In sports,

 

Baseball

 

State Rankings

 

The Center Roughriders are on the verge of cracking the Class 4A Top 10 state rankings as the Texas High School Baseball poll has the Riders at No. 12 this week, up from 17 a week ago. Carthage in down to No. 19, Hudson is No. 15, Spring Hill No. 18 and Jasper No. 23. In Class 3A, Central Heights is No. 1. Class 2A’s top team remains Douglass at 22-0, Beckville is No. 12, West Sabine is No. 16, Broaddus No. 21 and Colmesneil No. 22.

 

The Riders take on Huntington in a best-of-three home-and-home Class 4A bi-district series starting at 7 p.m. Friday at Roughrider Field. Game 2 will be in Huntington at 1 p.m. Saturday. Game 3, if necessary, would follow Game 2 in Huntington. The winner will take on the Grosbeck/China Springs winner in the area round next week.

 

Center Broadcasting will have Rider playoff action on Q100 KQBB throughout the state playoffs as Don Wall has the call.

 

The Joaquin Rams enter the Class 2A state baseball playoffs this week against Broaddus, in a best-of-three Class 2A bi-district series, with all games in Gary. Game 1 is at 6 pm Friday; Game 2 at 1 pm Saturday; Game 3 if needed 30 min after game 2. The winner has state-ranked Centerville in area next week.

 

Gary, the other Dist. 23-2A team playing this week in this week in the playoffs will meet Colmesneil. Game 17:30 p.m. Thursday in Gary, Game 2 7 p.m. Friday in Colmesneil, and Game 3 at 2 p.m. Saturday in Douglass, if necessary. The winner has No. 1 Douglass in area.

 

In Class 3A, No. 1 Central Heights, the Garrison Bulldogs and Hemphill Hornets will enter the state playoffs this week.

W22 Central Heights (20-1-1) vs F21 Buffalo (17-7)

Game 1: Thursday, May 7th @ Central Heights, 7:00

Game 2: Friday, May 8th @ Buffalo, 7:00

Game 3: Saturday, May 9th @ Kilgore, 12:00

R22 Garrison (12-8) vs T21 Crockett (12-8-3)

Game 1: Friday, May 8th @ Palestine High, 7:00

Game 2: Saturday, May 9th @ Palestine High, 4:00

Game 3: After Game 2 (if necessary)

R21 Elkhart (18-10) vs T22 Hemphill (14-7)

Game 1: Friday, May 7th @ Texas Slam (Livingston),

Game 2: Saturday, May 8th @ Texas Slam (Livingston),

Game 3: After game 2 (if necessary)

 

Dist. 19-4A Playoff teams matchups 

W19 Center (18-3-1) vs F20 Huntington (6-15)

Game 1: Friday, May 8th @ Center, 7:00

Game 2: Saturday, May 9th @ Huntington, 1:00

Game 3: After Game 2 (if necessary)

 

R19 Carthage (13-10) vs T20 Diboll (13-12)

Game 1: Friday, May 8th @ SFA, 7:00

Game 2: Saturday, May 9th @ SFA, 1:00  

Game 3: After Game 2 (if necessary)

 

R20 Jasper (15-6-2) vs T19 Tatum (6-13)

Game 1: Friday, May 8th @ Pollok Central, 7:00  

Game 2: Saturday, May 9th @ Pollok Central, 2:00  

Game 3: After Game 2 (if necessary)

 

W20 Lufkin Hudson (18-9) vs F19 Rusk (8-14)

Game 1: Friday, May 8th @ Lufkin Hudson, 7:00  

Game 2: Saturday, May 9th @ Rusk, 1:00  

Game 3: After Game 2 (if needed)

 

 

Softball

The Joaquin Lady Rams are headed to the area round of the Class 2A playoffs. Joaquin will take on Groveton in a best-of-three series at Central Heights starting Thursday. Game 1 is 6:30 p.m., with Game 2 at 6:30 p.m. Friday, and if necessary, Game 3 is 3 p.m. Saturday.

 

The Shelbyville Lady Dragons will meet Cushing in a best-of-three area round home-and-home series beginning Thursday. Game 1 is 7 p.m. in Cushing, with Game 2 at 6 p.m. Friday in Shelbyville. Game 3, if necessary would be in Nacogdoches at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The winners of both area games will meet in the region quarterfinal round next week.

The Garrison Lady Bulldogs are in a one-game Class 3A, Region III area championship game versus East Bernard at 7 p.m. Friday at Sam Houston State in Huntsville. Garrison beat New Waverly, 11-0 in last week’s bi-district round to advance.

 

​New University of Houston cheerleader

Center High School Cheer Co-Captain, Senior Jesse McGraw tried out for cheerleader at the University of Houston on Saturday, May 2nd. There were 40 participants at a grueling clinic that lasted two days. Despite an ankle injury, Jesse tumbled, stunted, and cheered his way onto the team as one of the 19 new cheerleaders. Congratulations and best of luck cheering on the Cougars next fall!

 

CMS Athletics Parent’s Meeting

There will be a parent meeting for all parents of incoming 6th, 7th & 8th grade students at Center ISD who are participating in athletics on May 11th & 14th.

Monday, May 11th will be for the middle school girls and *Thursday, May 14th*, will be for the middle school boys. These meetings will take place in the Center Middle School Auditorium at *5:30 pm* both evenings.

 

Center Athletic Banquet:

There’s been a rescheduling of the Center High School “Banquet of Champions”. The athletic banquet will now be held Tuesday, May 26 at 7 p.m. at the Windham Civic Center. The meal is catered by Pete Lowe’s Catering, and the event will feature a slideshow and awards. Tickets are $7 adults, $5 students, five and under are free, and $3 for kids 6-12. All athletic students are admitted free. Tickets are available in the athletic office. No tickets sold at the door. For more information, call the athletic office at 598-6173, ext. 2231.

 

DU Greenwing event:

The Shelby County Ducks’ Unlimited annual Green Wing event will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, June 6. According to Clint Tanner, the location has been changed to a familiar site, Weldon Boles’ property off Old City Lake Road. Tanner said DU used that location previously. There will be prizes for all kids, along with Texas Parks & Wildlife Game Wardens providing hunter safety, Mike Hudman with Black Water Retrievers with a dog demo and a free hot dog meal. All kids’ ages up to 17 are invited to attend. Mark your calendar for June 6, the Shelby County Ducks Unlimited Greenwing Event. Registration starts at 9:30 a.m. The location is 245 CR 1006, Center. By the way, kids, bring your fishing pole. For more information call Clint Tanner at 936-332-4767 or Adam Reeves at 936-332-6420.

 

Take a Kid Fishing:

The 37^th annual Center Broadcasting and Shelby County Bass Anglers’ Take a Kid Fishing Bream Tournament will be held on Toledo Bend at Huxley Bay Marina this Saturday, May 9. Hundreds of children from ages 3 to 15 years are registered for the free tournament. Trophies will be awarded to each group and prizes will be given to each participant. Plus, each child receives a free hot dog, cold drink and cookie. Fishing begins at 6am, and all participants must be in the weigh-in line no later than 12:30pm. The Shelby County Bass Anglers conduct the official weigh-in and also the Norris Askew Casting Contest.