By Sam Waller

Deadline for player registration for Albany Little League has been extended to Friday, Feb. 24, according to league organizer Paul Hamilton.

Registration forms are available at Nancy Smith Elementary School and Albany Junior/Senior High. Online registration is available at albanytxll.com.

Albany Little League is open to boys and girls to play at the T-ball, Coach Pitch, Minor, Major, Intermediate and Junior levels.

Registration fees are $50 for T-ball and Coach Pitch, $75 for Major and Minor, and $85 for Intermediate and Junior.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions softball team opened the spring sports season Tuesday, Feb. 14, with a 4-4 tie with Eastland.

The game was originally scheduled to be played in Albany but was moved to Eastland because of field conditions.

Details will be reported next week.

The Lady Lions are playing in their first tournament Friday-Saturday, Feb. 17-18, also at Eastland. Other tournaments are set for Feb. 23-25 at San Angelo and March 2-4 at Clifton.

Albany’s next home game is 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21 against Abilene Cooper at Webb Park.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions concluded their basketball season Tuesday, Feb. 7, with 43-25 home loss to playoff qualifier Anson.

Albany finished the season 8-21 overall and 1-11 in District 10-2A. The Lady Lions increased their win total from a year ago by five and won a district road game for the first time since the 2020-21 season.

In other 10-2A action, Stamford defeated Cisco 58-52 on Friday, Feb. 10, in a game to determine the district’s No. 1 playoff seed.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions kept their chances of winning the District 10-2A boys basketball title alive last week with home victories over Anson and Cisco, but ended up losing to Hawley 65-47 in a district-deciding game on Tuesday night in the Bearcats’ home gym.

The Lions (13-4 overall, 9-3 district) tied with Cisco for second place in district, with a Wednesday morning coin flip deciding the seeding. Albany will go into the playoffs as the third place seed.

By Sam Waller

Albany’s youth basketball teams wrapped up their season Saturday, Feb. 4 at a postseason tournament in Eula. All four teams posted at least one win, with three playing for division championships.

The sixth grade boys claimed their bracket championship, while the sixth grade girls lost in the championship game.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions were the last obstacle between Stamford and the District 10-2A championship.

The Lady Bulldogs, ranked No. 22 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 2A poll, were not to be denied, rolling to a 69-18 victory Friday, Feb. 3 at Stamford.

The Lady Lions (8-19 overall, 1-10 district) closed out their season Tuesday, Feb. 7, with a 43-25 loss at home against playoff-bound Anson. Details will be reported next week.

By Sam Waller

The spring sports season is fast approaching for Albany High School teams.

Softball will start things off at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 14 against Eastland at Webb Park before spending the following weekend at the Eastland tournament.

Lady Lions coach Jimmy Fuentes said the team has some holes to fill after reaching the third round of the playoffs last season.

By Sam Waller

Nine Shackelford County high school seniors have been selected to participate in the 2023 Big Country FCA All-Star Festival.

The festival, scheduled for June 4-10, features 350 of the area’s top student-athletes competing in seven sports held in four cities.

As part of the leadup to the festival, Albany head football coach Denney Faith and Hawley’s Mitch Ables will participate in a lunch program on Thursday, Feb. 16 at Potosi Live restaurant. The coaches will speak on their teams’ 2022 football seasons, both of which ended in state championships.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions football team continues to receive accolades for the efforts on the way to winning the Class 2A Division II state championship, claiming eight spots on the Blue Bell./Texas Sports Writers Association 2A All-State Team.

The TSWA team is selected by vote of sports writers from around the state based on total statistics including postseason games.

Lions head coach Denney Faith was named Coach of the Year, and junior defensive back Wyatt Windham shared Defensive Player of the Year honors in addition to earning a spot on the first team.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions officially punched their ticket for the postseason Friday, Feb. 3 with a 45-30 victory at Stamford.

The Lions (12-3 overall, 8-2 district) still have a shot at the District 10-2A championship. After a 67-27 senior night win over Anson on Tuesday, Feb. 7, Albany hosts Cisco at 6:15 p.m. Friday, Feb. 10 and travels to Hawley on Tuesday, Feb. 14 to close out the regular season.

Albany played just one game last week after having the district bye on Tuesday, Jan. 31.