TWCA's Grayson Boeker
After earning all-state honorable mention and first- team, all-district honors as a sophomore, Boeker is ready for a breakout junior season that will put him on the recruiting map. His mindset is to also lead TWCA deep into the postseason.
VYPE got the chance to catch up with Boeker before entering district play.
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VYPE: What drew you to TWCA as a move-in over a year ago?
BOEKER: “I went to Cypress Woods and checked out TWCA. I was like ‘wow’ when I came. The campus is beautiful, the people are really nice, the teachers are great and the coaches really care about you. It kind of feels like the size of a public middle school, where everyone knows everyone.”
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VYPE: What made you get into football in the first place, and what’s compelled you to keep going with it?
BOEKER: “When I was about seven, I played flag football with my friends because they started a team. I was always pretty good, so my parents told me I should play tackle football. I was going to quit at one point, because I stopped being as good. Then I started putting in the work and really could see my improvement. Now, I’m here.”
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Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
VYPE: Who do you like to watch to better your game?
BOEKER: “I watch a lot of high school linebackers around Texas. I watch Justin Williams of Oak Ridge to see how he approaches the position. In college, I love to watch Clemson’s Barrett Carter and the Colorado Buffs.”
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VYPE: What do you want to study when you get to college? What career can you see yourself potentially pursuing one day?
BOEKER: “Every kid’s dream is the NFL, so I’m going to continue to pursue that as long as I can. I can definitely see myself doing something in the engineering field, because I have a really good mind for math. If not that, I might go into law. I like to debate with people.”
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VYPE: I’m sure football and school take up a lot of your time. So, what do you do to take the edge off?
BOEKER: “I mostly just hang out with my friends. They always find a way to keep me cool – keep me happy and having fun.”
Concordia Lutheran's Lou Lamar
After putting up some big numbers over the past three-plus years and enduring the recruitment process, Concordia Lutheran’s Lou Lamar finally has a place to call home at the conclusion of this school year.
The Crusaders' senior RB/DB had a variety of offers to choose from, such as the Colorado School of Mines, as well as interest from a handful of Ivy League schools like UPenn and Harvard. However, Lamar ultimately announced his decision to commit to Dartmouth, earlier this month.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“Even if I got an offer from any other school, I could really only see myself going to Dartmouth,” Lamar said. “They have such a tight community and when I went up there for my official visit, I was just flooded with alumni telling me how much of an impact the school has had on them.”
“The football program is great, they have an incredible staff and culture, but it’s also what they have to offer outside of that which really caught my attention. It (the university) is pretty secluded, in the woods, and I also love that part about it.”
The timing couldn’t be better for Lamar, as he competes alongside his teammates to ensure that ‘Sader Nation has a memorable experience in his final year suiting up in the blue and white, prior to advancing to Big Green.
“It (being committed) has been a relief off my chest,” he said. “Every game, in the back of your head, you’re worrying about getting film out and making highlights. Now, that’s off my shoulders. If anything, it motivates me to go even harder, now that I don’t have to worry about that anymore in my last year.”
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Under the direction of second-year head coach Willie Amendola, the Crusaders have started the season 3-1, which featured two immense comebacks against Liberty (24-23) and Lutheran South (20-16),
Courtesy of various impressive Fall debuts from Lamar, Tanner Huckfelt (Jr. QB), Cole Chance (Sr. RB/LB), and a budding line in the trenches, Concordia Lutheran is poised to make a dramatic entrance as they prepare for the district portion of their remaining schedule.
“We can’t get in our own heads, and that starts with the leaders – Myself, Jayden Noack (Sr. TE/LB), Ben Hubenak (Sr. DL), Tanner Huckfelt,” Lamar said. “We talk about what needs to be done, and we’re not getting overly emotional. We’re analyzing everything, talking to the coaches, and making the adjustments that are necessary to win.”
We’re only into week No. 5 of the season, so don’t expect the Crusaders, or the newly-committed Lou Lamar for that matter, to slow down anytime soon. This is only the beginning.
TWCA's Zoe Calimani
Setting the pace for the Warriors since her freshman year, Zoe Calimani enters her senior season.
The captain led her team to the TAPPS-5A State Meet in 2022, in which the team placed seventh overall. Calimani played a huge role in the team’s finish as she placed eighth individually out of nearly 150 runners.
“My teammates are definitely my biggest inspiration,” said Calimani. “Furthermore, being a captain on this team helps
to motivate me because I’ve been given the responsibility of setting an example for them. It’s my teammates who drive me to be better.”
2023-24 TWCA Cross Country Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
When she’s not on the trails or the track oval, the senior Warrior quite literally plays her own tune to unwind.
“I happen to be a pianist, along with being a distance runner, which I think helps me to be somewhat distinct,” Calimani said. “I’ve been playing the piano for 10 years now. I found that it helps to balance my life, especially since I’m often in the spotlight with cross country and track.
“I find that playing the piano is like my quiet place. I mostly play classical music, but it allows me to be alone for a period and relax.”
It won’t be long before Calimani graduates, so, what might her future hold?
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I know it’s funny to say, but I still see myself running,” she laughed. “I just love to run, it keeps me healthy and I feel like there’s such a great community around the sport. If I get the opportunity to run in college, even if it’s not competitive, I’m more than likely going to take it.
“Career-wise, I want to go into medicine or maybe in the field of pediatric nursing. It can be a difficult field to get into, but it’s an aspiration of mine.”
If she has the determination to run several miles in the brutal Texas heat on a daily basis, it shouldn’t be too much of a stretch to assume that Calimani is capable of making anything a reality.
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