Sydney is a three-year varsity starting Middle Blocker. This season, she has amassed 153 kills and 26 blocks. Sydney is leading the team in offensive efficiency with a .378 hitting percentage.
Football – Jake Overstreet, Senior
Jake has played a critical role in the success of Rockwall football this season. He plays Free Safety and is currently leading the entire district with 83 tackles in just 6 games. Jake is a team Captain and a great leader on the field. He also represents the football team well off the field. Not surprisingly, Jake was just voted as the Homecoming King for RHS. This is a direct result of the way that he treats people and the value he places on his relationships.
Men’s Water Polo – Brad Binns, Senior
Brad Binns has been a great player for the team. He has shown great leadership throughout the season, but he also shows great patience with the team. When the team needs a goal, they look for Brad to do it. Brad consistently gets double and triple-teamed from the defense, but he makes it every time. Brad was the team’s Homecoming Escort.
Women’s Water Polo – Brooke Shirley, Senior
Brooke Shirley has been an integral part of the water polo team. This year, she’s a big recruiter, leading scorer and she leads the team in steals. Brooke is very versatile, too. She can take a shot from 5 meters out or make a pass leading someone to make a score. Brooke was the team’s Homecoming Sweetheart.
Women’s Cross Country – Rachel Kinniburgh, Sophomore
Rachel is a sophomore that has set a new school record of 18:25 in the 5K. She is a fierce competitor and has been the high point scorer on the team for the month of September. She has won 3 of the 5 races, 2nd in another and placed in the top 20 in the rest.
Men’s Cross Country – James Kinniburgh, Senior
James has been the high point scorer on the team for the month of September. He ran a personal best of 16:15 last week and has been improving all season. He is a constant contributor and also a national merit scholar.
Micah plays second base and short stop. He is committed to play baseball at TCU. For the month of April, Micah hit .464 going 13 for 28 at the plate with 3 doubles, 3 triples, a homerun, and 12 RBI's. Micah also scored 8 runs and stole 9 bases.
Softball – Laci Larsen, Junior
Laci is an integral part of the Lady Jacket softball team. She is the starting catcher and does an incredible job behind the plate. She calls her own game because she knows how to read the situations, the batter and their stance. Laci knows her pitchers in and out making an effective defensive duo. Laci is batting over .300 and has driven in 17 RBI’s on the season so far. She has also been such a leader on the team. She works so hard, never takes a rep off, and is a true leader by example. Her passion for the game and for her teammates’ success is undeniable. Laci is a huge part of the RHS softball program’s success this year.
Men’s Gymnastics – Caden Nowaczyk and Jirden Ware, Team Captains
The team captains have done a fantastic job of leading this team all season long. As a result of their hard work and excellent leadership, the men’s gymnastics team has now won their THIRD straight State Championship title. Caden and Jirden have both put 4 years of training into the RHS Gymnastics program, and they understand (through experience) what it takes to be at your best at the right time. These two young men not only led by example, but also held their teammates accountable with the use of support, encouragement, direction, and enforcement of all the core values this team has demonstrated for years. Caden and Jirden’s leadership is much appreciated!
Women’s Gymnastics – Makenzie Kapphahn, Senior
Makenzie is a four-year varsity gymnast. She is a strong competitor and amazing leader. She always puts her team first and goes All In every day. Kenzie has had her fair share of adversity and set backs throughout her gymnastics career, but she has always comes back stronger and better each time. At the 2023 state meet, Kenzie was named to the High School National team and will compete for Team Texas in Florida on May 19th.
Men’s Track – Brendon Ross, Junior
Brendon had an unfortunate issue in the boys 100 meter dash at the District meet; however, he made up for it by qualifying for Area in the 4x100 relay and the 200 meter dash. At Area, Brendon placed 2nd in the 200 meter dash, which earned him a spot to advance to the Regional meet. In the prelims, Brendon ran a 21.65, a new PR. In the finals, Brendon placed 6th with a 21.72. Brendon is .09 away from the RHS school record in the 200 meter dash. Coach McCrary predicts that Brendon will set a new school record his senior year!
Men’s Track – T.J. Emory, Senior
T.J. qualified for Area in the 100 meter dash and the 4x100 meter relay. At District, TJ was considered a slight under-dog for the 100 meter dash; however, he ran an impressive 10.8 in the event. TJ's leadership will be missed, and we wish him the best of luck in his future.
Men’s Track – Michael Wells, Junior
Michael won both the shot put and discus events at the District meet. At Area, Michael placed 3rd in the shot put and 4th in the discus, which qualified him for Regionals in both events. At the Regional meet, Michael didn't have the best moment in discus, but he placed 3rd overall in Shot Put. He was 6.5" away from 2nd place, which would have been an automatic qualification for the state meet. Knowing Michael, he will use this to his advantage and will be representing Rockwall in the boys shot put in 2024.
Men’s Track – Collin McCrillis, Junior
Collin qualified and competed in the boys 110 hurdles at the Regional meet. Collin placed 5th overall in prelims while running a new PR time of 14.27. Collin placed 6th overall with a time of 14.46. Collin will take 2024 to the next level.
Men’s Track – Garrett Savage, Junior
At the District meet, Garrett placed 2nd in the pole vault with a PR vault of 14'0". At Area, he placed 4th but managed to qualify for the regional meet. Regionals didn't go quite like he had hoped but considering that he had an injury at the beginning of the year, Garrett had a great season. He knows what he has to do, and he already has it mapped out to have a successful 2024 season.
Men’s Track – Cristian Barron, Junior
Cristian is a distance runner. At District, he won the 3200 meter run and placed 3rd in the 1600 meter run. At the Area track meet, something was just off, so he didn't advance in the 3200 meter run. Cristian knew that if he wanted to extend his season, then he had to come out guns blazing in the 1600 meter run. He did just that by running a 4:31.98! Cristian placed 3rd and advanced to the Regional track meet. At Regionals, the race didn't go quite like he envisioned, but it doesn't define or take away from the season that he had. He still has one more season left with RHS. Cristian has his eyes set on getting his name on the record board in the 3200 and 1600 meter runs.
Women’s Track – Claire Lowrey, Senior
For the 2023 season, Claire is undefeated in the girls high jump. She won the Region II-6A meet for the third straight year, and she also qualified for her 3rd straight trip to the State Track Meet on May 13th. One more meet and Claire only has GOLD in mind to finish out her high school career.
Women’s Track – Ally Otis, Sophomore
Ally qualified for the Regional meet in 5 events. Ally is a very talented athlete that can do a wide variety of events. At the regional meet, Ally placed 3rd in the high jump and was also able to win the "Wildcard Spot" for the state competition on May 13th. Ally also ran the girls 100 hurdles. Although she didn't make the finals in that event, she did run a personal best of 14.70. She was also a member of the girls 4x400 relay that placed 5th overall at the regional meet.
Women’s Track -- Emma Santoro, Junior
Emma qualified for Regionals in 3 events. Emma placed 4th in the girls 800 meter run, and she was also a member of the 4x400 relay that finished 5th overall. The highlight of Emma's regional meet is her 2nd place finish in the 400 meter dash. Emma went into the regional meet ranked 5th and barely squeezed into the finals by placing 8th. Emma had lane 8 in the finals. Emma knew what she had to do, and she executed that plan by running a beautiful race finishing 2nd overall! Emma was only 1/100th of a second from 1st place. Emma will be competing in the State Track Meet on May 13th in the girls 400 meter dash.
Women’s Track - Presley Green, Senior
Presley ran the last race of her high school career at the regional track meet. Presley has been a huge leader on the girls track team and one of the many reasons for the team’s success. Presley ran the 4x100 and 4x200 relays at the regional meet. As a junior, Presley managed to get her name on the record board as a member of the 4x100 relay record breaking team. Presley’s coaches are forever grateful for the hard work and leadership that she brought to the RHS program. Presley is one that will definitely be missed. Good luck Presley as you begin the next chapter of your life as you go off to Texas A&M!
Women’s Track -- Tylar Parker, Junior
Tylar qualified for Regionals in the 4x100 and 100 meter dash. Tylar has the tools to go to the next level after high school. As a junior, Tylar broke the school record in the 100 meter dash with a time of 12.05. This year, at the district meet, Tylar broke her own record by running a time of 11.92 seconds. Bigger things are coming for Tylar in 2024.
Women’s Track -- Charley Hamilton, Junior
Charley is a distance/middle distance runner for the Lady Jackets. At the District meet, Charley brought home 3 gold medals by winning the 800 meters, 1600 meters and being a member of the 4x400 relay team. At Area, Charley placed 2nd in the 800, 1st in the 1600 and was on the 1st place 4x400 relay team. At Regionals, Charley placed 7th in 800, 16th in the 1600 and was a member of the 5th place 4x400 relay team. In the 4x400 prelim, Charley ran her first 59 second relay split. Charley is a very talented athlete that has JFND running through her veins.
Mac Rose is a Catcher, First Baseman and Pitcher for
the Rockwall Yellowjackets baseball team.
He has signed to play baseball at McLennan Community College in Waco
(2021 NJCAA National Champions). Mac was the leading hitter for the month of
March with 25 hits in 54 at bats, 9 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs, 24 RBI,
and 9 runs scored. On the mound, he was
3-0 with 24 innings pitched, 24 strikeouts, 4 walks, 9 hits allowed, and only 5
runs (4 earned) allowed.
In addition to his hard work on the baseball field,
Mac will graduate with 30 hours of college credit.
He is also a type 1 diabetic (diagnosed at age 12) and
overcomes this life disease every day to be a successful student athlete.
Softball
– Ainsley Pemberton, Junior
Ainsley is a fierce
competitor and one of the toughest pitchers around. She constantly wants to
perfect her craft and knows what it takes to achieve greatness. So far this
season, she has had 164 strike outs and a 1.18 ERA. So far in her career at
RHS, she has had 652 strike outs and a 62-15 record in the circle. She
dominates in the circle and is an intimidating pitcher to face. Not only is she
a competitor on the field, but she is also equally as competitive in the
classroom. Ainsley has earned her way
into the Ivy Leagues with a commitment to attend and play softball at the
University of Pennsylvania. She epitomizes what JFND truly means! Ainsley is a well-respected team Captain and
a difference maker with her leadership and tenacity for the game.
RHS
competed in three meets during the month of March: RHS vs Trinity, Battle for
the Rock, and District Championships.
Jirden had a good showing in all three meets. He scored a 9.2 on Optional Vault against
Trinity (1st place). He scored a 9.3 on
Vault at the Battle for the Rock in which he competed in a brand new vault (2nd
place). At District, he scored a
combined 19.1 on floor (2nd place) and a combined 18.8 on vault (1st
place). Jirden scored a career high 9.5
for optional floor at the District Championships.
In
addition to competing well, Jirden has grown into a great leader for our
team. He has been voted by his teammates
as Co-Captain, and he is always motivating and challenging his peers to be
their best. Congratulations to Jirden!
Women’s Gymnastics – Kylie Pittman, Senior
Kylie is a strong leader who comes to practice every
day with a positive attitude and drive to always be better than the day
before. She leads by example and holds
herself to the highest of standards in and out of the gym. Her teammates know they can count on her 100%.
Men’s Track – Collin McCrillis, Junior
Collin is a hurdler for the Jackets, and he is finally getting into his grove with the hurdles. Collin was injured late last season and remained hurt for the entire summer and a small part of the fall. He was determined to get back on the track and did everything needed to do so. Collin was able to compete at the Jesuit Sheaner Relays on March 25th where he placed 2nd and ran a Personal Best time. Collin also qualified for Texas Relays where he was one of 56 hurdlers. After the prelims, Collin finished 16th overall with a new Personal Best time. With the District meet about to take place, Collin has more to give in the tank and will continue to work towards punching a ticket to the state meet.
Brendon is one of the speedsters on the track
team. Brendon has been burning up the
track in the 100 and 200 meter races this season. Brendon is really close to breaking the 200
meter dash record. The current record is
21.54 and Brendon ran a 21.79 this season.
Brendon may also break the 100 meter dash record since he has a personal
best time of 10.75 and the record is 10.68.
Brendon is FAST! Brendon also
gets to display his speed on Friday nights as a Yellow Jacket Football
Player.
Men’s Track – Michael Wells, Junior
Michael is one of our weight men who throws the shot
and discus. Michael has become a student
of the throwing events, and he is constantly analyzing himself. He also researches and studies new techniques,
which has paid off. On March 22nd,
Michael threw personal best throws in the discus (147’5”) and the shot
(52’2.5”). Knowing Michael and his work
ethic, further throws are in the near future.
Women’s Track – Claire Lowrey, Senior
Claire has started her final year off with a
bang! After six meets, she is undefeated
in the girl’s high jump. On March 25th,
she defended her title at Jesuit and won the Jesuit Sheaner Relays. The biggest accomplishment this year, so far,
just happened on March 31st at Texas Relays.
Pitted against many of the best jumpers in the state of Texas and a few
from outside of Texas, Claire won the Texas Relays with a jump of 5’10”. Claire still has a few meets left as a
Rockwall Yellow Jacket. She is expected
to remain undefeated in 2023 and bring home the State Championship Gold Medal
on May 13th.
Women’s Track - Girls 4x400 Relay (Ally
Otis, Charley Hamilton, Emma Santoro, Kaela Perez, Elizabeth Laurence, &
Helana Turner)
The 4x400 Relay has ran 5 meets and are undefeated on
the season as they head into District competition. This group of young ladies are tougher than
nails and they refuse to lose. Yes, a
relay consists of 4 members that actually run, but you have to have alternates
that are ready at a second’s notice. We
have run three different relay lineups.
The first three names are the constants that have been on it all five
times. The last three names we have plugged in week to week. Each week, we have gotten the same
result. This group now has their sights
set on bringing the District 10-6A 4x400 title back to Rockwall where it
belongs!
Women’s Track – Rachel Kinniburgh,
Freshman
On March 1st, Rachel broke a 21 year-old
record in the girls 3200 meter run by running an 11:12.69. Just a week earlier, she was just under 10
seconds away from the record. She and
Coach McCrary stood and stared at the record board. As they were staring at the 3200 meter
record, Coach McCrary told Rachel that she had the opportunity to have her name
on the board very soon. He was not
expecting it to happen just 2 days later! Rachel is a very young and very
talented runner. If what she has already
done in such a short period of time is any indication, she will be able to do so
much more during her time at RHS. Rachel
will put that 3200 meter record out of reach before leaving RHS in 2026.
Pearson is a centerfielder and right-handed pitcher
for the Rockwall Yellowjackets baseball team.
He has committed to playing baseball in college at Oklahoma
University. Pearson started his
sophomore year (2022) and was the district 10-6A Newcomer of the year. He maintains a 4.22 GPA and is a strong
student in the classroom. Pearson has 2
older brothers who also played baseball at RHS and in college (Barrett and
Tyler). In our first tournament on
February 23-25, he was 10-19 at the plate with 2 doubles, a triple, a homerun,
3 RBI's and 10 runs scored. In addition to his exceptional hitting, Pearson
also had a complete game victory on the mound pitching 7 innings allowing only
2 runs while striking out 8 batters.
Softball
– Ava Wallace, Junior
Ava has truly stepped up
into a leadership role for the Lady Jackets this year, and it has served the
team so well. She is an outstanding outfielder and makes tough plays look easy.
Ava leads the team so far in RBI's, total number of hits, and has one of the
highest on base percentages. She is a great young woman on and off the field,
and we are excited to see how much more she has to offer our program this
season.
Men’s
Soccer – Austin Lopez, Senior
Austin is a 3-year varsity
player. Austin has had a really good
senior year and month of February. He can play multiple positions and has a lot
of skill. Austin is a good teammate who leads by example. Due to a few
injuries, he has stepped up and taken on a different position and has been a
key component for our success. He likes to smile, dribble, kick it with his
brother Brandon (10th), and wear adidas sweatpants. He has 5 goals this season
and much more to come! Austin is a pleasure to work with. He has an amazing future ahead of him.
Avery
Shipman, co-captain, is a 4-year letterman of the Lady Jacket soccer team! She
has scored 8 goals with 6 assists this season! Avery was a key player in last
year's run, and with that experience, she has taken her leadership role
seriously. She contributes both offensively and defensively for the Lady
Jackets. She is coming off a season-ending injury in 2022 and worked the entire
off season to come back ready to make this year a memorable one! Avery is
looking to continue her soccer career in college.
Men’s Gymnastics – James Martin
Rockwall competed against Roundrock on February 16th
and took 1st place. Rockwall remains undefeated
on the season. James had a great meet
and scored a personal best 9.0 on rings to take 3rd place. In addition to competing well at the meet,
James is a very hard worker. He is a JV
move up from last year and is now one of the top rings competitors in the
state. He is great with his teammates
and always puts his best efforts into every workout. Congratulations, James!
Women’s Gymnastics – Jordan Steward,
Freshman
Jordan is currently ranked 2nd on bars, 1st on beam,
3rd on floor and 2nd in the all-around in the STATE! Jordyn is a hard-working,
positive young lady who pushes herself every day to be the best she can be for
her team. She is making her mark in
high school gymnastics and we are excited to see what the rest of this season
hold for her as well as the rest of her high school career!
Women’s Basketball – Nhira Iverson, Junior
For the month of February, Nhira was one of the top
rebounders for the team pulling down 9 in the Bi-District win against Wylie
East and making clutch free throws in that game down the stretch going 4 for 4
from the free throw line. She also had 2
charges in our Wylie East game and 3 charges in our Mesquite game. Nhira is a great leader on and off the
court. She not only excels on the court
but also in the classroom. She is a
great model of our Lady Jacket Way: Leadership, Character, Heart, Hard Work, and
Unity.
Men’s Basketball – D’Von Turner, Junior
D’von lead our team in scoring at 13 points per game
and assists with 2.6 assists per game.
He also earned Offensive Player of The Year for our district 10-6A boys
basketball district. He has been a
leader for our team and a great teammate.
Men’s Wrestling – Jarrett Stoner, Senior
Jarrett caps off his senior season with the 190 lb.
UIL State Championship. He finishes as best wrestler in the state with a record
of 39-4 and leading his team to a 9th place finish overall. Jarrett is
currently deciding where to continue his education and wrestle moving forward. He
is considering offers from University of Missouri, Northern Illinois
University, and University of Little Rock-Arkansas. He has finished as a 3-year
team captain for his Jacket Wrestling program, #31 academically in his class
with a 5.1 GPA, and a three-sport athlete (football team captain as well).
Women’s Wrestling – Megan Edwards, Senior
Megan finishes her career as a Jacket finishing 4th at
the UIL State Championships. She led her team as the highest place winner and
helped her team finish 10th in the state. Megan is a 3-year captain for the Lady
Jacket Wrestling program. Megan has committed to continue school and wrestling
at Elmira College in upstate New York.
Ben is a leader in
the classroom and on the field. Ben is very involved with his church and is a
great role model for today's youth. He
can play multiple positions on the field. Ben is a 3-year varsity player and
two-year starter. Ben is a GREAT teammate and leader for our team. One of the
hardest working kids I have ever coached. He has helped lead our defense this
season with 8 shutouts and only allowing 2 goals on the season. The sky is the
limit for this kid!! JFND
Women’s
Soccer – Morgan Countryman, Sophomore
Morgan has been a bright spot for our program from day
1! Although an injury sidelined her for
a bit at the beginning of high school, Morgan’s drive and determination helped
her to become a shining star as a freshman. In her sophomore season, she has
not slowed down! She scored 3 goals in January and has had a major impact in
every game. Even as a sophomore, Morgan’s leadership on and off the field is
undeniable! Keep your eyes out for her name throughout the 2023 district
season!
Men’s Gymnastics – Brett Collins, Junior
Brett competed twice in the month of January and did
outstanding in both meets. On January
12th against Chisholm Trail in compulsory level competition, Brett scored a 9.0
on Pommel Horse (7th place), 9.6 on Vault (3rd place), 9.6 on Parallel Bars
(4th place), and an 9.5 on High Bar (7th place). Then on January 19th against L. D. Bell in
Optional level competition, Brett scored an 8.0 on Floor (8th place), 8.0 on
Pommel Horse (6th place), 9.3 on Vault (1st place), 8.6 on Parallel Bars (3rd
place), and 8.6 on High Bar (3rd place).
For the January 19th meet, Brett competed new skills on four events, and
set career high optional scores on all 5 events. Congratulations, Brett!
Women’s Gymnastics – Emma Avery, Junior
Emma is a three-year varsity gymnast who is currently
ranked 7th on bars, 4th on beam and 8th in the All Around in the state! Emma is a very dedicated and determined
gymnast who pushes hard every day to be the best! She is a leader in every
sense of the word. She leads by example
and is someone her teammates can always count on. Great things are ahead this season for Emma,
and we are blessed to have her on our team.
Women’s Basketball – Liz Laurence, Junior
Liz is a junior and captain of our team. Liz is a great leader that truly emphasizes
the motto "others before self."
She constantly energizes and helps our team to be our best, whether on
the court or off. She helped our team in
the month of January be contenders for a district championship. She leads our team in assists and is a great
3 point threat for the Lady Jackets as well as defensive stopper. She not only excels on the court but off the
court in the classroom as well. She
definitely has that JFND spirit!
Men’s Basketball – Hudson Goellner,
Sophomore
Hudson Goellner had a monster January for the boys
basketball team. He is averaging 11
points per game and 7 rebounds per game (leading the team). In January, Hudson’s scoring average rose 3
points and his rebound average increased by 1.5 rebounds per game. He is a very nice young man that is coachable. He is a really good teammate and genuinely
cares for others.
Peyton
qualified for Regionals again! However,
Peyton has made his mark as a team captain.
This year, he decided to swim a new event. The 50 Freestyle will be fast, but he is
ready for it.
Ethan qualified for Regionals for the first time! His district meet was all about putting the
team first. He will be a part of all
three relays for districts and regionals.
Ethan is putting in an outstanding effort!
Women’s Swim – Sophie Escamilla &
Kierra Willis
Sophie qualified for her first Regional
swim meet. She has done a great job all
year. All of her hard work has paid
off. She will be swimming the 100
Backstroke. Sophie is a great person
that is a big part of our team.
Kierra has qualified for her first
regional swim meet, too. She works hard
in the classroom and the pool. She will
be swimming the 100 Butterfly. Kierra is
a very valuable asset to our team.
Austin is a hard-working kid who loves soccer. Austin
is a 3-year varsity player. He shows up every day ready to play and get better.
He is a good teammate and leads by example. He plays center mid, outside mid,
and forward. Austin will be a key part of our success this year.
Women’s
Soccer – Miranda Countryman, Senior
Miranda was an integral part of the 2022 team’s
success. This season, she is the team
captain and has assumed the leadership with ease. While maintaining a challenging academic
schedule as well as her soccer duties, Miranda’s role on the 2023 squad will be
key to the success of the season. Her
communication and vision of the game are helping to build a strong defense as
she contributes to the offense as well!
Men’s Gymnastics – Dean Reed, Junior
Dean Reed scored his first ever "Perfect
10.0!" on Floor during our meet against Boswell High School. He also scored a 9.4 on Vault, and a 9.6 on
High Bar. Dean finished 1st on Floor,
8th on Vault, and 4th on High Bar at the meet.
Congratulations to Dean!
Women’s Gymnastics – Whitney Colpitts, Senior
Whitney is our 2022-2023 varsity captain. Whitney is the calm in our storm and keeps
our entire team grounded and on track.
While she is an amazing gymnast, her ability to lead her team, keep
everyone motivated, and bring positivity everyday separates her from the
rest. Whitney’s impact on her teammates
and coaches is unmatchable and we are blessed to have her talent and leadership
guiding the team this year.
Nicole is the point guard for the Lady Jackets and has
done a great job in leading her team.
Nicole helped the Lady Jackets to a 2-1 district start and 5th place
finish (4-1) in the Aggieland Invitational over Christmas break. She is a great leader on and off the
court. She is a great ball handler,
defender and scorer for our team. Nicole truly loves her team and works hard to
help each one of them succeed.
Boys Basketball – Jayden Saa, Senior
Jayden Saa is averaging 6.5 points per game and shooting
43% from the field. He has a 3 point
field goal percentage of 39%, which is leading the team. Jayden is also
an exemplary student. He had all A’s for term 2 and the 1st semester.
Jayden is great kid that works hard and has earned everything he has gotten.
Men’s Wrestling – Jake Moon, Junior
Jake competed at the Coppell Santa Slam tournament and
placed 1st in the 144 lb. finals! He placed 2nd at the Allen Outlaw
tournament. Jake only has 1 loss this
year. He is currently the #1 6A wrestler
in the state.
