HCU Huskies fall to Georgia Southern, 80-62

Photo courtesy of HCU Media Relations Department

By Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

STATESBORO, GEORGIA  (November 29, 2025) On Saturday, the HCU Huskies fell to Georgia Southern Eagles 80-62 at the Hill Convocation Center. The game stayed close for about 30 minutes, but the Eagles pulled away late.

Early in the game, the Huskies got a strong start. Elijah Brooks (shown left) dunked the ball, and Demarco Bethea added a basket to give HCU a 6-5 lead. Later, Brooks scored again on a fast break, giving the Huskies a 14-12 edge with about 9:43 left in the first half.

But the Eagles fought back. Spudd Webb scored seven straight for Georgia Southern and helped lead a run that put the home team ahead 19-14. By halftime, the Eagles led 34-27.

In the second half, the Huskies tried to climb back in the game. Ryan Bartley hit a three, and Bethea scored inside, cutting the lead. But Georgia Southern kept hitting shots, including several three-pointers, forcing HCU into turnovers, turning those into easy points.

For HCU, Brooks led with 12 points. Bartley and Bethea each added 11. But HCU struggled with shooting, only 41%, and Georgia Southern was sharper, hitting 48% from the field and 40% from three-point range.

The loss drops HCU to 4-3 on the season. The Huskies will return to Texas for their next game on Tuesday against the North Texas Mean Green in Denton.

HCU Huskies outlast The Citadel 72-65

Photo courtesy of HCU Media Relations 

By Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA (November 26, 2025) The HCU Huskies men's basketball team raced out fast and never let up, beating The Citadel Bulldogs 72–65 on Wednesday night to split the back-to-back series in Charleston. 

The Huskies opened hot. An early three-point play by Kylin Green (shown above right) and quick buckets from Demarco Bethea pushed their lead to 14–5. Moments later, a loud one-handed dunk by Mambourou Mara made it 19–5 with about 12 minutes left in the first half.

The Bulldogs fought back before halftime. Consecutive threes from one of their players and a last-second jumper cut the lead to just 3 by intermission; 35–32.

In the second half, the Huskies built a bigger advantage. A three from Green, a basket by Bethea, and a triple from Trent Johnson pushed the lead to 7. Later, three-pointers from Mara and Elijah Brooks made it a double-digit lead and forced a Citadel timeout.

The Bulldogs came back, tying the game 60–60 with about 5:40 left. But Houston Christian closed strong. Brooks scored inside, Green buried a late three, and Mara added a three-point play after a rebound. A final 12–5 run sealed the win for the Huskies.

On the night, Bethea led HCU with 14 points (perfect shooting), while Green scored 13, Mara had 12, Brooks added 11, and Johnson chipped in 10. All five scored in double digits.

The Huskies now improve to 4–2 on the season. Their five-game road stretch continues Saturday when they take on Georgia Southern Eagles in Georgia.

Huskies fall to Cardinals in tough season closer

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 22, 2025) The HCU Huskies wrapped up their football season with a hard-fought loss to the Incarnate Word Cardinals by the score of 31-10 at Husky Stadium. Despite some bright spots, the Huskies couldn't overcome UIW's strong ground game and timely scores. This defeat capped a challenging year for HCU, ending with a 2-10 record overall and 1-7 in the Southland Conference.

The game started with promise for the Huskies. UIW struck first in the opening quarter, marching 63 yards in six plays. A penalty kept their drive alive, leading to a 33-yard catch by Josh Lorick and a 2-yard touchdown run by Jaylon Spears. That put the Cardinals up 7-0 early. But HCU fired right back. Quarterback Maddox Kopp led a sharp drive, mixing a 4-yard rush with a big 42-yard pass to Sam Peiffer. It ended with an 11-yard touchdown toss to Ja'Ryan Wallace, tying the game at 7-7 with 7:44 left in the first.

UIW wasn't done. Before the quarter ended, quarterback Richard Torres hit Chedon James for a 50-yard touchdown pass, giving the Cardinals a 14-7 edge. The second quarter saw UIW add to their lead with a steady 12-play drive, capped by a 33-yard field goal from Will Faris. The score sat at 17-7 at halftime after both teams' defenses stepped up with key stops.

The Huskies' defense shone in spots, but UIW pulled away in the third. The Cardinals drove from their own 15-yard line, mixing two 30-yard plays and a catch by James. A wildcat run by Jalen Walthall sparked life, and after a brief stall, a penalty gave them new chances. Spears powered in from 12 yards out for a 24-7 lead. HCU got a break when UIW fumbled a punt return, but they settled for a 22-yard field goal by Ryan Zuckert, making it 24-10.

In the fourth, UIW controlled the clock with a 10-play, 56-yard drive over more than six minutes. It finished with a 3-yard pass from Torres to Walthall, sealing the 31-10 win.

Standout Huskies included Kopp, who went 13-for-21 passing for 156 yards and one touchdown, plus a few rushes. Backup Jake Weir added 116 passing yards on 6-of-15. Wideout Ja'Ryan Wallace had a career-high day with three catches for 130 yards and his score. Running back Xai'Shaun Edwards rushed 12 times for 40 yards, closing out a record-breaking season with 1,019 total rushing yards—the first Husky to hit 1,000—and 12 touchdowns. On defense, linebacker Rodney Dansby led with 13 tackles, pushing his career total to 446, second all-time at HCU.

For UIW, Spears rushed for 93 yards and two scores, while Kobe Dillon added 110 yards on the ground. Torres was solid, 16-of-29 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. Lorick caught seven passes for 68 yards, and James had three for 83 yards and one score.

HCU Huskies win Southland Conference tourney

Story and photo by Chris Price
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

BEAUMONT, TEXAS (November 9, 2025) The HCU Huskies women’s soccer team completed a dream run on Sunday afternoon, winning the 2025 Southland Conference Championship with a thrilling 1–0 overtime victory over defending champion Stephen F. Austin at the LU Soccer Complex in Beaumont,

Junior forward Olivia Rossman scored the golden goal in the 99th minute, taking a pass from Ella Remy and firing it into the net to give the Huskies their first conference title since 2016. Rossman’s strong play throughout the tournament earned her Most Valuable Player honors as she helped lead HCU to three straight postseason wins.

The victory gave the Huskies their third Southland crown (2014, 2016, 2025) and kept their perfect 3–0 record in championship matches — all against Stephen F. Austin. It was also the first title match to reach overtime since 2015 and the first to end in extra time since 2010.

Goalkeeper Emmy McKeon shined again with eight saves, earning her third straight shutout of the tournament. The defensive unit — led by Jordan Bushnell, Alexia Murillo, and Gisele Kehres — held off an SFA offense that had been chasing its fifth league title.

The win marks a major milestone for head coach Nick Whitting, who claimed his first Southland championship in only his second season.

With the victory, the fifth-seeded Huskies secured an automatic berth to the 2025 NCAA Tournament, with their opponent to be revealed Monday at 3 p.m. on ncaa.com.

Venezuela outsmarts Australia in tight friendly win

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 14, 2025) In a hard-fought international friendly at Shell Energy Stadium, Venezuela secured a well-deserved 1-0 victory over Australia, dealing a blow to the Socceroos' preparations for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The match highlighted Venezuela's transitional phase under interim coaches Oswaldo Vizcarrondo and Fernando Aristiguieta, while exposing some vulnerabilities in Australia's experimental lineup.

The game's lone goal arrived in the 38th minute, with winger Ender Echenique delivering a precise low cross from the left flank after sneaking past Australia's Craig Goodwin. Forward Jesús Ramírez, making a well-timed run into the box, tapped home from close range. Ramírez's finish was clinical, capitalizing on a momentary lapse in Australia's backline.

Venezuela dictated the tempo for much of the contest, enjoying approximately 65% possession and racking up over 400 passes in Australia's half compared to the Socceroos' 154. They generated the majority of chances, forcing debutant goalkeeper Patrick Beach into several acrobatic saves; including a stunning reaction stop from point-blank range early in the second half. La Vinotinto's back four, anchored by Jhon Chancellor and Mikel Villanueva, remained compact and disciplined, frustrating Australia's attempts to penetrate through the middle.

For Australia, it was a chastening evening under new coach Tony Popovic, who opted for a youthful, experimental 3-4-3 formation to test fringe players ahead of tougher fixtures like their upcoming clash with Colombia. Four newcomers made their senior debuts: goalkeeper Patrick Beach), defender Paul Okon-Engstler, center-back Kai Trewin, and forward Mohamed Toure. Beach, in particular, shone with his shot-stopping, but the side as a whole lacked cohesion, managing just 34% possession and failing to register a shot on target until the final 15 minutes.

Substitutes like Martin Boyle, Al Hassan Toure, and Riley McGree injected some late urgency, creating a flurry of half-chances] including a free-kick opportunity that skimmed the wall, but it proved too little, too late.

HCU Huskies f all to SFA 50-3 on Homecoming Weekend

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 8, 2025) The HCU Huskies entered their 2025 Homecoming Weekend with plenty of hope, but it turned into a rough afternoon. On Saturday, the Huskies fell 50-3 at home to the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks, ranked No. 17 in the country.

From the first moments, things went wrong. The Lumberjacks forced a punt on Houston Christian’s opening drive and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. They then converted a two-point try to take an 8-0 lead. They added another score later in the first quarter when quarterback Gavin Rutherford found Isaiah Davis on a 14-yard touchdown pass, giving SFA a 15-0 edge heading into the second quarter.

The Huskies got on the board early in the second when freshman kicker Ryan Zuckert drilled a 45-yard field goal, cutting the lead to 15-3.  But the momentum didn’t last. The Lumberjacks answered quickly with a 17-yard pass to Kylon Harris, and just before halftime, they punched in a short goal-line run to take a 29-3 lead into the break.

In the second half, Houston Christian continued to struggle. Their offense gained just 134 total yards for the entire game.  Starting quarterback Reilly Garcia completed 12 of 19 passes for 132 yards in his first start of the season.  On the ground, the Huskies were held to just 2 rushing yards.  On defense, linebacker Trent Zappe led the team with 10 tackles and Rodney Dansby had nine.

For HCU, the result drops their record to 2-8 overall and 1-5 in the Southland Conference. They’ll need to regroup quickly, as next Saturday they travel to face East Texas A&M Lumberjacks in Commerce with a 4 p.m. kickoff.

La Porte Bulldogs roll past Pasadena Eagles, 63-14

Photo and story by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved

LA PORTE,TEXAS (November 7, 2025)  On Friday night, the La Porte Bulldogs downed the Pasadena Eagles at home, putting up a dominant score of 63-14.

Right from the start, La Porte came out strong. The Bulldogs had control of the game with big plays on offense and solid teamwork on defense. Pasadena, struggling this season, just couldn’t keep pace. La Porte’s record now improves to 9-1 on the year.

One of La Porte’s stars, Joshua Wells, threw for 138 yards and four touchdowns, a career high. Receiver Peyton Smith added 115 yards and two scores. The Bulldogs made the most of their chances and did not let Pasadena back in. The Eagles finish their season at 1-9. 

The Bulldogs will find out their opponent in the first round of the playoffs this weekend.