Danielle Charles Incarnate Word

Volleyball notebook: Big three propel Howell to school wins record

It was like Christmas morning ... Justin Young did not know.

Coach Francis Howell said he was not sure of what he had when he walked in his first coaching volleyball three seasons ago and saw ultra talented recruits Javon Faucette, Danielle and Bailey Rygelski Sparkman fly balls the gym floor, as was their work.

"I was like, 'OK, we have something to work," he said. "But it was my first year, and I do not know what we'd be against it. And as talented as they were, there was a learning curve the first year. But they picked it up real quick. "

Indeed they did. The Vikings have gone 74-18-4 the past three years with the talented trio leading the way. Howell (26-4-1) recently passed the single-season school record of 24 wins set in 2009 and tied last season.

Although Howell, No. 2 in the STLhighschoolsports.com large-schools rankings, is happy to be blazing a new trail of success, the Vikings aren't organizing a parade.

"It's great to do things like set records as far as wins," Young said. "But our goal is to get to state. That's our focus."

The bus to Cape Girardeau, the site of the state tournament Nov. 4-5, hit a pot hole Saturday. The Vikings were upset by Gateway Athletic Conference South foe Howell Central 25-22, 25-21 in the final of the Pattonville Tournament.

That loss set off alarm bells at 7001 Highway 94 South. A team meeting was called before Monday's rematch with Howell Central.

The Vikings response? A 25-15, 25-20 victory over the Spartans -- Howell's nemesis the past few years -- that clinched a share of the league title.

Faucette led the way with 10 kills on 11 attempts against Central. Rygelski pitched in with eight kills, and Sparkman had five kills and three aces.

"They came up big, for sure," Young said.

Young would have loved to have watched Howell win its second tournament of the year -- the Vikings won at Oakville early this season -- but he thinks the loss at Pattonville may have been a good reality check. He said the team was "flat and unattached emotionally" in the event, perhaps thinking it could show up and win.

UIW student-athletes top conference's Honor Roll

The University of the Incarnate Word placed more student-athletes on the Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the 2010-11 academic year than any other school in the conference.

UIW, one of the newest members of the Lone Star Conference, had 123 student-athletes among 1,027 qualifying. (The conference does not have water sports: synchronized swimming, men’s and women’s swimming and diving)

“This year’s release marks a new beginning for the Commissioner’s Honor Roll program,” Assistant Commissioner Melanie Robotham  said. “Previously, the honorees qualified by cumulative grade point average and were announced by sport at the end of each respective season, but this year’s version is being announced after the conclusion of the spring academic term and student-athletes must qualify based on GPA solely for the current academic year. As such, this year’s listing truly reflects those student-athletes most deserving of recognition for academic achievement during the 2010-11 academic year.”

To be eligible for the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a minimum 3.30 GPA for the current academic year and be active on the roster.

UIW honorees included:

Baseball: Zachary Anderson, business administration, Houston; Colin Carmody, kinesiology, Tampa, Fla.; Michael Farrenkopf, kinesiology, Longmont, Colo.; Matt Hickman, business administration, New Braunfels; Kirk Jewasko, business administration, San Antonio; Justin Kanas, business administration, New Braunfels; Ethan Lutz, computer information systems, Bandura, Texas; Matt Rochon, business administration; San Antonio; Paul Sotelo, engineering management, San Antonio; and Stephen Vidaurri, engineering management, Corpus Christi.

Football: Robert Anderson, biology; San Antonio; Alan Ford, kinesiology, Corpus Christi; Al Furlow, business administration, Katy, Texas; Matt Garza, business administration, Calallen, Texas; Samuel Giamfortone, business administration, Friendswood, Texas; Devin Judkins, liberal studies, Somerset, Texas; Caleb Kocian, business administration, Converse, Texas; Paden Lynch, business administration, D’Hanis, Texas; Saul Meza, engineering management, San Antonio; Andrew Mocio, engineering management, Waco, Texas; Evan Newland, computer information systems, Houston; Colton Palmer, kinesiology, Kerrville, Texas; Chaz Pavliska, engineering management, Floresville, Texas; Austin Quinney, kinesiology, Converse, Texas; Thomas Rebold, rehabilitation science, Austin; Trent Rios, business administration, Spring Branch, Texas; Eric Salas, psychology, San Antonio; Andy Seaman, business administration, Corpus Christi; Charles Segura, business administration, San Antonio; and Michael Tate, engineering management, Houston.

Word 2007, the missing manual

The science of success, how market-based management built the world's largest private company

On the origin of species by means of natural selection or The preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life

The Pickwick Papers, Easyread Super Large 24pt Edition

Ray Charles, man and music