GAMES
RANKINGS
Photo by VYPE Media's Bradley Collier.
Undefeated SACS Has Bright Light To Follow In TCU Bound Senior
One of the hottest high school baseball teams in Texas is San Antonio Christian School. The Lions recorded a 16-13 record and a TAPPS Division II regional final finish during the 2019 season, but their 15-0 start to the 2020 season has caught everybody by surprise. One of the players that has brought the program to new heights in the early weeks of the current campaign is 2020 TCU commit Dylan Bright.
"As a senior captain for SACS, my role is to help teach the underclassmen and to lead by example to everyone else on how to have fun, but also work hard," said Bright.
The pitcher and outfielder understands his role on the team, but also knows that it takes a team effort to surge to a start like that.
"We have had such a hot start because of the depth we have in pitching this year and that our lineup as a whole is executing our game plan very well," said Bright. "Now, everyone expects that we perform as well as we have started and continue our hot streak all the way through May."
Bright knows his days at San Antonio Christian School are numbered, so he's making the most of every moment to finish his final run on a high note.
"I would describe myself as a hard worker in practice who does everything with intent, and my goal is to always compete while I'm on the mound or in the game," he said. "To finish my high school season, I want nothing less than the state tournament."
After high school graduation, Bright will take the next step of his baseball career by suiting up for the TCU Horned Frogs. This was an opportunity that he couldn't pass up.
"The offer came in mid-June of this past summer following the Area Code event and I was amazed that I had received interest, let alone an offer from TCU, and was buzzing with excitement," he said. "I'm looking forward to playing at TCU because of the opportunity to be a part of one of the most successful programs in Texas over the last decade and to be able to further improve my game with the coaching there. I knew it was the right fit for me because it has always been a top three school of mine, and then I took my official visit and loved it."
For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) and VYPE (@VYPESATX) on Twitter.
Looking to get more involved? Check out ShopVYPE for fresh gear that supports local schools and the VYPE U Ambassador Program. To sign up for the VYPE U Program, apply at VYPEU.com.
Photo by VYPE Media's Bradley Collier.
For Howard & Kelly, Latest Duncanville State Championship Means A Little Bit More
It didn't matter if Duncanville faced Cypress Creek star Rori Harmon in Saturday's UIL 6A girls basketball state championship game. The Pantherettes were on a mission to top their 26th UIL state final four appearance with their 11th state title in the sport.
Harmon, who missed Friday's state semifinal against McKinney because she broke a team rule, was also not available for Saturday's title game. Duncanville's motivated coaching staff and players definitely took advantage and rolled to a 63-47 victory at San Antonio's Alamodome.
"That one was for my mother," said Duncanville coach LaJeanna Howard. "I started this journey. I came down here last year and I started it for her when she passed away and I finished it this year in my first year where she sacrificed and made sure that I had a great education at Duncanville. To be able to finish it right here at home is amazing."
Donna Howard, who passed away on September 14th, 2018, may have missed the day when her daughter was announced as Duncanville's head coach on April 24th, 2019, but LaJeanna Howard still made sure to include her in the journey.
Along with this, Howard was competing to win Duncanville a state championship as the program's head coach. She pulled it off, so now she owns state crowns from three different Pantherette roles: basketball player, assistant coach and head coach.
"It's a totally different drive when you're in the driver's seat," Howard said of how her latest run compares to the others. "Making decisions and instilling values in girls and you're the head of it. To be able to push these girls day in and day out, keep them motivated, even through some of our district play that wasn't as strong, it's a time where you as the coach have to step up and you have to say, 'girls, we can do this'."
In terms of how the game actually played out. Duncanville battled with Cypress Creek early and only led 34-30 with 6:38 left in the third quarter. But, the Pantherettes turned on the gas and pulled away in the final quarter and a half of the game. One of the players they turned to was VYPE Player of the Game Deja Kelly, who finished with a team-high 23 points. She transferred from San Antonio Johnson before the 2018-2019 season, so she'll remember this homecoming performance for years to come.
"Extremely special," said Kelly. "Some of my friends from Johnson came to support me tonight. I still love them. But, to win it in San Antonio is just a different type of feeling."
VYPE Player of the Game Deja Kelly’s 23pts led Duncanville to 63-47 UIL 6A state championship win against Cypress C… https://t.co/LnBwILYM0v— VYPE DFW (@VYPE DFW) 1583646035.0
Duncanville also got 13 points from Tristen Taylor and 12 from Zaria Rufus, while Cypress Creek was led in scoring by Kyndall Hunter's game-high 24 points.
For more sports coverage, follow Thomas (@Texan8thGen) on Twitter.
Looking to get more involved? Check out ShopVYPE for fresh gear that supports local schools and the VYPE U Ambassador Program. To sign up for the VYPE U Program, apply at VYPEU.com.