While Lake Tahoe School has a long tradition of athletic excellence, this season marked a truly historic milestone. For the first time in school history, both the 7th and 8th-grade boys’ basketball teams finished their regular seasons undefeated. Entering the Small School Tournament as #1 seeds, our Bobcats continued their dominance: the 8th-grade team took home the Championship title, while our 7th-grade team secured a hard-fought second place. Both teams have officially qualified for the prestigious Tah-Neva tournament!
For the first time in a long time, our 8th-grade team featured a dedicated 8th-grade-only roster. Coach Kris noted, “That is rare for us and makes the championship even more special [for our graduating class].” Standout performances by James Wilson, Elias Taylor, and Braycen Younger set the tone, supported by the fantastic play of Brooks Erikson and Vance Ladd.
The 7th-grade team showed incredible depth, led by Marco Izzo, Rylan Piro, and James Pietzke. Notably, the team leaned on the talent of eight 5th-grade students who were invited to play up. Among them, Cal Molinelli shone brightly during the tournament, proving that the future of LTS basketball is in good hands.
“It was an unforgettable season for our boys basketball program,” says Coach Kris. “It’s not often we get to make school history, but this season, our boys accomplished something that has never happened at LTS before: two undefeated regular seasons, two #1 seeds at the small school tournament, and an 8th-grade championship and 7th-grade runner-up titles. Truly incredible.” He continues, “A big part of that success is our coaching staff. Under the leadership of two fabulous men, Coach Ken Izzo and Coach Tim Kelly, our boys shone both on and off the court.”
Join the Celebration!
Friday, Jan 9: The teams will be honored at halftime during the Incline High School varsity game vs. Truckee High. Tip-off is at 7:30 PM. Go Highlanders!
Friday, Jan 23: Join us at 1:30 PM for the annual Faculty vs. 8th Grade games! Come cheer on our 8th-grade boys and girls as they take on their teachers!
