No. 1 North Shore downs No.12 Atascocita in District 21-6A matchup

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
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By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HUMBLE, TEXAS (November 27, 2020) The North Shore Mustangs jumped out to a 28-0 lead after 12 minutes of play, and increased their lead to 49-7 at the half in route to a 63-14 dismantling of the Atascocita Eagles at Turner Stadium on Friday evening. The No. 1 Mustangs were never challenged by the thirteen ranked Eagles; posting 718 yards of total offense while holding their District 21-6A rival to 174 total yards.

North Shore, who is ranked the number two team in the country, saw five players put points on the scoreboard, with senior quarterback Dematrius Davis (shown right) scoring three rushing touchdowns and kicking one extra point. Senior wide receiver Shadrach Banks scored also scored three rushing TDs, with junior wide receiver Jhalyn

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

Bailey scoring two on passes from Davis. Junior kicker Carlos Dominguez split the uprights eight times for extra points. Junior Ta'von Griffin (shown left) as a pick six at the 1:02 mark of the first quarter; returning the ball 30 yards for the score.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seemed not to slow down the Mustangs one bit as they clinched the District 21-6A title with a perfect 10-0 record. They will have a one week bye before entering the 6A playoffs as the odds on-favorite to repeat as state champions.

Atascocita first score came with 9:25 remaining in the second quarter when senior running back Quincy Thompson punched the ball into the end zone from one-yard out for the touchdown. Their second touchdown came at the 7:38 mark in the third quarter on a 40-yard pass from junior quarterback Gavin Sessions to junior wide receiver Keith Wheeler. sophomore kick Ian Ratliff added the extra points on both touchdowns.

Texas Southern University women's basketball game postponed

By Chris Price
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 26, 2020) It has been by the Texas Southern University Sports Information Department that the TSU women's basketball season opener at Tulane has been postponed. 

The game, scheduled for Friday, November 27, 2020, would have marked a rematch of last season's contest in New Orleans. Last year's game saw TSU down Tulane by the score of 72-62 on December 20, 2o019,

A make-up date was not been announced.

HBU Huskies fall to TCU 69-45 in season opener

Photo courtesy of
Blinn College Athletic Department
Media Relations
Used with permission

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

FORT WORTH, TEXAS (November 25,  2020) The HBU Huskies got off to a slow start and could not catch up to the TCU Horned Frogs late in the game; dropping their first game of the 2020-2021 season by the score of 69-45 at Schollmaier Arena. The Horned Frog jumped out to a 15-0 lead at the 13:58 mark of the first half before the Huskies could get on the scoreboard with a Zach Iyeyemi layup. From that point on, HBU battled the Horned Frogs tooth-and-nail, but it was not enough to overcome the early TCU lead.

HBU was led by Blinn Junior College transfer Pedro Castro (shown right), who shot 5-of-13 from the field, including one three-pointer, for 13 points. He also pulled down 10 rebounds for his first double-double as a Husky. Hunter Janacek also scored in double figures with 10 points.

The Huskies were 18-of-56 from the field, for 32% and were 6-of-7 from the free throw line. SMU, on the other hand, were 28-of-61 from the field for 46%.

SMU will next take to the road to face Tulsa in Kansas City, Missouri, at the Hall of Fame Classic. The Huskies will travel to Tempe, Arizona to take on No. 18 Arizona State on Sunday, November 29.

HBU Huskies women's basketball kicks off season with 83-54 loss to Rice Owls

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 25. 2020) The HBU Huskies women's basketball team led the Rice Owls after 10 minutes of play and trailed their cross-town opponents by four at the half, however a second half scoring drought left them short at the end of the game, as they dropped a 83-54 to the Owls at Tudor Fieldhouse in Houston.

HBU jumped out to a 17-16 lead after the first quarter, with N'Denasija Collins accounting for seven of the Huskies' 1st quarter points. The Owls rebounded in the second quarter, outscoring the Huskies 14-9 to take a 30-26 lead at halftime. Then Rice got their bearings, outscoring the Huskies 20-18 in the third quarter and 24-10 in the final period in route to downing HBU.

The Huskies were led by Abbey Sutherland with 15 points, nine of them from three-point range. HBU head coach Donna Finnie stated after the game "I thought Abbey did pretty good defensively and offensively."

Sutherland was joined in double figures by Collins, with 10 points,. Marilyn Nzoiwu led HBU with seven rebounds.

Rice had four players in double figures; led by center Nancy Mulkey with 23 points and 13 rebounds. Also scoring in double figures for the Owls was Arianna McCurry (12 points), Katelyn Crosthwait (12 points) and Haylee Swayze (11 points).

Finnie added, "We knew these were going to be two tough games to open the season (Rice and Texas Tech). We know basically what  we have to work on after today so we got to do a better job and keep looking for improvement. We are not going to see anyone in our conference that looks like this (Rice) or Texas Tech."

The Huskies will next face Texas Tech on Saturday, November 28 in Lubbock with a 2 p.m. tipoff.

Houston Knocks Off Oklahoma in Season Opener

Photo courtesy of Oklahoma Athletics

Onyeje paces the Cougars with 23 points

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 25. 2020) The University of Houston Women’s Basketball team opened its season with an 97-85 win over Big 12 foe Oklahoma on Wednesday afternoon at the Lloyd Noble Center.

 

Four Cougars turned in double-figure scoring efforts led by redshirt sophomore, Britney Onyeje with a team-high 23 points in her collegiate debut. Julia Blackshell-Fair nearly had a double-double with 16 points and nine rebounds, as Dymond Gladney (shown right) led UH in assists with seven.

 

Houston shot 43.6 percent from the field, including 31.1 percent from three-point range.

 

Oklahoma’s Madi Williams led all scorers with 25 points, as Mandy Simpson posted a double-double with 11 points and 13 rebounds.

 

Houston set the the tone early via a 7-2 scoring run in the first two minutes of the game. Julia Blackshell-Fair scored the first Cougar basket of the 2020-21 season, driving through the lane after gaining control of the jump ball. Sharpshooting and tough defense helped Oklahoma even things up at the halfway point of the frame, 11-11. Both teams went back-and-forth for the remainder of the first quarter before a timely three-point basket from junior Ca’Leyah Burrell gave Houston a one-point advantage at the quarter break.

 

Leading 26-25, Houston turned things up defensively in the second quarter and ultimately outscored Oklahoma 20-19. Blackshell-Fair remained poised, but aggressive earning three trips to the free throw line where she knocked down 5-of-6 free throw attempts. UH forced four OU turnovers, outscoring the Sooners 7-3 off turnovers to close out the frame. As time dwindled down, Houston redshirt senior Eryka Sidney dribbled to the top of the key where she sank a jump shot with only second left on the clock to give UH a 46-44 lead at the half.

 

The third quarter would be the turning point for the Cougars as Houston outscored Oklahoma 27-17. UH got going from behind the three-point line, knocking down four of its seven attempts. Onyeje paced the Cougars, scoring 13 of her 23 points during the third quarter, including three made three-pointers. Houston held Oklahoma to 16.7 percent shooting from three-point range, outscoring OU 6-0 in transition.

 

The Houston defense kept things tight as time winded down, forcing six fourth quarter turnovers. Fouls plagued the Cougars as Oklahoma managed to chip away at UH’s lead with help from trips to the free throw line. Freshman, Laila Blair had the hot hand in the fourth quarter, scoring seven of Houston’s 24 fourth quarter points. The Cougars held on, late ultimately picking up its second straight win over the Sooners.

     

Houston will head to Tuscaloose to face Alabama on Nov. 29. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.

Soccer legend Diego Maradona dead at 60

(Video courtesy of SkyNews via YouTube.com)

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (November 25, 2020) It is being reported by numerous media outlets, including ESPN and Yahoo Sports that Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona has died in Buenos Aires, Argentina on this date. The cause of death has been reported as a heart attack. At the time of his passing, he was the head coach of Club de Gimnaasiz y Esgrima La Plata in La Plata. Argentina.

Considered by many as the greatest soccer player of all time, Maradona captained the Argentine national team to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, winning the final in Mexico City against West Germany.

HBU Huskies to face TCU Horned Frogs in first game of college basketball season for both schools

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 24, 2020) The HBU Huskies men's basketball team kicks off their 2020-2021 season with a Wednesday, November 25 meeting against the TCU Horned Frogs at Schollmaier Arena in Fort Worth. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST. The Huskies, who are led by head coach Ron Cottrell, are returned seven lettermen from the 2019-2020, where they posted a 4-25 record, along with a 4-16 mark in Southland Conference play.

TCU comes into the game with a 16-16 record last season, finishing in seventh place in the Big 12 Conference. The Huskies and Horned Frogs have faced off seven times previously, with TCU coming out on top in six of those games; including a 90-63 win on November 19, 2017 in Fort Worth.

The game will be televised on the Big 12 Now channel on ESPN+.  Audio can be heard on the Husky Sports Network ar  HBUHuskies.com/Husky Sports Network with Lonnie King behind the microphone. Live game stats can be followed at  GoFrogs.com.

HBU Huskies kick off 2020-2021 season against Rice Owls

File photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 23, 2020) The HBU Huskies women's basketball team kicks off their 2020-2021 schedule on Wednesday, November 25 against the Rice Owls. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. CST at Tudor Fieldhouse on the campus of Rice University.

The Huskies, who are picked 11th in the 13th member Southland Conference pre-season poll, have previously played the Owls four times, dating back to 2010.  In that year, they faced off on December 21, when Rice coming out on top by the score of 82-46 at Sharp Gymnasium. They next met on November 16, 2011 at Tudor Fieldhouse, with the Owls again coming out on top, 75-42. It would be five years until they played again. On November 19, 2016, Rice again came out on top, 79-53 at Sharp. The final meeting was November 18, 2017, with the Owls winning at home, 67-45.

The Huskies return eight letter winners from 2019-2020 including all five starters; Timia Jefferson, Julija Vujakovic,  Marilyn Nzoiwu,  Abbey Sutherland, and Kennedy Wilson. Also returning for the 2020-2021 season are Patience Idoko, N’Denasija Collins, and Megan Valdez-Crader. Newcomers include Anna Maguire, Enya Maguire, Linda Brueckner, Naomi Pierce, and Armani Reed.

The Huskies will again be led by head coach Donna Finnie, who is in her eighth season at the helm at HBU. She will be assisted by Becca Allison and Anna Strickland.

Deer Park 12U Cougars split double header in La Porte

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2020 All Rights Reserved

LA PORTE, TEXAS (November 7, 2020) The Deer Park Cougars 12U softball team split a double header at the La Porte Softball Complex on Saturday, November 7, 2020. They started out the day by dropping an 8-3 decision to the Pasadena Element, following that up with a 10-2 win over Deepwater 12U.

In their game against Pasadena, catcher Kirstin Kelly led the Cougars; going 2-for-2, scoring two runs with one RBI. Second basewomen Hayley Poe and third basewoman Zayda Jauregui each had one hit for the Cougars with Poe scoring the third Cougar run in the game. Maddie Farmer faced 15 batters in one and one-third innings for Deer Park; striking out two without giving up any walks. She threw 49 pitches; with 30 of them being strikes,

In the second game against Deepwater, the Cougars tallied 10 runs off nine hits in their victory. First basewoman Keira Jennings, Kelly and Poe led the Cougars with two hits each; along with one hit each by center fielder Arianny Cantu, right fielder Paige Taylor, and Farmer. Farmer and Poe scored two runs, with shortstop Seslee Shreffler, Cantu, Jennings, Taylor, Kelly and Jauregui adding one run each to the Cougars’ total.

Jordyn Hailk saw two full innings in the circle, giving up only two runs, both of them earned. She faced nine batters; throwing 18 strikes on 30 pitches. She only walked one batter while striking out one.

Earlier this season, the Cougars took second place in the Deer Park Spooktacular Softball Tournament on the weekend prior to Halloween. It was their third top-three placing in tournament play in the team’s history.

The Cougars will close out their fall season with two games on Saturday, November 14, with location and opponents yet to be determined. Deer Park is coached by Larry King, Hillary Williams, and Dale Yurt.