KILGOROUND
MITCH LUCAS

I'D LIKE TO take this opportunity to congratulate the Kilgore High School football booster club for another successful banquet. The booster club puts a lot of effort into the night, and even though it does run kind of long, that's not a bad thing.

The banquet was a hit again last night, held once again at the Devall Student Center on the campus of Kilgore College, and you can read more about the awards and honors in our sports section today on page 8.

Congratulations, too, to Jerry Roberts, outgoing superintendent who has done so much for athletics and athletic facilities in his 14 years at the top of KISD.

+++

LOTS OF THINGS going on this week, including playoff basketball.

Both the Kilgore High School girls and Sabine High School girls basketball squads are in action tonight - KHS in the Class 4A playoffs, Sabine in the 3A playoffs. Kilgore

(16-9 overall) will take on Lindale at Floyd Wagstaff Gymnasium on the campus of Tyler Junior College, beginning at 7:30. This will be the first playoff game for the Lady Bulldogs in three seasons, after their good run from 2002-05.

Sabine's Lady Cardinals have made the playoffs for the second straight year under coach Paul Bell. The Lady Cards are 18-11 this year, and face Pittsburg in the bidistrict round. That will tip off at 7 p.m. at Daingerfield High School.

If Kilgore and Sabine win, they'll both be in action again this weekend in area round games.

Naturally, we'll have stories on both of these games in Wednesday's News Herald sports section.

Kilgore High School's boys basketball team finishes its season tonight at home, hosting Marshall. Freshmen will play at 5 p.m., followed by junior varsity and varsity, and it's parents night.

After three consecutive road games, the KHS girls soccer team finally gets to play a home game tonight. They're hosting Hallsville, beginning with JV at 5:30. The KHS boys soccer team will play at Hallsville, also beginning at 5:30 with JV.

One more local sports note: Kilgore College's basketball teams play at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens on Wednesday. The ladies game will tip off at 5:30 p.m., and the men will follow. KC's men have won two straight and are trying to claw their way back into the tournament race. The Lady Rangers' win over Angelina on Saturday afternoon snapped a six-game losing streak.

+++

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TODAY to W.Q. Stanley, Grace Powe, Ralph Collins, Ronda Wilburn, O.R. Dorsey, Adam Rosas, Lauren Elaine Whitney, Daisy B. Richardson, James (Squaw) Williams, Mrs. H.J. Wallace, Ray T. Lawler, Laura Langham, Julie Briggs, Charlie Lear, Brent Barnhill, Bonnie Lacy

Celebrating today, as well: sportscaster and former baseball standout Joe Garagiola (82), actor Joe Don Baker (72), country music's Moe Bandy (64), actor Michael Ironside (58), singer Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers (56), actor and former talk-show host Arsenio Hall (53), actor Josh Brolin (of "No Country for Old Men;" he's 40); and actress Joanna Kerns (55).

Celebrating another year together today are Geno and Patricia Bragler.