The Village School; Kinkaid tops in TAPPS and SPC girls' hoops

Nov 07, 2019

The Village School is loaded

By Bradley Collier

Kinkaid has continued to be the queens of this city.

Last year, for the third-straight season, Kinkaid took home the SPC Championship. The Falcons have some pieces to replace but should be considered a contender for that title again.

Moving over to TAPPS. The Village School reached the 6A title game but fell short; Second Baptist reached the state semifinals in 5A; Lutheran North played for a state title in 4A and Rosehill Christian reached the state semis in 3A.

So, several teams came close to the ultimate prize last season, but who could finish it off this year?

Kinkaid is the queen of SPC

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VYPE's PRESEASON TOP 5 GIRLS' PRIVATE SCHOOL RANKINGS

1. The Village School

2. Lutheran North

3. Second Baptist

4. Kinkaid

5. Duchesne Academy

Others to Watch: Frassati Catholic, Houston Christian, Fort Bend Christian Academy

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No. 1 The Village School

One win. That's all that separated The Village School from a state title last season, falling short to Dallas Bishop Lynch, 81-62, in the TAPPS 6A State Championship. Doug Brotherton enters year eight (154-64) at the helm of the Vikings' program and has some firepower back. It all starts with Jada Malone. The junior is currently the 36th-best 2021 prospect in the country, according to ESPN.com. The four-star recruit was selected to the TAPPS first-team, all-state squad after averaging 22.3 points and 11 rebounds per game last year. Other key returners include Tymberlin Criswell (12 points, 5 assists) and Aiken Semones (13 points, most 3-pointers in state made, shot 40-percent). Sydney Ward and Emily Dogbatse (a transfer from Klein Collins) will also be ones to watch. A newcomer to the high school scene will be Rylee Grays, who is considered among the best freshmen in the country, making ESPN's watchlist. On paper, the Village School looks like it has gotten even better than last year, which is scary for the state

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No. 2 Lutheran North Lions

Lutheran North reached the final game of the bracket last season. The Lions fell short to Lubbock Trinity Christian, 72-34, and finished with a 15-9 record. Lutheran North heads into this year seeking its eighth-straight trip to the playoffs and trying to get back to that coveted title game. The Lions do look to be in good shape to get back into the playoff picture with four starters returning. Amongst that group is TAPPS first-team, all-state selection Jaelyn Compton. Last year, Compton averaged 10.9 points and 2.3 rebounds per game. Another top returner is Geonna Waddell – a TAPPS second- team, all-state pick – who averaged 8.8 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. Other key returners include all-state, honorable mention Madeline Stephens (5.8 points, 11.2 rebounds) and first-team, all-district selections Elena Martens (2.9 points, 1.8 rebounds) and Kaitlyn Alexander (5.2 points and 8 rebounds). John Slomcheck enters his ninth season at the helm of the Lions' program and has a 172-71 career mark. The Lions won the title three years ago.

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No. 3 Second Baptist Eagles
The Second Baptist School was a victory away from playing for a TAPPS 5A State Championship a year ago. The Eagles finished the year 27-7 overall, going 13-0 in District 7-5A, and in the end fell to San Antonio Christian 59-45. The Eagles led by John Herndon should be able to contend again for a district title and a deep playoff run when it's all said and done. The Eagles bring back a pair of TAPPS all-state selections in Mary Hardin Baylor-commit Kaitlyn Kollmorgen (first-team, all-state) and Victoria Ryan (second-team, all-state). Kollmorgen averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds per game, while Ryan scored 18 a night. Also, returning are second-team all-district selections Emily Blackmon and Caroline Torn. That is a solid senior class returning with hopes of a deep run in the postseason. The Eagles are bona fide TAPPS state favorites.

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No. 4 Kinkaid Falcons
Here come the SPC champions! Not just defending, but back-to-back-to-back defending SPC champs. Kinkaid has owned girls' basketball over the past few years. Gone are the talents of Onuchi Ndee, the Cozby sisters and Kate Petrovic. So, who steps up to take over that coveted senior leadership role? Nakeeya McCardell will be the first place to look. McCardell, who is verbally committed to play lacrosse at Oregon, will lead this group after averaging 10 points, five rebounds and six steals per game a year ago. McCardell will be joined by Trinity Curry, who averaged nine points and six rebounds per game. Heading into this season, Kinkaid coach Stacey Marshall is inching closer to a career milestone. The 16th-year coach with her 20th win of this season will reach victory No. 400 of her illustrious career. Marshall enters this year with a 380-124 mark. Keys to success to this season Marshall said include senior leadership, guard play, defense and rebounding, Marshall said.

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5. Duchesne Academy Chargers

Duchesne Academy heads into the 2019-2020 campaign looking to piece together another run at the playoffs. The Chargers enter this year seeking their sixth-straight playoff appearance. As coach Alye Inman, who enters her fourth season (37-44), examines her roster for this year, there has to be some excitement in the air with five starters returning. Leading the group will be Catherine "CeeCee" Van Pelt, who averaged 16.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and four assists a year ago. Van Pelt earned TAPPS second-team, all-state honors along with a first-team, all-district nod. Another key returner to watch is first-team, all-district selection Annette Clark (7.3 points, 10 rebounds, 2.2 blocks). Also returning are second-team, all-district selections Meta Sapien (9.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists) and Aleyna Ozcelik (6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists).

Want a copy of the VYPE 2019-20 Basketball Preview Sent to you? Click here to go to SHOPVYPE.com

The ‘Perfect Fit’ for London Culbreath

It was a nerve-racking time for McKinney ISD's most decorated athlete. As classmates, parents and staff all around the McKinney North campus were watching fellow athletes announce their intentions on where they would take their talents to for the next four years, over in room G114, Jessica Richards, the cross country and girls track and field head coach, along with London Culbreath and her family were hurriedly trying to set up the room.

Trying to figure out what table cover would hide a blanket the best above a table with a bunch of school swag. Setting up pennants along the front of another table – going Baylor, Arkansas, Baylor, Arkansas. Setting up a logo cake at the back. Checking to make sure the McKinney North-themed balloons were aligned just right, and lastly making sure the reveal clothing was fully tucked under thick, heavy winter jackets.

Momma Culbreath definitely feeling every degree of 72 in the room: "It is hot in here," she said with a smirk and fanning herself.

As the minutes ticked down, anxious classmates and parents tried entering the locked door. Three-fifteen passed by and the attempts grew more frequently.

Finally, people were allowed into the room and the faint murmur outside in the hall engulfed the classroom. One by one, London greeted friends with hugs and laughter as she anxiously awaited her time to make her announcement.

The nerves definitely got to Culbreath as after a minute of thanking everyone, she forgot the script she wanted to go with – all with the vibrant smile and charm people around the school and program have known her for.

It came down to two programs for London: Baylor or Arkansas. And it wasn't easy for her to decide – it never is if you ask any athlete deciding on where to spend the next four years of their lives.

"Either one would be a great fit," she said. "But there's always a perfect fit."

And from there, London unzipped her black jumper jacket, revealing an Arkansas Razorbacks cardinal hoodie to the delight of in attendance, regardless of which school they thought she was going to pick.

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"I really just wanted a program that was challenging. I wanted a strong culture of really strong women. They're always up there in the NCAAs, and I thought that would be so amazing to be a part of such a strong team. I really loved Coach [Lance] Harter and the campus," Culbreath said.

It had been nearly a full week since London made her decision to go with Arkansas, something she said she wanted to have finished so she could strictly focus on State and take home her fourth straight UIL 5A Girls title.

Culbreath said she kept the inner-circle information very small, limiting those who knew of her choice to Coach Richards, her parents and her best friend. She also admitted having everyone ask her where she was going was tough to deal with, but she able to hold out.

Ultimately, Culbreath fell short of that four-peat, but her high school career is nothing short of 'amazing.'

"I feel really blessed to have all those accomplishments. I'm super excited to see what the future holds. I think at the college level, I'll be able to grow as an athlete so much more. With all these things I've accomplished, I'm just eager to see what else I have to unlock," Culbreath said.

Dealing with all that on-field pressure as well as navigating through the recruiting process was aided by Coach Richards, who has been there as a Division I athlete and help more than 10 other athletes get to this point.

"It's exciting to help her on the journey," Richards said. "There's nothing better than getting to [continue your athletic career] for the next four years. I'm excited for her to be in a program like Coach Harter's built around the girls that are in there. The atmosphere there, I think she'll excel even more than she already has, and be pushed."

The next chapter for Culbreath is the spring track and field season and finishing her career with a 'bang.' Coach Richards admitted there's an elephant in the room with how things finished at State, but the Culbreath and the team are going to take three weeks to rest and recoup.

"I think once she made this decision and once the season was over, it was kind of a double weight lifted. I think once we rest and regroup and we go back to the drawing board and figure out some things," Richards added.

The long-term goal for Culbreath is to make the most of her endeavors at Arkansas and parlay her existing accomplishments and skills into being a pro or Olympic athlete or maybe even a coach.

"They've had so many alumni that have run pro or in the Olympics – I never wanted to say 'what if' – and I felt at Arkansas, I could reach my full potential."

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Defense Shines Late As Weiss Earns 1st Playoff Win

Photo by VYPE Media's Bradley Collier.

On Friday, The Pfield in Pflugerville hosted a UIL 5A Division II bi-district football matchup that included two Austin area teams that didn't make the 2018 postseason. Pflugerville Weiss (9-2) bounced back from an 0-10 inaugural season record to earn a share of the 13-5A Division II title in 2019. It played a motivated Lockhart (6-5) squad that earned this year's 14-5A Division II three-seed after falling two wins short of the postseason in 2018.

The teams got off to a slow start on Friday, as evident by Pflugerville Weiss' turnover on downs at the 7:28 mark of the opening quarter and Lockhart's fumble at the 6:01 mark of the period, but the Wolves bounced back for a come-from-behind 24-14 win.

"It's a pretty emotional moment," Pflugerville Weiss coach Tommy Aultman said of his program's first playoff win. "I'm just so proud of these kids for buying in from the first day that we started in January of 2017. We told them all along if you just stick to the process, stick with us, stay coachable, be a good kid, do what we ask you to do [and] work hard that you're going to have a chance to do something special with this first senior class."

Lockhart took the game's first lead on Jayden Garza's touchdown at the 1:13 mark of the first quarter, but Pflugerville Weiss started to heat up in the second period. Its defense was attentive enough to force and recover a fumble on the same play its offense recorded an interception, and its offense later tied the score when Jeremiah Robinson hung on for a touchdown catch with 49 seconds left in the first half.

The momentum stayed on Pflugerville Weiss' side in the third quarter. The Wolves were successful on a field goal attempt that gave them a 10-7 lead with 8:20 left in the period. Their defense also forced its second fumble recovery at the 4:13 mark and VYPE Player of the Game Edric Whitley's first pick six made it a 17-7 game with 10 seconds left in the period.

Tay Andrews cut into the deficit with a touchdown at the seven-minute mark of the fourth quarter, and Lockhart's defense forced its second turnover on downs with 2:39 left in the game, but Whitley's second pick six at the 2:03 mark wrapped up Pflugerville Weiss' win.

"Our defense is the heart of this team," said Whitley. "So we dominated today, and here are the results."

Pflugerville Weiss now turns its attention to its next postseason test. The Wolves will travel to Corpus Christi ISD's Cabaniss Sports Complex for next Friday's UIL 5A Division II area round playoff game against 16-5A Division II's Sharyland Pioneer (10-1). Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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VYPE Houston's Football Scoreboard: Bi-District Round Results, Area matchups

The scores are rolling in, teams' seasons are coming to an end while others will get to practice for at least another week.

Being a 10-0 team hasn't fared well so far in the 2019 playoff picture. Fort Bend Travis saw its perfect season come to an end on Thursday with a 35-28 loss to Katy Tompkins. New Caney, which just wrapped up its fourth-straight district title a week ago, fell short to Foster on Friday, 31-21, ending its season.

Katy protected its perfect season as it dispatched Fort Bend Ridge Point on Friday with a 35-28 victory; Shadow Creek remained perfect with a 49-7 victory over Port Arthur Memorial; Cy-Fair moved to 11-0 with a 65-20 victory over Bellaire; Manvel continued its perfect march with a 49-14 win over Nederland and Huffman remained flawless with a 49-6 win over Furr on Thursday.

On the private school ranks, Second Baptist School stayed perfect with a 43-29 win over Brentwood Christian on Friday, while The Woodlands Christian Academy did the same with a 48-7 victory over San Marcos Christian.

So, that's a look at the teams that were perfect and remain perfect. What about the rest of the field, including who won and who and when they play next.

Class 6A Division I – Region III

Cy-Fair 65, Bellaire 20
Katy 35, Ridge Point 28
Area Round – Katy vs Cy-Fair – Friday, Nov. 22 at Tully Stadium - 7 pm

North Shore 54, Dobie 0
Pearland Dawson 38, Clear Springs 32
Area Round – North Shore vs Dawson – Friday, Nov. 22 at Pasadena Memorial Stadium - 7 pm

Cy Falls 27, Lamar 14
Tompkins 35, Fort Bend Travis 28
Area Round – Cy Falls vs Tompkins – Friday, Nov. 22 at Legacy Stadium - 7 p.m.

Atascocita 70, Deer Park 29
Dickinson 28, Pearland 23
Area Round – Atascocita vs Dickinson – Saturday, Nov. 23 at NRG Stadium - 2 p.m.

Class 6A Division I – Region II

Cypress Woods 42, Cedar Ridge 28
Spring vs The Woodlands – 11/16 – 2 p.m.
Area Round – Cy Woods vs Spring/The Woodlands

Cypress Ranch 38, Stony Point 24
Klein Oak vs MacArthur – 11/16-2 p.m.
Area Round – Cy Ranch vs Klein Oak/MacArthur

Class 6A Division II – Region III

Cypress Creek 41, Westside 21
Mayde Creek 27, Fort Bend Bush 21
Area Round – Cypress Creek vs Mayde Creek – Thursday, Nov. 21 – Pridgeon Stadium - 7 pm

West Brook 55, Kingwood 21
Strake Jesuit 48, Clear Creek 14
Area Round – West Brook vs Strake Jesuit – TBD

Memorial 20, Heights 9
Katy Taylor vs FB Elkins – 11/16 – 4 pm
Area Round – Memorial vs Katy Taylor/FB Elkins

George Ranch 49, Clear Falls 37
Humble vs C.E. King – 11/16 – 4 pm
Area Round – George Ranch vs Humble/CE King

Class 6A Division II – Region II

Tomball Memorial 49, Vista Ridge 43
Westfield 41, Klein Cain 15
Area Round – Tomball Memorial vs Westfield – TBD

Klein Collins 37, Dekaney 6
Vandergrift 14, Bridgeland 13
Area Round – Klein Collins vs Vandergrift – TBD

Class 5A Division I – Region III

Foster 31, New Caney 21
Georgetown 6, LBJ 3
Area Round – Foster vs Georgetown – TBD

Shadow Creek 49, Port Arthur Memorial 7
Hutto 35, Seguin 27
Area Round – Shadow Creek vs Hutto – Friday, Nov. 22 at Waller ISD Stadium - 7:30 p.m.

Cedar Park 49, McCallum 10
Friendswood 40, Kingwood Park 14
Area Round – Friendswood vs Cedar Park – Saturday, Nov. 23 at NRG Stadium – 6 p.m.

Manor 28, Dripping Springs 27
Porter vs FB Hightower – 11/16 – 1 p.m.
Area Round – Manor vs Porter/FB Hightower

Class 5A Division I – Region II

McKinney North 70, Magnolia West 36
Lancaster 44, The Colony 29
Area Round – McKinney North vs Lancaster – TBD

Magnolia 34, Poteet 14
Highland Park 33, Wakeland 10
Area Round – Highland Park vs Magnolia – Thursday, Nov. 21 – AT&T Stadium 7 p.m.

Class 5A Division II – Region III

Huntsville 35, Marshall 12
Crosby 70, FB WIllowridge 42
Area Round – Huntsville vs Crosby – TBD

A&M Consolidated 42, Pine Tree 14
FB Marshall 48, Port Neches-Groves 14
Area Round – A&M Consolidated vs FB Marshall – Friday, Nov. 22 at Pridgeon Stadium – 7 p.m.

Manvel 49, Nederland 14
Lamar Consolidated 48, Lindale 43
Area Round – Manvel vs Lamar Consolidated – Friday, Nov. 22 – Traylor Stadium TBD

Barbers Hill 42, Sterling 0
Whitehouse 35, Paetow 10
Area Round – Barbers Hill vs Whitehouse – TBD

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The Village School; Kinkaid tops in TAPPS and SPC girls' hoops

The ‘Perfect Fit’ for London Culbreath

Defense Shines Late As Weiss Earns 1st Playoff Win

VYPE Houston's Football Scoreboard: Bi-District Round Results, Area matchups

VYPE Louisiana Football Player of the Week Poll

Ridge Point, Cy-Fair set for Region III-6A Final

VYPE Houston's Football Scoreboard: Bi-District Round Results, Area matchups

Defense Shines Late As Weiss Earns 1st Playoff Win

The ‘Perfect Fit’ for London Culbreath

Defense Shines Late As Weiss Earns 1st Playoff Win

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