San Jacinto County Sports

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Efreauna Baines (No. 1) stops just outside the free-through line stops and launches a rainbow at the basket. Brianna Shaw-Rucker (No. 3) Drives the ball around McKayden Nelson during the Coldspring VS Shepherd District Basketball game. Luke Monroe goes in for a nice layup during the district game against the Shepherd Pirates. Photos by Charles Ballard

By Charles Ballard
SJNT correspondent

COLDSPRING — The Lady Trojans extended their win streak to three games with wins over Shepherd and Onalaska last week.
The wins set the team up for a shot at a playoff spot for the ‘23 season.

Brianna Shaw-Rucker said, “We don’t care where we are located in the playoff lineup but we just want to make the playoffs this year.”

Coach Monique Whittaker said the team had a slow start, but the ladies regrouped and set the momentum going in the right direction.

“It was my responsibility to get the girls motived and that is what I intended to do,” Shaw-Rucker said.

The Lady Trojans made a gallant 48-43 winning statement against the Onalaska Lady Wildcats on Friday.

After losing their center with in the first few minutes of the game to an ankle injury, the first half became a toss-up but the second half was clearly in the Lady Trojans. Next up will be Tarkington at home on Tuesday and then At Crocket on Friday.

Efreauna Baines had 3 points; Shaw-Rucker had 8 points; Mariah Major had 16 points; Shantel Goffney had 15 points which included four 3-pointers; and Lillie Williams had 2 points.

On Tuesday, The Lady Trojans downed county rival Shepherd 46-36 on Jan. 17.

Coldspring center Ella Phillips said, “We did not let down the entire game. It was a good win for the Lady Trojans.”

For Coldspring, Baines had 4 points for the night; Shaw-Rucker had 14 points; Phillips had 6 points; Major had 9 points; Goffney had 9 points; and Williams had 4 points for the night.

For Shepherd, Grace Ramos had 9 points, Richardson had 5 points; McKayden Nelsen had 2 points; Daci Theissen had 12 points; and Tangela Yates had 5 points.

After the loss, the Lady Pirates downed the Trinity Lady Tigers 65-23 on Friday.

Boys
Coldspring fell to Onalaska 66-62 on Friday in a game that went down to the wire.

After leading 30-21 at the half, the Trojans could not close the door on the Wildcats 3-point shots.

Josh Brimsey had 10 points; Luke Monroe had 11 points; Tyga Parker had 13 points; T.J. Johnson had 3 points; Caden Barton had 11 points; and K.J. Darden had 12 points.

Against Shepherd, the Trojans fell to the Pirates 70-54.

Shepherd Coach Jeremy Bennett said, “Our strategy for the night was to stop Luke Monroe. He has hurt us in the past and we wanted to stop him getting to the basket.”

Tristan Cullum said, “We wanted to come out hard and fast and get a lead as quick as we could and play as hard as we could.”

For Coldspring, Monroe had 11 points; Joshua Brimsey had 6 points; Parker had 9 points; Johnson had 8 points; Barton had 11 points; Kelly had 7 points; and Bookie Barnes had 2 points.

For Shepherd, Jaylon Perkins had 4 points; Jesse Valerie had 25; Braydon Mettlen had 5 points; Payton Burton had 8; Tristen Cullum had 19 points; and Anthony Patterson had 3 points.

On Friday, Shepherd downed the Trinity Tigers 58-51.

Top scorers were Burton with 21 points, Cullum with 16 points and Jesse Valerie with 12 points.

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Lady Trojan Mariah Major (No. 13) goes up for two. Trojan T.J. Johnson passes out of trouble. Photos by Tony Farkas

SJNT staff

The Shepherd Pirates split two games in the first full week back.

On Jan. 10, Shepherd was outpaced by New Waverly 74-33, never recovering from banking only three points to New Waverly’s 27 in the first quarter.

The only player in double digits was Payton Burton with 11.

On Friday, the Pirates downed Anderson-Shiro 64-54.

The win puts Shepherd’s record at 12-13 overall and 2-3 in district.

Coldspring Boys

The Trojans outpaced the Trinity Tigers 58-49 on Friday, putting the Trojans at 13-9 overall and moving to second in district with a 4-1 record.

Shepherd Girls

The Lady Pirates were stunned by the Crockett Lady Bulldogs 52-17 on Jan. 6.

Coldspring Girls

The Lady Trojans lost to the Anderson-Shiro Lady Owls 56-42 on Jan. 10.

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Lady Pirate Grace Ramos (No. 2) works around a Tarkington defender. Mckayden Nelson (No. 10) tosses up a jump shot. Courtesy photos

SJNT staff

The Trojans held off district rivals Crockett 61-53 on Jan. 6, but fell to New Waverly 54-45 on Friday.

Despite the loss, Coldspring remains 2-1 in district play and 11-9 overall, and currently is ranked fourth in district.

Shepherd Boys

The Pirates lost two district tilts last week, a 75-48 drubbing at the hands of Tarkington and a 66-51 loss to Crockett.

Shepherd falls to 11-12 overall and 1-2 in district.

In the Tarkington game on Jan. 3, Jesse Valerie led scorers with 14, followed by Tristen Cullum with 12 and Payton Burton with 10. Braydon Mettlen crashed the boards for 9 rebounds.

Against Crockett on Friday, Valerie put up 16 points, followed by Cullum with 13. Cullum also led rebounds with 7.

Coldspring Girls

The Lady Trojans were outclassed by Crockett on Jan. 3, losing 52-39 and dropping to 1-3 in district.

Shepherd Girls

The Lady Pirates fell 52-17 to Crockett on Friday, leaving the team at 2-2 in district play.

On Jan. 3, Shepherd downed Tarkington 38-34.

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The Shepherd Lady Pirates powerlifting squad took first in the Grand Oaks meet on Saturday. Courtesy photo

Special to the News-Times

GRAND OAKS — The Shepherd girls powerlifting team took first place on Saturday at the Grand Oaks Grizzly Invitational Meet.

Lifters from Cleveland took fourth place with three lifters.

For Shepherd, Celine Orozco was awarded best lifter in the 148-and-up weight class.

Lady Pirate Lifters who medaled in their weight category include Samahra Aguilar, first place, 181 weight class; Summer Owens, third place, 148 weight class; Emily Gonzalez, second place, 198 weight class; Ashley Gonzalez, second place, 165 weight class; Isabella Murphy- second place, 114 weight class; Aphia Baker, first place, 148 weight class; Ani Shaw, third place, 165 weight class; Kelsey Fisk, first place, 114 weight class; and Alyssa Jimenez, second place, 181 weight class.

For Cleveland, MaKenzee Calfee took first in the 97 weight class, and Jamie Chesson took third in the 181 weight class.

The Shepherd boys team came in sixth place overall, while the Cleveland boys team came in 11th.

Shepherd’s Kelvin Hernandez came in second in the heavyweight class.

The top lifter for Cleveland was David Rivera, who posted a fourth place in the 132 weight class.