Sports
For sports schedules, please visit the Athletics Website: Upcoming Sporting Events
On September 2nd, the Volleyball teams hosted Vandercook Lake in front of the home crowd and walked away with two big wins.
The JV team battled through a close three-set match, pulling out a 2–1 victory. The Lions edged out a nail-biting first set 28–26, dropped the second 22–25, and sealed the match with a 15–10 win in the third.
The Varsity squad carried that momentum onto the court, sweeping Vandercook Lake in three straight sets. The Lions fought hard in a 27–25 opening set before taking control with 25–16 and 25–14 wins to close out the match.
On September 4th, the JV Football team took the field at home against Union City. It was a hard-fought game on both sides of the ball, but the Lions came up just short in a 6–12 loss. Despite the close score, the team showed grit and determination, continuing to make strides early in the season.
The Jr. High Cross Country team opened their season this past Saturday at the Lakeview Invitational, competing in a large and talented field.
The girls’ team placed 11th out of 17 schools in a race of 260 runners. Raegan Jones led the way for the Lions, narrowly missing a medal finish. Strong performances also came from Adelita Tobias, Rece Nevins, Jojo Tobias, and Karlee Davis.
On the boys’ side, the Lions finished 13th out of 17 teams in a field of nearly 350 runners. Porter Bryson had a standout race, medaling in 2nd place while also setting a new Maple Valley Jr. High school record with a time of 11:34. He was followed by strong efforts from Jaxson Eye, Levi Whitford (with a new personal best), Ashton Wood, and Jacob Blakely.
On September 2nd, the Boys Soccer team defended their home field in a matchup against Stockbridge. The Lions dominated from start to finish, securing a decisive 7–1 victory. With sharp offensive play and strong teamwork, the Blue & White continued to build momentum early in the season.
On September 4th, the Boys Soccer team hosted Pennfield in a tough home matchup. Despite playing with determination, the Lions fell 1–8. The Blue & White battled hard throughout the game, gaining valuable experience as they continue to grow and prepare for the rest of the season.
On September 6th, the Boys Soccer team traveled to Jackson to take on Lumen Christi. The Lions fought hard but came up short with a 2–6 loss. Even with the tough result, the Blue & White found the net twice and showed resilience throughout the match. The team will look to build on those positives as they continue their season.
On September 5th, the Varsity Football team hosted Union City under the Friday night lights. The Lions battled throughout the game but fell by a final score of 7–36. While the result wasn’t what the team had hoped for, they continued to fight hard and gain valuable experience as the season moves forward. The Blue & White will look to regroup and come back stronger in their next matchup.
On September 4th, the High School Cross Country team competed at the Delton Invitational, held at the Gilmore Car Museum. While neither team recorded a full team score, many Lions posted some of their best times of the season so far.
For the girls, Melanie Jones led the way, finishing in the top 25 to earn a medal. Strong performances also came from Izabelle Soper, Lydia Emerick, and Ada Blakely.
On the boys’ side, Cameron Murray paced the team, with Grady Wilkes close behind after another strong race.
The High School Cross Country team competed in the Lakeview Invitational last Saturday, with both the boys’ and girls’ squads just shy of scoring as full teams. Despite that, the Lions turned in strong performances across the board, with several athletes posting new personal bests.
On the girls’ side, Izabelle Soper led the team, cutting more than a minute off her previous best time. She was quickly followed by Melanie Jones, Lydia Emerick, and Ada Blakely. Emerick improved her best by nearly 30 seconds, while Blakely shaved almost a full minute off her previous mark.
For the boys, Cameron Murray set the pace with a personal best by 45 seconds. He was joined by strong finishes from Quincy Page and Grady Wilkes.
Activites/Clubs
The stage is set for Maple Valley’s Fall Musical, Little Shop of Horrors! Excitement is already building as students prepare to bring this quirky cult classic to life for the community.
The production process kicked off with a workshop after school on September 2nd, where students had the chance to learn more about the show, review audition materials, and get a feel for what’s ahead. Just two days later, on September 4th, auditions were held, allowing students to showcase their talents and take their shot at landing a role in the cast.
With its mix of comedy, catchy music, and unforgettable characters, Little Shop of Horrors promises to be a production full of energy and fun. Rehearsals are now underway, and the cast and crew are hard at work preparing to put on a show that’s sure to impress.
Performance dates and ticket information will be announced soon—so stay tuned, Lions, and get ready to support Maple Valley Theatre this fall!
Senior Highlights
Izabelle Soper
After high school, Izabelle plans to attend the University of Olivet to major in Accounting. Mr. DeWitt is the staff member who has had the greatest impact on her because he has taught her how to make music instead of just playing. Izabelle is looking forward to going to college after graduation. Some advice she would like to give to incoming freshmen is, “Don’t disrespect your teachers.” The highlight of her senior year was band camp.
