2023 IN LOCAL SPORTS: State champions, coaching changes and more

Published 5:45 am Saturday, December 30, 2023

East Texas provides notable sports stories every year, and 2023 was no different.

Here is a look at some of the top area sports stories from 2023.

EAST TEXAS FOOTBALL

Chapel Hill, Malakoff, Gilmer and Timpson all reached the UIL State Football Championships.

Malakoff and Timpson earned their first state football titles, and Gilmer captured its first.

Malakoff went 16-0 and finished things off with a 14-7 win over Franklin in the Class 3A Division I Championship.

Timpson also went 16-0. The Bears, led by five-star recruit Terry Bussey, defeated Tolar 49-7 in the Class 2A Division I Championship.

Gilmer overcame two straight losses to start the season and a 3-3 record to win its final 10 games, including a 47-44 overtime thriller over No. 1 Carthage in the regional final. The Buckeyes (13-3) defeated Bellville 28-26 in the Class 4A Division II Championship.

Chapel Hill, which had reached the state semifinals in each of the two previous seasons, reached its first state championship game since 2011. The Bulldogs (13-3) avenged a Week 11 loss to Kilgore with a 21-19 win over Kilgore in the regional final. Chapel Hill followed that with a 56-33 win over San Antonio Davenport in the state semifinals.

The Bulldogs lost to Anna 26-0 in the Class 4A Division I Championship.

TYLER ISD COACHING CHANGES

Tyler ISD saw a major shakeup with its head coaches in 2023.

They knew entering the calendar year that they would have to hire a new head football coach at Tyler High School after Ricklan Holmes resigned after 11 years as the Lions’ coach in December 2022. Holmes eventually accepted a position at Hutto High School.

In January 2023, Tyler Legacy head football coach Joe Willis announced his retirement. He later became the athletic director and head football coach at Crosby High School.

Rashaun Woods was hired as the new Tyler High head football coach on Jan. 24. Woods was a two-time All-America receiver at OSU and still holds several school and Big 12 records. After a brief stint in the NFL and the CFL, Woods became a high school coach. Woods came to Tyler after serving as the head coach at Enid High School in Oklahoma.

Beau Trahan was hired as the new Tyler Legacy head football coach on Jan. 26. Before coming to Legacy, Trahan spent the previous 15 years on the coaching staffs at Baylor University and the University of Tulsa.

Woods led Tyler to a 6-4 record. Legacy went 3-8 in the first season under Trahan and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

Other notable coaching changes at Tyler ISD included Kyle Smith as the new head boys basketball coach at Tyler Legacy, V.J. Bunner as the new head baseball coach at Tyler Legacy and Bobby Reynolds as the new head girls basketball coach at Tyler High.

COACHING CHANGES

There were also other head coaching changes throughout the area.

Other new football head coaches in the area were, Clay Baker at Henderson; Colt Bradford at Bullard; James Boxley at Wills Point; Aaron Slider at Mineola; Cody Day at Elkhart; Rafe Mata at West Rusk; Brian Pullum at Big Sandy; Kellan Carrell at Hawkins; Scotty Laymance at Overton; and Connor Sharp at Carlisle.

Some other new head boys basketball coaches in the area are Aston Francis at All Saints; Brent Kelley at Whitehouse; Cedeno Clark at Lindale; Jeremy Lee at Bullard; Devin Anderson at Cumberland Academy; and Austin Fleming at Van.

Some other new head girls basketball coaches in the area are Dylan Fox at Bullard; and Holly Mulligan at Edgewood. A new head volleyball coaches in the area is Kailey Marsh at Canton. Some new soccer coaches in the area are Eanna O’Gorman for Whitehouse boys; Erin Hale for Whitehouse girls; and Samuel Martinez for Chapel Hill boys. Some new baseball coaches in the area are Jerry Courtney at All Saints; Don English at Brook Hill; and Tyrell Jenkins at Palestine Westwood.

At the college level, UT Tyler named Tim Moser as the new head men’s basketball coach. Brian Hoberecht, a longtime successful head men’s basketball coach at Kilgore College, joined the men’s basketball coaching staff at Tyler Junior College.

OTHER STATE SUCCESS

All Saints boys and girls won tennis state championships again, capturing the TAPPS 4A crowns, making it 31 total state championships for the program.

All Saints’ Lauren Kiblinger became a three-time state champion in girls singles. All Saints’ Cullen Walker and James Moore repeated as state champions in boys doubles.

Some other non-football teams that made it to state in 2023 were Grace Community in TAPPS girls basketball; Winnsboro, Martin’s Mill and Neches in UIL girls basketball; LaPoynor in UIL boys basketball; Brook Hill in TAPPS softball; Rains and Neches in UIL softball; Neches in UIL volleyball; Lindale, Bullard, Mineola, Union Grove and Neches girls in UIL cross country; New Summerfield boys in UIL cross country; Bishop Gorman girls, Bishop Gorman boys, All Saints boys, Grace Community boys, Grace Community girls, Brook Hill boys and Brook Hill girls in TAPPS cross country; Harleton in UIL baseball; Bullard boys and Grapeland boys in UIL golf; Canton girls and Lindale girls in UIL golf; and Palestine boys in UIL soccer.

Harleton won the Class 2A baseball championship.

The Bullard High School doubles team of Hannah Lightner and Julia Lightner won the UIL Class 4A Girls Doubles Tennis Championship.

West Rusk (3A) and Gilmer (4A) won UIL boys state track and field titles.

Individual UIL golds went to Whitehouse’s Jermod McCoy (long jump and triple jump), Lindale’s Colter Maya (400 meters), Gilmer’s Will Henderson (100 meters) and Henderson’s Cason Weatherton (boys shot put wheelchair). The West Rusk 4×200 relay team won the Class 3A event in 1:27.12. Members include: Ty’Mitchric Harper, Geremiah Smith, William Jackson and Andon Mata. Gilmer won the Class 4A 4×100 relay with a time of 41.15. Members include: Tyson Wilson, Rohan Fluellen, Ta’Erik Tate and Will Henderson. The Buckeyes also won the Class 4A 4×200 in 1:25.90 with Wilson, Fluellen, Tate and Henderson running.

Individual TAPPS track and field gold medals went to Brook Hill’s Caley Fitzgerald (100-meter hurdles and 300-meter hurdles) and Grace Community’s Keely Bozeman (high jump).

Tyler Legacy’s Mia Zuniga set three state meet records and captured the state championship in the Class 6A 114-pound class at the Texas High School Women’s Powerlifting Association State Meet. Zuniga had a total of 885 pounds, which was a state record. She also set the squat record at 370 pounds and the bench record of 215 pounds. She added 300 pounds on the deadlift to capture first place.

LOCAL COLLEGE SUCCESS

UT Tyler pitcher Tatum Goff had one of the top seasons in the history of college softball in the spring.

She topped off the standout season by being named the Lone Star Conference Female Athlete of the Year.

The LSC Athlete of the Year awards were voted on by the league’s sports information directors.

The Rusk native becomes the first Patriot to earn the LSC honor.

Goff is coming off her second straight NFCA first team All-America honors. She was named the 2023 NFCA Division II Pitcher of the Year after posting the most wins in a single season without a loss across all levels of NCAA softball with a 42-0 record.

Goff led the Patriots to the semifinals of the College World Series.

UT Tyler baseball player Garrett Arredondo was named an American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division II First Team All-American after his tremendous season in the Patriots bullpen.

The Patriots baseball team earned a berth in the NCAA South Central Regional and came within one victory of advancing to the Super Regional.

The UT Tyler women’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament Elite Eight.

At Tyler Junior College, wide receiver Tray Taylor was voted Most Valuable Player in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference. He later signed with Coastal Carolina.

The TJC soccer teams had successful season once again.

The Apaches, under Coach Steve Clements, reached the national championship game before falling in a shootout to Monroe College of New York.

The Apache Ladies, under Coach Corey Rose, made the national tournament.

Both TJC golf teams made nationals.

OBITUARIES

Tyler Junior College suffered two big losses in 2023.

Athletic director Kevin Vest and longtime basketball scorekeeper Dale Pruitt both died in August.

Orlando “Lumpy” Wickware, who had one of the biggest plays in the history of Tyler football, died in May.

Ronnie “Bo” Lee Sr., who was one of the best players to don a John Tyler jersey and one of a select group of players in the NFL to start at three different positions, died in March.

Charlie McGinty, an Apache legend as a football player and coach, died in May.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECRUITING

The area is always loaded with top football recruits, and this year was no different.

Lindale’s Casey Poe, regarded as the top interior offensive lineman recruit in the national, chose Alabama over Clemson, Texas Tech, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma and LSU on his birthday on July 12.

Tyler standout athlete Derrick McFall originally committed to UCLA over Colorado and Washington but later flipped and signed with SMU.

Chapel Hill four-star juniors Demetrius Brisbon and Rickey Stewart also committed to SMU this year.

Some other Division I football signees this year were Tyler Legacy’s Travis Jackson and Brownsboro’s Gekyle Baker to TCU; Troup’s Trae Davis to Kansas State; Chapel Hill’s Dyllan Drummond to UNLV; Whitehouse’s Gabe Stroud to North Texas; Bullard’s Austin Ellis to Louisiana Tech; and Lindale’s Marcus Field to Sam Houston.

Also, Tyler’s Zachaun Williams signed with Tulsa University.

GAME STOPPAGES

Two games were stopped early in 2023 for different reasons.

A basketball game between Tyler High and Texas High was stopped due to a fight on the court. Several players from each team were suspended multiple games.

A football game between Bullard and Caddo Mills was stopped early due to injuries to Caddo Mills players.

PATRICK MAHOMES ADDS TO ACCOLADES

Former Whitehouse High School standout Patrick Mahomes won his second Most Valuable Player award and his second Super Bowl victory.

NFL DRAFT

Former West Rusk High School standout Tyree Wilson was drafted No. 7 overall in the NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.

Former Mount Enterprise High School standout Kendre Miller was selected in the third round (No. 71 overall) by the New Orleans Saints.

Former Arp High School standout DeMarvion Overshown was selected in the third round (No. 90 overall) in the NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

COACHING MILESTONES

Tyler Junior College men’s basketball coach Mike Marquis picked up his 700th career victory.

Brownsboro girls basketball coach Jeremy Durham picked up his 400th career victory.

Brook Hill soccer coach David Collins picked up his 400th career win.

Chapel Hill girls basketball coach TJ Riley picked up his 100th career victory.

HARDWOOD HALL OF FAMERS

Tyler Junior College head women’s basketball coach Trenia Tillis Hoard was inducted into the Texas High School Basketball Hall of Fame for her work as a player at Grapeland High School.

Coaching legends C.L. Nix (Whitehouse) and Gary Surratt (Mount Enterprise, Hemphill, Lindale, Huntsville, Carthage, Crowley and All Saints) were selected to be inducted in 2024.