Sports

The Granbury Pirates started their season by going 2-0 on the first day of their home tournament. Matthew Walters (pictured) earned Granbury’s first hit of the season, a double to right field to lead off the Pirates’ 8-5 win over Abilene. Walters went 3-4 with a home run in the game. Granbury beat Sweetwater 10-5 in the second game. See Wednesday’s edition of the Hood County News for a full tournament recap.

Another Granbury Lady Pirate soccer player has committed to continue her career at the next level.

The only thing more aggressive than the wind blowing through Merkel Tuesday night was the defense of the Childress Bobcats, which stymied the Tolar Rattlers in the second half and knocked Tolar out of the Class 3A playoffs with a 63-49 loss.

Lipan head coach Brent Gaylor was admittedly a bit uncertain before the Indians’ area round playoff game against the Evant Elks in Glen Rose Thursday. It was the first career playoff game for eight members of the Lipan roster. Gaylor didn’t know how they’d react.

The Granbury High School Pirate powerlifing team won its district championship Tuesday, beating Azle, Aledo, Brewer, Boswell, Springtown, Glen Rose, Saginaw and Chisholm Trail.

Cornerstone Christian Academy played its firsT tennis match in three years and came away with a win over Southwest Christian this week in cold and windy conditions. The varsity girls played five singles matches, winning three, and went 2-1 in doubles. Jordan Becker and Dakota Becker both won 6-0, while Chloe Laing won 6-3. In doubles, Jordan Becker and Laing won 4-3 and Dakota Becker and Abigail Finneran breezed to a 6-1 win. The boys went 2-2 in singles and won their lone doubles match. Trey Morgan (pictured) won his singles match 7-6, and Isaac Duke won 7-5. Morgan combined with John Wallace to win a doubles match 6-0. The Crusaders are coached by Salah Morgan.

The Tolar Rattler basketball team stands at attention for the national anthem before the Class 3A bi-district game against Childress in Merkel Tuesday. Tolar was eliminated with a 63-49 loss. For more on the game, see P. 7A.

The Class 1A No. 3 Lipan Lady Indians beat No. 2 Dodd City 48-35 at Mansfield Legacy Friday to advance to the Region III-1A championship.

A 40-point second quarter lifted the Lipan Indians to an 87-37 win over Evant in the area round of the Class 1A UIL playoffs in Glen Rose Thursday.

After receiving a bye in the bi-district round of the Class 1A playoffs, the Lipan Indians will face Evant in the area round Thursday.

The Tolar Rattlers were knocked out of the Class 3A playoffs in the bi-district round with a 63-49 loss to Childress in Merkel Tuesday.

The Tolar Rattlers will begin their playoff push Tuesday, while the Lady Indians will look to win their second postseason game and advance to the Class 1A Region III Tournament.

The Cornerstone Christian Academy Lady Crusaders beat Mineral Wells Community Christian 42-36 Saturday in Willow Park to win the TCAF Division II state championship.