Sports

Right-hander Aubree Lalani threw a complete game of seven innings, allowed nine hits (seven of them singles), five runs, three of them earned, walked seven and struck out nine in a 5-4 home to No. 5 ranked Italy (10-1-1) on Tuesday, Feb. 22.

Two Ellis County girls softball teams with plenty of mutual respect, met in Ennis (1-2-1) on a cold Tuesday with Italy (10-1-1) escaping with a 5-4 victory over the Lady Lions.

Appropriately named after the Leon River, the DeLeon boys basketball team has an offense as slow as river eroding rock. Despite efforts to impede the speed of No. 16 ranked Italy, DeLeon was rolled on the river to the tune of 78-39 on Tuesday at Cleburne.

After dropping their final three regular season games, all by single-digits, Avalon turned to clutch shooting to force overtime, then finished strong to clip Aquilla, 40-37, in the first round of the playoffs.

Fueled by Deivion Thomas, Daunte Williams and Deshon Shorter combining for 36 points, Wilmer-Hutchins (20-11) used their athleticism and superior bench to whip Ferris, 72-61, on Tuesday at Ferris.

Clifton (24-8) broke away from a two-point lead at intermission to hand Palmer (22-10) a season-ending, 56-44, Bi-District loss at Corsicana. It was the best season by the Bulldogs in over a decade, which was the last time they reached twenty wins.

Area varsity basketball teams are currently in post-season playoff mode after five of the ten Big 5 teams punched their ticket by finishing in the top four in their respective districts.

Former Ennis baseball standout, Taylor Daniell, having started two years at the University of Central Arkansas after one at Hill College (Tx), will play his senior season as a graduate student at NCAA Division I Tarleton State.

In what could be a first-round doozie, I-45 neighbors Ferris (17-18) will play host to Wilmer-Hutchins (19- 11) on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at 7pm. HC Josh McGee won a coin-toss with the Eagles HC T.J. Billups for the right to have the game at home.