134 / 212
132
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ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL
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HOUSTON, TX
FOOTBALL
17 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
39 AT THE NEXT LEVEL
WRESTLING
3 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
5 REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
4 AT THE NEXT LEVEL
SWIMMING
2015-2016 PREVIEW
CROSS COUNTRY
/
TRACK & FIELD
10 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
21 AT THE NEXT LEVEL
BASKETBALL
9 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
16 AT THE NEXT LEVEL
SOCCER
1 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP
18 AT THE NEXT LEVEL
BASEBALL
23 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
49 AT THE NEXT LEVEL
Looking Back
Injuries short-circuited a promising
cross country season but the
Eagles regrouped in the spring
behind Landon Malouf ‘16 for
a strong second-place finish at
the TAPPS 5A State Track and
Field Championships at Baylor
University, the latest in a long series
of top-three results with head coach
Nathan Labus.
Malouf set a state record, captured
three events and added a third-
place result to spark the regional
champions and easily outpaced
Dallas Bishop Dunne and Addison
Trinity Christian.
Malouf established a new TAPPS
standard in the 110 meter hurdles
and led first-fourth Eagle finishes in
the high jump (6-02.00) with Randy
Brumant ‘16 (5-08.00) and 300
meter hurdles (39.06) with Jeremy
Gregory ‘15 (40.38).
Malouf also produced the event’s
third-best long jump with 21.05.75.
The Eagles again proved their depth
in the relays. JJ Deforest ‘15, Aaron
Hernandez ‘15, William Heck ‘16
and David Jones ‘16 sprinted to
third-place in the 4x200 and took
fifth in the 4x100 . Deforest then
teamed with Andrew Neaves ‘17,
Gregory and Heck to race for
fourth in the 4x400.
Other notable results included
second-place results for Andrew
Deavers ‘15 in the shot put and
Matthew Wood ‘15 in the pole vault.
Wyatt George ‘16 clocked a pair
of fifth-place finishes in the 1600
(4:43.07) and 3200 meters (9:56.94).
Looking Ahead
The jump on the next cross country
season began when Labus and
a dozen Eagle distance runners
continued their annual summer
get-ready excursions in Colorado
for much more than high altitude
training.
The Adams State University Cross
Country and Distance Camp in
Alamosa is renown for elite step-by-
step learning sessions with insight
into nutrition, plyometrics and
strength conditioning.
“The knowledge behind the training
techniques is invaluable,” Labus
said. “Plus the team really comes
together on a trip like this. It’s a
great bonding experience.”
Featured speaker Joe Vigil is the
magnet that pulls 250 campers from
all over the region. The eternal
godfather of the Adams State
program coached 19 cross country
teams to national championships
along with 10 individual titles. His
involvement in the sport stretches
well beyond the collegiate ranks and
into Olympic training and coaching.
“When you’re in a large group
where the focus is all about running,
that really changes the mindset of
our kids,” Labus said. “It’s a tough
challenge to get up every morning
and push yourself to run. It’s a
grind. Wears on you physically and
mentally. Not everybody can do it.
But when our runners hear former
national champions and Olympic
performers tell their story and
describe what price must be paid to
reach your goals, then provide the
methods for greater results, it’s a
package that makes a huge impact.
So many of our guys returned home
more dedicated to be successful.”
That group includes George, 2014
cross country MVP James Hebert
‘16, Zach Colby ‘16, Chris Kjellqvist
‘16 and 2014 Most Improved
Krzysztof Kwiatkowski ‘17.
“That’s a rock solid start. We’re
looking for seven guys who can
really push each other. That’s what
they did throughout the summer
and that competitive culture brings
out the best in everyone,” Labus
said.
Malouf emphatically earned the
spring MVP when “V” represented
versatile in absolute equal doses of
valuable.
“This year I expect him to win four
events and I told him he had to add
one more event. He mentioned pole
vault so we practiced and he showed
big potential. Such a national athlete.
I won’t put him out there in a meet
until he’s really ready to compete,
likely at the end of the season when
we need him the most,” Labus said.
The Eagles again are power-packed
in the sprints with Jones, Heck and
Jarrett Richard ‘16 out front, each
stronger and faster than a year ago,
with Malouf an additional option in
the relays.
Newcomer Jhamon Ausbon ‘17 is a
dynamic and explosive talent already
committed to play wide receiver at
Baylor who Labus says “provides
a nice fit” as a sprinter and triple
jumper to tag-team with Malouf,
Brumant and Myles Fucci ‘17 in the
high jump.
“We have some voids to fill in
the field events but overall we are
absolutely as strong, if not stronger,
than last year,” Labus said. “At the
end we’ll again be pushing for the
top spot in TAPPS.”