Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 321.05 Water Temperature:
85  degrees - top
83 degrees - bottom

Volleyball, football teams open practices
By Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–Football and volleyball players around the lake area opened two-a-day practices Monday.
Volleyball players have the tightest schedule, as Mabank, Kemp and Eustace teams all begin scrimmages Friday, Aug. 7, and will play season-opening matches Tuesday, Aug. 11.
At Mabank, veteran coach Stacy Shelton welcomed 45 players to three-a-day practices (counting weight training), and the pace of the workouts proved to be pretty tough.
Shelton admitted the players’ overall conditioning wasn’t so good, particularly so for the younger girls.
“I wish (the girls) had come in more this summer,” she said. “We had two girls throw up this morning.”
Shelton said some of the 45 girls probably won’t make her three teams, as she plans to keep 10 or 12 players on varsity, 12 to 15 on junior varsity and 15 on the freshman team.
At Kemp, third-year head coach Peggy Swierc was excited about the number of players she had coming out for practices.
“We have 33 girls out, which is better than last year,” she said. “We’ll be able to carry three full teams this year.”
As at Mabank, not all of the Kemp girls were ready for the rigors of practice, as there was some serious huffing-and-puffing going on.
“We’re working them in three different groups – some in here (in the gym), some in the weight room and some at the track,” Swierc said.
Volleyball practices are being held in the old high school gym, as the new Kemp High School is still getting final construction touches.
“I deliberately scheduled our first two matches away,” Swierc said.
The first scheduled home match is Friday, Aug. 14, against Cross Roads, and Swierc said she hoped the match can be held at the new school.
At Eustace, veteran coach Chuck Powers had just 30 girls out Monday, the smallest turnout he’s had in quite some time.
“We’re missing a bunch of freshmen,” he said. “They may be a little intimidated coming in here.”
Intimidated? Well, the freshmen will be seeing a varsity team that advanced to the regional quarterfinals last year, and returns almost everybody.
That could be a little intimidating, yeah.
Turning to football, coaches at Kemp and Eustace welcomed players to two-a-day practices, starting early in the morning to avoid the triple-digit temperatures that returned after a week of rainy weather.
At Eustace, third-year head coach Doug Wendel welcomed back 67 players for the first day of practice, adding he expected the number to climb to 70 later in the week.
“I’m very pleased with the conditioning, retention and execution for a first practice,” he said. “However, we will have a better feel for conditioning on Wednesday and Thursday.”
The Bulldogs will be hosting a family get-together early Saturday, Aug. 8, followed by the traditional media day and an intra-squad scrimmage.
At Kemp, third-year head coach Greg Anderson welcomed 62 players on the first day of practice, and said he expected another 10 or so to join later in the week.
Numbers are down slightly, because this year’s incoming freshman class is a fairly small class, compared to others, Anderson pointed out.
“The majority (of players) are in pretty good shape,” Anderson added. “Of course, you always have a few who have to play themselves into shape.”
The Yellowjackets will hold their media day Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Because the Mabank Panthers held football practices back in May, they won’t open practices until Monday, Aug. 10. Mabank’s media day is Saturday, Aug. 15.
Both Kemp and Eustace have their first controlled scrimmages set early Aug. 15, as Kemp will host the Malakoff Tigers at 8 a.m., while Eustace will travel to Venus for a 9 a.m. start.
All three football teams will hold controlled scrimmages Thursday, Aug. 20, as Mabank visits Canton, Kemp will visit Edgewood and Eustace will visit Elkhart.
The first regular-season games will be held Friday, Aug. 28, when Mabank visits Kaufman and Kemp will face Brownsboro to open the brand-new Van Memorial Stadium.
Saturday, Aug. 29, Eustace will open their season by facing Grace Community at Tyler