GAMES
RANKINGS
Brayden Sharp of The Woodlands threw a perfect game against Conroe
THE SCOOP: What's hot in H-Town High School Sports?
Houston high school sports is in full bloom this spring as baseball, softball, track and field, football recruiting and golf and tennis are all trending. In case you missed it, here's is what is going on.
There was so much action in Houston-Area track over the weekend at events across the State. Here are some highlights.
- Mayde Creek’s Simone Ballard now holds the top time in the State of Texas in the 300-meter hurdles at 40:68.
- TCU-commit Quinn Calhoun set at Cy Woods and CFISD Record with a vault of 13’ 7.25”.
- Stratford’s Emanuel Galdino now holds State’s No. 2 1600-meter time and Dayeabasi Akpan now has the No. 2 time in 100-meters.
- John Cooper’s Amir Rizvi set a new school record in the 200-meters with a time of 22.37.
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COACHING MOVES
Goose Creek Memorial took the interim tag off of Daniel Ragsdale and named the OC the head coach of the Patriots. He has been an assistant North Shore, Sterling, Summer Creek and Jacksonville.
Up north, Willis will be naming its new head coach this Thursday at 8:30 AM at their board meeting. Stay tuned.
Katy Paetow is also in the interviewing process after BJ Gotte took the Pearland job.
Brooke Need has been named the Magnolia head volleyball coach.
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ONE SHINING MOMENT
Several for VYPE Stars played huge roles in the NCAA Tournaments.
On the girl’s side, the Texas Longhorns have had a magical season as they reached the Elite 8. Cy Creek’s Rori Harmon is up for National Freshman of the Year and Pearland’s DeYona Gaston and Cy Falls’ Joanne Allen-Taylor were full-time starters.
Former VYPE Coverboy Ramon Walker Jr. of Shadow Creek played a ton of minutes for the University of Houston during the NCAA Tourney as a freshman. His future is bright. Atascocita’s Fabian White is the Cougars’ all-time winningest player but wraps up his career.
Former Seven Lakes star Kameron McGusty helped lead Miami to the Elite 8 and averaged 17.8 points per game. He has a future at the professional level.
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RECRUIT SCOOP
Willis QB DJ Lagway was on a visit this weekend at Oklahoma, while Bridgeland TE Reid Mikeska dropped his Top 12. See VYPE's Twitter.
VYPE's Jackson DiPasquale was on the scene at the Texas Exposure Camp and will have more notes coming. He did say Stratford’s Hawkins Polley (Baylor commit) dominated the event this weekend at St. Thomas High School. DB Santana Wilson of Hightower looked good along with Clear Falls DE Serigne Tounkara, who will see his recruitment increase this spring.
Katy RB Seth Davis committed to Duke.
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NO-NO
There have been several amazing pitching performances over the past few weeks.
The Woodlands' Brayden Sharp threw a perfect game against Conroe with 17 strikeouts.
Bridgeland's Sydney Jackson thew a no-hitter against Cy Lakes in softball.
Houston-area Track Stars Shine in Austin at annual Texas Relays; Mayde Creek's Ballard breaks meet record
HOUSTON – Texas Relays could be considered the official kickoff to the track & field season as from here it is just weeks from district, regional and just over a month from the UIL State Track & Field State Championships.
Athletes from public and private schools across Texas descend upon Mike A. Meyers Stadium in Austin for the annual Texas Relays, which took place this past weekend. Here are some of the top performers.
Simone Ballard, Mayde Creek
Ballard broke the internet this past weekend. The Mayde Creek senior ran the 300-meter hurdles and won the race with a time of 40.68. That mark is the fastest ever ran at Mike A. Meyers Stadium and in Texas Relays history. It is the top time in Texas now by nearly three seconds. The video of Ballard's record-setting run has been viewed more than 26,000 times on Twitter. Ballard also competed in the 100-meter hurdles (33”) and won the prelim and the finals. She ran a personal-best of 13.28 in the finals to win the race. This is a big start to her senior season. Ballard has won now five of the six 100-meter races she has entered this season. Her personal-best has gotten faster and faster, dropping from a 13.84 to now a 13.28. Ballard is committed to Baylor.
Your New State Record Holder in the 300mh with a time of 40.68. It is all in gods plan ! 🙏🏾🫶🏾 pic.twitter.com/mF306zIEVZ
— Simone Ballard (@simoneballard_) March 26, 2022
Emmanuel Sgouros, St. John’s
The St. John’s senior has had a massive year. It started in the fall at the SPC Championships winning the cross-country title with a time of 15:06.80. He went on to take 10th overall at the Eastbay Cross Country Championships as well. In the indoor season, he PRd at the New Balance Nationals Indoor in the 1500-meter run and took 22nd overall. Prior to Texas Relays, Sgouros, who is committed to Texas, took first at the Texas Distance Festival in the 3200-meter run. At Texas Relays, he took second in the 3200-meter run with yet another personal best of 9:02.05, running against public school racers.
Sarah Akpan, Stratford
Akpan finished second overall in the 100-meter dash in High School Division II. Akpan, who is signed to University of Virginia, ran a 11.44, which is a personal record and broke the Stratford school record.
Micah Bell, Kinkaid
Bell is the younger brother of national recruit Dillon Bell, who signed with the University of Georgia this past February. Micah is the next big Bell. At the Texas Relays he PR’d in the 100-meter dash in High School Division I with a time of 10.41, taking second place in the finals.
Emanuel Galdino, Stratford
The big year for the Iowa State-signee Emanuel Galdino continued this past weekend. Galdino clocked a time of 4:08.10 in the 1600-meter race, which is a new personal record for him. He took second place overall with that time. It is a new school record as well and he holds the No. 2 time in Texas and No. 5 time in the United States after that race.
Matthew Rueff, Seven Lakes - Rueff won the shot-put final with a throw of 19.07 meters (62-feet-6 3/4 inches). He then took fourth in the discus with a toss of 54.16 meter. He is signed with Auburn University.
Matthew Rueff wins Texas Relays today 62’ 6 3/4” Way to go Rueff! @SpartanTrack_XC @AuburnThrows pic.twitter.com/VHBHUHT9wu
— Seven Lakes XC/TF (@SpartanTrack_XC) March 26, 2022
Aaron Davis, Summer Creek - Davis launched himself 7.32 meters to win the long jump final.
Lauren Schmitt, Seven Lakes - Schmitt cleared 3.90 meters in the pole vault event for High School Section B.
Jade Johnson, Summer Creek - Johnson reached 12.89 meters on the triple jump, which is a personal record, to win the event.
Quinn Calhoun, Cypress Woods - Calhoun finished tied for fourth in the High School Section A pole vault event. She cleared 13-feet-7.25 inches, which is a personal ecord, broke the schools record and set a new Cy-Fair ISD record in the event.
At Texas Relays @QuinncalhounP PR’d, breaks the SCHOOL RECORD and sets a new CFISD RECORD with a vault of 13’ 7.25”! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🎊🎊🎊@CyWood_Boosters @CW_Athletics @CyWoods212 pic.twitter.com/nhZl4408J3
— Cy Woods Girls Track & Field (@cwhsgirlstrack) March 26, 2022
Relay Standouts
- Seven Lakes women took first in the 4x100-meter relay in High School Division II. They clocked a time of 45.78. It was a combo of Brooke Jackson, Alyssa Tate, Avary Catchings and Haley Tate. They won the prelims as well, beating out DeSoto. Then, they took gold in the 4x200-meter relay as well, beating out Shadow Creek and DeSoto with a time of 1:35.81.
- Kinkaid men in the 4x100-meter relay beat out Bellville for the High School Division I title with a time of 42.14. It was Dillon and Michah Bell, Cameron Henry and Tobe Nwabudike on the relay.
- Fort Bend Christian Academy women took first in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:41.79, defeating Dallas Carter and Life Waxahachie for the title. In the relay it was Brooke Coleman, Angel Nwodu, Gabrielle Washington, and Bayleigh Minor. They also took 3rd in the 4x100-meter relay (48.04 - school record) and second in the 4x400-meter relay. Their prelim marks of 1:41.09 in the 4x200 and 3:53.40 in the 4x400 were also school records.
6 races in 2 days…NO PROBLEM for these girls + 3 NEW SCHOOL RECORDS at the Texas Relays.
1st place- 4x200 🥇 (1:41.09) prelims
2nd place- 4x400 🥈 (3:53.40) prelims
3rd place- 4x100 🥉 (48.04) @FBCAathletics @vypehouston @TTFCA @TXMileSplit @TXPSPodcast pic.twitter.com/yOKmIXpLrQ
— FBCA Track and Field (@FBTrackField) March 27, 2022
- Shadow Creek men took second in the 4x200-meter relay with a time of 1:24.68, finishing just behind Duncanville. The Sharks team was made up of Tyriq Brunn, Chase Roberts, Michael Strange and Isaac Henderson
- The defending Class 6A State Champions Summer Creek Bulldogs are back again. In the 4x400-meter relay, Summer Creek took first with a time of 3:09.92. It is a senior group of Malcolm Washington, Dylan Jacobs, Blake Gibson and Darius Rainey that ran the time to win.