PLAYBOOK Sports 8A Home Delivery: 972-424-9504 Allen American Thursday, February 20, 2014 starlocalmedia.com ALLEN AND LOVEJOY BOYS BASKETBALL Chip off their shoulders Nickal earns exclusive invite Allen senior and Penn State ALLEN WINS FIRST 5A PLAYOFF GAME, LOVEJOY commit Bo Nickal will wrestle SNEAKS INTO AREA ROUND WITH OT WIN collegiately in Pennsylvania for the Nittany Lions for the ETHAN GRANT ments can’t touch. next four years starting this [email protected] “It’s great for these “It’s really exciting for fall. The winless playoff game kids to finally get that these kids and the program,” On March 16, Nickal will monkey on the back of the first win. They put in McCullough said, “and just travel to the Keystone State as Allen boys basketball program changing the direction of an invitee for the 2014 Dapper hadn’t stopped growing in 31 the time, they worked where we’re headed and what Dan Classic, an event that pits years heading into Tuesday hard and to finally see we’re all about these days.” top wrestlers across the night’s Class 5A bi-district Junior Olin Carter made United States against a Penn- showdown with Jesuit at that pay off with a sure there was little doubt the sylvania counterpart at each Richardson Berkner. playoff win is huge.” Eagles would be leaving weight class. Motivation for Lovejoy was- Berkner’s gym with a win early Nickal, who is fresh off n’t quite as steep against – JEFF MCCULLOUGH, on. He scored a game-high 25 Class 5A UIL state title at 170 Mount Pleasant at Grand ALLEN HEAD COACH points and victimized Jesuit’s pounds, was selected for the Saline, but the Leopards were defenders as Allen took a 36- same division at the tourna- somewhat stumbling into the Next up 22 halftime lead. ment. postseason after losing two of “We came out early and re- “I’m happy to go up there their final three games. Allen vs. Mesquite, 7:30 ally took it to them,” McCul- and represent not only Allen Both programs locked up a p.m. Friday at Naaman lough said. “We were playing and my family, but also the Forest spot in the area round of the Lovejoy vs. Whitehouse, really well (early), and our state of Texas,” Nickal said, playoffs with a big win. 7:30 p.m. Friday at kids were aggressive, attack- “because we don’t get a lot of The Eagles (No. 3 seed Eustace ing and really getting after it. recognition for wrestling. I’m from District 10-5A) jumped We just sat in that driver’s seat just glad to kind of help put us out to a commanding lead they worked hard and to fi- the rest of the game. on the map a little bit.” against the Rangers (No. 2 in nally see that pay off with a “Olin came out really hot, His opponent is expected to 9-5A), and never looked back playoff win is huge.” especially early on. [He] be Chance Marsteller, widely in a 70-47 triumph, thus end- From being state-ranked stepped up, played huge and regarded as the No. 1 170- ing a playoff win drought that the majority of the year and everybody else chipped in.” pounder in the nation, with had been active since 1983 giving the likes of Plano West Senior C.J. Winzer had 14 Nickal coming in at No. 2. and marking the program’s and Plano East fits in district points for the Eagles, who will first-ever postseason victory in play, the Eagles (23-8) have venture into the uncharted PHOTO COURTESY OF NEIL FONVILLE / TEXASSPORTSPHOTOS.COM Class 5A. had a campaign most pro- waters of the second round of Allen senior Jamuni McNeace (No. 4) scored nine points and hammered “It’s great for these kids to grams would envy. the playoffs at 7:30 p.m. Friday down this slam dunk in the Eagles’ 70-47 bi-district win over Jesuit Tues- finally get that first win,” said Clearing the playoff win versus Mesquite at Naaman day night. The victory was the program’s first 5A playoff win, and its first Jeff McCullough, Allen head hurdle carries a special signif- Forest. postseason triumph since 1983. coach. “They put in the time, icance those accomplish- See LEOPARDS, Page 9A ALLEN SWIMMING State Meet Qualifiers Allen Girls Sofie Underdahl (200 in- This year’s dividual medley, 100 freestyle) Welter debuts Sarah Vinezeano (100 butterfly) for Revs Sarah McDonald (100 Dr. Jennifer Welter made breaststroke) Rachel Colman (1-meter her highly anticipated debut at different diving) running back for the Texas 200 Medley Relay Revolution on Saturday night 200 Freestyle Relay in an exhibition outing from LADY EAGLES TARGET STRONG 400 Freestyle Relay the Allen Event Center against SHOWING AT STATE MEET Allen Boys the North Texas Crunch. Thomas Kim (100 breast- Welter’s pro debut resulted stroke) MATT WELCH on Friday and Saturday at the in three carries for minus-1 [email protected] 200 Medley Relay Lee and Joe Jamail Texas Swim yards in the Revolution’s 64-30 From the opening meet of Center at the University of drubbing of North Texas. the season in October through Texas at Austin, Allen believes see how they deal with that, but For more details on Texas’ regionals, it’s been another ban- it’s better equipped to make the relays and individuals have season-opening win, plus ner campaign for the Allen girls some noise at the UIL Class 5A visions of standing on that thoughts from Welter on her swim team. State Swimming and Diving podium.” experience on the men’s pro- Capturing championships at Championships and make last Similarly stacked entering fessional gridiron, go to: star- the District 9-5A and Region III- season a distant memory. state last season, the Lady Ea- localmedia.com. 5A levels are valued accolades “We’re much better posi- gles had the ingredients in in their own rights, but from the tioned this year,” Mitchell said. place for a strong finish before PHOTO COURTESY OF OLADIPO AWOWALE Sidekicks onset, all crosshairs have been “We have more individual disqualifications in the 200- and Allen sophomore Sofie Underdahl, middle, and the Lady Eagles stood zeroed in on state. swims. The relays haven’t been 400-yard freestyle relays left the atop the podium plenty of times at regionals. They hope for similar suc- begin playoffs That manuscript applied to pushed yet to go as fast as squad wondering what could cess this weekend at the UIL Class 5A State Swimming and Diving The Dallas Sidekicks will the 2012-13 squad as well, and they’ll need to, so I’m curious to See STATE, Page 9A Championships. take the indoor pitch at the Allen Event Center at 7:05 p.m. Saturday for the opening ALLEN FOOTBALL round of the PASL postseason. They’ll square off against the Monterrey Flash in a pair- ing of the No. 2 and No. 3 Attained vs. Acquired seeds in the Central Division. The Sidekicks rounded out the regular season in convinc- ‘STATE RINGS FOR ALL’ RIGHTFULLY IRKS THOSE WHO EARNED IT ing fashion, winning their final eight regular season We live in an “every- In high school, I was wear my state championship ring matchups for an overall body gets a trophy” so- the starting right fielder proudly (much to the chagrin of record of 14-2. That was ciety. for Dallas Christian’s my significant other). It’s a sym- enough to tie with first-place Right or wrong, 2007 TAPPS 5A state bol of what we accomplished as a Hidalgo La Fiera, who earned that’s the first thought championship-winning team. It’s a series of once in a the division’s No. 1 seed by that came to mind baseball team. lifetime moments visible with a virtue of holding the head-to- when I heard Allen In the title game ver- quick gaze at your finger. It’s a head tiebreaker against Dal- High School had ETHAN sus previously unbeaten reminder that even at the high las. teamed up with Balfour GRANT Prestonwood Christian school level, sports matter. Despite Monterrey being a to make commemora- STAY CLASSY Academy, we fended off So to the players from this divisional opponent, Saturday tive state championship the likes of future MLB year’s Allen football team that marks the first meeting of the rings available to the entire stu- draft picks Jordan Swagerty, won the program’s second con- season between the two. The dent body. Hunter Hill and Cameron Rupp secutive Division I Class 5A state Flash enter with a 13-3 PHOTO COURTESY OF NEIL FONVILLE / TEXASSPORTSPHOTOS.COM Call me old fashioned, but I’m en route to a 3-2 victory and im- title, my message to you is sim- record, with all three losses Allen football players celebrate on the field at AT&T Stadium after a 63-28 having a hard time justifying that mortalization in school lore. ple: coming to playoff teams. victory over Pearland clinched the program’s second consecutive UIL decision. Nearly seven years later, I still Class 5A Division I state title. See CONTROVERSY, Page 9A.