LOCAL SPORTS IN BRIEF

BASKETBALL

Lady Ranger Classic begins today

After a month-long layoff, one Kilgore College basketball program will get back to the court tonight for a little warm-up before conference play resumes. The other will have to wait until Wednesday.

The Kilgore College Lady Rangers Classic, a non-conference tournament designed by coach Roy Thomas just to get his team back in the swing of things before conference play continues, starts today here at Masters Gymnasium. The first game was to be played before the publication of this paper, an early-afternoon game pitting Lon Morris College against the Houston Jaguars. KC takes the floor at 5 p.m. tonight against Ranger.

On Saturday, there are three games: LMC faces Ranger at noon; Tyler Junior College plays Weatherford at 2, and KC meets Houston at 4.

The games won't be aired on the radio, but can be heard live online at tsrnsports.com, the Texas Sports Radio Network website. "The Voice of KC Sports," Manny Almanza, calls the action.

KC, which hasn't played since Dec. 6, is 8-2 overall, and both losses came in the Region XIV Conference. The Lady Rangers are 2-2 in conference play, and will get back to the league schedule Wednesday night at TJC, a 5:30 p.m. tipoff. Coach Brian Hoberecht's men will follow at 7:30 p.m. at Tyler, their first game since a win over Bossier Parrish (also Dec. 6).

Sabine girls, boys host Harleton

Coach Paul Bell's Sabine High School varsity girls basketball team has started off its District 18-2A schedule 2-0, and will try to add that third win tonight at home against Harleton. The Lady Cardinals' junior varsity will play at 5, varsity to follow. Sabine visits Harmony on Tuesday, varsity only at 6 p.m.

The state-ranked Sabine boys, coached by Tim Davis, also face Harleton tonight (beginning with JV at 5 p.m.), but this will be the 18-2A opener for the boys, who have already played a whopping 22 games this season! Sabine has done very well, having gone 19-3 thus far.

The Cards last played Dec. 27, a 68-52 win over Central Heights of Nacogdoches. Sabine scored 21 first-quarter points and never looked back.

Noah Jackson led with 17 points. Lie'Quan Byrd and Tyler Woodrell each had 13. Jacob Kenna and Colton Kirk each had eight, Zach Royce and Hunter Powdrill four each, and Josh Montana hit a free throw.

Jackson and Byrd each hit three three-point shots for the Cardinals, who took only 11 free throws but hit nine of them.

Sabine also won the JV game that night, a 38-34 victory. Marc Cunningham led Sabine with 12 points. Shane Lewis and Wes Eaton each scored nine.

KHS boys return Saturday; girls off until Tuesday

The Kilgore High School boys basketball program gets back in the swing of things with a rare Saturday series at Marshall tomorrow, an 11 a.m. freshmen start, with JV and varsity to follow. Coach Jimmy Williams' teams have been off since the varsity participated in a tournament at Tatum Dec. 18-20, and had some success, winning three of its five games there.

After Saturday, the Bulldogs are home again on Monday, hosting Spring Hill (beginning with freshmen at 5 p.m.) and Kilgore wraps up its non-district schedule by hosting former district rival Hallsville this Friday. The 'Dogs finally open the District 14-4A slate at home Tuesday, Jan. 13 against Lindale.

The Kilgore High School girls don't get any more tune-ups: their 14-4A schedule begins Tuesday night at home against Jacksonville. Freshmen will play at 5, then JV and varsity. The Lady Bulldogs play at Nacogdoches on Friday night at those same times.

Coach Davia Garrett's Lady 'Dogs have been off since playing in a tournament at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens back on Dec. 20.

The eighth-grade teams play, too. Maude Laird Middle School's A- and B-team girls will play at Whitehouse next Thursday, and the A- and B-team boys host Whitehouse that night.

SOCCER

Alumni games Saturday at stadium

Both Kilgore High School soccer programs will host their annual alumni games this Saturday at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium, and then begin their seasons the following week.

The current Lady Bulldogs play KHS girls soccer alumni at 1 p.m. tomorrow, and the boys game will follow, likely around 3 p.m.

The season begins for the Kilgore girls with a tournament in Mount Pleasant on Jan. 8-10 — that will also include the junior varsity. The first regular-season home game for the Lady 'Dogs is Whitehouse on Tuesday, Jan. 13. Almost every game night for the girls will begin at 5:30 with JV.

Kilgore's girls are coached by Amanda Farmer, assisted by Alice Crocker, who also coaches JV.

The Bulldogs have a new head coach. Michael Bradshaw replaces Kris Duplissey, and coach Bradshaw and the Bulldogs will play in a scrimmage to get ready for the season on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at home against Atlanta. The JV will play at 5:30 p.m., the varsity afterward.

Kilgore hosts its annual tournament Jan. 8-10 and will play three to four home games during that event, and then the Bulldogs play at Nacogdoches Tuesday, Jan. 13. Bradshaw will have assistant Joey Pippen back. Pippen has done very well, also, coaching JV since his arrival at KHS. +