PHOTOS: B.C. hoops banner for powerhouse Holy Cross girls of Surrey
Published 10:00 am Tuesday, March 3, 2026
Saturday’s B.C. banner win was a full-circle moment for a group of basketball-loving girls at Holy Cross Regional High School in Surrey.
Back in Grade 8 most of them had a triple-banner winning season in 2022, and now they’re provincial champs as a tight-knit team of friends who rebounded from a second-place finish last season.
The top-ranked, taller Crusaders won the 2A division title with an impressive 81-51 victory over the #3-seed St. Thomas More Collegiate Knights at Langley Events Centre, where Holy Cross dominated all four of their tournament games last week, starting Wednesday, Feb. 25.
“We won it in Grade 8, but this is completely different,” coach Amy Beauchamp said. “Ten of these girls were also on that team, so it’s really fitting that they ended on a win like this.
“It’s not just about their talent, it’s just the way they were with each other and bond they created,” the coach added. “We just created a family, and they had fun all the time. Our practices, I would like to say they were focused, but a lot of time it was not. It was a lot of laughter and trying to get them to refocus and stuff. But in the end, when they have fun, they play really well together.”
Graduating forward Solene Jackson, Most Valuable Player of the 2A tournament, was dominant Saturday afternoon (Feb. 28), pouring in 30 points and 25 rebounds.
Crusaders Alyssa Palma and Isla Iannuzzi were named first-team allstars.
Holy Cross was among the four girls division winners at the LEC, along with Bella Coola’s Acwsalcta Thunder (1A), Vernon Panthers (3A) and Argyle Pipers (4A).
Last season, the Crusaders lost in the 2A final to St. Michaels University School Blue Jags.
“It was definitely the best moment of my life,” Jackson said after the win over rivals St. Thomas More. “Last year we came second… and then now this year, we secured the W. It felt great.”
Beauchamp said Jackson was “pretty special” on Saturday, “just a special kid. We haven’t had one of those players in a long time, and she’s just really fun to watch, a great teammate.”
Three of the Holy Cross basketball players (Palma, Iannuzzi and Meghan McCash) also won a volleyball provincial championship in November.
In girls hoops, the Crusaders have won B.C. banners in 2001, 2013 and now 2026.
“On Saturday night we went for dinner, most of the kids, and then the coaches went and talked basketball all night,” Beauchamp said. “We’ll have a big celebration next week with everybody, and we did an assembly today (Monday) where the kids got to come up in front of the whole school and be kind of celebrated that way, which was really nice. Then we’ll do our whole team thing next week. It’s been fun.”
Players on the 2025-26 Crusaders are Meghan McCash, Jada Francis, Sophie Sheck, Lindsay Correa, Mia Guerrero, Gillian Gonesto, Solene Jackson, Arabell Di Liello, Chloe Mangalinden, Mila Wojciechowski, Jane Adam, Camille Amin, Alyssia Palma and Isla Iannuzzi.
Next up at the LEC is the senior boys basketball championships, with Holy Cross in the 4A tournament, Wednesday to Saturday (March 4-7).
Last week, the school’s junior boys team placed third at provincials.