Sports


Texas after their win against Tennessee. Photos by Kerri Griffin.

Texas Playing Fairview, Tennessee in Their Fourth Round of Play
5:40pm: Top of 3rd, Texas at bat with score Texas 6 - Fairview 10

July 20, 2024 - The Shelby County 6U All-Star team represents the State of Texas in the Diamond Youth Softball World Series play which started Thursday, July 18 in Fairview, Tennessee.

In game one on Thursday, Texas faced Louisiana in pool play and won 14 to 2 to advance to play Friday in the first bracket game against Tennessee in their home state. (To watch the Texas Vs Louisiana game on Facebook, click here.) The Shelby County team excelled by defeating Tennessee 21 to 8. A game highlight included Zaeda Tomcabage hitting a home run to the outfield fence and earning a DYS World Series Home Run Ball and recognition. (To watch the Texas Vs Tennessee game on Facebook, click here.)

Next the team faced Mississippi on Saturday, July 20 and played strong to win 21 to 19. Ellis Hubble had the spotlight when she hit a home run. After the game she was also presented a DYS World Series Home Run Ball. (To watch the Texas Vs Mississippi game on Facebook, click here.)

Now, the team is in their second game of the day and playing against Fairview. Mississippi defeated Fairview in pool play moving them into the loser bracket. They climb back in the bracket defeating Tennessee R/U and then Alabama.

To watch the game against Fairview, click here.

To view the World Series Tournament bracket, click here.

Photos from the Louisiana and Tennessee games. Photos by Kerri Griffin.


Coaches (from left to right) Ryan Wilburn, Dustin Cowdin, Kayla Cowdin, and Adam Hubble. Shelby County All-Stars (from left to right) Adeline Andrews, Nora Pinkston, Blakelee Ivey, Whitley Whitehead, Ellie Hubble, Zaeda Tomcavage, Rylinn Wilburn, Elsi Cowdin, Landry McSwain, Henley Eddins, and Raegan Wilburn

July 10. 2024 - The Shelby County 6U All Star team defeated Gilmer during the Texas State Softball Championship in Longview, Texas on Saturday, July 6. Coming into the two-day tournament, the girls were the Southern Regional Champions defeating Livingston in a dramatic comeback in the regional playoffs two weeks prior in Center, Texas. Livingston beat the girls by two runs in the second game of the tournament. Shelby County had to climb their way back through the loser-bracket to ultimately defeat Livingston twice in a double-header where Shelby County won both games by run-rule.

Shelby County had no such trouble with Gilmer in the State Tournament. Coming in as heavy favorites, the girls won their first game 1-16 on Friday and their second 16-12 on Saturday beating the Northern Regional Champs. 

For the first time ever, Shelby County is representing Texas in the Diamond Youth Softball World Series in Fairview, Tennesse. These 11 girls and their coaches are making HISTORY!

The series begins on Thursday, July 18 when the girls face off against Louisiana in a true East Texas/Cajun brawl. The series will continue on with the championship scheduled for Sunday, July 21.

Center Lion’s Club Ballpark on Saturday, June 29, 2024 –

(Girl’s Photo Album) (Boy’s Photo Album)

Center Texas is the site of regional south Dixie League boys baseball and girls softball elimination tournaments this weekend through Monday.

Teams having at least one team in the tourneys include: Center, Shelby County, Panola, Elkhart, Tatum, Junction, Pineland, Anahuac, West Rusk, Rusk, Henderson, Diboll, Coldspring, Frankston, Mason, Tri-Cities, Corsicana, Huffman, Nacogdoches, Dayton, Jacksonville, Palestine, Alto, Troup, Malakoff, Groveton, Splendora, and Huntsville.

Center Lions Baseball Ballpark on June 22, 2024 –

(Photo Album)

Center’s Dixie baseball and softball leagues are hosting playoff tournaments this weekend. The girls are hosting a Texas 6U South and a Texas 8USouth tournament and the boys have a 10U AAA tourney and the Texas Coach Pitch South tournament, each underway.

Towns with teams in these tournaments include: Shelby County, Center, Joaquin, Shelbyville, Livingston, Diboll, Alto, Tri-Cities, EMC, Huffman, Rusk, Pineland, Hemphill, Central, San Augustine, Hudson, Athens, Splendora, Huntington, Tarkington, Troup, Fairfield, E. Chamber, Arp, Malakoff, Llano, Nacogdoches, Cleveland, and Palestine.

(Uil Rule Changes)

The UIL has announced the new rule changes for next school year and they include an outline for the beginning of summer football workouts:

Tentative Football Season Dates 5A and 6A Schools Without Spring Training and all incoming 9th graders, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A 2024 First day of conditioning (No Contact activities permitted. No contact equipment except helmets may be worn.)

August 5 First day of full contact

August 10 First scrimmage

August 15 Second scrimmage

August 22 Third scrimmage

August 29 (Schools opting for a third scrimmage shall not play during week one).

TENTATIVE VOLLEYBALL DATES 2024-25 Tentative Volleyball Season Dates:

First day to practice August 5

First day for scrimmages August 9

First day for matches August 12

District certification November 2 State Tournament November 20-23

 

Bullard High School on Friday, May 31, 2024 –

(Photo Album)

After a disappointing 11-3 run Game 1 loss to Centerville on Thursday night, the Shelbyville Dragons varsity baseball team regrouped and came back to build a 4-0 run lead in Game 2 which held up until the bottom of the sixth inning. Dylan Parker scored the first run in the top of the first after leading off the frame by getting hit-by-a-pitch. DJ Barnes moved Parker up to second base with a sacrifice bunt and Parker scored on a Centerville Tiger error giving SHS a narrow 1-0 run advantage. Barnes scored Shelbyville’s second run when he was struck by a pitch in the top of the third inning and later scored on a Gus Duvon double to left-centerfield. Scores by Hunter Harvey and Jason Fleming gave SHS a 4-0 run lead in the top of the fourth frame after an RBI single by Dallas Murry and a sacrifice-flyout by Parker.

Centerville got back into the contest with 3 runs scored in the bottom of the sixth inning. Disaster struck when Jake Pineda led off the bottom of the seventh frame with a single up the middle of the infield. Pineda scored to tie the game later, on a sacrifice flyout by Gunner Bazar.

The game began extra innings and remained scoreless until the bottom of the 12th inning when Bazar again scored on an errant throw which ended the game with the Tigers taking the 5-4 run win.

Dylan Parker pitched the first half of Game 2 for SHS and struck out 7 batters and walked 6 in 6-1/3 innings of Game 2. Weston Frick struck out 6 batters and walked 5 in 5-2/3 innings. The Dragons overall season record ended at 25-8.

Gunner Bazar pitched 9-1/3 innings for Centerville and struck out 2 batters and walked 6.

Centerville will next face Collinsville in the Texas Class 2A State Semifinals next week.

May 30, 2024 - There will be a sendoff for the Shelbyville Dragons Baseball team today, Thursday May 30, 2024, at around 2pm.

In addition to your show of support, signs are encouraged, pom poms, noise makers.

The Dragons are playing Centerville at Bullard High School starting at 6pm Thursday.

Related article: Shelbyville Baseball Regional Finals vs Centerville

Madisonville High School on Saturday, May 26, 2024 –

After the Kerens Bobcats took Game 1 by a narrow 1-0 run score, the Shelbyville Dragons varsity baseball team has come back to take Game 2 by an 8-5 score and Game 3 by a 10-9 final score. Game 3 went into extra innings before senior Cam Mason drove home the winning run in the bottom of the eighth inning. The best 2 of 3 game elimination wins have advanced the Dragons through to the Texas UIL State Tournament’s Region III Championship/ State Quarterfinals round to face Centerville next week at a time and date to be announced later.

Madisonville High School on Thursday, May 23, 2024 –

(Photo Album)

On Thursday the Shelbyville Dragons and the Kerens Bobcats varsity baseball teams met at Madisonville High school to compete in the Region III Quarterfinals of Texas UIL Baseball Playoffs. The game was close throughout.

The game was scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when Bobcats senior Ryan Priddy doubled to leftfield with one out. Priddy advanced to third base on a passed ball and later scored on another.

The bottom half of the final inning saw junior DJ Barnes single on an infield hit which careened off the pitching rubber. Bobcat’s reliver Kannon Ritchie was able to strikeout the next three batters he faced to end the game with the KHS Bobcats holding a narrow 1-0 run advantage.

Shelbyville’s best chance to score had came in the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Wyatt Frick doubled to rightfield and he came home on a double by Gus Duvon but was tagged out due to a pinpoint throw by the Bobcat’s outfielder.

Junior Bobcats pitcher Krayton Ritchie struck out five, gave up three hits and walked two in six innings. Junior reliever Kannon Ritchie gave up one hit and struck out the final three batters.

Freshman Dragons pitcher Dallas Murry went 6 1/3 innings and struck out four, walked one and gave up five hits. Senior Dylan Parker walked one and struck out two batters in 2/3 innings of pitching.

Kerens is 26-5 overall. They have won 21 games consecutively ad have outscored their last 21 opponents 201-3.

Shelbyville is 23-6. They have won 17 of their last 21 opponents and outscored them 174-71 runs.

Game 2 will take place at Madisonville High School on Saturday, May 25, 2024 at 4 p.m. and Game 3 will follow at 6 p.m. if needed.

Center High School 0n Tuesday, May 21, 2024 –

(Photo Album)

Edwin Rodriguez-Moreno has signed a college letter of intent to study and play soccer for Jacksonville Colleges’ Jaguar Soccer Program.

The senior student is finishing at Center High School this week and has excelled at the school academically and on the soccer field as well. Edwin has been a 3-time all-district player, 2-time District 15 4A top scorer and he was the Texas All-State Offensive Player in 2023. He played a major role in the Roughriders success as they went 16-5 overall this season and they were 11-3 in District 15 4A conference play. The team went to the Area Round of the UIL Texas State Soccer Playoffs before a narrow 2-0 loss to Chapel Hill resulted in elimination.

Center Roughrider’s Head Soccer Coach Gerardo Martinez said, “Edwin has been a pleasure to coach. I have coached him the past three years and he puts great effort in everything he does.”

Rodriguez-Moreno plans to study Petroleum Engineering at Jacksonville College. He said, “I will miss Center and the friendships I have made here. I’m looking forward to playing at Jacksonville College and working with their new coach.”

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