Cypress Falls volleyball player Kendall Cleveland, Cy-Fair swimmer Kaelee Mader and Bobcats diver Hunter Rains signed national letters of intent at the tail end of the national signing period, which ended Wednesday.   Cleveland signed with Arkansas.

  Cleaning out the notebook ahead of another busy weekend of football: So long, Bo The remarkable and sometimes overlooked career of Pasadena Memorial running back Bo Snelson came to an end Saturday when the Mavericks lost 51-35 to Beaumont West Brook in a bi-district game. Snelson, who also played some quarterback this year, finished with 5,063 yards rushing.

  MONDAY Boys basketball Fort Bend Bush at Cinco Ranch, 7 p.m. Girls basketball Booker T.

Five Cypress-Fairbanks ISD senior athletes signed national letters of intent on Wednesday — the first day of the fall early signing period — to play on the collegiate level next season: * Cypress Ridge baseball player Chris Fritts signed with Tennessee. * Langham Creek swimmer Andrew Keily signed with The Ohio State University. * Jersey Village volleyball player Ally Judkins signed with LSU. * Cypress Springs basketball player Erik Williams signed with Marquette. * Cypress Falls softball player Brittany Taylor signed with North Texas.

  Three Memorial High School athletes signed their letters of intent Wednesday afternoon, with two baseball players signing to play at the two major colleges in Houston while a basketball player heads to New Mexico. Baseball infielder Michael Ratterree signed to play at Rice next season.

  While the playoffs begin in football and continue in volleyball, the regular-season begins for girls basketball this week.

This is the final week of the high school football regular-season and the start of the volleyball playoffs, and you'll find the schedule for all area teams here.   As playoff sites are subject to last-minute change, the Athlete's Connection is not responsible for changes in site, time, etc.

  Volleyball's regular-season wraps up this week, most districts are holding their cross country championships and football winds down to Week Nine in this week's event schedule for the Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   If you see an event omitted or would like to add one, call the Athlete's Connection at (713) 339-4400 or e-mail to dpurpura@athletesconnection.com.

  Here is this week's event schedule for schools in the Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   The Athlete's Connection is not responsible for last-minute changes in time, site, etc.

  Seniors Chelsea Nuttall and Mayank Aranke were named the 2008 Clements High School homecoming queen and king before the Rangers' game against Elkins on Saturday afternoon at Mercer Stadium. Nuttall, the daughter of Robert Nutall of Sugar Land, is the school vice president for Habitat for Humanity, a member of PALS, Yearbook and Young Life.

  Macy Ramos and Kris Mixon were named the Kempner High School homecoming king and queen before the Austin-Kempner game Friday night at Mercer Stadium. Both seniors were in the homecoming court which included football players Felipe Marin, Quyalon Ewing, volleyball player Paige Lavoie, and basketball player Kenny Onyechi.

    Mary Claire Unverferth was crowned Cypress Woods’ Homecoming Queen at halftime of Friday night’s game against Cypress Springs at Pridgeon Stadium.

  Here is this week's event schedule for schools in the Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   The Athlete's Connection is not responsible for last-minute changes in time, site, etc.

            Brooke Strake was crowned Memorial High School’s Homecoming Queen at halftime of Friday night’s game against Northbrook at Tully Stadium.

  Here is this week's event schedule for schools in the Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   As sports schedules continue to change in the wake of Hurricane Ike, the Athlete's Connection is not responsible for last-minute changes in time, site, etc.

        St.

  The Memorial-Stratford rivalry – or, if one is west of the Sam Houston Tollway, the Stratford-Memorial rivalry – features the typical trappings of the co-existence of two schools located about five miles apart.   Each school names the week of the football game after the other school – i.e.

  The return of full football and volleyball schedules highlights this week's event schedule for the Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   Most area sports teams resume their regular schedules this week.

    Ten honorees on Thursday night were recognized and inducted onto the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD Wall of Fame for their commitment and contributions to the district’s educational and extracurricular excellence. Dr.

  Updated 3:47 p.m. Monday with Cy-Fair ISD volleyball reschedulings. Varsity sports return in many areas this week as schools re-open after closures because of Hurricane Ike.   Some area districts will insert makeup games into their schedules the next few weeks.

  Most area school districts will re-open next week after as much as 10 days off in the wake of Hurricane Ike. Cy-Fair, Fort Bend and Katy independent school districts, as well as Strake Jesuit and St.

  Some high school football stadiums are quiet as the recovery efforts from Hurricane Ike continue.

  Where will I play next week? That is a question many student-athletes are asking in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. Many schools along the coastline are damaged and in some cases the schools may no longer be standing. While many may not be driven to get back to school really fast, many student-athletes will say they want to get back to practice and get ready to play football, volleyball, tennis or whatever sport they live.

  FORT WORTH — Right about this time seven years ago, a beautiful sight inspired me to write a column.   One beautiful September afternoon I decided to spend at a driving range, I looked up and saw a plane.

  Updated 10:24 a.m. Wednesday  All area school districts, and consequently the majority pf extracurricular activities, will remain closed through most of this week in the wake of Hurricane Ike.

  All weekend sports events, including those Thursday night, have been canceled ahead of the expected onslaught of Hurricane Ike.   Spring Branch, Katy, Houston, Cy-Fair and Fort Bend ISDs have canceled or postponed all weekend activities, starting tonight.

  Some particularly intriguing football matchups, including North Shore trying to earn its 73rd consecutive regular-season win and Memorial squaring off with 2-0 Pearland, highlight the schedule of high school sporting events in the Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   Schedules were provided by area school districts and organizations.

  The Woodlands High School will be awarded its second consecutive Class 5A Dodge Lone Star Cup trophy Friday night during its varsity football game against Katy. The University Interscholastic League and the Texas Dodge Dealers will be on hand to present the trophy and check to the winning school. With their state championship in cross country and their impressive performances in soccer, The Woodlands earned 84 total points for the 2007-08 school year. Defending 5A Dodge Lone Star Cup champion, Plano West, came in fourth this year with 68 points, sandwiched by Southlake Carroll (80), which won back-to-back 4A Cups in 2001 and 2002, and Cinco Ranch.

  Perhaps it’s fitting that after the wackiest recruiting season in recent memory, some of the phenomenal now-college freshmen who made headlines then now are making immediate impacts for their college teams. Katy graduate Bo Levi Mitchell was SMU’s starting quarterback in his first-ever college game Friday night, a 56-27 loss to Rice at Rice Stadium.

  A slew of compelling non-district volleyball matchups and Week One of the high school football season highlight this week's schedule of events from The Athlete's Connection's coverage area.

  The start of the high school football regular-season and the 76-team Pearland volleyball tournament highlight the schedule of this week's events involving teams from The Athlete's Connection's coverage area.   Schedules were provided by area school districts and organizations.

Being able to compete was all she wanted. So losing her sight bothered Jordan Mouton. But losing sport bothered her as much – if not more. Rather than sulk and wonder the infamous "Why me?" Mouton and her parents sought to find a new outlet for the athletic girl with an innate passion for sports. Select soccer was out.

  The following is a list of high school and high school-related sporting events from The Athlete's Connection's coverage area. If you see an event missing and would like to notify us, call our office at (713) 339-4400.   Schedules were provided by area school districts and organizations. The Athlete's Connection is not responsible for last-minute changes of site, time, etc.   TUESDAY Volleyball The Woodlands at Seven Lakes, 5 p.m. Morton Ranch at Cypress Springs, 5:30 Second Baptist at Bellaire, 6 p.m.

          Before they were honored one-by-one Wednesday night, the 30 members of the Touchdown Club of Houston’s 2008 Pre-Season High School All-Greater Houston Team got a reminder.   “This is a preseason honor.

  The following is a list of high school and high school-related sporting events from The Athlete's Connection's coverage area. If you see an event missing and would like to notify us, call our office at (713) 339-4400.   Schedules were provided by area school districts and organizations.

  Reagan football coach Harry Colon knows there’s no way to improve on a 100-percent graduation rate except making sure it doesn’t decrease.That’s a big reason the former NFL player is so high on the Play It Smart program, a National Football Foundation initiative aimed helping student-athletes succeed in the classroom.“It’s a very successful program that should be implemented in every high school,” Colon said at a recent Touchdown Club of Houston luncheon.

  Virtually all athletic events in area school districts are being canceled in anticipation of Tropical Storm Edouard. Katy, Spring Branch, Houston, Aldine, Pasadena, Galena Park, Fort Bend, Lamar Consolidated, Spring, Humble, Goose Creek, La Porte, Channelview, Alvin, La Marque, Santa Fe and Clear Creek independent school districts among others called off nearly all activities, including fall sports practices, ahead of the storm’s likely arrival early Tuesday.   Cy-Fair ISD announced late Monday afternoon it will remain open until further notice.

  So cheerleaders allegedly haze now, too? I know they consider themselves athletes, but anyway … News broke Thursday morning of alleged hazing by Morton Ranch’s varsity cheerleaders toward their junior varsity counterparts.

  Random thoughts and a few news items as we enter the latter third of July and maybe, just maybe, brace for rain and temporarily lower water bills: Taking on the world From the Associated Press wire on Friday came news that a team of standouts from across the country will participate in an eight-team tournament known as the Junior World Championship from June 27-July 5, 2009 in Canton, Ohio. Up to 10 players, all of which will be 2009 high school graduates, may be nominated by state high school athletic associations from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The International Federation of American Football plans to hold the tournament every four years. The U.S.

  NEW WAVERLY, Texas – USA Gymnastics on Saturday announced the six women and three replacement athletes it will nominate to the U.S. Olympic Committee to comprise the 2008 U.S.

  A police escort whisked Houston’s citizen of the day 25 miles through city traffic at midday Wednesday, hoping he’d be in time to placate a throng of waiting admirers. LSU football coach Les Miles arrived at the JW Marriott for the Touchdown Club of Houston’s LSU Day luncheon 55 minutes late, but the more than 600 fans on hand would have waited all day for the coach of the defending BCS national champions. The red carpet extended all the way from City Hall, where Mayor Bill White issued a proclamation declaring Wednesday “Les Miles Day” in the city of Houston. “There doesn’t have to be a Les Miles Day for me to come to Houston,” cracked Miles, whose plane from Baton Rouge was delayed. The Tigers are 34-6 under Miles.

  {mp3}Podcast-20080710{/mp3} Let’s just say we didn’t take the road most traveled for this week’s podcast. Sportswriters Dave Purpura and Chad Washington discuss the upcoming 7-on-7 state tournament in College Station, but it’s not really a preview – nor, if you listen to Washington’s take, is it a glowing endorsement of the annual event. Washington takes center stage, sharing his opinion on the tournament’s overall value and how much stock can be put into it.

  Beginning with the 2008 season, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD football fans will have the flexibility to purchase tickets both online and over the phone, as well as in person. Through Ticket Servant, patrons can buy and print tickets from their homes. Last year’s season ticket holders will have the first option to purchase season tickets, from July 21 to Aug.

{mp3}080620podcast{/mp3}   Well now that we've listed our Top 10 moments for 2007-08, let the second-guessing begin. Some of you have, and so have we.

  A smattering of news and observations from recent days: No TV for Katy-North Shore? FSN's recent announcement that Wake Forest-Baylor would headline the opening night of its national Big 12 football package Aug.

{mp3}TOP 10-Cy-Fair year 20080617{/mp3}   It was a banner year for Cy-Fair High School in athletics.

{mp3}080613-Podcast{/mp3}   It's never too early to talk high school football.   On this week's Athlete's Connection's podcast, sports writers Dave Purpura and Chad Washington expounded on their early thoughts on the 2008 season, including possible surprise teams, the games we want to make sure we see and whether some districts' top four teams already are decided.   Listen to our podcast above and feel free to share your thoughts.

  I've written year-end columns each year for the past three, mostly hitting the highlights of whatever I've seen and trying to inject some personality in the process. But so much has happened the past five months with the 35 or 40 schools in our coverage area that it's necessary to stop at a somewhat awkward junction – the end point of the academic year but nearly the halfway point of the calendar year – and take pause. After all, once the fall gets running the great achievements of baseball teams like Westside and Bellaire or the Katy Taylor softball team’s surprising postseason run may get overshadowed. So indulge me, if you please, for a moment of reflection and a peek at 2008, so far: Best game Westside’s 6-5 win against Baytown Sterling in Game 2 of their regional semifinal series May 23.

          She's just exited sixth-grade, somewhat to her dismay, but Brittney Day already knows what she wants in life. The 12-year-old from Highlands Junior School - "HJS for short," she's quick to tell anyone who asks - loves to sing.

  The Spring Branch ISD Board of Trustees recently voted to name the district’s new fieldhouse after former coach, teacher and administrator Mike Williamson. Williamson worked in Spring Branch ISD from 1961-2001, the last 22 as District Athletic Director and later Executive Director of Athletics.