178 / 212
176
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ST. THOMAS HIGH SCHOOL
/
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
The culture change which began
when Jeff Brown took over as head
coach for the 2014 season was swift
and emphatic.
From two wins in 2013 to an
unprecedented wave of results two
seasons later ... a first-ever district
title, a first-ever state playoff victory
and 10 straight wins in route to a
14-3 record before a season-ending
defeat to Flower Mound in the
Division II state quarterfinals.
Two-time captain and Most Valuable
Player Bryan Stieneker ‘15 and
attackman Ben Hanks ‘15 led a
STH-record five Eagles named to
the South Region All-District team,
including midfielder Pete Huggins
‘16 and defensive Most Valuable
Player Jonathan McGovern ‘16.
Huggins also was named honorable
mention All-District face off / get
off (FOGO) along with attackman
Riley Lam ‘17. Brown capped his
two-year STH stay with Coach of
the Year distinction.
Stieneker and Hanks steadily built on
junior seasons and were both named
to the High School Lacrosse League
Division II All-Star game.
Looking Forward
Erinn O’Hara was named in July
to replace Brown and maintain
the program’s sudden surge of
momentum. He brings deep
connections to the game’s rich
traditional enclaves in New England
and upstate New York, a pedigree
which includes his father, Tim, who
led powerhouse Syracuse University
in goals and assists in 1979-80 and
was named first team All-American
his senior season.
O’Hara originally relocated to
Houston to accept the head coaching
position at Katy Seven Lakes and in
two years elevated the club sport to
competitive status from near ground
zero. He’s also co-director of the
Third Coast Lacrosse select program
which sponsors 10 age-group teams
and provides elite camp, clinic and
tournament experience.
“I can’t express how excited I am
about joining St. Thomas. This is
simply a great situation,” O’Hara
said. “After meeting with (Athletic
Director Mike Netzel) I was
really sold on the direction and
the commitment to the program.
Jeff Brown did a tremendous job
establishing a winning standard and
now we’ll build on that and take it
to the next level. Most importantly,
I value and share the St. Thomas
vision developing the student-athlete,
on and off the field.”
O’Hara sees a striking similarity
between STH and Salisbury School
where he attended in Connecticut.
He graduated in 2006 from the
private all-boys college preparatory
boarding school founded in 1901,
and was part of two New England
Championships.
O’Hara’s coaching style is rooted
in the same foundation which
supported his success as a midfielder
at Division III Nazareth College in
Rochester, New York, where he was
a key contributor for three NCAA
playoff teams from 2008-2010 and
was named Rookie of the Year of
the Empire 8 conference.
“Fundamentals are essential. From
there it’s molding a team. This game
is not about one guy dominating but
10 players believing and working
within the system. We’ll be aggressive
and physical,” O’Hara said.
Graduation stripped the Eagles of
much of their attack octane and
leadership. Lam was named the
team’s Most Improved Player in 2014
and figures to accept more of lead
role in helping fill the void left by
three-year kingpins Stieneker, Hanks
and Will Kinney ‘15.
The defense retools around
McGovern, Carr Burgoyne ‘16 and
shut-down goalie Griffin Declaire
‘16.
Huggins aims to build on a truncated
season where he emerged as the
Offensive Most Valuable Player,
bringing a valuable boost of muscle
playmaking from midfield after he
joined the team at the conclusion
of the basketball postseason. He
delivers the same uber competitive
nature he flashes as a bone-crushing
linebacker for the Eagles who
notched 10 wins in 2014 on their way
to the TAPPS 5A state semifinals.
“The physical mentality (between
football and lacrosse) is the
same,” Huggins said. “The biggest
difference in our program right now,
you can’t expect to beat St. Thomas
any more. You have to bring your
‘A’ game, because we’re going to be
coming.”