Deer Park Progress - Sports
A look back at sports in 2008
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| The Deer Park Deer played tough determined football all season long and finished with a record of 8-2 for the season. |
By MIKE LARA
Two thousand and eight brought Deer Park High School some very memorable moments in sports.
The basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and track and field teams closed out the 2008 seasons with playoff showing across the board. Both the men’s baseball and men’s soccer teams of ’08 showed serious toughness by winning several games in a row to clinch playoff births with the odds stacked against them.
Coach Seibert and her Lady Deer Softball team had a memorable season on so many levels; the loss of a close, dear member of the softball community and mother to two varsity sisters motivated a Lady Dear Softball team to a make deep run into the playoffs.
Lady Deer Soccer took another district title, established their dominance in the District 22-5A picture and appeared on their way to another state playoff appearance until falling to the Clear Lake Lady Falcons in a heartbreaking loss in regional’s.
Track and field qualified numerous athletes to regional competition after a tremendous showing in the District Meet.
Coaches Louie Means and Teresa White enjoyed playoff births in ’08 as well which concluded the school year on a positive note for athletics.
Summer came and went as Deer Park opened up another season of Deer Football which kicked off with a gutsy win over Jersey Village. The Deer returned to Abshier to trounce an Aldine High School team 52-14, and all looked golden on the horizon until mid-September skies gave way to one of the biggest natural disasters seen to this area in a long while. With power out all around the Houston area, Abshier Stadium- manly used as a place for sports and competition- became a refuge for resources during a tough times. The city of Deer Park would persevere through the tough times and look to return to Abshier Stadium to enjoy their Deer Football. The Deer of ’08 wouldn’t disappoint as they reeled off five straight games to amass a 7-0 record and a top ten ranking in the Houston area to become a symbol of a town’s hard work and determination. The Deer collided with the Pearland Oilers in a memorable showdown at The Rig for the district title. Despite a noble effort, the Deer were forced to settle with a respectable second place finish in district. The Deer drew the North Shore Mustangs in the opening round at North Shore High School and put up a great fight despite playing in the Mustangs backyard.
Coach Chris Massey and his Deer put together another positive season of football with nearly 3,500 yards of total offense, and an 8-2 overall season giving the strong sense that a district title is seriously within Deer Park’s grasp.
Coach Will Rau and his Deer Park men’s tennis team simply went undefeated in district to capture the District 22-5A tennis title.
Coach Russell Elfstrom and Coach Walker received tremendous seasons from their respective teams as Walker’s Lady Deer Cross Country team claimed the District 22-5A Cross Country Title qualifying six varsity girls to the Region III Meet.
Coach Elfstrom received top efforts from his guys, but a late injury to senior team captain Cody Black hindered the Deer in the district meet. Johnny Moreno, who had shown strong, running from race to race, turned in a well-earned ninth place performance in the district meet to clinch the only Deer birth in the Region III Meet. Moreno carried the Deer Park flag to a well respected 90th place finish in a tough field of competitors.
Coach Gay Sabatell and her Lady Deer led by Kristen Cruse (Winthrop University) went 25-15 for the season and had a vicious battle with Pearland High School for the top spot in District 22-5A. The Lady Deer ended with an 11-3 record in district play, a second place finish in district and a birth into the playoffs where they defeated the North Shore Lady Mustangs in the Bi-District Playoff Round. Coach Saba’s girls would put up a valiant effort against a very talented Fort Bend Travis squad, but come up just short.
It was a sensational first half of athletics for Deer Park High School as they showcased their talented athletes from every sport across the board.
We are now on the cusp of flipping over another calendar year and ushering in ’09 with the basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and track and field teams back again and looking to show the same kind of success they showed in ’08.
For the Lady Deer soccer team, it’s getting back into the playoffs, avenging the loss from last year and getting back to the State Cup. For Coach Means and Coach White’s basketball teams, it’s about preparing to compete and win in tough district competition then playoffs. The men’s baseball and soccer teams are preparing to seize the advantage early and take control of their destiny and make it easier on themselves. They have the talent from top to bottom to do just that.
It was a fantastic year for sports in ’08 and honestly I felt extremely privileged to cover such hard working, determined, talented young student-athletes. I also have had the tremendous privilege of working with so many excellent teachers, coaches, and staff members who are absolutely top notch.
In fact when I was working on the Jim Kethan article not too long ago there were countless faculty members and staff lending their knowledge and assistance pointing me in the right directions. I believe it was said best by Coach Jim King; who now works at north campus; “The impression that Jim Kethan had made on the lives of so many young student-athletes is what athletics is all about,” he said, “it is for the kids that play for you and you never forget them. Each and every one of us has talents and abilities that define our uniqueness, there are so many students today walking these halls that have great talent in a whole variety of fields and that’s one of our jobs as educators to help them understand that they have been blessed with these talents and help them build on those.”
The basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and track and field teams closed out the 2008 seasons with playoff showing across the board. Both the men’s baseball and men’s soccer teams of ’08 showed serious toughness by winning several games in a row to clinch playoff births with the odds stacked against them.
Coach Seibert and her Lady Deer Softball team had a memorable season on so many levels; the loss of a close, dear member of the softball community and mother to two varsity sisters motivated a Lady Dear Softball team to a make deep run into the playoffs.
Lady Deer Soccer took another district title, established their dominance in the District 22-5A picture and appeared on their way to another state playoff appearance until falling to the Clear Lake Lady Falcons in a heartbreaking loss in regional’s.
Track and field qualified numerous athletes to regional competition after a tremendous showing in the District Meet.
Coaches Louie Means and Teresa White enjoyed playoff births in ’08 as well which concluded the school year on a positive note for athletics.
Summer came and went as Deer Park opened up another season of Deer Football which kicked off with a gutsy win over Jersey Village. The Deer returned to Abshier to trounce an Aldine High School team 52-14, and all looked golden on the horizon until mid-September skies gave way to one of the biggest natural disasters seen to this area in a long while. With power out all around the Houston area, Abshier Stadium- manly used as a place for sports and competition- became a refuge for resources during a tough times. The city of Deer Park would persevere through the tough times and look to return to Abshier Stadium to enjoy their Deer Football. The Deer of ’08 wouldn’t disappoint as they reeled off five straight games to amass a 7-0 record and a top ten ranking in the Houston area to become a symbol of a town’s hard work and determination. The Deer collided with the Pearland Oilers in a memorable showdown at The Rig for the district title. Despite a noble effort, the Deer were forced to settle with a respectable second place finish in district. The Deer drew the North Shore Mustangs in the opening round at North Shore High School and put up a great fight despite playing in the Mustangs backyard.
Coach Chris Massey and his Deer put together another positive season of football with nearly 3,500 yards of total offense, and an 8-2 overall season giving the strong sense that a district title is seriously within Deer Park’s grasp.
Coach Will Rau and his Deer Park men’s tennis team simply went undefeated in district to capture the District 22-5A tennis title.
Coach Russell Elfstrom and Coach Walker received tremendous seasons from their respective teams as Walker’s Lady Deer Cross Country team claimed the District 22-5A Cross Country Title qualifying six varsity girls to the Region III Meet.
Coach Elfstrom received top efforts from his guys, but a late injury to senior team captain Cody Black hindered the Deer in the district meet. Johnny Moreno, who had shown strong, running from race to race, turned in a well-earned ninth place performance in the district meet to clinch the only Deer birth in the Region III Meet. Moreno carried the Deer Park flag to a well respected 90th place finish in a tough field of competitors.
Coach Gay Sabatell and her Lady Deer led by Kristen Cruse (Winthrop University) went 25-15 for the season and had a vicious battle with Pearland High School for the top spot in District 22-5A. The Lady Deer ended with an 11-3 record in district play, a second place finish in district and a birth into the playoffs where they defeated the North Shore Lady Mustangs in the Bi-District Playoff Round. Coach Saba’s girls would put up a valiant effort against a very talented Fort Bend Travis squad, but come up just short.
It was a sensational first half of athletics for Deer Park High School as they showcased their talented athletes from every sport across the board.
We are now on the cusp of flipping over another calendar year and ushering in ’09 with the basketball, softball, baseball, soccer, tennis, and track and field teams back again and looking to show the same kind of success they showed in ’08.
For the Lady Deer soccer team, it’s getting back into the playoffs, avenging the loss from last year and getting back to the State Cup. For Coach Means and Coach White’s basketball teams, it’s about preparing to compete and win in tough district competition then playoffs. The men’s baseball and soccer teams are preparing to seize the advantage early and take control of their destiny and make it easier on themselves. They have the talent from top to bottom to do just that.
It was a fantastic year for sports in ’08 and honestly I felt extremely privileged to cover such hard working, determined, talented young student-athletes. I also have had the tremendous privilege of working with so many excellent teachers, coaches, and staff members who are absolutely top notch.
In fact when I was working on the Jim Kethan article not too long ago there were countless faculty members and staff lending their knowledge and assistance pointing me in the right directions. I believe it was said best by Coach Jim King; who now works at north campus; “The impression that Jim Kethan had made on the lives of so many young student-athletes is what athletics is all about,” he said, “it is for the kids that play for you and you never forget them. Each and every one of us has talents and abilities that define our uniqueness, there are so many students today walking these halls that have great talent in a whole variety of fields and that’s one of our jobs as educators to help them understand that they have been blessed with these talents and help them build on those.”
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