SPORTS
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by Angie Frederickson, staff writer
SportzBuzz, Jr. W
elcome to SportzBuzz, Jr., a column spotlighting neighborhood athletes in elementary and middle school.
Setting up to travel Texas Elite U15 volleyball players (top photo) are geared up to start a new season as a travel team. The 13 year olds, who attend Memorial Middle School and Spring Branch Middle School, will play up in an older age group for the second year in a row. Several of the girls have played together for five years, and the team attended the Texas A&M volleyball camp together last summer. Coached by Christy Rees and Bobbi Evans, each of the players is also on her school A-team. They change from teammates to rivals when MMS and SBMS play against each other. Coach Rees attended last season’s competitive game between the schools, and did a pretty good job of staying neutral. The players are (top row, from left) Claire Justice, Madeleine Dukes, Lindy Haas, Alexandra Pappas, Camille Smith, Vicky Chiravanich, Lizzie Gissel and Jada Gibson; (bottom row, from left) Ainsley Kurtz and Ruby Kate Singletary.
Future varsity players John Kafka, Isaac Richardson, George Gring, Anthony Voinis, Leo Befort and Aidan Zu (middle photo, from left) enjoyed Spring Branch-Memorial Sports Association (SBMSA) Night at Tully Stadium. The Frostwood Elementary second and third graders attended the event with their entire Tigers freshman tackle football team. SBMSA tackle and flag-football teams were invited onto the field as the high school players took the field for their varsity game. The rest of the Tigers, who are led by coaches Jason Gray, Chris Halaska, Justin Nichols, Scott Wischoff and Jeremy Goebel, are Hayden Halaska, Ben Robishaw, Jake Nichols, Brendan Wischoff, Myles Goebel, Julian Jung, Justin Stubbs, Blake Iversen, Edward Gray, Parker Madsen and Colin Josephson.
Champs at the net The undefeated Memorial Middle School 7A volleyball team (bottom photo) defeated Spring Branch Middle School to win the district champ title. Coach Lauren Simpson prepared the team for a great season, and their hard work at early-morning practices paid off. The girls played weekly games and also participated in a three-game tournament. In addition to playing for the school team, many of the girls also play for Skyline and Houston Juniors club teams. The championship team is (top row, from left) Lucy Gaines, Victoria Gong, Madeline Merritt, Brooke Brenton, Evelyn Green, Cecilia Rizo-Patron and coach Lauren Simpson; (bottom row, from left) Audrey Russell, Courtney Frederking, Sydney Shelton, Samantha Cousins, Megan Xie and Alyssa Guo.
Proud sponsor of Tanglewood, River Oaks and neighboring sports TANGLEWOOD/RIVER OAKS BUZZ DECEMBER 2016 36
Editor’s note: Send your best high-resolution photos and behind-the-scenes stories about young local athletes, in both team and individual sports, to SportzBuzz, Jr. at info@thebuzzmagazines.com. Include all contact info, names, ages, grades and schools. Featured athletes must live in Buzz-circulation neighborhoods. Items will be published on a space-available basis.
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