Local students won’t have much time to get bored after school is out this week, thanks to a host of local camps that will start as soon as next Tuesday, May 28.

A different athletic camp is set for each of the next three weeks, along with a cheerleading camp later in the summer. A girls basketball camp is also in the works, but the dates were not available yet.

Boys All-Sport Camp

A three-day camp covering three sports – football, baseball, and basketball – is set for Tuesday, May 28 through Thursday, May 30.

The Albany Little League will once again be hosting one of the Little League District 5 machine pitch tournaments to compete against teams in the Big Country area, after hosting for the past two years.

“Sixteen teams will play in Albany on June 8,” said local little league president Paul Hamilton. “If we are the best of four, we will play in the Big Country final four on the following Monday night, June 10.”

The tournament is for teams made up of eight to nine year olds from around the Big Country area and will start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 8.

The Lion baseball team delivered a pair of shutouts last Thursday to take the area playoff round against McCamey during games moved to Coahoma due to rain in San Angelo, where the series was originally slated.

Albany handed the Badgers a 4-0 loss in the first game of the double header, followed by a 14-0 victory in Game 2 to seal the title.

Senior pole vaulter Caroline Masters matched her personal record at the UIL State Track Meet last Saturday, clearing 10-6 for sixth place in the Class 2A division.

The vaulter improved her jump and her placing over last year’s seventh place finish in the event.

“Caroline didn’t clear 10-6 until her third attempt, which was the difference in third and sixth this year,” coach Lauren Peacock said. “If she had cleared on her first attempt, she would have gotten third.”

Albany softball players earned recognition on the District 7-2A All-District team, which was announced this week following the elimination of the final district team from the playoffs.

Junior Caitlyn Holson was named the Offensive Player of the Year by the coaches for the district, while junior Aubrey Moon received the district’s Fighting Heart Award. Moon battled injuries throughout the season, still managing to compete in most of the games.

Sophomore Torie Fuentes was picked for second team All-District at the third base position.

Four Moran junior high students placed at the district tennis meet in Eula on Tuesday, May 7.

Caleb York took second in boys singles, and Daphani Crews was third in girls singles. 

Brook Orsak and Emily Murk were third in girls doubles.

“This was the first year for all of these participants, and they are off to a great start,” said coach Jo Hise. “I am very proud of how well they represented Moran ISD.”

Boys Singles

Caleb York lost to a player from Eula 6-4; defeated a player from Eula 6-1 for second place.

Girls Singles

Moran senior Kobee Lapp placed fourth in the triple jump at the University Interscholastic League 1-A Track and Field State Championships in Austin last Friday, May 10.

Many would be satisfied by qualifying for state, but according to coach Dakota Fowler, Lapp was disappointed with his fourth place finish.

The 42-08.5 Lapp cleared at the state meet is five and a half inches less than his personal record of 43-02 recorded at the Albany Invitational meet at the end of March. Those extra inches would have earned him a bronze medal.

The Lion baseball team dominated Cross Plains in the bi-district series last week, handing the Buffaloes a pair of 10-run rule losses to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

Albany (15-6) will travel to San Angelo Central High School this week for the area playoff series against the McCamey Badgers. 

As of press time, Game 1 will be played Thursday at 5:00 p.m., with the second bout set to follow after a brief rest. If a third game is needed to determine the series, it will be played at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 10.

Senior Caroline Masters has her work cut out for her this Saturday.

The diminutive 4-foot 9-inch pole vaulter is headed to the UIL State Track and Field Meet for the second time, setting the lofty goal to end up on the medals stand this time.

Masters placed seventh last year with a jump of 10 feet. She is taking in a personal record of 10-6 this year and is tied for third place based on the qualifying regional jumps.

Masters is again advancing as the second place medalist out of Region 1-2A.

The Albany junior high tennis team brough home several medals from last week’s district tournament, including gold in girls singles and boys singles for both grade levels, as well as seventh grade boys doubles.

There were also several silver medals for local players, who missed out on any other action during the short season because of the weather.

“Our season was cut short, but the kids were good about coming to practice and did a great job at district,” said tennis coach Sara Wilson.