Here are the Big Country’s receiving leaders through Week 4:
Month: September 2020
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Snyder defensive specialist snags this week’s award
Benitez photo courtesy of Kassi Westermann
While a libero seldom gets as much attention as volleyball’s glamour positions up front, there are times when these defensive specialists make themselves so valuable they can’t be ignored, even in a losing effort.
That was the case last week with Snyder junior Abby Benitez in a pair of dual matches against Monahans and Odessa Permian on Tuesday, followed by another against Jim Ned and Denver City on Saturday. The Lady Tigers didn’t register a single win, but Benitez’s hustle was astonishing enough to earn her our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending Sept. 19.
EVAN REN: Cisco, San Saba shouldn’t worry about recent losses
Football fans tend to see things in black and white. For them, a win is a win and a loss is a loss and at the end of the day, that’s all that really matters. And I’m fine with that. I was the same way for years as a diehard University of Arizona fan.
Football coaches, however, view the game in far more practical terms — focusing on the effort and overall improvement of their teams ahead of wins and losses. They’re more or less forced into this mode of thinking as a preventative measure against insanity. But occasionally, fans can benefit from this approach and I’ll give you two current examples: Cisco and San Saba.
PHOTO GALLERY: Jim Ned-Cisco football (58 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
PHOTO GALLERY: Brock-Iowa Park football (72 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
GAME STORY: Top-ranked Brock holds off Iowa Park for thrilling 42-35 victory
IOWA PARK — After outscoring its first two opponents by a combined score of 121-14, the top-ranked Brock football team faced its first test of the season Friday at Iowa Park’s Hawk Stadium.
And though a late fumble in the red zone made things a little tenser than coach Chad Worrell would have probably preferred, the Eagles did what they needed to come away with a 42-35 victory over previously unbeaten IPHS.
Brock never trailed in the game, which saw five touchdowns scored in an 11-play span at one point in the first quarter. But the Eagles were tied on two occasions in the first half and had to make a late stop up by a single score to secure the hard-fought win.
BCP GAME OF THE WEEK: Huge second half lifts Jim Ned over Cisco
CISCO — When Cisco’s Hunter Long found Dawson Hearne in the back of the end zone for a 3-yard touchdown pass, everything seemed to be going in the Loboes’ favor in their non-district matchup with Jim Ned.
Holding a 13-12 lead with 3:19 left in the third with all the momentum, the Loboes had rallied from a 12-0 deficit to gain the upper hand.
Then it happened: A Jim Ned scoring avalanche of four straight touchdowns, turning the Big Country Preps Game of the Week on a dime in a 39-20 Jim Ned win.
District 4-3A Div. II Week 4 Report: Coahoma shuts out C-City, improves to 4-0
Coahoma 34, Colorado City 0 — Coahoma continued to roll with a shutout win over area rival Colorado City.
The Bulldogs (4-0) pounded out more than 200 yards rushing to remain unbeaten despite four turnovers.
Brysen Kerby led the way with 112 yards rushing and three scores.
Colorado City was limited to just five first downs and 115 total yards on the night.
District 5-4A Div. I Week 4 Report: Henderson’s big effort fuels Brownwood past Burnet
Brownwood 36, Burnett 22 — The Lions bounced back from a rough offensive performance in last week’s loss to China Spring, rushing for nearly 300 yards in a two-score win over the Bulldogs.
Senior Royshad Henderson did the bulk of the work for Brownwood, exploding for 253 yards and three touchdowns on just 20 carries, while quarterback Chance Jones hit seven of nine throws for 95 yards and a score.
The Lions, who improved to 2-2 with the win, trailed 12-7 at halftime and 22-15 after three quarters before outscoring Burnet 21-0 over the final 12 minutes to pull out the victory.
District 5-2A Div. II Week 4 Report: No. 2 Hamlin steamrolls Anson, moves to 4-0
Hamlin 48, Anson 6 — The second-ranked Pied Pipers continued their dominating start to the season, blasting a previously unbeaten opponent for the third consecutive week.
Coming off impressive victories over Hawley (35-6) and Albany (42-6), Hamlin outgained Anson 408-176 on Friday, building a 41-6 advantage by halftime.
Quarterback Braydin Warner passed for 243 yards and three touchdowns, while Jackson Sepeda rushed for 132 yards and four scores to help the Pipers improve to 4-0 on the year.
District 4-2A Div. I Week 4 Report: Patrick helps Goldthwaite rout Florence
Goldthwaite 34, Florence 3 — Jackson Patrick rushed for 159 yards, passed for 108 and accounted for all five Eagle touchdowns in a rout of Florence.
Florence opened the scoring with an early 30-yard field goal, only to see Goldthwaite answer with 34 straight points.
Goldthwaite improved to 2-2 with the win. Florence fell to 0-4.
District 2-3A Div. II Week 4 Report: Ballinger rallies to beat Clyde with two fourth-quarter TDs
Ballinger 21, Clyde 14 — Trailing 14-7 after three quarters, Ballinger rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to improve to 4-0.
Carter Arrott scored on a 13-yard run with 9:36 to play to knot the game at 14. Shortly thereafter, Garrett Dixon scored on another 13-yard run at the 6:49 mark to put the Bearcats over the top.
Dylan Neuman led Clyde (1-3) with 75 yards passing, 109 yards rushing and one score.
District 8-2A Div. II Week 4 Report: Albany bounces back to shut out Haskell
Albany 43, Haskell 0 — The Lions bounced back from last week’s loss to Hamlin with a strong showing Friday, racing out to a 29-0 halftime lead and cruising from there to a shutout win over their former district mates.
Albany outgained Haskell 467-6, getting 211 yards passing and two touchdowns from quarterback Barrett Beal and 147 yards and one TD rushing from Jaheim Newton.
The Lions, now 3-1, will look to build on this win next week when they travel to Anson to take on the 3-1 Tigers.
District 1-4A Div. II Week 4 Report: Sweetwater upsets Boerne for second straight win
Sweetwater 40, Boerne 35 — The Mustangs put up 350 yards of total offense, most of that through the air, and took advantage of two pivotal turnovers to spoil homecoming for the previously unbeaten Greyhounds.
Trailing 21-20 at halftime, Sweetwater (2-1) used a pick-six early in the third quarter to regain the lead and got a pair of Leo Holsey touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to keep Boerne at arm’s length.
Holsey, last week’s Big Country Preps Player of the Week, finished with four touchdown passes to improve his season total to nine.
District 3-2A Div. I Week 4Report: Buffs win thriller at McCamey to even record at 2-2
Forsan 31, McCamey 30 — Forsan (2-2) picked up its second straight win behind 312 team rushing yards.
Chris Mendez led FHS with 166 yards and one score on 20 carries. Nat Hernandez charted 105 yards and three TDs on 19 touches.
McCamey fell to 2-1 on the year.
District 2-4A Div. I Week 4 Report: Baeza rallies Big Spring past Brownfield
Big Spring 20, Brownfield 17 — Trailing in the fourth quarter after a Cubs field goal broke a 14-all tie, the Steers got a touchdown run from Gabriel Baeza with 25 seconds left to rally for the win and remain unbeaten on the season.
Baeza, who passed for 214 yards and ran for 119, had a hand in all three of Big Spring’s touchdowns, hitting Jose Cantu for the first before rushing for the last two.
The Steers (3-0) limited the Cubs to less than 100 yards of total offense, but four turnovers kept the game close throughout.
District 3-3A Div. I Week 4 Report: Wall rolls through Mason
Wall 42, Mason 7 — The Hawks (3-1) rolled up 406 combined rushing yards in an easy win over still-winless Mason.
led Wall with 163 yards and three scores on 13 carries.
Drew Morrison added 135 yards and two scores on 14 touches.
Leading 22-7 at the break, the Hawks put the game away with a pair of third-quarter scores.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 4 Report: Comanche remains unbeaten with win over Tolar
Comanche 36, Tolar 6 — Leading 9-0 at the break, Comanche blew this one open with a 27-6 second half.
Hudson Welch threw for 123 yards and two scores and Logan Wilkerson rushed for 106 yards and another touchdown to keep Comanche (4-0) unbeaten.
Tolar slipped to 0-4 with the loss.
District 4-3A Div. I Week 4 Report: Gutsy call pays off for Paradise against Millsap
Paradise 22, Millsap 21 — The Panthers remained perfect at 3-0, but it took a touchdown and two-point conversion in the final minute to escape with a victory over the Bulldogs.
Paradise, which trailed 14-7 at halftime and 21-14 after three quarters, got a 20-yard pass reception from Casey Nocks with less than a minute to play and ran in the ensuing conversion to eek out the win.
FEATURE: San Saba running back Stone Sears proving an effective fit at new position
NOTE: Action photos courtesy of San Saba’s Rita Boultinghouse
SAN SABA — In 2019, San Saba’s Stone Sears was an integral part of an Armadillo defense and a 13-1 season as a linebacker.
A year later, in the wake of key graduation losses, he has been transformed into one of the area’s top running backs — something that even he hadn’t envisioned.
The San Saba coaching staff, however, had this move in mind for some time — recognizing that the 6-foot-1 201-pounder had the athleticism and speed (4.6 seconds in the 40) to become a real problem for opposing defenses.
With the graduation of standout quarterback/receiver Sean O’Keefe and running back Eli Salinas, coach Andreas Aguirre needed to make a move to find production and Sears was the pick.
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 4)
Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games, in addition to the results of Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.
For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week and close Thursday morning.
Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.
Continue reading “Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 4)”
FEATURE: Elder, Coleman Bluecats seeing perseverance pay off
After leading Coleman to a 31-7 record over his first three seasons as a head coach, John Elder knew he was in for a prolonged rebuild.
With a series of classes coming up that were light on numbers — particularly on the boys side — he understood it was going to be a challenge to build and field competitive teams.
Faced with that reality, many coaches might have left for greener pastures. Elder didn’t view that as an option.
Instead, he stuck it out at Coleman, fighting through a trio of tough campaigns that saw the Bluecats go a combined 9-22. He did so, he said, for two reasons: First, because he believes adversity is a part of athletics and running from it would have set a bad example for his players. And second, because he knew his team would improve as it matured, and he wanted to be there to see that process through.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Jim Ned heads to Cisco for interclass showdown
LAST WEEK: 42-9, .824
SEASON TOTAL: 116-35, .740
Week 4 arrives and I’m finally hitting my stride on pick accuracy.
It’s been an odd year thus far, both in terms of results and overall feel. It’s been tough to gauge.
Nonetheless, we’re hitting the road once again this Friday, with the Big Country Preps Game of the Week landing at Chesley Field in Cisco, where the Loboes (2-1) will play host to a Jim Ned club that is two divisions larger than they are.
FEATURE: Clyde senior Roberts emerging as true go-to receiver
As one of just one 12 returning lettermen for a young Clyde squad, receiver Jacob Roberts knew he’d have to step up his game in his final high school season.
In fellow senior Dylan Neuman, the Bulldogs had an established quarterback, and Clyde returned several lineman to protect him. But coach Scott Campbell’s squad would need some playmakers to emerge around that core if it hoped to build on last season’s 7-4 finish, and Roberts was determined to be one of those.
So far, he’s done just that for CHS, dwarfing his modest numbers from last season by the end of Week 1. And after helping the Bulldogs (1-2) to their first win last Friday — a 52-14 dismantling of previously unbeaten Riesel in Dublin — he’s only hoping to further establish himself as one of the Big Country’s true go-to receivers.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Hamlin’s Russell Lucas visits with Evan and Dan
VIDEO PODCAST NO. 4: Hamlin coach Russell Lucas joins the show. Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood look at the top games of last week and this week.
PHOTO GALLERY: Clyde-Cooper volleyball (40 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
GAME STORY: Cooper volleyball sweeps scrappy Clyde squad to open season
Opening its season against a Clyde squad that already had 14 matches under its belt, the Cooper volleyball team was tested early in Tuesday’s nondistrict showdown at Cougar Gym.
But the veteran Lady Cougars proved up to the challenge in a 25-23, 25-21, 25-13 sweep of the Lady Bulldogs.
Ending a long wait after the start its season was delayed a month by COVID-19, Cooper shook off any ring rust quickly, finding its offensive rhythm in the Game 3 to put the match away in style.
FEATURE: Sweetwater volleyball odyssey beyond Bell’s experience
Although only in her second year at Sweetwater, Mitzi Bell has been coaching volleyball for almost a quarter century.
However, no previous experience could have prepared her for what has been a rollercoaster 2020 campaign. From impressive summer workout numbers to then losing senior setter Mia Valdez for extended time due to injury.
From finally playing matches that count to having nine players quarantining after a positive COVID-19 case. From orchestrating sub-varsity workouts in separate gyms to Saturday when all the Lady Mustangs were finally on the same court.
Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (through Sept. 14)
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Teams that do not submit their statistics in a given week will not be listed when our stats are posted, but will be added to the lists below as they are received in the coming days.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Holsey takes the award in win over Lake View
We have said all along that the Sweetwater Mustangs would be among the most explosive teams in the Big Country in 2020, and Friday gave us a glimpse of it.
Led by our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Leo Holsey, SHS amassed nearly 700 yards in total offense in a 58-42 win over San Angelo Lake View.
A junior in his third varsity season, Holsey hit 14 of 26 throws for 254 yards and four scores and rushed for 111 and three more TDs to help the Mustangs improve to 1-1. He finished the day with 365 total yards and a direct hand in seven scores.
“He came out focused and prepared,” Sweetwater coach Ben McGehee said. “I thought he did a great job running the offense all night in the run and passing game.”
EVAN REN: How good is this Hamlin defense? Good enough to make one superstitious
HAMLIN — Sportswriters have an annoying habit of placing teams in Arlington three months in advance and I’m certainly among the guilty parties.
This drives coaches, who are generally a superstitious lot, absolutely nuts. And frankly, I don’t blame them.
So … knowing full well that it’s too early for such assertions, I’m not going to put the Hamlin Pied Pipers in Jerry World in mid-September. I’m not going to say they’re a better team than the one that played for a Class 2A Division II state championship a year ago. I won’t even say they’re the regional favorite.
I really don’t need to. Hamlin’s 3-0 record and No. 2 ranking in Class 2A DII speaks volumes anyway.
But there is an aspect about this club that cannot be overstated and can no longer be ignored: The Pied Pipers are playing extraordinary defense. And they’re doing it without some of their top defenders from a year ago — most notably the unblockable Austin Lozano, who has since signed as a defensive lineman at Abilene Christian University.
Is this what you expected? I didn’t.
PHOTO GALLERY: Clyde-Riesel football (25 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
GAME STORY: Clyde breaks into win column with rout of Riesel
DUBLIN — The first two weeks of the season saw the Clyde Bulldogs get ambushed by Cisco and Idalou.
Saturday, the Bulldogs dished out a beating of their own as they hammered Riesel early and often and rolled to a 52-14 win over the Indians at Dublin’s Bob and Norma Cervetto Field.
Clyde coach Scott Campbell was quick to credit the play of his offensive line — one that features five seniors — which set the tone to allow his squad to run for 287 yards.
Austin Hastings was the biggest benefactor as he ran for 192 yards and a pair of touchdowns on just a dozen carries.
PHOTO GALLERY: Anson-Dublin football (31 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
PHOTO GALLERY: Hamlin-Albany football (54 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
PHOTO GALLERY: Brady-Coleman football (44 images)
Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
GAME STORY: Brownwood can’t find stride in 35-14 loss to China Spring
BROWNWOOD — The defense couldn’t save the Brownwood Lions this time.
The China Spring Cougars topped the Brownwood Lions 35-14 Friday night at Gordon Wood Stadium as running back Emmanuel Abdallah rushed for 213 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Major Bowden added 100 yards rushing, plus 82 yards and a touchdown passing as the undefeated Cougars (3-0) defended their No. 10 ranking in Class 4A Division II by texasfootball.com.
Brownwood (1-2) got 94 yards rushing and two touchdowns from Royshad Henderson. The Lions also put together a 19-play drive that expired 12:18 of the second half and was finished by Henderson’s 1-yard touchdown run. However, the 77-yard drive only pulled Brownwood within 35-14 with 7:13 left in the game.
GAME STORY: Bluecats rally for homecoming win over Brady
COLEMAN — Missed point-after tries can force some tough coaching decisions, but that’s the position Brady’s Shay Easterwood found himself in on Friday night at Coleman’s Hufford Field.
And his decision to chase points would haunt him later as the Bluecats rallied for a 15-12 homecoming win over Easterwood’s Bulldogs.
JD Ibarra’s 63-yard fumble return for a touchdown had put Brady up 12-0 midway through the second quarter, and Easterwood made the call to go for a two-point conversion. The Bulldogs fumbled on that play, and Dylan Mickler took it the other way for a defensive two-point conversion cutting Brady’s lead to 12-2.
That wild swing of momentum and emotion proved to be a catalyst for John Elder’s Coleman squad.
GAME STORY: Anson holds off Dublin rally to remain unbeaten
DUBLIN — The Anson Tigers fought off both fatigue and the loss of momentum midway through Friday’s game against Dublin to come away with an exhausting 44-28 win.
Dylyn Pyle threw for 161 yards and rushed for 89 while accounting for two touchdowns to lead the Tigers (3-0), who held off a Dublin rally to remain unbeaten.
Sophomore quarterback Chris Teten led Dublin (1-2), finishing with 355 yards passing and three TDs —all to Chris Ramirez, who finished with eight catches for 243 yards.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: No. 2 Hamlin overwhelms sixth-ranked Albany in road rout
ALBANY — Hyped as an early-season clash between state-ranked rivals, the Big Country Preps Game of the Week between Hamlin and Albany quickly turned into a showcase for the No. 2 Pied Pipers on Friday at Robert Nail Stadium.
Coach Russell Lucas’ squad built a 28-0 lead by halftime and cruised from there to a 42-6 win over the sixth-ranked Lions, improving to 3-0 on the year with its second straight rout of a ranked opponent.
Coming off an impressive 35-6 win over Hawley, which was ranked No. 6 in Class 2A Division I at the time, the Pipers outgained the Lions 262-9 over the first two quarters to establish control early and maintained it after the break in a thoroughly dominating effort.