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This Week in HS Sports - January 7, 2012
FCS title game
will be influenced by many Houston high school products
The Sam Houston State Bearkats energized their alumni and
fan base on December 16 when they held off Montana State,
31-28, in the NCAA FCS Division national semifinal game to
earn the school’s first-ever berth in the national
championship game.
With the win, they also guaranteed that metropolitan Houston
would have several former area high school players in the
national title game that will be played at Pizza Hut Park in
Frisco on January 7.
But, what may surprise some is that the Bearkats’
opponent—the North Dakota State Bison—will be powered by a
trio of contributors who played at Houston-area high schools
as well.
The FCS national championship will have a distinct Houston
influence to it.
Sam Houston State has 25 players on its roster that played
high school football at Houston-area schools. Five of the
25 played at Galveston Ball before heading north to
Huntsville, including sophomore Richard Sincere, who is the
second-leading rusher on the team with 965 yards and
all-purpose yards with 1,414.
Sincere’s versatility has been a key to the Bearkats’
offensive success this season.
“We try to find some ways to get the ball in his hands,”
said SHSU head coach Willie Fritz during a recent conference
call. “Richard has had some very good games for us and an
outstanding season.”
Another Ball grad, junior defensive back Kenneth Jenkins, is
the second-leading tackler on the team.
Freshman running back Keyshawn Hill from Klein, who has
gained 330 yards on 53 carries, leads a contingent of four
Klein ISD former players who are on the team. Three
graduates of both Cy-Fair ISD and Conroe ISD dot the roster
as well.
Kicker Craig Alaniz, who has connected on 10 of 11 field
goals and 39-40 extra point attempts, hails from Deer Park.
While North Dakota State’s collection of Houston-area
players is much smaller—three—they’ve been important
contributors to the Bison’s success.
D.J. McNorton, Warren Holloway and Aireal Boyd could all
play significant roles in Saturday’s game as well. And,
according to NDSU head coach Craig Bohl, it’s no coincidence
that the trio found their way to North Dakota.
“We have recruited specifically the greater Houston area,”
Bohl stated. “That's where our Texans are from.”
It is a move that has paid dividends for Bohl.
McNorton, a senior running back from Channelview, enters the
game as the Bison team leader in all-purpose yards. He has
981 rushing yards, 210 receiving yards and another 183 yards
in returns.
Holloway, a senior wide receiver from Galena Park who has
been dubbed ‘Big Tex’ by his teammates, is the team’s
leading receiver and will have an opportunity to surpass the
1,000-yard plateau on Saturday. Holloway has 75 receptions
for 988 yards and eight touchdowns this year.
For Bohl, the fact that this year’s championship game will
be played in Frisco, which is north of Dallas, carries an
added meaning for McNorton and Holloway.
“Anytime you have a person, a student‑athlete from the state
of Texas, to be able to go home and have an opportunity to
show their skills and their program off to their relatives
and friends, I think it's extremely important,” he said.
Aireal Boyd, a junior cornerback from La Porte, hasn’t
started any of NDSU’s 14 games this year, but he has
appeared in every one on defense and special teams.
Family members for the players from both teams will
definitely be on-hand when the game kicks off at noon on
Saturday. And with the total number of Houston players on
the field, chances are good that those family member and
friends will see a local product factor into the outcome of
the contest.
Previous stories
:
August 10, 2011
August 29, 2011
September 28, 2011
October 11, 2011
October 24, 2011
November 16, 2011
November 28, 2011
December 28, 2011
January 7, 2012 |