By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lady Lion volleyball team is firmly in second place in the District 6-2A race with just two games remaining in the regular season.

Albany suffered a second loss to Hawley last week, but rebounded on Tuesday with a win in Moran 25-14, 25-9, 25-27, 25-3 to improve to 8-2 in district. Details of the game will be reported next week.

The local team will travel to Woodson on Friday, Oct. 25 for a 4:30 p.m. game, followed by the regular season finale at home next Tuesday against Ranger starting at 6:15 p.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The JV football team filled in a blank on the schedule with a game against Haskell played in Hamlin last week, maintaining their undefeated season with a 26-0 win.

The JV will host Cross Plains today at Robert Nail Stadium immediately following the combined junior high game. Kickoff is expected at 6:15 p.m.

Albany picked up last week’s game after Roscoe was unable to put a JV team on the field this season. However, the Lions will face the Haskell JV again next week in Haskell.

By Kathy Thomson

Quail hunting season begins across the entire state of Texas this Saturday, Oct. 26, and although bird numbers are expected to be up slightly compared to last year, according to surveys the quail population in the Rolling Plains, which includes Shackelford County, they are still well below average.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany Cubs split games to start the district portion of their schedule last Thursday in Roscoe.

The Cubs are hosting Cross Plains this Thursday, with kickoff for the one combined game set for 5:00 p.m. 

Game Details

The eighth grade earned a 28-6 win in Roscoe.

The Cubs held the Plowboys on the first drive, followed by a 48-yard run by Lanxton Viertel for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

By Kathy Thomson

Last week the Lady Bulldogs’ cross country team qualified for regional.

“I am super excited for this group of young ladies,” said coach Jo Hise. “They are the first Moran team that I am aware of to advance to regional. They have come so far since the beginning of the season and are even more confident in themselves.”  

Hise added that “they are a joy to coach.”

Moran sent 10 runners to the District 20 cross country meet in Eula on Wednesday, Oct. 16.

By Kathy Thomson

Friday was a game of two halves, with Three Way taking a 12-0 lead into the locker room, but Moran putting up 52 unanswered points in the second half to pull out a decisive win.

The Braves came into the bout with a 7-6 record, and head coach John Hughes said the Bulldogs may have underestimated Three Way. 

By Kathy Thomson

The Lady Bulldogs avenged their earlier first round loss to Newcastle last week, but later fell to both Hawley and Albany for the second times this season to stand 3-8 in district play, with only one match remaining in the regular season.

The middle school team played Newcastle on Tuesday, and traveled to Hawley for tournament action on Saturday. Results from the junior high’s match with Albany on Tuesday were not available at press time and will be reported next week.

Varsity vs. Newcastle

By Kathy Thomson

Monday, Oct. 28 is a fifth day optional/required school day at Moran Independent School District.

“Please remember that only students with excellent attendance, behavior, citizenship, and classroom performance are permitted to take these optional days off,” said superintendent Danny Freeman. “If you have not been contacted directly by your child’s teacher, then please send your student to school.”

Children who attend school on Monday, Oct. 28 will be released at 12:00 noon.

Cooler weather is finally making an appearance, and there are several activities planned in Moran during the fall season.

Halloween is next week, and the annual PTO organized Trunk or Treat will be held in the Moran school parking lot on Thursday, Oct. 31 to give children a safe place to trick or treat.

The City of Moran Volunteer Fire Department will not be offering game booths this year, but they will host a hayride starting at 8:00 p.m. that evening. 

Other Events

Other upcoming events include commodity pick-up on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

By Kathy Thomson

Albany residents will soon be seeing red as the annual Red Ribbon anti-drug campaign kicks off next Monday morning.

The annual “Red Ribbon Campaign” has been officially set for Oct. 21-25 at the Albany school district. 

This is the 31st straight year that the event, which is designed to draw as much attention as possible to the problems of drug and alcohol abuse and its prevention, has been conducted locally. 

The national theme for 2019 is “Send a Message. Stay Drug Free.”