Freshman Arabian Maddie Hester has been very strong from the serving line, with several great aces in last weeks game against Ingram.
Freshman volleyball sports spotless 3-0 record Jerel Beaty Staff Writer Devine freshman volleyball coach Kara Stacy has her team off to a perfect 3-0 start to the 2024 season. With varsity tournaments taking the forefront early on, games have been hard to come by, but it quickly heats up as a home tournament and District 29-4A action will soon be upon the young Arabians. “We definitely had to work out the nerves as we were getting our first games of the season officially in the books,” Stacy began. “We saw lots of great things in the opener against Southwest Legacy and I am proud of how the girls fought all the way to the end!” Devine topped Legacy in a three-set thriller, winning the first game 25-21 before dropping the second game 25-20. “We had to battle in the first set to come out on top but in the second set we struggled quite a bit on our side with unforced errors and miscommunication. We fought hard but could not finish off the set.” The third set provided plenty of nail-biting moments as both teams gave their all in trying to get the first “W” of the season. “Going into the third set, we knew it was going to be a battle and had to take it just one play at a time.”
Battling it out at the net Arabian #9 Brooke Thompson and Lady Mustang #7 Emilee Martinez as their teammantes back them up.
Jerel Beaty Staff writer Devine volleyball head coach Leigh Anne McIver and her squad went through a rough patch last week as they went 2-4 over that period of time, picking up their two wins over Three Rivers and Natalia in their home tournament. McIver and the Arabians were in “puzzle-making mode” as they had to mix in a couple of new players with their existing group as injuries sidelined more than one starter at various times. Preseason and tournament games lay the foundation for the rest of the season, and with their third and final tourney of the season this weekend in Seguin and their final two preseason games against McMullen and Navarro, the time is now for the kinks to be ironed out and Devine to begin its usual march toward a district championship.
The Mustangs prepare to recieve the punt in the scrimmage against Hondo. Photo by KK C
Eric Smith Staff Writer The Natalia Mustangs will hit the road to Bee County this coming Friday, August 30th to open the 2024 Texas High School Football season against the Skidmore-Tynan Bobcats (16-2A (Div.I). This will mark the first time the two programs have faced off since 2019-2020 district loss on the road 52-21. Natalia has lost their three most previous meetings vs the Bobcats. Hondo Scrimmage The Natalia Mustangs wrapped up scrimmage play in God’s Country last Thursday against the Hondo Owls. Natalia Head Coach Jason Reynolds was asked his thoughts on the performance of his young squad and had the following to say: “”This was a great final tune-up against another tough opponent in Hondo,” Reynolds said. “Coach Templin does a great job in Hondo and he had his guys ready to play.” The Varsity Owls were able to find success on a number of drives offensively, as they held the upper hand with their passing game scoring a total of 4 touchdowns vs. the Mustangs. Despite the scoring, Reynolds felt there was overall growth from the scrimmage.
Lytle Pirate Chase Guevara catches a touchdown pass. Photo by L Wilson
7pm kickoff vs Llano Jerel Beaty Staff Writer In 2023, Coach Mike Trevino and his staff created a monster as they took a Pirate Football program that went from a 1-9 record in 2022 to a 7-4, State Playoff qualifying break out season. The seven wins were buoyed by an incredible 4-0 start that included outscoring opponents by a combined score of 72-21, while getting their proud fan base back in their hip pockets. After not sniffing a district win in ’22 when they went a woeful 0-5, The Pirates went 3-2 a year ago with two of those victories coming against former 4A programs in Poteet and Crystal City. So, with more than a full year under his belt, Coach Trevino is ready to “Dig Deep” and attack Year Two and the expectations that come with sustained success. “Our team has continued to make great strides throughout fall camp and our two scrimmages,” Trevino stated. “The energy, effort, and enthusiasm we have seen from our kids has been nothing short of inspiring and impactful! Every day, they have shown up ready to work, ready to serve, ready to love, and ready to care; pulling each other through places we have never been before and enjoying the journey.”
The JV Arabians come together to celebrate a great kill by Kyrie DuBose against San Antonio Wagner! Coming in to celebrate are Brooke DuBose, Jane Outlaw, MargaritaVizcarra, and Jayme Moralez.
Jerel Beaty Staff Writer New Devine JV volleyball coach Alejandra Mora has her team off and running with a smashing 3-0 record through the early part of the season. The JV picks up in their number of games soon as they host an upcoming tournament before District 29-4A gets underway. “We were all anxiously excited to get the season started, and we got it started the right way winning in two sets over Southwest Legacy,” Mora stated. The anxiousness quickly turned to confidence as the Arabians won set one 25-15 before shaving off a Titan point on the second set by winning 25-14 to claim the first victory not only the team this season, but also Mora’s first in what will be many as an Arabian coach. “Margarita Vizcarra had awesome assists to set up our front for some kills and our back row players made some outstanding plays as well. Jayme Moralez also held serve eight times in a row at one point. San Antonio Wagner came knocking on the DSAC door in game two of the season. Devine was once again up to the task as they thwacked the Thunderbirds in straight sets 25-15, 25-8.
Devine Warhorse Cross Country runners line up for a snapshot.
Jerel Beaty Staff Writer Devine Cross Country teams got the best of both worlds Saturday as the Warhorses competed in Cibolo at San Antonio Steele’s meet while the Arabians went into Comal County Fairgrounds to run in the Unicorn Meet hosted by New Braunfels High School. Donovan Dixon led the varsity Horses placing 23rd in a field of 95. Brody Lane, Shawn Lowe, Jesus, Cisneros, Jake Riou, Ryan Botello, Zane Fritz, Jonathan Moralez, Caleb Maxwell, and Ian Rodriguez also competed. The Arabians had tons of competition as there were 126 runners in the varsity girl division. Hailey Montes and Kourtni Geyer each finished in the top 100 while Camila Sierra, Angelina Garcia, Aaralynn Garcia, Emily Morris, Lexi Perez, Jovianne Gomez, and Madison Saenz also made the trip. Urijah Velasquez finished in the top 10 in the JV division as he placed 8th of 71 runners. Zach Guerra cracked the top 20 at 20th place. Daniel Ballesteros, Christian Ross, Rylan Cortinez, and Carlos Jimenez also ran. The teams travel to San Antonio Saturday, August 31 to compete in the FEAST Patriot Invitational.
Sam Smith of Natalia who celebrated his golden anniversary last season and embarks on his incredible 51st year of calling Mustang Football.
Jerel Beaty Staff Writer Public address announcing at a small-town high school football game is a unique experience, no doubt. To the chagrin of many, it is not just about simply calling plays to inattentive audiences. Oh, if it were, that job would not be in such high demand. In small towns like Devine, Lytle, and Natalia, everybody knows everybody. And those “everybody’s” all expect their PA-guy to know them, their children, and their family history, as well. When a player’s name is fumbled or the ill-fated call-out of the wrong jersey number that was in on the unbelievable sack of the other team’s quarterback is articulated, it may seem the miscommunication coming out over the loudspeaker was premeditated when in fact nothing could be further from the truth. There is so much going on inside a packed stadium at any given time each Friday night. Heck, parents of multiple children, listen up; how often do you call one your own kids by the wrong name? And you live with them! Multitasking while in the moment can be grueling.
Tobey Tomblin of Devine who celebrates his silver anniversary behind the mic at Warhorse Stadium this fall. The PA is not only expected to remind everyone that that week’s you-name-it-fundraiser-of-the-week-bake-sale ends at halftime, or to get the attention of the correct individual that once again a lost set of keys or a misplaced cell phone has been turned into the press box, and to list the achievements and outcome of not only that night’s hometown-team’s volleyball contest but is to also include every high school organization’s upcoming meet schedule and itinerary without skipping a beat. Trying to make a smooth transition from a boisterous call of “#49 John Smith with the incredible run around the outside that moves the chains to keep the drive alive!” to introducing one-by-one the slew of mini-cheerleaders from this past summers camp is a challenging task that even the most seasoned professional announcer may find a bit taxing. Parents. Everyone loves and respects parents that attend in person their son’s football game, or their daughter’s halftime flag-corps-routine, or watches the local mascot pull off their fun and gimmicky routines. However, if the exact pronunciation and emphasizing of their child’s name is not articulated exactly right, eyes will surely roll, no matter the side of the stadium that person happens to sit. Calling a high school or even a middle school game for that matter is not just about calling the game at all. It is about surviving the three-plus hours of weirdness that is sure to happen, the static and cutting out of the microphone and decades-old speakers, and the more-than-occasional need to exercise extreme diplomacy in thought and expression after a tough play on the field, or worse yet, to have to calm the band, the cheerleaders, and the crowd after a player remains on the field due to injury. While many may believe that being perched at the 50-yard line in the stadium’s press box and “the privilege” of sitting behind a live microphone is all glit and glam, I dare say, the opposite is actually usually the case. Most do it, and continue to do it, because they were simply asked to help out in order to fill a need. And, fortunately, they said, “Yes.” A high school football stadium with no PA? Unthinkable. Thank You, Mark Fender of Lytle who begins his first full season manning the middle seat of a stadium that is named after previous announcer and legend the late Walter Joyce. Thank You, Tobey Tomblin of Devine who celebrates his silver anniversary behind the mic at Warhorse Stadium this fall. And Thank You, Sam Smith of Natalia who celebrated his golden anniversary last season and embarks on his incredible 51st year of calling Mustang Football. Take the time to not only thank those that choose to do what they do, but also appreciate what they do and how they deliver the message all the while managing a copious amount of stressors and distractions going on around them. Otherwise, you might just be the next in line for a job that not many are willing to accept, and you, too, will be expected to say, “Yes.”
Mark Fender of Lytle who begins his first full season manning the middle seat of a stadium that is named after previous announcer and legend the late Walter Joyce.
By Catherine Richard The Natalia ISD Board of Trustees approved the 2024 tax rate, altered its meeting times and began planning extensive renovations and building projects for the 6:30 p.m. meeting on August 26 in the Junior High Cafeteria. With the money yielded from the bond program, Natalia ISD will be building up its campus, adding two additional buildings and transforming one of the wings into a library and clinic area that will replace the current building. Pfluger Architects, the company which has been planning the projects, was represented by Senior Project Manager Braden Haley. These projects include a new entrance wedged between the two existing classroom wings, a new play area, the demolition of the current clinic and library building and the construction of a new 11 classroom space. Natalia ISD voters approved the $17.4 million bond for elementary improvements and the $5.5 million bond for the baseball/softball projects. Chief appraiser Norma Friddle opened the meeting with an opportunity for the public to put forth questions on the changed budget and the altered tax rate that were published in The Devine News. Maintenance and operation had a budget increase of 3.85%, debt service increased by 9.63% and total expenditures increased by 4.35%.
This increase is also seen in student enrollment, which rose from 1,257 to 1,296 this semester. The 2024 total tax rate of 1.1574 was approved by the board. The president of the Board of Trustees, Eric Smith, commented to the News, “As a board it was very important that we did not recommend a tax rate hike as everyone is already on very tight budgets.” Smith also made a motion to change the meeting time to 7 p.m. This may be a temporary measure, but it will be tried for a few meetings to see if it is more compatible with the schedules of board members, school staff and the public. There was some public participation in this meeting. Dodie Maddox, the mother of a Natalia High School student, addressed the board with concerns regarding the accommodation for special need students. Maddox cited the lack of class schedules and mistakes in the course walk as disruptive to the education of her child, for whom familiarity with the schedule and classrooms would have been helpful for navigating the school. She also mentioned that her child had been signed up for classes that he did not have the prerequisites for. “What other procedures are not being followed?” Maddox asked. Amanda Lopez briefed the board on the Natalia ISD Mentor Program, which is designed to train teachers who are new to the school and will begin in August. Leticia Buenrostro presented on the federal programs and funding that have been used by Natalia ISD, including Title I, Title II, Title IV and Special Education. The programs are used to “close the academic gaps and support students who are at risk,” said Buenrostro. This can be done through additional school materials or seeing to daily needs through meal programs. ESSER II and III funds must be used by September. Both are a part of a subgrant that was given to support schools that were affected by COVID-19. They have been used to fund extra staff. For the expansion and renovation of the baseball and softball complex, AGCM Inc. was chosen to manage the project.
Matthew 5:4 “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” I pray that you are doing well so far this week, as always, I encourage you to get into the word of God on a daily basis. Have you read your Bible today? If not why not? It only takes a few minutes to read a whole chapter. In Luke 4:4 Jesus said: “…it is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Let us also continue to pray for our nation’s defenders and our first responders. And please pray for rain! Our question for the week is; “Where in the Bible will I find God’s people offering covered wagons to the Lord?” I remember as a kid my dad had a Real Estate business. Back in those days it wasn’t uncommon for local businessmen to decorate a vehicle or float to be in the parade as it would give them some free advertising. One year my dad put his Real Estate sign on the sides of his truck and turned the bed off it into a covered wagon and we rode in the back of the truck throwing candy out like settlers. Whenever we think of “Covered Wagons” we often go back to the wild west but as our question today implies there were covered wagons WAY before the wild west was settled, as we will read in Numbers 7:3 “And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; a wagon for two of the princes, and for each one an ox: and they brought them before the tabernacle.” Think about it! J.W.
St. Andrews Church is having its church festival on September 29, providing fun for the whole family bingo, food, beer, face painting and live music from Latin Grammy nominated musical artist Gary Hobbs and others. The grand prize from the raffle is a custom made barbecue pit/smoker on wheels valued at $8,000 with additional prizes such as gift cards and a trip to Rome and Venice. Admission will be free for children under 12 and cost adults $5.
