Baseball: Second round buzzsaw catches CFISD

Even though every District 17-5A baseball playoff team was knocked out of the Class 5A Region III area playoff last week, it can't dampen what were standout seasons for the four Cy-Fair ISD schools.

"It was kind of disappointing to see us all get eliminated in the second round, but I know all of the teams will get right back to work for next season," Langham Creek coach Armando Sedeño said. "Maybe next year will be our year and we'll see our teams go deeper in the bracket."

District 17-5A champion Cy Creek fell to Seven Lakes, and runner-up Cy-Fair was edged by Lamar, in three-game series, and Jersey Village was swept by Westside after coming up just short in a 2-1 area opener that lasted 13 innings.

Langham Creek was topped by Memorial 9-3 and 9-5 in the second round, and it marked the final outings for eight Lobos seniors including Carter Mangum (shortstop), Aaron Ballou (second base), Cameron Elliott (center field-pitcher), John Hoehner (right field), Will Arsola (left field), Matt Richardson (catcher), Blaine Tompkins (pitcher-outfielder) and Logan Onda (pitcher-infielder).

In the final game of the season, juniors Hayden Jones (pitcher), Brandon Montalvo (designated hitter), Ryan Rand (first base) and Ben Taylor (third base) were in the starting lineup.

"We feel good about next season with a good varsity core returning, and some good players on the way from our 18-7 junior varsity and 27-4 sophomore teams," Sedeño said. "We'll of course have some new faces out there, but there is a lot of potential."

Langham Creek returned to the playoffs this spring after missing out the past two years.

"Considering this team came into the season with only two or maybe three players with considerable varsity experience, they put together a tremendous season," Sedeño said. "Most of the rest of team had played on the junior varsity in 2010, so we had a bunch of player step up and make things happen.

"They have given us something to build on, and for future teams to shoot for and possibly go past."

Along with Jones, Montalvo, Rand and Taylor, senior-to-be outfielder Zack Moore is among Langham Creek's top prospects next year.

"This senior class that we're having to say goodbye to was tremendous in the aspect of pulling for each other and our program," Sedeño said. "They were all good leaders who looked out for each other, as well as the younger players, and we also had some outstanding leaders among our juniors who are moving into even more important senior roles in 2012."