Posts by Chuck Cox
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Burgin to Start at Quarterback For Scots
Brooks Burgin (5) will start at quarterback for Highland Park in 2013. (Staff photo: Chris McGathey)
Brooks Burgin, the younger brother of former Scots starting quarterback Brady Burgin, edged John Robert Gilley to earn the starting nod calling signals for Highland Park next season.
Burgin and the Scots will open the 2013 campaign against Aledo in the Tom Landry Classic at 7 p.m. on Aug. 31 at Allen’s Eagle Stadium. Highland Park is coming off a 9-2 season, while the Bearcats went 10-2.
Speaking of the Landry Classic, Highland Park is already slated to take on Frisco Centennial in the 2014 and 2015 editions of the Classic.
By Chuck Cox Jun. 17, 2013 | 1:34 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Crayton May Join Clayton on L.A. Dodgers’ Pitching Staff
Highland Park High School graduate Crayton Bare was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 8. (Staff photo: Chuck Cox)
Clayton Kershaw might soon have a fellow former Scots pitcher as a Los Angeles Dodgers teammate.
Baylor left-hander and 2009 Highland Park graduate Crayton Bare was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 28th round of Major League Baseball’s draft on June 8. He was the 844th overall pick.
“That would be really cool,” Bare said of playing with Kershaw. “I would love that. I’ve been to Los Angeles twice. The weather is really nice. I’ve never actually been to a game at [Dodger Stadium]. I grew up going to Rangers games, but I wouldn’t say I was a die-hard Rangers fan; I just enjoy baseball as a whole.”
A reliever who also made one start, Bare had 71 career appearances. He pitched 87.2 innings, finishing with a 3.39 ERA, 88 strikeouts, and 39 walks. He also earned an 8-4 record and seven saves.
Bare was a second-team All-Big 12 pick last season after going 6-2 with a 3.38 ERA and a career-high five saves. His 70 career relief appearances is seventh all-time at Baylor, which just missed out on a College World Series trip in 2012.
Bare said he was sitting on his couch two Saturdays ago, monitoring the draft on his computer, when he got a text from his father, Rob.
“I looked up at the computer, and it said, ‘Crayton Bare drafted by the Dodgers.’ I was pretty excited,” he said.
Bare, who was a business media and entrepreneurship major, paid for his last two years at Baylor via an entrepreneurial scholarship named after ex-Astros owner Drayton McLane. The former walk-on player started two companies with business partner Grant Woodruff as a back-up plan if he didn’t get drafted: Ambery is an iPhone app related to text messages; Chaser Strips are a type of candy.
“It’s something I’ve worked really hard at, but I’ve never put all of my eggs in one basket with baseball,” Bare said. “I just went at it as hard as I could. Now, I get to wake up every day as a professional baseball player.”
Woodruff will continue to run the two companies while Bare tries to work his way up to the majors.
“Crayton was one of those kids that never left the field,” said Highland Park head coach Travis Yoder, who was an assistant when Bare was a Scot. “He always worked at it and always got better. He had ability, but he also had to work hard. He stayed after it every single day and worked on his craft. That’s the kind of kid you want on the baseball field.”
Bare’s time at Highland Park overlapped with Kershaw’s for one year; both pitched and played first base.
“I played with some tremendous players at Highland Park. I kept getting a little bit better every year,” Bare said. “This year, I was able to string together a ton of really good relief appearances. I’m not going to blow anybody away with my fastball, but I can get by with it. I can throw four pitches any time, so it was the kind of repertoire that made me successful.”
Judging by his drive off the field, Bare seems to have his bases covered with either baseball or business. Or both.
“To be anywhere in the same vicinity of Clayton Kershaw is a good thing,” Yoder said. “Any time you have one of your high school kids get drafted, it’s something special no matter what round it is; it took something special to get there. You don’t get to coach those kind of athletes that often. We’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of those athletes.”
By Chuck Cox Jun. 17, 2013 | 10:18 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Ringo Named HPISD Athletic Director
Johnny Ringo has been named Highland Park ISD’s new athletic director, a newly created position by the district.
Ringo will oversee the entire athletic program for boys and girls in grades 7-12, athletic facilities, budget, event management, and personnel. He will also serve as the district’s liaison to community organizations and parent support groups that are an integral part of the district’s overall public-private partnership.
Previously, HPISD had a girls and boys athletic director. Girls athletic director Jerry Sutterfield recently retired, while head football coach Randy Allen was the boys athletic director.
Ringo has 29 years coaching experience, and served as the Texas High School Coaches Association’s president last school year.
“A lot has changed in the last three decades, but the core principles of athletics are the same,” Ringo said. “Highland Park ISD will continue to emphasize a commitment to building dedicated, hard-working young men and women. We will focus on winning with integrity in ways that promote self-confidence and pride. I look forward to working with our students, parents and coaches.”
Ringo has been the head football coach and athletic director at Plano East since 2004.
By Chuck Cox Jun. 14, 2013 | 2:37 pm | 2 Comments | Comments RSS -
Wilson Earns Second-Team All-State Honors
Matt Wilson earned second-team All-State accolades. (Staff photo: Chris McGathey)
After a stellar senior season, former Highland Park pitcher Matt Wilson has been named as a second-team pick on the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association’s Class 4A All-State Team.
Wilson, an Oklahoma State signee, went 7-3 with an 0.97 ERA. He had 94 strikeouts and just 15 walks.
By Chuck Cox Jun. 10, 2013 | 2:44 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Dodgers Take Former Scot Crayton Bare
Former Scot Crayton Bare was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Staff photo: Chuck Cox)
Clayton Kershaw might not be the only Highland Park product pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the future.
Former Scot Crayton Bare (Clayton and Crayton would be too good to be true) was selected by the Dodgers in the 28th round with the 844th pick of Major League Baseball’s first-year player draft.
In four seasons as a left-handed reliever at Baylor, Bare was 8-4 with seven saves, a 3.39 ERA, and 88 strikeouts. He made one career start and pitched 87.2 innings. His 70 career relief appearances ranks seventh in school history. Bare was one of five Baylor players drafted.
By Chuck Cox Jun. 9, 2013 | 11:11 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Turner Sisters Row, Row, Row Their Boat to Crew Nationals
Sisters Cat and CeCe Turner will be competing together for Founders Rowing Club at the U.S. Rowing Youth National Championships this weekend in Tennessee. Cat recently graduated from Episcopal School of Dallas and will atend SMU. CeCe will be a senior at ESD. (Staff photo: Chris McGathey)
Even though they have both been rowing for a relatively short amount of time, making it to the U.S. Rowing National Championships has been a long time coming for University Park residents and Episcopal School of Dallas sisters Cat and CeCe Turner.
The duo, along with a handful of other local crews, will compete for Founders Rowing Club in the women’s youth double division at nationals this weekend in Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Cat, who recently graduated and plans to attend SMU, started rowing her freshman year of high school, while CeCe, a rising senior, followed suit the next year, which led to them teaming up in the same boat.
“This sport favors taller, bigger people,” CeCe said. “She was already in the varsity boat as a freshman. In the spring, I was in the varsity boat with her. That was the first time we got to row together. We had always kind of dreamed we could be a double. It’s been a lot of fun.”
Both sisters were into other sports before they decided to give crew a shot. Cat was running cross country, while CeCe was playing soccer and volleyball.
“I decided it looked like fun and tried it out,” Cat said. “It’s always been something I wanted to try. It’s always been appealing to me. It’s different and fun. It’s been year-round for me since I started. After my freshman year, I went to a U.S. National Team Development Camp. Of course, then the season was on. It’s always good to get out on the water. I kind of coaxed her [CeCe] into it, but it worked out really well.”
The last two summers, the siblings have gone out of state as part of their off-season training regimen that also includes swimming, running, lifting weights, and even a little Zumba on Xbox 360 Kinect. They went to Connecticut two summers ago and Colorado last year.
“We did altitude training,” CeCe said. “It was a lot of fun and great experience. There were some past Olympic rowers up there who came and watched us.”
However, Cat suffered a ripped abdominal oblique muscle that kept her out of competition last spring.
“It’s kind of like bittersweet,” Cat said. “I’ve still been having to deal with the injury, but I’ve finally made it to the national championships.”
The sisters are undefeated in competition this spring.
And, of course, they have the advantage of knowing each other better than most of the rowing duos they will be facing.
“That’s something we have going for us,” CeCe said. “If you’re just with somebody you don’t really know all that much who is a friend, you’re not really going to want to yell at them and get them going when you work through problems. Cat and I can’t get away from each other; we’re always going to be sisters. We’re very close. We fight in a good way.”
Cat, who said she might row for SMU, would love nothing more than to put the finishing touches on her high school career with a championship she can share with her sister.
“Winning a national title would be one of the best things that can happen,” Cat said. “We’ve put a lot of hard work into it. I feel like I haven’t really had time to take it in. We train so hard; it’s really just more falling back on the training. It still hasn’t hit me yet.”
By Chuck Cox Jun. 7, 2013 | 10:06 am | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Field Being Replaced at Highlander Stadium, Ctd.
I went out to Highlander Stadium yesterday afternoon for an interview, and I had a couple of extra minutes to snap some photos of the stadium’s surface being replaced.
As you can see, it’s pretty surreal looking with no turf in the stadium. Kind of looks like the moon or something.
By Chuck Cox Jun. 4, 2013 | 2:34 pm | 1 Comment | Comments RSS -
Rice, Stainback Headed to Super Regionals
Ford Stainback and the Rice Owls will face the NC State Wolfpack with a trip to the College World Series on the line. (Photo: Rice University)
Former Scot two-sport standout Ford Stainback and the Rice Owls advanced in the NCAA baseball playoffs last night with an 11-4 victory over host Oregeon in the Eugene Regionals. Stainback, who was named to the All-Region Team, had an enormous game with three hits and an RBI.
Rice (44-16) will take on NC State in a best-of-three Super Regional in North Carolina starting Friday. The winner advances to the College World Series in Omaha.
For the season, Stainback. a sophomore, is hitting .293 with 24 RBIs.
By Chuck Cox Jun. 4, 2013 | 12:24 pm | No Comments | Comments RSS -
Hipps, Duke Win NCAA Lacrosse Title
Chris Hipps (with mouthguard still in) and his Duke teammates celebrate winning the national title on Monday at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Photo: Duke University)
Former Highland Park two-sport star Chris Hipps and the Duke Blue Devils defeated Syracuse, 16-10, on Monday in the NCAA lacrosse national championship game in Philadelphia.
The junior defenseman, who also played wide receiver for Highland Park’s football team, started the title game, which Duke trailed, 5-0, at one point.
Along the way to winning the program’s second national title, the Blue Devils (16-5) knocked off defending national champion Loyola, Notre Dame, and Cornell in the postseason.
Hipps (6-4, 211) played in all 21 games and had 36 ground balls. He has started nearly every game in his three seasons with the Blue Devils. His former coach at Highland Park, Derek Thomson, also played lacrosse for Duke. Hipps helped the Scots win three straight state titles before heading to Durham.
By Chuck Cox May. 29, 2013 | 11:52 am | 1 Comment | Comments RSS -
Yoder Promoted to Head Baseball Coach
When it comes to replacing retiring head baseball coach Fred Oliver, Highland Park is keeping it in the family.
Assistant coach Travis Yoder, who has been with the program since 2006, has been promoted to head coach, athletic director Randy Allen said. Bobby Leidner will move up to first assistant coach, Yoder’s former position.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” Yoder said. “It’s been crazy. I’m extremely excited. They treat me well here. It’s been an unbelievable ride, and I can’t wait to keep it going and start something new.”
Yoder was the head baseball coach at Adamson for five seasons before coming to Highland Park. He’s looking forward to getting back to that role.
“Filling Coach Oliver’s shoes will be pretty hard to do,” Yoder said, “but you get to put your own little flavor on the team, do what you want to do, and focus on what you want to focus on. It’s your deal, and that’s how it works. You just try to maintain the tradition of Highland Park and see how far you can take it each year. It’s a dream come true for me. It’s pretty awesome — I’m not going to lie.”
In four seasons at Highland Park, Oliver compiled a 101-43-2 record. For his career — which included stops at Plainview, Lufkin, and Lubbock Monterrey — Oliver is 587-321-3 in 28 years as a head coach. He has also recently been inducted into the National High School Baseball Coaches Association and Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association’s halls of fame. Oliver retired after Highland Park’s final game of this past season.
“I recommended him,” Oliver said of Yoder. “I think he’s ready. He’s served his time and is very organized. He’ll do great with the kids. He’s a perfect fit for our baseball program. It’s a lot easier [having him already in the program]. The kids know him and know what to expect. It makes it easier on the transition for the parents. I’m sure they are all behind him 100 percent.”
After receiving numerous applications to replace Oliver, Allen said he interviewed the three strongest candidates.
“He had very strong support from the players and some of the other coaches,” Allen said of Yoder. “He had great preparation, being here since 2006. He did a great job interviewing. I think just the fact that there’s familiarity will help our players.”
The Scots finished 19-15 and shared the District 10-4A championship with Forney this past season. Highland Park lost a best-of-three series to Prosper in the bi-district round.
By Chuck Cox May. 23, 2013 | 2:04 pm | 1 Comment | Comments RSS
