Tyler County Sports

Write a comment

The Yellowjackets huddle up after their summer league win over the Latexo Tigers. Photo by Jana Rayburn

By Jana Rayburn

CHESTER – The Yellowjackets finished up the 2022 baseball season just over a month ago, but they are already preparing for the 2023 season. Several team members are playing together on Thursday nights this summer in a league with Onalaska, Latexo and Centerville (Groveton). These summer games are important in several ways. The incoming freshmen will get the chance to hit against high school pitchers. These games will help them get comfortable playing varsity ball. Also, any time players get the chance to face live pitchers in a game situation is beneficial.

The Jackets graduated six seniors this past season, leaving some holes to fill. Coach Coleman Butter is hoping these games will give him a chance to see the players move around to different positions defensively.

Butter will look to returning players to provide leadership on the field, and these games will help them work on their new roles.
Butter feels that these games are very important for the 2023 season. He said, “We are looking to push past the Regional Semi-Finals and add to the 17 games that we won in 2022.”

Billy Jack Sturrock and Jesse Gay have stepped up to coach the team during this summer, and they both bring a lot of experience with them.

Athletes who have showed up for these games are incoming seniors Levi Barnhart, Chase Bertrand and Jack Rayburn, Juniors Bradley Davison and Travis Zulpo, Sophomores Cutter Lowe, Waylon Sturrock, and Will Thomason, and Freshmen Jesse Bittick, Jaxon Gay, Rex Gilzow and Kai Hilliard.

So far, the Jackets are 1-1 on the season, as they lost to Onalaska in the first game of the summer season, but defeated Latexo on June 16.

Their next game will be Thursday, June 30 in Latexo. They will take on Centerville (Groveton) at 8 p.m.

Write a comment

By Chris Edwards
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

HOUSTON – Last week, it was announced that Woodville class of 2022 graduate and track and field standout Linus Mannino was one of 11 athletes signed to the University of Houston track and field program.

Mannino, who will join the Cougars for the team’s 2022-23 season, was not only a standout as an Eagle, but posted national records as a high jumper.

Mannino’s personal best came during his senior year, when he notched a 6’10” jump at the UIL Regional meet, before taking the gold medal in high jump at the UIL State Track Meet with a 6’9” jump.

U of H track and field interim head coach Will Blackburn said after the signings were announced that “this recruiting class is exactly what we were targeting.”

“We have highly ranked national and state high school recruits as well as very talented transfers that will make an immediate impact in this program both at a conference and national level,” he added.

During his WHS career, Mannino also set a new school record, with a jump of 7 foot at a meet at Newton high School. Along with fellow track and field star and class of 2022 grad Kesean Paire, Mannino brought home several gold medals during his high school career.

Write a comment

Chester summer workouts have started, and the coaching staff is excited about the number of Yellowjacket athletes who have committed themselves to getting better. Pictured are the athletes that showed up on day one of workouts, which started on June 13 and will go on all summer. Summer workouts in full swing for Jackets. Photo by Jana Rayburn

By Jana Rayburn

CHESTER – The Chester Yellowjacket coaching staff is hard at work this summer. The athletes are working out from 9am-11am Mondays through Thursdays, in hopes of getting stronger and faster for the upcoming school year.

Athletic director Coleman Butter is encouraged by the number of athletes that are choosing to attend the workouts.

Butter said, “Year-round commitment by our athletes will make a huge difference when we start competing next year.” Sport specific training is from 11am until noon every day. Athletes need to bring water, wear appropriate athletic clothing and footwear, and a good attitude. Football players also need to bring cleats. These workouts are open for all incoming seventh through twelfth graders, and will go on the remainder of the summer, except for a break from July 4-8.

Coach Crystal Muncrief said “We have had a good turnout so far this summer and are looking forward to a great year. Along with our morning workouts, we have many evening opportunities available for our athletes”. Coach Muncrief hopes to see everyone there.

The Chester Summer Softball Clinics will be held on five Thursdays this summer. Dates are June 23, June 30, July 14, July 21 and July 28. Pitchers and catchers will work out from 5:30 -6:30 p.m., fielding, hitting, and base running will be from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

This is open to all incoming seventh–twelfth graders who live in the Chester ISD district or attend Chester ISD.

There will be sports camps July 25, 26 and 27.

More information on the times will be made available closer to these dates. You can keep undated on events related to summer workouts and camps on the Chester

Yellowjacket Buzz Link Facebook page or Chester Yellowjacket Athletics Facebook page.

Looking ahead to the end of summer, varsity football and volleyball practices will start on August 1.

Write a comment

Cord Neal competed in his final collegiate meet in Eugene, Oregon. Image by SFA Athletics via Facebook

By Jana Rayburn

Cord Neal, 2017 graduate of Chester High School, competed in his final collegiate meet in Eugene, Oregon last week at the NCAA Division I Track and Field Championship. Neal threw the javelin throw 68.82 meters, earning Neal 13th place in the nation and Second Team All-American honors. To get to Eugene, Neal first took 2nd place in the WAC Outdoor Championship with a throw of 65.77 meters. He then took eighth place in the NCAA West Preliminary round with a throw of 69.09 meters.

Neal has had a successful track and field career at SFA. He qualified for the 2021 NCAA Division I Championship, and finished in 17th place with a throw of 65.86 meters. He received Southland Conference All-Conference Third Team honors that same year. In 2019, Neal took first place in the Southland Conference Outdoor Championship and was named to the First Team Southland Conference All-Conference Team and finished 41st in the NCAA Division I West Preliminary rounds.

In 2018, as a freshman, Neal placed second in the Southland Conference Championship and 38th in the NCAA Division I West Preliminary rounds.

Cord Neal started college at Stephen F. Austin in the fall of 2017, after graduating from Chester High School as the class Salutatorian. Cord was a standout athlete at Chester, competing in football, basketball, cross-country, baseball, golf and track and field.

Neal advanced to the state meet in Track and Field.

He was on the state qualifying golf team, and he led the basketball team to their first post-season playoff spot in several years.

Neal, who received his undergraduate degree last year from SFA, will begin Medical School at the University of Houston in July.