Sports

Hamilton’s junior high cross-country runners, pictured the previous week with HJH principal Mona Gloff at the 16th annual Mona Gloff Invitational, swept the district competition last Wednesday at the Perry Country Club in Hamilton, claiming a pair

ONSIDE KICK: Senior Jakob Walton (4) exits the field with the pigskin in hand after recovering the opening onside kick off the foot of Austin Clark last Friday night in Tolar.

Freshman Hayden Blackwell, pictured rolling to his right in search of an open receiver, was forced into taking snaps for the junior varsity Bulldogs last Thursday evening versus Tolar at Kooken Field following a game-time decision to quarantine se

DISTRICT READY: Hamilton’s high school cross country teams will compete in the Moody Invitational this Thursday beginning at 8:30 am for their final pre-district competition of the season.

BIG RETURN:

Austin Clark is pictured returning a Rattler kick 48 yards during the second quarter in Tolar last Friday night.

Staff photo by Chad Collett

CUTBACK:

Hamilton’s cross-country program reached dynasty level success during the 1990s. Numerous Hamilton runners have competed at the state meet over the past four decades, and from 1992 to 1996, under the direction of then head cross country coach and current Hamilton Junior High principal Mona Gloff, the Lady Bulldogs captured an unmatched five straight state championships.

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

COMBINED FORCES: 42 junior high Lady Bulldogs are participating in volleyball, including 30 seventh graders. The above seventh and eighth grade Lady Dogs have joined forces for a successful 2-2 season thus far with three matches remaining in Hico, Brownwood and a final match versus Stephenville in Hamilton on October 26. Pictured (l-r), front row- Aubrey Ensor, Lexie Ward, Presley Long, Kaitlyn Walton, Kayla Tawater, Carlee Sellers, Austin Kleiner. Back row- Markayla Robinson, Emily Najera, Anna Castruita, Lexi Stockton, Abigael Gesick, Ashlee Mann, Coach Kady Crow. Not pictured- Kelli-Ann Courtney. Photo by Tracy Cox

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