Posts published in August 2008

EAST HARRIS COUNTY — The 2008 football season will bring some new teams, renew old rivalries and for some a hope at redemption.

Opening Weekend

The regular varsity season kicks off this weekend. The first local team to take the field will be the newest addition to District 19-4A: Goose Creek Memorial High School.

The Patriots will field a varsity squad comprised of sophomores and juniors. The Patriots, under the direction of head Coach Bret Boyd will play the first regular game in school history against Pasadena High on Aug. 28 at Stallworth Stadium at 7 p.m.

Friday night action begins in Dayton as they host the Bay City Black Cats at 7 p.m. In Mont Belvieu the Barbers Hill Eagles will host the Port Neches Groves Indians at 7:30 p.m. while the Hargrave Falcons travel to Willis to play the Wildcats at 7:30 p.m.

The Crosby Cougars have the longest road trip of the week. They will travel to Waco on Saturday to participate in the Heart of Texas Classic against Waco University at 7 p.m.

New Foes, Old Rivalries

Every two years the University Interscholastic League (UIL) realigns districts, making adjustments due to travel and changes in student population.

The new 19-A retained Crosby, Barbers Hill, Galena Park and C.E. King. Hargrave moved down to 3-A, while New Caney moved up to 5-A. Coming to the district are newly created high schools Memorial and Humble’s Kingwood Park as well as a familiar face to Crosby fans- Dayton.

In the past Crosby and Dayton have had a heated rivalry. When the UIL split the schools two years ago, they paired Dayton with the East Texas schools. During those two years apart Dayton and Crosby met both times in the Bi-District rounds of the playoff, with the Broncos winning both games.

Then came North Forest. Originally Forest Brook and Smiley High were included in the district. However financial troubles forced the North Forest ISD to close one of its high schools and combine the players into one squad: the North Forest Bulldogs.

Crosby returns MVP

Crosby Head Coach Kevin Flanigan said that it is hard to predict how the season will play out, noting that past performance is no guarantee of future promise that his teams would “play hard every week and we’ll see where we’re at after 10 weeks.” Flanigan notes Galena Park, King and North Forest all have good athletes on their teams. While Barbers Hill failed to make the playoffs last year, Flanigan said they could be a dangerous team “Barbers Hill always plays hard and they do a good job on the field.”

Last year the only team to beat Smiley in district play was Crosby.

Crosby will bring back seven offensive starters and five defensive starters. Anchoring the team will be last year’s District Offensive MVP Chance Casey and 1st Team All District Wide Receiver Xavier Frank.

Eagles seek return to playoffs

Barbers Hill Head Coach Don Price said that looking at the schedule there are no easy weeks. “Obviously Dayton is the front runner. They have their core group of players returning. (Cody) Green and (A.J.) Dugat are legitimate Division 1 players.” King, Price noted, has the most returning starters from last year’s team.

“North Forest is the unknown at this time,” he said. “They have an unlimited potential by combining the squads.” Leading the Forest Brook Bulldogs is tailback Michael Sigers, who many considered the fast sprinter in the district.

Barbers Hill will return their starting quarterback Tony Carmona as well as two offensive linemen. To make up for the loss of their defensive front, Price is moving Jake Ponder from the offensive line to the defensive line.

Back in 3A

“We’re happy to be back in it (22-3A),” Hargrave Coach Mike McEachern said. “There is a lot of history and some old rivalries between the schools.” As one the defending district tri-champions, Cleveland is expected to bring a good team to the field. “We are really looking forward to playing Liberty,” McEachern said. “Hargrave has never beaten Liberty and we would like to be the first to do it.” The team returns seven offensive and seven defensive starters.

Leading the charge will be Running Back Tyler Pate and Nose Guard Aaron Chandler.

LYNCHBURG — A Lynchburg-area restaurant owner will not stand trial for fatally wounding a suspected burglar this past April.

The Harris County District Attorney’s Office said that on Aug. 20 a Grand Jury issued a “No Bill” against Donald Prejeant in the shooting. The “No Bill” means that the Grand Jury felt that circumstances surrounding the shooting did not warrant criminal charges considering the evidence submitted at the time of the review.

According to Harris County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Larry Davis, who is assigned to the Homicide division, on April 27, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Prejeant, the owner of Four Corners Bar-B-Q was contacted at his home by the alarm company that monitors his business and told of a possible unauthorized entry into the business.

“The owner left his home and drove the short distance to the barbecue stand and observed a broken window and a male inside his business,” Davis said.

Prejeant fired a single .45 caliber round at the suspect, fatally wounding him, Davis added.

The name of the victim has not been released to the public.

Davis said that they referred the case to a Harris County Grand Jury with a recommendation that no charges be filed against the business owner. That action does not preclude civil litagation in such matters.

Pastor Sharon Sabom helps make it legal after 55 years

HIGHLANDS — It is not unusual for a couple to renew their wedding vows, especially on a significant anniversay. But to be remarried legally 55 years after the fact is a bit strange.

This unusual occurrence happened in Highlands last week.

Duffie and Charlene Monroe were married in Baytown on July 26, 1953, by a Lutheran pastor. A reception was held at Charlene’s parent’s house on John Martin Road.

Now fast-forward 55 years. Sharon Sabom, pastor of Highlands United Methodist Church said that her mother called her on Aug.19 with a most unusual story and request.

“She and Dad have decided to be buried in Mission, TX, in the VA cemetery there. They have plots in Houston, and as the executrix of their estate, they wanted me to know the changes. They spoke with a representative from the VA, who informed them what papers were necessary, including a copy of the marriage license,” Sabom said. “Mom commented that she didn’t know where that document was – or if they had ever received one. They have moved several times, and are currently residing in their RV.”

The representative from the VA advised the couple to go to the courthouse or courthouse annex and get a certified copy and send it with the necessary paperwork, and that would be fine.

“They went to the courthouse annex in Humble as they were staying near Conroe. After an extensive search, they were informed that the State of Texas has no record of them every being married,” Sabom said. “Evidently the pastor that performed the ceremony in 1953 never filed the paper work. Mom was calling to tell me that she and Dad were not “legally” married! This after just celebrating their 55th anniversary! So… before they left the court house annex, they got a marriage license.”

Sabom said that they wanted her to drive over and ‘get them married!’ “After I caught my breath from laughing so hard, I reminded them they had to wait 72 hours to get married after getting the license.”

The couple was married on August 23 p.m., in the sanctuary of Highlands United Methodist Church

Sabom’s brother, Malcolm, the senior pastor at Nederland First United Methodist Church, also helped with the ceremony, as did brothers Marshall and Duffie Wayne.

The eldest son, Duffie Wayne, walked his mother down the aisle and gave her away. Araby Michelle Sticksel, the eldest granddaughter, was the Maid of Honor, and Brandon Duffie Monroe, the eldest grandson served as Best Man.

“All this is just too funny, and we are blessed that our parents think it’s funny also, and are having a good time with this,” Sabom added.