District 13-2A track meet results

By Michael V. Hannigan

The District 13-2A track meet was held Thursday, April 11, in Malakoff. Local schools involved include Eustace, Malakoff and Kemp.

The Eustace girls varsity took first place, while the boys took second. The Malakoff girls finished sixth and the boys were fifth. The Kemp girls took fourth and the boys were seventh.

The top four finishers in each event will advance to the area track meet. Those advancing include:

Girls

  • Eustace: 4×400 relay team, Samantha Crocker, (3200 meter run, 1600 meter run), Noa Taylor (800 meter run), Jaci Aiken (110 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, long jump, triple jump), Caitlyn Culp (shot put), Casey Bramblitt (shot put), Grace Holcombe (discus), Chelse Oldham (discus), Mackenzie Abbott (discus), Alex Cravey (pole vault), Meagan Gunter (pole vault), Whitney Boerner (pole vault)
  • Malakoff: Erika Gilmore (110 meter hurdles), Brenda Cruz (1600 meter run)
  • Kemp: 4×100 relay team, 4×400 relay team, Kelsey Gage (800 meter run), Bree Weisinger (110 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles), Madison Allen (300 meter hurdles), Nicole Cox (200 meter dash), Madison Thompson (high jump), Madison Kerr (shot put)

Boys

  • Eustace: 4×400 relay team, Evan Arambula (3200 meter run, 1600 meter run), Mark Zimmerer (3200 meter run, 1600 meter run), Preston Schwartz (3200 meter run, 1600 meter run), Gavin Kirkhart (800 meter run), John Bradburn (300 meter hurdles, triple jump), Tyler Stokes (high jump), Thomas Hyde (shot put), Tyler Folsom (discus), Kyle Prselley (discus), Austin Givan (pole vault), Gavin Kirkhart (pole vault)
  • Malakoff: 4×100 relay team, 800 relay team, Rene Aguilar (800 meter run), Stephan Wolfe (110 meter hurdles), Demontes Dowell (100 meter dash), Jake Woolverton (300 meter hurdles, high jump), Garrian McCallister (200 meter dash), Carrington Manning (long jump)
  • Kemp: Jesus Perez (3200 meter run, 1600 meter run), Forrest Summerhill (110 meter hurdles), Morgan Webb (400 meter dash), Jordan Litts (high jump)

TVCC Cheerleaders in second place

The Cardinal Cheerleaders will be presenting their 2013 national competition routine free to the public at 7 p.m. Monday at Cardinal Gym. The team is traveling to Daytona, Fla., this week for national competition. (COURTESY PHOTO)
The Cardinal Cheerleaders will be presenting their 2013 national competition routine free to the public at 7 p.m. Monday at Cardinal Gym. The team is traveling to Daytona, Fla., this week for national competition. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Following the end of the first round of national competition Thursday, the Trinity Valley Community College Cheerleaders were in second place.

The TVCC team was awarded a first-round score of 95.88, coming in hot on the heels of Corsicana’s Navarro College.

TVCC competed against five other college teams in the first round of the National Cheerleaders Association Collegiate Cheer and Dance Championship, which is held each year in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The top three teams in the first round were guaranteed a place in Friday’s final round of competition. The other three were scheduled to face off against each other Thursday evening, vying for the fourth seat in the final round.

“I am extremely pleased with how well our students represented themselves today. We have a few things we can adjust and I feel like we are in a great place for finals,” said TVCC Cheerleading Coach Khris Franklin.

“Our team was simply awesome to watch. TVCC should be proud of the job these young men and women are doing here,” said TVCC Executive Director of Student Life Dr. Charles Hueber, who is traveling with the team.

Overall, TVCC came in 1.65 points behind Navarro’s lead score of 97.53. Weatherford College placed third, trailing TVCC by 1.35 points with a 94.53 out of a possible 100.

The other three teams in the junior college division of the competition were Wallace State Community College in Alabama, Mt. San Antonio College in California and Iowa Central Community College in Iowa. Those three teams scored a 91.45, 88.15 and 86.40 respectively.

The finals round of competition is expected to take place between 11:30 a.m. and 1:45 p.m. Friday. The awards ceremony is set to begin at approximately 1:45.

The All-Henderson County Basketball Teams (courtesy the Athens Daily Review)

The following are the 2013 All-Henderson County Area Basketball Teams. The teams are picked by staff members at the Athens Daily Review, with input from the coaches. We reprint it here with permission.

Boys

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
David Marler, 6-4/Senior/Mabank

Senior David Marler had a strong year for the Panthers after a first-team all-district selection last year. The senior post averaged 17.2 points per game to go with 10.1 rebounds and 1.1 blocks a game. He was a 61-percent field goal shooter and a 70 percent free-throw shooter. Marler was the District 15-3A offensive player of the year this year.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Anthony Sanders, 6-1 junior guard, Athens
KEY STAT: Averaged 23.2 points, 6.1 assists, 5 steals, 5 rebounds.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Logan McClelland, 5-10 senior guard, LaPoynor
KEY STAT: 2 steals per game, 5 points per game.

SOPHOMORE OF THE YEAR
Marcus Dowell, 6-0 sophomore post, Malakoff
KEY STAT: Averaged 8 points and seven rebounds per game

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
James Jackson, 6-0 freshman forward, LaPoynor
KEY STAT: 14 points per game, 10.5 rebounds, 57 percent field goal shooter.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Ryan Jefferson, 6-2 junior forward/guard, Athens
KEY STAT: 10 ppg., 6.8 rebounds off bench

CO-COACH OF THE YEAR
Dean Nuckolls, LaPoynor and Tracy Carter, Mabank

First Team

  • Deon Johnson 5-2 SR LaPoynor Outside
  • Demontes Dowell 5-8 JR Malakoff Outside
  • Blake Ralson 6-0 SR Brownsboro Outside
  • Octavius Crear 5-8 JR LaPoynor Outside
  • Landon Marshall 6-2 SR Mabank In/Out
  • Davonte Givens 6-1 SR Brownsboro Outside

Second Team

  • Zach Spencer 5-9 SR Trinidad Outside
  • John Bradburn 6-2 SR Eustace In/Out
  • Patrick McCarthy 6-4 SR Brownsboro Inside
  • Courtland Lyons 5-10 SO Athens Outside
  • Kyle Wood 6-0 SR Eustace Outside
  • Keonte Ross 6-0 SR Malakoff Outside

Honorable Mention

  • ATHENS — Antwon Chilton, senior; Chris Jefferson, junior.
  • BROWNSBORO — Taylor Beall, senior; Will Bailey, sophomore; Jared Bragdon, junior; Tamrick Pace, freshman.
  • MABANK — Garrett Graham, senior; Taylor Willeford, senior; Parker Johannesen, junior.
  • MALAKOFF — Carrington Manning, senior.
  • LAPOYNOR — Mason Motal, junior; Ashton Abendroth, senior; Wade Lang, junior; Justin Street, senior; Seth Anderson, sophomore.
  • DID NOT REPORT: Cross Roads, Kemp

Girls

Player of the Year
Kourtney Holyfield 5-6 senior guard, Mabank

Kourtney Holyfield took on a deeper role according to head coach Ashleigh Weeaks this year and made a rebuilding year team into a playoff level team. Holyfield averaged 21.7 points, 3.3 assists, 4.4 steals and 4.7 rebounds in district play. Overall for the season, she finished with 18.9 points per game, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 2.8 steals per game.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Demi Cumby, 5-8 senior guard, Athens
KEY STAT: 23.5 ppg., 4.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.8 steals this season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Bailey Swain, 5-10 sophomore guard, Mabank
KEY STAT: 3.0 rpg., 0.6 steals, 25 charges this season.

SOPHOMORE OF THE YEAR
Plandreika Jackson, 5-6 senior guard, Malakoff
KEY STAT: 7.4 points, 3 rebounds, 2 steals and 1 assists. She had the highest free throw percentage on the team.

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Madison Montgomery, 5-8 freshman post, Brownsboro
KEY STAT: 6 ppg., 6 rebounds per game. She was also named second team all-district.

SIXTH MAN OF THE YEAR
Sierra Perez, 5-3 sophomore guard, Malakoff
KEY STAT: 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds, two steals and one assists per game.

COACH OF THE YEAR
Ashleigh Weeaks, Mabank
For the second straight year, Weakks coached the Lady Panthers to the District 15-3A championship and the area round of the playoffs. She had a balanced scoring attack this season and has a lot of talent coming back next season.

First Team

  • Cari Aguilera 5-9 JR Athens Inside
  • Kacie Richards 5-10 SR Eustace In/Out
  • Sidney Hightower 5-10 JR Brownsboro Inside
  • Taye Jackson 5-11 SR Malakoff Inside
  • Kelsie Bristow 5-4 SO LaPoynor Outside
  • Meagan Holyfield 5-8 SO Mabank Outside

Second Team

  • Jensen Anderson SR LaPoynor Outside
  • Josee McNeece 5-3 JR Athens Outside
  • Kaitlyn Holyfield 5-7 SR Mabank Inside
  • Candace Denis 5-8 FR Malakoff Outside
  • Kiana Reed 5-10 FR Malakoff Inside
  • Bryla Barker 6-0 SO Athens Inside

Honorable Mention

  • ATHENS — Shelby Sims, junior; Hadley Cain, sophomore; Allison Kalawe, junior; Seirra Walker, sophomore; Krystal Davis, junior.
  • MALAKOFF — Hayley Thomas, sophomore; DyEsha Brookins, senior.
  • DID NOT REPORT: Cross Roads, Kemp
  • NO NOMINATIONS: Trinidad

TVCC Sports Notes: Big night for cheerleaders

By Benny Rogers/TVCC Sports Information

Tonight’s a big night for the Cardinal Cheerleaders, who later this week will be in Florida to try and win a 10th national championship. They show off their national routine for the public for the final time at 7 p.m. at Cardinal Gym.

National competition begins Thursday and the final round is Friday.

The college previously won titles in 1989, ’90, ’91, ’93, ’96, 2002, ’02, ’05 and ’08.

Results of the national competition will be posted on the college’s Facebook page and at www.nca.varsity.com.

SOFTBALL

The Lady Cardinals split a doubleheader at home Saturday against Kilgore. They dropped an 8-2 decision in Game 1 and came to take record an 8-2 win in Game 2, fueled by a seven-run third inning.

The split ran the Lady Cardinals’ season record to 24-17. They are 4-4 in conference.

Saturday’s doubleheader was the college’s participation in the Strikeout Cancer campagain, which benefits a local fund in the fight against cancer. Though the final total has yet to be determined, Athletic Coordinator Lucy Strom said the preliminary total suggests the goal was reached.

Coach Ashley Johnston’s squad has two home doubleheaders this week. Wednesday, the Lady Cardinals are set to take on Paris at 1 and 3 p.m. They will also be at home Friday to play Bossier Parish, also at 1 and 3 p.m.

Saturday, they take to the road to go against Northeast Texas. The doubleheader in Mount Pleasant starts at 1 p.m.

TVCC cheerleaders look back to move forward

The Cardinal Cheerleaders will be presenting their 2013 national competition routine free to the public at 7 p.m. Monday at Cardinal Gym. The team is traveling to Daytona, Fla., this week for national competition. (COURTESY PHOTO)
The Cardinal Cheerleaders will be presenting their 2013 national competition routine free to the public at 7 p.m. Monday at Cardinal Gym. The team is traveling to Daytona, Fla., this week for national competition. (COURTESY PHOTO)

By Jennifer Hannigan/TVCC Public Information

The Trinity Valley Community College Cheerleaders are hoping to repeat history starting April 11 as they participate in national competition in Florida.

And to help them in that task, they’ve combined the past with the present.

The team will be looking to earn the college’s tenth national title as the National Cheerleaders Association National Finals Competition begins Thursday in Daytona Beach, Fla.

The Cardinal Cheerleaders will present the 2013 nationals routine free to the public in a community performance at 7 p.m. Monday in Cardinal Gym. The team traditionally performs its routine for the public just before leaving for the competition.

The TVCC group has been named the best junior college cheer team in the nation by the National Cheerleaders Association nine times, in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1996, 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2008.

Cardinal Cheerleading Coach Khris Franklin said the team looked to the best moves of past winning routines as inspiration to build this year’s competition strategy.

“We looked at all the highest scoring sections from last year’s winning routines,” said Franklin. “We looked at all sizes of teams in all different divisions.”

Then, he said, the team’s choreographers used those moves as a foundation.

“We took those skill sets and added some of the TVCC flare,” said Franklin. “We brought in a little bit of old and new in the choreography realm by bringing in a very creative choreographer to work hand in hand with a pair of alumni that are now husband and wife from the 2001 and 2002 national championship teams.”

The group will compete in the first round on Thursday. The top teams will advance to Friday’s final round of competition.

Franklin said the outpouring of support from the community has been key in this year’s competition. Through the sales of the team’s T-shirts and 2013 calendars, the team is competing in new uniforms. Those sales also have allowed Franklin to fund book scholarships for the students.

“We want to thank the community for its outstanding support of the team,” said Franklin.

The first NCA College National Championship was held in Dallas in 1981. The event was moved to the sunny shores of Daytona Beach in 1996.

This year, more than 6,000 student athletes and coaches from 40 states, Canada, and Costa Rica will compete in the event, which includes both cheer team and dance team divisions.

Results will be posted as they are released on the TVCC Facebook page and at www.nca.varsity.com.