Month: March 2020

by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Albany’s Hebel picks up where she left off before ACL injury

Photos by Rose Hebel

Albany softball player Elia Hebel has returned and is reportedly as strong as ever after missing the entire 2019 season because of an ACL injury, surgery and six-month rehabilitation process.

She slugged eight hits in nine official at-bats, plus four intentional walks, last weekend while leading the Class 2A Lady Lions to a runner-up finish in the Stephenville Honeybee Classic, which was filled with Class 3A and 4A teams. Veteran Albany coach Jimmy Fuentes said Hebel is batting around .600 during the Lady Lions’ 6-3 start this season.

Also last fall, the 5-foot-10 Hebel committed to play NCAA Division I softball at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette — even though she’s still a junior at Albany High School.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde’s Turner takes top spot with two perfectos

In a week that saw a ton of noteworthy performances, Clyde’s Kaitlyn Turner earned the top on our list. 

Aside from a sterling effort at the plate that saw the senior pitcher finish 9 of 15 with three home runs, nine RBIs and nine runs scored, she saved her top efforts for the circle.

There, she charted two perfect games, the first of which occurred in a 14-0 win over Lubbock High on Feb. 28. A day later, she delivered another in a 10-0 win over Brownwood. 

She struck out 23 batters in just 10 innings of work during the no-nos, both of which ended in the run rule. 

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Gorman softball rebuilds, but the goals don’t change

The Gorman softball team won’t have to carry the burden of an undefeated record into the playoffs this season. The Lady Panthers lost three of four games in last weekend’s season-opening tournament in Abilene.

Gorman won its first 26 games last season before falling to Dodd City in the Region II-1A championship game. It marked the second time in three years for Gorman to fall to Dodd City in the game that determined which team qualified for the UIL Class 1A state tournament.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Hermleigh in uncharted territory after snapping 113-year playoff drought

Photos courtesy of Texas1AFan —Johnna Reynolds.

After achieving an accomplishment that hadn’t been attained in 113 years, a letdown could have been expected.

Hermleigh’s overtime win over Lueders-Avoca drew all sorts of media coverage to Scurry County last week. And with good reason because it was the boys basketball team’s first playoff victory since 1907.

But first-year coach Kia McCarty knew his Cardinals still were focused on their goal of reaching the regional tournament. Second-round opponent Munday wouldn’t just roll over because it was facing a media darling.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: No. 7 Hermleigh comes up inches short against Veribest in II-1A final

The Hermleigh Lady Cardinals’ bid for their third consecutive state tournament berth came up just short Saturday night at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum. Literally.

With her team trailing Veribest by two points in the waning seconds of the the Region II-1A championship game, standout forward Makia Gonzales fired off a 3-pointer from the wing, hoping to earn her team one more trip to San Antonio before closing her stellar high school career.

The shot was on-line, but unfortunately for the Lady Cardinals, it was just a couple of inches short, bouncing off the front rim and out, allowing the Lady Falcons to secure a 27-25 victory and clinch their first state tournament berth in school history.

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