By Bradley Collier
It is basketball season!
The John Cooper School Dragons girls basketball team is ready to hoop it up in 2020-2021! Check out this video as we go Inside the Program with the Dragons!
Photo provided by Davion Marsh
Dekaney's Tanook Hines
In Class 6A Region III, Stratford's Samuel Jordan and Ben Pearce dominated the long-distance events, sweeping the 1600 and 3200 meters. Houston Lamar claimed gold in the 4x100 relay with a fast 40.41 finish. Tompkins' Etoro Bassey, an Aggie commit, soared to victory in the long jump.
Freshman Dillon Mitchell of CE King stunned the field by winning the 100 meters, while Katy’s Adam Carter swept both the discus and shot put. Dickinson's Richard Lee won the 200 meters and finished second in the 100 meters. Barbers Hill’s Jayden Thrower had a standout performance, earning gold in both the hurdles and the triple jump.
On the girls’ side in Class 6A, Atascocita’s Mia Maxwell took home titles in a highly competitive 100 and 200-meter dash. Summer Creek’s Kelly Frederick and Phoenix Phillips swept the hurdles, while Lake Creek’s Hailey Johnson captured gold in the 800 meters.
In Class 5A, Carnegie Vanguard’s Laila Payne dominated with wins in the 100 meters and 100-meter hurdles, along with a second-place finish in the 200 meters.
Over in Class 6A Region II, freshman Chinweoke Onwuchekwa of Cy Springs placed second in the 100 meters. USC football commit Tanook Hines won the 200 meters, and Willis’ Heath Grant claimed the 800-meter title. Bridgeland’s Ben Montgomery, a BYU signee, swept the 1600 and 3200 meters.
Klein Collins’ Andrew Jones doubled up with wins in the 110 and 300-meter hurdles, and Dekaney’s squad took home the 4x200 relay title. The Woodlands’ Brian Nwugbana won the triple jump, and Tomball Memorial sophomore Ben Haywood soared to gold in the pole vault.
Cy Ranch’s Celeste Robinson, a Georgia commit, sprinted to victory in both the 100 and 200 meters. Bridgeland’s Rowan Saacke mirrored that performance in the 1600 and 3200 meters. Naomi Booker claimed both hurdles events, Klein Cain’s Kiyah Rawls won the shot put, and Klein Oak’s Moyosoreoluwa Bakare secured the triple jump title.
Baytown Sterling's Kendell Wilcox & Simyah Smith
Jamey Wright (VYPE)
“I’ve just always been in softball for as long as I can remember,” Wilcox said. “The social aspect of it all has really resonated with me, since I get to play all over the country with my club team. The impact that has on you is irreplaceable.”
Sterling's Kendell WilcoxJamey Wright (VYPE)
Smith’s journey to softball took a slightly different path.
“I actually started off in baseball before making the switch over to softball,” she said. “Eventually, I got onto the same team that Kendell did, and we’ve been together for most of our lives.”
That long-standing chemistry has carried over to the field at Sterling, where Wilcox and Smith play off each other’s strengths.
“Since we’ve played together for so long, we can stay in tune just by giving a look,” Wilcox said. “At this point, we can read each other on the field, and I feel that gives us a subtle connection.”
Smith echoed that sentiment, emphasizing their leadership role on the team.
Sterling's Simyah SmithJamey Wright (VYPE)
“We’ve known each other for so long, so it’s really about posing that demeanor to the other girls,” she said. “I also go by this Bible verse—Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: ‘Two people are better than one. For if one person falls, the other can reach out and help.’ I feel that sums us up best.”
As much as they’ve grown together at Sterling, Wilcox and Smith are also preparing for the next step.
Both have signed to play at the collegiate level—Wilcox with Kansas Wesleyan University and Smith with the University of St. Thomas in Houston.
“Playing in college has always been a dream of mine,” Wilcox said. “It’s so exciting to think about how things will be next year and what it could potentially bring for me. I was initially drawn to Kansas Wesleyan because it offered the ability to study nursing while getting to play the sport that I love.”
Smith had similar priorities when choosing her college.
“Just like Kendell, I’m also intending to become a nurse,” she said. “We both had opportunities to go D1, but we put an emphasis on our future, in addition to our playing careers, which is why I chose St. Thomas.”
Before they move on to the next level, their focus remains on helping Sterling make a push for the postseason.
The stars of 2024-25 Baytown Sterling SoftballJamey Wright (VYPE)
“We’re a very young team, so there’s a lot of bonding that comes with that in order to get from the 5-hole to the 4-hole,” Wilcox said.
Smith added that this year’s squad has embraced a key mindset.
“A word that we came up with this year is ‘diligence,’” she said. “We need to be willing to work hard and show up if we’re going to pursue our goal of surprising people.”
With their leadership, experience, and determination, Wilcox and Smith are hoping to leave a lasting impact on the program before they take the next step in their careers.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ENTIRE 2024-25 GOOSE CREEK CISD SPRING MAGAZINE
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