Sports
For sports schedules, please visit the Athletics Website: Upcoming Sporting Events
On December 8th, the 7th-grade boys' basketball team traveled to Concord and the 8th-grade team to Springport for their league tournaments.
On December 13th, the 7th-grade boys' basketball team traveled to Union City and the 8th-grade team to Reading for their league tournaments.
On December 8th, the MS Cheer team hosted a Big 8 Jamboree.
On December 9th, the Maple Valley Varsity Girls Basketball team traveled to East Jackson and came away with a strong 45–31 victory. The Lions put together a solid performance on both ends of the floor, controlling the pace of the game and securing the road win.
On December 9th, the Maple Valley Lions JV and Varsity boys basketball teams traveled to Stockbridge for a road matchup.
The JV Lions battled hard but came up short, falling 41–51 after a competitive game that saw steady effort on both ends of the floor.
In the nightcap, the Varsity Lions put together a strong showing but were unable to close the gap late, falling 50–59. Despite the loss, the team showed resilience and will continue to grow as the season moves forward.
On December 12th, the Maple Valley Lions JV and Varsity boys basketball teams traveled to Union City for a road matchup.
The Varsity Lions faced a tough Union City squad and came up short, falling 35–68. The team continued to compete throughout the game and will look to regroup and improve as the season progresses.
Results for the JV game were not reported.
The Maple Valley wrestling team had a strong showing at the 2025 Jesse Snow Memorial Tournament, highlighted by multiple podium finishes, milestone victories, and a sportsmanship honor.
Leading the way was Jackson Burpee, who went a perfect 9-0 on the day to claim 1st place at 190 lbs, scoring 19.5 team points. In the process, Jackson also earned varsity win number 100, a major career milestone. Joe Long was dominant at 285 lbs, finishing 1st place with a 9-2 record and scoring 24.0 team points. Joe was also recognized with the Jesse Snow Memorial Tournament Sportsmanship Award, an honor that speaks volumes about his character on and off the mat.
Additional medalists included Roman Schliz, who placed 3rd at 126 lbs, and Tyrese Robinson, who earned 3rd place at 215 lbs after battling back through the consolation rounds. Josh Deppe finished 4th at 157 lbs, while Trapper Wawiernia placed 5th at 120 lbs, contributing valuable team points. Sawyer Wawiernia finished 6th in the same weight class.
On the girls’ side, Dakota Leslie captured 1st place at 115 lbs, going 6-1 and scoring an impressive 20.0 team points for Maple Valley.
Overall, the Lions showcased depth, resilience, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Congratulations to all wrestlers on a successful day on the mat!
Activites/Clubs
FFA December Member of the Month
Congratulations to Aubri James, our FFA December Member of the Month!
When asked what she would say to encourage others to join FFA, Aubri shared, “You should join FFA because you get to meet so many new people and make lots of new friends.”
Aubri joined the FFA because she believes it helps build leadership and confidence, and she has been an active member since 7th grade. To Aubri, FFA is something she genuinely looks forward to whether that’s feeding the chickens in the morning or sitting in an FFA meeting. It’s the everyday moments and the sense of belonging that make FFA special to her.
Way to go, Aubri, and thank you for representing FFA so well!
Junior High Holiday Dance
On January 12th, the JH Student Council hosted its Winter Dance, providing students with a fun evening to celebrate the season through music, friends, and plenty of dancing. The event was well attended and provided a great opportunity for junior high students to come together and enjoy a memorable night outside the classroom.
Holiday Band Concert
The Maple Valley Christmas Concert Band and Jazz Band Concert was a great success. Students delivered a strong and entertaining program, showcasing their hard work and musical growth. The audience enjoyed a variety of selections, and the performers had a great time sharing their talents and celebrating the holiday season together.
Band in the Christmas Parade
The Nashville parade was quite the challenge for our musicians. Between frozen valves on the baritone and trumpets and frozen slides on the trombones, performing in the cold tested everyone’s determination and adaptability. Despite the obstacles, the students powered through and represented Maple Valley with pride.
Later on, the Jazz Band delivered a stellar performance at the fire barn for a very large crowd, completely turning the night around. The energy was high, the music was outstanding, and one attendee summed it up perfectly by saying, “It’s a hot time in the ol’ fire barn tonight!”
Congratulations to all the students who made it happen and pushed through the challenges to create a memorable and fun-filled experience in Nashville!
Senior Highlights
Leticia Fontes Adriano
This week, we are highlighting exchange student Leticia Fontes. Leticia has big plans ahead after graduation from Maple Valley. She plans to return to Brazil to finish the final five months of her senior year before applying to the Federal University of Santa Catarina, where she hopes to study law. During her time at Maple Valley, Mr. Newkirk has had the biggest impact on her, especially due to his genuine curiosity and interest in her culture, which helped her feel welcomed and valued.
After graduation, Leticia is most excited about starting college and traveling to the many countries she has always dreamed of visiting. Looking back, the highlight of her senior year was being a cheerleader and getting to live out her dream of studying at an American high school. Her advice to incoming freshmen is simple but meaningful: enjoy every single moment, time moves faster than you realize.
