Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 322.34 Water Temperature:
49  degrees - top
45 degrees - bottom

TPWD Photo © 2010 Larry D. Hodge
Michael Banks of Jacksonville shows Toyota ShareLunker No. 485 he caught at Purtis Creek State Park Lake Tuesday. The fish was 26.25 inches long, 20 inches in girth, and weighed 13.6 pounds.

“When it hit, it was just like it was dead weight, but I knew it was a fish, because it was moving,” Banks said.
The bass came from about 12 feet of water in a cove. Banks then had to paddle nearly half an hour into the wind to get the fish to the state park weigh station.
“I’ve never caught a fish that big,” he said. “It was just one of those days – lucky fisherman.”
Banks, who is co-chair of the Friends of the Neches River organization, describes himself as an outdoorsman and a conservationist.
“I’m a conservationist, but I also love to hunt and fish,” he said.
By entering his catch into the Toyota ShareLunker program, which aims to increase the size and number of trophy fish caught in Texas through selective breeding, Banks had the opportunity to do both at the same time.
Anyone legally catching a 13-pound or bigger largemouth bass from Texas waters, public or private, between Oct. 1 and April 30 may submit the fish to the Toyota ShareLunker program by calling program manager David Campbell at (903) 681-0550, or paging him toll-free at (888) 784-0600 and leaving a phone number, including area code. Fish will be picked up by TPWD personnel within 12 hours.
Anglers entering fish into the Toyota ShareLunker program receive a free replica of their fish, a certificate and ShareLunker clothing and are recognized at a banquet at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens.
In addition, if a Texas angler catches the largest entry of the year, they receives a lifetime fishing license.
For complete information and rules of the ShareLunker program, tips on caring for big bass and a recap of last year’s season, see www.tpwd.state.tx.us/sharelunker. The site also includes a searchable database of all fish entered into the program, along with pictures where available.
Information on current catches, including short videos of interviews with anglers, is posted on www.facebook.com/sharelunkerprogram.
The Toyota ShareLunker Program is made possible by a grant to the Texas Parks & Wildlife Foundation from Gulf States Toyota.
Toyota is a long-time supporter of the Foundation and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, providing major funding for a wide variety of education, fish, parks and wildlife projects.

Kemp runners place at Rains
Monitor Staff Reports
EMORY–Kemp High School boys and girls notched strong performances at the annual Wildcat Relays at Rains High School Saturday.
Kemp results are listed below.
Girls varsity
400 meter relay – first place (Amanda Lawrence, Kimmie Gorka, Nicole Cox and Sharda Bettis).
800 meter run – third place Michelle Ritterbach.
100 high hurdles – first place Sharda Bettis.
800 meter relay – third place (Amanda Lawrence, Jessica Van Pamel, Nicole Cox and Kimmie Gorka.
400 meter run – third place Michelle Ritterbach.
200 meter run – third place Kimmie Gorka.
Triple jump – first place Sharda Bettis, fourth place Kimmie Gorka, sixth place Amanda Lawrence.
Long jump – second place Sharda Bettis, fifth place Kimmie Gorka.
Boys varsity
400 meter relay – third place (Jeremy Quick, Wesley Kerr, Lorenzo Sipriano and Justin Lawler).
110 high hurdlea – first place Jeremy Quick.
800 meter relay – fourth place (Cory Sitzman, Justin Lawler, Matt Kinney and Wesley Kerr).
200 meter run – fifth place Justin Lawler, sixth place Wesley Kerr.
Triple jump – fourth place Wesley Kerr.
Long jump – fourth place Wesley Kerr.
Shot put – second place Terrance Sistruck
Girls Junior Varsity
3200 meter run – third place Alicia Wakeland, fourth place Meagan McVay.
400 meter relay – first place (Angela Madrid, Tasha Gardiner, Jessica Van Pamel and Lauren Morton).
800 meter run – second place Amber Brewer.
800 meter relay – second place (Angela Madrid, Tasha Madrid, Kandace Rose and Lauren Morton).
400 meter run – second place Amber Brewer.
1600 meter relay – first place (Amber Brewer, Jessica Van Pamel, Tasha Gardiner and Michelle Ritterbach).
Triple jump – second place Angela Madrid.
Long jump – fourth place Angela Madrid, fifth place Nicole Cox and sixth place Jessica Van Pamel.
Shot put – second place Kandace Rose.
Discus – first place Kandace Rose.
Boys Junior Varsity
400 meter relay – second place (Cory Sitzman, Adrian Session, John Greenhaw and Matt Kinney).
100 meter dash – third place Adrian Session.

MHS 3rd at Tyler tourney
Monitor Staff Reports
TYLER–The Mabank Lady Panther varsity and junior varsity softball teams each racked up 4-1 marks at the Tyler softball tournament last weekend.
Now 9-6 on the season, the Lady Panthers “opened” their District 15-4A softball slate with a scheduled bye Tuesday. They were scheduled to visit Terrell for a single varsity game at 4:30 p.m. Friday, ground conditions permitting.
Monday, March 15, the Lady Panthers are scheduled to host Red Oak, opening with an 11:30 a.m. JV game, followed by a 1 p.m. varsity contest.
Tuesday, March 16, Mabank’s girls will visit Mesquite Poteet, again opening with an 11 a.m. JV game, followed by a 1 p.m. varsity matchup, again, weather permitting.
Next Tuesday, March 23, the Lady Panthers are scheduled to host 18th-ranked Forney at the regular time of 5:30 p.m. for the JV game and 7 p.m. for the varsity game.
The Lady Panther varsity took wins over Teague (2-0), Grapeland (3-2), Palestine (2-0) and Tyler Robert E. Lee (3-2) to take third place in the tournament. Their only loss was a 1-0 setback against Grapeland.
The junior varsity had wins over Brownsboro, Malakoff, Grapeland and Tyler Lee before losing to Grapeland, 6-4, in the championship game.
This was the first action of the year for the junior varsity team.
Senior pitcher Brandie Lander again led the varsity’s run through the tournament.
Lander pitched 22 innings, giving up just seven hits, five walks and notching 40 strikeouts. Her ERA for the tournament was a perfect 0.00, and she has an ERA of 1.17 for the season.
Lady Panther offensive leaders included:
• Lauren Norwood – four hits, four runs scored .333 batting average with a .429 on-base percentage.
• Sadie Roberts – four hits, four runs scored, .333 batting average.
• Ashley Hammack – two hits, three runs scored, two RBIs.
• Alison Castle – six hits, four RBIs, .500 batting average.
Castle hit a three-run triple against Tyler Lee to give the Lady Panthers their winning margin.