Ian Boswell with physics teacher Christopher Stewart, flanked (in all photos) by Chris Bezdek, president of the Pasadena ISD Education Foundation, and Dennis and Michele Lamm, MDL Enterprise, Inc.

Noelle Cook with Patricia Jackson, her seventh-grade math teacher at South Houston Intermediate, now a counselor at Melillo Middle School.

Hilda Flores with math teacher Thomas Glos.

Raul Garcia with Spanish teacher and soccer coach Agustin Loredo.

Connie Le with tennis coach Deena Augst Delarosa.

Denielle Monroe with AP English teacher Elizabeth Alanis.

Meet Patel with English teacher Holly Bazan.

Susana Reyna with Pre-AP biology teacher Debbie McNabb.

Ismael Rosas with world geography teacher Matthew Koska.

Ann Tran with biology teacher Paul Gutierrez.

South Houston forward Leobardo Vasquez makes a move inside late in the game as Cypress Ridge defenders Andres Rivas (3) and Ravi Lumba (11) close in.

  DEER PARK - The end came hard Friday night for one of the most successful sports seasons in South Houston history.
  A goal by Cypress Ridge junior Marlon Cardenas not quite five minutes into the contest stood up for the next 75 minutes and carried the Rams to a 1-0 victory over the Trojans in the semifinals of the Region III boys soccer tournament at Deer Park's Abshier Stadium.
  The Trojans seemed on the verge of the tying goal several times over the balance of the contest but never found the anecdote for Cardenas' early score. Rams goalkeeper Seth Mabe turned away three South Houston shots in the final four minutes of the first half.
  Cypress Ridge advanced to face Morton Creek in Saturday's regional championship game. Morton Creek eliminated Deer Park, the Trojans' District 22-5A rival, 2-0 in the earlier semifinal.
  The Rams matched South Houston's technical skills throughout the contest and played air-tight defense, especially in the second half. Under extreme pressure from South Houston standout Leobardo Vazquez in the first half, the Rams found fresh footing in the second half by limiting Vasquez's access to the ball.
  South Houston finished the season 14-8-4, a campaign that saw the Trojans win three playoff games and come within two victories of a trip to state.

South Houston freshman Jefry Hernandez works the ball against Cypress Ridge's Martinez.

Trojan senior Leobardo Vazquez knocks down Cypress Ridge's Andres Rivas with the force of a shot on goal in the first half. 

Cypress Ridge sophomore Robert Garza (14) leans in on South Houston senior Alejandro Farias.

Trojan senior Jorge Pineda battles Garza for position.

South Houston junior Ediberto Garza negotiates a maze of Cypress Ridge defenders.

South Houston senior Juan Sosa fights off contact by the Rams' Andres Rivas.

Cypress Ridge players console Trojan senior Luis Rodriguez after the game.

South Houston Coach Agustin Loredo tells his players to hold their heads high after the loss.

GAME ALBUM

Twenty-two students from Dobie and South Houston high schools participated in Sea World's Career Camp over spring break. They gained hands-on experience, learned what it takes to work at Sea World and how to become marine mammal trainers. The students were accompanied by teachers Cindy Wilems, from Dobie, and Laurie Aubin, from South Houston. Below: Students and teachers at Sea World.

  Angella Gencarelli, who guided South Houston's girls basketball team to a District 22-5A co-championship with Deer Park, has been named the district coach of the year.
  Four Trojan seniors -- Dominique Davis, Jasmine Lopez, Akira Decoud and Brianna Butler -- were named first-team all-district. Also named to the first team were Dobie junior Kate Inchun, Sam Rayburn senior Aracely Gomez, Memorial junior Jessica Elkins and Memorial sophomore Kaylee Berkley.
  Dobie senior Shanequa Gaston was named the district's most valuable player. Pasadena sophomore Paola Ozuna and Sam Rayburn sophomore Sabrina Garza were named newcomers of the year.
  Pasadena ISD athletes named to the second team were Dobie senior Jazmin Guerrero, Memorial junior Desirae Ramirez, Memorial senior Tori Rodriguez, Pasadena sophomore Kierra Irvin and two more South Houston seniors, Bianca Yanez and Bella Garcia.
  Honorable mention selections included Dobie senior Nyla Vasquez , Dobie junior Kim Luu, Sam Rayburn senior Jackie Orozco, Sam Rayburn senior Alexa Martinez, Sam Rayburn junior Brianna Scott, Sam Rayburn sophomore Emilee Torres, Memorial senior Ashley Cooner and South Houston sophomore Mia Martinez.

Matthew Koska (top center) with his South Houston Model U.N. team: (front) Selena Barron, Hannah Arnold, Karen Cruz and Olga Trevino; (middle) Mario Gonzalez, Alan Deleon, Meet Patel and Shivam Vakil; and (top left) Ulisses Gonzalez.

  By AL CARTER
  Pasadena ISD Communications  
  If Matthew Koska's dream becomes reality, he'll soon be walking along the East River, looking up at the teal facade of United Nations Headquarters, looking for the entrance through which he'll escort a contingent of South Houston High School students.
  And in a New York minute, he'll remember to whip out his badge.
  Just five months ago, Koska never dreamed that such a dream was even possible. A Pre-AP World Geography teacher at South Houston, Koska was approached last fall by students interested in participating in the Model United Nations program, a national organization that sponsors student simulations of U.N. proceedings and competitions in resolution craftsmanship.
  Last Thursday and Friday, at the George R. Brown Convention Center, the tiny South Houston team captured top-delegation honors at the Houston Area Model United Nations conference, an event attended by 1,000 students from three dozen schools across Texas.
  The nine-member South Houston squad -- the smallest at the conference and the only Pasadena ISD entry -- earned top honors among those schools designated as smaller delegations.
  Two South Houston seniors -- Meet Patel and Alan Deleon - landed two of the three highest individual honors handed out to all students attending the conference.
  Patel received the Best Delegate Award, the highest honor presented. Deleon received the Most Heralded Delegate prize.
  "I was happy with our kids simply because they were so eager to compete," Koska says. "But to be named the outstanding delegation makes me especially proud of them."
  The list of delegations included blue-ribbon private schools like Episcopal, Second Baptist, St. Agnes Academy, St. Johns and the Westchester Academy for International Studies. Some of the public schools, like Bellaire, brought enough students to fill out seven delegations.
  South Houston had one. Much of the South Houston students' prep work was done at home. Group study sessions are crammed into after-school hours. Last Wednesday, the night before the area conference, Koska and team members sequestered themselves in a school computer lab until 10:30 p.m.
  When Koska left the building, he was approached by a Pasadena ISD police officer. The officer wanted to know what Koska was doing in the building at such a late hour. The officer also wanted to see Koska's school district ID.
  "I forgot my badge that day," Koska says. "I had to pull out my driver's license."
  Security badges, as it turned out, was just about the only U.N. procedure beyond the grasp of the Trojan team.
  Before the conference, the nine South Houston students were assembled in a single delegation and assigned the task of representing the nation of Mauritius, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean. What followed was a crash course on the geography and politics of Mauritius.
  At the conference, students participated in a series of caucuses during which ideas were presented, arguments made and resolutions crafted.
  "All I really wanted was a good experience for our kids, the opportunity to learn something new," Koska says. "But after the first day, I couldn't contain myself. I knew we had a top team."
  South Houston's quest began at the end of last school year when Deleon read about the Model United Nations program and suggested to Koska that South Houston form a team.
  Soon, Deleon wasn't suggesting. He was insisting.
  "I said, 'Koska, we're going to do this!' " Deleon recalls. " 'We can pioneer this for the rest of the district!' "
  Deleon enlisted the support of Patel, who was just as insistent.
  "The new school started and I got busy and kept putting it off," Koska says.
  It wasn't until the final week in September that Koska decided to do his own research.
  "I got on the computer to look up the information," he says. "The next day was the deadline for registering for the workshop."
  He signed his school up for the required workshop. Had he waited another day, South Houston would have been out of luck.
  Meanwhile, Deleon and Patel began to recruit other team members. The final nine included three other seniors -- Olga Trevino, Mario Gonzalez and Ulisses Gonzalez -- and four juniors: Selena Barron, Karen Cruz, Shivam Vakil and Hannah Arnold.
  When the Trojan nine walked into the first phase of the conference -- the General Assembly meeting -- most were in awe. Many schools had brought dozens of students. The designer labels on expensive clothes were as noticeable as the flags and banners.
  "We had all studied after school or at home," Trevino says. "At lot of the students there had been preparing in their AP classes. That intimidated me."
  "It was intimidating at first," Patel says. "But soon we realized that nothing was expected out of us. We could see that we were the underdogs."
  With nothing to lose, the South Houston delegation went to work in their caucus sessions and quickly caught the eye of moderators.
  "Being a small country, you have to make sure the larger counties are listening to us," says Patel, who had one advantage. He once visited Mauritius.
  Says Patel: "We had to stand up and convince people that our resolutions were right."
  And they did.
  Unfortunately, the opportunity to make their arguments heard at the real U.N. will have to wait. A national conference is held each April in Manhattan, but Koska's team doesn't have the funds to attend and the deadline for registering has passed.
  Still, Koska's dream has no expiration date. He hopes to take a team of Trojans to the Big Apple in 2013.
  "I would like to see these seniors stick with it and take part in Model U.N. activities at the collegiate level," he says.
  "And I would like to see more of these kinds of activities on our campuses. We need more activities like this that emphasize what our students can do academically."

South Houston's Dominque Davis (2), Akira DeCoud (23) and Brianna Butler (24) join Deer Park players in stuffing the lane in anticipation of a rebound.

  DEER PARK -- South Houston's surging Lady Trojans positioned themselves for a breakthrough championship in the District 22-5A basketball race with a 48-43 road upset of Deer Park on Tuesday night.
  The Lady Trojans received balanced scoring from their senior-laden lineup and led the Lady Deer from the early minutes of the first quarter.
  The victory lifted South Houston into a first-place tie with Deer Park. Both stand 6-2 in district play with only two games to play. The Lady Trojans close with Sam Rayburn and Pasadena High. The Lady Deer have remaining games with Pasadena and Memorial High.
  Should the Lady Trojans win their remaining games, the worst they can achieve is a co-championship with Deer Park.
  Senior Akira DeCoud led the Lady Trojans with 12 points, including four in a tense fourth-quarter stretch. South Houston led 44-37 with three minutes left, but Deer Park scored five straight points to pull within two.
  A layup by DeCoud with 1:28 left gave the Lady Trojans a four-point lead and some breathing room. South Houston's defense held the Lady Deer scoreless over the final minute.
  Seniors Dominque Davis and Jasmine Lopez added 10 points each for the Lady Trojans.
  Deer Park senior Tabitha Hawthorne led all scorers with 16 points, including 10 in the second half.
  South Houston is now 17-12 for the season.

South Houston's Akira DeCoud comes up with a key steal in the final minutes of the game.

Angella Gencarelli gives her Lady Trojans a timely pep talk during a timeout in the second half.

South Houston's Jasmine Lopez works the ball upcourt against Deer Park's Lyndsie LeBlanc.

South Houston's Dominque Davis pulls up and sinks a key 3-pointer as Deer Park's Michelle Linton (14) defends.

(Left) DeCoud sets a roadblock on Deer Park's Lyndsie LeBlanc; (right) Brianna Butler fights for a rebound with Deer Park's Tabitha Hawthorne.

DeCoud hits a baseline jumper in the second half.

DeCoud gets set to sink a free throw.

Varsity players for South Houston cut up with their Australian guests as a day of international camaraderie comes to an end.

  A touring basketball team from Australia took a liking to Mexican food at lunch but found South Houston High's home-cooked brand of basketball a bit unpalatable Friday night.
  Maurice Ijeh led the way with 12 points as the Trojans enjoyed a Matilda-like waltz against the HSE Kangaroos, winning 76-27 before a festive crowd in the South Houston gym.
  The Kangaroos' 16-and-under team won the opening game 42-38 against the Trojans' sophomore squad.
  The Kangaroos, sponsored by Horizon Sports Events of Sydney, enjoyed a catered Mexican food lunch in the Trojans' Reinartz Center before the game.
  The Australians began their U.S. tour on Monday in Los Angeles and finish up next week with additional games around Texas.
  Students in Australia are currently on their summer break. Touring teams are usually randomly assembled pickup squads, made up of players eager to travel and play a slate of games against teams in other countries.
  Competing against the Kangaroos' 18-and-under squad, the Trojans bolted to a 46-10 halftime lead.
  Elton Dyer and Bradley Deanda finished with 11 points each for South Houston.
  Matt Younri led the Kangaroos with eight points while Isaac Berghan-Smith added six.

South Houston's Maurice Ijeh (34) battles for a offensive rebound surrounded by Kangaroos, including Isaac Berghan-Smith (24). Trojans Kenneth Marshall (35), Elton Dyer (23) and Victor Andino (14) close in.

Elton Dyer (23) gets off a baseline shot for South Houston as Aussies Kyle Plant (20) and Gerarden Kennedy (25) move in for a possible rebound.

Mika Jones, a junior at South Houston, holds up a sign welcoming the visiting Kangaroos. 

South Houston's Felipe Salinas (4) leads a break down the court flanked by teammates Maurice Ijeh (34), Elton Dyer (23) and Kenneth Marshall (35). Kangaroos defenders are Steven Shaw (50), Shawn Atkins (14) and Peter Nichols (11). 

South Houston guard Byron Hodges makes a cut off the point in the second half. 

South Houston senior Kenneth Marshall (right) shakes hands and shares a laugh after the game with the Kangaroos' Peter Nichols. 

Kalena Lopez, a senior cheerleader for the Trojans, and Shawn Atkins, who lives in Echuca, Victoria, Australia.

South Houston senior cheerleader Lydia Montero and Peter Nichols, who lives in Logan City, Queensland, Australia.

Trojan cheerleaders gather around their Australian guests for a big sendoff. 

Friendly foes show off their posing skills for an army of friends and family armed with cameras. 

Patrick McCoy, head basketball coach at South Houston High, earns the applause of his players as he receives good news from Pasadena ISD Education Association representatives about the first of his two successful mini-grant applications.

  PASADENA ISD EDUCATION FOUNDATION MINI-GRANTS 
  Applicants: Patrick McCoy, Drew Bell, Casey Jones
  Mini-Grant Name: Community Connections
  Abstract: The South Houston boys basketball team is looking to build its core foundation and its fan base by utilizing current technology. This technology will allow us to instantly analyze our performances and provide the program with instant feedback. We will be able to expand our reach into the community by providing highlight clips to the Pasadena Channel as well as providing to family members all over the world. The grant will also allow us to provide the intermediate schools with demonstrations of drills which will not only help them build their programs, but ours as well.
  Amount: $950
  Sponsor: Ben and Janice Meador

  Applicant: Patrick McCoy
  Mini-Grant Name: Fun Fitness
  Abstract: An epidemic of obesity is compromising the lives of millions of children. Problems reveal how much more vulnerable young bodies are to the effects of fat. In ways that are only beginning to be understood, being overweight at a young age appears to be far more destructive to well-being than adding excess pounds later in life. With one in three children in this country overweight, the health and productivity of an entire generation could be in jeopardy. For those children ages 6 to 19 the rate of obesity has not just doubled, but has more than tripled in the last 30 years.
  Amount: $1,250
  Sponsor: Pearson Digital Learning

  Applicant: Lee Anne Aluotto
  Mini-Grant Name: "The Game of Real Life"
  Abstract: The CASE (Cooperative for After School Enrichment) program is designed to provide students (primarily those labeled at-risk) with opportunities not offered to them during the regular school day. The vision of the program is to keep these students away from harmful situations and encourage involvement in other beneficial areas. This ultimately leads to better grades, a greater focus on career goals, increase self-estreem and positive social skills. The four components this program covers are academics, enrichment, parent/family involvement and college/career readiness. Adding "The Game of Real Life" class would assist with enhancing the Career and College portion of the program.
  Amount: $1,500
  Sponsor: Kalman Marshall Engineering

McCoy receives congratulations from Ben and Janice Meador, sponsors of his "Community Connections" mini-grant.

Pasadena ISD Education Foundation representative Bob Gebhard presents McCoy with a second check to fund his "Fun Fitness" program.


Members of the Trojan basketball program join the check-presentation ceremony, with sponsors Janice and Ben Meador standing with McCoy front and center. Other Pasadena ISD Education Foundation representatives are Max Johnson, Frank and Pat Braden, Patti Bodkins, Randy Drake, Darrell and Deborah Williams, Liz Olivares and Chris Bezdek, with South Houston Principal Dr. Steve Fullen behind Bezdek on the far right. 

Bob Gebhard makes a check presentation to McCoy on behalf of Pearson Digital Learning. 

Paula Ballew, an assistant principal at South Houston, accepts a mini-grant check on behalf of Lee Anne Aluotto, who was away at a conference. On the right, making the presentation on behalf of Kalman Marshall Engineering, is Pasadena ISD Education Foundation representative Liz Olivares. Others pictured are Bob Gebhard, Darrell Williams, Patti Bodkins, Deborah Williams, Chris Bezdek, South Houston Principal Dr. Steve Fullen, Janice and Ben Meador, Pat and Frank Braden, Max Johnson and Randy Drake.

  A motivated group of South Houston High students set the pace as volunteers from across the district participated in the annual bike-building marathon sponsored by ABC Dental. The program provides hundreds of bicycles to children in Pasadena.
  The South Houston group, named Nexus of Zenith, built over 200 bikes in a two-hour span, more than any other assembly group. The group also organized a warehouse full of assembled bikes.

Left: South Houston student Jonathan Hernandez puts the finishing touches on his 12th bike of the day. Right: Joaquin Reyes works on his first bike.

Left: Sponsor Matthew Koska celebrates the group's first completed bike. Right: Nexus of Zenith members join Koska in cheering a full day of hard work.

South Houston defensive back Brian Columbus sets sail in pursuit of Port Arthur Memorial's Terrence Singleton, who breaks free on the sideline during the first half.

REQUENO PASSES FOR 326, FOUR TDS IN FINAL GAME  

  HOUSTON -- Port Arthur Memorial quarterback Terrence Singleton led his team to 35 first-half points as the Titans stormed past South Houston 56-28 on Saturday in Class 5A Division II first-round action at Galena Park ISD Stadium.
  The Trojans rebounded with four touchdowns in the second half, but it wasn't enough to offset the damage wrought by the Titan tempest in the first two quarters.
  The outcome wrapped up the football season for Pasadena ISD schools. Two other playoff qualifiers -- Dobie and Memorial -- lost in first-round games on Friday night.
  South Houston finished the season with a 3-8 mark.
  Rudis Requeno, a three-year starter playing his final game for the Trojans, completed 33 of 55 passes for 326 yards. He threw four TD passes to account for all of his team's trips to the end zone. And he was not intercepted.
  Toree Daniel, a South Houston junior who finished the season as one of the leading receivers in the Houston area, caught 16 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
  But none of it proved unsettling for the Titans, who rang up 587 yards of offense against a Trojan defense that gave up 152 points in its final three games.
  Three Memorial runners cracked 100 yards on the ground. Darius Lemora gained 146 yards on 11 carries. Kenneth Mayfield rushed for 142 on 15 carries. Singleton carried 18 times for an even 100 yards.
  Lemora and Singleton scored twice. Singleton chipped in a 41-yard strike to John Leday for the Titans' final TD in their 35-0 first-half blitz.
  Memorial's Jhajuan Seales set the pace by returning the opening kickoff 96 yards for a TD. Singleton followed with TD spurts of 8 and 12 yards to make it 21-0 not quite two minutes into the second quarter.
  The Trojans returned from the locker room a different team. Requeno found Daniel for a 7-yard scoring pass and then hooked up with Dequan Moore from 23 yards out. But the Titans managed to trade blows.
  Matthew Romar scored on a 7-yard run for the Titans. Requeno came back with an 8-yard TD pass to Erick Henriquez, but Lemora answered with a 73-yard romp to the end zone.
  Requeno spotted Daniel again for a 3-yard TD flip, but Titans reserve Ricky Fisk scored from 23 yards out in the final two minutes.
  Pasadena ISD football teams will now await redistricting decisions by the University Interscholastic League that could dramatically alter the competitive landscape for district squads next season. District schools could stay in a six-team league with Deer Park or move into another configuraton that could include additional area schools.

Port Arthur Memorial's Jhajuan Seales cuts across the field enroute to a 96-yard return of the opening kickoff.

South Houston quarterback Rudis Requeno wings a pass downfield. 

South Houston receiving standout Toree Daniel prepares to cut inside of Titans' linebacker Elandon Roberts (44) after making one of his 16 catches in the game. 

South Houston defenders battle the passing talents of Terrence Singleton from above and below -- but can't prevent this completion to John Leday (8). 

Singleton cuts around right end and scores from 12 yards out early in the second quarter to help propel Port Arthur Memorial to a 21-0 lead. 

South Houston's Byron Hodges runs into the clutches of two Titan defenders, including Darius Lemora (28), on a failed attempt to convert a fourth down late in the first half.

GAME ALBUM

  Students and staff members at South Houston paid tribute to our nation's veterans by lining the halls with stars to honor veterans among the faculty and other veterans with ties to faculty, staff and students.
  Students created more than 50 stars, including stars for 13 South Houston faculty and staff members who have served our country, including Principal Dr. Steve Fullen and Assistant Principal Harvey Zuniga.
  "This was a fun way to remember the soldiers who help keep our way of life free," said freshman Victoria Perez, who made a star for her father, Rick, a 1986 South Houston graduate.
  Freshman Jocelyn Aguilar created a star for 2004 graduate Jonathan Collins, a Marine medic currently serving in Afghanistan.
  "We wrote to soldiers last year in English class, and he wrote me back and we've kept in touch," Aguilar said. "I'm going to send him a picture of his star."
  Senior Alexis Shanklin made a star simply to show her appreciation for our troops.
  "I don't have anyone in my family who is in the military, but I made a star out of respect for what they've done for us, just a way of saying thanks,"
Shanklin said.

Selena Reyna signs with Ball State surrounded by well-wishers (front) her mother, Susie Reyes, and sister, Andrea Lopez; and (back) South Houston Head Coach Jonathan Garcia and Assistant Coach Kim Cook.

  South Houston senior Selena Reyna signed a softball letter of intent on Wednesday to play for Ball State University in Indiana.
  "This is really exciting," Reyna said. "I have worked really hard for this and I'm excited that all my hard work has paid off."
  Reyna was named first team all-district last spring as a junior. She earned second-team all-district honors her freshman and sophomore seasons.
  "Selena came in and hit the ground running as a freshman," South Houston Coach Jonathan Garcia said. "She made an immediate on our team and has steadily gotten better every year."
  Reyna was joined at the signing by Garcia and Assistant Coach Kim Cook; her mother, Susie Reyes; and younger sister Andrea Lopez, also a student at South Houston.
  "I think Selena's signing says a lot about the softball program at South Houston," Garcia said. "I think this will have a positive impact on her teammates as well, showing them that you can get a scholarship to play softball while at South Houston, if you're willing to be dedicated and put in all the hard work as she has."
  "The past four years on the team have been unforgettable," Reyna said.

South Houston defensive back Calvin Mitchell heads for the goal-line after intercepting a pass in Memorial territory late in the third quarter. Mitchell returned the ball to the Mavericks' 2-yard line, setting up a touchdown plunge by Byron Hodges.

SOHO'S RUN GAME (WHO KNEW?) SINKS MEMORIAL; BYSTANDER PASADENA KNOCKED OUT OF PLAYOFF MIX

  Of the many surprises unveiled at Veterans Memorial Stadium Friday night, by far the biggest was South Houston's ability to run the football.
  So shocking was the development, it came as almost an afterthought that the Trojans managed to beat one team and bounce another out of playoff contention -- all in just four quarters. But these four quarters won't soon be forgotten by the Trojan faithful.
  Byron Hodges, alternating with passing whiz Rudis Requeno at quarterback, ambushed Memorial with 174 yards rushing and two touchdowns as South Houston secured what had been an imperiled state playoff berth with a 49-40 victory, just the third of the season for the Trojans.
  The South Houston tsunami was powerful enough to sweep the Pasadena Eagles -- mere bystanders -- out of the playoff picture in District 22-5A and bring an abrupt halt to the postseason bidding process by district teams.
  The Trojans' victory -- their first over Memorial since 2004 -- enabled them to tie the Maverisk for third place in the district standings, each with a 2-3 record.
  The Eagles were banking on a South Houston loss that would have enable them to claim the fourth and final playoff spot with a victory on Saturday over Sam Rayburn, winless in league play.
  Now, even with a victory over the Texans -- even with a bump up to a 2-3 mark that would technically tie Pasadena with South Houston and Memorial -- the Eagles will still find themselves out of the playoff lineup next week for the 15th year in a row.
  Even at 2-3, Pasadena would lost a tie-breaker formula that calculates point differentials in games between three or more tied teams. The Eagles' lopsided 55-24 loss to Memorial last week mathematically precludes them from finishing first or second in a three-team tie-breaker with the Trojans and Mavericks.
  The only small bit of suspense still remaining is whether South Houston or Memorial will fill the higher Division II spot in the playoffs.
  District champ Deer Park and runnerup Dobie - as the two largest schools in the district - move into the Division I bracket. If Pasadena loses on Saturday, South Houston will get the top Division II nod because of the Trojans' victory over the Mavericks.
  If the Eagles win, Memorial will finish as the district's top Division II team because of a plus-9 point differential in games against South Houston and Pasadena.
  The Trojans' point different is plus-4. Paadena's is minus-13.
  The Trojans' celebration was long and loud, not only because of the victory but because of their near-complete mastery on the offensive side of the ball.
  Requeno, averaging 246 yards per game through the air, threw for only 88 this time. But that was good for two TDs. And he ran for another.
  It was Hodges, reassigned from the receiver ranks, who gave Memorial fits with his dashes from wildcat formation and finally iced the game with a 5-yard TD run in the final two minutes. 
  Memorial, also 3-7 for the season, had little luck compensating for an injury to leading rusher Chris Cargile. The senior hauled in a 15-yard TD pass from Greg Gallardo to opening the scoring, but quickly retreated to the bench unable to play through an ankle sprain he suffered last week.
  Nick Hernandez picked up some of the slack with 83 yards on eight carries. Adrian Boutee added 78 yards on 11. But Memorial couldn't muster the kind of haymakers that South Houston seemed to keep in surplus.
  Key to the Trojans' victory formula were two huge plays not manufactured by the offense. The defense supplied one and special teams the other.
  After a 14-14 halftime tie, the Trojans clung to a 21-20 lead late in the third quarter. That's when the game took one of several dramatic turns down the stretch.
  Trying to pass deep in his own territory, Gallardo was intercepted by Calvin Mitchell who returned the ball 40 yards to the Memorial 2. Hodges punched it in for a 28-20 Trojan edge.
  Reggie Turner countered for the Mavericks with a 12-yard TD run, leaving Memorial behind 28-26 going into what turned out to be a 35-point scoring spree by both teams in the final 12 minutes.
  Erick Henriquez helped put the Trojans ahead by nine with a 5-yard TD run. Dorian Johnson answered for Memorial with a 7-yard TD catch of a Gallardo pass. But again, for the fouth straight time following a TD, the Mavericks failed to post any conversion points. Memorial trailed 35-32 with 7:50 left.
  The came the backbreaker. Toree Daniel, the district's top receiver, grabbed the ensuing kickoff and raced 77 yards, cutting to one sideline and then the other, to the end zone. South Houston's lead blossomed to 10 points.
  Trailing by two scores, the Mavericks claimed one not quite two minutes later when Reggie Turner bolted 25 yards for a TD. A two-point pass from Gallardo to Brandon Thomas made it 42-40 with 5:57 left.
  But the Trojan offense blasted its way back into Memorial territory and reclaimed the TD on a 5-yard TD run by Hodges with 1:45 remaining.
  Requeno's two TD passes came on a 20-yard toss to Elton Dyer, enabling the Trojans to forge the 14-14 halftime tie, and a 2-yard pass to Daniel to open the scoring in the second half.

Toree Daniel wins the race to the sideline and then prepares to cut all the way across the field enroute to a 77-yard touchdown on a kickoff return that lifted the Trojans to a 10-point lead with 7:35 left in the game.

Byron Hodges, running out of shotgun formation, follows the blocking of receiver Elton Dyer (12) and bolts 28 yards into Memorial territory late in the game.

Chris Cargile, Memorial's leading rusher, turns the corner early in the game.

Cargile scores the game's first points on a 15-yard pass-and-run midway through the first quarter. Cargile left the game later in the first half because of recurring problems with a sprained ankle and did not return.

Trojan quarterback Rudis Requeno breaks into the Memorial secondary late in the first quarter. Later in the drive, Requeno scored his team's first points with a 2-yard run.

Toree Daniel readies a stiff-arm as he tries to turn the corner after a reception.

South Houston linebacker Kenneth Marshall (2) marks the end of the play for Memorial running back Reggie Turner.

Trojan tight end Dequan Moore steps inside of an attempted tackle by the Mavericks' Reggie Turner after catching a pass in the first half.

South Houston defensive back Shaquille Bowman throws a shoulder into Memorial's Reggie Turner at the goal-line -- but not in time to prevent Turner from adding six points to the scoreboard.

South Houston's Erick Henriquez (3) barrels into the end zone from four yards out early in the fourth quarter.

Reggie Turner completes a 25-yard dash to the end zone with 5:57 left in the game as his team pulled to within two points.

South Houston Coach C.L. Whittington congratulates his players on the victory.

GAME ALBUM

Dobie senior Andrew Robinson leaves behind a posse of South Houston defenders on a 22-yard TD jaunt down the sideline that gave the Longhorns a 27-7 lead late in the first half.

5-TD BURST GUIDES HORNS TO SHOWDOWN WITH DEER

  Andrew Robinson, District 22-5A's premier offensive weapon, exploded for five more touchdowns Friday night to lead Dobie to a 56-14 romp over South Houston and into a winner-take-all contest next Thursday night against district rival Deer Park.
  Robinson dazzled a wind-chilled Veterans Memorial Stadium crowd with his familiar stop-and-start, change-of-direction dashes to the end zone.
  The shortest of his scoring bursts was 19 yards. The longest from scrimmage was 30 yards. His longest tote was 89, that coming on the second half kickoff.
  His breakaways not only tormented the Trojans, they roused his Longhorn teammates, who arrived a bit uninspired and departed with their highest point total of the season.
  Dobie, the defending 22-5A champion, will take a 7-2 record and 4-0 district mark into Thursday night's showdown with Deer Park, also 4-0 but with a slightly more glamourous 8-1 record. The teams will kick off at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
  South Houston fell to 2-7 and 1-3 in district, on the verge - unless the Trojans can beat Memorial next Friday night -- of missing the playoffs.
  A victory over Memorial would leave South Houston in either a two- or three-way tie for third place and with a likely points tie-breaker edge. The top four teams advance to the playoffs.
  Robinson carried only 12 times, but collected 148 yards, giving the senior 1,490 for the season. Robinson's season TD total soared to 24.
  South Houston quarterback Rudis Requeno threw for 208 yards with a 22 of 39 effort. Toree Daniel, the area's top receiver, caught nine passes for 90 yards.
  The Trojans appeared primed to make a game of it in the opening minutes. Robinson broke the ice with a 30-yard TD run, but South Houston roared back and took a7-6 lead with the help of a 27-yard TD strike from Requeno to Daniel.
  But Robinson forced his team to pick up the pace. He scored on a 19-yard blast late in the first quarter. The Trojans' swoon became official when the Longhorns posted three TDs in the final two-and-a-half minutes of the half.
  Patrick Hurst scored from 24 yards out on a twisting, tackle-shattering run. South Houston fumbled away the ensuring kickoff and that led to a 22-yard TD run by Robinson.
  The Trojans lost a fourth-down gamble in their own territory on their next possession. Dobie quarterback Deandre Bolden promptly connected with Dominque Bilbo for a 35-yard TD strike and a 35-7 haltime lead for the Longhorns.
  Dobie's TD rampage didn't end until early in the fourth quarter when Demetris Green intercepted a Requeno pass and returned it 55 yards for another score.
  Requeno collected a second TD pass in the remaining time, the finale a 25-yard toss to Elton Dyer.
  DEER PARK 31, SAM RAYBURN 0
  DEER PARK -- Austin Ranier ran for one touchdown and threw for another as the Deer shut down the Texans at Abshier Stadium to secure a showdown next Thursday night with Dobie.
  Now 8-1 and 4-0 in district play, Deer Park held Sam Rayburn to only 92 yards of offense and eight first downs. The Deer scored a TD in every quarter and added a 32-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez in the third.
  The Texans, 3-5 and 0-4 in district play, remain mathematically alive for a playoff spot next week. Sam Rayburn would have to beat Pasadena next Saturday but even then the point differential stemming from a 38-3 loss to South Houston two weeks would likely sideline the Texans.
  Demetrius Banks led the Deer with 125 yards on the ground. Sam Rayburn's offensive leader, Michael Boyd, gained only 29 yards.

Dobie junior Patrick Hurst turns in the best run of the night, a 24-yard TD blast around right end late in the first half.
(Top) Hurst cuts between South Houston defenders Shaquille Bowman (8) and Isaac Garza (26). Garza catches up with
him at the 5-yard line (middle), but runs into interference from Michael Hookfin (75), trailing the plan. Hurst uses that bit
of leverage to spin free and topple over the goal line (bottom).

Robinson scores the game's first TD, a 30-yard romp around right end.

South Houston's Toree Daniel (20) finds a crease between Dobie defenders Jordin Harrison (30), Chris Uzoma (28) and Jessy Cedeno (36) and streaks 27 yards for a TD after catching a pass from Rudis Requeno in the first quarter.

Dobie defensive back Demetris Green (2) barely misses an interception on a deep pass intended for James Davis (10) early in the second quarter. Green later returned an interception 55 yards for his team's final TD.

Robinson strikes again, this time on a 19-yard TD run late in the first quarter.

Dobie's Caleb Wiechman clears a rugby-style punt from his own end zone as South Houston's Brian Columbus applies backside pressure.

Byron Hodges, a junior wide receiver who took several direct snaps for the Trojans, breaks into the Dobie secondary, where Demetris Green (2) awaits.

Dobie quarterback Deandre Bolden fires a jump pass in the direction of Vance Leonard (11). Leonard caught the ball for a short gain.

GAME ALBUM

Pasadena's Gabriel Hill gets an angle on South Houston defenders Thomas Bennett and Calvin Mitchell (21) and sets sail 18 yards for the end zone after catching a pass from Nick Bernal on the first play of the second quarter.

  Pasadena High defensive back Francisco Rodriguez intercepted a potential game-winning pass at the goal-line as time expired Friday night to preserve a 26-21 Eagles upset of South Houston and dramatically shake up the state playoff picture in District 22-5A.
  The Eagles celebrated homecoming at Veterans Memorial Stadium in stunning fashion, securing their first victory in a district game in nearly four years.
  The victory promises to vault Pasadena into the playoffs and keep the Trojans out, depending on results the next two weeks.
  Now 1-2 in district play and 5-3 overall, the Eagles can likely sew up a playoff spot by beating either Memorial or Sam Rayburn in their final two games.
  The Trojans, 2-6 overall, fell to 1-2 in district with games remaining against Dobie and Memorial.
  South Houston, fresh off a 38-3 romp over Sam Rayburn, were jolted in the first half by the Pasadena rushing combination of quarterback Nick Bernal and Julian Nance, and by Bernal's ability to sustain drives through the air.
  The Eagles jumped to a 12-7 halftime lead, the big play a 18-yard touchdown strike from Bernal to Gabriel Hill on the first play of the second quarter. The TD gave Pasadena a 9-0 lead.
  The Trojans wiped out the deficit and took a commanding 21-12 victory on two second-half TDs, one a 27-yard pass from Rudis Requeno to James Davis and the other a 30-yard run by Deion Francis.
  But Bernal came back with two fourth-quarter TD strikes to Lemus, the first a 39-yard toss to Armando Lemus and the second a 27-yarder with 1:09 left in the game. In between, Nance scored on a two-point conversion run.
  Still, the Trojans nearly pulled the game out in the closing seconds. Requeno completed three passes and ran for another 11 yards to move South Houston to the Pasadena 14 with only 12 seconds left.
  Requeno tried two passes in the remaining time, the first an incompletion. The second was swiped by Rodriquez at the goal-line, setting off a wild Eagles celebration.
  Lemus caught three passes in the contest for 99 yards. 

Pasadena's Devan Canas (9) trips up South Houston's Erick Henriquez after a short gain.

Eagles quarterback Nick Bernal runs out of the pocket with Trojans defender Isaac Garza (26) in pursuit.

South Houston's Toree Daniel, the district's leading receiver, spins away from Eagles defender Francisco Rodriguez and heads upfield after a reception in the first quarter.

South Houston quarterback Rudis Requeno falls into a sack trap set by Eagle defenders Noe Munoz (30) and Juan Salinas (66).

Pasadena's Albert Castro (10) prepares to stick South Houston receiver Dequan Moore (87) on a key fourth-down play late in the first half. Castro's stop forced the Trojans to turn the ball over on downs.

GAME ALBUM

South Houston's Toree Daniel hauls in a first-quarter pass from Rudis Requeno and races 54 yards for a touchdown.

  South Houston senior Rudis Requeno launched four touchdown passes, three coming in the first quarter, as the Trojans treated a sprawling homecoming crowd to a 38-3 romp over Sam Rayburn at Veterans Memorial Stadium on Friday night.
  The Trojans used the victory to snap a four-game losing streak and stake a convincing claim as playoff contenders.
  South Houston is 1-1 in District 22-5A play and 2-5 over all. Sam Rayburn fell to 3-4 overall and an 0-2 mark for district slate that still includes Deer Park and Dobie.
  The victory was the Trojans' most lopsided over a Sam Rayburn team in 22 years.
  Requeno completed 22 of 33 passes for 324 yards. The Texans, one week after scoring 43 points in a loss to Memorial High, were held to just a field goal by the Trojans' surprisingly stout defense.
  Freddy Sevilla, who ran for 227 yards in his starting quarterback debut last week for the Texans, was held to just 35 yards on 10 carries against the Trojans. Michael Boyd carried the rushing load for Sam Rayburn with 112 yards on 25 carries.
  The contest was selected as Channel 13's Game of the Week after a record on-line voting response from both schools and strong push by South Houston alums, who turned out in force for homecoming activities.
  Requeno was electric in the opening minutes. He dropped a 28-yard TD strike into the arms of Elton Dyer barely four minutes into the game.
  The Texans answered with their only points of the night -- a 30-yard field goal by Eric Aldava.
  Requeno counted with a toss to Torre Daniel, the district top receiver, who broke free for a 54-yard pass and run play. Less than two minutes later, Requeno connected with Dequan Moore for a 10-yard TD strike.
  A 30-yard field goal by Jorge Pineda in the second quarter gave the Trojans a 24-3 halftime edge.
  Just 91 seconds into the second half, Requeno hit Dyer again from 25 yards out. Requeno capped the Trojans' TD splurge with a 1-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.
  Daniel caught eight passes for 126 yards. Dyer caught four for 96 yards.
  The Texans produced 317 yards of offense but were hurt by three lost fumbles and an interception.
  DEER PARK 58, PASADENA 7
  The Deer spotted the Eagles a touchdown in the opening four minutes, then roared back with 58 unanswered points to claim a lopsided victory at Abshier Stadium.
  Deer Park improved to 2-0 in District 22-5A play and 6-1 overall. Pasadena fell to 0-2 and 4-3.
  Julian Nance helped stake the Eagles to a 7-0 lead with a 2-yard TD run early in the first quarter.
  The Deer needed just 27 seconds to tie the score on a 39-yard pass from Austin Ranier to Josh Rutherford. Deer Park quickly bolted to a 28-7 lead and a 30-yard interception return by John Lopez with 55 seconds left in the half made it 35-7 at intermission.
  Nance led all rushers with 124 yards on 22 carries.

South Houston's Erick Henriquez takes a hard spill after a short gain. Sam Rayburn's Zach Purvis (99) arrives to finish off the play .

South Houston's Elton Dyer gets a pat on the back from Sam Rayburn's Francisco Jimenez (4) after a catch.

Toree Daniel takes off again in the second quarter after catching a short pass from Rudis Requeno (15).

GAME ALBUM

HOMECOMING ALBUM

South Houston quarterback Rudis Requeno stands in the pocket and fires downfield.

  DEER PARK - South Houston quarterback Rudis Requeno passed for 317 yards, but it wasn't enough to offset four first-half touchdowns that carried Deer Park to a 35-21 victory over the Trojans Friday night at Abshier Stadium.
  The contest was the District 22-5A opener for both teams. Deer Park is 5-1 for the season. South Houston fell to 1-5.
  The Deer scored 14 points in each of the first two quarters to claim a 28-0 halftime lead.
  Deer Park quarterback Austin Rainer fired three TD passes and piled up 308 yards through the air. The Deer registered 501 yards of total offense.
  The Trojans shook off their unsteadiness in the second half as Requeno scored two of his team's three TD on the ground and passed for the other.
  Requeno scored from eight yards out in the third quarter and from two yards out in the fourth. Trailing 35-14 with 1:08 left, Requeno fired a sideline pass to Toree Daniel, who broke a tackle and raced 66 yards for the game's final TD.
  Requeno completed 27 of 46 passes for 317 yards without an interception. Daniel caught 15 passes for 241 yards.

South Houston junior Deion Francis looks for running room.

Deer Park quarterback Austin Ranier cuts inside of Trojans linebacker Nick Cross.

Deer Park's Justin James heads for the corner on his way to a 16-yard first-quarter touchdown.

South Houston defensive back Byron Hodgers wrestles down Deer Park receiver Eric Luna after a short completion.

GAME ALBUM

The South Houston High volleyball team will hold its annual barbecue fundraiser on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the school. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased from any volleyball player or from Coach Deena Garza.

South Houston receiver Toree Daniel goes high in the air to snag a deep pass from Rudis Requeno in the second quarter. Ronald Walker (27) and Byron Francis (4) defend on the play for Summer Creek.

  South Houston quarterback Rudis Requeno threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns, but fourth-quarter mistakes haunted the Trojans for the second week in a row in a 34-24 loss to Summer Creek on Thursday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
  Trailing 21-16 with less than six minutes to play, the Trojans got a break when the Bulldogs missed a short field-goal attempt. But on the first play after the missed kick, Requeno was intercepted by Josh Williams, who returned the ball 37 yards for the victory-clinching TD.
  Summer Creek, now 3-0, fattened the margin to 34-16 with 2:35 left when KeeVon Aldridge scored from 17 yards out.
  The Trojans, now 1-3, claimed a consolation TD with 25 seconds left on a 43-yard TD pass from Requeno to Toree Daniel.
  Daniel, a sophomore who leads District 22-5A in receiving, caught 11 passes for 136 yards. Requeno completed 29 of 46 passes. He was intercepted twice, both times in the fourth quarter.
  The Trojans opened the game with a stunning drive - 90 yards in 19 plays - that ended with a 5-yard TD pass from Requeno to Elton Dyer.
  Summer Creek tied it on a first-possession, 71-yard drive, capped by a 1-yard TD run by Jhony Evans.  The Bulldogs scored on their second possession, as well, with Aldridge going in from 10 yards out.
  With 16 seconds left in the half, South Houston answered on a 9-yard TD pass from Requeno to Erick Henriquez. A misconnection on the PAT attempt enabled Summer Creek to salvage a 14-13 halftime lead.
  In the third quarter, Evans scored on a 2-yard run before the Trojans cut the Bulldogs' lead to 21-16 on a 27-yard field goal by Jorge Pineda.
  The Trojans managed just 50 yards on the ground. Summer Creek rushed for 201 and passed for 185.
  Evans led all rushers with 127 yards on 20 carries.
  Kenneth Marshall, the Trojans' standout senior linebacker, was lost to an ankle injury in the second quarter and did not return.
  SAM RAYBURN 34, WALTRIP 16
  Michael Boyd scored two touchdowns as the Texans raced to a 28-0 lead early in the third quarter and cruised to their second straight victory.
  Sam Rayburn quarterback Eric Aldava followed Boyd's first TD with a 16-yard scoring pass to Freddy Sevilla that helped stake the Texans to a 14-0 halftime lead. Aldava capped Sam Rayburn's scoring with a 12-yard run late in the third quarter.

Toree Daniel turns upfield after hauling in a Rudis Requeno pass in the first quarter.

Daniel stretches for extra yardage in the second quarter after bring collared by Summer Creek's Darius Calhoun (34) and Najee Bissoon (2).
 
Requeno finds a crease up the middle before three Summer Creek defenders descend.

Summer Creek's Jordan Braden takes a tumble after hauling in a pass near the goal-line. Thomas Bennett (30) and Jermain Stevens (1) make sure Braden is on the ground.

South Houston's Byron Hodges (7) checks the flank of the Summer Creek defense for running room in the first quarter. The Bulldogs' Dakota Allen (40) slides in to cut him off.

South Houston linebacker Nick Cross (42) tries to slide past Summer Creek fullback Tyler Pushia (23) in pursuit of the Bulldogs' quarterback, Aaron Sharp (10).

Summer Creek's KeeVon Aldridge breaks the grip of Jermaine Stevens (1) and streaks past Thomas Bennett (30) on a 10-yard TD run in the second quarter.

Mario Campean, a sophomore for the Trojans, barrels ahead for good yardage after catching a pass from Requeno.

Summer Creek quarterback Aaron Sharp fires a completion downfield behind solid blocking up front.

GAME ALBUM

  A group of 43 students and teachers from South Houston High gathered last Saturday morning to volunteer in the third ward with the Generation One organization.
  Holly Bazan, an English teacher at South Houston first heard of the organization through a friend and was determined for her students to volunteer as soon as the fall semester started.
  "After spending time in the neighboorhood over the summer and hearing that other schools took their students into the third ward, I knew I wanted my kids to have that same opportunity," Bazan said.
  Generation One is a ministry committed to the spiritual growth and physical rebuilding of the impoverished areas of the third ward in Houston.
  With the support of Dr. Steve Fullen, principal at South Houston, Bazan and her team loaded into the school buses for a day of giving back.
  Students were divided into teams and spent the afternoon mowing yards, collecting trash and sprucing up the neighboorhood parks and public walking trail. Students were also able to receive community service hours for college applications and various campus organizations.  
  "While writing narrative essays might not be their strongest skill, connecting with people and helping others might be," Bazan said. "I got to see my kids love on a community of people that they've never met. I got to see them as leaders and trail blazers, and I got to watch their character grow and change as they realized the importance of giving back."

Volunteers flash a smile after a hard day's work in the third ward. 

South Houston junior Dequan Moore breaks free on a long gainer after hauling in a pass from Rudis Requeno in the second quarter. Alvin defenders Jimmy Hatcher (32) and Jeff Mills (34) give chase.

  Alvin junior Corey Jackson served up a lesson in running-game potency Friday night in leading the Yellowjackets to a come-from-behind 14-7 victory over South Houston at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
  Jackson rolled up 184 yards on 27 carries as the Yellowjackets won the battle to sustain drives in what would have been - had it not been for Jackson - a purely defensive dogfight.
  Down 7-3 at halftime, the Trojans received a game-changing break when linebacker Kenneth Marshall stripped the ball from Alvin quarterback Aaron Jackson's grasp. South Houston coverted the turnover into the go-ahead score -- a 5-yard TD pass from Rudis Requeno to Torre Daniel.
  The Yellowjacks bounced right back with a clutch drive capped by a 1-yard Aaron Jackson TD run.
  The Trojans had a chance at a final possession in the closing minutes, but an illegal participation penalty gave Alvin a first down after the Yellowjackets had punted the ball away.
  All the first-half scoring came in the second quarter. Corey Jackson broke the scoreless deadlock with a 19-yard TD run. The Trojans threatened but had to settle for a 26-yard fielg goal by Jorge Pineda.
  Requeno completed 21 of 34 passes for 157 yards, but the Trojans gained only 52 yards on the ground.
  South Houston fell to 1-2 for the season. Alvin is 1-1.
  SAM RAYBURN 20, HOUSTON MacARTHUR 12
  Michael Boyd rushed for 120 yards and Alexis Manjarrez kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter to lift the visiting Texans to their first victory of the season.
  Manjarrez booted a 42-yard field goal midway through the final quarter to give Sam Rayburn a a 17-6 lead and some breathing room. With 59 seconds left, he tacked on a 22-yarder.
  The value of the kicks became even more evident with 30 second left when MacArthur scored on a 44-yard touchdown pass from Doug Steed to Sam Brown.
  The Texans posted two TDs in the first half, one on a 23-yard pass from Eric Aldava to Freddy Sevilla and the other on a 5-yard run by Chris Jaime.
  Jamie's TD followed a 72-yard scoring bomb from MacArthur quarterback Arthur Howard to Roderick Cooper.
  DICKINSON 21, DOBIE 14  
  The Longhorns lost their standout quarterback, Blake Jackson, to a leg injury near the end of the first half and then fell victim to a Dickinson comeback that saddle Dobie with its first loss of the season. 
  Down 14-7, the host Gators tied the game on a 19-yard run by Aaron Henderson midway through the third quarter. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Luke Meza scored from a yard out to provide Dickinson with the winning points. 
  Trying to tie the game in the closing minutes, the Longhorns saw four long gains wiped out by penalties. 
  Dobie outgained the Gators 374-200 on the strength of a 188-yard rushing performance by Andrew Robinson and 93-yard effort by Deandre Bolden. 
  Jackson was 0-for-7 passing when he left the game. His replacement, Tyler Wolfe, was intercepted twice. The Longhorns lost the ball three times on fumbles.

Kenneth Marshall, South Houston's senior linebacker, drives Alvin quarterback Aaron Jackson to the turf.

Toree Daniel finds running room up the middle on the opening kickoff.


Trojan quarterback Rudis Requeno rolls left and whips a left-handed pass to Torre Daniel (20) for a first down.


South Houston linebacker Nick Cross wraps up Alvin's John McDowell.


Torre Daniel squares off his route just in time to haul in a pass from Rudis Requeno (far left).


Alvin's Corey Jackson wins the race to the flag on a 19-yard TD run in the second quarter that kicked off the scoring.


Torre Daniel dives in vain for a second-quarter pass that sailed out of bounds.

GAME ALBUM  

South Houston punt returner Chris Arredondo gets blocking help from teammates Dequan Moore (87), Shaquille Bowman (8) and Kenneth Marshall (2).

  BAYTOWN -- South Houston found a ground game to go with its machine-gun passing attack and sailed to a 24-14 victory over Baytown Sterling amid spinoff wind and light rain from Tropical Storm Lee blowing through Stallworth Stadium on Saturday night.
  The Trojans used one of each - a run and a pass -- to jump to a 13-0 first-half lead before swapping scoring blows with the Rangers the rest of the way. The victory evened South Houston's season record at 1-1.
  Erick Henriquez shouldered the rushing load for South Houston with 79 yards on 22 carries. The 5-foot-4 senior gave theTrojans their first score with a 9-yard touchdown blast.
  South Houston registered 314 yards of offense, 134 on the ground and 180 through the air.
  Rudis Requeno, a senior in his third year as the Trojans' starting quarterback,  accounted for the aerial total with 15 completions in 28 attempts.
  His 22-yard strike to Torre Daniel gave the Trojans their second TD and a 13-0 lead with 3:22 left in the first half.
  The Trojan defense limited the Rangers to only 137 yards. Nearly half of those came on the defensive unit's one major lapse -- a 62-yard romp by Jamar Gibson on a pass from Jakob McWhiter just 18 seconds after Daniel's TD.
  Requeno fired back early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard TD plunge and a two-point conversion run.
  The Rangers answered with 6-yard TD run by Anointe Franklin, but the Trojans put the game away with 2:12 left on a 21-yard field goal by Jorge Pineda, set up by a 65-yard run by Byron Hodges.
  Baytown Sterling, 0-2 for the season, failed to overcome South Houston's defensive pressure on McWhirter, who completed only four passes, was intercepted once and rushed for only 11 yards on 14 carries.

South Houston's Erick Henriquez blows through a gaping hole carved out by offensive linemen Edgar Guerrero (63) and Joseph Castro (50) en route to a 9-yard touchdown run in the opening quarter.


Linebacker Kenneth Marshall (2) applies pressure to Rangers punter Bogar Garcia, who managed only a short punt to the sideline with a 30 m.p.h. wind in his face in the first quarter.

Baytown Sterling defensive back Jamar Gibson Davis puts a stick on South Houston receiver Dequan Moore. Gibson failed to prevent Moore from picking up a first down on the reception.

With Mario Campeon (13) guarding the flank and Erick Henriquez providing the hold, Trojan kicker Jorge Pineda bangs home an extra point.

GAME ALBUM

South Houston defensive back Kenneth Marshall collapses on Atascocita tailback Elijah Merchant in first-quarter action.

  Atascocita junior tailback Elijah Merchant piled up 265 yards on 30 carries as the high-powered Eagles found an even higher gear in the second half and overwhelmed South Houston 35-14 Friday night in the Trojans' season-opener at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
  Merchant combined with sophomore quarterback Greg Campbell for all five of the Eagles' touchdowns and 380 of Atascocita's 478 ground yards.
  Campbell kicked off the scoring in each half with 10-yard TD scampers, the second lifting Atascocita to a 21-0 lead.
  The Trojans mounted a rally late in the third quarter. Still trailing 21-0, senior quarterback Rudis Requeno connected with Torre Daniel on a 21-yard TD strike. The Eagles negated the score less than 30 seconds later on a 16-yard TD run by Merchant.
  Less than a minute into the fourth quarter, Requeno scored on a 3-yard run. But Merchant answered that, too, with a 26-yard TD not quite three minutes later.
  Requeno completed 25 of 46 passes for 310 yards. Daniel caught 13 of those for 188 yards.
  Still, the Trojans mustered only 42 yards on the ground. The Eagles attempted only three passes in the contest.
  PASADENA 35, SPRING WOODS 26  
  Eagles quarterback Nick Bernal ran for 191 yards and three touchdowns as Pasadena coasted to victory behind a flurry of second-quarter TD runs.
  Teammate Julian Nance rattled the Tigers for another 118 yards and scored twice.
  Spring Woods grabbed a 13-7 lead early in the second quarter, but the Eagles retaliated with three straight touchdowns, the first a 55-yard ramble by Nance. Bernal capped the spree with a 49-yard TD dash.
  DOBIE 14, ALIEF TAYLOR 13
  The Longhorns jumped to a 14-0 but held on for the victory only when Taylor misfired on a two-point conversion pass with 37 seconds left in the game.
  Dobie scored twice in the second quarter on long TD runs. Quarterback Blake Jackson raced 25 yards for the game's first score. Later in the quarter, Tyler Prestridge scored on a 44-yard romp.
  The Lions narrowed the gap to 14-7 in the third quarter and then used a 51-yard TD pass from Corey Lupton to Preston Foley to set up a shot at victory. Passing up the chance to tie, Lupton tried a two-point pass that failed.
  Andrew Robinson led Dobie's ground attack with 92 yards on 17 carries.

It may look synchonized, but it's actually a near-miss for the Trojans in the first quarter. Atascocita's Clayton Brown (21) successfully defends a pass to the end zone intended for James Davis.

South Houston linebacker Nick Cross crashes the backfield and helps turn a rusty handoff into a 2-yard loss.

Pointed the wrong way? Actually, Trojans receiver Torre Daniel is spinning for extra yardage after hauling in a pass that went for a first down.

Dequan Moore darts upfield for a first down after catching a pass from Rudis Requeno.

Requeno flees the pocket on a quarterback draw.

Atascocita quarterback Greg Campbell hits the sideline with Trojans linebacker Nick Cross (42) in hot pursuit.

Requeno delivers a pass to the sideline in first-quarter action.

GAME ALBUM

Three local business leaders addressed some 850 South Houston freshmen on Monday as part of Freshman First activities at the school. Hilton Koch and Bernie Yohe, both representing Koch Furniture, and businessman Robert Perez spoke to the students about the importance of making sound decisions and staying in school. (Below) South Houston Principal Dr. Steve Fullen poses with his Freshman First guests and the Trojans cheerleading squad.

  South Houston High students enrolled in the Harris County Department of Education's Cooperative for After-School Enrichment program (CASE) performed onstage at the Hobby Center during the Kid's Day celebration on June 30.
  Students Juan Torres, Tony Cortez, Andres Cortez and Lucio Vasquez provided a laser art film featuring the four students directed by local artist Che Rickman.
  The summer event showcased dancing, puppetry, theater, music, poetry and more from local elementary through high school students and provided opportunites for students to meet and interact with various artists. Event photo follows.

South Houston High students demonstrate
their laser art works during Kids' Day celebration
at the Hobby Center.

Susan Cobb Duff, a 1971 South Houston graduate and the mother of Hollywood celebrities Hilary and Haylie Duff, poses with the Jannettes' 2011-2012 officers: Jasmine Badillo, junior lieutenant; Vlaney Rodriguez, colonel; Evelyne Rodriguez, senior lieutenant; Lori Lavador, junior lieutenant; and Rebecca Regalado, lieutenant colonel.

  South Houston High's Jannettes dance team packed up for a summer camp excursion on Saturday after a successful garage-sale fundraiser -- fueled by the efforts of neighbors, parents and a famous Hollywood family -- filled the girls' trip coffers.
  Actress and singer Hilary Duff announced Saturday that she was pledging a match for the $2,000 raised that morning from a giant garage sale supported by her mother, Susan Cobb Duff, herself a former Jannette.
  A 1971 South Houston graduate, Susan Duff teamed with friends in the business community to provide hundreds of items to the fundraiser. She flew in from Los Angeles to personally work the sale alongside members of the dance team.
  The Jannettes left Sunday to attend the Showmakers Dance Camp at Blinn College in Brenham.
  "I'm delighted to be able to help these girls," Susan Duff said. "They deserve the full support of the school, the community and our alumni. We're going to look for other ways we can help these girls every year."
  Duff donated several of her daughter's personal items, including an autographed jacket and two pairs of autographed fashion shoes. Those items alone fetched about $300 in a silent auction.
  The Jannettes collected $2,000 from sales and donations during the fundraiser, a little over half of what the girls needed to cover their $3,500 in camp costs.
  Afterward, Hilary Duff, through her mother, announced that she would match the sales total from the drive.
  "This was a great day for us," Jannettes director Saranya Taylor said. "Susan was an angel and absolutely amazing. She was so selfless with her time. She gave us some great fundraising ideas for the rest of the year."
  Susan Duff enlisted the support of her long-time friend, Anne Rieniets, an account executive with Harvey-Daco, Inc., a Houston marketing firm. Rieniets arranged for the delivery of several hundred items, including furniture.
  The garage sale, held in the front parking lot of the school, began at dawn and closed at noon.
  Of the 54 members of the Jannettes, 52 were on hand for the garage sale. Parents pitched in by unloading, sorting and tagging merchandise.
  Several South Houston alumni turned out to lend support and purchase items, including Gardens Elementary librarian Brenda Hughey Putnam, a 1969 South Houston grad who once performed for the Trojans' drill team.
  Susan Duff guided the early careers of both Hilary Duff and her older sister, Haylie Duff, also a successful actress. Hilary Duff shot to stardom as Lizzie McGuire in the Disney Channel series by the same name. She later branched out into pop music and merchandising.
  In March, Susan Duff was included in a group of inaugural inductees named to the South Houston High's Hall of Honor.
  The Jannettes are planning an August car wash where they will offer hundreds of unsold items from Saturday's garage sale.

As the morning sun peeks over the horizon, Jannettes Lily Miranda, Lalli Dorantes and Karen Trevino make a sale to an early-arriving customer.

Susan Duff shares a light moment with garage-sale organizers.

Customers look over tables loaded with merchandise.

Jannettes Yazmin Garza, Cynthia Duque and Stephanie Trevino show off their stock of hats.

Susan Duff greets garage-sale customer and high-school friend Brenda Hughey Putnam, a former Jannette who now serves as the librarian at Gardens Elementary.

Susan Duff chats with customers while manning the silent auction table for items donated by her daughter, Hilary Duff.

Senior Jennifer Reyna handles the cashbox while fellow Jannettes Gabriela Dominguez, Kiarah Elmore, Rebecca Regalado and Crystal Regalado assist with refreshments.

Susan Duff with old friends Anne Rieniets and Jan Forrester. Rieniets's company, Harvey-Daco, Inc., donated hundreds of items for the garage sale. Forrester is the owner of JD Designs, a Houston jewelry design store.

Susan Duff with four old high-school pals: Susan Crockett Quintana, Class of 1971; Libby Powers Johnson, Class of 1968; Brenda Hughey Putnam, Class of 1968; and Terry Tand Beeson, Class of 1970. Quintana, Johnson, Putnam and Duff are all former Jannettes.

Garage-sale customers bring articles to the checkout table for purchase.

Time for a silly-face photo! Susan Cobb Duff clowns with Jannette officers.

The Trojan faculty softball team finished second to Queens Intermediate during a recent district team game.

South Houston graduates toss their caps into the air at the conclusion of their commencement ceremony.

Kenneth Fuentes, South Houston's valedictorian, prepares to lead the Class of 2011 down the tunnel and into Hofheinz Pavilion.

The South Houston NJROTC provides a salute to seniors as they hit the floor at Hofheinz.

South Houston senior Cierra Ramirez, a Top 10 graduate.

Senior Lisa Guidino takes part in the processional. 

Seniors Mariela Garcia and Karla Garcia enter Hofheinz Pavilion.

Senior Valeria Martinez walks to her chair.

Dr. Steve Fullen, South Houston's principal, delivers the introduction of guests.

Senior Anessa Rios delivers the commencement address.

South Houston's Class of 2011 lines up to receive diplomas.

Seniors Stephanie Zendejo, Esmeralda Soriano and Viviana Salinas, all members of Homeroom 12-01, take a deep breath after receiving their diplomas.

Senior Ignacio Barcena smiles as he leaves the stage, diploma in hand.

Senior Marcos Elizondo crosses the stage.

Dr. Steve Fullen, South Houston's principal, congratulates Kelsey Smith, the school's salutatorian.

South Houston graduate Andres Rangel flashes the No. 1 sign as he celebrates with classmate Roel Ramirez.

Senior Charles Fairchild receives his diploma from Dr. Steve Fullen.

Senior Dayra Gonzalez walks up the steps to the stage to receive her diploma.

Seniors Francisca Ruiz and Monica Sanchez move forward to receive their diplomas.