HOUSTON – It was a huge honor this month for Crosby ISD Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Jerry Prieto. He was named the 2021 Coach of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Houston.
Prieto was nominated for the second year in a row, taking home the top prize this year. Prieto was among twelve high school coaches from the Houston region named as finalists.
During his acceptance speech, Prieto thanked his family, including his wife Julie, two sons, and his in-laws who have never missed a game since he’s been a head coach. Prieto also thanked Crosby ISD Superintendent Paula Patterson for her support and his coaching team. Prieto said his coaches spent more time with him than with their families this past season.
“This award is not very much about me. It’s way more about the village that I surround myself with in Crosby.”
Crosby Cougars take the field against Liberty Hill Panthers in a Class 5A Division II semi-final rematch at Bryan’s Merrill Green Stadium. (Photo by Allan Jamail)
Liberty Hill 42 – Crosby 14
By Allan Jamail
Bryan, TX — On Friday, December 10, 2021, the Crosby Cougars lost to Liberty Hill 42-14 in a Class 5A Division II semi-final rematch at the Merrill Green Stadium, snapping their 12-game winning streak and ending with a 12-3 record.
The game’s Team Captains were Braden Womack, Cyrin Myles, Kameren Kirkwood, and McCoy Casey.
Last season it was the Cougars who won against the Panthers. In the semifinals last year, Crosby won with a 62-61 overtime victory after the Panthers fumbled the ball inside the 1-yard-line on the 2-point conversation to try to win it. Crosby lost the state title game to Aledo the following week in Arlington.
Crosby won the coin flip and deferred, wanting to kickoff to the Panthers so they could open the second half receiving the kickoff. Crosby’s defense held the Panthers, forcing them to punt. Things looked good for the Cougars as they marched down the field near the goal, when quarterback (QB) Cyrin Myles run came up inches short of the goal (see photo in print edition). On the next play when the ball was centered, Myles couldn’t control it and a Panther pounced on it, stopping what would have put the Cougars ahead for the game’s first score.
A Victory Salute after the 14-7 win over Texas HS.
CROSBY – Cougar fans were on the edge of their seats most of the game last week against Texas High, due to the low scoring game where only a few points would make the difference.
Played at Lufkin’s Abe Martin stadium on Friday night, a large contingent of Crosby fans were on hand for the game, cheering their team for the final winning score near the end of the fourth quarter. With only 10 minutes left in the game, Cougar QB #10 Cyrin Myles rushed 4 yards to take the lead 12- 7, and then #4 Braden Womak ran a 2 point conversion for a final score of 14-7.
#10 Cyrin Myles carries the ball across the goal line from the 4 yard line, to score the winning touchdown for the Cougars.
After their victory over A&M Consolidated, the team holds up the winning Quarterfinals match, in UIL 5AD2 Region III matchup. Next the team goes plays the Semifinals against the Texarkana Texas Tigers.
By Gilbert Hoffman
CROSBY – The community was thrilled with the Cougar victory over the A&M Consolidated team from College Station, played last Friday night at the Cy Fair ISD stadium in Houston. Crosby won by a score of 53-50, holding on to a lead that was challenged by the Tigers in the last few minutes of the game.
The Cougars, with a record now of 11-2 overall, and 7-0 in District play, will move on to the Quarterfinals this Friday, and play Texarkana’s Texas Tigers at 7:30pm at Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin. The Texas record is 12-0 overall, and 7-0 in District play.
Crosby had to stop a late drive by A&MC in the fourth quarter, to hold the lead and win the game. Senior Kameren Kirkwood intercepted two passes, and scored a touchdown in the last quarter to help bring victory to the Cougars. Crosby played a strong offensive game, with a total of 500 yards gained, 316 passing and 184 rushing.
Four players were named for their outstanding play: Players of the Game were Special Teams, Trevor Helburg; Overall performance, Kameren Kirkwood; Defensive Player, McCoy Casey; and Offensive Player, Cyrin Miles. QB Cyrin Miles had a total of 351 yards advanced. He was 13 for 21 passing with 239 yards, and also rushed 24 times for 112 yards.
Also notable was a halfback pass by Luke Smith for a gain of 69 yards.
Coach Jerry Prieto said, “I am proud of our guys for staying in the fight,” when A&MC challenged late in the game, but the Cougars held them off.
In the first half, the Cougar offense performed well, with a number of runs along the perimeter. Kicker Trevor Helburg completed a 32-yard field goal in the second quarter. At halftime Crosby led by 39-29.
But in the second half the Tiger defense stiffened against these plays.
Although penalties hurt the Cougars in the second half, they managed two interceptions to slow the Tigers and maintain the lead.
Another outstanding play was a fumble recovery by #40 McCoy Casey, with an 80 yard return.
In the 4th quarter, Crosby scored on an 11-yard pass from Miles, and then he followed up later with a 5-yard run after Camari Parker intercepted a Tiger pass.
In the next playoff game Friday night, the Cougs will face a team that they beat last year in the Region III area round playoffs. The Crosby community looks forward to a repeat of that victory and advancing to the Semifinals.
2021 District Champions! The Crosby Cougars are District 12-5A D2 champs. Undefeated in District play. The road to the playoffs begins now. Cougar Pride!
Above, #20 running back Quincy Jones carries the ball over the Goal Line for a touchdown. Jones scored 3 TDs, carrying for a total of 105 yards. QB Cyrin Myles, #10, also scored 2 TDs, with 11 carries for 113 yards. Myles also completed 7 of 8 passes, for a total of 129 yards. Final stats for the Crosby Cougars were 520 total yards, with 188 passing and 332 rushing.
#14 K. Kirkwood receives a pass from Cougar QB Cyrin Miles to score 1 of his 3 touchdowns.#5 T. Cooper carries an interception back to the goal line for another Touchdown.
CROSBY – In the annual Battle of Highway 90, the Crosby Cougars overpowered the Dayton Broncos team by a final score of 52-21 last Friday night, Sept. 24 at Cougar Stadium. An indication of the intensity of play by the Cougars was the fact that at half-time they led 49-0.
BARBERS HILL EAGLES Boy’s Baseball Team, and Girl’s Softball team, show their Victories celebrations as they both win state championships this month.
MONT BELVIEU — The Barbers Hill High School baseball team won its first ever state championship in school history Saturday afternoon in Round Rock in a tight game against Hallisville High School.
The Barbers Hill Eagles took an early lead in the bottom of the first with a single from Brodey Williams. Fast forward to the sixth inning and that’s when the Eagles took the lead for good on a sacrifice fly by Josh Campbell.
The final score was 2-1.
The baseball team now joins the Barbers Hill softball team as state champions. The softball team beat Aledo High School 4-1 in Austin last week.
SAN ANTONIO – The Huffman Falcon’s Boy’s Basketball Team stunned many by capturing the 4A Region III Championship on March 5 at La Porte High School, defeating Silsbee Tigers 62-56, then falling to dozen times state champion Argyle 49-30 at the Alamodome.
The local team finished the year 31-2, and although seen as an “Outta’ Nowhere Phenomena,” Coach Scott Barrett says, “We have been on the doorstep for a while. We just finally broke through this year.”
Barrett seems a personal impeller. “I think we love our kids enough and set huge standards that all they want to to do is win.” He seems to believe that at base is an environment that determines how athletes develop.
I guess that Tom Brady guy still has something left in the tank.
After spending 20 years in New England and leading the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick to six Super Bowl titles, Brady moved south to sunny Tampa, FL and proved he’s not washed up at 43 years of age.
In Kansas City, Chief fans have once again put their faith in 25-year-old Patrick Mahomes, who led their beloved team to the Lombardi Trophy last year and is making a return trip this year to go after a second straight title.
By Mike Keeney