Month: March 2019

by Evan Ren

FEATURE: From Ghana to Goldthwaite … Amponsah learning Texas culture, discus

By MIKE LEE (Special to Big Country Preps)

 GOLDTHWAITE — One of the first things Kofi Amponsah did after moving 6,500 miles from Ghana, Africa, to Goldthwaite was buy a heavy coat.

“Where I lived, it was never too hot or never too cold. You could go swimming at the beach the whole year round,” said Amponsah, who moved to Texas in the seventh grade after living in Accra, the capital city of Ghana located near the equator where annual temperatures fluctuate only from 78-85 degrees

“When I got here (Goldthwaite) it was in January. I was instantly cold. I could not feel any part of my body. We had to go to Walmart and buy a huge coat.”

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Eagles snap four-game skid, Coogs edge Rider in 10

WEATHERFORD — The Abilene High baseball team snapped a four-game losing streak Friday, using a five-run sixth inning to erase a one-run deficit in a 7-3 win over Weatherford.

After holding a 2-1 lead through the fourth inning and seeing a two-run Kangaroo fifth put them in a 3-2 hole, the Eagles bunched four hits and two walks together in the pivotal sixth inning to rally for the skid-stopping victory.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME RECAP: Washington pitches, slugs Lady Eagles past Richland

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — Kaylen Washington tossed a six-inning one-hitter and hit a sixth-inning grand slam Friday to lead the Abilene High Lady Eagles to a 14-0 win over North Richland Hills Richland.

Leading 7-0 after five innings, AHS exploded for seven runs in the sixth to put the 10-run rule into effect. The victory improved the Lady Eagles’ record to 18-1-2 overall and 7-0 in District 3-6A play.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Timely hits, stellar pitching lead Wylie to historic softball win over Cooper

The ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu once said, “There is no greater danger than underestimating your opponent.”

That saying was proven true by both the Wylie and Cooper softball teams on Friday afternoon in a District 4-5A matchup at Bulldog Field — one that marked the first regular season matchup between the two schools ever.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Hawley edges Albany 3-2, takes district lead

ALBANY — A troublesome first inning and a late unearned run were all that separated area rivals Hawley and Albany in Friday’s District 8-2A showdown at AHS. 

Hawley’s Dylan Frazier outdueled Albany’s Ben West in a 3-2 win for the Bearcats, who gradually built a 3-0 lead before surviving a seventh-inning rally by the Lions. 

Kolter Willeford with 1 for 2 with a walk, a sacrifice and two RBIs and Robert Ybarra plated two runs to lead Hawley, which managed to pull off the win despite charting only four hits.  

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Hill embracing role as Cooper Cougars’ ace

Cooper junior Braiden Hill has a lot of physical tools that make him a successful starting pitcher. He’s big, he throws hard and he’s got a good second pitch he can turn to when that fastball’s not going quite where he wants it to.

But it’s Hill’s mentality that has taken him from a solid rotation piece for coach Cody Salyers last season to the unquestioned ace of the Cougar pitching staff this year.

The strong-armed right-hander believes he’s better than every batter he faces, and it’s his goal each at-bat to prove that.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Podcast No. 39: Evan, Daniel talk to Yeager about decision to leave De Leon

After posting a 52-23 record in seven successful seasons at De Leon, coach David Yeager announced his decision last week to resign as the Bearcats football coach to more closely follow his son Kevin’s collegiate career at Incarnate Word.

This week, Yeager took some time to chat with Big Country Preps’ Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood about what went into that decision and what the future holds for him and his family in this week’s Capital Farm Credit Wednesday Night Podcast.

Also in this episode, Evan and Daniel discuss last week’s Big Country baseball and softball action and highlight the teams that are getting mentioned in statewide polls.