“PLAY BALL!” DEFINES EARLY WEEK SPORTS SCHEDULE

HIGH SCHOOL baseball and softball dominate the scene as soccer moves into
playoff mode. The start of the week also has a junior high track and field meet along
with the Rockets seeking to rest some of their roster against the lowly Bulls.
TODAY, SUNDAY: Rice University closes out a weekend series against Conference
USA rival Western Kentucky at Reckling Park beginning at noon. Clear Creek’s Zack
Esquivel and Parker Osburn represent the area on the Owls roster, with Esquivel
having made two starts on the mound this season for Rice, which entered the weekend
with a 9-14 overall record. Osburn has just one plate appearance thus far in this,
his freshman season.
TOMORROW, MONDAY: One high school baseball game is on the schedule as La
Marque travels to Hitchcock for a 6:00pm matchup between the two rivals.
The first day of conference track and field championships for area junior high schoolers
begins at Santa Fe’s Indian Stadium. The event is a sneak peek of athletes who
may someday find themselves in Austin for the state high school track and field finals.
TUESDAY: The high school baseball schedule starts with Manvel at Galveston Ball
at 6:00pm while Clear Creek at Alvin, Dickinson at Clear Springs, Clear Brook at
Friendswood, Fort Bend Willowridge at Santa Fe and Shadow Creek at Texas City
each begin at 7:00pm.
In softball, Friendswood at Alvin, Clear Falls at Clear Creek, Clear Brook at Dickinson,
Santa Fe at Fort Bend Elkins and Texas City at Fort Bend Marshall are each
6:30pm starts. Clear Falls at Clear Creek will open up action at 6:45pm.
Santa Fe and Texas City will be among the girls’ golf teams who will compete at
Eagle Pointe Golf Course in Baytown as the district championship meet looms. Barbers
Hill High School will play the role of host team.
The Rockets will be at home against the Bulls beginning at 7:00pm. With the top seed
in the Western Conference all but clinched, expect Houston to start resting players
as the playoffs loom. Chris Paul’s 24 points and nine assists led the way for the
Rockets in a 116-107 win at the Bulls on January 8 but Paul could be one of the players
who may use this game to rest. Regardless as to who suits up, AT&T Sportsnet
Southwest will have the game live starting with the pregame show at 6:30pm.