Introducing the Half-Decade team: The best high school athletes during the last 5 years
I completed my fifth year covering high school sports in June for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. I arrived to Texas as a three-month summer intern in May 2014.
My first story that was published in print: Aledo softball state send-off. The team was making its way to Austin for the second straight season. They also went in 2013 and 2015. They won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.
August had arrived and it was the week before the high school football season. It was also my last week of my internship and I wasn’t sure if I would be kept on. I was emailing résumés left and right; I probably sent out 75 of them.
Someone had moved on and Ryan Osborne was named lead high school football writer.
I got the call and was officially apart of the Star-Telegram team during the week of Aug. 20, 2014.
Five years have flown by and I begin my sixth at the end of August.
I have covered thousands of athletes and interviewed hundreds of coaches.
These professional teams, notably the NFL, will come up with all-decade teams, but why wait five more years? Let’s see Gosset’s half-decade team; the best of the best in the past five years.
For this, I come up with the best athletes in the six major UIL sports, spanning all of Tarrant County. I go as far north as Northwest, Byron Nelson and Eaton, as south as Hood County such as Granbury, parts of Johnson County and as west as Aledo, Weatherford and Brock.
Introducing the Half-Decade Team:
Football
QB Jett Duffey, Lake Ridge
QB Alan Bowman, Grapevine
RB Kennedy Brooks, Mansfield
RB Jase McClellan, Aledo
WR Stefan Cobbs, Fossil Ridge
WR Erik Ezukanma, Timber Creek
OL Chris Owens, Arl. Lamar
OL Chuck Filiaga, Aledo
OL Wes Harris, Aledo
OL Darrell Simpson, Northwest
OL Andrew Flanagan, Kennedale
K Griffin Kell, Arlington
DL Houston Miller, Keller
DL Colt Ellison, Aledo
DL James Williams, Aledo
DL Luke Brockermeyer, FW All Saints
LB Baron Browning, Kennedale
LB Ben Carroll, Arlington
LB Zane Young, Brock
DB Jalen Catalon, Legacy
DB Ty DeArman, Arl. Bowie
DB Cam’Ron Jones, Euless Trinity/Mansfield
P Alec Brinton, Keller
Coach Steve Wood, Aledo
Volleyball
Outside Hitter Maddie Goings, Aledo
Outside Hitter Amber Strange, Granbury
Middle Blocker Molly Phillips, Mansfield
Middle Blocker Katie Clark, Arlington
Setter Kylie Courtney, Boswell
Libero Allegra Rivas, Aledo
UTL Symone Wesley, Grapevine
Coach Kathy Goings, Aledo
Girls Basketball
Guard Kennedy Leonard, SL Carroll
Guard Chennedy Carter, Timberview
Forward Trinity Oliver, Euless Trinity
Forward Bryn Gerlich, Coll. Heritage
Forward Madi Williams, FW Trinity Valley
6th Man Myra Gordon, LD Bell
Coach Kit Kyle Martin, Timberview
Boys Basketball
Guard Grant Sherfield, Summit/North Crowley
Guard Avery Anderson, Northwest
Forward RJ Nembhard, Keller
Forward Isaac Likekele, Timberview
Forward Jordon Myers, North Crowley
6th Man Jhivvan Jackson, Euless Trinity
Coach Duane Gregory, Timberview
Girls Soccer
MID/FORW Taylor Tufts, SL Carroll
MID/FORW Allie Thornton, Kennedale
MID/FORW Abby Olmos, Kennedale
MID/FORW Haley Ward, Timber Creek
MID/FORW AK Ward, Keller
MID/FORW Peyton Laughley, Aledo
MID/FORW Ashton Wright, Grapevine
MID/FORW Caylen Wright, Joshua
MID/FORW Esmie Gonzales, South Hills
DEF Haylee Hulse, Grapevine
DEF Brittany Martin, SL Carroll
DEF Kristen Burns, Aledo
DEF Daphne Hunt, Kennedale
GK Madi Martin, SL Carroll
GK Kyleigh Hall, Legacy
UTL Brooke Lampe, Lake Ridge
Coach Michael Strange, Kennedale
Boys Soccer
MID/FORW Jose Ortiz, Arl. Sam Houston
MID/FORW Carlos Flores, Arl. Lamar
MID/FORW Jasub Flores, Arl. Lamar
MID/FORW Chad Sahinkaya, Grapevine
MID/FORW Alan Mendoza, North Crowley
MID/FORW Freddy Hernandez, Burleson
MID/FORW Brandon Cerda, Lake Ridge
MID/FORW Nate Kopetsky, Arl. Sam Houston
MID/FORW Michael Somerville, Arl. Heights
DEF Bryson Guinn, Birdville
DEF Mario Trevizo, Arl. Sam Houston
DEF Alfonso Morales, South Hills
DEF Mickey Maloney, Aledo
GK Konrad Garbowski, Aledo
GK Josh Starkey, Keller Central
UTL Ian Arendse, Grapevine
Coach Joey Rodriguez, Arl. Sam Houston
Softball
Pitcher Paxton Scheurer, Mansfield
Pitcher Samantha Bradley, Azle
Catcher Reagan Wright, Legacy
Infield Shannon Rhodes, Brewer
Infield Caitlyn Curlee, Timber Creek
Infield Camryn Woodall, Keller
Infield Kasey Simpson, Keller
Outfield Amanda DeSario, Keller
Outfield Gracie Morton, Burl. Centennial
Outfield Reagan Hukill, Mansfield
UTL Brittany Jackson, Lake Ridge
DH Julie Kennedy, Boswell
Coach Bryan Poehler, Keller
Baseball
Pitcher Will Johnston, Keller
Pitcher Willie Rangel, Cleburne
Catcher Nate Rombach, Legacy
Infield Bobby Witt Jr., Coll. Heritage
Infield Shea Langeliers, Keller
Infield Mateo Gil, Timber Creek
Infield Boone Montgomery, Grapevine
Outfield Logan Britt, Coll. Heritage/FW All Saints
Outfield Tristen Lutz, Arl. Martin
Outfield Dylan Neuse, Fossil Ridge
UTL Connor Neuman, Grapevine
DH Colby Seltzer, Eaton
Coach Larry Vucan, SL Carroll
This story was originally published August 3, 2019 at 8:00 AM.
