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The 13U Texas Mizuno Team -
Jeff O'Malley introduced as Lamar's new athletic director June 17 -
Isabella Merritt
Kelly hires football coach
Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School didn’t have to look far for their next head football coach. It was announced June 17 by Principal Dr. Tyrus Doctor that Mike Long was returning to the school where he previously he was the head football coach from 2005-2010.
“The timing is great,” said Long. “It was always my goal to return to Kelly. There is a lot of tradition here.”
Long, who went 28-29 in his six seasons at Kelly, which included a stellar 9-1 campaign in 2007, stated he has already hired two former head coaches as assistants – Matt Burnett of PN-G and Alvin Credeur of Lumberton.
Baseball
The 13 and Under Texas Mizuno Team participated in the Perfect Game World Series last week in Destin, Florida, and defeated Georgia, 5-4, to win the title.
Players include Bryce Ray, Landon Leleaux, Dreyden Cook, Bryceten Felps, Nolan Mitchell, Dayne Sunderland, Jacob Scheiderer, Luke Scott, Clay Raney, Jake Raney and Justin McCarver.
The team is coached by Daniel Sunderland, Justin McCarver, Robert Scott and Cory Felps.
TASO football officials
Texas Association of Sports Officials (TASO) is seeking officials for the upcoming 2022 high school football season. Those interested can attend the Southeast Texas Football Chapter New Rules Clinic on Saturday, June 25, at the Dauphin Athletic Complex at Lamar University in Beaumont beginning at 9 a.m. Cost is $30.
For more information, view taso.org.
Golf
Registration is now open early for the fifth annual Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce/Hispanic Business Council/Golden Pass LNG Golf Tournament on Friday, Sept. 2, at the Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Port Arthur. Tee time is 7:30 a.m.
To register, call (409) 963-1107.
The STPGA hosted a tournament June 20 at Wildwood Golf Course in Village Mills. Winners were Lucian Mazzola (Boys 11-12, 9-hole Red, 40 score), Maggie Stutz (Girls 11-12, 9-hole Red, 49 score), Austin Irwin (Boys 15-18, 44 score), Tatum Bean (Girls 15-18, 86 score), Brayden Akers (Boys 13-14, 79 score) and Carson Waits (Boys 13-14, 42 score).
The next STPGA Tournament is scheduled for Monday, June 27, at the Beaumont Country Club. For more information, view stpgajuniorgolf.com.
John Fukuda aced his third career hole-in-one June 17 on Hole 2 at Bayou Din. Witnessed by Mike McDaniel and Jim Burkhardt, Fukuda used a 7-iron at 165-yards out.
Merritt earns scholarship as mascot
Silsbee High School senior Isabella Merritt will continue her mascot talents with Baylor University in Waco. The 2022 graduate signed June 20 in the SHS Auditorium, according to Communications Director Kelsey Johnson.
Merritt, who served as “Tiger Jim” for six years at Silsbee ISD, will be part of the Baylor Bears Mascot Sic’urity Team as Marigold.
According to baylorbears.com, Bruiser and Marigold are iconic characters donning the Green and Gold on the sidelines and competitively. The tradition began when Baylor chose the Bear instead of the bookworm as its official mascot in 1914. The start of Baylor’s mascot began in 1981 with the original brown bear. The bear costumes have changed over the years with a few notable transitions in 1990 with the introduction of the green bear and again in the late 2000’s with the introduction of new brown bear Bruiser. The tradition continued with the introduction of Marigold Bear during the 2017 football season.
Lamar Cardinals
Lamar University named its 13th athletic director in program history with a press conference June 17 to formally introduce Jeff O’Malley.
“Jeff O’Malley is a trusted collaborator who understands it takes all facets of a university to support student-athletes,” said LU President Jaime Taylor. “He established very positive relationships with faculty and with academic affairs at Marshall University and has an absolutely stellar reputation for ensuring student-athletes are successful in the classroom as well as on the field of play.”
O’Malley will officially take the reins at Lamar on July 1 and replaces Marco Born, who resigned in March.
“I am very excited to have the opportunity to lead Lamar University Athletics,” said O’Malley. “This is a program with a proud tradition of excellence, and we will do all we can to make it even better both in the classroom and in competition.”
The baseball program continues to receive accolades after a stellar season that saw the Cardinals win 37 games. Senior pitchers Jack Dallas and Adam Wheaton were named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-Central Region Team.
From Orange, Dallas set records during his college stint including the school’s all-time leader in saves and appearances. He finished the season with a 4-1 record and a 1.94 ERA, while leading the conference with 14 saves.
Wheaton was a starter and led the conference in wins and ERA. He also struck out 66 batters in 84 innings pitched.