HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Boys
Hayde Key,
Ridge Point
Notable: After Cy-Fair’s Game 1 victory to open the Class 6A Region III quarterfinal series, Ridge Point responded in Game 2 with a 9-0 win behind Key’s 12-strikeout, one-hit shutout. Ridge Point rallied to win Game 3 and the series, clinching a berth in the regional semifinals against Atascocita.
What coach Clinton Welch said: “We obviously showed some resilience and some battle, but so did they. Cy-Fair is one of those programs that nobody wants to play because they’re scrappy, they play hard, they don’t give up, so it’s always tough. They’re a great, well-coached team. It’s a shame either team had to lose.”
Other nominees
Caleb Cannon, Atascocita: Cannon tossed a no-hitter with six strikeouts in Game 1 of a regional quarterfinal series against Clear Springs as the Eagles won 10-0 in five innings.
Carter Crookston, Clear Creek: Crookston won gold at the UIL state tennis championships in the 6A boys singles bracket, becoming the first boys singles state champion for the school since 1980.
Matt Thompson, Cypress Ranch: Thompson earned a win in Game 1 of the regional quarterfinal series against Round Rock, allowing three hits, three walks and one earned run with 12 strikouts in 62⁄3 innings. He was also 2-for-3 at the plate with a run, two RBIs and a triple in the Game 3 win.
Girls
Shelby Smith, Lutheran South
Notable: The senior Seton Hall commitment allowed three hits, no earned runs and struck out 18 in Lutheran South’s 6-2 win over Bullard Brook Hill in the Texas Association of Private Schools Division II championship game.
What Smith said: “We were a little off our game early, but then we came together about the third inning. I felt then we were going to make it happen. I’ve been at LSA since sixth grade and played softball in middle school. Winning state has always been an underlying goal. We never said that was our goal, but that’s what we wanted.” Other nominees
Aaliyah Garcia, Angleton: College Station produced eight baserunners but Garcia but didn’t waver in a 7-1 win in the 5A softball regional semifinals, tossing a no-hitter with eight strikeouts.
Kenedy Hines, Klein Collins: Hines was 2-for-4 with an RBI in a Game 1 comeback win in a regional quarterfinal series against Belton and also pitched seven innings, giving up three hits and two earned runs with 11 strikeouts. She added five strikeouts in three innings in a Game 2 win.
Allison Schwartz, Clear Springs: Schwartz was the only Houston-area girls singles competitor to make the semifinals at the UIL state tennis tournament.