By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY – To keep their successful baseball season going and reach the Class 3A Region III quarterfinals, the Academy Bumblebees must get past the team that eliminated from the playoffs a year ago. It’s an area-round rematch as ninth-ranked Academy (27-3) battles Whitney (17-10) in a best-of-three series that begins at 6:30 p.m. today at Lake Belton High School. The second-round clash continues at 6:30 p.m.

PLAYOFF TIME AGAIN: One year ago, Academy center fielder/pitcher John Tomasek played a key role as the fourth-seeded Bumblebees upset District 20-3A champion Franklin in the first round of the Class 3A baseball playoffs. As a senior this season, the Richland College commitment’s hitting and pitching have helped lead ninth-ranked Academy (25-3) to the outright 19-3A championship at 11-1. Coach Garrett Vail's Bees battle the Groesbeck Goats (18-10-1) in a best-of-three bi-distr

REMATCH TIME: One year ago, guard Darion Franklin (2) and Academy defeated Hayden Helton (4) and Franklin 69-47 in a Class 3A Region III quarterfinal at Lorena. Tonight at 7, Franklin's No. 10-ranked Bumblebees (26-7) and Helton's No. 14 Lions (19-3) clash again in a Region III quarterfinal at West High School. The winner will play No. 3 Hitchcock or No. 13 New Waverly in a regional tournament semifinal Friday night at Waco Midway. (File photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSport

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com GATESVILLE – After charging past Fairfield in its Class 3A playoff opener, the Academy boys basketball team is set for Round 2 action tonight. The No. 10-ranked Bumblebees (25-7) play the Clifton Cubs (24-8) in an area-round duel at 7 p.m. at Gatesville High School. Reigning Region III champion Academy began its title defense with a 78-54 victory over Fairfield on Tuesday in Hearne, the 10th postseason win in the last fo

PLAYOFF TIME: Academy senior point guard Darion Franklin (left, shooting) and the 10th-ranked Bumblebees (24-7) begin the Class 3A state playoffs against the Fairfield Eagles (15-14) at 7:30 tonight at Hearne High School. Academy, which is unbeaten in District 19-3A play three consecutive seasons, advanced to the state semifinals last season. (File photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com After advancing to the Class

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – Ellie Erwin outscored cold-starting Troy 8-2 in the first quarter Thursday night and came close to outscoring the Trojanettes through three periods. The strong senior post’s steady production near the basket dominated the game as she exploded for 33 points, sparking No. 22-ranked Academy to a 52-38 victory over old Bell County rival Troy in the area round of the Class 3A girls basketball playoffs at Tiger Gym. T

LET IT FLY: Academy senior point guard Darion Franklin takes a 3-point shot over Lake Belton junior Devin Gossett during the host Bumblebees' 90-79 win against the Broncos in Friday night's Academy Basketball Tournament game at The Hive. Franklin made four 3-pointers and scored a game-best 27 points for Class 3A No. 11-ranked Academy (8-5), which got 18 points each from senior guards Quintrell Lockett and Trae Rambeau and 17 points from junior guard Cole Shackelford. The Bees

SENIOR SUCCESS: Blake Bundy produced a strong all-around senior season for Academy, helping lead the 11-2 Bumblebees to the Class 3A Division I Region III semifinals. Bundy made 105 tackles and three interceptions as a safety, caught 13 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns at receiver and kicked nine field goals and 44 extra points to finish with 89 total points. He also averaged 40.2 yards on 24 punts for head coach Chris Lancaster's team as Academy played 13 games in a s

VALIANT PERFORMANCE: A week after he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee in Academy's area-round playoff win against Winnie East Chambers, senior Blake Bundy made eight tackles while playing the entire game on defense at safety and kicked two extra points in the Bumblebees' 37-34 loss to Diboll in a Class 3A Division I Region III semifinal at College Station High School. Competing in the third round of the playoffs for the first time in program history, Academy (11-2)

ALWAYS ON THE RUN: Academy wide receiver Scout Brazeal, shown making a 70-yard touchdown reception during the Bumblebees' bi-district playoff loss to Hallettsville in 2020, has produced a stellar junior season with 66 catches for 1,271 yards and 15 TDs along with 89 tackles and three interceptions as a safety. After close playoff victories over Yoakum and Winnie East Chambers, coach Chris Lancaster's 11-1 Academy team carries a seven-game win streak into its Class 3A Division

SENIOR SURGE: After playing his junior season at Wichita Falls City View, wide receiver Devan Williams returned to Temple for his senior year and led the Wildcats (9-3) with 37 catches for 777 yards and 11 touchdowns as they went undefeated in District 12-6A. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown in Temple's 28-14 bi-district playoff win over Waxahachie and caught a 7-yard TD pass from Mikal Harrison-Pilot in the Wildcats' 45-33 area-round loss to Rockwall-Heath last Friday i

KEY COMPONENT: Academy junior wide receiver/safety Scout Brazeal, shown after his team's 32-28 home win over Cameron Yoe on Oct. 8, has excelled on both sides of the ball while helping the Bumblebees (10-1) move into a Class 3A Division I area-round playoff game against Winnie East Chambers (8-3) at 7:30 tonight at Tomball ISD Stadium. Brazeal has made 59 receptions for 1,143 yards and 13 touchdowns, including a 9-yard TD catch from Kasey Mraz in overtime to give Academy a 28

OFF TO THE RACES: Temple junior wide receiver/quarterback Mikal Harrison-Pilot sprints for a long gain against Waxahachie as senior tight end KeAndre Smith (left) and other teammates block during the Wildcats' 28-14 home win over the Indians in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Harrison-Pilot has scored 14 touchdowns (eight rushing, six receiving) this season for Temple (9-2), which battles fifth-ranked Rockwall-Heath (10-1) in an

RISE AND SHINE: Temple junior receiver Mikal Harrison-Pilot jumps above Copperas Cove defender Jaylen Donnell to make a 30-yard touchdown catch from sophomore quarterback Reese Rumfield during the Wildcats' 77-12 win last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Harrison-Pilot scored three touchdowns against Cove and has 13 TDs overall this season for District 12-6A champion Temple (8-2), which hosts Waxahachie (6-4) in a Class 6A Division II bi-disteict playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at

SURGING INTO THE PLAYOFFS: Junior wide receiver Scout Brazeal and coach Chris Lancaster's playoff-bound Academy Bumblebees (8-1, 4-1) can complete a 9-1 regular season by winning their District 11-3A Division I finale at Troy (2-7, 2-3) at 7:30 tonight. With 45 catches for 932 yards and 11 touchdowns, Brazeal has an opportunity to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the season. (File photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.r

BRINGING THE HEAT: Temple senior defensive tackle Tommy Torres puts pressure on Killeen sophomore quarterback Roderick Norman during the Wildcats' 44-6 victory last Friday at Leo Buckley Stadium. Torres recorded six tackles, one sack and a forced fumble as first-place Temple (7-2, 6-0) clinched at least a share of its third straight District 12-6A championship. Before they begin the Class 6A Division II playoffs at home next week, coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats seek to comple

ROOM TO ROAM: Temple senior Tr'Darius Taylor (18) sprints past Killeen Shoemaker players for a 62-yard punt return during the Wildcats' 60-15 win over the Grey Wolves in District 12-6A action last Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. Taylor and Temple (6-2, 5-0) seek to clinch at least a share of the 12-6A championship when they travel to battle the Killeen Kangaroos (2-6, 0-5) at 7:30 Friday night at Leo Buckley Stadium. (Photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonS

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com SALADO – The Salado Eagles are the defending champions of District 9-4A Division II and have won eight straight league games dating to 2019. The China Spring Cougars are undefeated, have outscored opponents 345-73 and are ranked No. 5 in the state in 4A D-II. Something’s got to give when China Spring (7-0, 2-0) hosts Salado (5-2, 2-0) in a showdown of district co-leaders tonight at 7:30 at Cougar Stadium. It’s a rematch

HE CAN PICK IT: Temple senior linebacker Faylin Lee (12) intercepts a Belton pass as junior defensive end Jaylon Jackson (27) looks on during the Wildcats' 50-15 win over the host Tigers last Friday night. Lee also made nine tackles in the Bell County rivalry game and has 40 stops this season for District 12-6A leader Temple (5-2, 4-0), which hosts Killeen Shoemaker (3-3, 2-2) at 7:30 Friday night on homecoming at Wildcat Stadium. (Photo by Matt Corley, Temple ISD/Special to

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com SALADO – Next Friday, defending District 9-4A Division II champion Salado will travel to fifth-ranked China Spring for a highly anticipated league showdown. But for the Eagles (4-2, 1-0) to carry un unbeaten district record into that battle, first they must get past the Waco Connally Cadets (2-3, 1-0) at 7:30 tonight at Eagle Stadium. It’s a rematch of Salado’s 20-15 road win a year ago. Coach Alan Haire’s Salado team be