SPRING FORWARD: Senior-to-be wide receiver/quarterback/safety Mikal Harrison-Pilot and the Temple Wildcats will play their annual Blue-White spring game at 5 p.m. today at Wildcat Stadium. The four-star recruit and three-year varsity starter has helped Temple record back-to-back District 12-6A championships with 7-0 records. The 2022 season opener for head coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats is on Saturday, Aug. 27 against McKinney at McKinney ISD Stadium. (File photo by Mike Lefn

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.

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT: Temple senior Daniel Moon and Richardson Pearce junior Preston Stout (left) react with grins after Moon made a 50-foot chip shot to save par on the par-3 16th hole during the final round of the UIL Class 6A state golf tournament Tuesday at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown. Moon's tee shot went into a water hazard for his only penalty stroke in 36 holes. Making his second straight state appearance, the Sam Houston State-committed Moon shot a 2-und

RIGHT ON TARGET: Temple senior Daniel Moon hits his tee shot on the par-3 eighth hole to within 7 feet during the first round of the UIL Class 6A state tournament Monday at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown. Moon made an eagle, four birdies and nine pars en route to a 1-under-par 71, sharing seventh place with five players. The District 12-6A champion and Sam Houston State signee, who tied for 38th in his state debut last year at Legacy Hills, trails leader Garrett Endicot

ONE MORE SHOT: Temple senior Daniel Moon, shown Tuesday afternoon at Sammons Golf Links in Temple, is set to compete in his second consecutive UIL Class 6A state tournament at Legacy Hills Golf Club in Georgetown. The Sam Houston State signee tees off in the first round at 8 a.m. Monday on the 10th hole. District 12-6A champion Moon won a sudden-death playoff at Bear Ridge in Waco to earn Region II's final medalist berth for state. He won a three-man playoff at regionals in 2

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

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

PARTY AT THE PLATE: Temple College's Chris Morrow is congratulated at home plate by Zane Spinn (right), Caleb Hill (15) and Andre Jackson (9) after Morrow's three-run home run during the first inning of the Leopards' 9-1, seven-inning win over Vernon in the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Danny Scott Sports Complex. It was Morrow's fourth homer for fifth-place TC, which earned a must-have sweep and moved to 13-17 in Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference

GOT HIM: Temple College sophomore pitcher Mason Bryant follows through on a third-inning slider that struck out Weatherford's Kooper Shook during the Leopards' 10-3 win over the Coyotes in Wednesday's doubleheader opener at Danny Scott Sports Complex. Freshman Luke Banister is TC's catcher. Bryant (5-2) had nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings for TC (28-19, 11-15), which won 6-3 in Game 2 to sweep fourth-place Weatherford in a key NTJCAC doubleheader. (Photo by Greg Wille, Templ

TAKING IT THE OTHER WAY: Temple College designated hitter Caleb Hill slices a single to left field against McLennan pitcher Devin Bennett during the fifth inning of the Leopards' 2-1 loss to the fifth-ranked Highlanders in Wednesday afternoon's second game at Danny Scott Sports Complex. Hill and Kyle Gates each had three of TC's nine hits on the day, but defending national champion McLennan (34-9-1) – a 4-0 winner in Game 1 – swept the NTJCAC doubleheader to improve to 19-3 i

TACKLING MACHINE: Temple junior linebacker Taurean York tackles Rockwall-Heath running back Zach Evans during the Wildcats' 45-33 loss to the fifth-ranked Hawks in a Class 6A Division II area-round playoff game last Nov. 19 in Burleson. The Baylor-committed York made 141 tackles last year while earning his second straight District 12-6A Defensive MVP award for Temple, which began its four weeks of spring practice on Tuesday afternoon. (File photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Sp

SHUTTING THEM DOWN: Temple College sophomore pitcher Davis Pratt reacts after striking out Hill batter Christian Garcia during the final inning of the Leopards' 11-1, six-inning win over the Rebels in Friday's first game at Danny Scott Sports Complex. Pratt (2-0), a Purdue signee, allowed three hits and had three strikeouts to help TC (26-15, 9-11) sweep the four-game series and tie Weatherford for fourth place in the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference. (Photo

MAKING THE CONNECTION: Temple College second baseman and leadoff batter Travis Chestnut hits a single to center field against Ranger pitcher Gabriel Sevillano during the third inning of the Leopards' 8-4 loss in Game 2 of Saturday afternoon's conference doubleheader at Danny Scott Sports Complex. Texas A&M signee Chestnut had two hits and three walks in the doubleheader for the Leopards (21-15, 5-11), who won Game 1 3-2 in eight innings. (Photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSpor

CLUTCH PERFORMER: Temple College sophomore left fielder Andre Jackson played a key role as the Leopards swept a conference doubleheader against Cisco on Wednesday at Danny Scott Sports Complex. In Game 1, his double sparked a three-run fourth inning and his run-scoring single in the ninth created a 7-7 tie before TC prevailed 8-7 in 11 innings. Jackson contributed an RBI single and scored a run as the Leopards (17-8, 2-4 NTJCAC) controlled the Wranglers 10-3 in Game 2. The te

Temple College freshman Hogan Heller hits a third-inning single against North Central Texas pitcher Brandon O'Neill during the 20th-ranked Leopards' 11-6 loss to the Lions in Saturday's first game at Danny Scott Sports Complex. North Central won the second game 17-5 to complete a four-game sweep of TC to begin the Northern Texas Junior College Athletic Conference schedule. (Photo by Greg Wille, TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBeltonSports.com gwille2@hot.rr.com Th

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

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

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