Spartans shattered records in the pool, excelled on the soccer field and battled on the basketball court at the 4A Championships.

Varsity Spartan athletes are written into history at the Southwest Preparatory Conference 4A Championships, hosted in the Dallas Fort-Worth metroplex, starting with the Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving who are the SPC 4A Champions. Both Girls and Boys Varsity Soccer teams claimed second place trophies, and Girls Varsity Basketball finished fourth — the best team finish in more than a decade.

“This is not an easy feat! I’m proud of how our athletes and coaches competed,” said Athletic Director Jon McCain. “We earned these results through consistent preparation and dedicated effort. Our community plays a big part in how our athletes can show up on game days — a special thank you to athletic trainers, faculty and Spartan families for all your support this season.”

Varsity Swimming & Diving

The 2025-26 swimming and diving season wrapped up at St. Mark’s School of Texas (Dallas) with Spartans performing outstandingly at the SPC Championships. Leading the girls team, Reena Desireddi '28 (first in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard freestyle), Hanne Peeters ’29 (first in the 500-yard freestyle and third in the 200-yard freestyle), Ashna Ross ’28 (first in the 50-yard freestyle and fourth in the 100-yard freestyle), Savvy Horne-Lalande ’27 (third in the 50-yard freestyle and third in the 100-yard backstroke), and Campbell Walker ’28 (second in the 100-yard butterfly and fifth in the 100-yard backstroke). They were joined by Mia Ip ’27 to claim second place in the 200-yard medley relay, second in the 200-yard freestyle relay, and first in the 400-yard freestyle relay. 

“It was a true team effort that required four great swims from each girl to claim the eight-point victory over a talented Duchesne squad,” said Varsity Swimming Head Coach Tom Andrew. “Shoutout to the entire SPC team for creating a great team atmosphere and bringing much-needed energy to each and every race. Looking forward to defending our title in 2027!”

The boys team had a strong showing with four seniors leading the way with gutsy swims to close out their Spartan careers. Levi Skaistis ’26 and Tristan McCain ’26 both went two for two in their individual events. Skaistis claimed gold in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard breaststroke, breaking his own SPC record in the process, while McCain cruised to first place in the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle. Austin Ross ’26 picked up the win in the 50-yard freestyle, along with a second-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. Tijl Peeters ’26 essentially competed with only one working foot, gutting out fifth- and sixth-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke to score for the Spartans. Adding to the individual scoring tally were Gerard Borrell Shchelokov ’28 (fifth in the 200-yard freestyle and third in the 500-yard freestyle) and Ben Staubley ’29 (fourth in the 500-yard freestyle and seventh in the 100-yard backstroke).

Ross, Skaistis, McCain and Borrell Shchelokov led the relay team to take gold in the 200-yard medley relay with a new SPC record, as well as second in the 400-yard freestyle relay. Additionally, Luis Gudino ’26, Robert Roth ’29, Staubley and Peeters teamed up to claim fifth place in the 200-yard freestyle relay. On top of all of that, standout diver Rhett Smerklo ’27 defended his first place SPC finish in the Boys Diving competition and added to the team total with a score of 463.75. 

“Although we came up a little short of our longstanding goal of an SPC title on the boys side,” said Coach Andrew, “our seniors raced their last meet as Spartans with heart and provided an excellent example for the underclassmen as they continue our quest to be the best in the SPC!”

The All-SPC Swim and Dive Results: 

• Boys 1m Diving, 1st Place - Rhett Smerklo ’27 (463.75)
• Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay, 1st Place, Pool Record, SPC Record - Austin Ross ’26, Levi Skaistis ’26, Tristan McCain ’26, Gerard Borrell Shchelokov ’28 (1:32.23)
• Boys 200 Yard Freestyle, 1st Place, Pool Record - Tristan McCain ’26 (1:40.81)
• Boys 200 Yard Individual Medley, 1st Place, Pool Record - Levi Skaistis ’26 (1:50.09)
• Boys 50 Yard Freestyle, 1st Place, Pool Record - Austin Ross ’26 (20.55)
• Boys 500 Yard Freestyle, 1st Place, Pool Record - Tristan McCain ’26 (4:27.09)
• Boys 500 Yard Freestyle, 3rd Place - Gerard Borrell ’28 (4:48.76)
• Boys 100 Yard Backstroke, 2nd Place - Austin Ross (50.56)
• Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke, 1st Place, SPC Record, Pool Record - Levi Skaistis ’26 (55.64)
• Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, 2nd Place - Levi Skaistis ’26, Gerard Borrell Shchelokov ’28, Austin Ross ’26, Tristan McCain ’26 (3:09.62)
   
• Girls 200 Yard Medley Relay, 2nd Place - Savvy Horne-Lalande ’27, Reena Desireddi ’27, Campbell Walker ’28, Mia Ip ’27 (1:50.36)
• Girls 200 Yard Freestyle, 3rd Place - Hanne Peeters ’29 (1:53.00)
• Girls 200 Yard Individual Medley, 1st Place, Pool Record - Reena Desireddi ’28 (2:07.31)
• Girls 50 Yard Freestyle, 1st Place - Ashna Ross ’28 (24.81)
• Girls 50 Yard Freestyle, 3rd Place - Savvy Horne-Lalande ’27 (25.34)
• Girls 100 Yard Butterfly, 2nd Place - Campbell Walker ’28 (58.24)
• Girls 100 Yard Freestyle, 1st Place, Pool Record - Reena Desireddi ’28 (52.89)
• Girls 500 Yard Freestyle, 1st Place, Pool Record - Hanne Peeters ’29 (5:07.97)
• Girls 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, 2nd Place - Ashna Ross ’28, Savvy Horne-Lalande ’28, Mia Ip ’28, Hanne Peeters ’29 (1:40.49)
• Girls 100 Yard Backstroke, 3rd - Savvy Horne-Lalande ’27
• Girls 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, 1st Place, Pool Record - Reena Desireddi ’28, Campbell Walker ’28, Ashna Ross ’28, Hanne Peeters ’29 (3:36.00)

Girls Varsity Basketball

Girls Varsity Basketball finished fourth at the SPC 4A Championships, the best team finish in more than a decade. After defeating higher-seeded Episcopal High School (Houston) in the tournament's first round, Spartans faced top-seed Kinkaid School (Houston). A loss to the Falcons in the semifinals resulted in a spot to battle Greenhill for third place. While the Hornets edged the Spartans in the final game, Spartans have a lot to be proud of this season.

“This season was about growth, consistency and building on the foundation our program has been setting since I arrived on campus four years ago,” said Girls Varsity Basketball Program Director Dustin Armstrong. “The core of this year’s team is the same group that earned a landmark SPC Tournament win over St. John’s last season. The first victory over the Mavericks since 2015, and they continued to raise the bar. This year, we set a goal to improve every day, and that commitment was evident as we went undefeated at home, earned a first-round SPC Tournament win as the No. 5 seed over the No. 4 seed, and advanced to the Final Four of the SPC 4A tournament. I’m incredibly proud of the resilience, belief and leadership this group showed all season.”

Boys Varsity Basketball

Boys Varsity Basketball improved on their conference record from 2024-25, finishing the season with a 4-4 SPC record in North Zone play. Notably, Spartans defeated St. Andrew’s Episcopal School this winter at home, 52-40, in front of a rowdy crowd in Clayton Gym. The team entered the tournament seeded sixth in the 4A Division and dropped their first game to Episcopal High School (Houston). On day two of the tournament, the team faced a strong St. John’s School (Houston) squad, falling to finish seventh in 4A. 

“I am so proud of how this team competed every single day,” said Boys Basketball Head Coach Christian Spencer. “As competitors, we all want to win, but as a coach, the only thing you can ask for is that they show up, work hard and get better every day. This team did that without a doubt. It was a group that was an absolute joy to coach. These seniors will be missed, but their legacies will live on in Clayton Gym.”

Boys Varsity Soccer

Boys Varsity Soccer ended North Zone play with a 4-1-2 record this winter. As the No. 2 seed in the 4A Championships, Spartans arrived in Dallas with something to prove. In their first match, the Spartans earned a convincing 4-0 victory over Houston Christian to advance to the semifinals on Friday. The semifinal game was a physical one, but the Spartans edged Kinkaid, 3-1, to earn a place in the championship game. Spartans returned home after Dallas thunderstorms forced the championship to be postponed, but traveled back to Houston on Monday to compete for a trophy against Episcopal High School (Houston). Despite dominating for most of the game, the Spartans fell in the championship, 0-1, and finished the season as 4A tournament runners-up.

“Throughout the season, players showed a remarkable ability to adapt, whether adjusting to new tactical systems, stepping into unfamiliar roles or responding to adversity mid-game with composure beyond their years,” said Boys Soccer Assistant Coach Noah Fink. “They grew not just as soccer players, but as competitors who could read the game, trust each other and rise to the moment. Reaching an SPC final is an achievement, and doing so with integrity and humility makes it all the more meaningful.”

Girls Varsity Soccer

The Girls Varsity Soccer team finished its regular season undefeated and competed in the SPC 4A Championships on Feb. 5-7 in Dallas. The Spartans earned the No. 2 seed in the 4A Tournament and topped Houston Christian, 5-2, in the first round. In the semifinal match, the team battled a talented Greenhill squad and left no doubt, scoring three solid team goals while also holding the Hornets scoreless for 80 minutes of play. In the championship, the Spartans faced South Zone foe and tournament top seed Episcopal High School (Houston). Despite getting on the scoreboard early in both halves, the game was tied 2-2 at the end of regulation, and neither team could find the back of the net in the 20-minute overtime period. Unfortunately, the Spartans fell in penalties, finishing runners-up in the 4A tournament. 

“It was a heartbreaking end to an otherwise remarkable season, but the team will be remembered as a group that achieved tremendous levels of success through their resilience, their spirit of togetherness, and their commitment to playing a selfless and exciting brand of soccer,” said Girls Varsity Soccer Coach Andy Aceves. “With six seniors graduating and a few other players moving on to start their college soccer journeys, the program will look to start a new chapter next year with some fresh faces. However, those girls who are moving on have made invaluable contributions to St. Stephen’s soccer, and they should be proud to know they left the program better than they found it.”