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
24: Clark’s spot in the final MaxPreps Top 25 girls basketball rankings. The Cougars (34-3) captured the UIL Class 6A state championship, defeating DeSoto 42-37 on March 3 at the Alamodome. It was their first state crown and second for a San Antonio school. Judson won in 2019, also defeating DeSoto.

Arianna Roberson, who was named most outstanding player after posting 24 points and 15 rebounds vs. DeSoto and averaged 23 points and 13 rebounds for the tournament, was named to MaxPreps’ All-American team for juniors. Natalie Huff was selected to the all-tournament squad after scoring 15 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer with one second left during the Cougars’ 49-48 win vs. Coppell in the state semifinals.

Clark coach Rihana Houy was chosen as the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s Class 6A-5A coach of the year.

7: Home runs hit by the Boerne softball team during its 15-0 win vs. Bandera on April 3. Ava Nieto had three home runs, Ava Rodriguez added two and Taryn Madlock and Taylor Wilson each had one apiece. The Greyhounds (23-8) have racked up 35 HRs in 31 games.

Notebook
Stepping down: Boerne Champion girls soccer coach Kara Walters has resigned from the teaching/coaching profession to focus on working at a family business. She had a 219-85-22 overall coaching record in 15 seasons.

Walters coached the Chargers for six seasons (2018-2023), compiling a 112-30-8 record and guiding her teams to the 2022 UIL Class 5A state semifinals, 2018 regional semifinals and the regional quarterfinals in 2019, 2021 and 2023.

Before moving to Boerne Champion, Walters coached for seven seasons (2011-2017) at San Antonio Christian, recording a 107-55-14 mark. The Lions won the 2015 TAPPS Division II state championship, were state finalists in 2016 and state semifinalists in 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Boerne Champion has qualified for the UIL playoffs in each of its 15 varsity seasons (the 2020 season was halted before the postseason started because of the COVID-19 pandemic), amassing a 246-94-40 record, advancing to four state tournaments (2009, 2010, 2017, 2022) and two regional tournaments (2011, 2018).

Statewide honor: Boerne boys soccer coach Michael Strong has been selected as the 2021-22 Texas coach of the year by the UIL and National Federation of State High School Associations. He is scheduled to be honored during halftime of Friday’s Class 4A boys state final at Birkelbach Field in Georgetown.

Strong led the Greyhounds to their second straight 4A state crown in 2022. A bid for a three-straight title fell just short this season as Boerne (26-4-2) lost to Hidalgo 3-2 in penalty kicks in the Region IV-4A final in Corpus Christi on April 8.

A former standout player at Alamo Heights, Strong is in his fifth season at Boerne and has guided his team to five consecutive district titles. He previously coached the Boerne girls squad for a season, leading it to a league crown, and earlier this season amassed his 100th career victory.

terrence@terrencesports.com
Twitter: @sa_terrence1