As two sports come down to the final regular week, one sports began conference play this past week, and another starts conference play this upcoming.

There was a plethora of action and excitement through Temple College Athletics this past week, which included two basketball games with conference tournament seeding implications.

Here is a look back to last week…and look forward to this week…in Temple College Athletics.

Men's Basketball rallies to down SwCC, keeps tournament hopes alive

The Temple College Leopards men's basketball team faced a must-win situation, down to two games and sole possession of third place. The Southwestern Christian College Rams were a ready and eager group to try and jump past the Leopards in the standings.

Temple erased a 17-point lead after head coach Dr. Cliff Ellis called a timeout with 8:09 to go in the first half with a 21-4 run.

What ensued following that run was a roller coaster ride that was so tight neither team led by more than five points. TC endured a pesky SwCC offense and blocked two shots in the final five seconds to edge the Rams, 92-89.

The Rams outscored the Leopards over the first 11:51, 32-15 and forced Ellis to call a timeout and refocused the team.

The Leopards answered the coach's call with a 21-4 run over the next 4:09 to tie the game at 36-36.

The mood at Kirby Johnson Court began to change as the crowd got back into the game.

Temple took a 48-46 lead shortly before the half before Kainan Thomas had a buzzer-beating three-point shot to give the Rams the lead at the half, 49-48.

The teams traded the lead several times over the course of the second half. With Southwestern having led 83-82, Temple went on a 10-6 clip down the stretch.

Josh Telfort blocked the final two shots of the game to give Temple a three-point win.

Temple shot 43.1% from the field, 26.3% from behind the arc, and 71.4% from the free throw line.

Three Leopards scored in double figures led by Telfort with 23 points, Jaymes Brown-Peterson with 19, and Eben Effah with 14.

Where do the Leopards stand

As of Sunday, Temple is 18-11 overall (second-best) and sits in third place with a 7-6 record with one game remaining.

MCC was 10-2, Weatherford 10-3, TC is 7-6, Southwestern Christian is at 6-7, and Ranger is 5-6. All other NTJCAC teams have been eliminated from tournament contention.

Next up for the Leopards

Temple College will travel to Waco to take on McLennan on Wednesday at 7 pm.

Women's basketball wins critical game, trying to lock up final seed

The Temple College women's basketball team took on the Southwestern Christian College Rams on Wednesday at Kirby Johnson Court.

Temple scored the first 12 points of the game and never looked back, as the Leopards defeated the Rams, 109-54.

Mychal White scored 11 of her game-high 30 points in the first quarter, as she dished out assists on baskets by Jaylice Rosario, and Aniyah Lewis. The Leopards' 12-0 run over first three minutes of the game set the tone, as Temple led at the end of the first period, 29-13.

White scored ten of Temple's 29 points in the second quarter, as the Leopards replicated its first quarter output, 29-13, and led at halftime. 58-26.

The Rams did not roll over, as they continued to battle Leopards mightily. TC outscored SwCC in the third stanza, 26-22, and led after 30 minutes, 84-48.

Temple outscored Southwestern in the fourth quarter, 25-9, as they won the game by 55 points.

Three Leopards scored in double figures along with White, who did not play in the fourth quarter. Rosario scored 19, Lewis added 14, and Gabby Edo chipped in ten. Temple shot 17-of-22 from the free throw line.

Where do the Leopards stand

Temple is 19-9 overall and 9-5 in the NTJCAC, in sole possession of fourth place with two games to play. They have won six of their last seven.

As of Sunday, MCC and Grayson College are 12-2, and Collin County Community College are 11-3. CCCC has a two-game lead over. Weatherford College is 9-6 and is one-half game behind TC. A Temple win or Weatherford loss would clinch a Region V Tournament playoff spot. The Coyotes take on Cisco College on Wednesday.

What's next for the Leopards

Temple College will travel to MCC on Wednesday at 5 pm and will host Cisco College in their final home game on Saturday at 2 pm.

Baseball takes three of four games to round out non-conference play

The Temple College baseball team started their calendar week with a pair of losses to Angelina College last Sunday.

An extended post-game meeting was held, and the team back to play University of Mary Hardin-Baylor JV on Monday in Belton.

Jackson Todd drove in sixth runs, Ryder Rutledge collected five hits, and five TC pitchers combined to scatter eight hits as the Leopards defeated the Crusaders, 17-4.

Todd and Andrew Ermis had home runs, and Ermis chipped in four RBI.

With their confidence rebuilt, the Leopards hosted a three-team round robin that began on Friday against No. 3 Midland College.

It was a less than ideal start for the Leopards, as Midland scored six times in the first three innings and put up ten runs over the final two frames to run rule the Leopards, 16-2.

Midland scored three runs in the first, one in the second and three in the third to take a 6-0 lead.

Kolvin Davis walked and Kade Davis singled to set up Lance Cantrell's two-run single in the bottom of the sixth to draw Temple to within four runs.

Midland answered with three runs in the seventh and seven more in the eighth.

Jacob Kuhn picked up the win, as he pitched six innings, allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, struck out seven and walked two. Keller Lindeman pitched two innings, allowed one hit, struck out one, and walked one.

Kade Davis had two of Temple's four hits.

Patrick Collopy pitched two innings in the loss. The Temple staff combined to strike out ten and walk eight.

After a good night's rest, the Leopards focused on Saturday's play as they took on Midland to start the day.

Temple bounced back from Friday's game with eight runs in the opening two innings on Saturday to upend Midland in seven innings, 9-2.

The Leopards loaded the bases in the bottom of the first when Kolvin Davis was hit by a pitch, and Cantrell and Ermis drew walks. Peanut Brazzle's sacrifice fly scored Kolvin Davis to get Temple on the scoreboard. Rutledge doubled home Cantrell, Midland starting pitcher Logan Flores balked home Ermis, and Kash Millar reached on an error to Rutledge to give the Leopards a 4-0 lead.

Josh Wulfert scored on a single, two stolen bases, and a groundout by Stevyn Andrachick in the second to cut the Chaparrals' margin to three.

Cantrell's two-out single in the second set up Ermis' two-run blast to increase Temple's lead to five. Brazzle singled on the next pitch, and Rutledge homered on the pitch after to drive in Brazzle to give Temple an 8-1 lead.

The Leopards made the lead stand, with Jorge Gil scoring on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth for Midland, and Kolvin Davis answering with a solo shot in the bottom of sixth to cap the scoring.

Temple collected nine hits, with Rutledge having logged three hits and Kolvin Davis having collected two hits.

Tobin Eschief went the distance for the Leopards, as he logged seven innings, allowed two runs on five hits, struck out five and walked three.

With a win in their pocket, Temple played Navarro College later in the day.

Rutledge and Cantrell crushed homers to support Kade Davis' two-hitter as the Leopards run-ruled the Bulldogs in five innings, 10-0.

Temple scored in the bottom of the second off Navarro starting pitcher Jackson Wilkerson. Millar's sacrifice scored Rutledge to give the Leopards a 1-0 lead.

Kolvin Davis walked, and Cantrell was hit by a pitch to start the third inning.  With one out, Brazzle's single to right field scored Kolvin Davis. On the next pitch, Rutledge hit a towering fly ball over the right field fence to put Temple up 5-0.

The Leopards doubled their lead in the fourth inning. Millar walked, and Hunter Baros reached on an error to start the inning. Kolvin Davis' sacrifice bunt set up Millar at third and Baros at second for Cantrell's high fly over the right field wall for the three-run shot. Temple added two more runs on Jackson Todd single to give the Leopards a 10-0.

Kash Davis got the final three outs for the complete game shutout, as he allowed two hits, struck out four and walked one.

Rutledge was 3-of-3 with a homer, three RBI, and three runs scored. Rutledge went 6-of-6 with two homers, six RBI, and four runs scored in the doubleheader. Cantrell went 2-of-3 and came away with four hits in the twin-bill.

Where do the Leopards stand

Temple College is 7-10, as they completed their non-conference schedule.

What's next for the Leopards

Temple College will begin a four-game series on Wednesday against the No. 7 McLennan Community College Highlanders. The teams will play a doubleheader starting at 1 pm at Bosque River Ballpark in Waco. The teams will wrap the series with a doubleheader next Saturday at noon at the Danny Scott Athletic Complex.

MCC

Softball starts NTJCAC play with four-game sweep of Hill College

The Temple College softball team started North Texas Junior College Athletic Conference play on Wednesday afternoon against Hill College in Hillsboro.

The combination of on-point offense, defense, and pitching led the Leopards to a sweep of the Rebels.

Scores of the doubleheader were 8-0 and 10-0 (five innings).

Haley Crawford's no-hit, career high 10-strikeout performance in the opening game set the tone for the Leopards' pitching staff, as TC allowed just three hits and six walks over 12 innings.

Marleigh Manns, who was named NTJCAC Position Player of the Week for her stellar play in last week's western road trip, belted a bases-loaded double to give Temple a 3-0 lead in the second.

Lily Garcia reached on an error that scored Jasmine Benavidez and scored on Emily Delgado's sacrifice fly in the fifth to increase the Leopards' lead to five.

The trio combined for runs in the seventh inning, as Garcia doubled home Benavidez, and Delgado doubled in Garcia. Ma'Rya Quarles capped the scoring in the opener with a single that scored Paige Findley.

Temple collected ten hits over seven innings, with Marli Kennedy having logged the lone multi-hit game.

Crawford faced 25 batters over seven innings and walked four to earn her second no-hit performance of the season.

The offense went to work immediately in game two with a six-spot in the first. Benavidez's double scored Manns, who led off the game having reached on an error. Benavidez then scored on a passed ball. Reese Cottrell's groundout scored Garcia, Delgado scored on a passed ball, Quarles scored when Kennedy reached on an error. Kennedy stole two bases and scored on an error to give the Leopards a 6-0 lead.

Delgado stole home during a double-steal attempt by the Leopards in the third, pinch-hitter Breanne Calhoun launched a two-run single to right field that scored Manns and Benavidez in the fourth, and Lexi Dudeczka scored on a wild pitch in the fifth to complete the scoring for the Leopards.

Temple gathered seven hits in five innings and parlayed three Hill errors into five runs. Benavidez logged the lone multi-hit game for the Leopards, as she doubled twice.

Hannah Calhoun started the game in the circle for the Leopards and allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out three for the win. Cottrell pitched an inning of relief, allowed two hits, and struck out two. Delanee Ekster closed out the game, pitched one inning, and allowed one walk.

On Saturday, the Leopards completed the series with another doubleheader sweep. The scores of the games were 12-0 and 13-1, both in five innings.

The Leopards scored their first run in the bottom of the second inning, when Camryn Dunkley blasted a triple down the right field line and scored on Anissa Hill's infield single.

Temple put up four runs in the second inning. Garcia's sacrifice fly scored Benavidez. Reese Cottrell's two-run double and Hill's RBI double gave the Leopards a 5-0 advantage.

Angie DeLeon's two-run homer scored Benavidez, Delgado's single scored Garcia, and Dunkley's two-run single scored Delgado and Findley, Marleigh Manns tripled in Hill and scored on a wild pitch to push the game into run-rule territory at the end of the fourth.

The Rebels got two runners on in the top of the fifth inning. However, Delgado struck out three batters to lock up the first-game win.

Temple logged ten hits with Delgado, Dunkley and Hill having collected two hits each. DeLeon, Cottrell, Dunkley and Hill each had two RBI.

Crawford got the win, as she tossed 2 2/3 innings, allowed one hit, walked four and struck out three. Cottrell pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowed two hits and struck out three. Delgado dealt an inning, gave up a hit, and struck out three.

In the second game, Manns' triple to start the bottom of the first set up Jaycee Tumlinson's RBI single. Delgado singled in Tumlinson to double TC's lead to 2-0.

Two walks and an error set up Abbi Jaramillo's groundout that scored Alexis Ramsey and cut the Rebels' margin to 2-1 heading into the bottom of the second.

Temple rallied for eight runs in the bottom of the third. After a single by Tumlinson and a double by DeLeon to start the inning, Garcia hit a sharp liner to left field for a single. The ball was misplayed in the outfield and all three runs scored to put Temple up 5-1. Abby Drabek's pinch-hit single scored Delgado, Manns singled home Marli Kennedy, Tumlinson singled home Manns, and Garcia doubled home Tumlinson to give Temple a 10-1 lead.

Gross' pinch-hit single in the bottom of the fourth scored Delgado, Dudeczka scored on a passed ball, and Manns' ground out scored Gross to increase Temple's lead to 12, 13-1.

Temple crushed 14 hits, with Tumlinson having gone 3-of-4 with two RBI. Garcia was 2-of-3 with an RBI and Manns was 2-of-4 with two RBI.

Hannah Calhoun picked up the win for Temple, as she pitched 1 2/3 innings, allowed one unearned run on one hit, walked two and struck out one. Cottrell pitch 1 1/3 innings, allowed a hit, struck out two and walked one. Crawford pitched two innings and struck out three.

Where do the Leopards stand

The Leopards are 21-4 overall and 4-0 in conference, tied with No. 21 Weatherford College, No. 4 McLennan Community College, and Ranger College. No. 5 Grayson College had the conference bye.

What's next for the Leopards

A four-game series between No. 12 Temple College and No. 4 MCC will have a ton of national eyes on it. The series will start on Wednesday with a doubleheader starting at 1 pm at the Danny Scott Athletic Complex. The series will conclude at MCC with a doubleheader at noon on Saturday.

Manns earns NTJCAC Position Player of the Week honor

While the Temple-Hill doubleheader was being played on Wednesday, the conference announced that outfielder Marleigh Manns was awarded NTJCAC Position Player of the Week honors.

The Las Cruces, NM native batted .652 during the Leopards' western swing, with 12 RBI, six runs scored, two home runs, a triple, a double, three steals, and two walks.