Sports

PLAYOFF BOUND: The Lady Bulldogs have locked down a playoff bid with two district games scheduled for this week and a final senior night showdown with district foe Bluff Dale in Hamilton next Tuesday at 6 pm. The JV Red and varsity volleyball squads were set to host Hico on Tuesday, and all three high school teams will play in Tolar on Friday with the varsity beginning at 4 pm followed by junior varsity matches at 5 and 6. The Lady Dogs outlasted Evant on the road in five sets by scores of 25- 19, 21-25, 18-25, 25-16 and 15-6 on Tuesday of last week and proceeded to clean up in Hico versus Three Way on Saturday in three decisive sets by scores of 25-6, 25-11 and 25-9. Last week’s two victories moved Hamilton to 13-7 on the year and 8-1 in district. A win over Hico on Tuesday would give the Lady Dogs an opportunity to play Tolar for a share of the District 11-2A title. If Hamilton succeeds in knocking off the Lady Rattlers, a rubber match will be scheduled to determine the outright champion. Pictured (l-r), Emiley Hale, Macie Parrish and Kelton Wright protect the net as Morgan Mehaffey pushes the ball over a pair of Tolar defenders in a match versus the Lady Rattlers in Hamilton during the first round of district competition. Staff photo

FAMILY TIES: Mona Gloff is pictured (l-r) with grandson Colter Johnson, first cousin, once removed Kate Lengefeld, great nephew Morgan Henkes and great niece Madison Henkes at the 16th annual Mona Gloff Invitational. All are descendants of Kate and Bob Riley, with a sprinkle of Gardner and Henkes. Morgan and Colter are both seventh graders and finished first and fourth respectively in the junior high boys’ division to lead their team to a first place finish. Kate, also a seventh grader, placed fourth individually in the junior high girls’ race to help her team earn team gold, and Madison, a freshman, placed sixth overall to help lead the varsity Lady Bulldogs to a team win. Pictured crossing the finish line, Caleb Lengefeld, who is a first cousin, once removed to Gloff and Kate’s older brother, won individual gold in propelling the varsity Bulldogs to a first overall finish in the MGI on Wednesday of last week. After placing second at the MGI as a freshman and a sophomore the past two years, Caleb scorched the competition, sizzling through the Perry Country Club course in a winning time of 16:58.00 for the fastest recorded three-mile finishing time in all of 2A in Texas this season. Staff photos

7TH GRADE ACES: The above seventh grade volleyball squad will travel to Hico next Monday to face Three Way and will visit Brownwood the following Monday before returning home to host Stephenville on October 26 for their final match of the season. Pictured (l-r), front row- Hailey Morris, Monsie Ayala, Abagail LeGrande, Baily Boatwright, Norma Ortiz, Amalia Knutson. Back row- Emma Thompson, Shaleigh Byrom, Kaytlyn Schrank, Leah Newton, Scarlett Morgan, Keagyn Roberts, Coach Kady Crow. Photo by Tracy Cox

NETTING WINS: Hamilton’s eighth grade Lady Dog volleyball team is now 4-2 with matches in Brownwood and Hico scheduled for the next two Monday’s. The young Lady Bulldogs will return home for their final match against Stephenville on Monday, October 26. Pictured (lr), front row- Laney Lane, Ashlynn Cozby, Valarie Gutierrez, Martha Olvera. Front row- Julie Henderson, Kinsey Mizell, Clementine Cooper, Makaela Diaz, Braylee Wilson, Coach OJ Kemp. Photo by Tracy Cox