By Sam Waller

The Shackelford County 4-H rifle team is seeking sponsorships for new equipment and to help cover costs of upcoming competitions.

The team, coached by Jessica Wade, will put sponsors’ logos on T-shirts and a banner to be displayed at events.

Sponsorship levels are Bolt Action ($100), Lever Action ($50) and Pump Action ($25).

Digital copies of logos may be sent to jeholmes03@gmail.com. Checks should be made payable to Shackelford County 4-H.

The team will be traveling to Brownwood next month for the Shooting Sports Extravaganza Contest.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Close to 93 percent of the 2021 tax levy had been collected as of Jan. 31, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder at the Shackelford County Central Appraisal District (CAD) office, with eligible payments coming in for couple of weeks in February.

Official CAD reports show that $8,373,707 of the $9,012,678 total levy, or 92.96 percent, had come in before the deadline.

The totals are right in line, in fact slightly higher, than average collection percentages for the last few years.

By Sam Waller

Twelve Albany basketball players were recognized for their efforts this season with inclusion on the All-District 10-2A teams, which were selected by a vote of district coaches.

For the boys, junior Cole Chapman was selected the district’s Offensive Player of the Year, while junior Coy Lefevre and sophomore Adam Hill were named to the first team.

Senior Luke Ivy and junior London Fuentes were voted to the second team, with sophomores Luke Marshall, Lanxton Viertel, Houston Heatly, and Lute Wheeler receiving honorable mention.

By Sam Waller

Albany track and field athletes combined for 10 first place finishes last week at meets at Anson and Eastland.

Both meets were held Thursday, March 3. The start of  the season was delayed a week after weather forced the cancellation of the first meet at Breckenridge.

“We usually get a late start anyway because of basketball,” boys coach Rod Britting said. “We don’t really get to spend a lot of time on the track before the season. We’re just now starting to run, so we’ll usually peak a little later.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions took on seven opponents from larger schools last week, winning once and playing well in a string of close losses.

On Tuesday, March 8, the Lady Lions began their final week of nondistrict play with a 11-6 loss to Breckenridge at Webb Park. Albany takes on the Abilene Cooper JV at 5:00 p.m. Friday, March 11 at home before opening District 8-2A against Cross Plains at noon Monday, March 14 at home.

On Tuesday, March 1 Albany lost 5-2 to Stephenville at home.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions tennis team competed in two events last week with 11 players making up seven entries in an Albany tennis meet on Wednesday, March 3, while the bulk of the lineup spent the weekend at the Brock team tournament.

“The most important thing is finding the kids some playing time,” coach M.J. Reneau said. “The ones I couldn’t take to Brock got two or three matches apiece here. It worked out really well.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions golf team won the team title with two of the top three individual scores Wednesday, March 2, at the Hawley tournament.

Albany followed up by finishing eighth at the Eula tournament, played Monday, March 7, at Shady Oaks Golf Course.

The ­Lions carded a team score of 373 at Hawley’s Twisted Oaks Golf Course, finishing five strokes ahead of Hawley, playing on its home course.

Ty Richards shot 87 to claim medalist honors with Houston Heatly finishing third at 90.

By Sam Waller

Albany graduate Joshua Dyer made his first home run with the McMurry Warhawks one to remember, hitting his first college grand slam in a recent home game.

Dyer connected in the eighth inning of 14-12 loss to University of the Ozarks on Monday, Feb. 28 at McMurry’s Walt Driggers Field.

Dyer finished 3 for 5 in the game as the designated hitter. McMurry trailed 14-2 in the seventh inning before rallying with five runs in the seventh and five in the eighth.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions baseball team went 1-2 last week at the Eastland tournament in the first varsity action of the season.

Albany will host its own tournament this weekend, weather permitting.

The Lions are scheduled to face Clyde at 12:00 noon on Thursday, March 10, then host Dodd City at the same time on Friday. Saturday’s game is at 10:00 a.m. against Eastland. Those times may be adjusted for weather concerns.

By Sam Waller

Moran Independent School District will have to make up two days missed because of weather cancellations, principal Jo Hise announced.

Moran will now attend class on Friday, April 15, and Monday, April 18, which were originally scheduled as school holidays.