The second annual Ben Richey Boys Ranch Bass Roundup brought anglers from across Texas to Hubbard Creek Lake on June 13, raising more than $10,000 for the Boys Ranch while paying out more than $54,000 in tournament and Calcutta winnings.

Hosted by Goodnight Steakhouse and the Here­ford Motel, the event drew 39 teams for a weekend of fishing, fellowship and friendly competition. Organizers said support from anglers, sponsors and attendees helped make the tournament another success in its second year.

Albany’s 7-on-7 football team advanced through state qualifying play Friday in Abilene and will compete in the Texas 7-on-7 State Tournament June 25-27 in College Station after a strong all-around performance highlighted by offensive execution and defensive playmaking.

Albany’s roster includes Bennett Neece, Colter Edgar, Rhyland Parsons, Lyle Wheeler, Aiden Vickers, Wesley Gleitz, Cash Edgar, Christian Hernandez, Landrin Archuleta, Blake Britting and Jakobi Roberson.

Former Albany Lion Luke Ivy continued his successful collegiate track and field career earlier last month, recording a personal best score and helping Rice University score team points at the 2026 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships held May 14-16 in Denton.

Ivy, a 2022 graduate of Albany High School, placed seventh in the decathlon with a personal best total of 6,428 points, earning points for the Rice men’s track and field team.

Despite weather delays and a last-minute move indoors, the 2026 Nancy Smith Elementary Field Day was a success May 20 with strong community support and participation from students, staff and volunteers.

Physical education instructor and coach Ashlyn Bevel said the annual event drew an “incredible turnout,” with parents volunteering throughout the day to help activities run smoothly.

Rain early Wednesday forced organizers to quickly reorganize several events and stations before competition began.

Golfers at the Albany Golf Club are finally getting to see the full results of the club’s greens renovation project.

As of this past week, all nine greens are back open and in play after months of construction and temporary greens. The project rebuilt greens on holes 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 9, while holes 3, 5, and 7 had already been renovated last year.

The course has steadily returned to normal over the last several weeks, and members say the greens are already rolling well heading into the summer season.

Albany High School athletes wrapped up the 2026 UIL Class 2A state track and field meet with three solid performances against some of the top competitors in Texas, highlighted by a bronze-medal finish from senior pole vaulter Breylon Billington.

Competing Friday, May 15, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Billington placed third in the pole vault, freshman Jakobi Roberson competed in the triple jump and senior Chance Stewart ran in the 800-meter run.

The Albany Lions saw their season come to an end Thursday with a 3-1 loss to Ropes in a one-game regional semifinal playoff at Ira Athletic Complex.

The defeat ended a postseason run that saw Albany advance to the third round of the playoffs and finish the year one game shy of the regional finals.

Coach David Fairchild said afterward that the loss was especially difficult because of how well Albany played.

The Albany Lions are headed to the regional semifinals after bouncing back from an opening loss to win two straight games against Eldorado in their Class 2A Division II area playoff series last week in Hermleigh.

Albany dropped the opener 2-1 despite a dominant outing from Brody Oliver, who struck out eight batters and allowed only one hit across seven innings. The Lions stranded 12 runners in the loss, including leaving the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Aiden Vickers led Albany at the plate by going 3-for-4.

Albany High School wrapped up the 2026 UIL state tennis tournament with a third-place finish in mixed doubles as Mimi Ivy and Cade Fairchild earned another bronze medal at the Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio on May 7-8.

The Albany mixed doubles pair advanced to the semifinals after opening the tournament Thursday with a win over Tyler Hemphill and Kylynn Ramirez of Shiner. Ivy and Fairchild followed with another victory against Hank Wheeler and Sofia Tenti of Cushing to secure a spot in the final four.

One of the most accomplished athletes to ever come out of Albany is now part of the Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame, as Kami Norton Richey was inducted during last week’s annual banquet in Abilene.

Richey’s career, which began with a dominant run at Albany High School and carried through to national championships at the collegiate level, made her a clear choice for the honor.

“It was definitely a trip back down memory lane,” Richey said. “Coming back to the Big Country and getting to share that with my family was really special.”