Healing power of sports
If sports can truly heal tragedies, then Santa Fe provided a great setting to start the 2018 Texas high school football season.
The Indians hosted Dobie on Friday night.
Last May, the community was the setting of the deadliest school shooting in the state since 1966. Ten people were killed, and 13 others were wounded.
Santa Fe continues to heal, including the football players who are wearing decals that read “CS” and “RS” in honor of Chris Stone and Riley Garcia — two players who were killed in the shooting.
Normality at the high school has been revving up since early August with the volleyball team starting its season before the first day of school, among other aspects of campus life.
Football and the fall are connected at the hip and with the season under way, school spirit is fully permeating throughout the campus.
Opener a gathering of major recruits
Want big-time recruits? Then the Atascocita-Katy Taylor showdown might have been the place to be. It featured the area’s top Class of 2019 recruit and a Texas A&M commitment in offensive tackle Kenyon Green. Atascocita also has a fast-riser in freshman offensive tackle Kam Dewberry, who has a Baylor offer already
Katy Taylor isn’t hurting on the recruiting trail, either. Defensive end Braedon Mowry is one of the top seniors in the state. He’s also a Texas A&M pledge and went head to head with Green on Friday. There are more blue-chip recruits for Katy Taylor in offensive tackle and TCU commitment Andrew Coker plus Class of 2021 tackles Hayden Conner and Bryce Foster.
Atascocita earned the nondistrict bragging right with a 16-0 win.
Gunnell picks up where he left off
St. Pius X rolled over new school Beaumont United in a 55-21 win. St. Pius X quarterback Grant Gunnel threw for 358 yards and five touchdowns on 28 of 43 passing.
St. Pius X plays La Marque next week. The Arizona commitment nearly threw for 5,000 yards last year, and his numbers will be something to watching this year.
Causeway clash goes to Galveston Ball
While Tropical Storm Harvey put rivalries like St. Thomas Strake Jesuit on a one-year hiatus, it helped the Clash of the Causeway get back on.
Galveston Ball and La Marque weren’t playing each other with the enrollments of both schools on opposite ends of the scale.
Then last year, both of Galveston Ball and La Marque’s Week 1 opponents canceled due to the storms and the rivalry was back on.
Ball followed last year’s 32-13 win with a 34-14 win on Friday night. Martavian Jackson and Jaden Bennett connected twice for 62 and 68-yard touchdowns to pull away in the second half.
Clear Springs begins daunting task
Saturday’s schedule in the Houston-area is highlighted by the return of the Yates-Dallas Carter series at Delmar Stadium.
In San Antonio, however, is also a game worth keeping an eye on.
Clear Springs is on the road to face Converse Judson, which is ranked No. 5 in the Associated Press preseason poll.
It’s the first step in what may be the most difficult non-district schedule in the state.
Clear Springs faces Klein Collins next week and George Ranch and Katy afterward.
The Chargers’ non-district opponents’ combined record last year is 39-9.
Clear Springs head coach Craig
Dailey on the slate: “It’s definitely a tough schedule we put together, but we’re trying to build this thing going into Year 3.”