From the hardwood to the gridiron and beyond, taking a look back and ahead at the San Antonio-area high school sports landscape:

By the numbers
2,000: Career points for Holmes junior guard Crystal Aragon, who accomplished the feat during the Huskies’ game vs. Stevens on Jan. 19.

1,000: Career points for Judson junior guard Kayla King, who reached the plateau during the Rockets’ 39-33 win vs. San Marcos on Jan. 19.

1,000: Career points for Sotomayor sophomore guard Jordan Pete, who reached the milestone during her team’s 74-36 win vs. Stevens on Jan. 16.

1,000: Career points for McCollum sophomore guard Zoey Yanez, who attained the mark during the Cowgirls’ 65-41 win vs. Southside on Jan. 12.

500: Career wins for Reagan boys basketball coach John Hirst, who garnered the milestone during Wednesday’s 60-43 triumph vs. Marshall. Hirst is in his 14th season as head coach at Reagan and 23rd overall. He previously was head coach at Stevens and Los Fresnos and an assistant coach at Clark, McAllen High and Harlingen, his alma mater.

100: Total goals scored by La Vernia senior forward Cameron Martinez, who hit the standard during the Bears’ 6-0 win vs. Veterans Memorial on Jan. 19. Martinez is believed to be only the 11th area boys soccer player to reach the mark, joining Texas Military Institute’s Patricio Parra and Piper Lee, Southwest’s J.P. Ortiz, Julian Leon and Carlos Gonzalez, Taft’s Carl Junot and Jimmy Glenn, Clark’s Anthony Esquivel, Edison’s Gerardo Godina and Kennedy’s Luis Torres.

100: Career wins for Veterans Memorial senior wrestler Mia Taylor, who accomplished the feat during the Patriots’ tri-meet vs. Wagner and La Vernia on Jan. 17. Taylor is a two-time district champion, a three-time regional participant and qualified for the UIL Class 5A state tournament in 2022.

50: Consecutive games that Jay played vs. O’Connor in girls soccer without a win before a 1-0 decision at Farris Stadium on Jan. 17. Anabella Rodriguez scored off an assist from Larixsa Plascencia for the game-winner.

Notebook
Headed to the hall: Three former San Antonio area standout athletes, including two who were trailblazers, and a state championship-winning high school football coach made up this year’s San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame induction class.

Churchill graduate Andrea Williams, the late Julius Whittier, a Highlands alum, Holmes graduate Anjanette Kirkland and former Judson football coach Jim Rackley will be inducted on May 9 at the Henry B. González Convention Center.

Whittier, who died in 2018 after battling Alzheimer’s disease, was the first Black player to letter in football at the University of Texas. A statue of him stands outside Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin.

Williams, who played volleyball and basketball at Churchill and Texas A&M, is the first Black woman to serve as commissioner of an NCAA Division I conference (Big Sky Conference). Churchill’s all-time leading scorer in basketball (2,098 points), she was also chief operating officer for the College Football Playoffs, managing the national championship game, serving as primary liaison with the six bowl games — Rose, Sugar, Orange, Cotton, Fiesta, and Peach — that rotate as hosts for the semifinals, and overseeing the process for selecting sites for the title game. She is now chief experience officer for the NBA’s Utah Jazz.

Kirkland, who competed at Texas A&M, was a world-class hurdler who won gold in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2001 World Championships, defeating legendary Gail Devers. She captured the UIL state title in 100-meter hurdles in 1992 and was a three-time conference champion in 55-meter hurdles in college.

Rackley coached for more than 40 years but is best known for his 27 seasons on staff at Judson. He went 101-37 in 11 seasons (2001-2011) as the Rockets’ head coach, claiming a state title in 2002, finishing as state runner-up in 2005 and 2007 and reaching the state semifinals in 2004. He was an assistant coach on Judson’s 1983, 1993 and 1995 title-winning squads. Rackley, who had a 137-71-1 overall record, also was head coach at Southwest and Antonian. He was also an assistant coach at Clemens, Mathis and Central Catholic.

National recognition: Clark senior center Arianna Roberson has been chosen to play in the McDonald’s All-American game. The contest is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on April 2 at the Toyota Center in Houston.
The 6-foot-4 Roberson, who signed with Duke, is one of 24 players nationwide selected to participate in the annual game. She was named MVP after helping Clark win the UIL Class 6A state championship in 2023.

Area signings/commitments
Noelani Ajel, Steele basketball and soccer: Texas Lutheran

Nicholas Dudzikowski, Smithson Valley football: Colorado School of Mines

Miranda Garcia, McCollum basketball: Dallas Christian College

Star Hoyuela, Southwest volleyball: University of Southwest (New Mexico)

Jonah Johnson, Steele basketball: Texas Lutheran

Aubrey Lyssy, Madison volleyball: Delaware

Jaxson Maynard, Smithson Valley football: Texas-Rio Grande Valley

Kallee Meyer, New Braunfels Canyon soccer: Angelo State

Polamalu Nuu, New Braunfels Canyon football: Texas Wesleyan

Anaya Roberts, Brennan volleyball: Missouri University of Science and Technology

Sophia Rodriguez, Warren volleyball: Park University (Missouri)

Ryland Walker, Smithson Valley football: Mary Hardin-Baylor

terrence@terrencesports.com
Twitter: @sa_terrence1