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The Mustangs finished fourth in District 16-6A
Originally Appeared on VYPE
WHILE NIMITZ WON THE DISTRICT TITLE, IT WAS ALDINE WHO STOLE THE HEADLINES, REACHING THE REGIONAL FINALS IN THE POSTSEASON – ONE GAME AWAY FROM THE STATE TOURNEY.
The Mustangs finished fourth in District 16-6A, behind the Cougars, Westfield and Eisenhower. Obviously, the 'Stangs were saving their best for last.
Aldine got hot, beating nationally recognized The Woodlands, Cypress Lakes, Langham Creek and Sachse, before falling to College Park in the fifth-round. Leading the way were Raymond Chairez, Elvin Rodriguez, Cesar Ramirez and Kelvin Vazquez.
Nimitz won their first-round game against Klein Oak, but then lost to Langham Creek, while Eisenhower lost its opener to College Park.
The Cougars swept the postseason awards as Eduardo Romero and Jared Flores were named District co-MVPs. Denzel Martinez was the Defensive MVP, David Magana was the Goalkeeper of the Year and the Coach of the Year was Oscar Nunez.
Alberto Sosa, Denzel Martinez and Jesse Orenday all joined them on the first-team as well. Adolfo Segundo will also be a player to watch as the sophomore earned Newcomer of the Year accolades.
Eisenhower had a solid season going 6-4-4 on the year. Fortino Reyes, Jose Cardenas and Osiel Robledo were the IKE studs.
Other notable stars were District Offensive MVP Marlon Jacinto of MacArthur and Davis freshman Oscar Canizales.
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It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
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