Back on Track
After injury, Pearland's Gilbert Ibeneme is ready to tear it up
Matt Malatesta
Apr 26, 2018, 9:42 pm
Ibeneme has offers from Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Houston Vype
The Pearland Oilers got off to a rough start last season.
Coming off Hurricane Harvey, the Oilers opened with Manvel. The Mavs crushed Pearland 45-7, but the Oilers also lost one of their stars on defense in Gilbert Ibeneme with and ACL, MCL and meniscus injury.
“The rehab has been tough, but this whole process has pushed me to be a better me,” he said. “It’s driven me to come back faster and stronger.”
Ibeneme will be cleared in June and his injury hasn’t kept college recruiters from offering the 6-foot- 3, 255-pound defensive end.
“Recruiting is going well, but I’m not eyeing just one particular school at the moment,” he said. “I plan on going out of state this summer and checking out schools who have offered me.”
He has offers from the likes of Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Houston, just to name a few.
“My most memorable moment would have to be either receiving my first offer or the day I tore my ACL,” he said. “Both sides of the spectrum.”
While Ibeneme prepares for a breakout senior season, he will be playing for his third coach in three years. Legendary coach Tony Heath retired and gave way to interim James Farmer last season. The Oilers named Ricky Tullos as the new coach a few months ago.
“The new staff is cool,” he said. “Coach Tullos and I are already off to a good start along with the other new staff members. Culture wise, not too much has changed. We still seek the same things as any other school. That’s to win a state championship.”
Having been on the shelf last season, Ibeneme had time to watch his favorite players J.J. Watt, Khalil Mack and Von Miller, who he patterns his game after.
“In five years, I’d like to see myself in the NFL like those guys,” he said.
For now, the big-man is ready to test that knee under the Friday Night Lights.
This article appears in the April Issue of VYPE Magazine. Pick up your copy at any one of our locations today!
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Oswald Peraza hit a two-run single in the ninth inning to help the Los Angeles Angels snap a three-game losing skid by beating the Houston Astros 4-1 on Saturday night.
Peraza entered the game as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning and hit a bases-loaded fly ball to deep right field that eluded the outstretched glove of Cam Smith. It was the fourth straight hit off Astros closer Bryan Abreu (3-4), who had not allowed a run in his previous 12 appearances.
The Angels third run of the ninth inning scored when Mike Trout walked with the bases loaded.
Kyle Hendricks allowed one run while scattering seven hits over six innings. He held the Astros to 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position, the one hit coming on Jesús Sánchez’s third-inning infield single that scored Jeremy Peña.
Reid Detmers worked around a leadoff walk to keep the Astros scoreless in the seventh, and José Fermin (3-2) retired the side in order in the eighth before Kenley Jansen worked a scoreless ninth to earn his 24th save.
Houston’s Spencer Arrighetti struck out a season-high eight batters over 6 1/3 innings. The only hit he allowed was Zach Neto’s third-inning solo home run.
Yordan Alvarez had two hits for the Astros, who remained three games ahead of Seattle for first place in the AL West.
Key moment
Peraza’s two-run single to deep right field that broke a 1-1 tie in the ninth.
Key Stat
Opponents were 5 for 44 against Abreu in August before he allowed four straight hits in the ninth.
Up next
Astros RHP Hunter Brown (10-6, 2.37 ERA) faces RHP José Soriano (9-9, 3.85) when the series continues Sunday.