4B
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Denton Record-Chronicle
Denton Record-Chronicle
2012-13 Area Standouts ATHLETE OF THE YEAR Hannah Alspach GUYER, JR As Guyer ran over opponents on its way to the Class 4A girls soccer state championship title, the Lady Wildcats’ most integral piece was running over defenders and driving Guyer. Alspach, who has orally committed to Auburn, earned MVP honors in Guyer’s 2-1 victory over Highland Park in the state title game. Alspach scored a goal and added an assist in the victory that snapped Highland Park’s 49-game unbeaten streak. Along with her state final honors, Alspach also earned a first-team selection on the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches allstate team. Alspach finished the year with a team-high 18 assists and 24 goals. The midfielder scored eight goals and had nine assists in the postseason to help push the Wildcats past a treacherous playoff bracket. With one year still left for Alspach, it’ll be tough to count out the Lady Wildcats as a threat to repeat.
COACH OF THE YEAR Kenny Blevins GUYER GIRLS SOCCER HEAD COACH Blevins etched his name into the book of championship-winning coaches after the head coach led Guyer to the school’s first state championship in a girls sport. With a strong group of players, Blevins led the Lady Wildcats through the playoff bracket and kept Highland Park from winning its 50th straight game and a 4A state title. Blevins’ team boasted a potent scoring attack up top and a stout defense in the back, a formula that earned him a state championship. With only one senior starter gone after last season, Blevins could add another trophy to his collection in 2014.
Photos: File photo, David Minton/Denton Record-Chronicle
SOCCER Brittany Crabtree
Sean Diamond GUYER, SR. As well as the girls were doing throughout the season, Diamond also had himself anoutstanding season for the boys squad.The Guyer midfielder did a great job of distributing the ball all season to the Wildcats’ potent attackers. Diamond had a team-high 17 assists and chipped in with five goals in 22 starts this season. Diamond was named the District 11-4A MVP to close out his time in the Wildcats’ program.
GUYER, SO. Crabtree harassed opposing defenders all season and proved why she earned a scholarship offer from Texas A&M while still a sophomore. The Guyer forward scored 40 goals last season to lead the Lady Wildcats’ attack in their 4A state title run. With Crabtree and fellow standout Hannah Alspach returning next season, Guyer will be poised to defend its state title next year.
TRACK AND FIELD Spencer McCloud
Bryce Perry
ARGYLE, SR. McCloud capped his stellar high-school career by winning the Class 3A state high jump championship, giving the Argyle senior back-to-back titles in the event. McCloud, who is headed to Texas next year, finishes his time at Argyle with both of his track state championships and Argyle’s 2012 3A basketball championship. Look for McCloud to continue his success during his time in Austin.
SANGER, SR. Perry’s long-distance running portfolio was strengthened with an appearance at the Class 3A state track and field championships. The Sanger senior finished fourth in the 3A 3,200-meter run final and eighth in the 1,600. Perry filtered out her college choices and signed with Oklahoma, where she will run cross country, the sport she excelled most for Sanger. In the fall, Perry finished ninth at the 3A state cross country meet.
GOLF Argyle Boys Varsity
Lindsey Heal
ARGYLE The Argyle boys golf team finished one stroke short of forcing a playoff for the Class 3A state championship, but it was still a tremendous run for a team that finished fourth in the 2012 state tournament. Blake Lyle, Hunter Thompson, Nick Louy, Colton Katzen and Lance Roden led the Eagles back to the state tournament. Louy, Katzen and Roden will return to try to vanquish their silver and earn gold next year.
DENTON, SR Heal advanced to the Class 4A Region I tournament, returning to the same course where the Lady Broncos took a team in 2012. Heal scrapped her way into the regional tournament after a strong second day at the district tournament. And while Heal couldn’t repeat her district success at the regional tournament in Abilene, it was still a strong step for Denton’s successful program.
SWIMMING AND DIVING D.J. Lang
Elise Page
DENTON, SO. Lang’s tireless work ethic allowed him to step up his performance in the pool this past season. Lang went from merely qualifying for the state meet to finishing in the top five in the 100-yard freestyle and the 200 freestyle. The Denton junior will look to continue his improvements as a senior in hopes of earning a collegiate swimming scholarship in his senior year.
DENTON, FR. Page stunned everybody in the pool this season, as the Denton freshman not only helped the Denton 200-yard medley relay to reach the state swimming and diving meet but also qualified in the 100 freestyle. Page finished 11th and was the highest finishing freshman in the event, a promising sign for not only the Broncos but for the standout freshman, as well.
TENNIS Rafael Ortega and Jack Vickery
Alex Rodriguez and Megan Poe
ARGYLE BOYS DOUBLES The combination of Ortega and Vickery barely topped Krum’s duo of Jake Johnson and Zach Ripple for the area’s top tennis honors. The Argyle duo squeezed past the Krum pair for the regional title and almost met the Bobcats again in the state tournament. Ortega and Vickery fell in straight sets to the eventual champions from Abilene Wylie in the 3A state semifinals.
GUYER GIRLS DOUBLES The pair of Rodriguez and Poe made history at the Class 4A state tennis tournament. The doubles tandem became the first Guyer players to ever reach the state tournament. Despite losing in the first round to the eventual state champions from Highland Park, Rodriguez and Poe set the precedent for future Wildcats to follow in the years to come.
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