Gwen Liz boys – 2025 National High School Football Champions
by William Ysaguirre (Freelance Writer)
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 27, 2025
It has been a golden year for Gwen Lizarraga High School boys who have won not one, or two, but 3 National Secondary Schools Sports Association (NSSSA) championships and the Silver medal at the CODICADER Games in this academic year!
Gwen Liz boys – Basketball Silver medalists at CODICADER Games in October 2024
The Gwen Liz boys began their golden streak by repeating as national champions in high school basketball in the tournament hosted by Nazarene High at the Swift Hall in Belize City last December 12-13, where they dominated all opponents to retain the title they had won the year before at the nationals hosted by Sacred Heart College in San Ignacio.
Gwen Liz boys – 2025 National High School Basketball Champions
They went on to win the NSSSA football championship hosted by Mount Carmel High at the Marshalleck Stadium in Benque Viejo on February 21-22 of this year, where Calvin Thurton of Gwen Liz won the Most Valuable Player award.
They won their 3rd national championship at the NSSSA softball championships hosted by the Toledo Community College at the Victor Sanchez Union Stadium in Punta Gorda over the weekend, March 21-22, where home run hitter Augustine Pitterson of Gwen Liz won the Most Valuable Player award.
As the 2023 national high school basketball champions, the Gwen Liz boys had also represented Belize at the Central American Junior Scholastic Games (CODICADER), where they won 3 of 5 games to win the Silver medal at the INDES Jose Adolfo Pineda National Gymnasium in San Salvador last October 7-10.
Their success is as much attributable to their sporting prowess and physical discipline, as to the dedication and mentoring of their basketball and softball coach, Keith Madrill, and their football coach, Paul Casimiro, as well as the support of their school principal, Louis Mortis, who inspired the boys to excel and to be the best that they can be.