2-10 Midlothian Sports
3/9/10
4:49 PM
Page 1
Sports
irror
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wiginton welcomed to new post at Midlothian Board unanimously approves hire as coach prepares to lead Panther program By ALEX RILEY
Inside sports...
Mirror sports writer
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
New Midlothian football coach Lee Wiginton was unanimously approved by the board.
It took exactly 29 minutes of executive session discussion between the six members present of the Midlothian ISD board of trustees, but, in the end, the group unanimously approved athletic director Steve Keasler’s recommendation that former Mexia coach Lee Wiginton become the new head football coach at Midlothian High School. Wiginton becomes the 14th head coach at Midlothian since 1960 and inherits a program that finished the season with a 19 record as a 4A team. It was announced early Monday morning the Panthers will make the move to 5A next season. “I’m just thrilled to be here. I’m thrilled to be a Panther right now,” Wiginton said. “With realignment today, I think that’s
•Players talk about the hiring of the new coach •Midlothian coaches and players share their thoughts on the move to 5A and their new District 5-5A home. •A look at the Panthers’ new opponents for next season. exciting. I think that’s an exciting opportunity that’s out there for all these young men and for us as a coaching staff. We’re going to come in with our shoes on fire and get ready to come after it. I think it’s a great time to be here.” Accompanied by his wife Becky, 7year-old son Haydon and 3-year-old daughter Julia, Wiginton made his way
around the Midlothian board room Feb. 1 talking with school officials, parents and players. The hire came just hours after Midlothian became the first team in Ellis County history to be classified as 5A. The See HIRE, Page 5C
Staying focused Panthers refusing to look ahead, working to stay in District 16-4A championship title hunt By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
Passing lanes. Ball screens. Defensive pressure. Shot selection. Those are what Midlothian basketball players are thinking about. District championships. Playoff seeding. Post season scenarios. Not so much. With so much on the line each and every time the Panthers step on to a gym floor, the team has reverted to the oldest and most used line in the sports handbook. But if it works, who can argue? “It’s been easy (to stay focused) It’s kind of a cliche but we’re taking it one game at a time, trying not to look ahead. Every game is the biggest game of the year,” senior guard Cameron Lowman said. That philosophy has come down from the top as coach Glenn Hartson stresses the importance each day of playing the team in front of you, not the next opponent. Looking ahead would be easy for Midlothian but the team refuses to do it. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t look around. Each night, players and coaches take a look at the district results and figure out where things have
Coverage of Tuesday’s game between Midlothian and University in Wednesday’s edition of the Waxahachie Daily Light shaken out. With Waco University’s loss last week to Waco High, the Panthers and Trojans are currently tied atop the District 16-4A race with time running down. Despite being on top, Hartson is still wary of even making the playoffs so he presents his team each night with the same type of speech. It’s short, simple and goes back to that one game at a time mindset. “I’m not saying a whole lot. I’m just trying to keep them focused. Every game is a big game, that’s my saying to them every game from the beginning of district to here. This game is big, the next game’s big,” Hartson said. “Like I told them today, I know you guys are tired of hearing me say big
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Midlothian senior Zach Hofstad applies pressure to the inbound passer during last week’s win over Corsicana. The Panthers have kept up their defensive intensity, which has put them in position to contend for the District 16-4A championship. game but every game is a big game. In this district right now, the way it’s crowded and congested, every game is a big game and that’s the approach you’ve got to take it. That’s the mentality and they know that. They’re smart kids. They know.”
The good news for Hartson and his team is the players have bought in to the system that took them from a sub-.500 non-district start to a pair of four game win streaks in district play. Specifically, the team has made a living off defensive pressure. In
the full-court press tabbed as “white,” the team harasses the ball handler and anyone trying to help move the ball past half court. That pressure has forced numerous See HOOPS, Page 6C
Hockey punches playoff ticket Win over HEB-Birdville clinches post season berth, keeps team in division race By ALEX RILEY
Upcoming schedule
Mirror sports writer
PLANO – Before last week’s game, Matt Bassett’s scoring slump was a team joke. After Thursday, Bassett was the one with the last laugh. The Midlothian point leader recorded a three-goal hat trick and an assist as the Panthers picked up a 6-3 win over HEB Birdville. “I feel a lot better and we’re playing with different guys on our lines so I think that makes a big difference. We have more communication and just teamwork,” Bassett said. More importantly, the team assured itself of a spot in the playoffs. With the win, Midlothian (15-3-1) is Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Matt Bassett notched a hat trick in a win over HEB Birdville. Video highlights of the game are avaliable under the video tab at www.thedailylight.com.
Feb. 11 vs. Colleyville Heritage at StarCenter in Euless 8:45 p.m. now six games up on Arlington Lamar with just five games left to play meaning the team will make the post season tournament bracket. Getting that clinching victory was anything but easy or pretty. Tempers flared between both squads as the Panthers and Titans combined for 22 penalties throughout the night, including 10 stemming from fights in the second and third periods. A first period flurry of goals started when Trent Newman took assists by Bassett and Chris Green in for a 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the game. Birdville tied the score about five minutes later before the Panthers broke the
game back open. Bassett’s first score came on a powerplay off assists from Brent Jones and Blake Parker at the 10:44 mark to allow Midlothian to retake a 2-1 lead. Less than 40 seconds later, Bassett returned the favor as he and McClain Williamson handed out an assist to Parker for a 3-1 lead. Birdville trimmed the game less than two minutes into the second period but Bassett would notch the game winner at the 4:27 mark off a Williamson assist. After Birdville trimmed the lead back to one late in the second period, the two teams got into their first scuffle just as the period came to an end. That resulted in seven players starting the third period in the penalty box as both teams opened play with a four-on-four match-up. Bassett would ice the game at the 11:19 mark of the third with his third goal of the night off a Brent Jones assist See HOCKEY, Page 4C
2-10 Midlothian Sports
2C
3/9/10
Midlothian Mirror,
4:49 PM
Page 2
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Signing Day
Star wide receiver signs on with Baylor Johnson ready for opportunity to shine at college level, raise standard in Waco By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
Photo by Rebecca Hertz/The Mirror
With his parents Eddie Sr. and Jeanette and former coach Robby Clark looking on, senior receiver Eddie Johnson signed his national letter of intent to play at Baylor during the school’s morning television show taping.
Eddie Johnson is a man of his word. Months ago, the Midlothian wide receiver made a verbal commitment to play college football at Baylor. Plenty of other schools tried to get the standout to sway on his pledge. But on Wednesday morning, the senior made good on his commitment to play for the Bears when he signed a national letter of intent. Just like he said he would. “It feels like home. It’s a big strong program. Our class is one of the classes that’s going to bring Baylor to probably a bowl game this year and win championships,” Johnson said. “I just stuck with it. A lot of the D-I players that committed to it stuck with it. We’re just ready to go down there and play in Waco and win for the whole season.” The offers came fast and hard at Johnson as traditional powerhouses like Texas, Oklahoma and Tennessee tried their best to change the 6-foot3 receiver’s mind.
Nobody understands what he brings to a field better than Johnson who knew colleges were going to continue coming after him. But in the end, the challenge of what Baylor had to offer was just something too good to pass up. Under second-year coach Art Briles, the Bears have improved drastically and narrowly missed out on a bowl berth. That upswing has Johnson excited as he feels he can help get the team over that hump. “That’s a big challenge I want to take. A lot of players tell me, ‘You could have went to Oklahoma. You could have went to Texas. You could have went to Florida or anywhere like that.’ But I was like I don’t want that,” Johnson said. “I want to make something small become something big so I’m glad for that.” Briles appears to see the same thing. The three-star prospect is a top 100 wide receiver by both See JOHNSON, Page 5C
Stock photos/The Mirror
Tess Voissard, Lindsey Cisco, Tori Adame, Alex Furr and Callie Bishop have been key cogs to Midlothian’s success on the soccer field the last few seasons. Each of the five has earned multiple letters and have made the program a top 10 caliber team.
To the fifth power Group of soccer players sign on to play collegiately, set mark for greatest class in school history By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
If two is company and three is a crowd, then what is five? According Tess Voissard, family. Surrounded by blood related family members, Voissard, Alex Furr, Lindsey Cisco, Tori Adame and Callie Bishop all signed national letters of intent to play college soccer at Division I schools next season making them largest senior class to do so in Midlothian school history. And quite possibly the closest. “It’s kind of like you’re doing it with your family because I’ve known these girls for forever,” Voissard, a Louisiana-Lafayette signee, said. On a team ranked in the state’s 4A top 10 poll, these five players were almost guaranteed to steal the spotlight. As they signed on with their respective schools, they did just that. Each player picked her institution based on what she needed out of the college experience. But in the end the opportunity to continue playing soccer at the collegiate level was a
dream becoming reality. “I always hoped I would and that was the goal so it feels really good to reach what we have worked for for years,” Middle Tennessee State signee Lindsay Cisco said. “It means a lot. I’ve always wanted to continue my career and I’m really excited to sign because I’m really excited to play in college,” Houston Baptist University signee Tori Adame said. As if earning a college scholarship wasn’t special enough, the group got the chance to share the moment with each other. Of course they’ve been sharing special sports related moments with each other for quite some time. The five-some has been playing together for years with some relationships between them stretching back all the way to kindergarden. That bond has made them a cohesive unit on the field. It’s also made them friends off it. “We train together every day so we all are happy for each o t h e r and o u r s e l v e s also See SOCCER, Page 4C
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Midlothian senior soccers players Callie Bishop, Tori Adame, Tess Voissard, Alex Furr and Lindsey Cisco signed national letters of intent to play college soccer last week.
K
K C
Y M
C
Y M
2-10 Midlothian Sports
3/9/10
4:49 PM
Page 3
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Midlothian Mirror
3C
UIL Realignment Recent athletic achievements of District 5-5A teams
Cedar Hill Football 2009- 5A regional finalists 2008- 5A regional finalists 2007- 5A bi-district champs 2006- 5A state champs 2005- 7-5A district champs Volleyball 2009- 5A bi-district finalists 2008- 7-5A district champs 2003- 7-5A district champs Boys basketball 2009- 5A state runner-up 2007- 5A bi-district champs 2005- 5A state runner-up Girls basketball 2009- 5A area champs 2007- 5A area champs
Mansfield Legacy Football 2009- 4A area finalists Volleyball 2009- 4A regional semifinalists 2008- 5A area champs 2007- 5A bi-district champs Boys basketball 2009- 4A area champions Boys soccer 2009- 4A state semifinalists Girls soccer 2009- 4A area champs Softball 2009- 4A bi-district champs
Baseball 2007- 5A bi-district champs Photo by Andrew Branca/The Mirror
Newly hired coach Lee Wiginton talks with players at a meet and greet last Thursday. Wiginton inherits a program that finished 1-9 last season and has moved from 4A to 5A.
Girls soccer 2008- 5A bi-district champs
Welcome to the show New football coach arrives on histortic day for Midlothian athletics By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
When Lee Wiginton accepted the offer to be Midlothian’s new football coach, the school was 4A. Before he could even get into town, the school made the jump to 5A and was pitted against some of the toughest competition in Metroplex. Talk about a warm welcome. Wiginton, the former coach at 3A Mexia High School, was brought before the Midlothian school board just hours after the UIL announced the Panthers would make the jump to 5A. The move is one Wiginton was aware might happen and it’s a challenge he is prepared to embrace. “The way I kind of look at realignment and things is its one of those things you can’t control and once it’s done those are the teams you play. You
prepare to win those games, it doesn’t matter who it is,” Wiginton said. “Kind of everywhere I’ve been I’ve always thought that we want to be the best and to be the best you have to beat the best and I think we’re going to have that opportunity because there’s some of the best in this district.” In his 10 seasons as a head coach, Wiginton appeared in the playoffs eight times and has coached a total of 18 playoff games in that span. At his last stop, Mexia, a 3A team, was an area finalist in 2008 and 2009. But the challenge ahead of him might be one of the tallest in the state. Coming off a 1-9 season, the Panthers make the move to District 55A which features perennial powers Cedar Hill, Duncanville and three teams from the Mansfield district. Cedar Hill finished the regular season as the No. 1 ranked team in the state
but fell late in the playoffs. The newly hired coach was aware that the teams Midlothian will face next season are traditional powers making the road to a winning a season an uphill climb. However the challenge is one he intends to take on head first and believes the Panther players should be ready to attack as well. “We’re certainly going to respect everybody we play but we won’t fear any of them I can assure you that,” Wiginton said. “We’re going to go to work with one mindset and that’s going to be to be the best team we can be and step on the field and be able to beat anybody we play. That’s the only way we’re going to approach it. It wouldn’t matter if they had dropped us to 3A or raised us to 5A or thrown another A, See DISTRICT, Page 6C
Players excited about opportunity By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
Sometime around the middle of the day, junior defensive back Victor Gonzales knew that most of the Midlothian football had heard about being realigned to a 5A classification. The halls were abuzz. Literally. “When we heard that this morning at 9:30 all we could say was ‘Yeah! We’re ready.’ Fourth period was crazy because we’re all fired up about that. Can’t wait to play Cedar Hill and Duncanville and all those teams,” Gonzales said. With the school enrollment moving the Panthers up to the top tier of Texas high school football, Gonzales and his Midlothian teammates eagerly awaited the UIL realignment results last week when the school was pitted against some of the best teams in the area. Traditional powers like Cedar Hill and Duncanville are just the start to a district with opponents like
Mansfield and Grand Prairie waiting the wing. The new district left members of the football with mixed emotions as the competition level climbed dramatically. “We’re trying to think positive about it because it’s like a whole new game in 5A,” junior wide receiver Colton Thigpen said. “The new surroundings and the competition is going to be a lot tougher. I think we’re going to be all right.” The day culminated the hiring of a new football coach for the program as Lee Wiginton was introduced to his new team just hours after the Panthers were officially made a 5A team. It was a whirlwind day but one that has players optimistic about the road that lies ahead next season. “We know 5A’s real competitive and it’s new to us. I just think we’re See PLAYERS, Page 6C
Mansfield Timberview Football 2008- 4A bi-district champs 2007- 5A area champs Volleyball 2005- 4A regional semifinalists
Duncanville Football 2009- 5A bi-district finalists Volleyball 2009- 5A bi-district finalists 2007- 5A bi-district champs 2006- 5A bi-distrct champs Boys basketball 2009- 5A regional finalists 2008- 5A regional semifinalists 2007- 5A state champs Girls basketball 2009- 5A regional finalists 2008- 5A regional finalists 2007- 5A bi-district champs
Boys basketball 2009- 4A state semifinalists 2006- 4A bi-district champs 2005- 4A bi-district champs Girls basketball 2009- 4A state runner-up 2008- 5A regional semifinalist 2007- 5A regional semifinalist Boys soccer 2009- 4A bi-district champs Girls soccer 2009- 4A sectional champs
Baseball 2007- 5A bi-district champs Girls soccer 2009- 7-5A district champs 2007- 5A bi-district champs
Mansfield Football 2008- 5A area champs
Boys soccer 2008- 5A bi-district champs 2007- 5A bi-district champs
Volleyball 2007- 5A bi-district champs 2006- 5A area champs Boys basketball 2007- 5A area champs 2005- 5A bi-district champs Girls basketball 2007- 5A bi-district champs
South Grand Prairie Football 2006- 5A area finalists 2005- 5A area finalists Volleyball 2009- 5A bi-district finalists Boys basketball 2007- 5A bi-district champs
Boys soccer 2009- 5A area champs 2008- 5A bi-distrct champs 2007- 5A bi-district champs Baseball 2009- 4-5A district champs Softball 2008- 5A bi-district champs
Baseball 2009- 7-5A district champs Softball 2009- 7-5A district champs 2008- 5A bi-district champs 2007- 5A bi-district champs Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to the Mirror
Junior defensive back Victor Gonzales said the move to 5A fired players up for next season.
Grand Prairie No notable championships since 2005.
Midlothian coaches look ahead to 5A competition “We’re certainly going to respect everybody we play but we won’t fear any of them I can assure you that.”
Volleyball coach Rhonda Currey
“I’m excited, and looking forward to the new challenge.” Football coach Lee Wiginton
Boys basketball coach Glenn Hartson
“We are coming from a very competitive 4A district and jumping into a competitive 5A district. ... We will definitely have our work cut out for us, but I have confidence the girls will step up and meet the challenge and be competitive in this new district.”
“Very excited about the new district. It is going to be very challenging and competitive. Location is really good and the facilities are great.”
“Knew this was going to happen sooner or later. There are some challenges and I think our coaches will do the best they can to compete.” Baseball coach Ray Hydes
See REACTION, Page 6C
K
K C
Y M
Softball coach Jennifer McFalls
C
Y M
2-10 Midlothian Sports
4C
3/9/10
Midlothian Mirror,
4:49 PM
Page 4
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sports
Trying to build a little off-season momentum Lady Panthers hope strong finish will help build morale for next year’s team By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer
The members of the Midlothian girls basketball team are realists. They know the post season is out of reach for this season. In no way does it mean they were going to give up. As the regular season draws to a close, the Lady Panthers have every intention of fighting to the very end. In fact, they wouldn’t have it any other way. “We haven’t stopped working hard and I don’t think anyone has just because our playoff hopes are kind of gone. I don’t think that’s affected anybody,” senior Natalie Ruud said. Working through the final stretch, gaining experience and building confidence are just some of the goals coach Brooke Walthall has set for the team as her first season as head coach draws to a close. After a win over Corsicana, the coach was happy to see her team still giving 100 percent effort in the game. She believes moments like that are a sign her philosophies and teachings are getting through. Even in Friday’s loss at Midway, the effort was still there. “That’s good. They’ve worked very, very hard and when you work hard it’s hard to give up on things. I think that they’re still continuing to do a good job and I think we’re still getting better,” Walthall said.
Building on a season that is the program’s most wins since the 2007-08 season will be key as the program makes the jump to a highly competitive District 5-5A next season. Winning now is a confidence booster many players realize will only help as things move along. “It’s really important because we have to have a positive outlook on next year. People talk and it’s not very positive but it’s good to know that ending our season on wins will kind of help us in offseason and after the season because it will be a good atmosphere,” junior Hannah Plante said. The good news for Walthall and her team is they’re only losing four players from this season’s roster to graduation and the junior varsity and ninth-grade teams have a combined record of 36-14 with a 16-4 record against district competition. Having those players step up and make contributions to the varsity level while also cultivating the current talent has become a top priority for Walthall. With that in mind, Walthall and her squad are focused on the now, not what’s coming around the bend. “You know, we haven’t talked about it because we have two games left in this season and we want to focus on this year and this team we have right now. And when we get done and more on into
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Midlothian players Hannah Plante (12) and Trisha Dupree (21) battle for a loose ball during last week’s win over Corsicana. The Lady Panthers show no signs of quit as the season draws to a close. offseason we’ll talk about that,” Walthall said. “I just think that we’re in a great district, playing against great teams with great tradition and we’re going to beat those teams.” Alex at Contact alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456.
Next week...
Coverage of Tuesday’s season finale against University in Wednesday’s edition of the Waxahachie Daily Light
A quick look back on senior night for the four players from the 2009 season.
MIdlothian ISD Round-up passes by Corsicana. Solid free throw shooting was the name of the game in the fourth as Midlothian played keep-away to drain the clock and protect its lead. Ruud, Daniell, Hannah Plante and Brandi Spillers combined for seven of the team’s 11 points in the period at the charity stripe to help snap a three-game losing streak. Ruud finished as the scoring leader with 16 while Daniel added seven. In total, seven players scored on the night as the Lady Panthers held their opponent under 40 for the third time in the last six games. Natalie Ruud’s 16 wasn’t quite enough to get the Midlothian girls over the hump as the team dropped a 53-29 game to Hewitt Midway. After falling behind by just one at the end of the first period, the Lady Panthers (12-19, 5-8 district) were outscored by seven or more in each of the next three periods.
Frank Seale eighth-grade girls basketball update Both the A and B teams picked up big wins last week over Coble. The A team notched a 40-26 win while the B team earned a 39-30 victory. For the A team, pressing defense forced numerous turnovers. Jacyln Freeman led the way with 10 points while Mackenzie Hunt added eight and Michelle Cleveland tacked on six. The B team took an early lead and kept pushing the whole way through. Korbin Monday had 18 while Jessica Giles added 12 and Ellen Kyle scored six.
Ninth-grade girls basketball update
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
The freshman girls basketball team continued its hot streak in district play rolling to a 38-10 win over Cleburne. The team followed that up with a low scoring affair against Corsicana that finished with the Lady Panthers claiming a 24-18 win. The two teams nearly doubled-up their offensive performances from the whole game in the fourth quarter. Midlothian was up 13-8 going into the fourth and held on to win. Rylea Milson led in scoring with six points. The freshman team closed out its season with a 35-19 loss to Midway. The team finishes the season with a 18-6 overall record and were 10-1 in district to tie Midway for the best record
Photo by Chad Wilson/The Mirror
Alyssa Freeman and the Lady Panther junior varsity team got a big 20-plus point win over Corsicana. defense allowed just nine first half points as the team went up 26-9 to shake off a slow start. “I just thought we were sluggish, right at the beginning too. Defensively we weren’t very good. We picked it up though. We weren’t taking shots. We had wide open looks but we weren’t shooting the ball,” Stover said. “We came back and played better in the second half. I thought from the second quarter on we played pretty good.” Rachel Martin led the way with 13 while Courtney Tobolka had nine. The team limited Corsicana to six points or less in each of the four periods. The JV girls fell to Midway 39-23 dropping their record to 17-10 and 8-5 in district.
JV girls basketball update Coach Greg Stover didn’t want to hand out too much praise to the Midlothian junior varsity girls but in the end the results are speaking for themselves. After earning a big 33-20 win over Cleburne last week, the Lady Panthers rolled to a 44-17 win over Corsicana at home. The
Varsity girls basketball update Clinging to a one-point halftime lead over Corsicana, the Lady Panthers doubled their point total in the third period en route to a 3727 win proving it’s not how you start but how you finish. Led by Natalie Ruud’s 10-point first half, Midlothian (12-19, 5-7 district) showed little offensive life early on while the defense held Corsicana in check. Those two elements combined for a 13-12 halftime lead. All that changed early in the third period as a pair of Ruud free throws broke a 15-15 tie to give the Lady Panthers a lead they would not relinquish. Back-to-back plays by senior guard Lauren Daniell led to a driving lay-up and a 3-pointer from deep while Trisha Dupree’s pull-up jumper from the wing capped a furious scoring effort in the third period. In just eight minutes, Midlothian scored as many points as it had in the first half to earn a 16-4 scoring advantage in the third. Much of that offense was created by pressing defense that forced turnovers and careless
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Danielle Bourgeois and the freshman girls continue to roll, improving to 100 in district.
Walnut Grove seventh-grade boys basketball update
Freshman Christian Fussell and the ninth-grade boys beat Corsicana by 33 points last week.
The Walnut Grove seventh-grade boys A team fell to Jones in a 63-28 game. Brandon Klor had nine points while Will Wiens added five. The B team also had a tough night against Jones as the squad fell 49-31. Ryan Splawn’s eight points led the way while Darion Daniels added seven.
Both the A and B ninth-grade teams got the chance to take the court last week against Cleburne as the A team dropped a 39-35 heartbreaker to the Tigers while the B team picked up a 59-11 win. In the A team game, Midlothian raced out to a 17-7 first period lead before Cleburne came back to outscore the Panthers in each of the final three quarters. The Yellowjackets outscored Midlothian 22-14 in the second half to pick up the win. Josh Tobolka led in scoring with 13 while brother Jeramy Tobolka had 11. The B team fared much better as it held Cleburne scoreless in the first period and to one point in the fourth. Marcos Sanchez led with 12 points while Jacob Mathis, Javier Maldonado, Kevin Gilmore and Hunter Pearce each had eight. All nine players scored at least two points in the game. The B team is 3-3 on the season. The A team bounced back from the loss with a huge 61-28 win over Corsicana at home. Led by a pressing defense, the Panthers ran out to a 27-13 halftime lead while holding the Tigers to single digit scoring in three of the four periods. “We came out and I thought the energy and the enthusiasm were a little higher than the first time we played those guys,” coach John Kistopoulos said. “Our press really leads to a lot of our offense and it’s good to see we’re getting better at running that press. I’m just happy that we got out there and pretty much dominated from the start of the game and we should.” Daniel Rushing led in scoring with 12 while Josiah Copeland had eight as all 12
A pair of Walnut Grove eighth-graders posted double-figure scoring games against Howard as the A team nearly pulled off a huge win but fell 48-42 down the stretch. Quindell Daniels led with 12 while Brendan Cornell added 10. The B team had five-point efforts from Dakarai Berry and Chandler Ross but fell to Howard 48-20. The tough finishes for the A team continued in a game against Jones as the squad dropped a 40-37 heartbreaker in overtime.
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Brandi Spiller came off the bench to score in the varsity squad win over Corsicana.
See ROUND-UP, Page 6C K
C M
Ninth-grade boys basketball update
Walnut Grove eighth-grade boys basketball update
K Y
Roman Brown led with 11 points while Trey Hall added eight.
C
Y M
2-10 Midlothian Sports
3/9/10
4:49 PM
Page 5
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Midlothian Mirror
5C
Sports
Players, fans embrace new coach Group turns out to welcome Wiginton, ready for new direction in football team By ALEX RILEY Daily Light sports writer
When Tom Moore raised his hand to vote Lee Wiginton in as the new football coach at Midlothian, the school board member was well aware of all that had happened on Monday. In a matter of hours, Midlothian went from a 4A school without a football coach to a 5A school in one of the premiere districts in the area with a newly hired coach. Talk about turnaround. “I think today was extremely significant.. We’ve gone 5A. We’re going to be in a really tough district and we’re starting off with a new head coach and so this is a very significant day in the history of Midlothian. I think we’re stepping in the right direction,” Moore said. In a room filled with school staff, fans and football players, the school approved the hire of Wiginton after the recommendation of athletic director Steve Keasler. While the members of the board discussed the candidate in an executive session, Wiginton and his family roamed the room talking with those gathered. The overwhelming feeling seemed to be a positive ending to a very event filled day. “It’s really important (to hire him) because it obviously wasn’t working out with the old coaches so it’s important that he comes in and does a good job and I think he will. So far I like him,” junior wide receiver Colton Thigpen said. Wiginton’s hire came just
Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
Midlothian coach Lee Wiginton and his wife Becky introduce themselves to fans and players gathered at last Monday’s hiring. hours after Midlothian was moved to 5A. The new District 5-5A features some of the area’s top teams making the trek to a winning season all the tougher. After just a brief conversation with new coach, junior back Victor defensive Gonzales already had a feeling that Wiginton’s hire might be a big boost to a program looking to shake off a 1-9 season. “I’ve talked to him a little bit. He sounds like a cool dude,” Gonzales said. “He sounds like he’ll push us and
Hockey Continued from Page 1B to make it 5-2. The final score of the night came as Trent Newman scored an empty net shot with time running down after Birdville pulled its goalie. Along with clinching a playoff berth, the Panthers got a boost from a pair of returning players. After Jones came back from a knee injury last week, teammates Williamson and Parker made their return to the ice after being side-
Soccer Continued from Page 2C because we worked really hard for it,” Cisco said. For coach Austin Guest, the moment provided a showcase of why the program has received notoriety over the past few seasons. With a No. 5 preseason ranking in the TASCO poll, the Lady Panthers entered the season with lofty expectations. The five college level talent players were a major part of that. “You could tell when that group walked through the
I know he looks like a dude that if we mess up he’s going to say, ‘Get on the line, we’re running.’ I like that and I think he’s going to motivate us and we’re going to do it big time in Midlothian I think.” Gonzales and Thigpen were two of about a dozen players gathered at the board meeting. Joining them were numerous parents and fans from the town, each of which was eager to shake the newly hired coach’s hand. While the road to the playoffs is a long ways away, the
lined for more than three months. The duo combined for two assists and a goal in their return to the ice. “We’ve got our whole team back, we’re running 15 now, full bench, and it’s just more rest for every guy and a big confidence booster for everybody,” Parker said. “I haven’t played in a while. It’s just good to be back with my team and getting on the ice again is fun.” With the post season looming, coach Ryan Pfeiffer is wary of earning a playoff berth with five games left to play. Keeping his team focused will be key as Thursday’s indiscretions showed.
door as freshman this was a special group. At that point the problem is ours to make sure we make the best out of what they bring to the table,” Guest said. “All the coaches here have created a great environment where we develop players over the long haul. We get great players to start with and we do a whole lot of work technically, tactically, physically to improve those kids over the course of time.” With a large portion of the season yet to play out, the girls know there is still a laundry list of opportunities in front of them. Having the future already figured out is a major weight off each one of
feeling in the program has been given a much needed lift. “I like the fact that we were able to pull a young man that resembles a little bit of what we’re about and I also like the fact that he’s got a winning record and he’s bringing the kind of system that is going to blend with our guys very well. We’re happy to have him,” player father Joe Windsor said.
Continued from Page 1C Panthers will spend next fall lining up against traditional powerhouses like Cedar Hill and Duncanville. That move made getting a man to lead the team in place all the more important. After sorting through applications and resumes for more than two months, Keasler was glad to finally bring a name before the board he felt met the criteria of what the school was looking for. In 16 seasons as a head coach, Wiginton has compiled a record of 80-43 with playoff appearances in eight of the last 10 seasons. “It’s been a long process but also a thorough process in the fact that I can tell anybody in the community that I spent hours of time trying to make the right decision for our kids and our community and I feel really, really good about who we have,” Keasler said. Following Keasler’s presentation of Wiginton as a candidate, the school board agreed and voted to offer a 1year dual probationary contract. “I think after we saw the credentials and his past and his references I think we felt like it was a slam dunk,” board member Tom Moore said. At Mexia, Wiginton pro-
Head coaching experience: 10 years (Bosqueville 1A, Comfort 2A, Mexia 3A)... eight playoff appearances, 18 total games While at... •Bosqueville: Brought school to first playoff appearance in 2000, earned District 23-1A coach of the year.... Area finalist in 2001... 2003 state quarterfinalist. District 22-1A coach of the year •Comfort: State semifinalist in 2005... regional semifinalist in 2006, District 82A coach of the year... bi-district finalist 2007 •Mexia: Area finalist 2008... Area finalist 2009, District 19-3A coach of the year
made sure to enjoy their day together in the spotlight. After all, that’s what families Personal: Salutatorian of 1989 do. Lampasas High School class... never “At the beginning of the year I was like, ‘I’m ready to lost a district game in high school graduate.’ And now that it’s career at any level... quarterback of two our last semester I kind of undefeated district championship teams don’t want to go away and leave my family and all my friends,” Bishop, a Central Before Petty takes the Arkansas University signee, field, Johnson will be catchsaid. “It’s a happy time and a ing passes from Alltime that our parents are American candidate Robert proud of us and happy Continued from Page 2C Griffin who headlines a deep because its finally all paid returning group for the Bears. off.” Rivals.com and Scout.com Just another reason Johnson and finished with 814 yards Contact Alex at on 48 receptions with eight says heading to Waco was the alex.riley@wninews.com or touchdowns last season. He right choice. “We’ve got Robert Griffin at 469-517-1456. claimed first-team all-district coming back. We’ve got wide honors. receivers coming back. Our In a statement released by defense is stacked. Briles after the signing day Everybody in the secondary class was announced, the is coming back. So we’re just coach said Johnson has a a strong offense ready to take “world of great upside” and on everybody that’s coming,” the program “expect(s) great Johnson said. “I can’t wait for things out of him.” that.” Former Midlothian football coach Robby Clark Alex at Contact agrees. alex.riley@wninews.com or “I think Eddie’s bound for at 469-517-1456. success in a lot of ways. He’s obviously got an NFL body already and if his route running and ball skills catch up with his body, he’s a for sure NFL guy,” Clark said. While adjusting to college life will be a new part of Johnson’s life, the growth process will get a slight boost. After taking a year to gray-shirt, former Midlothian quarterback Bryce Petty will Photos by Rebecca Hertz/The Mirror take the field with Johnson Family members of each player look on as their next fall as the duo look to daughters sign letters of intent to play collegiate regain the connection that soccer next season. The five signees were the most made them successful in high for the program in its history. (Top from the left) Tori school. The duo hooked up Adame, Callie Bishop, Linsdey Cisco, Alex Furr and for 994 yards and four touchPhoto by Gary Puckett/Special to the Daily Light Tess Voissard have helped make the Lady Panther downs over Johnson’s sophomore and junior seasons and Eddie Johnson capped program into a top 15 caliber team in the state of could be on track to eventual- his career by signing on Texas over the last few years. ly do it again. to play at Baylor.
Johnson
K
K C
Y M
Contact Alex at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456.
The Wiginton File
Contact Alex at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456.
“It’s not very important (to lock it up) yet because it’s how high we finish up thatís important,” Pfieffer said. “Right now we’ve locked up an eight hole or something like that. So if we lose out, we’ll still finish in the bottom fourth of the playoffs so it’s important to get it but we’re not done. The way we play the rest of the way is more so going to be momentum relevant then. If we focus on that, then the points and positioning will take care of itself. But it’s more trying to gain speed so you hit the playoffs running.”
their minds. “A lot of people are trying to figure out where they’re going and stuff and it’s just nice knowing that we’re finished, it’s done. We know where we’re going and that’s good to know,” Furr, an Arkansas State University signee, said. What the event meant to the program is easy to measure. The symbolism to the players involved might be another thing. Just a few months remain in their high school careers and with the college choices made, the realization of their time together is slowly beginning to sink in. With that in mind, the players
Hire
duced back-to-back District 19-3A championships and won the bi-district round each season before falling to the eventual 3A state champion both times. While stepping up to elite 5A competition will be a major challenge, it was one the newly hired coach says he is ready to take on quickly. Wiginton will begin work immediately on assembling a staff and making the move to town, saying he hopes to be on the job by Wednesday. “A number of things (made this the right place) starting with the schools. With the elementary schools being exemplary that was huge for my family. Being a ways closer to my in-laws that’s invaluable to us and the opportunity that exists for the football program, as a coach, is just a grand opportunity. The sky’s the limit I think,” Wiginton said. “From everything I hear the kids are hungry and that’s all you can want as a coach is to have kids that are eager and ready to go and come out here and go to work.” Armed with a spread option style playbook, Wiginton has yet to coach a game but already has supporters of Panther football buzzing. While his hire may have been the end to a topsyturvy day, many hope it will be Midlothian that comes out on top in the end.
C
Y M
2-10 Midlothian Sports
6C
3/9/10
Midlothian Mirror,
4:49 PM
Page 6
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Sports District
2010 Midlothian football schedule
Continued from Page 3C we’re going to go about our business the same way which is going to be all out.” The good news for Wiginton is the program returns a large portion of the talent from last season. Of the six players selected to first or second team alldistrict slots, five will return next season. The Panthers also get their top tackler and top passer back. That talent has Wiginton excited about what he has to build on. “From everything I hear the kids are hungry and that’s all you can want as a coach is to have kids that are eager and ready to go and come out here and go to work,” Wiginton said.
Aug. 20
Richland(scrim)
Aug. 27
Grapevine
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 3
@Saginaw
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 10
Northwest*
7:30 p.m.
Sept. 17
OPEN
Oct. 1
Duncanville
Oct. 8 Alex at Contact alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-5171456.
@Legacy
TBA
7:30 p.m.
Cedar Hill
7:30 p.m.
Oct. 22
@G. Prairie
7:30 p.m.
Players
Oct. 29
@Timberview 7:30 p.m.
Continued from Page 4C
Nov. 5
Mansfield**
Continued from Page 3C
“Obviously this district makes for some increased competition and difficult playoff routes, provided we can earn playoff births. We have played primarily a 5A and strong 4A non-district schedule for several years to begin preparations for the new challenge that lies ahead of us.”
– Marcus Canonico, boys and girls tennis coach “We knew this was a probability and we will be in a challenging district. We just need to prepare our athletes for the new district and region. Our athletes are resilient and they can step up to the challenges before them.”
–Austin Guest, boys and girls soccer coach “We are going into a district with great tradition and that is something we are looking to continue to build on here in Midlothian.”
– Cindy Williams, boys and girls cross country coach “I’m excited about us competing against the biggest & best golf programs in the state! Mansfield High will make us elevate our play to another level and I know we will work extremely hard to get to that level.”
–Amanda Baird, assistant girls basketball coach
7:30 p.m.
*Homecoming **Senior Night
Alex at Contact alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469517-1456.
Hoops
have always had strong tennis programs, but I know the Midlothian High School tennis players are ready to put in the work that will be needed to win District Championships in district 5-5A.”
7:30 p.m.
Oct. 15
going to get ready and we’re more active on offense and everything, doing what we’ve got to do for next year because we know it’s a tough district and all,” Gonzales said. “But we’re ready to go. That I guarantee — we’re ready to play.”
Reaction
“The Midlothian High School Tennis Team is excited about the new challenges that it will face. Duncanville, Mansfield, Mansfield Legacy and Mansfield Timberview are all regional qualifiers in their respective districts this year and
– Brant Barrett, boys and girls golf coach
Upcoming schedule
Continued from Page 1C
Feb. 12* vs. Ennis 5 p.m./6:30 p.m./8 p.m. (ninth/JV/varsity)
turnovers which have led to easy buckets in transition. With an up-tempo style like that, Hartson and his assistant coaches are constantly monitoring how players are feeling physically so they don’t wear down. Fatigue might be a concern but it hasn’t seemed to affect the squad yet. “Coach (Cesar) Condarco and I really try to watch them in practice. There’s some days we’ll go really, really hard and then there’s somedays where we know they’re dragging a little bit and we’ll only go 45-50 minutes during the period and just an hour or so after school,” Hartson said. “It’s a balancing act. Those first five play a lot of minutes and you’ve got to watch out what you’re doing because of that.” Energy doesn’t seem to be a problem at all for Midlothian as Hartson sees and hears it from his players each day. With the coaching offices right next to the locker room, Hartson said he hears cheering, yelling and pep talking coming from inside whenever players are using the facility. During practice, veteran players provide the same type of talk on the court, trying to keep teammates motivated for the road ahead. No one is predicting the finish to the season but the Panthers are aware of what’s going in the district around them. They’re not worried about what others do but what they
Feb. 16 @Waco High 5 p.m./6:30 p.m./8 p.m. (ninth/JV/varsity) *Senior night ONLINE: Video highlights of last Tuesday’s game with Corsicana. Go to www.thedailylight.com and click on the video tab.
Midlothian athlete grabs MVP Local Midlothian product Bryce Fausett (37 above), a quarterback, won MVP honors for the Class of 2013 in an event at Grand Prairie High School. More than 350 athletes from across the metroplex came out in an attempt to make an impact on college football recruiters at The Old Coach Five-Star Performance Camp.
Big kill Hunter Wilkerson came up with a big kill on this 200-pound hog on his grandparents’ property in Navarro County on Jan. 17 during the youth weekend. He is a seventh-grader at Frank Seale Middle School.
Midlothian native signs on with Brookhaven CC Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror
can do. But in the situation they’re in, it’s hard not to use a possible championship as a little motivation. “It just keeps us ready to go. We know we have a chance to go to the playoffs, maybe even get a district championship and go pretty far in the playoffs. It just keeps us focused,” Lowman said.
Midlothian resident and Red Oak volleyball player Candace Halbert signed a letter of intent to continue her career in college at Brookhaven on Tuesday. Halbert is the third Lady Hawk to sign this season.
Contact Alex at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456. on solid shooting from long-range to put the Panthers ahead 30-21 at the half. “They were backed off in that 2-3 zone and I was pretty excited. We were hitting some 3s on them. But whenever they come out and pressure us it’s tough, we struggle with that, “ Richmond said. Midlothian’s offense went cold in the third and scored just two points as Corsicana rolled out with 15. The deficit proved to be too much for the team to rally from. Rapp’s 14 led the way while Shane Decker added nine.
Round-up Continued from Page 4C members of the roster scored at least two points in the game. “It’s good to get some of those kids in there. I was pleased to see Daniel Rushing do a good job. That’s a kid that real talented athletically. I enjoy working with him over here in basketball and I’m glad he’s making the most of the minutes he’s getting and I’d like to see him get a whole lot more minutes,” Kistopoulos said. “Kevin Gilmore’s a guy that worked with our B-team all year, showed up to every practice, never missed a practice. Showed up to all the B-team games, played well and because of that I moved him up. I rolled him out there and he scores a couple buckets tonight. Things like that really make you happy.”
Varsity boys basketball update Led by Cameron Lowman’s season-high 26 points, the Panthers turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 20-point blowout with a 72-52 win over Corsicana. Down numerous times in the second period, Midlothian rallied back to claim a 31-24 halftime lead. After listening to coach Glenn Hartson emphasize a need for defense during the break, Lowman and his counterparts were happy to oblige. The senior guard scored 10 of the team’s first 13 points in the third period to run out with a 46-27 lead. Many of those points came as the Panthers turned up the defensive pressure, which resulted in bad passes and easy transition points. The margin ballooned into the 20-plus range as Lowman hit Johnson with a pass for a dunk to push the Panthers ahead by 21. The deficit would not dip below 20 the rest of the game. In the third period alone, Midlothian outscored the Tigers 24-10 resulting in the huge gap. With the starters pulled for much of the fourth quarter, reserves like Jackson Sandifer, Mason York, Cody Meyers and Brandon Mundie got the chance to run the floor. While Lowman’s 26 stole the show, nine of the team’s 10 players scored. Johnson posted 13
JV boys basketball update The season of tough finishes continued for the junior varsity basketball team as the Panthers dropped a 57-52 heartbreaker to Cleburne in overtime. The Panthers bolted out of the gate with a 32-30 halftime lead which grew to 43-36 at the end of the third period. But the Yellowjackets would rally to tie the game in the fourth and outscored Midlothian in the extra frame 10-5 for the win. Colton Rapp led the scoring with 16 while Ryan Weaver had 11. Bryan Boleman’s seven was next in line. The gut-check games continued against JV district leading Corsicana as Midlothian’s early lead evaporated thanks to a two-point third period resulting in a 50-44 loss. “Two points in third quarter wasn’t too good but other than that we played a pretty good team. They’ve only lost one game in district so we had our chances we just didn’t make it happen,” coach Pat Richmond said. The boys got started off on the right foot as Colton Rapp scored 12 points in the first half
points to go along with a dozen rebounds while Blackburn kept his double-digit scoring streak alive with 10. On Friday, the Panthers traveled to the Waco area for a game against Hewitt Midway and were thumped 70-42 in the most lopsided loss since starting district play. Midlothian (16-11, 8-3 district 16-4A) got a taste of its own medicine as Midway used full-court press defense to harass and block the passing lanes of the Panthers. Down 38-19 at the half, Midlothian did rally to get the deficit to 13 with just under three minutes remaining in the third but it wasn’t enough as Midway went on a big run to take control of the game for good. Center Eddie Johnson led the way with 14 points and nine boards while Blane Blackburn added 12 and Cameron Lowman followed up his 23-point night with 10. The Panthers played Waco University with a share of the district title on the line Tuesday. For a full recap of that game, see Wednesday’s edition of the Waxahachie Daily Light.
Midlothian’s boys powerlifting team had a big weekend in Kennedale claiming fifth out of a 17-team field. Heath Lemonie led the Panthers with a first place finish in his division while Vincent Sellers came in second. Michael Glenn took home a fourth place spot while Victor Gonzales picked up a seventh place finish.
Girls powerlifting update It was another good weekend of competition for the Midlothian girls powerlifting team as the Lady Panthers took home fifth place in the Kennedale meet last Saturday. Lexi Ball claimed a first place individual finish while Stephanie Horton came in second. Kate Tulley and Shaddai Rios each took home third place in their respective divisions while Desirae Northern came in fifth. Whitni Pearce (sixth), Destiny Meadows (eighth), Kaylee Harcrow (10th) and Taylor Marshall (11th) also had good efforts.
Senior citizen program to be offered again
Fresh off a three-draw effort in the Cement Capital Classic, the Midlothian boys soccer team dropped a 2-0 decision to an undefeated North Dallas team. Midlothian boys soccer team got back in the win column posting a season high eight goals in an 8-0 win over Kennedale to open district play. Led by Brett Hames’ three goals, the Panther offense exploded and helped the team improve to 5-3-5 overall with 1-0-0 start to district play. Other goal scorers were Kevin Ermatinger, Jake Walker, Eric Haston, Parker Ellis and Brian Bynum.
The Super Senior Citizen program offered by Midlothian Independent School District will once again be active for the 2009-2010 school year. This program provides free admission to all Midlothian ISD home athletic contests. The club is open to all MISD residents over 65 years of age and to all MISD retirees regardless of age. To join the SSC club and receive your free gold card good for admittance to all Midlothian ISD athletic home events, just come by the athletic office, located in the lobby of the arena at the High School campus. If you have additional questions, you can call 972-775-8174.
Girls varsity soccer update The Midlothian girls dropped their second straight game of the season falling to Plano East 2-0 last Monday. District play for the Midlothian girls team opened with a 0-0 draw against Kennedale. The Lady Panthers are 7-
–Alex Riley K
C M
Boys powerlifting update
Boys varsity soccer update
K Y
5-2 overall.
C
Y M