Five FBISD players honored for play
Five Fort Bend ISD baseball players have been recognized by the Texas Sports Writers Association for their performances during the 2016 high school season.
Kempner and Fort Bend Travis had two honorees apiece, while Ridge Point had one.
Travis junior Wes Faison was named to the Class 6A second team. The first baseman had a .463 batting average with four home runs among 15 extrabase hits and 28 RBIs in 31 games.
Travis junior Cole Turney added to his District MVP honors with thirdteam honors from the TSWA. The outfielder hit .344 with six home runs and 28 RBI.
Kempner’s Alec Carr and Simeon Woods-Richardson earned honorable mention status. Carr had a .364 batting average with 26 RBI. He also stole 20 bases and was never thrown out.
Woods-Richardson burst onto the scene as the best pitcher in the district. He had a 7-1 record with a 0.34 ERA. He struck out 102 and walked 13 in 62 innings.
Ridge Point pitcher Carter Fronk earned 5A honorable mention status. A Trinity University signee, Fronk had a 1.40 ERA with 74 strikeouts and 18 walks in 59 innings. He finished with an 8-1 record to help the Panthers win the 23-5A title. Tourney action
With the UIL volleyball season underway this week, teams all around the state are taking advantage of the first weekend to get in lots of games via tournaments.
George Ranch and Foster will represent Lamar Consolidated ISD at the Adidas Texas Invitational hosted by Pearland ISD. George Ranch has been awared the No. 18 seed in the 80-team field and will take on Prosper, Manvel and Rockwall in pool play. Foster will face Waco Midway, Clear Springs and Flower Mound Marcus in pool play.
Ridge Point is Fort Bend ISD’s lone representative in the prestigious tournament. The Lady Panthers will take on Allen, Magnolia West and Tomball Concordia Lutheran in pool play.
Six Fort Bend ISD teams will take on the field at the Nike Invitational hosted by Cy-Fair ISD and Katy ISD. Austin, Bush, Clements, Dulles, Kempner and Travis all begin pool play on Thursday. Falcons in flight
Kinkaid claimed its last Southwest Preparatory Conference girls volleyball championship in 1991 and new head coach John Leonard is eager to end the Falcons’ 25-year drought.
“We’re celebrating the silver anniversary of our last title. That’s a really long wait,” Leonard said. “My message to the girls is, ‘Why not us?’ There’s no reason we can’t win the SPC this year.”
A 27-year coaching veteran, Leonard knows what it takes to build a winner. He was the head coach at public school Mont Belvieu Barbers Hill from 2001-13, serving up numerous district titles and leading the Eagles to the Class 3A state finals in 2004.
Leonard briefly contemplated retirement. After spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Kinkaid, he took over as head coach when his predecessor Jennifer Peyton left the Falcons for St. Agnes, her alma mater.
“Being the head coach here wasn’t something I aspired to, but, when Jennifer left, they needed someone to take the job and they thought I was the right person,” Leonard said. “I’ve been doing this for a while and I still enjoy it.”
Leonard believes Kinkaid, which placed fifth in the SPC a year ago, possesses the talent to be a legitimate title contender, although the Falcons are unproven in some spots.
“We played five or six freshmen on the varsity last year. A couple of them aren’t with us anymore, but we’re still young,” Leonard said. “We have some new players who need to step up.”
Among the veterans are sisters Chinaza and Onuchi Ndee, both returning all-conference performers.
Chinaza Ndee, a 6-foot-1 senior, is a standout outside hitter for Kinkaid. The elder Ndee, who committed early to the University of Pittsburgh, is known for her pure power.
“Chinaza can knock the air of the ball,” Leonard said. “When she connects, it’s probably not coming back across the net.”
Onuchi Ndee, a 5-11 sophomore, is the Falcons’ best middle blocker and one of their most explosive players.
“Onuchi is so quick and can really fly,” Leonard said. “She also has a 24inch vertical. She can jump out the gym.”
The Ndee sisters are surrounded by a solid supporting cast, which is the reason for Leonard’s optimism.
“We’re trying not to focus on one dominant hitter or a couple of players,” he said. “For us to be successful, we have to be a complete team.”
Joining Onuchi Ndee at the other middle blocker position is 5-10 sophomore Madi Malouf, another versatile athlete.
“Madi came to us as a freshman and played volleyball, basketball and competed in varsity track and field,” Leonard said. “Madi is already a very good player, but it’s exciting to think what she’ll become when he’s 17 or 18 years old.”
Aside from Chinaza Ndee, Kinkaid has several newcomers at outside hitter – 5-7 sophomore Avery Looser, 5-6 sophomore Morgan Parker and 5-9 freshman Anna Van Os.
“They’re very coachable and absorb everything you tell them,” Leonard said.
Kinkaid only had a handful of practices before its opener against Tomball Concordia Lutheran earlier this week. However, the Falcons will be tested at Pearland’s Adidas Texas Invitational, which runs Thursday, Aug. 11, through Saturday, Aug. 13.
— Jeff Jenkins