Wildcats Prepare for Hallville Following Loss to Greenville
Wildcats Baseball Coach Jerrod Hammack said he didn’t see this coming. He was disappointed and surprised that his Wildcats lost 3-0 to Greenville Tuesday night and could manage only one hit in the game. Adding to his disappointment was the fact that district leader Hallsville also lost at home to red hot Texas High, 8-1 Tuesday night.
Coach Hammack said if the Wildcats had taken care of business at home, they would have been tied for first with a chance to pass Hallsville with a win when the two teams play Friday night at Wildcat Park. As it now stands, Hallsville is 9-2 in district play while the Wildcats and Texas High are tied for second place with 8-3 records. Coach Hammack said he is also disappointed in the Wildcats hitting right now. He said if you had told him that pitchers Pacen Edwards and Jaxon Chaney would only give up three runs to Greenville, he would have been ecstatic. He never dreamed the Wildcats would get only one hit and would not hit many balls hard.
Coach Hammack said all he knows to do is get back in the saddle and get ready for Hallsville Friday night. He said if the Wildcats don’t start hitting any better, it will be a very brief playoff run for them.
Wildcat Susic Signs With East Texas Baptist University
After a while, Wildcats senior defensive lineman Vuk Susic began to feel he would not be hearing from any colleges interested in him as a college player. Then one day he heard from Northern Illinois and also from East Texas Baptist University in Marshall.
Susic decided to visit ETBU in Marshall and he said he liked the Marshall campus. Wednesday Susic announced that he would be going to ETBU to play college football. Susic said ETBU plays a 4-3 defense and they want him to play inside on the defensive line. They would like Susic to put on 15 or 20 pounds during his freshman year. He is currently at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds.
Susic said he likes the fact that East Texas Baptist University is fairly close to home. He plans to major in business. Susic played some on the offensive line for the Wildcats but he said he prefers defense.
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens called Susic an outstanding young man who he really enjoyed coaching. Coach Owens added Susic was a hard worker who was coachable and who had a great attitude. Coach Owens said Susic learned the Sulphur Springs system in a short period of time and continued to get better every week.
Lady Cat Tran, Wildcat Lewis at Regional Tournament
Miriam Tran
Tran at Regional Golf Tournaments
Lady Cats’ freshman golfer Miriam Tran began play in the Regional Golf Tournament at Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club on Wednesday (April 25). The tournament will continue with a second round on Thursday. Playing on the same course at the District Tournament on April 5-6, Tran shot a 93 the first day and 87 the second day to qualify for the Regional Tournament. The Lady Cats were third at the District Tournament with only the top two teams going on to regional.
Lewis Competes at Regional Golf Tournament
Wildcats Golf Coach Chris Owens said junior golfer Carter Lewis shot a much improved round on the second day of the Regional Golf Tournament Tuesday (April 24) at Rockwall Golf and Athletic Club. After shooting 83 on Monday, Lewis shot 77 Tuesday for a two day total of 160. Coach Owens said he was proud of Lewis’ effort. He added hopefully Lewis and the entire Wildcats’ golf team will return to the Regional Golf Tournament next year. At the District Meet, the Wildcats finished in third place with only the top two teams advancing. Lewis qualified as an individual. Coach Owens said he will lose only one senior off of this year’s mostly young team. He said he’ll have four of his five varsity golfers returning next year along with some JV players who will be vying for a varsity spot.
First Two Days Prove Slow Start to Early Voting in City Council Election
With 169 votes cast, 94 votes cast Tuesday and 75 votes cast Monday, by city residents registered to vote, the first two days provide a slow start to early voting in the Sulphur Springs City Council election. Places 1, 2, and 3 are on the ballot and each Place has two candidates.
In Place 1, Erica Armstrong is challenging incumbent Craig Johnson. Place 2 incumbent Clay Walker chose not to seek re-election. Vying for Place two are Sara Gibson and Jimmy Lucas. This is Gibson’s first run as a candidate. She has prior experience on a city board and is the daughter of a past councilman and mayor, Bill Watts. Lucas has unsuccessfully sought election to city council before. Place 3 sees incumbent Oscar Aguilar challenged by Norman Sanders.
Early voting continues through May 1st in the second floor Conference Room at City Hall 201 North Davis Street. A handicap ramp and elevator are available to access the voting area. Thursday April 26th the voting place will be open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. On Wednesday the 25th, Friday the 27, Monday the 30th and Tuesday, May1, early voting times are 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Election Day, Saturday May 5th, voting will be between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Although the names of two candidates, who have withdrawn from the race, remain on the ballot, any vote cast for either candidate will not be counted according to a state law passed in the last legislative session.
Nationwide “Dentistry From the Heart” Ministry Coming to Sulphur Springs
Dr. Matthew Johnson and the staff of Summit Dental in Sulphur Springs, Texas is leading a group of nine local dentists and their office staff in a free dental ministry on Friday April 27, 2018. Working in teams, they will be providing as much dental care to persons who sign up for it, as they can in one day’s time. Their work will be mainly in extractions and fillings. Persons in line for the annual free dental program will be shuttled to Summit Dental offices by van from Davis Street Baptist Church. Dozens of people are expected to be served during the 6th annual “Dentistry From the Heart” one-day charity event in Sulphur Springs.
In order to qualify for the free dental services, you must sign up. Sign-ups open at 4pm Thursday April 26 in the Family Life Center/Gym of Davis Street Baptist Church. (Be aware that a line for sign-ups may begin to form earlier in the day on Thursday). Once you complete the sign-up, you will be given an approximate time when you will be seen by a dentist on Friday. You will need to be back at the Davis Street Baptist Church gym early on Friday morning to await your time slot. While you wait, you will have access to restrooms, comfortable seating and snacks. The church family will also take this time to minister to anyone who would like to talk with them.
Dr. Johnson expressed his appreciation for Sulphur Springs, Texas, which he calls “the perfect town in which to live, work and raise a family”. He said he has been blessed since moving here a few years ago. He feels he speaks for his fellow dentists in noting a measure of satisfaction gained from donating his professional skills and services on behalf of the community during the annual Dentistry From the Heart event.
Keller Sentenced to 10 Years for Cattle Theft
Lane Wesley Keller, 21, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for cattle theft and two (2) years state jail for Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle Tuesday afternoon in Eighth Judicial District Court, according to District Attorney Will Ramsey. In October of last year, Keller, at his attorney’s office, had confessed to investigators his involvement in the theft of cattle in Hopkins County. Keller had taken investigators to the location where the cattle had been loaded into a trailer for transport to Oklahoma to be sold. The UUMV was an ATV used in the theft.
In October, Keller and another man had secretly fed cattle for a period of time and were able to load 12 head into trailers using the feed. They then sold the cattle in Oklahoma according to Southwest Cattlemen’s Association Special Ranger Tony Hurley. Hurley and Hopkins County Criminal Investigator Dennis Findley used video as a major source of information in solving the theft. Surveillance cameras with quality definition were well placed in the remote area of the northern part of the county. Cattle sale records in Oklahoma also aided in the case.
Wildcats Lose First Game at New Park as Greenville Fights for Play-off Spot
The Wildcats’ baseball team lost its first game at new Wildcat Park Tuesday night (April 24). The Greenville Lions gave up no runs, just one hit and had ten hits of their own in a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats.
The Lions scored single runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings. Pacen Edwards deserved a better fate for the Wildcats. Edwards pitched five innings and allowed 2 runs and seven hits. Jaxon Chaney worked the last two innings allowing a run and three hits. Edwards had the Wildcats only hit, a double, in the third inning. The Wildcats also committed two errors.
The Wildcats dropped to 8-3 in district play. They are now 15-10 for the season. Also Tuesday, third place Texas High surprised Hallsville, 8-1 in Hallsville. Hallsville remains in first place with a 9-2 record. The Wildcats and Texas High are tied for second place at 8-3. Marshall is fourth at 6-6. Greenville can move into a fourth place tie with the Mavericks with a win Friday against Mount Pleasant.
The Wildcats complete district play at Wildcat Park against Hallsville Friday night on Senior Night. The Wildcats will honor eight seniors.
North Hopkins Panthers Shut Out Campbell 15-0
The North Hopkins’ baseball team got another lopsided district win Tuesday as the Panthers shut out Campbell, 15-0 at Campbell.
In the game shortened to four innings due to the ten run rule, the Panthers got of to a good start with six first inning runs. They added seven runs in the third inning and two more in the fourth.
Wyatt Wharton was dominating on the mound allowed no runs and only one hit while striking out ten.
The Panthers had twelve hits. Wharton was 2 for 2 with a run and three RBIs. Branson Thomas was 2 for 3 with two runs, three RBIs and a double. Caleb Wyatt was 2 for 4 with a run, two RBIs and two doubles. Chase Williams was 1 for 3 with a run, two RBIs and a walk. Blane Hocutt was 1 for 2 with two RBIs. Victor Rojo was 2 for 3 with two runs, a walk and two doubles. Brycen Gillespie was 1 for 2 with a run, an RBI, a walk and a double. The Panthers also swiped five bases.
