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In what’s quickly becoming a highly anticipated annual event, the City of Magnolia and the Magnolia Community Foundation (MCF) have set Aug. 18 as the date for the second annual Magnolia Tailgate Party on the Stroll.

‘Last year’s turnout was amazing,” MCF President Deborah Rose Miller said. “And this year, more is being planned for all ages. It is a great way to end the summer with a family-friendly evening that celebrates all school activities with the entire community.”

Miller said there will be a few enhancements to this year’s event.

“The biggest change is two-fold,” she said. “First the bands and other groups will have performances throughout the evening on four side streets around the Stroll, instead of just one big performance. The other will be a district-wide pep rally at Sullivan Park at 7:30 p.m.”

Groups performing will be the various bands, drill teams, drumlines, cheerleaders and others from the Magnolia schools.

Karaoke has been added to this year’s event, while the Magnolia Rotary Club will have a dunking booth. Football coaches and principals from both Magnolia High School and Magnolia West High School will be inside the booth taunting tossers who will pay $1 for each throw. Proceeds from the dunking booth will benefit the Magnolia ISD athletic programs.

“The dunking booth we have this year is brand new and bigger,” Miller said.

Booster club’s from the various schools will have booths set up to sell spirit items, while other vendor and food booths will be set up along the Stroll. Vendor and food booth spots are still available for $50.

MCF has also set up a contest that offers a $500 cash prize to the school that receives the most likes on the MCF Facebook page.

“The evening will not only be a great party for all ages, but will benefit our community in tangible ways, especially the children,” Miller said. “Seeing all the kids come together in one place is something I am really excited about.”

Miller said the idea for the tailgate party came after a brainstorming session of MCF members.

“The tailgate was a creation of the Stroll committee and Ravelle Smith, who originated the concept,” she said.

There is no charge to attend the tailgate, however alcohol is not allowed. Students are encouraged to wear their activity uniform or attire to the event.

The entrance to the Stroll is located at Sullivan Park, at the intersection of FM 1488 and FM 1774. For more information or to purchase booth space call 713-806-3453, visit magnoliacommunityfoundation.org, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

DALLAS (AP) — Five straight state championships weren't quite enough to vault Lake Travis High School to the top of the preseason poll in its Class 5A debut.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

The sound of whistles and the sight of pigskins flying through the air can only mean one thing. It’s football season in Texas. Big changes are in the air, as area teams have changed districts, changed classifications and one even prepares for its first varsity season. The Tribune talked to area coaches to get their takes on the upcoming season. This week we take a look at Magnolia’s two high schools, while next week we will preview Tomball, Tomball Memorial and Waller. 

Magnolia West Mustangs

Coach Shawn Bell is headed into his third season at Magnolia West, having just completed the best season in the school’s short history.  

Bell has some big shoes to fill in finding a replacement for all-everything running back Desmond Richards, but he said this group is possibly the most athletic he has ever had.  

“I feel like we have seven to nine guys who can make big plays for us,” Bell said. “When you lose an explosive back like Desmond it’s tough, but our offense will be more wide open. I feel confident that we are definitely more athletic than we have ever been.”  

With five returning offensive starters, Bell said that he has a deep group of receivers that will look to open up the passing game for new quarterback Brandon O’Neil. O’Neil switches to the offensive side of the ball after earning all-district honors at outside linebacker last season. 

“We wanted to put someone back there that gives us the best chance to win,” Bell said. “His transition has gone pretty smooth and he has a great arm.” 

O’Neil will be looking at the deepest wide receiver group in school history, according to Bell. That group will be led by Zeke Bronson and Jeremy Jordan. 

“We are going to run every formation in the book,” Bell said. “This is as multiple of an offense as we have ever been.” 

Bell said the team understands that expectations have changed after a playoff birth.  

“They understand that expectations have gone up and that they’ve got to give a championship effort all the time,” he said. 

As for Bell’s expectations?  

“It’s a tough district,” he said. “But I feel like we can be as talented if not more talented than we were last year.” 

Magnolia Bulldogs

Injuries and youth played a key part in Magnolia High School’s difficult 2-8 season last year. The Bulldogs were down to their junior varsity quarterback by week seven, as the losses piled on. 

With the injuries now healed and a year of experience under the young players belts, Magnolia head coach Andy Sexton looks to have a much improved team this season. 

“I definitely think we will be better,” he said. “Last year we had 10 sophomores starting and had some injuries. We will be a much improved team.” 

The Bulldogs will look to junior Noah McGowan to call the shots at quarterback in Magnolia’s multiple shotgun 2-back set. 

Sexton said that juniors Sheyrome Harris and Greg Soloman and sophomore Shane Mears will all be looked upon to provide leadership and numbers from the skill positions. 

‘They all have a tremendous ability to run and make guys miss,” he said. 

Returning seven starters on both sides of the ball, Sexton will look to an aggressive attacking defense with several senior linemen to provide turnovers and field position. 

Sexton said the team has worked hard the entire summer to help Magnolia return to its winning tradition. 

“The kids are ready to get the program back to winning,” he said. “Our goal is to get back into the playoffs.”

One is adjusting to a new system under a new coach, while the other is preparing for it’s first ever varsity football season. However, both the Tomball Memorial Wildcats and Tomball Cougars are readying themselves for a move to District 22-4A.

The Tribune talked to both schools head coaches about the upcoming season and what fans can expect from both teams.

Tomball Cougars

Tomball High School welcomed Danny Ramsey as its new head coach earlier this year. Ramsey replaced Tommy Kaiser, who retired.

Ramsey comes to Tomball from Waco High, where he led them to the 4A playoffs the past two seasons.

“I’m from this area,” Ramsey said. “I graduated from Westfield High School and I have family all around this area. It was a family decision to come home.”

While the Cougars return several lettermen, Ramsey’s squad won’t be that experienced, as Tomball returns just three starters on both sides of the ball. That won’t stop the team from having some lofty goals, however.

“A lot of kids will be playing varsity for the first time,” he said. “Our goals will still be the same. I’d like to see us contend for a district championship, but that all depends on how much the kids are willing to sacrifice.”

“The kids are hungry and their motivation level is pretty high.”

Ramsey will run a number of formations on offense, while sticking to a spread option style of play. On defense Ramsey said the Cougars will look to attack out of a 3-4 set.

“We will run a lot of different looks at teams though,” he said.

Ramsey said that Drew Reynolds will be a top target at wide receiver, while Xavier Powell will once again handle the backfield duties at tailback.

Ramsey said he can’t wait for the season to start.

“We are really excited about this season,” he said. “Hopefully at the very least we can prepare our kids to become good and honest citizens along the way.”

Tomball Memorial Wildcats

Tomball Memorial head coach Finis Vanover is ready for the season to start. One year after the new school played a sub-varsity schedule in preparation for this season, the Wildcats are also ready for the lights of Friday nights.

“The deal last year was just to get them on the field and playing and it worked out well,” Vanover said. “But we’re ready to get out there and do it because Thursday nights just aren’t the same. We are ready for them to experience the crowds, the lights and the bands on a Friday night.”

The Wildcats, who went 7-3 at their top sub-varsity level last season, have two starting position battles still raging, according to Vanover.

Quarterback candidates Jared Seinkiewich and Jordan Peterson are battling for the starting position. The runner-up will still play at receiver this season, however.

“It’s a tremendous battle going on there between two great young men,” Vanover said.

At tailback Josh Williams and Payton Logan are fighting for the starting nod, though both will see time at the position.

“Those two are way ahead of others at that position,” Vanover said.

Vanover plans to run multiple offensive formations, but will still employ a run-first mentality where the pass plays off the run.

On defense Tomball Memorial will play an attacking, blitzing style.

“We will play man-to-man coverage and make things happen up front,” Vanover said.

He is looking to sophomore linebacker B.J. Catherman to lead the way on defense, along with defensive end Clay Jacobs.

Vanover said the teams goals are to win, bottom line.

“We expect to win and will play to win every time,” he said. “I couldn’t be happier with our effort. It’s been a total buy-in by the kids and their parents and we are laying a great foundation here.”

It was a difficult foray into the world of Friday nights for the Tomball Memorial Wildcats, as they were hammered 37-0 by Magnolia West, Aug. 31.

The game started off with a bang for the Mustangs as they opened the game with a touchdown on the first play. The rest of the first quarter was a struggle for both teams, however and Magnolia West held a 6-0 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Mustangs put 13 more points on the board in the second quarter, before coming alive in the second half. Magnolia West head coach Shawn Bell said his team showed the early season rust after the big bang opening the game.

"Overall it took us a little while to get going after that first play," Bell said. "The kids adjusted and started playing well in the second half."

Magnolia West racked up 477 yards on total offense in the contest.

Mustang quarterback Brandon O'Neil was 3-4 passing for 110 yards and a touchdown, while Brady Bynum totaled 181 rushing yards on 22 carries. Kyle Crawford added 77 yards on eight carries, while scoring twice and Chris Nicholson ran for 72 yards and a score on just two carries. Receiver Zeke Bronson led the way with 117 yards and a touchdown on three receptions.

The Mustang defense stifled the Wildcat offense all night, holding them to 53 total yards.

Junior running back Josh Williams led Tomball Memorial with 46 yards on 11 carries.

Next up Magnolia West will host Stratford Sept. 7, at 7 p.m., while Tomball Memorial will travel to Galena Park for a 7 p.m. contest.

Defense wins championships. If the old cliche rings true then the Magnolia Bulldogs took a big step in the right direction, holding off Galena Park 14-11, Aug. 31

The Bulldogs held Galena Park to less than 200 yards of total offense, while stymying their opponents ground game.

Meanwhile, the Magnolia offense employed a three yards and a cloud of dust philosophy, racking up 266 yards rushing on the night.

Junior running back Sheyrome Harris rushed for 107 of those yards on 17 carries. He also threw a 5-yard touchdown pass.

Harris' touchdown run came late in the first half to put Magnolia on top 7-0. Harris later found Ajahne Brager for a 5-yard touchdown throw that gave the Bulldogs a 14-3 lead, midway through the third quarter.

Junior quarterback Noah McGowan completed five-of-seven passes for 44 yards and rushed for 44 more. Junior running back Greg Soloman added 81 yards on seven carries, while senior Jordan Turnbow had 30 yards on four rushes.

Magnolia will host Bryan Friday evening at 7:30 p.m.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

Area teams struggled during week one of the high school football season, as Magnolia, Magnolia West, Tomball, Tomball Memorial and Tomball Concordia Lutheran all posted losses.

Magnolia  7

Bryan      19

Football coaches always say that turnovers kill a football team. The old cliché rang true for the Magnolia Bulldogs Sept. 7, as two of them proved to be key momentum turners in the game.

While Magnolia’s defense let the Bryan quarterback throw the ball all over --- to the tune of more than 300 yards --- they buckled down in the red zone for the most part, holding the high powered offense to just 19 points. Two of Bryan’s touchdowns, however, came immediately following Bulldog turnovers, allowing Bryan to take a 12-0 lead at the half.

Bulldog player Devane Mitchell returned the second half kickoff 60-plus yards to give Magnolia great field position. A few plays later running back Greg Solomon grinded his way into the endzone from four yards out, cutting the deficit to 12-7.

 It would be the only time the Bulldogs saw the end zone on the night, however.

The Bulldogs drove the length of the field, but the Bryan defense came up with the biggest play of the night, as they stiffened on fouth-and-goal, to keep Magnolia from taking the lead.

Bryan then iced the game with a touchdown drive of their own, providing the final score of 19-7.

Magnolia’s Sheyrome Harris led the Bulldogs with 127 yards on 17 carries, while Solomon added 85 yards on 13 rushes.

The Bulldogs (1-1) traveled to Bryan to take on the city’s other high school Rudder, Sept. 14. Results were not available at press time.

Magnolia West   7

Stratford           17

The Mustangs of Magnolia West suffered their first loss of the season Sept. 3, thanks to a stifling Stratford defense and a couple of turnovers.

The Mustang defense had its second straight strong performance, holding Stratford to only 290 yards total, but it wasn’t enough, as Magnolia West fell 17-7.

Jeremy Jordan led a balanced Mustang rushing attack with 88 yards on 12 carries, along with the Mustangs only touchdown of the night.

Brady Bynum added 50 yards on 14 carries, while Tyler Ray had 64 yards on 11 carries. Quarterback Troy Logan was 7-16 passing for 60 yards and a pick.

The Mustangs (1-1) traveled to state-ranked Brenham, to take on the Cubs Sept. 14. Results were not available at press time.

Tomball             24

Jersey Village  42

Fighting and clawing to stay in the game eventually took it’s toll on the Tomball Cougars Sept. 7, as they fell to 0-2 on the season with a 49-24 loss to Jersey Village.

Running back Xavier Powell ran roughshod all over the field for 255 yards on 25 carries and three scores, but it wasn’t quite enough.

After Jersey Village took a 21-7 halftime lead, the Cougars tried to make their way back into it in the third period. They were able to claw there way to a 28-21 deficit with just more than two minutes remaining in the third quarter. A quick five play, 80-yard drive by Jersey Village ended that threat however.

One more Jersey Village touchdown in the final quarter iced the game and the victory.

The Cougars dominated Jersey Village on the offensive side of the ball, as they racked up 360 yards rushing on 50 carries.

The Jersey village passing attack balanced that out as Devontre Barlow was 9-12 for 269 yards and three touchdowns.

The Cougars (0-2) traveled to Katy to take on Mayde Creek, Sept. 14. Results were not available at press time.

Tomball Memorial   3

Galena Park           35

After being shut out in their first ever varsity game, the Tomball Memorial Wildcats were able to hang with Galena Park for a half, before numbers and inexperience spelled their demise.

The Wildcats swarming defense held Galena Park to a first quarter score, while sophomore kicker Christian Jugg scored the first points in Wildcat history --- a 25-yard field goal --- to lead Memorial to a competititve first half.

The numbers game kicked in during the second half, however, as Galena Park rolled of 28 unanswered points for the 35-3 victory.

Josh Williams led the Wildcat offense with 83 yards on 19 carries, while Jared Seinkiewich added 37 yards on five rushes.

The Wildcats (0-2) traveled to Waller Sept. 14. Results were not available at press time.

Concordia Lutheran   2

Northland Christian 28

The Crusaders were overpowered by a swarming defense, falling 28-2 in their Sept. 7 contest against Northland Christian.

Concordia was held to just 146 yards of total offense, while surrendering more than 300. Their only scoring was a first quarter safety by the Crusader defense.

Stephen Everitt led Concordia with 27 yards on 11 carries, while Zac Huwyler added 46 on six rushes. Roland Frederick chipped in 38 yards on nine carries.

The Crusaders traveled to Houston Second Baptist Sept. 14. Results were not available as of press time.

The Waller Bulldogs (1-1) ran over and around the Tomball Memorial Wildcats Sept. 14, rushing for 290 yards in the 42-22 victory.

Waller had an extra week to prepare for the Wildcats and it showed, as Colten Frisby ran for 125 yards on just eight carries, while Joeseth McDade added 90 yards on four carries.

Elijah Morrow was a duel threat rushing and receiving as he ran for 43 yards on four carries and had two catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

Tomball Memorial (0-3) continues to show their inexperience during their first year of varsity play, but have shown improvement every week. The Wildcats gained 278 yards of total offense, their best showing of the young season.

The Wildcats had a bye week, while the Bulldogs hosted Brenham Sept. 21. Results were not available at press time.

Magnolia           17

Bryan Rudder  20

Magnolia suffered another close defeat to a Brazos County opponent, falling 20-17 in a road contest at Bryan Rudder Sept. 14.

The Bulldogs watched in agony as Rudder hit a 22-yard field goal as the clock wound down to win the game.

Magnolia had raced out to a 17 point advantage by the end of the third period, thanks to some stout defense and a balanced offensive attack. Then the game fell apart in the final quarter.

Rudder kicker Colton Bayer hit a 25-yard field goal with just over seven minutes to play, cutting the Magnolia lead to 17-10. Rudder then tied it on a rushing score with a little more than three minutes to play.

The Bulldogs then tried to drive down the field, but quarterback Noah McGowan threw an interception with 27 seconds left to play, which Rudder returned 60 yards to set up the game winning field goal.

The Bulldogs (1-2) had a bye week before they host Huntsville Sept. 28 in their first district contest.

Magnolia West   7

Brenham           29

The Magnolia West Mustangs met a stifling defense in Brenham Sept. 14, falling to the state ranked Cubs 29-7.

The Mustangs could only muster 66 total yards of offense in the contest, while the defense allowed 155 yards rushing and 130 yards in the air

West’s only score came when Jeremy Jordan took a punt and weaved 68-yards for a touchdown.

The Mustangs (1-2) hosted Willis in their first district contest of the season Sept. 21. Results were not available at press time.

Tomball                      21

Katy Mayde Creek   31

A dreadful second quarter spelled doom for the Tomball Cougars Sept. 14, as they dropped their third straight game, this time to Katy Mayde Creek.

The Cougars fell behind 24-7 at halftime, allowing Katy Mayde Creek to score all 24 of their points in the second quarter. Mayde Creek added another touchdown early in the third quarter to go up 31-7.

Tomball’s defense tightened up after that, keeping Mayde Creek from the end zone and the Cougar offense came to light, scoring twice to make the game interesting.

The Cougar’s final score, a 48-yard strike from Drew Reynolds to Xavier Powell, cut the Mayde Creek lead to 10 points, with just more than nine minutes to play.

Tomball’s defense immediately forced a three-and-out from Mayde Creek, giving the ball back to their offense with 7:15 to play.

The Cougars then spent seven plays traveling into Mayde Creek territory, before penalties and an interception killed their hopes of clawing back into the game.

Tomball (0-3) had a bye week before they traveled to Ft. Bend Marshall for their first district contest Sept. 28.