By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The Broncos and Lady Broncos' wrestling schedules resume Wednesday, when the teams travel to Leander for a pair of matches. Lake Belton will compete against the Lions and Lady Lions at 6 p.m. before taking part in a match against Liberty Hill at 7:30 p.m.. Then, on Saturday, the Broncos and Lady Broncos make the short trip to Mary Hardin-Baylor for a match, and they travel to Waco Midway on Wednesday to conclude a busy week. Belton's schedule is equally hectic. The Tigers and Lady Tigers have competitions set for Wednesday at Georgetown, Friday and Saturday at home and at Pflugerville Weiss on Wednesday. BELTON BOYS SOCCER The Tigers will be conducting try-outs for the upcoming season Monday and Tuesday from 7-8 a.m. each day. Participants must have a current physical on file with the school and all necessary paperwork submitted along with being academically eligible. LAKE BELTON GIRLS SOCCER The Lady Broncos will be conducting tryouts for the upcoming season Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday from 7:30-8:30 a.m. each day. Participants must have a current physical on file with the school and all necessary paperwork submitted along with being academically eligible. First round of cuts will be made following Tuesday's session, and final cuts will be made Wednesday after school. Cleats are required to try out. For more information, visit https://www.google.com/search?q=Belton-Tigers.com. LAKE BELTON SOFTBALL The Lady Broncos will be holding an informative meeting regarding tryouts for the upcoming season Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m.. Coaches will be on hand to share information with players and parents regarding guidelines for how the tryout process will work later in January. The meeting is for all potential players of any grade. For more information, contact Lady Broncos head coach Kelsie McEachern at Kelsie.McEachern@BISD.net.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The undefeated Lake Belton Lady Broncos will look to continue their strong start Friday when they host Killeen Harker Heights at 7 p.m. They’ll then travel to Burnet on Monday (2 p.m.) and Waco Midway on Tuesday (1:30 p.m.). Following those matchups—and due to the Thanksgiving break—Lake Belton will be idle until Nov. 29, when Killeen Shoemaker visits. The Lady Broncos improved to 7-0 on Tuesday after a dominant 101–19 road win over Rogers. Lake Belton opened the game with a 24–8 first quarter, fueled by six points from Alexa King, before taking complete control defensively. Rogers was held to no more than four points in any quarter the rest of the way and made only four field goals total. Olivia Dann led all scorers with 18 points, Aniya Taylor added 17 points with three 3-pointers, and King finished with 10 points. The rout followed a perfect showing at last weekend’s Leander Rouse Tournament, where Lake Belton won all five games convincingly. The Lady Broncos opened the event with a 66–36 win over Austin Anderson behind Dann’s 15 points. She was joined by Layla King (12 points), Taylor (11 points, 5 assists), Alexa King (7 points) and Gemma Pierce (8 points, 5 offensive rebounds). In their next outing, Lake Belton used a strong finish to defeat Stratford 51–27. Leading 22–15 at halftime, the Lady Broncos scored 23 points in the fourth quarter to pull away. Dann recorded a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Taylor (14 points, 5 steals) and King (11 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists) also delivered big performances. Eight players scored in the team’s 69–30 win over Boerne Champion, led by Taylor’s 16 points. Ariella Polley added 13 points and Erica Taylor had 12. To close out the tournament title, Lake Belton defeated host Rouse 55–39 and Round Rock 43–32. After trailing Rouse 15–13 early, the Lady Broncos held the Lady Raiders to just five points in the fourth quarter. In the championship game, they held Round Rock to single digits in two quarters. Taylor was the leading scorer in both contests, posting 17 points against Rouse and 14 points, 11 rebounds and 4 steals in the final. Erica Taylor and King each scored 13 points against Rouse, and King contributed 11 points and two steals against Round Rock. Dann added 8 points and 15 rebounds in the title game. LADY TIGERS  After winning their first two games, the Belton Lady Tigers fell back to .500 with Tuesday’s loss. Facing last year’s state finalist Liberty Hill, Belton struggled to keep pace as the Lady Panthers rolled to an 80–25 win, powered by a 26-point first quarter. Liberty Hill’s early surge created a 19-point cushion, and Belton trailed 46–11 at halftime before the gap widened to 61–19 entering the fourth. Isabella Warner, senior Ke’Ara Shanks and senior Emma Flory each scored six points to pace Belton. The Lady Tigers (2–2) suffered their first loss Friday against Killeen, falling 51–38. Belton led by one at halftime but surrendered 19 points in the third quarter and couldn’t recover. Warner scored 19 points, while Dylan Waldrep and Shanks added six apiece. Belton will look to halt its skid Thursday when it opens play in the three-day San Antonio Cornerstone Christian Warrior Classic. After the tournament, the Lady Tigers are off until their Dec. 2 road game at Leander Rouse.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The Tigers and Lady Tigers hosted the fifth annual Roy and Jean Potts Invitational last week. More than 350 athletes from 22 teams were in attendance, and Belton placed among the top 10 in each division. The Tigers were fourth, and the Lady Tigers were sixth. Kiera Martin, Adrien Oros, Michael Reeves, Erna Whitzel and Wyatt Nelson helped guide Belton with top times. Oros was second (5 minutes, 13.49 seconds) in the boys 500 yard freestyle, while Nelson was third (5:17.10) in the event, and Oros was third (1:02.08) in the 100 backstroke. Martin was second (1:03.19) in the girls 100 backstroke and third (2:22.01) in the 200 yard individual medley. Reeves was third (24.01) in the boys 50 freestyle and third (53.95) in the 100 freestyle and Whitzel was fourth (1:05.17) in the girls 100 butterfly. Collectively, the boys 400 freestyle relay team was second (3:52.53), the girls 400 freestyle relay team was third (4:14.65) and the girls 200 freestyle relay team was fourth (1:59.28). In the girls division, Conroe The Woodlands College Park won with 376 points, beating out Lake Belton (2nd, 263) and Austin McCallum (3rd, 258). The same three teams — College Park (1st, 398), Lake Belton (2nd, 253) and McCallum (3rd, 220) — occupied the top three spots in the boys standings. Belton is off until Dec. 13, when it travels to compete at Killeen. Kelsie McEachem at Kelsie.McEachem@BISD.net. BELTON BOYS SOCCER The Tigers will be conducting tryouts for the upcoming season Dec. 1-2 from 7-8 a.m. each day. Participants must have a current physical on file with the school and all necessary paperwork submitted along with being academically eligible. Cleats are required to try out. For more information, visit BeltonTigers.com. LAKE BELTON SOFTBALL The Lady Broncos will be holding an informative meeting regarding tryouts for the upcoming season Dec. 18 at 5:30 p.m. Coaches will be on hand to share information with players and parents regarding guidelines for how the tryout process will work later in January. The meeting is for all potential players of any grade. For more information, contact Lady Broncos head coach. LAKE BELTON GIRLS SOCCER The Lady Broncos will be conducting tryouts for the upcoming season Dec. 1-3 from 7:30-8:30 a.m. each day. Participants must have a current physical on file with the school and all necessary paperwork submitted along with being academically eligible. First round of cuts will be made following the session on Dec. 2. Final cuts will be made Dec. 3 after school.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The University Interscholastic League permits boys basketball teams to begin playing regular-season games Friday, and the Tigers and Broncos are taking full advantage. Lake Belton opens its schedule at home against Liberty Hill Legacy Ranch with the tipoff set for 7:30 p.m. The Broncos follow with a break until Tuesday, when they host Marble Falls at 6:30 p.m. Belton waits until Saturday, when it starts its schedule with a trip to play Georgetown at noon. The Tigers then play at Burnet on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. LAKE BELTON BOYS GOLF The Broncos’ “Red” team recently competed at its home tournament, tying for fifth place with a team score of 385. Competing at Temple’s Wildflower Country Club, Lake Belton freshman Heston Seideman posted an 88, while sophomore teammate Weston Minzak finished one stroke behind with an 89. The total was rounded out by junior Liam Leon, who shot a personal best 101; freshman Acelin Wycoff, who had a personal-low round of 107; and freshman Jackson Dolotina (109). Furthermore, junior Levi Tarrance-Crotty (88), senior Eric Gulley (112), and junior Tyrsten Reese (120) represented the Broncos. Lake Belton is idle until Wednesday, when it travels to play at Waco’s Cottonwood Creek Golf Course. The Broncos then play at Cedar Creek’s Lost Pines Golf Club on Dec. 2. BELTON GOLF The Lady Tigers recently placed fifth out of 21 teams at the annual Hutto Invitational. The event was held at Star Ranch Golf Course, where Issa Jinadatha guided Belton by recording a personal-best score of 92. The outing was complemented by teammates Abby Beck (93), Anya Jinadatha (94), and Ella Hice (109). The Lady Tigers return to action Nov. 20 at Waco’s Cottonwood Creek Golf Course. The Tigers traveled to Temple’s Wildflower Country Club last week, where they placed fourth among the 16-team field at the Lake Belton Fall Invitational. Owen Babcock, a senior, carded Belton’s best score. Additionally, senior Bryson Necessary; juniors Zane Trusky, Wyatt McLean, and Reid Erskine; sophomores Cooper McDonald and Josiah Rodriguez; and freshman Bennet Boland competed. BELTON BOYS SOCCER The Tigers will be conducting tryouts for the upcoming season Dec. 1–2 from 7–8 a.m. each day. Participants must have a current physical on file with the school and all necessary paperwork submitted, along with being academically eligible. Cleats are required to try out. For more information, visit BeltonTigers.com. LAKE BELTON GIRLS SOCCER The Lady Broncos will be conducting tryouts for the upcoming season Dec. 1–3 from 7:30–8:30 a.m. each day. Participants must have a current physical on file with the school and all necessary paperwork submitted, along with being academically eligible. First round of cuts will be made following the session on Dec. 2. Final cuts will be made Dec. 3 after school.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The Lady Broncos open their latest playoff run tonight, facing Red Oak in the bi-district round of the Class 5A, Division I bracket. The match will be played at Waco Midway and begins at 6 p.m. Lake Belton (29-12) enters as the undefeated District 16 champion, having won 18 of its last 19 matches overall, while the Lady Hawks stand at 30-11 after finishing second in District 15. Should the Lady Broncos advance, they will face either Dallas Adams or Molina in the area round. Belton (30-13) also qualified for the playoffs, landing in the Class 5A, Division II bracket after finishing second in league play, though first-round details were not available. A victory for the Lady Tigers would set up a matchup against either Dallas Wilson or Dallas South Oak Cliff. The match would be held at a neutral site on Monday or Tuesday. CROSS COUNTRY Lake Belton freshman Keira Dzenowski will compete at the University Interscholastic League Class 5A Cross Country State Championship on Friday. The five-kilometer race begins at 9:30 a.m. Dzenowski makes her debut at the prestigious event after winning the District 16 title with a time of 19:31.09 and placing 26th (19:52.07) at last week’s Region II meet. This marks the first-ever appearance by any Lake Belton athlete at the state meet. BRONCOS BASKETBALL Tryouts for the upcoming season begin Friday, running from noon to 2 p.m., and will resume Nov. 1 with another two-hour session starting at 9 a.m. Athletes can sign up at LakeBeltonAthletics.com. Players currently enrolled in first- or eighth-period basketball must still try out. Varsity football players may try out once their season concludes. Individual meetings will take place following the second session. To participate, athletes must: Have a current physical on file Submit all required paperwork Be academically eligible Wear proper athletic clothes and shoes For more information, contact head coach Zane Johnston at Zane.Johnston@BISD.net . LADY BRONCOS GOLF Lake Belton hosted its third-annual tournament last week at Temple’s Sammons Golf Course, where the Silver team placed fifth (439) and the Red team finished seventh (463). The Silver team was led by senior Suellen Tillis, who placed eighth with a personal-best 103 — three strokes below her previous record. Other Silver scores: Hayleigh McConnell (Fr.) – 111 Lillie Mikes (Jr.) – 112 Kaylee Carubelli (So.) – 113 Aurora Nane (So.) – 116 For the Red team: Whitley Truett – 107 Emory Jolivet – 114 Kaylee Holler – 119 Emily McMillon – 123 Chloe Adkinson – 124 (All Red team members are freshmen.) The Silver team returns to play Nov. 5 at Hutto’s Star Ranch Golf Course, and both teams will compete at the Waco ISD Fall Invitational on Nov. 20 at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course. YOUTH BASKETBALL Registration is now open for the Belton Christian Youth Center 2025 Basketball League. Open to boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade Registration deadline: Friday Season begins: Nov. 22 Spots are limited Forms are available at BCYCsports.com. For sponsorship information, call 254-939-5759. Additional details can be found at BeltonYouth.com. ATHLETIC PASSES Belton ISD Family Passes are now on sale for $75 and can be purchased at the Belton High School field house or the Belton ISD administration office.  The pass grants entry for the holder and all immediate family members to any Belton ISD home athletic event, excluding football games.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The beginning of the University Interscholastic League basketball seasons are rapidly approaching, and soon, Belton and Lake Belton will start preparing. Girls teams are permitted to begin practicing Wednesday with scrimmages allowed starting Nov. 1. The first day for games is Nov. 7. Boys practice, scrimmage and game schedules open one week after girls teams. YOUTH BASKETBALL Registration is now open for the Belton Christian Youth Center 2025 basketball league. Boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade can participate. Early registration discounts are available until Sunday with the deadline set for Oct. 31. The fall season begins Nov. 22. Spots are limited. Forms are available at BCYCsports.com, and information about sponsorships can be obtained by calling 254-939-5759. For more information, visit BeltonYouth.com. ATHLETIC PASSES Belton ISD family passes are on sale for $75 and can be purchased at the Belton High School field house or at the Belton ISD administration office. The pass allows the owner and all immediate family members entry into any Belton ISD athletic event played at home, excluding football games.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal Belton ISD’s girls dominated district. The Lady Broncos and Lady Tigers traveled to Waco’s Heart of Texas Soccer Complex last week for the District 16-5A meet, where only the top three teams and top 10 individuals to complete the three-mile course extended their seasons. Although it was a difficult challenge, Lake Belton and Belton excelled and advanced. Belton ISD occupied the top two spots in girls standings and produced eight of the first 10 harriers to cross the finish line, including the field’s champion. Lady Broncos freshman Keira Dzenowski cruised to the individual championship in her debut at the event, posting a first-place time of 19 minutes, 31.09 seconds to beat her closest competitor by more than 50 seconds. Belton sophomore Isabella Warner was second (20:24.77), and she proved to be the only person capable of interrupting Lake Belton’s attempt to deliver a perfect score. The Lady Broncos’ final four scoring runners finished consecutively to give Lake Belton a winning total of 19 points — 40 fewer than the runner-up Lady Tigers (2nd, 59). A perfect score is 15. The junior trio of Jenna Benedick (3rd, 20:43.29), Madelyn Rivas (4th, 20:44.66) and Sarah Gray (5th, 20:45.97) were within three seconds of each other, while sophomore Lucy Loa completed the performance with a sixth-place time of 20:51.98. Furthermore, sophomores Alayna Fulton (9th, 21:34.84) and Elizabeth Sandlin (10th, 21:36.97) also placed among the top 10, but their times did not count toward the team total. The Lady Tigers’ remaining points were earned by freshman Ayla Wakershauser (11th, 21:46.59), junior Roxanna Delgado (12th, 21:49.32), senior Delilah Hoffman (15th, 21:56.74) and junior Nataly Valdez (19th, 22:36.16). Lilian Baggett, a sophomore, and senior Destiny Schutz also represented Belton, placing 20th (22:45.67) and 24th (23:39.45), respectively. By earning bronze medals, Killeen Chaparral (3rd, 67) will join the Lady Tigers and Belton at Arlington’s Harold Patterson Sports Complex on Monday for the Region II meet. The top four teams and the top 10 individuals at the event claim berths at the state meet. Waco University (4th, 112), Waco (5th, 150) and Killeen Ellison (6th, 153) completed the standings as Lady Trojans senior Kaelyn Oldade (8th, 21:15.19) was the lone individual to advance from the field. Lady Bobcats sophomore Yeylis Tello was seventh (21:00.25). In the boys division, Ellison did what Lake Belton fell short in attempting as the Eagles emerged with a perfect score, situating all five of their scoring runners atop the standings, including champion Aiden Hill. The junior finished in 16:13.33. Ellison ended with six top-10 performers, while second-place Chaparral (59) had two, while the Broncos rostered the final two, propelling them into the regional meet with a third-place total of 71 points. Wyatt Potts, a junior, was sixth (17:13.76) for Lake Belton, and junior teammate Jack McCullagh was 10th (17:27.25). Also scoring was freshman Drew Houston (13th, 17:38.56), sophomore Tyler Adkins-Beltran (19th, 18:10.73) and junior Josiah Briggs (23rd, 18:35.21). Broncos sophomore Cooper Schels (24th, 18:42.10) and junior Austin Adams (32nd, 19:02.38) also raced. University (4th, 121), Belton (5th, 130) and Waco (6th, 154) completed the standings. The Tigers were represented by senior Palu Maringathuparambil (14th, 17:45.72), junior Jose Perez-Diaz (20th, 18:10.80), junior Ezra Kahler (28th, 18:49.28), freshman Ethan Trevino (30th, 18:54.86), freshman Luke Roberts (38th, 20:03.81), senior Rosalio Parra (39th, 20:04.25) and junior Hayden Brown (40th, 20:09.97).

Special to The Journal Recognizing the significant impact of our public schools on the growth and strength of our local economy, the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors approved a resolution in support of the Belton ISD Bond Election proposals and encourages our community to vote in favor of them. The Board heard a presentation on the bond proposals from BISD Superintendent Dr. Malinda Golden at its October 15 meeting, providing an opportunity for questions and clarification of the process and proposals; including how these bonds can be added with only a minimal increase in the tax rate due to the substantial property value growth in our area. The resolution of support was approved at the Board’s meeting. Board Treasurer and small business owner Adrienne Hodges stated, “Good schools are the backbone of a successful community, and Belton ISD has proven time and again that it’s a wise and trusted steward of our tax dollars. That’s why I’m proud to support the Belton ISD bond proposal.” Former Board Chair Jordan Samfield added, “Belton is a wonderful, thriving community and there is no better investment than that of our children and their education. The BISD Bond Proposal ensures a prosperous future for our children, our community, and our local economy and that is why I support it.” The Belton area has benefited from past investments in its schools, enhancing the quality of life and prompting people to move here from across the state and country, making Belton ISD a destination school district. The reputation of our quality local public schools is a major factor in the addition of numerous businesses in recent years, as well as significant job creation in our area. “We are proud to partner with Belton ISD in workforce development, economic growth and quality of life issues to make Belton a great place to live, work, shop, play, and raise a family,” said Randy Pittenger, Chamber President/CEO. “The process used to develop these bond proposals was thorough and inclusive, and we support this continued investment in our growing community. The fact that our growing tax base will allow us to afford these new bonds focusing on safety and learning spaces without a significant tax rate increase provides us with a unique opportunity to invest in our community and local economy,” added Pittenger. Election Day for the bond proposals is November 4, with early voting October 20–31. The Chamber encourages everyone to participate in the process by learning about the proposals and voting. More information about voting and the Belton ISD Bond Election is available at https://www.bisd.net/bond2025 or https://linktr.ee/voteyesforbisdkids.

By Clay Whittington The Belton Journal The beginning of the University Interscholastic League basketball seasons are rapidly approaching, and Belton ISD’s programs will soon all be preparing. While the Lady Tigers and Lady Broncos are already practicing, boys teams are permitted to begin practicing Wednesday. Scrimmages for girls programs are allowed starting Nov. 1, and the first day for games is Nov. 7. Boys scrimmage and game schedules open one week after girls teams. YOUTH BASKETBALL Registration is now open for the Belton Christian Youth Center 2025 basketball league. Boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade can participate. The deadline to sign up is Oct. 31. The fall season begins Nov. 22. Spots are limited. Forms are available at BCYCsports.com, and information about sponsorships can be obtained by calling 254-939-5759. For more information, visit BeltonYouth.com. ATHLETIC PASSES Belton ISD family passes are on sale for $75 and can be purchased at the Belton High School field house or at the Belton ISD administration office. The pass allows the owner and all immediate family members entry into any Belton ISD athletic event played at home, excluding football games.