Sports

District 11 Rifle was held in Lolita at the 4-H Shooting Sports Building on April 26 and 27. Jackson County competed against six other counties. Results are: Juniors: 1, Waylon Budd; 2, Nicole Henderson Escamillia, 3, Luke Bearden, 4, Cole Armstrong, 6, Trevor Vasquez, 7, Jack Gendke; Junior Intermediate: 10, Luke Prove; Intermediate: 2-Sydni Engelmohr, 3, Cade Orsak, 9, Michael-Douglas Maresh.; Senior: 10, Desiree Hart; High Point Junior for the Year- Waylon Budd; First Place Junior Team- Waylon Budd, Nicole Escamillia, Cole Armstrong, Luke Bearden; Second Place Junior Team- Jack Gendke, Trevor Vasquez, Kooper Karl; Second Place Intermediate Team- Sydni Engelmohr, Micheal-Douglas Maresh, Cade Orsak. From left front are, Miguel Hernandez, Vasquez, Karl, Cole Armstrong; back, Maci Engelmohr, Casandra Hernandez, Sydni Engelmohr, Candido Hernandez, Luke Bearden, and Budd.

    Schreiner University senior Christopher Whitehead of Edna earned two All-American Southwest Conference awards. Whitehead was named first team All-ASC West and was also named ASC West Sportsmanship Athlete of the year.
    The left-handed first baseman from Edna finished third in the conference with a batting average of .393. His 57 hits tied the SU single season record. He also ranked fourth in the ASC in slugging percentage (.572), second with on-base percentage (.476), fourth in total bases (83), fifth in the league in hits and led the conference with 14 doubles.
    Whitehead, also a two-time All-ASC selection, graduated on May 11 with a degree in Exercise Science. He is the son of Steven and Sherrie Whitehead of Edna.
    The ASC is an NCAA Division III conference whose members include Texas Lutheran, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Howard Payne and Schreiner Universities.

End of year awards were handed out at the Edna Athletic Banquet May 16. From left front are, Britany Billings, Golf MVP; Haley Orsak, Softball Offensive MVP; Daisy Mata, Softball Newcomer Award; Shayna Palacios, Basketball MVP, Cowgirl Perseverance Award; Taylor Darilek, Softball Defensive MVP; Kathia Garcia, Basketball Defensive MVP; and back, Haleigh Evans, Volleyball Newcomer Award; Natasha Evans, Volleyball Offensive MVP; Madison Kucera, Volleyball MVP, Track MVP, Cowgirl Athlete of the Year; Allison Kotlar, Basketball MVP, Tennis MVP, Cowgirl Fighting Heart Award; Caroline Arellano, Basketball MVP, Cowgirl Athlete of the Year; Kaylynn Grudzieski, Track MVP; and Drew Ganem, Volleyball Defensive MVP. Not pictured is LeAnn Reyes, Cheer MVP; Andrea Robinson, Basketball Defensive MVP; Ja-Nessia Prince, Powerlifting MVP; Desiree Chavarria, Softball MVP; and Shermeka Thompson, Most Improved Freshman.

The Edna Athletic Banquet was held May 16 and the end of year awards were handed out. Recipients included from left front, Brandon Nidey, Tennis MVP; Quintin Kirk, Cross Country MVP; Kristian Grifaldo, Jeremy Jarratt Fighting Heart Award; TJ Foley, Cowboy Athlete of the Year; Ross Novian, Baseball MVP; DeRoderick Jones, Jeremy Jarratt Fighting Heart Award, Track MVP, Cowboy Athlete of the Year; back, Tralyn Davis, Stockton Memorial Award; Weston Muschalek, Rudy Mesa Award; Cale Hollas, Football Scout Team Award; Darnelius Norman, Narcisco Lopez Outstanding OL/DL Award; Guy Dodson, Narcisco Lopez Outstanding OL/DL Award; Keaton Crabb, Golf MVP; Anthony Norman, Narcisco Lopez Outstanding OL/DL Award; Clayton Miller, Outstanding Effort Award; Austin Sparks, Basketball MVP; Dylan Kallus, Most Improved Freshman; David John Kallus, Henry “Buzzy” Whitley MVP Award; Brent Strickland, Sappington Award; and Holton Newbern, Tennis MVP.

The 2012-13 school year Ganado Athletic Banquet was May 7 at the KJT Hall. Receiving season honors for Maiden athetics from left are Georgi Garza, Softball Co-MVP; Abby Stanley, Larry Conner Maiden Pride Award; Megan Taylor, Powerlifting MVP; Ashley Bridges, Basketball MVP, Track MVP, Cross Country MVP, Outstanding Female Athlete; Lauren Hlavaty, Volleyball MVP; and Alyssa Reyes, Softball Co-MVP.

The end of year plaques were handed out at the Ganado Athletic Banquet May 7 at the KJT Hall. Earning recognition for their 2012-13 school year Indian athletics accomplishments from left are Tyler Baurle, Golf MVP; Kyle Sparkman, Outstanding Male Athlete; Clay Vesely, Track MVP, Basketball MVP, and Outstanding Male Athlete; Taylor Thedford, Cross Country MVP; and Michael Garcia, Larry Conner Indian Pride Award, Track MVP, and Outstanding Male Athlete. Not pictured, Chris Garza was Powerlifting MVP.

    The UIL State Track and Field Meet was May 10-11 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin and Kaylynn Grudzieski of Edna and Courtney High of Industrial took the winners’ podium.
    Grudzieski pole vaulted for state silver, in second with an 11’3” launch, one of three to break 11 feet in 2A.
    High finished third in the 3200 meter run with a time of 11:42.90, beating the next closest time by 10 seconds.

    The Jackson County Thunder are 4-0 to start the season after a walk-off double sprung the Thunder ahead 5-4 over the Serbin Jackrabbits at home May 5.
    Kade Kucera pitched 6 2/3 innings, striking out 5 batters with one earned run against. A. Holdeman relieved the final 2 1/3, striking out a pair.
 

Waylon Budd of the LaWard 4-H Rifle Club was recently named the Junior High Point Shooter for District 11 with an average of 267.3 for the year. The LaWard team #1 also took first place at every meet this year including district as Jackson County Team 1. Waylon is the son of James and Celeste Budd.

    The Texas 2A State Track and Field Meet will be May 10-11 at Mike A Myers Stadium at the University of Texas. Athletes from all three schools will compete for a shot at the title. Clockwise from bottom left are: Michael Garcia, shot put and discus; Clay Vesely, 110m hurdles; and Ashley Bridges, 3200m run, all of Ganado; Edna’s Madison Kucera, shot put, Edna’s Kaylynn Grudzieski, pole vault; and Industrial’s Courtney High, wildcard qualifier in the 1600m and 3200m runs.
    The ninth top qualifier in a Region is known as the wildcard and is defined by the UIL website as “the individual and/or relay team with the best overall time, mark or height from all regional meets per classification that did not finish first or second.”
    UIL added the wildcard State qualifier two years ago, beginning with the 2011 State Track and Field Meet, having been approved in 2009.