By Donnie A. Lucas

Three of the five junior high basketball teams earned wins on Monday against Haskell as the 2020-2021 season winds down at the seventh and eighth grade level.

The Cubs and Lady Cubs will play Stamford next Monday in the season finale.

The girls will play in Stamford, while the boys will host the Indians. Games will start at 5:30 p.m. at both locations.

The Lady Cubs split games on Monday at home against Haskell, with the Red team losing 28-10 and the White team picking up a 25-20 win.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Members of Albany’s state-tournament qualifying volleyball team received another round of awards in the last week.

Three local players were selected for the first-team All-Big Country Team named by Big Country Preps.

Senior Alli Hill and juniors Sarah Cotter and Clara Holson each received first team recognition, while senior Torie Fuentes received Honorable Mention Defensive Specialist.

Albany coach M.J. Reneau was tapped as coach of the year.

By Donnie A. Lucas

A total of 55 boys and girls signed up for the Little Dribblers basketball season that will start Feb. 6.

The registration period ended last week and the eight teams were drafted on Monday in preparation for the four-week season that includes each Saturday in February, according to league organizer Joe Tidwell.

Four girls teams and four boys teams will play two games each Saturday in the old gym at the high school.

Games will start at 9:00 a.m. each Saturday.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lion basketball team opened the second half of District 10-2A competition last week with a 58-50 win over Hawley, avenging the 51-50 loss to the Bearcats in the first half of the district schedule.

The Lions continued with a win this week in Hamlin on Tuesday, 79-52, improving to 6-2 in district.

Albany will host the district-leading Cisco Loboes on Friday. The JV boys will play at 6:00 p.m. in the auxiliary gym, while the varsity will play at 7:15 p.m. in the main gym following the varsity girls.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The varsity Lady Lions are off to a slow start in the second half of the district race with an 0-2 record after losses to Hawley and Haskell.

However, the varsity girls picked up a win on Tuesday night in Hamlin, beating the Lady Pipers 49-37. Details will be reported next week.

Albany will host Cisco on Friday, Jan. 29, with the varsity girls taking the court in the main gym at 6:00 p.m.

Next Tuesday, the girls will be in Cisco, with the varsity tipping off at 6:00 p.m. in the main gym. 

By Sandy Morris

Moran’s junior high girls and boys junior high teams returned to the court on Thursday, Jan. 14, hosting May. 

The junior high girls lost the competition 31-3, with Ashlyn Crawford scoring two points and Cassandra Mendez adding one point.

The Moran junior high girls record is 0-1. 

The junior high boys also came up short on the hardwood, losing to May 44-8. 

Ellis Hise led the scoring with six points, and Cotten Campbell added two points. 

By Sandy Morris

The varsity girls basketball team traveled to Cross Plains on Tuesday, Jan. 12 to continue district action.. 

The Lady Bulldogs came up short, losing 78-11. 

Dariann Hawley was the leading scorer with four points, followed by Hannah Rogers with three points, and Emily Murk and Alli Scott with two points each. 

The Lady Bulldogs were on the road again against Eula on Friday, Jan. 15. The team came up short, losing to Eula 56-7.  

By Donnie A. Lucas

Several local fifth and sixth graders are continuing to be busy on Saturdays with youth league basketball, with two weeks remaining in the season.

Albany’s girls teams will play at Hawley High School this Saturday, with the sixth grade playing at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. The fifth grade girls are scheduled to play at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

The boys will travel to Jim Ned High School this week. The sixth graders play at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., while the fifth grade team plays at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Both junior high basketball girls teams posted wins on Monday at the local gym, with the boys playing in Hawley.

The Lady Cubs will host Haskell on Monday, Jan. 25 starting at 5:30 p.m., while the Cubs will play in Haskell also starting at 5:30 p.m.

The girls Red team earned a 27-17 win against Hawley.

“The girls played great defense throughout the game,” coach Jamie Wilson said. “There was a lot of communication between the girls that helped them be successful.”

By Sandy Morris

As the second semester of the school year gets underway, athletes in spring sports begin to prepare for upcoming meets. 

Last week, Albany High School student Wesley Estridge was already prepared and ready to kick off his 2021 powerlifting season.

Estridge traveled to Jacksboro on Thursday, Jan. 14 to compete in the first powerlifting competition of the season. 

Weigh-in was at 2:00 p.m., and Estridge began to compete in the various events starting at 5:00 p.m.