Hoops Team Camp June 19-23, 2017 DCHS Fieldhouse Middle School 3-5pm High School 6-9pm

The Dodge City High School Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Tony Starnes as the new Head Basketball coach of the Red Demons, pending Board of Education approval at the next scheduled meeting.

Coach Starnes is currently the head basketball coach at North Hopkins High School (TX). He also serves as the Athletic Director at North Hopkins. Starnes graduated from Howard Payne University, and received his Master’s degree from Texas A&M – Commerce. Starnes was the Head Basketball Coach at Clarendon College for thirteen years before moving back to the Dallas metroplex. Coach Starnes’ first position as a Head Basketball coach was at Dodd City H.S. (TX). He has coached six teams to the Texas UIL state playoffs, and at Clarendon he twice led his teams to the national scoring title.

Tony is married to Jayne Starnes, an elementary teacher, and has two daughters – Bailey and Ryann. Coach Starnes was selected from an outstanding pool of candidates to replace long-time Red Demon Head Coach, Dennis Hamilton. Coach Starnes will teach in the Physical Education department as a Strength & Conditioning instructor.

“Getting young kids excited about Red Demon Basketball is my first priority. I want kids from an early age wanting to play for the Red Demons. For this to happen, kids have to be exposed to our staff, our players, and myself. We plan on being very visible in the community. At the Middle School level – our goal is to develop a coordinated, comprehensive, and vertically aligned basketball program for the transition from Middle School to High School. Finally, being the Head Coach at Dodge City means that I am involved and actively participating in the present and future. At all levels my staff and I want to be upbeat and active communicators; as well as visual, vocal and vigilant in helping these RED DEMONS develop as basketball players and young men.” – Tony Starnes

“We believe Tony is going to be an outstanding fit for the Red Demon Basketball program. Coach Starnes understands the privilege of being able to build on the legacy left by Coach Hamilton is an advantage that can lead to immediate buy-in and success. Coach Starnes is a life-long student of the game and has been very effective at implementing his system everywhere he has been. Coach Starnes brings an enthusiasm to the position that will allow the student-athletes in our basketball program to reach and exceed their potential. We believe Tony understands the vision of the DCHS Athletic Department – to develop character in all of our athletes, and is committed to making a difference at Dodge High.” – Jay Gifford – DCHS Athletic Director

After thirty years of teaching and coaching basketball at Dodge City High School, Dennis Hamilton is retiring. Hamilton is stepping aside from his duties as both a PE Teacher and Head Basketball Coach at the end of the current school year. He will do so as the winningest Head Basketball coach in the 112 year history of Red Demon basketball.

Lady Demons begin postseason

By: John Zetmeir

The Dodge City High School girls basketball team will travel to Wichita Northwest on Thursday night for their sub-state opener in hopes to make it back to the 6A state tournament for the second year in a row.

The Red Demons(6-14) have gotten off to better starts in their last five games.The Dodge City girls have outscored their last five opponents by a combined 64-37 in the first quarter. Now, head coach Kelley Snodgrass wants to see her team take the next step and build off of the strong starts.

“I think we have fixed our starting issue for sure,” Snodgrass said. “They’ve come out with more intensity and we’ve really played better on the defensive end. It’s just getting over that hump of being able to finish in close games.”

Last season the Red Demons had the luxury of playing both of their sub-state games at home. In order to make it to the state tournament this season, Dodge City will have to win road games.

“It’s always good to be at home in front of your home crowd but we’ve actually played better on the road this year,” Snodgrass said. “We’ll just take it one game at a time.”

Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Wichita Northwest.

Demons season ends in Wichita

By John Zetmeir

For the first three quarters of Wednesday night’s first round sub-state match up between the Dodge City High School boys basketball team and Wichita North, the Red Demons looked poised to advance to the second round.

Dodge City did not trail in the game until the final 2 minutes and had four free throw attempts in the final second to try to tie the game but Wichita North stole the 59-57 win by outscoring the Red Demons 20-9 in the fourth quarter.

“We played exceptionally hard again, the group has done it all year,” Dodge City head coach Dennis Hamilton said during a post game radio interview. “You can look at our games and there is possibly two or three where we were just outmanned. Our kids just show a lot of guts and grit and continue to get after it and they did again tonight.”

The Red Demons got off to a fast start by taking an 11-4 lead but whenever Dodge City was able to build a sizable lead, Wichita North chipped away at it.

The Redskins ended the first half on a 9-0 run after trailing 31-20 with 2:11 to play in the first half.

With 7:23 to play in the game, junior Kaden Riekenberg drilled a 3-pointer that put Dodge City up 51-41 but it was over the final 7 minutes that Wichita North became the aggressor.

Wichita North grabbed their first lead of the game just under 2 minutes to play before a steal and layup by junior Luke Gleason gave the Demons the lead with 57 seconds left. A 3-point play by North’s Jonah Carrasco gave the Redskins the two-point advantage with 46 seconds left in the game.

Junior Hunter Heath led Dodge City with 16 points while Riekenberg added nine and senior Thomas Sanchez scored eight. The Red Demons finished 19-of-32 from the field and 13-21 from the free throw line.