FORT BEND CHRISTIAN ACADEMY FOOTBALL WINS

Fort Bend Christian Academy Football Wins TAPPS 5A Division II State Championship

Fort Bend Christian Academy (FBCA) Varsity Football team won the TAPPS 5A Division II state championship 42-30 against Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal School on December 2nd. This marks the first state championship win for football in school history.

This season, the Eagles were 8-4 and 4-1 in district play. They defeated Austin Hyde Park 69-0 in area finals, defeated Austin Regents 27-24 in the regional final and made their path to the state championship by winning 41-14 versus Second Baptist in the state semi-final round.

Football Head Coach Jordan Black has been at FBCA for four seasons. Black played at the University of Notre Dame from 1998 to 2002, which culminated in a successful 10-year career in the National Football League (NFL) playing for the Chiefs, Texans, Jaguars and Redskins. During Jordan’s career in the NFL, he was elected as a Board of Player Representative in the National Football League Players Association.

Immediately following the win, Coach Black reflected on the season and how special it is to be the first football state championship team in Eagle history.

“This is a special win for us. The team didn’t really figure out who we were until later in the season, and then we really started clicking. We have taken our game to a whole new level. We have learned what it means to work. We do not take plays off, and we play hard and stick with it. That’s been the recipe for success,” Black said.

Coach Black never wanted the team to focus on the state championship game as the end goal. He wanted them to understand what it takes to get there.

“It’s about grit. That more than anything is what I want the players that I coach to understand, because that’s going to transcend the game of football. That’s going to make them a successful person later on in life. And if you have a team with a bunch of players who have grit – state championships will come,” Black said.

Senior Quarterback Brady Dever has wanted to take the team to a state championship since becoming an Eagle. With over a 100 touchdowns as an Eagle, Dever has been a great asset to the program and recently signed with Brown University to play football and baseball.

“Being a state champion is what we wanted. I came here as a sophomore, and this was always a goal for me. It just took a bit longer than expected,” Dever said. “We clicked at the right time to make this state championship run.”

FBCA Athletic Director and Offensive Coordinator Aaron Carpenter has been at FBCA for four seasons and is so excited for the team to achieve this goal.

“We are so proud of how hard the players have worked this year. The boys’ dedication and perseverance, combined with the support of the entire school community, turned out to be the perfect recipe for the success we were able to achieve this season,” Carpenter said.

“This State Championship is a special accomplishment and moment in the history of Fort Bend Christian Academy. I am elated for our student-athletes, coaching staff, their families and the entire school community!,” FBCA Head of School, Joshua Gettys said. “Throughout the season, our players and coaches in the football program have represented FBCA with the highest degree of excellence in character, dedication and hard work, and I am so proud for them to experience this highest recognition and shining moment.”

What Rhymes with“New Year?”

Volunteer!

Happy 2023! The New Year is a time we naturally reflect on the joy and sadness of the past year. My family mourned the passing of Nancy’s mom on September 8th, but we find comfort that her human pains are past, and she is feeling only joy and peace in Heaven. And we’re still feeling the overwhelming pride that a former Sugar Land Skeeter, Jeremy Peña, led the Astros to their second World Series victory in five years. Jeremy was the first rookie to be named MVP of the World Series.

We all start out each New Year with resolutions we’ll make to improve our lives. My annual resolution is to defeat my “dunlop” disease – my belly has “done lopped” over my belt. Each January, I vow to eat better, exercise more and get more sleep. Each January 1st, I wake up with belly obscuring my belt. I have great intentions, but poor follow through. I did not keep my New Year’s resolution for 2022. I’m on a twenty-year streak of unfulfilled resolutions.

I suspect I’m not alone. Most of us don’t fulfill our New Year’s resolutions. If insanity is doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different result, we’re not very sane. However, there are resolutions we can make and KEEP every year if we adjust our focus to OTHERS instead of ourselves. My New Year’s resolution for 2023 is to regularly volunteer for the many wonderful organizations that take care of our neighbors in times of need. I’m going to volunteer my time at least once a month. It may be an hour of my time or a full day of my time – I resolve to make a difference in 2023 by volunteering. Volunteers are Fort Bend Strong!

The great thing about Fort Bend is the “welcome mat” will roll out for you wherever you chose to make a difference by volunteering – a Google search of “fort bend volunteer” returned 3.7 MILLION hits. In 2023, I’m going to start becoming a monthly blood donor like I was after the 9/11 Pentagon attack a few miles from our home in Virginia. I have gone to our local Gulf Coast Regional Blood center twice in the past 8 months. For 2023, I resolve to donate my O positive blood at least once a month.

I tend to give blood via automation instead of whole blood. Automation takes longer (two hours) than giving whole blood (one hour), but both donations fill critical needs. The process is extremely simple and pain-free except for a momentary “prick” when the needle is inserted in your arm. All you have to do is squeeze a foam ball when the machine tells you to do so. Walkins are welcome. The Blood Center usually gives donors some “swag.” They have cookies and food so you can replenish the sugar the blood donation takes from your body.

Our Sugar Land Blood Center, located in the Kroger shopping center off of Sweetwater Boulevard, can be reached online at www.commitforlife.org or 281-313-1122. If you live in north Fort Bend, there’s another center in Katy at 1575 South Grand Parkway, Suite 600, one exit north of La Centerra. Reach them at 281-392-7902. The “gift of life” is Fort Bend Strong!

Pete Olson donating his O positive blood.

Per capita, Fort Bend County is the wealthiest county in Texas. Sadly, that wealth doesn’t trickle down to some of our families in need. The only fireworks these neighbors have to start the new year are the pangs of hunger. During the COVID pandemic, Nancy and I volunteered at the Houston Food Bank’s main warehouse and headquarters on 535 Portwall Street in Houston. It was hard work but very rewarding. Annually, our food bank gives 150 MILLION meals to our hungry neighbors - they ALWAYS need volunteers! To get more information, please call the Volunteer Services Hotline at 832-369-9390 or visit www.houstonfoodbank.org.

Do you want to volunteer in Fort Bend County? Do you have

a car? If so, then Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels needs you! They serve senior citizens who cannot leave their homes. Meals on Wheels delivers hot meals to the homebound four days per week with frozen meals for the weekends. The volunteer drivers deliver more than food – they deliver companionship and a smile to people who are often isolated and alone. Visiting www.fortbendseniors.org is a great place to start. Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels is Fort Bend Strong!

Do you live in Katy and prefer to volunteer close to home? Deysi Crespo and Katy Christian Ministries (KCM) want you! KCM is much more than a food pantry. They have a 24-hour domestic abuse crisis hotline and counseling services for victims. Do you have neighbors who need clothing, appliances or

Pete Olson and Deysi Crespo. furniture? KCM has a Resale Shop that can use your help. Having trouble paying your bills? Deysi and her team are standing by for you at www.ktcm.org. If you drop by the KCM “complex” at 3506 Porter Road in old Katy, you’ll be hooked. I was. Katy Christian Ministries is Fort Bend Strong!

Maybe you’re a baseball fan with a passion for special needs kids? I have a deal for you at the First Colony Dream League. I have been very active in the Dream League since 2013. The Dream League is all about the kids with special needs. The 2023 schedule will be posted on www.firstcolonydreamleague. com soon. Each game is two innings long. There are no runs and no outs. Each player bats once per inning. They all are in field once per inning. Many of the players have a hard time tracking the ball or paying attention. So, we need many volunteers called “Angels in the Outfield” to be with a special needs player. I was Abigail’s Angel last season, and she inspired me beyond anything I could possibly imagine – Abigail is TOTALLY BLIND! Here is Abigail crushing a “beeping” baseball I bought for her with Angels protecting her as she runs the bases. Abigail and her Dream League teammates are Fort Bend Strong!

I hope this January 2023 Fort Bend Strong column has motivated you to include volunteerism in your 2023 New Year’s resolutions. Helping a neighbor you do not even know is pure love and pure Fort Bend County. Every volunteer in Fort Bend County makes all of us stronger.

By Steve Kursar

2023 RAM 1500 & HEAVY-DUTY

2023 Ram Heavy-Duty.

2023 Ram 1500 TRX.

The 2023 Ram lineup of both light-duty and heavy-duty trucks continue to impress with their capability and interiors. The Ram 1500 recently won the coveted Truck of Texas trophy as voted on by members of the Texas Auto Writers Association. Even the new 2023 Ram Heavy-Duty Rebel took home an award in the heavy-duty category. These are notable accomplishments for trucks that battle for sales in a very competitive segment. It’s a win-win for every truck buyer.

The Ram brand was born in 2010 when the trucks were spun off from Dodge. Previously known for its lineup of sturdy, no frills trucks, the designers and engineers at Ram steadily created a series of pickups that continue to be highly capable but now also boast of interiors that rival those found in luxury vehicles. Making these trucks equally comfortable for date night as they are on any construction site.

The 2023 Ram 1500 debuts with a base MSRP of $37,090 and is powered by a 305 hp, 3.6 liter V6 engine. But, the real stars of the showroom are the high-end trims that garner all the attention. The Limited trim is that near-luxury model which features a soft interior with all the tech that new truck buyers demand. But, it’s the TRX trim that has everyone talking. Engineered to be the quickest, fastest and most powerful massproduced half-ton pickup truck in the world, the TRX has been rigorously tested to handle the most punishing conditions with extreme capability and durability. Powered by a 702 hp, 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI V-8 engine, the TRX MSRP starts at $83,890. It’s a truck that can handle anything you throw at it.

The Ram Heavy-Duty trucks are no longer just for working in the oil fields of West Texas. A base Ram 2500 carries an MSRP of $44,205 along with a 410 hp, 6.4 liter HEMI V8 engine. New for 2023, Ram introduced the 2500 Heavy-Duty Rebel that offers truck owners a combination of off-road performance without sacrificing towing and payload capabilities. For buyers looking to use their Rebel to do a fair amount of towing, there’s also the option of getting the 370 hp, 6.7 liter Cummins turbo diesel I-6 engine that delivers 850 ft-lbs of torque.

The light-duty and heavy-duty Ram truck lineup for 2023 delivers all the capability, design and technology that you’ll want going into the New Year.