COVID-19 takes over before football, volleyball shine. Top 5 HS sports stories of 2020
Athletes of the Year and Teams of the Year
UIL statewide football playoff scores and pairings
Football players that signed during early signing period
DFW athletes signing on National signing day in November
Softball senior Class of 2020 honored on all-area team
Top 5 high school sports stories of the year in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram coverage area:
1. COVID-19
Are you surprised?
Yes, the virus known as COVID-19 acted like that fly at the dinner table that just wouldn’t go away. What started to snowball in the middle of March turned into something no one saw coming.
It began at the boys basketball state tournament in San Antonio. After the fourth of six games scheduled on Day 1, the event was suspended, but many thought it would return in two weeks.
It didn’t.
Then more sports were delayed and pushed back. Sports got canceled, specifically the rest of softball, baseball and the soccer playoffs. Graduations were in jeopardy. Spring football was canceled. Summer events put on hold.
It swallowed up half the year. You couldn’t help but feel hurt for the senior Class of 2020.
It got better as sports slowly returned. We saw it in club and select sports, and even in the NBA, MLB and NHL. After some modifications, fall sports came back. And despite hundreds of games being canceled, the majority of them were played and the UIL and TAPPS saw championships in football, volleyball, tennis and cross country.
COVID-19 forced us to do things out of the ordinary. Social distancing and face coverings, but we got through it. This might be the new way of life moving forward, but let’s hope 2021 is a little bit better.
2. Fort Worth football
Let’s be honest, football in the greater Fort Worth area has had its struggles. But there was a lot to cheer about in 2020 with some monumental milestones achieved.
Fort Worth ISD teams North Side, Polytechnic, Southwest, Benbrook and Western Hills made the playoffs.
North Side snapped a 40-year playoff drought last season and instead of falling back, the Steers made more history in 2020 with its first 5-0 start since 1946. They clinched a playoff spot for the second straight season, a first in 40 years and finished with their best record since 1982.
Western Hills (2010) and Poly (2009) snapped playoff droughts.
Carter-Riverside snapped a 27-game losing streak in Week 1 and also snapped a 28-game district losing streak. The Eagles won three games and won back-to-back games for the first time since 2016.
A few schools with Fort Worth addresses also enjoyed historic type seasons.
Haslet Eaton won nine games, finished second in district and made its deepest playoff run to the third round. North Crowley had its first winning season in 15 years, also finished second in district and won its first playoff game since 2003. Castleberry went to the playoffs for the second straight season, a first in 25 years.
3. Maberry Strong
Daniel Maberry, the beloved Mansfield head football coach who had built a winning program and inspired students for two decades, died in February after a two-year bought with cancer. He was 47 years old.
Hundreds of people attended his funeral service.
The community raised over $35,000 during three barbecue fundraisers and another $83,000 through GoFundMe in five months after Maberry was first diagnosed with Stage 4 lymphoma in January 2018.
An event was held for Maberry, who had been with Mansfield ISD for 20 years, in May. Overall, family and friends and the community raised nearly $200,000 to help pay off the Maberry home mortgage.
We can’t forget all those lost in 2020 from Brewer fan Carter Escobar, former Chisholm Trail softball pitcher Lexi White, Burleson football player Tre Allison, Mansfield Summit runner Alex Mandujano and all those lost this year around the world, including from COVID-19.
4. Volleyball teams shine
The UIL did away with tournaments this season, which included the regional and state tourneys. But while games were cut short, Haslet Eaton, Grapevine, Kennedale, Pantego Christian and FW Lake Country reached high marks.
Eaton began the season the top-ranked team in the area. The Eagles finished No. 1 at the end. The Eagles won a share of a district title and reached the regional final for the first time.
Grapevine reached the state semifinals for the first time. Kennedale made it to state for the second straight season. Pantego went to the semis and Lake Country finished as state runner-up.
5. FW Southwest Christian wins state
Erasing an early 10-point deficit, the girls basketball team at Southwest Christian turned up the heat on Houston Second Baptist to win the TAPPS 5A state championship in February, 73-63. The Eagles finished 26-7.
Despite no coaching background at the high school level and 26 years in the military, head coach Larry Menendez Jr. guided the Eagles to their first title and a No. 1 ranking in the state.
Arieona Rosborough posted 18 points, seven assists, four blocks and three steals. Twin sister, Ariele, had 21 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. The Rosborough sisters, Jillian Norman and Dayton Flowers were named to the TAPPS 5A state all-tournament team.
Other notable basketball milestones included Mansfield Timberview as both the boys and girls team reached the state tournament for the third time in the last four years.
The Burleson Centennial boys won district and went to the regional final for the first time.
The Arlington Martin girls finished 35-4 and reached the regional tournament for the first time.
MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Ollie Gordon, Euless Trinity
Gordon is leading the Trojans in the playoffs as the state quarterfinals start this week. Gordon, who received 48%, had a historic performance against Allen in the regional semifinals.
Gordon rushed 50 times for 460 yards and six touchdowns. This included 34 carries, 306 yards and four TDs in the second half alone. Trinity, who will play Southlake Carroll on Saturday, won 49-45.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Kyndal Payne, Haslet Eaton
Payne helped the Eagles to their best playoff run in program history when they reached the Class 6A Region 1 final. After a phenomenal run, they finished as co-district champs with an 18-3 record.
The District 4-6A hitter of the year finished with 344 kills (4.7 per set) and 291 digs.
Payne leaves Eaton and heads to Texas A&M Corpus Christi as the all-time program leader in kills.
BOYS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Southlake Carroll soccer
Before the season was canceled from COVID-19, the Dragons dominated the opposition and looked primed for a state title run. They finished the year 19-1 overall and 12-0 in district play.
One of the top-ranked teams in the country, Carroll lost its season opener, 2-1, against Lewisville before reeling off 19 straight victories. The Dragons owned a scoring margin of 76-11.
Carroll posted 14 shutouts.
GIRLS TEAM OF THE YEAR
Eaton volleyball
The Eagles had their best playoff run in program history when they reached the Class 6A Region 1 final. After a phenomenal run, they finished as co-district champs with an 18-3 record.
Eaton finished as the top-ranked Fort Worth area volleyball team.
Most Inspiring
Mariah Maryman, Kennedale, Track and Field
Maryman, a senior at Kennedale, was born four months premature, which caused her to go blind since birth. She has no vision in her left eye while partially blind in the right.
But that doesn’t stop her from being just another one of her peers. In fact, she’s accomplishing much more than most of them. Maryman is on the cross country and track team, holds a 3.7 GPA and plays the saxophone in the marching band.
Best On-Field Moment
Carter Escobar, Brewer, Basketball
Carter never saw the age of 10, having died from a battle with stage 4 cancer and Long QT syndrome in May, but the Fort Worth boy crossed a number of accomplishments off his bucket list.
This includes a Dallas Mavericks game, being an honorary police officer and a member of the Brewer Bears basketball team. Carter suited up and started in the varsity game against Grapevine in February. After being introduced by NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal and Dirk Nowitzki, Carter took the opening tip, dribbled down court and made his only field-goal attempt.
Top Performance
Ollie Gordon, Euless Trinity, football
It may have come at the end of 2020, but as the saying goes “you save the best for last.”
Rain pushed back New Year’s Eve games to New Year’s Day so it turns out Euless Trinity and Allen in the Class 6A Division 1 regional semifinals was the last TXHSFB game of the year...and what a way to go out.
Trinity won, 49-45, and rode the back of the junior star Gordon, who had 50 carries (yes FIFTY) for 460 yards and six touchdowns. As impressive as the overall numbers may be, it’s his second half marks that may drop your jaw.
In the second half, Gordon rushed 34 times for 306 yards and four TDs. Have yourself your day Ollie!
Honorable Mention
Aledo’s JoJo Earle, All Saints’ Brockermeyers choose Alabama
Southlake Carroll’s Quinn Ewers commits to Ohio State
Kennedale’s JD Coffey picks Texas
Colleyville Covenant wins football title, Nolan Catholic runner up
Grapevine Faith girls soccer wins state, Nolan Catholic runner up
Southlake Carroll boys win cross country title
Walker St. John, Grapevine boys XC win state
Euless Trinity girls wrestling wins state
Weatherford’s Camille Fournier wins third state wrestling title
Southlake Carroll’s Kit Kat Zenick sets state swim record
Southwest Christian girls, Reagan High win XC state title
Byron Nelson’s Payton Chamberlain named best player in Texas
Charitie Luper, Janet deMarrais, Makenna Miller set school records
Former Cowboy Jon Kitna hired at Burleson
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 7:34 AM.
