Sunday, June 30, 2024
For the first time since 2019 the Granbury Lady Pirates softball team advanced to the second round of the playoffs. Following this performance, seven members of the team have been named to the All-District 5-5A Team by the league’s coaches, including a pair of superlative honors.
Senior Allison Dafoe was named the district’s Co-Pitcher of the Year, while Rachel Venable was selected as the Co-Freshman of the Year.
Named to the first team were Hannah Dafoe and Karmyn Williams. Second-team honors went to Morgan Johnson, Carli Carlton and Preslee Carnes.
Dafoe posted an earned run average of around three per game, pitching in the majority of games for the Lady Pirates. She struck out over 200 batters and had a strikeout-walk ratio of approximately 4-1.
This is the second time for Dafoe to be named Co-Pitcher of the Year. She received the honor in 2022 as well and was named second-team all-district in 2023.
Venable was one of the top offensive players for Granbury. She led the Lady Pirates in extra-base hits.
The Lady Pirates (15-19 overall, 6-6 in district) finished fourth in league play, overcoming a 2-5 start, to garner a postseason spot. They then swept District 6-5A champion Fort Worth South Hills 9-0 and 11-0 as Dafoe surrendered nine hits with 11 strikeouts and a single walk in the two games.
The Lady Pirates then fell in two games in their best-of-three series against Joshua. Dafoe surrendered just three earned runs in the series, striking out 13 and walking one.
Named academic all-district from the Lady Pirates were A. Dafoe, H. Dafoe, Carlton, Carnes, Venable, Johnson, Brenna Haynes, Meredith Jones and Abigail Stone.
TGCA ACADEMIC ALL-STATE
The Texas Girls Coaches Association honored several area senior athletes with all-state accolades for spring sports:
Golf
Granbury — Akiyah Ditto, Ryli Lewis, Emily McGuire, Reagan Neal
Track
Granbury — Ella Garner
Softball
Granbury — Allison Dafoe, Brenna Haynes, Abigail Stone
Lipan — Ashlyn Clark, Rylei Cudd, Sarah Marcantonio, Dixon Sinclair
Tolar — Ava LeCluyse
Tennis
Granbury — Katie Childs
Lipan — Olivia Benitez, Taylor Branson, Ashlyn Clark, Sarah Marcantonio
TABC HONORS LIPAN
The Texas Association of Basketball Coaches honored several from Lipan, including senior Lady Indian Taylor Branson. She is part of the Small School Blue/Red Team playing in this weekend’s All-Star Game in Bryan.
Indians coach Brent Gaylor was named Class 2A Boys Coach of the Year after leading his team to a second straight state championship despite losing almost the entire roster to graduation.
Steven Bailey was named a Middle School Coach of the Year. Ty Johnston was a finalist for Boys Assistant Coach of the Year.
JUNIOR GOLF
Several young golfers from the area have gotten their summer off to a strong start with solid performances on the North Texas PGA Junior Golf Tour.
Last week, at Squaw Creek in Willow Park, competing on the Prep Tour, Granbury’s Townes Chaveaux won the Boys 9-10 age group, shooting 1-over-par 36 over nine holes. Lipan’s Cass Hix tied for second with a 40.
In the Boys 13-14 division, Lucas Skavak of Lipan was fifth with a 55 over nine holes.
Competing on the Medalist Tour, Granbury’s Landon Womack won the Boys 15-18 division at Burleson’s Hidden Creek, shooting 4-over-par 76 over 18 holes. Braxton Pugh of Granbury tied for fourth, shooting 81.
Tolar’s Alyssa Lester won the Girls 13-14 division at Mansfield National, posting a 9-over-par 81.
Also, at Mansfield National, Womack shot 76 to place third among Boys 15-18, while Granbury’s Lincoln Sherrill and Lipan’s Jack Smith each shot 83 to tie for third among Boys 13-14.
Quinn Bradley of Granbury tied for ninth in the Boys 15-18 category, shooting 82, and Granbury’s Grady Molder was 12th with an 83.
HIGH SCHOOL RODEO
The Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals Rodeo wraps up Saturday, June 15 in Abilene. Several local athletes are hoping to finish in the top four of their respective events and qualify for a berth in the National High School Finals Rodeo July 14-20 in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
Lipan’s Kynzi Callaway was ranked fourth in Region 3 in both senior pole bending and senior goat tying. She is also fourth in the Girls All-Around standings.
Also competing from Lipan are Tripp Pittman and Kayla Garcia in team roping, along with Kilyn Osburn in barrel racing. Tolar is represented by Hunter Hutton in team roping.
PRO RODEO
Several competitors from the area are among the leaders for men and women in their respective events on the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit. They include Granbury’s Stevi Hillman, who is 18th among barrel racers with $30,353 in money winnings this season.
Three from Lipan are also among the leaders. Patrick Smith is 30th in team roping-heelers with $22,598 won, Cole Clemons is 32nd in tie-down roping with $21,370, and Tyler Tyron is 43rd in team roping-header with $16,592.
SUMMER CAMPS
Granbury ISD summer sports camps, all at Granbury High School, include:
Tennis — June 17-20, grades 2-9, 8-10 a.m. Cost $70
Boys basketball — June 24-27, grades 1-5, 8-10 a.m.; grades 6-9, from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Cost $80
Football — July 29-31, grades 7-9, 8-11 a.m. Cost $75
Volleyball — July 29-31, grades 7-9, 8-10 a.m. Cost $75
Tolar summer sports camps, all at Tolar High School, include:
Football — June 17-21, grades 7-9, playmaker camp, 10 a.m.-noon; grades 3-6, passing camp, 6-8 p.m. Cost $40
Football — June 24-28, grades 7-9, linemen camp, 10 a.m.-noon. Cost $40
Football — July 29-Aug. 1, grades K-9, 6-8 p.m. Cost $40
Volleyball — July 29-31, grades 7-9, 8-10 a.m.; grades 4-6, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Cost $50
