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Since 2013, the University of Houston has signed six players from East Texas and head coach Major Applewhite is adding to those numbers. The Cougars now have three players from the region from the Class 2018 that have verbally committed to the program. Tyler Lee quarterback Chance Amie verbally committed to Houston on Monday, and will join forces with John Tyler's Dekalen Goodson and Lufkin's Malik Jackson.

An East Texas baseball player has put pen to paper. Nacogdoches product and Texas A&M pitcher Brigham hill is turning pro after signing with the Nationals.

The NBA draft is Thursday night, and while it will be exciting to see what players are selected and in which order, pay attention to trades. According to ESPN, the Rockets are trying to make moves in conjunction with the draft to have the money to pursue big-time free agents this summer.

Adrian Peterson Day will have a different feel to it this year for a couple reasons. The 11th annual event to honor the East Texan is taking place in Peterson's hometown of Palestine on Saturday, but there will not be a parade like normal. Also, for the first time, the running back won't be pumping up his upcoming season with the Vikings.

In other high school football news, numerous teams have qualified for the 7 on 7 State Tournament next week in College Station. From the Division I ranks, which is Class 5A and 6A programs, Longview and Jacksonville punched their ticket over the weekend in the Tyler qualifying tournament. Lufkin and Whitehouse are also state tourney bound.

In a press release Monday afternoon, the Texans announced they have officially signed rookie running back and third round pick D'Onta Foreman to a four-year deal worth just over $3 million. As far as East Texas undrafted rookies are concerned, a good showing during training camp and the preseason will be important if they want to make a roster.

For the sixth time in program history, the Texas A&M baseball team is apart of the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. In the eight-team field for the first time since 2011, the Aggies are a perfect 5-0 this postseason. It is an exciting time for East Texan and A&M pitcher Brigham Hill. The Nacogdoches product was drafted this week in the fifth round by Washington and now he's hoping to help the Aggies win a national championship.

The 7th annual 'Teddy Williams Speed and Agility Camp' took place this morning at Tyler Rose Stadium.

Williams a former John Tyler Lion and current Carolina Panther cornerback, welcomed campers from ages 6 to 16. All who were ready to learn how to be fast like teddy. 

At the collegiate level, Division Universities such as Texas, Baylor, Houston, and Texas A&M do a great job of recruiting the top talent in East Texas. Those programs will always get their commitments. But at the Division II level, Southeastern Oklahoma State University has done a tremendous job of getting players from our region to go and play in Durant, Oklahoma.

NFL teams wrapped up their three-day mandatory minicamp session on Thursday, including the Cowboys. Now players will have a few weeks off before reporting to training camp. Despite coming off a 13-win season, Dallas made sure to its offseason ended with a spirited practice.

An East Texan will be searching for a new NFL team ahead of training camp. The Lions have released former Tyler Lee Red Raider and Baylor Bear Jimmy Landes.

For the first time ever, the UIL will allow high school football regular season games to be televised in 2017. But we aren't talking every Friday night and every game. In fact, this will only happen during week one, and a maximum of two games will be aired live.

East Texans Mason House and Brigham Hill came off the board on day two of the Major League Baseball draft. Wednesday afternoon, several more players either from the area or that have ties to the region heard their names called during rounds 11 through 40.

Another East Texas student athlete has been drafted, this time by a major league baseball team. 

At the collegiate level, university of Houston head coach Major Applewhite was in Nacogdoches last week to be apart of Stephen F. Austin's satellite camp. In his first year at the helm, but third with the program, Applewhite knows first hand the elite talent that comes from our region and specifically John Tyler.

A majority of the 32 NFL teams will hold a three-day mandatory minicamp beginning Tuesday. That includes the Cowboys. Dallas though has had near perfect attendance during organized team activities so not much should change.

Two-a-days are fast approaching, but until then high school football programs are participating in 7 on 7. The state tournament in College Station is set for the last week in June. Spring hill hosted a Division II qualifying tournament Friday afternoon and that is for 4A programs and below.

So far two East Texas high school baseball teams have won a state title. Union Hill stepped up to the plate for its Class 1A state semifinal game Friday morning in Round Rock.

There was a great scene in Gilmer Wednesday morning as the Union Hill baseball team departed for the state tournament. Final four bound for the second time in program history, the Bulldogs will take on Abbott in the Class 1A semifinals on Friday morning in Round Rock.

After just one season as the head football coach at Frankston, Jonny Louvier is leaving to be an assistant at Tyler Lee under new head coach Kurt Traylor.

If Dez Bryant keep its up, the Lufkin native will go down as one of the best to ever wear the star. Speaking of, former Cowboy greats and Super Bowl champions Kenny Gant and Billy Joe DuPree were in East Texas Tuesday to support a good cause. Over 190 women and men came out to participate in the 17th annual Veterans Memorial Golf Tournament at Holly Lake Ranch.

"They just said it's going to be a long time, it's going to be a long process. However you handle it how it's going to turn out," said Drew Robertson, Tyler native and Baylor pitcher.  Drew Robertson is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. The summer before his freshman year at Brook Hill High School, Robertson was involved in an RTV accident that threatened to end his baseball career before it even started.  "I tried to maybe jump out, so my leg was hanging...

It's fitting Earl Campbell was in East Texas Wednesday, because the top talent from the region and nation is deciding to attend his Alma Mater. On his twitter account Wednesday night DeMarvion Overshown verbally committed to Texas. The Arp safety from the class of 2018 is the most sought after recruit from our area and holds 30 Division I offers.

Kings of the dogpile, the Tyler baseball team entered the night with a chance to claim the 2017 Division III Junior College national championship. 

From Tyler native Earl Campbell to Ricky Williams, the University of Texas has produced some of the best running backs in college football history. Perhaps Carthage star Keaontay Ingram will be the next. On his twitter account Tuesday afternoon, the four star recruit announced his verbal commitment to the Longhorns.

It's been all business at the Division II World Series for the Tyler Junior College baseball team. But, thanks to three straight wins in Greeneville, Tennessee, the Apaches had the day off and hit the pool.

UT Tyler will play Virginia Wesleyan at noon on Sunday at the NCAA Division III Softball Championship after the Marlins eliminated Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium Complex to advance for a rematch against the Patriots.

For the fourth straight year, Houston Baseball wins its way into the American Baseball Championship title game in Clearwater, Fla. after earning a convincing 13-3 win over (3) UConn on Saturday in the semifinal round at Spectrum Field. The Cougars scored five runs in the fifth inning and never let up as they backed their ace starter in Trey Cumbie, who improved to 10-1 on the year.

Whitney Simmons won her second straight NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Hammer Throw National Championship and broke her own national record with a mark of 64.03 meters on the final throw of her collegiate career on Saturday at the SPIRE Institute.

UT Tyler senior Whitney Simmons will attempt to cap her historic career with a third national title and seventh all-America honor when she competes in the hammer throw at the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.

Down by one in the bottom of the 10th inning, Stephen F. Austin freshman Josh Campbell sent a hard single to up the middle and pinch runner Chad Dunlop tried to score the game-tying run from second only to see New Orleans shortstop Aaron Palmer recover from knocking the ball down and throw out Dunlop at the plate which ended the `Jacks' season in a 4-3 loss in a Southland Conference Tournament elimination game at Constellation Field Thursday morning.

H.S. baseball regional semifinal and softball regional final scores from Thursday.

If East Texas native Jon Lyles can execute his plan of attack, then Tyler will be home to an arena football team by 2019. There have been several other attempts to bring indoor football to the region, but they have been widely unsuccessful. Lyles though seems to have his ducks in a row. It also doesn't hurt the Arp native is an arena football guru.

When it comes to the Cowboys, there is always off-the field news to talk about. And this week, the team is actually in action for organized team activities. On Tuesday, word came down about defensive end David Irving appealing a four-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Wednesday afternoon, running back Ezekiel Elliott dominated headlines after being in a car accident on Sunday night.

Playing in the opening game of the Southland Conference Tournament, the sixth-seeded Stephen F. Austin baseball team had no answer for the offensive firepower of third-seeded Sam Houston State as the ‘Jacks fell to the Bearkats 13-1 in seven innings Wednesday morning at Constellation Field.

Ten high school baseball teams from our area are closing in on a trip to the state tournament. Now a couple regional semifinal matchups are all East affairs, so while that is entertaining, a few squads will automatically be eliminated. That was not the case Wednesday night though.

H.S. baseball regional quarterfinal scores

Over at Mike Carter Field, the Tyler Junior College baseball team is set to host a six-team District C tournament, which starts Thursday. The winner of the double-elimination event will punch its ticket to the NJCAA World Series.

SMU head coach Chad Morris and assistant Jeff Traylor would love to land a top prospect like Patrick Mahomes II in the coming years. The Whitehouse product and former Texas Tech star was recently drafted number 10 overall by the Chiefs. Mahomes has gone through rookie minicamp with Kansas City and next up is organized team activities.

It's a going to be an exciting week in the Rose City with three World Series berths up for grabs. But one program has already advanced to the big stage and will open play at the World Series Wednesday afternoon.

Nearly a week ago on May 8th, around 300 fans followed Tony Romo at a U.S. Open local qualifier in Aledo, Texas. The former Cowboys quarterback failed to finish in the top seven, and therefore no longer has a chance to play in the PGA Tour's major championship in mid-June. An East Texan did make the cut in Aledo, and is one step away from playing on golf's biggest stage.

Speaking of rookie mini camp, all 32 NFL teams have held their three-day session and next up is organized team activities. We focused on the Cowboys first round pick in defensive end Taco Charlton Sunday night, but a fourth round selection turned some heads over the weekend. Wide receiver Ryan Switzer is being called a Cole Beasley clone and therefore is Dak Prescott friendly.

They aren't near the level of music icons Jay Z and Beyonce, who have a combined net worth of nearly $1 billion, but Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews are no doubt the power couple of East Texas. A few weeks ago Mahomes was drafted number 10 overall by the Chiefs and Monday, Matthews signed to play professional soccer in Iceland.

So far in our state track previews, you have seen stories on athletes from bigger schools, but Union Grove is bringing 2A power down to Austin. The Lady Lions will compete in seven total events, and have a very good chance at bringing, a team championship back to East Texas.