Sports

The Wills Point Tiger tennis program enjoyed two pieces of good news recently, learning that they are currently ranked 6th in the state among all 4A tennis teams according to the TTCA Rankings released Aug. 25 and topping Whitehouse at home in 12 out of 19 matches played Aug. 29.

Match results included:

-Chase Daniell lost to Hector Cornejo, 2-6, 2-6

-Jack Johns lost to Caleb Grounds, 3-6, 6-1, 9-11

-Kash Adams def. Colton Turner, 7-6, 3-6, 7-5

-Michael McCormack lost to Noah Pulps, 6-4, 4-6, 8-6

-Aidan Phillips lost to Coby Wellbourn, 4-6, 2-6

-Brandon Hatten def. Joseph Ramirez, 6-3, 6-1

-NJ Shelton def. McCray Boozer, 0-6, 6-4, 10-3

-Joshua Schreffler def. Nick Reed, 6-1, 6-4

-Daniell/McCormack lost to Cornejo/Grounds, 1-6, 2-6

-Johns/Adams def. Boozer/Pulps, 6-4, 6-4

-Phillips/Schreffler lost to Turner/Reed, 4-6, 6-1, 5-10

-Kelsey James lost to Kamry Hightower, 0-6, 2-6

The Wills Point Tigers hosted the Carrollton Ranchview Wolves Sept. 2, looking to even their season record at 1-1 overall through two weeks of play.

The first win of the season was not to be for the home team, however, as the Wolves managed to corral the Tiger rushing attack while putting together just enough big plays to take home a 29-16 win.

Neither team looked particularly sharp offensively in the early going, trading punts and penalties throughout a sloppy first quarter.

Ranchview scored the first points of the night late in the first quarter, capitalizing on a 3-yard Wills Point punt to take possession near midfield.

The Wolves would march down to the 27-yard line before junior running back SaRodorick Thompson broke through the defense for the first touchdown of the night. With the PAT, Ranchview led 7-0 with just under a minute to play.

The Van Zandt County Commissioners met Aug. 29 and Sept. 1 for two public tax rate hearings for 2016.

A proposed tax rate of 0.485847 per $100 valuation has been proposed for adoption by the governing body of Van Zandt County.

The proposed tax rate exceeds the lower of the effective or rollback tax rate. County Judge Don Kirkpatrick said that state law requires that two public hearings be held by the governing body before adopting the proposed tax rate.

“The governing body of Van Zandt County proposes to use revenue attributable to the tax rate increase for the purpose of maintenance and operating expenses,” Judge Kirkpatrick said.

The proposed tax rate is set at $0.485847 per $100 valuation. The tax rate is the same as last year’s tax rate.

The effective tax rate is the total tax rate needed to raise the same amount of property tax revenue for VZC from the same properties in both the 2015 and 2016 tax year. The effective tax rate is $.4697466.

The Sixth Annual East Texas Crisis Center Golf Tournament at Van Zandt Country Club will take place Sept. 16.

Funds raised by the event will go to “help support victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in your community,” organizers said.

Entry fee for a team of four is $400 and includes green fees, golf carts, team photo, range balls, goody bags and lunch.

There will be prizes and awards for closest to the pin, longest drive, door prizes and first, second and third place trophies.

Wills Point engaged in a battle of teams that carry the tiger mascot Aug. 9, bringing home a three-set victory over Malakoff in their season opener. The win proved to be more than the usual season opener, also serving as the first win of the Chris Williams-era of Lady Tiger volleyball.

A balanced effort by newcomers and Wills Point varsity veterans carried the day from the first serve, The Lady Tigers got off to a fast start during the first set, turning a 0-1 deficit into an 8-3 lead that resulted in Malakoff taking a timeout to get their bearings.

After two weeks on the practice field, the Wills Point Tigers will finally get their first look at another opponent when they host the Bullard Panthers Aug. 13 at Ken Autry Davis Field.

The game against Bullard will be one of two planned scrimmages for the Tigers, and should provide a good test for the season ahead.

The Panthers, participating in District 9-4A Division I this season, finished 7-4 overall last season, including 4-1 overall in their district.

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.

Billy Robertson, a longtime Wills Point barbershop owner and local resident, brought in the catch of a lifetime by hauling in a 40 lb. catfish July 22 at Lake Tawakoni. Robertson, who has been fishing for more than 50 years, said the fish was caught in 28 ft. of water with a 5.5 foot pole.

WPHS junior Clayton Lowry and his team roping partner Cayl Siebee of Arp will make up one of four teams representing Texas in Gillette, Wy., this week at the National High School Rodeo Finals. Approximately 200 teams are competing in the team roping event from across the U.S. and Canada. They had a great first showing July 18 and will ride again today (July 22). The top 20 teams after the second round will make the short go and compete for the national title. In order to qualify for the National High School Rodeo Finals, Lowry and Siebee had to place in the top four at the NHSRA State Competition.