Coach Talk: Wiggins, Bailey on Soccer Season Thus Far
Wildcats Soccer
Wildcats Soccer Coach Nicky Wiggins said his team can’t have a let down against Texas High on the road Tuesday night (March 6). Coach Wiggins was on KSST Radio and Cable Channel 18’s Saturday Morning Coaches Show last Saturday (March 3). Coach Wiggins was joined by players, seniors Jonathan Lopez and Jonathan Alvarez, junior Enrique Arellano and freshman Omar Hernandez. After the Wildcats slow start in the first half of district play and with a 2-4 district record, Coach Wiggins said he is encouraging his team to just concentrate on their next game. The first time the two teams played, Texas High scored first on a corner kick but the Wildcats struck back often in a 10-1 win at home. The Wildcats have won both their games in the second half of district play. They are currently tied for third place with Hallsville and Pine Tree with a 4-4 district record. Mount Pleasant is way out in front and Greenville is in second place. In their last game, the Wildcats defeated Marshall Friday (March 2) at home, 2-0. The Wildcats got second half goals from newcomer Axel Solorzano and from Eduardo Ramirez, who was assisted by Omar Hernandez. Jonathan Lopez, in goal, made a dramatic save when the score was still 0-0 in the first half.
Lady Cats Soccer
Jesus DeLeon is coming to town. The former Lady Cats soccer coach is now the head coach of the Texas High Lady Tigers. The Lady Cats host the Lady Tigers Tuesday night (March 6). Current Lady Cats Head Coach Joel Bailey, a long time DeLeon assistant with the Lady Cats, is reminding his team they are playing Texas High and not Coach DeLeon. The game is a very big one in the standings. The Lady Cats are currently third in district with 15 points and just one point behind Mount Pleasant. Hallsville is way out in front with 23 points. Texas High is tied with Pine Tree with 12 points apiece so the Lady Tigers are right behind the Lady Cats. Coach Bailey is hoping to welcome back senior Makenna Kagar, who was injured in a tournament and has missed all of district play. Coach Bailey said the Texas High game will be an emotional one. The Lady Cats come into the contest after a big 8-0 win at Marshall Fridaynight (March 2). Janine Yamaguchi had a three-goal hat trick. Gracie Boyer scored two goals. Bailey Arrington, Taylor Robinson and Erika Lara also scored for the Lady Cats. Lara and Mileena Zirretta provided an assist apiece.
Game Day: Soccer, Softball
There is important soccer and softball on this Tuesday (March 6) game day. Both the Wildcats and Lady Cats’ soccer teams are playing district matches against Texas High.
The Lady Cats are at home at Gerald Prim Stadium as former Lady Cats Coach Jesus DeLeon brings his Texas High Lady Tigers to town. There will be a JV contest at 5:30 p.m. followed by the varsity match at 7 p.m. The Lady Cats are in third place with 15 points and a 5-3 district record. The Lady Cats season record is 13-5-3. Texas High is tied for fourth place. We will bring you Lady Cats soccer game live on KSST Radio at 7 p.m. We will also videotape the game for replay later on Cable Channel 18.
The Wildcats’ soccer team will be heading to Texarkana for a district soccer match. They too will have a JV match at 5:30 p.m. followed by a varsity game at 7 p.m. The Wildcats are in a big logjam for third place with 12 points and a 4-4 district record. Texas High is still looking for their first district win.
Finally the Lady Cats’ softball team opens district play against Greenville on this Tuesday game day at refurbished Lady Cat Park. There will be a JV game at 4:30 p.m. and then the varsity game at 6 p.m. The Lady Cats have a fine 12-4 record in pre-district regular season games.
SSHS BPA Competed at State Leadership Conference
Heath Robinson is a Business Technology Teacher at Sulphur Springs High School and he teaches classes in Audio Visual Production and Computer Animation. Robinson accompanied several SSHS Business Professionals of America students to Corpus Christi last week (February 28-March 3) where they attended the State BPA Leadership Conference. Robinson said the students learned a lot and had fun.
Among those competing were the Computer Animation Team of Christian Yanez, Nicholas Humphrey and Dakota Soles.
Soles also competed in PC Servicing and Trouble Shooting.
Giselle Gonzales competed in Payroll Accounting.
Natalie Cruz competed in Human Resources Management.
Chase Crouch ran for State BPA Office. None finished high enough to go to National BPA competition. Natalie Cruz finished fifth, which made her a second runner up.
Robinson said next for BPA would be a service project to give back to the community.
SSHS UIL Academic Math and Science Team Members Prepare for District
Sulphur Springs High School UIL Academic Math and Science team members competed at a North Lamar Math and Science Meet Saturday (March 3) in Paris. Wildcats UIL Academic Coordinator Gerald Grafton said the competition was arranged by grade levels. He said good competition was provided by schools such as Queen City, Garland and Mount Pleasant.
For the Wildcats, in Number Sense, Gillian Thomas was 4th among 12th graders, Brayden Fisher was 5th among 11th graders and Andrew Westlund was 5th among 10th graders. In Calculator, Carissa Carter was 2rd among 11th graders and Isaac Gutierrez was 4th among 10th graders. In Math, Payton Baugh was 4th among 11thgraders, Andrew Westlund was 6th among 10 graders and Nathan Little was 3rd among 9th graders.
In Science, Peyton Baugh was 4th among 11th graders and Matthew Harper was 2nd among 9th graders.
Grafton said the competition was good preparation for the district meet coming up March 23-24.
The Lord’s Work Food Pantry Now Open for Como-Pickton Residents
Pantry Director Nancy Attaway serves a client on opening day
Qualifying Como-Pickton residents can now be served by a brand new food pantry, sponsored by Color Blind Anointed Ministries. On the food mission’s first day, Tuesday March 6, the pantry was serving more than a half dozen clients within the first half hour of opening their doors. Canned and packaged foods, frozen chicken, fresh eggs and milk, snack items and hygiene products were stocked on the shelves supplied by donations from individuals, services, businesses and corporations. Donors included Sulphur Springs Fire Fighters Association, Grocery Supply Inc, Clayton Homes, Walmart and Freedom Church of Emory. Participating merchants allowed the directors to shop for items at a discount. Members of Color Blind Anointed Ministries donated $700 in hygiene items and another organization pitched in $250 worth of bath tissue to stock the shelves for opening day. Future donations will be needed for the weekly operation of the pantry, and donors are welcome.
Both Pantry Director Nancy Attaway and her assistant Cathy McLeroy are church members who at one time received assistance from helping organizations before they found their way to Color Blind Anointed Ministries through Pastor C.J. Duffey. For more than a year, it has been on these women’s hearts to offer the same help to others in the area. The church converted it’s fellowship hall to accommodate shelving, freezers and refrigerators to hold the food and supplies, as well as office space. Additionally, a Resource Center was located inside. Resource Center Director Charity Janwey will assist clients to search for and apply for jobs and help provide suitable clothing and personal improvement like hairstyling and grooming. Resume’s and interview and job tips will also be offered free of charge.
To qualify for the Lord’s Work pantry services, an application must be completed which cites residence, family size and income. Lord’s Work Food Pantry will be open weekly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9am til 2pm, and Fridays by appointment. If you would like to donate to the pantry, please phone 903-335-4764 or visit at 210 Black Oak Road (Hwy 69 South) at Como, Texas next to Color Blind Anointed Ministries or contact Pastor C.J. Duffey.
Director Nancy Attaway and Assistant Director Cathy McLeroy processing client applications for Lord’s Work Food Pantry
PJC-Sulphur Springs Plans Fall Dual Credit Classes for SSISD
PLANNING FOR FALL: This group of counselors, recruiters and other officials met at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus Tuesday to work out a schedule for dual credit classes to be offered in the Sulphur Springs ISD this fall. The committee includes, from left, PJC Registrar Amie Cato, Sulphur Springs High School Lead Counselor Leslie Harred, PJC Coordinator of Dual Credit Rob Stanley, PJC Admissions Recruiter Randy Hider and PJC Vice President for Student Success Shelia Reece.
Sulphur Springs School Board March Meeting Filled With Activity
It was a night of honoring staff and preparing for the future for the Sulphur Springs School Board. They also canceled the May 5th election. Only incumbents Kerry Wright and Jason Dietze had filed for election.
Sulphur Springs School Board’s March meeting began with a tribute to the late Charles McCauley, Fine Arts Director and High School Band Director, who died this week. Board President Leesa Toliver spoke of his impact on staff and students. Board Member Jason Dietze, who had been present with the band members during their class time, said students had shared their memories of McCauley. Board Vice-President Robin Young said McCauley would have a lasting impact on students and all who knew him. Superintendent Michael Lamb said McCauley was not only a leader but taught leadership to his students instilling in them a sense of pride in what they do.
During Public Forum, Hopkins County Marine Corp League members Robert Goodman, Tommy Allison, and Gary Hall presented Harold Smithson and his students a plaque and picture thanking Smithson for the 250-plus crosses that remember those who from Hopkins County who died in military service. The crosses are placed near the Hopkins County Veterans’ Memorial each Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day. The Marine Corp League paid for the materials but the students made the crosses. The league members said the tribute to veterans adds to the memorial during the special days commemorating those who have served this country in the military.
Laci Ragan presented a video highlighting the Early Childhood Learning Center program. A video of students at the ECLC and other grade levels reading during the silent reading, reading to buddy, and reading centers with table and teacher were highlighted. She also noted the teacher collaboration on student performance as they work together to build reading strengths at various grade levels. In a program called Bubblegum, ECLC students are learning to read, spell, and write. Their reward for accomplishment is a mini-bubblegum dispenser. Each board member and members of the media present received mini-bubblegum dispensers. Early Childhood Learning Center has 151 readers, which is 49% of the student body.
Kristin Monk and Josh Williams updated the board regarding elementary and secondary campus programs.
Monk said that Douglas Intermediate has Tower Garden #1 up and going. The tower garden has seedlings purchased from Northeast Texas Farmers Coop and a second towner garden will be filled with seedlings that students will plant at school. Sulphur Springs Elementary 4th grade students visited the Dallas Museum of Art and the SSES Paws 4-H Farm has twin goats born last week. Sixteen SSES students in 3rd and 4th grad participated in the Junior Market Livestock Show exhibiting chickens, steers, pigs, goats, and lambs. The SSES PTO is bringing the Harlem Wizards to Sulphur Springs Monday, March 19. The Wizards will play SSISD administrators and teachers. Bowie Primary is building raised garden beds. Lamar and Travis Primary enjoyed Family Night activities and are improving math check points.
Williams noted the academic, FFA, and athletic successes at the high school and that three of the five DI Teams at the middle school will compete at State Competition in April. Two robotic teams will also compete in April at the state level.
The board approved the Head Start Director to apply for continuation and refunding of the Head Start Program, a letter of engagement with Rutherford, Taylor & Co for audit of the fiscal year, application for TEA Low Attendance Day Waivers for the district and for Lamar and Travis Primary schools that were affected by illness, and the 2018-2019 school calendar. Grade periods will move to nine (9) weeks instead of six (6) weeks in the 2018-2019 school year that will begin August 21, 2018 and end May 23, 2019. Graduation will be May 24, 2019. Spring Break will be later with a March 18-22, 2019 date.
PERSONNEL
Contracts
One-year employment contract extensions to recommended professional certified instructional administrative personnel and administrative support services personnel presently employed under two-year contracts.
Resignations – * denotes early notification of retirement at end of school year
Chelsea Holcomb Kindergarten Teacher ECLC
*Danette Sears SpEd (PPCD) Teacher ECLC
*Rhonda Brock Grade 2 Teacher Travis
*Robin Steed Math Intervention Douglas
Jennifer Roberts English Teacher Middle School
Rachel Robinson English Teacher Middle School
*Sonya Smith Bus Driver Dist-wide
New Personnel
Bruce Lockhart Technology Specialist Admin Bldg
Britni Johnson Kindergarten Teacher ECLC
Johanna Vasquez Campus Secretary SS Elementary
A Visit with Claude Walter, KSST “Sunriser” and Former Hunting and Fishing Show Host
“One thing that growing up on a family dairy farm prepares you for is getting up early in the mornings to go to work”, shared Claude Walter, early-morning show host on KSST during the 1990’s. His first work was sharing the milking duties of their 20-head herd of Jerseys near Syracuse, NY. In Sulphur Springs, he took the handle “The Sunriser” because he signed on at 4:30am and by dispensing news, weather, local happenings, school menus, birthdays and more, he helped scores of listeners get their day started off right. “That was before the Internet became a universal presence in people’s lives, and it was important work!” Claude actually took the KSST position as a part-time job after transferring to Texas with a large food service company. He met and worked with Peavine Pinion who headed up the KSST Sales department and hosted a daily Hunting and Fishing Show radio program. Over the next few years, Claude and Peavine teamed up for remote broadcasts at Lake Fork bass tournaments, brought the Honey Hole syndicated TV program to local viewers and secured radio and TV sponsorships for marinas and outdoor recreation suppliers all over NE Texas. When Peavine retired, Claude stepped into his shoes full time, sharing the sales office with Dwight Bruhn and in his spare time, submitting articles for outdoor magazines. In 2001, Claude went into business for himself full time in Sulphur Springs with an alternator and starter shop and later a sign business, but never abandoned his interest in bird migration, bass fishing and outdoor life. “Geese are very interesting to watch seasonally, but you can set your clock by their daily habits too. Unlike us, they don’t require a time piece to tell them when to eat, sleep or go to work in the morning”. Now, after 30 years in Hopkins County, Claude and his wife Julie will return to their home state of New York. He plans to continue his outdoor interests on family property situated along flyways which border the Cayuga Lake Basin and Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Area where goose populations are greatest. He also hopes to return to writing so don’t be surprised if you run across articles penned by “The Sunriser”, Claude Walter.
Claude Walter 2018 former KSST Sunriser
Police Seek Assistance in Finding Driver Involved in Hit and Run Monday Night
Sulphur Springs Police are asking for assistance in finding the driver involved in a hit and run accident Monday night, according to Detective David Gilmore.
The hit and run occurred shortly before 8 p.m. on Main Street in front of Dairy Queen. The victim was struck by what is described as a white mustang. The vehicle may have possible damage on the driver’s side. The victim was flown to metroplex hospital in serious but stable condition.
Anyone with information regarding the vehicle or driver of the vehicle call 903-855-7602;903-885-2020.
