Shelby County Today

Center High School on Wednesday, December 20, 2023 –

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Center Roughriders senior quarterback Emonte ‘Cash’ Cross signed a letter of intent to play football and study at Lamar University next fall. The signing was at Center High School’s library and was attended by his peers, family, school staff and coaches as well as, media. Center Athletic Director and head football coach Ricky Meeks led off the ceremony and said, “Cash has excelled here as a leader. He is leaving here as the career leader here in touchdown passes, the career leader in total yards, career leader in completions, he has left a big mark on the program. He has been a joy to coach. To be able to see him sign with Lamar and to continue playing football is awesome.”

Cross plans to major in business at Lamar. Cross stated “I really liked the coaches at Lamar. I will miss my friends and teammates here at Center.” Cross rushed for 908 yards and 17 touchdowns as the ‘Riders quarterback this season. He averaged 83 yards per game rushing. He threw for nearly 2100 yards and 26 touchdowns this season. Cross is currently participating in the Roughriders basketball program.

Lamar University's main campus is at Beaumont, Texas and they enroll over 17,000 students per year.

Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 –

The Timpson Bears varsity football team made history on Wednesday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington by defeating the Tolar Rattlers by a 49-7 score in a state final championship, the school’s first ever. The Bears win gave them an unprecedented undefeated 16-0 record. The Rattlers’ ended with an overall 14-2 mark.

After a failed Tolar offensive opening drive, the Rattlers punted the ball to the Bears with over nine minutes remaining in the first quarter. Timpson senior quarterback Terry Bussey hit junior receiver Colton Carroll for a 48-yard touchdown for the first score of the game. Senior kicker Tyler Lane tacked on the extra point to give Timpson a 7-0 lead with 7:25 left to play in the first quarter. Both teams had stalled possessions and the first quarter ended with the Bears holding the narrow 7-0 point advantage.

Early in the second quarter Bussey found sophomore receiver Dacorian Johnson for a 97-yard touchdown reception and the Bears held a 14-0 lead with 10:53 left in the second quarter.

With 2:09 remaining in the first half, Bussey broke loose in the open field and found the end zone for a 93-yard touchdown run, the longest in 2A state championship history. Another Lane extra point gave the Bears a 21-0 lead. The Bears lead held until halftime.

The Rattlers opened the second half and gained possession with an onside kick. Senior quarterback Isaac Blessing later scored on this drive with a QB sneak for a 1-yard touchdown run and got the Rattlers on the scoreboard. Brooks Stone tacked on the extra point, making the score 21-7 with 8:10 left to play in the third quarter.

Amare Bruton took the ensuing kickoff and went the distance from 78 yards away. Lane’s extra point made the score 28-7 with 7:55 left. On the Rattler’s next drive Bruton tipped a Tolar pass and Bear’s teammate senior Nate Scourton returned the interception to the Rattler’s 10-yardline. Bussey then dragged a bunch of Rattlers into the end zone for the Bears next touchdown. The PAT made the score 35-7 with 4:22 remaining in the third quarter.

The next points came with two minutes left in the third quarter when Bussey found Johnson for a 44-yard touchdown reception. Another Lane extra point kick extended Timpson’s lead to 42-7.

Bussey hit Bruton for his fourth touchdown pass of the night from 37 yards away. This extended Timpson’s lead to 49-7 with 10:54 left. That tied Bussey for second place for most touchdown passes in 2A state championships history. This proved to be the games final score.

Coach Kerry Therwhanger said, “The team has been so supportive of everything we have been trying to get done and to finally be able to give this to them for the first time ever in school history, it feels great." After the game Bears seniors Tyler Lane and Terry Bussey were presented the offensive and defensive Most Valuable Player awards for the game.

The Bears last four seasons have been a historic run with the team reaching the state semifinals all four years and now winning the unprecedented first state football title.

Woodforest Bank Stadium at Shenandoah Texas on Thursday, December 7, 2023 –

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After reaching the Texas state football semifinals as finalist, for four straight seasons, the Timpson Bears varsity football team has advanced to the final round by defeating the Ganado Indians by a 35-21 score. The Bears (15-0) will now face the Tolar Rattlers (14-1) in the State 2A Division I Championship at ATT Stadium in Arlington Texas at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 13, 2023. Tolar defeated Stratford by a 35-7 score to reach this matchup.

Thursday saw Timpson trail early after Ganado drove 70 yards on their first drive and they then scored first when Ganado Indian quarterback Bryce Ullman found receiver Austen Pena for a 41-yard touchdown reception at the 7:48 minute mark of the first period. Joe Rodriguez added an extra point kick which gave GHS a 7-0 lead.

Timpson answered with a 62-yard drive which saw quarterback Terry Bussey score on a 6-yard touchdown run with 3:52 left in the opening quarter. Tyler Lane added an extra point kick to tie the game at 7-7.

Ganado got a huge kick return from Landon Hicks and began their next drive at the Timpson 22-yardline. Moments later Ullman scored on a quarterback sneak from the 1-foot line and gave GHS a 14-7 lead with less than 1 minute left in the opening frame.

The second quarter saw Ganado go up 21-7 when Ullman hit Cain Hayden for a 5-yard touchdown reception with 9:24 left in the first half.

Timpson went 57 yards and scored when Bussey hit Dacorian Johnson for a 14-yard touchdown reception with 3:31 left in the second stanza. Another Lane extra point kick cut Ganado’s lead to 21-14. This score remained the score at the halftime intermission.

Timpson tied the game at 21-21 when Bussey hit Shahed Cross for a 5-yard touchdown reception and Lane added an extra point at the 9:24 mark of the third quarter.

The Indians drove the ball on their next drive but the Bears were able to force a failed field goal attempt inside the redzone and THS took over possession at the Timpson 20-yardline. Bussey scored with just 2 seconds left in the third period on a 12-yard run. A Lane extra point kick gave the Bears a 28-21 advantage going into the final quarter.

Timpson stopped the Indians first drive of the fourth frame and then the Bears used up over five minutes of clock to go 64 yards.  Bussey scored from 7 yards out to cap the drive and help the Bears take a 35-21 lead. The Timpson defense then held the Indians in check and the Bears eventually ran-off the remaining 2:15 minutes to hold on to that lead.

After the game Timpson Head Football Coach Kerry Therwhanger stated, “I am proud of our boys and it is good to see them move along in this journey. This is their memories and we get to take part but this is really their journey and their accomplishments. We struggled a little early but we are a senior laden team who just kept doing what we have been doing all year. They fought back and earned the win!”

December 6, 2023 - (Photo Album) - Family and friends celebrated the Center Roughrider 5th and 6th Grade football team during a banquet held at the Community House in Center on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

The team went 10-1 for their regular season and had the opportunity to participate in the Red Zone games at Dallas Cowboy’s AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2023, where they participated with other teams in competition where they finished 3-1, and even took a tour of the stadium.

At the onset of the banquet, Coach Jamie Jackson handed out awards to each of the players who were present and they all were presented with a goody bag.

The player roster includes: Sean Williams-Black, James Jarrett III, Cameron Williams, Lajaggar Barnes, Dallas Martinez, Dedrick Williams Jr, De’Raylin Garrett, Kayden Claybrook, Tristen Johnson, Eli Almaraz, De’Javian Wilson, Mason Bates, Jace Hubbard, Booker Belrose, Zamichael Jones, Jordan Mitchell, Darwin "DJ" Cartwright, Keegan Curtis, Cash Tyre, Jordan Polley, and Laderek Moten.

The team was coached by, Head Coach: Jamie Jackson; and Assistant Coaches: Baron Horton, Joshua Black, Dedrick Williams Sr., Justin Garrett, and Freeman Thomas.