2022 IN LOCAL SPORTS: Basketball championships for Tyler Junior College Apache Ladies, Brownsboro Bearettes among year’s highlights

Published 3:46 pm Friday, December 30, 2022

Before the calendar flips to 2023, it’s time to look back at the top sports stories of the year involving Tyler area teams, athletes and coaches.

Basketball championships

The Brownsboro Bearettes and Tyler Junior College Apache Ladies were champions in 2022.

Brownsboro advanced to the state tournament for the seventh time in program history with a 45-39 win over Dallas Lincoln in the Class 4A Region II final.

In the state semifinals, Brownsboro took a 60-41 win over Fredericksburg.

Brownsboro then won its first state championship, taking a 50-49 victory over Hardin-Jefferson, led by All-American Duke signee Ashlon Jackson, in the Class 4A championship game.

In junior college basketball, TJC won its second national championship and first since 2000.

TJC was knocked out of the opening round of the Region XIV Tournament. After leading 59-51 against Angelina, the Apache Ladies took a 63-62 loss.

TJC received a bid to the national tournament as the No. 17 seed, and the rest is history.

The Apache Ladies opened the NJCAA Division I Women’s National Basketball Tournament with a 67-65 overtime victory over Chipola. TJC then took on No. 1 Three Rivers, scored the game’s first 22 points and rolled to a 70-42 win. TJC followed with wins over No. 8 Western Arizona (79-67) and No. 12 Western Nebraska (88-76) to advance to the championship game.

In the championship game, TJC took a 92-80 win over No. 3 Georgia Highlands College.

TJC head coach Trenia Tillis Hoard also picked up her 500th career win with a 75-72 victory over rival Kilgore College on the road. She was also named the NJCAA Coach of the Year. She was also announced as a member of the Class of 2023 Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame for her playing days at Grapeland High School.

Brownsboro was one of four East Texas teams to reach the state tournament, joining Winnsboro, Martin’s Mill and Neches. Winnsboro advanced to the Class 3A title game before falling to Fairfield, 60-54.

LaPoynor reached the boys state tournament.

Coaching changes

There was some notable coaching movement in the area in 2022.

Tyler Lions head football coach Ricklan Holmes announced he would not be returning on Dec. 2. Holmes, a John Tyler alum, led the Lions from 2012-22 with a record of 79-51. A replacement hasn’t been named.

Tyler Legacy head baseball coach James Boxley, who has more than 400 career victories, was removed from the position after a 3-8-1 start to the season. Tyler ISD assistant athletic director Sam Gillispie was the interim head coach for the remainder of the season and led the Red Raiders to a final record of 16-17-1 and a trip to the area round of the playoffs after defeating Wylie (1-3, 5-1, 3-1) and then falling to Waxahachie (4-1, 4-7, 5-3). Tim Arden was named as the new Red Raiders’ baseball coach in June after leading Brock to the Class 3A championship game.

Tim Russell took over as the new head football coach at Grace Community School. About a month after announcing his retirement following a 12-year stint at Harmony, Russell accepted the job with the Cougars. Russell was the fourth head football coach at Grace in a one-year span. Russell came to Grace with a head coaching record of 116-102 at Harmony and Pine Tree. Russell led a team that was 2-9 in 2021 to a 9-2 record in 2022. Mike Maddox, a former Grace Community head football coach who had recently retired as the athletic director at Lindale, joined Russell’s staff as the offensive coordinator.

Tyler Junior College head football coach Thomas Rocco stepped down in March to take a position at Sam Houston. In April, TJC hired 27-year-old Tanner Jacobson to take over the program.

Eddie Francis left as the athletic director and head boys basketball coach at All Saints to become the new head boys basketball coach at Grace Community School. Jon Haft became the new basketball coach at All Saints.

Troup athletic director and head football and golf coach John Eastman retired. Sam Wells became the athletic director and head football coach for the Tigers.

Arp athletic director and head football coach Dale Irwin announced his retirement. Irwin was the Tigers’ head coach for 19 seasons. Wes Schminkey took over as the new athletic director and head football coach at Arp.

Cumberland Academy head boys basketball coach Robert Sampson resigned his position. He was issued a one-year suspension by the University Interscholastic League State Executive Committee in April.

Jacksonville High School announced alum Jason Holman as the new athletic director and head football coach. Holman previously coached playoff teams at Tatum, Lufkin, Chapel Hill and Cypress-Fairbanks.

Canton head football coach and athletic director Casey Hubble left for Jacksboro. Canton hired alum Heath Ragle, who was previously at Mineola, to take over the Canton athletic and football programs.

Bobby Chadwick was named the new athletic director and head football coach at Union Grove. Chadwick previously had been the head football coach at Carlisle, Ore City and Spring Hill.

Head volleyball coaches as Brook Hill (Kylie Stewart) and Chapel Hill (Catherine Ripka) joined the volleyball coaching staff at Tyler Legacy. Mika Hubbard took over at Brook Hill, and Allison Irvin took over at Chapel Hill.

Brownsboro alum Shannon Williams left as the head volleyball coach at Brownsboro to take a position at Van. Another Brownsboro alum, Anna Cleere, was named the new head volleyball coach for the Bearettes.

Former Dallas Cowboys standout Greg Ellis stepped down after one season as the head football coach at Texas College. Former Oklahoma standout Jarrail Jackson took over.

Tommy Cross departed at Martin’s Mill after leading the program to another state tournament. Jay Bruce took over as the coach of the Lady Mustangs. Athletic director Greg Jenkins took over as the boys basketball coach at Martin’s Mill after Doug Boxell left.

Adam Cook retired as the athletic director at Whitehouse ISD. Whitehouse tabbed former Longview head boys basketball coach Don Newton as the new athletic director for the school district.

Brian Malone (boys basketball), Joel Avance (girls basketball/cross country) and Brian Dunn (golf) were named new head coaches at Arp High School. Malone replaced Joe Crawford, who retired after more than 400 wins in his career.

Bishop Gorman head girls basketball coach Jon Froelich left to become the athletic director at Longview St. Mary’s Catholic School. Bernard Anderson became the new head coach of the Lady Crusaders. Kaitlynn Lewis became the school’s new volleyball coach, and Michael Holochuck was named the baseball coach.

Coaching milestones

Former Arp head boys basketball coach Joe Crawford picked up career win No. 400 in the Tigers’ 51-43 victory over Harleton on Jan. 25.

Former Van girls basketball coach Warren Southers picked up career win No. 500 in the Lady Vandals’ 70-39 victory over Athens on Jan. 25.

Canton baseball coach Brandon Luce picked up his 400th career win in the Eagles’ 10-5 win over Mabank on April 19.

Canton girls basketball coach Troy Carrell picked up his 400th career win in the Eaglettes’ 52-32 win over Addison Greenhill on Dec. 27.

Owen McCown

Former Rusk quarterback Owen McCown, son of former NFL quarterback Josh McCown, signed with the University of Colorado.

McCown started three games as a freshman for the Buffaloes, throwing for 600 yards and two touchdowns on 57 of 100 passing with 27 carries for 38 yards and two touchdowns.

Following the season, McCown entered the transfer portal and officially signed with the University of Texas at San Antonio on Dec. 21.

Record-breakers

Tyler Legacy soccer player Noe Robles broke the single-season school record for goals scored with 32 as a junior. As a sophomore, Robles had 27 goals.

West Rusk softball player Piper Morton broke the school’s home run record in a season with 17, breaking the record previously held by her sister, Makana.

Troup softball player Lindsay Davis became the program’s all-time strikeout leader with 1,036.

Lovie Smith becomes head coach of Texans

Big Sandy native Lovie Smith was named the head coach of the Houston Texans in February.

Smith had previously been an NFL head coach for the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Bucaneers before becoming the head coach at the University of Illinois.

All Saints tennis wins state again

All Saints won its 29th state tennis championship — 15 by the Trojans and 14 by the Lady Trojans.

The Trojans and Lady Trojans were the TAPPS 4A state tennis champions.

Lauren Kiblinger won her second consecutive girls singles title. Millie McGehee and Caroline Twaddell won the girls doubles title. James Moore and Cullen Walker won the boys doubles title.

Lindale advanced to the UIL State Tournament in team tennis in Class 4A for the first time, falling to Canyon Randall in the state semifinals.

Bullard’s boys placed second in the UIL State Golf Championships in Class 4A.

Brook Hill Baseball advances to state championship

Brook Hill, which won state titles in 2004, 2011, 2012 and 2013 and was a state finalist in 2010 and 2018, qualified for the TAPPS Division II State Baseball Tournament.

Brook Hill defeated Fort Worth Christian in the semifinals before falling to Houston Second Baptist 11-5 in the championship.

Second Baptist was coached by former University of Houston head baseball coach Rayner Noble. His assistants are former New York Yankees and Houston Astros pitcher Andy Pettitte and former Brook Hill coach Terry Pirtle, who led the Guard to three straight state titles from 2011-13.

Bullard Softball

Bullard went to the state softball tournament for the second consecutive year.

The Lady Panthers lost Game 1 of the regional final 5-4 to Melissa before bouncing back with a 5-0 win in Game 2 and then a 2-0 win in Game 3.

Bullard fell to Sweeny 8-1 in the Class 4A semifinals.

Chapel Hill Football

Chapel Hill made its second straight trip to the Class 4A Division I state semifinals.

The Bulldogs started the season 0-2 and then reeled off 12 straight victories before falling to Boerne 35-0 at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Harmony Football

Harmony advanced to the state semifinals for the first time in program history.

The Eagles lost their first four games of the season and ended up advancing five rounds deep in the playoffs before falling to Poth 51-28 in the Class 3A Division II state semifinals.

Malakoff also reached the state semifinals in 2022.

Individual athletes at state

Bullard’s Garrett Nuckolls won the gold medal at the UIL Track and Field Championships in the Class 4A high jump with a height of 6-8.

Lindale’s Casey Poe — one of the top-rated offensive linemen in the country for the Class of 2024 — won the gold medal at the UIL Track and Field Championships in the Class 4A shot put with a distance of 57-4.75.

Kilgore’s Matthew Tyeskie won the UIL Class 4A boys 110-meter hurdles with a time of 13.99. West Rusk’s team of Ty’Mitchric Harper, Geremiah Smith, William Jackson and Andon Mata won the UIL Class 3A 4×200-meter relay team with a time of 1:27.33.

Grace Community’s Abby Metzger won the TAPPS Class 5A girls cross country championship with a time of 12:06.4. Metzger also won the TAPPS 5A girls 3,200-meter run with a time of 11:46.85.

Grace Community’s Maddie Keeling won the TAPPS 5A girls pole vault with a height of 10-6.

Brook Hill’s Caley Fitzgerald won the TAPPS 5A 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.53.

All Saints’ Sidney Robertson won her second consecutive TAPPS 4A golf championship as a sophomore with a two-round score of 145 (74-71).

Martin’s Mill golfer Mia Nixon won her third consecutive state golf championship. Nixon, who is now at Texas A&M, had a two-round total of 136 (69-67) to win the UIL Class 2A title.

Troup freshman Payton Wells won first place in the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association Class 3A Small School State Championships in Corpus Christi. Wells won the 97-pound class with a total of 630 pounds (240 squat, 115 bench, 275 deadlift).

Audrey Deatherage was the first Tyler Legacy tennis player to advance to the state tennis tournament since 2010. Deatherage lost in the quarterfinals.

Ending playoff win droughts

The Tyler Legacy softball team advanced in the playoffs for the first time since 2010, sweeping Garland (10-0, 5-1) before falling to state tournament qualifier Mansfield Lake Ridge 6-3 in the area round. The Lady Raiders, who won a program-record 23 games, were also ranked No. 1 in Class 6A by the Texas Girls Coaches Association during the season.

The Whitehouse girls basketball team won its first playoff game since 2007, defeating Texas High 45-32.

The Bullard boys basketball team won its first playoff game since 2010, defeating Pleasant Grove 58-39.

The Cumberland Academy boys soccer team picked up the first playoff win in program history, defeating Pleasant Grove 1-0.

More East Texans to Alabama

Tyler Legacy’s Jordan Renaud and Longview’s Jalen Hale both signed to play football at Alabama.

They will join former Legacy running back Jamarion Miller, who is a freshman for the Crimson Tide.

Renaud announced his commitment to Alabama over Oklahoma on Sept. 19, had a signing ceremony on Dec. 14 and officially signed on Dec. 21.

Hale committed to Alabama on Sept. 21 and signed on Dec. 21.

UT Tyler Softball reaches World Series

The UT Tyler softball team advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series in its first year of eligibility.

The Patriots advanced through the NCAA South Central Regional 1 Bracket and then defeated No. 3 seeded Texas A&M-Kingsville in the South Central Super Regional, 2-1, in order to advance to the World Series.

UT Tyler was the No. 1 seed at the World Series. UT Tyler lost its opener to California State-Dominguez Hills 5-1 and then defeated Southern Indiana 12-5 and Auburn-Montgomery 4-3 before falling to Rogers State 9-3.

TJC wins tennis championship

The TJC Apache Ladies won the NJCAA Division I Women’s National Tournament.

It was the 68th national championship in school history.

Ex-TJC standouts sign pro deals

Former Tyler Junior College Apache soccer standout Jake Morris signed to play in Major League Soccer.

Morris, who played for Tyler Junior College from 2018-20, signed with the Columbus Crew.

Morris, a defender, is the sixth Apache to reach the MLS and the seventh by coached by TJC’s Steve Clements.

Former Apache receiver Josh Reynolds signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions.

Jake Parker, the former Whitehouse High School standout who became an NCAA Division III All-America wide receiver at Howard Payne University, was signed by a team in Germany — the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns, who play in the German Football League. He later was signed by the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.

TJC Football upsets No. 1 New Mexico Military

The Apaches took a 20-12 win over 2021 national champion and No. 1-ranked New Mexico Military on Oct. 8 at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

Grace Community wins Henderson Cup

Grace Community was the TAPPS 5A Henderson Cup Champion once again.

Grace captured the honor, presented to the school that earns the most points in 27 TAPPS competitions in a given school year, for the second consecutive year.

The TAPPS competitions include academics, fine arts and athletics.

This was the third time Grace has won the Henderson Cup in the 5A classification and the fifth time overall.

Transfer portal

Former Tyler Legacy standouts and siblings — Aaliyah and Jakelyn Morgan — transferred to Louisiana Tech.

Aaliyah Morgan played in nine games as a freshman for TCU and had four rebounds before joining the Louisiana Tech basketball program.

Jakelyn Morgan, who played at both Brook Hill and Tyler Legacy, left Arizona to play football for Louisiana Tech. He had four tackles this season for the Bulldogs, including two against Stephen F. Austin.

Tragedy in Alto

Alto High School basketball player Devonte Mumphrey died after collapsing during a home game against Mount Enterprise on Feb. 8.

Obituaries

Charles Milstead, who led the Tyler Lions to the 1955 state football championship game, followed by an All-Southwest Conference career at Texas A&M University and became a two-time AFL champion with the Houston Oilers, passed away in February.

Ed Jasper, the former All-East Texas standout as a Troup Tiger who went on to star at Texas A&M and play in the NFL, passed away in April.

Richard Farris Sr., an All-America guard and linebacker who led Tyler Junior College to its only national football championship, passed away in July.