Junior High Varsity Boys Win GENH Championship
Portsmouth Christian Academy’s (PCA) Junior High Varsity Boys Basketball Team took home the 2019-2020 GENH (Great Eastern New Hampshire) Championship title. The PCA Eagles defeated Saint Patrick Academy 52-36 in front of a packed house, ending their season on a high note with an excellent team effort.
The team battled back from trailing 13-6 at the end of the first quarter, despite Connor Hickey and Wade Michaud, two of the team’s standout players, being in foul trouble. Wade Michaud, Connor Hickey, and Ike Kohl led the team in scoring, with 14, 11, and 8 points respectively. A total of eight players scored for the Eagles.
The Junior High team, led by head coach Waldemar Kohl and assistant coach Scott Young, is close-knit and passionate. Kohl says, “This is an incredible team, in so many ways. Not only are they incredibly skilled and passionate about basketball, but they are also confident in each other, love and respect each other, and played the entire year as a true team.”
This year, the team used “ABC” to represent their core values. “ABC” stood for Attention and Focus, Best
Effort, and Care and Compassion. “The boys lived this out better than we could have ever imagined,” Coach Kohl says, “They built relationships and trust at school, on the court, and during many extra-curricular team activities, including team outings to a UNH Hockey Game, Great Bay Basketball Game, and several parent-hosted team dinners.”
In addition to highlight performances in Saturday’s game, Wade Michaud and Connor Hickey were named GENH League All-Stars, with Hickey earning the honor of “Player of the Year.” Both players, in addition to their skills on the court, are recognized as encouraging team players.
Coach Kohl says of Hickey, “Connor’s unrelenting energy, his passion to constantly improve, and his selfless approach to the game, made him a crucial part of both our offense and defense.”
“Wade’s leadership on and off the court all season was remarkable,” Coach Kohl says. “Due to a knee injury, he was unable to play in 6 straight games. Despite this, he attended every practice and game, spurring his team on, encouraging and guiding his teammates.”
After the final buzzer in Saturday’s game, as the celebration began, the Junior High team was joined by PCA’s Upper School Varsity Boys team, who rushed the court and congratulated the younger players. Upper School Varsity team came to support the players who will matriculate to the Upper School and join them in the NHIAA Division IV team in the coming years.
Learn more about PCA athletics.
