Teams Compete in 2026 Coggin 6th Grade Basketball Championships
The top two girls and boys teams recently competed in the 2026 Coggin 6th Grade Basketball Championships. The girls played for their title on Thursday, October 8. The boys championship was decided over two games, played on Thursday, October 8, and Friday, October 16, due to a double-elimination playoff format.
For the girls, the Dream Team (white) and the Lady Lions (maroon) faced off for their championship game. The Dream Team included Kimber Jones (Captain, #23), Sophia Torrez (#10), Kori Coyle (#3), Logan Ratliff (#11), Grace King (#15), Caroline Means (#4), Reagan Gill (#5), Nevaeh Landeros (#22), Milani Nickerson (#24), and Allison Ontieveros (#12).
Playing for the Lady Lions were London Priester (Captain, #10), Kaydence Harwell (#12), Abygail Washington (#4), Paizlee Goodman (#5), Ayradessa Welch (#11), Mayleigh Lewis (#3), Kayleigh Chandler (#15), Sophia Reyes, and Alina Nava-Perez.
The Dream Team entered the championship as the underdog and delivered the upset, defeating the Lady Lions 10 to 9 to claim the 2026 6th Grade Girls Basketball Championship. Team captain Kimber Jones and Kori Coyle each scored 4 points in the championship game, and Sophia Torrez added 2. Jones led the Dream Team with 53 of the team’s 115 points this season, and the Dream Team finished with a season record of 5 wins, 3 losses, and 2 ties.
The Lady Lions were led by captain London Priester, who scored 6 points in the championship game and 109 points for the season. Kaydence Harwell scored 2 points and Abygail Washington added 1. The Lady Lions scored 138 points this season and finished with a record of 7 wins, 1 loss, and 2 ties.
“This 6th grade basketball season was filled with a lot of energy, and the players all learned a lot about the sport,” stated Coach Haylee Ratliff. “It is my privilege to experience these young athletes as they are just learning about the sport and then get to watch them develop year after year. This group has potential going into middle school, and that makes me excited for them.”
“As always, the involvement of Coach Hohertz-Perez, Coach Garcia, and the entire Lady Lions Varsity Basketball Team makes our 6th grade season extra special,” added Ratliff. “A big thank you for all of their help. Coach Hohertz-Perez makes trips to our class periods, and they all help by coaching and running games. They give their time to support and pour into the 6th grade girls, which has a big impact on the girls program as a whole.”
For the boys, the Green Giants (maroon) and the Dream Team (white) played for the championship title. Playing for the Green Giants were Liam Henry (Captain, #1), Christian Garcia (Captain, #13), Ayden Hastings (#23), Halo Sotelo (#15), Elesandrez Ramirez (#24), Aleck Mares (#12), Zayden Reed (#20), Noah Padron (#21), and Emmanuel Infante (#33).
The Dream Team roster included Tye Cross (Captain, #4), Dean Potts (Captain, #5), Logan Yanez (#14), Abel Pharr (#32), Baylen Castaneda (#21), Eli Salazar (#22), Jaxson Niemann (#10), Loren Jimenez (#2), Tyler Lespreance (#3), and Wyatt Stephenson (#31).
This year’s boys playoffs were played as a double-elimination tournament. The Green Giants went through the tournament undefeated, which meant the Dream Team had to beat them twice to claim the title. The Dream Team forced a second championship game by winning the first 20-18 on October 8. Point scorers for the Dream Team included Wyatt Stephenson (8 points), Tye Cross (6 points), Loren Jimenez (4 points), and Dean Potts (2 points). Point scorers for the Green Giants were Emmanuel Infante (7 points), Liam Henry (6 points), Ayden Hastings (3 points), and Christian Garcia (2 points).
In the deciding game on October 16, the Dream Team won 19-18 to secure their title as the 2026 6th Grade Boys Basketball Champions. Point scorers for the Dream Team included Tye Cross (6 points), Logan Yanez (6 points), Wyatt Stephenson (5 points), and Dean Potts (2 points). Point scorers for the Green Giants were Ayden Hastings (10 points), Liam Henry (4 points), and Christian Garcia (4 points).
“Congratulations to the Green Giants and the Dream Team for making it through the playoffs and to the championship game,” stated Coach Brandon Brown. “I would like to thank Gayla Lishka for being my referee for the season, and Coach Hohertz-Perez, Coach Mallory Garcia, and Coach Bryan Adams for being our referees in the championship games. Thank you to Coach Hohertz-Perez for the use of the Brownwood High School Gym. I would also like to thank Mrs. Ashley Foust and our 6th grade choir for singing the National Anthem, and Brae Foust for being our announcer. I would like to thank all of the boys who participated. They worked hard and had a great season. And a big thanks to our parents for their support.”
HIGHLIGHTS