Fort Worth’s Elite: Top 5 high school sports stories of 2018
Here are the Top 5 high school sports stories of 2018 among Fort Worth area teams.
1. Diamond Hill-Jarvis snaps losing streak
For eight years, the DHJ football program couldn’t win; for 77-straight games, the Eagles couldn’t pull out a W. They were nearing a national record no one wanted; longest losing streak.
But for one night, DHJ felt like kings after the Eagles opened the 2018 season with a 40-12 win vs. Dallas Conrad, their first win since 2010.
Senior Eddrick Hampton carried 14 times for 150 yards and 2 TDs. He also caught two passes for 92 yards and returned a kickoff 82 yards for a TD. Adrian Gutierrez completed 4 of 7 passes for 148 and a TD.
They registered their first win since Sept. 18, 2010 when they defeated Dallas Jefferson, 31-7. Houston Davis holds the Texas high school record for most consecutive losses with 80.
Then DHJ won the inaugural ‘Battle of the Eagle’ trophy against Carter-Riverside three weeks later. The Eagles snapped an 8-game losing streak to Carter-Riverside and won three games in a season for the first time since 2005.
2. Aledo football goes for VIII
The Bearcats are back on top! Aledo conquered its division once again, defeating first timer Fort Bend Marshall, 55-19, to capture its 8th state title in program history, tying a UIL record. It’s also the 7th in 10 years for the program.
“Hungry” was the right word for Aledo after the Bearcats came up 1 point short in the 2017 final vs. College Station. Aledo had its challenges in the playoffs, taking on three undefeated teams in the final four weeks; South Oak Cliff, Frisco Reedy and Marshall.
QB Jake Bishop continued the family tradition while Oklahoma commit Jase McClellan was voted Offensive game MVP after scoring 3 TDs in the first half and finishing with 146 yards rushing. TCU signee Wyatt Harris was Defensive MVP.
3. Carroll, Eaton bring home baseball titles
How about two Fort Worth area teams winning it all at the UIL baseball state tournament in Round Rock.
That’s exactly what Southlake Carroll (6A) and Eaton (5A) did in June.
Carroll finished 35-6 and rolled past San Antonio Reagan 7-2 in the 6A title game as the Dragons captured their first championship since 2002. They had gone to the title game in 2008 and lost in the semis to Deer Park in 2017. SP Kyle Warden was voted MVP after pitching six scoreless innings.
Eaton had the more intriguing storytale ending because it was only the Eagles’ third season. The Eagles defined all odds and beat Forney 4-1 in the 5A final. SP Riley Taylor was named MVP after allowing just three hits to help Eaton wrap up a 34-9-1 season.
4. Hurray for Haltom
The Buffalos were Fort Worth darlings last season when they went 6-5, their first winning season since 2000, and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2009.
But it wasn’t a fluke as Jason Tucker and company found even better success in 2018.
Haltom won the District 3-6A title, upset Euless Trinity in Week 6 and went undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1997, which was also the last time the Buffs won a playoff game.
Haltom rallied to beat Arlington Bowie 47-41 in bi-district and went to the state quarterfinals for the first time while setting a program record with 13 wins. Tucker would go on to win the 2018 Landry Coach of the Year Award and the Buffs were well represented in district and all-state awards.
5. Arlington Heights softball goes to state
The Yellowjackets did what most people thought they couldn’t do, reach the UIL state tourney in Austin in June.
Heights overcame a 10-3 loss to Lubbock Coronado in Game 1 of the Class 5A Region I final to win the next two (12-5, 3-1) and advanced to its first-ever state softball tournament, the farthest a Fort Worth school made it since Paschal in 2004.
The Yellowjackets would lose to Richmond Foster in the 5A semis, but did finish 37-4-1. SP Jalee McDonald wrapped up a terrific 2018 with a 33-4 record and McDonald, Ashleigh Sgambelluri and Melinda Martinez were all named to the 5A all-state team.
They beat Grapevine, Boswell, Colleyville Heritage, Canyon and Coronado to reach state.
Others in Dallas-Fort Worth
Bowie coach saves woman’s life
Lake Ridge’s Jasmine Moore “breaks record”
Lake Country girls basketball wins 100th straight district game, wins state title
Grace Prep sand and indoor volleyball teams win state titles
Aledo’s Graydon Morris wins XC, 3200, 1600 titles
Aledo boys soccer goes to state
Midlothian Heritage girls soccer wins 1st state title
Midlothian Heritage volleyball reaches state
Wakeland boys and girls win soccer state titles
Carroll’s McDaniel wins Landry Award
Flower Mound volleyball wins 1st state title
Forney softball wins state for Em
Grandview football wins 1st state title
Highland Park football 3-peats
Carroll swimming wins 8th straight state title
Coppell, Wakeland girls, Decatur boys win XC state titles
Grapevine girls, Highland Park boys win golf state titles
Decatur volleyball wins state
Favorite Game
Byron Nelson vs. Southlake Carroll volleyball, Sept. 18
The Bobcats came into Dragon nation with one loss on the year, ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 3 in the nation. Carroll had a scorching 2-0 start, but Nelson inched its way back by forcing a fifth set and then won 15-7.
It was only the fourth district, but it felt like a regional final. The gym was packed and both fan bases were electric.
Favorite Finish
Duncanville vs. North Shore, Dec. 22
A Hail Mary from 45 yards as time expires during the final game of the 2018 high school football season; you bet we’re going with Duncanville and North Shore in the 6A Division I championship.
In one of the most physical games this season, North Shore got out to a 22-17 first-quarter lead. Defenses took over in a scoreless third while the fourth say four lead changes.
And then this happened...
Favorite Story
The Jackrabbits were playing all year with a heavy heart. They lost one of their own, Emily Galiano during the 2017 playoffs.
Playing for Em, they ended 2018 with a 25-game winning streak, which was capped off with the Class 5A state title, their first in program history, and they did it with an angel watching over them.
During Game 2 of area, the Jackrabbits turned a double play that clinched the sweep; they won by the same score and got the final out at third base again to clinch the regional final; facing bases loaded in the state semis, RF Hannah Holdbrook got a grounder and threw the runner out at first; and in the final, LF Caroline Tedder made the championship-clinching out over the third-base wall.
Players of the Year
Volleyball: Molly Phillips, Mansfield
Boys Basketball: Grant Sherfield, North Crowley
Girls Basketball: Madi Williams, Trinity Valley
Softball: Dylann Kaderka, Keller
Baseball: Willie Rangel, Cleburne
Girls Soccer: Mitzy Guereca, Castleberry
Boys Soccer: Jose Ortiz, Sam Houston
Boys Track & Field: Graydon Morris, Aledo
Girls Track & Field: Jasmine Moore, Lake Ridge
Girls Golf: Anna Takahashi, Grapevine
Boys Golf: Caden Honea, Southlake Carroll
Girls Swimming: Hailey Hernandez, Southlake Carroll
Boys Swimming: Jack LeVant, Southlake Carroll
Girls Tennis: Reilly Cleff, Grapevine
Boys Tennis: Riley Tran, Keller
Girls Wrestling: Mattison Parker, Eaton
Boys Wrestling: Michael Kumlien, Justin Northwest
*Football winners to be announced at a later date
This story was originally published December 31, 2018 at 1:46 PM.