By Jim Irish
Photos by Justyn Werner and Jim Irish
Valentino Maxwell will no longer be striding in front of the Cedar Creek bench with his calm demeanor during nail-biting boys basketball games.
After building a successful program at Cedar Creek, Valentino Maxwell has departed for Class 6A Round Rock McNeil. He resigned on June 6 and started at McNeil on June 13.
"You don't know when these opportunities are going to come, so I have to take it."
-- Valentino Maxwell on accepting McNeil position
”You don’t know when these opportunities are going to come, so I have to take it,” Maxwell said.
When Maxwell told his Cedar Creek athletes in person that he was departing, they initially thought he was joking.
“I assured them the program is in a great place,” he said.
Cedar Creek was Maxwell’s first varsity head position, and he instilled a competitive drive in his Cedar Creek athletes.
Maxwell spent seven seasons at Cedar Creek
In seven seasons, he compiled a 98-128 record (43%). However, he transformed a losing program with no tradition. In his first season, the Eagles finished 4-27 overall (1-15 in district). The next six seasons, Cedar Creek finished with double-digit wins.
Last season, Cedar Creek won its first-ever state playoff game and finished with a 25-11 record. In a District 32-5A contest, the Eagles remarkably rallied from 16 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Hendrickson 56-54.
Cedar Creek would have likely qualified for the playoffs the previous season, but its three best players — Kenji Franklin, Robert Conrad, and Micah McDonald — suffered serious injuries.
Maxwell said not coaching Franklin in his senior season was the most difficult decision. Franklin, a 6-foot-6 college prospect, played for Maxwell for three seasons and received his first college offer this week from Oklahoma City University.
”We’ve spent so much time investing in Kenji,” Maxwell said. “But, at the same time, the program is in a great spot.”
Maxwell said he would cherish the memories and the relationships from his tenure at Cedar Creek.
“My greatest satisfaction was when refs would come in here and say, ‘I remember what Cedar Creek was before you came. You really got this program going.’ Any coach would love to hear that,” Maxwell said.
Conrad, a four-year starter and the district MVP last season, said he learned about Maxwell’s departure on X (formerly Twitter).
"... You have to be a strong-minded player or you won't last."
-- Robert Conrad describing playing for Maxwell
“He’s a good coach,” said Conrad, who will compete for minutes at San Antonio’s Trinity University next season. “He’s really tough on his players. You have to be a strong-minded player or you won’t last. He expects a lot. My competitive nature grew under him.”
In May, Maxwell received a phone call and was told, “I think you’ll be a great fit at McNeil.”
Enticing offer from McNeil
The offer was too enticing for Maxwell to reject:
Class 6A, the highest in Texas;
Higher salary;
Shorter commute;
More participation from athletes.
Maxwell said he will not have to share so many athletes with the football program at McNeil.
”Over half of my team at Cedar Creek were football players,” he said. “When you’re not getting your players until after the end of football, it takes a long time to get them into basketball shape. It’s hard.”
Maxwell will have another rebuilding project at McNeil. The school has not had a winning season since 2019. Under former coach Darrell Hagemann, MCNeil captured at least 12 district titles in 20-plus years, Maxwell said.
”The program has been down,” said Maxwell, who will teach science to special education students. “There’s no Kenji Franklin, no Robert Conrad here. (But) I’m excited to coach them.”
Chris Young will replace Maxwell at Cedar Creek. Young was the head coach at Smithville the past two seasons. The Tigers finished 3-21 overall (0-12 in district) last season.
Jim Irish is a freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
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