Newcomer Walker helps propel Eagles to 3-0 start
Andre Walker II already is a standout basketball player at Washington. He’s also the son of the Houston ISD athletic director.
But at the start of Friday’s game, he wasn’t listed on the school’s football roster.
He almost certainly will be now.
The converted point guard, who coach Kelvin Chatham only recently convinced to play football, collected long touchdown passes on consecutive plays in the first half, helping propel Washington to a 46-26 win against Pasadena at Veterans Memorial Stadium — and a perfect 3-0 start heading into District 11-4A Division I play.
“He’s been sensational since he’s been here,” Chatham said.
“He bring athleticism, he brings leadership — because he’s already been a leader in another sport — and he boosts our team’s GPA because he’s one of the smartest kids in the school.”
Washington’s 3-0 start is boosting the school’s morale. It’s the Eagles’ best start since opening 4-0 in 1999, when they made the playoffs and finished 8-3.
“It’s been a while,” said Chatham, in his second season at Washington. “It’s a great feeling to watch these kids. They put in a lot of work so they definitely earned it. Nothing was given to them … and I love to see the work they put in is actually being rewarded.”
Pasadena, which last week snapped a 20-game losing streak with a win over Spring Woods, struck first to open its homecoming contest.
After the teams traded punts to start the game, Pasadena put together a seven-play, 72-yard drive punctuated by running back Ruben Lara’s 32-yard touchdown run. But the point-after attempt failed, leaving it with an early 6-0 edge that didn’t last long.
Washington’s quick reply was a five-play, 52yard scoring drive running back Daelin Randle finished with a 5-yard run. After a successful PAT by Walker, who also kicks, Washington surged ahead 7-6 with 1:19 left in the first quarter.
Then Walker piled on the points.
First, he hauled in a 51yard touchdown pass from quarterback Kamryn Jackson after sprinting past defensive back Alfonso Rodriguez on the left side. Then he did the exact same thing on Washington’s next offensive play less than two minutes later, this time for a 40-yard score and 19-6 advantage early in the second quarter.
But a Washington mistake allowed Pasadena to work its way back in.
That mistake — a lost fumble by freshman Nicholas Tramble that was recovered by defensive lineman Isaac Isla — led to Pasadena’s 39-yard touchdown drive.
Quarterback Alijah Cruz provided the payoff on a 1-yard run, trimming Washington’s lead to 19-13 at halftime.
A pair of 3-yard touchdown runs by Anthony Brown in the third quarter sealed Washington’s win.
“We’re staying together and playing as a team,” Chatham said. “We’re playing for each other.”