Spring Branch ISD Featured News

Memorial High School senior running back Carson Zahn finished his high school football career with 2,991 rushing yards and 32 touchdowns. He also earned three 1st Team All-District honors in the process. However, his recent recognition by Houston's Touchdown Club acknowledges much more. 

The Touchdown Club is the Houston chapter of the National Football Foundation. The Foundation runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement. The organization honored Zahn with its E.J. Chromcak Award at its annual banquet on Feb. 3. The award celebrates individuals who embody what it means to be a complete student-athlete. 

“As a senior winning this award, it means a great deal to me that all my hard work behind the scenes both in the classroom and on the field have paid off,” Zahn said. “I couldn’t have achieved this without my wonderful family, teammates, coaches, teachers and the man up above. I am beyond blessed.”

After finishing in third place among 68 nominated Houston-area athletes, Zahn was presented with the award and went through a rigorous selection process. Zahn has a 6.5429 GPA on a 6-point scale. His academic accomplishments include Salutatorian, the Scholastic Achievement Award, National Honor Society, Academic All-State Elite and Distinguished Honor Roll. 

Zahn is also a positive force in the community. He won the Guatemala SANA Outstanding Donor and Volunteer Award for raising $4,425 and providing 89 families with food for six months. 

Stratford High School's Colin Tenney was also named one of 25 finalists in the award competition. He received a $500 scholarship from the organization and will be one of Stratford's class of 2022 valedictorians.

Memorial Mustangs Football Coach Gary Koch showed support by nominating Zahn for the Touchdown Club Scholar-Athlete Awards. 

"From the time Carson entered our program, he showed tremendous leadership," Koch said. "Carson's academic acumen speaks for itself. However, what was most impressive was his intellectual curiosity. It transcended the classroom to the field. He absorbed as much as he could in terms of knowledge of the game from rules to strategy; he has an extremely cerebral approach to a very physical sport." 

Congratulations to both Carson and Colin on their achievements.