LOCAL SPORTS IN BRIEF
BY SPORTS EDITOR MITCH LUCAS
SOCCER

KHS teams face Lindale tonight

Both Kilgore High School soccer programs will face tests tonight, taking on Lindale.

The Bulldogs, coached by Kris Duplissey and Joey Pippen, visit Lindale, a 5:30 p.m. junior varsity start. Lindale's varsity leads District 17-4A with a perfect 9-0 record - and the Bulldogs have won two straight games, managing to move into fourth place in the district standings. Kilgore hosts Marshall, the district's second-place team, on Tuesday, so a win at Lindale tonight would be huge. Pippen's JV team has lost just one district game, and hopes to keep that streak intact tonight, as well.

Coach Amanda Walzel's Lady Bulldogs will host Lindale, beginning with JV at 5:30 here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium. Both varsity and JV girls lost at Whitehouse on Tuesday night, but the varsity girls are in fifth in the 17-4A standings, still with the chance to make the postseason. The JV is coached by Alice Crocker.

Tuesday night, the boys will be at home against Marshall, and the girls on the road.

BASKETBALL

Sabine boys continue in playoffs tonight

Fresh off their 67-51 victory over Pleasant Grove in the first round of the UIL Class 3A basketball playoffs, the Sabine High School boys basketball team suits up again tonight, this time facing Bullard in the area round. That game will be played at 7 p.m. at the University of Texas at Tyler.

Sabine (28-7) lost to Bullard by 10, 64-54, in January.

See coverage of the game in Sunday's News Herald.

KC doubleheader here vs. Tyler Saturday

With the slimmest of possibility of making the Region XIV Conference playoffs, both Kilgore College basketball teams will likely throw caution to the wind Saturday afternoon, as Tyler Junior College visits.

The TJC men are near the top of the RXIV standings, with coach Scott Schumacher's Runnin' Rangers clawing to get into the top eight so they can be a part of the conference tournament, to be played here at Masters Gym next month (March 7-10). The Lady Rangers are two games out of sixth place - they need to finish in the top six to get into the conference tournament, and that's also here that weekend in March.

Saturday's contests against Tyler begin at 2 p.m. with the ladies game. Following Saturday's doubleheader with Tyler, the Lady Rangers have just two games left: at Panola on Wednesday night, and at home against Lon Morris on Tuesday, March 4. The Rangers have three games remaining: at Panola Wednesday, at Navarro on Saturday, March 1, and at home against Lon Morris on March 4.

BASEBALL

KBBA registration continues

Sign up for the 2008 season of the Kilgore Boys Baseball Association (KBBA) resumes this afternoon from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m., and continues tomorrow 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 e-mail (kilgorebaseball@yahoo.com).

SOFTBALL

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 a.m. until 6 p.m. 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).

For more information on KYSA, contact Evelyn Stokes at (903) 984-8704, or see the KYSA website at kysakilgore.org.

GOLF

Golf-a-thon benefit here 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, call Greg Collins at (903) 988-3413.