By Donnie A. Lucas

Dove hunters were greeted by two days of better than anticipated success last week, followed by a weather front that moved the majority of birds out of the area for the Labor Day weekend.

According to local game warden Jake Mort, hunters had fairly good luck on the first two days of dove season, which opened Sept. 1.

“The number of birds was better than we thought for the first couple of days, but a front changed that for the weekend,” Mort said.

This is the second year in a row that dove hunting has gotten off to a slow start.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD trustees passed a budget for the 2022-2023 school year during a special early morning session on Wednesday, Aug. 31, meeting the required state deadline.

They also okayed the proposed tax rate of 94.41 cents per $100 valuation

After last year’s reprieve in deficit budgeting due to federal COVID relief funding, the district is again dipping into its fund balance, at least on paper, with projected expenses expected to exceed revenues.

By Sam Waller

The Moran Lady Bulldogs volleyball team won two matches last week, including a five-setter on the road.

The Lady Bulldogs visited Gustine on Tuesday, Aug. 30. Results will be reported next week. On Saturday, Sept. 3, Moran will host Rotan.

The Lady Bulldogs (4-8) started last week on Tuesday, Aug. 23 with a 25-16, 20-25, 20-25, 25-16, 15-6 win at Class 2A Roscoe.

“That gives us a lot of momentum and helps us build endurance,” Lady Bulldogs coach Jo Hise said. “We now have confidence that we can pull through in five sets and get a win.”

By Sam Waller

Moran ISD appears to be one of just three school districts in the state offering students on-campus driver’s education, according to superintendent Dr. John Denson.

Moran has six students enrolled in the class, which is being taught by Jeff Blackburn.

Denson is aware of just two other districts offering the course as part of a high school curriculum.

The superintendent said students will receive classroom instruction during the fall semester before beginning driver training in the spring.

By Sam Waller

The Moran Bulldogs football team took its lumps against top-ranked Benjamin in its season opener Friday, Aug., 26, falling 78-6.

Tyler Waddell caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Ellis Hise in the second quarter for Moran’s score.

The Bulldogs host Baird at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2 at Bulldog Field for their home opener.

At Benjamin, Moran fell behind 56-0 in the first quarter.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions junior varsity football team opened its season Thursday, Aug. 26 with a 46-6 victory over Santo at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

The JV Lions host Dublin at approximately 7:00 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1 (tonight), in their second outing of the season. The game will follow two junior high games, the first of which starts at 4:30 p.m.

Against Santo, Albany took advantage of five possessions starting in Santo territory. Brody Oliver passed for three touchdowns, and Breylon Billington ran for two.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Junior High Lady Cubs volleyball teams suffered a pair of losses against Hawley on Monday, Aug. 29, in their first home matches of the season.

The seventh grade team was swept 8-25, 13-25. The eighth grade team fell in three sets, 25-18, 8-25, 5-15.

The Lady Cubs will be off Monday, Sept. 5 for Labor Day and resume play Thursday, Sept. 8 at Bangs.

In the seventh grade match, Charli Trail led Albany with five service points. Carsyn Clegg and Karlyn Thompson each had one.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions and Lady Lions opened the 2022 cross country season Wednesday, Aug. 31 at Haskell, but results were not available at press time and will be reported next week.

Albany coach Ginger Norton said the first meet is more about learning to apply strategy and tactics for a race after nearly a month of preseason practices.

“We’ve been working out three times a week in the mornings and some shorter workouts in the afternoons because of the heat,” Norton said. “We did a timed run Monday morning.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Team and individual pictures of the junior high football teams will be taken today (Thursday) starting at 3:45 p.m.

Those packages, along  with Lady Cubs volleyball, will be ready for pickup in the next couple of weeks.

All the cheer packages that have already been ordered, along with high school football and volleyball are ready to be picked up at the Albany News office.

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