Hopkins County Pony Tails Visit KSST
Dixie Softball teams from across the South have traveled to Sulphur Springs for the Dixie World Series. Games start 9:00AM Saturday at the Coleman Park ball fields. Three divisions will use all 6 fields with the final games played on Wednesday.
The Hopkins County Pony Tails (12 and younger) visited the KSST studios Friday morning. They had opinions on a few topics including the recent Women’s World Cup victory, and being told they “throw like a girl.” When asked if anyone says they “Throw like a girl?”, several ball players replied, “It’s not a bad thing to throw like a girl… We are gonna whip some butt!” These ball players have practiced 4 – 5 times a week in preparation for their first game starting 6PM Saturday against Louisiana.
Parents of the ball players were also on hand. They seemed ready both for the season finale, and for the start of Fall Ball.
There is an admission charge to attend the double elimination tournament at Coleman Park. Saturday games will be almost non-stop, with fewer games played during the day as teams are eliminated. The final games will be played Wednesday.
Mount Pleasant Man Arrested In Sulphur Springs For Felony DWI, Possession of 3 Different Types of Pills
August 2, 2019 – A 36-year-old Mount Pleasant man was arrested Thursday for driving while intoxicated, marking at least his third drunk driving offense; he and the 36-year-old passenger were also charged with possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance after police found three different types of pills were found in the pair’s vehicle.
The pair was reported for reckless driving a Chevrolet Silverado in the 1300 block of South Hillcrest Drive at noon Aug. 1. Sulphur Springs Police Officer Jameison Hawkins reportedly spoke with a witness to the alleged reckless driving and the driver, identified in arrest reports as 36-year-old Ashley Rex Hightower of Mount Pleasant.
Hightower was alleged to be very unsteady on his feet, to have glassy eyes and slurred speech. When Hightower failed standard field sobriety tests, the officer placed him into custody, Hawkins and SSPD Officer Adrian Pruitt alleged in arrest reports.
The passenger, identified in arrest reports as 36-year-old Benjamen Bower Walker of Mount Pleasant, reportedly gave the officers permission to search two restaurant bags that were removed from the vehicle. Officers alleged a bag containing several pills as well as a medication bottle with a faded prescription label was found in the food bags. The pills were identified as Alprazolam and oxycodone, according to arrest reports. Both Hightower and Walker were taken into custody for possession of less than 28 grams of a Penalty Group 3 controlled substance. Several hydrocodone pills were also alleged to have been found in an Aleve bottle during an inventory of the truck, the officers noted in arrest reports.
Upon arrival at the county jail, Hightower allegedly refused to submit to a blood test, so the officers sought and obtained a blood search warrant, requiring the test. Hightower was taken to CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs, where a blood sample was drawn at 1:35 p.m. Aug. 1. Hightower was then transported back to jail, where he was also booked for third or more DWI offense, Hawkins and Pruitt alleged in arrest reports.
Both remained in the county jail Friday morning, Aug. 2. Hightower’s bond was set at $10,000 on the DWI charge. Bond on the controlled substance charge was set at $2,000, according to jail reports.
Saltillo Man Accused Of Trying To Hide Meth Pipe In Deputy’s Patrol Vehicle
A 29-year-old Saltillo man arrested on a Class C misdemeanor warrant Thursday morning allegedly compounded his troubles by trying to hide drug paraphernalia in a deputy’s patrol vehicle.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Alvin Jordan stopped a Ford Ranger for speeding on State Highway 11 west at County Road 4731. The driver, identified in arrest reports as Joshua Logan Martin, was found to be wanted for theft, an offense alleged to have occurred May 25, 2018, and for which a warrant was issued in September 2018.
Martin was arrested at 7:51 a.m. Aug. 1 and transported to the county jail on the misdemeanor warrant. After having the man step out of the patrol vehicle upon arrival at the jail, Jordan reported finding a glass pipe of the kind used to smoke methamphetamine stuffed between the back seats.
When asked why he did it, Martin’s allegedly replied, “I did not want to get in trouble,” Jordan alleged in arrest reports. Instead, Martin was arrested on both the warrant and a third-degree tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair it charge, according to arrest reports.
Lady Cats Volleyball Team Hit The Court For First Practice Thursday
The Lady Cats Volleyball Team under first year Head Coach Bailey Dorner had their first practice of the season Thursday morning, Aug. 1, in the main high school gym. After a three-hour session in the gym in the morning, the team concentrated on weight lifting and conditioning in the afternoon. The team is expected to have a similar schedule on Friday.
Coach Dorner said she will determine who will be on the varsity after practice Friday. The Lady Cats will have a varsity only practice on Saturday. The regular season opens right away as the Lady Cats will face Sherman and North Lamar in matches at North Lamar in Paris Tuesday. The Lady Cats will not be playing any scrimmages due to the tight schedule.
Coach Dorner said her team had a volleyball camp earlier this week put on by coaches and players from Texas A&M-Commerce. She said that helped get players ready for the first practice.
On Thursday, Coach Dorner said she had a good turnout and she said the players were hustling, working hard, listening and were very coachable. She said the Lady Cats have a lot of potential.
Coach Dorner said she looks for her seniors to step up. The team will also feature quite a few promising younger players. She said she is looking for players that are scrappy, tough and aggressive and who say if you are going to beat me, you will have to earn it.
Last year’s team finished 28-13 but were only 4-6 in district play and did not make the playoffs. Returnees include junior Sadie Washburn, senior Aubreigh Oliver, senior Kate Womack, junior Erika VanBenthem and senior Sydney Washburn.
Wildcats Team Tennis Coach Tony Martinez Says This Year’s Team Is His Best In Sulphur Springs
The Wildcats co-ed Team Tennis Squad began working out for this season Monday evening, July 29. It’s a team that Coach Tony Martinez, in his sixth year at Sulphur Springs, said is his best since he’s been here.
The team features lots of senior boys led by #1 player Jonah Kirkpatrick a team captain. Other shot makers include Aaron Lucas, Logan Schumacher and Jordan Gonzales. Coach Martinez said he has coached these boys since they were seventh graders.
On the girls side, the Wildcats got stellar play from a talented group of freshman players last year. Jeauxleigh Cantu has achieved the champ level on the USTA circuit this summer. There is also Paige Miesse, Savannah Lilley and Emily Dick. Two junior girls, team captain Katie Beth Hurd and Harleigh Stegient, have two years of varsity experience each. Coach Martinez added some incoming freshmen girls also show a lot of promise.
Again this season, the Wildcats will have a very busy schedule leading into district play. After playing a grueling dozen pre-district matches last season, Coach Martinez said he planned to cut back to five or six this season. However, he said coaches just kept calling and now he has ended up with another dozen matches on the pre-district schedule. Coach Martinez said he did manage to schedule most of them at home at the beautiful Wildcats Tennis Center.
The Wildcats open the season with a pair of matches Monday. They will play Sherman at 8:30 a.m., and then face Denison at 1:30 p.m.
Good Seats Are Still Available As Wildcats Football Season Ticket Week Enters Last Day Friday
This is a good year for someone to buy into Wildcats Football Season Tickets. In year’s past, due to very strong demand, fans had to resort to buying less than the best season tickets just to get their foot in the door for upgrades in future years.
This year, as of 11 a.m. Thursday morning, Aug. 1, about 110 season tickets were still available. Some are good chair back seats and are located together.
Lynette King, part of the season ticket sales effort, says the prime D Section in the middle has just some single seats. She says the E Section however has some seats together and the C Section has a good number of seats together. The less expensive railback seats in Section B can accommodate ticket requests from larger groups.
Ms. King said things were slow Thursday.
The final day of season ticket week is on Friday and sales will take place in the SSHS Media Center or Library from 8:15 a.m. until noon. A chair back five-game season ticket package is $50 and the rail back seats are $40.
Dixie Softball World Series Gate Pricing
The Hopkins County Girl’s Softball Association has announced the spectator pricing for entry into the Dixie Softball World Series. Fans are encouraged to come cheer on the three local Hopkins County teams, as well as take in girl’s softball at it’s finest during the five day tournament. Three age groups are represented with 29 teams competing. The entry fee for a single session (some days will have two sessions) or for the entire tournament are as follows:
Ages 13 and UP: $8 per session or $25 for entire tournament
Ages 5-12: $5 per session or $15 for entire tournament
Children 4 years of age or under are FREE.
Keep checking KSSTradio.com for all of the latest information.
Meet the Hopkins County 12U All Star Team
Meet the Hopkins County 12U all star team. They will be playing in the Dixie World Series. Their first game is v.s. Louisiana. Game time Saturday 6PM, out at Coleman Park.
Come out and support these local ball players!
Dixie Softball Teams Arriving in Texas
Dixie Softball teams began their travels this week. Their ultimate destination is Coleman Park here in Sulphur Springs, TX.
Three divisions of the Dixie World Series start games early Saturday morning. The final games occur on Wednesday August 7th. Estimates for the number of visitors to Hopkins County near 800.
All 6 ball fields at Coleman park will be used. The City of Sulphur Springs has made sure every field can be adapted for both baseball or softball games.
There will be an admission charge to watch the games. But do not let that deter you from coming out and supporting these female ball players. Texas will have teams in each of the 3 divisions playing here in Hopkins County.
