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Santa Fe's Mallory Richardson
THE PLAYMAKERS: Springing Forward powered by UTMB Health
Here are the UTMB Athletes of the Month, as the Winter season wraps up, and we transition to the Spring.
Hitchcock Bulldogs Basketball
The stars of 2023-24 Hitchcock Basketball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
After claiming the program's first UIL state title in 2023, Hitchcock basketball completed its mission of repeating at state, with their 53-49 victory over Ponder this past Saturday, bringing their final record to 35-3.
Coach Christopher Jordan-Foster was named Texas High School Boys Basketball Coach of the Year for accomplishing this feat, but he didn't do it alone.
Senior guard Damien McDaniel put up some stellar numbers (23 points, 9 rebounds, 4 steals) in the state final, which garnered him Class 3A MVP honors.
Additionally, Lloyd Jones III (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals) and Elijah Sherwood were named to the UIL All-Tournament team for their efforts.
With the performance they put up this year, paired with the fact that several key contributors will be returning a year from now, it is a safe assessment to say that the Bulldogs will be gunning for their third-straight next Winter.
Landon Kay, La Porte Baseball
Doug Brown (VYPE)
At the conclusion of tournament season, La Porte is looking every bit as good as they were in the latter-half of the 2023 season.
The Bulldogs currently maintain an impressive record of 11-3-1 to begin the Spring, which was highlighted by recent victories against some tough Class 6A opponents such as Clear Springs (9-3), Strake Jesuit (5-4), and Conroe (1-0).
Coach Ricky Torres lineup is looking as talented as ever thus far, and is anchored by senior outfielder Landon Kay, who is coming off a first-team, all-district performance a year ago.
With the district portion of the schedule coming up, La Porte has their sights set on claiming their first district championship since the 2018-19 season.
Kay will undoubtedly play a significant role in the potential acquisition.
Raenna Liscano, Pearland Softball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
In just her first year as head coach, Michele Hyden is ensuring that Pearland won't skip a beat, following their state championship last Spring.
With a 21-2 start to the season, the Oilers appear to be in prime position to make another run for the Class 6A title. They reminded everyone in the Greater Houston-area that they remain the team to beat, with key wins over Keller (15-11), The Woodlands (4-3), Alvin (6-5), and Dawson (1-0).
Additionally, Pearland's tiresome two-week run demonstrated that they're still capable of emerging victorious from the close games, which is a testament to the veteran-talent on the team.
Speaking of which, senior infielder Raenna Liscano has shown a lot of grit to begin the Spring. The ULL-signee will be relied on, following the departure of some of last year's stars -- Hailey Golden (Texas A&M), Abigail Gutierrez (UT-Arlington), and Kristyn Whitlock (SHSU).
Liscano, along with fellow returners Kaylee Schweitzer (LSU-commit) and Trinity Perry (TWU), provides the necessary experience that will guide the Lady Oilers through district and beyond.
Zachary Tuxhorn, Clear Lake Baseball
Doug Brown (VYPE)
Well, well, well. Talk about Clear Lake starting 2024 with a BANG!
The Falcons currently stand to be the team to beat in District 24-6A, following a strong 13-1-3 conclusion to the tournament season.
Coach Josh Bromberg has emphatically found a way to optimize his young roster to start 2024, and CLHS is unlikely to slow down anytime soon.
The reigning district MVP Zachary Tuxhorn should play a significant role from the catcher spot, as the connection he shares with sophomore pitcher Preston Sommerville continues to develop.
Returning to the postseason seems to be in the cards for the Falcons, with the second half of the season beginning in the coming weeks.
Mallory Richardson, Santa Fe Softball
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Santa Fe (16-6-1) is off to yet another strong start to the Spring, in coach Andrew Whittington's second season leading the program.
While most eyes have naturally been on the reigning District 18-5A Offensive MVP Mea Slayton (St. Thomas-commit) or junior outfielder Katelynn Torres, sophomore Mallory Richardson has been the unsung hero of the group, thus far.
With the district portion of the Indians' schedule underway, Richardson is currently throwing a 1.25 ERA with 45 strikeouts from the mound. She's just as dangerous at-bat, with an average of 0.446, plus 16 RBIs, 22 runs scored, and three home runs.
It's not going to be an easy stretch, against opponents like Friendswood, La Porte, and Manvel. But if history is any indication, Richardson and company should expect another trip to the postseason in the near future.
The reigning UIL Class 3A State Champions -- Hitchcock Bulldogs
TAKING OWNERSHIP: Jordan-Foster, Hitchcock ready to repeat
Tenth-year coach Christopher Jordan-Foster will bank on his team’s physicality, particularly on defense, to make that goal a reality.
“Having some really fast and physical guys on the floor helps us out a lot,” he said. “I know we’re not going to be as polished offensively compared to some teams that do it year-round, before getting our football guys back late. However, like I tell them all the time, ‘defense travels with us’.”
The stars of 2023-24 Hitchcock BasketballBradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Being a Hitchcock alumnus himself, Jordan-Foster knows a little something about the ownership his team takes in their game.
“I’m a hometown kid,” he said. “There’s something different about bringing something back to your home, which makes you have a little bit more pride in your work. I stress that to the guys, as well. It’s more personal and I want them to feel that – looking back to when you made history for your community.”
That upbringing is likely what feeds into the culture he’s brought back to Hitchcock.
“Those guys growing up together, playing alongside one another for a while has played a key factor in the growth of the culture,” said Jordan-Foster. “Also, changing systems from a zone-press to more of a full-court man was a game-changer for us. That’s kind of our M.O. – we’re going full-court every time.”
Damien McDaniel
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
The Bulldogs will feature several returners from last year’s championship squad, including Damien McDaniel (Sr. G), Lloyd “Chubby”Jones III (Jr. PF), Kelshaun Johnson (Jr. G) and Elijah Sherwood (Jr. G), who Jordan-Foster expects to take a big step forward this season.
So, what will it take for Jordan-Foster and Hitchcock to run it back in 2024?
“First of all, it’s going to take some focus,” he said. “With a lot of football guys coming onto the court, health is a key component to this as well. I’ve had these guys for a while now, so they know what I expect from them when we head into the Winter. But, staying healthy will definitely be important to us.”
The stage is set. Now, it’s time for the encore.