Sports and Outdoors

 Lake Info

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

Pirates sweep Bulldogs
Monitor Staff Reports
GREENVILLE–Pittsburg’s Pirates knocked the Eustace Bulldogs out of the state baseball playoffs Saturday as they completed a two-game sweep of a area championship series.
Pittsburg (19-9) advances to face Gilmer in a best-of-three regional quarterfinals matchup in Mount Pleasant this weekend, while the Bulldogs – who notched their first playoff appearance since 1989 – finished their season at 20-13.
Both teams had players involved in the state track meet last Friday, so the first game at Greenville High School was played May 8 and the second game started Saturday afternoon.
The Pirates won the series opener 5-3, thanks to the inability of the Bulldogs to bring runners in. Eustace, who pounded out seven hits, stranded a number of baserunners during the contest.
Bulldog senior Lucas Cope took the loss, giving up six hits, including a home run and a double by Pirate Jared Duncan.
Pirate Clayton Ferguson got the win, giving up seven hits to the Bulldogs, with Duncan coming in late for a save.
Bulldog freshman Braden Strickland led Eustace with a double.
The Bulldogs committed two errors, while the Pirates committed one.
In the second game Saturday, neither team managed to mount a scoring threat until the third inning, but both teams posted late-game fireworks before the Pirates pulled out a 9-4 win in eight innings.
Under gathering clouds, both teams showed jitters, as the Pirates committed five errors and the Bulldogs committed six miscues.
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the contest at 4-4 and force the extra inning.
Pittsburg then scored five runs in the top of the eighth to seal the win and the area championship.
Duncan got the win for the Pirates, allowing six hits, while Eustace reliever Ryan Compton (who came in for Strickland) took the loss.
Compton and Strickland allowed nine hits.
Duncan posted his second home run of the series, and Pirate third baseman Koe Wetzel added a double, while second baseman Josh Wilson hit a triple to lead the Bulldogs.


Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Pittsburg's Ian Deluna (23) steals second base when the cutoff throw to Eustace
Bulldog second baseman Josh Watson goes outside instead of inside. The play
 put Deluna in scoring position with two out in the top of the first inning, but he
wound up stranded. Pittsburg swept Eustace in a best-of-three series Thursday
and Saturday in Greenville to win the area baseball championship.

Reynolds, Kiker, Carrico named top Mabank athletes
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–Mabank High School seniors Kelsie Reynolds, Davis Kiker and Brandon Carrico were named the “Athletes of the Year” Saturday at the annual MHS All-Sports Banquet.
Athletic director and head coach Jimmy Cantrell noted this year’s decision was extremely difficult, and for the first time in his four years, there were co-winners named for the Male Athlete of the Year.
Both Kiker and Carrico started on the varsity football and baseball teams, and Carrico twice squatted 600 pounds – very near the school record – during powerlifting.
Kiker set a school record with four interceptions in one football game, a feat noted by the Dallas Morning News, and both he and Carrico were all-district selections.
Another multi-sport standout, Reynolds was considered “the best setter in East Texas” by opposing volleyball coaches, leading the team to a second straight 10-0 district record and a second straight regional finals appearance, as well as starting at guard on the basketball team.
Overall, it was another very strong year for MHS athletics, as 14 of the school’s 19 possible varsity teams qualified for post-season play, Cantrell reported.
“That’s absolutely outstanding,” he added. “Our high school has been recognized by the TEA (Texas Education Agency) as one of the top 10 high schools in the state.”
The school’s 19th varsity team was the school’s first swimming team, Cantrell told the gathering at the Mabank Middle School cafeteria.
“How many of you knew we had a swimming team?” Cantrell asked. “I didn’t, either.”
In an admitted “experiment,” the only team member, freshman Sean Ryan, competed against 4A and 5A swimmers during the six-month-long swimming season, and qualified for the Region II meet.
Ryan was one of only two freshman named to the District 14-4A all-district squad, the gathering heard.
In the biennial UIL realignment back in February, Mabank High School went from being one of the largest Class 3A schools the past two years to being on of the smallest Class 4A schools again.
“Everyone in this room is looking forward to the opportunity to try and do what we’ve been doing the last two years in a 4A program,” Cantrell said.
In the past, MHS teams have competed well at the 4A level – the girls basketball team posted an unbeaten district championship, for example, he said.
During the volleyball team presentation, coach Stacy Shelton noted the girls did not lose to a Class 3A team all year until the team’s second straight appearance in the Regional semifinals, where they lost to state tournament semi-finalist White Oak.
Shelton said the girls had posted a 115-35 record the past four years (12 of the 14 girls are seniors), and went 36-4 in district play (20-0 the past two years). Shelton added she was prouder of the fact that 13 of the 14 girls were named Academic All-District, and five were Academic All-State.
At the end of the banquet, Mabank Athletic Booster Club president Gary Springer announced the winners of the club’s $500 scholarship awards.
Winners were Reynolds, senior class salutatorian Kelsey Busby, Jeff Rambo, Blake Rambo, Michael Schaefer, Macey Thomas, Amanda Johnson, Lauren Graham and Carrico.
Coaches in each varsity sport named one or more team award winners, who are listed below.
During the tennis team’s introduction, coaches noted the play of senior Michael Balderas, who will graduate as a four-sport letterman through all four years of high school.
Special recognition also went to the girls golf team, who returned from the state golf tournament minutes before the start of the banquet. The girls team finished eighth at state (see related story).
Baseball – Offensive Player Kolton Browning, Defensive Player Chancz Sullivan, Most Improved Brandon Carrico, Fighting Heart Award Davis Kiker.
Boys basketball – Fighting Heart Award Chris Tull, Offensive Player Albin Gashi, Defensive Player Haydon Blair, MVP Kolton Browning.
Girls basketball – Panther Award Ashley Corter, Defensive Player Lauren Graham, Most Improved Chelsea Alldredge, MVP Chelsey Dillon.
Cheerleaders – Best Flipper Drew Hartley, Best Cheerleader Rusti Hendley.
Cross country – Chelsey Dillon recognized for finishing sixth out of 121 runners at the state meet.
Football – Offensive Player Dewayne Hamilton, Defensive Player J.R. Hudson, Newcomer Nolan Duncan, Fighting Heart Award Blake Rambo, Panther Pride Award Michael Schaefer, Defensive Line Bobby Gaddis, Linebacker Tyler Castle, Defensive Secondary Davis Kiker, Offensive Line Brandon Carrico, Offensive Back Austin Daugherty, Wide Receiver Haydon Blair, MVP Kolton Browning. Academic All State Bobby Gaddis and Dewayne Hamilton.
Boys golf – Most Improved Michael Blackman, MVP Chris Harper.
Girls golf – Pride Award Macy Anderson, Heart Award Caitlyn Jones, Strength Award Whitney Evans, Teamwork Award Katie Hibbs, Commitment Award Lauren Slaton, Guts Award Macey Thomas, Panther Pride Award Lauren Slaton, MVP Macey Thomas.
Boys powerlifting – Most Improved Jesse Thompson, Work Ethic Award Kevin Ligget, Honorary Assistant Coach Michael Schaefer, Panther Pride Award J.R. Hudson, Outstanding Lifter Dillon Bramblitt, MVP Brandon Carrico.
Girls powerlifting – Most Improved Jessica Becerra, Panther Heart Award Rusti Hendley, MVP Kelsie Busby.
Boys soccer – Panther Pride Award Nathan Vinson and Nathan Gryder. Steve Wilson recognized as first team All-District, and Michael Barderas recognized as second team All-District.
Girls soccer – Panther Heart Award Tiffany Helms, Defensive Player Hilary Noble, Offensive Player Nikki McWhorter, Defensive Player Erin Mason. Noble recognized as first team All-District, and Mason recognized as second team All-District.
Softball – Fighting Heart Award Jamie Watson, Offensive Player Allison Castle, Defensive Player Erin Mason, MVP Brandie Lander.
Swimming – Sean Ryan recognized as one of two freshman named to 14-4A All-District team, and regional qualifier.
Tennis – Girls MVP Brooke Whitkop, Boys MVP James Sanders, Panther Pride Award Michael Balderas.
Boys track – Panther Heart Award Jesse Fosse, Sprinter Jake Birch, Middle Distance Runner Nathan Sanford, Jumper Dewayne Hamilton, Distance Runner James Burkhalter, Thrower Samuel Spencer.
Girls track – Panther Pride Award Ashley Wood, Newcomer Shelby Anderson, MVP (second straight year) Chelsey Dillon.
Trainers – Newcomer Jessica Wilcoxson, Top Trainer Kurstie McGuire.
Volleyball – Panther Heart Award Bridgett Tanner, Most Improved Macey Thomas, Defensive Player Katie Cross, Offensive Player Miranda Groom, MVP Kelsie Reynolds.


Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Mabank High School seniors Kelsie Reynolds (left), Davis Kiker and Brandon
Carrico were named as the Female and Male Athletes of the Year at the annual
MHS All-Sports Banquet Saturday at the Mabank Middle School cafeteria.

Hawks knock out ’Jackets, 2-0, 10-2
Monitor Staff Reports
KILGORE–The Texarkana Pleasant Grove Hawks knocked the Kemp Yellowjackets out of the Class 3A baseball playoffs for the second straight year, sweeping a best-of-three series at Kilgore’s Driller Park Thursday and Friday.
Pleasant Grove advanced to face Bullard’s Panthers in a one-game regional quarterfinals playoff at Driller Park Friday, May 16.
The Yellowjackets ended their season at 19-10 (five more wins than last year’s district championship team posted), with a District 13-3A tri-championship and a bidistrict championship trophy.
Unlike last year, thunderstorms didn’t interrupt the Hawks-Yellowjackets series, which featured a stirring 2-0 pitcher’s duel in the opener and a deluge of Hawk hits during a 10-2 win in the second game.
Thursday night’s contest matched Pleasant Grove ace Micheal Wacha and Kemp senior Mikie Scruggs, who went toe-to-toe for seven innings.
Two Kemp errors in the first inning allowed the Hawks to score the only runs of the game.
Scruggs opened the game with two straight strikeouts, but the third batter lofted a deep fly to left field.
The ball was misplayed, and the Hawks scored on the error.
Pleasant Grove’s next batter grounded to short, but Matt Carr’s throw went wide as Josh Carr tried to make the tag at first.
After an argument between Kemp coach Cody Ross and the first-base umpire, the play stood, allowing a second unearned run to score.
For the rest of the game both teams managed a total of five hits – Kemp banged out two singles and the Hawks three singles.
Kemp managed to get their leadoff man aboard in both the fourth and fifth innings, but was unable to score.
In the seventh inning, the ’Jackets got a two-out single from Matt Carr, but Josh Carr popped up on a 3-1 pitch to end the contest.
Scruggs gave up no earned runs, allowing five hits and no walks while striking out six.
Wacha also went the distance for the Hawks, allowing only two hits and no walks while striking out 12 ’Jackets.
“I was proud as heck of Mikie Scruggs tonight. He went out there against a solid team and threw as good as anyone could. Kept us in the game all night,” Ross said later.
“That’s the best pitcher we have seen this year. He had good stuff working and we just didn’t make the adjustments,” he added.
Friday night, however, was a rough night all around for the ’Jackets, as the Hawks opened the first inning with three unearned runs.
Nick Sallings got the start and went the distance for the ’Jackets, allowing seven hits. Of the 10 Hawk runs, only three were earned.
Kemp’s two runs came on a sacrifice fly from senior second baseman Jeremy Bush, and the other coming off an error.
The ’Jackets loaded the bases in the second inning with nobody out, but managed only Bush’s sacrifice fly, which made the score 3-1.
Kemp loaded the bases three more times throughout the game, but managed to score only once, as they were unable to hit with runners in scoring position.
“We just could not execute at the plate tonight,” Ross said later.
“We came out flat and played flat throughout the game,” he added. “I take nothing away from Pleasant Grove – they are a good ballclub and well-coached, but it’s much tougher to lose knowing you didn’t play your best game.”
Kemp committed 10 errors during the series, as nine of the 12 Pleasant Grove runs were unearned.
“I really hate it for our (seven) seniors,” Ross said. “These guys have been playing together for a long time. It’s tough to lose as a coach, but when you lose the type of seniors I had the opportunity to coach, it hurts a little deeper.
“The good news is we have some young talent coming back that got to feel what its like to lose in the playoffs,” Ross added. “That should make us hungry for more as we begin preparing for next season.”