HIGH SCHOOLS
Revisit the top stories of 2017 in various sports around the greater Houston area.
1Cy-Fair — and all of greater Houston — had to wait until the last game of the state championships in Arlington, but it was worth it. The Bobcats brought home the 6A Division II title with a thoroughly convincing 51-35 win over Waco Midway at AT&T Stadium, giving the ages-old campus — erected in 1941 during the New Deal era of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency — its first football crown. More amazingly, the title was the first for all of CyFair ISD football, despite the district building 11 high schools since Cy-Fair first opened its doors. The Bobcats, who finished a perfect 15-0, led 44-7 going into the fourth quarter, scoring 24 points off four Midway turnovers, and held the Panthers, who scored 28 in the fourth to make the game look closer than it was, to two yards on 18 rushes. Running back Trenton Kennedy was named Offensive MVP after rushing for 120 yards and three touchdowns, and linebacker Patrick Atkinson, an Air Force pledge who supplied two sacks, took home Defensive MVP honors.
Cy Falls spirit on the rise 2
The 2017 calendar year was unforgettable for Cy-Fair ISD, which also saw Cypress Falls secure its first state championship in boys basketball — and the first for a Cy-Fair ISD school in more than four decades — with a 63-57 win over San Antonio Wagner on March 11 in San Antonio. The Golden Eagles, who went 35-3, started their run with the school district’s first undefeated district championship, ousted elite powers Travis, Sam Houston, Atascocita and Bush to reach their first state tournament, and then outlasted defensive-minded Dallas Skyline 46-43 in three overtimes in the semifinals. Trajan Wesley scored a team-high 20 points in the final, going 14-of-18 from the free-throw line, and Nigel Hawkins added 18 points.
Mavs, Scots collide in epic state final 3
Manvel came up heartbreakingly short in its championship bid, falling 53-49 to Highland Park in a 5A Division I final that was an instant classic. The Mavericks led 49-39 with 6:27 remaining after Kam Scott’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, but the Scots, led by quarterback John Stephen Jones – grandson of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones – rallied for two TDs in the final 2:06. Jalen Preston finished with 220 yards and three TDs on five receptions – and came up one yard short of supplying the game-winner as time expired – and QB Kason Martin, the coach’s son who delivered an impassioned speech to his teammates after the loss, threw for 483 yards and five scores.
Cypress Christian shines in TAPPS 4
Cypress shined again in TAPPS football, with Cypress Christian clinching its first state championship with a 68-34 win over McKinney Christian in the Division III final at Panther Stadium in Hewitt. The Warriors are only the fourth Houston-area 11-man team to win a TAPPS title since 2004. Prolific senior QB Joshua Holl led the way with a masterful performance when it mattered most, completing 15 of 25 passes for 394 yards and six touchdowns — giving him 51 TD passes on the season.
Deer Park squads dominate diamond 5
Deer Park sent its baseball and softball teams to the 6A state tournament in June. The girls made it to Round Rock for the fourth time in six years after sweeping top-ranked Katy 4-3, 6-5 in the regional finals but fell short of a third title after losing to Keller in the semis. The boys, who played at state for the first time in 27 years, claimed their first state championship with wins over Southlake Carroll (3-2) and San Antonio Reagan (7-2).
Manvel’s case isn’t empty 6
Manvel’s football team didn’t bring home the trophy, but its track and field team did last spring, joining The Woodlands as Houston-area champions in the UIL’s highest classes. The Mavericks, with major help from Scott, claimed the 5A championship for their second Jordan Phillips (17) and his Deer Park teammates had lots to clebrate as they captured their first state baseball championship. Jerry Baker
state title in three years, and the Highlanders held off George Ranch in 6A for their second championship, and first in 18 years.
Highlanders keep it cruising 7
The Woodlands carried its spring success into the fall, securing the 6A cross country championship for its third straight state title, and record 20th overall, by drawing inspiration from fallen teammate Tanner Noble, who died in July after collapsing during a mountain biking trip in Montana. Gavin Hoffpauir led the way, finishing second individually with a time of 15 minutes, 8.84 seconds.
Girls power cross country success 8
Montgomery junior Halena Rahmaan won the 6A girls individual title, taking the title with a 17:16.30. Rahmaan also swept the district and regional titles on the way to Round Rock. East Bernard, led by Mackensi Muzik (12:31.86) added a state championship in 3A girls cross country, clinching the crown with 79 points.
Wong captures SPC golf crown 9
The John Cooper School star in the making Ben Wong, 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 10
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 teams also met in the district and regional finals.