HIGH SCHOOLS
Recently completed school year included no lack of championships
Highlights from a memorable 2016-17 season around Houston.
New New Caney ISD
New Caney’s often overlooked football teams took turns turning heads during the 2016 campaign. The Porter Spartans, who’d never won more than three games and had only five wins in the previous four seasons combined, sparked the conversation early, starting 7-0 under new coach Jim Holley en route to their first playoff appearance. That start included a 37-34 overtime upset of a state-ranked Crosby team in district play. But after falling to New Caney in front of a capacity crowd Oct. 28 at Texan Drive Stadium, the Spartans handed the baton to their rivals, who claimed a share of the district championship en route to their first playoff trip in 13 years — and first playoff victory. The Eagles were 0-8 in playoff games heading into a bi-district showdown with Beaumont Central, which they beat 31-28 on Jason Gonzalez’s 26-yard field goal in the third overtime.
Passing fancy
St. Pius X quarterback Grant Gunnell and Magnolia QB Jacob Frazier added their names to the Texas high school football record book in 2016. Gunnell threw for 4,973 yards, which ranks fifth all-time for singleseason passing yards — ahead of the best seasons by Garrett Gilbert, Graham Harrell and Kyler Murray — and he did it in 12 games, averaging 414.4 yards per game. State recordholder Nick Gerber averaged 401.2 yards per outing, also in 2016, en route to 5,617 yards in 14 contests, and the other three players ahead of Gunnell, who’s coming back for 2017, all played at least 15 games. Frazier tied a state record with 10 passing touchdowns in a 75-54 win over Tomball in which he also threw for 665 yards, which ranks fourth all-time.
48 and uh oh
The Oak Ridge volleyball team, led by All-Greater Houston volleyball player of the year Carly Graham, was the class of Houston area volleyball teams in 2016, winning an incredible 48 consecutive matches before suffering their first setback in the state semifinals. The War Eagles beat The Woodlands in the regional finals for the second straight year before falling to eventual Class 6A champion Carrollton Hebron in the semis. Graham, a setter who’s verbally committed to Rice, finished with 1,416 assists, 483 digs and 307 kills, and the best part for Oak Ridge is she’s coming back for more.
Falls’ Eagles are golden
The Cypress Falls boys basketball team turned in a run for the ages. They finished the regular season as the first undefeated district champion in Cy-Fair ISD boys basketball history, and that was only the warmup. They ousted elite teams from Travis, Sam Houston, Atascocita and Bush to reach the state tournament for the first time, survived Dallas Skyline in three OTs in the semis and beat San Antonio
Wagner 63-57 for their first state championship — and the first state title for any Cy-Fair ISD boys basketball team in 46 years.
Forest’s Eagles soar to 34-0
The Klein Forest boys basketball squad stole the headlines during their perfect regular season. Led by Houston signee Cedrick Alley, the War Eagles entered the playoffs at 30-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state, then reached 34-0 with wins over Nimitz, Round Rock Cedar Ridge, Westfield and Dallas Jesuit before falling to Skyline 33-29 in the 6A Region II final.
The Woodlands, Manvel win titles
The Houston area secured the boys team titles in the highest UIL classes at the state track and field meet, with The Woodlands winning the 6A championship and Manvel claiming the 5A crown. The Highlanders held off secondplace George Ranch for their second state title and first since 1999, and the Mavericks claimed their second title in three years.
Wong wins SPC golf title
The John Cooper School star-in-the-making Ben Wong, a junior who teamed with Frankie Capan to win the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship on May 31 at Pinehurst, set a Southwest Preparatory Conference record with a two-day 134, shattering the old record by three strokes, en route to winning the individual boys golf state championship.
Memorial boys double down
Juniors Andrew Esses and Artur Zigman kept Memorial tennis on top in boys doubles, securing the program’s fourth boys doubles state championship in five years with a win over teammates Benjamin Westwick and Anthony Huynh in the 6A final. The two Mustangs teams also met in the district and regional finals.
Deer softball returns to state
The Deer Park softball team clinched its fourth trip to the state tournament in six years after completing a run through the 6A Region III playoffs on the same field where their seniors graduated, sweeping 6A No. 1 Katy 4-3, 6-5. But the Deer fell short of a third title after losing to Keller in the semifinals.
Deer baseball title caps season
The Deer Park baseball team picked up the softball squad — and put an exclamation point on the 2016-17 high school season — by finishing as first-time state champs with wins over Southlake Carroll (3-2) and San Antonio Reagan (7-2) in their first trip to state in 27 years.
Jason McDaniel is a Texas Sports Nation contributor.