Fall Sports Preview: Cross Country, Football, Flag Football, and Volleyball

Cross Country

The Frassati Catholic Cross Country team had a strong showing last year, finishing third at the TAPPS State Championships. This season, the team has grown in size, with its largest-ever group of runners, in addition to fielding a girls team for the first time.

“Last year, our boys team had its best season ever with a third place finish at the TAPPS 2A State Championships,” said Head Coach Ralph Maddalena. “That achievement may be difficult to match this year as we have moved up to 3A. I am optimistic that we will remain one of the top schools in our division. This year we will have a girls team for the first time since the school opened. I am very excited for them and can’t wait to see how they perform and improve as the season progresses.”

The team had the opportunity to train over the summer months on the school’s campus, putting in hours of preseason work in preparation for the upcoming season.

“Our runners have built a good mileage base during our summer training program, so we should get off to a pretty good start,” said Maddalenda. “The girls team is mix of freshman and sophomores, and, while inexperienced in cross country, they have been working hard and are coming along well. The boys team has strong core of experienced runners supplemented by some promising freshmen.”

The cross country season kicks off this Saturday at the Incarnate Word Academy Invitational at the Houston Sports Park.

To view the full cross country schedule, follow the link here.

Football

This season marks the first time Frassati Catholic will have a full-contact, 11-man football team. The team will play games at the junior varsity level with freshman and sophomores, with the goal to play at the varsity level in two years.

Head Coach, Scot Mills, is looking forward to working with the young team. “The primary goal of this season is to set a standard of commitment and work ethic to achieve success. That success is not in the form of wins and losses but lies in many little aspects of the game.”

The Falcons will play a rigorous schedule of nine games, with its opener scheduled for Thursday, August 25 at John Cooper at 6:00 p.m.

“We are playing a very competitive schedule and will be challenged week after week,” said Mills.

The team will play its home opener on Thursday, September 22 at 4:30 p.m. against Cypress Christian.

“The team and I are looking forward to our first home game,” said Mills. “We've talked numerous times and are anticipating the excitement of that day.”

To view the full football schedule, follow the link here.

Flag Football

Frassati Catholic Flag Football will look to build on its strong season last year when it went deep into the TCAL playoffs. This year, the team has a goal of making another deep run.

“We were one game away from the championship game last year,” said Head Coach Nick Isaac. “We look forward to getting back in that same position and creating a different outcome.”

One challenge for all of the players this season, stressed Isaac, is to improve in some way every day: “Our coaching staff has challenged our boys to better than they were the previous day. On the field, in the classroom, or at home, just be better than you were yesterday.”

The team will have only juniors and seniors this season, and has a smaller roster than last year. Though there will be more experience on the roster, more players will be asked to play on both sides of the ball (offensively and defensively).

“Something that will be new for us is having 80% of our boys play both ways,” said Isaac. “Last year we had enough numbers to only have two or three boys play both sides of the ball. This year with small numbers we don't have that luxury.”

The team will have its home opener on Friday, August 26 against Val Verde at 5:30 p.m.
To view the full flag football schedule, follow the link here.

Volleyball

Last year, Frassati Catholic Volleyball became the first team in the school’s history to make the TAPPS district playoffs. This year, the team is looking to build on last season’s success. For the first time, the team will have seniors and will be able to play games on the school’s campus in its new gymnasium.

“We're really looking forward to hosting games in the beautiful new gym,” said Head Coach Katie Hoff.

The team has a mix of veterans and new players this season, with a number of senior leaders and five underclassmen.

“The girls have some good experience,” said Hoff. “But we're still a young team. We have a very tough preseason schedule, and we are playing well against some good teams, so the girls are beginning to believe that we can be a team to watch out for.”

The team won its home opener last Thursday (8/18) against Providence Classical, and will play at home tonight (8/23) against Emery Weiner at 6:30 p.m.

The team will play a tough district schedule, kicking off on September 20 at Pasadena First Baptist at 7:00 p.m.

Despite moving up a class to 3A, playoffs are still the target according to Hoff: “I'd like to return to post-season play and win a playoff game - or two or three,” she said.

To view the full volleyball schedule, follow the link here.

About Frassati Catholic High School: Founded in 2013, Frassati Catholic High School serves the families and parishes in the north Houston area of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston. Administered by the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia Congregation from Nashville, TN, Frassati Catholic High School prepares students to walk on the path of true happiness through a robust college-preparatory curriculum rooted in the Catholic faith. The school currently serves students in grades 9-12. For more information about Frassati Catholic High School, contact Kyle Smith, director of communications, at 832-616-3227.