MPISD. Coach Ladarius Craddock (left) and MPISD. Athletic Director Joey Cluley at the ROCK Symposium

MPISD coach chosen for prestigious mentorship program

The Texas High School Coaches Association ROCK (Rare, Outstanding, Compelled, and Knowledgeable) selected Mount Pleasant ISD teacher and coach Ladiaius Craddock for the 2024-2025 school year mentorship program. The program names 50-60 of the state’s best young coaches from all sports with less than five years of experience. The ROCK program, powered by the Texas High School Coaches Education Foundation (THSCEF) and the Texas A&M Thornton-McFerrin Coaching Academy, is designed to connect a coach who is new to the profession with a veteran coach to gain advice, encouragement, and insights into their career aspirations and to help them grow in their desired coaching fields.

Craddock and MPISD. Athletic Director Joey Cluley attended the ROCK Symposium, a two-day event where rocks and mentors get to know each other, on March 3-4 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. After the Symposium, ROCK mentees and mentors will work through a year-long curriculum developed by the Texas A&M University Thornton-McFerrin Coaching Academy. This curriculum provides bi-monthly access to virtual learning modules with discussion prompts, activities, situational challenges, and more for each pair to discuss. In July, the ROCK mentees will also volunteer as convention staff for the annual THSCA Coaching School and attend sessions designed specifically for coaches in the ROCK Mentoring Program. Craddock’s mentor is Earl Westbrook, the Defensive Coordinator at Conroe High School, and Cluley is serving as a mentor for a coach in Weatherford.

“This is an outstanding award that Coach Craddock has earned in every sense of the word,” said Cluley. “Coach Craddock was chosen out of thousands of applicants to represent Mount Pleasant in the program. We are so proud!”

Craddock graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 2014, where he was a multisport athlete in football and track. He graduated from Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant in 2018, where he continued to play football. He teaches Outdoor Adventure at Mount Pleasant Junior High, coaches Varsity football, and assists with track.

Photos L to R Lady Tiger state qualifiers (L to R) Dori Macedo, Araveli Landaverde, McKinsee Oviedo, Coach Don Woods

Tiger state qualifiers (L to R) Jose Gonzalez, Coach Blake Lodes, Devon BurtnessContact: Kelly Cowan

MPHS Powerlifters qualify for State

Seventeen individual MPHS Powerlifters qualified and competed in Regional Powerlifting, the Lady Tigers at Pine Tree on February 29, and the Tigers at Tyler Chapel Hill on March 6. Five lifters have qualified for their respective State meets.

• Senior Araceli Landaverde placed 1st in her weight class. It will be her second trip to the State.
• Senior McKinsee Oviedo placed 2nd in her weight class at Regionals and will be making her second trip to the State meet. 
• Junior Dori Macedo qualified for State as the top 5A lifter in her weight class. It will be her first trip to the State meet.
• Junior Jose Gonzalez placed 1st in his weight class. It will be his first trip to the State. 
• Junior Devon Burtness met the qualifying total of 1450 lbs. for his weight class to qualify for State. It will be his first trip to the State meet.
• Five other Lady Tigers placed in the top 10 in their weight classes, including junior Jasmine Landaverde in 5th place, senior Saniya Milton in 5th place, improving one place from 2023, sophomore Valerie Colocho in 6th, junior Xitlaly Sanchez in 8th, improving one place from 2023, and sophomore Valerie Cassio in 9th place.
• And for the Tigers, senior Nathanial Cates medaled in 4th place in his weight class.

The Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association State meet is March 12-16 at the Comerica Center in Frisco. The Texas High School Powerlifting Association State meet is March 21-23 at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene. Woods coaches Lady Tiger Powerlifting, and Blake Lodes coaches the Tiger Powerlifting.

Tiger golf team members at the Twisted 54 (L to R) Owen Green, Braiden Merryman, Jacob Baker, Hogan Horn, and Brandon Carter

MPHS golf tees up for district tournament

The Tiger and Lady Tiger golf teams continued their push toward the district, playing in three different tournaments recently to improve their scores.

The Tigers played in the Twisted 54 tournament on Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2. The Twisted 54 is a two-day tournament, with team members playing 36 holes at Wood Hollow on day 1 and 18 at Tempest on day 2. The Tigers finished 6th out of 17 teams. Jacob Baker led the Tigers with a two-day total of 219, followed by Brandon Carter with 231, Braiden Merryman at 240, Owen Green with 248, and Hogan Horn just behind with 249.

On Monday, March 4, the Lady Tigers played at Hideaway Lake in Lindale. Kylee Strickland tied for 5th individually with an 84, Sophie Greco was on her heels with an 85, and Kate Ball shot a 117.

Also, on Monday, March 4, two Tigers, Hogan Horn and Hector Rosales, played in the Mount Pleasant tournament. Horn shot an 81 and placed 3rd individually, while Rosales hit a 114.

MPHS golf will return to play after spring break with the JV Boys at Wood Hollow on March 20 and the Varsity teams at the District Preview at Tempest on March 21. MPHS golf is coached by Benny Blaser. 

These three Mt Pleasant Tigers broke school records this season.

• Senior Kai Price broke the single-season field goal percentage with 65.1% and set a new career field goal with 57%.
• Junior Reggie Webster broke the 100% free-throw percentage in a single season, going 11-for-11, and tied with the most free- throws made in a single season with 125.
• Sophomore Carter Chism broke the single-season three-point field goals with 79.