Celebrating 126 Years of Serving the communities of Devine, Natalia, Lytle, Bigfoot, and Moore in Medina, Frio, and Atascosa Counties
All the Devine High School Best Sports Coverage!
800M Regional Champion, Warhorse “Devo” Dixon will lead Devine to State for the second time this year as he also qualified in cross country earlier this year. Kourtni Geyer of Devine who advanced in pole vaulting, also setting school records along the way.
3200 m runner Diego Reyna, of Lytle who claimed 2nd place at Regionals, trailing the champion by only a couple of seconds. Good luck to all at State!
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You can get FULL DIGITAL ACCESS INSTANTLY by signing up for a subscription, and you’ll also begin getting the print edition mailed to your home weekly.
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The court in the DSAC building will now be officially known as “Sessions Court” in recognition of the family’s exceptional contributions to Devine ISD and the community.
In December, the DISD Board of Trustees approved the name change, acknowledging the Sessions family’s decades of service. From teaching and coaching to volunteering as scorekeepers and bus drivers, Don, Gayle, Neva, and Jim Sessions have given more than 108 years of dedicated service to the district.
Coach Paul Gomez commented, “What a wonderful dedication for a family that has positively influenced so many. You just felt such a great presence in the DSAC last night! Jim, I know you were so proud of our Arabians and Warhorses. They played with such passion and heart for you last night brother! It was an awesome environment!”
“Gayle and Jim were the only two members of the Sessions family to coach basketball, amassing an estimated 1,800 victories in the sport alone. They also coached other sports, while Don and Neva were math teachers at DHS, and always present at games. This dedication is a testament to their devotion to both the district and the community,” Dr. Todd Grandjean said.
The renaming of Sessions Court will serve as a reminder of the legacy left by the Sessions family, inspiring future generations of Arabians and Warhorses. The court will stand as a symbol of the family values that DISD cherishes: integrity, respect, and a commitment to excellence.
Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Each member of the Sessions family left their mark on not only Devine Independent School District but this entire community. Don, Gayle, Neva, and Jim Sessions all dedicated their lives to ensuring those that they came into contact with knew what it meant to represent themselves as an Arabian, a Warhorse, or any part of a DHS class or organization.
The family of four spent over a century enriching young people’s lives.
The DISD School Board voted unanimously to honor the Sessions Family with the renaming of the court inside the Devine Student Activities Center to “Sessions Court” two months or so after the October 23, 2024 passing of Athletic Director and Head Girls Basketball Coach Jim Sessions.
The official dedication is on Friday, January 31 prior to the Arabian tipoff against visiting Pearsall. Those wishing to attend should arrive between 5:30pm and 5:45pm to ensure they are able to witness this special occasion.
Special thanks
Butch Cook, owner of Image Matters/South Texas Trophies in Devine, donated the special “Sessions Court” marking on the floor inside the DSAC.
It is truly a beautiful marking that will bring back so many wonderful memories of one or more members of the Sessions family to those that watch any kind of sporting event or school function from this day forward.
Mr. Cook stated, “It was an honor for us to be a part of installing the Sessions family name on the court and the recognition for them was well-deserved. I have known them for 50 years in many ways as my teachers in school; Don drove my school bus when I was in high school; each of them were loyal customers for our business; Jim and I played basketball together and also officiated basketball together; I served on several school committees with Neva and the list goes on. You and I worked together on getting the court named in their honor and I’m so glad it happened.”
Thank you, Mr. Cook, and to all of those who helped make the wonderful marking for Sessions Court.
#1 Ray’sean at the free throw line
Ray’sean Beaver’s long-range 3 forces OT!
Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Splash! Ray’sean Beaver hit a sideline hugging, nothing-but-net, 25-foot three-point shot from the left side of Sessions Court over two Eagle defenders with .9 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 52 and send it into overtime.
The Horses could not hold on to big leads built over the course of the first three quarters but were able to come through in the clutch to outscore Pleasanton 8-5 in the extra period to claim the exhausting 60-57 District 27-4A victory.
Devine’s big 41-23 lead toward the end of the third quarter quickly shrunk as Pleasanton clawed their way back from an 18-point deficit to take a 52-49 lead on a free throw with 16.7 seconds remaining.
The Horses inbounded under Pleasanton’s basket after the made free throw, advanced the ball up court, and exchanged a few passes before Cecilio De La Garza shuffled off the assist to Ray’sean’s game-tying shot.
With .9 on the clock and the Eagles setting up a play after their timeout, Pleasanton tried a baseball-type throw to the opposite end of the court that Mason Beaver intercepted like a defensive back would in football.
Mason was dragged to the court by a back-jumping Eagle offensive player that was initially called a foul on Pleasanton as the buzzer sounded.
For an unknown reason…
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Arabian JV and Varsity golfers pictured left to right are: Reese Navarro, Briana Balderrama, Kenzie Schott, Mackenzie Ramirez, Lily Lawless, Kayleigh Smith, Gabby Morales, Brianna Schaefer, and Emma Gonzales (not pictured).
Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
In the sporting world, there’s nothing like having home field advantage. For the Arabian golf team competing in their first tournament of the 2025 season, playing at familiar Devine Golf Course surely gave them a little comfort in navigating the course and relieving some possible anxiety that may have been present on unfamiliar territory.
Devine shot 392 to defeat runner-up Pleasanton who posted 414. Hondo was on the Lady Eagles tail, finishing the day with 416.
Brianna Schaefer placed third individually as she broke 90 with a solid 89. There were 79 total competitors.
Gabby Morales was just out of medal-reach with a 92.
MacKenzie Ramirez (105), Lilly Lawless (106), and Brianna Balderama (113) rounded out the fivesome.
Devine 2
There are no shortage of golfers in Devine High School as Coach Mark Mangold had enough players to have a Devine 2 squad.
Reese Navarro shot 118, Kenzie Schott 128, Emma Gonzales 132, and Kayleigh Smith 133. Devine 2’s 511 team-score placed them 12th overall in the 14-team field.
Team scores
1st Devine 392, 2nd Pleasanton 414, 3rd Hondo 416, 5th Jourdanton 419, 6th Navarro 457, 7th Marion 459, 8th Crystal City 465, 9th Blanco 476, 10th Somerset 504, 11th Lytle 506, 12th Devine2 511, 13th Floresville 515, 14th Natalia 539.
Warhorse powerlifting medalists in Dilley were Rolandolando Garcia, Weston Leal, Joe Guerrero, and Jaden Rodriguez.
Jaden Rodriguez, Weston Leal, & Israel Reyes earn 1st place
Warhorse powerlifting
3rd place in Dilley
Jaden Rodriguez, Weston Leal, & Israel Reyes earn 1st place
Jerel Beaty
Staff writer
Jaden Rodriguez, Weston Leal, and Israel Reyes lifted their way to gold medals for the Warhorse powerlifting team last Wednesday in Dilley.
Rodriguez won the 114lb division with a total lift of 690 pounds.
Weston Leal took the 132lb class with a total lift of 810 pounds.
Israel Reyes claimed the 181lb division with a total lift of 1,615 pounds.
Joe Guerrero earned silver in the 148lb class (1,020lbs) while Rolando Garcia (132lb-700lbs) and Samuel Diaz (198lb-1,110lbs) each took bronze.
Team standings
1st Dilley 48, 2nd Lytle 35, 3rd Devine 33, 4th South San Antonio 33, 5th Natalia 20, 6th Carrizo Springs 6.
Warhorse results (Lifter-Class-Place-Squat-Bench-Deadlift-Total)
Jaden Rodriguez-114lb-1st-275-155-260-690lbs; Weston Leal-132lb-1st-300-185-325-810lbs; Rolando Garcia-132lb-3rd-325-155-270-700lbs; Joe Guerrero-148lb-2nd-385-250-385-1,020lbs; Israel Reyes-181lb-1st-660-405-550-1,615; Samuel Diaz-198lb-3rd-420-260-430-1,110lbs; Ivan Iglesias-220lb-5th-355-220-330-905lbs; Fabian Reyes-220lb-6th-315-205-360-880lbs; Samuel Alcanter-220lb-7th-360-170-300-830lbs; Kolter Parker-275lb-6th-285-170-320-775lbs.
