The Tiger golf team took third place in the Bellville tournament on March 8, with Kraig Zimmerhanzel placing third individually. Kneeling from left to right in the front row are Peter Marek and Forest Wilmon. Standing from left to right in the back row are Dalton Dawson, Cameron Ronie, Clint Zimmerhanzel, Morgan Swartz and Kraig Zimmerhanzel.

Jaimie Kadlecek

Lady Tiger Jaimie Kadlecek, a junior, was recently named to the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches  Class 3A All-Region IV Team.
Kadlecek was also chosen as the 2010 All-Bastrop County Player of the Year for her consistent stellar performances throughout this past season.
She was the lead scorer for Bastrop County, averaging 11.4 points per game.
The Smithville point guard was also second in the county in total assists with 104 and led the county in steals with a total of 110.
“Jaimie grew up a lot this year and used her scrappy style of play to lead this team,” said head coach Robin Ramsay. “She got better as the year went on.”

Thrall
Smithville began its fourth inning against Thrall down by three runs on Tuesday night. However, the Tigers were able to shut their opponents out during that fourth inning, while scoring four runs in their 8-6 victory.
Dylan Hancock led Smithville in hitting, going 4 for 4, getting a homerun, a double, two singles, two RBIs and three runs.
Tiger Aaron Rodriguez, going 1 for 2, was also able to get in a homerun, with three RBIs and a run.
Going 3 for 3, Tyler Hancock hit two singles, a double and made two runs.
Other players who scored a run each were Jacob Hannusch and Justin Teague.

Stanley Krist Tournament
The Tigers’ opening game at the Stanley Krist tournament was not an easy one, but they had yet another impressive comeback, defeating Tidehaven 8-7.
Teague pitched the first four innings, while Tidehaven was able to get in all seven of their total runs. However, he did throw seven strikeouts.
Tiger Dylan Hancock came in for the save and pitched the last three innings, completely shutting their opponent out. Meanwhile, Smithville scored five of its eight runs.
As for hitting, Dylan Hancock was also the star. Going 2 for 5, he hit two singles and made three runs.
During their second game against Schulenburg, the Tigers got off to a good start in hitting, defeating their opponent 9-5. In the second inning alone, Smithville scored five of those nine runs.
Hannusch pitched for the first five innings, throwing eight strikeouts while allowing five hits and four runs.
Going 1 for 4, Bryce Helmcamp hit a homerun, got two RBIs, as well as two runs.
Taylor Gadus also went 1 for 4 with a homerun, while getting a RBI and a run.
Smithville’s third game of the tournament against Sacred Heart Hallettsville, which would determine who would play in the championship, ended with another victory (5-3).
Helmcamp pitched all seven innings, throwing six strikeouts and only allowing four hits and three runs.
In hitting, Rodriguez went 2 for 4, getting a single, triple, a RBI and a run.
Teague also had a good game, going 2 for 3 while getting a single, double, two RBIs and a run.
The championship game against Columbus was very hard fought and close, with Smithville losing 7-6 and coming in second place overall.
Dylan Hancock, Rodriguez, Coltyn Brown, Teague and Tyler Hancock all scored a run each.
The all-tournament selections included Rodriguez, Teague and Helmcamp.

Elgin
On March 9, the Tigers were held scoreless in their away game against Elgin, which ended with a score of 6-0.
Matt Swartz and Josue Jaimes both made shots on goal.

Manor
Smithville was actually ahead 2-1 at the start of the second half during their home game against Manor on Friday.
However, Manor caught up, scoring five goals in the second half alone and ending the game with a score of 6-2.
Both of the Tigers’ goals came from Swartz, thanks to assists by Danny Davis and Jaimes.
Swartz, Davis and Jaimes all had shots on goal.
A senior recognition was held at the end of the night and all the senior players received flowers while their families and friends watched.
The seniors recognized included Carolyn Combs, Karen Avis (team manager), Alex Crosson, Joe Reyna, Jaimes and Marita Einarsen (a foreign exchange student from Norway.)
For the overall district standings, Del Valle came in first, Manor second, Elgin third, Taylor fourth, Lockhart fifth, Smithville sixth, Giddings seventh and La Grange eighth.

Created by Grace Wilson, Jerrie Girard and Barbara Fuentes, all from the Gospel Lighthouse Church in Smithville, the store will serve those in need with free “love gifts.”

The store will be run by donations, ranging from canned goods to home appliances to toys for kids.

“We just want to help people,” Wilson said. “I remember when I was a little girl, I did things like nurture back a pig. I just always had that nurturing sense.”

Wilson, who is from Lee County but has grown up in the Smithville area, has been helping people all her life. She worked in foster care at one time and she took care of an elderly woman in her home for five years.

“With the economy how it is, there are a lot of people out of work, so we know that it’s not just the poor who need our help,” she said.

Girard, also known as “Sister Jerrie”, is known for her evangelistic work.

“I’ve taken people in from all walks of life,” Girard said. “The homeless – really anyone in need everywhere from Austin to Los Angeles. One time the police in Austin roped streets off so I could have a gospel service underneath a bridge where some of the homeless were staying.”

Residing in Fayette County, Girard said that this good cause was started because they all love the Lord and they love people.

Fuentes, a Bastrop County native, has had first-hand knowledge experiencing what the poor go through on a daily basis. She served as the assistant executive director for the Bastrop Public Housing Authority.

“I hope that this will bring people together and get people to know each other better,” she said.

Fuentes said that the three of them prayed in hopes that God would find them a place to serve the needy – and he led them to Smithville.

Joy House, which is located at 105 2nd St. behind Wild Goose Antiques, opened to the public on March 1, and they are already accepting donations.

“We really want to push food – non-perishable for right now, but we are hoping to get a deep freeze,” Wilson said. “Any clothes from newborns to adults, toys for children and house appliances would be great too.”

Just by word of mouth, people in the community have already started donating items, but Joy House is definitely in need of more before they open, Wilson said.

To make any kind of donation, drop it off at the store or call 512-661-8999 to have someone pick it up. The hours of operation for Joy House will be Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the 15th of each month, the store will accept food only donations from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Girard said the store will also be giving out Bibles and gospel music tracks to people who want them.

“I think some people have a lot of stuff to give, but they just don’t know exactly how to go about giving it,” Wilson said. “Perhaps this will create a spirit in the community that will cause people to love each other more.”

A man on trial last week in Bastrop County District Court was convicted of tampering with evidence and sentenced to four years probation and a $1,000 fine by a jury of six men and six women.

Daniel Lee Holmes pled not guilty on Monday to a charge of altering or destroying methamphetamine in order to prevent its use in an investigation.

On Thursday afternoon the jury found Holmes guilty and later returned the probation time and fine during the subsequent punishment phase.

The incident which Holmes was convicted of took place on March 16, 2007 when Holmes was pulled over off of Texas 21 by Department of Public Safety officer John Vincent, according to courtroom testimony. During the process of the officer searching Holmes and the truck he was riding in, Holmes put a bag of crystal meth into his own mouth. Vincent then began to struggle with Holmes in order to retrieve the bag. The bag was retrieved and booked into evidence and later identified as containing methamphetamine.

Holmes’s attorney Vann Pressley made the case to jurors that Vincent did not have probable cause to pull Holmes over.

“He (Vincent) stopped Daniel Holmes that night and he started his fishing expedition…pushing around to see what would happen and casting his line to see what would come back,” Pressley said. The defense also made the case that Vincent was unnecessarily rough with Holmes during the arrest.

Prosecutors Phil Hall and Greg Gilleland disagreed and told jurors the facts in the case were clear.

“This (Holmes) is not a man who was beaten down and tortured, yet John Vincent has to hear this over and over again in this trial,” Hall said during closing arguments. “Ignore the rhetoric; ignore the half-truths; go back there and read the law.”

Kade Bigbee, a third-grader at Smithville Elementary School, does not have to imagine this feeling. He was recently the recipient of the $10,000 Donkey and Mule Show scholarship presented at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo last month.

Bigbee showed his own mule and his cousin’s donkey to win the title.

“I have been riding and showing since I was three,” Bigbee said.

According to Diane Smith, Bigbee’s grandmother who was born and raised in Smithville, the whole family has grown up working with animals.

“It’s just in our blood,” she said.

Smith said she has furnished her grandson with animals throughout his young life and taught him how to ride.

“I love riding them – that is my favorite part,” Bigbee said.

According to Bigbee’s mother, Cassie, he has ridden all over the state of Texas.

“He’s met some pretty good friends along the way, too,” she said.
One of the mules that Smith has furnished her grandson with is Cele (short for September Celebration because she was born in September and the family feels she is something to be celebrated about). Cele was one of the animals Bigbee recently showed, along with Laptop, his cousin Jessica’s donkey who is smaller than most donkeys – hence the name.

Third-grader Kade Bigbee rides his cousin’s donkey, Laptop, at home after taking first place in the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo competition.

In order to prepare them for shows, Bigbee said he has to feed his animals, as well as keep them healthy by exercising them.

It is really hard for Bigbee to choose a favorite animal, but he said he has secretly favored one over all the others.

“Out of all my animals, I guess my favorite one is my horse Andy,” Bigbee said.

Not only does Bigbee participate in stock shows, but he said he has done the rodeo portion as well, where he ropes, runs barrels and ties goats.

“I have won four saddles and I lost count of how many buckles,” he said. “I think about 50-something of them.”

So far, Bigbee has only been working with equines, but he said next year he would like to work with other types of animals, like pigs and cows.

When asked what he wants to do with his scholarship, which is his first big award, he said he has not decided yet.

“It has to be something agriculture related, so I think it will be really easy for him to use,” Smith said.

Bigbee said he was very surprised to receive the scholarship, mainly because a 19-year-old won it last year.

“I’d like to thank my grandma for taking care of all the animals, Jessica for loaning me her donkey, my parents for taking me there and the stock show for making it all possible,” he said.

Bigbee said he has tried participating in other activities besides working with animals, but they just were not for him.

“He tried basketball, but fell and busted his knee cap,” Cassie said. “Then, when he was able to come back for the last couple of games, he jammed his toe in the wall while playing.”

Bigbee said he wants to try out football, but his parents are a little hesitant about it.

“We’ll have to wrap in him bubble wrap,” Cassie said.

When it all boils down, Bigbee’s true passion is working with animals, and he said he might like to be a horse trainer when he grows up.