2023-2024 Sports Schedules (Links below updated)
February 28, 2024 - Congratulations to the Center ISD District Champion Girls Basketball Team on several all-district player awards.
To view all of the district results, click here.
Tenaha Special Events Center on Tuesday, February 27, 2024 –
The Shelbyville Dragons have advanced to the Texas UIL Region III Basketball Tournament by defeating the Timpson Bears by a 53-50 score in the Regional Quarterfinals Playoff on Tuesday at the Tenaha SEC, a neutral site.
The Dragons gained a 7-4 point lead midway through the opening period and they held a 15-9 advantage at the end of the first quarter. SHS held a 21-15 lead in the middle stages of the second stanza and still led 27-22 at the midway break. Timpson fought back to lead 33-32 halfway through the third period but Shelbyville gained the upper hand and led 41-38 going into the fourth quarter.
Each team scored 12 points in the final quarter and the Dragons held on for the three-point win.
The Dragons season record stands at 25-7. They were led by JaDavian Mathis with 18 points and DJ Barnes had 13. Eli Ferguson chipped in 12.
The Bears were led by Terry Bussey with 20 and Chris Nickleberry Jr. scored 17 points. The Bears season ended with the school at 13-6 overall after getting a late start due to going all the way to, and winning the state championship in football.
Shelbyville will face the LaPoynor Flyers next Friday, March 1, 2024 at 8 p.m. in the Regional Semifinals at Athens High School. LaPoynor defeated the Centerville Tigers by a 55-41 score.
February 27, 2024 - Self Defense America recently held a Taekwondo belt exam. Those testing received there next rank in the TKD system. Students worked very hard to achieve their rank promotion, and we at Self Defense America are very proud of them all.
From left: (Front Row) Landon Hodges, Dylan Castillo, Axyl Gracyk, Ansh Ghimire, (Back Row) Gemma Lewis, Kaylee SeiFried, Stacy Riley, Jordan Williams, and Royer Venegas.
We are excited about these students as they continue their path to Black Belt.
Athens High School Gymnasium on Friday, February 23, 2024 –
The Tenaha Lady Tigers varsity basketball team was eliminated from the Texas UIL Basketball Playoffs with a Region III semifinals loss to the Martin’s Mill Lady Mustangs. The game ended with the Lady Mustangs gaining a 43-40 point win, in overtime, after the two teams were tied at 38-38 at the end of regulation.
Early on the Lady Mustangs pulled out to a 7-0 point lead midway through the first period but the Lady Tigers were able to pull to within three points at 10-7 going into the second stanza. Tenaha senior guard Kennedi Holmes scored the first six points of the second quarter and THS led 13-10. Martin’s Mill fought back and took a narrow 17-15 point advantage into the locker room at the midway intermission.
MMHS led 35-34 midway through the fourth frame but the Lady Tigers were able to gain a 38-35 lead late in regulation. A 3-point bomb by Lady Mustangs freshman guard Kara Nixon with just seconds remaining ended up sending the game into a four minute overtime period to break the tie. Nixon scored five of her game-high 25 points in the overtime period.
Tenaha’s season ends with them holding a 33-6 overall record and a perfect 12-0 District 23-2A record. They went 3-1 in the playoffs. They were led by seniors Kennedi Holmes and Kayanna Cox with 13 points each. Coach Laura Walker-Holmes, her staff, and team have posted one of the best records for their school.
Martin’s Mill is 34-5 for the season they represent District 19 and they also defeated the Douglass Lady Indians (District 22) on Saturday in the Region III Finals by a 57-32 score. They will move on to the Texas UIL State Semifinals next week in San Antonio.
February 23, 2024 - The Center Varsity Tennis team completed in the Lufkin Tennis Tournament on Thursday, February 22.
Girls singles:
1st place - Jalen Postell
3rd place - Hollie Herndon
Girls doubles:
1st place - Sayre Hall / Reese Cockrell
3rd place - Avery Lawrence / Hudsyn Wulf
Mixed doubles:
2nd place - Bryce Gaddy / Laura Scull
4th place - Logan Galindo / Gracie Burch
Boys singles:
4th place - Chris Acosta
6th place - Wade Collard
Boys doubles:
4th place - Hunter Cooper / Ryker Tomlin
10th place - Fisher Hughes / Anthony Harrold
February 22, 2024 - The Center Boys Basketball Area Playoff game vs Hamshire-Fannett is Friday, February 23 at Jasper High School at 7:00pm. All tickets are $5; will be sold cash at the door. Center is visiting team. Passes accepted are Districts 17 and 20, THSCA, TABC and Senior Citizens.
LIVE Coverage Information
The Center Roughriders travel to Jasper High School to face the Hamshire Fannett Longhorns in Round 2 of the State Playoffs Friday night. The Tip-off is 7 pm and the Pregame Show begins at 6:45pm. During the Halftime Show, we'll reminisce with Center coaches about the best moments from the last 23 years of Center basketball in Roughrider Gymnasium which has been retired from varsity contests. Stay with us through Postgame Show for a visit with Coach Harrison and with the Player of the Game.
Because the UIL owns all rights to the post season, most live streams are found on the NFHS Network which requires a subscription fee to watch. But through a generous donation, this Round 2 Live Stream will be available on NETSN where all the Roughrider games are found this season.
February 22, 2024 - Center's basketball trailblazer, Retha Swindell, will be inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame on Saturday, February 24, 2024 in Dallas. Swindell is a 1975 graduate of Center High School and is a 2014 Center Hall of Honor Award Recipient.
Why is Swindell getting inducted? Swindell was one of the UT women's basketball program's first All-Americans, and the 1,759 career rebounds that she grabbed from 1975-79 are still a school record. Swindell is one of five Longhorns to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds in a career.
Swindell was also the first Black woman to play a sport at Texas. During a 2018 interview with the American-Statesman, the Center native downplayed her significant place in UT's history. "I just did what I needed to do to get a degree and get a job," she said. (Source: Black History Month at Texas: Remembering three Longhorns sports pioneers)
To read the announcement published February 19, 2024 on the University of Texas at Austin Athletics website, click the following link - Swindell to be inducted into Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame (texassports.com).
To read an article published February 20, 2024 on The Daily Texan which interviews Swindell, click the following link - Former Texas women’s basketball star Retha Swindell to be inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame
Related articles on SCT about Retha Swindell:
(Above) Retha Swindell at the 2014 Center Alumni Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony. (Below) Swindell with family, friends, classmates attending the Hall of Honor ceremony.
February 21, 2024 - The Dragons Boys Basketball team defeated Chireno in the AA Region 3 & 4 Bi-District Playoff round and will play in the Area Playoffs, Thursday, February 22nd in Tenaha versus Douglass at 7pm. Admission is $5 Adults and $3 Students. District and coaches passes accepted.
Gary Bobcats Gymnasium on Tuesday, February 20, 2024 –
Shelbyville High School’s Dragons varsity basketball team improved their record to 24-7 with a 51-44 Bi-District Playoff win over the Chireno Owls (14-12). The Dragons came into the Texas UIL State Basketball Playoffs as the second place representative of District 23 2A and the Owls came in as the third seed of District 24. The win advances SHS to the Area round and they will face the winner of the Douglass versus Big Sandy game later this week.
The Dragons led 6-3 midway through the first period and they held an 8-5 point lead going into the second quarter. They led the Owls 23-10 at the midway intermission. The Dragons extended their lead to 32-16 halfway through the third stanza but the Owls went on a 10-1 point run and the Dragons lead narrowed to 33-26 going into the final period.
Chireno fought back during the final period to pull to within a single point, at 45-44 with just 28 seconds left in the game but key buckets by DJ Barnes and JaDavian Mathis helped SHS earn the 51-44 win to advance on to the next round. Mathis led all scorers with 23 points for the day. TaLeon Garner led Chireno with 13 points.
February 16, 2024 - Shelbyville Varsity Basketball will play Tuesday, February 20, 2024 at Gary vs Chireno 6pm in the playoffs. The Dragons are the visiting team. Tickets are $5 Adults and $3 Kids. Coaches Passes and District Passes accepted.
