By Sam Waller
The Moran Lady Bulldogs came agonizingly close to earning a spot in the Class 1A girls basketball playoffs, falling 39-38 in overtime to Baird in a District 13-1A playoff Thursday, Feb. 10, at Breckenridge.
The Lady Bulldogs assured themselves of a spot in the play-in game on Tuesday, Feb. 8, with a 57-41 victory at Rising Star.
Moran finished the season 8-20 overall and 3-7 in district.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Little Dribblers opened the 2022 season Saturday, Feb. 12, with 10 games at the Albany High School gyms.
The start of the league was delayed a week because of the winter storm that hit Albany earlier in the month. The season will now extend into March.
The schedule for Saturday, Feb. 19, follows:
Boys – Blue vs. Red, 9:00 a.m.; Gray vs. Black, 10:00 a.m.; Black vs. Blue, 11:00 a.m.; Red vs. Gray, noon.
With friends and family in attendance, Albany senior Jaheim Newton (seated, c) signs a letter of intent with Hardin-Simmons University to play football in the fall. Newton, who will graduate this spring, rushed for more than 1,600 yards in the 2021 season.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lady Lions were forced to open their softball season without benefit of a preseason scrimmage.
The Lady Lions hosted Abilene Cooper JV on Tuesday, Feb. 15, at Webb Park, winning 8-5. Details will be reported next week.
Albany’s scrimmage at Snyder on Saturday, Feb. 5, was cancelled because of the winter storm that hit the area. Coach Jimmy Fuentes said efforts to find a replacement for last week were unsuccessful.
“Everybody was packed,” he said. “We tried, but it was all filled.”
By Sam Waller
Three of Albany’s youth basketball teams reached the championship games of their respective divisions in the final weekend of competition Saturday, Feb. 12 at Eula.
The fifth grade boys won their bracket to finish the season undefeated.
The fifth grade girls reached the final of their bracket before losing.
The sixth grade boys also won their first game, advancing to the final before losing their second.
The sixth grade girls, playing for just the second time this season, lost both of their games.
Fifth Grade Boys
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions baseball team gets its first test against outside competition this Friday with a scrimmage at Merkel.
“We’re going to take the kids we have, the ones who aren’t in basketball, and go have a good practice,” Lions coach David Fairchild said.
Albany opens regular season play by hosting a JV tournament Feb. 24-26. The first varsity competition will be March 3-6 at the Eastland tournament.
Fairchild said Friday’s outing will allow the Lions to face game situations.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lady Lions wrapped up their basketball season on Tuesday, Feb. 8 with an 81-16 loss at Stamford.
The Lady Lions finished the season 3-18 overall and 1-9 in District 10-2A.
Stamford, ranked No. 13 in Class 2A by the Texas Association of basketball Coaches, won the district title and played Quanah on Monday in a bi-district playoff.
Lady Lions coach Tate Thompson said the Albany team, which included four sophomores and three freshmen, made progress during the season despite the lack of success in games.
By Sam Waller
The postseason honors keep coming for the Albany Lions football team with six players selected to the Texas Sports Writers Association Class 2A state team for their performances in the 2021 season.
Offensive lineman Zane Waggoner and wide receiver Cooper Fairchild were named to the first team, with running back Jaheim Newton and defensive end Taren Farmer earning spots on the second team. Linebacker Brooks Neece was voted to the third team with quarterback Cole Chapman receiving honorable mention.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lions basketball team closed out District 10-2A play last week with a pair of road victories, beating Stamford 57-38 on Tuesday, Feb. 8, and Haskell 50-14 on Friday, Feb. 11.
“These games gave us a chance to get a lot of guys time on the floor, get some experience as we go into the playoffs, and hopefully go in on a high note in terms of scoring,” Lions coach Ryder Peacock said. “We were able to rest some guys at the same time, so it was good on both ends.”
By Sam Waller
The Moran Bulldogs are moving south for the next two football seasons following biennial realignment.
Moran was placed in District 14-1A Division II with Paint Rock, Panther Creek, and Rising Star.
The UIL announced alignment Feb. 3 for the next two years for football, volleyball, and basketball.
The new football district has road trips of 83 miles to Panther Creek and 113 miles to Paint Rock.
“Travel is really the only negative,” Bulldogs football coach and athletic director John Hughes said.
