Sports Briefs for Aug. 8

FOOTBALL

Bearcats set to start fall drills

Come next week, all high school football teams all across Texas will be in workouts for the coming season. Classes 1A-4A (which includes Brock in 4A) began workouts this week, along with 5A and 6A teams that did not hold spring workouts (which includes Weatherford).

Aledo, which held spring training, will begin practices Monday, Aug. 11.

The first day of full contact for the Bearcats is Aug. 16 and their only scrimmage is Aug. 21 against Mansfield Timberview at 6:30 p.m at Buchanan Stadium.

Weatherford has two scrimmages. The Kangaroos will host Burleson Aug. 14 at 8 p.m., followed by a trip to Burleson Centennial on Aug. 21 at 7 p.m.

Both teams will begin the regular season on Aug. 29. The Bearcats will host Denton Guyer at 7:30 p.m., while the Kangaroos will travel to Pennington Field in Fort Worth for a 7:30 p.m. clash.

Bearcats picked to win league again — with a caveat

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine has once picked the Aledo Bearcats to win district, which would be their 18th straight league championship. The Bearcats last lost a district game in 2007 and have since reeled off a national-record 127 consecutive league wins.

However, Dave Campbell’s makes a bold prediction on their website, predicting the win streak will come to an end. They say it’s likely to happen at Denton Ryan on Oct. 3, at which point the streak would be at 130 games.

Ryan has thrown a scare into the Bearcats each of the past two regular seasons. In 2023, Aledo needed a last-minute long touchdown run from Hauss Hejny to win 25-19 and last season the Bearcats rallied from a 27-8 deficit to win 42-27 at home.

Ryan ended the Bearcats’ season, 31-21, in the Class 5A Division I quarterfinals.

Aledo enters the season ranked No. 1 in the state in 5A Division I by the magazine, while the Raiders are No. 3.

VOLLEYBALL

Season begins next week

Volleyball season gets underway next week for teams across Texas.

Locally, the Aledo Ladycats will begin the season on Monday, Aug. 11 at Keller before traveling to the Katy ISD/Cy Fair ISD Tournament Aug. 14-16. Their first home match is Aug. 19 against Southwest Christian at 6 p.m.

The Weatherford Lady Roos will open the season at home against Cleburne on Aug. 12 at 5:30 p.m., followed by a tournament at Leander Aug. 14-16.

Among private schools, Willow Park Trinity Christian will begin its season Aug. 14 in the Spike Down Tournament in Fort Worth, while Weatherford Christian has 6 p.m. matches at Lipan on Aug. 11 and at home against Victory Christian on Aug. 12 before playing in the Spike Down event.

GOLF

Henze, Cordary wins NTPGA events

Aledo’s Ainsley Henze topped the field of the Girls 13-14 age division in a North Texas PGA Junior Tour Medalist Division tournament at Mansfield National Golf Club on July 28. She shot a 7-over-par 79 over 18 holes.

Also, Ava Cordary of Hudson Oaks tied for first place in the Girls 15-18 division at Cross Timbers Golf Course in Azle on July 29. She shot 82 for 18 holes.

Other recent results involving from the NTPGA Junior Tour include:

Prep Division

Prairie Lakes Golf Course, Grand Prairie, July 27 (nine holes, par 36)

Boys 9-10: 2. Christian Ziegler, Aledo, 34.

Girls 13-14: T-2. Sierra Purdon, Aledo, 48; T-2. Shelby Ross, Willow Park, 48.

Medalist Division

Keeton Park Golf Course, Dallas, July 27 (18 holes, par 72)

Girls 15-18: 2. Sydney Purdon, Aledo, 79.

Cross Timbers Golf Course, Azle, July 29 (18 holes, par 72)

Boys 11-12: 5. Tripp Lyon, Brock, 101.

Boys 13-14: 7. Miles Lyon, Brock, 89.

Boys 15-18: 2. Christian Moll, Aledo, 78; T-7. Ryder Kelly, Weatherford, 81; 9. Pierce Russom, Aledo, 82.

Girls 15-18: 5. Kennedy Bailey, Aledo, 96; T-7. Linda Patterson, Weatherford, 101.

Purdon advances in DCP

Sydney Purdon of Aledo recently competed in the Drive, Chip & Putt competition sponsored by the by the Masters Tournament, the United States Golf Association (USGA), and the PGA of America.

The Ladycat placed second at local qualifying at Prairie Lakes Golf Course in Grand Prairie on July 11. This advanced her to the sub-regional competition at Gentle Creek Country Club in Prosper on July 27, where she placed fifth, narrowly missing moving on.