HCU Huskies win season opener with new head coach Craig Doty

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loco Photography
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 4, 2024) Houston Christian University started its basketball season strong with a big 86-59 win over the Avila (MO) Eagles at Sharp Gymnasium on Monday night. This win also marked a successful debut for HCU’s new head coach, Craig Doty, the ninth head coach in school history, who took over after Coach Ron Cottrell’s 33 years at the helm.

The game didn’t start off smoothly for the Huskies, as they had a slow opening, but they quickly turned things around. Trent Johnson got the scoring started with a three-pointer just 10 seconds in, and soon after, Bryson Dawkins added a driving layup. Midway through the first half, though, Avila closed the gap to just one point, making it 13-12.

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loco Photography
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

The Huskies then found their groove, sparked by plays from Ivan Reynolds and Julian Mackey. A 24-8 run helped HCU finish the half with a comfortable 37-20 lead. They carried that momentum into the second half, extending their lead with strong performances from Dawkins, who scored eight points in two minutes, and Demari Williams (shown above), who added two back-to-back dunks.

HCU’s defense held Avila to just 39.3% shooting, and their offense fired with contributions from players across the roster. Dawkins led with 18 points, while Williams and Mackey chipped in with 11 each, and Bazil added 10. Overall, four Huskies scored in double figures, showcasing the team’s balanced approach.

With a 1-0 record, the Huskies now prepare for a challenging road trip. They will face No. 19 Texas in Austin on Friday and then travel to play No. 15 Creighton next Wednesday. HCU will be back at home on November 16 to host Rockford University.

Houston Dynamo FC season ends in heartbreaking penalty shootout loss to Seattle Sounders FC

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography, Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 3, 2024) Houston Dynamo FC’s season came to a dramatic close at Shell Energy Stadium after a tough penalty shootout loss to Seattle Sounders FC. After 120 intense minutes of regulation and extra time, the game was tied 1-1. But in the penalty shootout, Seattle edged out Houston 7-6, ending the Dynamo’s 2024 playoff run in Game 2 of the Round One Best-of-3 series of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs.

The match was full of emotion and high-stakes moments. In the final minutes of regulation, Seattle’s Cristian Roldan put the Sounders on top, scoring in the 87th minute to break a scoreless tie. Houston responded quickly, however, forcing an own goal from Seattle in stoppage time. Defender Griffin Dorsey sent a pass into the box that ended up in the back of the net, sending the home crowd into a frenzy and keeping the Dynamo’s hopes alive.

The penalty shootout that followed was tense, with each team converting their attempts until Houston’s seventh shot. Dynamo defender Tate Schmitt stepped up, but Seattle’s goalkeeper Stefan Frei made a crucial save, diving to his right and blocking the shot with his legs. That save clinched the series for Seattle and ended the Dynamo’s hopes for a deeper playoff run.

Houston showed plenty of resilience throughout the game, even after playing with only 10 men for the final 25 minutes. For the second match in a row, a Dynamo player received a red card, forcing the team to finish shorthanded. In this game, captain Héctor Herrera was sent off after a review from the video assistant referee (VAR) found him guilty of unsporting behavior. In Game 1, it was midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla who received a red card, keeping him out of Game 2. Despite this challenge, the Dynamo battled hard to keep the game close.

Houston’s playoff journey this season comes as part of a strong campaign. The team earned the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 15 wins, 10 losses, and 9 draws, setting club records for both road wins (8) and points in a season (54). This was the second year in a row that the Dynamo made it to the playoffs, a back-to-back feat they hadn’t achieved since 2013.

There were several close chances for Houston to score in regulation. In the first half, Herrera connected with defender Erik Sviatchenko, whose header was on target. Forward Ezequiel Ponce nearly scored twice, with one shot cleared off the line by Seattle’s defense and another saved by Frei. Herrera himself took a shot from outside the box in the 58th minute, which forced Frei to make another save. Forward Aliyu Ibrahim also tested the Seattle goalkeeper, adding to the pressure.

Goalkeeper Steve Clark, making his 20th postseason appearance, played a big role for the Dynamo as well. His experience kept Houston in the game, and he made several key stops to give his team a chance.

In the end, Houston’s season ends in disappointment, but fans can be proud of the team’s fight and determination. As they look to the future, the Dynamo can build on this season’s achievements and look forward to more playoff runs in the years to come.

Houston Dash fall to Bay FC in season finale

Source: Houston Dash

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 2, 2024) The Houston Dash wrapped up their season with a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Bay FC at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday night. An impressive crowd of 8,176 fans turned out for Fan Appreciation Night, making it the second-largest attendance of the season. Even though they didn’t get the win, the Dash made it a memorable night with key performances from Barbara Olivieri and rookie Avery Patterson (shown above).

The game got off to a challenging start for Houston, as Bay FC took the lead in the 10th minute with an own goal. However, local standout Barbara Olivieri quickly leveled the score just four minutes later, netting her fourth goal of the season. Olivieri has now scored in three straight games, showing her skill in front of goal.

In the 46th minute, Avery Patterson made her mark with her first professional goal, tying the game at 2-2. Unfortunately, Bay FC’s Racheal Kundananji responded just minutes later, scoring the final goal to seal the game.

Dash goalkeeper Heather Hinz, making her first NWSL start, recorded five saves, helping keep her team within reach. Houston came close to equalizing late in the game but couldn’t find the net.

The Dash closed the season with a 5-16-5 record.

Pasadena Eagles advance to UIL State Volleyball Playoffs

Story and photo by Chris Price

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (November 1, 2024) Playing in front of load and boisterous crowd, the Pasadena Eagles volleyball team extended their season with a "play-in game" victory against the Crosby Cougars at Bob Barfield Gymnasium in Pasadena. The Lady Eagles downed the Cougars in four sets to avenge their previous meetings this season.

Having faced off three previous times this season. On August 31, Crosby came out top by the score of 2-1 (20-25, 29-27, 13-15) in the Dobie Longhorn Tournament. In district play, the two District 18-5A, foes played each out on September 24 and October 18. In the September match, Pasadena came out on top, 3-2 (24-26, 15-16, 19025, 12-25, 15-10). In their district rematch, the Eagles dropped the five-set match 2-3 (25-12, 10-25, 26-24, 24-26, 13-15).

In the Friday night match, Crosby jumped out to a 1-0 lead, by the score 28-26. The Lady Eagles rebounded from the first set loss, to win the next three (25-22, 25-22, 25-19) to advance to the UIL 5A state playoffs. Last season (2023) they advanced to the 6A playoffs as one of the representatives of District 22-6A.

In securing the fourth-place finish in District 18-5A, they will face the College Station A&M Consolidated Tigers, who is the District 17-5A champion, The Tigers post a 32-10 season record while bring and undefeated record (12-0) into the playoffs. Pasadena finished the regular season with a 21-13 record with a 6-7 record in district play. Both teams will be playing in Division 1 of the 5A playoffs.

The Eagles and Tigers will meet in the first round on Tuesday, November 5 with a 6 p.m. start in Pasadena.

North Shore holds off Atascocita in wild back-and-forth battle

Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HUMBLE TEXAS (October 25, 2024) In a game full of big plays and dramatic moments, the No. 2 North Shore Mustangs pulled off a last-minute comeback to beat the number four ranked Atascocita Eagles 27-23 on Friday evening at Turner Stadium. Fans at the packed stadium of over 5,000 people were on the edge of their seats as both teams traded leads and exciting plays. North Shore came through with a crucial touchdown in the final minute, sealing the win after a tense four quarters.

The game began with strong defensive efforts from both teams. Atascocita was the first to break through, putting three points on the board with a 30-yard field goal by Rayvon Sauls. North Shore responded quickly, however, thanks to a powerful 24-yard rushing touchdown from their quarterback, Kaleb Bailey (shown above). Unfortunately for North Shore, they missed the extra point, leaving the score at 6-3 at the end of the first quarter.

The action ramped up in the second quarter as both teams found their rhythm on offense. Atascocita’s Cardae Mack was a standout player, scoring two rushing touchdowns. His first, a 14-yard run, gave Atascocita the lead again at 9-6. Even though they missed the two-point conversion, the Eagles showed they were ready to fight.

North Shore struck back when Bailey ran in his second touchdown of the night, this time from two yards out. This put North Shore back on top at 13-9. But Atascocita answered right away with another big run by Mack, setting up a 24-yard rushing touchdown and then adding an extra point, pushing their lead to 16-13.

Atascocita wasn’t done yet. Mack showed off his passing skills, connecting with Cj Toney for a 21-yard touchdown that widened the lead to 23-13. But North Shore didn’t let up, and D’andre Hardeman Jr. powered into the end zone from 1 yard out right before halftime. This cut Atascocita’s lead to just three points, with the score sitting at 23-20.

The second half started slower, with both teams’ defenses digging in. North Shore had an early chance in the third quarter, getting into Atascocita’s red zone, but they lost the ball on a fumble. The two teams kept pushing, with Atascocita fighting to maintain their lead and North Shore looking for a breakthrough.

With just under a minute left in the game, North Shore finally found that breakthrough. They worked their way back down the field, getting into the red zone, where Quanell Farrahkan Jr. punched in a five-yard rushing touchdown. The extra point was good, and North Shore took a 27-23 lead with seconds left on the clock.

Despite some last attempts by Atascocita to regain control, North Shore held strong and finished the game on top. It was a thrilling end to a game full of hard hits, big runs, and even bigger plays. The Mustangs celebrated their hard-earned win, while Atascocita left the field with heads held high after an impressive showing.

For North Shore, this win was a big momentum boost. They came through in the clutch and proved they could handle a tight game under pressure. As for Atascocita, they showed they have the talent and grit to challenge even the toughest opponents.

In the end, North Shore’s last-minute touchdown made the difference, leaving the final score 27-23 in favor of the Mustangs.

Houston Dynamo FC set for playoff battle against Seattle Sounders FC

By Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 20, 2024) Houston Dynamo FC is heading back to the playoffs! They will face the Seattle Sounders FC in Game 1 of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs. The match will take place on Monday, Oct. 28, at 8:00 p.m. CT in Seattle. This is the first game in the Round One Best-of-3 Series. Fans can expect an exciting showdown as these two teams go head-to-head for a chance to advance in the tournament.

After the first game in Seattle, the Dynamo will return to Houston to play Game 2 on Sunday, Nov. 3, at 5:30 p.m. CT at Shell Energy Stadium. Tickets for this crucial game are available starting at $25 on SeatGeek. Fans attending the match will receive a free playoff rally towel, courtesy of Shell Energy, to help cheer on the team.

If the series is tied after two games, Game 3 will be held back in Seattle on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 6:00 p.m. CT. This game would decide who moves forward in the playoffs.

Houston Dynamo enters the playoffs as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. They finished the regular season with a record of 15-10-9, earning 54 points. The team also set a new club record for total points in a single season and road wins, with eight victories away from home.

In their last regular-season game, the Dynamo defeated LA Galaxy 2-1 on Decision Day, securing their playoff spot. Their opponent, Seattle Sounders, finished as the No. 4 seed with a 16-9-9 record and 57 points. This gives Seattle homefield advantage for Game 1 and Game 3, if necessary.

This is the third time Houston and Seattle have faced off in the playoffs. The Sounders currently hold a 2-1-1 record against the Dynamo in postseason play. The two teams met twice during the regular season this year. The Dynamo secured a 2-2 draw in Houston back in June but lost 1-0 in Seattle in September.

The Round One Best-of-3 Series features the top seven teams from each conference, along with two Wild Card teams. Every team in this round gets at least one home game, giving fans a chance to see their team play on their turf. If Houston can win two out of three games against Seattle, they’ll move on to the next round.

Houston Dynamo FC earn last-minute win against LA Galaxy on Decision Day

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 19, 2024) Houston Dynamo FC ended their regular season on a high note with a thrilling 2-1 victory over LA Galaxy in front of a sold-out crowd at Shell Energy Stadium on Saturday. The game had a dramatic finish, with defender Daniel Steres scoring the match-winning goal deep into stoppage time.

The win allowed Houston to set a new club record for points in a season, finishing with 54 points, breaking their previous record of 53 from 2012. With this victory, the Dynamo secured the 5th seed in the Western Conference and are now headed to the MLS playoffs. Their next challenge will be against the 4th-seeded Seattle Sounders FC in a Best-of-3 series starting next week.

The game’s first big moment came late in the first half. In the 44th minute, Houston's forward Ezequiel Ponce found the back of the net. The play began with a free-kick from team captain Hector Herrera, which bounced off defender Erik Sviatchenko and landed perfectly for Ponce to score. It was his fifth goal of the season, and it gave Houston a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

LA Galaxy fought back and got a penalty kick in stoppage time after a video review showed that Houston’s midfielder Artur committed a foul inside the box. Gabriel Pec stepped up and converted the penalty, tying the game 1-1. With both teams level, it looked like the game was headed for a draw.

But Houston wasn’t done yet. In the 11th minute of second-half stoppage time, Steres, a former Galaxy player, rose above the defense to head home a cross from Griffin Dorsey. His goal sent the Houston fans into celebration as the Dynamo snatched the win in dramatic fashion.

Throughout the game, both teams had plenty of chances. In the 16th minute, Houston’s midfielder Adalberto “Coco” Carrasquilla fired a shot that was blocked right at the goal line by a Galaxy defender. Forward Amine Bassi also set up some good scoring opportunities, but Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made key saves to keep his team in the game.

Houston’s goalkeeper Steve Clark was also busy. He made a crucial save in the 18th minute, diving to stop a shot from Galaxy’s Joseph Paintsil. Clark continued to play well throughout the game, finishing with four important saves.

LA Galaxy thought they had tied the game earlier in the second half when Paintsil scored, but the goal was overturned after a VAR review showed a foul in the build-up.

Richmond Foster girls water polo punches their ticket to UIL State Championships

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 19, 2024) The Richmond Foster girl's water polo team punched their ticket to the UIL State Water Polo Championships with a 19-4 win over the Bridgeland Bears at Cy-Fair Natatorium on Saturday afternoon at the Region III 6A Championships.

The Falcons, who are the top-ranked team in Texas, and number two nationally, according to MaxPreps.com, jumped out to a 6-3 after seven minutes of play and increased their lead to 13-3 at the half. After the first quarter, they held the Bears scoreless until they were able to add a single goal at the 4:31 mark of the fourth quarter. 

Senior Kinley Niles led the scoring for the Falcons with five goals, followed by sophomore Cassidy Jacks with four. Senior Mena Demafiles and junior Addison Olson contributed with three each.

For Bridgeland, senior Lizzie Richardson and Chloe Cheatham each scored two goals for the Bears.

The state championships will begin on Friday, October 25 with the semifinals and conclude on Saturday, October 26. All games will be played at San Antonio's North East ISD Josh Davis Natatorium.

Deer Park defeats Clear Lake, 38-21

The score was tied at 21 at the half in 
Friday evenings' game between
Deer Park and Clear Lake.
Photo by Darla Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 204 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

DEER PARK, TEXAS (October 18, 2024)  In a Friday night matchup at Abshire Stadiukm, the Deer Park Deer football team came out on top, defeating the Clear Lake Falcons 38-21. The game was an important district contest in the UIL 6A Region III District 24. With this win, Deer Park improved their season record to 6-1, while Clear Lake fell to 2-5.

Deer Park started the game strong, showing their dominance on both offense and defense. The Deer moved the ball effectively, gaining yards on the ground and through the air. Their defense was also solid, keeping Clear Lake from finding much success early on.

By halftime, the score was 21-7 in favor of Deer Park, as they built a comfortable lead. The Clear Lake Falcons struggled to keep up, but they didn’t give up. In the second half, Clear Lake managed to put together some scoring drives, but it wasn’t enough to catch up to the Deer, who continued to add to their lead.

Deer Park’s ability to control the pace of the game helped them secure the victory. Their running game was a key part of their offense, and they also made big plays when they needed to through the air. The Deer’s defense also stepped up with some critical stops, keeping the Falcons from closing the gap.

Now, Deer Park has their sights set on their next game, an away matchup against the Brazoswood Buccaneers on Friday, October 25. Brazoswood is having a tough season with an 0-7 record. They are coming off a big loss to Dickinson, 84-28, which means Deer Park will enter the game as the clear favorite.

On the other side, the Clear Lake Falcons are looking to bounce back. They will host Clear Creek on Thursday, October 24. Clear Creek also holds a 2-5 record after defeating Clear Brook 31-14 in their last game. Both Clear Lake and Clear Creek are hoping to improve their seasons with a win in this matchup.

For Deer Park, the victory against Clear Lake was an important step in their quest to stay at the top of the district standings. The Deer have been strong all season and will look to continue their winning ways as they push toward the playoffs.

As for Clear Lake, they’ll need to regroup and come out strong against Clear Creek if they want to turn their season around.

The Deer’s performance on Friday night showed why they’re one of the best teams in the district. With a balanced attack and a tough defense, Deer Park is ready to take on all challengers as they move forward in the season.

Pasadena drops close match to Kingwood Park in UIL volleyball action

Submitted photo, Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Chris Price

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (October 10, 2024) In a match that was closer than the scoreboard indicated, the No. 4 Pasadena Lady Eagles dropped a four-set match by the score of 3-1 to the No. 3 ranked Kingwood Park Panthers at Barfield Gymnasium in Pasadena.

The Lady Eagles (18-11) started the match with a 25-22 win before dropping the final three sets 21-25, 22-25, and 23-25. The loss dropped Pasadena to 3-4 in District 18-5A play but still retained their fourth place standings in district play; keeping the prospect of a 2024 playoff berth alive.

Previously this season, on September 17, the Lady Eagles faced off against the Panthers at Kingwood Park, falling in straight sets 25-27, 17-25, 18-25. The Panthers are 4-2 in district matches. Pasadena has a bye on October 15 before traveling to Crosby on Friday, October 18 with a 6:30 p.m. start. On September, the Eagles and Cougars faced off in district play in Pasadena. In the match, which went to five sets, the Lady Eagles posted a 3-2 win (26-24, 25-16, 19-25, 12-25, 15-10).

The remainder of the regular season will see Pasadena play West Fork on October 22 and Porter on October 29. In between those matches, they will travel to Dayton on October 25. UIL Playoffs will begin on November 1.

North Shore dominates Westfield with a 47-3 victory

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 13, 2024) In a lopsided game on Friday night, North Shore cruised to a commanding 47-3 victory over Spring Westfield. The Mustangs of North Shore were in control for most of the game, showing off their strong defense and explosive offense.

The game started slow with both teams struggling to find their rhythm on offense. North Shore's quarterback, Kaleb Bailey, completed a long pass early to Deion Deblanc, but the drive eventually stalled, and they had to punt. Westfield’s defense did its part too, forcing punts and keeping the score at 0-0 for most of the first quarter.

But with around four minutes left, North Shore’s special teams sparked the game. Quanell Farrakhan took a punt return 85 yards for a touchdown, putting North Shore on the board first. Jonathan Soto kicked the extra point, making it 7-0.

The second quarter is when North Shore began to take over. Chris Thomas scored on a 1-yard rushing touchdown early, pushing the lead to 14-0. Westfield managed to respond with a 25-yard field goal from Davon Smith, but it would be their only points of the game.

Before the half, North Shore’s D’Andre Hardeman broke free for a 32-yard rushing touchdown. After another successful extra point, the score was 21-3. A last-second 20-yard field goal by Jonathan Soto gave North Shore a comfortable 24-3 lead heading into halftime.

Westfield came out of the half hoping to turn things around, but North Shore's defense stayed tough. Kylan Darville had multiple sacks, and Westfield was forced to punt early in the third quarter.

North Shore continued to dominate on offense. Kaleb Bailey connected with Quanell XJr again, this time for a 34-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 31-3. Then, the Mustangs' defense added two more points with a safety, making it 33-3.

Shortly after, Avan Brown ran in an 11-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 40-3.

Westfield had some bright moments in the final quarter but couldn’t find the end zone. North Shore sealed the game with one last touchdown by Terence Blackshure, who scored from the 1-yard line to make it 47-3.

Despite Westfield’s efforts, they turned the ball over on downs late in the game, and North Shore ran out the clock to finish the dominant win.

North Shore’s defense was the star of the game, constantly pressuring Westfield and forcing them to punt on almost every drive. Their offense, led by Kaleb Bailey, made big plays when needed, and their special teams were a difference-maker.

With the win, North Shore improves to 3-0, while Westfield will look to bounce back next week.

Pasadena falls in close match to Splendora to kickoff district action

Submitted Photo, Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Chris Price

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (September 13, 2024) The Pasadena Lady Eagles and the Splendora Wildcats kicked off their UIL district schedule with a matchup at Pasadena High School's Bob Barfield Gymnasium. The game feature to two top ranked teams, according to MaxPreps.com, from District 18-5A.

The evenly-matched contest when to the maximum five sets, with Splendora coming out on top over Pasadena by the score of 3-2. The Wildcats took the first set, 25-23. The Lady Eagles bounced back in set two, by the score of 25-17 but dropped set three, 22-25. 

Set four saw Pasadena rebound 25-22, to even the match at 2-2. In the final set, Splendora edged out the Lady Eagles 15-11 to secure the win.

Pasadena pushed their season record to 15-7 and 0-1 in district play. Next up for Pasadena is a Tuesday, September  17 meeting against Kingwood Park (7-17, 0-0 district) on the road with a varsity start at 6:30 p.m. 

Texas 6A High School Football Rankings-Week 3

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (September 8, 2024) Below is listed the Week 3 rankings for UIL División 6A football by TexSport Publications. An updates listed will be posted weekly prior to the first game of each week.

1. Galena Park North Shore (2-0)

2. Duncanville (1-0)

3. Austin Westlake (2-0)

4. Humble Summer Creek (2-0)

5. North Crowley (2-0)

6. DeSoto (1-1)

7. Southlake Carroll (2-0)

8. Humble Atascocita (2-0)

9. Cibolo Steele (2-0)

10. Lake Travis (2-0)

11. Allen (2-0)

12. The Woodlands (2-0)

13. Cypress Bridgeland (2-0)

14. Coppell (2-0)

15. Lamar Fulshear (2-0)

16. Denton Guyer (2-0)

17  Fort Bend Hightower (2-0) 

18. Spring Westfield (1-1)

19. Fort Bend Ridge Point (1-1)

 20. Katy (1-1)

21. Rockwell (1-1)

22 Austin Vandegrift (1-1)

23. Cedar Hill (1-1)

24. San Antonio Reagan (1-1)

25. Willis (2-0)

HCU falls to #20 Tarleton State in home opener

Story and photo by Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

HOUSTON, TEXAS (September 7, 2024)  The Houston Christian University football team dropped their home opener to 20th-ranked Tarleton State, 35-18, on Saturday night at Husky Stadium. This was the Huskies' first-ever home game against a ranked non-conference opponent.

The Huskies (0-2) had a strong start, moving the ball 47 yards on their first drive. Quarterback Cutter Stewart (Alice HS, Alice, TX) completed passes to Calvin Wiggins (Byron Nelson HS, Roanoak, TX), and running back Champ Dozier (Royse City HS, Dallas, TX) had a 20-yard run. However, HCU couldn’t score as their fourth-down attempt failed.

Tarleton State (2-1) got on the board early in the second quarter with an 84-yard touchdown drive. Shortly after, Stewart threw an interception, and the Texans quickly scored again, making it 14-0. HCU responded with a 77-yard drive, capped by Dozier’s three-yard rushing touchdown, cutting the lead to 14-7.

Before halftime, Tarleton added another touchdown to take a 21-7 lead into the break.

In the second half, HCU’s defense made a big play when Xavier Toliver (Mansfield Summit HS, Arlington, TX) intercepted a pass and returned it to the Texans’ 15-yard line. However, the Huskies could only manage a field goal, closing the gap to 21-10. Tarleton extended their lead with another long drive, making it 28-10.

HCU’s AJ Wilson (Huntsville HS, Huntsville, TX) caught a 19-yard touchdown from Stewart late in the fourth quarter, followed by a successful two-point conversion, but it wasn’t enough to catch up.

Wilson led HCU with 51 yards receiving and a touchdown. Stewart passed for 201 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Defensively, Taylor Behl (Georgetown HS, Georgetown, TX) had 13 tackles, while D.J. Harris (Langham HS, Houston, TX) added 10.

HCU will host Louisiana Christian next Saturday, September 14, at 6:00 p.m. at Husky Stadium.

Pasadena Lady Eagles Volleyball down Ford Bend Marshall in three sets

Copyrighted Photo 2024 All Rights Reserved

By Chris Price
Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (September 6, 2024)  The Pasadena High School varsity volleyball team pushed their season record to 13-6 on Friday evening with a three-set victory over the Fort Bend Marshal Buffalos at Robert Barfield Gymnasium on the campus of Pasadena High School.

The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 25-16 win in the first set, followed up with a second-set victory by the score of 25-20. In the third set, the Eagle held a large margin early in the set, when Marshall mounted a comeback, cutting the Pasadena lead to two late in the match. The Lady Eagles responded with seven points to clinch the third set 25-17, dropping Marshall's season record to 4-7.

Next up for the Lady Eagles will be a Tuesday, September 10 road match against the Baytown Sterling Rangers. The Rangers possess a 6-10 record going into the match, after losing a two-set tournament match to Humble Atascocita by the scores of 13-25 and 11-25.

The matchup against Sterling will be the final non-district game for Pasadena, as they kickoff their District 18-5A schedule against Splendora (13-5) on Friday, September 13 at home.

Individual season stats, as provided by MaxPreps.com, can be viewed here.

Texas 6A High School Football Rankings-Week 2

By Robert H Kelly

Copyright 2024 All Rights Reserved

PASADENA, TEXAS (September 4, 2024) Below is listed the Week 2 rankings for UIL División 6A football by TexSport Publications. An updates listed will be posted weekly prior to the first game of each week.

1. DeSoto (1-0) over Creekside (GA), 70-0 

2. Galena Park North Shore (1-0) over Dallas South Oak Cliff, 38-0 

3. Duncanville (0-0) Idle 

4. Austin Westlake (1-0) over Prosper, 35-14 

5. Humble Summer Creek (1-0) over Alvin Shadow Creek, 42-0 

6. North Crowley (1-0) over Lancaster, 29-21  

7. Southlake Carroll (1-0) over Midland, 48-24 

8. Humble Atascocita (1-0) over Houston Lamar, 35-7

9. Lake Travis (1-0) W: Arlington Martin, 51-12 

10. Katy (1-0) over Dickinson, 41-37 

11. Spring Westfield (1-0) over Sheldon King, 34-28

12. Cibolo Steele (1-0) over Liberty Hill, 49-26 

13. Fort Bend Ridge Point (1-0) over League City Clear Springs, 38-20 

14. Coppell (1-0) over Garland Sachse, 31-10

15. Allen (1-0) over Midland Legacy, 61-0

16. The Woodlands (1-0) over Katy Cinco Ranch, 49-22 

17. Cypress Bridgeland (1-0) over Pearland Dawson, 52-14 

18. Rockwell (1-0) over Richardson Berkner 38-27

19. Austin Vandegrift (1-0) over Dripping Springs, 31-14 

20. Lamar Fulshear (1-0) over Pearland, 19-12 

21. Dickinson (0-1) falls to Katy 37-41

22. Cedar Hill (1-0) over Midlothian 40-7

23. San Antonio Reagan (1-0) over San Antonio Brennan 31-9

24. Denton Guyer (1-0) over Aledo 35-30

25, Fort Bend Hightower (1-0)  over Clear Falls 19-14