Clear Lake netters take regular season title

Clear Lake wrapped up another region berth and regular-season title in 24-5A, and will host the district championship match against the postseason tournament survivor on Saturday.

The Falcons stopped regular-season runner-up Clear Creek 14-5 on Tuesday for an automatic pass to regionals on Oct. 29-30 in Deer Park and the right to host the 24-5A championship match.

"Our girls played great against Clear Creek," Clear Lake coach Tommy Heim said. "We won No. 2 and 3 girls doubles in close three-set matches, and we also won No. 2, 4 and 5 girls singles.

"Our boys also played very well while losing only one match to Clear Creek, and I won't be surprised to see Clear Creek once again in the district finals."

Clear Creek and the rest of the district tournament field will decide just who does advance to the 24-5A finals against Clear Lake, and to the Region III tournament, on Thursday and Saturday morning.

"It was a great team victory against a tough Clear Creek team," Heim said, "and it also puts us at home on Saturday going for the district title."

Clear Lake has captured 25 of 26 district championships since team tennis started in 1983. The Falcons were upended by Clear Creek for the 2004 title.

District 24-5A volleyball

Clear Lake and Clear Creek have grabbed two of the four playoff berths in 24-5A and the frontrunners look to be headed towards another first-place showdown on Oct. 26, but with three to go, there's a three-team race for the last two spots.

Clear Brook, Pearland and Dickinson are battling for third and fourth, and one is going to be left out of the postseason fun.

Clear Brook can take care of its own business by winning at Pearland on Friday and against Dickinson at home on Oct. 26, and that could leave Pearland and Dickinson in a district playoff for the final ticket (Pearland and Dickinson split during district).

Clear Lake plans to be going for a second consecutive 24-5A championship when it hosts Clear Creek at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 26.

The Lady Falcons won 25-18, 25-18, 21-25, 25-23 at Clear Creek in the first round.

Creek Creek setter

Clear Creek sophomore setter Courtney Richardson rang up 50 assists in a win against Dickinson last week, and had 46 in a previous victory against Clear Brook, to go over 1,000 assists for the season.

She had 1,019 assists in 102 games for right at a 10-per-game average for the season, and in district, it's even better at 11.3.

Clear Falls team tennis

Clear Falls, playing with only freshmen and sophomores, looks like it's headed to regionals in team tennis behind District 24-4A regular-season champion and top seed Friendswood.

The new Clear Creek ISD school is playing a limited varsity schedule in a few sports during this first school year, and if the young Knights down winless-in-district Manvel next week, they're headed to the upcoming Class 4A Region III Tournament.