By Sam Waller

Quail hunting season opens Saturday across the state with seasons for white-tailed deer and Turkey to start Nov. 6.

Game Warden Jacob Mort said the outlook for quail is average to slightly below average in Shackelford County.

“There are some birds around,” Mort said. “It’s usually been between six and eight birds in a covey.”

Statewide, the quail forecast is looking up after three years below average, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department website, but prospects remain low in the Rolling Plains region.

By Sam Waller

Albany’s Jonathan Coody finished 60th in a field of 111 runners Monday at the Region II-2A cross country meet at Grand Prairie.

Coody, a freshman, covered the course at Lynn Creek Park in 21 minutes, 2.93 seconds. The time was about 47 seconds off what he ran at the District 10-2A meet on Oct. 13, but Albany coach Tate Thompson said the regional course was slightly longer.

The Albany Junior High Cubs football teams will play different opponents in different locations Thursday (today).

The eighth grade team (7-0) will join the junior varsity for a doubleheader at Santo. The eighth grade game will start at 5:00 p.m.

The seventh grade Cubs (5-1) will play at Eastland at 5:30 p.m. in a game that was added to the schedule on Monday.

Both teams, along with the rest of Albany’s football players, were off last week during a break in the schedule.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions made the most of a home court advantage last week, clinching the District 6-2A volleyball championship  on Oct. 19 by sweeping Hawley for the second time this season. They then began preparing for the playoffs by beating Hico on Saturday.

“We are excited to be district champions,” Lady Lions coach M.J. Reneau said. “Now we are looking forward to our playoff run.”

By Sam Waller

Hannah Rogers and Arren Hawley were crowned Homecoming Queen and King last Saturday during halftime of the Bulldogs’ football game with Lueders-Avoca.

Others in the homecoming court were queen nominees Harmony Slaughter and Johnnie Hise.

Also honored were princess Samantha Hinkle, prince Keagan Kilcrease, duchess Vivi Green, duke Connor Hail, lady in waiting Aydan Moreno, and page Ellis Hise, as well as FFA Sweetheart and Beau, Johnnie Hise and Cotten Campbell.

Homecoming Queen

By Sam Waller

The Albany NFL Flag Football League began the second half of its season Saturday, Oct. 23 with all three division races still undecided.

Games are played at the high school baseball field.

The league has two more weeks of play remaining before conducting its Super Bowl week Nov. 8-11.

Kindergarten-

First Grade

The Seahawks beat the Titans and the Packers beat the Rams in the youngest category of kindergarten and first graders.

By Sam Waller

The Moran Bulldogs suffered a 58-12 homecoming loss last Saturday against Lueders-Avoca, falling to to 1-6 overall and 1-2 in District 9-1A Division II. Lueders-Avoca (1-5, 1-1) picked up its first win.

“We’re trying to get better, like always,” Bulldogs coach John Hughes said. “Our youth showed with some missed assignments, but the guys played as hard as they could. We got in the fourth quarter again and that’s a big positive.”

Ellis Hise was 7 of 16 passing for 180 yards and two touchdowns.

By Sam Waller

After a week off, the Albany Lions face their biggest test of the season Friday when the Santo Wildcats visit Robert Nail Memorial Stadium in a showdown for first place in District 8-2A Division II.

Kickoff is 7:00 p.m.

Albany (7-0 overall, 2-0 district) and Santo (8-0, 2-0) share the district lead after the Wildcats defeated Hico 34-14 last week.

By Sam Waller

The foursome of James Waters, Randy Walker, Rodney Barton, and Charles Barrett took a one-stroke victory in the 9th annual Albany Masonic Lodge Scholarship Golf Tournament Oct. 23, shooting a 12-under round of 59 in a competitive field of 32 players at the Albany Golf Course.

The four-person scramble benefits the Albany Masonic Wisdom Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, which awards college scholarships to Albany High School graduates each year.

Mason Randall Palmore said the event easily met its fundraising goal.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Junior High volleyball teams split a pair of matches against Hawley Oct. 18 with the seventh grade Lady Cubs wrapping up their season.

The eighth graders played their final match on Tuesday against Strawn. Results will be reported next week.

Against Hawley, the eighth grade won 26-24, 25-21 to improve to 9-2 overall and remain undefeated in district.