West Rusk Lady Raiders win opener in Ore City

It’s early in the 2005-06 basketball season, but this weekend could be very telling regarding the fortunes of some local teams.

In the opening round of a tournament at Ore City yesterday, the West Rusk Lady Raiders won their seventh game of the year, 59-11, over the Daingerfield junior varsity.

The Kilgore High School Lady Bulldogs are also in a tournament this weekend — the girls varsity is involved in a tournament at Winnsboro High School; the JV is in a tournament in Carthage.

See Tuesday’s Kilgore News Herald for updates on both. The girls will play Tuesday in Tatum, as well.

The KHS boys host Chapel Hill tonight, a varsity-only contest beginning at 7 (the JV and freshmen are in a tournament in Henderson).

West Rusk got 18 points from Patricia Patin and 14 from Shan Hawkins in their win. The Lady Raiders are now 7-2 on the season.

They outscored DHS 20-0 in the opening period, and led 320 at halftime.

Destiny Walker had eight points for the Lady Raiders, Shunacee Stewart added seven, Torisha Williams six, Beth Ann Wedgeworth three, Alex Hammontree two and Monica Alexander hit a free throw.

“The defensive part of our game is coming around,” said WRHS head coach Tommy Fields. “We are showing a lot of intensity on defense. Overton will give us a good test today.”

The Lady Raiders were to play Overton this afternoon, with the winner going to the semifinals. See an update on the Lady Raiders Tuesday, as well.

Both Kilgore College teams have just started Region XIV Conference play, but both could use a win tomorrow.

The KC squads are both 0-2 in conference play so far, heading into tomorrow afternoon’s doubleheader at home against Tyler Junior College.

The Lady Rangers’ game tips off at 2 p.m., and the men will follow at 4.

If you can’t get to the game but would like to hear it, you can do so on the college’s radio station — KTPB 88.7-FM — or on the Internet on the Texas Sports Radio Network web site, www.tsrnsports.com. Manny Almanza, the voice of the Rangers, will call the action for both, and normally has interviews with head coaches Scott Schumacher and Contina James.

Schumacher’s Runnin’ Rangers are 6-4 overall, led by Jonathan Leopaul’s 15-pointsper game average. They come off a rather bad performance Wednesday night in a 76-49 loss at Lon Morris.

Saturday, TJC can do two things: the Apaches (7-0 overall, 2-0 in conference play) can stay undefeated and deal KC a serious blow — if the Rangers lose, they’d be in an 0-3 hole.

Tyler is led by the conference’s second-leading scorer, Tyrone Cole, who nets 22 points per game.

The Lady Rangers are in a bit of a different position — they are 0-2 in the conference, but have played fairly well in both losses, although James would probably say a loss is a loss for her team.

KC is 4-5 overall, and is led by Adonna Weaver, who scores 17 points per game. The Apache Ladies sit atop the conference, already with 11 wins on the year.

Both KC teams prepare for the holiday break, but will also be in action in a doubleheader at home Wednesday, hosting Blinn.