KILGOROUND

WELL, I GOT TO wish everyone a Merry Christmas first, so let me be the first, the earliest, to wish you a Happy New year. Here’s hoping 2007 will be an even-better year for you personally, for your family, for your business, than 2006. +++ THERE HASN’T BEEN A lot of local sports news to report lately. I’m sorry about that, but with everyone pretty much out of commission due to the holidays, that’s life. Basketball gets back in full swing, though, on Tuesday and this week. The Kilgore High School boys basketball team will host Whitehouse, opening District 12-4A play. That starts at 5 p.m. Tuesday with the freshmen, and the junior varsity and varsity will follow them (with varsity tipping off about 7:30 p.m., maybe 7:40. If you find yourself free, come out and visit the concession stand and yell for the Bulldogs. I know they would appreciate it, and they’ve played some very competitive basket- ball so far in the season. Coach Davia Garrett’s Lady Bulldogs come back to the court Tuesday night, too, but they do so on the road at Whitehouse. Game times are the same, with freshmen first. The last time I spoke with coach Garrett, it was following the Lady ‘Dogs’ win over Marshall on Dec. 19. She told me then that the team should get Ashia Kelly back, possibly even this week, and that should make a difference. KHS is 1-2 in district play, with most of the schedule in front of them and plenty of opportunity to make the playoffs. Also back this week are the

Kilgore College Lady Rangers. Coach Roy Thomas’ ladies host the Lady Ranger Classic on Tuesday night. Coach Scott Schumacher’s Runnin’ Rangers, the men’s basketball team, return to action Saturday night at home against Lee College. The Lady Ranger Classic is just a warm-up tournament to get the team ready again after a month off. But the men don’t get that luxury; the KC-Lee game counts in the Region XIV Conference standings. Also, the Kilgore High School soccer teams, both boys and girls, are about to get started, and the golf and spring tennis seasons,

too. Baseball, softball and track & field are just around the corner. Whew! +++

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY, on the last day of the year, to Derik Audas, Edith McKinney, Larry Jackson, Ricky Linn, Pete Edney, Larry Dale Dorsey, M.M. Jolly, Myrtle Woody, Brian Bittick, Craig Martin, Martha Davis, Lee Edwards, Leslie Singleton, Ann Rosson, Tucker Konczak, Clarice Bell, Craig Martin Ashley Brady.

+++ HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TODAY to Mr. and Mrs. Talmadge

Mercer, Ed and Vicki Danmount, Paul and Tammy Hunt.

+++ HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONDAY to Phillip Ellis, Mrs. Terry Pullen, Mrs. Alvin Wylie, Donnie Ashberry, Kim Cline, Jay Edmons, James E. Davis, Jan C. Holt, Gene Caskey, Billy Bryan Vernon, Gail Drinning, Mary Wyatt.

+++ HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MONDAY to Don and Pat MacDonald.