ALL-AREA

01/03/2009

No task was out of reach for Plano's Burkhead
There's not much more one player can do for his team than what Rex Burkhead did in 2008. Playing multiple positions and making plays on both sides of the ball, Burkhead helped Plano win 10 games this season.

Intensity was calling card for Wylie's Whitlock
Nikita Whitlock kept offensive opponents up at night, worried about the damage he could do.

Euless Trinity sophomore Tevin Williams made a splash
Euless Trinity sophomore Tevin Williams made a splash

01/04/2009

Westerberg kept state champion Allen on course
Westerberg kept state champion Allen on course

All-Area Offense
All-Area Offense

All-Area Defense
All-Area Defense

12/03/2008

2008 All-Area Volleyball Team

JUAN GARCIA / DMN

Highland Park's Katherine Culwell was the District 10-4A MVP this season and led her team to the state tournament.

Katherine Culwell enjoyed the Thanksgiving break with a vacation to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. Even there, the Highland Park senior couldn't stay away from volleyball. "I actually played a little beach volleyball," said Culwell, who is the Player of the Year on the 2008 All-Area Volleyball Team.
Video: Highland Park's Katherine Culwell
Area volleyball leaders
Blog: High schools
More volleyball

11/28/2008

2008 All-Area Cross Country teams
The term "hitting the wall" is frightening to cross country runners. After nine regular-season races, all victories, Flower Mound Marcus sophomore Craig Lutz "hit the wall" in the Class 5A state meet. "I went out too fast," said Lutz.

11/10/2008

Girls high school basketball preview
Three point guards make their high-powered offenses go: Lincoln's Chynna Brown, Irving MacArthur's Odyssey Sims and Frisco's Shay Cooney-Williams.

06/18/2008

2008 All-Area Baseball Team

COURTNEY PERRY / DMN

Plano West's Ben Flora (left) and Garland's Tomi Garrison, both with ERAs under 1.00, had a combined 38 wins and 355 strikeouts last season.

SportsDay presents its 2008 All-Area Baseball and Softball teams, headed up by Plano West pitcher Ben Flora, the baseball player of the year, and Garland's Tomi Garrison, the softball player of the year. Check out the other honors and first and second teams.
Video: Ben Flora | Tomi Garrison
All-District teams: Baseball | Softball
Blog: High schools

2008 All-Area Softball Team
Coach Cindy Mosteller could tell Tomi Garrison would become a special athlete from the first time Garrison attended the Garland softball summer camp at age 8.

05/28/2008

2008 Boys All-Area Golf
Cody Gribble doesn't measure progress in his game in the number of birdies he makes.

2008 Girls All-Area Golf
Weight lifting helped add 10 yards of length to the already prodigious drives of Bishop Lynch sophomore Amy Ruengmateekhun.

2008 All-Area Lacrosse
The lows and highs of sports. Highland Park senior football and lacrosse player Johnny McKnight experienced them both in a five-month span.

2008 Boys All-Area Track & Field

BRANDON THIBODEAUX / Special to DMN

Rowlett's Marquise Goodwin (left) and DeSoto's Skylar White combined to win seven medals at the state meet (five gold).

SportsDay presents its 2008 All-Area Track and Field Team, headed by Rowlett's Marquise Goodwin and DeSoto's Skylar White, the boys and girls athletes of the year, respectively. Check out the coaches and newcomers of the year, along with the first and second teams.
Video: Marquise Goodwin | Skylar White
Blog: High schools

2008 Girls All-Area Track & Field
DeSoto junior Skylar White was virtually unchallenged all season in the discus and shot put. But that mattered little to White when she arrived in Austin to defend her 5A state titles in both events.

2008 Boys All-Area Track & Field: First team
2008 Boys All-Area Track & Field: First team

2008 Girls All-Area Track & Field: First team
2008 Girls All-Area Track & Field: First team

05/21/2008

2008 All-Area Tennis

RICKY MOON / Special to DMN

Shelton's Casey Johnson (left) lost only seven games in winning the TAPPS 5A title. Coppell's Carson Kadi reached state four straight years.

SportsDay presents its 2008 All-Area Tennis team, headed by Shelton's Casey Johnson and Coppell's Carson Kadi, the girls and boys players of the year, respectively. Check out the rest of the team, including first and second teams in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Blog: High schools

04/30/2008

All-Area Hockey Team
Greg Douglas can't get enough hockey. That was evident Feb. 10.

All-Area Boys Soccer
A new season brought a new role for Sam Garza. The results didn't change as Marcus repeated as Class 5A boys champion.

All-Area Girls Soccer
Hebron senior Kelsey Blincow was officially listed as a forward. But, it was just as easy to spot her in the back or in the middle. Right side. Left side. Or in the center. Blincow was everywhere.

03/26/2008

SportsDay's All-Area Boys Basketball Team

RICKY MOON / Special to DMN

Willie Warren, an Oklahoma signee, was named the Most Valuable Player in the state-title game.

North Crowley's Willie Warren, SportsDay's Player of the Year, played in the McDonald's All-American Game. He was named the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches' 5A player of the year. But those are individual honors. Warren's high point this season was leading North Crowley to the Class 5A state title.
Video: All-Area boys basketball
• First, second, third teams
Blog: High schools

All-Area Boys Basketball: First team
All-Area Boys Basketball: First team

03/19/2008

All-Area Girls Basketball

WILLIAM DESHAZER / DMN

Junior Kimetria Hayden had 22 points, nine rebounds and four steals in Lincoln's state-title game victory over Dickinson.

Kimetria Hayden's season was notable not just for how it ended - with she and her Lincoln teammates winning the Class 4A girls basketball state title - but also for the consistency with which she performed. Hayden, who scored at least 14 points in 27 of her 29 games, is SportsDay's player of the year for 2008.
Video: All-area girls basketball
• 2008 All-Area Girls Basketball Team
Blog: High schools

2008 All-Area Girls Basketball Teams
All-Area Girls Basketball: First team

03/12/2008

2008 All-Area Wrestling

NATALIE CAUDILL / DMN

St. Mark's senior Ben Grisz and Frisco Centennial senior Emily Martin are SportsDay's wrestlers of the year.

Ben Grisz's wrestling days are over. He will play college baseball and hopes for a major league career. Emily Martin hopes to wrestle in the Beijing Olympics this summer. Grisz and Martin are the boys and girls wrestlers of the year. Check out the rest of SportsDay's 2008 All-Area Wrestling Team.
  Video: Ben Grisz | Emily Martin
• All-Area Teams: Boys | Girls
Blog: High schools

2008 All-Area Boys Wrestling
2008 All-Area Boys Wrestling

2008 All-Area Girls Wrestling
2008 All-Area Girls Wrestling

03/05/2008

2007-08 All-Area Girls Swimming
2007-08 All-Area Girls Swimming

2007-08 All-Area Boys Swimming
2007-08 All-Area Boys Swimming

02/20/2008

Track and field season preview

RICKY MOON / Special to DMN

Arlington Lamar's 4x400 relay team (from left) - Shane Manu, Alex Teator, Byron Steele, Marquette Burnett and Rumeal Prince.

As ususal the Dallas area is chock full of talented track and field teams and athletes. Check out our season preview, with profiles of DeSoto thrower Skylar White, Arlington Lamar's 4x400 relay team, Royse City jumper Megan Frausto and Frisco Centennial runner Cole Reveal, as well as other boys and girls athletes to watch.
Blog: High schools

UIL state swimming preview
UIL state swimming preview

UIL state wrestling preview
UIL state wrestling preview

02/13/2008

2008 Baseball Season Preview
Duncanville's new coach has link to its winning past; Imhoff aims to again give Arlington Martin a power surge; Rowlett senior looks to boost power numbers; New coach injects energy, fresh approach at Plano.

2008 Softball Season Preview
Denton Ryan motivated by final loss; Garland looks to make history, win three titles in a row; First baseman is a big hit in Waxahachie; McKinney North not bothered by big changes.

2008 Tennis Season Preview
Garland Christian sophomore has path to follow; Finding a doubles partner easy at Highland Park; Coppell senior takes one more crack at crown; Frisco Legacy junior takes aim at another title.

2008 Golf Season Preview
Mansfield girls know their history well; Plano West boys hope state title is in the cards; St. Mark's freshman makes an early splash; Sophomore wears multiple hats at Kaufman.

01/11/2008

2008 Boys Soccer Season Preview
Jesuit coach Charles De Long loves senior leadership. Given that he has 13 seniors, it's no surprise that he loves his team's chances.

2008 Girls Soccer Season Preview

ERIC KAYNE / DMN

Amanda Fancher (left) and Katie Dagenais are back after helping The Colony win the Class 4A title in 2007.

UIL soccer begins today and a couple of area girls teams - The Colony in Class 4A and Plano West in 5A - hope to defend state titles. Jesuit's boys will rely on a senior-laden lineup, and Ruben Luna is the key to the North Mesquite boys' hopes. Check out these stories and more in SportsDay's boys and girls season previews.

03/11/2008

2007 All-Area Baseball

LISA LEVRIER / DMN

Brittany Barnhill (left) struck out 487 batters this season. Blake Beavan is the Rangers' first-round draft choice.

Irving's Blake Beavan and Justin Northwest's Brittany Barnhill have a few things in common. Their initials start with the letter 'B.' They're pitchers, seniors and just about unhittable. Oh, and there's something else. They are the 2007 SportsDay players of the year in baseball and softball, respectively.
Video: Beavan | Barnhill