The varsity Lady Lion basketball team opened district with a win over Cross Plains last week, then traveled to Stamford on Tuesday for the second league game.

The youth fifth and sixth grade basketball teams will play their first games of the season on Saturday, Jan. 12, with the four local teams competing in both the Albany High School gym and the Albany practice gym. Basketball games will take place every hour from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Lady Bulldogs suffered defeat in both of their games over the Christmas break. Moran hosted Lueders-Avoca for an 11:00 a.m. match on Dec. 31, and the visiting Raiders left with a 46-22 victory. The varsity girls also dropped their first district bout on Friday, Jan.

Local fifth and sixth graders who signed up for local youth basketball teams have started practicing in preparation for the first tournament of the season on Jan. 12.

The varsity and JV Lady Lions split games at home last week, both falling to the Goldthwaite Lady Eagles and then both beating the Throckmorton Lady Greyhounds. The teams have been idle for the Christmas break, but the varsity will resume action at a local tournament on Thursday and Friday.

The Lion varsity basketball team got off to a late but successful start last week, defeating the visiting Abilene Hawks. The Lions have had a week-long break for Christmas, returning to the court on Friday at the Windthorst Tournament. Albany is scheduled to play Vernon at 2:00 p.m.

The Lady Bulldogs brought home their second win of the season on Friday, Dec. 14 with a 26-23 victory over the visiting Throckmorton Lady Greyhounds. The high school girls were off a week for Christmas, but are back on the court at the Dec.27-29 Munday Tournament.

The end to what was one of the best comeback seasons ever, the Lion football team was stopped by the Gruver Greyhounds just one step away from a storybook ending of reaching the state championship game last Thursday. Albany lost the Class 2A Div.

The Lion football team dominated the District 7-2A selection announced this week, including receiving the majority of the superlative honors. Senior Cutter Edgar was named the district’s MVP, while senior Cameron Dacus was picked as the Offensive MVP and senior Ryan Hill was the Defensive MVP.

The Lady Lions earned a pair of wins last week and hosted Goldthwaite on Tuesday as they head into the Christmas break. Albany dropped to 10-7 with a close 36-29 loss to the state-ranked Goldthwaite Lady Eagles on Dec. 18. Details were not available at press time but will be reported next week.