College report: Jeff Ayers inducted into Trinity Valley Hall of Fame
Oct. 30—Former Greenville Lion mascot Jeff Ayers has been inducted into the Trinity Valley Community College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Ayers, who was a mascot at Trinity Valley from 1984-88, was inducted along with three other new members during formal ceremonies last week on the Athens campus.
The other new members included former Cardinal placekicker Matt Bryant, former women's head basketball coach Elena Lovato and former men's basketball player Jeryl Sasser.
Bryant later kicked at Baylor and then with five teams in the NFL, making 85.6% of his career field goals in the NFL and 98.6 % of his extra points.
Lovato coached the Lady Cardinals to back to back national junior college championships in 2013 and 2014.
Sasser averaged 19.7 points and 10.3 rebounds his sophomore season at Trinity Valley and later played at North Texas. Two of his sons have played in the NBA.
As reported by Joe Elerson of the Athens Review, Ayers told a story of how he landed at Trinity Valley.
"Our sponsor knew what my goal was and it was to talk to Connie Russell and to see if I could be a part of their squad," said Ayers. "She walked over to Connie and said, "This is Jeff Ayers and he is a mascot at our high school. He is fixing to graduate and he would like to be a part of your team.'"
"She (Russell) said, 'Well I am sorry but we don't have the money and the room on the bus.'
"I pulled out my little arrow and my bow and said, 'I would only take up half the space.' Right about that time, I heard the air go out of her bag. She walked off and I went back to school and someone came and got me out of class that next Monday and took me to the principal's office.
"I kept thinking what did I do wrong at school and then it was Connie Russell on the phone and she said, 'Jeff Ayers, I just want you to know that the Trinity Valley and Henderson County family has found room on the bus for you and we also found a scholarship for you.'"
Ayers earned the President's Award at Trinity Valley and went on to serve as a mascot at Lamar University, earning all-America honors.
He worked for the National Cheerleading Association, teaching mascots at camps throughout the nation, and for 15 seasons portrayed the character Baby Bop on the PBS TV series "Barney and Friends." — Wolfe City-ex Tony Joe White has coached Birmingham-Southern's football team to a 7-0 record.
The Panthers moved up to No. 21 in the NCAA Division III national rankings after whipping Rhodes College of Tennessee 41-6 on homecoming at General Krulak Stadium in Birmingham.
Birmingham-Southern is to play next at Berry College at Mount Berry, Georgia. Berry College is 5-2 for the season following a 42-21 victory over Hendrix College of Arkansas. — Brandon Stephens, a freshman quarterback from Greenville, accounted for 312 yards and three touchdowns during Pandhandle State's 52-18 football victory last week over Arkansas Baptist.
Stephens was 15-of-25 passing for 267 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 45 yards on 16 carries. His touchdown passes went for 45 yards to Daishawn Brimage, 70 yards to Willie McCline and 23 yards to Jalen Partida.
Stephens is 84-of-155 passing for 1,266 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions and has rushed for 135 yards and two TDs on 60 carries.
The 4-5 Aggies are to play their last home game of the 2021 season at 2 p.m. Saturday in Goodwell, Oklahoma against 5-2 Arizona Christian University. — Ex-Greenville Lion Tucker Momon rang up four tackles during East Texas Baptist University's 37-30 football victory last week over Austin College.
The 4-3 Tigers are to play 2-5 Texas Lutheran at 1 p.m. today in Marshall for homecoming. — Former Royse City Bulldog Ketron Jackson Jr. caught a 29-yard touchdown pass for the Arkansas Razorbacks during their 45-3 football victory last week over Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Jackson now has three catches for 44 yards and the one TD for the season for the 5-3 Razorbacks, who are off this weekend. — Ex-Greenville Lady Lions Jayde Sickels and Emily Saenz combined for seven kills and five digs during Arlington Baptist's 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 volleyball loss to Austin College on Monday.
Sickels managed five kills and Saenz recorded four digs.
Austin College improved to 19-8 for the season while Arlington Baptist dropped to 11-13. — Greenville junior defender Payton Franklin leads the 5-5 Dallas Baptist University soccer team in minutes played for the season with 931. He's taken three shots with one on goal.
The Patriots are to entertain Lone Star Conference rival Midwestern State at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Dallas.
