Five Albany Lion football players were selected for the Class 2A all-state team selected by the Texas Sports Writers Association recently.

Seniors Ryan Hill and Cameron Dacus both received first team picks, while fellow senior Payne Hebel was named to the third team. There were also three honorable mentions.

Hill was picked for first team offense as a tight end, while Dacus received a first team defensive back spot. Hill also earned honorable mention as defensive lineman at the defensive end position.

The JV baseball team opened the season Monday with 6-4 win over Graford.

The season continues this week with Albany hosting a JV tournament Thursday through Saturday.

The Lions will play at 11:45 a.m. Thursday and Friday, as well as having a 1:30 p.m. game Friday. The action will continue with a 10:45 a.m. Saturday game.

The Lady Lion softball players are off to a strong start, winning their first five games, including four games at the Eastland Tournament last weekend.

Albany started the season with a 7-5 win over Breckenridge in the home opener, followed by winning all four games in the tournament in Eastland.

The Lady Lions are entered in the Stephenville tournament this weekend, followed by a road trip to Bangs on Feb. 26. 

Stephenville tourney games are set for 9:00 a.m., 12:00 noon, and 3:00 p.m. in pool play on Friday, with bracket games on Saturday. 

One Lady Lion took an MVP award and six others were named to other District 8-2A positions recently by the district’s basketball coaches.

Junior Jaleigh Morales was picked as the district’s co-Defensive MVP, along with Sadie McCambridge of Roscoe.

Albany coach Tate Thompson was also tapped as the district’s Coach of the Year.

Seven local Little Dribblers teams continued their season, playing two games each in the old Albany High School gym last Saturday, Feb. 16.

The next set of matches will take place this Saturday, Feb. 23, starting at 8:30 a.m. with Black facing Blue.

Results from the first week of play on Saturday, Feb. 9 are listed below.

BOYS

Red 26 - Gray 20

Scoring for Red - Clay Chapman 12, Christian Hernandez 10, Zak Presley 4.

Scoring for Gray - Colter Edgar 10, Jakobi Word 4, Levi Murphy 4, Zane Green 2.

Boys head coach Harley Ethridge and girls head coach Dakota Fowler have scheduled meets for the Moran high school and junior high tracksters.

The first meet of the year for all four teams will be next Thursday, Feb. 28 in Hico, followed by a Monday, March 4 meet in Gordon.

The teams will take off for spring break, and then fit in a couple more meets before the district contest in Dublin on April 3.

Seniors Cameron Dacus (seated, l) and Ryan Hill (r) both signed letters of intent to play football for Hardin-Simmons University. Witnesses for the Feb. 8 signing included coaches (standing, l-r) Rod Britting, David Fairchild, Denney Faith, Jimmy Fuentes, and Ryder Peacock.

The Lady Lions edged out Eldorado Monday night in Coleman, 32-30, to win the bi-district championship and advance to the second round.

Albany (21-9) will face the Sundown Roughettes Friday in Colorado City in the area playoff. Tip off is set for 6:30 p.m.

Sundown (19-13), the winner from District 5-2A, beat Iraan 53-29 on Monday in their bi-district round.

The Lady Lions will serve as the visitors in Colorado City. Ticket prices are set at $3 and $2, and district and senior citizen passes will be honored.

The Lion basketball team traveled to Stamford on Tuesday for the regular season finale, hoping to bring home the district title by handing the Bulldogs a second loss.

Albany had to settle for second in District 8-2A after a 77-55 loss to Stamford.

The Lions (12-5, 7-3) will advance to the bi-district round of the playoffs next Monday or Tuesday, with the opponent to be decided in a District 7-2A tiebreaker for second place between Eldorado and Christoval.

Four Albany seniors are among the 278 top athletes and cheerleaders of the area who make up the 2019 all-star class for Big Country Chevy Dealers Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-Star Festival, announced Sunday.

Representing Albany High School will be Cameron Dacus on the Red football team, Cutter Edgar on the Blue football team, Joshua Dyer on the North baseball team, and Ryan Hill on the North men’s basketball team.

The football teams are designated by color, red and blue, because they are selected by an actual draft of players.