LOCAL SPORTS IN BRIEF
BY SPORTS EDITOR MITCH LUCAS
BASKETBALL

Sabine boys start playoffs tonight

Already having won 27 games this season, the Sabine High School boys basketball team has their biggest game of the season to-date tonight, a UIL Class 3A bi-district (or firstround) playoff contest against Pleasant Grove.

The game will be played at Daingerfield High School, tipping off at 7 p.m. tonight. It was originally scheduled to be played tonight at Mount Pleasant High School, but MPHS officials contacted Sabine and Pleasant Grove this morning and told them that they couldn't host the playoff game due to school-wide illness.

Sabine (27-7), coached by Tim Davis, will advance to the area round against Bullard (who had a bi-district round bye) with a win tonight. A loss, of course, means Pleasant Grove advances, and Sabine's season is over.

Sabine athletics are currently playing in Class 3A, but Sabine is one of the state's smallest 3A schools. In the new realignment that will begin in the 2008 school year, Sabine will compete as one of the state's biggest Class 2A schools. The Sabine High School girls basketball team also made the postseason this year, eliminated in the first round by Pittsburg.

See how the Cardinals did in tonight's playoff game in Wednesday's Kilgore News Herald sports section.

KC swept by San Jac teams; home Wednesday

The Kilgore College basketball programs were swept by San Jacinto on Saturday, with the Lady Rangers dropping a 68-58 decision, and the Runnin' Rangers losing, 82-70.

KC is home twice this week: the teams host Jacksonville College on Wednesday night, and Tyler Junior College Saturday.

Both KC teams were trying to stage late-season rallies and make the Region XIV Conference tournament, but those hopes aren't looking good on either front. The KC men have to be in the top eight in the conference standings to get in, and headed into Saturday night, the Runnin' Rangers were ninth. KC is 13-12 overall, and 5-12 in conference play.

The Lady Rangers have to move into one of the top six spots to make the women's tournament, and that's not looking good, either. KC's ladies are 10-12, 4-10 in conference play.

Both conference tournaments will be played here at Masters Gymnasium the weekend of March 7-10.

In the loss at San Jac on Saturday, sophomore Brandon Roberson led KC with 14 points. Omar Thomas had 11, and Maurice Foster and Ridge McKeither finishing with 11 points each. Lance Pevehouse led San Jac with 18 points; Devin Mc- Donald had 17.

Wednesday's doubleheader here against Jacksonville will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the ladies game. Saturday's doubleheader against TJC will begin at 2 p.m. with the ladies.

SOCCER

KHS teams face Whitehouse tonight

Both Kilgore High School teams are hoping to gain ground in the District 17-4A playoff race tonight, with both facing Whitehouse.

The Bulldogs host Whitehouse, a 5:30 p.m. junior varsity start. It will be the first meeting between Kilgore's JV, coached by Joey Pippen, and the Whitehouse JV - the first scheduled meeting between the teams was canceled when referees did not show to officiate the game between the schools on Jan. 18. The varsity was postponed until the next day, and won by Kilgore. Pippen's JV has lost just one game all year, and is 7-1 in 17-4A play. Coach Kris Duplissey's varsity team beat Athens on Friday night, and moved into fifth place in the district, needing to move into third to make the Class 4A playoffs. But the Bulldogs have seven games left in the regular season to do that. They will visit Lindale on Friday.

Coach Amanda Walzel's Lady Bulldogs will play at Whitehouse tonight, having lost 2-1 to the Lady Wildcats in the first meeting Jan. 18. Kilgore's girls tied Athens Friday night here, then won 3-2 in a shootout. Coach Alice Crocker's JV girls beat Athens 1-0.

BASEBALL

KBBA registration resumes this weekend

Sign up for the 2008 season of the Kilgore Boys Baseball Association (KBBA) resumes Friday from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., and continues Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. at the KBBA complex on Harris Street.

Registration is $75 per player. Children must be five years old before April 30, and should bring birth certificates to registration. Ages range from five through 14.

Tryouts will also be at the KBBA Harris Street complex on March 1, the time to be announced.

For more information on KBBA, call the KBBA office at (903) 984-4170, or you may send an e-mail to Stephanie Osteen at kilgorebaseball@yahoo.com.

SOFTBALL

KHS at Mineola tonight

The Kilgore High School Lady Bulldogs softball team went 0- for-4 in a rain-plagued Lufkin Hudson tournament over the weekend. Kilgore lost to Kirbyville, Hudson, Corrigan and Tarkington (two of them on Thursday and two of them Friday) before the tournament was rained out Saturday.

KHS (0-5) is set to visit Mineola today, a 4:30 p.m. junior varsity start with varsity to follow. The varsity will take the weekend off, then play at Eustace on Tuesday. The JV will play in a tournament in Longview this weekend, beginning with a 3 p.m. start against Tatum on Friday.

Cassie Newell is the KHS head softball coach, and she's assisted by Rhonda Fletcher.

KYSA sign-up starts Saturday

Registration for the spring season of the Kilgore Youth Softball Association (KYSA) will begin Saturday, and will be held several days throughout the first portion of March.

Registration will be held at the sports complex on Highway 135 (that's also where games are played) at the red building. There is a registration fee of $75 per player, with discounts after registering two players from the same household.

The first registration day is this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. at the sports complex. There are two more Saturday registration days: March 1 and March 8, both from 10 until 6.

There are also a pair of mid-week registration days: Tuesday, Feb. 26 (from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.) and Tuesday, March 4 (from 4 p.m. until 6).

There will be no late registration this year. For more information on KYSA, contact Evelyn Stokes at (903) 984-8704, or see the KYSA website at kysakilgore.org. GOLF

Golf-a-thon March 8

At Meadowbrook Country Club on Saturday, March 8, there will be a golf-a-thon to benefit the American Cancer Society. Participants will play 54 holes of best ball, with a triple bogey maximum on any hole played.

To enter, you provide a minimum donation of $500 to the American Cancer Society. For the donation, your food and drink for the day will be provided, you'll get a Nike Dri-Fit shirt, your cart and green fees are included in that donation, and dinner and drinks at the end of the day. Cash prizes for the low nine, the low 18, the low 36 and the low 54, based on handicap, will be given. To enter, you'll need to call Greg Collins at (903) 988- 3413.

TRACK

Season begins Thursday

The Kilgore High School track & field team will start the 2008 campaign on Thursday afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at Pine Tree High School in the annual Graham Knowles Relays.

The girls track team is coached by Kerry Strong, in his first year, and the boys are coached once again by Phillip Lane.

After Thursday's opener at Pine Tree, the KHS track squad won't be in action again until March 1 at Hallsville.