Hornet Sports
Hornets back on winning track
Huntsville snaps three-game skid with 66-51 victory over Killeen Shoemaker
The Hornets really need a boost heading into the Killeen ISD Classic with a three-game losing streak Thursday night.
The effort was there and things finally fell into place for the Huntsville boys varsity basketball squad. Thanks to a strong defensive performance and four players in double-digit scoring, the Hornets rolled to a 66-51 victory over Killeen Shoemaker in the opening round.
“It was a game that had two disoriented offenses,” HHS head coach Larry Carlson said. “We came out and got two three-second violations to start the game because we were trying to run our offense. We got down 11-7, then we turned on the defense. Shoemaker got frustrated with our man-to-man defense in the third quarter and started throwing up shots. That’s when we built a lead.”
Senior guards Marvin Dunbar and Jeremy Laday each scored 15 points for the Hornets (2-3). Seniors Justin Gilbert and Trevion Byrd both chipped in 10 points.
Senior James Driscoll came close to making it five Hornets in double figures with eight points, while sophomore Kriston Minor scored four. Junior Jason Nwisienyi and senior Adrian Boudreaux both added two points.
“You look at the book and see that we had four guys score double figures. That was huge for us,” Carlson added. “Usually Laday scores 20 and the rest of the guys score six or seven. We need those guys to continue to step up. We had balanced scoring tonight and all the guys were hitting shots. Gilbert had a great game defensively and rebounding the ball.”
As balanced as the scoring was, Carlson was really pumped about the defensive effort. The coach said that Shoemaker had quick and talented guards, including Jade Allen, who led all scorers with 16 points.
But the Hornets came to play and the Grey Wolves had no answer.
“I knew the key was going to be the defense of our guards,” Carlson said. “Shoemaker is a fast team. We did a good job of closing off the lane and not letting their guards get to the basket.
“We also focused on getting down the court. I wanted the guys to push the ball as soon as one of their shots made it through the bottom of the net. We did that and got some easy layups. They really struggled defending us. We also went 10-of-14 from the free-throw line, which was a lot better.”
Huntsville will play two more games in the tournament today, beginning with Red Oak at 10:30 a.m. The Hornets finish the day with a 4:30 p.m. contest against Brazosport.
“We have played a difficult schedule against some good (Class) 5A schools,” the coach added. “We are doing that because it is going to get us ready for district. We aren’t going to face many teams with the size and athleticism as Alief Hastings, Oak Ridge, Lufkin, Houston Memorial and Shoemaker.
“Red Oak is going to give us a good idea of how we will matchup with Brenham. They both run straight zone (defenses) and have some leapers. We have to get good at playing against the zone because that is what we are going to see in district.”
- Hornet Sports
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Huntsville ISD hires new volleyball coach
On paper and in her head, Stephanie Branch quietly took notes while sitting in the stands at Bryan High School on Thursday night. She paid particular attention to the team from Huntsville, because in a little more than a month that bunch will be her’s.
The daughter of a teaching and coaching couple, Branch, 31, was hired this week as the Lady Hornets’ new head volleyball coach. She replaces Brittany Brumbelow, who stepped down from her position at the end of the school year to spend more time with her family. -
High school notebook: Brenham boys edge Hornets at state track meet
Round one went to the Brenham boys. The Cubs won the District 18-4A boys track and field title last month in Willis.
The Huntsville boys took round two. Led by state qualifiers Justin Gilbert, Brodrick Hadnot, Henry Ford, Dimitri Collier and Cameron Simmons, the Hornets evened the score by outscoring the Cubs at the Region III track meet in Huntsville early this month.
In Austin last weekend, the Cubs edged the Hornets in the unofficial battle for track and field supremacy in District 18-4A. -
Going for gold
It wasn’t that long ago. RaKira Turner stood in the shot put ring and with all of her might, flat-footed she heaved the heavy ball forward.
Her first throws from the discus ring were even more memorable. With no idea about how to hold the strangely shaped disc, Turner did her best but the results were far from pretty. -
Hornets finish strong
They easily could have gone through the motions.
Sitting eighth in the team standings after a miserable first day at the UIL Boys Golf State Championships, the Hornets could have trudged around the Jimmy Clay Golf Course without a care.
They could have turned in another big score, gotten back on the bus and hit the highway headed home to Huntsville.
These Hornets had too much pride to mail in the second round of the tournament. On Tuesday, the Huntsville boys made a huge turnaround, shooting a team score of 307, which moved them up to sixth in the team standings. -
Difficult district
The Lady Hornets played their best round of golf Monday at Raven Nest Golf Club. Unfortunately for the Huntsville girls, they are stuck in District 18-4A with two, and probably three, of the top teams in the state.
Led by junior Madison Ward, who shot a solid 79, Huntsville’s varsity team posted a 349 team score during the first round of the District 18-4A tournament. That total puts the Lady Hornets in fourth place behind Montgomery Gold (310), Montgomery Purple (313) and Magnolia A (319) heading into today’s final round. -
Hornets finish first at Dayton track meet
The track teams from Huntsville High School did exactly what their head coach wanted them to do last week in the final tune-up before the all-important District 18-4A meet.
The Hornets finished first and the Lady Hornets placed third in the team standings at the Bronco Relays in Dayton. -
Gilbert advances to 100-meter finals at Texas Relays
Huntsville senior Justin Gilbert booked a spot in the main event. With a sizzling showing in the prelims for the 100-meter dash, Gilbert earned a place in the finals of the Texas Relays this afternoon in Austin.
Hopefully, he will have some company as some of his teammates try this morning to advance to the finals at Mike Myers Stadium at the University of Texas. -
‘I’m going to be nervous’
Austin’s Mike Myers Stadium is the place to be this weekend. The top track and field athletes not only in Texas, but from across the United States, will be competing inside a stadium full with the sport’s most passionate fans.
As a reward for weeks of hard work, and also to act as a possible tune-up for next month’s season-ending state meet, Huntsville High School is sending its best athletes to Austin, too. -
Top-ranked Cubs bring big bats to Huntsville
On a night when Brenham’s Chase Wellbrock nearly threw a no-hitter, Huntsville head coach Jeff Brumbelow shook his head more about the Cubs’ impressive hit parade.
Brenham came to Kate Barr Ross Park on Wednesday and quickly took control on the District 18-4A baseball game against the Hornets. The top-ranked Cubs banged out 16 hits in the first three innings and scored 13 runs on their way to a commanding 18-1 win over Huntsville. -
Just deserts
Seniors Jeremy LaDay, Marvin Dunbar and Justin Gilbert refused to listen to the people who said the Hornets were headed for a subpar season in 2009-10.
Huntsville’s run was done, some folks said last fall. That only fueled the fire for LaDay, Dunbar and Gilbert. - More Hornet Sports Headlines
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Huntsville ISD hires new volleyball coach
