Welcome to the 2020 football season. What a weird offseason it was for everyone. There was not a summer camp circuit for player to go showcase their talents at. In-person recruiting came to a screeching halt and the COVID-19 Pandemic has affected everyone.
But VYPE has still done what we have always done when it comes to previewing Texas high school football here in Houston. With that said here are the is the No. 3 Westfield Mustangs.
Westfield has won 10 or more games for nine-straight seasons. The Mustangs reached the state semifinals in 2019 for the first time since 2014. Can they punch through the ceiling and get back to a state title game for the first time since 2004? Quarterback Cardell Williams is back after a breakthrough season. Williams, who earned Offensive Newcomer of the Year, passed for 2,811 yards and 30 touchdowns and is a game-changer.
Watch for TE Kailon Golston, who earned first-team honors a year ago, and FB Dominic Bailey to step up in their roles. Defense has always been the calling card for this program and that won't be different in 2020. Anthony Holmes Jr. (66 tackles, 5 sacks) will be the anchor of the defensive line and dons Ed Oliver's old number. Is that a sign of things to come? Also, watch for first-team, all-district linebacker Ashton Harris (74 tackles, six sacks) and second-teamers CB Kayden Craig and S Jayden Perkins.
IT’S RARE FOR A CITY TO HAVE ONE OR TWO NATIONAL GIRLS’ BASKETBALL RECRUITS IN A CLASS.
Well, the Class of 2027 in the city of Houston is special.
The popularity of girls’ basketball has completely skyrocketed. Names like Caitlyn, Angel, A’ja, Breanna, Kelsey and Sabina are mainstream, household brands, who are changing the game as it relates to marketing and how the game is played.
Jemini Mitchell exploded onto the Houston high school scene with a breakout season alongside South Carolina-commit Ayla McDowell. The dynamic duo has the potential to be cutting down the nets inside the Alamodome this March. The 6-foot-3 star can do it all.
Cy Springs' Jemini MitchellBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I think she’s the most versatile recruit for the Class of 2027 in the country,” Cy Springs coach Taneisha Rogers said. “Her versatility is what sets her apart. She can guard anyone on the court.”
Relatively new to the game is Hightower’s Ogechi Okeke, who is the centerpiece for the Hurricanes’ present and future.
“She hasn’t been playing very long but she is a sponge,” Hightower coach Jasmine Brewer said. “She was starting on varsity as a 14-year- old. Her ability to be coachable and pick up concepts is really impressive. She’s a great teammate and student as well.”
Kinkaid coach Stacey Marshall has the luxury of having three sophomore game- changers on one team... Ma’Ryiah Alfred, Lauren Hull and her daughter Sydney Marshall.
The stars of 2024-25 Kinkaid Girls BasketballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“This is a one of the best all-around classes I’ve ever seen here, and Houston has been a hotspot for recruiting for decades,” she said. “Sydney has an advanced understanding of the game and can really shoot the ball, while Lauren hasn’t even tapped her ceiling. She is an elite defender and can really finish around the rim. Ma’Ryiah is one of those ‘Three and D’ players who is so creative. She will also make the extra pass and has a high motor. Those three are high-level recruits.”
Down south is Pearland, home to A’Zyua Blair and Shiloh Grays, who also had big freshman seasons. They are getting a lot of recruiting attention already.
Pearland's A'Zyua BlairBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“A’Zyua really pushes the pace and will be a great college floor general,” Pearland coach Jere’ Adams said. “She gets her teammates involved and know when her teammates need her to take over. Shiloh is not her sister, RyLee. They are two different players. Shiloh can play inside and out and is a great rebounder. We call her a ‘walking double-double’.”
With a stellar sophomore class in H-Town, the future looks healthy for the Space City. It will be exciting to see how they develop and where they end up at the college level.
The stars of 2024-25 Concordia Lutheran Girls Basketball
Justin Hartojo (VYPE)
5 — CONCORDIA LUTHERAN CRUSADERS
Under the direction of head coach and CLHS AD Matt Neidigk, the Crusaders enjoyed their best season in years last winter, as they went 27-9 and reached the TAPPS-6A Regional round.
Fortunately for Concordia Lutheran, they have the luxury of bringing back nearly the entirety of their 2024 stars.
Senior forward Kenley Benson will continue to be the catalyst for the group, following yet another dynamic showcase that garnered her first-team, all-state honors.
Second-team, all-district selection and all-state honorable mention Leah Jurischk (Jr. G) also returns to provide additional veteran leadership, alongside fellow upperclassmen Kaitlin Rich (all-district honorable mention) and Megan Ingraham (Jr. F).
The Crusaders are in pursuit of their first State Final-Four appearance since 2016 and they just might have the fire-power to do so.
Cy Springs' Jemini MitchellBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
The stars of 2024-25 Kinkaid Girls BasketballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Pearland's A'Zyua BlairBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
