Normal Lake Level is 322.00 feet
above Mean Sea Level.
Current level for Cedar Creek Lake is: 314.23
Water Temperature:
65 degrees - top
62 degrees - bottom

Sports in Brief

Birding Basics
Purtis Creek State Park will hold a birding basics information session from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26.
Take a hike and learn about techniques for finding and identifying birds. Wear comfortable shoes, bring binoculars, if you have them, otherwise the park has a few to loan out. Meet at the overflow camping parking lot. For more information, contact the park at (903) 425-2332.

Take Only Pictures, Leave Only Footprints
Learn the basics of “Leave No Trace” and how photography can help grasp your memories from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, at Purtis Creek State Park.
Bring your digital camera and learn a few techniques for taking nature pictures, afterwards, we will take a hike for a scavenger hunt of things in nature, then review what we found. For more information, contact the park at (903) 425-2332.

Geocaching at Purtis Creek
Purtis Creek State Park will hold a "basics of geocaching" program from 3 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17.
Geocaching is a type of treasure hunt using a GPS unit to help you find hidden "caches" placed by people all over the world.
Geocaches are everywhere - from just down the street to the most remote wilderness areas.
The program at Purtis Creek will teach the basics of using a GPS for geocaching and how to get started. Meet at the Amphitheater. For more information, contact the park at (903) 425-2332.

Friends of Purtis Creek planning fishing tournament
The Friends of Purtis Creek, with the help of the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, will be hosting a carp fishing tournament soon at Purtis Creek State Park.
Come to the next Friends of Purtis Creek meeting at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3, and hear TPWD biologist Richard Ott discuss the Grass Carp population in Purtis Creek Lake, and efforts to introduce native vegetation into the lake.
He will also be discussing the upcoming fishing tournament.
The meeting will be held at the Purtis Creek State Park maintenance barn. You can contact the park at (903) 425-2332.

Upcoming Events

Basketball (boys)

Nov. 29
• Eustace @ Fruitvale – 5:45 p.m.
• Van @ Mabank – 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 1-3
• Eustace @ Mabank’s Cedar Creek Lake Shoot-Out basketball tournament
• Kemp @ Sunnyvale Tournament

Basketball (girls)

Dec. 1-3
• Eustace @ Teague Tournament
• Kemp @ Scurry-Rosser tournament
• Mabank @ Crandall Tournament

Eustace ends season with 19-10 loss to Melissa
By Sam Epps
Sports Editor
DALLAS–It was a good run, an exciting season full of fun and hard hits, but the Eustace Bulldogs’ football season ended Friday with a 19-10 loss to the District 7-2A Melissa Cardinals.
Eustace’s gameplan of running the ball hard and controlling the clock fell just short of Melissa’s passing.
Eustace rushed the ball 68 times for 259 yards, while Melissa had just 127 yards on the ground.
The Cardinals’ air assault, however, paved the way for Melissa as they completed 15 of 20 attempts for 205 yards.
The Bulldogs took charge of the game early, scoring in the first quarter on a on a 33-yard field goal by kicker Kyle Purselley.
The rest of the quarter, and much of the second quarter, was a defensive battle.
The Cardinals scored 10 points in the second quarter to take a 10-3 lead at halftime.
The third quarter, much like the first, saw Eustace battle defensively, while the Bulldog offense pressed on.
They scored once in the quarter on a three-yard shot by junior running back Tyler Folsom. Purselley’s kick was good, tying the game at 10-10.
On the evening, Folsom rushed 15 times from 77 yards.
Much like the second quarter, the fourth quarter featured more offensive play by Melissa.
The Cards scored nine points in the quarter and held Eustace scoreless, securing the 19-10 win at the buzzer.
Bulldog running back Blake Ward rushed 31 times for 120 yards, and Jacob McCarter rushed 15 times for 70 yards.
The trio of Ward, McCarter and Folsom each rushed for more than 1,000 on the season, capping off the most successful season for the Bulldogs in 14 years.
The Bulldogs closed out the season with an 11-2 record overall.

Kemp grad receives honors
Monitor Staff Reports
KEMP–Shelbie Wright, 2010 graduate of Kemp High School, played in the NJCAA Division III National Volleyball Championship playoffs for the Brookhaven Community College Lady Bears.
She is the daughter of Trae and Lue Wright and the granddaughter of Fay and Jimmy Beavers of Kemp.
The playoffs were held Nov. 11-12, at the UCR Regional Sports Center, Rochester Community and Technical College in Rochester, Minn.
The Lady Bears held the second place National Championship for the 2nd year.
Shelbie was selected to the National All Tournament Team.

Kemp girls beat Nevada Community
By Sam Epps
Sports Editor
KEMP–The Kemp Lady Yellowjackets defeated the visiting Nevada Community girls, 55-53, Friday.
The game remained close throughout the first period of play, with both teams taking the lead, then losing the lead repeatedly.
Community eventually outscored Kemp in the first period, 11-8.
Kemp took a lead midway through the second period, and eventually outscored Nevada 18-14.
Kemp extended its lead after outscoring the Nevada girls, 11-9, in the third period.
The final stanza of the game was a nail-biter, with Nevada Community playing strong offense to whittle away at the Kemp lead.
The Kemp offense, however, answered back by maintaining the lead and winning the game.
“We adjusted our defense and caused quite a few turnovers in the halfcourt,” Kemp head coach Kent Smith said. “But we kept them in the game by making mental mistakes through turnovers.”
Brianna Powell led Kemp scorers with 18 points. She also had five rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Taylor Day had 10 points and lead the team in rebounding with 15.
“Overall we are slowly improving,” Smith said. “Our record is now 1-2.”