Katy short stop JJ Padilla (2) attempts to leap over a tag from Seven Lakes catcher Kaleb Thompson (23) during the UIL District 19-6A game between the Seven Lakes Spartans and the Katy Tigers at Katy High School in Katy, TX. The Spartans defeated the Tigers 6-2; John Glaser/Katy News. (Credit Image: © John Glaser/Katy News)
By Tom Behrens
Baseball
With eight games left in regular season:
1. Seven Lakes 5-1-0 and 15-5-0
2. Tompkins 5-2-0 and 13-7-1
3. Taylor 4-2-0 and 13-7-0
4. Katy 4-2-0 and 15-5-1
5. Strake Jesuit 3-4-0 and 16-6-3
6. Morton Ranch 3-4-0 and 9-13-0
7. Cinco Ranch 2-4-0 and 7-11-0
8. Mayde Creek 0-7-0, 1-15-0
Katy HS… At the beginning of the season, Coach Tom McPherson reported that the Tigers did not have many players returning from last year. The Tigers graduated 16 seniors, leaving only three players with playing time—Hayden Ebrecht who was injured, Coy Cobb, and J.J. Padilla Ebrecht after feeling discomfort in throwing at the beginning of season underwent Tommy John surgery and will be out the rest of the year.
Taylor HS … Coach Matt Glover reported eight starters returning, include Max Wright, Alex Stokes and pitcher Matt Whelan.
Tompkins HS …is challenging the number one team in District 19-6, Seven Lakes HS, being only one game out of first place. Tompkins returned six starters from last year’s team. The Falcons went 10-7 in District 19-6A last year, and were 23-12-1 and 23-12-1 overall.
Baseball Pitch Count
This season, national pitch-count limits are part of the high school game.
A 2015 study by the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine found that 56.7 percent of Tommy John surgeries to replace the UCL between 2007 and 2011 were performed on 15 to 19-year-olds.
Nearly all states also factor in how much rest a pitcher has in the pitch-count limits, following Pitch Smart recommendations from USA Baseball and Major League Baseball.
According to the guidelines, a 17 or 18-year-old pitcher should throw no more than 105 pitches in a day and needs a minimum of four days rest before throwing again once he reaches 76 pitches.
Pitchers who are 13-16 should throw a maximum of 95 pitches; 13 and 14-year-olds need four days rest when they reach 66 pitches, and 15 and 16-year-olds need four days rest when they reach 76.
The Dallas News reported earlier this year that Texas pitch count regulations state that all high school players — no matter their age — will be limited to 110 pitches in a game. A player would also be limited to a total of 110 pitches total in a postseason series. Junior high players are limited to a total of 85 pitches.
Players will be required to rest a certain amount of days based on the number of pitches they’ve thrown in a contest.
In Grades 9 through 12, if the pitcher throws 31-45 pitches, he gets one day rest. At the top end, 86-110 pitches, he gets to rest his arm and body four days. In Junior High games, grades 7 and 8, 66-85 are the top numbers; the pitcher gets to take four days rest.
The home team designates an official pitch counter each game. That person will not be allowed in the dugout. He or she can meet with coaches or a team representative in between innings to verify the pitch counts.
UIL athletic director Susan Elza said her organization will continue to monitor the process and could make changes to the recording, collection, or even the number itself.
“I think this year will tell us everything we need to know,” Elza was reported as saying. “This is a starting point.”
Softball
The road to the state championship just might lead again through Tiger Land.
The Lady Tigers are ranked number three in Texas high school softball according to Max Preps, boasting a perfect 7-0-0 in District 19-6A and 22-3-0 overall
Katy HS 7-0-0 and 22-3-0
Seven Lakes 4-2-0 and 9-6-0
Tompkins 4-2-0 and 9-4-1
Cinco Ranch 3-3-0 and 10-13-0
Mayde Creek 2-4-0 and 7-12-0
Morton Ranch 2-4-0 and 7-13-0
Taylor 0-7-0 and 2-17-0
With Coach Kalum Haack back on the bench for the Tigers, the girls have been on a run scoring rampage. Kayla Garcia, Kennedie Schexnayder, Tori Whillock, and Chloe Cobb have all been doing their share. Alyssa LeBlanc has been holding the Katy opponents down as the hitters run the bases.
All District 19-6A Girls Basketball Picks
MVP: Laura Rowe, Katy
OFFENSIVE MVP: Brooke Bigott, Seven Lakes
DEFENSIVE MVP: Bailey Brown, Seven Lakes
NEWCOMER: Priscilla Williams, Seven Lakes
FIRST TEAM: Sophia Carrasco, Cinco Ranch; Astrid Doennem, Seven Lakes; Alayna O’Connor, Taylor; Macy Ray, Taylor; Kelley Skinner, Katy; Samantha Washburn, Morton Ranch;
SECOND TEAM: Cait Calland, Katy; Valerie Chastain, Cinco Ranch; Danyle Courtley, Cinco Ranch; Olivia Harolds, Mayde Creek; Cassidy Howard, Katy; Jada Lake, Seven Lakes; Amani McKnight, Morton Ranch; Micayla Mikulski, Tompkins; Leah Peters, Taylor; Tristin Scherpereel, Taylor offensive tackle. He also played fullback and defensive end.
Soccer Playoffs
Whoa …. What happened here?
UIL boys and soccer games that were supposed to be played on Thursday, got moved to Friday at the last minute. It wasn’t just District 19-6A games, but Thursday evening games all over Texas.
So why were the games moved? It’s called STAAR testing.
Houston’s confusion started when Ali Zamanian checked his email early Thursday. The vice- president of scheduling for the Houston Southwest Soccer Officials Association was informed playoff games couldn’t be held Thursday due to statewide STAAR testing.
The State Board of Education prohibits participating schools from any area, regional or state competition Monday through Thursday the week of testing. STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) are state-mandated exams assessing a student’s knowledge in a particular grade level. English I and II were this week, with Algebra I, Biology and U.S. History administered the first week of May.
Regular-season games are allowed during testing (baseball and softball teams played this week). At the same time, the University Interscholastic League, which governs athletics for Texas public schools, listed on its calendar and website Thursday as a possible date for the soccer playoff games.
The Houston area had 14 games scheduled for Thursday evening.
Seven Lakes girl’s teams advance to Regional Quarter Finals;
Seven Lakes boys the only team to advance Regional Finals
The Cinco Ranch Cougars soccer team lost Friday’s neutral playoff game against Cypress Lakes by a score of 2-0. The Cougars, seeded number 3 in District 19-6A, and ranked 12 in Texas finished the season at 9-2-3 in district, and 15-3-4.
The Lady Cougars of Cinco Ranch had no problems in taking care of Fort Bend Austin, 6-0 in Bi-district and then Lanhgam Creek, 3-0 in Area. The Cougars next opponent will be Ridge Point in the Regional Quarter finals
Strake Jesuit boys, the number one seed in the district had no problems with Fort Bend Austin, 4-1, but lost to Cy-Ridge, 2-1.
Morton Ranch boys went down in defeat in close game, 3-2, to Fort Bend Travis in Bi-district .
Seven Lakes Spartans, the lone survivor in the boys’ brackets from district, defeated Fort Bend Dulles, 4-0, and had a tougher time with Cypress Falls, winning 1-0. The next game for the Spartans will be with Cypress Lakes in Regional Quarter finals.
The Seven Lakes Girls displayed the talent they have that might take them deep in the playoffs. The Lady Spartans defeated Fort Bend Clements, 4-1, Cypress 1-1 (w) and now face a familiar District 19 team, Tompkins in the Regional Quarter finals.
Tompkins girls thrashed Fort Bend Kempner 8-0, and survived a Cy-Fair scare, 3-2.
The Taylor girls lost a heartbreaker to Ridge Point, 1-0 at Bi-district level.
Katy Isd Sports Alums Making News
Rodney Anderson: This could be his year with the Sooners
“God has a plan,” Anderson said. “It’s strange how they’re crazy injuries, they’re not everyday injuries. I don’t know, but God has a plan,” he said in an interview with the ourdaily.com.
In his freshman year at Oklahoma, Anderson broke a leg in the Sooners game with Tennessee, sidelining him for the season. In his second year he broke his neck in fall practice, again taking him all the Oklahoma depth charts.
Now in his third year at OU, Anderson is determined to make a comeback.
“I’m going to take the opportunity and do the most I can with it,” Anderson said. “I’m always going to give 100 percent in everything I do and just try to make the most of it,”
Mayde Creek football alum invited to Texans local draft prospect day
Towson fullback Dreon Johnson has been invited to work out for the Texans’ at their local draft prospect day, according to a source not authorized to speak publicly.
The workout for players who attended local high schools and colleges is scheduled for April 8.
Listed at 6-foot, 242 pounds, Johnson attended Mayde Creek High School.
He was a two-time team captain who was an all-district.