season. The athletic department looks forward to watching them succeed with their new teams. Morgan’s commitment is also significant to Coach Gage’s distinguished coaching career as Morgan will be the first of his players to play for one of his former players at the college level. At Dordt University, Morgan will play for Coach Nathan Bacon. Coach Bacon is a 2007 alum of SCA and the son of elementary teacher Michelle Bacon. Since graduating SCA, Coach Bacon played at Avila where he is part of the Avila Hall of Fame and has built a successful coaching career at University of the Ozarks and now at

Senior Morgan Wilkins signs letter of intent to play baseball at Dordt University.

Dordt University.

Youth Football News

by Todd Berck Varsity Head Coach An important component of a winning athletic program and culture is to build from the ground up. We are excited to offer our Flag Football League again this spring for students entering grades 1-8. The league will be for any SCA boys and their friends who live in the Kansas City area. The league provides a great opportunity to invite friends to compete in a Christian environment and learn more about football and Christ. This year’s league will start on Monday, March 28, and run each Monday from 6-8 p.m. through April 18. The final day will be our “Superbowl Sunday” on April 25. We’ll divide players into four divisions based on their age. They will play a game each Monday evening, along with skill instruction and a devotional time. The league is run by SCA Varsity players and coaching staff. The signup link will be available online through the Athletics page of the school website as soon as it’s available. Information will also be emailed to families of boys in grades 1-8. The football program will also be holding a meeting to gauge interest in starting a 6th grade team that will compete in the Lee’s Summit Youth Football Association. This meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, January 24, in the secondary learning commons. For this team to be successful, we will not only need players, but also coaches and support staff to help make it work. If you think you may have any interest in this, please plan to attend this meeting.

Varsity Wrestling Team Small But Mighty

by Greg Thomas, Head Coach The Varsity Wrestling squad has worked hard and shown steady improvement all season. Currently leading the team in takedowns is junior Jeramiah Smith (170lb). He stands at 20-3 with 90 takedowns so far. He has earned medals in all three tournaments so far this season, including a hard-fought gold at the Truman Invitational. Junior Memphis Hinton (132lb) is also doing very well and is 2nd on the team in most categories. He’s on a nice roll since coming back from an early season injury. He’ll make a strong push to become a state qualifier. Freshman Gabe Harris (138lb) has come on strong and is in the hunt to be in the top two in most categories. His speed, quickness, and experience will be key for him as he also makes a push to become a state qualifier. Wrestling fans will want to keep an eye on several other up-and-coming Eagles as well. These include junior Dalton McBroom (182lb), junior Grant Self (145lb), and junior Trevon Hildebrand (152lb). The varsity athletes have a limited amount of experience, and the team has small numbers. Despite those factors, they exemplify Judges 7 and the story of Gideon and his 300 men of valor. We look forward to seeing what these young men accomplish this season and welcome those who want to plan now to join the team next season!

The 2021 Summit Christian Academy (SCA) Homecoming King and Queen were announced at halftime of the Homecoming football game last October. SCA defeated Van Horn High School 32 to 28 at Frontier Justice Field on the campus of Summit Christian Academy.

Cross Country Ends Another State Level Season

Varsity Girls’ Cross Country ended their most successful season in the program’s history with a 2nd place finish at the Class 2 State Tournament this past fall. This marks the third consecutive season that the girls’ team has qualified for the state meet, where they have placed 5th the last two years. Point earners for this year’s team were senior Lauren McCoy (15th), junior Adriana McGregor (17th), sophomore Marina Parks (19th), junior Katie Coats (29th), and freshman Lucie Epema (34th). Juniors McKinzie Parks and Keyler Quessenberry rounded out the top seven who competed. Senior Georgia Baxter, freshman Julia Osgood, and junior Elise Welch attended as eligible alternates. Beyond their 2nd place state finish, the Varsity Girls were also selected as a Top Ten All-Metro team, ranking them as one of the best teams in the Kansas City area out of all classes. The Varsity Boys’ team also had a strong season, finishing 1st in the Crossroads Conference. At the individual level, sophomores Caleb Benton and Xander Zumwalt qualified for the Class 2 State Tournament where Caleb earned All-State honors by placing 8th. Xander, a first-time crosscountry athlete, placed 142nd in the state. Caleb was also selected for the All-Metro team for the 2nd consecutive year.

Varsity Girls’ Cross Country placed 2nd in the Class 2 State Tournament, the highest finish in the history of the program. Varsity Girls’ Golf team members Nora Schuh (sophomore, pictured left) and Lilli Stallings (senior, pictured right) competed in the Class 1 State Tournament where Lilli tied for 5th and Nora tied for 28th. This is Lilli's third state appearance as she ends her high school career.

2021 Homecoming King and Queen Crowned

Senior Jordan Drum, with parents David & Amy Drum, and Senior Hudson Harris, with parents Mark & Krista Harris, were crowned 2021 Homecoming King and Queen during halftime of the football game against Van Horn High School.