By Sam Waller

Albany ISD is moving forward with a plan to purchase monuments honoring the Albany Lions’ three football state championships, with a campaign underway to raise $50,000 for the purchase and installation of six-foot-by-six-foot granite monuments to be placed around the sign which honors the title teams of 1960 and 1961.

Albany won its third crown in December, the school’s first win in five trips to the finals under veteran coach Denney Faith.

Jackie Riley, 89, passed away on March 18, 2023. She was born Jackie Jean Treadwell on Nov. 24, 1933 to Eal and Ola Mae Treadwell of Haskell. Jackie married Claudie Riley on Jan. 26, 1953 in Lovington, NM.

Jackie loved to cook, sew, and go fishing. She was a loving wife and mother. She worked at the school, was a rural mail carrier, and enjoyed the outdoors. She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Albany, Texas.

Kathryn Jordan, age 60 of Albany, passed away Saturday, March 18, 2023. Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 22 at Bethel Assembly with Rev. Luke Spraberry officiating. Interment followed in the Johnson Cemetery.

Kathryn Ann Wagman was born Jan. 30, 1963, in Odessa, Texas to Richard Harold Wagman and Mollie Childers Wagman. She married Cody Jordan March 12, 1994 in Albany.

Kathryn will always be remembered for her kind heart and compassion for others. She loved to cook, gather with family and cheer on her Dallas Cowboys.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Softball Association will begin its season next week with 57 girls on five teams in three age groups.

Games begin Monday, March 20, with the season concluding in mid-May for teams that enter district tournaments in Abilene. The teams will face opponents from Anson, Breckenridge, Cisco, Eastland, and Ranger.

Albany will field two teams in the 8-and-under and 10-and-under age divisions, with one 12-and-under team.

By Sam Waller

Moran’s Tyler Waddell and Connor Hail took third place in boys doubles Tuesday, March 7 at the Santa Anna tournament played at Early High School.

“This was our first tournament of the season,” coach Jo Hise said. “I’m very proud of how everyone played. I’m excited for a great tennis season.”

Moran had five entries in the tournament.

By Sam Waller

When classes resume on Monday following spring break, Moran ISD will have nine weeks of class remaining until the end of the school year. However, there will be minor changes to the schedule, superintendent Dr. John Denson said.

At its meeting Monday night, the Moran school board will review proposed changes to the school calendar regarding makeup dates for two class days missed because of winter weather in February.

“We’ll let the board approve the calendar amendment and make those days up,” Denson said.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Cheerleader tryouts for the 2023-2024 school year were held last Friday, March 10 prior to dismissal for spring break.

Several adjustments were made in this year’s tryouts, including the change back to an eight-member varsity squad.

“Last spring, we just had 10 high school girls signed up, so it was decided that they would all be on varsity rather than having a separate JV squad,” said cheer sponsor Nickie Leveridge. “The administrators always intended to go back to eight on varsity when the numbers went back up.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Junior High track teams competed in their second meet of the season Friday, March 10, at the Junior High Lobo Relays at Cisco.

The teams return to action Friday, March 24, when they host the Albany junior high meet.

At Cisco, Albany athletes won eight events. The seventh grade boys posted the top team finish, placing third, while the eighth grade girls were fourth and the eighth grade boys tied for fourth. The seventh grade girls placed fifth.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions softball team only took the field one time last week but picked up two wins to even their record.

The Lady Lions (10-9-1 overall, 2-0 District 8-2A) moved above .500 on Tuesday, March 14 with a 16-0 victory over Abilene TLCA. Albany resumes district play at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 with a home game against Cross Plains.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions golf team took advantage of spring break to get in a practice round at Sweetwater Country Club, which will host the second round of the District 10-2A tournament next month.

Albany’s next tournament outing is Monday, March 20 (boys), and Wednesday, March 22 (girls), at the Trent tournament played at Baird’s Shady Oaks Golf Club. Shady Oaks will host the first round of district play.

On Wednesday, March 8, Albany’s Myleigh Leveridge shot 132 in the girls division of the Eula tournament, played at Shady Oaks.