Texas
East Texas teens share account of witnessing Florida shark attack
MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas (KLTV) – On Tuesday, a group of recent Mount Pleasant and Sulphur Springs high school graduates shared firsthand accounts of a brutal shark attack on the Gulf Coast in Walton County, Florida that happened on June 7. Many in the group jumped into action to help the terrified and injured swimmers, crediting instinct and God’s plan for their quick response.
“No one wants to witness that, but I know that we were there for a reason,” said Mount Pleasant graduate Ella Cross.
What was supposed to be a relaxing last day on their senior beach trip quickly turned into chaos as the group of beachgoers heard screams erupt from the water and saw an ominous fin splashing right in front of them.
“I look up and I see all these girls just, like, rush towards us or just, like, just rushing, and I’m like, ‘what is going on?’ and then the next thing I see is, like, the little, like, shark tail going, like, back-and-forth, back-and-forth,” said Mount Pleasant graduate Abigail Gutierrez.
Soon after, Gutierrez said she saw blood spreading in the water. Two of the girls in the group, Kate Monk, a Sulphur Springs High School graduate, and 21-year-old nursing student Carson Zachry ran into the water to offer help.
It was there they were approached by one of the victims of the attack.
“She just kind of lifted her foot up out of the water and that’s when we saw that she had been bitten on her lower leg and on her foot, and so I just think that was when we knew we had to act,” said Monk, who is also a certified clinical medical assistant.
“I just remember, like, yelling, ‘someone get me a towel!’ I just knew that we had to wrap her leg up just to kind of contain the bleeding.”
Others in the group recalled a strong urge to offer comfort through prayer.
“There was one girl who was coming out of the water – first girl I made eye contact with – and she was panicking, and it was really scary, and I just remember I wanted her to know to know I was talking to her, so I, like, reached for her face and I grabbed her face, and I was like, ‘if you will let me, I would love to pray over you, like, let’s pray,’ and she was like, ‘yes, yes,’” said Mount Pleasant graduate Ali Fair Cheek.
Amanda Hutchings, the CTE Health Science teacher at Mount Pleasant High School, taught several of the young ladies in the group.
“This generation gets such a bad rap for entitlement, and ‘they don’t care,’ and they could do whatever, but this – what they did – it definitely tells about their character more than anything,” she said, exuding pride for the quick thinking of her students.
When asked what was the biggest lesson learned from that day, Ali Fair Cheek said, “I do think tragedy leads to community. I think when something happens that makes you realize something is more important than yourself and you can help other people, I think it, like, leads to community.”
As soon as the survivors of the attack, including Lulu Gribbins, are well enough to see visitors, the group of young East Texans plan to visit Birmingham for a happy reintroduction.
Copyright 2024 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Portal season is going to keep coaching staffs and program front offices up at night.
Apparently, it’s going to keep fans up at night as well. Kentucky fans are going to face that reality these next few days, maybe even a week or more, regarding quarterback Sam Leavitt, who visited Kentucky this weekend.
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Unfortunately, Leavitt left Lexington without signing with the Wildcats. He’s now set to visit Texas Tech on Sunday, per On3’s Pete Nakos
Leavitt is one of the top players to enter the transfer portal after the window opened on Friday. He currently ranks as the No. 2 overall player and top quarterback to hit the open market, according to the On3 Industry Transfer Portal Rankings.
Leavitt is expected to be one of the most sought-after transfer quarterbacks this cycle after spending the last two seasons at Arizona State. He helped lead the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff in 2024 before injuries impacted his production in 2025.
Wildcats fans are excited about the tantalizing prospect Leavitt is, but now the waiting game begins.
After a big win in the first round of the College Football Playoff, the No. 5 Oregon Ducks are on to the quarterfinals. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks will take on the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
How To Watch
When: Thursday, Jan. 1, at 9 a.m. PT.
Where: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
TV Broadcast: ESPN
Radio Call: Oregon Sports Network, KUJZ-FM 95.3 (Eugene), KRSK-105.1 FM/1080 AM (Portland)
Betting Odds
The Oregon Ducks are 2.5-point favorites against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on FanDuel Sportsbook. The moneyline for Oregon is -130, and the point total is set at 52.5.
Injury Update
The Oregon Ducks’ wide receiver unit is getting healthy at the right time. Wide receivers Gary Bryant Jr. and Dakorien Moore were both seen at practice on Saturday ahead of the game against Texas Tech.
Running back Jordon Davison has been a player to monitor, but was also seen back at practice, another positive sign for the Ducks.
The one player who was not seen during the open portion of practice by the media was wide receiver Evan Stewart. Stewart has yet to play in a game this season, and he will continue to be a player to monitor.
Oregon’s Explosive Offense To Play Key Role
The Oregon Ducks offense has been tough to stop, with its immense depth and explosive plays. The Ducks played well throughout the season despite injuries, but with players returning, Oregon will be tough to stop.
The Ducks lead the FBS with plays going for over 20 yards and are No. 2 in yards per rush, proving the team’s explosiveness. The Ducks total 217.08 rushing yards per game and 251.8 passing yards per game.
The Oregon offense is led by quarterback Dante Moore, who is having a breakout year. Moore totals 3,046 passing yards and 28 touchdowns. He threw four touchdowns against James Madison, but he will have to be careful against the Red Raiders after also throwing two interceptions. Moore also totals 196 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
MORE: Oregon Ducks Injury Update From Practice Highlights One Major Absence
MORE: Texas Tech Defensive Coordinator Shares Blunt Assessment of Dante Moore
MORE: Oregon Quarterback Austin Novosad’s Likely Landing Spot After Transfer Portal Entry
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Wide receiver Malik Benson has been a role player amid injuries to the offense. Benson leads the team with 645 yards and six touchdowns. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq leads the team with eight touchdown receptions and has 509 receiving yards.
Moore does well at spreading the ball around to his several receiving targets, making Oregon a tough team to defend against the pass.
Oregon’s talented running back room has been one of the many highlights of the offense. Running back Noah Whittington leads the team with 798 rushing yards and has six touchdowns. True freshman running back Jordon Davison leads the team with 13 rushing touchdowns and has 625 rushing yards.
While Whittington and Davison may be leading the team, running back Dierre Hill Jr. is coming off a massive game against the Dukes, with one rushing touchdown and a 40-yard reception.
The Oregon Ducks have playmakers on offense that will help lead to a win against the Red Raiders.
Ducks’ Defense Must Stay Consistent
Oregon has one of the most dominant defenses in college football, but the Ducks must play all four quarters against Texas Tech. Oregon’s defense allowed the Dukes to score four touchdowns in the second half, and that cannot happen against a tougher opponent.
Oregon has allowed 16.3 points per game this season and is No. 4 in the nation in a three-and-out rate of 31.11 percent. The defense ranks No. 1 in the FBS for passes broken up (67), and will be a tough team to throw against.
Safety Dillon Thieneman is proving to be a massive transfer portal addition and is a big reason Oregon does well defending the pass. Thieneman totals 71 tackles, one sack, five passes defended, and two interceptions.
Oregon linebacker Bryce Boettcher has been a difference-maker with the Ducks throughout the season. He leads the team with 113 total tackles, and has one sack, four passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.
Linebacker Teitum Tuioti is another role player on the team, leading the Ducks with 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
Oregon has a talented unit on defense, and the Ducks will have to be on top of their game to defeat Texas Tech.
Texas Tech To Pose Challenge
The Texas Tech Red Raiders enter the matchup with a 12-1 record and as Big 12 champions. With also coming off a bye, the Red Raiders should not be counted out.
Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton has passed for 2,643 yards and 22 touchdowns. He has thrown just four interceptions this season, proving he can make smart decisions and is an accurate thrower.
Texas Tech wide receiver Caleb Douglas leads the team with 846 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The Red Raiders’ run game has been highly successful this season and will test Oregon’s defense. Running back Cameron Dickey leads the team with 1,095 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.
Two players on the Red Raiders’ defense who may play a critical role will be linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and David Bailey. Bailey leads the team with 13.5 sacks, going against a tough Oregon offensive line. Rodriguez leads the Red Raiders with 117 tackles and has four interceptions, seven forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Oregon vs. Texas Tech Prediction
The Oregon Ducks will defeat the Texas Tech Red Raiders 27-24.
If Oregon defeats Texas Tech, the Ducks will face the winner of No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 1 Indiana in the playoff semifinals.
- Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
- If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
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