Long Beach Century Club recognizes middle school athletes at annual championship banquet

LONG BEACH — The Long Beach Century Club honored hundreds of young champions at the organization’s 36th annual middle school sports banquet at the Walter Pyramid Monday night.

Over 1,300 people attended, including hundreds of youth athletes honored with trophies to recognize their accomplishments in the Middle School All-City Championships during the 2023-24 school year.

Organizers said the event is unique because every member of a championship team in the Long Beach Unified School District received a custom plaque with their team’s photo to commemorate their athletic achievements.

“It’s a really big deal,” Long Beach Century Club past president and banquet co-chair Mike Fillipow said. “A lot of these kids are going to go to high school and play sports but this might be the only championship that some of these kids will ever win, so it is really meaningful to have their parents here to see them win those trophies and get those plaques and be honored by all of them.”

“From the Century Club perspective, it’s our honor to be able to recognize them because this may be it for a number of them but it’s also gives them an opportunity to see their teammates for the last time in the sport and say goodbye so it’s a nice way to celebrate,” Long Beach Century Club past president and banquet co-chair John Fylpaa said.

Student-athletes received all-city championship awards in the following sports:

Girls basketball: Bancroft Middle School (D1); Washington Middle School (D2); Lindbergh STEM Academy (D3).

Girls soccer: Keller Dual Immersion Middle School (D1);  Bancroft Middle School (D2); Robinson K-8 (D3).

Girls track and field: Keller Dual Immersion Middle School (D1); Newcomb K-8 Academy (D2); Intellectual Virtues Academy (D3).

Girls volleyball: Hughes Middle School (D1); Cubberly K-8 (D2); Tincher K-8 (D3).

Boys basketball: Hughes Middle School (D1); Lindsey Academy (D2); Tincher K-8 (D3).

Boys soccer: Marshall Academy of the Arts (D1); Jefferson Leadership Academy (D2); Lindsey Academy (D3).

Boys track and field: Rogers Middles School (D1); Marshall Academy of the Arts (D2); Stephens Middle School (D3).

Coed flag football: Rogers Middle School (D1); Keller (D2); Franklin Classic Middle School (D3).

The Keith Hansen Sportsmanship Award was given to Newcomb Academy for the school’s high level of character and sportsmanship during the 2023-24 academic year.

“Anything we can do to promote sports and make it a positive experience, and I think this is an exceedingly positive experience, that it is our pleasure to do,” Fillipow said.