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2011-2012 YEAR IN REVIEW: Rowlett athletics enjoy banner year
By DEVIN HASSON, dhasson@starlocalnews.com
Every high school athletics program enjoys their share of highlights during the course of a school year, but for the past nine months at Rowlett, it has been one big moment after another.
The Eagles got off to a strong start in the fall and never stopped, as seven teams made the playoffs, with several of those making plenty of noise once they got there.
The tone was set from the start, with both the football and volleyball teams finishing second in district play and making solid playoff runs.
It did not look good at the beginning, as the Eagles were pummeled in the season opener against North Mesquite and took a 1-2 record into 10-5A play.
Rowlett heated up from there, posting a 5-2 mark in district play and that carried over into the postseason.
The Eagles posted their largest win in playoff history with a 53-14 trouncing of Lake Highlands in the bi-district round and followed that up with a 48-38 win over Copperas Cove to move past the area finals for the first time.
Rowlett nearly made it another step but fell just short when its final possession failed on fourth down in a 33-25 loss to Spring Westfield.
The Eagles relied on plenty of senior leadership, including offensive player of the year Grant Bothun at quarterback, as well as running back Jalen Rhodes and wide receivers Corey Chappell and Rashidi Turner, but there is a solid group coming back, including 10-5A defensive sophomore of the year Cedric Johnson on the defensive line and Grant Dotsy in the secondary.
"One of the goals I think every team has every year is to push past what you have done before and we were able to do that this year in making it to the third round," Rowlett head coach Kiff Hardin said. "This gives next year's team and all others in the future something to strive for. It raises the bar."
While the football team was making headlines on the gridiron, the volleyball team was putting together another standout season of their own.
Behind 10-5A defensive player of the year Olivia O'Dell and hitter of the year Megan Kunkel, the Eagles posted a 12-2 record in district play.
Rowlett swept Berkner and DeSoto in the first two rounds of the playoffs before falling just short in a 25-23, 23-25, 25-22, 25-22,15-12 loss to Lake Highlands in the regional quarterfinals.
The Eagles lose some key seniors, but there is talented youth, including Taylor Bennett and Brenna McIlroy, who each earned all-district honors as freshmen.
The Rowlett cross country teams also finished in the top half of the district at the 10-5A meet in the fall.
The Eagle boys got strong performances from Ben Siple, Rylie Martin, Brett Wurdeman and Brandon Green, all of whom placed in the top 12, to take second.
Mildred Garcia, Micayla Green and Amy Parra all finished in the top 20 to help the Rowlett girls to a third-place spot.
The girls basketball team fell short of the playoffs, but will try to make it back next year behind sophomores Taylee Alexander and Courtney Fiine.
The boys basketball team did not fall short in its goal, though, posting an 11-3 mark in district play to return to the postseason.
Rowlett won its playoff opener against Skyline before running out of the steam in the second half of an area round loss to DeSoto.
The Eagles have made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons and should be in good shape for another run with the return of juniors Jeffrey Carroll, the offensive player of the year, Nathan Hawkins and Austin Luke.
Rowlett had enjoyed plenty of success with both the girls and boys soccer teams in recent years and this season was no different.
The Eagles put together a stellar regular season, knocking off McKinney Boyd, who at the time was ranked as the No. 1 team in the country, and earning a share of the district championship.
With several seasoned players, including 10-5A most valuable player Alli Sarcar, offensive player of the year Bre Powell and midfielder of the year Megan McCullough, Rowlett then posted victories over Berkner (4-0) and Temple (2-0) before falling to rival Sachse in the regional quarterfinals.
The boys team once again made the playoffs, but unlike previous seasons, were unable to stage a lengthy run after losing to Richardson in the first round. Rowlett has a solid nucleus to build around for next season, including 10-5A sophomore of the year Nathan Rumore and all-district performers in goalkeeper Jonathan Williams and midfielders Josue Reyes and Josh Williams.
The Rowlett boys track and field team rode the strength of its relay teams to a second-place finish at the district meet.
Corey Chappell, who also won the 100 meters, Timiree Morris, Ony Nwokoye and Grant Dotsy teamed to win both the 400 and 800 relays.
The girls placed third in the team standings. Taylor Glenn won both the triple jump and long jump and then joined Travia Jones, Maya Oham and Tyra Burks to win the 1,600 relay.
Jones won the 400 meters at the 10-5A meet, but she was not done, as she would advance all the way to Austin where she won a bronze medal at the state meet.
The softball and baseball teams had nearly parallel seasons.
The Eagle softball team finished second during district play, with most valuable player Breanna Dozier and first-team all-district selections Tyler Casada and Spencer Farrell leading the way.
Rowlett blasted W.T. White in the first round, 16-0, but then dropped a pair of games to Belton in the area finals.
The Eagle baseball team featured most valuable player Brett Byrum, offensive player of the year Jerad Wilson and defensive player of the year Jerad Fowler and they were able to help lead the team to a fifth consecutive district championship.
Like the softball team, Rowlett rolled in the first round against Sunset but then fell in the area finals to Belton with a pair of one-run losses being the difference.
The Eagles will have plenty of new faces next season, as in addition to Byrum, Wilson and Fowler, they will graduate key contributors in Bradley Horn, Konner Kyser, Colton Kalmus and Conner Fikes.
But Rowlett has been a perennial power during the last decade, and there is no reason to think that will change next year.
"There are going to be a lot of new guys, and it is going to be a challenge, but I am looking forward to it," Rowlett head coach Paul Carmon said. "It is nice like it was this year knowing what you have, but as a coach, it is also exciting to be in the situation of having a lot of new guys. All our kids work very hard in the offseason and it might be tough early on, but I think by the time district play starts, we'll be ready to go."
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