Tag: Katy Tigers

Katy starts off season of uncertainty with dominant sweep of Stratford
Katy High 2020 team captains, from left to right: junior Maddie Waak, senior Hannah Hoover, senior Perris Key. (PHOTO BY DENNIS SILVA II)

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

Finally.

A serve was hit and everything seemed normal again, almost as if time froze and the tragic pandemic of the novel coronavirus COVID-19 was forgotten, at least for a couple of hours.

Just days after Katy ISD cross country teams initiated their respective 2020 seasons, and mere minutes after team tennis programs began district play, volleyball teams followed suit on Tuesday afternoon, albeit six weeks later than usual. Wearing masks and exchanging high-fives for elbow taps, Katy High volleyball players and coaches showed off a genuine enthusiasm and appreciation, even more so than usual, during their season-opener at home against Stratford.

The Tigers swept the Spartans in dominant fashion, 25-11, 25-13, 25-16.

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Katy High star recruits Taylor, Washington to sit out scrimmage, opener due to social injustice
Katy, Tx. Nov. 7, 2019: Pass intended for Taylor’s Griffin Dougherty (18) almost gets intercepted by Katy’s Bobby Taylor (3) during a district game between Katy Tigers and Taylor Mustangs at Legacy Stadium. (Photo by Mark Goodman)

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

Due to social injustice, particularly in light of recent events, Katy High junior cornerback Bobby Taylor announced Friday morning on a social media post that he will sit out the Tigers’ scrimmage against Klein Collins on Sept. 17 and their season opener at Clear Springs on Sept. 25.

Taylor added that teammate and four-star senior cornerback Hunter Washington will join him in sitting out as well.

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Changes affect revised 2020 Katy ISD football schedules
(PHOTO BY DENNIS SILVA II)

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

Due to the restructuring of the UIL 2020 high school football season caused by the novel coronavirus COVID-19, Katy ISD’s nine head coaches spent the last month or so revising their schedules.

Some programs, such as Katy and Tompkins, still have holes to fill on their schedules. But otherwise, the primary change is moving up district games earlier to get those done—as it is the district season that determines playoff qualifiers—and splitting the four non-district games for the district’s seven Class 6A programs, two for Weeks 1 and 2 and two more, if possible, to close the season.

In Class 5A-Division I, where Paetow resides, nine-team District 10-5A will split into zones for the upcoming season. Paetow will be in Zone A with Richmond Foster, Kempner, Rosenberg Terry and Houston Wisdom. Zone B consists of of Angleton, Hightower, Manvel and Milby.

Continue reading “Changes affect revised 2020 Katy ISD football schedules” →

Katy slugger McFadden changes course, verbally commits to Purdue
Katy High senior third baseman Olivia McFadden has verbally committed to Purdue. (PHOTO BY MARK GOODMAN)

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

On the first day of what promises to be a different and adaptive school year for Katy ISD because of drastic accommodations due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19, Katy High slugger Olivia McFadden showed she’s got no problem with change.

McFadden, the Tigers’ Class of 2021 hard-hitting third baseman and 2019 state champion, decommitted from UTSA and verbally committed to Purdue on Wednesday. On Oct. 12 of last year, McFadden verbally committed to the Roadrunners, noting the coaching staff’s genuine interest in her personal development, on and off the field, as well as the program’s commitment to improving athletic performance through sport science and technology.

But McFadden started entertaining the prospect of playing at Purdue when the coaching staff reached out to her travel ball coach to express interest a couple of weeks ago.

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After Big 10 postpones fall football season, former Katy star Wilder awaits next step
Former Katy High star and Wisconsin senior defensive back Collin Wilder. (COURTESY PHOTO)

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

Very weird. Depressing. Tired. Tough. Relief.

Former Katy High star and Wisconsin senior defensive back Collin Wilder ran through a gauntlet of emotions Tuesday evening after it was learned Big 10 conference presidents had voted to postpone the fall 2020 college football season due to the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

The hope is to play in the spring.

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Former Katy standout Lance staying positive in pursuit of MLB dream
Former Katy High standout and professional baseball player Carson Lance.

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

The unwelcomed phone call lasted 16 seconds. Washing your hands takes longer.

But for Carson Lance, that amount of time was enough to temporarily set back his career. A 2014 graduate of Katy High who was in the single-A minor league system of the Detroit Tigers organization, Lance was at his offseason home in Denton on July 2 when the Tigers called to notify he was being released.

“Short and sweet, to the point,” Lance, 25, recalled. “Nobody has money right now and there are a lot of players. I’m not the only guy with this story. I think Detroit cut 40-plus people that day. That’s the number I heard, so I’m sure he was busy that day and didn’t have a whole lot of time.”

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As Arizona commit and Katy High team captain, Johnson hopeful for senior season
Katy, Tx. – Sept 21, 2019: Katy’s Dalton Johnson (43) makes the stop on Clear Springs’ Kaleb Hymes during a game at Legacy Stadium in Katy. (Photo by Mark Goodman)

BY DENNIS SILVA II | DENSILVA2@GMAIL.COM

As the country is engulfed in a pandemic threatening the fall sports season, Katy High senior defensive back Dalton Johnson considers himself fortunate.

Though on-campus and in-person recruiting visits were not permitted during the spring because of COVID-19, Johnson verbally committed to continue his career and play for the University of Arizona a little more than a month ago. His future will not be dependent upon a senior campaign that is in jeopardy.

“It’s such a relief off my shoulders,” Johnson said. “Definitely with the pandemic, it kind of sped things up for me a bit. I was originally going to wait (to commit) until I go on a visit or something, but COVID kind of messed that up. It wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t rushed or anything. I knew it was the right time.

“I wanted to make sure I secured a spot, and looking at Arizona it was a perfect fit.”

Continue reading “As Arizona commit and Katy High team captain, Johnson hopeful for senior season” →