By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions dropped their final two softball games of the regular season to Cisco and Eula and will enter the playoffs this weekend.

The Lady Lions (15-13-1 overall, 7-4 District 8-2A) will face Hawley in bi-district. Game 1 of the series will be played at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 27 (today) at McMurry. Game 2 will be played at 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 at the home of the winner of Thursday’s game. Game 3, if necessary, will start 30 minutes following the conclusion of Game 2.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions clinched the District 8-2A baseball championship, extending their winning streak to nine games.

The Lions (16-2 overall, 8-1 district) will face either Miles or Coleman, who split their District 7-2A meetings, next week in the bi-district round of the playoffs. District 7-2A playoff seeds won’t be finalized until the district concludes its schedule Friday, April 28.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions generated plenty of excitement during their run to the 2022 Class 2A Division II state football championship, picking up hardware each step of the way.

The program will receive one more item for the trophy case Saturday, May 6 when head coach Denney Faith is presented the Gordon Wood Award at the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Waco.

Justin Rodriguez, age 36 of Albany, known to his loved ones as JRod or George, passed away Thursday, April 20, 2023. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, April 27 at Bethel Assembly. Interment will follow in the Albany Cemetery.

Sam Thomas Burge, Jr., 84, of Albany died Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in an Abilene hospital. A graveside service was held Monday, April 24, 2023, at the Albany Cemetery with Bro. Mike Carr officiating.  Services were under the direction of Bailey Howard Funeral Home of Clyde.

Born Sept. 3, 1958, to Faye Elizabeth (Lee) Gilstrap and Walter Dee Gilstrap Sr. of Lampasas Texas. Drexel Gilstrap passed away April 18, 2023 in El Paso, Texas.

Drexel is survived by his wife, Donna Gilstrap; daughter, Tawnya (Gilstrap) Branscum; sons, Drexel Gilstrap, Jr. and Dalton Gilstrap. Drexel is also survived by his two brothers, Walter Dee Gilstrap, Jr. of Abilene, Texas and Kelley Dee Gilstrap of Angleton, Texas. He is also survived by three  grandchildren, Gaven Branscum, Garit Branscum, Landon Gilstrap and numerous nieces and nephews.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions are headed back to the Class 2A state golf tournament after a strong finish at the Region II-2A tournament, played Monday-Tuesday, April 17-18 at Old Brickyard Golf Course in Ferris.

The state tournament will be played Monday-Tuesday, May 22-23, at Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin.

At the regional tournament, the Lions finished third in the team standings behind defending state champion Lindsay (310-301–611) and Celeste (313-319–632). Albany shot 325-313–638 to escape a crowded pack and move up two spots to qualify.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Junior High tennis program continues preparations for district competition with an intrasquad tournament Thursday, April 20 (today) at the high school courts.

Coach M.J. Reneau said the junior high schedule must work around other events. A planned dual match with Winters fell through because of such conflicts.

“We are trying to get some practices in before our district meet,” Reneau said. “Our district meet is May 4-5. Girls will go Thursday and boys will go Friday.”

By Sam Waller

Last year’s state tennis tournament was a history-making event for Albany as Sarah Cotter claimed the first state tennis championship in school history.

Coach M.J. Reneau is looking for even bigger things when the 2023 tournament gets underway on Tuesday, April 25 at Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio

“We took three players last year, and this year we’re excited that we could double that,” Reneau said.

By Sam Waller

Three Moran students will compete Saturday, April 22, at the Region II-1A academic meet at Angelo State University.

Terra Thompson qualified in Computer Science, Tyler Waddell advanced in Social Studies and Ellis Hise is entered in Mathematics.

The top three finishers in each advance at regional qualify for the state academic meet, Wednesday-Thursday, May 17-18, at Austin.

FFA News

Moran FFA students took part in district and area contests last week with the meat judging team just missing a state berth.