Sports

For 32 years, Texas high school student-athletes had a future hall of fame athletic trainer in Mike Carroll on the sidelines ready at any moment should an injury occur. Carroll’s career in public education comes to an end at the conclusion of this school year as he rides off into retirement.

Carroll has spent three decades giving to his community, and through positions on national boards and attendance at conferences across the world, he has dedicated his life to both high school student athletes and the future of athletic training.

The Lady Blues basketball team will host its annual summer basketball camp next month with sessions available for incoming first through ninth graders. 

The camp will take place June 1-3 in the Graham High School. Newly hired head coach Preston Hodge will run the camp, which will be split into two sessions divided by grade levels. The total cost for the camp is $50 per athlete. 

Incoming first through fifth graders will participate in the first session from 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. Incoming sixth through ninth graders will follow from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Lady Blues soccer will cap off this year with one last milestone with two athletes representing the team in the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches All-Star Game.

Defender Ellie Weatherman and goalkeeper Taylor Lauster will be the first players in program history to represent Graham High School in the senior showcase event taking place Saturday, May 9 at Blossom Athletic Complex in San Antonio. The pair will play in the Region I vs. Region II match, which will begin at noon on the east field.

Graham High School was represented last week at the UIL 4A Region 1 track meet in Lubbock. Athletes from Graham competed in the two-day event which took place May 1-2 at Lowry Field. 

The Steers basketball team is off to a 2-0 start after opening the 2026 Graham Boys Basketball Spring League. The team will play four more games over the next two weeks.

Graford, Jacksboro, Haskell, Springtown and Breckenridge join the Steers in the three-week league in which teams play a pair of games each week. 

The league started Monday, April 27 with games played at both Graham Junior High School Gyms. 

The Graham Steers fought hard and finished a difficult 2026 season with a 7-4 road win over Glen Rose. The season ends with a final overall record of 8-16-1.

Both teams fought a closely contested game Friday, April 24 with the Steers taking an early lead and the Tigers tying it in the first inning. 

Mike Garcia hit a one-out double and later scored on an error by the Tigers’ catcher. Easton Bailey evened the game in the bottom half of the inning.

Newcastle ISD participated in the area track meet Monday, April 20, which took place at Forestburg ISD. 

NISD finished with 10 athletes advancing to the region meet taking place May 1-2 at Waco Midway High School.

Allison Melton, Greenleigh Moore, Aubree Clayton, Camren Mallory, Jayden Hemby, Cruizer Crossland, Keyton Newland, Keegan Voyles, Tristan Schultz and Rylan Hinojosa all advanced after finishing in the top four in their respective events. 

Graham High School will be represented by nine athletes May 1-2 at the UIL 4A Region I Track and Field Championships. 

The Steers and Lady Blues competed Friday, April 17, at the area meet in Abilene. The top four finishers in each event advanced to the region meet.

Madison Cauble, Emerie Stogner, Ava Street, Kaden Atwood, Katie McGehee, Emily Hughes, Bentleigh Martin, Caden Hulsey and Andon Masterfield all advanced to next month’s region meet and will compete to advance to the 2026 Track and Field State Meet taking place May 14-16 in Austin.

The Lady Blues came away with a victory over the Lady Lions and Steers soccer athletes were honored for their performances this season.

Lady Blues defeat Lady Lions

The Lady Blues' playoff hopes might be dashed but they are not going out without a fight. After dropping six-straight games, Graham found the win column Monday, April 13 with a 5-2 win over the Lady Lions in Brownwood. 

Fourteen Graham athletes will compete in the track and field area competition after their performance at the district meet and Lady Blues soccer athletes were recently recognized with all-state honors. 

Lady Blues earn Academic All-State honors

The Texas High School Coaches Association announced last week this year’s Academic All-State Teams in boys’ and girls’ soccer with four Lady Blues named to the team.