Blood is thicker than Water

Playing for his Brother

Playing for his Brother
Josh watched his younger brother Jordan take over the game in his place Vype

Originally appeared on Vype

 

Josh Williams wasn’t going to get to play for a third SPC Football State Championship.

Williams, who was Kinkaid’s leading rusher throughout the season – 1,238 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing – had to stand on the sideline and watch due to an injury.

What he watched was his younger brother – Jordan – a 15-year-old freshman take over the game in his place.

In Kinaid’s 41-21 victory, for the program’s second-straight SPC 4A State Championship, Jordan’s stat line was video-game worthy – 202 yards rushing, one touchdown, 63 yards receiving and a touchdown, 33 yards passing and a touchdown and one interception.

“Coming into this game I just had him in my mind this whole game,” Jordan said about playing for his brother. “I was just trying do whatever I had to do to win. On defense I was trying to come up with hits. I know I have basketball season coming up but I was just like ‘I need to win for my brother’. On offense, I just saw a hole and I hit it.”

When added up, Jordan racked up 298 yards of offense and three touchdowns – one passing, rushing and receiving – and the defensive play for the interception.

“That’s special,” Kinkaid coach Nathan Larned said. “We knew he was a special player that’s why he’s been starting at free safety from day one.”

 More here 

Most Popular

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome

Listen Live

ESPN Houston 97.5 FM
Kyle Tucker returns to Houston this weekend. Composite Getty Image.

Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.

The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.

The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.

On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.

Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.

It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.

The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.

How the mighty have fallen.

Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.

Screenshot via: MLB.com



___________________________

*ChatGPT assisted.

Looking to get the word out about your business, products, or services? Consider advertising on SportsMap! It's a great way to get in front of Houston sports fans. Click the link below for more information!

https://houston.sportsmap.com/advertise

SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome