HoustonChronicle.com - Boys Athlete of the Week: Depoy unfazed by nation's best

Depoy unfazed by nation's best

By MK BOWER

Brad Depoy has been the stopper of The Woodlands pitching staff all season long. So when the challenge of stopping A&M Consolidated, the top-ranked team in the nation, came calling, was there any reason to expect Depoy to shy away?

Depoy, undeterred by the Tigers' lofty status and 19-game winning streak, delivered yet another clutch effort for the Highlanders last Thursday, hurling a two-hitter in an 8-2 win. The victory set the stage for The Woodlands to sweep its Class 5A Region II quarterfinal series with Consolidated, and earned Depoy Chronicle Boys Athlete of the Week honors.

"You have to lead with your best in almost every situation," The Woodlands coach Ron Eastman said. "He's been our stopper all season."

Consolidated scratched across a run against Depoy (10-1) in the bottom of the first, but that bit of success proved to be an aberration. He struck out the side in the second, then again in the fourth after allowing a leadoff homer to Keith Stein. The Stein homer was the final hit for Consolidated, as Depoy finished with eight strikeouts in the complete-game win.

Standing alone, the win was impressive. Consider the fact Depoy has won time and again against the ace of the opposition, and the accomplishment borders on remarkable.

"Every time he crosses the line for us this year, he's been consistent," Eastman said. "It is surprising to be able to see a kid perform at that level for an entire season."

Depoy would contribute in another fashion as the Highlanders completed the sweep on Friday. His two-run homer in the bottom of the first gave The Woodlands a 3-1 lead, an edge it would not relinquish en route to the 7-3 win.

Eastman and his staff contemplated whom to start at designated hitter before Game 2. Their choice was a wise one.