On Sunday, March 6, the LC girls varsity basketball team faced top-seeded Thayer Academy in the NEPSAC Class A championship. Although the Loomis team soundly defeated their opponent with a LC 53, Thayer Academy 38 result, their season was no easy undertaking. The resilience this team displayed earned them a championship title that represents the core of Loomis Chaffee Athletics.

When describing the season, Coach of the girls’ varsity basketball team and Head of Physical Therapy Adrian Stewart divided the season into four phases. Phase one consisted of the time between fall and winter break, phase two was from January to Head’s Holiday, phase three was the remainder of the regular season, and phase four was the playoff season.

The team started their season off strong with a 4-2 record. They attributed their success to the early establishment of the team’s strong connection on and off of the court.

When asked what it was like being a freshman on the team, Abby Congdon ’25 said, “honestly, I couldn’t even tell you that I was a freshman because I was so included in the team.”

In phase two, however, the team played against tough competitors and went 0-4. Though when reflecting on this part of the season, Coach Stewart and the team saw this hurdle as a crucial experience that ultimately proved the team’s perseverance for the remainder of the season.

“We never really turned on each other because we knew that we had good team chemistry,” Carys Baker ’23 said.

The coaches reevaluated their systems, the captains held team meetings, and the team never gave up.

“Having to go through that was important because it forced all of us to grow,” Coach Stewart said.

The changes made during this phase proved pivotal for the team’s results and morale. They ended the regular season with a 14-10 record, ranking them as the 3rd seeded team going into the postseason playoffs.

In the first round, LC girls basketball defeated Phillips Academy with a score of LC 76, Phillips Academy 51, and in the second round, the team faced Choate Rosemary Hall and won, LC 40, Choate 37. Not only did the team win their semi-final game and advance to the championship, but Coach Stewart also earned his 200th career win. While this was a significant accomplishment, Coach Stewart was focused on one thing only: winning his 201st game.

Although the LC team had never faced their opponent in the regular season, they studied film, identified key players, and entered the game with high energy. The LC team took a large lead in the early game and continued giving their all until the buzzer went off. Spectators attending in-person and viewers on the Livestream were able to witness the team’s incredible excitement and celebration.

“I just broke down into tears because I was so happy. It was a hard-fought season. We went through so many ups and downs, and to make it that far and end up winning was an amazing feeling. I just had to hug everyone,” Baker said.

Captains Baker and Emily Collins ’22 were both named All-NEPSAC, and Baker was named the tournament MVP. Even though this honor displays the tremendous individual work done by these players, Baker commented, “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates.”

While the victory remains sweet, the team is already looking forward to next year’s season. The challenges they overcame this year taught them imperative lessons that will prove useful for the future.

“I think our culture is so good because we went through such a hard time, and now we know exactly what to expect next year…Us going through that only made us stronger,” Baker concluded.