KFDM COOP

BC starts up baseball season Gabriel Pruett The Orange Leader BRIDGE CITY — The first swings and pitches were on display Monday at Cardinal Field as Bridge City took to the diamond for the first time since last year’s march to the state tournament. In fact, the last two seasons have ended with the Cardinals, who come into the season ranked No. 15 by Inside Prep Baseball Magazine, earning state semifinalist honors. With such a long run in each of the last two seasons, Coach Billy Bryant can almost not believe his Redbirds were back at it again so soon. “It doesn’t even seem like yesterday that last season was ending,†Bryant said. “This will be a hectic first week with us going through tryouts and seeing where we stand to start the season.†Bryant and Co. will lean heavily on two stand-out recruits who have already committed to top-caliber colleges. Center fielder Johnny Dishon is headed to Louisiana State University while left-handed pitcher Jeff Stringer is on his way to Lamar University after his senior year. Dishon batted .422 his junior campaign with nine homers and 41 RBI. Stringer put up an impressive 6-0 mark last year with the Cardinals with a 2.58 ERA in 35.1 innings to go with 51 strikeouts. Even after losing a lot of talent from last year’s squad, the Cardinals will still carry around high expectations. For two years straight the Cardinals have not dropped a District 21-3A game and have been knocked out of the state tournament by the eventual state champion. Last year it was Liberty Eylau and the year before it was Carthage. “With the success we have had the last two years, I hope the kids have the expectations to do it again,†Bryant said. “It is an ongoing battle to improve your program. Our No. 1 goal is to go as far in the playoffs as our talent will allow us to go. If we feel at the end of our run we did that then the season will be a success.†The Cardinals will scrimmage at Lufkin Hudson next Tuesday before the same team comes to Bridge City on Feb. 9. Bridge City’s first real action will come Feb. 22-24 when it travels to the Lufkin Hudson Tournament. The Cardinals will compete in the Nederland Tournament March 1-3 before opening district play up against playoff-ready Silsbee on March 6. One of the highlights each year for the Cardinals will be from March 8-10 with the Bridge City Tournament taking place. “Six of the eight teams in this district were in the playoffs last year with the new teams that came in,†Bryant said. “There is going to be some tough competition and we are going to do what it takes to get our kids ready. We had 60 kids come tryout and we are going to have to make a judgment on which kids to keep. “You are limited with time so we are going to look for kids who have potential, a desire to learn and the willingness to hustle. We don’t have as many experienced players back like we have had over the last three years but I think we have enough guys that I think we are in good shape to compete.â€

Keep us updated on the Tennis Season.

Final/Comments

Final/Comments

Should be interesting.

Aggies loading up!!

Let's hear it!!

NM

Jan 29, 11:09 AM EST Curt Schilling says he won't retire BOSTON (AP) -- Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling said Monday he will not retire at the end of the 2007 season as previously indicated and plans to pitch in 2008. The 40-year-old Schilling made his comments on WEEI-AM radio and confirmed them to The Associated Press. The right-hander's contract with the Red Sox ends after the 2007 season, but he said he was in discussions for an extension. If he can't work out a deal in Boston, he will pitch for another team - but not the New York Yankees. "I'm in discussions with the Red Sox, we had talked last week and there's a lot going on obviously right now, but where I'm going to play beyond 2007 ... I hope it's Boston," he told the radio station. "This is where I want to play and in the days leading up to spring training we'll figure it out one way or the other. If I go into this season without a contract from the Red Sox then I will go out and find a home for 2008." Schilling told the station he decided to play beyond the 2007 season after discussions with his family.

Barbaro is euthanized KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (AP) -- Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized Monday after complications from his breakdown at the Preakness last May. "We just reached a point where it was going to be difficult for him to go on without pain," co-owner Roy Jackson said. "It was the right decision, it was the right thing to do. We said all along if there was a situation where it would become more difficult for him then it would be time." Roy and Gretchen Jackson were with Barbaro on Monday morning, with the owners making the decision in consultation with chief surgeon Dean Richardson. It was a series of complications, including laminitis in the left rear hoof and a recent abscess in the right rear hoof, that proved to be too much for the gallant colt, whose breakdown brought an outpouring of support across the country. "I would say thank you for everything, and all your thoughts and prayers over the last eight months or so," Jackson said to Barbaro's fans. On May 20, Barbaro was rushed to the New Bolton Center, about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia in Kennett Square, hours after shattering his right hind leg just a few strides into the Preakness Stakes. The bay colt underwent a five-hour operation that fused two joints, recovering from an injury most horses never survive. Barbaro lived for eight more months, though he never again walked with a normal gait. The Kentucky Derby winner suffered a significant setback over the weekend, and surgery was required to insert two steel pins in a bone - one of three shattered eight months ago in the Preakness but now healthy - to eliminate all weight bearing on the ailing right rear foot. The procedure on Saturday was a risky one, because it transfered more weight to the leg while the foot rests on the ground bearing no weight. The leg was on the mend until the abscess began causing discomfort last week. Until then, the major concern was Barbaro's left rear leg, which developed laminitis in July, and 80 percent of the hoof was removed. Richardson said Monday morning that Barbaro did not have a good night. © 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Learn more about our Privacy Policy.

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I agree!! I don't want to have to take the forum down.

I agree! Let's please stay on topic!

Update: Nederland's RB Dravannti Johnson committed to the Aggies tonight. Congrats and welcome to the good guys. He is one of seven juniors that committed to A&M this weekend.

High school baseball squads hold first practices today One sure sign that spring is near will be the ever-frequent ping of a metal baseball bat at high school campuses around Southeast Texas that can be heard starting today. Today is the first day the UIL allows high school baseball team to hold practices, three weeks before the first games. Teams can hold scrimmages starting Feb. 5. The regular season starts Feb. 19 and the playoffs start in May. The state tournaments are June 6-9 in Austin and Round Rock. Bridge City was the only SE Texas school to qualify for a state tournament last year. The Cardinals reached the Class 3A semifinal round and lost to eventual state champion Texarkana Liberty-Eylau.

BC Tennis competed in the Nederland JV & 9th Grade Tournament on Jan. 26. Boys Singles: 9th – Logan Bryant wins the title by defeating C. Dang of West Brook 6-2, 6-2, then defeated S.Webb of WOS 6-4, 7-6. He then won the semi-finals over Pickering of Kelly 7-5, 6-4 before taking the final over DeLaCruz of Nederland 7-5, 6-4. Boys Doubles: J.V. – Randy Dupuis and Steven Dotson defeated Silsbee’s Hillin/Oster 4-6,6-4, (10-4) before dropping the next match to Hamilton/McKain of West Brook 6-4, 7-5. Girls Singles: 9th – Meredith Miller won her first of 5 rounds 6-2, 6-2 over LCMs Heather Collins before dropping Williams of Orangefield 7-5, 6-3. She then defeated Wiedenfeld of Nederland 6-3, 6-2 leading to her 6-3, 6-3 semifinal victory over Nederland’s Ferguson. She then capped off the day by defeating Rachel Jones of Kirbyville 6-3, 6-3 in the championship. BC will play in the Cathedral Christian "Hot Chocolate" classic Friday in Beaumont.

Man i hope he makes it!

Can't believe they blew that lead.

Quite a spread there.

Good luck to both teams.

Wasn't pretty!

Keep us updated on this district.

Not sure yet.

68-60 McNeese..Lamar falls apart.

Almost over.