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LATE TO THE PARTY: Mayde Creek’s Haastrup new to recruiting scene
Every year there always seems to be one prospect in the city of Houston who bursts onto the recruiting scene, late to the party.
This year, look no further than Mayde Creek’s Tobi Haastrup -- a 2025 DE who has picked up 21 offers in the past month -- and went from unknown to a 4-Star national recruit overnight.
How did he get here?
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Haastrup’s journey to football is more unique than most, starting with living ‘across the pond’ in London.
“I lived in London for nine years and the main sports over their were futbol and and track, so that’s what I played when I moved over to the US," he said. "I really was trying to get a track scholarship originally, but realized if you’re not running a 10.1 or 10.2, there aren’t many schools offering you for track.”
After some convincing from some coaches, Haastrup traded in his spikes for cleats.
“The football coaches came up to me over the offseason and convinced me to give football a shot," he said. "They told me I had the size and the speed, so I decided to give it a shot for my senior year.
“I went to SAC (speed and strength) camp all summer and trained non-stop. I really knew nothing about what I was doing other than getting off the ball, because it was similar to getting a good start out of the blocks in track.”
Many people who have only been playing football for three months might struggle or have a slow start, but Haastrup introduced himself to Texas High School football was a bang.
In his first game playing the sport, Haastrup finished the game with four sacks, seven tackles and two QB pressures, a stat line that even many high-level 5-star prospects might not eclipse in their high school careers.
“Before the first game I really was just leaving it up to God, praying for the confidence in myself to go out there and apply what I had learned so far,” he said.
After that first game stat line, Haastrup got his first taste of the recruiting process picking up 21 offers from some big-time Power 4 programs overnight.
“I always thought that I would get a scholarship to run track, so whenever they started to come in for football I just had to thank God. None of this would be possible without him.”
Haastrup will have a big decision coming around signing day and will be visiting LSU, Boston College, Missouri, Ole Miss and Florida State in the coming weeks.
Stay tuned.
Coming off an impressive 19-point win over Hightower, Mayde Creek is 6-1 to start the season.
Five Takeaways: Mayde Creek 87, Hightower 68
KATY—Five takeaways from Wednesday afternoon's non-district game between Mayde Creek and Hightower, the latter which is ranked No. 20 in VYPE's preseason rankings.
It was the Rams, however, who came away with a demonstrative 87-68 win at home in a contest that consisted of some of Houston's top talents in the Classes of 2022, 2023 and 2025, respectively.
1. Angel Sonnier: the best player on the court
There was plenty of high-caliber talent on the floor, but it was Mayde Creek junior guard Angel Sonnier who stole the show.
The 6-foot lead guard scored a game-high 33 points with five rebounds, five assists, four steals, and 5-of-11 shooting from 3.
"I'm not big on rankings and all that stuff, but Angel Sonnier is one of the best guards in his city," Rams coach Anthony Fobb said. "Now, Angel needs to work on Angel. He's a kid. He's got shortfalls. But when he's playing like he did (Tuesday), the sky's the limit. He's sharing the ball, he's getting his assists, he's getting his points. When he's not worried about recruiting and what the rankings say, he's one of the best in this city. He brings out the best in me, and I just want to bring out the best in him."
Sonnier went up against two players who are considered to have a higher profile in Hightower senior guards Aaron Williams Jr. and Jacory Chatman.
Sonnier outshined both.
"There's no pressure," Sonnier said. "I just play my game. My game speaks for itself."
Sonnier was primarily a spot shooter last season. This season, he said he's more aggressive looking to create for himself and others. He showed off deft ballhandling that created space time and time again.
"Angel doesn't feel he's getting his just due, but when he shows up for games like this, guys will notice," Fobb said. "Let them do the talking."
Check out the sweet moves by @angelongo_ on this dish to Landon Bean for a 3. #txhshoops @MCRamsHoops @MCHSAthleticDeppic.twitter.com/6q6Rv5Fo8Z— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1637783417
2. Rams halt Hurricanes' Williams' momentum
Hightower's Williams was averaging 19 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and shooting 47 percent overall and 40 percent from 3 entering the Mayde Creek game.
The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder had 18 points on Tuesday, 14 in the second half after Mayde Creek built a 42-22 lead, and shot 2-for-9 from 3.
Fobb saw on film that Hightower tended to play like his Rams sometimes: one pass and then shot, with nobody in offensive rebounding position.
"The goal was to get them to take bad shots and get in position to rebound and get out and run," Fobb said. "We made (Williams) play defense on the other side, and being a shooter, his legs and arms wore down."
Chatman led the Hurricanes with 20 points, 13 in the second half.
.@Williams_Aaron3 again. Already has a couple buckets and an assist early this 3Q. #txhshoops @HHS_Boys_Bballpic.twitter.com/L2J5EQtfFT— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1637784449
3. Freshmen starring for Rams
Mayde Creek has two of the more promising talents in the Class of 2025 in the Greater Houston area.
Point guard Christian Jones, a 5-foot-9 sharpshooter, scored 20 points with four steals and four assists and shot 6-for-9 on 3s. He scored 12 points in the second quarter when the Rams turned a seven-point lead into 20 by the half.
Jamal Chretien II, a lithe, 6-foot-3 rangy forward, had 13 points and three rebounds. Eleven of his points came in the second half.
Jones, who was previously home-schooled like Chretien, said his seven games on varsity have been eye-opening.
"It's given me better skills, toughness and just becoming a better point guard," Jones said. "It's adjusting to going up against guys bigger and stronger than you."
"He's still got a lot of work to do," Fobb added. "The different reads, the different speeds of the game at certain times. Natural things a freshman struggles with. But scoring-wise, we see that every day in practice. We expect it to go in, and he's not a selfish player. He can get any shot he wants, but he'll pass the ball."
Jones said his on-ball defense has improved considerably. It had to if he expected to see playing time under Fobb. He has also had to raise his shooting pocket to get the shot off faster.
Fobb said it's his rookies' intensity and physicality that impressed him during summer and offseason tournaments and gave him confidence they could succeed on varsity.
"Both of them have private training and we lift weights hard here, and they really embrace the weights," Fobb said. "They're very mature, and they have really good parents. They don't let them get too high; they're on them hard. They can play on this level."
That\u2019s 6-9 from 3 for @MCRamsHoops freshman @C_Dior30. #txhshoops @MCHSAthleticDeppic.twitter.com/PwqEqZ7M5V— Dennis Silva II (@Dennis Silva II) 1637785874
4. Hurricanes stand out
Hightower's stars of Williams and Chatman did not play up to their elite standards, but others stood out for coach Stephen Woods.
Senior forward Joshua Lacour, who came off the bench in the first half but started the second, was a difference-maker in the paint with six points and nine rebounds. Sophomore 6-foot-2 forward Milton Rice also had a strong game with six points and six rebounds.
5. Fast start, no surprise
Mayde Creek's 6-1 start is not a surprise to anyone in the Rams' locker room.
"This is what I expected, especially when you have these incoming freshmen who can take a lot of pressure off me," Sonnier said. "They bring a lot more diversity to the game. We know what we're doing. We're good, and we're going to get it done."
Mayde Creek's only loss is to Dallas Mansfield Timberview. The Rams won the consolation bracket of the Magnolia Tournament.
"Guys had us third or fourth in district, and that's fine," Fobb said. "We don't care about that. We come here and work. I call it a blue-collar program. This was a really good, legitimate win for us against a strong, playoff-caliber team."