2019 Preseason Rankings: UIL Class 6A Football

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (August 28, 2019) Again this season, TexSport Publications will be posting weekly their Top 10 Rankings of UIL Class 6A Football. The 2019 season kicks off tomorrow, August 29, with some stellar games, including a match up to two teams who went deep in the playoffs in 2018. Before we talk about the key games of Week 0, here are the pre-season rankings for UIL Class 6A.

1. North Shore (Houston)
2. Duncanville
3. Longview
4. Allen
5. Katy
6. Lake Travis (Austin)
7. Westbrook (Beaumont)
8. Carroll (Southlake)
9. Westlake (Austin)
10. Dickinson

Without a doubt, one of the best games of Week 0, if not the best, will be No. 1 North Shore hosting No. 5 Katy at Galena Park ISD Stadium on Thursday, August 29, 2019. Last season, the two teams met twice, to kick off and end Katy's season. In the first game, the Mustangs downed the Tigers 35-21 at Legacy Stadium in Katy. The second match up was in the playoffs, with North Shore again coming out on top, by the score of 49-38.

Injuries compound Texans' loss to Dallas

Photo by Wendy Brower
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 25, 2019) The Houston Texans dropped 34-0 decision to the Dallas Cowboys in NFL preseason action at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington on Saturday evening. The loss was not only a devastating defeat against their instate foe, it was also costly on a personnel level.

The word out of the Texans; camp is that running back Lamar Miller will be out the entire season with a torn ACL. The University of Miami product was playing in his first preseason game, took a handoff from quarterback Deshaun Watson and was struck on his left knee by Dallas lineman Maliek Collins; landing inelegantly on the turf. He was carted off the field after the play that will undoubtedly end his career in Houston. Miller, who was in his final season of his contract, rushed for 2,934 yards and 13 touchdowns over three seasons.

Also sustaining an injury was lineman Zach Fulton. He sustained a toe injury. It was diagnosed as toe turf and with a little rest, should return to the lineup in a few weeks. His injury was the Texans' three offensive lineman injury in the past two weeks. In Houston's second preseason game against the Detroit Lions, rooking guard Tytus Howard broke his finger. He is slated to return to action in Week 1. In addition, prior to the Detroit game, tackle Matt Kalil injured his foot stepped on and has yet to return to practice.

With all these injuries two weeks prior to the regular season start, many questions arise as to the upcoming season. Only time will tell if these questions or answered or more questions come to pass.

Houston Dash falls to Sky Blue FC on Carli Lloyd brace

Photo by
Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 24, 2019) Kealia Ohai (shown right) got the Houston on the score board in added time of the second half, however it was not enough to overcome two Carli Lloyd goals as the Dash fell to Sky Blue FC by the score of 2-1 at BBVA Stadium in Houston. It was the second goal of the season for Ohai, in a game that saw Houston outshoot Sky Blue 18-13. The two goals for Lloyd raised her total for the season to four. The 18 shots by Houston was a season-high and didn't include the two shots that hot the crossbar.

Lloyd's goals came in there 26th abd 41st minutes and came off of assists by Jennifer Hoy and Raquel Rodriguez, respectively. Arian Caide received the assist for Ohai's goal; the first of the season. Ohai discussed the outcome after the fame.

“We were really disappointed in the first half of this game. We started terribly. Maybe this half was our worst we have ever played. It was frustrating because it was on us. We gave up. Those were Sky Blue’s goals but both were mistakes. It’s really frustrating. But I am very proud that we fought until the end of the game. We had a lot of unlucky shots. But it was on us.”

Dash head coach James Clarkson also weighed in on the game.

“First half, I’m really disappointed. But first half I thought we were terrible and dug ourselves into a really big hole. Credit to Sky Blue I thought they played well the first half. They out fought us. They worked harder than us. It’s not acceptable—first half we were terrible, second half it got a little bit better. We’ve created enough chances to win the game but I’m sure Sky Blue are probably thinking they could have scored more goals tonight as well—so a really frustrating and disappointing night.”

Photo by
Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

Lloyd (shown left) talked about her brace for Sky Blue after the game.

“I feel really good. I think I’m at a point in my career where everything feels in sync. I feel very balanced with my body and my life. I physically feel the best I’ve felt. I feel efficient with my running and I feel I’m a much smarter player as I’ve gotten older. This was the plan and the evolution all along in my career. In these last couple of years in my career there’s been tactical changes I’ve made. It’s all about getting better every single day. I’m okay with always being uncomfortable and not always being so good at something at training and sticking with it, getting the reps and becoming better at it."

The Dash travel to Chicago on September 8 to face the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park.

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Clare Polkinghorne leaves Houston Dash

Photo/GIF courtesy of NWSL and GIPHY.

By Chris Price
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 22, 2019) It is being reported by the Houston Dash that Clare Polkinghorne is leaving the team and returning to Australia due to personal family reasons.

The 5-7 defender, who came to Houston on June 7, 2018 from the Australian W-League's Brisbane Roar FC where she won two championships during the 2008-09 and 2010-11 seasons. In 2017, the defender became the first player in W-League history to play in 100 regular-season games. Polkinghorne led Brisbane to its third Premiership, finishing as the best regular-season team during the 2017-18 season. She played in both the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and was an unused squad member during the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

The Dash host Sky Blue FC at 7:30 p.m. CDT on Saturday, August 24 at BBVA Stadium.

XFL names Houston's team

Photo by Kristine Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 21, 2019) "Resolute. Rippling with heat. Railing against fatigue. Unceasing and often unseen, they labor deep in the trenches. Mercenaries in the muck. Brawlers in blackened dirt. Not just for three hours. Not just when the lights are bright. These are the scratching, grinding, never-bending few. The Houston Roughnecks. Going to work for you."

And there you have it. Houston's XFL team will be called the Roughnecks. Kicking off in February, 2020, the next edition of "professional football" comes to Houston. The announcement was made at Houston City Hall, via a live feed from XFL Headquarters by commissioner Oliver Luck. 

June Jones, a former coach for the NFL’s Houston Oilers and USFL’s Houston Gamblers, and a former head coach in the NFL, CFL and at the major college level, was named head coach and general manager of the Roughnecks earlier this

Photo by Kristine Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

year. Jones comes to the XFL after two seasons with the CFL’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Hired as the team’s assistant head coach in 2017, he was elevated to interim head coach after an 0-8 start that year. The Tiger-Cats went 6-4 under Jones the rest of the way, and he was appointed head coach for 2018, and took the team to the second round of the playoffs.

Season ticket deposits are being take at the time, with full payment being made as the season gets closer. Seat selection will begin in September. Chick here for information on tickets.

Houston will play five home games at the University of Houston's TDECU Stadium.

Tigres down Club America on penalty kicks; advance to Leagues Cup final

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 20, 2019) In a match that saw two own goals, Tigres UNAL downed Club America 2-2 on penalties. Tigers outscored America 5-3 to take the match and advance to the final of the 2019 Leagues Cup.

It did not take long for Tigres to get on the scoreboard, due to an own goal by Club America defender Paul Aguilar on the 14th minute. Club America answered with a penalty kick goal by Andres Ibarguen to tie the score at one-all at the half. The Columbian secured a brace when he gave America the lead in the 83rd minute. Tigres tied the score in added time of the second half on an own goal by Bruno Valdez; sending the game to penalties. Tigres will face Cruz Azul in the Cup final. La Maquina advanced to the final by downing the LA Galaxy 2-1. 

The 2019 Leagues Cup is the inaugural edition of Leagues Cup, a club competition featuring four clubs from Major League Soccer and Liga MX in an eight-team single-elimination tournament hosted in the United States. It began on July 23, 2019, with the first set of quarterfinals, and will culminate in a final match played in Las Vegas on September 18, 2019.

Photos from Houston Dynamo vs Colorado Rapids game on Saturday, August 17, 2019

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 18, 2019) Below are photos from the Houston Dynamo vs Colorado Rapids game at BBVA Stadium in Houston on Saturday, August 17, 2019. The squads battled to a 2-2 draw in front of 15,458 fans in Star Wars Night. All photos are by JB Fletcher of BigShot SnapShots (Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved). You can visit their website by clicking here.

Manotas' late goals secure draw for Houston Dynamo

Photo by JB Fletcher, BigShot SnapShots
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (August 17, 2019) Two goals in the final minutes of the match powered the Houston Dynamo to a 2-2 draw against the Colorado Rapids at BBVA Stadium on  Saturday evening.

The 15,000-plus fans in attendance saw Colorado jump out to a 2-0 lead at halftime on Star Wars Night; and witnessed the Mario Manotas  (No. 7, shown right) score the two Houston goals within five minutes of each other. The Rapids took an early lead when forward Diego Rubio found the Dynamo out of position and blasted the ball into the net, in the seventh minute, for his eighth goal of the season. He also nailed the second goal of the  season; sliding it into the net in the 39th minute to put the score at 2-0 at halftime. Houston controlled the ball 66% of the time in the first half, along with taking 15 shots against Colorado's five. Unfortunately for the Dynamo, two of those five shots hit the mark, to take the two-goal deficit into the locker room at halftime.

Houston battled back in the second half, and maintained their possession advantage from the second half, to secure the draw under interim head coach Davy Arnaud. With the draw, the Dynamo raised their record to 9-13-4 (31 points) and maintained their ninth place standing in the Western Conference. The draw snapped a four-game losing streak for Houston and ended a three-game losing streak at BBVA Stadium. Arnaud was quoted about the start of the game.

“It’s obviously not how we wanted to start the game. It was not an ideal start. For me, you know, the structure that we’ve been on, the week that we’ve had, after that kind of start – there could not have been a bad response. We could of hung our heads and given up but I couldn’t be prouder of our group and their response in the second half. I thought it was fantastic. I thought it showed character. I thought it showed a commitment to the team. The kind of things that we have been talking about this week and how important we are for us to be our foundation for who we are going to be. They showed every single bit of that and for me that’s the biggest take away. The way that they came back in the second half and responded was fantastic.”

Photo by JB Fletcher, BigShot SnapShots
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

With the two scores by Manotas, in the 74th and 79th minute, the Colombian forward recorded his eighth career multi-goal game; which ties Will Bruin for the most in club history. Manotas needs ten goals in all competition to tie Brian Ching (69) for the club's career scoring record. He stated:

”Thank God, after that many shots we were able to put some away. Unfortunately, we paid for those mistakes we made. We scored the goals ourselves. This can only happen every  hundred years, as a Colombian writer said. We are now moving forward.”

Next up for Houston is a Saturday, August 24 road match against FC Dallas. Dallas in currently in eight place in the Western Conference with a 10-10-7 record and 37 points.