WAKE UP! ON ETBLITZ | Need-to-know info from all over the area, and a classic rock Friday

EDITOR’S NOTE: Wake Up! is a daily feature on ETBlitz.com where we update everyone on local sports happenings, what might be coming up here on the site, and just items of interest in the East Texas community. If you have something you think should be in Wake Up!, you’re welcome to e-mail Mitch Lucas at mlucas@etblitz.com, and let me know about it. Put WAKE UP! in big all-caps in the subject line, if you would.

Wake Up! is presented daily by Cozy Coffee Station, with East Texas locations in Kilgore (110 Midtown Plaza) and Gilmer (755 Highway 271 North). Have an advanced look at their menu on their website: Home | Cozy Coffee Station. For other social media, find them on Facebook at Cozy Coffee Station-Kilgore, and Cozy Coffee Station-Gilmer, and on Instagram at @cozycoffeestation_kilgore, and @cozycoffeestation_gilmer.

A lot going on you guys might need to know about, so I’m going to do like I did in Thursday’s Wake Up!: I’m gonna shut up, and just put the need-to-knows.

Don’t forget the Team Poster Ads

It’s a quick, easy and inexpensive way to advertise here on ETBlitz.com.

It’s a poster for each of the 15 high schools that ETBlitz.com covers – Arp, Beckville, Carthage, Gilmer, Gladewater, Henderson, Kilgore, Leverett’s Chapel, Overton, Pine Tree, Sabine, Tatum, Troup, West Rusk and White Oak – all of them, with spots for seven businesses on each one for the entire 2025-26 school year. Like, on all the sports for each school, this poster will be on those stories, all school year long.

And the ads are only $100 each.

Yeah, for the whole school year. It doesn’t get better than that. Read more about it here (ETBLITZ Team Poster Ads), and if you want to find out more or sign up, get in touch with Jenna Lucas by emailing her at ads@etblitz.com.

LC car wash Saturday

The Leverett’s Chapel Pep Squad wants to wash your car or truck. Let them, and give them a little money to do it.

They’re doing so as a fundraiser this Saturday in Longview (yes, Longview) at O’Reilly Auto Parts at 2220 Gilmer Road from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Softball tryouts at KC

Kilgore College softball is hosting a tryout / combine next week.

The tryout is next Thursday, July 24, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Rangers’ home field, The Ballpark at KC Commons, located just off Houston Street in Kilgore, not far from the KC campus.

There is a registration fee of $80 for players that are currently seniors through seventh graders. It’ll be a same-day sign-up.

Athletes should wear clothes suitable for softball play and bring their own tennis shoes, cleats, turf shoes, glove, helmet and bat. Also, bring a water bottle.

For more information, contact KC softball coach Amber Williams at (903) 983-8178, or at awilliams1@kilgore.edu.

Become a KC athletics sponsor

Here’s a great opportunity for your business to be promoted, and support Kilgore College athletics at the same time.

Kilgore College athletics has tiered sponsorship packages for the 2025-26 school year:

• A $1,500 package that includes mentions during broadcasts of KC sports, on either live-streaming or radio; placement of an ad for your business on the team’s schedule posters (football, men’s and women’s basketball teams and softball); a rotating banner ad on the college’s athletic site, kcrangernation.com (click here to be directed: Kilgore College), including your business’s logo and a link to its website; flag sponsorship at the KC Athletics Hall of Fame Golf Tournament in October; ads in the football program throughout the season; and two reserved tickets to all home football and basketball games, as well as passes to all softball games at home.
• A $750 package that includes the rotating banner ad on the KC athletics website; a hole sponsorship sign at the hall of fame golf tourney; and the passes to all KC games.
• A $300 banner ad sponsorship of the KC athletics website, with the business logo and link included.

To become a sponsor, fill out the sponsorship form here (KC Athletics Sponsorship-2025-2026.pdf), and return the form and payment for the package you choose to Kilgore College Athletic Department, c/o Courtney Pruitt, Athletic Director, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, TX 75662. To speak with public information director Chris Craddock about ads and logos, email him at ccraddock@kilgore.edu.

Barker honored

Congratulations to Tatum’s Devin Barker, named Middle School Volleyball Coach of the Year at the Texas Girls Coaches Association’s awards banquet at Sheraton Arlington on Monday.

Barker, also the wife of varsity head coach Leven Barker, was the award-winner for 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A.

Also at the event, David Park of Decatur High, Patti Zenner of Poth High and Schulenburg High’s Larry Tidwell were all announced as inductees into the TGCA Hall of Fame.

KHS football seeks student filmers

If you’re a Kilgore High School student (that’s a must) and you love football, there’s a pretty good deal floating around out there. This is your chance to get involved.

The Bulldogs’ coaching staff is seeking current KHS students to help them film practices and games, both on Thursday nights (freshmen and junior varsity) and Friday’s varsity games.

Students who accept will be a member of the team and travel with the Ragin’ Red. They’re also eligible to gain a letterman in the process.

If you’re interested, reach out to coach Mason McCormack at mmcormack@kisd.org.

Meet the Pirates is July 31

Pine Tree fans can come out and Meet the Pirates (and it states varsity teams, so likely not just football, but at least volleyball, as well) on Thursday, July 31, at Pirate Center. The school district also plans to have fine arts performances that night. It all begins at 6:30 p.m.

Overton volleyball parent meeting

A meeting is set for Overton High School volleyball parents Thursday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. at the gym. This is for parents of players entering ninth through 12th grades that plan to play volleyball this school year. For questions, email coach Kolebi Spikes at kolebi.spikes@overtonisd.org.

Decals With Dads, Dinner With Moms at Troup

A couple of important dates to remember: The Troup Tigers’ varsity football annual dinner with moms is set for Saturday, Aug. 16, at 6 p.m. at the high school cafeteria, and dads, Decals with Dads (which I’m thinking involves the placement of helmet stickers) is on Wednesday, Aug. 27, also at the cafeteria.

Beckville football camp next week

Hey, another of our new schools, Beckville High, is hosting its annual football camp, a two-day camp on July 23-24, there at R.C. Beauchamp Stadium on campus.

Camp is for kids who have completed first through eighth grades and is set for 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on both days. Registration is $45 and includes instruction and a camp T-shirt.

The camp focuses on fundamentals of football, including offense and defense, and special teams skills.

Checks can be mailed (if you hurry) to Beckville Athletics at P.O. Box 37, Beckville, TX, 75631.

Arp camp next week, too

Arp High School is also hosting a football camp next week, at Bill Herrington Tiger Stadium. The camp is July 23-24, and it’s for incoming seventh, eighth and ninth graders, from 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. both days. The camp is being conducted at no cost for the kids.

Carthage ISD taking Hall of Honor nominees

One of our programs new to ETBlitz.com is Carthage High School, and Carthage is accepting nominations for its athletics Hall of Honor, right now.

Nominations should be submitted with a photo and a letter that states their credentials for potential induction, any awards they’ve won and citizenship and community involvement, or other information that the person submitting the nomination deems relevant. Nominations are due by Aug. 1, and need to be submitted online here: CHS Athletic Hall of Honor Nomination Form.

Meet the Buckeyes, August 9

Gilmer High School’s annual Meet the Buckeyes kickoff party is set for Saturday, August 9, a 6 p.m. start at Jeff Traylor Stadium. Come out, meet the 2025 Gilmer High School football team and coaches, have supper and all kinds of treats. Vendors will be on hand and there’s even face-painting, although I would encourage you to maybe not plan to get your face painted on Aug. 9 for the season opener. Maybe get it re-painted before then.

Coach Alan Metzel and the Buckeyes’ first preseason scrimmage is just a few days later, at home on Friday, Aug. 15, against Paris.

Out with a bang

It’s a classic rock Friday, I mentioned, and it doesn’t get more classic — or rock — than this one: “Carry On Wayward Son,” by Kansas, from the Leftoverture album in 1976. This one’s for you, Ashtyn.

Y’all have a great Friday.