Sports year in review — 2006
Playoff runs in basketball, baseball highlight start
By JIMMY GALVAN

JASPER’S VARSITY boys basketball squad celebrate their bi-district playoff win last year over Diboll.

Jasper’s sports year began with basketball teams in the playoffs and a baseball team that achieved a state ranking. The year also heralded the beginning of tough football season for the Bulldogs in the revamped District 21-3A. January

DeRidder kicked off the basketball year by capturing the Jasper Classic basketball tournament. For the Jasper Bulldogs, the highlight of the annual tournament was beating Kountze 78-66. The Lions came in as the number two Class 2A team in the state.

Jasper evened their record to 9-with a district victory over Madisonville 65-56. Senior Sean Weatherspoon led the effort with 22 points.

Jasper’s Janice Adams scored 29 points, leading the Lady Bulldogs to a 59- 57 victory in their district opener against Shepherd.

The Jasper varsity boys’ powerlifting team scored 54 points to place first overall at the Woodville Invitational while the Jasper Lady Bulldog powerlifting team placed second to Port Arthur Memorial in the Woodville powerlifting meet.

JASPER’S Tyler Barabas battles an LCM player for control of the ball during a varsity soccer contest last year.

Jasper’s varsity boys’ basketball team earned a ranking of 19th in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll after defeating West Orange-Stark and Buna.

The Jasper Bulldogs placed five players on the Texas High School Coaches Association Academic All- State football team for 2005- 06.

David Walker was named to the first team for the Bulldogs while Will Alvis and Toderick Hunt earned second team selections. Ian Latimer and Arnell Siggers were named to the honorable mention team.

February

The University Interscholastic League announces its realignment for Jasper and places the Bulldog athletic program in District 21-3A with rivals West Orange-Stark, Kirbyville, Silsbee and Bridge City.

“When you talk about volleyball, basketball, baseball and track, in this district there are going to be some good teams and good kids that are going to be left out of the playoffs,” said Jasper head football coach Danny Lauve. “When you have this many quality teams in the same district, there are some kids that are going to be left out.” Jasper’s Sean

Weatherspoon signed a football letter of intent to play with the University of M i s s o u r i . Terrance Scott and Toderick Hunt signed with M i s s o u r i Southern while Josh Adams signed with Northwestern Louisiana.

Diboll eliminates the Lady Bulldogs from the basketball playoffs with a 63-52 defeat.

March

Jasper defeats Diboll 66- 57 to capture the bi-district title in the boys’ basketball playoffs. West Orange-Stark eliminated Jasper in the following game 60-59.

The Jasper Bulldog varsity baseball team climbed to third in the Class 3A standings after a strong showing at the Jasper baseball tournament.

Greg Hackney is crowned the champion of the Lone Star Shootout as the Bassmaster Elite Series came to Sam Rayburn for their second stop in their extensive trail.

The post-season honors keep pouring in for Sean Weatherspoon as he is named the recipient of the outstanding defensive player award at the 14th annual Willie Ray Smith awards.

April

Jasper moved to 4-0 in baseball district play with a 6-5 victory over Shepherd.

The Jasper Bulldog varsity track team placed second in the district meet held at Kirbyville. It is the first time Jasper has not taken the district championship since 1998. Silsbee took first place with 206 points to Jasper’s 120.

May

Silsbee rallied past Jasper 9-7 to wrestle the district crown away from the Bulldogs.

After years of being a dominant force in track and field, Jasper High School will send no runners to the state meet.

Neither the boys nor girls’ teams were able to get anyone out of the Region III meet last weekend.

Huffman takes a two-ofthree game series from Jasper to eliminate the Bulldogs from the Class 3A baseball playoffs.

Eight Jasper Bulldogs were selected to the All- District baseball team, five on the first team and three named to the second team.

Jocelyn Curtis signs a letter of intent to play basketball at Texas College in Tyler.

Robert Gilbert signs a college letter of intent to

play baseball at Henderson State University in Arkansas.

June

Jasper releases its 2006 football schedule that includes non-district games with Livingston, Barbers Hill and Newton in preparation for the District 21-3A season.

The Piney Woods Youth Soccer League (PYSL) has experienced a bit of those growing pains as the group may soon lose the use of its existing fields.

“We have been asked to move by the county,” said Mike Parker, president and board member of PYSL. “They know we are looking for land. I don’t think they are going to take us off that field unless they know we have some place elsewhere to play.”