Prosper ISD Sports - Winter 2021-2022 Swim & Dive | Wrestling | Basketball
ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
2021-2022 Winter Sports
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PRIDE
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DISCIPLINE
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RELATIONSHIPS
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LEADERSHIP Winter 2021-2022- Prosper HYPE | 9
//SPOTLIGHTS//
ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
Publisher Cedarbrook Media Admin@CedarbrookMedia.com Creative Director Jason Reynolds Jason@CedarbrookMedia.com
12 //HALL OF HONOR CLASS OF 2022 14 //PHS SWIM & DIVE 16 //ROCK HILL SWIM & DIVE 18 //PHS BASKETBALL 26 //ROCK HILL BASKETBALL 34 //ROCK HILL WRESTLING
Director of Sales & Marketing Heather Reynolds Heather@CedarbrookMedia.com 972-347-6231 District Coordinator Valerie Little Director of Athletics valittle@prosper-isd.net Photography Jason Reynolds Cedarbrook Media Group www.CedarbrookMedia.com Production/Design Cedarbrook Media Group, LLC Design@CedarbrookMedia.com
A Cedarbrook Media Group, LLC Publication www.CedarbrookMedia.com
36 //PHS WRESTLING 38 //PISD ATHLETES OF THE YEAR 2021
Prosper HYPE is published by Cedarbrook Media Group, LLC. Prosper HYPE Magazine is published 3 times a year. No portion of this publication may be reproduced or copied whole or in part without expressed written permission from the publisher, Cedarbrook Media Group, LLC. ©2020. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. The title and all material are protected by international copyright laws and are reserved. Although the greatest of care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this magazine at time of going to press, neither Prosper Hype Magazine, Prosper ISD nor Cedarbrook Media Group, LLC can be held liable for omissions, inexactness or errors. The views and opinions of Prosper HYPE advertisers does not reflect that of Prosper HYPE Sports Magazine.
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Winter Edition Left to right- Tommy Sacco, Natatorium Director: Mary Anne Cooper, Admin. Assistant to the Director of Athletics: Valerie Little, Director of Athletics: Erin Struwe, Ticket & Event Manager: Michael Sain, Assistant Athletic Director
W
hat a great Fall season our teams and programs had which is exactly what we needed to propel us into the Winter seasons! As the weather becomes a bit more unpredictable, one thing remains consistent - the successes on and off the field of play continued on both campuses.
PHS Basketball boys and girls kept fighting until the end in a tough 6A District. The boys are currently having a play-in game in a few days to see if they can squeak into the playoffs! The girls finished 4th and advanced to the State playoffs. Unfortunately, the girls lost in their Bi-District round of playoffs, but we could not be prouder of their grit and determination.
PHS Swim and Dive had a great first season under their new Head Coach. The boys finished as the District Runner-Up. Congratulations to our Region Champions, Jacob Wimberly in the 100 Butterfly and Lane White in the 50 Freestyle! PHS Swim now have their eyes on State, where 5 of them will be competing. The girls placed 4th in District and 2 of them will join the boys at State. Keep up the great work Eagles!
RHHS Basketball made some great strides in their second season. The girls fought hard, but weren’t able to make their way to the playoffs. The boys are looking strong and are currently in 2nd place in District. We look forward to what the boys can do in the playoffs. Go Blue Hawks!
RHHS Swim and Dive followed their great inaugural year as a program with another great season. The girls are BACK-TO-BACK Team District Champs! The girls 400 Freestyle Relay and 200 Medley Relay took home the gold! In addition to the relays, Kiara Xanthos also won Regionals in the 100 Breaststroke. The boys finished as the District Runner-Up and our own, Luke Sitz, earned the 5A Regional Dive Athlete of the Meet along with being our Diving Regional Champion! The girls qualified 8 athletes for State. The boys qualified 4 athletes for State and 4 out of the 3 are Divers. Everyone performed well and represented Rock Hill HS in great fashion.
PHS Wrestling finished Regionals with 3 Regional Champions! Congratulations to Joe Richardson, Taylor Martinez and Maegan Flaherty - we are proud of your accomplishments! The Eagles will be going to State with 5 Qualifiers and 1 Alternate. Soar into the State Championships and bring home the gold! RHHS Wrestling had an amazing second season. Congratulations to the 4 State Qualifiers and 2 Alternates. Amongst those, Xavier Jukes was Regional Champion in the 2-5A Weight Class 145! We can’t wait to see what our RHHS Athletes accomplish at State! We are very proud of all of our Winter programs and their successes. We simply proved that nothing can hold us down when it’s our time to shine. Great job Eagles and Blue Hawks!
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Prosper ISD Athletic Hall of Honor Announces 3rd Class of Inductees Prosper Independent School District celebrated the 3rd induction class of the Prosper ISD Athletics Hall of Honor on January 7, 2022, in the Community Room of Children’s Health Stadium. The Hall of Honor was designed to recognize and celebrate those athletes, coaches, supporters, and teams who have laid the foundation for what Prosper ISD Athletics is today. Induction into the Hall of Honor is the highest honor awarded in Prosper ISD Athletics and truly personifies the values of Prosper ISD athletic programs. First to be inducted into the Class of 2022 Hall of Honor was Dan Christie, a 1962 graduate of Prosper High School. He was active on the 8-man Prosper High School Football team and was named to the Texas All-Star Team his senior year. Christie earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of North Texas and went on to coach and teach in Dallas ISD for four years before beginning a career in real estate. He founded County Land Company in 1979 and is an active member of the Prosper community. He helped Prosper get into the Park Cities YMCA 6-man football program and successfully coached 5th and 6th grade teams for over 10 years. He was also instrumental in the construction of Eagle Stadium, as well as the Field House, bringing an annual invitational track meet to Prosper, now known as the Dan Christie Relays.
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The next inductee into the Class of 2022 Hall of Honor was Kelly Ninemire Gatwood. Kelly graduated from Prosper High School in 2004, attended Prosper ISD from Kindergarten through 12th grade, and was a second-generation graduate of PHS. She was active in volleyball, basketball, softball, and ran track & field. Gatwood was a 4-year Varsity softball letterman, receiving several prestigious honors and awards during her time in the program, in addition to pitching 3 perfect games in her senior year. Some of her honors and awards included being named All-State Pitcher, TGCA All-Star Team and MVP, TGCA Athlete of the Year 3A and Under, State Semi-Finalist, Regional Finalist, All-State Academic Team, and many more. She went on to play softball collegiately at the University of Arkansas, Odessa College, and the University of New Mexico. She is still involved in athletics and has worked for Conference USA for 12 years, having served on various NCAA Committees, including her current term on the NCAA Softball Selection Committee. The third inductee into the Class of 2022 Hall of Honor was Laura Henry Gulick. She graduated from Prosper High School in 2012 and lettered in Track, Cross Country, and Soccer. Her high school track career included 4 years of state appearances and was a back-to-back Champion in the 800 meter in 2010 and 2011. She also placed 3rd in the 800 meter in 2012. She ran anchor in the 2009 women’s state 4x400 meter team her freshman year. Laura also served as Soccer Co-Captain during her senior year. After graduating, she continued her track career on scholarship at Texas A&M University. After college, she married her Prosper High School sweetheart, Dr. Deven Gulick, MD and pursued a career in Pediatric Nursing. The final induction in the Class of 2022 Hall of Honor was the 1923 Prosper High School Women’s basketball team. This team went undefeated in 1923 and won the Silver Loving Cup by beating Melissa with a score of 23-19 in the Collin County Championships. The team was coached by Miss Margarite Gains, who often had to suit up to play in addition to coaching! Member of the team included Mary Anna (Settle) Johnson, Leola (Brown) Martin, Beatrice Duckworth, Nola Sutherland, Oberia (Johnson) Hughes, and Jimmie (Bell) Stanton. There are numerous people who have helped shape the former student-athletes that were honored at this incredible event. Prosper ISD Athletics is proud to thank the many dedicated coaches, teachers, administrators, family members and member of the community who had a hand in influencing these individuals and teams. As well, the Prosper ISD Athletic Department would like to recognize and express their gratitude to Eric Manto and Meca Sportswear for sponsoring and creating the custom-designed rings that were presented to each Prosper Athletic Hall of Honor inductee. The Hall of Honor committee consisted of Dr. Holly Ferguson, Dr. Greg Bradley, Valerie Little, Michael Sain, Max Bledsoe, Dr. Drew Watkins, Betty Hughes, Daniel Jones, and Mary Lou Smith.
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||PHS SWIM & DIVE
-Coach Lena Harrington
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||RHHS SWIM & DIVE
-Coach Kimmie Phillips
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||PHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
-Coach Trey Rachal
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Coach Rachal, what have you enjoyed the most about this year’s team so far? I love the effort this team puts into the game. It has been fun this season changing towards a more uptempo style of play, and our kids have embraced it! Who are your team leaders and how has their leadership helped the team? Our senior leadership has been a difference maker this year. Something most people enjoy about our team is how tough and physical they play. This is direct reflection of the expectation that our leadership has put on our program. It is just the way they do things.
Who are your standout athletes this season? And are there any graduating seniors who are going on to compete at the college level? Peyton Mosley has had an amazing season. She stuffs the stat sheet. She can score, finds her teammates to put them in position to score, and leads us in rebounds. Peyton is heading to Missouri Southern State University to play basketball. Saylor Lewis is our X-Factor. She is like a Swiss army knife on the floor…she just does whatever we need her to do while playing the game at a super productive rate. What is your overall theme or slogan for the season? At Prosper High, we are blessed to have talented players. For us, it is all about the mentality and how we treat others. Our theme this year is LOFTY – Love Others First Then Yourself. We ask that our players put others first in every decision that they make. When they do, everything else just seems to fall into place.
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||PHS BOYS BASKETBALL
-Coach Jonathan Ellis
Coach Ellis, as we approach playoff season, can you tell us where your team is at? We are currently in competition with Allen and Denton Braswell for the remaining two playoff spots. What have you enjoyed most about this year’s team? This team has been an absolute blast to coach! Although we have been hit hard with adversity regarding injuries and illnesses, our guys have banded together all season and have competed at the highest level. I’m most impressed with their servant leadership to each other and their demand to get the best out of one another. Can you tell us a little bit about your team leadership? Senior Jordan Hall has been our “rock” all season long. As one of our three returning players, Jordan brings consistent effort and calm to every practice and game. Juniors Addison Harmon and Brandt Evanson are leaders by example. They demand perfection from
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themselves and always bring their best effort. How about your standout players or anyone who has really surprised you this season? Sophomore Jaxson Ford returned in January from an off-season surgery and has brought instant offense and high-level defense to our team. Junior Addison Harmon leads our team in scoring while sophomore Andre Buckner Jr leads our team in assists. We also have several juniors, James Cloud, Brant Evanson, Zander James, Aidan Kern, and Hunter Summers, who made the jump from junior varsity last season to give us instant success on varsity this year. Finally, what is this year’s theme or slogan? Believe – Serve – Compete Believe in yourself, teammates, and coaches. Serve others around you on and off the court. Compete at your highest level.
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||RHHS GIRLS BASKETBALL
-Coach Stephanie Shaw
Coach Shaw, we are roughly half-way through with the season…how are things going for Rock Hill Girls Basketball? In preseason, we took two 3rd place finishes, and our first tournament of the year we finished 3rd in the Bronze Bracket at the Mav’s Classic. Over Thanksgiving, we finished 3rd at the Wichita Falls Classic. Currently, we are tied for 4th place in district with three other teams. What are you enjoying most about this year’s teams? This year’s teams have been so much fun to be around this year. We have faced adversity what seems like around every corner. Major injuries have set multiple kids back throughout the season, but this team show up everyday and puts in the work, now matter what the circumstances. Their ability to stay positive no matter the situation is uncanny…I’m so extremely proud of this group! Tell us about your team leadership…who are your captains and what makes them special? We have had multiple players step up this year and fill the leadership role. Bailey Richards, Haleiyah Hayes, and Laney Hutson were voted
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our team captains this year and they have done a great job leading this group inside the looker room and on the court. Do you have any standout players or anyone who has really surprised you? This year, Jackie Powell has been our most consistent player on both ends of the floor. She plays her heart out every single game, and truly leaves it all on the floor. Laney Hutson was also named All-Tournament in two of our tournaments. Do you have a slogan or a theme for this season? Uncommon. We are in search of uncommon women, looking to give uncommon effort, willing to make uncommon decisions, in search of uncommon results.
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||RHHS BOYS BASKETBALL
-Coach Shawn Williams
Coach Williams, can you tell us a little bit about how your second season at Rock Hill has gone?
Can you tell us about your team leadership and your standout athletes?
It’s really been an adventurous season with continuous learning, growth, and development. The team has really begun to trust one another and is consistently improving all areas of the game. What have you enjoyed most about this year’s team?
It has been amazing to watch these guys grow into leaders, doing everything from vocally leading the underclassmen and middle schoolers, to leading by example. I am really proud of them! My standout group includes Anthony Williams, BJ Hooper, CJ Dennis, Grant Jessen, and Riley Shore. They have worked together to really bring an intensity and set the tone each game!
This is a great group of guys that come from great families. They really get along on and off the court. We have a blast together, and I genuinely love being around them!
Does your team have a slogan or a theme this season?
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Yes, our overall slogan is this: It’s bigger than basketball. What we mean by this is that basketball is our connection, but helping prepare these young men for life after high school is the core focus of our program.
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||RHHS WRESTLING
-Coach Huey Huynh
season has been filled with many positive memories. We took two T his out of town trips to Arkansas and Amarillo, where last year we could
not participate in tournaments due to COVID. Last year we took four to The UIL State Wrestling Tournament and this year we hope to take more. I am thankful for the continuity of being able to see the same wrestlers as before and continue to get to know their stories. I loved being able to talk to former wrestlers and seeing how they are doing. That first senior class has a special place in our program with their leadership and energy. This year’s captains are Xavier Jukes, Noah James, Audrey Walker, and Malaina Bowlby and I am thankful for them because they know our expectations and want to make others better. One of our Seniors, Xavier Jukes, is still narrowing down his options to wrestle in college and AJ Brooks is enlisting in the Marines. We have three core values to our wrestling team, and they can be described with the following things:
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Selflessness - Live and Train for Something Bigger than Yourself Energy- Control What you can Control Toughness- Embrace the Grind Chop Wood Carry Water Our wrestling theme is Chop Wood Carry Water. It is about falling in love with the Process of becoming Great. The first 30 days of the season we read a chapter of Chop Wood Carry Water to establish our theme for the year. We learned many lessons that we applied to this season so far. Success lies in doing the simple things over a long period of time. If you learn to chop wood, carry water then success will eventually come.
Tournament Results/Accolades Girls won Anna Invitational Boys and Girls 3rd at Prosper Eagle Invite Boys and Girls 2nd at Midlothian Heritage Duals Boys and Girls won East Side of District 8-5A JV finished regular season undefeated in Duals 7th Hereford Amarillo Invitational Boys 10th Place at Diamond State Duals Arkansas Boys 4th Place at Diamond State Tournament Arkansas Girls/ Malaina Bowlby Tournament Most Outstanding Wrestler 7th Place at 5A State Duals Boys 11th Place at 5A State Duals Girls Coach Huynh Prosper ISD Coach of the Month-November Coach Huynh 100th Career Dual win on 1/20
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ROSPER HY P E
Dedicated to Prosper ISD Sports
||PHS WRESTLING
-Coach SION KING
Coach King, we are nearing the end of the season…how has the season gone so far, and do you have any projections for post season? Both our boys and girls are putting their best performances together late in the season. I look for our girls to put together a strong post season run, our young boys’ team has a chance to shock some opponents, and we’re hoping to get a handful to State. What can you tell us about this year’s teams? What do you enjoy the most about them? I feel like our girls team this year has the best cohesion we’ve ever had since I’ve come to Prosper. Our boys team is young, but they’re quickly improving throughout the year. I feel like they are building something great for the future.
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Who are your team leaders and what makes them special? Most of my boy seniors are quiet leaders. My Captain this year is Lorenzo Bacordo, who unfortunately had to have surgery and end his senior campaign. However, he continues to lead in practices and support in competitions. Our girls have three strong Captains, each with their own unique way of leading – Kathryn Hall-Smith, Taylor Martinez, and Maegan Flaherty. They will definitely be missed next year and have left some huge shoes to fill. Are there any graduating seniors who are moving on to compete at the college level? Yes! This is perhaps my biggest college wrestling group on the girls’ side. All three of my seniors, although uncommitted, plan to wrestle in college and have several offers. My senior on the boys’ side do not plan to wrestle in college.
Who are your standouts this season, and has anyone surprised you? On the boys’ side, Joseph Richardson leads the pack, followed by Mason Gordon and Sam Iturrino. We have quite a few freshmen and sophomores that have made a splash on the varsity scene this year as well! My girl standouts are led by my three seniors, followed by juniors Ashley Vogelpohl and Alyssa Galindo. Lauren Garst, who is a sophomore, s one to watch for in post season, as well as our freshman sensation Raquel Iturrino! The girls have racked up quite a few regular season accolades by winning the Texas Outlaw, Cy Fair, and placing 2nd at the THSWCA 6A State Duals. Our young boys’ team has had some very close matches with tough opponents and have been knocking on the door to success as a team! What is your team slogan or theme for the season? “Who’s Next?” Meaning, we’re building a legacy her in Prosper, and we’re looking to see who is next to put in the work and achieve greatness like those who’ve come before them.
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Prosper ISD Athletics Names 2021 Student Athletes of the Year
During the Class of 2022 Hall of Honor Banquet, Prosper ISD Athletics named and recognized their 2021 Male and Female Student Athletes of the Year: Chandler Browning from Prosper High School and Blake Barnes from Rock Hill High School.
BLAKE BARNES Rock Hill High School, Cross Country & Track 2020 District 10-5A Champion and MVP 2020 Region II 5A Champion Led boys’ team to first state qualification in school history 6th place at the 2020 UIL State Cross Country Meet Prosper ISD 5K Cross Country Record Holder (15:07) Finished in the Top 10 at every invitational meet and won 4 out of 5 meets Rock Hill High School Cross Country MVP School Record Holder in the 3200-meter run District 10-5A 3200-meter run Runner-Up – Area Qualifier 2020 CCCAT All-State 2020 All-District 10-5A Academic Cross Country 2020 THSCA Academic All State Cross Country – 2nd Team 2021 THSCA Academic All State Track Very humble athlete Volunteered at the SPCA and Habitat for Humanity Volunteered at several local triathlons Volunteered for the Lily Foundation
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CHANDLER BROWNING Prosper High School, Golf & Basketball Finished top 10% in her class at Prosper High School 4-Year letterman in 2 different sports Academic All-State team for both basketball and golf Academic All-District for both basketball and golf 1st Team All-District member in basketball and golf District 5-6A champion on the golf course Committed to the University of North Texas for golf 4.912 GPA and ranked 60th in her class Member of the SALT leadership team for two years Volunteered with the groups Lovepacks and Feed the City Volunteered for Special Olympics Worked youth golf camps
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