Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet
above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 318.93
Water Temperature:
44 degrees - top
48 degrees - bottom

Sports in Brief

Flag football sign-ups
The Max 5-on-5 league is open to students in grades K-6th, and includes Canton, Eustace, Kemp, Malakoff and Mabank. Cost to sign up is $125, which includes a reversible team jersey and flags. All games will be played on Saturdays in Mabank during March and April. Games will be non-contact, with all players participating. All coaches and referees will be certified and have background checks, in partnership with the NFL Flag Football organization.
Mabank sign-ups will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15, at the Mabank Dairy Queen.
Another open sign-up was scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, at a site to be determined.
Registration deadline is 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5. For more information, contact Ron Anderson at (469) 688-2704, or Todd Brown at (903) 603-0529.

Tri-County soccer sign-ups slated
Sign-ups for Tri-County Soccer Association spring games are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. two Saturdays, Jan. 29 and Feb. 5, and 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 3, at the GBC McDonald’s restaurant.
Players must be 4 years old on or before Jan. 1. Fee is $60 for new players (includes uniform and insurance) and $40 for returning fall players not transferring teams. A copy of a birth certificate (not the original) must be provided for any new players.
Practices will begin in mid-February and games will be played March 12-May 7. Coaches and officials are needed and must pass an online background check at tricountysoccer.us.
For more information, call Candi Conner at (903) 887-3138.

Upcoming Events

Girls basketball

Jan. 14
MHS vs KHS*
EHS vs Blooming Grove*

Jan. 18
MHS vs Crandall*
KHS vs N.Forney*
EHS vs Buffalo*

Jan. 21
MHS vs Crandall*
KHS @ Kaufman*
EHS @ Leon*

Jan. 25
MHS @ Kaufman*
KHS @ Ferris*
EHS vs Malakoff*

Jan. 28
MHS vs Ferris*
KHS @ Crandall*
EHS @ Teague*
(*district contest)

Boys basketball

Jan. 14
MHS vs KHS*
EHS vs Blooming Grove*

Jan. 18
MHS vs Crandall*
KHS vs North Forney*
EHS vs Buffalo*

Jan. 21
MHS @ North Forney*
KHS @ Kaufman*
EHS @ Leon*
(*district contest)

Powerlifting

Jan. 22
MHS hosts meet

Soccer

Jan. 13-15
MHS g @ Mt. Pleasant trm.
MHS b @ Eustace tourn.
KHS @ Eustace tourn.
EHS boys host tourn.

13-3A girls open play
MHS girls crush Kaufman, 56-32
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–The hosting Mabank Lady Panthers held the Kaufman Lady Lions to nine points in the first half en route to a 56-32 victory Friday night in the District 13-3A opener for both teams.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
AT LEFT: Kemp Lady Yellowjacket junior forward Taylor Day (32) battles Ferris Lady Yellowjacket Norquesia Hollywood (25) for rebounding position following a free throw during the first half of Kemp's 57-29 win over visiting Ferris in the District 13-3A opener for both teams Friday.

Now 13-9 on the season and 1-0 in district basketball play, the Lady Panthers were scheduled to visit Ferris Tuesday night.
Ferris lost to Kemp in their district opener Friday (see related story below), and the Lady Panthers will host Kemp in a key first-round matchup Friday, Jan. 14, with 5 p.m. sub-varsity contests opening a three-game slate.
Next Tuesday, Jan. 18, the Lady Panthers will host Crandall, and then travel to face North Forney’s Lady Falcons Friday, Jan. 21. Each evening opens with 5 p.m. sub-varsity games.
Friday night, the much quicker Mabank girls were in control of the contest from the opening tip, forging a 15-5 lead in the first quarter and outscoring the Lady Lions 10-4 in the second period to take a commanding 25-9 halftime lead.
The Lady Panthers outscored Kaufman 19-16 in the third quarter and 12-7 in the final frame to forge the final 24-point margin.
Olivia Pannell led a very balanced Mabank scoring effort with 13 points, as Ashton Norman had 12 and Cheyenne Alldredge had 10.
The Lady Panthers also got nine points from Sara Springer, four points each from Kourtney Holyfield and Makenna Allen, and two points each from Natalie Torres and Molly Groom.
Nicole Marszalek led Kaufman with 10 points, with Lacey Wilke adding six points.

Panthers rip Panthers in OT
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–In a back-and-forth game featuring numerous lead changes, the hosting Mabank Panthers edged the Quinlan Ford Panthers, 68-62, in overtime Friday night.
Mabank was scheduled to host the Canton Eagles Tuesday night in their final non-district contest, before starting District 13-3A basketball play at home Friday, Jan. 17, against the

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Mabank Panther forward Brandon Hatfield (center) drives inside against Quinlan Ford Panther defenders Zach Witherspoon (31) and Dillon White (12) during the first half of Mabank's 68-62 overtime win against visiting Quinlan Jan. 6.

Kemp Yellowjackets (see related preview stories, page 1B).
Next Tuesday, Jan. 18, the Panthers will host the Crandall Pirates before visiting North Forney’s Falcons Friday, Jan. 21. Each evening opens with 5 p.m. sub-varsity contests.
How close was Friday’s game? Mabank outscored Quinlan 17-8 in the first quarter and Quinlan outscored Mabank 17-8 in the second to tie the contest at 25 by halftime.
It was a one-point game going into the fourth quarter, with Quinlan holding a narrow 43-42 advantage, and the teams tied at 57 at the end of regulation time.
In the overtime period, Mabank outscored Quinlan 11-5 to take the six-point win.
Both teams featured strong performances by their shooting guards – Mabank’s Jordan Allen finished with a game-high 26 points (including five 3-point baskets, one in overtime), while Quinlan’s Kailob Wallace led them with 25 points, including one trey and 8-of-9 shooting from the free throw line.
Wallace, however, was the only Quinlan player to score in the overtime period, hitting all five Panther points on six free throw attempts.
In addition to Allen’s trey, Mabank got a basket from David Marler and free throws from T.C. Greene and Ryan Walker during the extra session.
Greene finished with 17 points, with Walker adding 12 (including three first-half treys), Brandon Hatfield six and Marler four, while Hunter Carrico added a third-quarter free throw.
Along with Wallace’s 25, Quinlan got 15 from Blake Davenport, 11 from Brandon Pumphrey, eight from Dillon White and three from Zach Witherspoon.

Heading out
Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Eustace Bulldog senior Dereck Holmes (15) goes up over two Van Vandals to head the ball during Eustace's 2-1 soccer win against the visiting Vandals Friday. The Bulldogs got goals from Leon Durnell and Cory Bennett.