HighPoints Magazine Fall 2010

The High School Sports Magazine for the North Houston Metro Area

Magazine

www.highpointsmagazine.com Fall 2010

The Family’s New Digs

(District) (Region) (Class) (Stadium)

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Humble ISD • Conroe ISD • Huffman ISD • New Caney ISD • Aldine ISD • Area Private Schools

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HighPoints at the Playoffs

Key to Austin?-Huffman Hargrave’s third baseman Austin Key (#2) hustles to first in the Region 3-3A Quarterfinal matchup at New Caney High’s Adam Dunn Field. The throw to first pulls Bridge City first baseman E. Boren off the bag. Key, a sophomore, and the Falcon baseballers enjoyed a first game win in the May 22nd doubleheader, only to come up a bit short in the second game of the twinbill, losing the best-of-three series to the Cardinals in the process, 2 games to 1.

“Tomination”-Falcon Head Baseball Coach Tom DeBerry masterfully guided his Huffman charges into the third round of the UIL Baseball Playoffs in ’10. After heading up the program for only a few short years, the Hargrave Coach led the Red and Black to a 19-10-1 mark and a 22-3A District Championship this year.

Check Your Listi– Huffman second baseman Austin L.(#7) is greeted at home plate by his well-wishing teammates. Listi’s homerun brought home a pair of Falcons from scoring position and enabled Hargrave to jump back into game two of the doubleheader in New Caney on May 22. Unfortunately, the Cards from Bridge City hung on, kept the lead, and gained a split of the doubledip winning the best-of-three Regional Quarters two games to one.

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HighPoints at the Playoffs

Hashing it Out-All-District Huffman Pitcher Blaine Hashagen ends his high school career with an outstanding first game winning outing against Bridge City in the Regional Quarterfinals. A tremendous season ended for Hargrave in the second game of the May 22nd doubleheader in New Caney, when Bridge City’s Cardinals combined a series opening win in Nederland the day before, with the clinching twinbill nightcap victory at Dunn Field.

Mr Everywhere-Landing behind the plate in game one outfielder/pitcher/catcher, junior Nathan Schwertner applies the two-out tag on the Cardinal runner. Bridge City’s 21-3A club split the final two games of the Region 3-3A Quarterfinal series at New Caney’s Dunn Field in May. Because the Cards won the first game of the best-of-three at Nederland High the previous day, the doubleheader game two win in New Caney moved the 22-3A Champion Falcons out of the playoffs. The final loss in game three of the series did not diminish the marvelous season that Jacob Thompson, Cole DeBerry, freshman Corey Spray and the rest of the Hargravers turned in. They joined the Softball Lady Falcons who made it to the Regional Semi-Finals before falling short, with a job well done!

Levitation Holmes!- The Bridge City first sacker awaits the thrown baseball (left of the umpire in background) as he readies to apply the tag on Huffman’s Tyler West. The Hargrave runner tries to make it back to the bag in time. Here he’s almost floating in mid-dive. The Red jersied Cards topped the Falcons two games to one, to move on in the playoff series. HHS ended a spectacular year with the promise of even more success to come in ’11.

They return 16 of their 19 players on the Varsity.

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Cole Hard Facts-The sweet swing of Huffman Hargrave’s designated hitter/ shortstop/ pitcher, Cole DeBerry is in full form during the Regional Quarters against Bridge City. The Falcon junior still hit around .500 this year while fighting off some major game depleting injuries that cost him some time off. However, thanks to their depth the Red and Black overcame the absence of one of their best and made it to the third round before leaving the playoffs.

StartPoints

Guess Who’s Come For Dinner?

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welcome to those who had previously never gazed their eyes on a product we are awfully proud ofHighPoints our (The) high school sports magazine.

We say, ”Welcome”, because some of you are reading this “mag” for the first time, ever. Those of you in Conroe and The Woodlands, along with those in New Caney and Porter will soon find out that when we say we are here to promote high school sports, we aren’t kidding!

So, sit back and let us come at you like the missiles of October-not literally of course-with information, flair and imagination as we attempt to make high school sports come alive. By that, I mean high school sports will not just be discussed solely around the dinner table of the athletes who play the sports, won’t just be the center of their family’s attention. No, it will come to your attention even if you have no connection to the other athletes mentioned in this publication. Yes, you will bring us to your dinner table-literally or figuratively-and we won’t even mess up your good china!

This is our first go-round with The Woodlands, Conroe, and “metro” New Caney. We have already at the very beginning of this year introduced ourselves to Huffman, Aldine, Humble, Atascocita, and Kingwood, along with any private schools that populate those areas. Now it’s your turn, really.

With this issue we make amends for not coming out with our Pre-Fall August issue as announced. That won’t happen again. This time family health issues (see Rob’s Rhetoric this issue) grabbed our undivided attention during the summer.

We did come out with our new young kids mag. HighPoints KIDSPORTS during the hottest month of the year and we hoped whoever saw it enjoyed their little August/September sneak peek mini-version of what the normal issue will look like. It heads your way with its first full-sized version, next.

As for HighPoints, this time around its time to look at Football-and other sports-of course, as we head to the back straightaway of the district season. It’s also time for us to take a look at the biggest high school news over the past ten months-the opening of the refurbished Turner Stadium in Humble. Man, is Turner a gem! We show it off to you throughout the Humble ISD portion of the mag. We also give you a taste of what we mean by the cover-“The Family’s New Digs”-(read residence). However, it’s not just a reference about where the teams are playing-and Turner looks great-but it is also about their new place of residence in the UIL redistricting scheme.

Kingwood and Atascocita now head to the Conroe/ Woodlands/Lufkin 5A district and region and as you read in this mag. there will be a profound feeling of change for the two schools and their new district mates.

Furthermore, the new “digs” show themselves in each new district for all who switched, and that’s practically everyone we cover. Aldine ISD schools are heading south and west to battle with Alief ISD. Profound change! Of course, you know by now, unless you don’t, that 4A schools in Humble ISD and one in Conroe ISD are joining with a brand new New Caney ISD school and a pared down older version of the NCISD newbie. In the Humble ISD, Summer Creek makes its long awaited debut and joins Kingwood Park, Humble and new northern neighbors Huntsville, and Willis in forming a new 4A district along with the New Caney pair and Conroe’s Caney Creek. However, that’s not the only change in that setup. There has been the next example of the new digs-the classification (UIL Conference) drop of…Humble and New Caney High.

We will talk about it, make no mistake. There has been profound change!

Hopefully, you will read this magazine and talk about us.

After all, we’re sitting right there at your dinner table.

Thanks for noticing, Sincerely, Rob L Sprouse

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Table of Contents HISD Football.................................................... 7 Shocked and Thrilled with New District as New Era Begins ...... 8 Two-Headed Monster Leads Humble ISD Athletics................ 12 Simpson’s Dream Comes True with New Inclusive Turner........................................................................... 14 Everything Old is New Again at Humble.................................. 20 Mustangs Finish District Play with Major Tests....................... 24 Panthers are Ready for First Playoff Taste................................. 27 The “Inn(t)erview”-With…Kingwood Park Head Football Coach Jim Holley................................................ 30

Year One V............................................................. 33

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Bulldogs Eye Banner Headlines.................................................. 34

Publisher HighPoints© Magazine

Sweet Victory and History for Summer Creek.......................... 36

Managing Editor/Writer Rob L Sprouse

Year One V. History! Montage............................................. 40 Summer Creek Cross-Country.................................................... ...

Correspondents Ashriel Dunham

Growing Pains with Summer Creek Cross-Country’s First Boys......................................................... 42 More Accountability as Summer Creek XC Girls Hit Varsity Status........................................................ 45

Eagle Football..................................................... 48

Jessie Livingston

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Atascocita Learning to Overcome and Fly Again...................... 48

Conroe ISD Football..................................... ...

Tingle Answers the Call for Conroe ISD.................................. 52

Raising the Bar with Something to Prove at Caney Creek High........................................................ 56 Football/Private School Sports Thumbnails............................................................................. 59 Football Montage............................................................. 65 Rob’s Rhetoric.............................................................................. 70 Humble ISD 4A Volleyball Favorite........................ ...

K-Park Familiarity Key to Volleyball Prowess.......................... 73 Conroe ISD 5A Volleyball Favorite........................ ...

Winning is Music to the Highlanders Volleyballers’ Ears........... 75 Summer Vacation................................................................. ...

What They Did on Their Summer Vacation............................. 76 Our predictions page................................................. 77 Cross Country montage.......................................... 78 Endpoints.......................................................................... 82

Photography Ed. Mila Sprouse Photo Contributor Tracey Ivy Susan Young Kim Seither Graphic Design Stacy Evans

Setting the Playoff Path at Oak Ridge........................................ 51

The “Skinny” on the Rest of the 5A Conroe ISD Schools........ 53

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55 Cover Photo by Tracey Ivy, pictured with their backs to the new Turner Stadium fieldhouse are (front row left to right): Humble ISD Varsity Head Football Coaches: Dougald McDougald, Kingwood High; Dean Colbert, Atascocita High; Walt Beasley, Humble; Brian Ford, Summer Creek; and Jim Holley, Kingwood Park; and (back row l to r) players: Clint Simon and Reid Limegrover of Kingwood; Jordan Watts and Johnny Morris of Atascocita; Spencer Drake and Brison Burris, Humble; Galelyn Dart and Anthony DiFrancesco, Summer Creek; and Eric Burciaga with Ryan Coogler of Kingwood Park.

Editorial Assistant Mila Sprouse Ben Sprouse Marketing Director Mila Sprouse Advertising Sales Coordinator Mila Sprouse Sales Louise Morris HighPoints© Magazine is published

by HighPoints© Magazine 4847 Canyon Shore Dr, Humble, TX. 77396 Telephone 281-380-7804 or 281-253-0080 E-mail highpointsmagazine@yahoo.com

Subscriptions: $ 4.95 per issue, $ 12.95 per 3 issues (6 months), $ 24.95 per 6 issues (12 months). To subscribe or order, go to www.highpointsmagazine.com or mail your check with your name and address to: 4830 Wilson Rd. #300-177, Humble, Tx 77396.

HighPoints© Magazine welcomes reader correspondence. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted. HighPoints© Magazine assumes no responsibility for the return of any unsolicited material.

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HighPoints© Magazine ©2010, all rights reserved. All editorial, stories, photography and advertising copy belongs solely to HighPoints© Magazine. Production in whole or part without express written permission is strictly prohibited.

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What has sprung forth is a‌ Introduction

Table of Contents

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HISD’s Take on Redistricting

Humble ADs Sum it UpShocked! and Thrilled! with New District as New Era Begins

S I H

by Rob L Sprouse, HighPoints Senior Writer

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ot exclaimed hype-filled descriptions in one of Producer/ Director/Writer William Castle’s vintage ‘50’s style “coming soon” movie trailers, but the words “shocking”, “thrilled”, and “wowed” along with “exciting”, pretty much sum up the feelings that Humble ISD Co-Athletic Directors Troy Kite and Krista Malmstrom have when it comes to the new athletic district for 5A schools Atascocita and Kingwood. The best thing about sitting back and taking in the new loop might be that there is no sign of Castle’s campy classic, Vincent Price’s cinema wonder “The Tingler”, or even the B-movie mogul Castle’s famous “Them” (giant Ants).

Instead of low-budget Sci-fi and Horror, fans of high school athletics can see gigantic competition and relatively unknown, but first class venues with the new 14-5A. “When we first heard that Kingwood and Atascocita were going into that district we were shocked not because we didn’t think that it was a good idea being placed with the Conroe ISD schools or Lufkin High, rather it was because we were going over to Region 2-5A and leaving Region 3, something we just never dreamed would happen,” Kite says.

The Athletic Director who oversees most of the male sporting events and teams in the HISD, Kite is referring to the travel distance between Humble ISD schools and 5A sized institutions in the northeastern Greater Houston area as opposed to HISD schools and its more northerly opposition in district, along with the new region’s far-

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ther away post season destinations. While there was even some rumors of revisiting the old Spring-Baytown-ChannelviewGalena Park ISD-and Beaumont district for Humble schools; most observers thought that Humble ISD 5As would either stay with Aldine-despite another rumor that AISD schools were headed over to Alief and Spring Branch territory-or they would move into a Spring–Klein setup. The prospect of moving in with Conroe ISD and Angelina County’s Lufkin High was barely on the map and was only present it was thought, if the new league would end up featuring a Region 3 precinct with those schools.

Once Aldine’s schools were assigned by the University Interscholastic League (UIL) to move over from 19-5A into 18-5A with the Alief ISD schools Elsik, Hastings and Taylor, thus filling the void for three classification dropping Spring Branch schools: Spring Woods, Stratford and Northbrook who headed to a realigned 4A; Memorial the lone remaining 5A school for SBISD moved in with super private school powerhouse and former 17-5A member Strake Jesuit High, and the always uber powerful Katy ISD-see Katy and Cinco Ranch-as the new 19-5A took shape. That left either the Cypress–Fairbanks (Cy-Fair) ISD to stay in Region 2-5A or for that group to create a new 17-5A. If the former had happened, Humble ISD and their new district mates would probably have stayed in the old region and depending on who they moved in with, would have made up some of 17 or 21-5A’s district setup.

Even a move to the Conroe and Lufkin

ISDs’ district or Spring and Klein ISDs’ loop could have still precluded another Region 3 turn.

Then came the stunner.

The all Cy-Fair ISD ten-team 2009 Region 2-5A district was no more.

Instead, those schools headed to the earlier latter scenario, namely a new 17-5A and with it Region 3 status. When that happened and 21-5A did not become a reality for Humble ISD 5A’ers, Region 2 and district 14-5A awaited. Perhaps the UIL 5A enrollment cutoff dropping Humble High to 4A kept Atascocita and Kingwood out of Region 3 and perhaps not. What is known is that switching 5A regions was a plot twist that movie Director/Producer M.Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”, “Unbreakable”, “Devil”) wouldn’t have come up with.

At least Kite and Malmstrom see the twist that unfolded as a real surprise.

The Athletic Director that oversees much of Humble ISD’s female sporting pursuits, Krista Malmstrom says when she found out about the regional move all she could say was…“Wow!”

“I’m like Troy (Kite) because I would have never guessed that we would be moving in with the Conroe 5As and Lufkin and if we did do that, I was thinking that they would be moved into Region 3, not us going to Region 2,” Malmstrom concurs.

“From a competition standpoint this is thrilling because our schools are going to be thoroughly tested and prepared for competition beyond district and the

D S early rounds of the playoffs. On the other hand, it will be a battle getting past the Regional brackets and championship levels. Qualifying for State tournaments or each sport’s final-four will be tougher if we make it that far,” Malmstrom says.

For his part, Kite echoes Malmstrom’s feeling of excitement for the coming competition. “Our coaches are going to have get our kids very prepared for the coming district contests as our schools will have to be ready with outstanding practices, game plans and effort every night,” Kite says.

“The first class facilities and school district athletic directors we have encountered are more reasons that we are excited about this move. The only thing that we have any objection about is the travel difference and that’s why we would have liked, even staying with these schools, to have remained in Region 3. We did not contest the move because we are very loyal

HISD’s Take on Redistricting

to the UIL, an organization that allows us to host events like the Region 3 Track and Field Meet. However, we did discuss our concerns regarding the move, with them. Simply, travel costs are our biggest financial concerns when it comes to the budget each year. It is by far our biggest expense. Our average travel to football games in 19-5A last year was only 18 miles. This year in 14-5A it will be 94 miles for a typical roundtrip. In these economic times it will be tougher and we will have to cut down on our nondistrict travel expenses in order to ‘move our shells’ to cover in-athletic district travel expenses. We will have to do what we will have to do. The important thing is to allow our kids and coaches to have the right opportunities in non-district competition which will in-turn allow them to properly prepare for district contests. We also will make whatever cuts we need to make as far away as we can from any possible impact on the kids.

After all, if the kids end up not feeling that we are in a budget crunch, then we will have found the ideal way to handle the situation,” Kite says.

His fellow Co-Athletic Director Malmstrom feels the same way. She knows that the kids should be properly prepared for district with the occasional non-district out of town trip to events like prestigious volleyball tourneys and the like. She also believes that the HISD coaches will be district-ready with their own brand of preparation. “I know our coaches will work hard enough to get our kids ready for the new district because I know our coaches very well. I know in sports like Volleyball it won’t be an easy trip to the playoffs for any of our teams, including the 4A squads which stayed in Region 3. The bottom line is some things will never change no matter what district you are in. We don’t know the order of the first four volleyball teams in the 5A district

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HISD’s Take on Redistricting even though we have an idea of who they might be, but even that’s not certain.

What we do know is that just as in any grouping you have to be ready every time you go out or you will probably lose. You still have to play the games the way they need to be played. That much will not change,” Malmstrom says.

“Being in this tough district will better prepare our teams to last longer in the playoffs. You won’t be able to coast and play at a lower level, winning against thinner competition and then trying to kick it up a notch once you hit the playoffs. If you have that attitude you probably won’t survive the new, deeper district. However, if you ‘bring it’ every night with a higher level of play, then it will be easier to play in the post season with the quality level that you need to be successful,” Malmstrom says.

Kite says that he and Malmstrom were ecstatic when they heard about the makeup of the new 18-4A district. He believes that a new school like Summer Creek will have an excellent opportunity to make the playoffs because there will be competition that features schools much like SCHS, either brand new ones: see Porter High (New Caney ISD)-or relatively new-see Kingwood Park or 1980’s “neophyte” Caney Creek (Conroe ISD). And of course, there will even be newer members to the classification-see Humble High, or New Caney High-that could provide tougher or surprisingly, even weaker competition. Porter will feature no senior classmen while New Caney will find its 2009 5A depth stripped by graduation or lower classmen who were zoned into the Black and Red of Porter’s Spartans. Caney Creek comes off of a football season in which it forfeited the only game that it outscored its opposition. Kingwood Park and Humble should do well in the new district as the Panthers are beginning to see larger upper classmen numbers pay off while the Wildcats finally get relief from the problems they encountered from losing students to two new schools during a short five-year period.

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Meanwhile, it is true that Kingwood and Atascocita will not be able to participate in the Region 3 (1A, 2A, 3A and 5A classes) Track and Field event and Region 3 (1A through 5A classes) Cross-Country meet as long as Region 2 remains their address. Ironically, without the hosting school’s team the Cross-Country meet will transpire at Atascocita High while the old standby Track and Field event will once again take place at Turner Stadium.

In 4A, all post-district Track, Golf, and the like, will stay in Huntsville at or near Sam Houston State University. On the other hand, Region 2-5A competition will happen mostly in Waco except for Cross-Country, which will be held in a Region 1-5A area, Arlington, home of the Arlington ISD and the racing venue-the University of Texas at Arlington.

Once again, travel expenses will come into play with the Region 2-5A change.

Malmstrom and Kite know that the Humble area community will expect playoff berths and success beyond the early rounds and levels, as well. “If you are a coach and you just hope to make

the playoffs instead of saying that you are going to make the playoffs and do well in them, then you are probably in the wrong profession because just like any good surgeon who knows rather than hopes he can take that tumor out of the patient, success is in wanting to know, not in hoping to see. Our communities want you to know,” Kite says.

They both believe that all of the coaches and players will be excited to face newer and tougher competition in newer facilities both at home and away. With playoff spots in Football up for grabs probably past the first two spots of the 5A district, and all the way through the 4A loop, and at the same time wide open playoff opportunities in the other sports for both 4A and 5A a real possibility, the thrill should build up to an even bigger climactic finish.

That’s a script that any critic can get behind…and you don’t even need a William Castle specialty, a creepy, secret vibrating buzzer in your theatre seat, to get an “Emerge-o” jolt out of that. n

HISD Ads

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HISD ADs Krista Malmstrom would rather talk about the hard work that everyone in Humble ISD Athletics cranks out rather than have any of the glory to fall back on their own portion of the credit. When you consider that if the latter happened all the time, Kite and Malmstrom would frequently have their picture taken and everyone knows that this “two-headed monster” just like movie vampires and those scary creatures, doesn’t want that to happen. Ironically, however, this “beast” has plenty of soulful passion.

Not so Fast!–Not the “beasts”, but they have seen the “Two-headed Monster” which means indispensable Humble ISD Athletic Department Executive Secretaries/Assistants Naomi Curry (left) and Sylvia Lozano (right) know the hard work that HISD Athletic Directors Krista Malmstrom and Troy Kite put in. Curry and Lozano are hard workers themselves. Just ask the ADs.

Two-Headed Monster Leads Humble ISD Athletics

by Rob L Sprouse, HighPoints Senior Writer

C

hances are, if you have visited your local movie theatre lately you probably have either seen on the big screen or a coming-attractions poster, a “flick” theme encompassing the horror genre, particularly Vampire cinema. As in every Twilight or Dracula movie there comes a time when the main character(s) will look in a mirror and see nary a reflection staring back at them. The same holds true for any photograph that they may be unfortunate enough to stumble into. No

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“We call ourselves the ‘two-headed monster’, which we mean in a positive way, because we work very hard in a very coordinated way, together,” Kite says. A long-time high school coach of basketball, cross-country, and football teams in the Greater Houston area and around the state of Texas; Kite takes his passion for teaching athletics into the job of guiding sports in the school district.

“Krista and I love to watch our coaches teach during their practices. It’s what got us involved in athletics in the first place.

When you see a kid finally get what you have been teaching them and the ‘light goes on’, that’s the best by far, a real ‘rush’,” Kite says. Co-Director Malmstrom agrees.

After all, it was that same passionate quest for teaching and learning about the game(s) that her coaches at Brazosport High School (Freeport, TX.) saw in her to begin with.

vampire soul, means not a single appearance of the said fiend amidst the othernon “living dead” people showing up in the given photo. It’s a Vampire movie staple. You can look it up. It’s not hard to imagine either, that the no-show rule might even apply to other “scary creatures” that our fantasies can whip up.

“When I was there, the coaches came up to me and wanted me to go to the middle school and help them conduct tryouts with eighth graders who wanted to play high school freshman sports. I ran those kids through the same drills that our high school team ran and I enjoyed it. I already knew right then what I wanted to do for a living–coach,” Malmstrom says.

So, it’s no wonder then that Humble Independent School District (HISD) Co-Athletic Directors Troy Kite and

After coaching little league youngsters while he was in high school at Elsik (Alief ISD), Kite matriculated at Stephen F.

HISD ADs Austin U. in Nacogdoches, TX. When he was home during off-time vacation, he coached summer league athletes. Following his stint at SFA, Kite dove right into scholastic coaching, spending time in North Texas at Mineral Wells High; and back in the Houston area with The Woodlands, Fort Bend Austin, and Cypress Falls, until he landed at Humble High School where he succeeded legendary Humble coach Phil Eaton as the Wildcat Boys’ Varsity Basketball Head Coach. He originally planned on taking his time getting in, if he could at all, into athletic administration.

Even after getting his Master’s Degree in Administration he thought he would be in coaching for quite some time before he would even possibly get a shot in a school district’s front office. Life on the other hand had a different plan in store. “When Zoe Simpson retired from the Athletic Director’s post, the opportunity just fell into my lap and because the district decided that it needed to have two directors to further deal with the expansion from two schools to four (later five), the other AD job was a perfect match for Krista,” Kite says.

Malmstrom, a Sam Houston State (Huntsville, TX.) grad, also brought a fine coaching background into her new duties, as well. She came straight from the Kingwood High Volleyball head coaching position; all set to tackle whatever came her way. Like Kite, Malmstrom found out that she would be occupying a job that would meet deliberation head-on. “The thing that you find out about in this job is that even though you can eventually get projects done, it does take time,” she says.

Kite kiddingly sums it up in two words: “Red Tape”.

“The biggest challenge of this job is dealing with your coach’s mentality that says: ‘If something comes up, then deal with it immediately’. If the gym needs painting then paint it! In this job, it takes

time, sometimes a lot of it, to get things done but we do eventually get it done.

It’s understandable though, because we do have to allow our project requests to be cleared with the school board and Central Administration. There are policies that have to be followed in accordance with laws. The coach in me had to get used to waiting,” Kite says.

As for getting their work done nowadays, the newly refurbished stadium complex keeps Malmstrom and Kite on their toes.

However, it’s a task that the pair finds much easier thanks to Athletics office assistants Naomi Curry and Sylvia Lozano. “We know that if we have to go off somewhere or if we get tied up dealing with anything over at the stadium, that those two can run the show at the office or the stadium with competency to spare. We don’t worry at all,” Malmstrom says.

“We work as a family, as one unit with a side-by-side approach with our staff and our coaches, not with a top down dictatorial tone. We have a blast because we love what we do, and we keep things fun and light around the office,” Malmstrom says. Curry herself is sometimes affectionately called “mama” by Kite and with her tenure in the HISD Athletics Office; she gets the respect that she deserves.

Lozano garners that same reverence as she, along with Curry, tirelessly works an endless amount of venues and events all throughout the school year.

It’s all part of an office that really gets it!

They know that their job is just not dealing with finances, budgets, and faceless obligations. Instead, the quartet recognizes that they are in a people profession. “We communicate with each other which just like in any successful ‘marriage’ you have to do, and we complement each other.

Krista is the thinking, calm pragmatist while I’m the emotional one,” Kite says.

Malmstrom looks at Kite in a similar

way while also saying that he is not only sometimes intense, but is sharp enough to more than fathom his way through the job.

“Troy is the brains of the operation, make no mistake. I’m amazed at just how smart he is. Sylvia and Naomi are our gatekeepers as they help us manage our day and assist with the inside and outside items we deal with,” she says.

Those items will continue to grow in volume as the new athletic districts for HISD’s 5A and 4A and region changes for 5A- and classification drop for Humble High-along with the birth of varsity sports for Summer Creek High-will add to that other responsibility, Turner Stadium. In addition to school games, the venue will see plenty of non-scholastic activity with a possible-as of press time it was reportedly not finalized yet-event like the U.S. Track and Field Regional qualifying meet in December; and the already finalized crème de la crème event, the Amateur Athletic Union’s (AAU) Jr. Olympics national Track and Field ten day extravaganza in 2012.

Even so, there could still be some small amount of time to take a bottle of their favorite sports drink or even a brown bag for lunch while they go over to sit and relax outside or indoors and take in a practice or two, or more, at the school district’s facilities. From the districts’ coaches Malmstrom and Kite get what they really want from athletics, a family atmosphere, and the joy of watching kids have that “light bulb” turn on.

As for their own notoriety, they would rather the spotlight be turned onto the coaches and kids and you can just leave these administrators over in the darkness of anonymity. Over there it will be very difficult to take their picture, to give them the glory, and that’s just the way the “two-headed monster” likes it. n

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Simpson’s Dream Comes True

by Rob L Sprouse, HighPoints Senior Writer

New Frontier-With their backs to “New” Turner Stadium’s Brand new, modern Press/Coaching/Scouting Box; Head Football Coaches, Varsity Cheerleaders, and Team Mascots alike, wash in a beautiful sky and a brand new high school sports spectating era in Humble. Pictured are (left to right): Atascocita player Johnny Morris-not his identical twin brother Jermaine-, Eagle Head Coach Dean Colbert, AHS player Devin Clark, Eagle Cheerleaders Marissa Hogue and Carley Moses; Summer Creek player Anthony DiFrancesco, Bulldog Cheerleader Kayla Taylor, player Galelyn Dart, S-Creek Cheerleader Bree Burciaga, Bulldog Head Coach Brian Ford, Humble players Spencer Drake and Brison Burris; Wildcat Head Coach Walt Beasley, Humble Cheerleaders Hannah Walton and Jayla Williams and

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“New Turner”

with New Inclusive Turner

the HISD’s very first mascot Willie the Wildcat (Trey Legall); Kingwood Head Coach Dougald McDougald, Mustang Cheerleaders (seated) Jessie Kuhl and (standing) Amber Woyt, KW players Reid Limegrover and (crouching) Clint Simon with the Mustang mascot (Sarah Burke); Kingwood Park Cheerleader Kelli Wilburn, Panther player Ryan Coogler, K-Park Head Coach Jim Holley with the Panther mascot (Delinette Baez), Kingwood Park player Eric Burciaga, and Panther Cheerleader Alie Matthews.

Photo by Tracey HighPointsMagazine.com

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Ivy 15

Section The “New Title Turner”

Mixed “Hutts”-Messrs: Burciaga, Drake, (Brandon) Gamble, DiFrancesco, Limegrover, Burris, (Jermaine) Morris, Simon, Dart, Coogler, and Watts show their solidarity for Humble ISD Football by standing with each other in an order not determined by what schools they belong to or play against. Standing on the brand new Turner Stadium grass, they wish each other well as they represent the HISD with pride in their new Stadium.

A

tascocita High School was not at all like that 50’s Sci-fi B-movie “The Incredible Shrinking Man” starring Grant Williams. The 1957 release featured a man who quietly began to lose his stature in his home and with the yardstick. After a mysterious vapor wafted over his boat while he was recreating in the water, Williams’ character began to shrink over the next several days until he had become so small that he had to fight off a spider-a giant compared to himwith a sewing needle. He later completely disappeared, at least to the naked eye.

In 2005, AHS opened with an expected enrollment that figured to be smaller due to the fact that only freshmen and sophomores would make up the popula-

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tion of the school. However, after the doors swung open on the first day of school it was obvious that the large in area campus needed to be even bigger because 2500-plus students were going to be attending. Thus, the previous 2005 bond election’s authorized monies that were originally allocated for the renovation of Turner Stadium, were moved by HISD administration into alleviating the AHS problem. Humble ISD Athletic Director Zoe Simpson dreamed, of turning the facility into a showplace for all of the school district’s high schools. As he left his post with, as it turned out, short-lived retirement (he is now a special assistant for Kingwood’s Girls Track and Cross-Country teams), Simpson saw the money go to the new

portable buildings/new wing and from that point on overcrowding never materialized at Atascocita High, although AHS continued to grow bigger.

Enter 2008, current AD’s Troy Kite and Krista Malmstrom saw another bond election for the building fund held-note: bond elections for the building fund spend public monies which by law cannot go toward the salary portion of the budget, only to construction-and roughly 19 million dollars later, HISD had brought the needed income to move Turner Stadium into its modern era. Troy Kite says that the school district wanted to create something that the 81 percent of the electorate that voted for the improvement would be happy and feel an ownership with. “We

The “New Turner”

Are You Ready for Some “New” Turner Football?-(from left to right) Head Coaches: D.Colbert of Atascocita, B.Ford of Summer Creek, W. Beasley of Humble, D.McDougald of Kingwood, and J.Holley of Kingwood Park stand poised to enjoy the best that the competition will provide them in UIL Districts like 14-5A and 18-4A, as the schools head to the backside of their district football schedules. From old Bender High in the beginning, to its name changed successor Humble High later in the century, to Kingwood High in the late 70’s and now this century’s new schools: Atascocita, Kingwood Park and Summer Creek, the latter all created in the last five years; the Humble Independent School District has seen tremendous growth, especially, of course, recently. That expansion HISD says, has called for the current day changes in Turner Stadium as the district heads toward the coming years. Changes like: expanded reserved seating, a larger pressbox with elevators, improved and expanded concessions’ areas, a more modern, larger scoreboard; improved stadium track, surrounding outside wall facades, spiffier outside appearance nuances, brand new, larger and more accessible multi-sport fieldhouses, along with other adjustments; have truly created a 2010 “New Turner”, a real page turner!

feel with the new locker rooms, the new approximately 800 seatbacks reserved area, the improved general admission area, the new press box and the improved bathroom situations, air-conditioned especially for the ladies, that we have taken the steps necessary for a much better fan, media, and assistant coaching experience,” Kite says.

Other touches, particularly those on the outside, give the stadium grounds the atmosphere of a high-class venue that welcomes all HISD schools and fans to their facility. Whether you are talking about the five high school logo flags located on poles inside the entry plaza on the stadium’s front side near the home team parking lot, book-ended by two poles

that carry flags with the HISD logo, or the expanded bus area that enables coaches and players to park conveniently next to the new locker rooms on the north side of the stadium, things have definitely changed at Turner. Regarding the latter, Kite and Malmstrom are ecstatic about the new locker rooms.

“We feel like that now when our teams go into their changing area, and the coaches go into their own dressing area, that they will feel like they are in their home locker room,” the ADs echo. The now larger locker rooms themselves can house two teams for Football or can be converted to accommodate four squads for Soccer or other sports. When buses no longer have to park far away from dressing areas and

closer to where fans will be parking their cars, then it appears to be a major upgrade for the convenience of athletes, coaches and fans.

The logistics of dealing with a visitor’s side press box has been alleviated with the new double-decker modern press box on the home side and the elimination of the visitors side box altogether. Seating on the visitor’s side has decreased while expansion of the home side seating’s number has occurred. Turner will still house 10,200 fans when at full capacity and that doesn’t include the new VIP section of the press box itself.

The concessions’ areas have been spruced up with new brick re-enforced permanent

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The “New Turner”

Gets Them Involved-The Cheerleaders and the mascots’ job is to get the crowd more involved in the game-if needed- but the ambience of the “New” Turner Stadium is bound to get these youngsters and their furry friends more engaged in the atmosphere, as well. The venue has been tweaked to make all Humble ISD schools feel more involved, more at home, the best involvement of all. Pictured are (front row, from left to right): Kingwood Cheerleader J.Kuhl, KW mascot, Mustang Cheerleader A.Woyt, and Kingwood Park Cheerleader A.Matthews. Then, (back row, l to r): Summer Creek Cheerleaders B.Burciaga and K. Taylor; Humble Cheerleader J.Williams and Wildcat mascot with Cheerleader H.Walton; Atascocita Cheerleaders M.Hogue and C. Moses; Kingwood Park mascot with K-Park Cheerleader K.Wilburn.

Grand Dame of Turner-Ms. Jane Turner the widow of the man they named the stadium after, shows up on opening night to dedicate the “New” Turner. Her late husband is a former seventies and eighties era HISD Superintendent and was honored himself with the renaming of the facility in the eighties. Ms. Turner herself was an outstanding English educator in the district for many years.

Here, she joins in the festivities along with current day Humble ISD Superintendent Dr. Guy Sconzo (holding microphone), and administrative members of the district’s five sports playing high schools.

That’s Kingwood Park Building Principal Larry Cooper in the background wearing a K-Park replica (#78) jersey. The Panthers christened the renovated stadium’s opening with a victory over visiting Channelview High.

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The “New Turner” structures now housing snack style fare on the two northern sides of the venue while more ballpark style cooked food is available on the southern sides-home and visitor-and an increase of windows featuring a pick-up window between every ordering line window is now available in the concessions area.

Media mavens, assistant coaches–home and away-VIPs and school officials can now ride an elevator to their press box destination. Replete with a new outer shell, the newly renovated stadium also provides more shelter for fans during inclement weather.

Team Building- K-Park Panther teammates of tragically injured teammate Joe Stanton, just before season opening kickoff, show their support for their comrade. Here they face the homeside crowd and wave the special “Team Joseph” flag, at the first game on August 26 th. and the rest of the season is dedicated to the youngster who wore number 21. The spirited feeling-along with an improved talent base-brought them the win as the “New” Turner Stadium showed off its facelift with its first ever game following its full renovation.

Co-AD Kite knows that the changes had to be made if the 46 year old structure was going to be turned into a brand spanking new viable entertainment facility for the 21st century. “If we want people to come out to this stadium, their stadium, then we have to give them an updated, modern reason to come out along with an experience that will make them come back for more,” Kite says.

“We are competing with movie box offices and other entertainment and there have to be reasons that people will want to come out over and over again.

We think we have it. Our teams can now certainly feel more at home as well.

This is now a school district facility.

That’s the point and we also know that we can attract other events UIL, AAU or otherwise,” Kite says. “Don’t forget we also added a track that has the duplicate surface of the University of Texas at Austin,” Malmstrom adds.

Not Your Ordinary Joe/Opening Night-Thomas Joseph “Joe” Stanton’s parents and youngest sister take the field before the “New” Turner Stadium’s very first-post full renovation-sporting event on August 26,2010. The Stanton family was represented by Joe’s dad Rob ( jersey #21), youngest sister Gabrielle (also in #21) and mother Teri (in forest green shirt). Standing left of Dr. Rob Stanton is #18 K-Park player Ari Nelson, and standing next to Terri Stanton is #30 Kevin Broussard and #64 Logan Wilkerson, Panther Team Captains all. The Stanton’s participated in the pre-game coin flip with visiting 5A Channelview (#44 in white is Jason Ramirez). The family later went into the team’s lockerroom where KP celebrated the win which was dedicated to Joe Stanton. The season is also being played in the latter’s honor.

And don’t forget from Atascocita to Summer Creek, from A to Z that Turner Stadium no longer has to be a shrinking violet, paling in comparison to other edifices and complexes. A certain “Z” who now in semi-retirement, has to be smiling. After all, his dream came to fruition and now he can stand “ten feet” tall admiring it to the fullest. For Zoe Simpson his wish’s fulfillment is no longer fiction. n

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SectionFootball HISD Title

The Old School Way–Humble High wide receiver Kyle Tucker (#9) is off to yet another score by his Wildcat teammates against the newest high school in the area-Porter. This was one of six touchdowns scored in the first half as the “Purple Gang” did what they wanted during the early district game at Don Ford Stadium in New Caney. Humble coasted to a 49-0 win.

Everything Old is New Again at Humble

T

he mid eighties-decade’s movie hero Marty Mc Fly (Michael J. Fox) is not walking through that door and hopefully mid to late seventies era–or Hurricane Rita mid 2000’s–sized gasoline pump lines are not going to show up anytime soon either.

You couldn’t blame Humble High Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator Walt Beasley for thinking that he was in a time warp though, especially when the University Interscholastic League (UIL) redistricting for 2010-‘12 was announced. HHS was clearly heading back to the future, making their first penultimate UIL Class appearance since the old 3A (now 4A) designation was used for schools in the next to the top level.

It has literally been so long for Humble, that when 4A (now 5A) was next to a school’s name in the UIL setup, it meant

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that they were in the top size groupings of athletics. Humble said hello to that in 1979, and said good bye to the old 3A. The Wildcats like everyone else, moved up a spot (5A) in 1980. The more things change however, the more they come around and return to the same old, same old. The opening of new schools at Atascocita, and Summer Creek had recently left Humble’s Wildcats in the dusty no-man’s land of too small to compete successfully every year, numbers wise, in 5A. “We now are operating on a more level playing field because after the splits due to the new schools, our numbers dropped to the point where it was going to be harder and harder to compete strongly each year in 5A,” Walt Beasley says.

However, do not make the mistake of thinking that HHS does not have any returning 5A caliber athletes. Kyndahl Hill is a multisport star who showed as a sophomore that

he could more than hold his own in 19-5A. The junior pass-rushing defensive end at 6-6, 210 lbs. is a fine basketball player who leads a contingent of 11th graders to the forefront of Humble’s talent.

As Humble heads to the back end of the 18-4A schedule, they will need another roundballer, 6-4-276 pounder Paul “Peanut Butter and Jelly” Boyette Jr. who uses his athleticism to run a 4.9-40 yard time.

The junior d-lineman is part of what Beasley calls the strength of the team.

“Our juniors are our strongest feature because of their athletic ability. They can all run well and on top of that they have outstanding quickness because Hill, Boyette and Zorrell Ezell one of our defensive tackles who’s 6-1-250, all play Basketball here. Multi-sport athletes have always been encouraged here at Humble,” Beasley says.

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HISD Football The last great three-sport star that Humble had as a non-big school member was Mike Mosley who was All-State in both Basketball and Football. As a big school level program for All-region or All-State caliber multi-sport athletes you would have to look back to the 90’s and David Boston. Like Mosley, Boston was a standout in Basketball, Football and track. Again, just like then, for the coaches speed and quickness is the highly sought after “ticket” today.

Ray’s Time To Play-With the Caney Creek-Humble 18-4A opener seemingly out of hand Humble Head Coach Walt Beasley pulled his starting QB Kyle Washington and inserted back-up Marcus Ray (#7), a player the coach has the utmost confidence in. C-Creek playing against Wildcat back-ups, valiantly stormed back but a late turnover and not enough time on the clock blunted their attempt. Humble won 37-21 at Turner Stadium. Helping to clear the way for Ray is (#59) Jeffery Whittaker, a senior offensive tackle and (#64) Cody Cross, a senior gaurd.

Jump at the Chance-Eluding the Caney Creek pass rusher Humble quarterback Kyle Washington (#1) uses his airborne passing touch to complete one of the effective but economical-in number-throws he needed to make as the hosts jumped out to a big lead at Turner Stadium in Humble in the 18-4A season opener.

Humble’s 30 point lead dwindled in the second half before a late turnover stopped C-Creek’s comeback momentum. The final was 37-21, Humble.

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On the offense this year Humble has unleashed the hiccup-quick first year starting quarterback, Kyle Washington. The 6-5185 pounder has helped the Purple move the chains with outstanding performances like the one against early district opponent Caney Creek (Conroe ISD)-77 yards on only six carries. His back-up, former Eisenhower (Aldine ISD) sophomore move-in, senior Marcus Ray also contributed in that 37-21 win over the C-Creek Panthers with 80 yards on again, only six carries.

Washington put on the final touches with 248 yards passing in the game on only 19 attempts and 13 completions. “Kyle hit the weight room hard to put himself in a position to be faster and physically stronger,” Coach Beasley says. Ray also brings a Basketball background to the field and displays that quickness and speed by seeing time at wide receiver. Humble also has senior talent at receiver with Jacorik Ben who brings little varsity experience to the position but has that always needed senior class maturity.

Kyle Tucker is a fine receiver who starred at both quarterback and wide-out during pre-season scrimmages against Milby (5A Houston ISD) and Wheatley (Houston), with a three catch-90 yard-one touchdown performance against the MHS Buffaloes. Tucker is another of those up and coming juniors. Tucker is in a receiving corps that has tried to make up for the loss of four graduating receivers including Xavier Maxwell IV. A 25-plus yard average on just three catches against C-Creek in the district opener at Turner Stadium is testimony to the speed (4.7/40 yds.) and

HISD Football hands that Tucker brings to the table in Beasley’s run-and-shoot spread offense.

Also making a name for himself is sophomore Jaylon Zallicoffer who along with junior Carl Elkins Jr. snagged between them over 160 yards total in receptions against C-Creek’s Panthers. For a change of pace Darius Lynch can add to the running game against faster defenses. The senior comes in at 5-10-180, and was a major star in the summertime three-team seven on seven-player league that had Humble squaring off against Atascocita and Kingwood Park High. During preseason scrimmage workouts, he turned in a 200-plus total yards game.

The defense though, remains the key to success in Humble’s biggest 18-4A games. “We think that Paul Boyette has really physically matured this year because he is much stronger and more physical at the point of attack which along with the size that Ezell gives us, creates the need to double team them and then you can add our senior leader in the secondary Brison Burris who is a three year starter along with being our versatile kick and punt returner. We won’t be lacking on defense and explosiveness on special teams,” Beasley says.

during the district season opener against Caney Creek, with the former Wildcat hitting a 22 yard field goal while the latter player Mendoza, nailed 4 out of five PATs. Once again with Humble heading to the backside of the schedule, Coach Beasley knows they will need clutch performances and consistently sharp play from everyone. “I know this is going to be a three or four team race for the top spots because Kingwood Park looked great in their non-district games against the teams they played. Willis has a fine team and a good QB, and Huntsville might be one of the better teams out there,” Beasley says.

Ah, Huntsville and say, Humble, a late seventies top-ten rivalry that usually decided the old district 11-3A championship, North Zone winner against South Zone winner. Humble’s Mike Mosley, Walt Beasley, Roger Wiley, Kenneth

“We are serious about your future!”

Janak, Head Coach Sam Mosley and company against Huntsville’s Alan Ball, Lloyd Archie, Head Coach Joe Clements, et al. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine called the playoff games they played some of the best state matchups of that decade. One year, ’76, Huntsville and Humble were both in the top three of the 3A State Poll. The teams would end up meeting three years in a row to decide the district crown.

Roll forward to the 2010 district backside schedule and while there is no zonal subdividing, Humble and Huntsville could end up doing battle for the district title.

Now, couldn’t that fire up the old flux capacitor!? n (See Humble’s prediction-along with the other Humble ISD schools, all the Conroe ISD schools, and Huffman Hargrave’s 22-3A predicted district finish pg. 80.)

“We are serious about your future!”

The final pieces on the stopping side are found with a d-back like Alfonso Harleston a three year starter who has battled a strained hamstring in the early going. When healthy, Harleston is an outstanding cover-guy who shuts down the best of receivers. This year Humble will not play as much straight-up zone.

Instead, two and three-deep looks will be complimented with more man to man defending. Linebackers defending the pass and the run are in abundance too in the 4-2-5 set, spearheaded by seniors Charles Woods and Clifford Thomas, two heavy hitters. www. rhinofinancialmortgage.com

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On the specialty scoring side, field goal kicker Andres Franco is joined by field goal and point after booter Rosendo Mendoza. The two practiced their craft

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Office: 832-519-0302

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HISD Football

Row Call–The 2-0 undefeated start in 14-5A helped to turn Kingwood’s season around. Here, the Mustang players stand in rapt attention for the National Anthem before their game with The Woodlands College Park (Conroe ISD) in the district opener. A last second field goal by KW kicker Mitch Glander won the first one in ’10 for the ‘stangs. CP’s Cavaliers tasted defeat 31-28 at Turner Stadium. One of Kingwood’s many leaders seen here is #55 Clint Simon.

Mustangs Finish District Play with Major Tests

K

ingwood High Football Head Coach and campus Athletic Coordinator Dougald McDougald knows a leader when he sees one. Fullback Andrew Bratsman has spoken to the local chapter of the Rotary service Club, has won the award for (2008) Most Outstanding Student Achievement in Spanish and English at KHS, and has scored higher than any other student on campus with the highest score possible on the nationally recognized Advanced Placement (AP) tests that covered Language, Calculus, and U.S. History. Those tests help to place a student in dual-credit (counting for high school and college credits) classes. Oh yeah, for good measure you can throw in a National Merit Scholarship program commendation and an ’09 19-5A First team All-district spot in the fullback slot.

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Some could say: “Who Does he think he is Superman, or an Eagle Scout, even?

Actually Bratsman is the latter, a genuine Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.

However, it’s that Football part that has Mustangs’ fans excited. As we head to the back side of the 14-5A schedule he will receive some other tests, namely from Conroe ISD power The Woodlands, and Angelina County’s football powerhouse Lufkin High. As of press time, the latter two schools were headed for a game winner takes the district showdown at the Highlanders’ sometimes home stadium, Woodforest.

Back in Kingwood, McDougald knows he has to prepare for other tough battles with Atascocita, TW College Park, Oak Ridge and Conroe. “We brought back

seven returning offensive starters this year but no returning defensive starters and at times we have played this season with as many as four kids who have never played varsity ball before,” he says.

On offense, 19-5A first team quarterback and Newcomer of the Year Greg Williamson will finally see some extensive time with 14-5A district play after missing snaps during the non-district portion of the schedule. Junior signal caller Alex Coogan who is seeing his first taste of the top level has spelled him at times this season. The Mustang skill set is further manned by running back Taylor Olejnicak (HighPoints Winter ‘09-10 issue) who has speed to match Williamson’s- 4.5 secs. / 40 yds.

In addition to Bratsman in the ‘stang “I” formation offense, o-lineman James

HISD Football “J.R.” Ruthstrom at 6-3, 261 lbs. and three year starters: newly converted center Clint Simon 6-3,257; and Tyler Rosser also on the line at guard, will continue trying to help move the ball.

Like Bratsman, they are all returning seniors.

On the defensive side, KW’s 3-4 will continue to showcase potentially exceptional talent which continues to gain experience.

Cat-quick Tony Winslow is a 6-3-221 pounder who may end up being one of the most talented linemen that 30 year coaching vet McDougald has ever been around.

“If he lives up to his potential, then I will have seen very few better than him during my time,” McDougald says. Soon, there could be a slew of college recruiters who might be saying the same thing about the junior. He’s joined by Brad Tice who McDougald says is an up and comer that garnered extra starting time last year due to injuries. “He could have started for a lot of teams last year but we were very deep on defense. He recovered the fumble that helped us win our Bi-district game against Houston Madison,” the coach says.

Down the Stretch–The Mustang runner is tripped up, but manages to extend the football a few more yards downfield. The Wild Horses eventually won a see-saw affair with visiting College Park of The Woodlands, 31-28 in Turner Stadium. Down the road, the game may turn out to be a playoff qualifying decider in 14-5A.

Add hard-hitting Levi French who can line up in the secondary as well as linebacker, and what Kingwood lacks in returning experience on “D” they can make up for with quickness and effort.

On the specialty side, kicker Mitch Glander who also stars on the State caliber Mustang swim team provides more than adequate distance and accuracy for the two-toned Blue. He provides poise. He booted the winning field goal at Reliant Stadium last year when Kingwood defeated Pearland High in the season opener. He can also provide punting help for the squad.

Overall, McDougald has been most impressed with the coaches and officials from the Conroe ISD and he knows that the rest of the 14-5A Conroe contingent will be most noteworthy as well.

Options are Open–Kingwood QB Greg Williamson executes the option handoff to running back and Eagle Scout/Honor Student Andrew Bratzman (brotz-mun). The Mustangs offensive line pushed the C-Park d-line out of the way frequently in the second half of the 31-28 KW win in Humble. This was the first meeting between Kingwood and College Park as district foes. The win propelled the two-toned blue to turn around their season, and eventually start 2-0 in district 14-5A. Kingwood will face the best of their new loop over the next month, including three games with the top half of the league.

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HISD Football It’s been a tough go of it in non-district for KW but a lot of that occurred because of the strength of the competition and that key player absence on offense. Regarding the schedule, McDougald does it that way year in year out, in order to better prepare his team for district play and unprecedentedly-currently four playoff appearances in a row-it has worked! The Wild Horses always seem to find their way to a strong finish. The team always seems to come together at the right time which will also depend on how the team meshes with new offensive coordinator Drew Starnes the former QB coach at Clear Lake High (Clear Creek ISD) who has partially dumped the flex-bone for that nowadays rarely appearing “I” with creative touches. Sooner or later KW’s track record says it will get done. They will find the mark.

What else would you expect from strong leadership? n

Back in the Saddle–QB Greg Williamson’s (#5) earlier absence hurt Kingwood but with superb playmaking he tries to make up for lost time with the Mustangs. Here, against the blue, green and silver of College Park, he shows his mobility against the rush. The ’09 19-5A Newcomer of the Year gets off the pass during his escape from the Cavs’ chargers. Kingwood won this game 31-28. Offense in ’10 will have to continue helping out an inexperienced defense containing no returning starters from last year.

Kingwood in the playoffs if: two to four wins total in any combination over Oak Ridge, Conroe, College Park, or Atascocita plus a win over The Woodlands and/ or Lufkin, especially if only two or three wins in the former’s schools combination-if two wins needed, = any combination over AHS, ORHS, or C.Park plus wins over both Lufkin and The Woodlands. If three wins are needed, any combo over ORHS, Conroe, C-Park or Atascocita plus maybe a win over The Woodlands or Lufkin. Two wins means no better than fourth, three wins means as high as third, probably fourth. No playoffs if three to four losses include at least no wins over Lufkin or The Woodlands or both, and at least two losses total to either ORHS, Conroe, Atascocita, or C.-Park.

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HISD Football

Traffic Jammed–Plugging up the running lane are two Kingwood Park defenders. Here, the Panthers Ryan Miller holds up the Caney Creek runner (#22) while another K-Parker moves in for the tackle. It is defense like this that has helped the Forest Green to early season success, putting them right in the heart of playoff contention in 18-4A.

Panthers are Ready for First Playoff Taste

Z

ach was not a happy “camper” last year. He just wanted to play football and who could blame him? With a more than adequate arm the powerful quarterback of the Kingwood Park Panthers might have been ready to stake his claim on the Varsity during his junior year. Instead an untimely injury postponed that chance until this, his senior campaign. Better late than never for Vorenkamp.

He wasted no time making a long awaited statement.

Laying waste to the Channelview Falcon’s 5A secondary with throws that racked up big chunks of yards and long touchdown passes, Vorenkamp celebrated the season and “New” Turner Stadium opener with an emotional 34-21 triumph. The game and the season meant a lot but maybe they didn’t mean as much as the inspiration called “Team Joseph”.

The greatest “team” of all was and is a reference to their fallen teammate Joseph Stanton who tragically suffered a debilitating injury during, a long board skating accident just before summer

vacation this year. The reigning 4A State Champion 100 yard Freestyle swimmer is courageously fighting and inspiring as his body goes through the rigors of trying to right the wrong that injury brings.

The energy that Stanton-and his familybrings to the latter cause have certainly fueled the fire for K-Park’s quest to win it for Joseph and his best wishers the attending medical staffers, friends and loved ones, his “team”. That group would of course include the varsity football Panthers themselves and so far they have been ready for the challenge.

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Their Day Job–While they’re not either cheerleading, swimming, running, or playing other sports, Kingwood Park Homecoming Queen Rachel Doyle and King Ian Ebow have that other gig, representing the KP Graduating Class of 2010. Here, the Panther defensive back Ebow wearing his royal crown, and the cheerleader/swimmer Doyle, sporting her regal tiara, lap up the limelight during the festivities.

An impressive victory in game three over Huffman Hargrave’s high powered offense at Falcon Stadium ran the Panther’s record to 3-0. After their off (bye) week, the Forest Green Black and Silver ran into a second half comeback by visiting Willis and its hotshot junior quarterback Fred Nixon. A tough 34-28 loss provided the Panthers a sneak peek at their new and underrated district. As K-Park heads to the backside of the 18-4A schedule, one thing is clear, every game they have the opportunity to win, they better win. One loss too many and the playoffs might be tough to reach. They seem to be up to the winning challenge.

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Helping the Panthers–with depending on the opponent-a “two-back” or “twotight end” set-mostly shotgun spread offense-are Vorenkamp’s go-to air threats, receivers Collis Brown, Cullen Craft, and Jesse Hernandez. He also has ample backfield talent with Hayden Miller who spectacularly christened the district season with a splendid 181 yard rushing performance on only 19 carries against Willis High’s Wildkats (sic.). Miller is helped out by scat-back Chris Smith who Panther Head Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator Jim Holley says has rarely - found quality, shifty moves and quickness to go along with tremendous body-control and balance. He’s

a talented back joined by others with specialized abilities.

Ragan Robichaux is the 4.5/40 yard speedy linebacker who doubles offensively as a short yardage back. In the pre-district backyarder with Hargrave, Robichaux repeated that strength twice in a five minute span of the first half, bulldozing his way to a pair of short touchdowns to help the Panthers open up a sizeable lead against the Falcons.

Offensive depth is provided by 6-2 receiver Ryan Coogler who has that other gig as a member of the 4A State runnerup K-Park Boys Soccer Team. Kicker/Punter and Soccer team member Ryley Richardson

HISD Football has a powerful leg on the special team’s side. He’s backed up by Jacob Morales.

On the o-line, All-19-4A first team member, junior Logan Wilkerson brings a still-growing 6’3”, 225-240 pound physical presence to both sides of the ball. Wilkerson, a threat to head to State as a shot putter in track, can man the defensive line with 4.7/40 speed. He also brings an outstanding academic presence to the classroom. Back on the offensive line, there are mammoth seniors: 6-5-330 pounder Andrew Cole and 6-1-295’er, Michael Eisermann who are surrounded by line depth from the “smaller” senior 230 lb. Drew Coursey. Junior Garrett Baxley adds 250 pounds to the blocking group.

Defensively, aside from ironman Wilkerson, Robichaux, linebacker William Beathard and defensive backs Ian Ebow, Haris Muhammad, and Eric Burciaga; most of the starters and depth are newcomers to

the Varsity this year. Beathard, a senior, is a tough linebacker who brings a strong physical presence and versatile athleticism with the ability to run the ball on offense, as well. Also, 18-4A should look out for linebackers like junior Tanner Schovajsa, 215lb. strong tackling Tyler Gray another senior, and the three Millers: Ryan (sr.), Zack (sr.), and Hayden. The latter has lately seen more time running the ball on offense than stuffing it on defense.

In the secondary, cornerbacks Ari Nelson and Muhammad provide shutdown ability.

Muhammad, a senior, has a great work ethic and “coachability” according to Holley. The youngster’s ability to quickly learn, long ago caught the coaching staff’s eye. At safety, Ebow is a senior who brings championship speed. Ian was part of the 4A State Champion four-man mile relay team in Austin in May of this year.

He also brings a hitting dimension to the job as the last line of defense, not to

mention tremendous leadership from one who has paid the price for State Gold. You might say, he can go the “extra mile” or at least 440 yards. Meanwhile, Burciaga, yet another senior, provides size to the backstoppers with a 205 lb. statement.

Of the 12 returning starters on offense and defense, K-Park finds about eighty percent of them in the senior class category.

With players like Eisermann who leads by example, and the other graduation bound Panthers it appears the Green has grown up.

Just don’t tell Zach Vorenkamp and company to be satisfied with what could be. Certainty is the battle cry they intend on heading to as they go toward that possible playoff appearance. Will it be easy?

No! Can they do it? Yes! After all, they wouldn’t bring anything less than willful determination to the table for Kingwood Park’s contribution to “Team Joseph”.

He wouldn’t. n

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“Team of Men”–Showing the maturity that support for others can sometimes bring, these Kingwood Park students-some of them school athletes-wear their “Team Joseph” gear-these t-shirts- and their Panther pride. The backing of the fight that fallen Kingwood Park swimmer/football player/student Joe Stanton is waging was on display at Turner Stadium in Humble on opening night. These kids are saying–“We’ve got your back Joe”.

The “Inn(t)erview”-with…

K-Park Head Football Coach Jim Holley HighPoints: You must feel like a kid on Christmas morning. The long awaited, experienced large senior class, all 33 of them, has finally arrived. You’re finally getting to open the “presents” in year four at Kingwood Park. How do you feel about it?

Jim Holley: (with a little chuckle)-When you build any kind of program it takes time.

We have come from our first Varsity season

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in year two where we were 1-8, to last year when we were improving at 4-6. We had an opportunity last year to win some close games but we didn’t do it. That leadership from experience is what I think will be our biggest asset.

For the first time with this newer program, our senior kids have had the opportunity to learn from past seniors, to learn from someone else rather than having to get it without any other players telling them what winning and leadership is about.

HighPoints: You also gathered some valuable experience with the passing part of your attack. That summer 7 on 7 league that your team members played in with Humble, and Atascocita really paid off as you got better and better, capping it off with a fine third place finish at Cy Falls High’s tourney. What was the biggest thing that you gleaned from that?

HISD Football Holley: It helps us to better evaluate our players’ strengths. We are not allowed to coach the kids but we can observe what is going on from the stands. Our offense is not set on one philosophy. We are going to take (in the 11man games) what the defense gives us. We are not going to just ‘beat our heads against the wall’ and not game plan with what we feel will work. Last year our personnel was more effective running the ball with Adrian Quintero. This year our personnel is better with a little more of a passing game. We still will face various defensive styles from week to week so we can not only use the shotgun, but we can throw in a running, two tight end style with two backs when it calls for it. Last year we used more of an “I” formation set. This year it’s different.

HighPoints: A lot of high school teams in Texas have in recent years gone to the passing-first offense with spreads, and shotguns. Is this because of 7 on 7 summer play or is it cyclical?

Holley: If we have to throw the ball forty or fifty times in a game to win, we’ll do that. If we have to run the ball all the time to win, we will do that. I think it’s a year to year thing, depending on what your players do best. Football itself goes around in circles and I think that defenses will probably start to force teams that pass to install a run-oriented flex-bone or wing-T formation. Defenses do the same thing. They change over time and may eventually repeat what they did before. You are starting to see that flex-bone run-offense more and more again. Again, it depends on your personnel and what the defense will give you. Our own defense will line up in a 4-3 middle linebacker set but we will change up to other sets if we need to use them to win and adapt to our opponent’s offenses.

HighPoints: As far as the new district is concerned what are your early impressions of the new setup and what did you think when you found out where you were going?

Holley: When the UIL meets every two years I think most coaches have certain wishes for their school’s location. However, we will happily go where we are told to go. I think it turned out to be a good district. There are challenges in every district and powerhouse programs to deal with. I think this district though, is very balanced and well-rounded. It should continue to be an exciting, competitive district. We have our work cut out for us.

The district features some new varsity programs and also some veteran programs and 5A players, including those that dropped down from 5A like New Caney and a tiny bit of the athletes from the new Porter High School (New Caney ISD) along with some of the squad of course, at Humble. Summer Creek here in Humble, and Porter as well, are new programs overall while Caney Creek (Conroe ISD), Huntsville, and Willis have been around a long time. Of course with great power-traditions like Humble, and Huntsville it will always present a challenge. That’s not even mentioning Willis among the contenders who have terrific teams this year. Summer Creek with Coach (Brian) Ford and New Caney with Coach (Tim) Hensley (his first year there after offensive coaching at central Texas Copperas Cove High) along with Porter with Coach (Reno) Williams coming in from a great football area like East Texas (Whitehouse High near Tyler) all means that we have a most competitive district. Those coaches all do a great job with their kids. New Caney has in the past had so much success in 4A that they will be a force to be reckoned with, too.

HighPoints: What do you think about the “New” Turner Stadium and its makeover?

with. Now, the locker rooms feel like neutral places. The flags on the flagpoles represent all of the schools. Dr. Guy Sconzo our District Superintendent did a great job and so did our ADs Troy Kite and Krista Malmstrom, along with the school board. It’s just beautiful and we’ve enjoyed the experience of playing there.

HighPoints: It’s great that his family, his mom, dad and sister Gabrielle were made honorary team captains for the first game and could participate with the coin flip and cheer on the sidelines, along with going into the locker room to talk to K-Park. What are your thoughts about Joseph Stanton?

Holley: Our thoughts go out to the family and it’s just a shame with what happened.

He is a fine young man. We miss him and he and his family are in our thoughts, always. n

Editor’s note: If you want to know about a person, look at the artwork or pictures in their office or home. In Coach Jim Holley’s office at K-Park there is a picture alluding to the old-time slapstick comedy troupe The Three Stooges. In our opinion, it shows one thing. While Holley conducts his job with the utmost professionalism, he still doesn’t take himself so seriously that he loses his ability to laugh at life. After all, it is pretty funny at times. Isn’t it? As for the Stooges: Hey Moe! Sometimes we all need a good “smack on the nose” to remind us of what’s really important in life: a smile when other things around us aren’t so funny...

Holley: I like the job they did because it’s long overdue. There was only so much the Humble district could do about making it feel neutral in the “old” Stadium set up. They did a great job with what they had to work

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YOU’RE NEVER TOO YOUNG

It’s Their Turn

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Year One V.

Rip City-Charging through and bursting onto the VARSITY scene is the Summer Creek Bulldog Football team. Here, they rrrip! their banner at Turner Stadium in Humble as they embark on their maiden voyage. It’s Year One V. (V-for Varsity) and the ‘dogs are ready to show their mettle to the outside world.

Bulldogs Eye Banner Headlines

by Jesse Livingston with Rob L Sprouse “(multiple time) Regional Finalists” “(multiple time) State Semifinalists” “2003 State Champs”

N

o, none of these banners and their regal wordings-with specific dates-drape from the rafters of the crisp new football locker room at Summer Creek High School, not just yet. Instead, these markers proudly dazzle the tradition-rich halls of perennial 5A football power North Shore High (Galena Park ISD). But, what Summer Creek can claim, is part of North Shore’s blueprint for success, in the form of Bulldogs Head Coach Brian Ford, a former assistant, most of them as Offensive Coordinator, with the NSHS Mustangs for 14 years.

“It’s the only thing I know,” Ford says of his time at North Shore. “I was there under Head Coach David Aymond and his system for all those years, I don’t know any other way to do it.”

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If that’s the case, then the Bulldogs should be collecting a few banners of their own in no time. But first, Ford is just looking to continue to see improvement out of this fledgling, first-year program.

“We talked about not measuring ourselves with wins and losses (during the inaugural varsity season),” Ford says. “I didn’t want to put any limitations on our team.”

Already into the last part of the regular season, the Bulldogs were extremely competitive in pre-district play earlier, dropping a close game against 5A Sam Rayburn (Pasadena ISD) (20-14) but beating Magnolia in just their second game of varsity play (23-21). The Bulldogs then dropped a matchup against 5A South Houston (Pasadena ISD) 14-9, in week three. Once 18-4A play arrived, SCHS continued to push established teams, with a fine defensive effort in a low scoring loss at Huntsville, and then a last minutes loss to Kingwood Park after the ‘dogs had played the Panthers to a 24-24 tie through three quarters.

“I think we need to see a little more improvement in terms of just scoring offense,” Ford says. “(The offense) has moved the ball more consistently each week but we really haven’t had a game where we’ve consistently finished off drives.” The K-Park game may or may not be an exception.

A two-quarterback system in sophomore Greg Hogan and freshman Aaron Sharp, helps orchestrate the Bulldogs’ pro-style offense, with down and pull schemes and play-action passes. Ford credits Sharp with having the stronger arm of the two QBs, but says that Hogan is a more physical runner. Junior running backs Johny Evans and Anthony Lenard are really skilled and are complemented by versatile fullbacks Tyler Pushia and KeeVan Aldridge.

Both Pushia and Aldridge can block out of two-back sets or move out and play receiver when needed.

Year One V. Defensively, the Bulldogs have been very aggressive in their 3-4 alignment, utilizing multiple blitz and zone-blitz packages.

Plugging the middle of the defense is 6-2-205 pound junior linebacker, Galelyn (pronounced gay-lyn) Dart, a physical specimen who is the clear leader of the defense. Unfortunately, Dart was hurt in the South Houston game but is expected back toward the end of district play.

“He has linebacker instincts,” Ford says.

“He’s a tall, strong and fast kid and he’s worked hard in the weight room to get into shape.”

With this being the Bulldogs’ first year playing at the Varsity level, there are no seniors on the roster and growing pains have been on display.

“Our first game against Sam Rayburn was a prime example of kids that just had not been under the ‘Friday night lights’ before,” adds Ford. We had 16 or 17 penalties and that really cost us the football game. But it’s the kind of thing that there’s really no preparation for, because you just have to go through it and they had to be under the lights for the first time.”

A Real First–The very first varsity game found growing pains for new Summer Creek High. Against 5A Pasadena Rayburn (in white) pure effort is on center stage as running back Johny Evans (#35 in maroon) battles for every inch in the team’s opener. Summer Creek battled inexperience and its subsequent penalties, but gamely stayed close in the opener. The Bulldogs came up a bit short, 20-14, in August at Turner Stadium in Humble. The date for Year One V. history: August 27, 2010.

Despite the lack of senior leadership, however, Ford still envisions the Bulldogs doing more than just taking baby steps in their first year. “(We want to) qualify for the state playoffs-as of presstime they still had a shot-whatever that will entail. We need to win four games minimum (in district) to qualify but that doesn’t mean we can’t win five or more games,” Ford says.

Ford believes it will take continued hard work and a good attitude to achieve those goals.

“That’s really what we’re all about, work ethic. That carries over to every part of what we do, whether it’s in the classroom, the weight room or on the field,” Ford says.

Rally Ruckus–The enthusiastically loud Summer Creek High Gym was where one would find the School’s Head Principal Trey Kraemer firing up the students-most likely all of them-on hand. Here, he is offering up the “Spirit Bone” from Year One V. History!: Pep Rally #1.

And that may just lead to banner headlines inside and outside Summer Creek’s hallways. For Bulldog fans, it’s “Aymond” to that. n HighPointsMagazine.com

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Year One V. History!

Dodging Dart-The Summer Creek Year One V. historic win was largely made possible by a turnover creating SCHS defense. Here, linebacking star in the making Galelyn Dart (#52) brings back a first quarter interception. The return helped to set up a field goal attempt for the hosts at Turner Stadium.

Eventually, visiting Magnolia (in white) fell 23-21 in a thriller.

Sweet Victory and History for Summer Creek

“

I told my team a few other things before I summed it up for them by saying ‘Victory is sweet!’ ”-Brian Ford, Head Football Coach for Summer Creek High School on their first ever Varsity win, 23-21 over visiting Magnolia High.

Like the tastiest ambrosia or nectar around, winning your first, ah, winning your first…of just about anything worthwhile is SWEET! Delicious?, yes!, for the fans of the Maroon and Vegas Gold Bulldogs thanks to a dying minutes interception, off of a tipped

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Magnolia High pass, by sophomore defensive back Keithreon Goree with 1:53 left in the final quarter. Until then, Magnolia’s Bulldogs had a chance to win with a field goal.

Time after time, throughout the game the Maroon and White (Magdogs) from Montgomery County could not pull away from Ford’s “play hard from whistle to whistle” crew. They had their opportunities but each time S-Creek responded with a score or-if their offense didn’t score-a costly Magdog turnover. Goree’s heroic

pilfering was preceded by a first quarter “pick” at the Magnolia 34 yard line by super junior linebacker Galelyn (Gay lun) Dart. The young defender wears the number of NFL’ers Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis, two devastatingly physical linebackers- #52, and he matches their speed, instincts, and intensity. Unfortunately, Summer Creek’s ensuing field goal attempt was blocked at the Magdog 14 yard line.

In the last period, a costly Summer Creek illegal block in the back penalty

Year One V. History! following a 35 yard pass that had moved the HISD ‘dogs into Magnolia territory, forced a final S-Creek punt. Then Goree stepped in and shut down Magnolia’s comeback chance at the end.

Before all that happened, Summer Creek christened the “New” Turner Stadium with its first touchdown in a Varsity winning effort at the 7:10 mark of the first quarter. Making history was sophomore receiver/returner and Student Body President, Reggie Grayson. He went 85 yards just 14 seconds after Magnolia had struck first with their own TD. The kickoff return was followed with an Abel

Lopez extra point and with just over seven minutes left in the opening period, the new kids were tied with the old school visitors, 7-7.

Storming back, S-Creek running back Johny Evans sped in from 18 yards out with 7:44 to go in the half and the new kids had another lead, this one at the half, 17-14.

The even more historic first Summer Creek lead came when capitalizing off another premier period interception, Lopez kicked a 25 yard field goal with 5:44 left in the first quarter. It was 10-7 Summer Creek and “upset” was in the air.

Magnolia came out in the second half and added another TD when yet another one yard plunge gave them a 21-17 lead with 7:31 to go in the third frame, and they weren’t done yet. Borrowing a page out of New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton’s playbook, the Magdogs brought out “ambush”-the Saints name for it-hitting S-Creek with an unexpected onside kick that bounced until the ball was recovered at the hosts’ 39 yard line.

Later, Magnolia moved the ball in the second quarter until a one yard run gave them a 14-10 advantage with ten minutes to go in the first half. That lead was short lived.

Hogan’s a Hero–The outstanding two-man quarterbacking system used by Summer Creek during the early season has helped the team make Year One V. history with competitive performances against more established schools. Here, in Turner Stadium in late summer the platoon quarterback Gregory Hogan, only a sophomore, unleashes a pass against SCHS’ first varsity victim, the visiting Magnolia Bulldogs. Combining with freshman QB Aaron Sharp, Hogan helped move the ball as “Creek” took advantage of turnovers on their way to a 23-21 win. It was a case of Maroon Dog “eating” maroon dog. The date for Year One V. History: September 2, 2010.

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Year One V. History However, unlike the Saints onside recovery at the start of the second half of the Super Bowl, Magnolia failed to cash in, thanks to tough Summer Creek defense.

More Magdog trickery featuring a fake field goal was snuffed out by the new kids at their own 12 yard line.

Instead of a possible eleven or seven point lead, the visitors’ short series ended in failure and gave the momentum back to the Maroon and Vegas Gold S-Creek Bulldogs (Sumdogs).

The final quarter saw a Magnolia player taken off by an ambulance following a serious injury which led to him being taken off by a board stretcher.

Summer Creek finally overtook the Magdogs victory hopes when Evans scored from five yards out with his second rushing TD of the day. S-Creek started with the ball deep in the visitors’ territory after junior d-back Robert Harris stole another pass from the shaky Magnolia offense at the Magdog 17 yard line. The eventual point-after was no good and the Sumdogs held a precarious 23-21 lead with 6:44 to go in the fourth.

Scoreboard!–The hard facts for Magnolia’s Bulldogs point to a 23-21 loss to the history making Summer Creek Bulldogs. Year One History indeed! The Turner Stadium board reflects the groundbreaking event and foretells of more wins surely to come in the future.

All of that set the stage for the fantastic finish from the outstanding Summer Creek defense, and for that post game speech from Brian Ford. “I told the kids that we were proud of them for not getting down on themselves, and for playing hard from start to finish because if they will do that for four quarters every game, they will get what they have earned,” Coach Ford says.

And what they had coming to them was the kind of respect that tastes the sweetest. Historical in nature and lasting to the core because they earned it not just with a turnover advantage of 4-1 but with the belief they had in themselves as the new kids on the victory block. n

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Principality–Two old coaching buddies who used to work on the same staff as assistants, share their love for victory. Hugging with congratulations all around are Summer Creek Head Football Coach Brian Ford (with cap) and his new school’s Building Principal Trey Kraemer. The long-time friends may have dreamed about this day, this win, many years ago. They both were on North Shore’s staff in the 90’s. The win over Magnolia at the “new” Turner Stadium in Humble, was Ford’s first as a varsity head coach. It’s also Year One V. (for Varsity- Victory?) History!

Swimming

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Year One V. History Montage

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Year One V. History! Montage

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Year One V.

Pug Shot–The hardnosed Summer Creek Bulldog Boys Cross-Country team has been a competitive surprise to some. They are on their way to making Year One V. history, planning later this month to compete as a 4A Varsity at the 18-4A District Meet. If they’re ‘top-three-teams’ successful there in Willis, then the squad will qualify to compete in the Region 3-4A Meet. If any Summer Creek individual runner(s) land(s) in the top ten among all racers then that/those athlete(s) will also head to the regional. Pictured are Boys Head Coach Shelton Ervin and his first place winning JV who took the top prize on their level at the Bellaire High Invitational at Bear Creek Park in Houston this month.

Growing Pains with Summer Creek Cross-Country’s First Boys

by Jesse Livingston with Rob L Sprouse

A

fter a grueling three miles straight, the pain finally begins to set in.

But unlike any other sport, there are no timeouts, no halftimes and certainly no water breaks. There is no stopping!

It’s an all-out fight of mind over matter to get to the finish line. Cross-Country athletes are a unique breed and at Summer

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Creek High School in year one of full varsity participation, Boys’ Head Coach Shelton Ervin knows where it all starts.

“It’s the guys that I have,” Ervin says.

“The freshmen along with the upperclassmen have grown together as a group of young men and they’re learning the life lessons that running has to offer.”

A Jasper, Texas native and former runner himself, Ervin was an All-American at Westbury High School in southwest Houston. At the University of Houston he competed in the 400 and 800 meters before serving as an assistant on the UH staff for a little over three years. He credits the University as the place where he has acquired all of his coaching knowledge.

Year One V. “I learned all that I could possibly learn from coach Leroy Burrell and the staff over there and I finally decided to bring it down with me to the high school level.”

Ervin bounced around from different assistant, and head coaching jobs around the Houston area, most recently spending several years helping with the opening of Atascocita High School, which prepared him for the opening of Summer Creek.

The 2010 season marks the inaugural full-varsity season for the Summer Creek Boys Cross-Country program. They have been busy training for each week’s pre-district meets with what essentially have been two-a-day practices. They’ve been working out in first period CrossCountry class, before returning to the training facilities in the afternoons to do more mileage runs.

Just last year, in the program’s very first year of existence, only six athletes competed for the Bulldogs. Now, over 20 athletes make up the Boys program and the more than capable Coach Ervin, believes the group is forming an identity.

“Canines”–In the early season the most successful upper classman has been Summer Creek Boys CrossCountry junior Jose Lopez (pictured here). Jake Bootz (pg. 42, bottom row, end right) has so far been the top freshman racer.

“As a team, they’ve grown, they’re competing a lot better and the work ethic is improving from week to week,” he says.

One of the standouts of the program is freshman Jake Bootz, a two-sport athlete, who is also the starting quarterback on the Freshman A-team of the Bulldogs’ football program. As a frosh, he is already regarded as one of the elite runners in the city of Houston. Recently, KPRC-TV’S Local Two (Houston market NBC-TV affiliate) Sports Crew came out to SCHS to highlight Bootz as one of their Athletes of the Week.

“From day one, Jake set it in his mind that he wanted to be on Varsity,” said Ervin.

“He has set a goal. He has motivation and he’s driven and that’s the difference between him and his freshman counterparts. That means that he’s not competing against his age-group counterparts, he’s competing against the higher class, the up-

Prowling Dogs–The Summer Creek Boys’ Cross Country runners hit the trail at a Houston ISD meet. The team has in the early going been competing this year mostly as a JV, with Jose Lopez running individually in the Varsity Division. Athletes such as Lopez, Jake Bootz, Josh LeCesne, Alexander Hales, Devon Stroud, Scott Myron, Joel Dellatorre, Leamon Hamilton, Ben Sprouse and others on the team are beginning the move for Varsity team status, which should come soon-Truly, Year One V. History!

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Year One V. per varsities,” Shelton Ervin says.

Another up and comer is junior Jose Lopez who has been the number one ranked Summer Creek runner for most of the season.

As the program continues to grow, more and more, Ervin hopes to produce not only more athletes with the drive and determination that Lopez and Bootz have on the running course, but also to create competitors who produce quality in the classroom.

Championships out of any other sport,” Ervin says. “So this is a State Championship caliber district.”

When you look at the deep pool of talent in 18-4A, one thing is for sure, for Summer Creek’s Varsity Boys’ Cross-Country team it looks like they will have to deal

with other obstacles than from what all XC athletes have to deal with.

Mainly, it won’t just be the stress of the physical demands that a three-plus mile run brings that forces the Bulldogs to deal with no breaks. It will be the district competition to come. n

“Creating productive members of society and teaching these young men the life lessons that need to be learned via Athletics and Academics, now that would be my ideal vision for this program, to have strong Academics and strong Athletics,” he says.

With more than half of the season’s competitions already under their belts, the Bulldogs seem to be prepping themselves well for what should be one of the tougher districts in the state.

District 18-4A also includes in addition to SCHS: Kingwood Park, New Caney, Porter, Humble, Caney Creek, Willis and Huntsville. Ervin believes that the strength of this district will only help when the post season comes around.

He also believes in the strength of longtime Klein Forest High (Klein ISD) coaching icon Jack Sands who is in the Humble ISD semi-retirement coaching/ employees program. He has brought thirty-plus cumulative years of coaching/head coaching experience from both North Shore High and the Golden Eagles of KFHS. He has also brought with him the experience of coaching future Olympians and State Track and Field, and Cross-Country finalists. He will help the maroon’s cause in the ultracompetitive 18-4A which is made up of the outstanding Willis program and of course last year’s 19-4A district winner, K-Park’s boys.

“Cross-Country in this athletic district, is the sport that has won the most State 44

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Summer Creek girls Cross-Country

Ladies’ Willpower–Ready to hit the Year One V. (Varsity) trail is the Summer Creek Lady Bulldogs Cross-Country Team. Head Coach Matt Frost (pictured) says he is looking for improvement from his runners as they develop into performers at the top level. The team is still young compared to some, if not most, 4A varsities. So, in the early going it has been a ‘baptism by fire’.

More Accountability as Summer Creek XC Girls Hit Varsity Status

by Ashriel Dunham with Rob L Sprouse

T

he Summer Creek Girls CrossCountry team came into 20102011 under the realigned 18-4A district as did the other sports’ teams of Summer Creek. “I expect more from the girls this season,” says Head Coach Matt Frost of the Varsity team. Coach Frost tried to prepare his team for the more competitive season by increasing the mileage and complexity during practices in preseason. Even with the tougher summer workouts Summer Creek’s Girls’ Varsity Cross-Country team did not complain much. Coach Frost says that some

of the girls may have been battling nerves coming into the unfamiliar district.

In September at the Humble ISD Region Three Preview Meet at Atascocita High School, Coach Frost says it was the first time this season where he felt the whole team had a good day. Several of his top athletes performed well. Julie Hunter was the first of the Lady Bulldogs to finish during that meet. Hunter has proven to be a leader for the team with Bryanna Taft and Estefany Lemus not far behind.

Coach Frost recognizes something in his team that he did not see as much of last season. “This year the girls are noticeably a team. They are holding each other more accountable.” he says. One would think that the Lady Bulldogs will need that throughout the season.

The girls were able to size up their competition for the first time at the Willis Wildkat Invitational on September 23rd.

No matter the competition, Coach Frost will continue to put the most emphasis on the district meet at the end of the

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Summer Creek girls Cross-Country season because he says the most important aspect of the season is to qualify for the regional.

As for Coach Frost, he first got into CrossCountry running, by default. He first intended to be a soccer player but did not make his Colorado high school team. After that happened he found Cross-Country and with his high school performing success, has been hooked ever since. He walked on to the Rice University team as a freshman. Ever since then, Coach Frost has been dedicated to Cross-Country and hopes that it shows through his coaching.

The competition facing the new programs for Summer Creek’s Girls Cross-Country Varsity teams will also increase the “mileage” of Lady Bulldogs Head Coach Matt Frost’s dedication. n Taft Heartily Act–Bryanna T. is waging a battle here with this Spring ISD runner in early competition for the S-Creek Girl’s XC team. Taft shows determination as she pushes for a higher finish.

Trophy Hunter–Julie H. who early on has been Summer Creek’s best Cross-Country Girls’ runner, bares down at a Houston ISD meet. Hunter is expected to be the top runner-unless things change-as the season unfolds. She and Estefany Lemus are the pair expected to battle for first place Bulldog honors.

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Eagle Football

Carrying Carrington–Atascocita High quarterback (in red), senior Earnest Carrington breaks across the line of scrimmage on a quarterback draw against Hightower (Fort Bend ISD) in a pre-district game earlier this season at Turner Stadium. Although the Eagles lost the game, the partially young squad was able to soak up some experience as they tangled with one of the best 5A teams in the region. Ready to respond from decoy to blocker is senior running back Kyle Tate.

Atascocita Learning to Overcome and Fly Again

by Jesse Livingston with Rob L Sprouse

J

ust a season ago, the Atascocita Eagles flew by their opponents, on their way to being champions of district 19-5A. But with a slew of seniors lost to graduation and a move into the tougher district 14-5A, due to realignment, the Eagles haven’t been the same in 2010.

“Well we started out really well but we’re a young team, so I knew we would probably have some adversity along the way, especially with the tough schedule we

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have,” Eagles Head Coach Dean Colbert says. “We’ve hit a few valleys but I think we’re going to come back strong.”

The Eagles are competing in their first season in district 14-5A, which according to the polls has had two of the top teams in the area and the state, The Woodlands High and Lufkin, all season.

“It’s across the board tougher,” Colbert says of the new district. “There’s going to be a lot of challenges along the way, so

we’re going to have to be ready and take it one step at a time and hopefully be one of the four playoff teams when it’s all said and done,” he says.

Against Lufkin in 14-5A play, on offense, AHS showed improvement over the last three quarters scoring 10 points and creating a few more opportunities that didn’t produce points. It was a performance that brought hope as they entered the backside of the district schedule. It was a marked improvement from three weeks of futility

Eagle Football in late September. Atascocita was shutout for three straight weeks albeit losing to powerhouse out-of-district teams like Hightower (Fort Bend ISD) and La Porte, and in district to The Woodlands.

“We’re a two-back spread team,” Colbert says. “We basically want to take what the defense gives us. We have a good senior Quarterback in Earnest Carrington and he’s been a good leader for us. We have three running backs and a good offensive line so it’s just a matter of time before we start consistently moving the football.”

On defense, the Eagles’ emphasis has naturally been to play as one unit, utilizing their speed and quickness to run as a group to the football and then tackle effectively when they get there. Led by returning d-lineman Nick Ewton, junior linebacker Brian Gamble and senior defensive back Nick Brooks, the Eagles started the season strong, allowing just less than a 20 point average in their first two games but have since, as of presstime, on average allowed much more. However, Colbert is still proud of how his team has responded despite the adversity that they have faced this season, including on offense losing one of the better receivers in the area Everette Pleasant, to a preseason injury this summer. The senior is not expected back, a real loss for the team. But, they persevere.

Watts Goes Around, Comes Around–On the end around reverse, Atascocita receiver, senior Jordan Watts looks to get to the edge-the corner by the sideline-and turn upfield for a big gain against The Woodlands (in white). In the background is the player who just gave him the football, Eagle receiver #21 Leroy Taylor, another senior. The action came in the very first 14-5A district game for AHS. The Turner Stadium contest featured a brief stoppage after lightning storms invaded the Humble area.

“The kids are really working hard and they’re focused and doing everything that we ask them to do,” Colbert says.

When the consistency of performance starts to meet the current consistency of the commitment to work hard and get better, then the Eagles will once again fly to victory. n

Oooh! Pressure-Nick Ewton (pronounced ooh-ton) #89 uses his ’09 all district calliber talent to pressure The Woodlands offense. Here the Atascocita Eagle is disrupting Highlander QB Joseph Schneider. However, the visitor prevailed 35-0 at Turner Stadium in the 14-5A opener, a game which was televised in Houston.

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Come On! Get Real ...

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Cutting The ribbon November 17 2010

Conroe ISD 5A Swing Team

Setting the Playoff Path at Oak Ridge

by Jessie Livingston with Rob L Sprouse

W

ith a sly grin and a calm demeanor, Bob Barrett is just living the dream. His dream! After realizing that the business world wasn’t for him, he set out 23 years ago on a path towards his true calling, coaching high school football.

“I had worked 18 months in the business world, hated it and my wife said, ‘I’m sick of seeing you miserable. Just go do what you want to do’,” Barrett says.

He did just that. A Slidell, LA. native, and former walk-on receiver at Louisiana State University, Barrett was fortunate enough to land his first coaching job as a graduate assistant with the Rice University Owls. He spent two years with the Owls before getting a taste of the high school ranks, coaching a year at both St. Thomas High School in Houston and at Kempner High School in Sugarland, TX.-followed eventually, by several years at Kempner High in Sugarland and Klein Collins where he was a coordinator.

Barrett’s initial true desire was to become a college coach but after returning for a second stint at Rice, he realized that his place was truly under the “Friday night lights”.

“You talk about callings and things of what you think you’re supposed to do, I had in my mind that I wanted to be a college coach, and when I got there, it was shown to me that, ‘No you really had a good job and that was back in high school’,” Barrett says.

So, Barrett says that he bounced around the greater Houston area, eventually landing with the Oak Ridge War Eagles, where he’s been the Head Football Coach for the last six seasons.

His War Eagles have enjoyed back-to-back playoff appearances and are hoping to be in the postseason again this year. However, the additions of Kingwood and Atascocita and the subtraction of New Caney in district 14-5A due to realignment along with a most competitive middle tier of the league, only make the road that much tougher.

“We don’t like the new district,” he says with a chuckle. “We were in a six-team district and just math alone tells you that going from six to seven teams reduces your odds of getting to the playoffs. The other thing is that you are adding the quality of Kingwood and Atascocita who have been in the playoffs the last few years.”

The War Eagles surely have done their own damage on the field this season, however.

“We feel like we let one win slip away when we started the year, and maybe that was kind of a wake up call to our kids,” Barrett says. “We thought we would roll in there and get that first win, didn’t, and ever since then we’ve been a little more focused and have played a lot better.

We’re getting better each week.”

Offensively, senior quarterback Chris Grett, who won the job during the spring practice, leads the War Eagles.

One of Grett’s favorite targets is wide receiver Cade Cyr, a small and quick wideout, who has great hands and fits perfectly in Oak Ridge’s spread option offense. All-district returner, Micheal Handy is another reliable target for Grett. Handy is described by Barrett as a “ ‘hybrid, a Reggie Bush’ (New Orleans Saints) type of player.”

“He’s really taken to the offense because it suits him perfectly,” Barrett says of Handy. “It puts him out in the receiver role and he’s phenomenal there. Yet, it let’s him come in and be the running back/tailback of this offense.”

Defensively, the War Eagles have played as a truly cohesive group, and have been led by ’09 All-district linebackers Andrew Paige, Chase Daniels and Trevor Quick.

“That unit’s a real unit,” Barrett says. “We don’t have one or two star caliber players that are just leading the charge, it’s a bunch of guys that are football players, playing well together. They’re understanding their assignments much better now and we are doing a great job of fitting our strategy, our plays, to stop what offenses are running at us right now and hopefully we can continue to do so,” he says.

Regardless of how the team does on the field however, Barrett just hopes he can continue to make a difference in his players’ lives off of it. “I like to believe that I have a strong spiritual faith and hopefully my kids can see that reflected in the way that I treat them. Hopefully that comes across to them through the way that they’re handled and that they learn from it that way,” Barrett says.

When that happens, it can truly be said that this swing team-every game for them is a decider for anywhere from third to sixth place-will have been directed by a coach who calmly set a target for his team which did not slyly, but rather, smartly accepted. n

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Conroe ISD AD

Tingle Answers the Call for Conroe ISD

by Jesse Livingston with Rob L Sprouse

S

itting back in her office at the Conroe Independent School District Athletics headquarters, interim Athletic Director, Janet Tingle, knows a thing or two about the unpredictable nature of the University Interscholastic League (UIL) and realignment. So when the “big wigs” in Austin announced the additions of traditional Humble ISD playoff contestants Kingwood and Atascocita into the already strong district 14-5A earlier this year, she wasn’t the least bit surprised.

“I’ve been through so many UIL realignments that you don’t try to predict what’s going to happen because it’s impossible,” Tingle says. “You take what the UIL gives you and are appreciative of those opportunities to play different people.”

Just a few months ago, Tingle was living happily ever after, retired and traveling in a Winnebago recreational vehicle (RV), taking gardening classes and just getting away from the one thing that she has known all of her life- coaching Sports.

“I was at Oak Ridge High School here in the Conroe ISD for 27 years, and was Head Volleyball Coach-with appearances in the State Final Four-and Women’s Athletic Coordinator there before I retired in June 2009 and then this opportunity came up,” the Sam Houston State alum, says.

Tingle was offered the position of interim Athletic Director after former AD, Ronnie Peacock, took a job with the Tomball ISD, in the same position.

Tingle will head the AD duties until the end of the high school football season

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when the position will be reopened. But for now, she has the task of overseeing her schools in a new-look district 14-5A, which contains state ranked Lufkin and of course, one of her charges The Woodlands High, in Football.

Newcomers Kingwood and Atascocita of course, add that playoff caliber quality and only add more of a challenge in the already powerful district.

“I think it’s awesome that we were able to add the Humble schools because they’re great competition and you want to be looked upon as one of the strongest districts in the state of Texas,” Tingle says. “Throughout every sport, the Humble schools have a tradition of success through the girls programs and boys programs,” Tingle says.

One of those girls programs is Volleyball, which Kingwood and Atascocita are known for.

“Kingwood has had the reputation for many years of being a very strong volleyball program and Atascocita has jumped right in there and has immediately become a strong volleyball power,” the AD says.

Tingle believes that along with great competition, Kingwood and Humble will also benefit Conroe ISD with the great athletic facilities that the HISD offers, and, vice-versa.

“I think the Humble district values participation in any of its extracurricular activities and because of that they provide their schools with top notch facilities,”

she says. “I think Conroe values kids the same way and knows the positives that participation in extracurricular activities give, providing us with top notch facilities for that as well,” she says.

Tingle knows that some schools have had to adjust to the extra grind of the district slate.

“I think the biggest challenge is now that the district is a lot harder, our schools that may not be quite as competitive, now are going to have a whole lot tougher road in trying to make the playoffs and post season,” Tingle says.

Another adjustment that the Humble schools have been challenged to make is the Lufkin trip, a 240 mile round trip.

“It’s a ways up there-slightly farther for Conroe than Humble schools-and we’ve been doing that for years,” Tingle says.

“The travel part in getting used to that Lufkin trip, is a big change.”

For now, Tingle enjoys all the intricacies of her interim job but will also look forward to getting back to retired life.

“I took a master gardener class,” the former high level semi-pro softball player says. I’ve always enjoyed growing things and playing in the dirt, and so I took a class where I could learn a few things about growing a garden.”

Little did she know her “garden”-her responsibilities-would call her back to the thing she liked to grow best...Athletics. n

CISD 5A Thumbnails

The “Skinny” on the Rest of the 5A Conroe ISD Schools

by Jessie Livingston with Rob L Sprouse

T

he Woodlands, College Park and Conroe have remained in district 14-5A, and continue to battle it out for playoff spots. They have had to adjust to going from a six-team to a seven-team league, now that Kingwood and Atascocita have joined the district after realignment. Here’s a brief thumbnail sketch/look at those three Conroe ISD schools in the 14-5A district…

been served up to the Black and Gold’s opponents.

CONROE TIGERS:

Defensively, the Tigers are undersized and have struggled mightily in their 3-4 alignment, allowing an average in excess of 30 points per game, as witnessed by their blowout loss to Oak Ridge High.

Head Coach: Roger Holtkamp The Tigers have struggled from the on-set of the season, as youth has

Offensively, the Tigers are inexperienced but are led by senior WR Caleb Kroon, who has led the team in receiving through the first few weeks, with an average yards per catch mark in the high teens. On the ground, RB Travon Henderson has averaged around six yds. per carry.

Holtkamp who played at CHS in the late seventies has returned home to build the program back up to the days of Mark Peek and those early seventies era quarterfinalists who lost to Earl Campbell and John Tyler High (Tyler, TX.) in the 4A (now 5A) playoffs.

If Holtkamp can do that building, then the struggles of youth will give way to a veteran body of work that will make losing a thing of the recent past, and winning a copied thing of the distant past. n

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CISD 5A Thumbnails THE WOODLANDS HIGHLANDERS: Head Coach: Mark Schmid

The Highlanders were earlier this year in some precincts the favorites to repeat as district champions.

Offensively, the Highlanders haven’t skipped a beat, since star RB Daniel Lasco went out due to injury in the season opening game. Senior QB Joseph Schneider has posted outstanding numbers, passing for just under fifteen hundred yds. with a superb touchdown passes- to interceptions ratio, while also rushing for 500-plus yds. He has had plenty of targets this season, with three receivers Blake Webb (20 yard-plus average), and Max Ward and Jackson LaPlant, both with double figure reception yard averages, as the Highlanders found themselves approaching the back end of the 14-5A schedule in good playoff shape. Especially, they are in great shape with the pending healthy return of the pre-season All State candidate, Lasco.

Defensively, the Highlanders are an aggressive group and have forced more than their share of turnovers. Senior DB Taylor Bickford leads the team in INTs, while the rest of the DBs have also chipped in with their share of picks.

“Playoff favorites” was never in doubt, “deeper playoff round advancers” that is what TW will have to prove itself with, and then they’ll be among the favorites for something else…a State Championship. n

THE WOODLANDS COLLEGE PARK CAVALIERS: Head Coach: Richard Carson The Cavaliers at times during the season have been a favorite to be one of the four playoff football teams in 14-5A at season’s end. Coach Carson’s teams have the reputation for being well coached and so far, the Cavs have been tested

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Biding Their Time–Until star running sensation Daniel Lasco gets back The Woodlands Highlanders have been using “runningback by committee” and the accurate passing and strong running of their senior QB Joseph Schneider. Here, in Turner Stadium in the district opener for Atascocita, offensive lineman Stephen Carr (#73 in white) prepares to start a blocking convoy for the latest TWHS runningback.

Atascocita’s Joshua Rhodes (#33) moves in to cut off the angle and make the tackle. The Eagle’s Devin Clark moves over from his defensive line spot to go for the runner. The rumor is that Lasco was expected to return against Lufkin in the district shootout later this month.

and have responded with big wins, or competitive near misses.

outstanding stopper in senior LB Reid Romero, through the first few games.

Offensively, College Park has been effective on the ground and through the air.

Senior RB Paco Solano, an Air Force commit with over five yards per carry, has been a standout for the Cavs. Senior WR Kyler Clark has been outstanding as well and has averaged over 14 yds. per catch. All of this has been taking place without the team’s returning starter at QB, Tyler Chaumet who was injured early on. Enter then, a so far effective running QB, Zach Wright. Another CP quarterback Todd Eaglin moved over to Woodlands Christian.

Carson has had to make few changes replacing his former offensive coordinator at TW College Park, Brent Verzwyvelt who took the head coaching post at Caney Creek. Carson is happy for his friend who traces his coaching roots with the Cavs boss all the way back to Aldine Eisenhower in the ‘90s. Carson himself had his own success at Ike taking the team to the State 5A semis one year. He was also a member of the Aldine High School coaching staff when the Mustangs made back to back trips to the state championship game-’90 a Division two win over Arlington Lamar and ’89 in the last single division 5A football contest ever, a loss to the original Friday Night Lights crew, the Panthers of Odessa Permian.

Defensively, the Cavaliers have been able to create plenty of turnovers and are led by one of their leading tacklers junior DB Chris Albores and another

CISD 5A Thumbnails Right now the Spring, Texas resident who is a native of Houston’s Heights community, is seeing his squad show fine productivity on offense, just losing a nail biter, 31-28 at Turner Stadium to Kingwood when Mustangs kicker Mitch Glander booted the winning field goal inside the last five seconds of the game.

TW College Park has already won a rather large Homecoming game this season, 27-21 (OT), against HighPoints featured 14-5A “swing team”, the Oak Ridge War Eagles.

In order to grab that fourth playoff spot, it now will become time for College Park to make that “ playoff favorite” tag more than speculation. It will now be the time for the Cavs to make it a reality. n

Carson or Landry?–Just like it was for many years with the pro Dallas Cowboys franchise when Tom Landry was the only head coach the club had ever had, so it goes with College Park and their football boss Richard Carson. Like Landry in 1960, Carson began the program in 2005 and he is the only head coach the team has seen. Like “Coach Tom”, Carson has also had much success in his overall career. Taking CP deep into the playoffs in one of his first years there, and guiding the Eisenhower Eagles (Aldine ISD) to the 5A State semis one year. He also visited the State Championship level twice, as an assistant in ’89 and ’90 with Aldine High. ’90 was the year Aldine won the 5A Division Two State title.

Cavs Have Hope–After one of his backup’s transferred to a local private school and his projected starter went out early in the season with a possibly season ending injury, all College Park Head Football Coach Richard Carson can hope for is continued solid play from new QB Zach Wright (#11). For the second straight year the Cavalier’s starting quarterback went down with a major injury. This season Wright has stepped in and managed the passing game and has handed the ball off to CP’s best backfielder rb Paco Solano, an ’09 All-district performer.

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Conroe Section ISD Title4A Swing Team

Know Sweat-Caney Creek quarterback Jake Sweat is a recent year’s move-in that has helped to resessitate the Panther’s offense. Sweat is a threat to run or pass out of C-Creek’s versitile attack.

Raising the Bar with Something to Prove at Caney Creek High

H

e has been smart enough not to fall into that trap.

Still, when Caney Creek (Conroe ISD) first year Head Football Coach and Campus Athletic Coordinator Brent Verzwyvelt (ver zwy-like “sky”velt) talks about his past coaching experience, there is a look in his eye that seems to say that he has something to show to certain people. Namely, that when he was passed over for the head coaching job at Eisenhower High (Aldine ISD) after his

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boss Richard Carson left the Ike Eagles for the head coaching post with the new Conroe ISD high school, The Woodlands College Park in 2005; in Verzwyvelt’s mind a major mistake had probably been made. Now, it’s not that the man they call Coach “V” has made the mistake of wallowing in what he thinks should have been his. Far from it! Instead, he seemingly has taken a negative in his life and turned it around into a positive force. The kids of Pantherland at C.-Creek are the ones benefitting as a result of his moving on, but probably not forgetting.

His one-time mentor Carson, and his one-time high school teammate back in Slidell, LA. , Oak Ridge High Head Football coach Bob Barrett, both say the same thing: “Brent will do a great job at Caney Creek”. Carson himself believes that the C-Creek boss should have followed him at Ike. As for Verzwyvelt, he knows it will take time to get the Panthers’ attitude righted.

He knows that a culture of coming up short in all phases of the game during the last couple of years has to be changed but

Conroe ISD 4A Section Swing Team Title with patience not panic. “These kids have been through three different head coaches in the last three years and they are looking for stability,” Verzwyvelt says.

They are getting it from a man that knows what “doing things right” is all about. First though, he had to start the journey. Following his high school time in the New Orleans Northern metro town of Slidell, he headed off to Nicholls State (LA.) where he lined up as a receiver in the Colonels’ offense. His amateur career also had him spending time as a running back in the “wishbone-T” offense. Verzwyvelt was teammates in college with former NFL’ers Mark Carrier, Jay Pennison, and Johnny Meads. While Carrier played wideout with Tampa Bay, Cleveland and Carolina for 11 years; both Pennison at center and Meads at linebacker saw the brunt of their careers spent with the old Houston Oilers, nee Tennessee Titans.

Coach “V” himself had another path in mind, away from the pros.

Verzwyvelt next moved to small college power McNeese St. in Lake Charles,LA. Following his stint as a grad assistant for the Mac Cowboys, he decided that he wanted to become a high school coach in the hotbed of that level of the game-Texas.

“I knew that I had to go where there was greater opportunity and where I could learn a lot more about the game while at the same time experiencing better high school competition,” Verzwyvelt says.

He eventually made his winning stop at Ike where he worked as an assistant alongside his old college coach Gregg Colschen who had become an assistant principal at the school. Verzwyvelt moved up in the ranks and became the Eagles offensive coordinator under first, Pat Patterson who brought home the only Ike State title and then later Patterson’s top assistant Richard Carson. Patterson left to take over the Tomball High program and Carson as mentioned, would eventually move on as well, taking over in 2005 as the first and so far only football boss at TW College

Park. Carson and Verzwyvelt guided the Ike Eagles to the state semis one year during their time at EHS. When Carson left it seemed to Verzwyvelt that it was only natural to be elevated to Head Coach.

When it didn’t happen, he took the cue, and Richard Carson’s Cavaliers had a new o-coordinator-Brent Verzwyvelt.

After seven years guiding the potent Eagle offense-preceded by eight years total of coaching defensive backs and running backs at Ike-and followed by those five seasons as offensive leader at C.-Park, it was indeed time to be a head coach.

Now? There is no self pitying bitterness, just determination.

As for Colschen, the other part of the Louisiana trio along with Barrett and Coach “V’, he also landed in the Conroe ISD. He’s Head Principal at The Woodlands High.

Verzwyvelt is now the leader himself of kids who want to turn around an 0-10 season punctuated by an alleged discretion that caused the loss of a previously gained victory. Forfeits are old news, restoring a program that landed three rounds deep in the playoffs three short years ago is the name of this game, along with making his new players believers.

“On offense and defense we will use some players both ways,” Verzwyvelt intones.

“We are doing that because we need more talent on both sides of the ball. Why not play your best players on both sides of the ball? That challenge for our guys has been made easier by players like the Salisbury brothers on defense. Chris a senior at free safety and his other brother, Glen, a senior at defensive end, have developed into a pair of leaders that have accepted what we are trying to do here. Glen even sees time on the offensive line for us. Glen’s ‘motor’ never seems to stop on the field, and he runs a five flat forty (yards) on top of that.

His brother Chris, runs a 4.7 and so they both bring speed, despite the fact that Glen is 260 pounds,” Verzwyvelt says.

Running what he calls a more versatile offense for kids to adapt to, the pro-style set, Verzwyvelt wants balance. He is looking for “… a thirty-thirty-thirty breakdown with the quarterback, mainly Junior Jake Sweat (swet) throwing a third of the time to our receivers like Xavian Josey our tight end, running it that much with our tailback Marquis Sykes who has good instincts, and is helped out by others like Andy Williams; and the quarterbacks carrying it around thirty percent of the time”.

“You help your kids buy into that by adjusting to them as athletes and we are looking for ‘athletes’ and not just football players. We will run the option out of the ‘I’ set sometimes because I want the kids to show flexibility with the ball.

They also buy in because they see that things are working. As we have gone along, our coaches have done a good job of helping to create leaders who will in turn make the other kids follow them.

The seniors, the Salisburys have helped the defensive players run our 3-4 and ‘50’ sets because they accept the change from the 4-3 from last year. That all goes into trying to turn it around,” the coach says.

So far this season, C-Creek has been very competitive. Knocking off large 3A area power Cleveland is a feather in their cap, and so is showing spunk with a valiant comeback effort against Humble High on the road in the 18-4A opener. At one time the Wildcats were ahead 37-7 and after pulling out some of their starters, had to hold on as the Panthers came through with two touchdowns in the game’s final 13 minutes. The Panthers however, turned the ball over again as they were attempting to cut the Purple Cats lead to one score late in the final quarter. In the “loss” Sweat completed 70 percent of his passes, chipping in with a 23 yard TD run early on. Receivers Josey and wideout Ben Hernandez each hauled in a touchdown pass in a gritty no-quit effort.

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Conroe Section ISD Title4A Swing Team

Panther Prowling-James Chavers (#22) a senior running back for Caney Creek High is moving through the hole created with good blocking by the Panther o-line and particularly, tight end Brandon Holmes (#36). The other prowling Panther is (#5) Marquis Sykes, who is one of the blockers on this play at Turner Stadium and the teams leading ball carrier. C.Creek gamely roared back against Humble in the 18-4A opener only to come up short 37-21.

And so it’s on to the backside of the schedule with Verzwyvelt liking a full week of recovery and preparation thanks to two more Thursday night games- at Summer Creek and seven days later at New Caney.

The last game against S.-Creek will be the Red Black and metallic Gold’s last trip to Turner Stadium this year.

It won’t however, be the last trip to Turner for Brent Verzwyvelt as head coach for the high school located just west of Splendora and a few more miles east of Conroe. When he returns after this year he will probably bring with him a man who has been close to him in his career. The same coach who heads the Caney Creek Panther defense this year, a coordinator named…Pat Patterson. Because you see, coach “V” has something to prove and a program to improve, and he has pulled out all the stops to do just that.

But, raising the bar takes time-but once you do, you just jump right over it and forget about any traps on your way to turning things around as you head upward and up and up and... n

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Youth is Serving-The Panther’s decents has some youngsters just starting their varsity career. Here, sophmore defensive back James Sparrow (#20) and Cole Streeter (#34) wrap up the Humble ball carrier. Of course, there are also experienced seniors on “d”, as helping out on the play is 12th grader, linebacker Bryan Griffith (#44). Humble won the game at Turner Stadium in the 18-4A opener.

Football/Private School Sports Section Thumbnails Title Aldine Ready to put the shooting of their Head Coach behind them. He recovered from what Police said was a robbery attempt outside a Houston hotel. Lionell Crawford is fine now and as of Sept. 6th has been back leading his alma mater’s program. Their 18-5A district is made up of three Alief schools and three more Aldine institutions.

Biggest challenge heading into the backside of the district sked. is finding a running game to replace the thousand yard twins Dontae Williams (Oregon U.) and Wesley Vincent. Senior returning Mustang QB Jordan Moore is always a threat to run unless he can find receivers like 6-5 Dazon Graves open. Big 295 lb. o-lineman Vach Hester is a man-mountain at 6-4. He and Graves are juniors.

Meanwhile, defensive boss-and earlier this year head coach of Aldine while Crawford recovered-Kerry Baumburg brings a pair of terrific d-linemen: Galem Mailor,a senior 265 pounder who hits the forty in 5.2, and Aaron Neal another final year player at tackle.

Pivotal player- JV star Devonte Thomas who has to bring it at runningback to give Aldine balance.

Prediction-fourth place

Eisenhower Eagles They lose All-American d-lineman Jay Guy to graduation yet still return four solid starters on that side of the ball.

Now their best player on defense may be 4.5/40 yard speed merchant, senior corner Emmanuel Rasberry who swiped seven passes last year or is it 6-3

senior linebacker Jalante Jones or even Jr. Devonte Thomas-not of course, the Aldine one- or finally 240 pound d-end Stanley Chatman, helping to man the 5-2 defense? On offense, it all starts with the qb, senior James Jones who pilots Head Coach Ray Evans offense by running-over 700 yards last year-and passing-nearly 1400 yards in ’09. He continues to look for E’lon Fusilier a junior wideout with good speed, or even junior Zach Howard at receiver. Offensive lineman Quartel Miller brings fine pass blocking and great senior leadership with him. Also watch out for good blocking in the Ike spread offense from Cornellius Dickey.

Biggest challenge heading into the backside of the district 18-5A sked.: Fight for their lives with a much deeper district that could have any of five of the seven teams in it as the winner, or as a top four playoff team.

Prediction-second place

Rest of the Aldine ISD pack Nimitz loses HighPoints ’09-10 Up and Coming Schoolyear Athlete Award winner Dre’vian Young who reportedly has transferred to Klein Forest as a sophomore runningback after winning the 19-5A 400 meters Track title last year. They also don’t have their outstanding rb Marion Grice who graduated. It looks like a rebuilding year with super receiver Masekela Malone, a senior wideout who averaged over 22 yards a catch last year. So far this year, wins have been hard to come by and the biggest challenge will be to knock off Mac Arthur which looks improved.

Prediction-seventh place.

Mac Arthur might even finish as high as fifth this year under new Head Coach Jerry Drones who replaces Bernie Mulvaney. The Generals have won two games as they head to the backside of the sked.

Look for terrific d-back Elijah Garrett to make his presence known. Biggest challenge-beat Alief Elsik and Nimitz and hope for losses from the front runners, to have any chance for a playoff spot.

Prediction-sixth place

New Caney High “Let’s ‘split” was an old sixties and fifties slang word that meant “leave”. With Porter High opening up, the Eagles waved goodbye to several of the new Spartans who would have been wearing the old school’s blue and white. However, most of those departing would not have been starting for NC since all of the new Porter team is devoid of seniors. The 12th. graders stayed behind. New Caney has already won the first edition of the new backyard brawl,35-8 at Don Ford Stadium.

As for the former 5A returning players that now move into 4A, first year Head Coach Tim Hensley will welcome back the large and in charge 270 lb. Justin Smith the senior two-way lineman who ably holds down the d-line and o-line with equal aplomb. The other top players appear to be Jr. qb Trey Bradshaw who went for a 7 yard per carry avg. against Porter. He also caught a two point conversion pass from tight end, Sr. Treaver Harris. Junior Corey Labbe burned Porter for 165 on the ground on only 25 carries. Andrew Cantu topped the rushing average department with six carries for 103 yds- 17.1 per carry, in that same game. Cantu a senior, joins other sophomores who have to fill the depth gap that

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Football/Private School Sports Thumbnails the Eagles lost with the split. On defense, Sr. Johan de Souza scampered ten yards for a TD with a Porter fumble. He can man both sides of the ball on the line. He joins linebacker Austin Ewart a senior linebacker who also sees time on offense at tight end. D-lineman Matt Stracher, a senior also sees time on both sides of the ball and brings 230 lbs. “to the meal”.

New coach, Hensley a former Copperas Cove d-coordinator, replaces the long time fixture Russell Roberts and his challenge will be to overcome the split with Porter by mixing the younger players with the seniors. As they head to the backside of the sked., in 18-4A, they know Humble, K-Park and Huntsville await.

Prediction-seventh place

Porter Spartans

Resplendent in black, silver and red, but lacking major experience. First year program means first year head coach. That would be where the former East Texas area assistant (Whitehouse High near Tyler) comes in. Reno Moore is a former offensive coordinator with his first head coaching opportunity. He knows there will be no seniors on the team. However, he has junior Qb Ethan Bryce who runs a 4.8/40 and who ran for 75 yards against New Caney and completed 50 percent of his passes against the Eagles.

He’s over sixty percent on the season.

Erikere Etokebe is a junior who mans the backfield with rushing partners Travis Whatley, and the young tandem of Matt Bodessa and Daniel Sierra. Waiting in the wings on the sophomore team is rb Miguel Rios. The main wideout is only a soph., Kyle Porter carries his school’s name and pulled in a pass for 22 yards

Sparty Sports-It’s here, from the Spartan in the drum corps to the brand new logo painted next to the New Caney High symbol in the middle of the football field at Don Ford Stadium in New Caney. Porter High in the black, silver and red is ready for their “close-up Mr. De Mille”. They better be more than ready for 18-4A because without seniors, and just a few juniors actually on hand it will be a challenging proposition to even contend in the new league.

in the New Caney game. He’s averaging around 12 yards a catch for the year. On defense, “Sparty” turns to Etokebe who can play linebacker and to d-lineman, 260 lb. Josh Bloom, a junior. The biggest challenge for Moore on the backside of the sked. is keeping his team focused on the bigger prize: gained experience, which will bring them knowledge and athlete based leadership next year. It takes time to build and Moore knows it.

Prediction-eighth place.

Huffman Hargrave The song doesn’t apply to them anymore.

There are now “five amigos” helping Head Coach Mike Mc Eachern’s offense.

Yes, “do everything’er” Joel Witwer is back at slot receiver-and on defense in the secondary- and so is wideout Casey Martin. However, super QB Cole De Berry now has another couple of weapons to help him in the Falcon spread, 5A transfer Riley Julian who moves over from Atascocita High with big school senior experience. Julian brings versatility as well, as he can beat you at receiver or d-back. He already has figured heavily, averaging over 20 yards a catch while being among the TD leaders for the receiving corps. Also, Mathias Mc Closkey has contributed with success at receiver catching the ball or running with it on reverses or end-around plays.

The junior at one time this year averaged in double digits in receiving average while rushing for over ten yards a game on those gadget plays. He is not the only high avg. rusher for Huffman, as junior Klayton Larsen has turned in over 300 yards and a six plus per carry total. Make that “six amigos” after all.

Martin, Witwer and De Berry have been having their way with 3A defenses. The

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Football/Private School Sports Thumbnails seniors have also shown that they can move the ball against bigger opposition.

In the Lake Houston backyarder, a nondistrict game with Kingwood Park High, Hargrave still rung up over 300 yards of offense in a tough blowout loss. For the season DeBerry, who also plays a “mean” shortstop for the Falcons’ baseball team and its head coach-his dad-Tom De Berry, has thrown over 20 TD passes with only a minimal amount of interceptions(as of press time)and the majority of those errant tosses came against a 4A school, K-Park.

The two-way performer Witwer last year’s 22-3A MVP and all-stater, is already over halfway to his interception total from an 11 game season in ’09. He has also ranked in the top three of the Red and Black’s receiving unit all season long. Strictly on offense, Martin once again leads the team in catches and already is on his way to the 1300 plus total yardage mark on offense.

Only Larsen has rushed for more Falcon yards than Martin. All told, Martin, Julian, Witwer and company have helped their fellow senior De Berry to a 2000 yard passing season, with more to come.

On defense, not only has Witwer picked off passes at a slightly higher pace than last year; he also is returning them at a slightly higher yardage average per swipe. Last season, he was in the thirties and this year he was approaching a 40 yard return avg. However, he has not been alone in purloining the opposition’s ill advised throws. Anchor Ebanks is yet another final year classman who has stolen the “rock”. As of press time, Ebanks a linebacker lead the defense in tackling and was one of three Falcons with three interceptions. They all rank just one pick behind Witwer for the team lead and you can add the help of pass snatching senior John Hansard in the secondary. Standing out on the lines, playing both ways are: o/d Nathan Schwertner, Brandon Waltmon, Micah Reed, a junior; and Travis Driver. Depth at linebacker is

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present when you consider Austin Potter was on last year’s 22-3A All-district team. For extra leadership there is always Josh Abshire helping at lineback. He’s one of many returning seniors, 22 in all, with nine on each side of the line-keep in mind most go both ways- giving this group poise beyond most teams.

Biggest challenge- After walloping 3A teams 228-19 in point differential, Huffman now comes to the fork in the road to go to a deep ride in the State playoffs. First the backside of the sked. finds them playing the toughest teams in 22-3A. Four of the top five, and HHS is in the top five, are coming their way.

Coldspring-Oakhurst many people’s pick to win the loop is in the way as are the always pesky Cleveland Indians. Unlike their major league baseball namesakes, these Indians have had a history of winning year in and year out. They are the defending district champs. Finally, Hargrave will have to tackle Shepherd and Splendora two teams that are always contending for a playoff slot. If the Falcons can land that playoff spot whether district title or not, they will more than likely face their big 3A Division one “cousin” from 21-3A, the Silsbee Tigers.

In Bi-district last season, Huffman was outscored 56-35. If they can reverse the trend this year, these birds may eventually fly all the way to State. We’ll see.

Prediction: First in the district.

Private schools As of press time, Northeast Christian hadn’t begun their football season yet.

The Warriors are going to be in six-man Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) play this year in division one’s district 5. Head Coach Larry Floyd has already brought home a TAPPS class 2A/1A State Baseball

Championship this calendar year, and now facing tough competition with Tomball Rosehill Christian, and Clear Lake Christian, not to mention Pasadena First Baptist, the Warriors have their work cut out for them. After playing an independent sked. in their first year as a six-man unit in ’09, they will get to play teams that have been going the five fewer football faces way for the last few years.

The lone district exception would be brand new six man program Sugarland Logos Academy. With Jason Harjoe graduating, senior QB Cody Pruitt is expected back and he will be looking at teammates Dan Rodriguez, Cody Weis, and Matt Story-among others-to help make it all go smoothly. Junior Jacob Vandergrifft an expected contributor in ’09, battled a football related knee injury which caused him to miss all of the basketball season in ’09-10. Biggest challenge-learning the TAPPS non-independent six-man game. After studying UIL six-man power, the Jayton Jaybirds and their offense from info. gathered at a six-man coaches clinic, and playing four games of six-man last year; Floyd’s troops are ready. It will be tougher this year than last season’s independent 2-2 record which included a win over Christian Life Center Academy (Humble) a then, Texas Freelance League team. Prediction: Big Blue’s Warriors’ with that NCA winning spirit giving them third place after most picked them fourth in the five man loop.

NCA’s Volleyballers, led by among others, juniors Amy Hoeks and Caitlin Toomey, should contend for the playoffs this year in 10-2A. Christian Life Center Academy (CLCA) was expected to play under Head Football Coach Daniel Smith in the Texas Christian Athletic League (TCAL) this year in Division II, District 2 Six-man Region 4. The Cougar of note to follow is skill-player Nate Matz. Last

Football/Private School Sports Section Thumbnails Title year the maroon and black clad Cougars were 1-6, 1-3 in Tex. Freelance League play. The lone win was over ’10 flag football participant-who played tackle in ’09-former Houston Christian Scholastic Athletic Association member-Conroe Calvary Baptist.

Prediction-third place.

Speaking of Flag Football, Calvary Baptist left the league before the ’09 season.

That left just four teams and after the ’09 “flag” season, Humble Christian left the loop, too. The HC School red and black clad Cougars finished third in the regular season and fourth in the playoffs after losing a semi-final to Shady Acres Academy, and a consolation game to regular season champ North Houston Christian. Shady Acres, the second place regular season finisher, won the title, beating regular season fourth placer New Hope Christian in the final. For Humble Christian, leaving Dowell Park means saying “hello” to Houston’s Central Christian Academy and their home stadium that houses all of their new league’s scheduled games. The field is on Bingle Road in Houston near the Spring Branch area. With the graduation of QB Garrett O’Dell, the number one candidate to replace him is expected to be Christopher Crisp a receiver from last year.

Crisp was a TAPPS Class A, District-7 all star guard on the Coog basketball team. His main receiver should be Josiah “Hosey” Conn who repeatedly used aerial acrobatics to haul in his share of passes in a 2-6 year (2-4 regular season).

Conn is a junior and a three-year starter.

Biggest challenge- learn the way of the new high intensity, non-recreational flag football league’s teams that they aren’t familiar with.

Head Coach Bradley O’Dell was expected back for the September-October league. He also needs to fit Crisp into the

throwing part of the offense. Prediction: the spunk of the Red and Black comes through for a third place finish in a league featuring Flag Football veterans like Shady Acres, and of course, Calvary Baptist’s Eagles under Phil Stone. The sked. also shows Chinquapin’s Burrs (Highlands,TX.) with other TAPPS Basketball schools Briarwood, and Southwest Baptist, Add them along with the homestanding Central Christian club, and others along with HCS, and you’ve got yourself a Flag Football league. By the way, Conroe Lifestyle’s Victors also decided not to play tackle in TAPPS this year. They were slated originally to be in a six-man D-2 district.

Conroe/Woodlands area-The Woodlands Christian Academy’s Warriors line up in district 4 (eleven-man) in the fourth division with UIL 5A transfer Todd Eaglin at QB. The former TW College Park public schooler is off to a flying start under new Head Coach Blake Ware, a TAPPS legend at St Pius X High in Houston. Eaglin who can beat a team with his arm and legs, has over 2000 yards in total offense this year under new offensive coordinator and former Kansas State QB star, Michael Bishop.

The former New England Patriot is also a former Willis High coach. As for the numbers, Eaglin has over 20 TD passes with only a minimal amount of interceptions. As for Ware, he comes in to replace the departing Jerry Bradshaw. Under Bradshaw, four first round playoff games were won along with one district title (’08) in his seven seasons. Ware knows about winning, too. He led St. Pius to the title game three times including the TAPPS old Class 6A State championship in ’99.

He comes to the TWCA program from private powerhouse and Dallas area school, Addison Trinity Christian. He was later followed there by Steve Hayes, whose son Jake follows graduating Trojan Johnny Catalano, as starting QB. When Ware ran Addison’s offense, over 370 passing

yards of offense were chalked up, a private school national yardage title mark.

Last year, Addison TC was a TAPPS eleven-man D-1 state finalist pulling off second place and a 12-2 record. Ware has put his pass offense in because it works very well when you have very good receivers. Eaglin has found tall receivers like 6-4 Martin Cronin, a 6-6 Woodlands High transfer Darby Dewine, and 6-3 Justin Jeggle a soph., open along with pass catchers like 5-11 Ben Lipscomb who doubles as a linebacker on the near 30 man roster. Woodlands High move-in Stew Gettys joins holdovers Brooks Hinnant-, and Clayton Thedinged on the o-line.

Depth is provided by two more returnees from ’09 and several young sophomores.

Brant Lipscomb, Ben’s brother, mans another linebacking spot on defense. The challenge-make the spread offense work and so far it has. Prediction: Second place with two games with Galveston O’Connell telling the district title tale. Playoffs for sure in Division 4, for District 4.

Private school non football related autumn sports are-TAPPS Fall Soccer, Volleyball, and Cross-Country for Conroe Covenant; Cross-Country and Volleyball for The Woodlands Christian; and all that plus Soccer for The Woodlands Prep Academy; everything but fall soccer for The John Cooper School (Woodlands); and Fall Soccer for Conroe Lifestyle.

Editor’s special note: a wrap up of all these sports in the next HighPoints, along with our private/public school Basketball district overview. Also, a private school football wrap-up will be joined by our special chat with Conroe Covenant Athletic Director Darwood Heldmann who runs a school without Football, but says they may be looking into a six-man future. He also tells us about his long basketball coaching career, spent mostly in a public school in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, ed. n

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Rob’s Rhetoric

Rob’s Rhetoric

by Rob L Sprouse

S

pending Time with Dad

Normally, this is the intro part of the column when I try to come up with something imaginative or fun, or funny-I did say try-to get your attention, or set the tone, or both. However, this time I’m not going down that road. Next time, sure! Not this time.

Instead, I want to talk about Dad (see picture at right, circa 1960’s). Your dad, my Dad, all of our dads…

I also want to talk about Sports, because even though, in my memory he protested the thought of spending too much time mulling over what was going on in the Sports world, my Dad still loved to talk about it. He knew if he was going to converse with me about anything, except the occasional political matter we hashed out-in agreement(most of the time) or not- then he was going to be talkin’ Sports or with apologies to Terry Cashman, talkin’ Baseball, my favorite sport.

Your dad too? Yeah.

He also shared time watching sports with me, whether on television, or at the ballpark. Yours too?

When Dad and I went to the “Dome”Astrodome to the more recent transplants-or elsewhere to watch a baseball game or another sporting event, it seemed that we always saw something special. As far as Baseball, during 1963, my Dad, his co-worker and I went out to the old Colt Stadium to watch of all teams our beloved Colt-.45’s and the train wreck that was the Colts’ 1962 expansion National League brother, the worst team in Major League Baseball, ever, that era’s New York Mets. After fighting off the mosquitos, and the heat my five-year-

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old body had seen enough. In the eighth inning of a one-run low scoring game, I fell asleep. But before I completely conked out, I turned to dad and groggily said: “Dad can we change the channel now?”

We saw something special that day, some of the worst baseball ever played. Did your dad ever take you to a game like that?

Roll forward into the late sixties and there was the doubleheader at the Dome which we went to when the Atlanta Braves and Hank Aaron-still to me the real homer king-came to town. There was extraordinary talent on display right there in our big city a few years before he broke the Babe’s record. I think, Braves Orlando Cepeda, and Clete Boyer were there, as well. You’ve seen the greats with your dad too, right?

In the seventies, the “specialness”, make that “extraordinary”, meter really started to run. On Father’s day of ’72 the horribly bad Phillies were in Houston and we

had great seats behind the screen directly behind the plate. Dad got the tickets from a friend at work. It’s a good thing! We almost saw history! The, by then, Astros were torching the Roger Freed, Mike Ryan, Doc Edwards and young Larry Bowa Phils-no Mike Schmidt yet- 10-0.

That wasn’t the half of it. Astros’ starter Jerry Reuss was no-hitting the brotherly lovers… through eight innings. In the ninth, Reuss got the first out and then up to the plate came the, then, light hitting Phils shortstop Bowa. Dad called guys who could field but rarely hit, a ”fielder’s heart” kind of player. Of course, you know what happened next. With Astros third baseman Doug”the Red Rooster”Rader playing deeper,down the left field line to prevent doubles down the line, Larry stepped up and slapped the ball a few feet over to the right of the bag-as it looked from behind the plate-at third and a very good fielder like Rader couldn’t get over in time to stop the single.

There were other seventies’ games that come to mind. The night that Mike

Rob’s Rhetoric Schmidt of the Phils-they were getting better by then- popped a fly ball off of the Dome’s speakers, the first time that had ever happened from any batter! My Dad’s mom, my Grandma, came with us that night only to see the Astros get smashed 13-1. How about the night in ’77 that the two streakers showed up, wearing nothing but pantyhose? The women jumped out of the right field stands and streaked to the door located on the rightfield corner’s wall, gone in a “flash”. The next day then Astros pitching coach Hub Kittle told one of the newspapers that those “were some buxom babes”. They were. As for the ahem, game, the Cards lost 4-2 mainly because Astros outfielder Greg Gross threw two men out at the plate that night.

Incredible!, and the game wasn’t bad either. Your Dad told you to look the other way? Mine didn’t.

Finally, this being a high school magazine, I would be remiss in not talking about one of the many high school football games my Dad and I went to. Yes, we saw Craig James and Spring Branch Stratford’s Spartans gouge Plano 29-14 in the ’78 4A(now called 5A) State Championship game in the Dome, a great team, still the best high school team I’ve ever seen and they beat Billy Ray Smith Jr. and the Wildcats, easily. Dad and I also saw a great small school in the ’72 playoffs, the undefeated, untied Friendswood Mustangs of Kiel and Irby Winston playing for their dad, Henry. They polished off James Rollins, the running machine, and his Newton Eagles that day at Port Neches-Groves High and then rolled Billy Sims and his Hooks Hornets for the old 2A(now 3A) State crown the next week. We watched the Newton game in the fourth quarter the way we always did at smaller stadiums, from behind or inside a fence next to the field. Dad didn’t like getting caught in the departing crowd’s traffic.

There were other high school games, as we were following my mother’s Kountze Lions in ’67 through three rounds of playoffs in

the old 2A bracket. Kountze which had the best small high school player that I’ve ever seen, the little, cat-quick Gordon Gilder a kickoff returning sensation, lost in the state semis that year at a then much smaller Kyle Field in College Station. The San Antonio Randolph (Air Force Base) High Ro-Hawks did them in that night and ended the fun.

After Kountze had slipped by an Austin area school Del Valle the week before on penetrations accrued inside the 20 yard line in a 29-29 tie in Huntsville; they couldn’t handle the Air Force “brats”. The next week, Randolph got theirs, losing to Plano in the final. That brings me to the end of this stroll down memory lane.

After I graduated from Humble in ’76, Dad and I started to go to a lot of Humble games. In the “old” Turner Stadium, then called Wildcat or Humble Stadium, Dad and I watched the best high school player that I may ever see, Mike Mosley.

While we followed Humble to College Station the previous year-after they beat Navasota for the district title- only to see them lose to Rockdale in the 3A(now 4A) Bi-district playoffs, nothing could beat the Bi-district game we saw in the bi-centennial year.

That year, Humble had defeated Huntsville in the district championship game.

The team they faced next was the Hebert (pronounced hee-bert, not ay-bear) Panthers from Beaumont. They were ranked at the top of the AP or UPI poll and so was Humble, right in the top three of the state, in an era where only district champs went to the playoffs. The wet field following an early evening rain shower hampered the speedier visitors that night, make no mistake about it.

However, they hadn’t seen too many quarterbacks like Mosley and too many defenses like Humble’s either. Both of the undefeated, untied teams fought it down to the bitter end. Humble’s Mosley was hurt a few plays before the Wildcats were down to their last play. Inside the Panther five-yard line the ball rested and all that was needed was a field goal

as Humble trailed 15-13. The injured Mosley apparently had a leg full of pain and a dad who was coaching him that night that wasn’t going to depend on that ailing leg to kick the winning points.

So they went for it on fourth down with just a few seconds left on the clock. And they came up short, a real heart breaker.

When you consider that the now defunct Hebert High won the state title and never won a game by less than three or four TDs the rest of the way, then you know that was the real State Championship with Humble. Over the next two years new QBs John Hendrex and Ricky Beatty, and Humble couldn’t get past Huntsville for the district prize, and that was that.

The next year-’79- while I was in college I went to work for the old Humble News Messenger newspaper and went to every Humble game, but without my Dad by my side, it just wasn’t the same.

Now, I know that you didn’t hear me talk about any personal things that Dad and I said to each other when we watched games.

There were really none. He usually would discuss game strategy and then would later tell me after hearing what I had to say, that I would make a good coach.

The point is, we didn’t have to talk about how much we enjoyed being with each other, it was just felt and understood.

Your dad, too, right?

As I write, my Dad is trying to recover from three surgeries this past summer and hopefully he’ll be around for the future as long as we want him to be. That’s left up to him, or biological fate.

But, Dad, when you do leave us, may the memories that I have shared in this column with our readers wash over me and my immediate family, and may we hold them dearly for whatever time we have left in this life, ourselves.

My Dad, oh yeah, he would want it that way. When it comes to the good times you’ve shared with your father, I’m sure you feel the same way. Your dad, too? n

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Humble ISD 4A Volleyball Section Favorite Title preseason preparation for the new alignment. “There are some young schools in this district, Porter being new, Summer Creek being new and I try every year to schedule our pre-district games as tough as I can as far as the level of competition goes so that we can be ready for whatever the district will bring into play. It was exciting before 18-4A play because everybody was like: ‘Who are going to be the top runners for 18-4A?’ because nobody really knew at that point,” she says. Coach White says Willis has been their biggest challenger thus far this season and also believes that Summer Creek will be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future. That team this year has no seniors and very few juniors. It’s mostly made up of sophomores and freshmen.

Coach Em’ Up–Head Coach Tammy White has elevated the Kingwood Park Lady Panther Volleyball varsity team to ‘regional-threat’ status. With just a little more than a few weeks left in the season, KP and Willis have begun to run away with the top two spots in 18-4A.

K-Park Familiarity Key to Volleyball Prowess

by Ashriel Dunham with Rob L Sprouse For Kingwood Park Varsity Volleyball Head Coach Tammy White the 20102011 season will be bitter-sweet. Coach White has been coaching her girls longer than an average larger sized school’s high school coach gets to coach their own players. “The fun thing about this year is that I started with this group at KMS (Kingwood Middle School), so I got to come over with them and I have had them for five years,” she says. She forecasts that the Lady Panthers will come out on top as they journey through their season, just as they did last year by becoming District 19-4A bi-district champs. “We have eight

seniors and we graduated three players last year so we returned a lot of players. Our expectations are high and right now we’re starting to really jell and play well as a team and if we can just keep up what we’re doing, I think the future is bright for post season play.” If KP comes out strong at the end of the season they will have to face the number one 4A district in Texas and that could mean Brenham, or former 5A school Stratford (Spring Branch ISD), or even Magnolia or Magnolia West.

The same as other coaches in the 18- 4A district, White too, had to evaluate her

Still, Coach White is very satisfied with her own team and especially proud of one player who had a milestone on the court this year. “Nausheen Merchant received her 1000th dig a few games ago, and she’s an extremely good athlete and player. So, that was a huge milestone that she reached because she was on Varsity that first year coming in,” White says.

This is Coach White’s 13th year in coaching , meaning she has the benefit of longevity in the game. “I was a head coach at East Texas Christian High School (Lumberton,TX.) for two years.

Then I was a head coach at Huffman for four years and then I had a baby and got out of coaching for a year. Then I came back the next year and went to Kingwood Middle School for a year and now I have been at Kingwood Park since it opened up four years ago,” White says.

Even though she is no stranger to coaching longevity, her approach hasn’t always been the same. “I think I’ve changed a lot as a coach since I became a parent, I think that’s the biggest thing because now I can really empathize with the kids and their parents. Every parent wants

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Humble ISD 4A Volleyball Favorite

Rebuilding Tradition-The job that Humble High Head Volleyball Coach Michelle Funderburk has is to turn around a program that has been hit hard with the opening of Atascocita, Summer Creek, and to a very minor extent, Kingwood Park. Once a perennial power in the nineties and the last decade, including a regional appearance or two, the Lady Wildcats hope that Funderburk’s guidance can right the “listing ship” and put Humble back on the playoff list of likely annual contenders. Her team lost the match in three straight games at Kingwood Park, when HighPoints caught up with her.

the best for their kid and so if I just try to think every day, making decisions based on, ‘What if it was my daughter, and how would I handle the situation?’, then it will keep it in perspective and that attitude has so far worked out pretty well for me,” she says.

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Coach White credits her high school coaches for planting a ‘seed’ in her at a very early younger age. She realized at the University of Lamar(Beaumont, Texas) while taking her accounting classes that, that profession wasn’t really made for her. “I said there is no way that I can do this because I have to compete at something for the rest of my life. So here I am,” White says.

It’s a competitive hot spot that has become very familiar with winning. n

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Conroe ISD 5A Volleyball Favorite

Winning is Music to the Highlanders Volleyballers’ Ears

by Ashriel Dunham with Rob L Sprouse

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hat? The Woodlands High School Lady Highlanders Volleyball team is going to worry about the changes brought through redistricting? The squad is coming into this season with almost an entirely new team. “We graduated nine, so we have some young ones but they are doing a great job,” Varsity Head Coach Leslie Madison says. Even though the team is young as a whole, opponents should be hesitant to underestimate them just because of that ‘minor’ detail.

Coach Madison has a couple of ‘secret weapons’ on her side that she says are guaranteed to get the job done. Seniors Katie Messing and Stacey Defrancesco have already made Division 1 Major college commitments. “Katie’s going to Pepperdine and Stacey’s going to Northwestern State, so they’re our upperclassmen but we also have two freshmen and two sophomores on Varsity this year that are contributing. So we’re blessed,” Madison says.

New teams such as Atascocita and Kingwood will be their toughest competitors this district season but Coach Madison welcomes the challenge. She believes Atascocita will fare very well in the district and that both Humble ISD teams have good Volleyball programs overall.

“Some people don’t like getting tougher competition but to me it benefits us and

the most important thing is trying to get to the playoffs and the better the teams are that you play in your district, then hopefully the longer run you’ll have in the playoffs,” she says.

Coach Madison isn’t second guessing her team when it comes to performing in a new district. She is very confident in her players and their skills so her pre-district season preparation stayed pretty much the same. “We usually try to schedule a really tough pre-district lineup, regardless of who we face in district, just to prepare us and to get us ready for the playoffs. However, with the addition of the new teams and our tough district holdovers, it just gives us better matches closer to playoff time,” Madison says.

One also shouldn’t be surprised when you walk into the gym during a typical Lady Highlander Volleyball practice to find Coach Madison on the court practicing alongside her team. She even went for a couple of digs (low, nearer the floor saves) the day that HighPoints interviewed her.

“I was pretty fortunate that when I was a student I had a lot of really good coaches and I try to emulate the things I liked about them with my team. Being positive is something I really try to do, along with having a lot of fun as you can see with the music playing behind me. I do that so we will have more of a relaxed

atmosphere that’s not so serious all of the time,” she says.

Even if one thinks that Coach Madison’s style may be a little unconventional-not necessarily- you can’t question its success rate. She has such a long history with Volleyball that it seems like that it was her life’s only fate to become a coach.

“Just having played it all of my life, I just wanted to stick with it. My actual degree is Broadcast Journalism and I wanted to be on ESPN but ended up staying with coaching. It’s a good profession,” she says. As for her Lady Highlander coaching style it’s pretty simple and yet thoroughly consistent with successful results. “We’re pretty offensively minded, because we’ve got some big hitters. But I also think that one of our strengths is that we serve really well and we pass well.

I wouldn’t say we’re totally defensive minded but offensively I think we do well with our serving and passing,” Madison says.

With that confident get it done attitude there should be no reason to worry for a program that never frets over winning by doing things their way. n

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Summer Vacation

Ryun’s Hope–Four local Humble area youngsters are happy they spent part of their summer with legendary Track miler Jim Ryun (older gent in the middle) who at the age of 64 still holds a record that may never be broken: his 1963 sub-four minute mile as a high school junior. Making the trek to Ryun’s unique camp in Gettysburg where they found out that the elder statesman had mental and physical training for them, was ( from left to right) Conner Benson, Cody Diaz, Brian Tasson, and Benjamin Sprouse, all Cross-Country/Track runners.

Tower of Power-The architectural beauty is found at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, home of the “Address” from Lincoln, and the Jim Ryun midsummer running camp. Whether it’s walking or running on the old civil war battleground there or taking in the marvelous building designs and appearances, the campers always have something to do.

What They Did on Their Summer Vacation Runnin’ with Ryun’s Historical Site Camp

E

d.:This is a personal story because my son Ben Sprouse (Summer Creek High) is involved. He and fellow local youngsters Cody Diaz (Atascocita), Conner Benson (Atascocita), and Brian Tasson, the latter formerly of Atascocita High and now a college freshman at U. of Houston, had a once in a lifetime experience this summer. They spent a week with the great ‘60’s and 70’s Track and Field star, the amazing Jim Ryun. Ryun is amazing because he accomplished all that he did in the sixties and seventies after fighting off Asthma when he was a kid. Ryun broke the four minute mile in 1963 and in so doing, became the youngest high school athlete to ever accomplish the feat. That’s anywhere, anytime… the youngest ever!... before his senior year in high school! No one has done it at that age since his feat 47 years ago.

And maybe no one does a running camp for kids like the former University of Kansas Olympian. In the summertime, tens, or dozens of track and/or Cross76

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Country aspirants head to the historic battlegrounds of Gettysburg, PA. to: study History, touching it as they run over the grounds themselves; listen to spiritual inspiration from Ryun, and get running tips from arguably outside of Carl Lewis, Jim Thorpe, and Jessie Owens, this country’s greatest male track star, ever. Now 64 years old, the still lean and trim miler brings his family to the camp located on the campus of Gettysburg University in southeastern Pennsylvania. Located very close to the sea crab capital of the U.S., Baltimore, MD., it is truly a bucolic, rural setting that these kids have enjoyed for years.

The kids that go to run and learn there soon find out that it is just as much of a spiritual journey there as it is a physical visit.

The kids still run but they also get Ryun’s perspective on life in general. They get it during a five day stay. Whether you agree with the message or not, Ryun finds a way to help your kids share his spirituality, as well as his vast knowledge of track itself.

The camp takes place generally during the middle of the third week of July till the very beginning of the month’s fourth week. Kids fly to a Washington DC metro airport, and are then bussed to Gettysburg. Once there, they stay in Gettysburg college dorms and have lights out each night in their dorm rooms toward the end of prime time on television, generally about ten pm. eastern time, while prime time ends there at eleven pm. They run each day, eat healthy food and get that mind and body experience with Ryun and his family. Ryun also brings in world class coaches to assist him. He also runs camps in other seasons in other parts of the U.S., places like Colorado.

Meanwhile, after five days the kids in Pennsylvania board a bus to the nearby Baltimore airport and then fly home.

All in all, it’s a summer vacation trip for the runner who’s in competition or out of it. But above all, it’s a camp for the runner at heart, “up close and personal”. n

Our Prediction Page

Picks Football—14-5A Playoff Teams, Champ-The Woodlands (Div.1) Second-Lufkin (D-2) Third-Kingwood (D-1) Fourth TW College Park (D-2) Not qualifying-fifth place (tie) Atascocita, and Oak Ridge Seventh place Conroe.

Volleyball—14-5A Playoff Teams, Champ-The Woodlands 2. Kingwood 3. C-Park 4. Atascocita Team Tennis—Champ-14-5A College Park 2. The Woodlands Cross-Country—Boys Champ 14-5A The Woodlands 2. Kingwood 3.College Park Girls Champ Kingwood, 2.TW Coll.Park, 3. The Woodlands Football—18-4A Playoff Teams, Champ-Huntsville (D-1) 2.Humble (D-1) 3. Willis (D-2) 4.Kingwood Park (D-2) Non qualifiers-5.(tie) Caney Creek Summer Creek 7. New Caney 8.Porter Volleyball—18-4A Champ, Kingwood Park 2. Willis 3.Caney Creek 4.New Caney Team Tennis—18-4A Champ (co-ed), K-Park Cross-Country—18-4A Champ, (Girls) K-Park, (Boys) K-Park in tie-breaker over Willis Football—22-3A Champ, Huffman Hargrave 2. Cleveland, 3. C’spring-Oak Volleyball—22-3A Champ, Splendora 2. Huffman Hargrave Cross-Country—22-3A Champ, (Boys) Huffman Hargrave (Girls) Huffman Hargrave

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Cross-Country Montage

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Cross-Country Montage

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Cross-Country Montage

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Cross-Country Montage

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Endpoints

Hello, We Must be Going We’re back and wordier than ever. Ain’t (sic.) it great? Our magazine, your magazine, is one that doesn’t just give out eye-candy sports pics and hollow promises of covering youth sports when it’s more interested in covering a sponsor.

We want you to read! ...and not just cryptically coded letters in a cell phone text message either.

Oh, and we’re glad that we and you are back. We appreciate your patience and barring any unforeseen events (see Rob’s Rhetoric) we will not miss a beat again, and that includes our August double issues: covering Fall Sports-one a football season preview, and one a “non football” sports season preview-for the coming years.

We get back to more of our specialty, the feature story, the next time out, and don’t forget, the first full edition of HighPoints KIDSPORTS is soon coming your way. Next time in HighPoints, we will also have more stories on private schools and sports such as Team Tennis and Golf. We will also have our Basketball District overview and we will review the Volleyball and Football seasons/ playoffs; Cross-Country meets on the road to State; and much, much more.

One last note, I need to make a correction. In the side bar box that accompanied the Kingwood High Boys’ Basketball story (HighPoints Spring issue) I referred to the late Rodney Odom’s “Project Hoops” as a youth team when in fact it is an organization that provides a program that helps to develop young basketballers. Also, the Odom tourney is a golf tournament named in his honor, not a basketball tourney. Odom also had his KW jersey retired and it contains the number 43 not # 34.

HighPoints and yours truly, regret the errors.

That’s it, for this time around hope you enjoyed the Football/fall sports District Overview that we brought your way.

So, until next time keep reaching for the high points and the HighPoints.

Thanks again, Rob L Sprouse

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