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PLAY BALL: VYPE's Public School Baseball Sleepers

Matt Malatesta
Feb 26, 2020

Everyone loves a Cinderella Story, especially in sports.

Here are VYPE's baseball sleepers who could shock the landscape and reach state or knock off the contenders in 2020.


Oak Ridge War Eagles

Oak Ridge's Zachary Easterling, Colby Cooke and Lance Hicks

For the past five seasons, Oak Ridge has won at least one playoff game. The War Eagles made school history in 2015 by reaching the Regional Finals behind stud Luken Baker. After being swept by Round Rock in 2019, Oak Ridge is ready for a deep playoff run. The War Eagles are often slept on in the shadows of The Woodlands, Klein and Klein Collins, but they are dangerous in district play. Zachary Easterling (Texas A&M) is a solid two-way player, while Colby Cooke (Texas State) is the ace of the staff. Cole Beddingfield and Gabe Pacheco are two more talented arms for coach JJ Peirce, while Lance Hicks (Northwestern State) is great with the bat.

Dickinson Gators

Dickinson's Connor Greer, Guy Garibay Jr., Miguel Ortiz and Danel Bell

The Swamp is known for football, right? Heck, even hoops is making noise. But baseball has begun to get some "juice" around campus. Under the direction of Bo Davis, the Gators' baseball program is becoming a District 24-6A power. They shared the district title a year ago with Clear Springs and reached the Regional Quarters, making school history. What do they do for an encore? Gabe Garibay (Rice) is a stud as a twoway, first-teamer. He can pitch, but he is really known for his bat. Daniel Bell hits with some pop and earned second-team honors in 2019. Connor Greer is a solid reliever, who can also hit. The Gators are versatile, but do they have enough bite to get into the elite of Region III?

Porter Spartans

Porter's Seth Sherlock, Coltin Atkinson, Conner Westenburg and Aidan Heard

The Porter Spartans made school history in 2019, reaching the third round of the postseason beating A&M Consolidated and Leander Rouse, before falling to Georgetown. Coach Wayne Ralph has some studs returning with hopes of etching their names back in the record books in 2020. Coltin Atkinson (Sam Houston) was an honorable mention, two-way player a year ago and will be leaned on to pitch more this season. Aidan Heard was a beast at the plate and can run down balls in the outfield along with junior Conner Westenburg. Seth Sherlock is a talent behind the plate. Porter needs a little more pitching to get in the state contender conversation.

Pearland Oilers

It's the 40th anniversary of the Pearland Oilers' only state baseball title. No better time than the present to make some more history. The Oilers won District 23-6A last season, before getting bounced in the second-round by Atascocita, 6-5, in a one-game series. A heartbreaker for first year head coach David Rogers, but it's something to build on. Pearland has a pair of solid arms in Colby Casey (Houston) and Clayton Broeder (Grayson College), who will be complemented by Ty Preston and Trey Maker. Cole Smajstrla will hold down the outfield, while Brandon Sliwinski will manage the hot corner.

Magnolia West Mustangs

Magnolia West's Carson Carpenter, Brody Szako, Wiilliam Ibarra and John Paul Ellwanger

Let's just say Magnolia West caught fire in 2019, reaching the Regional Finals – a school first. The Mustangs say goodbye to stud pitchers Robert Revels (Hill College) and Connor Phillips (McLennan College) to graduation, but it's the "next man up" at West. First-team, all-state selection Carson Carpenter is one of the toughest outs in the state and is an athletic outfielder. William Ibarra and John Paul Ellwanger handle the corner-infield positions, while Brody Szako leads behind the plate. So, what about pitching? Coach Justin Faltysek needs to develop some arms in a hurry to capture a district title but they do have the bats to bludgeon opponents.

Shadow Creek Sharks

Shadow Creek's Warren Shankle, Sebastian Soliz and Lloyd Richards

When Alvin ISD opened Shadow Creek, did they know the Sharks would be this good… at everything? The football team won state in year two, volleyball and basketball are lethal as well. With all this success program-wide, is it a surprise that baseball is good too? Warren Shankle (PVAMU) is a heatseeking missile on the football field, but is also a first-team, all-district selection at firstbase. He can crush the ball. Lloyd Richards and Sebastian Soliz both toe the rubber for coach Craig McFarland, but also play shortstop and catcher, respectively. Foster and Angleton are solid competition, but Shadow Creek's intra-program competition will push their program to new heights in 2020.

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BIG KEY: Columbus OL Hemphill-Woods larger-than-life; Texas-commit

Matt Malatesta
17 Jul, 2026

Columbus made an impressive run to the regional finals a season ago, and a big reason was "Big Key"—one of the nation's premier offensive line prospects.

Keyon Hemphill-Woods is the complete package.

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VYPE Coaches Corner | Duncanville Head Football Coach Reginald Samples

VYPE
17 Jul, 2026

Reginald Samples has built one of the premier football programs in America, and his résumé places him among the greatest coaches in Texas high school football history.

The coaching profession has recognized those accomplishments with numerous honors. Samples was named the inaugural Texas High School Coaches Association Football Coach of the Year after the 2022 season and also earned MaxPreps National Coach of the Year honors, adding to previous national recognition from USA Today.

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VYPE Spotlight | 2028 Cypress Lakes OL Chase Mayes

Matt Malatesta
17 Jul, 2026

Chase Mayes has a chance to become the greatest football player ever to come out of Cypress Lakes High School.

Football, that is. The school's most recognizable athletic alum remains NBA All-Star De'Aaron Fox.

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chase mayes cy fair isd cy fair isd athletics cy lakes cy lakes football cy lakes high school cy lakes high school athletics cy lakes spartans cypress lakes cypress lakes football houston high school sports texas high school football txhsfb vype houston high school sports
TRENDING
VYPE Spotlight | Atascocita CB and Oklahoma-Commit Trenton Blaylock

VYPE Spotlight | Atascocita CB and Oklahoma-Commit Trenton Blaylock

VYPE Spotlight | Waller High School Volleyball

VYPE Spotlight | Waller High School Volleyball

VYPE Spotlight | DeSoto RB and Texas Tech-Commit SaRod Baker

VYPE Spotlight | DeSoto RB and Texas Tech-Commit SaRod Baker

VYPE Spotlight | Needville High School Volleyball

VYPE Spotlight | Needville High School Volleyball

VYPE Spotlight | Oak Ridge High School Volleyball

VYPE Spotlight | Oak Ridge High School Volleyball

GAMES

7PM - Women's Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. Fort Worth Vaqueras

7PM - Women's Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. Fort Worth Vaqueras

7PM - Women's Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. FC Dallas

7PM - Women's Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. FC Dallas

7PM - Women's Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. Texas Lone Star SC

7PM - Women's Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. Texas Lone Star SC

7PM - Womens Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. SouthStar FC

7PM - Womens Soccer: Austin Rise FC vs. SouthStar FC

VYPE Live Lineup - Friday 5/29/26

VYPE Live Lineup - Friday 5/29/26

2PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Baseball State Semifinal Game 3: Huntington vs. London

2PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Baseball State Semifinal Game 3: Huntington vs. London

1PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 3: Dripping Springs vs. Memorial

1PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 3: Dripping Springs vs. Memorial

6PM | NFHS – 3A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 2: Franklin vs. Jourdanton

6PM | NFHS – 3A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 2: Franklin vs. Jourdanton

7PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Baseball State Semifinal Game 2: Huntington vs. London

7PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Baseball State Semifinal Game 2: Huntington vs. London

7PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 2: Dripping Springs vs. Memorial

7PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 2: Dripping Springs vs. Memorial

VYPE Live Lineup - Thursday 5/28/26

VYPE Live Lineup - Thursday 5/28/26

6PM | NFHS – 3A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 1: Franklin vs. Jourdanton

6PM | NFHS – 3A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 1: Franklin vs. Jourdanton

7PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Baseball State Semifinal Game 1: Huntington vs. London

7PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Baseball State Semifinal Game 1: Huntington vs. London

VYPE Live Lineup - Saturday 5/30/26

VYPE Live Lineup - Saturday 5/30/26

7PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 1: Dripping Springs vs. Memorial

7PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball State Semifinal Game 1: Dripping Springs vs. Memorial

VYPE Live Lineup - Saturday 5/23/26

VYPE Live Lineup - Saturday 5/23/26

3PM | NFHS – 3A D2 Softball State Semifinal Game 2 and 3: Kirbyville vs. Santa Gertrudis Academy

3PM | NFHS – 3A D2 Softball State Semifinal Game 2 and 3: Kirbyville vs. Santa Gertrudis Academy

1PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Softball State Semifinal Game 3: Grandview vs. Columbus

1PM | NFHS – 3A D1 Softball State Semifinal Game 3: Grandview vs. Columbus

3PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball Reg. IV Final Game 3: Dripping Springs vs. PSJA

3PM | NFHS – 6A D2 Baseball Reg. IV Final Game 3: Dripping Springs vs. PSJA

3PM | NFHS – 5A D2 Baseball Reg. IV Final Game 3: Cedar Park vs. Sharyland

3PM | NFHS – 5A D2 Baseball Reg. IV Final Game 3: Cedar Park vs. Sharyland

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