Sports

ALL DISTRICT FOOTBALL- District 7-2A, Division I football honors were announced last week, and the Hamilton Bulldogs nabbed six first team, 10 second team, two special teams, four honorable mention, 10 academic all-district and a pair of academic all-state nods. Pictured (l-r), Bulldogs receiving individual recognition include freshman Cooper LeGrande (academic), junior Taylor Long (2nd team linebacker, academic), senior Ethan LeGrande (1st team defensive line, 2nd team offensive line, academic, honorable mention academic all-state), junior Cash Kneuper (academic), junior Jaydon Watson (special teams, honorable mention defensive back, academic), senior Erich Eilers (2nd team wide receiver, 2nd team defensive back, academic, honorable mention academic all-state), senior Dawson Armstrong (honorable mention offensive line), senior Jakob Walton (2nd team running back), senior Luis Najera (2nd team defensive back), senior Denver Poe (1st team wide receiver, 1st team defensive back), junior Austin Anderson (2nd team defensive line), junior Caleb Lengefeld (1st team linebacker, academic), junior Jose Najera (honorable mention offensive line, academic), junior Keegan Votaw (1st team defensive back, 2nd team wide receiver), freshman Carson Marquess (academic), sophomore CJ DeLeon (2nd team linebacker), junior Alex Thiele (academic). Also pictured (l-r), senior Colby Bailey (1st team quarterback), senior Xander Ceresini (2nd team offensive line, special teams) and pictured solo, junior Austin Clark (honorable mention wide receiver).

After dropping a game to 3A Comanche 63-43 on Tuesday of last week, the Hamilton Bulldogs bussed to Gorman last Friday and pummeled the host Panthers 50- 31 to improve to 7-5 on the year.

The Lady Bulldogs dunked a trio of wins last week to move to 10-2 on the season and were scheduled to tip-off district competition this Tuesday at home versus Rio Vista.

With district competition set to begin next Tuesday at home versus Rio Vista, the Lady Bulldogs improved to 7-2 last week, earning consecutive wins over Goldthwaite, Bangs and Dublin, respectively.

Please help keep the servicemembers’ list current by calling changes to 386-3145.

God bless America and God bless our service men and women. Please say a prayer for them every day:

HIGH FLYERS: Led offensively by Colby Bailey with 24 points and Mason Guinn with 18, the 4-3 Bulldogs trounced Bangs at home 72-19 last Friday.

PAINT WARS: The varsity Lady Bulldogs split games last week move to 4-2 on the year. After defeating Hico on the road Monday, the Lady Dogs returned home and fell to San Saba at home the following evening. Hamilton’s JV Lady Bulldogs are now 3-2 on the season, dropping a competitive 32-28 ballgame at home versus San Saba last week. The Lady Bulldog basketball teams were scheduled to play in Goldthwaite on Tuesday and will return home to host Bangs on Friday with a JV game scheduled for 5 p.m. and the varsity set to play at 6:30. The varsity boys will play the nightcap on Friday versus Bangs at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, JV Lady Bulldog games are scheduled in Dublin at 10 and 11 am, followed by a varsity girls matchup at 12:15 p.m. There are also JV Bulldog games scheduled for 10 and 11 a.m. on Saturday, and the varsity Dogs will tipoff at 1:45 p.m. in Dublin. All of Hamilton’s basketball squads will welcome Crawford to town next Tuesday. The JV girls will play at 5, the JV boys at 5:15, the varsity girls at 6:15 and the varsity boys at 7:30 p.m. Pictured, (top) freshman guard Kelton Wright sets the offense last week versus San Saba and (bottom) Skylar Carr and Averi Poe battle for a rebound beneath the basket. Staff photos

ALL-STATE: In leading the Bulldogs to a fourth overall team finish last week at the UIL State Cross Country Championships in Round Rock, juniors Caleb Lengefeld (left) and Dawson Melde (right) each grabbed top 20 finishes to earn all-state honors. Lengefeld placed 36th individually at the 3A state meet last year as a sophomore, and he earned a seventh overall individual finish at the state 2A championships last Tuesday. Melde was close behind, placing 19th overall out of the state's top 123 2A runners. Both Lengefeld and Melde were recognized following the race with plaques commemorating their all-state performances. Courtesy photo by Mary K. Gardner

For the first time in over two decades, a Hamilton boys’ cross country team qualified for and competed at the UIL Texas State Cross Country Championships in Round Rock on Tuesday of last week. Prior to the 2020 season, the Bull-dogs had made it to state just six times, including appearances in 1987, 1988, 1993, 1997, 1998 and in 1999. Though the Lady Bulldogs have claimed six XC state titles, the highest finish ever by a Bulldog team was sixth in state back in 1987.