Sports

Monday night at North Mesquite a pair of Lions will do battle on the hardcourt when Ennis meets Kaufman. Whoever roars loudest and best will advance in the state boys basketball playoffs. The 6:30 p.m. bi-district tipoff will take place across I-635 from Town East Mall (18201 Lyndon B Johnson Fwy, Mesquite, TX 75150), with the victor advancing to the area round next weekend. Athletic Director Don Drake announced the pairing earlier in the week, and said tickets will be available at the door, $5 for adults, $3 for students. The Lions have a penchant for fast starts, so plan to arrive early. Second year HC Roynal Bridgeforth believes a solid turnout could make the difference and “if you have been waiting to jump on the bandwagon, now is the time.”

New HC Desmond Guy must’ve brought a spatula when he arrived for his first season in Italy. After inheriting a squad that went 7-12 a year ago, they were flipped over by Guy and, like pancakes, stacked up high to go 18-6 in all games and 8-2 to win their first district championship in a decade.

Palmer excised dogged-determination down the stretch to finish District 18-3A in a third place deadlock with Eustace (15-14), both with 8-6 marks. They met on Friday, Feb. 21, at Scurry-Rosser in a tie-breaker to determine who took third and who settled for fourth.

HC Melissa Fullmer had high praise for her players after a season-ending defeat left them feeling more than a bit deflated. Facing a China Spring (13-13) they were confident they could whip, the Lady Jackets couldn’t overcome a flat start in which they fell behind, 32-13 at the half. They rallied to within two points in the fourth before the upset-minded Cougars hung on to outlast them, 58-48.

At Blooming Grove on Monday, Isaiah Nies continued an outstanding senior season in hopes of setting state records at the March 28 state powerlifting meet.

Corsicana and Ennis, the only Class 5A schools competing at a 17-team powerlifting tournament held last weekend placed first and fourth in a tightly-contested event at Blooming Grove.