Replacing The Pieces
It’s that time of year again. The weather is acting crazy, clocks are being moved back and fans are ready to cheer their teams on in what should be another season of surprises. Opening day tip-offs feature games involving GPR Top 20 teams that have a legitimate chance to go deep in the playoffs. Elsik travels to Bellaire while CyFalls hosts Klein Collins. As I have stated before, Bellaire and Clear Springs have everyone back from last season and should be considered the front runners, at least that’s how I see it. Clear Springs boasted one of the state’s best records last season, losing only three games while Bellaire made it to the regional final game two of the last three seasons. This week we will see how teams that lost key players adjust right off the top as Cy Falls not only has to go against Klein Collins on opening day, they have to defend the Spring Branch ISD Tournament at the end of the week and the Texas Invitational next week.
I remember receiving emails last season about not giving Cy Fair enough credit after Chiney Ogwumike graduated and how they were going to make a run. Losing key players hurts teams year after year and even though Cassie Peoples did an admirable job in keeping the team competitive, they had no chance of returning to state. Cy Falls lost Larissa Scott and Macy Moore but added Loryn Goodwin, which gives them three D1 early signees as Sedalia Ellis and Kit Metoyer have committed as well. They also have a host of other next level players, so to think they are done is just a dream, they will be in the mix once it’s all said and done.
District 14 also has a few teams that lost key players. The unranked Woodlands show once again that rankings, other than mine, have absolutely no meaning whatsoever. Sure they lost Sara Seefeldt but this team made it to the Elite 8 last season and they have enough firepower returning in Paige Bradley, Anna Strickland and Kelsey Lang, not to mention an array of role players ready to step up like Nicole Iademarco and Ashlyn Hargraves. The Woodlands are ready to defend their Conroe Tournament title this week before joining Cy Falls next week in the Texas Invitational. Speaking of the Texas Invitational, remember the day, November 18th
The District 14 title should belong to The Woodlands as Atascocita lost Rachel Mitchell, Chrishauna Parker and Mekala Bell to the next level. On top of that Curtyce Knox tore her ACL over the summer, so Rachel Arthur and Lauren Price will have to keep it together until district starts, which is also when Knox will be closer to playing shape. College Park may battle “The Taz” for the number two spot despite losing Megan Shafer . Alexia Sanders is one of the top juniors in the area and I will get an early look at how well this team has adjusted to losing Shafer during the Conroe Tournament.