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.