KILGOROUND

I MEANT TO SAY SOMETHING about this in my Sunday column, but I was running late, and needed to finish the paper. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone affected by the fire at Rocky Ridge Apartments off Highway 259 last Thursday, particularly to those who lost their homes and possessions, and also to McNabb Chiropractic Clinic, which was destroyed. I hope everyone is doing as well as can be expected, and

certainly I think I speak for the entire community when I say that our heats go out to you in this tumultuous time. Also, I offer a thank you to the fire departments and law enforcement authorities for doing such a great job, both with handling the fire, those conditions and what had to be an immediate traffic problem, I'm sure.

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IT'S APPARENTLY NACOGDOCHES NIGHT for Kilgore High School sports teams.

The KHS baseball team, softball team and girls soccer team all travel to Nacogdoches tonight - the KHS boys soccer team hosts Nac.

The girls soccer team concludes its season tonight, beginning at 5:30 p.m. with junior varsity, varsity to follow. The boys soccer squad plays its last home game of the season tonight at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, and it will be senior night. JV begins at 5:30, followed by senior night activities and then varsity. The Bulldogs' soccer squad finishes the 2006 campaign Friday night at Marshall.

For the baseball and softball teams, the seasons are just really getting started. Tonight's game at Nac is the District 174A opener for the baseball Bulldogs (who are 8-4). The softball team is already off to a 2-0 start in district play. Both the baseball and softball games are slated to begin at 6 p.m.

By the way, if you're planning on attending either (or both) of the baseball and softball games on Friday, get ready for a big crowd. Both baseball and softball squads host Marshall at 6 p.m. Friday, at Driller Park and Stream-Flo Field.

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THE KILGORE ROTARY CLUB will honor eight area student athletes at their annual Scholar Athlete Banquet on Monday, April 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Charles K. Devall Student Center on the campus of Kilgore College. The speaker for the evening will be former professional football quarterback Jeb Blount, who is in business in Longview. Blount grew up in Longview and was the signal caller for the Lobos in high school, then quarterbacked the University of Tulsa before playing for the Oakland Raiders' Super Bowl winning team in 1980. He also quarterbacked for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Students selected to be honored this year include Sawyer Broussard and Erica Greer of Kilgore High School, Marlana Brittain and Myles Adamson of Sabine High School, Dominique Brown and Michael Harmon of Kilgore College, Wayne Black of Longview Christian School and Jeremy Joseph of Trinity School of Texas.

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CONGRATULATIONS TO KILGORE COLLEGE'S men's basketball team for reaching the Region XIV Conference tournament's semifinal round. The Runnin' Rangers lost in overtime to Angelina College. You can read more about the Rangers' tournament appearance in sports today on page 8.

By the way, it was kind of cool having Texas Tech head basketball coach Bobby Knight in attendance for the tournament. Regardless of what your opinion is of coach Knight, one thing everyone has to admit is that he's been a winner.

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CONGRATULATIONS ALSO TO BRIAN KEITH and the Arp High School basketball team for winning the UIL Class 2A state boys basketball championship.

Keith, local sports fans might remember, was the former West Rusk High School boys head basketball coach a couple of years ago. Good job, coach, and congratulations to Arp.

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ALSO, DR. BYRON ALLEN JR. will serve his last Sunday as pastor at Laird Hill Baptist Church this Sunday. He and his wife Patsy, who have five children, have served the church for about 14 years. Following services, the church plans to honor Dr. Allen and his wife with a covered dish luncheon at the church's fellowship hall. All former and current members of Dr. Allen's churches are invited to Laird Hill Baptist Church's morning worship service - Sunday school will begin at 9:45 a.m., and worship serve at 11.

Dr. Allen, who has had an almost 60-year career, plan to remain living in the Liberty City area and to travel and possibly serve in other areas of the ministry. He and Patsy have five children - three of his sons are active in church staff positions.

He has served as pastor for churches throughout Texas and Arkansas, including Highland Park Baptist Church and First Baptist Church of Liberty City.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY to Rusty Ayrton Chapman, Tayler Leigh Bittick, Bart Bradley, Dixon Morton, Patrick Russell, Flo Francis, Betty Champion, Pat (Main) WhitWorth, Charles Petty, Kimberley Henderson, Donald Freeman, Leola Guess, Lauren Jean Nichols, Rho Neuson, Benton Custer.

CELEBRATING ANNIVERSARIES today are Mr. and Mrs. John Robberson, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Nicks, Peggy and Jerry Smith, Don and Leona Freeman (50th), Michelle and Antonio Laredo.