Veteran Frisco Wakeland Head Football Coach Expects Good Battle With the Wildcats on Friday
When Frisco Wakeland opened in August of 2006, Marty Secord was their first football coach. He’s still there in his 15th year. The native of Longview Spring Hill has been coaching for 38 years including college stops at McMurry in Abilene and at Louisiana College, where he coached former Wildcat football player Triston Abron. As he said last year, this year’s Frisco Wakeland team that the Wildcats will face Friday night at 7:30 p.m. At Toyota Stadium is also a work in progress. Coach Secord said he had a lot of young kids playing in a scrimmage last Friday against Marshall at Gerald Prim Stadium. He said they fared pretty well. Coach Secord said playing a quality team like Marshall will help the Wolverines prepare for a very tough district schedule that includes bullies like #1 ranked Denton Ryan and powerhouses Frisco Lone Star, Frisco Independence, Frisco Reedy and The Colony. Coach Secord said he feels good about this year’s Wakeland team. He told Texas Football that the defensive line is one of the strengths of the team. Coach Secord said defensive leaders include defensive end Preston Snead and inside linebacker Alex Shirley, who missed the Marshall scrimmage due to injury. The Wolverines only return two starters on defense but their JV team was undefeated last season. The Wakeland offense returns six starters. Coach Secord said senior quarterback Peyton Lewis is the leader of the offense. He said Lewis makes the Wolverines go and is smart and leads by example. .He said returning running back junior Jared White is expected to be one of the best backs in the district this season. Coach Secord said senior wide out Dugan Sexton is a good, solid possession receiver. He said his younger players have to come through. He said it was a blessing to get a scrimmage game in and he said he’s ready to play a real game on Friday. Coach Secord scouted the Wildcats at their scrimmage last Thursday against Mount Pleasant at The Prim. He noticed that the Wildcats defense played very hard. Coach Secord said the Wildcats were going to be better this season and he added he expects a real fight Friday night. He said coaching with the COVID-19 pandemic feels different than anything he has encountered in his long coaching career.
2020 Youth Winner Earns Hopkins/Rains County SWCD Scholarship, Hay Show Set for October 20
The Hopkins/Rains County Soil and Water Conservation District, sponsor of the annual Hopkins County Hay Show, extends scholarship opportunities to area youth in agricultural studies. Kyler Moore was the 2020 recipient of a $1500 scholarship.
The 2020 Hay Show will be held on Tuesday October 20 inside the Hopkins County Civic Center, with a bbq lunch at 11:30am and the hay show to follow. Hay entries are due by October 5th at the Northeast Texas Farmers Co-op. Contestants will receive a free hay analysis when they drop off entries. All proceeds from the hay auction go towards the scholarship fund. Scholarship applications will be sent to Hopkins County school ag departments in spring 2021.
Period For Additional Unemployment Insurance Benefits Will Not Be Extended In Texas
AUSTIN – With Texas’ unemployment rate falling to 6.8 percent, Texas will no longer have access to additional unemployment insurance benefits that would have kicked in after traditional benefits and extended benefits (EB) under the CARES Act are exhausted. Provisions under that act will continue to remain in place until Dec. 26, 2020.
The High Unemployment Period (HUP) is an extension for states with unemployment rates over 8 percent for over three months as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor. Texas triggered on to HUP benefits in June, but since Texas’ unemployment rate fell below that threshold in August, the state lost eligibility. Traditional benefits as well as extended benefits (EB) will remain in place.
What changes? For people receiving unemployment benefits currently, nothing changes.
Who does this effect? Almost no Texans. Because extended benefits (EB) had not been exhausted, Texans were typically not receiving HUP. In special circumstances, some persons’ extended benefits may have been exhausted early, in which case HUP would apply.
What benefits do Texans have? The following benefits timelines still apply for Texans receiving unemployment insurance benefits:
Traditional recipients (Up to 52 weeks)
- Regular unemployment – Up to 26 weeks
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) – Up to 13 weeks additional
- Extended benefits – Up to 13 weeks additional
Workers not eligible for traditional benefits (self employed, gig workers, etc.)
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) – Up to 39 weeks.
For more information on eligibility requirements, available benefits and questions about the unemployment process, visit TWC’s COVID-19 FAQ page.
Rail Repairs Are Planned In Como Area Sept. 25-29
Como-Pickton CISD Superintendent Greg Bower cautions area residents and motorists to be cautious when traveling across the railroad tracks in the Como and Pickton area over the next week. Rail repairs are planned in the Como area Sept. 25-29.
“They will start in the Como area first, and then move to the Pickton area. This work may delay some buses picking up and dropping off in some places. We wanted to make everyone aware,” Dr Bower reported.
The planned rail repairs schedule provided to the school include work on the following locations:
- September 25 — County Road 2318 and County Road 2320
- September 26 — Carroll Street
- September 28 — First Street
- September 29 — County Road 2331
“They will then transition to the Pickton community after this, but they have not given us specific places or dates yet. When we get that information, we will pass that along to you,” Bower stated.
Local Genealogical Society Seminar Had Good Results
There’s Still Time to Register To Vote, October 5 Deadline
Secretary Hughs Marks National Voter Registration Day, Urges All Eligible Texans To Register To Vote By October 5th
AUSTIN – Texas Secretary of State Ruth R. Hughs today invited all eligible Texans to celebrate and participate in National Voter Registration Day by ensuring they are registered to vote ahead of the October 5th voter registration deadline for the November 3rd election. With two weeks until the deadline, the Secretary issued a final call to action to voters, community leaders, and elected officials to encourage their fellow Texans to register and prepare to vote in the upcoming election.
“An active and engaged citizenry plays an essential role in ensuring the continued well-being of our democracy,” said Secretary Hughs. “Ahead of the November election, I encourage all eligible Texans who have not already done so to register to vote by October 5th so that they can help shape the future of the Lone Star State.”
As of this month, there are 16,617,436 registered voters in Texas — a new state record.
Texans should begin by checking their registration status on the Texas Secretary of State’s website on the “Am I Registered?” page.
If you have moved to a new address within the same county or have changed your name, you can update your information online.
Eligible Texans who are not already registered to vote may complete and print a voter registration application here, or request an application from their county elections administrator. Once completed, eligible Texas voters should submit the application to the county voter registrar in their county of residence. Completed voter registration applications must be postmarked by October 5th in order to be accepted.
Voters with questions about how to cast a ballot in the upcoming November 2020 General Election can call 1-800-252-VOTE or visit VoteTexas.gov for more information.
37 Student, 11 Employee COVID-19 Cases Reported By Rural Hopkins County Schools On Sept. 23
As of the last reports posted Wednesday night, Sept. 23, at least 37 student and 11 employee COVID-19 cases had been reported by rural Hopkins County schools since the fall semester began. Yantis ISD has also reported 2 COVID-19 cases since school began. Sulphur Springs ISD officials so far this week have reported 1 additional student and 4 employees have tested positive for coronavirus.
Como-Pickton CISD officials in their last update reported all 18 students and all 5 employees who tested positive for COVID-19 had recovered from the virus.
While C-PCISD’s cases have declined, Cumby, North Hopkins. Saltillo, Sulphur Bluff and Sulphur Springs ISDs have each reported at least one additional case over the last week.
Cumby ISD has posted six notifications, all for the high school campus. One student each was reported on the following dates as having tested positive: Aug. 7, Aug. 20, Sept. 16, Sept. 18 and Sept. 22. Two students were expected to be back at school recovered, one on Aug. 24 and Sept. 2. One district staff members each was reported to have tested positive on Sept. 13, Sept. 16 and Sept. 18.
North Hopkins ISD has twice notified the community that a student tested positive for COVID-19, a student on the high school campus through Sept. 15 and a students who was last on the Hopkins County Special Education CO-OP classroom in North Hopkins ISD on Sept. 17. A NHISD employee on campus Sept. 10 was reported Sept. 15 to have tested positive for COIVD-19
Saltillo had one employee test positive on Aug. 12, and one student each on Aug. 24 and Sept. 22.
Sulphur Bluff ISD has issued notices 6 times since classes that at least one additional case was reported. SBISD received notifications of one student each testing positive on Aug. 24, Aug. 30, and Sept. 22. One employee tested positive for COVID-19 on Sept. 10. Two Sulphur Bluff students each were also reported to have COVID-19 on Aug. 27 and Sept. 2
Sulphur Springs ISD on Sept. 18 sent notices that an infected staff member was on SSISD campuses the week of Sept. 14-18. On Sept. 22, the district reported two staff members who were lab-confirmed to have COVID-19 were present at SSES during the last week and a student and a teacher who tested positive for COVID-19 were present at SSMS during the week of Sept. 14-18.
Yantis ISD on Sept. 9 reported an elementary student had testing positive for COVID-19 and one staff member on Aug. 25. No additional updates have been posted by the district on Sept. 23.
Miller Grove ISD hasn’t posted any new updates since Aug. 31, when three students were reported to have tested positive in August.
| School District | Student Cases (active/recovered, if reported) | Employee Cases (active/recovered, if reported) |
| Como-Pickton | 0/18 | 0/5 |
| Cumby | 3/2 | 3 |
| Miller Grove | 3 | 0 |
| North Hopkins | 2 | 1 |
| Saltillo | 2 | 1 |
| Sulphur Bluff | 1/6 | 0/1 |
| Sulphur Springs | 10 | 8 |
| Yantis | 1 | 1 |
Wildcats Team Tennis Has Tough Day Against Longview In 19-0 Loss Wednesday
Perhaps the worst is now over for Wildcats Team Tennis. Last week, the Wildcats met district favorite Texas High in Texarkana and took a 19-0 loss. On Wednesday, the Wildcats faced the team expected to give the Tigers their sternest test, the Longview Lobos. The result Wednesday was another 19-0 loss.
To make things tougher, the Wildcats had to play without their top girls’ player, Jeauxleigh Cantu, who was unavailable for the Wildcats Wednesday.
One of the top performances by the Wildcats was the girls’ doubles team of Savannah Lilley and Emily Dick who dropped sets, 6-3 and 6-4 to Longview. Lilley and Mykylie Meador also both put up a fight before losing in girls’ singles, each by a 8-4 score. The mixed doubles team of Kaylee Schumacher and Carlos Lopez-Sardinas won some games but lost, 6-2, 6-1. Senior Harleigh Stegient lost in girls’ singles, 8-2.
The Wildcats are now 1-2 in district play and 2-2 for the season.
Perhaps the Wildcats key match of the district campaign will occur next week in Pine Tree. Wildcats Tennis Coach Tony Martinez says the winner of that match between the Wildcats and the Pirates should make the playoffs.
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.
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens Discusses Season Opener
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens is more than ready to play a game after what he says has been a weird beginning to this year’s season. He says he’s excited for the season opener.
Coach Owens says the team had a good scrimmage last week that showed the team where they are and gave coaches a chance to evaluate players.
Despite the weird start, Coach Owens says when the Wildcats take the field Friday night, it will feel just like regular football.
He says if given a choice, he would have liked to play a second scrimmage before the beginning of regular season play. Still with all the skills work this summer, Coach Owens says the Wildcats are further along in the knowledge department.
He says his team features an interesting mix of youngsters without varsity and Friday Night Lights experience and 23 seniors who know the ropes and are advanced in their football experience.
Coach Owens and his staff had a great opportunity to scout opening game opponent Frisco Wakeland last Friday as the Wolverines scrimmaged Marshall at Gerald Prim Stadium. Coach Owens says Wakeland players are smart, they know what to do and are disciplined. He says the Wolverines’ quarterback reminds him of Drew Brees. He adds he looks savvy and calm. Coach Owens likes the way he throws the long ball. He says Wakeland has good receivers and he says their running back is dynamic. Coach Owens says Wakeland has a tight end who is a big part of their offense. He says Wakeland did not dominate either side of the ball against a good Marshall team but, he says, they made plays when they had to. He says Wakeland really flies around on the field.
Coach Owens says last year, the Wakeland game was close at the half but, he adds, the wheels came off for the Wildcats in the second half. Coach Owens says Wakeland will do that to you. He says the way they pressure you can expose weaknesses and that will help the Wildcats get ready for district games.
Coach Owens says the Wildcats will enjoy playing on a beautiful grass field at Toyota Stadium, which also converts into a soccer field for the Dallas pro soccer team. There were reports at halftime of the Wildcats game against Wakeland last year that several players were wide-eyed after noting the speed of the high school varsity game.
Coach Owens says he saw the same thing last Thursday during the Wildcats’ scrimmage. He says he challenged players this week to not worry, but just cut loose and play.
Coach Owens also discussed things he likes about his team this season. He says the defensive line plays hard. He says quarterback Kaden Wallace has confidence. He likes the way back Caden Davis is running with the ball. He says Davis can do it all. He also likes what running backs J.J. Hall and big Douglas Deloney can bring on the field. He likes the way the Wildcats receivers caught the ball during the scrimmage. He likes his seasoned guys on the offensive line and he likes how physical they are.
He says fans probably won’t see so many players getting heavy minutes on both sides of the ball this year. He says most players are primarily offensive or defensive players who are backups providing depth on the other side of the ball.
Coach Owens says high school football will help bring back some normalcy to our lives.
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.
Hopkins County Sept. 22-23 COVID-19 Update: 12 New Cases, 85 Active Cases
Hopkins County/Sulphur Springs Emergency Management officials reported 12 new positive COVID-19 cases, 10 on Tuesday and 2 on Wednesday. That brings the total number of COVID-19 cases so far this month to 90 and the cumulative total since March to 333. The 37 new cases reported so far this week bump the active case count to 85.
There were no new recoveries on either Sept. 22 or 23, but 25 Hopkins County residents were reported Monday to have recovered from COVID-19, bringing the September total through Wednesday afternoon to 52 recoveries, and the cumulative total since March to 248 recoveries.
The patient county in the COVID-19 unit at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs declined to 13 on Tuesday, but surged to 16 cases on Wednesday. That’s the most the unit has had since County officials in the last couple of months began providing information regarding patients counts in the COVID-19 unit.
Texas Health and Human Services reported 5 active COVID-19 cases among employees of Carriage House Manor and 2 active resident cases on Sept. 9.
There were no active cases among either employees or residents of Sulphur Springs assisted living facilities on Sept. 9, according to HHS. No active employee or child cases were reported Sept. 22 at Hopkins County child care facilities, the HHS report stated.
