Boys basketball enter district play with playoff aspirations

Anna Sue Hargrove March 30, 1933 – January 13, 2026

Floyd David Bumpus, Jr. August 18, 1952 – January 15, 2026

Both Lake Belton and Belton girls soccer teams closed tournament play over the weekend, gaining valuable experience as district play approaches later this month. Lake Belton faced one of its toughest weekends of the season while competing in its third and final tournament, squaring off against multiple playoff programs. The Lady Broncos opened tournament play against Weiss and tried to battle back after an early deficit. Lake Belton settled in offensively and responded with a pair of goals before halftime to even the match at 2–2. However, costly defensive lapses in the second half allowed Weiss to regain control, handing the Broncos a 4–2 loss. The second match proved to be one of Lake Belton’s strongest performances of the weekend. Locked in a physical and evenly matched contest against Canyon, the Lady Broncos battled to a 1–1 draw deep into the second half. With just minutes remaining, a late penalty kick swung the outcome, resulting in a narrow defeat despite an otherwise strong defensive effort and disciplined team play. Lake Belton closed the tournament against Frisco Wakeland, the top-ranked team in Class 5A Region II. Playing in challenging conditions with heavy winds exceeding 20 miles per hour, the Broncos were tested by Wakeland’s speed. Despite the result, the match provided valuable exposure to the pace and intensity required to compete at the highest level. The Lady Broncos now turn their focus to district play, opening the schedule January 30 at Ellison with lessons learned from a demanding non-district slate. Belton competed in the Governors Cup in Georgetown, also facing a challenging field as the Tigers wrapped up tournament action. Belton opened play Thursday against Austin High, surrendering a late second-half goal in a tight 1–0 loss. The Tigers remained organized defensively but struggled to generate consistent scoring chances. Friday’s matchup against Colleyville Heritage followed a similar script, with Belton holding strong through a scoreless first half before second-half breakdowns led to a 2–0 defeat. Tournament play concluded Saturday with a hard-fought 0–0 draw against LASA in blustery conditions, as shifting winds impacted both teams’ ability to maintain rhythm and possession. With tournaments complete, Belton will travel to Vista Ridge on Friday for a final tune-up before opening district competition next week, while Lake Belton prepares to begin its district run with renewed focus.

Belton ran into a tough night Friday at home, falling 67–29 to Chaparral as the Bobcats used steady pressure and scoring depth to pull away in district play. The Tigers struggled to find rhythm early, as Chaparral set the tone with aggressive defense and quick transition offense. Despite the slow start, Belton remained composed and managed to put points on the board in both the first and second quarters, scoring nine points in each period. However, Chaparral’s ability to convert turnovers into scoring opportunities allowed the visitors to steadily build separation. Coming out of halftime, Belton showed improved balance on both ends of the floor. The Tigers moved the ball more effectively and competed with increased energy, limiting Chaparral’s scoring during the third quarter. While the Bobcats held a slight 11–7 edge in the period, Belton’s defensive effort and willingness to attack the glass were noticeable improvements. Chaparral regained control in the fourth quarter, stringing together multiple scoring runs that stretched the lead and put the game out of reach. Belton continued to compete until the final horn, but Chaparral’s depth and pace proved difficult to overcome. Individually, Aubrey Edwards provided a strong presence defensively, impacting the game with her rebounding and physical play in the paint. Edwards consistently battled on the boards and helped limit second-chance opportunities. Emma Flory handled ball-handling duties against Chaparral’s aggressive guard pressure, showing poise and decision-making while helping initiate the Tigers’ offense. Though the result did not go Belton’s way, the Tigers will look to build off the positive stretches shown in the second half as they continue district competition. Belton returns to action Tuesday with a road matchup against Ellison, marking the fourth district game of the opening round. The Tigers will aim to respond with sharper execution and renewed energy as they continue to grow through district play.

Almost a year ago, the Tigers traveled to state powerhouse Killeen Ellison and lost by 58 points. Times, however, have changed. On Tuesday, Belton returned to the gymnasium where the Eagles dominated the last encounter on Jan. 31, 2025, winning 92-34, but Ellison could not repeat the feat. Paced by five double-digit scorers, the Tigers cruised past the Eagles, who have reached three consecutive state semifinal games and two state championships, winning 82-67 to even their District 16-5A record. Belton was almost flawless from the field in the first quarter as it established a 25-17 lead, and the advantage inflated to 49-31 by halftime thanks in part to senior guard Jay’dn Loggins’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer from halfcourt. The shot was part of a 14-1 run to close the period. The cushion was a dozen points, 62-50, following three quarters, but the Tigers were never threatened. Ty Johnson, a junior forward, shared team-high scoring honors with Loggins, finishing with 16 points apiece. The outing came on the heels of a district-opening loss at Chaparral on Friday. Belton went back-and-forth with the Bobcats early but lost its offensive rhythm in the second and third quarters, and the slump proved costly. The Tigers posted just 13 points during the stretch, and despite a fierce comeback attempt, Belton suffered a 64-55 defeat to snap its four-game winning streak. Behind a seven-point, four-rebound first quarter from senior forward Daniel Briscoe, the Tigers took a 14-11 lead into the second period, but they could not maintain the momentum. Chaparral outscored the Tigers by nine points in both the second (15-6) and third quarter (16-7), but Belton would not go away. Despite trailing 42-27 to begin the final period, the Tigers recorded the quarter’s first seven points, pulling within eight points, 42-34, with 7 minutes, 13 seconds remaining in regulation. Belton could not complete the comeback, though, and lost to Chaparral for the first time in the Bobcats’ brief existence. The Tigers won the first six encounters with five victories coming by double digits. Chaparral was led by forward Carlos Robinson, who finished with a game-high 21 points to go along with 16 rebounds and two blocks, while teammates Curtis Watson-Davis and Demoni Mayes, who are both junior guards, added 17 points and 10 points, respectively. In defeat, Loggins scored a team-high 20 points, while junior teammate Luke Munden added 10 points for the Tigers. Belton will attempt to build on its performance at Ellison in a pair of home games, hosting Waco on Friday and Lake Belton on Tuesday. Killeen Chaparral and Waco University share an early lead in the league race with identical 2-0 records, while the Tigers and Broncos are tied for third at 1-1. Ellison and Waco are 0-2.

The Lady Broncos know exactly who they are. Since the start of the season, Lake Belton has proven exactly how much potential it has, losing just one time en route to its spot at fourth in the state rankings. Undeniably, the roster is collectively rich with talent, but it is only because individuals are aware of their roles, according to Lady Broncos head coach Tiffney Barnes. “The beauty of this group is that nobody is selfish,” she said. “Even if they don’t step on the floor, they are cheering for their sisters because they know each others’ strengths. Some individuals can’t play every game, and others only play against certain opponents. “They know that, and they accept it.” The mentality has not failed them yet, including Tuesday, when host Chaparral almost accomplished an upset. With sole possession of first place in the District 16-5A standings on the line, Lake Belton trailed for a majority of the contest before rallying to force overtime, where it was responsible for the game’s final nine points in a 61-54 victory. The Lady Broncos held a 2-0 lead before the Lady Bobcats responded with a 3-pointer, and the advantage remained with Chaparral until the fourth quarter as it took a 10-point, 36-26, cushion into halftime. By the conclusion of the third period, however, Lake Belton was within striking distance at 45-42, and the Lady Broncos completed the comeback less than 90 seconds into the fourth quarter thanks in part to sophomore guard Alex King’s field goal in the paint that put them ahead 46-45. The Lady Broncos did not trail again during regulation and were leading 52-50 before Lady Bobcats junior guard Demiyah Carter’s runner tied the score with four seconds showing on the clock. Chaparral would score first in the extra period, but it would not score again. “The girls just had to fight,” she said. “We knew this was going to be a really great game, because Chaparral is a really good team. They are really good defensively, so we knew we were walking into a battle. “That was just a lot of mental toughness to pull it out.” King finished with a game-high 20 points to go with five rebounds, while Taylor complemented the effort with 13 points, and sophomore guard Erica Taylor had a dozen points, nine rebounds and three assists. Additionally, sophomore shooting guard Layla King had nine points and Olivia Dann, a freshman small forward, added 10 rebounds, seven blocks, four rebounds and four assists. As a result, the Lady Broncos (27-1) enter Friday’s contest against visiting Waco University in sole possession of first place in the league standings with a 4-0 record, while the second-place Lady Bobcats (20-7, 3-1) will attempt to rebound at Ellison. “We’ve been working on our mental toughness since July,” Barnes said. “This is the moment we have been waiting for. We’ve been looking forward to this. “Now, we finally got it.”

The Lady Broncos opened their season in impressive fashion last week, when they claimed the championship at the Belton ISD Invitational. Competing against a deep field at Temple’s Mayborn Convention Center, Lake Belton collected five gold medals en route to a 48-point total. Copperas Cove (44) was second, finishing four points behind. With a total of 525 pounds, Catalina Esquivel won the 97-pound weight class, producing a 185 squat, 115 bench press and 225 deadlift for the total. Additionally, Moriah Rydberg (114, 255-155-250–660), Nani Rubio (123, 285-115-300–700), Analicia Diaz (148, 245-160-300–705) and Jaya Lisenbe (220, 405-225-350–980) placed first in their divisions. Emyle Love claimed the Lady Broncos’ lone silver medal with a 255-150-265–670 showing in the 132 weight class. The Lady Broncos’ remaining points were produced by Macie Solis (4th, 105, 210-115-240–565), SheKayla Munoz (4th, 114, 235-135-240–610), Aralina Acosta (4th, 181, 295-145-315–755), Isalei Simpson (5th, 242+, 245-155-265–665) and Maiya Keen (5th, 220, 295-165-265–725). Troy (3rd, 35) and Belton (4th, 19) followed in the final standings. Melissa Farmer delivered the Lady Tigers’ top outing, winning the 242 championship with a 365-175-380–920 total, and the performance was complemented by three more medals. Byonka Donaldson (242+, 340-200-340–880) was second, while Claire Gouveia (114, 220-135-265–620) and Kennedy Weston (181, 315-165-335–815) were each third. Placing fifth in the 132 weight class, Ciaran Messersmith (200-110-240–550) completed Belton’s scoring. With 64 points, Troy dominated the boys division, easily beating out second-place Waco (29) by 35 points. The Broncos were third, scoring 25 points. Hunter Loraus — a 220-pounder — claimed the team’s only gold medal, winning his weight class with 1,290 (505-350-435), while teammate Colton Crocker was second in 308 (455-290-525–1,270). Also emerging with medals for Lake Belton were third-place finishers Leonel Castillo (132, 315-200-340–855), Jax Holliman (148, 350-240-400–990), Blake Baty (220, 510-310-440–1,260) and Kaleb Truelove (308, 425-315-450–1,190). Lake Belton’s other point-producers were Wesley Bradley (4th, 148, 390-220-330–940), Prince Kabuya (4th, 181, 405-265-390–1,060), Matthew Jackson (5th, 181, 385-290-385–1,060), Raul Martinez (5th, 242, 375-270-380–1,025) and Luke Cowan (5th, 275, 435-270-415–1,120). Copperas Cove (4th, 23) and Little River Academy (5th, 17) rounded out the top five teams. The Tigers were eighth, scoring seven points thanks to Corbin Wittman (2nd, 132, 390-235-375–1,000) and Jorge Guardiola (4th, 165, 350-225-355–930). Belton will look to build on the performance Saturday, when it travels to compete at Copperas Cove. Lake Belton took part in the Florence meet Wednesday, but final results were not available. The Broncos and Lady Broncos will also be in attendance at Copperas Cove.

Belton bounced back in a big way Friday night, responding to a recent loss with a dominant 4–0 victory over Copperas Cove. Meanwhile, Lake Belton endured a challenging stretch of matches at the Mustang Cup, facing quality opponents as the Broncos look ahead to regrouping efforts. Belton entered Friday’s matchup determined to reset after a setback against Harker Heights, and the Tigers wasted little time asserting control. From the opening whistle, Belton played aggressively, dictating tempo and creating scoring chances through passing and strong off-ball movement. Jorge Hernandez led the charge offensively, scoring twice to power the Tigers’ attack. Hernandez pressured Copperas Cove’s back line and capitalized on scoring opportunities in the final third. Valentin Villanueva and Jonathan Jaimes also found the net, rounding out a balanced scoring effort that kept Cove on its heels throughout the match. Belton’s ability to convert chances was matched by disciplined play defensively, as the Tigers limited Copperas Cove’s looks on goal and controlled possession for extended stretches. Hernandez added an assist to his standout performance, while Sammy Clark also recorded an assist, helping facilitate Belton’s fluid attacking buildup. The result was a complete team performance and a confidence-boosting shutout win at home. Across town, Lake Belton faced a demanding slate at the Mustang Cup, opening the tournament against Palestine. The Broncos showed resilience early, responding to Palestine pressure with a goal from Kai Zuniga, assisted by Zane Fitzwater. Despite the response, Lake Belton trailed 4–1 late in the first half and eventually fell 6–1 as Palestine pulled away in the second half. Lake Belton returned to action against state-ranked Decatur, facing another tough test. The Broncos trailed 3–0 at halftime and were unable to close the gap, falling 5–0 in a match that highlighted the level of competition at the tournament. In their final contest, Lake Belton took on Walnut Grove in a closely contested match early on. Walnut Grove scored midway through the first half to take a 1–0 lead, which held through halftime. Lake Belton continued to battle but ultimately fell 2–0 as Walnut Grove added a second-half goal. Despite the results, the Mustang Cup provided valuable experience for the Broncos against high-level opponents. Lake Belton will look to apply those lessons moving forward, while Belton aims to build momentum after Friday’s emphatic victory as both programs continue their push through the season.

Hosting the Jim Grimm Memorial Tournament, the Broncos and Lady Broncos delivered a strong showing, collecting multiple medals while preparing for the upcoming district schedule.  In the boys division, Tanner Wentz (126 pounds), Carl Huffman (138), and Austin Carrillo (144) had impressive outings. Carrillo earned multiple pinfall victories en route to the championship match, where he was defeated. Wentz made a deep run through the consolation bracket, and Huffman opened with several wins to advance through the bracket. Additionally, Akshar Parikh, Jayden Alba, and Joseph Casmus each bounced back from early losses to gain pinfalls in the consolation rounds. Arionna Smith (115) advanced to the consolation finals in the girls division, and teammate Michelle Hoffman (135) also fell in the consolation finals. Akira Beck (140), Kameryn Vaden (190), and Lorelai Scallorn (235) each had deep runs in the consolation bracket as well. The District 6-5A tournament is set for Wednesday at Mary Hardin-Baylor. SOFTBALL Practices for the upcoming season recently began for both Lake Belton and Belton, with scrimmages permitted to begin Saturday. Games are allowed starting Feb. 9. The Lady Broncos will host four scrimmages against Georgetown (Tuesday), Waco Midway (Jan. 30), College Station (Feb. 2), and Salado (Feb. 6). Then, their season will begin Feb. 19 with a trip to Georgetown. The Lady Tigers’ first game is set for Feb. 10, when they play at Killeen Shoemaker. District 16-5A play begins March 17, when the Lady Broncos host Waco University and Belton plays at Waco. BASEBALL Practices for the upcoming season began last week for both Lake Belton and Belton, with scrimmages permitted to begin Jan. 31. Games are allowed starting Feb. 16. The Broncos will take part in scrimmages against visiting China Spring (Jan. 31), Temple (Jan. 31), and Buda Johnson (Feb. 3) before scrimmaging at Leander Rouse against the host Raiders and Round Rock McNeil on Feb. 7. Lake Belton closes its preseason with scrimmages at Round Rock Cedar Ridge (Feb. 10) and versus Austin Westwood (Feb. 13). Then, the Broncos’ season will begin Feb. 19 with another trip to Cedar Ridge. The Tigers have an intrasquad scrimmage set for Saturday before scrimmages at Bastrop (Jan. 31), versus Georgetown East View (Feb. 3), Troy and Little River Academy (Feb. 6), Hutto (Feb. 10), at Round Rock Stony Point (Feb. 13), and versus Leander Glenn (Feb. 16). Belton’s first game is set for Feb. 19, when it travels to compete in the three-day Pflugerville ISD tournament. District 16-5A play begins March 24, when the Broncos travel to Belton for the first game of the series, which moves to Lake Belton on March 27.