Clark Basketball

A great showing in the NEISD tournament this weekend ended with a  heartbreaking 2 point loss for the Clark boys basketball team. The Cougars defeated MacArthur 61-46 after beating Antonian in the tournament opener. They went on to beat Marshall 51-30 propelling them to the tournament championship game against Reagan. The Cougars lost the game 58-56. Jason Brickman had 21 points in the championship game and Elhad Emerllahu added 18 to lead Clark. At the end of the first week of the season the Clark boys are 4-1.

The girls basketball team had mixed results at the Southwest Tournament. The Cougars lost to Clemens 64 to 51 and dropped the next game to host Southwest in a close 68-66 contest. Clark then beat Boerne Geneva 80-18 and finished up with a 63-47 win over McCollum. Guard Carolyn Chavana had 27 points in the McCollum game. The Clark girls are 8-3 this season.

Clark Basketball

In pool play leading into the Southwest Tournament the Clark girls basketball team beat an overmatched New Braunfels Christian Academy  team 75-18. Melanie Schwartz had 15 points for the Cougars, Carolyn Chavana and Courtney Rhodes added 11 and Chloe Rhodes had 10. Tournament play continues Friday and Saturday. The Clark girls are 6-1.

The Clark boys kicked off the NEISD Tournament with a first round win over Antonian 92-55. In double figures for the Cougars was Ansley Benjamin with 20, Jacob Palacios had 16, Elhad Emerllahu 15, Jason Brickman 12 and Sam Perez 10. The Northeast tourney continues Friday and Saturday. The boys are now 2-0.

Clark Season Opens

The Clark boys basketball team opened their 2009-10 season with a solid victory over Highlands at Paul Taylor gym. The Cougars won 71-59, led by four players in double figures. Elhad Emerllahu had 24 points, Jason Brickman added 16, Ansley Benjamin had 12 and Manny Paz Y Puente tossed in 10.  This was the first game for Coach Steve Sylestine as a Cougar. Highlands and Clark met last season in the first round of the playoffs, a game Clark won.

Prior to the boys game the Clark girls also beat Highlands 63-55. Guard Carolyn Chavana had 17 points, Courtney Rhodes had 16 and Chloe Rhodes added 10. The win brings their season record to 5-1.

The girls will be in the Southwest Tournament beginning Friday and the boys will be in the NorthEast ISD Tournament, which starts on Thursday.

Consolation Champions

The Clark girls basketball team starts its second week of the season with a 4-1 record. In their opening week the Cougars beat Lee 54-36 and then began the Harlandale Tournament with a 67-33 win over Lanier. They lost to Churchill 57-34 before beating Providence 64-18 and Alamo Heights 59-46 to take the Consolation Championship in the tourney. Senior Guard Carolyn Chavana leads the team thus far with 15.8 points per game.

Next up is Highlands at 5:00 Tuesday at Paul Taylor.

Shantel Swift

David Scorcelletti

Congratulations to Shantel Swift and David Scorcelletti as they represented Clark at the State Cross Country meet. It was hot, hilly and the competition fierce, but an experience they will never forget. A huge thanks to the Cougarettes and Drum Line and everyone who participated in their send off on Friday. Pictures of the send off and meet can be found here . Complete results at http://www.uil.utexas.edu/athletics/cross_country/state/index.html/.

-Rose Meade

Elhad Emerllahu

The Clark boy’s basketball season gets underway this week with the Cougars at #3 in the Express News Area rankings. It’s a new era for Clark basketball with new Head Coach Steve Sylestine calling the shots. Longtime coach Kevin Hamilton retired at the end of last season to move to an assistant athletic director’s position with NISD.

Returning for the Cougars is Elhad Emerllahu, an All District and Area Super Team pick last year who sportswriters expect to compete for Player of the Year honors this year. Joining Emerllahu as a “Player to Watch” according to the Express News is senior guard Jason Brickman, who recently signed a letter of intent to play for Division 1 Long Island University next year. More on these and other talented returnees and new faces as the Clark season gets underway.

First game is  Tuesday at 6:30 against Highlands at Paul Taylor.

GO COOGS!

The San Antonio Express-News breaks down the area 5A Division 1 playoffs like this:
By Burt Henry and Dan McCarney – Express-News

Class 5A Division I

Favorite: Clark (10-0). With a dominant offensive line, a stifling defense that allows only 8.7 points and 190 yards per game and veteran experience to spare, the Cougars are tailor-made for the playoffs.

Team you don’t want to meet: Roosevelt (7-3). The streaky Rough Riders are back to their early-season form with three straight wins, the most recent knocking longtime nemesis Smithson Valley out of postseason contention.

Game we’d like to see: Clark vs. Southwest (9-0). San Antonio’s only unbeaten teams are carbon copies with their smash-mouth styles. An added twist — the two met in a double-overtime classic, won by Southwest, in the 2007 playoffs.

Elsewhere the paper offers a final look at their Fantasy team point totals with a “Superlative” nod to Clark kicker Webb Williams and more importantly a not so fantasy forecast for a Clark victory on Friday night.

GO COOGS!

Clark guard Jason Brickman signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Long Island University in Brooklyn. The Blackbirds play Division 1 ball in the Northeast Conference. The 5’10” Brickman will join former Taft H.S. forward Julian Boyd on the roster at Long Island.

Brickman and his Clark teammates begin the ’09-’10 season on November 17th under the leadership of new head coach Steve Sylestine.

Larry Martin Courtesy WOAI.com

The Clark football team has launched an effort to both honor and aid O’Connor H.S. principal Larry Martin as he fights thyroid cancer. Mr. Martin is a former Clark coach and administrator. Football players are selling black and silver spirit ribbons for $2 each to raise money in support of Mr. Martin and his family during this difficult time.

The ribbons read: “Play Off Bound, Playing in Support of Larry Martin. Once a Cougar Always a Cougar”

The team is asking fans to help them show Mr. Martin and his family how much the Clark Cougars care about their own.

Mr. Martin was a coach at Clark many years ago and was Clark’s Vice Principal from 1997-1999 and the Clark Principal from 1999-2000. It was at that time that he was first diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Buy your ribbon in support of Mr. Martin from any Clark football player.

Claire Webster signs

Clark volleyball player Claire Webster made her commitment to Midwestern State University official during a signing ceremony at Clark today. Webster, an all district right side hitter for the Cougars, will also play right side for the Mustangs.

Webster made her commitment to the Division II school after a visit back in September. She says other schools had discouraged her from pursuing a nursing degree while playing volleyball, but Midwestern State did not and that was a big factor in her decision. The Mustangs compete in the Lone Star Conference.

Webster’s coach at Clark is Kristen Daniell. Her parents are Timothy and Shanan Webster.