Sports
Section B
The Princeton Herald
PISD Athletics
Baseball
Panthers return 11 for 2013 season By David Jenkins Staff Writer
sports@princetonherald.com Feb. 21 Softball: at Allen Tournament (Feb. 2123 at Allen Station Park), TBA Baseball: at Tournament of Champions (Feb. 21-23 at Decatur and Fort Worth Castleberry High Schools), TBA Baseball JV Maroon: at North Forney Tournament (Feb. 21-23), TBA Tennis: at Princeton Tournament, TBA
Feb. 22 Softball: at Allen Tournament (Feb. 2123 at Allen Station Park), TBA Baseball: at Tournament of Champions (Feb. 21-23 at Decatur and Fort Worth Castleberry High Schools), TBA Baseball JV Maroon: at North Forney Tournament (Feb. 21-23), TBA Tennis: at Princeton Tournament, TBA Boys Soccer: at Greenville, 7:15 p.m. Boys Soccer JV: at GHS, 5:30 p.m.
Feb. 23 Softball: at Allen Tournament (Feb. 2123 at Allen Station Park), TBA Baseball: at Tournament of Champions (Feb. 21-23 at Decatur and Fort Worth Castleberry High Schools), TBA Baseball JV Maroon: at North Forney Tournament (Feb. 21-23), TBA Tennis: at Princeton Tournament, TBA Girls Soccer: vs Greenville, 6 p.m.
Feb. 25 Boys Soccer: vs Paris, 7:15 p.m. Boys JV Soccer: vs Paris, 5:30 p.m. Baseball: vs Lone Star, 7 p.m. Baseball JV Maroon: vs LS, 4:30 p.m. Golf: at Denton Guyer Invitational (varsity boys at Oakmont Country Club), TBA
Fishing report
Lake Lavon Water lightly stained; 74–79 degrees; 7.62’ low. Black bass are fair on Texas rigged craws around shallow cover. White bass are fair on slabs. Crappie are good on minnows. Catfish are fair on cut shad. Lake Ray Hubbard Water clear; 74–79 degrees; 2.83’ low. Black bass are good on topwaters early and then Texas rigged plastics later in day. Crappie are good on minnows and Road Runners. White bass are good on humps with hybrids mixed in. Catfish are fair on prepared baits. Reports courtesy of the TPWD.
TPWD Fishing The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Angler Recognition Program will launch a new tool this fall to assist Texas anglers in locating certified public scales for weighing record catches. Businesses that agree to participate will be publicized as official weigh stations on the TPWD website. The new initiative is designed to partner with fishing-oriented businesses and facilities that will be provided official signage and a supply of Angler Recognition Program applications. There is no fee to participate, but participants will be required to keep their scales certified on an annual basis. Businesses and facilities that wish to participate are invited to sign up now. To request certification as an official weigh station, applicants should fill out the secure web form at https://www. tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/ programs/fishrecords/weighstation_form.phtml. For more information contact Ron Smith at 512-389-8302 or by email at anglers@tpwd.state. tx.us.
Information
Send your information to sports@princetonherald.com Call 972-784-6397 or fax 972-784-6397 www.princetonherald.com
February 21, 2013
One season ago the Panthers were faced with replacing multiple starters, and fielded an inexperienced team. That will not be the case in 2013. “Hopefully the experience will pay off. We competed in many close games and came out on the losing end (to Prosper and Frisco Lone Star) one year ago,” fifth-year head coach Richard Boring said. “This year, we need to finish out games and our experience will help with that.”
Back from last year’s 10-13 team are David Gieke, Marcos Molina, Gunner Starr, Grant Gilbert, Riley Lowrance, Carlos Contreras, Brandon Purcella, Dathan Seymour, Layne Tarby, Trevor Williams and Garrett Autrey. The returning starters are Gieke, Molina, Starr, Gilbert and Tarby. “We have a good group coming back this season,” Boring said. “Our focus has been on unity and team chemistry, we have realized in the past that we lacked in these areas. If we take the necessary steps to get better everyday, we will be a team to compete with in our district.”
Also expected to contribute are Carlos Contreras with pitching and catching, and Brandon Talley at first. All of those players will face a fresh set of district opponents, after spending the previous two years in 11-3A, where they finished tied for fourth-place last season with Frisco Lone Star at 4-6. Making up the new 12-3A are Class 2A move-up Melissa, Bonham, Anna and Community. “With a new district, there is always some uncertainty. Bonham always has a scrappy team, along with
See YEAR page 2B
Photo by Victor Tapia
Returnee Marcos Molina will be a starter at first base and pitcher.
Fighting back Girls Basketball
Princeton finished with winning record, despite much adversity By David Jenkins Staff Writer
sports@princetonherald.com The Lady Panthers had to overcome much adversity during the 2012-’13 season. However, in typical Princeton fashion they finished with a winning record and made a 10th straight appearance out of 13 attempts in the Class 3A Region II playoffs. “With everything that we went through, with the coaching changes, letting players go and things that happened at the school, they persevered through it all,” head coach Dedrick Brooks said. “The kids played as good as they could all season long. I couldn’t have asked for a better effort and outcome than we had for the season. I know all the programs here are good, but the things they have to go through in our program to be successful are tough. We had to overtime our lack of size; it’s just a tribute to the kids’ character. It is a grind to play for us. I applaud all the girls that come through this program.” They ended up 20-12 overall and finished second in District 12-3A, behind 8-0 Melissa and Anna 4-4. In the bottom half were 2-6 Community and 0-8 Bonham finished in last. Last week the Lady Panthers split a pair of games in the playoffs. They opened things up with a lopsided 67-33 win over 11-3A third-place finisher Ferris in bi-district. “We just came out ready to play and everything was firing. We played hard on defense and got a lot of baskets in transition,” Brooks said. “We shoot much better when we are in a flow. When we are stealing the ball, getting up and down the floor, and getting people in their spots to score we are pretty effective. It just continued from start to finish and we got the win.” At Royse City High School, Princeton started off
See ISAAC page 4B
Photo by Victor Tapia
Jonae Isaac is pressured near midcourt by Krum’s Allison Beck on Feb. 15 during a Class 3A Region II area round contest at McKinney Boyd. Additional photos princetonherald.com.
Soccer
Boys Basketball
Postseason action is up ahead By David Jenkins Staff Writer
sports@princetonherald.com
All out effort
Photo by Victor Tapia
Antonio Pineda (5) goes airborne as he tries the bicycle kick on Feb. 16 versus North Lamar. For the full wrap up of the boys’ and girls’ matches see page 2B.
For the first time since the 2008-’09 season the No. 15 state-ranked Panthers had a bye in the opening round of the playoffs. Princeton (23-6 overall as of Feb. 18) kicked things off 7 p.m. Feb. 21 versus Frisco Lone Star in the Class 3A Region II area round at McKinney North High School. “We are going to have to play well and as a team from here on out,” head coach Jeff Coburn said. “There are no bad teams left at this point. Our focus is going to be playing our best on each possession of the game.” Frisco Lone Star advanced to the second round after win-
ning 64-56 over Gainesville on Feb. 18 at Sanger High School. Frisco Lone Star (16-16 as of Feb. 19) finished in thirdplace at 4-4 in District 10-3A, behind champion Argyle 8-0 and Carrollton Ranchview 6-2. Princeton and Frisco Lone Star are no strangers to each other, as both teams faced each three times in 11-3A last season. The Rangers lost two-ofthree games, with the final coming in a playoff seeding game. Last week, the Panthers dropped a 64-56 warm-up game to No. 19-ranked Fairfield at Burleson Centennial High School.
See VARSITY page 2B
Photo by Victor Tapia
Marquis Thomas lets go of a pass near midcourt.