Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 320.89
Water Temperature:
46 degrees

Panthers nip Lions in rematch, 50-47
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–A strong start enabled the hosting Mabank Panthers to hold off the Kaufman Lions long enough for a 50-47 victory Tuesday.
The win in the second-round opener gave Mabank (4-2) a home-and-home split with the Lions in District 13-3A basketball play, and kept them in the running for a playoff spot behind unbeaten Ferris.
Mabank’s boys were scheduled to visit Eustace Friday.
Tuesday, Feb. 5, the Panthers will host the league-leading Ferris Yellowjackets in a key second-round rematch, and Friday, Feb. 8, the Panthers will travel to Crandall to face the Pirates.
Each evening opens with 4:30 p.m. sub-varsity games.
In the first-round contest at Kaufman Jan. 11, the Lions edged the Panthers 58-57 in overtime.
Tuesday, the Panthers got off to a quick start, posting an 8-0 lead before the Lions could break the ice over their basket.
Mabank opened a 15-4 lead in the first quarter behind six points from Kolton Browning and four from Tray Phillips.
The Lions began to come back strong in the second quarter, outscoring the Panthers 18-10 to pull within three at halftime, 25-22.
David Miles (six points) and Nick Taylor (five points) keyed the run, as the Panthers’ shooting cooled considerably, with Browning scoring six of Mabank’s 10 points.
The Panthers also started the second half strong, outscoring the Lions 12-7 in the third quarter to take an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter.
In the final stanza, the Lions tried to make a run behind 3-point baskets from Kevin Dotie and Ayron Miles, but the Panthers held them off by again posting an outstanding effort at the free throw line.
Mabank hit 9-of-11 attempts from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, including 6-of-7 by Browning, to hold off the Lions, who hit just 2-of-7 from the free throw line in the period.
Browning led all scorers with 20 points, including a stellar 10-of-11 from the free throw line, while Albin Gashi added 15 points (11 in the second half).
The Panthers also got seven points from Haydon Blair, five points from Phillips, two points from Caleb McKee and a free throw from Oliver Wedemeyer.
Deon Wells led the Lions with 12 points (nine in the second half), as both David Miles and Taylor finished with nine points.
 

Kemp girls bop Eustace
Monitor Staff Reports
EUSTACE–With strong runs in the second and fourth quarters, the Kemp Lady Yellowjackets posted a 65-39 win over the hosting Eustace Lady Bulldogs Tuesday.
The win broke a four-game skid for the Lady ’Jackets and improved their District 13-3A basketball record to 3-5, while the Lady Bulldogs fell to 1-7 with the loss.
Eustace was scheduled to host Mabank Friday, while Kemp hosted Crandall.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Kemp Lady Yellowjackets Meagan Lacy (left) and Brittany Simmons (4) trap Eustace Lady Bulldog Jessica McConathy and force a fumble during Kemp’s 65-39 win over the hosting Lady Bulldogs Tuesday.

Both teams will wrap up the second round of district play and the regular season on the road Tuesday, Feb. 5, when Kemp travels to league-leading Kaufman and Eustace visits Crandall.
Tuesday’s slate opens with 4:30 p.m. sub-varsity games.
In their first-round contest at Kemp, the hosting Lady ’Jackets won by 24 points, 55-31, and in Tuesday’s second-round rematch on the Lady Bulldogs’ home court, the Lady ’Jackets won by 26 points.
The first quarter ended in a 10-10 tie, as both teams pressed hard on defense.
Senior guard Sarah Smith led the Lady ’Jackets with four points, while the Bulldogs got some key free throws from Jaqlynn Bless, who hit 5-of-8 from the charity stripe in the opening period.
In the second quarter, however, the Lady ’Jackets edge in quickness began to manifest itself, particularly on the defensive end.
Guard Amanda Lawrence got a number of fast-break opportunities off Lady Bulldog turnovers, and scored 11 of her 13 points (including 5-of-6 from the charity stripe) during Kemp’s 19-6 second-quarter run.
In fact, the Lady ’Jackets hit 9-of-12 free throw attempts during the second quarter to help forge a 29-16 halftime lead.
The Lady ’Jackets did not shoot a free throw in the second half, and the Lady Bulldogs shot only one, and missed.
Very balanced scoring marked the Kemp effort in the third quarter, as six different players scored, led by seven points (including a 3-point basket) from Brandy Simmons.
Eustace countered by going inside to senior Brisha Ward, who scored six of her eight points in the third quarter, and shooting from the outside, as Cassie Freeman hit two treys and Nicole McNeel a third.
With a 17-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Lady ’Jackets continued to spread their scoring around, while the Lady Bulldogs continued to shoot from outside, as Jenny McConathy and Amber Perkins both hit 3-point baskets, but got nothing else.
The result was a 17-8 scoring edge for the Lady ’Jackets, forging the final 26-point margin.
“In the second half, we continued to shoot the ball well, and the girls continued to play tough defense throughout the game,” Kemp coach Vincent Morgan said later.
Smith led all scorers with 16 points, while Lawrence finished with 13 points.
Kemp also got eight points from Michelle Ritterbach, seven each (including 3-point baskets) from Brittany and Brandy Simmons, four points each from Shelbie Wright, Shannon Shipp and Chelsey Mulvaney, and two points from Breanna Griffin.
Jessica McConathy (two treys), Freeman (two treys) and Ward all scored eight points each to lead the Lady Bulldogs.
Eustace also got five points each from Perkins and Bless (one trey), three points (one trey) from McNeel and two points from Jessica McConathy.