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March 13, 2021
Flyers reflect on ‘very good year’, expect
core of team return to contend in ‘21-22
The LaPoynor Flyers had “a very good year”, ending with a record of 25-6 overall and finishing in second place in District 19-AA.
Advancing as the second seed in the AA playoffs, the Flyers went on to advance to the Region Finals, losing to eventual state finalist Grapeland.
Coach Dean Nuckolls looked back the the season noting that one the Flyers’ early non-district wins was over Grapeland on Dec. 12, one of only two losses for the Sandies, who were edged by Clarendon by four points in the state championship game Saturday, March 13.
The Flyers coach said the Flyers had some other “big wins”. He pointed to wins over Lufkin Hudson (63-53), a 4A team; Cushing (81-73), a quarterfinalist; Mabank (45-35), a 4A team; Brook Hill (67-49), undefeated at the time; and Lufkin Hudson again (57-49).
The games he called “tough losses” were to Lipan (74-61), state semifinalists; Gary (64-56), regional semifinalists; Tenaha (56-54), area finalist; Martins Mill (66-53), ranked No. 1) and Martins Mill again (75-57), who were defeated in the Regional Quarterfinals by the Grapeland team which later was to defeat LaPoynor 75-57 in the Regional Finals.
“We have the core of our team coming back (next year) and we have some young kids ready to step in to fill the shoes of those who are graduating,” Coach Nuckolls said.
The coach said Kamron Eldridge, who was in the PG position this year, is the only starter to be graduating.
“Kamron’s numbers improved every year on the varsity,” the coach said.
Kase Johnston, a junior guard and “athlete on the floor”, will be back next year.
“Kase tends to make good things happen around him,” Coach Nuckolls said. “Kase showed he was able to lead us in scoring, assists and rebounding different times throughout the year.”
Cooper Gracey, one of this year’s sophomores, who led in scoring and rebounding in different games this year, will be back, the coach said.
Matt Driskell and Evan Almeida, two more sophomores, who were described as playing “big minutes off the bench and were able to contribute heavily” will also return, according to Coach Nuckolls.
Jeff Young is another returning junior who the coach says “is a quick, elusive guard who has shown the ability to get to the paint.”
Coach Nuckolls said the only other seniors the Flyers will lose to graduation are Caleb Solis and Aiden Maze.
“These two showed great leadership throughout the year and are a joy to coach,” the Flyer coach observed.
Based on their performance this year and the amount of returning talent, fans and prognosticators will likely be expecting LaPoynor to be a strong contender in 2021-22.
March 8, 2021
LaPoynor Flyers, Lady Flyers honored
in March 8 All-District 19-AA selections
LaPoynor Flyers and Lady Flyers basketball players were selected for honors on the All-District 19-AA teams in selections announced on the week of March 8.
Named as superlatives for the Flyers were sophomore Garrett Nuckolls, most valuable player on offense, and sophomore Cooper Gracey, Newcomer of the Year.
Selected on the first team from LaPoynor were sophomore DiJuan Whitehead, junior Kase Johnston and senior Kamron Eldridge. Second team selection was sophomore Evan Almeida.
Receiving honorable mention were Flyers sophomore Matt Driskell and senior Caleb Solis.
The Flyers won the Region 3 Semi-finals and advanced to the Regional Finals where they lost to state finalist Grapeland. Coach is Dean Nuckolls.
For the Lady Flyers, selected as superlatives were sophomore T’Mia Mitchell, most valuable player on defense, and freshman Payton Maze, “Sixth Man” of the Year.
Selected for the first team were seniors Staci Whitehead and Laura McClelland. Second team honors went to sophomore Markayla Hurd and freshman Kitty Eldridge.
Lady Flyers receiving honorable mention were Laci Davis and Marissa Hurd.
The Lady Flyers were winners in Area competition and advanced to the Regional Quarterfinals in the Class AA playoffs. Coach is Jammie Maze.
(See links to the Complete List of Boys and Girls District 19-AA honorees in the two articles above relating to Frankston honorees )
March 5, 2021
Flyers edge Big Sandy in region semis,
fall in finals to state finalist Grapeland
The LaPoynor Flyers boys basketball team’s largely successful 2020-21 season ended in the Regional Finals with a loss to state finalist Grapeland on March 5, after having won the Regional Semifinals March 2 over Big Sandy (Dallardsville) in the Class AA playoffs.
The Flyers defeated Big Sandy in a close contest 53-50 to take the title of Regional Semifinals champion. The Regional Finals pitted the Flyers against the District 20-AA champion Grapeland Sandies and they fell 75-57 to the eventual state finalist.
Coach Dean Nuckolls said, “I feel we had a very good year. We played a very tough schedule leading into district, and we ended the year 25-6, losing in the Regional Finals. We had some big wins.”
In the Regional Semi-finals against Big Sandy, it was close most of the way. Big Sandy had a narrow 13-11 lead in the first quarter but LaPoynor came back to go into the halftime break with a 28-26 lead. The Flyers extended their lead in the third quarter outscoring the Wildcats 15-12 to go into the fourth quarter ahead 43-38. Big Sandy outscored the Flyers 12-10 in the final hotly contested quarter, but not by quite enough to keep the Flyers from preserving a 53-50 victory.
In the Regional Finals game, the Flyers started the game with a 12-10 advantage in the first quarter, but Grapeland came back strong in the second period, outscoring LaPoynor 32-11 to take a 42-23 lead at halftime. The Flyers were not able to come back from that big deficit in the second half, outscoring the Sandies only 34-33.
Scoring for the Flyers against Big Sandy were DiJuan Whitehead with 15, Garrett Nuckolls 12, Kase Johnston 9, Kamron Eldridge 7, Cooper Gracey 6 and Caleb Solis and Evan Almeida with 2 each.
Eldridge had 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals. Nuckolls had 4 assists and 5 rebounds. Almeida had 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Solis had 2 rebounds. Johnston had 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Gracey had 5 rebounds and Whitehead had 6 rebounds and 2 steals.
In the Grapeland game, Nuckolls was leading scorer with 14 points. Also in double figures were Gracey with 12 and Johnston with 11. Whitehead and Eldridge had 6 each and Aiden Maze and Almeida 4 each.
Eldridge had 3 assists and 2 rebounds. Nuckolls had 3 assists and 3 rebounds. Johnston had 7 assists 8 rebounds, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Gracey had 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Whitehead had 3 assists. (See Flyers Season Wrapup Story Above )
Scores by Quarters:
LaPoynor 11 17 15 10 — 53 LaPoynor 12 11 17 17 — 57
Big Sandy 13 13 12 12 — 50 Grapeland 10 32 15 18 — 75
March 2, 2021
Flyers dominate Crawford 64-37
for Regional Quarterfinals win
The LaPoynor Flyers basketball team defeated Crawford 64-37 and earned the right to meet Big Sandy in the Regional Semifinals Tuesday, March 2 at Central Heights High School at Nacogdoches.
The playoff game with Big Sandy will be at 6:30 p.m.
The Flyers outscored Crawford in three of the four quarters and tied them in the fourth. They led 15-6 at the end of the first quarter and were ahead 27-16 at halftime. The Flyers padded their lead in the third quarter 26-10 to end the quarter ahead 53-26. The two teams tied at 11-11 in the final quarter but it was not nearly enough to offset the earlier Flyer scoring.
Kamron Eldridge led Flyer scorers with 16 points. Garrett Nuckolls had 14 and Kase Johnston 12 to round out double figure scoring. Evan Almeida had 7 points, DiJuan Whitehead 6, Cooper Gracey 5 and Matt Driskell and Caleb Solis 2 points each.
Eldridge had 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Nuckolls had 8 assists, 10 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 steals. Johnston had 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Gracey had 8 rebounds and 2 steals and Whitehead had 5 rebounds.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 15 12 26 11 — 64
Crawford 6 10 10 11 — 37
Feb 25, 2021
Maidens team play praised in 59-55
Quarterfinals victory over LaPoynor
The Frankston Maidens pulled off a surprise win over the 14th ranked LaPoynor Lady Flyers 59-55 Thursday, Feb. 25 in Regional Quarterfinals Class AA basketball action at Cross Roads High School, according to a report from Coach Christi Coker.
Coach Coker praised the Maidens for their great team play in the win.
The win sets up a Regional Semifinals game with 4th ranked Douglass at 2 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 27 at the John Alexander Gym, located on the former Lon Morris College campus in Jacksonville. Ironically, two tribes of Indians will be playing in a gymnasium hosted by the Indians of Jacksonville.
The Lady Flyers, at 8-2, had been the second seed from District 19-AA and the Maidens, at 6-4, were third seed. The Lady Flyers had defeated the Maidens twice in district play and were considered favorites by prognosticators to win, going into the contest.
LaPoynor appeared to be off to a predictable start in the first quarter as they moved out to a 13-7 advantage. However, in the second quarter, the Maidens outscored the Lady Flyers to trail by only 2 points, 23-21 at halftime.
Frankston came out of the halftime break on a scoring surge 22-12 to lead 43-35 at the end of the third quarter. LaPoynor came back to tie the score during the fourth quarter 49-49 but the Maidens went ahead after that to stay. The Lady Flyers came to within 2 points at 55-57 with seconds to go but then Tia Billingsly went to the free throw line on a two-shot foul and sank them both to give the Maidens their 4-point victory margin at the final horn.
Coach Coker reported the following scoring:
Junior Post Maggie Caveness led scorers with 14 and “a ton of rebounds”. Sophomore Guard Ja’shalyn (Shay) Hatton was also in double figures with 13 points. Junior Guard Billingsly and junior Guard Brianna Looney each had 8. Freshman Guard Kaylee Davis and senior Guard Abbie Ramsey each had 7. Junior Post Kelsey Sexton scored 2.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 13 10 12 20 — 55
Frankston 7 14 22 16 — 59
Feb. 25, 2021
Flyers win Area playoff title Feb. 25
against Bosqueville cagers by 63-29
The LaPoynor Flyers boys basketball team captured the Area title Thursday, Feb. 25 with a convincing 63-29 victory over Bosqueville in action at Corsicana, according to LHS Coach Dean Nuckolls.
The Flyers now advance to the Regional Quarterfinals in Class AA against Crawford Saturday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. at Fairfield.
The Flyers outscored their opponent in all but one quarter, jumping out to a 16-2 lead in the first quarter. Despite a 9-10 deficit in the second quarter, they had a 25-12 halftime lead. They totally dominated in the second half, outscoring Bosqueville 38-17 for the comfortable win.
Garrett Nuckolls led scorers with 23 points. DiJuan Whitehead and Kamron Eldridge each had 9, Cooper Gracey 7, Evan Almeida 6 and Matt Driskell 4. Aiden Maze had 3 and Jeff Young 2.
Eldridge had 4 assists, 5 rebounds, and 5 steals. Driskell had 4 rebounds. Nuckolls had 4 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 4 steals. Almeida had 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Caleb Solis had 4 rebounds. Gracey had 3 assists and 9 rebounds. Whitehead pulled down 12 rebounds.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 16 9 19 19 — 63
Bosqueville 2 10 5 12 — 29
Feb. 20, 2021
Lady Flyers defeat Marlin 51-36,
advance to Quarterfinals Feb. 25
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers Saturday, Feb. 20 advanced in the Class AA playoffs with a 51-36 victory over Marlin in Area competition at Corsicana, according to a report from LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Flyers will now advance to Quarterfinals competition scheduled on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Cross Roads High School Gym. They will face Frankston,. the winner of the Area game between Frankston and Bruceville-Eddy on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
The Lady Flyers outscored Marlin 9-4 in the first quarter and then dominated their opponents 21-10 in the second quarter to build a 30-14 halftime lead. Marlin was able to outscore the Lady Flyers 22-21 in the second half but it was not enough to overcome the LaPoynor 16-point first half advantage.
Two Lady Flyers players scored in double figures. Markayla Hurd had 19 points, including a 9 for 12 performance at the free throw line. Staci Whitehead scored 17 points and dropped in 5 of 8 free throws. Kitty Eldridge scored 8 points, Laura McClelland 5 and Tmia Mitchell and Payton Maze with a point each.
Marissa Hurd had 1 assist and 1 steal. Whitehead had 1 assist, 3 rebounds a block and 2 steals. Markayla Hurd had 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 7 steals. Laci Davis had 3 rebounds and a steal. Maze had an assist and a rebound. Mitchell had 3 rebounds and 2 steals. McClelland had 3 assists, 8 rebounds and a steal. Eldridge had an assist, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
Score by Quarters:
Marlin 4 10 9 13 — 36
LaPoynor 9 21 10 11 — 51
Feb. 20, 2021
Flyers win Bi-District title, down
Groveton 54-40 to rise in playoffs
The LaPoynor Flyers advanced in the Class AA playoffs on Saturday, Feb. 20 with a 54-40 victory over Groveton in Bi-District play and had a 22-5 overall record going into Area playoff competition, according to a report from LHS Coach Dean Nuckolls.
The Flyers were to meet Bosqueville in the Area round on Thursday, Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at Corsicana Middle School.
LaPoynor started the Groveton game with a 17-9 first quarter lead. Groveton came back to narrow the lead to 30-23 at halftime. The Flyers outscored their opponent 24-17 in the second half to take the 14-point win.
Garrett Nuckolls led scorers with 16 points. DiJuan Whitehead added 13. Cooper Gracey scored 9 and Kase Johnston 8. Kamron Eldridge and Evan Almeida each scored 3 and Matt Driskell had 2.
Eldridge had 2 assists and 10 rebounds. Driskell had 7 rebounds. Nuckolls had 4 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks. Almeida had 3 assists and 2 rebounds. Johnston had 4 assists, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks and 4 steals. Gracey had 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Whitehead pulled down 9 rebounds.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 17 13 11 13 — 54
Groveton 9 14 10 7 — 40
Feb. 12, 2021
Lady Flyers defeat Grapeland 68-46
in AA bi-district playoff on Feb. 12
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers outscored the Grapeland Sandiettes in three of four quarters Friday, Feb. 12 and left the neutral site of Cushing High School with a convincing 68-46 bi-district victory, according to a report from LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The game was the second in a double-header at Cushing, the first game being the bi-district game between Frankston and Lovelady.
The 19-AA second seeded Lady Flyers outscored the 20-AA third seed Grapeland girls 17-11 in the first quarter and despite going 14-15 in the second, led the Sandiettes 31-26 at halftime. In the second half the Lady Flyers went on a scoring surge outscoring their opponent 37-20 to take the 22-point win.
Four players scored in double figures for the LaPoynor girls. Staci Whitehead sank 15 points, hitting 3 of 4 free throws. Payton Maze had 13 points and was 3 of 7 at the free throw line. Kitty Eldridge hit for 11 points and Markayla Hurd 10, who had one 3-pointer. Laura McClelland scored 8 points and was 2 for 2 in free throws. Tmia Mitchell scored 6 points and Laci Davis 4. Marissa Hurd hit 1.
Whitehead had 2 assists, 9 rebounds and 5 steals. Markayla Hurd had 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 2 steals. Davis had 2 rebounds. Maze had 3 rebounds and 1 steal. Mitchell had 4 assists, 6 rebounds and 1 steal. McClelland had 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 5 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.
The Lady Flyers are now 20-4 for the season after having finished at 8-2 in district play.
LaPoynor will play Marlin in Area competition Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at a location to be announced, subject to change due to weather conditions.
Score by Quarters:
Grapeland 11 15 10 10 — 46
LaPoynor 17 14 19 18 — 68
Feb. 12, 2021
Flyers end regular season in big win
over 19-AA Cayuga 76-33 on Feb. 12
The LaPoynor Flyers basketball team defeated Cayuga 76-33 Friday, Feb.12 in the final regular season and District 19-AA game at Nichols-Corley Gym at LaPoynor School, according to a report from LHS Coach Dean Nuckolls.
The Flyers finished as a second seed in the Class AA boys playoffs and were to meet Groveton in bi-district.
LaPoynor dominated the Wildcats in every quarter, leading 20-7 in the first quarter and 33-13 at halftime. They went on to outscore Cayuga 43-20 in the second half to win by 43 points.
Leading scorer was Kase Johnston with 19 points. DiJuan Whitehead followed with 17 and Garrett Nuckolls had 12. Evan Almeida scored 8, Kamron Eldridge and Cooper Gracey each had 6, Matt Driskell 4 and Aiden Maze and Caleb Solis each had 2.
Eldridge had 7 assists, 4 rebounds and 5 steals. Nuckolls had 3 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals. Solis had 3 rebounds. Almeida got 4 rebounds. Johnston had 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Gracey pulled down 7 rebounds and had 2 steals. Whitehead had 9 rebounds.
Score by Quarters:
Cayuga 7 6 7 13 — 33
LaPoynor 20 13 22 21 — 76
Feb. 5, 2021
Lady Flyers down Kerens 67-41 to end
District 19-AA play with playoff spot
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers closed out their 2020-21 season on the road, defeating the Kerens Lady Bobcats 67-41 Friday, Feb. 5 in their final District 19-AA basketball game, according to a report from LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The win gave the Lady Flyers an 8-2 district record and 19-4 season mark. They finished in second place in the district and earned a Class AA playoff spot in the process. The LaPoynor girls will be going against District 20-AA Grapeland in bi-district Friday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. at Cushing, Coach Maze said.
The Lady Flyers outscored Kerens in every quarter to take the win. They led 18-13 in the first quarter and were ahead 32-26 at halftime. In the second half, they outscored the Lady Bobcats 35-15 to ice the victory.
Three players scored in double figures, led by Staci Whitehead with 24. She added 4 of 8 free throws to her 10 two-point field goals. Laura McClelland had 12 points, including two 3-pointers and was 4 for 4 at the free throw line. Markayla Hurd scored 10 points, Kitty Eldridge 9, Tmia Mitchell 8, Payton Maze 3 and Laci Davis 1.
Whitehead had 4 assists, 9 rebounds, a block and 6 steals. Markayla Hurd had 2 assists, 3 rebounds and 7 steals. Mitchell had 2 assists, a rebound and a steal. McClelland had 5 assists, a rebound and 4 steals. Eldridge had a rebound and 4 steals.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 18 14 16 19 — 67
Kerens. 13 13 7 8 — 41
Feb. 5, 2021
Flyers top Cross Roads, Kerens
after close defeat by Martins Mill
The LaPoynor Flyers experienced a second loss to Martins Mill, one of only two in District 19-AA play so far and then went on to soundly defeat Cross Roads and Kerens in games on Jan. 29, Feb. 2 and Feb. 5 respectively, according to a report from LHS Coach Dean Nuckolls.
The Flyers gave Martins Mills a battle, leading them in the first half 34-31, but succumbing to a 40-30 scoring surge by their formidable opponent in the second half. In the end, the Class AA top-ranked Martins Mill team won by seven points, 71-64 on Friday, Jan. 29.
By contrast, the Flyers held Cross Roads to single digits in every quarter and ended up winning by 60 points, 83-23, on Tuesday, Feb. 2.
Then on Friday, Feb. 5, the Flyers almost duplicated that performance, again holding Kerens to single digits in every quarter. This time they won by 52 points, 76-24.
Garrett Nuckolls led scorers with 19 points against Martins Mill. Also scoring in double figures was Kase Johnston with 10 points. DiJuan Whitehead added 9 points and three players — Kamron Eldridge, Evan Almeida and Cooper Gracey — each had 7. Jeff Young scored 3 and Matt Driskell 2.
Eldridge had 3 rebounds, Driskell 2 steals and Nuckolls 3 assists and 5 rebounds. Almeida had 4 rebounds and Johnston 6 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Gracey pulled down 10 rebounds and had 2 blocks and Whitehead had 2 rebounds.
In the Cross Roads game, Nuckolls had 22, Whitehead 12 points and Eldridge 10. Aiden Maze scored 9, Almeida and Gracey 8 each, Johnston 6, Driskell 4 and Caleb Solis and Young 2 each.
Eldridge had 3 assists and 2 steals. Maze had 3 assists and 8 rebounds. Driskell had 3 steals. Nuckolls had 8 assists, 6 rebounds and 2 steals and Solis had 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Almeida had 3 rebounds and 2 steals and Johnston 2 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Young had 2 rebounds and 2 steals, Gracey 7 rebounds and 2 steals and Whitehead 4 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals.
In the Kerens game, Nuckolls had 18 points, Whitehead 13, Gracey 12 and Eldridge 11 points. Almeida scored 8 points, Johnston and Solis 6 each and Maze 2.
Eldridge had 2 assists, 2 rebounds and 6 steals. Maze had 4 rebounds. Nuckolls had 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 6 steals. Solis had 4 rebounds, Almeida 11 rebounds and 2 steals and Johnston 4 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Gracey had 3 assists and 6 rebounds. Whitehead had 2 assists and 7 rebounds.
The Flyers have two more games in regular season play. They face District 19-AA foes Frankston on Tuesday, Feb. 9 on the road and then host Cayuga on Friday, Feb. 12.
The Flyers are expected to finish second in the district race and as such they will meet the third place team in District 20-AA in a bi-district playoffs game against Groveton on Thursday, Feb. 18, at 6:30 p.m. at Wells High School.
Score by Quarters:
Martins Mill 17 14 17 23 — 71 LaPoynor 19 23 16 25 — 83
LaPoynor. 16 18 12 18 — 64 Cross Roads 4 7 6 6 — 23
Kerens 6 7 7 4 — 24
LaPoynor 21 20 26 9 — 76
Feb. 2, 2021
Lady Flyers dominate Cross Roads
75-19, eye second spot in playoffs
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers held Cross Roads to single digits in every quarter Tuesday night, Feb. 2, taking a 75-19 District 19-AA victory and accenting their second place ranking in the district, according to a report by LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Flyers led 20-6 in the first quarter and 40-14 at halftime. Cross Roads was able to score only 5 points in the second half while the Lady Flyers were adding 35 more.
LaPoynor had four players in double figures, led by Staci Whitehead with 18, Payton with 16, and Markayla Hurd and Laura McClelland with 10 each. Kitty Eldridge had 9 and Tmia Mitchell 8. Laney Almon scored 4.
Whitehead had 3 assists, 15 rebounds, a block and 4 steals. Marissa Hurd had an assist, a rebound and 3 steals. Markayla Hurd had 5 assists, a rebound and 3 steals. Laci Davis had 2 assists, 2 rebounds and 4 steals. Payton had 3 rebounds, a block and 3 steals. Mitchell had 2 assists, 2 rebounds, and 5 steals. McClellan had an assist, a rebound and 2 steals. Almon had 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Eldridge had an assist, 3 rebounds and 3 steals.
The Lady Flyers are to close out their season and district competition at Kerens Friday, Feb. 5, holding the second place spot in the Class AA playoffs from District 19-AA.
Score by Quarters:
Cross Roads 6 8 0 5 — 19
LaPoynor 20 20 21 14 — 75
Jan. 29, 2021
Martins Mill defeats second place
Lady Flyers 72-45 to secure lead
Martins Mill held on to their first place spot in District 19-AA on Friday, Jan. 29 with a 72-45 victory over the second place LaPoynor Lady Flyers on their home court, according to a report from LaPoynor Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Mustangs dominated the formidable Lady Flyers in every quarter, taking a 32-20 lead at halftime. They solidified their lead in the second half, scoring 40 points while LaPoynor was held to 25.
Two Lady Flyer players scored in double figures, Markayla Hurd with 16 and Staci Whitehead with 15. Tmia Mitchell had 9, Marissa Hurd and Payton with 2 each, and Laura McClelland 1.
Whitehead had 2 assists, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 steals. Markayla Hurd had 1 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Mitchell had 1 assist, 2 rebounds and a steal. McClellan had 3 assists and a rebound.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 10 10 8 17 — 45
Martins Mill 15 17 19 21 — 72
Jan. 26, 2021
Lady Flyers top Cayuga five 52-26
In District 19-AA contest on road
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers defeated the Cayuga LadyWildcats 52-26 in District 19-AA play Tuesday, Jan. 26 on the road to continue their hold on second place in the district, according to a report by LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Flyers started out strong, outscoring the Cayuga girls 10-0 in the first quarter. Cayuga came back with an 11-6 advantage in the second quarter, but the Lady Flyers still had a 16-11 halftime advantage. LaPoynor padded their lead with a 23-3 third quarter scoring surge that put them ahead by 39-14 at the end of the quarter. The Lady Flyers held on with a 13-12 lead in the final quarter for the winning margin.
Scoring for the Lady Flyers was led by Staci Whitehead with 12 points. Laci Davis and Laura McClelland each had 9. Payton had 8 and Tmia Mitchell 7. Kitty Eldridge scored 4, Laney Almon 2 and Marissa Hurd 1.
Whitehead had 2 assists, 16 rebounds, 2 blocks and 7 steals. Markayla Hurd had 1 assist and 5 rebounds. Davis had 1 assist and 2 steals. Mitchell had 4 rebounds and 6 steals. McClelland had 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 4 steals. Almon had 4 rebounds and a steal. Eldridge posted 3 assists, 2 rebounds and 2 steals.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 10 6 23 13 — 52
Cayuga 0 11 3 12 — 26
Jan. 22, 2021
Indians fall to LaPoynor 71-48
Friday, Jan. 22 in 19-AA test
The Frankston Indians fell to the LaPoynor Flyers 71-48 Friday, Jan. 22 in District 19-AA basketball action at the Nichols-Corley Gym at LaPoynor School, according to a report from FHS Coach Scotty Albritton.
The win for the Flyers boosted their season record to 16-4 and their district mark to 3-1. The Indians are now 2-2 in district and 8-10 for the season.
The Flyers jumped out to a 21-13 first quarter lead and were ahead 35-18 at halftime. In the second half the Indians picked up the pace, scoring 30 points while the Flyers scored 36 to build on their first half advantage.
Isaiah Allen led Indian scorers with 14 points, including one 3-pointer. Brink Bizzell scored 9 points, including two 3-pointers and a 3 for 4 showing at the free throw line. Kody Loebig and Caleb Ramsey each scored 10. Loebig had a 3-pointer and was 1-1 at the charity stripe. Benton Allen scored 5 points and Cael Bruno 2.
Cooper Gracey led LaPoynor scorers with 25, including two 3-pointers. DiJuan Whitehead also scored in double figures with 19. Kase Johnston had 9, including two 3-pointers. Garrett Nuckolls had 8, Jeff Young 6 and Matt Driskell and Evan Almeida 2 each.
LHS Coach Dean Nuckolls reported that Whitehead had 10 rebounds; Gracey 15 rebounds; Young 4 assists and 4 rebounds; Johnston 5 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals; Almeida 4 rebounds; Nuckolls 7 assists, 2 rebounds and 3 steals.
The Indians will face another challenge Tuesday, Jan. 26 when they go to Martins Mill for games starting at 5 p.m. The Flyers will go to Cayuga the same day to play the Wildcats starting at 5 p.m.
Score by Quarters:
Frankston 13 5 14 16 — 48
LaPoynor 21 14 22 14 — 71
Jan. 22, 2021
Lady Flyers defeat Maidens varsity
60-45, win over JV 49-25 on Jan. 22
The Frankston Maidens varsity lost to the LaPoynor Lady Flyers 60-45 on Friday, Jan. 22 at the FHS gym, according to Maidens Coach Christi Coker.
Earlier the Maidens junior varsity fell to the LaPoynor JV 49-25.
The Maiden varsity is now 11-6 for the season and 3-3 in District 19-AA, in third place behind Martins Mill and LaPoynor.
“We played well the first half, but in the third quarter, we struggled,” Coach Coker observed. “We missed 15 free throws for the night that hurt us.”
The two Maidens seniors led in scoring. Abbie Ramsey had 17 points, 7 steals and 6 deflections. Teallie Tatum had 8 points. Brianna Looney scored 6 points. Tia Billingsly and Shay Hatton each scored 4. Billingsly had 7 rebounds and 6 deflections. Hatton had 6 rebounds. Kaylee Davis, Maggie Caveness and Kelsey Sexton each score 2. Caveness had 10 rebounds.
Lady Flyer Coach Jammie Maze reported that four of his varsity players scored in double figures. Markayla Hurd had 16, Laura McClelland 15, Staci Whitehead 12 and Tmia Mitchell 11. Marissa Hurd had 5 points and Payton 1.
Whitehead had 1 assist, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Markayla Hurd had 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block and 8 steals. Laci Davis had 1 assist and 3 rebounds. Payton had 5 rebounds. Mitchell had 7 rebounds and 5 steals. McClelland had 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals. Kitty Eldridge had 1 assist, 1 rebound and 2 steals.
Scoring for the Maiden JV were Mirayah Hatton with 11, Bandy Bizzell 7, Isabel Herbrough 3 and Ondreia Renfro and Kennedi Musselman 2 each.
The Lady Flyers are now 16-3 overall and 5-1 in district play.
The Maidens will be hosting first place Martins Mill on Tuesday, Jan. 26 with the varsity only game starting at 6 p.m. The Lady Flyers will be hosting Cayuga on the same day and time. On Friday, Jan. 29, the Maidens will be going to Kerens for games, JV at 5 p.m. and varsity at about 6:15. The Lady Flyers will go to Martins Mill for a varsity only game at 6 p.m.
Score by Quarters:
LaPoynor 14 16 18 12 — 60
Frankston 16 7 9 13 — 45
Jan. 19, 2021
Lady Flyers comeback tops Kerens
60-37 Jan. 19 to up record to 4-1
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers defeated the Kerens Lady Bobcats 60-37 in District 19-AA action on Tuesday, Jan. 19 for a 4-1 record in district play, according to a report from LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Bobcats outscored the Lady Flyers 20-13 in the first half but LaPoynor came out strong in the second half, scoring 47 points while holding Kerens to only 17.
Three players scored in double figures for LaPoynor. Laura McClelland and Payton each scored 12 points to lead and Markayla Hurd added 11. Kitty Eldridge had 7 and Tmia Mitchell 6. Marissa Hurd and Staci Whitehead each scored 5 and Laney Almon had 2. They all combined to make 24 free throws to help the cause.
Whitehead had 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Markayla Hurd had 2 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. McClelland had 5 assists, a rebound and 5 steals. Mitchell had 3 rebounds and 2 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists and 3 rebounds.
Score by Quarters:
Kerens 8 12 9 8 — 37
LaPoynor 6 7 26 21 — 60
Jan. 19, 2021
Flyers finish non-district with win,
go 2-1 in District 19-AA cage play
The LaPoynor Flyers, since the first of the new year, closed out their preseason schedule with a win and started their District 19-AA schedule with two wins and only one loss.
On Tuesday, Jan. 19, the Flyers defeated Kerens 63-48 after having won over Cross Roads 90-21. Their only district loss came at the hands of a formidable Martins Mill team 66-53.
They closed out their non-district schedule with a 57-49 win over Lufkin Hudson. They only lost three games in non-district competition, falling only to Lipan, Gary and Tenaha. Their overall season record is 15-4.
In their most recent game with Kerens, the Flyers led 22-7 in the first quarter and 30-17 at halftime. They outscored Kerens 33-31 in the second half to seal the win.
Garrett Nuckolls led scorers with 20 points and DiJuan Whitehead scored 16. Cooper Gracey had 9 points and Kase Johnston 8. Matt Driskell scored 6 points and Evan Almeida had 4.
Nuckolls had 4 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks and 4 steals. Whitehead had 2 assists and 14 rebounds. Johnston had 3 assists and 7 rebounds. Almeida pulled down 6 rebounds. Gracey had four rebounds and 2 steals. Driskell had 2 assists and 3 rebounds.
Against Cross Roads, LaPoynor was ahead 24-0 in the first quarter and 48-8 at halftime. They outscored their opponent 42-13 in the second half to ice the big win.
Whitehead led scorers with 29 points. Gracey got 20 points and Nuckolls scored 13. Kamron Eldridge had 9, Driskell and Almeida 6 each, Jeff Young 4, and Johnston 3.
Gracey had. 2 assists, 16 rebounds, 2 blocks and 4 steals. Whitehead had 12 rebounds and 3 blocks. Nuckolls had 8 assists and 9 rebounds. Johnston had 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals. Almeida had 7 rebounds and 3 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists and 3 rebounds. Young had 3 rebounds and Driskell had 3 assists.
In the Martins Mill game, the Flyers played it close in the first half, trailing 17-16 in the first quarter and behind only 31-28 at halftime. Martins Mills outscored the Flyers 38-22 in the second half to take the win.
Against Martins Mill, Whitehead led with 12 points. Johnston had 10, Gracey 9, Eldridge 8, Nuckolls 7, Almeida and Driskell 3 each and Young 1.
Whitehead had 2 assists and 6 rebounds. Nuckolls had 2 assists, 2 rebounds, 6 blocks and 3 steals. Gracey had 2 assists and 11 rebounds. Eldridge had 3 assists and 2 steals. Johnston had 5 rebounds and Driskell had 2 rebounds.
In the non-district game with Hudson, the score was tied 25-25 at halftime. Hudson went ahead by 3 in the third quarter 42-39, but the Flyers outscored Hudson 18-7 in the final quarter to take the 8-point win.
Gracey led scorers against Hudson with 12 points. Whitehead, Nuckolls and Almeida each scored 10. Johnston had 7, Eldridge 6 and Driskell 2.
Eldridge had 3 assists and 8 rebounds. Nuckolls had 4 assists and 8 rebounds. Almeida had 3 rebounds and 3 steals. Johnston had 4 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. Gracey had 2 assists and 7 rebounds and Whitehead had 2 rebounds.
The Flyers host Frankston on Friday, Jan. 22 and then go to Cayuga on Tuesday, Jan. 26 for games starting at 5 p.m.
Jan. 15, 2021
Lady Flyers dominate Cross Roads
69-21 for 3-1 record in 19-AA play
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers dominated the Cross Roads Lady Bobcats 69-21 Friday, Jan. 15 to increase their District 19-AA record to 3-1, according to a report from LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Flyers held their opponent to single digits in every quarter, leading 33-9 at halftime and scoring 36 points to only 12 for Cross Roads in the second half.
Staci Whitehead led LHS scorers with 20 points, followed closely by Laura McClelland with 19. Kitty Eldridge had 8, Payton 7 and Markayla Hurd and Tmia Mitchell with 5 each. Laci Davis had 3 and Laney Almon 2.
Whitehead had 3 assists, 8 rebounds, a block and 4 steals. Marissa Hurd had 3 assists and 3 steals. Markayla Hurd had 1 rebound and 3 steals. Davis had 2 assists and a steal. Payton had an assist, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Mitchell had 2 assists, 6 rebounds, a block and a steal. McClelland had 4 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists, 4 rebounds, a block and 4 steals.
Score by Quarters:
Cross Roads 6 3 8 4 — 21
LaPoynor 14 19 16 20 — 69
Jan. 12, 2021
Lady Flyers lose first district game
Jan. 12 to tough Martins Mill 64-42
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers lost their first 19-AA basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 12 to their rival for district honors, Martins Mill, 64-42 in action at LaPoynor.
The loss was LaPoynor’s first in district play, having defeated both Frankston and Cayuga previously. They are 2-1 in district and 13-4 overall. Martins Mill is undefeated in district, having previously won over Frankston.
The Lady Flyers fell behind in the first quarter by 13 points, 18-5, and Martins Mill padded their lead to 35-15 by halftime. LaPoynor was able to narrow the deficit some in the third quarter outscoring their opponent 14-12 but Martins Mill secured their victory in the final quarter 17-13 for the 22-point win.
Staci Whitehead led Lady Flyer scorers with 18 points, including two 3-pointers in seven attempts, and 6 of 7 free throws. She scored on 3 of 8 attempts for two points. Laura McClelland got 9 points, Markayla Hurd 6, Kitty Eldridge 5, Tmia Mitchell 3 and Laney Almon 1.
Whitehead had 14 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 blocks. Marissa Hurd had 3 rebounds and an assist. Markayla Hurd had 1 assist, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Laci Davis had 3 rebounds. Mitchell had 2 assists and 1 rebound. McClelland had 3 assists, 1 block and 2 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists, 3 rebounds and 1 steal.
The Lady Flyers are scheduled to go to Cross Roads on Friday, Jan. 15 and will close out the first round of district play against Kerens on Jan. 19 at LaPoynor.
Score by Quarters:
Martins Mill 18 17 12 17 — 64
LaPoynor 5 10 14 13 — 42
Jan. 8, 2021
Lady Flyers top Cayuga 51-26
to remain unbeaten in district
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers remained unbeaten in District 19-AA play Friday, Jan. 8 with a convincing 51-26 win over the Cayuga Lady Wildcats, according to a report from LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The Lady Flyers jumped out to a 15-3 lead in the first quarter and led 29-15 at halftime. They continued their dominance in the second half, outscoring Cayuga 22-11.
Staci Whitehead led Lady Flyers scorers with 23 points. Also in double figures was Laura McClelland with 10 points. Laci Davis scored 6 and Markayla Hurd and Tmia Mitchell each had 4. Marissa Hurd and Kitty Eldridge each had 2 points.
Whitehead had 13 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals. Markayla Hurd had 4 assists, 2 rebounds and 6 steals. Davis had 1 assist, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Mitchell had 2 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals. McClelland had 3 assists, 3 rebounds and 4 steals. Laney Almon had 1 assist, 2 rebounds and 2 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists, 1 rebound and 3 steals.
Score by Quarters:
Cayuga 3 12 8 3 — 26
LaPoynor 15 14 13 9 — 51
Jan. 5, 2021
Maidens’ effort praised, but fall 65-49
to formidable LaPoynor Lady Flyers
The Frankston Maidens Tuesday, Jan. 5 fell to the LaPoynor Lady Flyers 65-49 in their District 19-AA opener, according to a report from FHS Coach Christi Coker.
“I was Super Proud of how hard the girls played,” Coach Coker said. “They played really hard. We just didn’t get the win.”
The Maidens coach said the team “had a slow start scoring and missed 21 free throws”.
Abbie Ramsey was leading scorer for the Maidens with 14 points, followed by 10 points by Brianna Looney. Maggie Caveness matched her season high with 9 points. Tia Billingsly and Kelsey Sexton each had 5 points. Shay Hatton got 4 and Teallie Tatum 2.
Besides noting her 9-point performance, Coach Coker praised Caveness for a “great game”, contributing 16 rebounds and several blocks to the Maiden effort. Billingsly had 12 rebounds and 4 assists and “several hustle plays”, the coach reported.
LHS Coach Jammie Maze reported Staci Whitehead had 17 points, Markayla Hurd 12, Tmia Mitchell 11, Kitty Eld/ridge 8, Laci Davis 6, Laura McClellan 5, Laney Almon 4 and Marissa Hurd 2.
Whitehead had 11 rebounds, 3 blocks and 5 steals. Eldridge had 2 assists, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Mitchell had 6 rebounds. Davis had 4 rebounds and 2 steals. McClelland had 3 assists, 5 rebounds and 5 steals. Markayla Hurd had 6 assists and 6 steals.
The Maidens were to journey to take on another formidable district opponent, Martins Mill, on Friday, Jan. 8. The varsity game is to start at 6 p.m. They return to the familiar confines of the FHS gym for another district test against Kerens on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The junior varsity contest is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. followed by the varsity game at about 6:15 p.m.
Score by Quarters:
Frankston 8 11 12 18 — 49
LaPoynor 20 17 7 21 — 65
Jan. 2, 2021
Lady Flyers edge Athens 52-51
in overtime cage thriller Jan. 2
The LaPoynor Lady Flyers boosted their non-district record to 11-3 Saturday, Jan. 2 with a close 52-51 home court win over the Athens Lady Hornets in overtime, according to a report by LHS Coach Jammie Maze.
The two teams fought to a close first half. Athens led 13-12 after two quarters of play. They widened their lead to 34-28 at the end of the third quarter, but LaPoynor came back 16-10 in the fourth period to tie the score 44-44, forcing an overtime. The Lady Flyers had an 8-7 edge in the OT to take the 52-51 thriller.
Staci Whitehead led the LHS girls in scoring with 20 points, including two 3-pointers, and Laura McClelland added 11, with three 3-point goals. Kitty Eldridge had 7 and Tmia Mitchell and Markayla Hurd each contributed 6 points. Laney Almon had 2.
Whitehead had 1 assist, 10 rebounds and 5 steals. Marissa Hurd had 1 assist and 1 steal. Markayla Hurd had 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Mitchell had 1 assist and 5 rebounds. McClelland got 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 block and 3 steals. Eldridge had 1 assist and 4 rebounds.
The Lady Flyers open District 19-AA play on Tuesday, Jan. 5 hosting the Frankston Maidens (5-3). Junior varsity play starts at 4 p.m. with varsity action to start at about 5:15. On Friday, Jan. 8 they go to Cayuga for a 5 p.m. start.
Score by Quarters: Overtime in red.
Athens 7 6 21 10 7 — 51
LaPoynor 7 5 16 16 8 — 52
Dec. 29, 2020
LHS Flyers come off holiday break
with wins over Brook Hill, Elkhart
The LaPoynor Flyers are coming off the Christmas break with two more wins in non-district basketball competition, according to a report from Coach Dean Nuckolls.
The Flyers defeated Brook Hill 67-49 on Tuesday, Dec. 29 and then won over Elkhart 88-40 the following day on Wednesday, Dec. 30.
The wins boosted the Flyers record so far this season to 12-2.
Against Brook Hill, the Flyers outscored their opponent in every quarter but the first when the Flyers were down by a single point, 11-12. In the second period they came back strong, scoring 15 points to only 5 for Brook Hill, leading 26-17 at halftime. In the second half the Flyers outscored their opponent 41-32 to win by 18 points.
Against Elkhart, the Flyers took charge early, allowing the Elks only 14 points in the first half, to lead 52-14 at the halftime break. Elkhart was to score 26 points in the second half but the Flyers continued to dominate with 36 points, more than enough to take the impressive win.
Garrett Nuckolls led scorers against Brook Hill with 20 points. Three others were in double figures. DiJuan Whitehead had 15, Kamron Eldridge 14 and Kase Johnston 13. Jeff Young and Cooper Gracey each scored 2 and Matt Driskell added a point.
Eldridge had 2 assists, 3 rebounds and 4 steals. Nuckolls had 2 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Johnston had 9 assists, 8 rebounds and 4 steals. Gracey had 2 assists and 4 rebounds and Whitehead pulled down 6 rebounds.
Against Elkhart, Nuckolls led scorers again with 23 points. Whitehead and Johnston were also in double figures with 17 and 16 points respectively. Gracey and Eldridge scored 9 each. Driskell had 7, Young 5 and Aiden Maze 2.
The Flyers have one more non-district game on the schedule. They host Lufkin Hudson at home on Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021 at 6:15 p.m. A week later, on Tuesday, Jan. 12, they journey to Martins Mill for their first District 19-AA contest at 6 p.m.
Scores by Quarters:
Brook Hill 12 5 14 18 — 49 LaPoynor 30 22 23 13 — 88
LaPoynor 11 15 21 20 — 67 Elkhart 7 7 15 11 — 40