Sports

Football season is over but one final look back will close the door on the season. The only two teams to defeat the Pirates, Argyle and Liberty-Eylau, play in the 4A, Region II championship game this weekend. Good luck to both. Sr. quarterback Brian Baca finished the season with 2,360 yards passing, with a completion percentage of .650%, with 20 touchdowns passing. Baca rushed for 785 yards on 119 carries and scored 16 touchdowns for 96 points. He has a total yards gained of 3,145 yards for the season. Sr. running back Tray Walker was leading rusher with 1541 yards on 225 carries, which includes 66 yards receiving. Walker set a Pittsburg school record by breaking his father’s previous record of 1300 yards. Walker scored 15 touchdowns for 90 points. Jr. running back Elijah Boyd finished the season with 349 yards rushing, scored four touchdowns for 24 points. Followed by Sr. running back Hugo Fluellen with 208 yards rushing with two touchdowns and 12 points.

Standing L-R: Sidney Waldrep – Soph., Asia Palmer – Soph., Coach Ryan Herring, Taylor Bullock – Soph., D’Ambria Harkey – Soph. Seated L-R: Whitely Hamilton – Soph., Sydney Reynolds – Soph., Taylor Leonard – Sr., Maxie Ivory – Sr.,Ayanna Palmer –Sr.

Standing L-R: Osheanna Rainey – Soph., Nakiaiya Fluellen- Soph., Caitlyn Holmes – Soph., JV Coach Brandi Batchelor, Astella Miles – Soph., Kimberly Roach – Fr., Kyl’Staija Grant-Soph. Seated L-R: Diana Benitez – Soph.,Kayle Campos – Soph., Lesly Farfan – Jr.,Kaylee Joslin – Soph., Dae’jah Heath – Soph.

Jr. wide receiver Dejour Dowell makes this leaping catch in the end zone for a touchdown with only seconds remaining in the third quarter.This was only one of several amazing catches he made during the game.

e City of Pittsburg could not be prouder of the Pirate varsity football team. What a season! A new coaching sta , a new successful formation, a talented and learned coaching sta . e team is District runner up and Bi-district champions. e Argyle game was a disappointment. However, the team never, never quit playing and the score shows it. Setbacks in the rst half dug a whole the Pirates were never able to climb out of. Argyle was a tough nut to crack and Pitt knew that going in. e team can be proud of this season. is is a team who has been mediocre at best the last several years, because they were not coached well. e seniors on this team bought into the philosophy of Coach Brad Baca and the coaching sta . A bit of good news is the Pittsburg Pirates football coaching sta has been nominated for the coaching sta of the year. “We are very privileged to come here and coach these kids.

The following Lady Pirates were recognized for their district play. Top left to right: Sydney Waldrep (So), honorable mention setter, academic all-district; Bailey Smith (Jr), honorable mention outside hitter, academic all-district; Taylor Bullock (So), second team libero, academic all-district; Dae’Jah Heath (So), first team, all-district outside hitter, academic all-district. Bottom left to right: Malaysia Burns (Fr), honorable mention; Madison Busch (Jr), second team setter, academic all-district; Madison Sansom (So), academic all-district; Makayla Thomas (Fr), honorable mention and not pictured, Summer Pylant (Sr), academic all-district.

Pittsburg Pirates Varsity Football had a police escorted, spirited send off last Friday from Pirate fans as they gathered at Smith Furniture.The Pirates battled the Crandall Pirates in Lindale and won 35-24.The Pirates will take on the Argyle Eagles Friday night at 7:30 p.m.at Royse City Stadium.The Pirates will be the visiting team.The send off this week will be at 3:45 p.m. Friday at Smith Furniture.

The Pittsburg Pirates defeated the Crandall Pirates in the Class 4A Division 1, Region 2 play-off game by a final score of 35 – 24, to become Bi-district Champions.. Congratulations to Billy Kimble (overall), Dejour Dowell (offensive), E.J. Hill (defensive) and Alex Rodriguez (special teams) for being selected the Pittsburg Football Players of the Game by Maxprep.com. The Pirates ran 87 plays for a team total of 537 yards. Brian Baca was 20 completions for 25 attempts passing with one interception, for 296 yards and two touchdowns. Tray Walker was leading rusher with 25 carries for 168 yards for the game and one touchdown and Baca was second with 68 yards and one touchdown. Damien Porter was leading receiver with six catches for 115 yards, followed by Billy Kimball also with 6 catches for 78 yards and one touchdown. Touchdowns were also scored by Fre’zarian Harrison, on a one yard run and by Oryan Fisher, off a Baca pass for the score.

After Friday night’s win over Quinlan-Ford 48-21, and Princeton’s loss to Liberty-Eylau 46-21, the Pirates own second place in district. The other score for Friday night is North Lamar defeats Paris – 48-10. The top four teams from 4A-1 Region II District 7 are Liberty-Eylau, Pittsburg, Princeton, and Paris. Congratulations to Deldric Shields as the overall player of the game, Brian Baca as offensive player of the game, Fre’zarian Harrison as defensive player of the game, and Alex Rodriguez as special teams player of the game. The Pirates made 66 plays for 438 total yards, and five penalties for 40 yards. Tray Walker was leading rusher with 109 yards and one TD. Shields led passing receptions with five catches for 96 yards and two TDs. He fielded an on-side kick and ran it back for a TD to make three for the night. Juwon Hawkins and Baca had one TD each. Rodriguez was once again perfect on extra points as he was 6 for 6.