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January
• Elgin High School boys and girls varsity soccer each started off January with a bang as the Wildcats and Lady Wildcats had four-match win streaks. The Wildcats defeated Killeen Ellison High School 3-1, Manor New Tech High School 4-0, Giddings High School 3-0 and Georgetown East View High School 2-1. The Lady Wildcats did not allow a single goal during their span of four victories as they dominated Manor High School 4-0, Sweeny High School 5-0, Bellville High School 2-0 and Sealy High School 3-0.
February
• Smithville High School varsity football standout Tyson Hancock officially announced his plans to play at the collegiate level after he put pen to paper Feb. 8 for National Signing Day, affirming that he will play college football at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He earned first-team all-district honors and the all-district utility player award for the Tigers in back-to-back seasons.
• Bastrop High School varsity soccer four-year star goalkeeper Rebecca McFarland was a steady force in front of the net since freshman year and she recorded her 500th career save during the Lady Bears’ Feb. 14 contest versus Georgetown High School. The milestone achievement added to a long list of accolades, such as first-team all-district honors for three seasons as well as 5A-District 23 Goalkeeper Most Valuable Player award winner in 2023.
March
• Fresh off a Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association regional championship, the Elgin girls varsity powerlifting team capped off a storybook 2023 season March 18 in Frisco at the 5A-2 State Championship meet as the Lady Wildcats took home a runner-up finish. Elgin standout Nya Kirk Jones flexed her way to a gold medal in the 259pound class as she lifted 1,335 pounds, which was 295 pounds more than the second-place finisher. Silver medalists for the Lady Wildcats were Elizabeth Nunez in the 114-pound class and Maria Yanez in the 123-pound class, while Ralyssa Enueshike took home a bronze medal in the 148-pound class.
• Elgin track and field hosted the Wildcats Relays at the end of March and had 12 athletes earn a medal. The Wildcats had eight athletes take home gold and four take home a silver medal between their junior varsity and varsity teams, making for a very strong showing at their home meet.
April
• Elgin varsity softball had a memorable 2023 season as the Lady Wildcats went 23-12 overall and finished third in a very strong 5A-District 23 play with an 11-4 record. The Lady Wildcats trounced Austin Crockett High School 14-2 in the 5A bi-district playoffs and were defeated in the area round by eventual state champion Montgomery Lake Creek High School.
May
• Elgin varsity baseball also had a strong 2023 campaign as the Wildcats had a powerful stretch down the season that earned them the 5A-District 23 runner-up spot for the postseason. The Wildcats handled business 9-1 against Austin Crockett High School for a bi-district championship but were eliminated by Lake Belton High School in Game 3 of the area round.
• Bastrop varsity girls standout golfer Carly Sherman continued her stellar sophomore season as she advanced to the UIL State Championship tournament that was held May 15-16 at White Wing Golf Club in Georgetown.
June
• A dynamic duo of Elgin varsity softball players had the honor of being named to the Austin American-Statesman All-Central Texas team. Senior standouts Paiton Altmiller and Jessica Cantrell of the Lady Wildcats were both selected for the team.
July
• The city of Elgin proudly made its way into the 2023 MLB Draft on July 11 when former Wildcats baseball standout Jace Grady was selected in the 11th round by the Atlanta Braves at No. 339 overall. Grady, a class of 2019 graduate, was a second-team all-state selection when he played at Elgin after hitting a whopping .500 from the plate as a junior. He then went on to be a standout outfielder for Dallas Baptist University and played three full seasons for the Patriots.
• Elgin High School varsity football was represented over the weekend as junior defensive back Noddyn Bailey attended the Junior Day Football National Showcase camp July 16 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
August
• Downtown Elgin was the site of the annual Meet The Wildcats event Aug. 10 as many members of the community packed Veterans’ Memorial Park for the introduction of Wildcats and Lady Wildcats fall sports teams. Plenty of food tents and booths were open at the park before the start of the ceremony as Elgin residents enjoyed themselves despite the continued scorching hot weather. Athletic director Jens Anderson got on the mic first to thank the Elgin Chamber of Commerce and others for putting on the event.
• Smithville varsity football started its 2023 season off in shutout fashion as the Tigers handled business with a lopsided 37-0 win at home versus Austin Travis Early College High School.
• Elgin High School held the Elgin Athletic Hall of Honor Induction Ceremony Aug. 31 to annually recognize individuals who have achieved an exemplary level of athletic performance and by their accomplishments have brought recognition to Washington or Elgin High Schools, as well as individuals who through their outstanding contributions, career or service have enhanced the Elgin Athletic Program. Pamela Fowler, Shifton Baker, Charles Perkins and Edwin Price all attended the ceremony. Weldon Vincent was represented by his daughters Danielle Collins and Ester Vincent.
September
• Elgin varsity football had a great all-around night Sept. 1 under Head Coach Heath Clawson as the Wildcats trounced Austin Akins High School 47-0 in their home opener. In addition to the Elgin defense being superb the whole evening, the offense got the job done as senior standout quarterback Nathen Lewis threw for 268 passing yards, two touchdowns through the air, 65 yards rushing and two scores on the ground.
• Staring down a 21-0 deficit after the first quarter on Homecoming, the Elgin High School varsity football team rose to the occasion Sept. 22 as the Wildcats stormed back for an empathic 50-28 victory over Pflugerville Connally High School.
• The Bastrop varsity football team put together a complete performance Sept. 29 against a previously undefeated Kerrville Tivy High School squad as the Bears rolled to a 41-22 victory at home. record going into Friday night, but the Bastrop Bears put an end to the hype with a dominant performance. Led by Freshman quarterback Weston Nielsen, who recently received an offer from the University of Oregon after his stellar 48-42 win against Pflugerville High School the previous week, the Bears’ offense looked unstoppable in their win over the Tivy Antlers.
October
• The Smithville varsity cross country program took to the course Oct. 12 at Camp Tejas in Giddings last as the Lady Tigers and Tigers both competed in the 4A-District 22 championship meet. The Lady Tigers placed second as a team with 40 points at district to qualify for the regional meet as five Smithville runners placed in the top 15 in the girls’ two-mile run. As for the Tigers, the boys in the 5,000-meter run qualified for the regional meet in third place with 83 points as a team.
• Staring at a 20-0 deficit on the road heading into halftime, there was zero quit Oct. 13 in this Smithville High School varsity football team under Head Coach Cyril Adkins. The Tigers mounted a thrilling comeback in the second half to knock off the Buffaloes of Giddings High School 35-34 for a pivotal 4A-2 District 12 victory that halted a five-game losing streak.
• McDade High School varsity cross country had three student-athletes run Oct. 23 at the 1A Region 4 championship meet held on the campus of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi at the Dr. Jack Dugan Soccer and Track Stadium with sophomore Summer Jacobs, junior Colby Miller and senior Sebastian Velazquez. Jacobs would represent McDade with a very high honor as she qualified for 1A state meet with her performance. In a big field of 100 runners in the girls’ two-mile run, Jacobs battled for a time of 14:32.23 that would secure her a 20thplace finish at regionals.
• The Cedar Creek High School varsity volleyball team had a remarkable 2023 season come to an end Oct. 30 as the Lady Eagles fell in four sets to Austin McCallum High School in the bi-district round of the 5A playoffs. Although the upset-minded Lady Eagles came out and won the first set 25-18, Cedar Creek was defeated in the next three sets by the Lady Knights 17-25, 15-25 and 20-25.
• The McDade varsity volleyball team made history in 2023 as the program played in its first bi-district playoff match Oct. 30 against North Zulch High School at neutral site Caldwell High School. Despite a valiant effort, McDade came up short against North Zulch in a battle of the Lady Bulldogs as they were defeated in three straight sets by scores of 16-25, 17-25 and 19-25. The Lady Bulldogs finished their campaign under Head Coach Aaron Hallford with a 15-6 overall record.
November
• Cedar Creek star cross country runner Alejandro Ruiz completed a sensational career for the Eagles as the standout senior placed 13th with a time of 15:46.60 in a massive field of 150 boys runners who made it to the 5A state meet. North Richland Hills senior Ethan Gonzalez was crowned the individual state champion for the 5A boys with a mark of 15:55.80, while Lucas Lovejoy High School was the 5A team state champion for both the boys and girls.
• Three standout Elgin varsity softball players signed their National Letter of Intent Nov. 8 as Lady Wildcats seniors Jessica Cantrell, Jaylan Roberson and Mackenzie Farris signed to play collegiate softball on National Signing Day.
• Smithville varsity football junior standout Ramonz Adams did it all for the Tigers during the 2023 season and announced his commitment Nov. 19 to continue his stellar career as a student-athlete at Texas Tech University for the Red Raiders football program. Adams did it all for Smithville as he finished with 1,839 all-purpose yards, 22 Receptions, 14 touchdowns, six interceptions and four forced fumbles.
• The Bastrop High School varsity volleyball team under Head Coach Morgan Rollins was honored with 5A-District 23 all-district awards following the 2023 season. As a senior who made a major impact throughout the year, Lady Bears senior Olivia Altamirano was named as a first-team all-district selection. Altamirano finished the season with a team-high 325 kills, 260 digs, 39 aces served and 25 blocks at the net.
December
• Elgin boys varsity basketball has been sensational so far during the 2023-24 season and as of Dec. 29 the Wildcats have a 13-2 overall record following a 57-45 victory at home versus Austin Hyde Park High School.
• Cedar Creek girls varsity basketball star sophomore Keyaira Limuel Washington has dominated this season so far as she has led the Lady Eagles as one of the best basketball players in the Austin area.
• Cedar Creek boys varsity basketball has also had a fast start to the season being led by its dynamic duo of senior Robert Conrad and junior Kenji Franklin.
