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Where are They Now: Texas Tech vs UH features plenty of H-Town Talent
HOUSTON - When the Red Raiders and Cougars rumble into NRG Stadium on Saturday night for a primetime season kickoff in the Good Sam Texas Kickoff there will be plenty of H-Town talent on display.
Let's start with Texas Tech from the Big 12 Conference.
The Red Raiders, led by Matt Wells naturally features a lot of Texas talent. But from the Houston area it will be homecoming for the likes of Eisenhower alums Adrian Frye, who is a senior defensive back, and Tyrique Matthews, who plays linebacker.
In just a few days @TexasTechFB takes the field at NRG Stadium!
@GoodSam #TexasKickoff | #WreckEm
— Good Sam Texas Kickoff (@TexasKickoff) September 1, 2021
Another defensive back coming home is Eric Monroe, who actually started his career at LSU before transferring to Texas Tech. Monroe in high school starred at North Shore and was a part of the 2015 State Championship squad.
Here are more Red Raiders that are from Houston.
No. 36 Trey Wolff - Klein HS (Place Kicker)
No. 43 Jake Justice - Lutheran South Academy (Defensive Line)
No. 48 Grant Nickel - Grand Oaks (Place Kicker)
No. 51 Robert Wooten - Stafford (Defensive Line)
No. 54 Bryce Ramirez - George Ranch (Linebacker)
No. 69 Caleb Rodkey - Ridge Point (Offensive Line)
No. 74 Larry Moore - FB Marshall (Offensive Line)
No. 80 Mason Tharp - Klein (Tight End)
No. 97 Tony Bradford Jr. - North Shore (Defensive Line)
No. 99 Gilbert Ibeneme - Pearland (Defensive Line)
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ONE WEEK until @UHCougarFB takes the field at NRG Stadium.
#GoCoogs pic.twitter.com/WMCZF945oE
— Good Sam Texas Kickoff (@TexasKickoff) August 28, 2021
Now, let's get to the hometown Houston Cougars.
Dana Holgorsen enters year three of leading the Cougars and last season was truly a wash with all of the canceled games that Houston had to deal with.
On the recruiting front, Holgorsen and staff have made a conscious effort to recruit the Houston area and make that solid connection with the Houston-area coaches. It has worked as he's gotten some the area's best talent to stay home.
Here is the list of Cougars to watch on Saturday who will be repping their city.
No. 0 Derek Parish - Pearland (Defensive Line/Fullback)
No. 2 Deontay Anderson - Manvel (Linebacker)
No. 3 Donavan Mutin - Klein Collins (Linebacker)
No. 4 Ta'Zhawn Henry - Lamar (Running Back)
No. 8 Chandler Smith - Oak Ridge (Running Back)
No. 9 Jovanni Stewart - Katy (Linebacker)
No. 10 Sofian Massoud - Cy Lakes (Quarterback)
No. 10 Chidozie Nwankwo - Foster (Defensive Line)
No. 14 Mannie Nunnery - Shadow Creek (Linebacker)
No. 15 Mark Wilson - Clear Lake (Safety)
No. 18 Maddox Kopp - St. Thomas (Quarterback)
No. 19 C.J Guidry - Shadow Creek (Wide Receiver)
No. 19 Alex Hogan - Lamar (Cornerback)
No. 20 Antonio Brooks - Fort Bend Marshall (Safety)
No. 20 Kesean Carter - The Woodlands (Wide Receiver)
No. 22 Alton McCaskill - Oak Ridge (Running Back)
No. 25 DJ Small - Dickinson (Cornerback)
No. 26 Ja'Kori Morgan - Clear Lake (Inside Receiver)
No. 27 Amaud Willis-Dalton - Cypress Ranch (Linebacker)
No. 30 Alexander Duke - Bellaire (Defensive Line)
No. 34 Dylan Dixon - St. Thomas (Cornerback)
No. 35 Jalen Emery - Shadow Creek (Cornerback)
No. 36 Mike Welch - Dickinson (Safety)
No. 39 Shaun Lewis - Westfield (Cornerback)
No. 40 Jordan Carmouche - Manvel (Linebacker)
No. 41 Bubba Baxa - Pasadena Memorial (Kicker)
No. 41 T.J. Marshall - Shadow Creek (Linebacker)
No. 48 Caleb Mendez - Pearland (Kicker)
No. 50 Hakeem Ajijolaiya - Tompkins (Defensive Line)
No. 51 Kyle Ramsey - Ridge Point (Kicker)
No. 52 Ken Savanah - Stafford (Linebacker)
No. 53 Derek Bowman - Magnolia (Offensive Line)
No. 54 Blake Okoye - Klein Collins (Linebacker)
No. 61 Benil Johnson - St. Pius X (Offensive Line)
No. 62 Gabe Cossey - Klein (Offensive Line)
No. 64 Dennis Bardwell - Huffman (Offensive Line)
No. 66 Billy Thursland - Heights (Offensive Line)
No. 70 Jordan Boatman - College Park (Offensive Line)
No. 71 Max Banes - St. Thomas (Offensive Line)
No. 73 Cam'Ron Johnson - Shadow Creek (Offensive Line)
No. 76 Patrick Paul - Jersey Village (Offensive Line)
No. 77 Keenan Murphy - Crosby (Offensive Line)
No. 79 Chayse Todd - Crosby (Offensive Line)
No. 81 Darius Edmonds - Atascocita (Inside Receiver)
No. 82 Dylan Robinson - Atascocita (Wide Receiver)
No. 83 Peyton Sawyer - Clear Springs (Wide Receiver)
No. 84 Cole McGowan - Magnolia (Wide Receiver)
No. 89 Parker Eichenberger - Katy (Tight End)
No. 96 Nelson Ceaser - Ridge Point (Defensive Line)
VYPE Houston Volleyball Report (8.31.21): Barbers Hill improves to 18-2, The Woodlands sweeps Ridge Point
KINGWOOD - This is not the same Barbers Hill team from a year ago. In fact, it is one that has gone through an entire offseason, summer and now preseason with a chip on its shoulder.
After suffering a first round exit, the first time since 2009, to a senior-laden Texas City squad a year ago the Lady Eagles have been focused on being "competitive and scrappy".
So far in 2021, this "scrappy" Barbers Hill team is now 18-2 following a 3-0 (25-19, 25-22, 25-14) victory over Kingwood Park on Tuesday night and secured its 16th sweep of the season.
"In practice we are very competitive against each other, we show no mercy to each other," Barbers Hill coach Casey Veen said. "We have this battle mentality that is just going hard every single point. It's showcasing on the court. I'm just really proud of the girls staying mentally focused and driven on what we're trying to accomplish this year."
VYPE Postgame: Player of the Match @kelsibug1 (5 kills, 10 assists) talks about the season and motivation from last year's early playoff exit that has fueled the fire to an 18-2 start. #txhsvb @avery2023 @meg_mayfield22 @BHBoosterClub @BHISD @abseckbhfb @bh_softball @GHVCA pic.twitter.com/WTKZV4c3o2
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) September 1, 2021
Kingwood Park (15-8), which was back at full strength on Tuesday night after dealing with some absences due to COVID, battled in the first two sets leading at multiple points. The Panthers were led by Charlee Jordan's 16 kills and 11 digs.
"I think I've learned that we can really persevere and fight back," first-year Kingwood Park coach Stormi Champion said. "We've experienced a lot recently with absences with COVID and it's really adjusting to each other and getting back to where we were."
Barbers Hill was led by Kelsi Wingo's five kills and 10 assists, while Avery Wilks chipped in six kills and five blocks. Meagan Mayfield had five kills, Madison Danley had nine digs and Peyton Fadal led the team with 13 assists in the win.
For Wingo, who is verbally committed to Blinn JC, says that from the team they were last year, this group has made "leaps and bounds" in just one offseason.
"We are strong and determined every single point, every single practice," Wingo said. "It's great team chemistry."
Other Notable Results
ROAD WARRIOR: The Woodlands swept Ridge Point 3-0 (28-26, 25-18, 25-18) on Tuesday night on the road. It was the 26th win of the season for The Woodlands and was a nice bounce-back for the Lady Highlanders after losing three matches over the weekend in tournament play. The Highlanders up next face 2020 Class 6A State Champion Seven Lakes on the road again on Friday.
5-SET THRILLERS: In the private school realm there were some five-set thrillers. Fort Bend Christian Academy defeated Rosehill Christian 3-2, Concordia Lutheran defeated Fort Bend Home School 3-2 and the John Cooper School downed Frassati 3-2.
STREAK SNAPPER: Foster defeated Fulshear on Tuesday night in district play in a five-set thriller. This marked the first district loss for Fulshear since the 2018 season.
.@Foster_vball junior Koryn Johnson discusses the Falcons' big 3-2 district win tonight over Fulshear. It is Fulshear's first district loss since 2018. #txhsvb @lcisdathletics pic.twitter.com/wQpyoRMuhz
— VYPE Houston (@vypehouston) September 1, 2021
MORE RESULTS (Tuesday, 8-31)
Katy Tompkins defeated Pearland Dawson 3-0
St. Pius X defeated The Woodlands Christian Academy 3-1
College Park defeated Kingwood 3-0
Lutheran South Academy defeated St. Francis Episcopal 3-0
Oak Ridge defeated Atascocita 3-1
Tomball defeated Langham Creek 3-1
Cypress Ranch defeated Pearland 3-0
Cy-Fair defeated Tomball Memorial 3-0
Katy defeated Clear Creek 3-1
Bridgeland defeated Klein 3-1
Summer Creek defeated Clear Brook 3-0
Seven Lakes defeated Clear Falls 3-0
Fort Bend Clements defeated North Shore 3-0
Lamar Consolidated defeated Kempner 3-1
Dobie defeated Alvin 3-0
Manvel defeated Santa Fe 3-0
Alief Hastings defeated Spring Woods 3-1
Friendswood defeated Ball 3-0
Pasadena Memorial defeated Eisenhower 3-0
FB Dulles defeated Heights 3-0
Texas City defeated Lee 3-1
Cypress Ridge defeated Cypress Springs 3-0