Sports

Although the Seminole State Trojans played a pair of high-scoring thrillers in Colorado this week, their trip to the Alpine Bank NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series ended early with back-to-back losses. 

The tournament opened Saturday, May 23, with the Trojans losing 16-15. Facing a 9-3 deficit going into the fifth inning, the Trojans rallied to even the game briefly. 

They again trailed going into the ninth inning 15-11 and drew even before losing in a walk-off. 

As the Graham High School athletic camps kick off next week, The Graham Leader continues to highlight this summer’s opportunities for young athletes to hone their skills under the direction of GHS coaches. 

The month of July will bring the 2026 Steers and Lady Blues soccer camps. Coaches Tim Wankowicz and Casey Weil will run camps with sessions for incoming first through third and fourth through eighth graders.  These sessions are open to both boys and girls. 

The Graham High School 7on7 football team will compete in the state tournament after advancing out of the Mineral Wells State Qualifying Tournament. 

The Steers and Fort Worth Southwest Christian were the two teams to advance out of the 16-team SQT held Friday, May 22.

Competing in Pool D of the tournament, the Steers met Dallas Life Oak Cliff, Godley and Krum. In the first game, the Steers defeated Dallas Life Oak Cliff 34-27. In the second game, the Steers were victorious 34-18. 

With summer break in full swing, the Graham High School athletic program is continuing with a full slate of summer camps to keep Graham’s young athletes active and improving their skills.

The Graham Steers are hosting their annual boys’ basketball camp June 8-10 at GHS. 

Led by Steers head coach Quenton Fossett, the camp is open to incoming third through ninth graders. The cost for basketball camp is $50.

The third through fifth-grade session will take place 9-11 a.m. inside the GHS main gym. The sixth through ninth-grade session will follow from 1-3 p.m.

The Steers basketball Spring League wrapped up play last Tuesday by splitting games against Bowie and Graford. 

After a close 48-47 loss to Bowie, the Steers finished the league Tuesday, May 19 with a 52-38 win over Graford to close our the league. 

“We had a really good spring,” Steers coach Quenton Fossett said. “I was very pleased with the league. We had solid teams (from) 1A-5A that came over. We just have to keep getting better and doing things the right way.”

When the Alpine Bank NJCAA Division I JUCO World Series begins this weekend in Grand Junction, Colorado, a local name will be among the athletes from one of eight teams competing for a national championship. 

Former Graham Steers pitcher Ryder Taylor will represent both Graham and Seminole State University when the tournament kicks off at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 23.

Seminole College is a small school, with less than 2,000 students in Seminole, Oklahoma. Taylor and the Trojans compete in the Bi-State Conference as one of 24 schools across Oklahoma and Arkansas.

The 2026 Graham Softball Camp takes place next week on Hogan Field, with incoming second through ninth graders invited to participate in split sessions. 

The camp will take place May 26-28 and cost $50 per athlete. Incoming second through fifth graders will participate from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Incoming sixth through ninth graders will follow, beginning at 11 a.m. and ending at 1 p.m.

Athletes will be expected to bring cleats, a softball bat and softball glove. 

Newcastle athletes made the trip last week to Austin to compete in the 2026 UIL Track & Field State Meet.

Newcastle saw three athletes competing Saturday, May 16. Allison Melton, who was celebrating a birthday early in the week, competed in the girls’ 3200-meter run. 

The meet was Melton’s second time running in a state meet this school year as she ran with the Ladycats cross country in the Cross Country State Championships on Friday, Oct. 31 in Round Rock. 

Graham High School and the Graham Athletic Booster Club honored this school year’s athletes with an all-sports banquet on Tuesday, May 12. The event gave coaches a chance to introduce their varsity athletes and announce the year’s team awards.

This year’s banquet combined all sports after the cancellation of the winter banquet due to winter weather conditions. Listed below are team awards and all-district honors as announced by team coaches.

Girls Basketball
Addison Gober: Academic All-District

Newcastle ISD will honor its athletes this week during the annual Newcastle Athletic Banquet. 

The athletic program will celebrate and honor athletes from cross country, volleyball, cheer, basketball, powerlifting, track, golf, tennis and fishing during the ceremony at 6 p.m. Friday, May 22 in the legacy gym. Eighth-grade athletes are requested to arrive at 5:45 p.m. to help serve.