Notebook: Brandons have one final go-around for Cards
The 2009-2010 season is a bittersweet one for Harlingen High swimming coach Dan Brandon. This season will be the last time he coaches one of his daughters, as seniors Diana and Selina are graduating this spring.
Dan Brandon also coached another daughter, Danielle, who previously graduated.
“It’s kind of tough,” Dan Brandon said. “I’ve had one daughter graduate a couple years ago and it was real fun when she started. Now with these two, it’s been a good ride but you have to move on.”
Last year, Diana Brandon finished 14th at state in diving while Selina Brandon swims the 500 but her father said “she can swim anything.” Including the District 31-5A meet, Dan Brandon will coach his daughters in only three more events, though there is the possibility of regional and state meets.
The end of their run together is something they are all aware of but don’t talk about too much. Not only have they been able to share swimming, but they have also been able to spend extra time together.
“I’ve seen them grow up. I know a lot of parents who have talked about missing out on their kids’ developing years, but I can’t really say that I have,” Dan Brandon said. “I’ve really enjoyed being there, being a part of it.”
MARCHING ON
McAllen High’s Sam Mangum and Scott Inskeep continue to prove they might be the Valley’s most dynamic pair of wrestling teammates.
Mangum and Inskeep both impressed at last weekend’s Doc Hess Invitational, one of the state’s biggest events.
Mangum, who is competing at 189 pounds after winning the state championship at 180, won both his bracket and defeated the winner of the opposite bracket to win the overall title. Inskeep won his bracket but lost to reigning heavyweight state champion Nico Carlson 8-1 in the overall final.
“We were very curious as to how Sam was going to do with that competition up there at the 189,” McHi coach Craig Krell said. “We knew he was going to be successful. We just didn’t know how successful he was going to be.”
Inskeep, though he didn’t finish first, still drew praise from Krell.
“He still had a great tournament too,” Krell said. “We’re real excited about both of them coming back from that tournament.”
Mangum is undefeated at 12-0 and Inskeep is 9-2.
CATCHING UP
Besides the Hess tournament, the last major wrestling events before the New Year took place last weekend. On the boys’ side, Corpus Christi King won the Gulf Coast Duals, hosted by Ray High School. Though King took the top spot, Valley teams finished second through fourth, as La Joya High, Rio Grande City and Weslaco High rounded out the top four.
On the girls’ side, PSJA High won the Lady Texan Invitational with 127 points. Three of the next four finishers were also Valley schools, as RGC came in third with 97 points, Weslaco East fourth with 96 and Weslaco High fifth with 91.
The next big event is the Tomas Garces Invitational, scheduled for Jan. 2 at Weslaco High.
Brian Sandalow covers high school swimming and wrestling for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him at (956) 683-4436 or via e-mail at bsandalow@themonitor.com.
