BRINGING IT: Belton's TJ Johnson delivers a pitch against Duncanville in a Class 6A bi-district playoff game on May 7, 2021 at Belton. After finishing second to Bryan in District 12-6A this season, senior right-hander Johnson and the Tigers (16-8-1) begin postseason play with a best-of-three series against Mansfield (15-12-1) at 7 p.m. Friday at Tidwell Field. Game 2 is set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Mansfield, with a third game to follow if necessary. The 6-foot-6 Johnson blaste

PRODUCTIVE PERFORMER: After Belton shared the District 12-6A championship with Harker Heights, Lipscomb-signed senior forward TJ Johnson (shooting) and the No. 21-ranked Tigers (29-5) begin the Class 6A playoffs against the DeSoto Eagles (26-11) at 8 tonight at West High School. Coach Jason Fossett's Belton squad went 12-2 in district play. (File photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com The Belton boys basketball tea

FROM WAY DOWNTOWN: Belton sophomore Trap Johnson takes a 3-point shot over Austin Northeast Early College defender Manny Jaimes during the first half of the host Tigers' 78-46 victory against the Raiders on Wednesday night at Tiger Gym. Johnson made three 3-pointers and scored 15 of his 17 points before halftime for Belton (14-2), and senior TJ Johnson (44), his older brother, also made three 3s and scored a game-high 20 points. (Photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSports.com) B

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

REWARDING EXCELLENCE: Temple senior running back Samari Howard was voted Offensive Most Valuable Player of District 12-6A, one year after he shared the league's overall MVP award. The Air Force commitment rushed for 1,728 yards and 20 touchdowns and scored 22 total TDs to help head coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats (9-3) go 7-0 in 12-6A for the second straight season. Howard became Temple's all-time leader in touchdowns (57) and points scored (360). (File photo by Mike Lefner, T

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

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

TIME TO GET IT DONE: Belton senior cornerback Kage Carmichael (16), shown defending against Temple junior wide receiver Mikal Harrison-Pilot on Oct. 15, will try to help the third-place Tigers (4-4, 3-2) secure a District 12-6A playoff berth when they battle fifth-place Killeen Shoemaker (3-4, 2-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday at Leo Buckley Stadium in Killeen. Coach Brett Sniffin's Belton squad rallied for a 22-12 win at Killeen Ellison last Thursday. Meanwhile, a 60-15 loss at Temple

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

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

BLOCK PARTY: Temple senior Jalen Robinson blocks a punt by Belton senior William Hayes as Wildcats senior O'Tarian Peoples gets in on the action during the first quarter of Temple's 50-15 win over the rival Tigers in Friday night's District 12-6A game at Tiger Field. Temple's Isaiah Rodriguez recovered the ball at Belton's 18-yard line, setting up senior Samari Howard's 1-yard touchdown run. Robinson blocked another punt deep in Tigers territory later in the first period and

ON THE ATTACK: Senior running back Samari Howard (8) and sophomore quarterback Reese Rumfield (10) seek to help lead Temple to its ninth straight win over Belton when the neighboring Bell County rivals collide at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Field. Coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats (4-2, 3-0) own a four-game winning streak and the outright lead in District 12-6A, while coach Brett Sniffin's Tigers (3-3, 2-1) are tied for second place after losing 57-21 at Harker Heights last week.

CAN'T GET AWAY: Temple junior safety Zion Moore (9) makes one of his team-leading eight tackles during the Wildcats' 56-27 victory over Killeen Ellison last Thursday at Leo Buckley Stadium. Junior linebacker Taurean York also made eight stops and has a team-high 66 tackles this season for District 12-6A leader Temple (4-2, 3-0), which plays rival Belton (3-3, 2-1) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Tiger Field. (Photo by Matt Corley, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) CLASS 6A

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – One week before their rivalry showdown with Temple, the Belton Tigers seek to make it a 3-0 start in District 12-6A when they battle Harker Heights at 7:30 tonight at Leo Buckley Stadium in Killeen. Belton (3-2, 2-0) remained unbeaten in 12-6A last Friday when they edged winless Bryan 21-14 in overtime at Tiger Field. Javier Luna gave the Tigers the lead with an 18-yard touchdown run in overtime, then Tanner Con

IN THE ZONE: Temple senior wide receiver Devan Williams cruises into the end zone after catching a 20-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Reese Rumfield early in the fourth quarter of the Wildcats' 44-34 comeback win over Harker Heights last Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. With Temple trailing 21-0 in the second quarter, Williams caught a 25-yard TD pass from junior Mikal Harrison-Pilot. Williams, who also made a first-quarter interception while playing cornerback, had six re

By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com BELTON – A second-half surge propelled Belton to a 41-14 win at Copperas Cove in last Friday’s District 12-6A opener, and the Tigers seek to make it a 2-0 start in league play when they host the winless Bryan Vikings at 7:30 tonight on homecoming at Tiger Field. Belton (2-2, 1-0) led winless Cove 17-14 at halftime, then outscored the winless Bulldawgs 24-0 in the final two quarters to run away with the district-opening v

Temple senior running back Samari Howard makes a reception against Bryan senior linebacker Nic Caraway during the visiting Wildcats' 49-7 win over the Vikings in last Friday's District 12-6A opener at Merrill Green Stadium. One day after he verbally committed to Air Force, Howard recorded touchdown runs of 28, 18 and 30 yards as Temple began defense of its district championship. The Wildcats (2-2) host Harker Heights (4-0, 1-0) in a key 12-6A showdown at 7:30 p.m. Friday at W