Olivia Raymond
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
It's all come down to this.
Months of training and adulation have finally lead the best of the best to this point -- the UIL State Championship.
With elite programs, such as Summer Creek, Duncanville, Liberty, and Randle -- not to mention their fan-bases in tow -- heading to San Antonio, it's time to break down the key matchups of the girls basketball State Tournament.
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Summer Creek Bulldogs vs. Duncanville Panthers
The stars of 2023-24 Summer Creek Girls Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
After being eliminated by Pearland (39-26) in the 2023 Regional Final, Summer Creek proceeded to make a statement by escalating to the Class 6A Final Four, under the direction of first-year head coach Donny Ott.
This marks the team's third appearance in the UIL State Tourney over the past five seasons, which is a testament to the talent they bring onto the court.
Now, the Bulldogs (35-3; 13-1 in district) have the opportunity to surpass their 2022 result of finishing as a State Qualifier, when they face Duncanville (33-4; 13-1 in district) this Friday, at 7:00 pm, in the San Antonio Alamodome.
Ott will turn to his vast arsenal of weapons -- namely Janiya Murphy, Kennedy Simpson, Zachara Perkins, and Mariyah Brown -- in order to keep their current 18-game win-streak alive.
On the Panthers' side, coach Neiman Ford and company are coming off crucial victories against Cy Springs (48-40) and DeSoto (46-39) in the Region-II Tournament.
D'Ville flexes the talents of Mariah Clayton (14 ppg, 6 rpg), Chloe Mann (13 ppg, 4 apg), and Kaylinn Kemp (12 ppg, 2 apg).
These two teams have already met each other at a tournament exhibition in November, in which Summer Creek claimed a 63-53 victory.
Rest assured, this could be the most pivotal match-up of the whole tournament.
Randle Lions vs. Liberty Redhawks
The stars of 2023-24 Randle Girls Basketaball
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
What a year it has been for Randle girls hoops.
In just their third season as a varsity program in the Lamar Consolidated ISD, the Lions (30-8; 13-1 in district) took District 20-5A by storm, prior to cruising all the way to San Antonio.
Coach Christy Westbrooks and co. defeated both Hendrickson (59-55) and Barbers Hill (38-34) at the Region-III tournament, which extends their win-streak to 21.
The talents of Alaysia Cook (14 ppg, 6 rpg, 4 apg), Jaziel King (11 ppg, 2 apg), and Kurynn McNeill (10 ppg, 6 rpg) have propelled Randle to new heights, as they look to continue re-writing the history books.
It's the fact that the Lions know how to win the close games that is essential, as that will likely be the case when they face-off against the reigning Class 5A champs Liberty.
The Frisco Liberty Redhawks (32-7; 14-0 in district) enter the UIL State Tournament yet again, on the heels of winning versus McKinney North (69-52) and Princeton (52-26) in Region-II.
Sophomore super-star Jacy Abii has been a key component to coach Ross Reedy's group, alongside the reigning 5A MVP Keyera Roseby, and junior Aziyah Farrier.
Whichever way this game ends up going, it could be a safe assumption that the victor will likely end up claiming the State crown.
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THE “EYES OF TEXAS" of HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL WILL BE ON THE STATE’S NO. 1 PROSPECT CADE ARRAMBIDE OF TOMBALL HIGH SCHOOL.
Arrambide has all the tools that Major League Baseball scouts are looking for... an incredible velocity off his bat and a 90-mph throw from behind the plate to second-base.
His abilities jump off the tape.
Both a Top 10 national recruit and high school MLB Draft prospect, the Cougar senior catcher is shockingly locked into the “now”.
“It’s bittersweet,” he said. “We have one more shot at winning the whole thing. We have a great coach in Coach (Doug) Rush, who gets us prepared for the postseason. We have a really solid team and if we just stick to what we do, we will have a special year.”
With all the accolades on the internet and on his letter jacket, Arrambide has a target on his back as big at the Lone Star State.
“I try and block out the noise,” he laughed. “But people are going to be people. When we play our rivals, there are going to be kids and fans in the stands chirping, but when it comes down to it... it’s me and the pitcher when I’m at the plate. Every pitch is going to be a battle. If I just stick to what I’ve worked on my whole life, the results will be good.”
The Tomball Cougar is also a member of LSU’s No. 1 recruiting class in the nation. The Tigers won the 2023 College World Series and had the top two picks in the MLB Draft.
“When LSU reached out and offered me two years ago, it’s one of those things where you can’t say no,” he laughed. “LSU has been one of my dream schools and I’ve had family go there. It just felt right. What Coach (Jay) Johnson has done developing hitters, is something I really look forward to.”
He will have a decision to make in June, however, to go to college or the draft. All the work has paid off for Arrambide over the past decade. The countless hours of hitting, throwing and catching. Hundreds of games and thousands of times digging in behind the plate.
“Catching has been my thing since I started playing as a kid,” he said. “Over the years I’ve gotten bigger and stronger, and really learned the position. It’s really who I am and taps into my leadership abilities. I like being the general on the field, coordinating the defense and calling a good game. It puts a lot of responsibility on my plate, but I welcome it."
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WHEN ONE SEES THE STATURE AND PROWESS ON THE FIELD THAT JACOB ROMERO DISPLAYS, IT COULD BE ASSUMED THAT HE’S BEEN PLAYING BALL HIS WHOLE LIFE.
The contrary happens to be the case for the Hastings’ junior outfielder.
“I actually started playing pretty late, when I was 14,” he said. “I fell in love with the game when the Astros won the World Series back in 2017. My favorite player to watch was definitely George Springer, which is part of the reason why I became an outfielder.”
“But, I try to model my game after Mookie Betts because he’s one of the top players in the MLB, despite not being one of the bigger players. He still competes with the big guys, which is really impressive and he serves as a good model for me.”
Romero certainly caught on quickly, considering his freshman year performance earned him a first-team, all-district nod.
He was on the trajectory for another all-district performance last year, however, he would suffer a season-ending injury. A concussion and cracked skull after colliding with his teammate's knee sidelined him for the remainder of his sophomore campaign.
“It was pretty rough,” said Romero. “After everything happened, I wasn’t able to be out there with the guys, doing what I wanted to do. But, as soon as I healed up, I went right back to it. I’ve been grinding to recover to the form I had before the injury.”
Now that he has made the steady recovery – at the behest of his coaches – Romero has a one-track mind.
“I’m hoping to have one heck of a season... even better than my freshman year,” he laughed. “I’ve been working my butt off all Summer, Fall and Winter to get back. The workouts, hitting and throwing practice, and consistent recuperation have all led me to this. I’m going to make sure it was worth it.”
He’ll have his work cut out for him, as he and his Bears are tasked with competing in a crowded District 23-6A. Night in and night out, Hastings will face likes of perennial State contenders such as the 2023 Finalist Pearland, along with Alvin and Strake Jesuit.
But, given his steadfast determination and positive disposition, Romero is sure to put on a show as he returns to lead Hastings in their Spring campaign.
“As an athlete, I’m proud to represent Alief – especially as a baseball player,” he said. “Not too many people play here, let alone exceed high expectations. So, every time I step on that field, I’m going to make sure I play with pride and passion. I’ll be going 100-percent, no matter who we play or where we compete.”
With a mindset like that, first-team, all-district should be the minimum for Romero in 2024.
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