Schools & Sports

The Jackrabbits braved the drizzly elements to compete at Waterview Golf Club in Rowlett on February 8. The boys JV team got 2nd place overall in the team competition. Leading the way was freshman Neil Nuzum with his personal best score and tied for 7th place individually. Other notables were Juniors Michael Prasnikar, Austin White, and freshman Christopher Whitehouse.

The inaugural Daytona 500 was held in 1959. Since then, the race has become one of professional racing’s biggest and most popular events.

It was a Friday at lunch time; the year was 1973; the new school year was about to begin all over Texas; a “young Forney boy” was about to head off to Goliad, Texas, to probably teach Jr. High English Literature and Language, Journalism, and Remedial English……And then, the “call” from FISD Administration came; two interviews took place; some soul-searching, praying, and discussing ensued; the trip to Goliad was cancelled; the signing of some preliminary documents took place; the School Board ratified a new coaching/teaching contract at the Monday night meeting; Don Themer was off to Coaching School with Head Coach Richard Norwood and several men he did not know until that day!

I loved his name and his nickname—Terwilliger and TWIG!

Texas Republicans are again trying to limit the ways transgender youth can participate in athletics.

According to more than one teammate and reporter, pitcher Phil Niekro most of the time did not know where his “trademark pitch” was going, and neither did the catcher, hitter, and umpire!

Congratulations to Phoenix Tumey from Henderson Elementary School for being named the Forney ISD Elementary Student of the Month for January. Mr. Tumey was recognized by the Board of Trustees at the regular monthly board meeting on Monday, January 11, 2021.

Brandon Perez is a name you need to keep an eye out for this offseason and the 2021 football season. After starting on varsity his freshman year, Brandon knew he had found something he wanted to pursue wholeheartedly.

I was 23 years old and a 1st year teacher/coach at my alma mater, Forney High School—APRIL 8, 1974—and I “got the word” that Hank Aaron of the Atlanta Braves had broken Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. The only good thing I could think about it at the time was that he had done it against the Dodgers, probably the team I most “did not like” during my youthful years. (Grandpa and I were “Yankees Fans” and watched them every time they were on television when I visited him in Okarche, Oklahoma.)

There it was in the newscasts and newspapers on Monday morning. In the NFC Play-Off Game, two “old-timers” squared off against each other, and it was pretty exciting before the final whistle blew. Tampa Bay won by a score of (7—14—7—3——31) to (0—10—13—3—— 26) over Green Bay with two “experienced” stalwarts giving it their “alls” at the quarterback positions.

As football season “winds down” and play-offs begin, many folks, who have not been too interested in regular season games, seem to pay more attention as the stakes are higher and the games more competitive. Also, being a football fan is sometimes “the thing to do!” So, if you do not really know many of the TERMS, the following article will attempt to give brief descriptions of some “calls” you may see or hear. Keep in mind that this is a “layman” doing the describing of a few of very many terms!

About this time last year, I took one of the largest free ranging whitetail bucks of my life with my Texan big bore air rifle on the Dale River Ranch, situated on the Brazos River in Palo Pinto County. I dearly love hunting this area and have through the years amassed a storehouse of great memories here, both hunting and fishing with my friend Randy Douglas, the manager of the ranch. We’ve had some fine times during my visits which usually include some camp cooking centered around fresh fish landed from the river or a stock pond, venison or wild pork. This is ‘game rich’ country in general and, thanks to a great management/harvest plan by my friend Randy Douglas, The Dale River Ranch provides the hunter the very real opportunity to harvest deer, turkey, wild hogs and even Red Stag.

First things first: Barea says that “Dallas is my second home, man. It’s just special.” This was spoken as one of the “all-time fan favorites” (though an undrafted rookie) looked back on a Championship, 11 great and fun seasons, countless unforgettable memories, and numerous high spots in the Mavericks Record Books.