Pennye leads Logos’ upgrade to 11-man
Darwin Pennye has been a successful football coach over the last decade so it should be no surprise he is one of the people leading Logos Preparatory Academy into a brand new world on the gridiron. Logos Prep, which is based in Sugar Land, will move up from playing 6-man football to 11-man for the 2016 season. It is the first time the small school will play 11-man.
Pennye became the school’s athletic director before the school year began. The former Bay Area Christian School coach agreed with all of the steps the school took before he got there to transition to the 11-man game in 2016.
Logos Prep has grown steadily every year since it opened in 2006. In the early years it was necessary to play 6-man. Now there are more boys in the school and more interest in general, Pennye said it is time to take the next step.
“We want to give everybody an opportunity to showcase their talent,” Pennye said. “With the number of kids we had playing 6-man there are a lot of kids whose opportunities are limited.”
The team had 29 players last fall. That number is expected to grow based on the numbers the school had at the junior high level.
Having 11-man also could help make the difference in kids wanting to attend the school.
“We don’t want to play football just to play football,” Pennye said. “Having 11-man adds to the legitimacy of our overall athletic program.”
The school has been placed in a nine-team district within TAPPS Division III. Pennye said he hopes Logos Prep can play most of its games at Fort Bend ISD’s Old Kempner Stadium, like it has been for more than five years. Marquee match-up
When Bush plays host to Elkins on Friday night sole possession of first place in District 23-5A could be on the line. There might be something else at stake, too.
The state’s No. 1 ranking in Class 5A. Elkins (22-1, 5-0) enters this week ranked No. 1 in Texas. Bush (16-6, 5-0) is ranked No. 3. The teams tip off at 7 p.m. Friday at Bush. Big week for Travis boys
Travis sits alone atop the basketball standings in District 23-6A and began this week with a grand opportunity to put a stranglehold on the race for the district championship. The Tigers (20-3, 8-0) were scheduled to play secondplace Hightower on Tuesday.
On Friday they will face third-place Fort Bend Austin. A win in both games would give Travis a twogame lead on Hightower with six games remaining in the regular season. Falcons flying
The Kinkaid swimming and diving program hasn’t been much of a factor in the Southwest Preparatory Conference lately, but that could change very soon.
Kinkaid head coach Erica Meyer has her strongest team in years – particularly on the girls’ side. “We have a lot of talent and depth,” Meyer said. “We have some outstanding kids who have been in our middle school program and now they’re moving up. It’s really changed the make-up of our team.”
That could shake up things at the SPC meet coming up Saturday, Feb. 13, at the Conroe ISD Natatorium in Shenandoah. While Dallas Hockaday, John Cooper and St. John’s rate as the favorites, Kinkaid’s girls could fight for a spot on the podium.
“I think top four is realistic, maybe higher if things go our way,” Meyer said.
The Falcons’ recent results have been encouraging, with Kinkaid’s girls taking third place at Bellaire’s Cardinal Classic and the St. John’s Invitational, both at the Lamar Natatorium.
The reason for the surge: the emergence of several fantastic freshmen.
Audrey Orange might be the best of Kinkaid’s celebrated ninth-grade class. Orange, a standout agegroup swimmer, is a medal contender in any event she swims. Meyer is narrowing down her list of possible races to the 50- and 100-yard freestyle or the 100-yard breaststroke.
“It’s not going to be an easy decision. Audrey is so good at everything,” Meyer said. “Audrey is undefeated in a couple of events and she’ll be tough to beat at SPCs.”
May Moorefield, another freshman, has been equally impressive. The versatile Moorefield is an dangerous freestyler, but she also excels in the 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley.
Other notable freshmen include Emily Moak (freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke), Ellie Lucke (50 and 100 freestyle) and Helena Johnson (100 and 200 freestyle).
With so many newcomers, Kinkaid also relies heavily on the leadership of senior captain Madison Franzina, one of the Falcons’ top sprint freestylers.
Kinkaid’s girls should easily surpass last year’s seventh-place SPC finish. In another year, they could be in title contention.
As for the boys, Kinkaid simply doesn’t have the numbers, but there is no shortage of quality.
Senior Nicholas Fernandez is back after finishing second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 200 freestyle a year ago. Fernandez, though, may add the 200 individual medley to his program.
“Nicholas is probably the best male swimmer we’ve had at Kinkaid in around five or six years,” Meyer said. “He has chance to win a couple of gold medals.” Other Falcons who could contribute to Kinkaid’s point tally are senior captain Reagor Wagnon (200 and 500 freestyle), junior William Gage (freestyle, 100 butterfly) and sophomores Paul Thompson (100 butterfly, sprint freestyle) and William Miner (100 breaststroke).
With the SPC meet coming up next month, there’s still time for the Falcons to figure out their relays and individual swimmers. Next up for Kinkaid is the Houston Area Private and Parochial Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 23, at Spring Branch’s W.W. Emmons Natatorium. Title hunt
The Kinkaid boys soccer team plans to contend for the SPC crown this season, but the Falcons must overcome the loss of their best player.
Senior forward/midfielder Demian Gass went down with a torn medial collateral ligament, leaving Kinkaid without its main offensive weapon.
“I don’t know how it’s going to affect us,” said Kinkaid head coach Curt Brooks. “Demian is such a vital part of the team. Losing him was a huge blow to everyone.”
Without Gass, Kinkaid fell to rival Episcopal 2-0 last week. However, the Falcons blanked San Antonio St. Mary’s Hall 6-0 to run their record to 6-3-2 overall and 1-1 in the South Zone.
Even with the loss to the Knights, there’s still plenty at stake the rest of the way for Kinkaid.
“Our goal is to get to the (SPC) tournament,” Brooks said. “Once we’re there, anything can happen.”
Kinkaid has done well in the postseason in recent years and this season should be no different. The Falcons are athletic and as speedy as ever.
Gass’ absence has left junior Willy DuCharme as the lone forward in the line-up.
Senior Josh Raizner anchors a gifted midfield that includes senior Cole Green, junior Phin Sprague, sophomore Zachary Lewitton and freshman Becket Toussaint.
“Our midfielders are exceptional,” Brooks said.
The defense is stingy, with seniors Brendan Martin, Hobbes Reynolds and Paolo Silva joining forces with junior Jon Hopkins. Kinkaid also has a quality goalkeeper in senior Jack Schuette.
Kinkaid, which edged Austin St. Stephen’s 1-0 a few weeks ago, will host Austin St. Andrew’s at 5:45 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, at Segal Field, a game rescheduled because of the weather. Corey Roepken is a freelance writer. He can be reached at croepken@gmail.com and twitter.com/ripsports.