By Sam Waller

Despite being temporarily being expelled from their home court and battling low numbers, the Moran Lady Bulldogs began their volleyball season with five matches last week.

The Lady Bulldogs began the second week of competition Tuesday, Aug. 15 with a match at Gustine. Results will be reported next week. On Friday, Aug. 18, Moran will visit the Eastland JV.

Moran is playing the first six weeks of the season on the road as the gym floor is replaced. Work on that project began this week.

By Sam Waller

The Feed Store is gearing up for the new school year with a full slate of activities planned.

Director Tisha Wilkins met Tuesday, Aug. 15 with four senior representatives to The Feed Store Student Council to discuss plans for the upcoming year.

The Feed Store will hold the first of its weekly junior/senior lunches Tuesday, Aug. 22. The lunch gatherings will continue each Tuesday school is in session through May.

By Melinda L. Lucas

An Albany blood drive is set for this afternoon, Aug. 17.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center will park the bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.

By Sam Waller

Registration for the Albany Chamber of Commerce’s community-wide garage sale begins Tuesday, Aug. 22.

Registration will continue through Wednesday, Sept. 6. The garage sale will be held Saturday, Sept. 9.

A $10 registration fee will include a yard sign and inclusion on a map of participants. Chamber manager Brandi Lehew said signs can be picked up the week of the sale with maps available at the Chamber office at 7:00 a.m. on the morning of the sale.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions football team got its first taste of outside competition Friday, Aug. 11 with a controlled scrimmage at Coleman that head coach Denney Faith termed “very beneficial.”

The Lions get their final preseason tuneup Thursday, Aug. 17 (tonight) with another scrimmage at Early.

At Coleman, the Lions scored three touchdowns and allowed none.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions volleyball team finished fourth in the Albany Summer Slam tournament to wrap up the first week of competition.

The Lady Lions (3-3) returned to the court Tuesday, Aug. 15 to host Newcastle, defeating the Lady Bobcats 25-13, 25-21, 25-22.

Albany makes its second tournament outing Thursday-Saturday, Aug. 17-19 at the Electra tournament.

By Sam Waller

The field for the Albany Golf Club’s annual Labor Day Golf Tournament was about half full earlier this week, giving those interested in playing two more weeks to sign up.

As of Monday, Aug. 14, 28 of 60 spots had been spoken for.

The two-person scramble is scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 2-3 at Albany Golf Course.

By Sam Waller

Injury kept Ryan Mark from having the kind of season he wanted in 2022, at Austin College, but it didn’t keep him from earning postseason academic honors.

Mark, a 2022 Albany graduate, saw no playing time as a freshman because of shoulder and back injuries. As he goes through this year’s preseason football camp with the Kangaroos, he’s looking to put into practice lessons learned.

By Sam Waller

Lauren Peacock has been named to coach Albany’s cross country program in the wake of Donnie Hart’s sudden resignation.

Albany ISD athletic director Ryder Peacock said the appointment is just for the season, and the school district will continue to search for a new coach for girls basketball, which Hart was also supposed to coach.

Lauren Peacock conducted her first workout with the team Friday, Aug. 11.

By Sam Waller

The Clear Fork Ranch team, which included three Shackelford County residents, took first place Saturday, Aug. 12 at the Big Bend Youth Ranch Rodeo in Alpine.

The win qualified Clear Fork Ranch for the Working Ranch Cowboy Association youth championship, scheduled for Nov. 11 in Amarillo. This is the third year the WRCA has contested a youth division in conjunction with its adult competition.