Friday, Jan. 04, 2008

Sports Digest

Dragons Make All-State

Although it was the first year in six years that an athlete other than a Carroll quarterback received the 5A Offensive Player of the Year award from the Associated Press, Dragons senior Riley Dodge did make the All-State team along with three teammates.

Dodge, Carroll’s outgoing senior quarterback who won the top offensive award last year, was named a first team All-State quarterback this season. Dodge was the only first-team selection for the Dragons.

Carroll receiver Blake Cantu, offensive lineman Sam Schwartzstein and running back Tré Newton, all seniors, received second-team offensive honors from the AP.

Running back Marcus Wright from San Antonio Reagan won the 5A Offensive Player of the Year award.

Two Make All-State

Grapevine and Colleyville Heritage’s football teams had a couple of its special team players receive All-State recognition.

Panthers kicker Ryan Owens and Mustangs punter Bryan Houk were named to the All-State Honorable Mention team for offense and defense, respectively, when the Associated Press released its Texas Class 5A football team recently.

The two athletes are the Grapevine-Colleyville school district’s only representatives on the All-State team.

TAPPS Football

Covenant, Faith Players Named All-State

Nine members of the Colleyville Covenant football team were named to the TAPPS Division IV All-State team, while six members of Grapevine Faith’s team received TAPPS Division III All-State honors.

Five Covenant players made the Division IV first team, including offensive lineman Jeffrey Hyde, receivers Austin McCrary and Derek Meadows, defensive linemen Caleb Cobb and linebacker Justin McCrary. Receiver Alex Brabon and defensive lineman Alex Adams made the second team, while offensive lineman Jared Crafton and quarterback Dillon Hess were named to the honorable mention team. Meadows was also named honorable mention for his work as a defensive back.

On the Division III team, Faith offensive linemen Daniel Ackerman and Curtis Roddy, quarterback Landon Anderson and receiver Alex Nerney were named to the first team. Ackerman was also a first-teamer for his work on the defensive line, while Anderson was also recognized on the first team for his work as a defensive back.

On the second team, Nerney was the only Faith representative for his work as a defensive lineman, while running back Grant Hockenbrough and linebacker Greg Wright were named honorable mention Division III.

Ackerman, Anderson, Nerney and Wright all made the TAPPS Academic All-State team for Division III, while Meadows was named to the Division IV team.

TAPPS Volleyball

Players Make All-State

Three Colleyville Covenant and two Grapevine Faith volleyball players were recently named to the TAPPS All-State teams in their respective divisions.

In Division III, Covenant middle blocker/outside hitter Sarah Gotcher made first team, outside hitter Laura Black was named to the second team and middle blocker Hannah Meadows received honorable mention.

In Division IV, Faith middle blocker Caitlyn Jolley was named to the second team, while setter Ashley Hubbard received honorable mention.

Jolley and Hubbard were also named to the TAPPS Academic All-State team for their achievements in the classroom.

Alumni Watch

Makasini Given Regional Honors

Colleyville Heritage graduate and LSU sophomore soccer star Michelle Makasini continued to pick up postseason honors this season, receiving all-region selection by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and Soccer Buzz magazine.

Makasini, who had nine goals and 21 points for LSU this season, was named first-team all-region by the NSCAA and second-team all-region by Soccer Buzz.

The Tigers were 12-5-7 and tied a team record for most wins in a single season and clinched their first SEC Western Division title.

Swimming

Nolan Sets Meet Records

Carroll freshman Connor Nolan set two meet records while swimming for the North Texas Nadadores last month.

Competing at the Winter Classic Invitational in Richardson, Nolan recorded a time of four minutes, 12.16 seconds in the 400 individual medley race.

The former record at the meet was 4:12.51, set in 2003. Nolan also posted a time of 1:45.45 in the 200 freestyle to break the former record of 1:45.87 set by Nadadores teammate and Carroll swimmer Wil Singley in 2004.

At the meet, the Nadadores had several other first-place finishes, including three from Jason Head (50 back, 100 back, 50 fly), two from Katelyn Sowinski (50 fly, 100 fly) and one each from Kendall Hazelton (50 free), Lisa Ginder (1650 free) and Luke Mankus. Nolan also added a first-place finish in the 200 fly.

Diving

Carroll Divers Place at Lubbock

At the Lubbock Invitational last month, five Carroll divers placed in the top eight of their respective divisions.

For the girls, Ali Watson finished fourth (201.50 points), Kellie Cline took fifth (190.30) and Katie Carroll finished seventh (180.60).

For the boys, Matthew Mason took third (327.90) and Connor Bowles finished fourth (322.05).

— Zach Warner, Staff Writer