2011-2012 School Highlights

With WOS athletic director Cornel Thompson and his father, Derek Ledet, senior Derek Ledet signed to play football at Kilgore College in Kilgore.

The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor softball team placed eleven players on the American Southwest Conference All-West Division teams. Led by Pitcher Rebekah Ragsdale who was named West Division Pitcher of the Year, the Cru had four First Team selections, placed two players on the All-West Second Team and added five Honorable Mention All-West picks. Ragsdale, a sophomore right-hander from West Orange-Stark also named to the ASC All-Tournament Team, recorded a 14-7 record and posted a 2.46 ERA. Ragsdale also struck out 87 batters, nailed down two saves, tossed eight shutouts and completed 14 games while throwing 139.1 innings.  Ragsdale was interviewed after her win against Hardin-Simmons.

West Orange – Stark High School students earned Best of Show in two categories at the State Skills USA competition held in Corpus Christi. Ashton Lemoine won Best of Show in the Precision Machining Job Exhibit competition for the second consecutive year; while Amber Carpenter won Best of Show in Building Trades Job Exhibit Competition. Fellow WO-S Career Center classmates Michael Hagan and Matt Goff earned blue ribbons on their precision machine projects. Sterling Lewis, Bradley Freeman, Josh Blanchard, Tyler Chandler, Stephen Tramell, Dillan Trahan, and Joseph Self earned second place ribbons for their precision machine job exhibits. Goff, Freeman, Blanchard, Tramell, and Trahan are Bridge City High School students who attend WO-S Career Center precision machine classes. WO-S building trades students also competed in project exhibits and earned blue ribbons as well. They are Nicholas Tezeno and Ashley Hooper. Matthew Broussard earned a red ribbon. Carlo Paulino is the WO-S High School precision machining instructor. Randy Palmero instructs building trades.

	Jamarcus Rhodes of WOS won both the 110 and 300 hurdles held at Dan Hooks Stadium Thursday at the 21-3A Meet. more photos in our photo gallery  Boys Results  Girls Results 1 West Orange-Stark  187 2 Bridge City 109.50 3 Hamshire Fannett  106 4 Silsbee  89.50 5 Hardin Jefferson 85 6 Orangefield  35

	WOS Head Football Coach Cornel Thompson has confirmed to KOGT that longtime assistant Ed Dyer will be the Mustangs Offensive Coordinator next season.  He's replacing first year OC Stan Hodges who is pursuing a position at another school.

West Orange-Stark linebacker Trayvon Blanchard has given Baylor University a verbal commitment to play football there following his senior season.

Tuesday during the West Orange-Stark basketball game, Mustang great Travessa Gant had her jersey retired by the school.  Gant was an incredible player who could and sometimes did play every position during a game.  Gant went on to play at Lamar and also overseas.  Her former coaches, Ricky Ryan and Camille Fuller, also attended the event. photo by Meri Elen Jacobs.

Three from West Orange-Stark signed football scholarships Wednesday.  From left: Justin Thomas (Utah), Ryan Allen (Missouri Valley), and DeCarlos Renfro (UTEP).

Surrounded by her coaches and mother, WO-S senior Cassandra May signs to play softball at Lamar State College in Port Arthur. From left to right, Athletic Director Cornel Thompson, Asst. Coach Brittany Washburn, Head Coach Randy Ragsdale and Asst. Coach Michael Shugart, along with Cassandra and her mother, Carolyn May.

Britton Lindsey will play football at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia. The WOS senior RB was the Offensive Player of the Year in District 21-3A last season. The Wildcats play in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and finished 2-8 last season.

The WOCCISD Education Foundation surprised over a dozen teachers at four different West Orange – Cove CISD campuses with grant awards for innovative teaching Friday, Jan. 27. A total of 13 grants were presented to teachers at North Early Learning Center, West Orange – Stark Elementary, West Orange – Stark Middle, and West Orange – Stark High Schools. more

Daniel Woodson and Britton Lindsey named MVP's on 21-3A football team

District Champion Mustangs flood All-KOGT Football Team

Academic All-State Football Team

Ashleigh Kelly of WOS named 21-3A volleyball MVP. Twelve players from Orange County named to the
 All-District Team.  Kelly was also named to the All-KOGT Volleyball Team.

Crystal Haynes was crowned the West Orange-Stark Homecoming Queen Friday.  The Mustangs defeated Hamshire-Fannett 22-12 in the 21-3A opener.  WOS also held a tailgate party before the game and did some line dancing!

For the fourth consecutive year, West Orange - Cove CISD has earned a Property Casualty Alliance of Texas (PCAT) dividend. Kerry Sims, Executive Vice President and Chief Operation Officer of North American Solutions made the $53,780.27 presentation to WOCCISD Superintendent James Colbert (right) this week. Previous presentations to WOCCISD have totaled more than $130,000, excluding this week’s dividend. Dividends result from lower than normal claims. PCAT is a Texas interlocal governmental risk program representing 104 school districts and over $27 million in annual contributions.

The old Anderson Elementary School has students once again. However, they are not youngsters learning their ABCs. Part of the campus is now the West Orange-Stark Academic Alternative School. In the next few months, the main part of the school will be remodeled to house the West Orange-Cove district administration offices. The changes are part of the $6 million bond issue voters approved in May.  more

Many new Directors, Principals, and Coordinators will welcome students and their families for the 2011-2012 West Orange – Cove CISD academic school year as a result of increased instructional support at the central office and campus level. “The District has experienced a great amount of change in a short amount of time. One of our major goals through these events has been to be stronger and to strengthen our leadership teams,” Superintendent James Colbert said.  Meet the new additions.

Shannon Larson, a former assistant principal for the Vidor school district, will be the new principal for North Early Learning Center. The West Orange-Cove school board Monday night approved hiring Larson, who was chosen by Superintendent James Colbert. Larson will be the second new principal for the upcoming school year. The school district has four campuses.

Katy Snell, a 2004 WOS graduate and four year starter for the softball team, has been named the new head softball coach at Lockhart HS.  Lockhart is a 4A school located just east of San Marcos.