ROUND ROCK — The Leopards showed no love to the sequel of Magnolia West and its second state title run.
In a reversal of fortune for Magnolia West from the UIL Class 5A semifinal a year ago, Lucas Lovejoy, in its first state appearance, jumped on the Mustangs in the first inning and took it home from there for a 4-0 win Thursday evening at Dell Diamond.
Magnolia West (26-15-1), which finished in fourth place in District 21-5A, saw its state title defense come to an end. The Leopards (30-7-2) advance to the state title game to play either Grapevine (38-5) or Leander Rouse (34-9-1) at noon on Saturday.
“Today just didn’t go our way and that’s baseball,” Magnolia West coach Travis Earles said. “You’re gonna lose some games and it’s tough in this type of tournament where it’s one and done. But I couldn’t be more proud of our guys this season. The resilience of this group I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Last year in the state semifinals, Magnolia West held Frisco Reedy hitless until the seventh inning. The Leopards weren’t having that with a single and a double by the first two hitters and a three-run first inning. Magnolia West allowed just two runs combined in both state tournament games last year.
Senior right-hander Grant Harlan went six innings with just one hit allowed for the Leopards. He gave up five walks and Magnolia West left six on base. He struck out three.
“He hit his spots pretty well,” Magnolia West junior Caldwell McFaddin said. “He was sinker-slider and his stuff moved. He’s just a good pitcher. He hit wherever he wanted to and that was pretty much it.”
The Mustangs were held to just one hit — a single by Trey Jeanes in the top of the fifth.
“Lovejoy is a heckuva team and what they did better today was put the ball in play a little more and some of those found holes,” Earles said. “But we were never really out of it. There’s no quit in our guys ever.”
Lovejoy used its big college recruits to pull ahead in the bottom of the first against Magnolia West ace Dawson Park.
Leadoff man Logan Corley (TCU) reached on an infield single before Kyle Branch (Oklahoma) sliced a double down the left-field line.
Garrett Hutchins brought both runs home as he pushed a hard-hit ball through the legs of the Magnolia West first baseman. Hutchins was granted an RBI for the first run and the second run on the error.
Two batters later, Hutchins scored on a ball through the left side of the infield off the bat of Asher Lacy to make it 3-0.
The experienced Mustangs stood tough despite the deficit.
“We had a lot of game left,” McFaddin said. “Bottom of the first inning they scored three runs. We wanted to try and battle back as much as we could. We knew there was fight left. We put everything out there.”
Earles drew from a similar situation last week in Game 2 of the Region III-5A championship against Lake Creek.
“We were down 3-0 early and, you know, they did a good job over there,” Earles said.
The Mustangs, who went down in order in the first inning, loaded up the bases in the top of the second on a hit batter and two walks. Harlan, a senior Navarro College recruit, wiggled out of the two-out jam on a slow roller to second.
Lovejoy added a run to its lead in the bottom of third. Branch, who singled earlier, scored on a sacrifice fly to left for Lacy’s second RBI.
Park went the first three innings for the Mustangs while McFaddin, in his first pitching appearance since April 10, went the rest of the way with no additional runs allowed and just one single.
Thursday was the first time Magnolia West was shut out since its most recent loss — April 23 at Montgomery. That particular loss gave the Mustangs no breathing room the rest of the regular season. A win over the Bears three nights later helped force a tiebreaker game with College Station the following afternoon for the final playoff spot. The Mustangs won that game 8-3 and went on to win 10 straight playoff games after that.
“The fact that we were a week away from not making the playoffs and the fact that we were able to make it to Round Rock, it’s unbelievable,” McFaddin said. “Whether the game went our way today or not, it’s baseball. One ball doesn’t go your way, that’s baseball.”
The Mustangs entered the state semifinals 10-0 in the playoffs after sweeps of Lake Belton, Elgin, A&M Consolidated, Santa Fe and Lake Creek.
Magnolia West is 22-2 the past two postseasons.
“It just means last year wasn’t a fluke,” Earles said of being able to return to state. “We do things the right way around here. I’m very, very proud of our guys.”
Ten seniors graduate from a Magnolia West team that went 62-20-1 the past two years.
Summer is long and hot in Texas but we had a wonderful spring. Rainfall can be scarce in summer. The gardener needs to prepare for drought so that plants do not suffer from the heat. One of the most important and easiest methods to protect plants and the soil is to apply a thick layer of mulch in the garden. Mulch will keep the soil temperatures cooler, hold in moisture, and prevent weed seeds from germinating.
Rain is beneficial, but when a hard rain falls on bare ground, destruction of soil structure causes erosion. Mulch will protect the soil from erosion and from forming a crust that prevents water from soaking into the soil. Over time, the mulch will break down and add organic matter to the soil. Do not use dyed mulch as the dyes can be toxic to your plants.
If weeds are a problem, apply a layer of newspaper, 4-6 sheets thick, before adding the mulch. You can even lay cardboard before you mulch to areas with tough weed problems. Soak the cardboard first so that it will allow rainfall to penetrate the soil. Well-mulched beds will require less irrigation and have cooler soil temperature, protecting the plants from stress caused by heat. Plants are more susceptible to disease and pest problems when they are experiencing stress.
Choose drought-tolerant plants that can take the heat such as firecracker plant (Russelia equisetiformis), red rocket russelia (Russelia sarmentosa), rock rose (Pavonia lasiopetala), Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii), gayfeather (Liatris pycnostachya) and lantana.Lawn maintenance involves frequent mowing and infrequent watering. Set the mower at its highest setting. Cutting the lawn too short results in the grass using all its energy to grow the grass blade and no energy left for root development. Sharpen the mower blade monthly. Ragged cuts invite disease problems. Most lawns are over-watered. An inch a week, including rainfall, is enough.
When fertilizing plants, it is preferable to feed with a slow-release fertilizer before the hot weather arrives. Feeding with a high-nitrogen fertilizer will push the plant to grow too fast and “stress” the plant. A little organic fertilizer applied early in June will get your plants through the summer. A diluted application of liquid organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion or seaweed is beneficial. Research at several universities has shown that seaweed solution will actually help plants cope with stress. Scientists have observed a reduction of aphids, flea beetles, white flies, and spider mites on seaweed-treated plants. It is available in liquid and power form. Dilute according to directions and spray once a week on top and underside of foliage early in the morning or late in the evening when the stomata on the underside of the leaves are open.
Pick vegetables at their peak and pick early in the morning. Pick tomatoes at first blush of pink. Allow them to ripen indoors at room temperature. Also store tomatoes at room temperature — flavor is lost during refrigeration. Plant eggplant (plants), cantaloupe, okra, southern peas, sweet potato slips, pumpkin, watermelon, summer and winter squash.
Irrigate azaleas if rainfall is scarce – they are setting bud this summer. June or early July is the last time to pinch back fall-blooming salvias, mums, poinsettias and blackberries. Plant seeds/plants of summer annuals that like the heat – celosia, cleome, gomphrena, portulaca, and zinnia. Zinnia seeds require light for germination so cover lightly. Divide crowded spring blooming bulbs after the foliage has turned brown.
Watch for insects on plants (97% of insects are harmless or beneficial). Use the least-toxic effective method on pests – sometimes a hard spray of water is all that is needed. If a white, stocking-like web appears on tree trunks, leave it alone. It is a beneficial louse cleaning the tree.
Environmental conditions play a big part in plant problems and insect infestations. From year to year, weather patterns dictate the severity of insect problems. This year has been no exception. We have had a resurgence of the eastern tent caterpillars (Malacosoma Americanum) around the area.
We have been inundated with concerns that trees will die. That is not the case and the damage will only be brief in most cases. The tree will likely be unsightly for the remainder of the season. However, in many scenarios leaves will begin to regrow. I have witnessed a seen infestations of eastern tent caterpillars around our area and in our demonstration garden here at the office. There are four different tent caterpillars that frequent Texas: Eastern & Western, Forest and Sonoran tent caterpillars). They are distinguished in the larval stage by the following characteristics according to publication E-218 Tent Caterpillars:
• Eastern tent caterpillar has a solid white line down the center of its back.• Forest tent caterpillar has a row of “keyhole” or “boot print” white marks along the center of its back, one on each body part or segment.• Western tent caterpillars may sport a variety of markings and colors, but there is always a series of white dashes down the middle of the back. • Sonoran tent caterpillar lacks white marks down the middle of the back, but it has a series of yellow dashes and blue spots on each segment. Also, the third from the last abdominal segment is mostly black on the top surface.
Caterpillars are larval stages of moths and butterflies and feed on the foliage of trees, shrubs, weeds, etc. You will often notice little pellets (poop) on the car, sidewalk or driveway when they are actively feeding. Most of the time we notice the “tent” (pocket of webbing) that they use to protect themselves from predators. One alternative is to break open the webbing to allow predators to have a feast. We have a Possumhaw Holly in our demonstration gardens that has been severely overcome by the larvae. Almost the entire tree is covered with webbing. We used a rake and broom to break open the webbing. Within minutes, predatory wasp and birds began swooping in and feeding on the exposed larvae.
If plants or trees begin to lose leaves; become bare or thin out excessively you may want to apply a natural pesticide like Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Leaves need to be thoroughly coated and the product must be re-applied after several days of direct sunlight or after a rain event occurs. The product only works if treated leaves are ingested by the feeding larva. It is always important to apply the product according to the label. Be careful not to spray or apply Bt to butterfly host plants.
Severe infestations may require a contact insecticide containing; permethrin, lambda- cyhalothrin, cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, fluvalinate, esfenvalerate, carbaryl, acephate or malathion. Just remember to read the label for application instructions. Also, when using contact insecticides, be sure to spray on days when winds are below 8 mph. This will help protect fish ponds or streams, other aquatic organisms and not to mention pets and neighbors.
Don’t forget to send your garden questions to Plant Answers at 9020 Airport Rd., Conroe TX 77303 or e-mail me at mpotter@ag.tamu.edu.
Most Conroe residents probably don’t notice the city’s three 100-foot-tall pine trees that aren’t pine trees at all.
Conroe has three “monopines” which are cell towers meant to blend into the landscape disguised as pine trees while bringing greater cellular coverage to the city.
Here is what to know about Conroe’s monopines:
NEW BUSINESSES: Escape rooms, ramen and bubble tea shops among the new Montgomery County businesses opening soon
What is a monopine?
A monopine is a creative way to disguise what could have been deemed an unsightly cell tower into something that blends into the natural landscape. On the edge of the East Texas piney forest, a pine tree was the most likely tall object to fit in. A pine tree is also incorporated into Conroe’s logo and branding.
In other parts of the country, the cell towers are other things to blend in with the natural setting. In Arizona, cell towers are disguised as large cactus plants. In Florida, they are palm trees.
Other parts of the U.S. have them as a part of church bell towers, water towers, public art pieces, large crosses and in nearby College Station a cell tower has been transformed into a tall flag pole. The pine tree design seems to be the most popular across the country.
There is even a photo database dedicated to different ways cell towers are disguised.
How did Conroe get a monopine?
The first monopine was placed in 2016 in the 1000 block of Wilson Road on the grounds of the Iglesia Gracia Abundante Conroe church.
In 2016, then Director of Community Development Nancy Mikeska said the first monopine was a compromise between Conroe and North Carolina-based Eco-Site Inc.
Mikeska is now assistant city administrator and director of community development for Conroe.
Eco-Site installed the $38,000 tower for T-Mobile.
“No city wants to have an abundance of cell towers sticking up everywhere; but on the other hand, we do not want to be the city where cellular service is substandard,” Mikeska said in a 2016 article. “The camouflage struck a balance that serves both concerns. Concealing the tower was a specific directive from the council. I think the end result is better than everyone involved could have imagined.”
John Mangiameli, chief building official for Conroe, said shortly after the first monopine was placed, the City Council changed the ordinance so that any cell tower that was constructed within Loop 336 has to be a camouflaged tower.
The disguised towers are approved up to 100 foot and must not be within an 800-foot radius of a residential area. Each tower owner is responsible for the maintenance of the tower and the associated camouflaging.
He said the plan encourages “co-location” where multiple cell companies can use the same tower. Conroe’s monopines are able to allow for three antennas within each monopine.
THE WOODLANDS: How The Woodlands drew from pioneering developments to inspire master-planned communities worldwide
Blending into the landscape
Another monopine was installed in 2018 at South Main south of downtown Conroe near Mill Avenue. The most recent one was constructed in 2023 at North Loop 336 behind Reaves Elementary School and iStorage storage facility.
He said they fit in so well to the landscape, most people don’t notice them.
“Honestly, I think most people are not even aware they exist because they do blend in rather well if they are designed correctly,” Mangiameli said.
Will there be more?
Because of Conroe’s rapid growth and the many residential areas in the city, Mangiameli does not foresee more of the monopine towers in the city at this time or for the issue to come before council anytime soon.
He said “tower scouts” work to identify areas where a tower is feasible. In recent years, a scout tried to identify several areas within Loop 336 where a new tower could be placed and each time the proximity was too close to a residential area.
Several businesses are coming to Montgomery County, adding more food and entertainment options for residents such as a ramen shop and a venue where people can face off with friends through a series of games.
These businesses are coming to the Shenandoah and Montgomery areas, with some expected to open over the summer.
WOODLANDS HEADQUARTERS: 9 companies that have expanded or moved their headquarters into The Woodlands
Here’s what’s coming to the county:
Shenandoah
With Pluckers Wing Bar announcing the opening a Shenandoah location off Interstate 45 and David Vetter Boulevard, other restaurants and entertainment venues are expected to come to the city north of The Woodlands.
Three entertainment venues are expected to open in the Metropark Square off Metropark Drive.
ELVIS TRIBUTE: By day, Conroe’s Jordan Smith is a molding operator. At night, he’s a budding Elvis tribute artist.
Game Show Battle Rooms, an entertainment venue, is expected to open in August, according to its website. The venue offers a “game show” experience, offering three different game rooms that include themes from shows such as “Family Feud,” “Wheel of Fortune” and “The Price Is Right.”
BRKThrough is a Kansas-based entertainment venue, offering 40 immersive high-tech challenge rooms across 22,000 square feet and blends physical, mental, and skill-based challenges. While an official opening date wasn’t shared, the venue is expected to be built by Dec. 5, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Escapology is an escape room venue, where teams of two to eight players race against the clock to find clues, solve puzzles, and decode the locks to escape the adventure game room within 60 minutes. While an official opening date wasn’t shared, the venue is expected to be built by July 1, according to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
A bubble tea shop and ramen restaurant are also expected to open in the Metropark Square.
TBAAR is a New York City-based bubble tea shop that also serves milk foam drinks, smoothie, fresh tea and lemonades. No official opening date for the shop was provided.
Kyuramen is a nationwide ramen restaurant that also serves rice burgers and omurice. No official opening date for the restaurant was provided.
At the Sam Moon Shopping Center off Interstate 45, KPOT Korean BBQ and Hot Pot is expected to open, giving the experience where visitors gather around a table and cook their own food — offering more than 50 of meats, seafood, vegetables, tofu and noodles. No official opening date for the restaurant was provided.
Montgomery
McDonald’s recently opened at the Woodforest community off Fish Creek Thoroughfare.
The grand opening for the restaurant is set for June 29, which will include giveaways, deals, games and prizes, said Blake Steele of the CKP public relations firm. The franchise is owned and operated by Woodforest resident Steve McKinney, according to a release by the community.
For more information, visit woodforest.com.
This Saturday features a huge wine and food extravaganza with over 50 food chefs cooking for the esteemed title of Chef of Chefs earning not only the coveted title, but also a Waterford Crystal Trophy and $5,000.
This Saturday will mark the climax of the 20th Annual Wine & Food Week in The Woodlands. The Wine Rendezvous Grand Tasting and Chef Showcase has been touted as one of the most spectacular wine and culinary events in the country with this year being special as 20 years of culinary crafts and premium wines featured for your pleasure from 7 to 10 p.m.
Explore the wide variety of wines available during this three hours of lavish tasting. This event will feature a wide variety of wines besides the normal Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Zinfandel, Sangiovese, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Grigio. I recommend doing wine exploring looking for the rarer offerings to expand that wine palette of yours. Look for Cabernet Franc, Mavrud, Tannat, Barbaresco, Aglianico, Pirouette, and Viognier. Also experience a Texas-sized round-up of sparkling wines from a variety of regions. The list of wine opportunities to sample during this three hours of wine sampling extends into a wonderful palette of tastes to try and put into your wine-sipping repertoire.
If the finer life is more your style, try the lavish VIP Luxury Lounge within the area for this Saturday evening event. Indulge in luxury with crème de la crème wine selections only available in this posh, sequestered, gated playground. Rub elbows with Wine and Food Week special guests, celebrities, media, and food judges throughout the evening. This VIP Lounge is a “step up” culinary extravaganza for the decadent taste bud enthusiasts.Forty-four world-class chefs will be competing with their food creations being offered to all of the guests, being the same creations that will be brought by trays to the 12 esteemed judges of the Judging Panel on stage during the event. The winning Chef will be announced near the end of this culinary night to remember.
This event kicks off at 6:45 this Saturday evening with the induction of food couple Chris Shepherd and Lindsey Brown into the Wine & Food Week Hall of Fame for their decades of culinary achievements, including the formation of the Southern Smoke Foundation. Chris and Lindsey co-founded this institution, which has distributed more than $11.3 million directly to needy people in the food and beverage industry via the Emergency Relief Fund. A bottle of sparkling wine is then normally popped and poured by the founders of Wine and Food Week to celebrate the induction and formally welcome the event’s patrons.
Clifton and Constance McDerby co-founded Food and Vine Time which is the host of this event. H. E. B. Grocery has been an ongoing and faithful supporter of this event for the 20 years of this event. Goya Foods is also a big supporter. Limited tickets are still available for this huge event at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and Convention Center and can be obtained online at www.WineandFoodWeek.com. I will be there in my tuxedo, Stetson and boots for this cocktail attire event. Will I see you there?
When the weather gets cooler in October, look for the Market Street Wine Stroll in The Woodlands.
Ron Saikowski may be reached at rsaikowski@comcast.net.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
Rated R for some sexual references, language throughout and strong violenceRotten Tomatoes Score: 69%In Theaters
Trying to resurrect his career after the slap heard around the world, Will Smith reunites with Martin Lawrence for a fourth Bad Boys film. As the film begins, Mike (Smith) is getting married as Marcus (Lawrence) has a heart attack while going a little crazy at the wedding. While dead, Marcus has a vision of what is to come, with a premonition that things are about to get crazy. And they do.
Without much of a break, the plot starts to thicken as they find out that their deceased boss has been framed for working with the cartels and they must find a way to clear his name and stop a huge wave of crime from hitting both Miami and the police department. My biggest concern going in was whether I would be able to separate my disgust of what Smith did in real life enough to appreciate him again. It’s not our job to forgive him, but it is a task just to forget what happened. That being said, Smith, now an Oscar winner, is a very talented actor and he manages to allow you to sidestep his real-life issues long enough to enjoy his new adventure.
And it helps that this new chapter of Bad Boys is very entertaining. Just like the others, the action and comedy are both in full force, creating a scenario where your laughs and thrills hit in equal measure. From the very beginning, the jokes hit, and the laughter penetrates between action sequence to keep you fully engaged and excited for nearly two hours. Sure, there are some problems throughout, with silly script issues and some terrible character choices. But the movie allows you to ignore the issues just long enough to get you to the next plot point, and for the most part, this is a triumphant return for both Smith and Lawrence, each of whom was struggling coming into this project. I must admit that I hardly remember a thing from 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, but thankfully, the movie doesn’t require much of a memory, and you are quickly tied up into the action before you can realize that you don’t really know exactly what is going on.
So honestly, I don’t see a need to rewatch unless you really get a hankering. So while I still can’t condone Smith’s notorious Oscar night shenanigans, I still found a way to enjoy his latest outing, leaving the theater with a bigger smile on my face than I thought would be possible for this project. B
The weather may be hot outside, but there’s cool offerings inside Conroe’s two downtown theaters this summer.
The historic Crighton Theatre and nearby Owen Theatre have shows planned throughout the summer.
Here’s what to know about what’s going on at downtown Conroe’s theaters this summer.
CRIME PREVENTION: New Montgomery crime prevention district to help fund police salaries, new facility
The Billy Joel Experience
The “Piano Man — The Billy Joel Experience” is coming to the Crighton Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The show promises to entertain crowds with a tribute to performer Billy Joel. Starring pianist and vocalist Tim Georgeff, as the “Piano Man,” Georgeff and his band focus on details to authentically recreate Joel’s music and live-stage performances, in both sound and vision.
Tickets are $60 and can be purchased on the Crighton Theatre website. The theater is at 234 N. Main St.
“Butterflies Are Free”
The Players Theatre Company will close out its 2023-24 season with the four-person American comedy-drama “Butterflies Are Free.” The show opens at the Owen Theatre at 225 Metcalf St. in downtown Conroe June 21 and continues weekends through July 7.
Set in the 1970s, Don Baker, a blind young man, moves into his own apartment against the wishes of his overprotective mother. Jill Tanner, the freethinking young woman next door, takes a liking to him and his meticulously kept apartment. As they begin a closer relationship, Don’s mother, Mrs. Baker, enters to “help” her son navigate his new life.
Shawn Havranek directs. The cast includes Carlos A. Soto as Don, Christina Taylor Wood as Jill, Peg Sampson as Mrs. Baker and David Chapin as Ralph.
Tickets are $25 at owentheatre.com or by calling the box office at 936-539-4090.
“Beauty and the Beast”
Stage Right of Texas, resident theater troupe of the Crighton Theatre in downtown Conroe, presents “Beauty and the Beast” July 5-21.
Based on the hit 1991 Disney animated feature and dating back to a late 18th-century classic French fairy tale, “Beauty and the Beast” tells the story of Belle, a beautiful and intelligent young woman who feels out of place in her provincial French village and tells of her relationship with the Beast who has imprisoned her father.
Sara Preisler directs and Melisa Argüello is “Belle.” Tickets are $20 to $30 and can be purchased on the Crighton Theatre website.
“Rocky Horror Show” fundraiser
From July 13-21, The Players host “The Rocky Horror Show 2024 Fundraiser” at the Owen Theatre. In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter played here by Colton Land. They are quickly swept up in the scientist’s latest experiment, and the night’s misadventures cause Brad and Janet to question everything.
Tickets are $30 on the Owen Theatre website.
“Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat”
The students of the annual Jim Bingham Summer Youth Camp held each July at the Crighton Theatre will present “Joseph & The Technicolor Dreamcoat” Aug. 1-4.
The camp for young actors is named for Jim Bingham the 30-year executive director of the Crighton Theatre. He died in July 2022 at age 71.
The show is based on the story of Joseph from the Book of Genesis in the Bible. Tickets are $8 to $15 and may be purchased on the Owen Theatre website.
ELVIS IN THE HOUSE: By day, Conroe’s Jordan Smith is a molding operator. At night, he’s a budding Elvis tribute artist.
“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”
Christian Youth Theater presents “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” Aug. 9-18 at the Crighton Theatre.
In the play, an eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts sets about restoring an old race car from a scrap heap with the help of his children, Jeremy and Jemima. They soon discover the car has magical properties, including the ability to float and take flight.
Ashlie Driver directs and Stephen Driver plays Caractacus Potts. Tickets go on sale at midnight June 29. Tickets are $25 to $28 and may be purchased on the Christian Youth Theater website.
The Magnolia West Mustangs have had some horses on the mound in recent years, but a pair of 2023 seniors carried them to new heights.
Now NCAA Division I pitchers, James Ellwanger (Dallas Baptist) and Caylon Dygert (UT-Arlington) reached legendary status for the western Montgomery County school, which opened in 2006, by shouldering the load in the program’s memorable run to last year’s UIL Class 5A state championship.
Ellwanger will be remembered for his 17-strikeout, near-no-hit performance in the semifinals against Frisco Reedy. Dygert, who secured the final out for the save in that one, then came out for seven innings in the Round Rock heat two days later to spin a five-hitter in which Argyle threatened only in the bottom of the seventh.
Those two combined for a 16-2 record. Both had an ERA under 1.00, and they totaled 241 strikeouts, led by Ellwanger’s 141.
A year later, Magnolia West (26-14-1) is back at the state tournament with a stockpile of pitchers who aren’t quite at the level of an Ellwanger or Dygert but have thrown well enough to get the team in a spot to defend its state title. It’s now a matter of pitching in that big setting that is Dell Diamond, where the Mustangs will face state tournament first-timer Lucas Lovejoy (29-7) at 4 p.m. Thursday in the semifinals.
RELATED: Breaking down state semifinal matchups for Magnolia West, Pearland and Tomball
With such dominant seasons by Ellwanger and Dygert, the 2023 All-Greater Houston Pitcher of the Year, coach Travis Earles didn’t have to rely on many arms beyond them. A major story line for the 2024 Mustangs was about who was going to pitch.
That wasn’t the only challenge. Perched on its defending state champion pedestal, Magnolia West has routinely dealt with the opposition’s best shot.
“That group busting us through to win a state championship is extremely hard to do,” Earles said Monday as the Mustangs practiced. “And all these guys watched it. They either played on that team or they watched it from the stands. They kind of know what the expectations are if you want to do this. But the second time making this run is totally different, and it has totally different challenges that that first group never had.
“Nobody knew who we were. Nobody knew where Magnolia was necessarily as a baseball town. Now they know. What this group has had to go through has been extreme, because everyone knows who we are. We get everybody’s ‘A’ game all the time.”
Once the season got going in February, injuries and struggles materialized. It was an up-and-down path, and the Mustangs were 24 hours away from possibly going home and not even making the playoffs. In late April, a Friday night win over Montgomery in the regular-sesaon finale and a tiebreaker victory over College Station the following afternoon solidified fourth place in District 21-5A. Since then, the Mustangs have gone 10-0 in the postseason.
“On the mound, we have eight or nine guys that we are very comfortable with that are going to give us a chance to win,” Earles said of his staff, which has allowed 16 earned runs in the playoffs.
Texas State commit Dawson Park, a senior more known at the plate and for his play at shortstop, became the default ace as he remained healthy and effective on the mound throughout the season. Junior Caldwell McFaddin, a Baylor commit, was sort of the co-ace until he had to be shut down midway through district play. Senior Jayton Harral, the team’s most experienced pitcher from a year ago, spent the first three-quarters of the season recovering from surgery, and senior Connor Bostain emerged down the stretch as a guy who could eat up some innings.
Park, a senior who grew up pitching and threw during summer leagues, has grabbed his opportunity and run with it. He has won all three of his postseason starts, and last Friday, in Game 2 of the Region III-5A championship against Lake Creek, he came on in relief in the sixth inning, shutting down the Lions after the Mustangs had gone ahead. The 6-foot righty didn’t allow a baserunner and struck out the final three batters he faced in the bottom of the seventh.
“The big thing was just being a senior and stepping up for the guys,” said Park, who is is 9-5 in 2024 after throwing about 30 varsity pitches last year. “It was definitely a big role to follow from last year. But as far as pitching goes, just get ahead in the count and keep it to as small an amount of pitches as you can in each at-bat.”
Earles lauded Park, the team’s leadoff man and a .386 hitter,, for his versatility and willingness to do what it takes.
“Throwing 100 pitches and coming back two days later to play shortstop, not everybody can do that,” Earles said. “Dawson Park can.”
McFaddin logged crucial innings in the season’s early months, but arm fatigue resulted in his being shut down. Earles said McFaddin will have the opportunity to throw between 40-45 pitches at state.
“We would not be here if it wasn’t for Caldwell throwing those innings that he’s thrown during district play,” Earles said.
Harral, who has become a de facto series opener of late, didn’t play this season until coming on in relief in the second-to-last district game. The Frank Phillips College commit, who logged some varsity innings the first month of the 2023 season, had UCL surgery on his throwing arm performed in August, with a six-month timetable to return.
“It’s just been a grind to get back,” Harral said. “I really haven’t had an injury like this. It feels amazing to be back and help the team.”
With the mix of injuries, Bostain has added some big innings.
“Connor Bostain does everything right all the time and works his butt off,” Earles said. “He’s been rewarded with some starts for us. He started Game 1 of the first round and Game 1 of the second round and got wins by going four or five innings. The fact that he’s made the most of his opportunities has been awesome for him.”
Bostain, who holds some JUCO offers, returned to the mound to start Game 2 last Friday against Lake Creek. He didn’t pitch the two rounds prior due to a broken non-throwing hand. He lasted just an out and nine pitchers as the Lions jumped up 1-0 quickly. He’ll be fresh and ready for the state tournament.
“We’ve all had to step up this year because we lost a lot of guys,” Bostain said.
Park, Harral and Bostain all admitted they’ve learned from and picked the brains of Ellwanger and Dygert.
“I learned a lot,” Harral said. “A lot of my training revolves around those two guys. Those are absolutely pristine and hardworking men.”
Said Bostain, “They taught me a lot about pitch command and location. And they threw really well.”
Nolan Cruz, Lukas Huff and Cody Palacios have also contributed on the mound this season. Cruz is typically the first one out of the bullpen, while Earles has been impressed with how Huff and Palacios, who start at other positions, have provided big innings without warm-up time in the pen.
“When they got their opportunity, they’ve been lights-out,” Earles said of the collective group of pitchers. “But it’s lights-out in a different way. They’re not running it 98 (mph) and stuff like some of our guys last year. They’re just good pitchers. They’re good baseball players. They’re tough as nails. All the stuff you think about when you think about Magnolia West baseball players.”
Park, who provided a big RBI in last year’s state semifinal, is experienced in stepping into the batters’ box at Dell Diamond and taking his place on the infield. He’s now ready to see the mound.
“Just do what you can to win,” Park said. “Whatever it takes.”
Growth in the city of Montgomery has spurred officials to create a district to help support law enforcement by funding a new state-of-the-art facility, salaries and equipment.
The Crime Control and Prevention District, which was created during a May 28 board meeting, isn’t a new concept, said Mayor Sara Countryman, noting that Jersey Village created a district in the late ’90s. And as the city continues to outgrow the current city hall building — which both city staff and the police department share — Countryman said officials were looking for creative ways to finance another facility.
FLOOD CONTROL: Houston officials scrapped post-Harvey flood control system before May overflow
“We do have an (economic development corporation) and they’re sitting on a good substantial amount of cash,” Countryman said.
“If we can take some of that and put it towards a crime prevention district … I really think that it’s really going to help us get our police department in a state-of-the-art building.”
The new district would also help fund salaries and equipment, according to city documents.
Currently, the Montgomery Economic Development Corp. receives a half cent sales tax within city limits, according to the city’s website. The new district would collect half of what the economic development corporation earns — ¼ of a percent.
The economic development corporation made $1.2 million in 2023, Countryman said. Both districts would each earn $600,000 based on that model.
“Rather than going out to bond or raising people’s taxes, if we can reallocate money that’s already coming in, we’re happy to do that,” Countryman said.
The district’s board consists of 10 members, including the mayor, the police chief, the city administrator, a couple of council members, a resident and officials from two other police agencies.
WOODLANDS HEADQUARTERS: 9 companies that have expanded or moved their headquarters into The Woodlands
While the district’s board was created during the meeting in May, voters would still need to approve in November whether to reallocate sales tax revenue toward the new district, Countryman said. In the meantime, the board will be campaigning for the new district, she said.
“I’m excited for what this does for residents and what this does for safety work,” Countryman said. “We’re experiencing rapid growth. And with that … it sucks up resources. There’s crime that comes with it. And we have more people moving in that we don’t know and people coming through the city that we don’t know. And we want to make sure our residents and taxpayers are safe.”
