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TEAM SCHEDULES YOUR NO. 1 SOURCE FOR 2018 LOCAL SPORTS MADISONCOUNTY YOUR TOP LOCAL ‘18 VARSITY ATHLETES, MUSTANGS PICTURED REVEALED THROUGHOUT Spring 2018 | Madison County Spring Sports | 1 BREAKING OUT PHOTO BY CAMPBELL ATKINS The 2018 Varsity Madisonville Mustangs baseball team (not pictured: basketball players Sam Bennett and Kasey Williamson). Mustang baseball ready for 2018 season By Campbell Atkins | Reporter Th e Madisonville baseball team will playoff round and were eliminated. Th e ginning of the season,” said Sitton. “When- I think that’s something we can do and not boast 8 returning starters to the diamond Mustangs have been a staple in the 4A pre- ever there are outside things like rankings, getting that done was one of the bigger dis- in 2018 as they try and live up to the pre- season polls as the season approaches, usu- you need to realize that nothing matters appointments from last 2017.” season hype that surrounds the club. ally cracking the top 10. until the end of the year. To me, any presea- Among the returning stars from the “Th is is probably the most best and “Th ese players are very close and they son hype is a distraction.” Mustangs will be Matt Rudis, who will most experienced team I’ve been associat- care for one another,” said Sitton. “I think Th e Mustangs have looked impressive move on to TCU to pitch for the Horned ed with,” said Madisonville head baseball that’s extremely important because baseball in a handful of scrimmage games and be- Frogs aft er his senior season. coach Keith Sitton, who is ready for his is so stat-driven and there’s a lot of noise gan the season with a matchup in China Rudis was selected to the Under Armor second year in charge of the program but coming from people who aren’t necessarily Springs. Most of the non-district schedule All-America Game at Wrigley Field in Chi- has been coaching for over 25. “On top of in between the lines.” will consist of tournaments on the road, cago last summer. He will be joined by se- 8 returning starters we’ll return all of our Th e players are also focused. Th e cama- but district play will begin on March 20 nior Zach Poe, who hit .358 with 7 doubles pitchers. We have a lot of depth and a lot of raderie between the team loaded with se- against Athens, who beat out Madisonville and 27 RBIs in 2017. guys that can do diff erent things well.” niors and experience has come in handy for the crown a season ago. While Coach Sitton tries to keep his In Sitton’s fi rst year, the Mustangs fi n- more than ever in terms of keeping their “We played some good teams last season players focused for the task at hand, fans ished 24-7 and earned second place in goals in mind and concentrating on what and the district is loaded again this year,” in Madisonville are undoubtedly starting district behind Athens. Th ey lost two-out- they need to do in practice. said Sitton. “Our goal, once we get to dis- to buy the hype and look forward to some of-three to Liberty Hill in the bi-district “Everybody has expectations at the be- trict play is to win a district championship. memorable baseball games in 2018. 2 | Madison County Spring Sports | Spring 2018 DATE OPPONENT TIME LOCATION NUMBER PLAYER YEAR Preseason: 1 Jordan Baker Junior Feb. 6 AMC 4:30 p.m. HOME 2 Sam Benne Senior Feb. 9 Caldwell 7 p.m. HOME 3 Ben Phillips Senior 4 Ma hew Hager Senior Feb. 13 Cameron 7 p.m. HOME 5 Brad Rudis Freshman Feb. 16 Navasota 7 p.m. HOME 7 Riley Wood Senior 8 Brandon Larson Junior Regular season: 9 Max Allen Junior Feb. 19 China Springs 7 p.m. Away 10 Bryce Benne Senior Feb. 22 Weatherford Tournament 4:30/7:15 p.m. Azle 11 Kody Moore Sophomore 13 Kasey Williamson Senior Feb. 23 Weatherford Tournament 1:45/4:30 p.m. Aledo 14 Corey Shuck Junior Feb. 24 Weatherford Tournament 12:45 p.m. Weatherford 15 Daniel Young Junior Feb. 27 Elkhart 7 p.m. Away 16 Jake Risinger Junior March 1 Cameron/Rogers Tournament 6/8 p.m. Cameron 17 Zach Poe Senior March 2 Cameron/Rogers Tournament 11 a.m. Rogers 18 Will Hudson Senior March 3 Cameron/Rogers Tournament TBA TBA 19 Ma Rudis Senior March 9 Franklin Tournament 9 a.m. Franklin March 10 Franklin Tournament TBA Franklin March 15 Caldwell 2:30 p.m. HOME March 16 Lu in Hudson 2:30 p.m. Away March 20 Athens 7 p.m. Away* March 23 Mexia 7 p.m. HOME* March 27 Pales ne 7 p.m. Away* March 29 Navasota 7 p.m. HOME April 3 Fairfi eld 7 p.m. HOME* April 6 Athens 7 p.m. HOME* April 7 Liberty 1 p.m. HOME April 10 Mexia 7 p.m. Away* April 13 Pales ne 7 p.m. HOME* April 14 College Sta on 1 p.m. HOME Have a great spring season, April 17 Navasota 7 p.m. Away April 20 Fairfi eld 7 p.m. Away* Mustangs & Bulldogs April 27 West 7 p.m. HOME * DISTRICT MATCHUP FOR UPDATES ON THE LATEST MCISD SCORES: Search for Madisonville Meteor! @MadisonvilleMet Spring 2018 | Madison County Spring Sports | 3 MUSTANG MADNESS PHOTO BY CAMPBELL ATKINS The 2018 Varsity Madisonville Lady Mustangs pose together following practice. ‘Team 24’ set to take the diamond By Campbell Atkins | Reporter Aft er a disappointing campaign a season assistant coach Miranda Butts. Th e coach- one of the sole seniors on the team, has Renner. “We are the 24th soft ball team in ago, the new look Mustangs take the dia- ing staff has stated they will try and build a been dubbed the leader in the outfi eld with the history of this school. We want to to be mond with a new coach and a new attitude. foundation of discipline, hustle, eff ort and a great glove. She’s also very speedy and a remembered for our hard work and deter- Madisonville has already begun their pre- fi ght. Th ey will try and teach the girls life triple-threat on off ense. mination. Our theme in ‘Hold the Rope’, season scrimmages in preparation for the lessons through soft ball and how they are Renner also recognized her catcher, Av- which helps us focus on being a team player season and will offi cially start on Feb. 20 at playing for something bigger than them- ery Simms, for her position as a role model and holding each other up.” home against Onalaska. selves. for the team thus far and her ability to al- While the young Mustangs have a lot to “I wasn’t here last year, but I can say we On top of Renner taking the helm, the ways do the right thing with no one around. learn, Renner knows they will improve im- need to improve on our defense and our Mustangs will try and rebound from last Two freshmen to watch for will be Kasey mensely in most areas as the season rolls confi dence,” said Madisonville soft ball year’s 4-15 overall fi nish aft er six seniors left Long and Sidnie Smith. Both can be quiet along. For now, they will need to win games coach Ashley Renner. “We are still shift ing the team. Th e Varsity roster, which has yet surprises and youngsters and come up big with stellar defense and situational hitting, some players around to see where they fi t to be fi nalized as of publication, will surely in key situations. otherwise known as “small ball.” best and I know we will be young in a lot of be full on new faces that are eager to prove But for Renner’s squad to be successful, Aft er the conclusion of preseason scrim- big places. I have a lot of eager and coach- themselves. she knows it’ll have to be done together. She mages, the Mustangs will host Onalaska to able kids, so I’m excited about that.” Despite the culture change around the has worked hard to build a team culture and start their home slate and compete in tour- Coach Renner was the head soft ball program, Renner has already identifi ed one of determination since the fi rst day or naments in Hudson, Caldwell and Franklin. coach at Rusk for 10 years before joining the some players she expects to make a diff er- practice. District play will begin on March 15. Madi- Mustangs this season. She will be joined by ence for the team in 2018. Kandace Smith, “Our slogan this season is ‘Team 24’,” said sonville was 2-6 in District last season. 4 | Madison County Spring Sports | Spring 2018 DATE OPPONENT LOCATION TIME Preseason: Feb. 6 Grapeland Scrimmage HOME 6 p.m. Feb. 9 Elkhart Scrimmage HOME 6 p.m. Feb. 13 Cameron Scrimmage Cameron 7 p.m. Regular Season: Feb. 15 Hudson Tournament Hudson TBA Feb. 20 Onalaska HOME 7 p.m. Feb. 22 Caldwell Tournament Caldwell TBA Feb. 27 Normangee Away 6 p.m. March 2/3 Franklin Tournament Franklin TBA March 6 Giddings Away 6 p.m. March 9 Navasota HOME 6 p.m. March 15 Fairfi eld Away 6 p.m.* March 20 Athens Away 7 p.m.* March 23 Mexia HOME 7 p.m.* March 27 Pales ne Away 7 p.m.* April 3 Fairfi eld HOME 7 p.m.* April 6 Athens HOME 7 p.m.* April 10 Mexia Away 7 p.m.* April 13 Pales ne HOME 7 p.m.* * District matchup PHOTO BY CAMPBELL ATKINS Madisonville softball coach Ashley Renner hits grounders to her players during practice.