Sulphur Springs XC Returning Home to Host Wildcat Invitational Saturday
Cross country continues to make solid strides as they push on towards their district competition.
Friday, Sept. 16 had Wildcats and Lady Cats XC headed to something of a familiar course in Pine Tree’s Mike Darby Invitational.
The women’s team cracked the top-5 in fourth, with the Wildcats placing eighth in Longview Friday.
Haylee Schultz and Edith Martinez finished neck-and-neck, 13th and 14th, with times of 13:24.5 and 13:25.5.
Jolea Moore got 43rd at Pine Tree’s meet, with Laney Hurst crossing the line eight seconds later at 53rd. The freshman and senior had times of 14:12 and 14.20.7, respectively.
Three freshmen Lady Cats continue to make solid strides, all placing within six spots:
- Abbey Williams, 65th — 14.36.9
- Dylan McKinney, 70th — 14:45.2
- McKenzie Buckland, 71st — 14.46.7
Cumulating 172 points, Lady Cat XC placed fourth at the Mike Darby Invitational.
The fourth place finish marks three-straight competitions in which the women’s team placed top-5. The previous two meets Lady Cat XC finished second.
The men’s side did not place top-5, but did crack the top-10 at eighth.
Freshman Gabe Mayo led the way for the Wildcats. Finishing 29th, the freshman came in at 19.14.4. Two more Wildcats finished the top-40 in Longview:
- Candelario Monsivais, 33rd — 19.15.7
- Juan Santacruz, 39th — 19.22.1
Junior Ivan Gonzalez placed 53rd for Sulphur Springs. He crossed the finish line at 19.44.9.
The final two runners for Wildcats XC, Mateo Perez and Jaydon Conner, got 61st and 67th, respectively. The freshmen runners finished within 15 seconds of one another.
The men had a score of 196 points, giving them an eighth place finish at the invitational.
Next up, Wildcat and Lady Cat XC host the Wildcat Invitational Saturday, Sept. 24.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
City Council Slated To Consider Setting City Utility and Tax Rates, Budget On Sept. 20
City of Sulphur Springs utility customers can expect water, sewer and sanitation rate increases in the coming fiscal year. The city finance department and officers recommend raised rates to cover utility fund expenditures, future capital and other costs of providing each service beginning in October. A budgeted 9% cost of living adjustment (COLA) and an increase to longevity pay rates for city employees; inflation of costs such as materials, chemicals, repairs and fuel, were cited as major contributing factors for the recommended city utility rate increases as well.
Sanitation Rates
The finance department recommended increasing the sanitation rates by 9.8% to reflect contract provisions. Over the past five years of annual contract increases based on the consumer price index-for urban wage earners and clerical workers (wages for hourly staff — CPI-W) in October, but the city’s rates including any increases are decided on in September. That’s 3.7% more in contract increases than the city has passed on to users, according to city staff.
| Year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | Average Increase | Total Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPI-W | 2.05% | 2.69% | 1.56% | 1.27% | 6.85% | 2.89% | 14.45% |
| City Rate Increase | 2.25% | 2.00% | 1.50% | 0.00% | 5.0% | 2.15% | 10.75% |
The sanitation revenue was less than projected over the last year. Both sanitation companies serving Sulphur Springs submit rates at the end of October, which is after the annual budget is adopted and, typically utility rates for city residents as well.
The City Council opted to postpone setting a new sanitation rate until November, which would be after Republic and Sanitation Solutions have submitted their requests for increases in sanitation services, as allowed by the contracts the city has with each. They sanitation rates are scheduled to be presented for first reading in November, then, if approved by the City Council, presented for second reading in December 2022.
Sewer Rates
The City is also recommending an increase in sewer rates, even more than was originally proposed in August, when the City Council received the first full proposed draft of the budget, due to significant increases in chemical costs, higher even than were projected one month ago. This was discovered when city staff opened bids submitted for chemicals to be used to treat sewer and water in fiscal year 2022-2023, which will begin Oct. 1, 2022, along with the utility rates approved as of that time by Sulphur Springs City Council.
For instance, the city had budgeted $60,000 for a new bar screen for the wastewater treatment plan. However, when the five submitted bids were opened on Aug. 10, the lowest bid was for $81,250, two more were in the mid $90,000s, and other two over $100,000 each, the highest bid topping out at $152,000. Sulphur Springs Director of Utilities James Jordan recommended the city reject all bids because of how high there were, then wait a bit longer, in the hope the rates will come down some before bids are once again sought. The City Council did as recommended, rejecting all bids for the bar screen.
Jordan, on Sept. 6, 2022, submitted bids received by the Aug. 9 deadline for six different types of chemicals for City Council Consideration. He recommended the city accept the lowest bids in each category, noting that even doing so at the lowest quoted rate is still expected to cost over $205,600 more this year than last.
Sulphur Springs Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Lesa Smith on Aug. 2 recommended that the base sewer rate, figured based on monthly water consumption, increase from $28.10 for 0-4,000 gallons to $28.65 and the rate per gallon sewer charge increase from $4.07 to $4.15. After factoring in the new chemical bid rates on Sept. 6, Smith recommended that the base rate for all users still be increased to $28.65 for up to 4,000-gallons,but that the rate per gallon sewer charge for use increase to $4.21 for each gallon after the first 4,000 gallons.
Although the rate goes into effect Oct. 1, 2022, the residential consumption will be calculated for hte preceding calendar quarter of December, January and February of each year.
Customers who contribute higher concentrations of waste than normal domestic wastewater will be charged in accordance with the following formulas for extra strength and penalty charges, plus the basic rate:
Sulphur Springs City Council approved on first reading on Sept. 6 Ordinance No. 2814, which will amend Sections 26-2 and 26-2.2 in the city’s Code of Ordinances if approved on second reading on Sept. 20, 2022.
Water Rates
The city officials also recommended increasing the water service rates as well due to the signicantly increased costs of chemicals used to treat water delivered to city customers, some even above the August rates. Water rates for all active connections with meters less than 4-inches in size currently pay a base fixed monthly demand charge of $8.02, plus a $4.05 per 1,000 gallons water usage fee, while those with meters 4-inches or more pay a $939.52 base water charge for up to 230,000 gallons then $3.78 per 1,000 gallons of water usage above 230,000 gallons.
On Aug. 2, 2022, Smith recommended increasing the base water charge to $8.30 and the water use charge per $1,000 to $4.60 for meters less than 4-inches in size, and upping the proposed base water charge up to 230,000 gallons up to $1,066.30 and the rate to $4.27 for water use per 1,000 gallons. Factoring in the $205,600 in chemical fees above last year’s rates for meters 4-inches and over, on Sept. 6, Smith again recommended the base water charge be $8.30 per but that the water use charge per 1,000 gallons of water increase an additional 5 cents to $4.65 for meters smaller than 4 inches, and the base water charge increase to $1,077.80 minimum rate for 0-230,000 gallons of water and to $4.34 per gallon for all usage above $230,000 gallons for meters 4 inches or larger.
Rates for connections and meters outside the corporate limits of Sulphur Springs, however, would be double, according to the proposed Ordinance No. 2813.
Street Improvement Fee
Water bills would still also include as a convenience in billing the street maintenance fee, used for improvements to city streets above the amount typically budgeted from the general fund for the annual Street Improvement Program. The fee is currently $10, which essentially doubles the amount of roads the city is able to repair annually. As proposed in the master fee schedule,
The street maintenance and sidewalk rates proposed in the City of Sulphur Springs Master Fee Schedule, outlined in Ordinance No. 2816 were $10 for the per residential unit per month and per multifamily unit per month, $22.50 per commercial unit per month and $50 per industrial unit per month.
Place 1 City Councilman Jay Julian on Aug. 9 and again on Sept. 6 proposed renegotiating water sales contracts with rural water supply corporations and pass on a street maintenance fee assessment that is equal to the amount that the city residents are paying. The water supply corporations could then pass that assessment on to their customers if they choose, Julian proposed.
The Place 1 Councilman noted that every street in the city is located in the county, while not every road in the county is in the city limits. However, most county residents visit Sulphur Springs for a number of reasons on a regular basis, including to attend church, visit relatives, attend functions at the Senior Citizens Center, shop for groceries and other items, conduct personal banking, attend events at the Civic Center, work and visit city parks. Those visits contribute to some of the wear and tear on city streets. The burden of city street maintenance, however, rests on the shoulders or backs of Sulphur Springs citizens in the form of property taxes and the street maintenance fee assessed on city water bills. The street maintenance fee has increased in the last few years from $5 to $10 per meter for consumers.
According to the 2020 Census, 16,901 of the 36,708 Hopkins County population live in Sulphur Springs. That’s 20,617 people, at an average of 2.68 people per household in the county, which would average out to about 7,692.91 households in the county.
He noted that North Hopkins, Shady Grove, Brinker and Gafford Chapel Water Supply Corporations all purchase water from the City of Sulphur Springs. While his research failed to yield census data for WSCs, Julian recommended adding a street maintenance fee to the WSCs contracts, which would need to be renegotiated. The WSCs could determine how, or if, they’d pass that fee along to their customers, Julian proposed.
He said charging a $10 fee for each of the estimated 7,692.91 county households should generate an additional $923,149.20 in revenue that could be directed exclusively to street maintenance, equalizing, in Julian’s view, the burden of street maintenance among those people who might use city streets.
During the meetings, other city officials said they don’t believe it is legal to pass along that fee to people who do not reside in the city for services they are not necessarily receiving. Plus, it might discourage those county residents, who do pay fees in their taxes and other county and state fees, from visiting Sulphur Springs for shopping, to eat out, attend church or events, where they do contribute to the city for other purposes including sales taxes, donations, and other local fees. That loss of business from enough county residents would negatively affect the local economy and the businesses it supports.
Julian asked that the city attorney check into the matter before the 7 p.m. meeting Sept. 20, when ordinances for the master fee schedule and city utility rates, including water rates, are to be presented for second and, if approved, final approval.
At one point during prior discussions, Julian also proposed a fee could be added to vehicle registration fees charged to city and county residents per vehicle that would go to the city to be applied toward city street maintenance, as the county residents also use the city streets. Those rates are set by the county within certain parameters set by the state, city officials noted.
The Sept. 20 City Council meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers at City Hall.
Hospital District Board To Consider Tax Rate And Budget At 6 p.m. Meeting Sept. 20, 2022
Hopkins County Hospital District Board of Directors are scheduled to meet at tonight to review and consider approving the budget, capital items for and set a tax rate for the fiscal year 2022-2023 which will end on Sept. 30, 2023.
Proposed Tax Rate
During the regular Aug. 25, 2022, HCHD Board meeting the directors recommended a tax rate for the that is roughly 2.5 cents less than the current tax rate. The hospital district’s tax rate had remained 25 cents for several years until recently, when the rate decreased to 22-cents per $100 property valuation.
Based on the formula established by the state for taxing entities, the most the tax rate can be without having to have voter approval would be $0.209947. The tax rate can be lower than the no new revenue tax rate, but not higher. Hospital District CEO/EMS Director Brent Smith said the tax rate could be figured at 19 cents, if the board prefer that.
Board Chair Kerry Law at the August meeting said at this juncture he’d prefer to utilize the $0.192461 no-new-revenue tax rate (the amount needed to raise exactly the same from taxes in the coming year as the current tax year). Board member Joe Bob Burgin said he feels the rate doesn’t need to exceed that.
At the NNR tax rate, the district anticipate $5.693 million in levied in tax revenues for the coming tax year, with $3 million in new certified values added to the tax rolls.
The board will vote on a proposed tax rate and and consider a budget during September meetings. The rate that will be advertised as the proposed tax rate will be the no new revenue rate of $0.192461, which is $5.7 cents less than in past years.
Smith said the key things driving the HCHD budget are staffing as well as cost of fuel, repairs and maintenance, which have all increased this year. The district in the 2022-2023 tax year too should receive funding from rollback taxes for the solar project just of State Highway 11 west in northwestern Hopkins County. For such projects, taxes are rollback three years and paid at the land value rate in the reinvestment zone.
Budget Planning
The hospital district board will be asked to consider capital items and the budget for FY 2022-2023 at the 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022.
HCHD CEO and Hopkins County EMS Director Brent Smith at the August meeting reported that capital improvements in the new budget to be presented for approval by HCHD Board will include the ambulance the board previously approved. However, he’s been told the wait time to get new emergency vehicles has again lengthened due to supply and demand issues. When the order bank for such items opens on Oct. 19, he’d like to have the ability to order two chassis for ambulances. He anticipated asking for approval to order a second chassis at the Sept. 20 meeting — provided he can get both orders in before the order window closes.
Additional items anticipated to be included in the budget will be expenses for routine replacements for stretchers and other supplies, including repeaters to upgrade radio communications equipment for better communications between communications operators and paramedics. Officials are hoping for a grant which could help with that, but as of Aug. 25 could not factor that in one way or the other.
Smith said he anticipates presenting for consideration a request to add two additional personnel to the FY 2022-23 budget to allow the communications department to better meet needs in the current call volume and devote the time required due to the acuity of each call.
Smith said two dispatchers are scheduled daily, one each to work a 12 hour shift, with Heather Smith, a paramedic who also assists as an administrative assistant, providing relief to the communications operator on-duty when needed so the individual can take a restroom or small break. A lot of times, she ends up in the communications center as a second dispatcher due to the high call volume. The communications center answers more than 12,000 requests per year. The center manages calls for the four counties Hopkins County EMS currently serves, manages transfers, and communicates with emergency room staff to ensure beds are available for patients, especially during high hospital census times when some facilities in neighboring counties and areas are placed on divert.
The EMS director proposed two additional communications operators who would work a split shift, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., giving some overlap during high volume or peak hours for EMS services. This would allow the communications operators to stay on the line longer and manage calls better, at a cost of $120,000 in additional salaries and benefits expended in the communications budget. EMS dispatchers in addition to their relationships with hospitals and staff, can be very critical in providing prearrival instructions to 911 callers. He said he’s aware of at least three occasions in which dispatchers helped those on scene resuscitate the patient before EMS arrived.
Also On The Agenda
Also on the agenda of the HCHD Board of Directors meeting which is slated to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, in CHRISTUS Mother Frances Medical Office Building Conference Room, 113, Airport Road, is discussion and possible action on and agreement with Benevolent doing business as Colonial Nursing and Rehab, a HCHD operational and EMS update, review and approval of August 2022 financial statements and the minutes from the Aug. 25 meeting. CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital-Sulphur Springs President/CEO Paul Harvey is slated to give an update on CHRISTUS ministries.
The Hospital District too is scheduled to hold an executive session at the end of the regular meeting to discuss real estate and property matters and conduct a personnel salary review. Any decisions regarding these matters would be made once the HCHD Board reconvenes in open session.
Sulphur Springs Emergency Sirens Will Be Tested September 20
9/20/2022 – Emergency sirens will be tested in Sulphur Springs at noon today by the Sulphur Springs Emergency Management Office.
The test is to gauge the reliability of the emergency warning system and is conducted to find any potential flaws in the system so they can be corrected prior to a real emergency situation. The sirens could be sounded not only for weather warnings such as tornados, which are the most common in the area, but also in case of any emergency that could affect the safety and lives of citizens in Sulphur Springs.
Recent tests have shown the emergency sirens to be a ready source of warning in case of emergencies such as tornados or other threats to safety.
This will only be a test, conducted at 12 p.m. September 20, 2022.
Pair Caught In Hopkins County With Property Stolen During Cass County Home Burglary
A pair was caught in Hopkins County early Tuesday morning with property stolen during a Cass County home burglary Saturday night, according to Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum.
HCSO Deputies reported stopping a white vehicle being driving the wrong direction on the Interstate 30 service road near mile marker 131 during the predawn hours Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. They contacted the two occupants of the vehicle, identified as William Tyler Vick and Elizabeth Gail “Lizzy” Coleman.
During the course of the stop, deputies reported finding property that ha been reported stolen during a residential burglary in Cass County Saturday night. Additionally, controlled substances were found in the vehicle.
The 24-year-old Linden man and 19-year-old Hughes Springs woman were taken into custody and the stolen property, which included guns, was recovered. The Cass County residents were booked into the county jail Tuesday morning on two theft of firearm charges and one possession of less than 1 gram of a Penalty Group 1/1-B controlled substance charge each. Vick was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to jail reports.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Deputies Justin Wilkerson and Joshua Davis, and Sgt. Scott Davis were credited with the traffic stop, property recovery and subsequent arrests.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Volleyball Hosts Final Game Tuesday Prior to District Season
Coach Bailey Dorner’s team picked up another win Friday, Sept. 16.
Sulphur Springs travelled to Clarksville Friday hoping to get back in the win column. They did just that, sweeping the Lady Tigers on their home court 3-0.
The win Friday on the road gives volleyball a 13-12 season mark. Next up, they return home in their final game prior to beginning their district season.
Tuesday, Sept. 20 has Sulphur Springs hosting PTAA in the Main Gym. That game begins at SSHS on Tuesday at 5:30 P.M.
Looking ahead to this weekend, Coach Dorner and her team begin their real test when they travel to Paris to begin the teams’ district seasons.
The duel for Lady Cat supremacy begins on Saturday, Sept. 24.
That game begins in Paris on Saturday at noon.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Sulphur Springs Man Jailed After Leading Cumby Police On High Speed Chase Along I-30
A 24-year-old Sulphur Springs man was jailed Saturday evening after leading Cumby Police on a high speed chase along I-30 east, according to arrest reports.
Cumby Police Officer Justin Talley was alerted by dispatchers of a report received at 8:04 p.m. Sept. 17, 2022, of a white Chevrolet car traveling east on I-30 near the 109 mile marker at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was weaving in and out of traffic. Talley remained stationary after completing a traffic stop on I-30 east near mile marker 116. He reported seeing a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed along the south I-30 frontage road near exit 116. Using radar, Talley confirmed the vehicle to be traveling 109 in a 55 mile per hour speed zone, the officer alleged in arrest reports.
Talley entered the service road and, with lights and sirens active on his patrol vehicle, caught up to the speeding car near mile marker 119. The car reportedly continued at speeds in excess of 100 mph, with the officer behind him with lights and sirens going, instead of immediately stopping. The driver of the speeding car allegedly reentered I-30 using the 120 entrance ramp, then continued to mile marker 121 before pulling over on the right shoulder of I-30. Talley reported taking the 24-year-old Sulphur Springs man driving into custody at 8:17 p.m. Saturday.
The Chevrolet Malibu was impounded and Jerry Wayne Hill III was later transported to Hopkins County jail, where was booked in at 9:32 p.m. Sept. 17, 2022. He was released from the county jail the next day on a $20,000 bond on the felony charge, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Local Men Jailed On Insurance Fraud Charge
September 19, 2022 – Two local men were jailed on an insurance fraud charge each over the weekend. Each is are accused of involvement in a scheme in which a $115,000 pickup was reported stolen and burned; a third man has also been implicated in connection with the July case, according to sheriff’s investigators.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Dennis Findley said the case has been ongoing since July 11, when Matthew Snyder reported his vehicle stolen. The pickup was recovered the next morning in Paris, Texas. The 2022 Dodge mega cab truck were reported to have been burned to the ground, with the exception of the wheels and tires which were recently located.
Findley said details and information gleaned regarding the truck raised several red flags of possible criminal activity and the investigation continued, including talking to Snyder a few times as well as several others. The sheriff’s investigator alleged that Snyder, during an interview a short time later, admitted he “could no longer afford payment on the truck working where he was working at that pay, so he set up a deal to ‘have something done’ to the vehicle.”
With continued investigation, the HCSO staff received information alleging the wheels and tires from the burned truck could be seen on another man’s vehicle, in use, undamaged. They were found following up on leads, along with a trailer that’d been previously reported to authorities in another county as stolen, according to Findley. Based on evidence collected, HCSO obtained warrants for Matthew Lynn Snyder’s arrest.
Findley said a third man’s name kept coming up in connection with the investigation into the “stolen” and burned truck from a number of witnesses. Continued pursuit of the matter tied Jerry Wayne Hill and the as seen together the night the truck was reported to have been burned. Sheriff’s officers sought a warrant for Hill’s arrest as well, Findley noted.
HCSO Deputy Richard Brantley and Sgt. Todd Evans reported seeing 51-year-old Hill pulling into a State Highway 19 north driveway. They took the Sulphur Springs man into custody at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022 on a first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity warrant and a third-degree felony insurance fraud $30,000-$150,000, according to arrest reports. Hill, who is also known by Wayne Jerry Russell and Jerry Wayne Hill Jr. remained in Hopkins County jail Monday, Sept. 19, 2022. His bonds totaled $150,000 — $100,000 on the criminal activity charge and $50,000 on the insurance fraud charge, according to jail reports.
HCSO Deputy Aaron Chaney saw Matthew Lynn Snyder turn into his residence along Interstate 30 east Sunday afternoon. After having communications confirm the 42-year-old Sulphur Springs man still had active warrants for his arrest, Chaney contact and took Snyder into custody at 3:51 p.m. Sept. 18, 2022. Snyder too was booked into jail at 4:48 p.m. Sunday on a first-degree felony engaging in organized criminal activity charge and a third-degree felony insurance fraud in the amount of $30,000-$150,000. Snyder too remained in Hopkins County jail Monday, Sept. 19, 2022 in lieu of $150,000 bond on the charges.
Jail records show the third man alleged to have been involved in the incident, Charles Ray “Butch” Potts Jr., has remained in the Hopkins County jail since his arrest Aug. 30, 2022, on a possession of controlled substance charge. He also was charged on warrants for insurance fraud in the amount of $30,000 or more but less than $150,000, failure to control speed and tampering with evidence. HCSO Investigator Dennis Findley also served Potts at the jail with an additional tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair warrant at 3:45 p.m. Aug. 31, 2022, according to arrest reports.
Potts bonds were set at $100,000 each on the controlled substance and fraud charges, and at $30,000 each on two tampering with evidence charges, according to jail reports.
If you have an emergency, dial 9-1-1
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office is located at 298 Rosemont Sulphur Springs, TX 75482. You can reach them for non-emergency matters at (903) 438-4040.
Wildcat Football Blows By Van Alstyne, Hosts Homecoming Game Friday
Sulphur Springs Friday picked up their first wire-to-wire win, beating the Panthers by 30 en route to their first road win on the season.
The Wildcat defense forced several stops throughout the game, the offense scored early and often, and special teams routinely set up the offense for success with great field position.
Flipping the script from their previous game, in Hallsville, the Wildcats jumped out to a commanding 21 point lead before Van Alstyne could score for the first time on the night. Even so, Sulphur Springs would score twice more holding a huge 35-7 lead.
CJ Williams and K Uriel Santacruz iced the game away in the second half, thanks to a touchdown and field goal, cementing a 45-15 win in Van Alstyne.
Williams had himself a day, scoring twice at Panther Stadium. WR Matt Mitchell also notched two touchdowns in the 45-15 win. Cooper Faircloth scored Friday as well.
Arguably the most impressive play on the night though came in the first half, as QB Brady Driver kept it himself taking it 69-yards to the house as the Wildcats continued to build an impressive lead heading into the locker room.
The quarterback had an amazing night behind center. The junior went 22 for 28, passing for 225 yards but slicing and dicing the Panther defense to the tune of five touchdown passes. With his house call, and a few more rushes, Driver combined for over 300 yards in the win.
A 45-15 win on Friday, Sept. 16 gives Sulphur Springs a 3-1 record with just one game left in non-district play.
Next up, the Wildcats return home for their Homecoming, on Friday, Sept. 23 hosting Liberty Eylau.
Festivities begin at 6:40 P.M. followed by kick-off at 7:30 P.M.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
Team Tennis Starts District Season 1-0, Continues Home Stand Tuesday
Team tennis continues a lengthy home-stand en route to playoff season. In their first home contest of four straight, Coach Martinez and his squad took care of business.
On Tuesday, Sept. 13 Sulphur Springs hosted Atlanta to begin district play.
Missing two top players in Ian Westland and Trinity Luckett is never ideal for a squad.
Even so, Sulphur Springs did not miss a beat, easily handling Atlanta 10-2 to start district play 1-0.
Tony Martinez, missing the aforementioned two players, placed Oscar Guerrero and Ellen Sand in mixed doubles. The two tennis players had never played together prior to being put on the court against Atlanta.
The team tennis coach said the mixed doubles duo pulled several tiebreakers to win the match in the third set. Coach Martinez said Guerrero had never played in a mixed doubles contest prior to Tuesday’s match.
Even so, they pulled out the victory to give Sulphur Springs another big victory in their 10-2 win.
Seeing what the mixed doubles team could do with no prior playing time together, it boosted his already high confidence in his team.
“I feel confident I can put any of [the] team members with somebody, and [they’ll] still perform well,” Coach Martinez told his team following the win Tuesday.
Next up, Coach Martinez and team tennis host Rockwall’s HSAA on Tuesday, Sept. 20.
The tennis coach said he expects a tough fight. He said top to bottom the team is loaded with talent.
That match, the second straight contest at home for Sulphur Springs, begins at the Tennis Center at 4 P.M.
KSST is proud to be the official Wildcat and Lady Cat Station. We broadcast Sulphur Springs ISD games year round live on radio. When allowed, we also broadcast games via our YouTube channel.
