KFDM COOP

Lady Cards show heart through playoffs Gabriel Pruett The Orange Leader BRIDGE CITY — The volleyball season could not be going any more perfect for the Bridge City Lady Cardinals these days. It was just a year ago the Lady Cardinals found themselves ousted in the bi-district round and heading home in an upset loss to the Liberty Lady Panthers. Now after Tuesday’s amazing victory over the Bellville Brahmanettes, the Lady Cardinals are headed to Bryan this weekend and the Region III tournament. All this was set up by a tie-breaking, five-game win over the Silsbee Lady Tigers when the two teams finished with identical 13-1 marks in District 21-3A. Bridge City then had the bi-district round off before taking down La Grange in five games last week. Tuesday’s win was maybe the most impressive win of the year for the Lady Cardinals. They lost Game 1 25-17 and had to pull out all the stops in Game 2 to win 26-24. Game 3 was the turning point even though Bellville pulled out a 25-17 victory. When a team is down 23-9 and already on their way to a 2-1 deficit in the match, it is easy to give in and quit. Not a chance with the Lady Cardinals. They fought tooth-and-nail with Bellville and came all the way back to only lose by eight. It set up what would be spectacular wins in Games 4 and 5. When Game 5 ended when Sam West denied Bellville’s Precious Sanders of a kill with a block, the Lady Cardinals had every reason to cry their eyes out along with Coach Becca Mathews and her staff. These Lady Cardinals are making their run on their legs which never tire. In Game 5’s they are confident they can outlast their opponents. No matter what happens in Bryan, this season was a dream season in Bridge City. Each girl has brought in a talent which has made this all possible. Leading the way are four seniors who are the nucleaus of it all. Audrey Myers is there for the power, Lauren Angelle brings a terrific all-around game, Jenna Angelle can dig any hitter around and Kayla Fullerton is the perfect compliment to Myers with a tough, left-handed shot of her own. The Lady Cardinals have already done more than what many expected them to do this season and now they are headed to Bryan to accomplish even more. But if you hear they are down early in a match this season just remember, they are never out of it and could end up surprising the city of Bridge City once again.

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Clemens starts 'post-playing' career with Astros in '08 ORLANDO – For the first time since he signed with the Astros in January 2004, future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens will inform the Astros today that he intends to start a season working under his post-retirement, personal services agreement. Through his agents, Randy and Alan Hendricks of Houston, the 11-time All-Star will inform Astros owner Drayton McLane the news today. Clemens had vowed to retire after the 2003 season with the Yankees, but McLane, a strong community lobbying effort and Andy Pettitte’s signing with the Astros prompted the hard-throwing righthander to put off retirement in 2004. Since then, Clemens has vowed never to officially say he’s retired. Nonetheless, today’s news is the closest sign that Clemens, 45, may indeed be close to retirement. “Roger has said several times that he has failed at retirement, so I am not announcing his retirement,†Hendricks told the Chronicle. “The plan for 2008 is this: Roger plans to start the new year as the first year of his post-playing career contract as a consultant to the Houston Astros. “Roger really enjoys the teaching aspects of baseball and loves his interaction with the young players.†Clemens signed a discounted $5 million deal with the Astros in 2004, receiving $3 million in attendance incentives and a $3 million, 10-year personal services contract. He played three seasons with the Astros. In three seasons playing in his hometown of Houston, he won the Cy Young Award in 2004, helped the Astros win a postseason series for the first time in franchise history in 2004, helped them reach Game 7 of the 2004 National League Championship Series and then helped the 2005 team win the NL pennant and reach the first World Series in the state of Texas. His good friend Pettitte left the Astros to return to the New York Yankees after the 2006 season, and Clemens followed him to the Bronx after receiving a major-league record $28 million prorated deal for a partial season. Without Pettitte and Clemens, the Astros finished fourth in the weak National League Central with a 73-89 record, their worst since they were 72-90 in 2000. Clemens was nagged by a few injuries in 2007, including an elbow problem that made some wonder if Father Time had caught up with him and finally led to his final season in baseball. He was 6-6 with a 4.18 ERA in 2007, throwing 99 innings over 18 appearances, 17 of those starts for the Yankees. Even though he also pitched a partial season in 2006 with the Astros, his 99 innings were the second-fewest in his 24 seasons in the majors. The 99 innings were the fewest he had thrown since throwing 98 1/3 for the Boston Red Sox in his injury shortened 1985 season, which was his second in the majors. Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner who is 354-184 over his career, is eighth on the all-time victories list and first among pitchers alive. In strikeouts, he is second only to Hall of Famer and former Astro Nolan Ryan. As part of his post-retirement deal, Clemens will show up to spring training and work with the major-leaguers somewhat but mostly with the minor-leaguers. In 2006, he worked on some of those duties after he returned from the World Baseball Classic and before he began his three-stop tour of the Astros’ farm system while preparing to join the Astros after signing a pro-rated deal. He also worked with the Astros’ minor-leaguers when he was away from the Astros in 2007, especially when he visited his son Koby, a third base prospect at Class A Lexington. Last spring, he worked with the Astros’ minor-leaguers and followed his son at Lexington before signing with the Yankees in May. “I love it,†Clemens said last Feb. 22 of working with the prospects. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t enjoy doing this and having the opportunity to be available to the kids when they ask questions. I still enjoy it. “I’ve been real blessed to be able to do this and really for the Astros to let me come down and let me be a part of this. We worked real hard, I think on my first or second contract, to have the personal services deal, and now it’s coming true.â€

I look for some good things from Nederland this year.

8)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2007 Seahawks face Temple at home Thursday The Lamar State College-Port Arthur men's basketball team takes on another Division I school Thursday, when the Temple College Leopards come to town for a 7 p.m. game in the Carl Parker Center. The Division III Seahawks are 2-1 after Tuesday's 98-72 home win over Cy-Fair College. Lamar State coach Don Bryson is pleased with his team's scoring. "We've had four players in double figures in each game, so we're not having to rely on one of two players to score," he said. "Other people also are contributing points, and the rotation is giving our starters some rest." Freshman forward Seth Harley had 22 points and eight rebounds, including 15 points in the first half to lead Lamar State to a 53-34 half-time lead. The other three Seahawks starters also scored in double figures -- sophomore guard Noah Cole with 15 points and freshman forwards George Williamson and Andre Boutte with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Boutte also corralled eight rebounds. Temple, which plays in the North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference, is 3-0 with wins over Cy-Fair, Navarro College and Angelina College. The Leopards scored more than 100 points in each of those wins, including 124 against Cy-Fair. "We certainly will need more intensity on defense against Temple," Bryson said. "They like to press, and they can put up some points." Angelina (0-3) will be in Port Arthur on Saturday for a 7 p.m. game against Lamar State.

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After losing top starters, OSU loses to Division II school Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Marcus Parker scored 18 points to lead Findlay to a 70-68 victory over Ohio State on Tuesday night, the second time in a week a Division II school beat a Big Ten team in an exhibition game. On Saturday, Grand Valley State beat No. 8 Michigan State, the conference preseason favorite, 85-82 in double overtime. The Big Ten made headlines this way to start the football season when then-No. 5 Michigan Wolverines lost 34- 32 to Appalachian State from the Football Championship Subdivision. Jamar Butler hit a 3-pointer with 1:52 left to bring the Buckeyes, who have one starter back from the team that lost to Florida in the national championship game in March, within 70-67. He later made a free throw with 4 seconds remaining to pull the Buckeyes within two points, but Ohio State was unable to regain possession as time expired. Morgan Lewis had 15 points and Josh Bostic added 13 for the Oilers. Butler finished with 22 points and Kosta Koufos added 20 for the Buckeyes in their final exhibition game. They open the regular season on Nov. 12 against Wisconsin-Green Bay in the NIT Season Tip-Off. Freshmen Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr. and Daequan Cook all left Ohio State after last season for the NBA. Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Make posts that make sense and it wouldn't get taken off.

Gosh i hate Saturday games.

Dam, why a Saturday. >

Diboll is having a great year!

Yea Coach Managan really turned them around!! HF still has a playoff shot.

J i see PN-G winning this one by 14 or more.

8) Yea it's in the Pasadena area.

South Houston. Just west of Pasadena near I-45.

Tide turns for NHS boys hoops squad NEDERLAND -- The tides will start to change this year in Nederland's basketball program. Head coach Brian English is now in his second year with the Bulldogs and the young squad he put together last season is now a year older. Perhaps the biggest bonus is the new basketball class schedule that English lobbied for over the off-season. Instead of getting his players two to three times a week during school hours, he gets to see his players for 45 minutes every day of the week. "The program is heading in the right direction," English said. "Getting the kids everyday is a plus. It's more consistent and gives the players more opportunities to learn our system. We got a lot of experience last year. We are still young but we were young last season." The Bulldogs finished last year 9-21 overall and 4-10 in District 22-4A. They were led by 6-2 guard Chris Hammond who was named newcomer of the year as a sophomore and is expected to continue to improve this season. Hammond averaged 13.2 points per game last season. Nederland's other leading returners include juniors Francis Torres, Josh Dean, Jordan Pitts and senior Buddy Cooper. Torres is a 5-9 guard who averaged 6.2 points per game last season. Dean, a 6-3 post, averaged 6.5 points per game. Pitts, a 6-0 guard, averaged 5.8 points per game and Cooper, a 6-0 guard, averaged 7.1 points per game. Seniors Marcus Eaves, Kris Brisco, junior Evan Fitch and freshman Dionte Forney round out the rest of Nederland's squad. Forney is a 6-4 post player and hopes to add a presence in the paint for the Dogs. English said they are undersized but the key to the season will be unselfish basketball and a change in the mindset among the players. "They've (players) had a great summer and they gained a lot from last year. They're just going to have to start believing we can win and compete with anyone. I think they've started to figure out how to win and that's going to have to roll over into this season." English also said his team will have to be more consistent this season and play all four quarters, every night. "We have to share the ball and play together at all times," he said.

Congrats Dayton and WO-S.

Thompson looking good?

LU ex closes at 133rd on PGA Tour money list Stroud, a former Lamar University and Port Neches-Groves star, played in 25 events during the 2007 season and made nine cuts. He finished in the Top 25 five times and in the Top 10 twice (ties for sixth place in New Orleans and in the Texas Open in San Antonio). With his tie for 41st place and $14,561 in earnings in last week's season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic, Stroud improved his season total to $673,106. That left him 133rd on the PGA money list, eight slots short of earning automatic qualification for the 2008 Tour. Mathias Gronberg finished in spot No. 125 with $785,180, a plateau Stroud figures he perhaps missed by as little as two strokes. "In addition to my two sixth-place ties, I missed two other Top 10s by one stroke each," said Stroud by cell phone Tuesday afternoon from his newly-bought home just off Redstone Golf Club in Houston. "If I had made those two Top 10s, I would've been much closer, if not in the Top 125." Opening rounds of 70 and 68 last week had Stroud in contention for a high finish at the halfway mark in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., but a third-round 75 doomed him - although he bounced back to close with a 69. He can regain his tour card for 2008 through the PGA Tour Qualifying School, or he'll still have conditional playing privileges based upon his Top 150 finish for 2007. Before sharpening his game for the final stage of tour qualifying that begins late in November at Orange National Club in Orlando, Fla., Stroud plans on kicking back his heels and relaxing for the next couple of weeks. "I'm just hanging out at the house and enjoying spending a little time with my wife (Tiffany)," said Stroud. "Golf's not on my mind at the moment, but when the time is right, I'll work hard on my game. I'll play a few rounds with Whitey (Brian White, Lamar's golf coach) and my Lamar buddies, and I'll be good to go. "I'm very happy with the way I played for my first year on the tour. I finished strong, and that's very encouraging. "I still have a lot of learning to do. I have to learn the golf courses better. I have to learn how to play the pro game better. It's going to be a matter of getting my wedges a little closer, getting my chips a little closer, getting one more drive in the fairway each day, hitting one more green (in regulation) each day. "To be successful at the pro game, you have to maintain your confidence and keep taking little steps. I'll get there." That's the same approach Stroud has taken since he was a gangly kid growing up while playing the "Pea Patch" (Port Groves Golf Club) not that many years ago. Short Putts Art Wornick, who celebrated his 88th birthday last month and was a P-38 pilot during World War II, made a hole-in-one Friday on No. 12 at Wildwood Golf Club. The Village Mills resident used a 5-wood for the 135-yard shot witnessed by Rusty Davis, Bill Hodgkins, Jerry Fleming and Roy Bowden. Bobby Ratcliff, Corky McDonald and Merf Kaufman joined the husband-wife duo of Josh and Fleta Youngblood in shooting a winning score of 7-under 29 in the weekly Friday Scramble at Silsbee Country Club. Bo Horka, Dwayne Ratcliff and David and C Scott Meents, Butch Cross, Larry Johnson and Tom Stirling accumulated 17 points and two birdies to win the weekly Thursday Dogfight at Belle Oaks Golf Club. Bill Hatfield, Dave English, Tom Lawton and Wes McGuire were second with 14 points, while Mitch Priddy, Kyle Mehl, Calvin LaGrappe and John House were third with 13 points. Stirling fired the closest-to-the-pin shot on No. 8, and Priddy was closest on No. 15. Chad Ott won the weekly Saturday Game at Beaumont Country Club. Chris Dowdy w Bill Taylor recorded a net score of 7-under 65 to win first place in the Monday Seniors at Belle Oaks play. Jack Faubion was second with a 68, while Norm Pasche and Rufus Mier tied for third at 69. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Pasche on No. 8 and Mike Hebert on No. 15. Gene Harrison was the Friday Seniors winner with a net score of 60, while Ben Fuller was second with a 62. Jim Brown and Charlie Hall tied for third at 65. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Mier on No. 8 and Norm Shannon on No. 15. Hank Harris, Tom O'Grady, Wally Stanley and Charles Huckaby had 16 points to tie for first place in the weekly Tuesday Dogfight at Bayou Din GC with the team of Jim Jordan, Larry Johnson, David English and Carl Tangredi. Ricky Bruner, David Arnaud, Gary Wagner and Dwayne Benoit were third with 15 points. Don MacNeil, Ray Kerwin, Tommy Holland and Ned Cole formed the winning team in the weekly Thursday 65 & Over Game at Babe Zaharias Memorial Golf Course. Tommy Trahan, James Bolton, John Dufour and Charlie Ingraham tied for second place with the team of Ray Trahan, Jess Evans, Jim Malcolm and John Hackbarth. Michael Arnaud shot a sizzling 5-under 65 to capture medalist honors in the weekly Sunday Game at Iron Oaks GC by a six-stroke margin over the trio of Dustin Gunstream, Dennis Hunt and J.K. Miller. In the team competition, Arnaud joined Bob Parris, Blake Burleson and Vince Oliva in shooting a two-best-balls score of 8-under 62 on the back nine, and they claimed the birdie prize with 17. Gunstream, Rocky Kennedy, David Feldschau and Chuck Perrio were the front-nine winners with a 64. Mark Lee carded a net score of 5-under 67 to win the weekly Wednesday Seniors Tournament at The Palms on Pleasure Island. Butch Strange finished second with a 69, while Ray Trahan was third at 72. Collier Nolte, Rodney Archer, Ronnie Pfleider and Rick Ewing posted a two-best-balls score of 5-under 67 to win the back-nine competition in the monthly Saturday Game at Idylwild Golf Club, and they also won the birdie prize with seven. Randy Randall, Rick Oberste, Willy McNeal, Denny Ellis and Matt Mentzel won the front nine with a 69. David LeBlanc fired the closest-to-the-pin shots on Nos. 6 and 16, while Nolte was closest on No. 4 and David Jannise on No. 14. Nolte claimed skins on Nos. 9 and 15, and the other skins winners were Rob Mayfield on No. 1, Ray Moore on No. 3, Derek Mireles on N Shane Begley, Mark Petry and Clint and Butch Hancock scrambled their way to a 65 to win Saturday's Bridge City Little Dribblers Tournament at Belle Oaks GC. Team Childs - Al, Bruce, Alan and Boyd - finished second with a 68, one stroke ahead of Mark Snodgrass, Duane Strader, Steven Lazenby and Jay Williams. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Begley on No. 8 and Williams on No. 15, and Tyler Childs and Clint Landry were the long-drive winners. Chris Mercer, Tommy Braden, Doc Cowles and Francisco Herrera shot a 12-under 58 to win the weekly Saturday Scramble at Iron Oaks GC. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Tommy Thompson on No. 2, Ted Estes on No. 7, Herrera on No. 13 and Joe Fay on No. 16. Maurice Hatton, R.D. Collup, Jim Barnhart and William Green scrambled their way to a winning score of 11-under 61 in Saturday's Wildwood Men's Golf Association Tournament. Wayne Bender, Wayne Thompson, Bill Sherrod and Ed Stapleton shot a 63 for second place. Jim Davis had the closest-to-the-pin shots on Nos. 12 and 15, while Prentice Downs was closest on No. 4 and D.G. Jones on No. 8. Larry Norris, Jim Burton, Gary Wagner and Cal Irvin compiled 21 points and 10 birdies to capture first place in the weekly Wednesday Dogfight at Zaharias GC. The teams of Hilario Padia, Carl Guidry, Bob Patterson and Gerard Lane and Price Youngs, Don Nebel, Hank Harris and Cap Hollier tied for second place with 19 points each. David Jones and Bobby Ratcliff joined the husband-wife duo of Pete and Fifi Farmer in winning the weekly Sunday Scramble at Silsbee CC with a 9-under 63. James Jordan, Eddie Gore and Paul and Grace Lenard were second with a 64, and James Brown was the long-drive winner. Laverne Hanks claimed top honors in the recent 2007 Wildwood Women's Golf Association Championship Tournament, and Janet Gibson was the President's Cup winner. Peggy Rudasill topped the first flight, while Marilyn Woodrom was the net winner. Other flight winners were Shirley Daniel in the second and Jamie Lemke in the third, and other net winners were Sharon Parish (second flight) and Veniese Bordelon (third flight). Closest-to-the-pin winners were Gibson on No. 4, Woodrom on No. 8 and Rudasill on No. 15, and Lemke won the prize for the most accurate drive on No. 10. Jack Collins, Gary Horn and Mike Melvin teamed to shoot a winning score of 32 in Tuesday's Seniors Scramble at Rancho Carribe'. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Roy Karnitz on No. 3, Sonny Wong on No. 5 and Harold Pollard on No. 8. In the weekly Sunday Scramble, Emmitt Hulsey, Dave LeFlore, Pollard and Melvin took first place with a 29. Mike Van Zandt, Will Armstrong, Ray Pietramale, Howard Porteous and Karnitz were second with a 31. Closest-to-the-pin winners were Horn on No. 3, Pollard on No. 5 and Armstrong on No. 8. SOUTHEAST TEXAS SCHEDULE NOV. 18: Six-Six-Six Tournament, Babe Zaharias Memorial Golf Course. Two-person teams, flighted by their lowest-handicapped player, will compete in six holes of best-ball format, six holes of alternate shots and six holes of scramble play. Cost is $10 per player (course fees excluded), and tee times begin at 11 a.m. For information, call (409) 722-8286. You may submit information for the Southeast Texas Schedule by mail to Sports Department, Beaumont Enterprise, P.O. Box 3071, Beaumont, TX 77704-3071 or by telephone to Rush Wood at (409) 880-0745.

[Hidden Content]

Thanks 87