Hey, sports fans,
Basketball’s here, and soccer’s not finished.
Both AC basketball teams tipped off their regular seasons this weekend, with a Lady Roadrunner coach earning his very first win as a head coach.
The men’s soccer team won on Tuesday to advance to the Region XIV Conference Tournament semifinals taking place this week in Tyler. A win likely would earn the Roadrunners a berth in the upcoming national tournament for the third straight season.
And on Saturday, the Roadrunner men’s basketball team opened the new season with a win at home.
Here’s a quick rundown of the week’s events, along with what’s coming up next:
No. 13 Roadrunners Blank Paris in Tournament Quarterfinal
Before the 2024 season began, the Angelina College men’s soccer team had as its goal another trip to the national tournament. Having been there the previous two seasons in succession, the Roadrunners were looking for a “three-peat.”
On Wednesday, the ‘Runners took their first big steps toward another trip to Wichita, Kansas.
AC, currently ranked No. 13 in the national polls, blanked Paris 2-0 in the Region XIV Conference Tournament quarterfinals at the Larry Phillips Family Sports Complex on the AC campus.
Alek Melo received a nice feed in the box and used a hesitation move to freeze the Paris keeper for the first goal of the match. The Roadrunners led 1-0 in the 17th minute.
Later in the first half, Melo had his shot attempt blocked, but teammate Samuel Bouable was there for cleanup duty, ripping the nets for the 2-0 AC lead.
Thanks to a sticky ‘Runner defense and stellar goalkeeping from AC’s Casper Madsen, AC’s men were able to finish off the match and eliminate the Dragons from the postseason.
Next up for the Roadrunners is a road trip to perennial postseason rival Tyler Junior College. AC will face the No. 10 Apaches on Tuesday, Nov. 5 in Tyler. A win would have AC hosting a finals match (date and time TBA) and could possibly cement a berth in the upcoming NJCAA Division I Soccer National Tournament in Wichita, Kansas.
Kickoff time is 6 p.m. The match will be live-streamed on Tyler’s YouTube channel (TJCApacheAthletics).
Lady Roadrunner Basketball Splits Games at McLennan Classic in Waco
The Lady Roadrunner basketball team got off to a nail-biting start to the season on Friday, beating Weatherford College 50-49 at the McLennan Classic in Waco – despite suiting up just eight players, with others on the roster sidelined with injuries. First-year head coach (and long-time assistant coach) Randy McKelvey earned his very first win as a head coach.
India McMahon led AC in scoring with 20 points, and Maria Andrade notched a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Andrade also added three assists, three steals, and two blocks to her totals. Alicia Rivera-Scott added seven points in the win.
On Saturday, the short-handed Lady Roadrunners pushed the host team McLennan College hard before falling in a 61-56 loss.
AC’s ladies will host their home opener on Wednesday, Nov. 6 against Hill College. Tipoff at Shands Gymnasium is 6 p.m., and the game will be live-streamed on TSBN Sports.
Roadrunner Basketball Opens Season with Win over Strength ‘N Motion
The early part of a basketball season features a “mix and match” approach from the coaching staff, as teams strive to identify which players can do what when the bright lights start shining.
In Saturday’s season-opening win, Angelina College head coach J.J. Montgomery made sure every available player had the opportunity to show what he can bring to the team.
The Roadrunners got double-figure scoring from five different players on the way to a 94-55 win over Strength ‘N Motion at Shands Gymnasium.
Freshman Qasim Boyd led the ‘Runners with 16 points and four steals, while Jordan Mathews (14 points), Kanaan Holder (13 points), and Kyle Morgan and Milton Rice III (10 points each) all reached double figures.
Chris Carpenter added five assists in the win.
Boyd was 4-for-5 from the field and 8-for-9 from the free-throw line, and Christian Jones hit both of his three-point attempts. The ‘Runners finished with nine treys, with Morgan, Holder, and Rice drilling two each.
The Roadrunners will host Dallas College-Eastfield at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Shands Gymnasium. The game will be live-streamed on TSBN Sports.
Live Streaming Reminder:
All AC Athletics regular-season home games will be live streamed on TSBN Sports (a free streaming service for fans), with most of the conference road games also available for streaming. (This does not include baseball and softball fall games, as those are not considered official games.)
Once TSBN posts its schedules, AC fans simply need to visit the AC Athletics web site, look at the scrolling schedule in the middle of the page and click the blue “Video” link.
TSBN also offers an app great for smart phones, devices and smart TVs. (You’ve GOT to see those matches and games on the big screen.)
Reminder II: Admission to ALL Angelina College Athletics sporting events is free, as is the TSBN live streaming. Any other links offering streaming are scams.
Reminder III: For the most current schedule updates, visit the official Angelina College Athletics website (angelinaathletics.com).
Upcoming schedules:
Tuesday, Nov. 5:
No. 13 Roadrunner Soccer at No. 3 Tyler Junior College, Region XIV Conference Tournament Semifinals, 6 p.m. in Tyler.
Wednesday, Nov. 6:
Lady Roadrunner Basketball vs. Hill College, 6 p.m., Shands Gymnasium
Roadrunner Basketball vs. Dallas College-Eastfield, 7:30 p.m., Shands Gymnasium
Friday, Nov.8:
Lady Roadrunner Basketball vs. Collin County CC, Tyler Classic, 3 p.m. in Tyler
Lady Roadrunner Basketball vs. South Plains CC, Tyler Classic, 1 p.m. in Tyler
For any other information, contact Sports Information Director Gary Stallard at gstallard@angelina.edu.
We’ll see you at the games.
Gary Stallard
Email: gstallard@angelina.edu.
Phone: (936) 465-4614
