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Author: Greg Sherman

Garrett Wilson Faces Brand New Challenge in NFL

Written by Greg Sherman on . Posted in NFL.

NEW YORK – Every where Garrett Wilson has played at, he has been a winner. At Austin Lake
Travis, he won a 6A-I state title in 2016 and lost in the finals in 2017 and semis in 2018, both to
teams who would go on and win the title. He had a lot of success at Ohio State where the wins
were plenty even though they did not win an SEC Invitational, I mean CFP, title. The great news
for Wilson is that he will be in the NFL in 2022. The bad news is the team he is playing for
hasn’t made the playoffs since Wilson was in grade school.

On draft night many thought he would end up in Green Bay, always a threat to play in February,
or Atlanta, a team that has had a mix of successful and unsuccessful season. Instead he ended
up with the New York Jets. The Jets haven’t made the tournament since 2011 and is a
franchise known for many failures whose only success was Joe Namath’s guarantee in 1969.


Not only is his challenge playing a team that lost more games in 2021 than Wilson lost in all his
years at Lake Travis and Ohio State combined, he also has the challenge of the New York
media. The NY media is well known for crucifying teams and athletes. The Jets, Mets, Knicks,
and Rangers have won next to nothing and are used to having awful seasons which the media
and fans love to tee off on. Not only will Wilson have to deal with playing on a losing team for
the 1st time in his career but also the headlines that the media will write.


Having gotten to know his dad Kenneth, Garrett is well trained and ready for what might come at
him in the papers and on the field in the AFC East. Buffalo has had a great last few years after
18 years of poor play. New England is no longer the dynasty they were but are still almost
always in the playoffs. Miami has been 1 win short each of the last 2 years of getting into the
tournament. The wild cards will mostly come from the AFC West and perhaps the east though
New York right now is just trying to find wins under coach Robert Saleh and 2nd year
quarterback Zach Wilson.

Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson plays against Cincinnati during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)


Could Garrett Wilson be the savior that gets the Jets out of a 10-year dark hole? If he is, he
might be working a miracle even Mother Theresa couldn’t do.


Greg Sherman
Twitter @MrBowtie1982
Youtube The Texas High School Sports Machine

Lake Travis to Replace Two Draft Picks Look to Make Another Round Rock Run

Written by Greg Sherman on . Posted in High School Baseball.

AUSTIN – In the 2019 6A semifinals against Southlake Carroll, Lake Travis was able to do what few teams did in the knockout rounds: force Southlake Carroll to work hard to win.  Future MLB draft pick Brett Baty kept the Cavaliers in the match until the 6th inning when his pitch count went over.  Once that happened and he had to leave, the Dragons scored 4 runs late to beat the Cavs and went on to win their 2nd straight 6A title.  With Baty (New York Mets), and Jimmy Lewis (Dodgers) now in the minors, the Cavs will look to their pitching depth to make another run to Round Rock.

Mike Rogers begins his 7th year as manager at Lake Travis and his 39th season overall with a good chance to hit 750 wins in his career and will have 7 starters returning from that 2019 squad.

“You cant replace a Brett Baty or a Jimmy Lewis but the kids are accustomed to pressure,” said Lewis.  Their returnees include shortstop Parker Guerin, and pitchers Storm Hierholzer, Kal Edmunson and Alec Grossman.  Those 3 along with 4 others are already committed to play college ball with many at the D1 level.  The first order of business will be to defend their 25-6A title against tough competition headed up by friendly rival Austin Westlake who almost upset 2-time defending finalist San Antonio Reagan in round 3.

“J.T. (Blair) is an outstanding coach and has done a good job building the program,” said Rogers.  “They made a big jump last year and with J.T. at the helm, it will be a dog fight for the district championship this year.”

Region 4 is filled with top teams such as LT, Reagan, San Antonio Johnson, and Laredo Alexander.  They combined for 4 finals appearances and 7 semifinals.  Though none won the golden trapezoid.

“Region 4 has lots of top teams and are as good as anyone with outstanding pitching staffs,” said Lewis who has 722 career wins.

But all roads go through Southlake Carroll.  The Dragons have won the last 2 titles and if not for a balk call in the 2017 semifinal loss against Deer Park, they might be going for a 4-peat.

“Southlake Carroll is very talented.  Winning it back to back is super impressive and I think they are the favorites.  When you face that situation you have to rely on pitching.  It is unusual at the high school level to have 9 batters you have to game plan for.  They have power and they have pitching and they stress your pitching.”

While the season wont start until late February, Lake Travis and Reagan will scrimmage February 15th at Wolff Stadium in San Antonio.  The UIL baseball semis and finals are scheduled for June 10-13 in Round Rock and Austin.

Greg Sherman is a freelance writer for Texas Sports Monthly.  Check out his Youtube channel youtube.com/user/buckeyesooner82