28 February 2022 | prestonhollowpeople.com
Sports
BOND BETWEEN GREENHILL TEAMMATES FEELS LIKE FAMILY Shelby, Dort look to lift Hornets to SPC crown before heading to Vanderbilt By Todd Jorgenson
SPC WINTER CHAMPIONSHIPS
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ne is a sharpshooting guard, and the other an overpowering big man, but Noah Shelby and Lee Dort have more than just complementary skill sets. The Greenhill seniors have the uncanny chemistry of two teammates who have shared the basketball court hundreds of times and the brotherhood of two teenagers from different backgrounds who live under the same roof.
What: Basketball, soccer, swimming, wrestling When: Feb. 10-12 Where: Fort Worth
We have good chemistry on the court and off the court. Noah Shelby
Greenhill seniors Lee Dort and Noah Shelby both signed with Vanderbilt University in November. (PHOTOS: CHRIS MCGATHEY)
Their partnership has the Hornets aiming for an SPC championship in February, after which the duo will head to Vanderbilt University in Nashville for a rare opportunity — to continue playing alongside one another at a major college program. “I think it will be great for both of us because freshman year
in college is such a huge step,” Shelby said. “We have good chemistry on the court and off the court.” Shelby is a 6-foot-3 guard known for his shooting range and tenacious defense. Dort is a 6-foot-10 center who dunks frequently and dominates in the paint. Dort grew up playing
soccer in his native Haiti before coming to Texas four years ago. His legal guardian is Shelby’s father, Derrick, a prominent grassroots basketball coach who has specialized in helping students from the Caribbean country realize their potential. “At first, it was hard being away from my family,” Dort said. “I just
did what was best for my future.” Dort and Noah Shelby began playing together on the summer circuit before eventually taking their partnership to Greenhill. During their sophomore year, they started talking about being teammates in college if the right opportunity came along. “He knows my game, and I
know his game. That makes things easier,” Dort said. “We’ve been playing together for a long time. We play video games together and pretty much do everything together.” Earlier this season, Shelby scored 40 points in Greenhill’s win over public-school powerhouse Lancaster and later added 38 points during a game at the prestigious Tarkanian Classic tournament in Las Vegas. The Hornets hope to earn their first title since 1999 at a highly competitive conference tournament that will include rivals such as Episcopal School of Dallas, St. Mark’s School of Texas, and Houston Christian. “They’re high-character kids, and they work extremely hard. They live in the gym,” said Greenhill head coach Joey Sims. “They definitely make my job a lot easier. We want to run things through those two guys.”
Heavy Lifting: Hillcrest Senior Grapples With History
Fuentes hopes to earn a state title while spurring growth for the sport By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers
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When Americo Fuentes started wrestling as a freshman at Hillcrest, he lost more matches than he won. Three years later, he’s aiming for his second straight appearance at the Class 5A state tournament. During his freshman year, Hillcrest only had about six wrestlers in the program and regularly recruited newcomers from the hallways to fill open spots. Three years later, the Panthers have about 60 athletes in the wrestling program, with depth in almost every weight class. The parallel success for Fuentes and Hillcrest is no coincidence. The heavyweight has embraced the team aspect of the sport from the beginning. So, when he finished fourth at state a year ago — the best result in school history — it was an emotional achievement for multiple reasons. “It meant a lot to me,” Fuentes said. “I just want PCP_Feb2022-1inBanner.pdf everybody to get into the sport. 1 1/11/2022 3:16:57IPM want it to be better after I leave. I want it to grow.”
Mostly wrestling against taller guys with more muscular frames, the 5-foot8, 270-pound Fuentes knows how to wear them out. “He’s very deceiving when you look at him,” said Hillcrest coach Duncan Iannucci. “He works so hard in the offseason, and you can see it when he wrestles. He’s a strong kid for his size.” He became interested in the sport because of his father, who wrestled in high school and attends all his matches. After struggling at first, he qualified for regionals as a sophomore and then made it to state as a junior. Fuentes also is the starting center for a football squad that has reached the playoffs in each of the past two years. Toward the end of football season, Fuentes typically starts ramping up his training for wrestling by improving his diet and fitness regimen. Football is a high priority, but wrestling requires a different skill set. “Being explosive off the mat translates to blocking,” he said. “It’s just getting your mind ready to compete. When I first started
I had to get a lot more responsible as a person. Americo Fuentes
Hillcrest senior Americo Fuentes is one of the top-ranked Class 5A heavyweight wrestlers in Texas. (PHOTO: CHRIS MCGATHEY) wrestling, I had to get a lot more responsible as a person.” As he powers toward the state tournament in February, Fuentes hopes to bring more attention to wrestling at Hillcrest, whether that means upgraded equipment or singlets for his younger teammates or perhaps
laying a foundation for future champions. “He comes in every day and leads drills. He’s always setting an example in practice and during matches,” Iannucci said. “That winning attitude is contagious to the rest of the team. He has opened up the door for other kids.”
