Tigers, Lady Tigers get back to work
Sophomore Tyler James took reps with the varsity offense, firing passes in several drills throughout practice.
The Wills Point Tigers and Lady Tigers shook off the rust from their lengthy summer off between the 2015-’16 and 2016-’17 school years, returning to work for two-a-days Aug. 1 with a midnight madness event.
Lady Tigers
The Wills Point Lady Tiger volleyball team will find itself in a new position this season, with last season’s freshman team coach Chris Williams climbing the ladder to take over for Richard Haynes.
Williams will have big shoes to fill, replacing a coach that ended Wills Point’s playoff drought and guided the Lady Tigers to playoff appearances in each of his four seasons at the helm. Impressively, the team added three bi-district crowns in those four seasons, with 2015 being the lone exception.
Even with a change at the top, Wills Point looks to be well positioned for 2016 and beyond with the return of All-District First Team players Claire Hiler and Gaby Gonzales, as well as All-District Second Team players Kelsey James, Kamree Clark and Maddie Booth and Honorable Mention All-District contributor Hannah Wright.
The Wills Point volleyball team is scheduled to get its feet wet with scrimmages Aug. 5-6. The Lady Tigers will kick off the season with a road game in Malakoff Aug. 9 and in Palestine Aug. 12.
Tigers
UIL redistricting gave the Wills Point Tiger football team a new place to call home for the next two seasons, pushing the program from the “large school” 4A designation down to the “small school” 4A designation.
Wills Point will now compete in District 6-4A Division II, competing against chief rival Canton, as well as Ferris, Dallas Lincoln, Dallas Roosevelt and Emory Rains.
Preseason prediction have Greg Cranfill’s Tigers projected to finish either first or second overall, based largely on the strength of eight returning starters on both the offensive and defensive side of the football.
Wills Point will return several All-District performers from last season, including First Teamers Lamont Thomas and Tyriq Burnett, as well as Second Teamers Vincent Tobias, Brandon Smith, Chuck Smith and Sloan Rodberg.
The Tigers are scheduled to host Bullard Aug. 12 for a scrimmage at home before returning to the field Aug. 19 for a road scrimmage in Bonham. Wills Point will open its seasons Aug. 26 in Tyler against Chapel Hill. The home opener has been planned for Sept. 2 against Carrollton Ranchview.
