Sports

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.

Hundreds of Bulldog backers traveled to Round Rock last Tuesday to support the Hamilton Bulldog cross country team at the UIL State XC Championships. It was just the seventh time in history for the boys’ program to make it to state and the first appearance by the Bulldogs since 1999. After placing second at the regional meet, the Bulldogs sped to a fourth in state finish in Round Rock to become the most accomplished Bulldog cross country team in history. The previous record was a sixth in state team finish by the 1987 Bulldogs. Staff Photo

STATE RUN: After placing fifth individually at the regional cross country championships in Dallas, senior runner Amy Pritchard (pictured) of Evant finished 14th overall at the state meet in Round Rock on Monday of this week.

Hamilton's Bulldog round-ballers are off to a hot 2-0 start after downing Brady on the road on Tuesday of last week 38-29 and defeating Eula at home, 36-26, last Friday.

Seven Bulldog competitors were set to represent the Hamilton Bulldogs on Tuesday in traversing the 2A State Cross Country Championship trail in Round Rock, including Caleb Lengefeld, Dawson Melde, Hayden Blackwell, Taylor Long, Joseph Polster, Jay

The varsity Lady Bulldogs improved to 3-1 last week, netting a 51-34 home victory over Millsap on Tuesday and a 49-38 home win over Academy on Saturday.