By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – The momentum Belton gained in its season-opening win at Georgetown was slowed by back-to-back home losses to Round Rock and Pflugerville Hendrickson. However, the Tigers have an opportunity to get back on the proverbial horse when they begin District 12-6A competition against winless Copperas Cove at 7:30 tonight at Bulldawg Stadium. Both Belton (1-2) and Cove (0-3) had their open dates last week. The Bulldawgs

IN THE ZONE: Temple senior running back Samari Howard beats Hutto linebacker Brody Bujnoch to the pylon for a 31-yard touchdown run during the Wildcats' 60-53 victory over the Hippos on Sept. 10 at Wildcat Stadium. Howard on Thursday verbally committed to attend and play for Air Force beginning next year. He has 371 rushing yards for defending District 12-6A champion Temple (1-2), which begins league play on the road against the Bryan Vikings (0-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo

BUZZING AROUND: Academy junior wide receiver Scout Brazeal (5), shown making a catch during last year's bi-district playoff game against Hallettsville, has caught 16 passes for an area-leading 406 yards and has scored four touchdowns for the 3-0 Bumblebees, who play at 2-0 Lago Vista in a non-district duel at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (File photo by Dean Kibler/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com After scoring back-to-back wins o

BREAK ON THROUGH: Temple senior running back Tavaris Sullivan fights past a Hutto defender to score the first of his two touchdown runs during the Wildcats' 60-53 win over the Hippos last Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. After its open date this week, defending league champion Temple (1-2) will begin its seven-game District 12-6A schedule at Bryan (0-3) on Sept. 24. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) CLASS 6A TEAM STATISTICS OFFENSE Total yar

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – After absorbing a 35-0 loss to a surging Round Rock squad in their home opener last Friday, the Belton Tigers aim to bounce back and finish non-district play with a winning record when they host Pflugerville Hendrickson at 7:30 tonight at Tiger Field. Belton (1-1) produced plenty of offense in its season-opening 35-31 comeback win at Georgetown two weeks ago, but Round Rock’s sturdy defense limited the Tigers to

AROUND THE EDGE: Temple senior running back Samari Howard tries to get past a Magnolia West defender as junior lineman Jeremiah Mungia (58) blocks during the host Wildcats' 27-14 loss last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Howard caught a 67-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Reese Rumfield later in the game and has rushed for 233 yards this season for Temple (0-2), which hosts Hutto (1-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempoleBeltonSports.com) CLA

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – After scoring the go-ahead touchdown with 3 minutes remaining and pulling out a season-opening 35-31 win at Georgetown last Friday, the Belton Tigers seek to get off to a 2-0 when they host the Round Rock Dragons (1-0) at 7:30 tonight at Tiger Field. Belton trailed 31-28 before senior receiver Seth Morgan caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Ty Brown with 3 minutes left for a 35-31 lead. Th

Temple junior linebacker Taurean York (5) made a team-leading 11 tackles during the Wildcats' season-opening 54-13 home loss to top-ranked Austin Westlake last Friday night. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) CLASS 6A TEAM STATISTICS OFFENSE Total yards gained Harker Heights 525 (334 rushing, 191 passing) Belton 364 (76 rushing, 288 passing) Temple 329 (239 rushing, 90 passing) Killeen Ellison 204 (90 rushing, 114 passing) DEFENSE Total y

EXPECTING TO WIN: The Academy Bumblebees went 7-4 and earned a Class 3A Division I playoff berth last season in head coach Chris Lancaster's first season. Caden Berry (left) started every game as a freshman center and gained 30 pounds during the offseason, and John Tomasek is making the transition from outside linebacker to defensive end as a senior. Academy begins its season against traditional rival Rogers at 7:30 p.m. Friday at John Glover Stadium, where the Bees notched a

BRINGING IT: Academy junior left-handed pitcher John Tomasek earned the win in both of the Bumblebees' comeback victories against Franklin in last week's Class 3A bi-district playoff series at Bryan's Nutrabolt Stadium. He pitched the final two innings of Academy's 3-2 win on Friday and threw the final three innings of the Bees' 4-3 victory Saturday after they trailed 3-0 through five. District 19-3A No. 4 seed Academy (13-16) takes on No. 20-ranked Whitney (21-8) in a best-o

CLUTCH PERFORMANCE: Academy junior pitcher/shortstop Blaine Rowlett delivered on the mound and at the plate Saturday afternoon as the Bumblebees rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat Franklin 4-3 in Game 3 of their Class 3A bi-district playoff series at Bryan's Nutrabolt Stadium. Rowlett had six strikeouts and allowed two runs while pitching the first four innings, and during the Bumblebees' four-run sixth he hit the go-ahead two-run single. Saturday's finale could have been the

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY – After producing a pair of record-breaking performances in the Class 3A Region III track and field meet, Academy junior Chris Preddie has his sights set on larger goals – and golds. Preddie is a prime contender for championships in the long jump and the triple jump in the University Interscholastic League 3A State Championships on Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. He will compete in the l

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY – The Academy baseball team begins its Class 3A bi-district playoff series against District 20-3A champion Franklin on Thursday evening. The entire best-of-three series will be played at Nutrabolt Stadium in Bryan. Game 1 is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, then the Bumblebees (11-15) – seeded fourth out of 19-3A – and the Lions (20-6) will meet again in Game 2 at 7 p.m. Friday. If a third game is needed, it

RIVALRY DUEL IN ROGERS: Academy sophomore Alex Lawton delivers a pitch to Rogers senior left fielder Logan Hare during the first inning of the host Eagles' 6-2 win over the rival Bumblebees in Tuesday evening's District 19-3A matchup at Clary Neal Field in Rogers. Lawton limited Rogers to two hits and one run through three innings but allowed five runs in the fourth. Eagles junior lefty Lucas Guzman pitched a two-hitter with nine strikeouts and hit a three-run double to cap t

Staff report LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY – Sophomore right-hander Alex Hoffman pitched a no-hitter and drove in a team-high three runs as Academy dominated Rockdale for an 11-0, five-inning win in the Bumblebees' District 19-3A baseball opener Friday afternoon. Hoffman (1-1) struck out four batters and walked none for Academy (5-10, 1-0), throwing 35 of his 49 pitches for strikes and working around three errors by the Bees' defense. He faced 17 batters, three above the minimum. Hoff

SEMIFINAL SHOWDOWN: San Antonio Cole junior guard Silas Livingston takes a jump shot over Academy senior defender Tanner Rambeau during the fifth-ranked Cougars' 59-50 win against the No. 16 Bumblebees in a Class 3A state semifinal Tuesday night at Buda Hays. Looking on for Academy are Darion Franklin (2), Chris Preddie (23), Jerry Cephus (11) and Kollin Mraz. Livingston scored a game-high 22 points as Cole (26-5), winner of 20 straight games, advanced to Friday's state champ

JUST LIKE OLD TIMES: Jared Hunt is Academy ISD's athletic director, but 19 years ago he was a backup junior guard on coach Alex Remschel's Bumblebees basketball team that compiled a 33-3 record and won the Class 2A state championship with a pair of dramatic 49-48 victories over Peaster and Frankston in the state tournament at the University of Texas' Frank Erwin Center in Austin. No. 16-ranked Academy (22-7) battles No. 5 San Antonio Cole (25-5) in a 3A state semifinal at 7 p

DRIVING FORCE: Junior point guard Darion Franklin has helped lead Academy to the Class 3A state semifinals by averaging 18.2 points in the Bumblebees' five playoff games on their way to winning the Region III championship. The District 19-3A MVP contender leads 16th-ranked Academy (22-7), which is riding a 15-game win streak, in 3-point baskets, assists and steals. His season scoring average of 14.6 points per game ranks second on the team behind the 15.8 of senior wing Jayli

NET PROCEEDS: Academy head coach James Holt celebrates with his players after cutting down the net following the Bumblebees' 68-58 win over previously unbeaten Winnie East Chambers in the Class 3A Region III championship game Saturday afternoon in Madisonville. Jaylin McWilliams poured in 26 points and fellow senior Jerry Cephus scored 19 as No. 16-ranked Academy (22-7) recorded its 15th straight win, eliminated the No. 11 Buccaneers (27-1) and advanced to a state semifinal a

SENIOR MOMENT: With 16th-ranked Academy trailing No. 7 New Waverly 60-58 with 3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter Friday night, senior guard Kollin Mraz threw a 75-foot inbound pass that senior wing Jaylin McWilliams caught before making a buzzer-beating layup that sent the Class 3A Region III semifinal into overtime at Madisonville High School. The Bumblebees (21-7) went on to earn a 70-69, double-overtime victory, advancing them into the regional championship game vs.