With the Battle for the Bosque continuing last week before Bosque County six-man district races begin, the resurgent Walnut Springs Hornets once again found themselves in the middle of a thrilling Bosque County rivalry showdown. But unfortunately for the Hornets, this one did not go their way.

After finishing the first round of District 17-3A competition in sole possession of third place and in position to claim their third straight trip to the postseason, the Clifton Lady Cubs went into the second round wanting more. It started exactly the way the Lady Cubs hoped last week as Clifton hit the road to complete the season sweep of the Keene Lady Chargers with a hardfought, four-set victory, 2325, 25-22, 25-19, 25-17, last Tuesday.

After building momentum meet after meet, the Clifton boys and girls cross country teams brought it all together at just the right time to blaze their own trail at the District 17-3A Cross Country Championship Meet Monday morning at Rex Callicort Park in Keene. Led by individual gold medalist Ray Ochoa and bronze medalist Clay Kennedy, the Clifton boys finished with a low score of 27 points to edge host Keene with 28 points for the boys team championship.

With three games remaining in the 2023 Texas high school football regular season, the Meridian Yellowjackets find themselves fighting an uphill battle in their quest to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Despite a valiant effort by the Jacket defense, the Wortham Bulldogs wore down Meridian, powering their way to a convincing 48-10 victory last Friday night at Jacket Stadium.

Despite riding a three-match winning streak, the Meridian Lady Jacket volleyball found out the hard way what it will take to challenge for the Class 1A volleyball state championship. Coming off a convincing straight set victory in their District 18-1A opener last week, the Lady Jackets could not find an answer for the top-ranked and defending district champion Blum Lady Bobcats last Friday night.

The five Bosque County six-man squads may no longer have a district all their own, but that doesn’t keep the rivalries from carrying on through non-district games. And certainly, the favored Morgan Eagles visiting the Walnut Springs Hornets on Homecoming Night produced a wild and exciting showdown with a postseason atmosphere.

Historically, making the Texas high school football playoffs has always been an expectation for the Clifton Cubs. Fresh off an open date in the schedule and fully loaded, the Cubs embark on a tough District 13-3A battle in hopes of returning to the Class 3A, DII postseason for the second straight season.

Wrapping up the first round of District 17-3A competition with a dominating victory, the Clifton Lady Cubs find themselves right where they want to be as they turn into the home stretch of the 2023 Texas high school volleyball season. But make no mistake about it, they want more.

Facing a bigger and faster team expected to challenge for the Class 2A, Division II state championship, Meridian proved no match for the top-ranked and undefeated powerhouse Panthers as Mart mauled the shorthanded Yellowjackets, 64-0, last Friday night at Mart ISD Athletic Complex. With the Jackets playing without three injured starters in the District 10-2A, Division II opener, Mart (1-0 in district, 5-0 overall) piled up 568 yards of total offense as Panther junior quarterback De’Montrel Medlock tossed four touchdown passes and ran for three more scores.

Winning back-to-back matches heading into District 18-1A competition, the Meridian Lady Jacket volleyball team began its surge at just the right time. And after an unexpected delay last Friday, the momentum carried the Lady Jackets to a district opening victory.