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

Kilgore teams at PT tonight

Kilgore High School's baseball and softball teams both play at Pine Tree High School in Longview tonight - both games begin at 6 p.m.

The baseball game between KHS and Pine Tree is important for both teams, because there are only four games left in the regular season, and both are alive for the third and final playoff spot in District 12-4A. Kilgore is 11-9 overall, and 5-5 in district play, in a three-way tie for third with Henderson and Marshall. Pine Tree is a game back (4-6 in district), and realistically has to beat Kilgore tonight to stay in the race. Consequently, a loss could also doom the Bulldogs to missing the playoffs. Kilgore has made the Class 4A baseball playoffs for five consecutive seasons. The Bulldogs held off Jacksonville on Friday, 10-9.

The KHS softball team is not in a playoff race, and is simply trying to write a positive conclusion to the 2008 season. Kilgore won its first district game of the schedule on Friday night, a 5-4 win at Jacksonville, and has only two games left in the regular season: tonight's at Pine Tree, and Friday night at home against Hallsville, also a 6 p.m. start. TRACK & FIELD

LC track athletes make regionals

Leverett's Chapel junior Tony Chavez was the District 20-A champion in the 300 meter hurdles and placed second in the 110 hurdles. At the more recent area Meet, Tony placed third in the 300 hurdles with a time of 43.8, which qualified him for the regional meet to be held at Stephen F. Austin University on April 25-26th.

Also, freshman Tasha Roper was the district champion in both the 800 meter run and the mile. At the area Meet, Tasha placed fourth in the mile with a time of 6:26, which qualified her for regionals, as well.

GOLF

Rotary tourney at Meadowbrook on 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 upon entry.

For more information or to enter the tournament, contact Greg Collins at (903) 988-3413. Tournament entries will be accepted until Friday, May 2. The proceeds from the tournament go to the many Kilgore Rotary Club charitable activities during the year.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

SOT to host Spring Games

Special Olympics Texas (Area 7) will host the 2008 Spring Games competition on April 18-19 at Abe Martin Stadium in Lufkin. The cycling competition will be held Friday evening, April 18 at the school and the track and field events will be held the following Saturday. Coordinators are still asking for volunteers; if interested, please call (936) 639-1755.

The general public is encouraged to come out on Saturday for the opening ceremonies (to begin at 8:45 a.m.) and stay for the competition. Four hundred Special Olympics athletes from 22 delegations in the East Texas area will compete.

For more information on the event contact Courtnee Garcia at (936) 639-1755.