WAKE UP! on ETBLITZ | Coming this weekend; soccer honors; annual golf tournament in Kilgore

EDITOR’S NOTE: Wake Up! on ETBlitz is brought to you by Cozy Coffee Station, in Kilgore and in Gilmer. Their menu is fantastic: check it out here, on their website (Home | Cozy Coffee Station), and get by one of their locations today. Don’t settle for any old coffee, or any drink; Cozy Coffee Station is second to NONE.

Now, what’s news? What’s coming?

Locally, we don’t have a lot of high school sports left in the 2024-25 school year – that’s because the school year is rapidly coming to a close.

But there could be a fantastic finish coming… maybe more than one.

The University Interscholastic League’s baseball playoffs resume today with the second, or area, round for all the teams left in the classifications, 1A through 6A, two divisions in each.

Of 12 high school programs in the ETBlitz.com coverage area, Henderson (in UIL Class 4A, Division I), Tatum (UIL Class 3A, Division I) and Overton (UIL Class 2A, Division II) are still playing.

We’ve mentioned this every day this week, but we’re doing that for a reason, so that people know where they should go, and who they’ll play, because we care – it’s that simple.

Henderson (18-12) vs. Pleasant Grove (28-4): This series will be played at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall. Game one is tonight (Thursday) at 7 p.m. Game two is Friday at 6, and if a third game is necessary, it’ll be Friday night after game two. The winner advances to the regional semifinals to meet either Alvarado (16-9) or Panther Creek (17-9-4).

Tatum (21-9) vs Liberty-Eylau (27-4).  A best-of-three set to begin tonight at 7 p.m. at Panola College in Carthage. Game two is Friday at 7 p.m. at Pleasant Grove High. And if game three is needed, it’ll be Saturday at 2 p.m. in Winnsboro. The winner of the series between the Eagles and L-E will meet Whitesboro (13-12) or Pottsboro (18-7-1).

Overton (23-6) vs. James Bowie (20-16). Overton faces James Bowie (20-6) in round two.

Game one is tonight at Bullard, at 5:30 p.m. Game two is in Atlanta, Friday afternoon at 5. Overton is the visiting team for that one. Game three, if necessary, will be 30 minutes after game two. The winner faces either Lovelady (19-10-1) or Gary (14-7) in the regional semifinals.

7-on-7 football, road to the state tournament

Also happening this weekend, several qualifiers for the Texas State 7-on-7 Tournament, including one here locally.

Kilgore hosts a Division II state qualifying tournament on Saturday, starting at 8 a.m. at Kilgore’s R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

There will be a team representing Kilgore High School competing – Kilgore made the Division II semifinals last year.

Sabine is also competing this Saturday in Kilgore, coach Cody Gilbert confirmed to ETBlitz. Also in the tournament: Chapel Hill, Lindale, Palestine, Jefferson, Pleasant Grove, and Van Alstyne.

They’re all playing for the right to go to College Station on June 26-28 for the Texas State 7-on-7 Tournament.

Read more here: IT’S BACK! | Kilgore hosts 7-on-7 state qualifier on Saturday.

TASCO all-state honors

A few members of Kilgore High School’s boys soccer team received a pretty nice honor this week, as TASCO – the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches – released its all-state teams.

Kilgore sophomore Javier Baide was named first-team all-state. Freshman Ethan Reyes was named first-team all-region. Sophomore Enrique Salazar was named first-team all region, and junior Eddie Jiminez was named as a TASCO all-state honorable mention.

Sabine also had Analiyah Fierros and Bella Shaw named TASCO all-region.

Fierros is playing this weekend in the TASCO Senior All-Star Game, at the Blossom Athletic Center in San Antonio. The girls game is at noon Saturday, and the boys game at 2 p.m.

KMS girls soccer

Staying with the soccer theme, congratulations to Kilgore Middle School’s Lady Bulldogs, who finished their season undefeated, having beaten Longview Wednesday, 6-1. The girls also beat Sabine, 10-0; beat Mount Pleasant, 14-0; and beat Hallsville, 2-1.

Congratulations, KMS, on a great season.

KHS golf alumni tourney June 7

They’ll play the sixth annual Kilgore High School Alumni, Coaches and Teachers tournament, a four-man scramble format, on June 7 at Kilgore’s Meadowbrook Golf and Event Center.

The tournament will have two flights. The morning flight begins at 8 a.m. that day – registration is 30 minutes prior, and lunch is set for 11:30 a.m. The afternoon flight will have sign-up at 12:30, the tournament beginning at 1 p.m., and an awards ceremony to wrap up the event at 5.

The registration fee is $400 a team, or $100 a person.

To sign up ahead of time, go here: https://kilgore-high-school-alumni-coaches-and-teachers.perfectgolfevent.com

For more information, email erinbrogoitti@gmail.com

We’ll be back throughout the day with other stories. Hope you guys have a great Thursday.