Is Kalon Barnes the greatest athlete to ever come thru SETX?

[OneChance]

Mark Henry from Silsbee was one of the best athletes from SETX

[STiger85]

I do not know of any other athlete coming out of high school in SETX that is more accomplished than Kalon Barnes. Six gold metals, two silver metals. Anyone else want to step up to the table? 

[CardinalBacker]

7 minutes ago, STiger85 said:

I do not know of any other athlete coming out of high school in SETX that is more accomplished than Kalon Barnes. Six gold metals, two silver metals. Anyone else want to step up to the table? 

Alexis Henry from BC had three golds, I’m fairly certain. Are you including the basketball medals in your count?

There aren’t many guys that can claim to have been the starting pitcher in an SC baseball game as well as the starting qb in three (with two wins) Sc football games.   Very few kids have the skill set to one of those.... nobody else has done both. The Barnes kid is just freakishly fast. It’s one thing to come off of the bench to collect a basketball medal, but it’s a totally different deal to be a two-sport ace.  I think JD’s accomplishment is probably a little more remarkable, but the pure athleticism Barnes displays is better.  

Barnes’ national record kinda seals it for me. 

[LCMAlumtiger32]

11 minutes ago, CardinalBacker said:

Alexis Henry from BC had three golds, I’m fairly certain. Are you including the basketball medals in your count?

There aren’t many guys that can claim to have been the starting pitcher in an SC baseball game as well as the starting qb in three (with two wins) Sc football games.   Very few kids have the skill set to one of those.... nobody else has done both. The Barnes kid is just freakishly fast. It’s one thing to come off of the bench to collect a basketball medal, but it’s a totally different deal to be a two-sport ace.  I think JD’s accomplishment is probably a little more remarkable, but the pure athleticism Barnes displays is better.  

Barnes’ national record kinda seals it for me. 

I see everyone says national record but I see a guy from florida ran a 9.99 in the 100meter Trayvon Bromell in high school. He went to Baylor. Barnes is fast though 

[STiger85]

"JD" two gold metals, two silver metals. Not bad, but he's farther on down the line. As far as Kalon coming off the bench in basketball, Silsbee had 10 maybe 12 starters on our first SC team you really didn't know who coach was going to put on the floor first. Nice try. Next!

[DannyShapiroBE]

Since last September, I've experienced these 'wow' moments from Barnes:

- Caught a punt and a kickoff on a bounce (in the same game) and ran them both back for touchdowns)

- Beat a 6'10" center for the opening tip in the state basketball tournament. Barnes is 6'3".

- Played center for said basketball team because he was the most athletic player on a team that includes three future D1 players.

- Left the field in the dust in the 100, while breaking a state record. The 200 was a breeze as well, which is incredible at a state event.

And I know I'm missing some more. He's the best athlete I've seen since being in SETX. I wrote a couple weeks ago about how he could be the area's next Olympian and I still believe that.

[purpleeagle]

I think it would be more modestly said to use the term "one of the best" instead of '' the greatest.''

[CardinalBacker]

8 hours ago, STiger85 said:

"JD" two gold metals, two silver metals. Not bad, but he's farther on down the line. As far as Kalon coming off the bench in basketball, Silsbee had 10 maybe 12 starters on our first SC team you really didn't know who coach was going to put on the floor first. Nice try. Next!

Technically, you only have five starters... they’re the kids that “start” the game. Nice try, though. 

Nobody will argue that a kid that plays left tackle on a championship team “compares” to the guy under center. Same thing with a left fielder vs the pitcher. JD was a starting pitcher AND a starting qb in multiple SC games... and he doesn’t have the physical gifts that Barnes has. 

Like I said, if I’m basing my choice on accomplishments, I think JD’s are equal if not more remarkable. Pure athlete? It’s not even a question... Barnes is the best HS athlete from this era. 

What sports will Barnes be playing at Baylor?

[AggiesAreWe]

Barnes will play football and run track at Baylor

[STiger85]

And here we go. I say he started games, you say he didn’t start any games in basketball. You are trying to down play the accomplishment of one to build up another. Fact of the matter is six gold and two silver are better than two gold and two silver. Kalon will be playing football and running track at Baylor. 

[ST413]

10 hours ago, CardinalBacker said:

Alexis Henry from BC had three golds, I’m fairly certain. Are you including the basketball medals in your count?

There aren’t many guys that can claim to have been the starting pitcher in an SC baseball game as well as the starting qb in three (with two wins) Sc football games.   Very few kids have the skill set to one of those.... nobody else has done both. The Barnes kid is just freakishly fast. It’s one thing to come off of the bench to collect a basketball medal, but it’s a totally different deal to be a two-sport ace.  I think JD’s accomplishment is probably a little more remarkable, but the pure athleticism Barnes displays is better.  

Barnes’ national record kinda seals it for me. 

Barnes didn’t come off the bench in basketball,  he was a starter this year and a large part of last year including the state title game.  Jones actually came in off the bench in many of those games including the state game.

[ST413]

As a matter of fact he started the state title game as a sophomore as well.

[aTmfan06]

57 minutes ago, AggiesAreWe said:

Barnes will play football and run track at Baylor

I think he will have a lot more success on the track. IMO

[DeuceSixSuited]

Yes! Best overall Athlete to come out of this area. He started in basketball for SILSBEE off and on since his Soph year and was a complete game changer every close game. A Silsbee team that is LOADED. The kid just ran the fastest 100 m dash time in the history of the USA at a state track meet. He literally jogged the last 20m of the 200 and smoked everyone at the state finals and ran a 20.55! Plus he is one of the best HS receivers to come through this area for sure.  

[AHUDDLESTON]

I was under the impression that due to the wind speed, his time would not be officially recognized as a state or national record.  Still faster than I could do on a bicycle and impressive as heck.

[CardinalBacker]

10 minutes ago, AHUDDLESTON said:

I was under the impression that due to the wind speed, his time would not be officially recognized as a state or national record.  Still faster than I could do on a bicycle and impressive as heck.

Son, THAT’S a hater!!!!!

Windspeed? Even I couldn’t come up with that. 

[STiger85]

I wonder what the “wind speed” was? The Bromell kid ran his 9.99 in the mountains in New Mexico and had an “elevation limit on that run. He’s 23 and has several sub 10 runs in the 100 that where ether wind added or above elevation. It’s that a kicker. 

[ST413]

44 minutes ago, AHUDDLESTON said:

I was under the impression that due to the wind speed, his time would not be officially recognized as a state or national record.  Still faster than I could do on a bicycle and impressive as heck.

Unfortunately from some things I have read,  I believe this is true.  I have a hard time believing wind makes much of a difference unless you are running in a hurricane!!!

[DeuceSixSuited]

The state record stands but not the national record. That is "official". But we all know what is up! 

[CougarCal]

This kid is a flat out stud.  The top time in the WORLD in 2018 is 9.97 this year in the 100.  This young man could compete on a world level right now.  Just wait until he really gets specialized training.  I can’t wait to cheer this young man on in the Olympics.  

[BH85]

49 minutes ago, CougarCal said:

This kid is a flat out stud.  The top time in the WORLD in 2018 is 9.97 this year in the 100.  This young man could compete on a world level right now.  Just wait until he really gets specialized training.  I can’t wait to cheer this young man on in the Olympics.  

It's still early in the track season for the elite runners, so hopefully he'll get some good competition in a June meet and go even lower.  Watching the race online it looked like he had that extra gear the others didn't have.

[Reagan]

Best athletes to come through SETX?   Let me throw out some names:  Mike Simpson from PNG.  Robert Perry from Lincoln.  Jeff Bergeron from PNG.  Gary Hammond from TJ.  Cotton Speyrer from TJ.  Joe Washington from Lincoln.   How many here have not heard of some of these?   Again, it's a tough qustion to answer!

[LCMAlumtiger32]

1 hour ago, Reagan said:

Best athletes to come through SETX?   Let me throw out some names:  Mike Simpson from PNG.  Robert Perry from Lincoln.  Jeff Bergeron from PNG.  Gary Hammond from TJ.  Cotton Speyrer from TJ.  Joe Washington from Lincoln.   How many here have not heard of some of these?   Again, it's a tough qustion to answer!

I agree. The young man has had a great high school career. But to be the best imo you should be judged at the end of his career. There’s been a lot of great high school athletes that have never established at the next level. If he wins a super bowl like earl or wins a Olympic gold, heisman he would make the list for sure. 

[AHUDDLESTON]

22 hours ago, CardinalBacker said:

Son, THAT’S a hater!!!!!

Windspeed? Even I couldn’t come up with that. 

Not hating. I just noted that if you look at the results page of the state track meet, he is not given credit for setting any record.  The wind speed must be less than 2.3 mph for a record to be set.  I don't hate on any student athletes. If you look at the 6A 4x200 you will see that 1st and 2nd place both have the designation of beating the national record, but only first place will be listed from now on.

[409ANALYST]

What is the criteria for best athlete in SE Texas?  I would say the student-athlete with the most state championships in a high school career and who was the best nationally.  If you only dominated one sport I would rule that student-athlete out.  Kalon won state championships in 2 sports and was All District 3x in a 3rd sport (football).  Who has more than six state championships in SETX?  And lastly, what student-athlete do we know was an individual National Champion (Track)?