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

GENA ANDREWS

KHS teams in Jacksonville tonight

Both the Kilgore High School baseball and softball teams will play in Jacksonville tonight - both will begin their games at 6 p.m.

Coach Jeff Blackstone's Diamond 'Dogs (10-9 overall, 4-5 in District 12-4A play) are fighting for a playoff spot, and need the win to keep place with other teams that are also trying to make the playoffs, like Marshall, Henderson and now Pine Tree, whose Pirates have worked their way back into the mix. Kilgore comes off a very disappointing 11-1 home loss to Nacogdoches on Tuesday.

Following tonight's game at Jacksonville, the Bulldogs will play at Pine Tree on Tuesday, then host Hallsville on Friday.

Kilgore High School's softball team is not in the playoff hunt, but lost to Jacksonville earlier in the season here at Stream-Flo Field, and would love to return the favor. The Lady Bulldogs are young in almost every position - they have only one senior (Whitney Brown), and are coming off a 5-1 home loss to Nac on Tuesday.

Like the baseball team, the Lady 'Dogs also visit Pine Tree on Tuesday, and will finish the season at home against Hallsville on Friday.

GOLF Boys just miss qualifying for regionals

The Kilgore High School boys golf team finished third in the District 12-4A tournament, which finished up Tuesday at Crooked Hollow Golf Club in Greenwood, La.

Kilgore was in fourth place headed in, and got in front of Henderson, but couldn't catch second-place Nacogdoches. KHS finished with a two-day 654. Pine Tree won the tournament with a 624, and Nac finished with a 647.

Chance Fitch did very well in the tournament, finishing sixth with a second-day 76, and a two-day total of 153. Zack Mays shot a 156 for KHS to finish seventh. The top 10 finishes, coach Jimmy Williams said, will earn both of those boys spots on the all-district team. Hallsville's Nathan Weant shot a twounder 70 on day two and took medalist honors.

Cameron Clower shot a very-good 77 in the second round after an opening-round 88. Jacob Patterson shot 86 on Tuesday and Zach Zimmerman a 95.

"We have four players returning next year, and we're really excited about that," Williams said.

Williams isn't through coaching golf, though. He also coaches the KHS girls, and will coach Courtney Hodgkins, the only KHS player to qualify for regionals, at the upcoming regional tournament.

Rotary tourney at Meadowbrook May 5

The annual Kilgore Rotary Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday, May 5 at Meadowbrook Country Club. Lunch will be served in the dining room at 11 a.m. and tee off with a shotgun start will be at noon.

The two-person tournament includes six holes of best ball (play your own ball and record the best score of the pair on the scorecard), six holes of scramble (play the better of the two shots all the way to the hole) and six holes of modified alternate shot (both players tee off and then alternate until the ball is holed). This potpourri format has been extremely popular over the past 10 or so years, making the Rotary golf tournament one that everyone wants to play.

The entry fee is $75 per player or $150 per team. The fee includes lunch and drinks on the course as well as green fee and cart. Cash prizes will be paid to first, second and third place in low gross and low net categories. All players must submit a handicap when making their entry for the tournament.

For more information or to enter the tournament, contact Greg Collins at (903) 988- 3413. Tournament entries will be accepted until Friday, May 3. The proceeds from the tournament go to the many Kilgore Rotary Club charitable activities during the year.