FEATURE: Westbrook ends 19-year outright district title drought

NOTE: Photos courtesy of Gary Matlock, Sandy Sheets and Kaci Rainbolt

Jake Diggs had to Google the town of Westbrook when was graduating from Texas Tech and looking for a coaching job seven years ago. A native of White Deer in the Texas Panhandle, Diggs was pleased to learn it was only a couple of hours south of Lubbock.

Now in his sixth year as head coach, the 30-year-old Diggs has guided the Class 1A Westbrook High School Wildcats to their first outright district championship in boys’ basketball in 19 years. The Wildcats earned a district co-championship in 2005-2006, but their last outright title came in 2001.

“When I came here, I was a 24-year-old kid and thought I knew it all,” Diggs said. “Winning district has been kind of a relief. It gives you the feeling that what you have been doing is working — that the hard work is starting to pay off.

“We’ve missed the playoffs by one place the last three years. So it’s nice to not only get into the playoffs, but also to do it as the district champs.”