Kaytlyn Bales and Sa’Kendra Norwood represented the IHS Powerlifting Team in the State meet held at Corpus Christi, March 20-21. Although, the events didn’t unfold as they had anticipated, these Lady Gladiators gained valuable experience for next season and returned with some hardware as well.

The Italy Lady Gladiators kick the sand from their pre-season cleats and tighten the leather straps on their softball gloves a bit tighter, as they hope to get their mitts on another District Title.

The season is in full swing for the Italy Gladiators. The boys traveled to Grand Prairie on Thursday night fully intending to score big and take home another win. That is exactly what they did.

The Gladiators hosted Waxahachie Advantage Wednesday night to make up a rain out game earlier in the schedule. Italy High School came prepared for their second game of the season.

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Was it the luck of the Irish that came into play on St. Patrick’s Day? Not really. Luck had nothing to do with it. The Gladiators took the field by storm on Tuesday evening at the Sports Complex in Waxahachie for their first game with full concentration and honed skills. They played Waxahachie Faith Family and skunked the Eagles 11-0.

The IYAA finished it’s 2009 basketball season Tuesday night at the Old Italy Gym. 6th and 5th grade girls and boys competed one last time before the 6th graders move on to Junior High. We wish them all the best of luck next year and trust they’ll carry fond memories of their careers in the IYAA.

Five Italy Gladiator basketball players were selected to the 2009 15A All-District Team. Congratulations to these Gladiatiors for their efforts this season.

The IYAA begins wrapping up another successful season and is proud of all our student athletes, their parents and grandparents for helping to make this year one of the best!

Abilene – The Roscoe Plowboys busted out of the chute and shot their way past our Italy Gladiators to earn a spot in the “Final Four” at Austin. It seemed Italy managed to hang on for about 7.9 seconds into the 1st quarter before getting bucked out of the Regional Championship game 68-34.

The Italy Gladiators dent the armor of the Knights and conquer Lindsay 74-64. The win makes Italy, Regional Semifinal Champions, and catapults them into the Championship game against the rock-solid, Roscoe Plowboys, Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Abilene on the ACU campus.

Italy now advances to the Regional Championship game at 2:30 pm Saturday, March 7 in the Moody Coliseum of Abilene Christian University!

Italy beat Lindsay 74-64. Our Gladiators will now take on the Roscoe Plowboys in the Regional Championship game.

Coaches Kyle Holley, Larry Mayberry and Josh Ward helped the IHS Varsity squad load the bus on Friday afternoon as fellow classmates lined the parking lot for a victorious send off. The boys were excited as they set out on the road for Abilene.

We won! We Won! Third time is a charm as our Italy Gladiators deliver a mighty blow to the Itasca Wampus Cats and claim the Regional Quartefinal Championship. Italy’s next game will be in Abilene against Lindsay at 8:00 p.m. on Friday, March 6 for the the Regional Semi-Final Championship.

Important information for Italy fans regarding event changes and Regional games:

You never know when that one pass, that one drive to the basket or that one shot will make that one special memory for a child. The kind of memory they’ll remember for a lifetime. The IYAA provides local youths the opportunity to create those special moments and make friends they’ll never forget.

The IYAA has a handfull of baseball rosters still need players to field a team. Please review the list below to see if you might have a rising star on your hands that is ready to play but thought the roster might be full. Contact Gary Wood directly on his cell: 469-261-9566 and he’ll help you get registered.

What a difference a day can make! After a bad game last Friday the Lady Gladiators came out on Monday like they had something to prove. And prove they did! Our “Ladies” beat Waco Connally 10-4 in a pre-season contest.

Members of the IHS Powerlifting Team, Lady Gladiators Kaytlyn Bales and Sa’Kendra Norwood, are carrying the load for Italy all the way to the State Powerlifting Meet, March 20th and 21st.

“The Italy Gladiators Varsity team are Area Champions,” says Coach Kyle Holley. The next time to see our boys play will be Wednesday night at 7:00 pm at West High School. Italy will take on the Itasca Wampus Cats.

The Italy Gladiators buzzed past the 20-10 Menard Yellow Jackets (13A District Champs) by a score of 65-56 to claim the Area Championship making Italy’s record 22-10. Italy rematches arch nemesis, Itasca, for the Regional Quarterfinal crown on Wednesday, March 4th at 7:00 p.m. in West.

The Lady Gladiators took to the field Friday night in a non-district game against the Rice Lady Bulldogs. In these two teams’ previous game the Lady Gladiators defeated Rice 5-3. This time…not so much. The final score in this contest was 7-0 in favor of the Lady Bulldogs

Italy plays the Menard Yellow Jackets on Friday, February 27th in Dublin, Texas at 7:30 p.m. – This article contains instructions to assist Gladiator Fans as everyone travels to Dublin, Texas for the Area Championship game. Also, there will be a send-off for the players at 3:00 p.m. in the High School parking lot.

Italy’s Powerlifting Team competed in Riesel this past weekend. Three different Italy Powerlifters medaled: Kaytlyn Bales, Sa’Kendra Norwood and Curtis Cole.

The IYAA FINAL Baseball/Softball sign-ups are this weekend Saturday, February 28, at the Old Italy Gym between 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and also 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. at Upchurch Field. Italy Lions Club is having their first BBQ Cook-off, sponsored by the Lone Star BBQ Society, in which the IYAA will be participating. Please bring a birth certificate and $65.00 sign-up fee for each player.

IYAA – It’s that time of the season when all the hard work and practice starts falling into place. Week 7 was about making that first layup in your whole life, finally getting the ball over the front of the rim to make your first free throw ever and that moment you realize you could be pretty good at this game.

Finishing in 3rd place within District 15A, the Lady Gladiators appeared in the playoffs for the 1st time since 2006 becoming Bi-District Finalist for 2009. Although young, the Lady Gladiators basketball team was loaded with talent. Enough talent in fact, that each player was selected to the All-District list. Congratulations to these “Beauties of Brawn” for their accomplishments this season.

West, Texas – The Italy Gladiators conquered Chilton and claimed the Bi-District Championship. Captain Kyle Holley and 1st Mate Larry Mayberry led their crew of Gladiators over a wave of fan support as Italy sunk the Pirates 87-73.

The Lady Gladiators made their presence known at The Classic of Ellis County softball tournament this past weekend. This tournament, sponsored by the Ellis County Umpires Association, had a total of 14 teams from all over Texas participate.

The Italy Gladiators had a warm-up game with Crossroads Friday night in preparation for their playoff game to be held on Monday night in West, Texas at 7:00 p.m. against Chilton.

Seniors Dontavius Clemons, Darrin Moore and Diamond Rodgers helped close the books on another successfull regular season of Italy Gladiators’ basketball. Head Coach Kyle Holley has his squad primed for the playoffs as they play Monday, February 23, for the Bi-District Chamionship in West, Texas.

The “Italian Globetrotters,” the Italy Gladiators JV boys squad, dazzled fans with a talented display of their basketball skills as they passed over top of Waxahachie Advantage 77-32 and ended the season with an exclamation point!

The Italy Coliseum – The Italy 7th and 8th grade boys’ basketball squads ended their 2009 seasons with big shots, two well earned wins and a lifetime of hoop memories.

It was five years ago when the Lady Bulldogs were in the basketball playoffs. Under the coaching direction of Larry Williamson, this year the girls ended the district season in second place and will once again make a playoff appearance.

Bi-District Championship Game in West, Texas – After a Tuesday afternoon Pep-Rally wishing the Italy Lady Gladiators luck, students and fans traveled to West, Texas to support the team as they competed for a Bi-District Championship against the Valley Mills Lady Eagles.

The rematch of all rematches, unfortunately, didn’t live up to the hype…at least not for the Gladiators. Itasca, on the other hand, seemed to be having a blast singeing the nets against Italy, winning easily, 68- 51.

The Italy Gladiators JV put the finishing touches on an incredible basketball season. A two-for-one deal, the win over Itasca Friday allowed Italy’s JV to wrap up the 15-A Junior Varsity Championship with a 15-1 record. And secondly, Head Coach Larry Mayberry finally got to smile.

Per TxDOT both the north bound and south bound lanes of I-35 will be closed beginning at 7:00 p.m. tonight, February 17, in the Hillsboro area. This closure will directly affect all of the Lady Gladiator fans traveling to West tonight to support our Lady Gladiators as they take on Valley Mills for a Bi-District Title.

Head Coach Matt Coker and Assistant Coach Josh Ward assembled baseball parents for a meeting last Thursday night. It is the beginning of Gladiator Baseball and the coaches wanted everyone on board. “I am excited about the upcoming season and we are ready for the program,” Coker explained.

Rice, Texas — Monday night the Lady Gladiator Softball team opened up their regular season in Rice. The Lady Gladiators took on the Rice Lady Bulldogs and came out of the game with a mark in the win column. The score at the end of 7 innings was Italy 5, Rice 3.

The Italy Lady Gladiators scrimmaged against the Blooming Grove Lady Lions to get the 2009 softball season underway on Thursday.

Head Boys Basketball Coach Kyle Holley would like to inform Italy fans of the upcoming basketball schedules for all the games this coming Monday and Tuesday.

The Old Italy Gym – The IYAA is a fun time for families and friends to come together and enjoy exciting youth sports. IYAA Basketball is a perfect example of this with Week 5 now in the books.

Once again, Italy’s #2 Heath Clemons shouldered the load for the Gladiators, at point guard, against Dallas Faith Family. Jasenio Anderson rested his sprained ankle for another game. The rematch against Itasca is at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night at the Italy Coliseum. Let’s “Pack The Dome” Gladiator fans!

3…2…1…Dallas Faith Family shoots the 3-pointer! It misses! It rolls off! The Lady Gladiators have done it! Italy wins 45-43 and invites Mr. Momentum to escort them into the playoffs riding a two game winning streak. This is the Lady Gladiators’ first opportunity to go to the “big dance” since 2006.

Italy – That’s right, “Playoffs!” Both Italy Varsity basketball squads are heading to the playoffs. Thanks to an Italy Lady Gladiator’s win over Grand Prairie AA and an Itasca win over Family Faith of Dallas, the Lady Gladiators finished in 3rd place and are making their 1st post season appearence since 2006.

Italy – The Italy Lady Gladiators went for it against the Dallas Gateway Gators. A determined effort by Italy kept the game close for 3 periods setting the stage for an exciting final period.

Italy’s, undefeated, 8th Grade Girls tried to deliver the knockout blow to the Itasca Lady Wampus Cats Thursday at the Italy Coliseum. It was a close 1st half of play but Italy seemed to have the upperhand going into the 2nd half.

Italy 7th Grade squads took on Itasca in two grueling basketball games. As the season nears it’s end, Coach Tina Richards and Coach Larry Mayberry have their squads playing hard and giving Italy fans something to cheer about.