Eagles First Semester Brings Success in Sports

Eagles+take+on+Carthage+at+Poteet+High+School+on+Nov.+12%2C+2016+in+Mesquite%2C+Texas.+%28Christopher+Piel%2FThe+Talon+News%29

©The Talon News | Christopher Piel

Eagles take on Carthage at Poteet High School on Nov. 12, 2016 in Mesquite, Texas. (Christopher Piel/The Talon News)

Christopher Piel, Sports Editor

Over the course of the first semester, the Eagles sports teams have experienced various successes and accolades. Over the course of the fall, the volleyball, cross country, tennis, and football teams finished their seasons strong.

Tennis: The tennis team won a district championship as well as an area championship. They were defeated by Kaufman in the regional finals, ending their season.

Cross Country: The girls and boys cross country teams had very successful seasons. The girls team made it all the way to the state meet where they placed 10th with freshmen Rhylie McKinney finishing 15th and Lani Rodgers finishing 22nd, individually. For the boys, senior Ben Splain made it to state as an individual where he finished 11th, just five seconds out of the top five. He finished his career with four regional qualifications and two state appearances.

Volleyball: Once again, the volleyball team had a deep playoff run that ended in a state appearance. With seniors Allison White, Halee Van Poppel Maddie Deguire, and Brittany Hamilton leading the team, the defending champs clinched another consecutive district championship. Following playoff victories over Pinkston, Princeton, Melissa, North Lamar, and Carthage, the Eagles made their way to the state championship. They then defeated Navarro in the state semifinal game. However, in a finals rematch against Bushland, the Eagles fell and gained a silver medal, finishing their season with a record of 40-11.

Football: The Eagles football team achieved another district championship with their undefeated regular season campaign. With senior quarterback Dane Ledford and an exceptional offensive line leading the charge, the Eagles were able to win the first two playoff games against Snyder and Estacado. In the third round, the Eagles fell to the state-bound Abilene Wylie Bulldogs. This is the Eagles first season to miss the state championship game since 2013.