BELTON — Brett Sniffin has made one thing certain to his team since arriving in Belton.
Nothing is for certain.
The first-year Tigers head coach said it doesn’t matter who started last season. Every player will have to compete for an opportunity to see the field this season.
And with less than a week until Belton’s season opener, there’s a lot left to be decided.
BELTON — Thomas Bowman knows how to manage the high expectations others have placed on him. Whether it’s on the football field, in the classroom or tending to livestock, Belton’s steady force on the offensive line has a high bar with several people expecting his best.
HUTTO — A 30-minute lightning delay just three plays into Belton’s scrimmage Thursday night likely left the Tigers uttering a collective “Are you kidding me?” as they headed back to the locker room from whence they came just moments earlier.
Cameron Yoe, Bruceville-Eddy and Rosebud-Lott confirmed Wednesday that their Friday night non-district football games were canceled because of issues with COVID-19.
BELTON — Volleyball coach Krystal Yerigan knows her Belton Lady Tigers may well make another run for the Class 6A playoffs, and she believes they have the potential to compete for a district title.
It’s a little later than normal, but Temple and Belton volleyball players have finally hit the court, officially beginning practice this week and preparing for their first matches.
Both teams are replacing some key players and say team unity is the key to success.
BELTON — Malik Jackson put it plain and simple when expressing his thoughts on the Belton Tigers’ long-awaited first day of football practice Monday morning.
Temple head coach Scott Stewart has long since reorganized the process. There wasn’t much choice in an offseason unlike any other he’s experienced.
ROGERS — Charlie Roten believes many factors contributed to the Rogers Eagles’ successful 2019 campaign. The Eagles averaged 46 points per game, had a strong senior class and found production all throughout their roster.
But one facet of last year’s team set the bar for how the program competes, and it’s a trait Roten hopes Rogers can replicate this season.
It’s a fresh start for Gatesville, which might sound odd for a team with more than a dozen returning starters.
When 54-year-old Kyle Hauk came out of retirement to take over as head coach and athletic director at Buckholts, he didn’t have to do much research.
Experience populates both sides of the ball this season at Salado, whether it’s returning starters or role players from a year ago ready to shoulder expanded responsibilities.
But having veterans around isn’t a sure sign of success in and of itself. Instead, what head coach Alan Haire said will drive the Eagles through a stout non-district slate, a league with a fresh set of opponents and to the playoffs for the fourth time in five years is how each individual functions within the whole of the group.
Brian Kozma would like to find a steady stream of consistency during his second year in charge at Bartlett.
The Granger Lions achieved a lot over the last two years, going 20-6 overall, making consecutive trips to the Class 2A Division II Region IV semifinals and boasting one of the top defenses in the area.
LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY — After being hired as Academy’s head football coach only a few days before the coronavirus pandemic shut down schools and extracurricular activities across the state last spring, Chris Lancaster had to wait about three months to get to know his team and — more importantly — for his players to get a chance to know him.
There’s no harm in still basking in a year-old district title, especially since the one Bruceville-Eddy won was its first since 1985. Plus, sometimes history helps the present, and the Eagles’ successful 2019 season already has set the tone for 2020.
