North Hopkins Baseball Wins Handily over Cumby, 11-0 Tuesday
The North Hopkins Panthers’ baseball team was too much for Cumby defeating the Trojans, 11-0 in six innings at Cumby Tuesday (April 16). The Panthers scored in all six innings.
Caleb Wyatt got the win for North Hopkins. Hit leaders for the Panthers were Geoffrey Stewart, Victor Rojo and Branson Thomas. North Hopkins RBI leaders were Rojo, Colby Cameron and Stewart.
Forum For City Council Candidates Planned April 23
How well do you know the six candidates on the May 4 Sulphur Springs City Council ballot? Have something you’d like to ask?
An open City Council Forum is being hosted from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, at The ROC, by the Hopkins County Republican Club for that purpose.
“We want to inform folks so they can make informed decisions, whoever they vote for,” said Melonie Findley, president of local Republican Club.
While community members are encouraged to ask questions, Findley said those questions should be submitted in advance either by texting them to 903-348-0648, emailing them to [email protected] or bringing them April 23 written down to submit for consideration during the forum.
Each question selected will be asked, and each candidate will have the option to respond to it. The first person asked the question will then have the option later in the round to rebut or clarify their answer. The next round of questions will be posed first to the next person in order, with that individual given the option of rebuttal or clarification, and so on through the candidate order. Questions posed will be those presented in advance. No questions will be asked directly by people in the audience, to make the event fair for all candidates, Findley explained.
The opening dialogue for the forum will be candidates briefly introducing themselves, stating what they want people to know about them
“This is a neutral forum. Do do not want anyone to be attacked. This is a place where they can put their best foot forward,” she said.
All city council candidates have been invited and have confirmed intent to participate except one candidate. She plans to attend if she can make it back from an out-of-town family commitment prior to the forum, Findley reported.
Candidates are for Place 1 incumbent Freddie Taylor and challenger Reiko Alexander, for Place 5 incumbent Emily Glass and challenger Jeff Sanderson, and incumbent (appointed) Place 6 Doug Moore and challenger Landon Thornton.
Spring Football Begins Wednesday For Wildcats
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens has become a believer in spring football. For the fourth straight year, the Wildcats will have spring football. It means one less week of practice in August and just one scrimmage in August instead of two.
This year, spring football begins with two acclamation days. Those will be Wednesday and Thursday, April 17-18, and will take place during the athletic periods during the school day. Players will be in helmets, t-shirts and shorts.
Work in pads will start Monday and will take place after school from around 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Workouts will take place Mondays through Thursdays through May 15.
The Spring Game is now scheduled for Friday, May 17, at either 6 p.m. or 7 p.m.
All dates are subject to change depending on other things that might arise.
Coach Owens said spring football is good for the Wildcats and the coaching staff. He said it is particularly useful in developing the offensive line and the defensive line, linebackers and safeties.
Coach Owens is losing 32 seniors to graduation. He is expected to depend on a lot of youth to fill the void. Rather than having to wait until August to see what he’s got, a lot of decisions concerning players are expected to be made during spring drills.
Coach Owens said he has seen some players gain confidence during the spring. Rather than preparing for an opponent like in the fall, spring football is all about the Wildcats.
Everything is videotaped and coaches use the tape to instruct the players and help them improve.
After having veteran quarterbacks for several years, the signal calling job may be more wide open this year. Hopefuls include sophomore Kaden Wallace, Noe Ponce and Aidan Walker are senior to be QBs. Coach Owens said there are also a couple of sophomores-to-be who will get a look.
The Wildcats will be squeezing in 18 workouts in 34 days according to UIL rules.
Training Truckers at PJC
Baseball and Softball on This Tuesday Game Day
The Wildcats’ baseball team and the Lady Cats’ softball team will both be playing Mount Pleasant at home in important ball games on this game day Tuesday, April 16.
With a senior night win, the Lady Cats could wrap up the district championship. The Lady Cats are 7-1 in district play and in first place. Mount Pleasant is 6-2 in second place. Mount Pleasant won the first match between the two, 3-1 at Mount Pleasant back on March 29. The Lady Cats got only three hits in that one but they have hit very well since then.
At Lady Cat Park, the JV game will start at 4 p.m. Senior night activities for ten Lady Cat seniors are scheduled to start at 5:50 p.m. The varsity game is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m.
KSST Radio will bring you the Lady Cats and Lady Tigers senior night battle live beginning at around 6:30 p.m. The game will also have live streaming video. The game will also be videotaped for replay later on Channel 18 on Suddenlink Cable.
The Wildcats’ baseball team also has an important game at home against Mount Pleasant on this Tuesday game day.
A JV game will start at 4 p.m. The varsity game begins at 7 p.m.
The Wildcats are 3-8 in district play and they are tied for fifth place with Greenville. Royse City is 4-7 and is in the fourth and final playoff spot. Mount Pleasant is 6-5 and in third place. The Wildcats only have four district games left to get back into the playoff picture.
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo Predicted Lady Cats Comeback Friday
Lady Cats Softball Coach David Carrillo believes in the power of positive thinking. He may have picked up some converts Friday night, April 12, in the Lady Cats dramatic come from behind win over Lindale, 7-6 at Lady Cat Park: the members of his Lady Cats’ softball team.
When the team came into the dugout in the bottom of the seventh, Lindale had just scored three runs to take a 6-4 lead. First, Coach Carrillo told the Lady Cats to not be down. He said they had their two, three and four hitters coming to bat in the inning. Then, Coach Carrillo went further. He told them he was taking his phone out of his back pocket and was putting it in his bag because he said the phone tends to bother him when he’s jumping around and celebrating. Coach Carrillo said if you don’t believe you can come back, you are already defeated.
The first two Lady Cats’ batters, Ali Fite and Brinklee Driver, both drew walks. Then clean up hitter Kate Womack hit a 2-2 pitch over the left field wall and the Lady Cats won, 7-6 on the walk over home run.
Coach Carrillo said the game felt like a playoff game. He called the win one of the most exciting in his long coaching career — definitely in his top ten, perhaps right up there with a dramatic win over Marshall years ago that caused Coach Carrillo to do a forward flip walking toward home plate before back slapping Mac Morgan at home plate after she scored the winning run.
Now, comes the rematch with Mount Pleasant. The Lady Cats are 7-1 in district play. There lone loss was to Mount Pleasant. The Lady Tigers come in 6-2. If Mount Pleasant wins, they would be tied with the Lady Cats and own the tiebreaker, 2 wins to zero. The Lady Cats have been tearing the cover off softballs since they got only three hits in a 3-1 loss at Mount Pleasant back on March 29.
Friday night will be an emotional game on a lot of levels. It’s senior night for the largest senior class Coach Carrillo has ever had by far, 10 seniors. Coach Carrillo said the game would be a barn burner, and who wants to miss that.
Wildcats Baseball Coach Gets What He's Been Waiting For
Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack has been waiting for it and he got it last Friday, April 12, in a 4-0 victory over Greenville at Wildcat Park. That would be good pitching, solid defense and enough offense to get the job done.
Coach Hammack said Jaxon Chaney threw the ball extremely well. He only needed 75 pitches to complete 7 innings. An incredibly low number. Chaney only gave up three hits, all singles and issued no walks.
Coach Hammack said the Wildcats defense also played extremely well. There was enough offense. Seven hits and four runs.
Kolson Hale delivered two hits including a double and also a sacrifice fly driving in three runs.
Austin Dodd continued to swing a hot bat since he was moved from lead off to the fifth spot in the order. Dodd is 7 for 8 since the move. He had two more hits Friday including a triple.
The Wildcats seemed to steal a run after Dodd’s triple. Jase Thompson wandered away from first base drawing a throw that was thrown away. Thompson ended up at second. Dodd scored from third. Coach Hammack said he didn’t call the play. He said Thompson is an experienced base runner and must have seen something that led him to believe that the play would work.
Coach Hammack said his pitcher Chaney also made a defensive play worthy of ESPN’s Plays of the Day. He fielded a hard ground ball back behind his back by just quickly moving his glove back there with the ball landing in the glove.
The win moves the Wildcats into a fifth place tie with Greenville. If the Wildcats and Lions now tie in the standings, the Wildcats have the tiebreaker due to the Friday night win.
The Wildcats remain one game back of Royse City. The Bulldogs also won Friday night. The Wildcats have to make up two games though since Royse City owns the tiebreaker over the Wildcats.
The Wildcats play Mount Pleasant twice this week. Tuesday the game is at Wildcat Park. Thursday the teams play at Mount Pleasant. The Wildcats won at Mount Pleasant already once this district season. Coach Hammack said the Wildcats really need two wins this week.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
John Wesley Lawson Jailed For Allegedly Assaulting Wife
April 16, 2019 – A 72-year-old Sulphur Springs man was arrested at 1:28 p.m. Monday for injury to an elderly person.
The man, identified in April 15 arrest reports as John Wesley Lawson, is accused of hitting his elderly wife in the head with his fist while driving down State Highway 19 north, then of stopping the Kia sport utility vehicle and pushing her out of it onto the side of the road.
The woman was alleged to have several marks, knots and redness on the side of her head and face, Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Alvin Jordan alleged in arrest reports. Her lip was also bleeding, sheriff’s reports note.
The suspect was reportedly stopped on SH 19 north at County Road 4588, arrest reports. Deputy Aaron Chaney and Sgt. Richard Greer were also credited with responding to the call.
The man, identified in jail reports as John Lawson, remained in the county jail late Tuesday morning. His bond was set at $10,000 on the charge.
The Yantis Catfish Classic Tournament and Community Event is for All Ages to Enjoy
Jerry E. Miller, businessmen and former long-time Mayor of Yantis, Texas, is now enjoying more time to fish these days. He is also getting excited about the annual Yantis Catfish Classic on Lake Fork set for the weekend of April 27 and 28. This catfish tournament is organized for everyone, from kids on up. It also has a $25,000 guaranteed cash payout, which goes to the top seven overall anglers in the two-day fishing contest, headquartered at the Minnow Bucket. Proceeds are earmarked for the Yantis Volunteer Fire Department, a non-profit volunteer organization which has been the recipient of donations since the first tournament was organized over 15 years ago.
According to Miller, Tournament Organizer, “the Yantis Volunteer Fire Department is deserving. It does a lot of good for everyone who lives in the Yantis area. If you’ve ever had a fire, you know that. These people will save your life as well as your property in case of a fire, and they are each trained in rescue, willing and ready to help out in all kinds of situations. They take safety and rescue very seriously, and are a very committed bunch of first responders who individually do a great job. They deserve the best equipment to work with, and that’s what we try to help them each year. In case you didn’t realize it, equipment purchased for use by firemen must be replaced on a regular basis whether from use or non-use, so it’s not like it’s just a one-time purchase for most of their necessities. They are required to keep everything usable and ready at a moments notice. This is why we pledge to help our fire department and the volunteers who are members of it. And even if you don’t fish, you can come out to the Pavilion for the Saturday evening BBQ and entertainment we plan on April 27, and make your donation to the Yantis Fire Department. That’s a way you can help too”, stated Miller during a Good Morning Show interview on KSST.
Early entry for the Lake Fork catfish tournament is open through April 24. Cost is $125 for two days of fishing and a chance at the prize money. Besides the seven top payback positions, there are other categories, including hourly payouts, Top Female age 18 and up, Top Senior age 55 and up, Top Young Angler age 17 and under, and an Early Entry drawing.
Entry forms and complete rules are available at The Yantis Cafe, at Crossroads, at The Bait Shop in Sulphur Springs, and at Jay Hodge Chevrolet. And for information on the Yantis Catfish Classic, contact Jerry E. Miller at 903-850-9500.
