Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 321.04
Water Temperature:
na degrees - top
65 degrees - bottom

’Jackets looking to the future
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–Although the Kemp Yellowjackets posted their second straight 1-9 season this fall, there’s quite a bit of optimism.
“The kids came in every week with a good attitude, and they played hard right to the end,” new head coach Greg Anderson said Monday.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Kemp Yellowjacket senior Kory Henderson (25) tries to twist away from Mabank defenders Justin Crowsey (on ground) and Davis Kiker (6), as teammate Joseph Weeks (80) comes up to block and Panther Chris Murff (10) comes up to help make the stop during Mabank’s 48-14 season-ending win Friday.

“To me, that’s a foundation to build on,” Anderson added. “I’m proud of our seniors, and how they continued to lead us throughout the year.”
Considering the number of freshmen and sophomores not only on the varsity, but on the field, the Yellowjackets have more than a solid foundation coming back. Also, Kemp’s junior varsity, freshmen and eighth grade teams all posted undefeated or one-loss seasons.
“I hope the success we’ll have over the next couple of years was built on this year,” Anderson said.
A 48-14 loss to Mabank Friday finished the regular season, but the game featured two long touchdown runs by junior Josh Carr, who became the ’Jackets’ first 1,000-yard rusher since 2002.
“That’s a tribute to our offensive line, and we started a freshman and two sophomores in the line,” Anderson said.
Another junior, Bryan Fivecoat, began to make the ’Jacket kicking game a serious threat in district play, and senior Matt Brown did a surprisingly good job at punter until getting hurt in the next-to-last game, Anderson said.
“I hate to lose our 10 seniors, but a lot of underclassmen got a lot of good playing time,” he said.
A good off-season program is the next priority for the Kemp football team.
“We’ve got to get physically stronger, and that will go a long way to helping us stop the run,” Anderson said.
Anderson said he was encouraged by the ’Jackets being able to match scores with Mabank in the second half.
“Mabank is well-coached, and their kids play hard,” he said. “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised to see them go down and beat Athens (Saturday night).”
With a UIL realignment coming up in February, there’s quite a bit of speculation on whether Mabank will remain in Class 3A or move back up to 4A.
“If they do go up to 4A, I would still like to continue scheduling a game with them,” Anderson said. “It’s a natural rivalry, and we need to play that caliber of competition.”
Despite the long-standing rivalry, the players showed a great deal of mutual respect for each other as they mingled on-field after the final gun, he said.
“That shows both coaching staffs are teaching the right way to do things,” Anderson said.
 

Eustace future looking bright
Monitor Staff Reports
EUSTACE–After two straight lackluster seasons, this year’s Bulldogs posted a 4-6 season mark and had a shot at a playoff berth in the regular-season finale Friday.
Ferris cut the Bulldogs’ playoff hopes short with a 41-28 win, but the fact that there were playoff hopes was a tremendous step forward for the Eustace program.
“It was a very, very positive season,” new Eustace head coach Doug Wendel agreed. “The seniors laid the foundation for where we’re headed, and I’m proud of their accomplishments.
“For me, it wasn’t a completely successful season, because we weren’t in the playoffs,” he added. “Friday night, we left it on the field. We played hard and we played together.”
A strong off-season program is the next priority, Wendel said.
“We believe in our off-season program more than we believe in our offensive and defensive systems,” he said. “We’re not going to get anything but better.”
The Bulldogs will lose a lot of their depth, particularly on the offensive line, to graduation, but one typically doesn’t expect to see depth until the third year of a program, Wendel said.
“With an off-season or two, we will become a stronger and more disciplined team,” he said. “Our tackling will improve – which it needs to.”
Wendel said he expected the District 13-3A representatives – Kaufman, Ferris and Mabank – to do well in the playoffs.
“I think Kaufman has a good shot, and Mabank has a good shot (at advancing),” he said.
“Mabank has a different offense, now that they’ve got their running game going,” Wendel added. “I think they will pose a serious problem for Athens. I think that will be an interesting game.”
Looking back on the season, the Bulldogs played three playoff teams in their pre-district schedule, and the district victory over Crandall was a significant step forward, Wendel said.
“Beating Kemp in the way we did (coming from behind in the final minute) was also significant,” he said.
Team chemistry was something Wendel pointed to from the very first week of practices, and he said the Bulldog seniors were a big part of that.
“I can’t say enough about how far the seniors have come, and what they started here,” he said. “We are going to have to have other people come up and fill those big shoes.
“I’m as excited now as I was the first day I got here,” Wendel added. “We know where we’re headed, and the future is bright.”