By Tom Behrens:
Paddy Fisher, Katy High School alum, a linebacker for the Tigers, leads Northwestern in tackles with 95. Coach Pat Fitzgerald is quoted as saying in a recent NU press release, “That’s a big (245) pound guy that can run sideline to sideline. It’s pretty impressive.” In his second career game, a loss at Duke, Fisher had 18 tackles. Against Michigan State, Fisher reset his career high with 19 stops, 14 of which were solo tackles. Fisher forced fumbles on consecutive plays with the Spartans in the red zone.
University of Oklahoma reports guard Kameron McGusty (Seven Lakes High School) was voted by the Big 12 conference head coaches as preseason Big 12 honorable mention selection. As a sophomore McGusty boasts the highest 2016-17 scoring average (10.9 points) among returning Sooners. The 6-5 guard upped his production to 14.4 points per game in Big 12 play last season – the fifth-most among all returning Big 12 players. McGusty’s success in conference play was highlighted by 15 consecutive games of double-digit scoring. Following his rookie campaign, McGusty was named an All-Big 12 honorable mention and member of the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. He is the first OU freshman to earn All-Big 12 honors and All-Newcomer status since Tommy Mason-Griffin in 2009-10.
Every football fan in Texas knows about the 12th Man tradition at Texas A&M, but did you know that Cullen Gillaspia, a graduate of Taylor High School was the 12th man this year? His personal highlight for this year was a blocked Alabama punt in the Alabama end zone.
Taylor High School graduate, Kendall Covington, who is in her senior year at the University of Pennsylvania has a career–best .350 hitting percentage in vollleyball, which also leads the team. Through 16 matches Covington ranked second on the team with 149 kills and a career high 2.26 average.
Espen Hansen, Cinco Ranch soccer graduate, led the University of Houston-Victoria with 12 goals in 16 matches as a sophomore and is again the team’s go-to scorer. Other Katy area players on the Jaguar squad is Adrian Mendosa, Katy High School, Sydney Tume, St. John XXIII and Robero Muniz, Morton Ranch.