Fresno Christian athletes wrap up their winter season, experiencing everything from heartbreaking losses to triumphant victories. The Boys Basketball and Girls Soccer teams pull off a major feat and both clinch the CIF Central Section Division IV Valley Championships and advance onto CIF State Playoffs.
Boys Basketball
The Boys’ Basketball season concludes with a 25-6 overall record. Last season, after marking 21 wins and only 8 losses, the Eagles came up short in the second round of the playoffs against Mission Oak High School. Determined to turn the tide from last year, the Eagles, led by Head Coach Jon Penberthy, commanded the Northwest Sequoia League (NWSL), going undefeated with a 9-0 record and a 25-6 overall record, earning their ticket into the 2025 CIF Central Section Boys Basketball Championships Division IV Playoffs.
Senior Trevor Engelman plays as a small and power forward and has been a part of the FC Varsity basketball team for two consecutive years, playing with unwavering perseverance and dedication.
“The reason our team is separated from other teams is our team first mentality,” Engelman said. “We knew our goal from the beginning, but we had many obstacles to overcome. Every game together we grew and got a better mindset.”
The Eagles cruised through the first three rounds of the CIF Central Section Boys Basketball Playoffs, defeating their opponents and advancing to the Valley Championship game where they won against Monache High School with a score of 73-50.
In 11 years of coaching, this is the third time Coach Penberthy has advanced to Valley Championships and his second ever championship win. He stresses with his athletes the importance of working as a team and not being self-centered.
“Becoming more of a family was a big thing we focused on,” Penberthy said. “We played a tough schedule on purpose to prep us for playoffs.”
Basketball continues in their fight for State Champions and will host Granada Hills Charter on Tuesday, March 11 at 7 p.m. at home for the CIF SoCal Regional Finals. Make sure to come out and support your fellow Eagles.
Girls Basketball
The Girls’ Basketball team began the new year with a fresh start after a 9-19 overall record last season and a first-round loss to Summit Charter Collegiate Academy. With the addition of Head Coach Maesyn Rix and a hard-working lineup, the girls improved to 12-14 overall and went 4-5 in league games, securing a spot in the CIF Central Section Division VI Playoffs.
After a year break, Junior Tayla Tarlton rejoined the girls’ basketball team for a triumphant season.
“Our season was full of ups and downs and not everything went our way, but it was a season full of laughs and fun,” Tarlton said. “It was a year of learning new things and cultivating relationships.”
The girls’ season came up short with a loss in the first round of playoffs when they were defeated by Desert High School. Despite the loss, they can look to the future with a solid core of young players as they continue to build towards success.
Girls Soccer
FC Girls Soccer concludes with a huge Valley Championship win against Porterville High School with a score of 6-0. After losing seven key senior players from last year, the lady Eagles were in a tight spot at the start of season. They quickly overcame these obstacles, crushing every opponent in sight and propelling themselves to an 18-2 record, proving to everyone that they had what it takes to win.
Junior Meghan Connolly has played on the FC varsity soccer team for three years and plays as a forward on the front lines of the field.
“We came out with not as much strength as last year, and we were seen as the underdogs,” Connolly said. “We built relationships and worked hard. We had our luck, but it’s ultimately our skill that put us at the top.”
The girls entered the season as the dark horses after losing several key players last year. They had several tough opponents scheduled, including San Joaquin Memorial and Clovis West, but they never took their eyes off the prize, hurtling over various adversities towards the abundant success they’ve had this season.
Coach Matthew Markarian has coached FC girls soccer for 8 years, after switching from coaching the boys’ soccer team for 22 years, with this win being his second-ever Valley Championship in his 31 years of coaching.
“Our biggest key is how this team plays hard for each other,” Markarian said. “We have a motto that teamwork is our super power, and it truly has been fun to watch this team love each other and play selflessly for each other.”
The girls continued to build on their success, advancing through to the CIF NorCal Girls Division IV Championship where they ultimately fell short to Sacred Heart Prep, 2-3. Their historical season ended 19-3, surpassing all previous seasons with the best record yet.
Boys Soccer
The Boys’ Soccer team competed and fought hard this season after a tough year prior, going 2-16-2 overall and missing playoffs.
The boys made small but steady improvements this season, climbing up to a 4-14 record. The boys unfortunately lost their last game against Riverdale, 0-9, losing the chance to make the playoffs this year.
Coach Jacob Bynum has coached the FC boys’ soccer team for three years.
“Success isn’t always measured in terms of wins and losses,” Bynum said. “We grew as a team so much this year and have really been able to string together great soccer. I’ve had many people come up to myself or my coaches and just tells us how much this team has grown the past few years.”
Although the season ended in a devastating loss, Fresno Christian was given a glimpse of the continuing improvement and hopeful future ahead for the boys’ soccer team in years to come.
With the winter sports season coming to an end, be sure to come out and support your Eagles as spring sports start up.
For more from The Feather visit Column: Echo chambers create unproductive environments for discussion or Fresno Christian community mourns the loss of senior Lily Kahrimanian.
