VIDEO PODCAST NO. 7: Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood chat with Brock coach Chad Worrell about his top-ranked Eagles, their goals for this season and how they stack up with some of the best teams he has coached at BHS.
Month: October 2020
PHOTO GALLERY: Midland Lee-Abilene High volleyball (41 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: Midland Lee sweeps Abilene High in 2-6A volleyball
Playing without first-year head coach Devron Shepherd, who missed the match for undisclosed reasons, the Abilene High volleyball team was swept by Midland Lee 25-18, 25-10, 25-13 in a District 2-6A matchTuesday at Eagle Gymnasium.
The Lady Eagles were able to trade shots early in each set with the Lady Rebels before Lee would come back with a quick run to take AHS out of the set.
AHS fell to 3-5 overall and 1-2 in district with the loss, while Lee improved to 2-2 overall and 1-1 in district.
FEATURE: Wylie volleyball rebounds from COVID-19 quarantine
Photos courtesy of Kerr Broadstreet, WylieSports.com
A 5-1 start hardly tells the story of the Wylie volleyball season so far.
On Tuesday, Sept. 22, less than an hour before Wylie was scheduled to host Wichita Falls Rider and Midland High in a nondistrict dual match, the Lady Bulldogs were informed they had to be quarantined until further notice because of a positive COVID-19 test of two staff members within the program.
The Wylie varsity and two JV teams were exposed to the positive testers during a bus trip to play at Aledo on Sept. 19.
FEATURE: Cooper seniors out to finish strong, set new standard for volleyball program
Jennika Willis always feels there’s a sense of urgency to win when she walks on the volleyball court.
But like her fellow Cooper senior teammates, Willis recognizes the days of playing high school volleyball are dwindling.
“It is our senior year, so we definitely want to be more dominant as a senior class,” Willis said.
Willis and the Lady Cougars are off to a strong start in that respect, jumping out to a 5-3 mark entering Tuesday’s road match against Granbury. They only have one more week until District 4-5A action commences.
Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (through Oct. 5)
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 send in their statistics after deadline will be added to the lists below as we continually update the database.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Eastland’s Behren Morton takes the top spot
Prior to the game, the numbers pointed to a track meet. But nobody was prepared for the more than 1,600 yards in combined total offense produced in last week’s 91-71 Eastland victory over Panhandle.
It should come as no surprise that the Big Country Preps Player of the Week participated in this artillery barrage, disguised as a football game.
Eastland senior Behren Morton earns the top spot, after hitting 22 of 32 throws for 405 yards and five touchdowns. The Texas Tech-bound QB also rushed nine times for 196 yards and three scores and was 12 of 13 on extra points.
By night’s end, he had a direct hand in eight touchdowns and 60 points. And no, this was not a six-man football game.
Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Eastland’s Behren Morton takes the top spot”
EVAN REN: Sweetwater may redefine what good defense is, or needs to be
SWEETWATER — Prior to the season, much of the attention received by the Sweetwater football team focused around the explosive offense the Mustangs were expected to have.
This wasn’t difficult to predict — not with a talented junior quarterback with two full varsity seasons under his belt, a bevy of capable receivers and speed all over the field.
Sweetwater closed last season on a noticeable upswing, averaging 41 points over its last six games last and followed a 1-4 start with a 3-3 finish.
Those who were paying attention, however, realized that it was the Sweetwater defense, not its offense, that would determine how far the Mustangs would go in 2020.
PHOTO GALLERY: Crosstown Showdown 2020 (95 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: Stephenville-Brownwood football (72 images by Brandon McAuliffe and Seth LaRue)
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 rallies past rival Abilene High for gritty win in 60th Crosstown Showdown
Playing without star running back Noah Garcia, who was unavailable for Friday’s Crosstown Showdown, the Cooper Cougars would need a complete team effort to get past Abilene High.
Fortunately for CHS coach Aaron Roan, he got just that from his squad, which outscored AHS 17-6 over the final two quarters to claim a 30-20 victory in the 60th playing of the crosstown rivalry.
Quarterback Aidan Thompson gave the Coogs (1-1) their first lead of the game with a 1-yard sneak in the final minute of the third quarter, and linebacker Jacob Deax put the game on ice with a 53-yard fumble return touchdown with 47 seconds remaining in the game.
GAME RECAP: Wylie thumps Lubbock Monterey to improve to 2-0
LUBBOCK — The Wylie football team continued its hot start to the season Friday, following its 28-7 season-opening victory over Brownwood last week with a 24-6 win at Lubbock Monterey to improve to 2-0 on the year.
The Bulldogs raced out to a 24-0 halftime lead and never were threatened in the second half in matching last season’s win total just two games into Clay Martin’s head coaching tenure.
Quarterback Balin Valentine led the offense, hitting 13 of 20 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown while rushing for a team-high 64 yards and a score. The Bulldog defense, meanwhile, limited the Plainsmen to one third-quarter touchdown and forced four turnovers in delivering its second consecutive dominant performance.
GAME STORY: Stephenville’s Philips stings Brownwood in 59-34 win
BROWNWOOD — 30 first downs. 663 yards of offense. 350 yards rushing. 313 yards passing — 204 in the first quarter alone.
No matter how you slice it, the Stephenville offense put up video game numbers as the Yellow Jackets opened District 5-4A Division I play with a 59-34 win over rival Brownwood on Friday night at Gordon Wood Stadium.
Then there was also the play of senior running back Kason Philips, who tied a school record with six rushing touchdowns as part of a night in which he accounted for 339 yards of offense — 265 rushing and 74 receiving.
GAME STORY: No. 2 Hamlin shuts out fourth-ranked Windthorst, remains unbeaten
WINDTHORST — Second-ranked Hamlin finally had to play four quarters Friday night.
After stonewalling No. 4 Windthorst multiple times in the red zone, the Pied Pipers walked away with a hard-earned 14-0 road victory.
Hamlin’s defense enters District 5-2A Division II action having allowed only three touchdowns in five games, but this one was different because there was little room for error in a showdown of regional favorites.
BCP GAME OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater tops Snyder in district opener
SNYDER — An improving defense and an increasingly dangerous receiver gave Sweetwater the winning edge in Friday’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
Knocking off archrival Snyder 47-28, the Mustangs captured, lost and regained the momentum to win the District 1-4A DII opener for both clubs.
Darian Carr caught four passes for 174 yards and four touchdowns to lift Sweetwater (4-1, 1-0), which put the game away with a 14-0 fourth quarter.
Snyder (2-3, 0-1) was led by Jorge Martinez, with 35 yards rushing, 73 yards recieving and two combined touchdowns.
District 5-3A Div. II Week 6 Report: Eastland outlasts Panhandle in slugfest
Eastland 91, Panhandle 71 — A track meet was anticipated, but it produced something well beyond that description.
An incredible 1,694 yards in combined total offense were produced in one of the highest-scoring games in Texas football history.
District 3-3A Div. I Week 6 Report: Jim Ned upsets fifth-ranked Hallettsville
Jim Ned 24, Hallettsville 21 — The Indians stunned the fifth-ranked Brahmas by forcing three turnovers and getting a good push up front.
The Indians, who gained the upper hand with a 10-0 third quarter, finished with 235 yards on the ground as a team
District 8-2A Div. II Week 6 Report: Albany routs Meridian to open league play
Albany 60, Meridian 0 — Leading 13-0 after a quarter, the eighth-ranked Lions exploded for 27 points in the second quarter to put the Yellowjackets away by halftime in the district opener for both squads.
Albany (4-1, 1-0) gained 380 of its 468 yards on the ground, rushing for six total touchdowns in the win. Jaheim Newton (10-133, 1 TDs) led all rushers, while Isaiah Dockins (10-94, 4 TDs) also had a big game.
Meridian, which fell to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in league play, finished the game with minus-49 total yards, rushing for negative-58 yards on 24 carries.
District 4-3A Div. I Week 6 Report: Top-ranked Brock runs through Paradise
Brock 60, Paradise 21 — Cash Jones rushed for 205 yards and five touchdowns to lead the top-ranked Eagles to comfortable win over the Panthers.
Brock (5-0, 2-0), which outgained Paradise 511-210, led 21-7 at halftime before using an 18-0 run through the the third quarter to put the game away.
District 5-2A Div. II Week 6 Report: Roscoe can’t keep up with Seagraves
Seagraves 32, Roscoe 6 — The Plowboys couldn’t break into the win column Friday, falling to 0-6 on the year with a lopsided loss to the Eagles.
Seagraves, which outgained Roscoe 295-154, led 20-0 by halftime and added another touchdown in the third quarter before the Plowboys finally got on the board late in that period.
Zharion Smith led the way offensively for the Eagles, rushing for 172 yards and three touchdowns, while the SHS defense limited Roscoe to just 53 yards rushing.
District 5-4A Div. I Week 6 Report: Stephenville, La Vega, Heritage open with wins
Waco La Vega 62, Waxahachie Life 0 — The Pirates limited the Mustangs to just 35 total yards, including minus-11 rushing, to open league play with a dominating win.
La Vega (4-1, 1-0) piled up 463 yards of offense, 402 of those rushing, in racing out to a 55-0 halftime lead on Life, which fell to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in district play with the loss.
District 2-4A Div. I Week 6 Report: Lake View, Andrews earn wins; Big Spring game canceled
San Angelo Lake View 49, Fabens 20 — The Chiefs used five first-half turnovers to build a 28-0 halftime lead and cruised to their a blowout win over the Wildcats.
Quarterback Albert Rodriguez passed for 256 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 83 yards and another score to lead Lake View, which improved to 4-2 with the win.
District 1-4A Div. II Week 6 Report: Sweetwater, Greenwood open with victories
Midland Greenwood 39, Pecos 10 — Standout running back Trey Cross rushed for 371 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Rangers (3-2, 1-0) to an easy win over the Eagles in the district opener for both teams.
Aaron Fikes (6-114, 1 TD) also topped the 100-yard rushing mark for Greenwood, which outgained Pecos (2-3, 0-1) by a 547-167 margin and held a 20-3 advantage at halftime.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS FEATURE: Cross Plains sophomore a rising star in the 1A Cross Country scene
CROSS PLAINS — Five months ago, Cross Plains’ Katie Goins was looking at a promising freshman track season in ruins. 
Having already broken the school record in the 200 meters at 26.6 as a ninth grader, to go with a 59.0 split with a potentially state-bound 400 relay team, Goins had to sit things out with everyone else due to COVID-19.
She is now making up for lost time — so much so, that she, within the span of a few months, has become one of the area’s top distance runners at any high school level.
Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel (Week 6)
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 6)”
FEATURE: Abilene High QB Ramirez showing growth through on-the-job training
There’s been nothing gradual or incremental about Abel Ramirez’s introduction to varsity football.
Through a unique set of circumstances beyond anyone’s control, the Abilene High junior quarterback has had to do his learning on the fly.
Called up from junior varsity for the final game of the 2019 season due to injuries, Ramirez has made two career starts — against Class 6A power Euless Trinity last year and against Class 5A No. 9 Amarillo Tascosa last week. And though he’s yet to lead the Eagles to a win, he’s shown a level of toughness and maturity that has impressed his coaches and teammates.
And with another stiff test forthcoming in his third start — against Crosstown rival Cooper on Friday — Ramirez is hoping the next lesson in his varsity education ends with his first victory.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Tigers play host to Mustangs in district opener (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)
LAST WEEK: 36-8, .818
SEASON TOTAL: 188-55, .773
With much of the Big Country enjoying an off week to prepare for district play, there were far fewer games to choose from in Week 6.
Nonetheless, the area has produced some quality matchups as always, with a rivalry game between Sweetwater and Snyder topping our list.
Our Big Country Preps Game of the Week will take place at beautiful Tiger Stadium in Snyder, where the Tigers (2-2) will take on the Mustangs (3-1) for the 73rd time since 1925.