VYPE Klein December 2022

K L E I N I S D H I G H S C H O O L S P O R T S

K L E I N I S D . N E T

2022WINTEREDITION

K L E I N I S D AT H L E T I C S I T ’ S S H O W T I M E

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Dear Klein ISD Community,

We are so excited to continue highlighting our student-athletes in VYPE magazine! Our students who participated in fall sports did an incredible job of representing our amazing district, and we can’t wait to cheer on our winter sports athletes at all of our high schools. In Klein ISD, we take great pride in providing a well-rounded learning experience for all of our students. Our exceptional students excel in Academics, Arts, and Athletics—making our outstanding school district AAA through our high-achieving students and programs! Thank you to our talented student athletes, dedicated teachers and coaches, supportive families, and our Klein community for your commitment to creating a culture of excellence. We’re looking forward to celebrating an awesome winter sports season with our hardworking student athletes, cheering them on, and rallying support for these exceptional students!

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TRIPLE

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Dr. Jenny McGown Superintendent

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES

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Retired Klein ISD Educator Klein ISD Parent

Klein High Alum Klein ISD Parent

Klein ISD Parent Klein ISD Grandparent JAMES

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KISD.US BOT2022 GET TO KNOW THE KLEIN ISD BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Linsie Allen, Klein Collins

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K L E I N I S D H I G H S C H O O L S P O R T S

K L E I N I S D . N E T

2022WINTEREDITION

K L E I N I S D A T H L E T I C S

I T ’ S S H O W T I M E IT’S SHOWTIME: Klein ISD is ready for the winter season. Congratulations to athletes (above) Klein Cain’s Nathan Martinez, Klein’s Timothy McGuire, Klein Oak’s Alaina Nugier, (below) Klein Oak’s Camryn Johnson, Klein Collins’ Ethan Wyatt and Klein Forest’s Nadazia Simien for gracing the Klein ISD-VYPE Winter cover.

on the cover Photo by Bradley Collier

photo feature

HOOP SCOOP

Klein High’s Caleb Evans, Nick Ivins, Aaron Martin, Keegan Overton and Brevan Webb

Rebecca Meyer, Klein Cain

Chandler Williams, Klein Forest

Klein Oak’s Kiana Vega, Brianna Womack, Cenei Burns, Madyson Johnson and Khloe Vaughn

T H E K L E I N C O L L I N S G I R LS H A D A B R E A K O U T S E A S O N I N 2 02 2 A N D R E T U R N T H E I R T O P P L A YMA K E R C H R I S T I N C A L L E N S , WH O WA S T H E D I S T R I C T O F F E N S I V E P L A Y E R O F T H E Y E A R . T H E T I G E R S W E N T T H R E E R O U N D S D E E P I N T H E P O S T S E A S O N A N D A R E L O O K I N G F O R MO R E I N 2 02 3 . K L E I N C A I N A N D K L E I N A LS O MA D E T H E P L A Y O F F S B U T B O T H F E L L I N T H E F I R S T R O U N D . O N T H E B O Y S ’ S I D E , K L E I N A N D C O L L I N S S P L I T T H E D I S T R I C T T I T L E A S B O T H W E R E 9 - 3 . C O L L I N S WO N A P L A Y O F F G AM E A G A I N S T B R I D G E L A N D A N D R E T U R N T H E D I S T R I C T M V P E T H A N W Y A T T . K L E I N F O R E S T A LS O R E A C H E D T H E P L A Y O F F S I N 2 02 2 . C O L L I N S S H O U L D R E P E A T A S D I S T R I C T C H AMP S B U T T H E R E S T O F T H E P L A Y O F F S S P O T S W I L L B E W I D E O P E N . S T A Y T U N E D .

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photo feature

Klein Collins’ Aubrey Campbell, Ashlynn Hollis, Linsie Allen, Christin Callens and Jada Thompson

Klein Forest’s Aidan Lewis, Chandler Williams, Joshua Ugloaja, Nicholas Plummer, Traelyn Taylor, Xavier Wiley

Klein Cain’s Camryn Beck, Rebecca Meyer, Tirea Reed

Klein Collins’ (above) Eli Wyatt, Gary Curry, Aaron Perez, (below) Ethan Wyatt and Greg Jackson

Klein High’s Jahari Porter, Kaliyah Porter, Haley Blackhurts, Karley Cook and Abi Diamond

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Brianna Womack, Klein Oak

Keegan Overton, Klein High

Aubrey Campbell, Klein Collins

Leandria Holmes, Klein Forest

Bryson Holmes, Klein Oak

Greg Jackson , Klein Collins

Klein Cain’s Braden Fobbs, Cole Rosen, John Clark, JT Kirbie, Koye Rodeno, Nick Delgado, Saif Sheikh

photo feature

Klein Forest’s Anari Parker, Jada Hampton, Leandria Holmes, Nadazia Simien, Shayda Fletcher

Camryn Beck, Klein Cain

Braden Fobbs, Klein Cain

Cenei Burns, Klein Oak

Gary Curry, Klein Collins

Abi Diamond, Klein High

Joshua Ugloaja, Klein Forest

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Shayda Fletcher, Klein Forest

Klein Oak’s Brennan White, Jace Little, TJ Robinson, Daniel Perez, Isaiah Walker and Bryson Holmes

JT Kirbie, Klein Cain

TJ Robinson, Klein Oak

Kaliyah Porter, Klein High

Caleb Evans, Klein High

Klein High

Ashley Wilson

THE BLUE AND GOLD

swimming

Klein High

Lorenzo Viteri, Jessica Powell, Isabelle Dollar, Quint Erwin, Ciara O’Sullivan and Quinn Flavin

Isabelle Dollar

Lorenzo Viteri

Quinn Flavin

Ciara O’Sullivan

T H E B E A R K A T S H A V E B E E N A P OW E R I N T H E P O O L O V E R S E V E R A L D E C A D E S , D A T I N G B A C K T O T H E 1 9 8 0 S . I T WA S J U S T F O U R Y E A R S A G O T H A T B O T H T H E B O Y S A N D G I R LS E A R N E D S I X T H- P L A C E F I N I S H E S A T S T A T E . T H E G I R LS WO N D I S T R I C T I N 2 02 0 A N D T H E B O Y S WO N I N 2 0 1 9 . T H I S Y E A R ’ S G R O U P I S L E D B Y Q U I N N F L A V I N , Q U I N T E RW I N A N D L O R E N Z O V I T E R I , WH I L E J E S S I C A P OW E L L , I S A B E L L E D O L L A R A N D C I A R A O ’ S U L L I V A N S E T T H E PA C E O N T H E G I R LS ’ S I D E .

k l e i n i s d . n e t / / D E C 2022 / / K L E I N I S D / / 11

Klein High

soccer

Tiana Thompson, Madalyn Nissen, Ashley Wilson and Elena Siekas

Julio Mata

Madalyn Nissen

B O Y S A N D G I R LS T E AMS R I D I N G S U C C E S S O F L A S T S E A S O N I N T O 2 02 3 PHENOMS OF THE PITCH

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a

will be huge keys on the offensive side of the ball as well and should have breakout seasons. The boys had a successful season on the pitch, reaching the Regional Quar ter finals before bowing out to MacAr thur. The Bearkats were four th in district play, racking up a 12 8-2 overall record. Back in goal is first-team, all-region selection Julio Mata, who keeps the ball out of the net . Parker Bowman is great on the attack along with Michael Wells. Stephen Atienza is stellar as a defensive midfielder. If everything goes according to plan, Klein High’s winter regular season should bear fruit throughout the spring.

WHAT A YEAR IT WAS FOR THE KLEIN HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS’ SOCCER TEAM IN 2022 AS THE BEARKATS WON DISTRICT AND ADVANCED TO THE REGIONAL FINAL. The ‘Kats are back with State title aspirations in 2023 as some key playmakers return to the huddle. The girls finished 21-4-2 overall; 10-0-2 in district last season Thompson, a returning first team, all-state selection and Stephen F. Austin-signee. Maddie Nissen (Nor thern Michigan signee) will help with the scoring after earning first-team, all-region accolades. Ashley Wilson and Elena Siekas (Concordia-St . Paul) and hope to ride that momentum this winter. The leader is Tiana

Elena Siekas

Parker Bowman

Parker Bowman, Julio Mata, Michael Wells and Stephen Atienza

Klein High Cover Story

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a WR E S T L I N G I S WO V E N I N T O MC G U I R E ’ S D N A KING OF THE MAT

career. “I ’ ve been wrestl ing since the third grade in club al l the way through high school , but last year a l ight went on,” he said. “During our wrestl ing camp, we were playing dodgebal l and I broke my ankle. “I was done and couldn’ t wrestle for a whi le. Wrestl ing had been my l i fe for so long, so I just went to practice and watched. I ’m a very commi tted person and I had to be there for my teammates . That was real ly hard, and at that point I real ly real ized that I loved the spor t and wanted to wrestle as long as I could.” McGuire played a l i ttle footbal l growing up and ran cross country for years . His father is the cross country coach at Montgomery High School . “Wrestl ing just became my thing for a couple of reasons ,” he said. “I love how physical and tough the spor t is . I also love the technical side of the spor t , which gets overlooked al l the time but is so impor tant . Final ly, wrestl ing just keeps my l i fe on track . From my dai ly schedule to keeping my grades up to making sure my body is in great shape, wrestl ing keeps my focused.” Whi le he is laser-focused on the upcoming season, McGuire is also looking towards the future. “My favori te wrestler is Austin Gomez and I love the Wisconsin program, but I ’m looking more at a Division I I school where I can get on the mat ,” he said. “I have to be on the mat and not on the sidel ine.”

year 47-8 overal l . He also led the boys’ team to an overal l third-place f inish in the end-of-the-year event . Now as a senior, McGuire looks back on what he has accompl ished and when he f l ipped the swi tch on his

This year ’s alpha is senior Timothy McGuire, who took bronze at the 2022 UIL State Meet in the 126-pound weight class . McGuire defeated South Grand Prairie’s Esteban Duran 15-4 and f inished the

THE KLEIN HIGH BEARKAT WRESTLING ROOM IS WHERE LEGENDS ARE MADE. Over decades , so many great wrestlers have honed their ski l l in the blue and gold mat room, and this season wi l l be no di fferent .

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wrestling

Klein High

Alissa Perez

Isaac Sheeren, Gaby Sanchez, Timothy McGuire, Sienna Batiste, Andrew Clayton, Alissa Perez, Brandon Carrillo and Jacee Skillicorn

Andrew Clayton

Brandon Carrillo

Sienna Batiste

Gaby Sanchez

Klein cain

Alejandro Michelena

WINTER BLAST

cover story

Klein cain

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a C A I N H A S A N E L I T E T A L E N T I N MA R T I N E Z THE CAN’T-MISS KID

NATHAN MARTINEZ WAS BORN TO PLAY THE BEAUTIFUL GAME. He’s prett y quiet and doesn’ t l ike the l imel ight , but what he can do wi th his feet wi l l put him on a big stage someday. He’s already wi tnessed the big stage f irsthand. His father, Al fredo Mar tinez , played professional ly in Mexico and coaches for the Houston Dynamo Youth Developmental Program. Nathan is a star in his own right in the developmental academy along wi th being the undisputed leader of Klein Cain’s budding soccer program. “I ’ ve been playing since I was four years old,” he said. “My fami ly has always been very athletic, so I had i t in me since I was born.” In two quick seasons , Mar tinez has been named the District Newcomer of the Year and co-Midf ielder of the Year for the Hurricanes , leading Cain to the postseason in 2022 . “I think my strength is having the awareness of where everyone is on the f ield,” he said. “I ’m checking my shoulders al l the time to know where the defenders are, too. I ’m a real ly good shooter also.” Those are the intangibles that make an el i te soccer player, and he’s learned from the best . “I watched my dad and his teammates train in the pro leagues before he retired,” he said. “I just learned off of them and how they saw the game. Having al l of the behind the-scenes access , helped

play at the professional level ,” he said. “I ’m looking for every oppor tuni t y I can and taking them. I feel I have a good shot at playing wi th Team USA after my per formance at the camps , so we wi l l see how that goes . I ’m also hearing

me bui ld a strong soccer IQ. I was learning from pros at an early age.” Whi le he is a star on prep f ields , the developmental offseason league is where he earns his stripes and scholarships . “My ul timate goal is to

from Campbel l Universi t y and Oklahoma to play in col lege.” But what ’s at the top of his l ist ? “Real ly, I ’m just trying to make my fami ly proud,” he said.

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Klein cain soccer

Jesus Belandria, Donny Cacaj, Atsoma Agbu, Omar Contreras and Nathan Martinez

Julie Raup

Jesus Belandria

Emily Quiroga, Erica Cervantes, Isabella Harrington, Julie Raup, Kate Heineman, Morgan Oliver and Riley Brown

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\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a E XP E R I E N C E ; T A L E N T MA K E B O T H C A I N T E AMS D A N G E R O U S I N D I S T R I C T WANTING MORE

Morgan Oliver (Mary Hardin Baylor-signee) anchors the net . Emily Quiroga can relieve Oliver when needed. “The culture has sunk in after my first year and the chemistry is much better coming into this season. They know what to expect ,” coach Christie Mestayer said. “I don’ t want that fourth playoff spot , I want the second or third spot and I know we are capable of that .”

missed the postseason in 2022 with a 10-10-2 record but should be a lock for the playoffs this year. The ‘Canes are senior heavy and balanced throughout their roster. Kate Heineman and Erica Cervantes push the ball from the midfield, feeding the ball to Isabella Harrington and Riley Brown. Julie Raup and Sidnee Smith lead the defense and

Nathan Martinez , who is Cain’s quiet quarterback. He directs the motion of the offense and is a pin-point passer. Omar Contreras also lends a hand in the midfield, while Jesus Belandria holds down the defensive back end. Atsoma Agbu can put the ball in the net along with Donny Cacaj. They are going to need to score in bunches in this tough district . The girls’ team narrowly

LIKE ALL POWERFUL HURRICANES, THE KLEIN CAIN SOCCER PROGRAMS ARE BUILDING IN STRENGTH. The boys’ team has reached the postseason in back-to-back seasons and are looking to advance past the first round in 2023. Cain finished third in district and was eliminated from the playoffs by Bridgeland (2-1). Back in the fold is District co-Midfielder of the Year

Kate Heineman

Atsoma Agbu

Morgan Oliver

Omar Contreras

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Klein cain swimming

James Gottfried

Peyton Keggins

Alejandro Michelena, Chantel Watson, Corrine Herbel, Diego Rangel, Holden Muirhead, James Gottfried, Mackenzie Nash and Peyton Keggins

Corrine Herbel

Holden Muirhead

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wrestling Klein cain

Allie Gonzalez, Donovan Strader, Elena Gutierrez, Jake Cruz, Landon Clark, Madi Mansour, Nico Lozano, Talyn Naylor and Ty Mims

Landon Clark

Elena Gutierrez

Talyn Naylor

Jake Cruz

Klein collins

Godfrey Ponce

LET’S ROAR

swimming

Klein collins

Cooper Sanders

(Above) Kara Dyott, Siumy Coreas, Maggie Hunt, Julie Anne Scott and Ryann McBride. (Below) Gabrielle Vazquez, Kaitlyn Winston and Brooke Dailey

Sam Hinson

Brooke Dailey

Luke Johnson

Kara Dyott

Gabrielle Vazquez

Sam Hinson, Brody Zentz and Luke Johnson. (Below) Cooper Sanders and Aiden McBride

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Klein collins soccer

Ella Dang, Kristina Cromwell, Jasmine Kessler, Gabi Trevino and Karli Orantes

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a A F T E R S I X T H- P L A C E F I N I S H E S , B O Y S A N D G I R LS R E A D Y F O R P R I M E T I M E EXPERIENCE MATTERS

puts the Tigers in a position to pounce on a postseason spot . Returning are leading scorers Landon Guenther, Godfrey Ponce and Aidan Spinks. The goalkeeper Jake Berrada returns with protection from Andres Palma and Diego Gomez . Berrada, Ponce and Palma were just sophomores a year ago and Gomez was a freshman. Their game experience should show this season.

scored for us last year.” Gabi Trevino and Karli Orantes will control the midfield and Kristina Cromwell is a talent on the attack . Brooklyn Bailey was the team’s leading goal scorer but suffered an injury in the offseason. They hope to have her back by the playoffs. Ella Dang will patrol the back line on defense. The boys’ team also finished six th in district , but a year of experience

the playoffs,” she said. “This district is one of the toughest in the state and you have to show up and compete every night . There are no nights off, so I think we are better prepared for that this season.” Leading the way is District Goalkeeper of the Year Jamine Kessler, who is committed to UTSA. “She’s amazing and is the voice of our team,” McCullough said. “She can do everything. She even

THE KLEIN COLLINS GIRLS’ TEAM FELL SHORT OF THEIR GOAL A YEAR AGO, FINISHING SIXTH IN DISTRICT AND OUT OF THE POSTSEASON PICTURE. COACH LAURA MCCULLOUGH UNDERSTANDS HOW COMPETITIVE THIS DISTRICT HAS BEEN OVER THE YEARS BUT HAS A WINNING GAME-PLAN IN 2023. “We are going to lean on our five seniors heavily this year and will build upon what we learned last year to propel us into

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Karli Orantes

Diego Gomez

Jake Berrada

Kristina Cromwell

Andres Palma, Jake Berrada, Aidan Spinks, Diego Gomez, Landon Guenther and Godfrey Ponce

Klein collins wrestling

Sara Jean Van Horn and Rita Long

Braike Jones, Chris Wilemod, Aven Rendon, Jerry Cadena and Eric Synatschk

Aniyea Dickerson

Aven Rendon

Jerry Cadena

(above) Julissa Aguillar, Rita Long, Annalie Mejie and Aniyea Dickerson, (below) Emily Lozano and Sara Jean Van Horn

cover story

Klein collins

\\ By De n n i s S i l v a I I K L E I N C O L L I N S ’ W Y A T T A S T A R I N F O O T B A L L , B A S K E T B A L L DUAL-SPORT ROYALTY

IN AN ERA OF SPORTS SPECIALIZATION AT THE HIGH SCHOOL RANKS, KLEIN COLLINS SENIOR ETHAN WYATT ISN’ T JUST A STANDOUT CONTRIBUTOR FOR THE TIGERS’ VARSITY FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL TEAMS. HE’S A STAR PLAYMAKER WHETHER IN SNEAKERS OR CLEATS. The 6-foot-3, 189-pounder is an al l-district per former on the basketbal l cour t , where he averaged 16.5 points , 5.6 rebounds and 1 .9 steals per game for the Tigers last season. And he’s a three-star prospect and Division I-cal iber receiver for the footbal l team, total ing 446 yards and seven touchdowns on 21 catches through the f irst f ive games of this season. “I ’ ve been doing this forever,” Wyatt said. “We star ted playing both at the same time. I ’m just used to i t . I don’ t even know how I do i t . I ’m just used to i t .” “We” is Wyatt and his twin brother El i , a cornerback on the Tigers’ footbal l team and point guard on the basketbal l team. They star ted playing basketbal l when they were three years old. They star ted footbal l when they were f ive. Wyatt ’s favori te basketbal l memory? “Probably my freshman year when I got moved up to varsi t y,” he said. “My coach trusted me. I star ted in the middle of the season and went from there, scoring l ike 20 points every game.” And his favori te footbal l memory? “My sophomore year when we went against

feel I can get there.”

“Footbal l , I love playing wi th my team,” he said. “I ’ ve been playing wi th my brother since I was l i ttle. We both l iked the spor t ever since we touched the bal l . It ’ l l always be fun.” It ’s the spor t he’s looking to play at the nex t level . Wyatt currently holds offers from Marshal l , Tulsa, Kansas and Texas Southern. “I ’m leaning towards footbal l right now,” Wyatt said. “I ’m looking for a school that can take me to the nex t level right away. I

Tombal l Memorial , my f irst catch was unbel ievable,” he said. “I got my f irst offer off that game.” Wyatt , who admires former Houston Texan DeAndre Hopkins and the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James , said footbal l helps wi th his aggressiveness on the basketbal l cour t . Basketbal l helps wi th condi tioning and training as he heads into footbal l offseason in the spring. But i t ’s footbal l that has won Wyatt ’s hear t .

Five years from now, Wyatt sees himsel f playing in the NFL . For now, though, he’s riding out his senior season at Col l ins and enjoying playing wi th El i one last year. “He helps me a lot ,” Wyatt said of El i . “We go outside every day, one on one. Argue wi th each other, f ight . It ’s a big help. We’re always there for each other, and i t ’s always going to stay l ike that .”

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Klein forest

Alejandra Roma and Nadine Sanchez

THE GOLDEN EAGLES

swimming

Klein forest

(Above) Chelsea Hernandez, Pauline Garcia, Hector Garcia, Victor Collazo, Samantha Flores, Ximena Medellin, (Below) Alivia Kincer, Rolando Moreno and Kimberly Rivera

Chelsea Hernandez

Victor Collazo

Kimberly Rivera

Hector Garcia

Klein forest soccer

Fernando Villarreal

Alexia Ruiz

Jennifer Coreas

Alejandra Romo, Alexandra Aguilar, Alexia Ruiz, Diana Silvera, Jennifer Coreas, Michelle Alcantara, Nadine Sanchez, Samantha Martinez

Christian Cañas

Alex Discua

Abel Figueroa, Alex Discua, Christian Cañas, Diego Martinez, Fernando Villarreal, Javeth Figueroa, Joshua Reyes, Marvin Juarez

Diana Silvera

Marvin Juarez

Alexandra Aguilar

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a K F B O Y S H A V E S P E C I A L C L A S S ; G I R LS T O C R E A T E C H A O S PITCH PERFECT

building his culture and the girls are buying in. “It ’s all about chemistry and grit for us,” he said. “We don’ t want to be the underdog in the district anymore. We are trying to create some chaos, build perseverance, win a few district games and go from there.” The strength of his team is the defense led by Alexandra Aguilar and Nadine Sanchez , while Alejandra Romo looks to provide a spark on offense.

Fernando Villarreal and Joshua Reyes in the midfield; Diego Mar tinez and Marvin Juarez on defense and Alex Discua in goal as tremendous players back in the nest . “Our kids love to put on the KF jersey and represent their community,” he said. “ They want to put KF soccer on the map.” The girls struggled through a 0-12 district campaign but continue to battle and compete. Coach Juan Loera is

been playing varsity for three years and have great chemistry. They are very coachable.” Captains Cristian Canas and Javeth Figueroa set the tone on both sides of the ball. “Cristian wants to be the leading scorer in the district and displays intensity and mental toughness,” Ramirez said. “Javeth has great timing with defensive tackles, a good touch and vision to help build from the back .” Ramirez also mentioned

THE KLEIN FOREST GOLDEN EAGLE BOYS’ TEAM HAS HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR 2022 23 AFTER REACHING THE PLAYOFFS LAST SEASON WITH A FOURTH-PLACE FINISH IN THE DISTRICT (7-6). The Eagles’ season came to an end with a 3-2 loss to Cypress Ranch in the first round of the postseason. “We have a golden generation coming through KF this year,” six th-year head coach Roger Ramirez said. “ This group of seniors have

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Klein forest cover story

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a S I M I E N MA K I N G A N AM E F O R H E R S E L F I N A T H L E T I C S ; A C A D E M I C S COMING OF AGE

teenager. “I want to be a doctor,” she said. “I love helping people. I know I want to be a registered nurse, but being a doctor is my real goal . “People might not know I also l ike to wri te, and the last book I read was Black Like Me. Academics are very impor tant to me and I work just as hard in the classroom as I do in athletics .” “At the end of the day, I just want people to know my name when I leave Klein Forest . I want to be known.” Mission accompl ished.

and fel l in love wi th that , too.” Fast-forward si x years and Simien has just enjoyed a successful season anchoring the net for Klein Forest in vol leybal l and has big expectations for her team on the hardwood. “I feel l ike we can go to the playoffs in basketbal l ,” she said. “I want to change the perception of Klein Forest basketbal l . We have the potential to do i t , i t ’s just on us . I want to average a double-double and be the District MVP. Why not ?” Whi le spor ts are a big par t of her l i fe, that does not def ine the cerebral

I saw the pathway to earn scholarships… I could get every thing I wanted i f I just worked hard enough.” The 6-foot-1 senior was a late-comer to the youth spor ts world. “It was never my intention to play spor ts as a kid,” she said. “One of my middle school teachers who also coached approached me to come out and play basketbal l . She said I was a natural f i t for the spor t because of my size. I hadn’ t played a day in my l i fe. I tried out and I was a natural at i t . After that , I just star ted getting serious about the game. Then I star ted playing vol leybal l

KLEIN FOREST ATHLETE NADAZIA SIMIEN HAS A PRESENCE.

She is the “It Girl ” inside the Golden Eagle nest as a star for the vol leybal l and basketbal l teams . She’s has blossomed into a great ambassador for the school on the cour t . But i t wasn’ t always that way. “It was real ly tough in middle school ,” she said. “I was teased al l the time for being so tal l and so dark skinned. It ’s hard for a girl that age. Things changed quickly when I arrived at high school . Doors just opened up for me. I played spor ts;

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wrestling

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“ W E H A V E A L O T O F F I R S T - T I M E WR E S T L E R S I N O U R P R O G R AM A N D W E T A K E A L O T O F P R I D E I N T H A T . T H E Y S T A R T T O L O V E T H E S P O R T A N D T H E Y B R I N G T H E I R F R I E N D S T O WA T C H . T H E N T H O S E K I D S G E T I N V O LV E D . W E H A V E G R OWN T H R O U G H WO R D-O F -MO U T H A N D S E E R A P I D I MP R O V E M E N T I N A S H O R T P E R I O D O F T I M E . ” — K L E I N F OR E S T WR E S T L I N G C OA C H ER I CK WEED

Tiffanie Castro

Murphy Amos

Heven Turner

Christopher Huerta

Christopher Huerta, Murphy Amos, Leo Salazar, coach Erick Weed, Heven Turner, Tiffanie Castro and Jade Turner

Klein oak

Carter Canizaro

BEAST MODE

wrestling

Klein oak

Rylee Ferranti

Jayden Jones

Brecket McLunn

Laita Perez

(Above) Rylee Ferranti, Brecket McLunn, Kennedi Lewis, Carter Canizaro, (Below) Jayden Jones and Laita Perez

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Klein oak Cover Story

\\ By De n n i s S i l v a I I O A K ’ S J O H N S O N A N A T U R A L I N T H E P O O L WONDER IN THE WATER

I got to Missouri State, my host made me feel l ike she was my sister. The whole team made me feel l ike my best friends . My coach I have now is prett y much a twin of my coach I ’ l l have there. They ’re almost exactly al ike, they even look al ike. I feel l ike al l that wi l l make the transi tion to col lege easier.” Outside of swimming, Johnson is very much involved wi th her school . She is a singer in Oak ’s Chorale choir. She is also a staff member for her school ’s media team and helps cover Friday night footbal l by doing interviews and digi tal media. Johnson wants to be an international broadcaster, having gone on international mission trips wi th her church every summer. This summer, she spent two weeks in Alaska. “Everybody I know sees me being an international broadcaster,” Johnson said. “It ’s prett y cool .”

was si x years old, Johnson has dominated any and al l competi tors . “Even then, a lot of people saw me as a swimmer,” Johnson said. “Like, that was my thing. But I didn’ t real ly pick i t unti l I got to high school . I f inal ly f igured I needed to focus my time into swim i f I was going to be the best I can be in that one spor t .” She’s cer tainly there. Johnson is District 14-6A’s back-to-back 100 freest yle champion. She was the number one seed in the 100 freest yle and third in the 50 freest yle at the Region IV-6A Championships last year. She helped Oak ’s 200 freest yle relay to a second place f inish at Regionals . It ’s no surprise, then, that col leges desired her talent . Johnson is a Missouri State-commi t . “I ’m a very social person and I l ike to have friends who are l ike my fami ly,” Johnson said. “Right when

summer spor t ,” Johnson said. “I did summer league swim and I loved racing people and winning. Every time I touch the wal l , I get that instant grati f ication.” There’s been a lot of grati f ication. Ever since she

CAMERYN JOHNSON KNEW AT A VERY YOUNG AGE THAT SWIMMING WAS HER THING. The Klein Oak senior played almost every spor t as a kid but was at her best when she was in the water. “I l iked how i t was a

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swimming

Klein oak

Savannah Green

Andrew Carlson, Savannah Green, Will Ridley, Bella Ortiz, Kevin Georgetown and Cameryn Johnson

Will Ridley

Kevin Georgetown

Bella Ortiz

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Klein oak cover story

\\ By De n n i s S i l v a I I K L E I N O A K ’ S N U G I E R A T O U G H PA N T H E R T O D E A L W I T H ALL GRIT

“I star ted soccer when I was si x years old and I was trying out various things ,” Nugier said. “When I was 10, I real ly star ted getting into i t and wanting to be better.” Nugier appreciates the team aspect of the game. “If i t was a single-person spor t , I don’ t think I ’d have as much fun,” she said. “ Teammates make things a lot better.” She also enjoys getting her uni form dir t y by constantly throwing hersel f in the way of the bal l . As a chi ld, Nugier looked up to star defender/midf ielder Jul ie Er t z because of the strength and toughness she played wi th. “I love making tackles ,” Nugier said. “ Those moments when you’re running up to the bal l and make a good sl ide tackle … i t just feels good. You get to stop the attack and can counterattack . It ’s cool to me.” Nugier is a Western Kentucky Universi t y commi t , so her soccer career wi l l go on to the col legiate level . But her long-term goal is to go into nursing. “I l ike helping people,” Nugier said. “ There are always going to be jobs in the medical f ield, and I think i t ’s real ly cool to learn about the body.” Before then, however, she plans to enjoy her senior year playing for a school and communi t y she adores . “It ’s my second fami ly,” Nugier said of Klein Oak . “I have so many friends and I ’m always having a good time. Especial ly wi th soccer, I real ly love i t .”

Nugier is as tough as they come. “It took a lot of yel l ing from coaches at f irst to get in there for me get to the bal l and scrap,” Nugier said. “Once I got more comfor table, i t just got

opponent ’s scoring chance. They have to be l ike Alaina Nugier. The Klein Oak senior loves the physical i t y of futbol . Don’ t let her smi le and friendly demeanor fool you.

TO BE A GREAT CENTER BACK ON THE SOCCER FIELD, SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE TOUGH, GRITTY. They have to embrace contact and sacri f ice their body, doing any thing and every thing to thwar t an

fun. Messing wi th the forwards and getting them agi tated and out of their game. On the f ield, I ’m def ini tely very competi tive. I ’m always going after i t .” Last season, Nugier was the anchor of the backl ine for a Panthers’ defense that surrendered just 27 goals in 23 games . the Year and was a Texas Association of Soccer Coaches Al l-Region 2 f irst- team selection. A team captain, Nugier also contributed four goals She was honored as District 15-6A’s Defensive Player of

and two assists .

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soccer

Klein oak

\\ By Ma t t Ma l a t e s t a PA N T H E R G I R LS L O O K I N G F O R D I S T R I C T T I T L E ; B O Y S B U I L D I N G N E W C U LT U R E LET’S KICK IT

season, due to his youthful point of view. The good news is that the cupboard is not bare at Klein Oak . The midfield is handled by Fabrizio Fereira and junior Wilmer Maldonado. Diego Luna will lead the charge up front , while Mason Mills and Eduardo Worner set the defense. Ian Thorsen will be in goal. The Panthers have a new vibe, but let ’s see if that translates into wins.

champ, as their main target . There is a new voice in the Klein Oak boys’ locker room as Gregg Gutierrez takes over a program that is looking for a new culture. Gutierrez played his high school ball at Jersey Village and college soccer at Schreiner University. The first-year head coach brings a fresh perspective to a program that was 3-12-2 last

sophomore Kira Schkade to play a bigger role this season from her midfield spot . The defense is locked down be Alaina Nugier – a Western Kentucky-signee. She has an amazing soccer IQ and controls the game from the defense end. Sophomore Lydia Butler will also help out on defense. The Panthers will have their eyes on Klein High, the defending district

THE KLEIN OAK GIRLS’ SOCCER PROGRAM RETURNS A DEN FULL OF TALENT FROM A TEAM THAT FINISHED SECOND IN DISTRICT AND WENT 15-5-3 OVERALL IN 2022. WITH ANOTHER YEAR OF EXPERIENCE, CAN THEY BRING HOME THE DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIP’S GOLDEN BALL? Riley Knox , Annika Murdoch, Avery Mills and Sarah Blank lead one of the best offenses in the city and look for

Fabrizio Fereira

Avery Mills, Riley Knox, Annika Murdoch, Alaina Nugier, Sarah Blank, Kira Schkade and Lydia Butler

Ian Thorsen

Sarah Blank

Fabrizio Fereira, Ian Thorsen, Mason Mills, Diego Luna, Eduardo Worner and Wilmer Maldonado

Avery Mills

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