MIF04

Congrats...way to go Jake !!!!

It is supposed to be a wonderful field. Dulles vs. Alvin was played there last week and they raved about it. Good luck.

And I actually knew that...I've changed it in the original.

My mistake. It has been corrected (although I did have it right later in the paragraph). I thought 'birds of a feather'???? Good luck next week.

This week’s Random Thoughts is in full playoff mode, with the Bi-District round behind us and Area on tap for this week. The past week was one for big time plays and performances, a fair amount of drama and, with 1 notable exception, not many surprises. The biggest swing of the bat goes to West Brook’s Tim Ferguson whose 2-run walk off HR capped the Bruins’ 4-3 win in game 1 of their series against Pasadena Memorial. The Bruins then exploded for 15 hits to cruise in game 2, 12-4. Todd Wallace and Mark Serna each homered in that game. FYI: Serna’s home run allowed the Bruins to tie the school record for most HRs in a season. The Svoboda boys (Josiah and Nathaniel) each picked up wins on the hill as the Bruins now move on to a 3 game series with perennial playoff contender Pearland. The ‘surprise’ to some was Huffman’s 2 game sweep of PNG. You can sum this series up with one name: Michael Listi. The senior RHP outdueled Indians’ ace Eric Harrington winning game one by a 1-0 margin (and needing only 65 pitches). That set the stage for more drama in game 2. Leading 5-1 in game 2, Indians’ coach Jay Stone elected to leave his starter Shawn Flores in to close out the 7th. That decision proved fatal as the Falcons rallied to tie the score and push the contest in extra innings. When PNG threatened in the 8th, Huffman went back to Listi to quell the rally. Bottom line? Huffman 6 PNG 5 with Listi the winning pitcher in both games. The Falcons move on to tackle Texas City while the Indians reload following another disappointing finish. Not surprising was Barbers Hill’s series win over Vidor as the clock struck midnight for Kyle Green and the Pirates. Ross Hales was dominant in the Eagles won game 1, 1-0. The ‘never say die’ Pirates came from behind to win game 2 but the Eagles were too much, scoring a lot late to take an 11-3 win in the decisive game 3. It was a big series for BH catcher Cameron Campbell who slugged 3 HRs on Saturday alone. The Hill gets Lamar Consolidated next. The sole remaining team from 22-4A is the district champion LCM Bears. Jake Rowell and company get the Bay City Black Cats in a 3 game series. Bay City advanced after defeating the Friendswood Mustangs in bi-district play. In 3A, the Bridge City Cardinals won their 1 game series with a 6-0 whitewash of Splendora. Jeff Stringer was dominant, throwing a complete game and garnering an astonishing 17 strikeouts. Casey Jackson had the big early hit for the Cards. Next up for BC is Wharton, a 3 gamer scheduled for Baytown Lee. 21-3A was also well-represented by the HJ Hawks who threw a pair of shutouts at the Liberty Panthers. In game 1, Jacob Ricossa was the winner in HJ’s 1-0 win. Game 2 was not as close as the Hawks swept to a 10-0 win. Not only did Aaron Treece throw a shutout…he also had a 3-run homer to boot. The Hawks get Bellville this week. District champ Jasper returns to action this week following the bye. The Bulldogs will square off against the La Grange Leopards. It was a tough week for the smaller schools as Colmesneil, Sabine Pass and Evadale were all eliminated. The district champs are all that remain as Woodville tangles with Mart, Buna takes on Troup and High Island returns to the playoffs against Fayetteville. There were a lot of stellar performances this past week and the upcoming schedule provides another opportunity for SE Texas to stand tall on the diamond. Good luck to all

What happened to Evadale?

I forgot that Hood went to Wake Forest. Huge miss on my part. I didn't list all the juco people, etc. That list would go on forever...

I think the pitching around here the past few years is every bit as good as the group you named...especially at the HS level (Bucholtz was even recruited as a pitcher...went to D1...left...went to juco and 'woke up' with another 5-8 mph velocity and his life changed dramatically). But to name a few players over the past 3 years and I will limit it only to D1 and MLB draftees...the juco list would be much longer (and remember, some of your names started as juco guys, e.g. Holland). A. Harrington (PNG) - Lamar Jason Stutes (PNG) - Lamar Colin Delome (Buna) - Lamar Derek Cloeren (LCM) - UH Dereck Blackshear (BC) - McNeese Casey Beck (Woodville) - drafted MLB Jay Bruce (WB) - 1st rounder (prob best HS player to come out of SE Texas with possible exception of Patterson) James Ewing (WB) - Arkansas (fresh All American) Michael Ewing (WB) - So Miss (also a fresh All American) Branden Castolenia (WB) - Angelina/McNeese Shon Landry (LCM) - McNeese Ryan Frantz (Ned) - McNeese Ryan Brauninger (Ned) - McNeese Darrell Stevens (BC) - McNeese Hunter Hays (BC) - McNeese Kevin Angelle (BC) - drafted by Rangers/Texas A&M/San Jac Broc Haymon (BC) - McNeese Clayton Ehlert (LCM) - Texas A&M Zac Harwood (PNG) - Rice Taylor McInnis (PNG) - Lamar Matison Smith (Ned) - Lamar Derek Coleman (BC) - Lamar I am sure I have missed several but I'm old, my memory is going bad. By the way, this year's class (already): Johnny Dishon (BC) - LSU Tim Ferguson (WB) - Ole Miss Beau Helmke (Ned) - Lamar David Murphy (WB) - UH Braden Riley (Woodville) - Sam Houston Jake Rowell (LCM) - McNeese Jeff Stringer (BC) - Lamar And I promise you...Dishon, Ferguson, Murphy, Riley and Rowell could've hit those guys you listed. Not to mention Bruce, Ewings, Delome, etc, etc....

I think just the opposite is true. I'll take the last few years and match them up with any other group.

The schedule the prom determinted....

Todd Wallace is the 1st team catcher. I apologize for initially leaving him off the list. He is well deserving.

I guess we can agree to disagree on that. Every kid on that list is deserving. Every kid excelled. To put it another way, who do you think is not deserving? Why not just a congratulations to those young men for their accomplishment?

I meant there were 5 doubles in game 2. Serna's double (besides being absolutely critical to the outcome of the game) gave him the school record for most doubles in 1 season. Congrats to him.

22 4A All District Team [Hidden Content] 21 3A All District Team [Hidden Content] 24 2A All District Team [Hidden Content] 25 1A All District Team [Hidden Content] The PA News is reporting the 21-5A All District team: It includes: Jacob Walton (WB) - Coach of the Year David Murpy (WB) - MVP 1st team: 1B: Mark Serna (WB) 2B: Tim Ferguson (WB) 3B: Thad Lycan (WB) OF: Bobby Armstrong (WB) OF: Josh Fisher (WB) P: Josiah Svoboda (WB) P: Nathanial Svoboda (WB) UT: Brice Christian (PA) C; TODD WALLACE (WB) Christian is the 1st PAM player ever to make 1st team All District. The entire team: [Hidden Content]

Two great games...esp if you're a Brook fan. Game 1 was a pitching duel, tied 2-2 going to the 7th. Memorial's 9 hole hitter hit a HR with 2 outs (only earned run Josiah Svoboda allowed) to give Memorial 3-2 lead going to bottom of 7th. Mark Serna leads off with double and, after pitching change, Tim Ferguson hits walk off HR to win game for Brook. Ferguson had 2 hits and 3 RBI and, yes, I got a little excited after the HR...Svoboda pitched a gem for the Bruins. Game 2 started off like a track meet. Brook scored on a Ferguson RBI single then Memorial hit back to back HR to take 2-1 lead. WB tied it in the 2nd and took a 3-2 lead on a Todd Wallace double. They extended their lead to 5-2 on a Ferguson double. Memorial scratched back to score 2 unearned runs to narrow the gap to 5-4 going into the 6th and that's when the floodgates opened. Following a Bobby Armstrong SF, Wallace hit a 2 run homer to make it 7-4. The 7th was even more productive, primarily due to Serna's 3 run HR (that HR, incidentally, ties the WB team record for most HR in a season). Nathaniel Svoboda threw 6 strong innings while David Murphy pitched the 7th to close out the series. Thad Lycan, Ferguson and Wallace each had 3 hits in game 2. In addition to the Serna and Wallace HRs, the Bruins had 5 doubles (Ferguson 2, Lycan, Wallace and Schwarzlose). Kudos to Mr. and Mrs. Svoboda for raising the 2 winning pitchers !!!! The Bruins get the winner of Clements/Pearland in the Area Round next week.

Way to go Cards...heckuva game by Stringer. On to Wharton...

Congrats to the Falcons on winning 2 nail biters...and best of luck in round 2. Also, congrats to the Indians on a good season. The problem with the playoffs? Someone's gotta go home...

West Brook will now play at Clear Creek at 3 p.m. (DH). The travelling road show continues...

BH is a very good team; however, 1 of their losses is to a 22-4A team (PNG, 1-0). Harrington pitched a gem. BH's pitching has been stellar all season long. Their offense has been, of late, a little shaky.

They didn't look for an alternative site?

Nominees for MVP should include: Jasper: Reagan, Parsons, Hart BC: Dishon, Stringer HJ: Treece Silsbee: Schooling You will probably find your offensive and defensive MVP in that list somewhere as well.

Yes. We will start the thread later this month. I want the playoffs to get the majority of our attention for now.

Expect PNG to throw Flores in game 2. Huffman is a little more up in the air, now that they're up 1-0. Sipe?

At end of year banquets, etc...coaches do announce their own all-district (but not the entire all-district team). It won't be released for publication until everyone in that district is through with playoffs.

What a game. How did Huffman score? Sounds like a classic matchup between 2 very good pitchers. Does everyone realize our last 2 games in SE Texas have been 1-0 games?