Sports

With landslide victories over district opponents Valley Mills and Frost last week, the now 17-9 varsity Lady Bulldogs slid in at number 25 this week in the latest Texas Girls Coaches Association poll. Seniors pictured, Brooklyn Bragg (34) and Kelton Wright (5) turned in double-doubles in both of Hamilton’s district wins last week. On Tuesday, the Lady Dogs cruised past Valley Mills in Hamilton, 86-45. Wright chalked 41 points and 10 rebounds, and Bragg recorded 15 points and 10 boards. Sophomore guard Addison Massigill and junior sharpshooter A.J.

CRASHING THE BOARDS - After tackling Valley Mills at home 53-40 on Tuesday of last week, the Dogs traveled to Frost on Friday and unexpectedly fell to the host Polar Bears in overtime by a score of 59-55. Rio Vista is currently pacing District 12-2A with an unbeaten 3-0 record. Each 2-1, Hamilton and Itasca are in hot pursuit with Italy and Frost chilling in the fourth and fifth spots with 1-2 district records. As of last Friday, Valley Mills was residing in sixth position at 0-3. The now 11-11 Bulldogs were led in a 53-40 home victory over Valley Mills last Tuesday by junior guards Mike Bushnell and Rogelio Ibarra with 12 and 10 points, respectively. On Friday in Frost, Bushnell nailed a double- double, knocking down 23 points and 11 rebounds. Though the Dogs entered the final stanza in Frost with a 12-point 39-27 lead, sophomore big man Colter Johnson was forced to exit the court with five fouls. The Polar Bears pounced and proceeded to outpace the Dogs 19-7 in the fourth to force overtime. During the extra period, the frostbitten Bulldogs were able to muster just nine points to Frost’s 13. Behind Bushnell’s double-double performance, sophomore Pierce Summers traced eight points, four boards and three blocks. Fellow sophomores Devin Eanes and Johnson each recorded four points, and Ibarra tagged three points, six boards and two steals. After hosting Itasca on Tuesday of this week, the Bulldogs are scheduled to welcome frontrunner Rio Vista to town this Friday. Next Tuesday, the Dogs will tip off the second round of district competition in Italy. Pictured, sophomore big man Colter Johnson (33) crashes the boards for a rebound. Staff photo/Lengefeld

Lady Bulldogs Basketball

Bulldog competitors represented Hamilton High School in Dublin.

VICTORY

Catch the Action

BACK ON TRACK

Academic All-State ELKS

PCO/HHN COLLEGE FOOTBALL BOWL PICK'EM CHAMPS: Pecan Creek Outfitters and the Hamilton Herald-News partnered two weeks ago in offering a college football bowl pick'em challenge. Out of 47 participants, eight picked seven out of ten correct winners, including Joel and Kim Kinsey, Lori Dean, Victor Garcia, Randy Dyer, Josh Christian, Miles Sellers and Habert Hopper. Only two picked eight out of ten correct winners, including Bret Partain and the mother and son duo of Candace and Maddox Stroud. Breaking a first place tie, the Stroud submission won the first tie breaker by predicting the closest score in the Michigan and Alabama matchup. Pictured (l-r), Abbie Housden Creasey of Pecan Creek Outfitters presents a PCO gift basket to the 2023-24 PCO/HHN College Football Bowl Pick'em winners, Candace and Maddox Stroud.

DISTRICTONDECK: The varsity Hamilton Bulldogs are scheduled to tip-off District 12-2A competition this Friday at home versus the Italy Gladiators at 7:30 p.m., following the now 13-2 junior varsity Red Dogs at 5:45. The varsity Bulldogs will be entering the District 12 gauntlet with a 9-10 record. After falling to the Clifton Cubs earlier in the season by 27 points, the Howard Cox led Dogs played Clifton to a three-point ballgame last Friday in Hamilton. With a 33-percent hit ratio from beyond the three-point arc last Friday, junior sharp-shooter Mike Bushnell knocked down four of 12 threepoint attempts in leading the Dogs with 15 points scored in a 49-46 loss to the 3A Cubs. Sophomore Colter Johnson banged the boards down low for eight points and was trailed by junior Rogelio Ibarra with seven, junior guard Jaxon Edwards with six, senior Jacob Eanes with five and sophomore Devin Eanes with four. Johnson also grabbed a team-leading ten rebounds versus Clifton, including nine defensive boards. Following their 13th victory of the season over Clifton, the JV Red Bulldogs will follow-up a district contest versus Italy at home this Friday with a district home game versus Valley Mills at 5:45 next Tuesday. The varsity Bulldogs are scheduled for the nightcap versus Valley Mills in Hamilton next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Pictured, junior guard Jaxon Edwards pushes the ball up the court.