By Tom Waddill
Texas A&M; football coach Mike Sherman had to be excited by what he saw during the 75th annual Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Football Game on Tuesday night in Austin.
One of Sherman’s 2009 recruits, former Livingston quarterback Dustin Harris, stole the show in the South All-Stars’ 48-21 victory at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Harris compiled 307 all-purpose yards and scored two touchdowns — returning a kickoff 99 yards, then adding a 95-yard fumble return.
Harris, who has played summer basketball with a team from Huntsville, scored both of his long touchdowns during a five-minute span in the third quarter. Both of the plays broke longstanding all-star game records.
“When I first walked on the field, I was just here to play,” said Harris, who was named defensive player of the game. “... Just coming on the field and doing what I did is just amazing.”
Harris had 134 yards on kick returns, 41 on punt returns and 37 on a reverse pass to go along with his long fumble recovery. He also intercepted a pass and had a 63-yard punt return for a score negated because of a holding penalty.
Harris was not the only player running rampant on the Longhorns’ recently resurfaced artificial turf. Texas-bound running back Chris Whaley of Madisonville earned offensive player of the game honors by carrying 14 times for 52 yards and three touchdowns.
Harris and Whaley kick off their college football careers when practice starts in College Station and Austin early next month.
Former Tiger, current Bearkat pitches at Fenway Park — Dallas Gallant, a hard-throwing righthander from Trinity High School, pitched a scoreless inning Thursday in the Cape Cod Baseball League’s All-Star Game at Fenway Park in Boston.
Gallant, a junior at Sam Houston State who is pitching this summer for the Hyannis (Mass.) Mets, worked a scoreless inning in relief, helping the Western All-Stars shut out the Eastern Stars 3-0. Gallant gave up no hits and struck out one.
Also on the Western All-Stars roster were Texas pitcher Brandon Workman, Texas catcher Cameron Rupp and Rice pitcher Taylor Wall.
Zach Cox, a third baseman from Arkansas who was representing the Cotuit Kettleers, drove in a pair of runs with a triple in the first inning and a single in the second for the West Stars.
Football season right around the corner — Fans can start counting the days; football season kicks off in a few short weeks.
The Huntsville Hornets and New Waverly Bulldogs report to summer camp on Aug. 3, which is only nine days away.
Football season starts in New Waverly on Aug. 28. The Teague Lions come to Bulldog country for the season’s first game, which will kick off at 7:30 p.m.
A week later, the Hornets open the 2009 campaign at home against College Park. Last year, Huntsville lost a 27-24 heartbreaker to the Cavaliers at the new Woodforest Bank Stadium in The Woodlands.
The Hornets will look to get even — and to start the ’09 season with a bang — on Sept. 4 at Bowers Stadium.
