Symons has squad poised for regionals
Atascocita hoping to earn state berths in multiple events
The Atascocita boys finished third at the weatherdelayed Class 6A District 15-16 area meet Friday at Turner Stadium.
The Eagles scored 78 points to edge Kingwood by seven points.
The Woodlands boys won the meet with 104 points, followed by secondplace College Park with 90.
“The guys did a great job,” coach Todd Symons said. “Everything we wanted to accomplish we pretty much did.
“There’s not much more I could have asked of them.”
The meet originally was scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, then changed to one day Thursday, then one day Friday because of the flooding that left Klein ISD and Spring ISD out of school all week.
Symons said the uncertainly affected everyone’s preparation.
“It had an impact,” he said. “Some of the Spring kids and Klein kids didn’t get to practice all week, so there were some issues there. With our kids, there was just the inconsistency of when it was, what was going to happen, because we didn’t know everything, and it showed a little bit. But overall everybody did a great job.”
It could have been worse, too.
Flooding in and around Cy-Fair ISD forced the cancellation of the District 1718 meet, so instead of taking the top four finishers in each event in the area, the top two from each district moved on. “We were glad we got it in,” Symons said.
“The thing about it is, they used to take three out of district. If they would have only taken the top two, like they did in Cy-Fair, that changes everything.”
Senior Jace Comick led the Eagles with wins in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
The defending area champion in the 200 repeated with a time of 21.11 seconds and won the 100 with a 10.37.
“He’s getting faster and faster every week,” Symons said. “He’s very confident and he’s a great runner.”
Comick didn’t run the 100 last year because he was on two relays.
“He’s ranked No. 1 in the region in both (100 and 200),” Symons said.
“But there are some fast guys out there. There are three or four who are all 10.3, 10.4 guys, and Jace is 10.37 (in the 100), so he’s going to have to work hard to get it, but he’s got a shot.”
Steven Bradley Daboub placed second in the shot put (62 feet, 4½ inches), sending him to the regional meet.
The Woodlands’ Adrian Piperi with a 70-1½.
“Those two guys are sitting 1-2 in the region as well, so Bradley’s throwing great,” Symons said.
The Eagles also advanced Griffin Hammond, who won the long jump with 22 feet, sophomores Trevian Blaylock (triple jump) and Christian Gilmore (800), and their 400 relay, which took second. The Region II-6A meet is Friday and Saturday in Waco.
“We’ve got a lot of hope at regionals,” Symons said. Panthers prepped
Armando Tello spent the last six years as an assistant softball coach at St. Pius X. When the head coach job came open, Tello was the logical choice.
So far, it’s been a solid hire for the Panthers, who improved to 20-7 overall and 6-2 in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 5ADistrict 3 standings with a 6-1 victory over Beaumont Kelly.
While winning the league title might be a long shot, St. Pius X is headed to the TAPPS 5A softball playoffs, which get under way next week. Many see the Panthers as a legitimate threat to reach the TAPPS State Tournament, including Tello.
“We certainly have the talent,” Tello said. “We have some great seniors and we have some young ball players who are coming into their own.”
Senior Claire Stringfellow, a Colorado School of Mines signee, is one of the top pitchers in TAPPS. Whenever Stringfellow is on the mound, St. Pius X has a chance to win.
Senior Sabrina Salts, who is headed to East Texas Baptist University next season, powers the offense.
“Claire and Sabrina have been outstanding leaders,” Tello said. “They’re really taken the younger ones under their wing.”
Stringfellow and Salts joining returning players like left fielder Megan Metcalf and first baseman Kalista Murillo, both juniors.
Newcomers who have made an impact are a pair of freshmen, center fielder Haley Parks and shortstop Abbey McGee, as well as junior third baseman Rebecca Skouby, a move-in from Virginia.
St. Pius X will close league play at rival St. Agnes at 6 p.m. Friday, April 29, before turning its attention to the postseason.