LOCAL SPORTS IN BRIEF
BY SPORTS EDITOR MITCH LUCAS
BASEBALL & SOFTBALL

Kilgore teams host Whitehouse tonight

In spite of the wet weather this morning at press time, both the baseball game and the softball game between Kilgore High School and Whitehouse High School were still scheduled.

Both games are to be played here, both with 6 p.m. starts - the baseball game, of course, is at Driller Park, and the softball game at Stream-Flo Field, just beside Driller.

The Kilgore-Whitehouse baseball game marks the beginning of the second round of District 12-4A play for both teams. Kilgore (10-7 overall) went 4-3 in the first round, and will host three of the other four contenders in the district (Nacogdoches, Hallsville and Marshall) at Driller this round. Coach Jeff Blackstone's Diamond 'Dogs are in a three-way tie for third place with Marshall and Henderson.

The Lady Bulldogs aren't in the thick of the playoff race - in fact, they're still looking for their first district win. But they can play spoiler to Whitehouse, who's tied for second with Marshall in the softball standings (both with 5-2 records). Kilgore coach Cassie Newell said just before press time that in spite of the wet conditions, they would do everything they could to play the game tonight, rather than reschedule.

SOCCER

Booster club meeting Monday

There will be a meeting of the Kilgore High School soccer booster club on Monday (April 7) at 6:30 p.m. at the boys soccer field house.

This is an important meeting, club officials say - they will be finalizing plans for the soccer banquet (scheduled for Monday, April 28), and hope to select a nominating committee to work on a slate of new booster club officers for the 2008-2009 school year. These nominations will be voted on at the banquet.

Also, Karen Waldo will give the club an update on the scrapbooks and the scholarship applications will be given to the scholarship committee. Anyone with questions should contact Bobby Bustin at (903) 984-2840.

TRACK & FIELD

District championship meet Tuesday

The District 12-4A Track & Field Championships will begin Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. at Hallsville High School, and includes the Kilgore High School and Hallsville track teams, as well as track teams from Nacogdoches, Pine Tree, Marshall, Henderson, Whitehouse and Jacksonville.

Kilgore's track team has had nice showings overall in all six meets in which it has competed this year, and coaches Phillip Lane (boys) and Kerry Strong (girls) have expectations that the Bulldogs can do well in several different events, including but not limited to Tai'Shea Reese in the girls long jump and the 100 meter dash; Joe Colbert in the boys 100 meter and 200 meter dash; and the girls 800 meter relay.

Kilgore's Thomas in Texas Relays

Courtney Thomas, a track and field athlete at Baylor University and a Kilgore native, will run for Baylor in the Texas Relays today at the University of Texas in Austin.

Thomas, a former football and track standout at Kilgore High School, has one of the nation's fastest times in the 200 meter dash, and is expected to run in that event on Saturday. Thomas helped the Bulldogs win the 2004 UIL Class 4A Division 2 State Championship in football (as a wide receiver), and overcame a hand injury last year in a motorcycle accident.

GOLF

District tourneys resume this week

Both the boys and girls District 12-4A golf tournaments will play their second (and final) rounds this week.

The girls will play Monday at Lakeside Country Club in Marshall. Hallsville and Pine Tree are the two leaders after the second round, but Kilgore's Courtney Hodgkins is leading the individuals, the race for medalist, after the first round. Hodgkins shot an 84 on day one at Crooked Hollow Golf Club in Greenwood, La.

Crooked Hollow is where the 12-4A boys, including Kilgore, will play their second round on Tuesday. The Bulldogs shot a 340 on the first day and are currently in fourth - one stroke out of third and just seven strokes out of second place. Nac is currently the second-place team, and Henderson third. Pine Tree leads the field, and by a great distance (the Pirates shot a 316 on day one).

Kilgore's Chance Fitch shot a 77 on the first day, and is in a tie for third in the medalist race. Both KHS golf teams are coached by Jimmy Williams and Steve Toon.