Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 319.77
Water Temperature:
na degrees - top
58 degrees - bottom

Panthers go 1-2 at TJC tournament
Monitor Staff Reports
TYLER–Mabank’s Panthers went 1-2 at the annual Wagstaff Holiday Classic basketball tournament last week, posting a last-shot loss, a blowout win and a blowout loss.
Now 11-5 on the season, the Panthers were scheduled to open District 15-4A play at home Tuesday night against the Terrell Tigers.
Friday, Jan. 9, the Panthers will travel to Red Oak, with a 5 p.m. sub-varsity contest opening the evening, and next Tuesday, Jan. 12, the Mabank boys will host the Mesquite Poteet Panthers for a district contest, opening with a 6 p.m. sub-varsity game.
At Tyler Junior College’s Wagstaff Gym, the Panthers opened the tournament Dec. 29, 2008, with a 62-60 loss to Lindale’s Eagles, a game the Panthers led most of the way.
The Panthers opened a two-point lead in the first quarter behind five points (including a 3-point basket) from Griffin Marshall, as Jacob Woodard added a trey.
Mabank expanded its lead to 10 points, 23-13, early in the second quarter, and led by five at halftime, 25-20, behind Kolton Browning, who scored eight of his 19 points (including a trey) in the period.
Lindale came back in the third quarter to trim the Panthers’ lead to three points, and then took the lead early in the fourth quarter, going up by five points, 55-50, before the Panthers came roaring back.
Griffin (who led all scorers with 20 points) hit a pair of free throws to tie the game at 60 with 20 seconds left, but Eagle guard Spencer Terry hit a shot at the buzzer to give Lindale the win.
Mabank rebounded to hand Lakeside, La., a 67-44 defeat in the second-round Gold Bracket consolation game Dec. 30.
Lakeside players lost their composure during a second-half meltdown, as one player and the Lakeside coach were ejected after accumulating a couple of technical fouls each.
The Panthers actually took control of the contest early, running up a 20-8 first-quarter lead behind Browning (11 points), Marshall (five points) and Tyler Fisher (four points), with both Browning and Marshall notching 3-point baskets.
Fisher added six points early in the second quarter before having to sit after picking up two quick fouls.
Mickey Pycha, who came in for Fisher, finished with 12 points, including a 3-point basket, as the Panthers continued to pad their lead in the second half.
Browning led all scorers with 22 points (including 7-of-10 from the free throw line), while Fisher finished with 18 points, including 4-of-5 from the charity stripe.
Marshall and Woodard added five points each, while Cameron Tucker had four points.
In the Gold Bracket fifth-place game Dec. 31, the Panthers fell behind the Jacksonville Indians early on, as Jacksonville posted a 20-3 run over the end of the first half and start of the second half to take a commanding 31-11 lead.
The Panthers didn’t have a second-half basket until Pycha hit a 3-point goal with 1:10 left in the third, and the Indians held a 25-point lead going into the fourth quarter.
Browning led the Panthers with 23 points (including 10-of-16 from the free throw line), with Pycha adding 16, including four treys.

MHS girls split at Kaufman
Monitor Staff Reports
KAUFMAN–Mabank’s Lady Panthers split 2-2 at the Kaufman Holiday Classic tournament last week.
Following an open date Friday, the Lady Panthers resumed District 15-4A basketball play on the road Tuesday night at Terrell.
Friday, Jan. 9, the Lady Panthers return home to host the Red Oak Lady Hawks, opening with a 6 p.m. sub-varsity contest.
Next Monday, Jan. 12, Mabank’s girls travel to Mesquite Poteet, again opening with a 6 p.m. sub-varsity game.
At Kaufman Dec. 29, 2008, the Lady Panthers opened tournament play with a dominating win over TCA Waco, 63-37.
Both teams slugged it out in the first half, with Mabank opening a five-point lead in the first quarter and expanding that lead to 11 points, 33-22, by halftime.
In the second half, the Lady Panthers took control, holding TCA to just 15 points while scoring 30 to forge the final 26-point margin.
Sara Springer led the Lady Panthers with 22 points, as Chelsey Dillon added 12, Chelsea Alldredge scored eight, Lauren Hamilton seven, Jeanice Mojica five, Ashton Norman 4 and Sarah Gilbert two, with Lynnsie Sims adding a free throw.
A much tougher contest awaited that night against the North Garland Lady Raiders, as the Lady Panthers fell behind early.
A 14-7 run in the second quarter helped the much bigger Lady Raiders take an eight-point halftime lead, 27-19.
North Garland still held an eight-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but the Lady Panthers outscored them 18-8 in the final frame to take a narrow 47-45 victory.
Dillon led the Lady Panthers with 18 points, as Hamilton had nine, Chelsea Alldredge scored eight, Springer seven, Olivia Pannell four and Cheyenne Alldredge added a free throw.
In the next round, the Lady Panthers ran into the state’s top-ranked Class 2A team, the Winnsboro Lady Raiders, and fell 77-44.
Winnsboro opened a 20-4 lead in the first quarter and steadily padded their lead throughout the contest.
A 27-10 third quarter run gave the Lady Raiders a 36-point lead, 68-32, heading into the fourth quarter.
Dillon led the Lady Panthers with 17 points, as Springer had 10, Mojica six, Norman four and Hamilton three, with both the Alldredge sisters scoring two points each.
In a matchup of two tired squads, the hosting Kaufman Lady Lions knocked off the Lady Panthers 42-33 in the final contest.
Mabank took a slim 13-11 halftime lead, but the Lady Lions came back to take a one-point lead, 28-27, going into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Lady Lions outscored the Lady Panthers 14-6 to forge the final nine-point margin.
Dillon again led Mabank with 13 points, as Chelsea Alldredge had seven, both Mojica and Ashley Hammack scored five points each and Pannell added three points.

Denson 1st MVP
Special to The Monitor
EUSTACE–The Eustace All Sports Association began a new tradition at its annual end-of-year Football, Cheer and Drill banquet, and named a Most Valuable Player for the 2008 football season.
Sixth-grader Nathan Denson was named the EASA’s first MVP. The year also marked the first appearance of the EASA Midget and Little League football teams in the playoffs in five or six years.
Nathan’s accomplishments throughout his six-year career at EASA were great, but not as outstanding as his sixth-grade year.
Nathan finished the year with more than 1,600 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns in only 10 games. He also recorded more than 100 tackles from his middle linebacker position.
Nathan was honored as a great kid, good student and a role model for all whom have met him. EASA members wished Nathan the best of luck as he enters the seventh grade next year and plays football for Eustace Junior High School.
EASA supporters noted with the hard work and dedication all these kids showed, they now realize that anything is possible if they believe in themselves. This program is headed into the right direction and great things are yet to come.

Soccer

Jan. 8-10
MHS b/g @ Eustace tourn.
EHS hosts tournament

Jan. 13
MHS g @ Ennis
MHS b vs Corsicana
EHS b/g vs Palestine

Jan. 15-17
EHS b @ Kennedale tourn.

Jan. 16
MHS b @ Ferris
MHS g vs Mt. Pleasant