Grand River Conference

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by St. Joseph Christian girls are the coaches’ selection to win the GRC West Girls Basketball Championship for the 2023-24 season.  Last season, they finished 3 rd after winning the GRC West in 2021-22.  The Lions captured six first-place votes.  Defending GRC West Champion King City received two first-place votes and is picked to finish second.  A newcomer to the GRC West, Princeton, received one first-place vote and was picked to finish third. St. Joseph Christian For most teams, a 20-win season would have been a success.  However, the St. Joseph Christian Lions did not meet expectations last year.  After coming off of a GRC West and District Championship the year before, the Lions finished 4-3 in conference play (20-7 overall) and lost in the District Semifinals to Bishop LeBlond. Although St. Joseph Christian did lose Forward Ella Bowman (1 st Team All-Conference) to graduation, they return a co...

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by Princeton is the coaches’ pick to win the GRC West Boys Basketball Championship for the 2023-24 season.  The Tigers received four first-place votes in their inaugural season in the GRC West.  St. Joseph Christian received two first-place votes and was picked to finish second.  Worth County also received two first-place votes and was picked to finish third.  North Andrew received the last first-place vote. Princeton Princeton Tigers finished 16-9 and 4-3 in the GRC East last season.  They will move to the GRC West as the favorites to win the conference this season.  Last season, they faced 5 of the 8 GRC West teams with a  record of 6-1.  The Tigers must replace Jaden Finney (10.2 ppg), but the team's core will return. The top two leading scorers, Senior Talan Holt (20.4 ppg, 1 st Team All-Conference, All-District, KMZU Dream Team) and Junior Clay Evans (15.8 ppg, 2 nd Team All-Conferenc...

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by Defending GRC Champion South Harrison received six first-place votes and is the coaches’ pick to win the GRC Girls Basketball Championship for the 2023-24 season.  Polo received the only other first-place vote and was picked second.  Trenton was picked third by the coaches. South Harrison South Harrison’s senior class of girls is used to winning.  Not only is the girls' basketball team the defending GRC Champions, but they have also enjoyed success at the state level in golf, softball, and track.  This year’s Basketball team looks to continue that trend for the Lady Bulldogs.  After they won the conference title, they made it to the Class 3 Quarterfinals before falling to El Dorado Springs. Everyone will return from last season’s team that finished 23-6 and 7-0 in conference.  They are led by the GRC’s leading returning scorer, Senior Hannah Carter (17.6 ppg, 1 st Team All-Conference, All-District...

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by Maysville received six first-place votes and is the coaches’ pick to win the GRC Boys Basketball Championship for the 2023-24 season.  Maysville finished 3 rd in the GRC East in each of the last two seasons.  Milan received the only other first-place vote and was picked second.  Putnam County was picked third by the coaches. Maysville Maysville finished 3rd in the GRC East each of the past two seasons, winning 22 games last year.  Two players are gone from last year, Trey Hall and Hunter Smidt, but the Wolverines return their entire starting line-up this season.  They have their sights set on bigger things.  Senior Kobyn Metzger (16.0 ppg, 2 nd Team All-Conference, All-District, Cliff Note’s All-Star, KKWK All-Star) and Junior Dillon Willis (19.1 ppg, 1 st Team All-Conference, All-District, Cliff Note’s All-Star, KKWK All-Star) return as our top scorers and rebounders along with Senior Kayd...

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by St. Joseph Christian 26 Bishop LeBlond 20 In a battle of the two private schools in St. Joseph, St. Joseph Christian knocked off the Bishop LeBlond Eagles 26-20 to advance to their first District Championship game since 2014.  It was also the Lion's first win over Bishop LeBlond in football (in four meetings). The Lions received the ball to start the game but fumbled the ball at the Eagle's 34-yard line.  However, penalties stalled LeBlond's first drive forcing them to punt.  St. Joseph Christian took advantage when Cy Carlson scored on an option from 16 yards to put the Lions up 6-0 with 6:06 left in the 1st quarter.  LeBlond was able to get into the red zone on their next drive but turned it over on downs with 46 seconds left in the quarter.  The first quarter ended with St. Joseph Christian up 6-0. On the first play of the 2nd quarter, Peyton Hausman broke free for a 41-yard touchdown run.  He a...