STANDING ON THE FIELD AT HISTORIC RICE STADIUM ON A WET, COLD DECEMBER NIGHT NOTHING, NOT EVEN THE CONDITIONS, COULD TEMPER THE CELEBRATION.
Second Baptist School had just knocked off Fort Bend Christian Academy 14-13 in a TAPPS Division II State Semifinal slugfest. With the win it marked the first time the Eagles would play for a state championship since 1999.
“It means a lot, since this is my ninth year here,” Second Baptist School coach Terry Pirtle said. “I’ve known these kids forever. They were built for this, we built them, it wasn’t assembled. They’ve been with us a long time. I’m very proud, especially for these seniors who hung in there and got a win in their senior year in the semifinals.”
Colin Hedges ’22 added, “It was truly special. I’ve been playing here for the last three years. We had been to the semifinals but not state yet. This was it!”
The Eagles went on to the TAPPS Division II State Championship and fell short to Dallas Christian and finished the year 13-3 overall.
“It meant a lot, especially for this program,” senior Everett Skillern said about the season after the state semifinal win.
After the season, awards aplenty were handed out.
From the Touchdown Club of Houston and the VYPE Awards, Skillern was named the Private School Defensive Player of the Year. By TAPPS, he was named first-team, all-state in the secondary and second-team, all-district as running back.
First-team, all-state picks also included running back Eli Smith ‘22 and defensive lineman Austin Courtney (’22). Second-team, all-staters included offensive linemen Reid Cordell ‘22 and John Dearing ‘23 and receiver Grayson Kim ‘22 for offense. Kyle Kollmorgen ‘23 was named second-team, all-state at linebacker.
Cordell, Dearing, Smith and Kim all earned first-team, all-district honors along with kicker Charles Schwinger ‘23. Second-team, all-district picks for offense included offensive lineman Colin Hedges ‘22, quarterback Turner Murdock ’24 and receiver JD Crisp ‘24. Junior Karsten Chambers earned honorable mention for receiver.
Defensively, Courtney, Hedges, Kollmorgen and Skillern all earned first-team, all-district nods. Chambers got a nod for second-team, all-district linebacker and Schwinger was a second-teamer for his punting. Dearing was honorable mention for defensive line.
