| Sports
Highlights Tigers slash Panthers,
59-49
By Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–A 21-3 run in the third quarter enabled the Wills Point
Tigers to knock the Mabank Panthers out of the state basketball
playoffs with a 59-49 bidistrict championship win Tuesday.
The Tigers advanced to face the Liberty-Eylau Leopards in the
area round at Longview’s Lobo Coliseum Friday night, while the
youthful Panthers (who have just one senior on the team) ended
their season at 13-16.
“We’ve surprised a lot of people this year by getting into the
playoffs, with our young kids,” Mabank coach Mark Allen said
after the Panthers clinched a playoff berth. “I’m really pleased
with our team. We’ve had great leadership from our captains, and
we’re playing pretty good right now.”
Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Mabank Panthers Chans Hall (12) and Ryan Walker try to trap
Wills Point sophomore guard Darryn York on an inbound play
during the fourth quarter of Wills Point's 59-49 bidistrict
championship win over the Panthers Tuesday at the E.L. Kirk Gym
in Eustace.
The Tigers’ run broke open a very close game and erased a small
Mabank lead the Panthers built over the first two minutes of the
third quarter.
Mabank opened a 12-11 lead in the first quarter behind four
points from sophomore David Marler and four points from junior
guard Ryan Walker, while the Tigers countered with five points
(including a 3-point basket) from senior post Devante Dunn and
four points from sophomore guard Darryn York.
In the second quarter, the Panthers started feeding the ball to
junior guard Jordan Allen, who scored 10 of his game-high 28
points – all of Mabank’s points in the period – to take a slim
22-20 halftime lead.
York countered with five points (including a trey), and the
Tigers got baskets from senior Trent Jurica and Dunn. However,
the Tigers struggled at the free throw line, as Jurica went
0-for-5.
As the third quarter opened, Allen notched an assist by finding
sophomore Brandon Hatfield for a layup, and Walker hit 1-of-2 at
the line to give the Panthers what would be their largest lead,
five points, at 27-22.
After both teams swapped baskets, the Tigers’ run started when
Jurica drained a 3-point basket, followed by a Mabank fumble,
which prompted a Panther time out with 6:01 left.
A Tiger block was followed by Allen picking up his third foul on
a layup by Tiger senior Evann Padilla, who hit the free throw
for a three-point play and a 30-29 Tiger lead at the 5:02 mark.
Wills Point’s defense came up with another blocked shot and
Allen picked up his fourth personal with 4:48 left in the
quarter, which forced him to the bench.
Another trey (by Padilla) gave the Tigers a 33-29 lead, and
Marler hit a pair of free throws to cut Wills Point’s lead to
six points at 35-29.
However, Marler picked up his fourth foul moments later, and had
to join Allen on the bench.
Walker hit a free throw to cut the margin to five points at
35-30, but the Tigers put together an 8-0 run over the last
three minutes, with York hitting Wills Point’s third trey of the
quarter and adding two more baskets.
Down by 13 going into the fourth quarter, coach Mark Allen knew
the Panthers had to cut the Tiger lead without using any clock,
so Mabank went to a one-man offense, as Jordan Allen drove
inside every possession, with the intent of scoring or making it
to the free throw line.
Allen did his part, scoring 18 of Mabank’s 19 points in the
fourth quarter and hitting 10-of-11 from the charity stripe, but
the Tigers were able to hold off the Panthers behind Jurica,
York, Dunn and Clay Deen.
Dunn had five points, York had four and Jurica had two, but Dean
hit 4-of-6 from the line (his only points) to provide the Tigers
with a critical cushion down the stretch.
In addition to Allen’s 28, the Panthers got eight points from
Marler, six from Walker and four from Hatfield. The Panthers’
only senior, 6-7 T.C. Greene, drew a lot of defensive attention
and finished with three points in his final game.
York led the Tigers with 20 points, while Dunn finished with 16
and Jurica had 12, with Padilla scoring six points.
Seven KHS powerlifters qualify
for regional meets
Monitor Staff Reports
CRANDALL–Seven Kemp High School powerlifters qualified for
regional competition Feb. 19 at the District 13-3A powerlifting
meet at Crandall.
Two Lady Yellowjackets, Jessica Van Pammel and Kandace Rose,
qualified for the regional meet in Forney this weekend.
As a team, the Lady ’Jackets finished second overall with 28
points.
At the district meet, Rose finished as the district champion in
her weight class with a total lift of 790 pounds, earning the
team seven points. Rose also brought home the girls’ Outstanding
Lifter award.
Van Pammel was the district champion in her weight class with a
total lift of 440 pounds
Scout Rogers finished as the district champion in her weight
class with a total of 460 pounds.
Kelsey Lamb finished second in her weight class with a total of
460 pounds, while both Amber Brewer and Kadi Day finished third
in their respective weight classes.
Brewer had a toal lift of 430 pounds, while Day lifted 455
pounds.
On the boys side, Kemp again finished second overall as a team
with 38 points.
Five KHS lifters – James Forrest, Cody Parker, Justin Lawler,
Johnny Kilgore and A.J. Durham – qualified for the boys regional
meet, set for Saturday, March 5, in Rusk.
Durham finished as the district champion in his weight class
with a total of 970 pounds, and won the Outstanding Lifter award
for the148-pound and under division.
Kilgore also was the district champion in his weight class with
a total of 1,270 pounds, and also won the Outstanding Lifter
award for the 165-pound and higher division.
Lawler, Forrest and Parker all finished as the district champion
in their respective weight classes.
Lawler finished with a total of 1,215 pounds, while Forrest
finished with 1,375 pounds and Parker finished with 1,515
pounds, each earning seven points for the team.
Jon Jennings finished third in his weight class with a total of
1,165 pounds, earning three points.
Bulldogs blast Lions, 11-1
Monitor Staff Reports
KAUFMAN–The Eustace Bulldogs used a seven-run third inning to
run-rule the hosting Kaufman Lions, 11-1, in the baseball season
opener for both teams Tuesday.
The Bulldogs were scheduled to host their annual tournament this
weekend, with Grand Saline, Venus, Kaufman, Scurry-Rosser,
Alba-Golden and Kemp taking part.
Pool play was scheduled Thursday (weather permitting); in case
of rain, pool play was to be pushed back to Friday and Saturday.
Following the tournament, the Bulldogs are scheduled to visit
Kerens Tuesday, March 1, with a 5 p.m. junior varsity contest
opening a two-game slate.
Next weekend, March 3-5, the Bulldogs will travel to Grand
Saline for the annual Indian Invitational tournament before
returning home to host Kemp in the first of a home-and-home
series Tuesday, March 8. Eustace will visit Kemp Monday, March
14.
At Kaufman, the Bulldogs had seven hits in the contest, with
shortstop Tyson Oliver going 2-for-3 with a double and five RBIs
to lead the attack.
Brad Sawicki went 1-for-2 with two RBIs at the DH spot, and
third baseman Alex Pharmakis went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Also getting hits were Jordan Foote and Blake Ward.
Nathan Taft got the win for the Bulldogs, throwing a complete
game, allowing five hits, two walks and notching three
strikeouts.
Following the Bulldogs’ seven-run third inning, the Lions scored
their only run in the bottom of the fourth, but Eustace came
back to score four more runs in the top of the fifth to clinch
the contest.
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