Thursday’s Sports

Astros’ third baseman Alex Bregman left Wednesday night’s game after the first inning. He came up limping after running out a ground ball.

NBA

G5 Hawks (3-2) 109 – 76ers 106

G5 Clippers (3-2) 119 – Jazz 111

MLB

Astros (39-28) 8 – Texas (25-43) 4

NFL

The NFL and NFL Players Association have updated COVID-19 protocols to loosen restrictions for fully vaccinated players and encourage others to get the vaccine. Unvaccinated players must continue to get daily testing, wear masks and practice physical distancing. They won’t be allowed to eat meals with teammates, can’t participate in media or marketing activities while traveling, aren’t permitted to use the sauna or steam room, and may not leave the team hotel or interact with people outside the team.

NCAA

A technology that debuted at the 2020 College Football National Championship will soon be available in Waco. Digital seats, which offer instant engagement for fans at events, are installed at two of Baylor University’s most prominent venues. “We’re installing digital seat tags on armrests and bleachers at the Ferrell Center and McLane Stadium so fans can engage at football games and other live events,” said Cameron Fowler, CEO of Digital Seat Media. Wednesday marked day one of the two-day install at McLane Stadium, where 43,000 digital seat tags are being hand-fitted onto bleachers and armrests.

Tyler’s Branson Ellis has already spent almost two weeks in “TrackTown.” Last week he claimed Stephen F. Austin’s first men’s outdoor national championship. This weekend, he looks to become an Olympian. Ellis, a Texas high school Class 6A state record holder, and two-time UIL state pole vault champion is set to compete at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials, held back at Hayward Field on the university campus of Oregon. Ellis cleared 19-feet, and a quarter-inch in February 2020 at the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships for a second-place finish, which earned him the invite to the Olympic trials.

HIGH SCHOOL

Sulphur Springs ISD announced Wednesday that the Board of Trustees had hired former Wildcat Quarterback Tyrik Rollison to be an Assistant High School Football Coach. Many consider him to be one of the finest players ever at Sulphur Springs High School. He led the Wildcats to their one and only State Championship in 2008. In addition to his coaching responsibilities, Rollison will serve as a Physical Education Teacher’s Aide.

The Paris Ladycats named the head coach of Sherman, April Atterberry, as its new softball coach. Atterberry has time with Bells and Alice schools as well.

At Rivercrest, they replaced Coach Lance Cannot, who is now with Brownsboro, with Laytner Kennedy as the head coach. Kennedy has been an assistant coach on the baseball team with Rivercrest.