Sports

University Interscholastic League officials made public the new district alignments for all member schools on Thursday, including the Eastern Ellis County Big 5 of Ennis, Ferris, Palmer, Italy and Avalon. Enrollment figures led to state classification changes for many, though the teams in The Ennis News coverage area remained the same.

Being close, like the old adage says, only counts in grenades and horseshoes. Ennis has battled to post a winning overall record in the four years since Roynal Bridgeforth arrived. Each season the Lions have contended for a third or fourth place finish.

Palmer is cresting like a breaker on the beach, and with Makaden Bodie warming up, things are boding well for the Bulldogs.

Speed thrills, at least it does in Italy. Now ranked No. 18 in the state, the Gladiators improved their wonlost record to 18-3 on Tuesday with a blowout of Meridian, 101-31.

A great start and a never-say-die finish wasn’t enough for Ennis to defeat Midlothian in a 66-53 home setback on Tuesday. The Lions jumped out to an exhilarating 7-0 lead, though the process included four missed free throws, a bugaboo that would spell doom the rest of the night.

Former Ennis star and Texas A&M University recruit, Kade Bragg, has recovered from an injury to his left arm that led the Aggies to withdraw his scholarship. He has subsequently rehabbed and enrolled at Weatherford College.

Ennis officially opened pre-season camp on Jan. 21 in preparation of the 2022 season. Ranked in the Top Thirty by Texas High School Baseball, Head Coach Kellen Monreal has an impressive core returning from the team that went 21-15-2.

Junior forward Hunter Ruffin (No. 5), exhibited skills on both ends of the floor and his selfishness was on full display. He scored seven points against Midlothian, making all three of his shots, including a triple.