Long Time Coming

The Woodlands bring back lacrosse title to Houston

The Woodlands bring back lacrosse title to Houston
It’s been 12 years since the city of Houston has won a state championship in lacrosse Vype

It’s been 12 years since the city of Houston has won a state championship in lacrosse, when St. John’s took the title in 2006. It’s been 23 years since a Houston-area public school has won the coveted state title.

The Woodlands Highlanders made history, beating St. Mark’s in Austin on Sunday 10-6 to break the decade-long streak of Dallas teams winning state. The Woodlands is now the power program in the city, having reached the state tourney 5 times over the past decade.

“Winning was the most satisfying feeling,” Notre Dame-signee Ramsey McCreary said. “All the work our team has put in since we first started playing paid off. I couldn’t be more grateful.”

Five different Highlanders scored in the win. McCreary had a goal and two assists in the title game, while Jack Barron (Furman) led all scorers with four goals. Mitch Williams had two goals.

“We are happy to finally give some credibility for Houston as contenders in the state,” Furman-signee Jacob Moore said. “The feeling is indescribable. The most memorable moment was seeing Coach T’s (Keith Tintle) tears when we won.”

Tintle also coached the Kinkaid school before coming over to The Woodlands. Kinkaid won a state title in 1997.

“It feels amazing after playing with my best friends the past four years and finally winning it all,” senior James McDowell said. “Some of the most memorable moments were our Spring Break trips playing in California, the bus rides and just hanging out with the team at team dinners. It’s the perfect ending to four years of high school lacrosse.”

 

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The Tigers beat the Astros, 7-4. Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

Javy Báez capped a five-run third inning with his ninth career grand slam, and the Detroit Tigers avoided a series sweep by beating the Houston Astros 7-4 on Wednesday.

Baez’s two-out homer off AJ Blubaugh (0-1), a 24-year-old right-hander making his major league debut, put the Tigers ahead 7-1. All five runs were unearned due to shortstop Jeremy Peña throwing error on Kerry Carpenter's grounder.

Riley Greene tied his career high with four hits.

Brenan Hanifee (2-0) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Jackson Jobe, who allowed three runs, four hits and four walks in three innings. Detroit has won five of seven and nine of 13.

Blubaugh (0-1) struck out two in a 1-2-3 first and gave up seven runs — two earned — and five hits in four innings with six strikeouts and a walk.

Blubaugh was optioned back to Sugar Land after the game.

Peña hit the first career leadoff home run, the first of his three hits, but Colt Keith hit a two-run homer in the second to put Detroit ahead for good.

Jose Altuve hit a two-run double in the fifth and Victor Caratini homered in the seventh against Tyler Holton.

Holton struck out Yainer Diaz to strand two runners in the seventh and Tommy Kahnle struck out Christian Walker to leave two runners on in the eighth.

Houston went 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners.

Key moment

Báez drove a high sweeper over the left-field scoreboard.

Key stat

Houston allowed five unearned runs in the third inning after giving up three in its first 29 games.

Up next

Astros: LHP Framber Valdez (1-3 4.00 ERA) opens a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Friday night.

Tigers: RHP Casey Mize (4-1 2.12 ERA) opens a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels and LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 4.31) on Thursday night.

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