By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany junior high football teams split games with Haskell last Thursday in a pair of low-scoring contests.

The Cubs will finish out the season at home on Thursday (today) with the seventh grade hosting a rematch with Haskell starting at 4:00 p.m. The eighth graders will take the field at about 5:15 p.m. against a combined Hamlin junior high team. The JV Lions will face the Hamlin JV at about 6:30 p.m. in their season finale.

The seventh grade Cubs edged out Haskell 14-8, scoring twice late in the game to seal the win.

By Kathy Thomson

The Moran Bulldogs lost their final home game to Loraine 54-6 on Friday, Nov. 1 falling to 4-5 on the season and 0-2 in district with one game remaining.

“After seeing the opening kickoff go back for a touchdown, it only got worse for us,” said head coach John Hughes. 

Four sacks by Loraine held the ’Dawgs to 34 yards on the ground and 35 yards passing.

Meanwhile, Loraine racked up 117 rushing and 127 in the air. The visitors also intercepted the football twice for 29 yards and a touchdown. 

By Kathy Thomson

Moran alumus and current Hardin-Simmons University senior Sydney TenCate recently won gold at the American Southwest Conference 2019 Cross Country Championships, breaking an HSU women’s 6K record that she set just last month and earning a spot for her and her team at the NCAA Division III South/Southeast Regional Championships in Memphis, Tennessee on Nov. 16.

By Kathy Thomson

The Lady Bulldogs volleyball season ended last Tuesday, Oct. 29, when a loss to the Woodson Cowgirls blocked hopes of a spot in the District 6 1A playoff bracket.

Moran fell in three sets 17-25, 20-25, 14-25.

“We struggled with our serves,” said coach Jo Hise.

Hise said that she enjoyed working with the players this season.

“It was my honor and privilege to coach this great group of young ladies,” Hise said. “I learned so much from them this year.”

The coach is expecting all but one team member to return next year.

By Melinda L. Lucas

In what may be the best turnout in recent years for a constitutional amendment election, 16 percent of Shackelford County’s 2,281 registered voters cast 372 ballots on Tuesday and during early voting, for the most part following statewide trends.

Local residents turned down Proposition 1 to allow an elected municipal judge to serve in more than one municipality by a 44% to 56% margin, less than the state’s 35% to 65% rejection.

By Kathy Thomson

Members of Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will hold their annual Bazaar starting at 10:00 a.m. this Saturday, Nov. 9, and they have invited everyone in the community as well as out-of-town visitors to join them in kicking off the holiday season with a traditional Thanksgiving-type meal and the opportunity to shop for handcrafted Christmas gifts, foods, and decorations.

Members of the historical church have been decorating and cooking for weeks in preparation for this weekend’s annual fundraising event.

By Kathy Thomson

All veterans in Shackelford County are invited to join local students for Veterans Day activities next Monday, Nov. 11, at Nancy Smith Elementary School and at the Moran Independent School District. Additionally, the veterans and their spouses are invited to a special luncheon put on by the Albany Study Club next Thursday, Nov. 14.

The three Veterans Day events will honor local veterans and thank them for their service to America.

AISD Program

Recipes are still being accepted for the upcoming holiday recipe section, according to Albany News editor Melinda Lucas.

“I know there are lots of great cooks in Albany and Moran, and I could use some more recipes,” said Lucas. “I’d like to have something to start on by the end of this week, but I know it’s a busy time of year and everyone has a lot going on.”

Several individuals have sent a variety of contributions for the Nov. 21 tab, but more are needed.

A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany this afternoon, Nov. 7, and Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. 

Blood drives in Albany have been sponsored by the Kiwanis Club for over 20 years.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals. 

By Kathy Thomson

The annual Albany Chest campaign is underway, with letters already mailed as directors attempt to reach the goal of $42,000 for the 2019 campaign. 

Twenty-four different organizations, including one new applicant, submitted requests for this year’s funding, all of which were considered by the board.

Local residents are reminded that everyone is not expected to give large amounts.