By Donnie A. Lucas

The future of competitive sports in Albany was reshuffled somewhat this week when the University Interscholastic League conducted the bi-annual realignment of schools, which forms districts for various sports and academic competition for the next two school years.

The local school has competed with Region I schools for sports and academics for the last six years, with the exception of football, which was already in Region II. However, a shift occurred this time around, with Albany moving east to Region II for most competitions.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Workouts for both baseball and softball have started at the high school, with the softball team to open the season on Feb. 18. The baseball team isn’t on the schedule to play its season opener until Feb. 27 during the local tournament.

Softball coach Jimmy Fuentes reported that he has 18 girls out for softball this season, although a few are still involved in basketball.

“We didn’t have any seniors to lose off of last year’s team,” he said. “So we will have more experience, especially since we played so many freshmen last year.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany Cubs closed out the basketball season at home Monday, winning two out of the three games against Roscoe.

The eighth grade Cubs ended a perfect 16-0 season, according to coach David Fairchild, with their 46-13 win over the Plowboys. The group also went 3-0 in the local tournament last Thursday and Saturday.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany High School junior Wesley Estridge placed second at a recent powerlifting meet in Coa-homa, recording a three-lift total of 1,405 pounds.

Competing in the super heavy weight class, the 317-pound AHS athlete had a 600-pound lift in the squat, benched 340 pounds, and had a dead lift of 465 pounds.

This is Estridge’s third year to participate, lifting the last two years for Reagan County ISD. He qualified for the regional tournament last year as a sophomore.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Tyler Beard, who played both ways as a lineman for the Albany Lions, was one of only a few Big Country football players named to Even Ren’s 2019 “True Grit” Team on the Big Country Preps online sports site recently. 

Nominations came from coaches in area schools from 1A all the way up to 6A.

By Kathy Thomson

Moran’s basketball season is winding down, and although they have lost most of their district games, all Moran coaches report that their players are improving, learning, playing better, and coming together as a team, even if the scores don’t reflect it.

The junior high teams will close out the season next Monday night when they host Strawn to games starting at 6:00 p.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The eighth grade Lady Cubs won the last game of the season on Monday, squeaking by Roscoe 14-13, while the seventh grade lost in Roscoe, and the combined B team tied.

The eighth grade finished the season with a 9-7 record, including 6-4 in district.

“This was an exciting game to end the season with,” coach Jamie Wilson said. “We were down by two points with 16 seconds remaining when Robin Lucas stepped up and made the game-winning three-pointer.”

The coach thanked the team for a “fantastic” season. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lady Lion basketball team finished the first round of district play with a 3-2 record, splitting games last week with Hawley and Haskell.

Albany started the second half of district on Tuesday, hosting the Cross Plains Lady Buffaloes. The Lady Lions won the bout 50-31 to improve their record to 4-2.

Details were not available at press time, but will be reported next week.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lion basketball team played a pair of close games last week but were still searching for their first district win after losses to Hawley and Haskell.

The Lions hosted Cross Plains on Tuesday, finding their first district victory, 38-37, improving to 6-12 overall, including a 1-3 district record.

Albany will play in Stamford Friday, with the JV taking the court at 5:00 p.m., and the varsity tipping off at about 7:45 p.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany players were awarded several spots on the All-Big Country Class 2A football team and one selection for the All-Big Country Super Team.

Senior Tyler Beard was Albany’s lone pick for the Super Team, which includes all classifications from 1A through 6A.

Beard was named to the first team as an offensive lineman. He was graded at 96 percent with eight pancakes.

Beard was also one of four Albany athletes that received unanimous selection to the Class 2A All-Big Country first team.