April 2022

Kyla Bain completed one of the rarest feats in all of sports, pitching a perfect game in the Fruitvale Firecrackers’ 12-0 win over the Edgewood Dirty Dozen April 18. Bain’s performance was made more incredible by the fact that she struck out all 12 batters she faced, including 11 on swinging strikes. The Fruitvale lefty would strike out nine more batters in her next start before allowing her first walk of the season. Courtesy photo

Anna Lois Granberry Wilbourn was born May 19, 1934, in Winona, Texas, to George and Viola Granberry. She was one of 11 children and the youngest of six sisters. She passed away in Canton, Texas on April 20, 2022, at the age of 87.

The Canton Eaglettes kept busy last week despite having already locked up the second seed in District 14-4A play entering the playoffs, squaring off against Sulphur Springs in a warm-up game April 22.

Raynell Clay Copeland, 76, of Grand Saline, passed away April 25, 2022, in Quitman. She was born Aug.

The Van Lady Vandals and Athens Lady Hornets met up for the third time this season April 22, playing to determine which team would serve as the fourth and final playoff qualifier from District 14-4A entering this year’s playoffs.

The Canton, Van and Wills Point track teams made their way west to Sunnyvale last week, competing against athletes from Athens, Brownsboro, Kaufman, Mabank, Nevada Community, Quinlan Ford, Sunnyvale and Terrell this year’s District 13/14-4A Area Meet.

The Edgewood Bulldog and Grand Saline Indian track programs each had an opportunity to qualify athletes for the Class 3A State Track and Field Meet in Austin this week with multiple entrants at the Regional Track Meet in Whitehouse April 29-30.

Funeral services for Geneva Thompson Slatton, 76, of Wills Point, were held 11 a.m., Friday, April 22, 2022, Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. Burial followed at Sand Flat Cemetery in Grand Saline.

The ETA1 16 Black volleyball team recently won the 16 American Division at the 2022 Lone Star Volleyball Classic and earned a berth in the upcoming USAV National Tournament in Indianapolis this July. The team includes two athletes with Van Zandt County ties, including Canton standout Georgia Crayton (first row, far right) and Edgewood’s Kassidy Paul (top row, fourth from left). Courtesy photo

Services for Ada Lee Bass were held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 30, 2022, at Hilliard Funeral Home with a graveside service followed at Concord Cemetery in Chandler.