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CHILDERS SISTERS- Sisters Joy, Patiance, Charity and Meekness Childers played a game of tug war last Friday during the 33rd Annual Juneteenth celebration. The evening festivities also included bingo, dominos, karaoke and a dance. (Staff Photo by Victoria Brynes)
CHILDERS SISTERS- Sisters Joy, Patiance, Charity and Meekness Childers played a game of tug war last Friday during the 33rd Annual Juneteenth celebration. The evening festivities also included bingo, dominos, karaoke and a dance. (Staff Photo by Victoria Brynes) -
TAKE A KNEE - Levelland ISD is holding summer workouts for the athletes that play football and the incoming freshman to get a feel for high school athletics. (Staff Photo by Aalijah Soliz)
TAKE A KNEE - Levelland ISD is holding summer workouts for the athletes that play football and the incoming freshman to get a feel for high school athletics. (Staff Photo by Aalijah Soliz) -
DEEP BALL - Levelland Lobo Rusty Johnson launches a deep ball to his receiver. Pictured above is Rusty Johnson behind his O-Line during summer worlouts. (Staff Photo by Aalijah Soliz)
DEEP BALL - Levelland Lobo Rusty Johnson launches a deep ball to his receiver. Pictured above is Rusty Johnson behind his O-Line during summer worlouts. (Staff Photo by Aalijah Soliz) -
TUG OFWAR - Cadence Minor (LEFT), Camryn Minor (MIDDLE), Za’Kavian Childers (RIGHT) playing games during the Juneteenth celebration. There were many activities including bingo, dominoes, karaoke and a dance. (Staff Photo by Victoria Brynes)
TUG OFWAR - Cadence Minor (LEFT), Camryn Minor (MIDDLE), Za’Kavian Childers (RIGHT) playing games during the Juneteenth celebration. There were many activities including bingo, dominoes, karaoke and a dance. (Staff Photo by Victoria Brynes)
Some titles have changed, but there will be many familiar faces on the sidelines for the Whitharral Panthers this season.
With the departure of Head Boys’ Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Clayton Fryar, Head Football Coach Jeremy Holt will take the reins as athletic director.
Holt will continue as track coach for the boys as well.
Assistant Boys’ Basketball Coach Matthew White will move up to the head basketball coach’s position and continue as a football assistant.
On the girls’ side, Madison Ortega has been promoted from Assistant Girls’ Basketball Coach to head coach to fill the vacancy left by the departing Paul Finley.
Two new faces will grace the basketball sidelines. Brett Berger, recently graduated from Texas Tech, will be the assistant boys’ coach and Maddy McCally, a recent Lubbock Christian University graduate, will be assisting Ortega.
Berger was a standout at Lubbock All Saints High School and played one year at Wayland Baptist University before transferring to Tech.
McCally comes from LCU after playing volleyball at the college level.
“We won’t make a lot of changes,” said Holt. “The coaches will take care of their programs and I’ll provide support and encouragement when needed.”
The football program will see some familiar faces as well as some changes. With the graduation of seven seniors, there will be some new faces, but Holt says the defense remains essentially intact.
“We’ll have to replace nearly everybody on offense,” he said, “but our defense is solid.”
The loss of Shamadrick Weaver to graduation will be felt as well, but Holt says there are a lot of quality players coming up. “We’ll look different,” he added.
White is also positive in spite of the changes.
“We lost (through graduation) 15-20 years of high school basketball experience and 90 percent of our scoring,” he said. That means a lot of team building, according to White. A lot of talented freshman are coming in who will need to “find out where they fit.”
Victor Saenz and Nate Sampson will provide some needed height to the team.
In addition, Nomar Gomez, Jack Griffin, Brent Robinson and Dawson Rodgers return with significant court experience.
“We’ll have some new schemes, but we’re having a good training camp,” he said.
Ortega’s basketball team doesn’t have a loss of experience.
“We didn’t have any seniors last year,” she said, “and we only have two this year.”
Tyler Parkinson and Avery McCain are the seniors on this year’s team. Last year only had six girls eligible to play varsity. This year there are 12 with a lot of talented freshman coming in.
In addition, the Lady Panthers will have some size under the basket.
Ortega will also be coaching girls’ track and cross country.