Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 321.02
Water Temperature:
59  degrees - top
58 degrees - bottom

Eagles run-rule Bulldogs, 16-2
Monitor Staff Reports
EUSTACE–A 10-run first inning set the tone for the Canton Eagles, who went on to run-rule the hosting Eustace Bulldogs 16-2 Friday.
Friday’s blowout was the fourth straight District 14-3A baseball loss for the Bulldogs, who fell to 10-10 on the season and 2-5 in district play, out of the playoff picture.
Tuesday, the Bulldogs were scheduled to visit Kemp for their second-round matchup (the teams’ first-round contest was moved to Eustace due to wet grounds).
Following a break for the district track meet in Mineola Wednesday and Thursday, the Bulldogs are scheduled to visit Wills Point at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, and they will wind up the second round and the regular season at home Friday, April 24, against the Van Vandals.
Canton, now 14-6 on the year and 6-1 in district play, roughed up Eustace starter Chris Compton and reliever Jacob Petillo, racking up 10 runs in the first inning and five more in the third.
Eagle catcher Ethan Vestal gave the Eustace fans a taste of what the evening had in store with a two-run homer in the first inning, while teammate B.J. Arthur had a double and Lucas Sanford had a triple.
The Eagles pounded out 17 hits against Chris Compton, Petillo, Blake Ward and Ryan Compton, and the Bulldogs didn’t help themselves with two errors.
In contrast, the Bulldogs managed just two hits against Eagle pitcher Nick Garrison, but one was a solo shot by sophomore Braden Strickland, and the other was an RBI double by Cameron Coffey, both coming in the bottom of the fourth inning.

TVCC names Damuth women’s coach
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–Bill Damuth has been named head women’s basketball coach at Trinity Valley Community College (TVCC).
Damuth, in the third year of his second tenure at the college as an assistant coach, was announced as the replacement for Michael Landers in a press conference Monday at Cardinal Gym.
Landers resigned in late February, and Monday began his new job as athletic director/head women’s basketball coach at Baton Rouge Community College in Baton Rouge, La.
In nine seasons as an assistant coach for the Lady Cardinal basketball program, Damuth saw the program compile a 270-37 record, win three national championships, seven regional championships and eight conference championships.
“TVCC is tremendously fortunate to have Bill Damuth leading the women’s basketball program into a new era,” TVCC President Dr. Glendon Forgey said in making the announcement.
“He has big shoes to fill, a rich tradition and history, but the committee felt he was the best candidate to continue the success of the program,” he added.
Forgey said Damuth was selected after an extensive nation-wide search.
“The search committee had an extremely difficult task. TVCC is the best junior college coaching position in the country. That is why the college received applications from five coaches who had teams at the national tournament this year,” Forgey said.
“When it came down to the final criteria, the committee believed that Damuth had the best national contacts to recruit the top talent to play and win championships at TVCC,” Forgey added. “He has been part of the success at Trinity Valley, and knows what it takes to achieve the level of success that is expected.”
Damuth is no stranger to leading a program.
At the conclusion of the 1999-2000 season, he left TVCC after six years as Kurt Budke’s assistant coach to become the head women’s basketball coach at Hill College.
He compiled a 51-12 record there, including a 29-3 mark in his first season.
Hill was ranked as high as 13th nationally and won a conference championship, earning Damuth Coach of the Year honors.
“I am very excited to get this opportunity and am thankful to Dr. Forgey and the committee for the confidence they have shown in me,” Damuth said.
“Trinity Valley is very special to me and I know how important the program is to the college and the community,” he added. “I want this program to remain the premier junior college program in the nation.”
Damuth left Hill College to become an assistant coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. He returned to TVCC in 2006.
“Bill’s experience and knowledge of the program and its history will be invaluable in maintaining the level of success the program has achieved,” Landers said. “He has been a very big part of the success we had while I was here and I know Kurt (Budke) feels the same way.”
“After meeting with Bill and talking with people around the country, it is obvious that he has a great knowledge and passion for this sport and a commitment to doing things the right way,” Forgey said.
“His outlook on success goes beyond the court and carries into the classroom and community. He has valuable connections nationally and internationally and his past experience will help to continue this program at the championship level,” Forgey said. “Athletics at TVCC focuses on student success both on and off the field, and I am confident that our national search has identified a new head coach for our women basketball players who will guide them to both athletic and academic excellence.”
Damuth is a native of Martins Mill. He received his bachelor’s of science and history degree from the University of Texas at Tyler in 1995.
He earned his master’s degree in sports science and management from the United States Sports Academy in 1998.
He and wife Michelle have a son and daughter, Dylan and Madison.

Xtreme falls to Dallas
Monitor Staff Reports
CARROLLTON–The Texas Xtreme fell to 4-2 on the season after losing 30-3 to the Dallas Chargers in Carrollton Saturday.
Xtreme coaches Larry Anding and Gary Craig felt this game was the worst experience in their eight-year history of semi-professional football.
Key Xtreme players unavailable for the game were the running back tandem of Jamon Edwards and Boo Beechum, wide receivers Zack Newman and Creadell Burns, linebacker John Litchfield and defensive tackle Carlos Blackshire.
The Xtreme started strong, taking the opening kickoff down to the Charger 6 before settling for an Angel Nava field goal.
After that point, however, the Xtreme offense seemed to self-destruct, as they committed 12 penalties, suffered 12 dropped passes, two fumbles, and three interceptions, finishing with 210 yards total offense.
Marcus Bowman completed 10-of-30 passes for 106 yards and three runners (Marcus Bowman, linebacker Chris Bowman and Torrie McLemore) picked up 104 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Leading Xtreme receivers were Brandon Thompson, with four catches for 39 yards, and Brandon Lyons, with 33 yards on two catches.
Other offensive standouts were Jerry Martin, Adrian Gonzalez and Chris Ross.
The game was stopped early in the second quarter due to a thunderstorm.
The officiating crew misinformed many of the Xtreme players, stating the game was cancelled.
When the game resumed, starting offensive linemen Vic Moore, Ike Coleman, Kendrick Wilson and defensive back Kel Hines were well on their way home and were unavailable for the remainder of the game.
When the game resumed, the Chargers had already taken a 9-3 lead despite totaling minus 15 yards offense on 10 plays, as a result of a punt return for a touchdown and a safety.
The Chargers took a commanding 18-3 lead after yet another safety and an interception return for a TD.
A Nico Adams interception was nullified, and the Xtreme were penalized 15 yards.
Two more major penalties later, the Chargers scored on a touchdown reception (after two Xtreme defenders tipped the ball) to take a 24-3 lead.
The Chargers scored on a short drive following an Xtreme fumble to close out the scoring. The Chargers gained 65 yards in total offense, completing 6-of-14 passes for 63 yards and two net rushing yards on 23 carries.
Xtreme defensive standouts were Adams (an interception and three tackles), Lonterio Osborn (an interception and one sack), Lance Powell (a fumble recovery and two sacks), Kerry Yarbrough (a sack and four tackles), Jose Lopez (a fumble recovery and three tackles), Jerry Martin, Jason Anding and Rondacious Floyd (one sack and three tackles).
Other Xtreme standouts were Reggie Calhoun and Clifton Wimbush. The Xtreme were penalized 19 times for 155 yards in losses, surpassing their previous five-game total.
The Xtreme travel to Lancaster for their fourth consecutive road game, facing the Dallas Bulldogs at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 18.