
VYPE
Originally appeared on VYPE
Last season, Shadow Creek knocked off Foster twice as they reached the Class 5A DII State Championship game.
Both teams are loaded and could meet again in the regional finals. But that's not the end of the story. Angleton, Friendswood and Hightower are in the next cut and could make playoff runs of their own.
VYPE is offering fans the opportunity to purchase a copy of the magazine and have it delivered to you, instead of waiting to find it in stores.
CLICK HERE TO ORDER - 2019 VYPE Houston Football Preview Magazine
VYPE Preseason Rankings
Shadow Creek
Foster
Friendswood
Angleton
Hightower
Terry
Texas City
Galveston Ball
(Bold Denotes Playoff Teams)
VYPE Preseason Awards
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Alec Bryant, Shadow Creek
CO-OFFENSIVE MVPS: Ryan Stubblefield, Foster Jordan Jones, Angleton
CO-DEFENSIVE MVPS: Xavion Alford, Shadow Creek Chidozie Nwankwo, Foster
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kyron Drones, Shadow Creek
SLEEPER TEAM: Hightower
Shadow Creek Sharks
"Them Creek Boys" are back after making history in their first varsity season. The went 15-1, just falling short in the state title game against Highland Park. Coach Brad Butler is at the epicenter of this program as Shadow Creek becomes a state power. The defense will be the strength with LSU-commit Alec Bryant (70 tackles, 13 sacks) and Kansas State-commit Ronald Triplette leading the charge up front. The linebackers are Kansas State-commit Jeremiah Harris (90 tackles), Warren Shankle, TJ Harris and Courtney Brown. The back end is elite with national recruit Xavion Alford (58 tackles, 6 INTs) and Jaylen Lane patrolling the secondary. The new quarterback will be Kyron Drones, the son of Sharks' defensive line coach Kevin Drones. He has a big arm and is a physical runner. The OL is anchored by Damien Jackson, while WR Jared Jackson will be the deep threat. Tight end Trent McGaughey has become a national recruit for 2022 and should play a bigger role in the offense. The bar has been set high at Shadow Creek.
Read more HERE
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It wasn’t just a win — it was a glimpse into the Astros’ future
Jun 27, 2025, 10:43 pm
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
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