Month: March 2021

by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie rallies past Lubbock Cooper for first district win

The Wylie softball team picked up a much-needed win over Lubbock Cooper on Tuesday, scoring the final seven runs in a 10-4 home win over the Lady Pirates.

The Lady Bulldogs, now 13-9 overall, used a four-run second to erase an early 4-3 deficit, before adding one in the third and two in the sixth to improve to 1-2 in District 4-5A play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Albus, Wylie bats strong in 10-0 win over Monterey

Dash Albus pitched four shutout innings and got ample run support from his lineup Tuesday as the 12th-ranked Wylie baseball team improved to 5-1 in District 4-5A play with a 10-0 run-rule victory over Lubbock Monterey.

The Bulldogs gave their starter six runs in the first inning, and he took care of things from there, limiting the Plainsmen to one hit and two walks before giving way to Jaxon Hansen in the fifth.

Wylie outhit Monterey 12-2, using a three-run bottom of the fifth to put the 10-run rule into effect.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper softball takes care of business in 9-0 win over Lubbock High

Looking to bounce back from Friday’s loss to Lubbock Monterey and tune up for Thursday’s game at Lubbock Coronado, the Cooper softball team got just what the doctor ordered Tuesday in a 9-0 win over Lubbock High at the CHS softball field. 

The Lady Cougars jumped out to a 5-0 lead after the first inning and got a combined four-hit shutout from Jahlissah Marquez, Kaleigha Kemp and Summer Simmons to improve to 15-6 on the season and 2-1 in District 4-5A play.

Jennika Willis and Kaleigha Kemp both had home runs for Cooper, which finished with 11 hits against Lubbock High pitcher K’lee Flores.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: No. 11 Albany knocks off top-ranked Anson 7-5

ALBANY — With top-ranked Anson coming to town on Tuesday preceded by all sorts of internet scuttlebutt, Albany coach David Fairchild had a simple message for his baseball team before the game. 

“I said, ‘Guys, they’re a very good baseball team,'” Fairchild said. “‘But throw the rankings out. It’s a district game. It’s a big district game, so let’s go compete.'” 

The Lions did precisely that, overcoming a pair of two-run deficits to chalk up a come-from-behind 7-5 win before a noisy home crowd at Albany High School. 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Jones’ difficult journey serves as an inspiration for Eula and beyond

Eula baseball coach Tanner Thompson wasn’t alone Monday morning once he pulled up to the high school baseball field.  

About 10 Pirates hung around the diamond at dawn taking batting practice. It wasn’t a coincidence Cameron Jones’ pickup truck was parked close by, his headlights providing illumination until the sun came up.   

“He has an immediate impact on all the other kids,” Thompson said of Eula’s lone senior. “He shows these kids that if you do work hard, you can get where you want to be.”  

Where Jones is these days is starting at catcher and hitting in the No. 2 hole for the Pirates. But it’s the journey that Jones took to get there that makes his story the most powerful.  

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Comanche native Marwitz hired by De Leon as new football coach, AD

Comanche native Jacob Marwitz was hired as the new head football coach and athletic director by De Leon on Monday night, fulfilling a lifelong dream of his.

Currently the offensive coordinator at Godley, Marwitz is not planning to waste any time in hitting the ground running as he plans to be on De Leon’s campus by Tuesday afternoon.

Marwitz, whose career includes stops at Stephenville, Snyder, Eastland and Glen Rose prior to Godley, is excited to be back home in the Big Country and just down the road from where he grew up as he takes the reins of a program for the first time.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Second-ranked Jim Ned loaded with pitching

Choose the best answer to complete the following statement:

The undefeated and No. 2-ranked Jim Ned Indians possess so much pitching depth this season that

  1. two of their starters have pitched perfect games while another has pitched a no-hitter.
  2. they actually enjoyed the tournament season, when most teams exhaust their pitching depth.
  3. third-year coach Ryan Lewis said, “Some of our pitchers don’t have as many innings as they’d like because there’s only one mound.”
  4. all of the above.
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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: De Leon senior takes this week’s award

There are no-hitters, then there are no-hitters. 

De Leon senior southpaw Lane Powledge demonstrated the distinction last week with an absolute gem in last week’s 1-0 win over Coleman.

Not only did Powledge finish with a no-no, but our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week chalked up 18 strikeouts and only one walk.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Brock boys track team off to record-setting start

Records have been falling on a consistent basis for the Brock boys track team as a couple relays and two individuals have looked in peak form heading into this week’s district meet.  

It started with the quartet of Eli Potts, Luke Dillingham, Kutter Wilson and Cash Jones running a 42.06 in the 400-meter relay and a 1:28.68 in the 800 relay at the Peaster Meet two weeks ago.  

Potts also set the Eagles’ long jump record at that meet with a distance of 22 feet, 3 inches. Then junior Nathan Jones got into the action Thursday in Springtown, breaking the school’s shot put and discus marks.  

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Wall’s Tate Williams set tone for final track season with record day

Wall senior Tate Williams had been eyeing the school record in the shot put since his freshman year. So when the time finally came earlier this spring, he didn’t just break the 52-year-old mark, he surpassed it three times in one day.

The record-setting day came Feb. 25 in a dual meet with Christoval. Just out of basketball season, Williams had practiced throwing the shot put for only two days before breaking the school record of 55 feet, 1¼ inches set in 1969 by Glen Dierschke.

Williams’ second throw of the day was 55-1½, surpassing Dierschke’s record by one-fourth of an inch. Williams’ third throw was 55-6½, improving his brand new school record. His fourth throw was 57-8½, establishing a new Wall record by more than 2 feet.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Big second inning lifts Midland High to 5-3 win over Lady Eagles

A four-run second inning for Midland High proved too much for Abilene High to overcome Friday in a 5-3 loss to the Lady Bulldogs at the AHS softball field.

Pitcher Maddie Perez allowed just one run after MHS’ early explosion, and the Lady Eagles rallied for single runs in each of the final three innings, but it wasn’t quite enough against the District 4-5A leading Lady Bulldogs.

The loss was the second in a row for AHS, which fell 12-6 at Odessa High on Tuesday. The Lady Eagles (8-6 overall, 3-2 in district) will try to bounce back this coming Tuesday when they wrap up the first round of league play with a trip to San Angelo Central.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME RECAP: Gay, Wylie too much for Cooper to handle in run-rule victory

Coming off a one-hit shutout against a ranked Lubbock Coronado squad last week, Wylie junior Brooks Gay was on his game again Friday, limiting Cooper to just three hits and one run over five strong innings to pitch the No. 15 Bulldogs to an 11-1 win over the Cougars at Bulldog Field.

The 6-foot-3 right-hander surrendered a  run in the first inning, but was dominant from that point forward. And the Wylie lineup took care of the rest, scoring four runs in the second, three in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth to invoke the 10-run rule.

The Bulldogs outhit the Coogs 11-3, smacking five extra base hits, to improve to 14-4 overall and 4-1 in District 4-5A play.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Hawley softball starts quick in run-rule win over Haskell

HAWLEY — The Hawley softball team used a dominant pitching performance by ShayLynn Bailey and clutch hitting throughout the lineup to take an 11-1 win in five innings over Haskell on Friday afternoon.

Bailey had a complete game in the circle and added RBIs on a double and triple as the freshman had a strong outing and fed off the defense behind her.

She allowed just four hits and struck out five without walking anyone.

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2021 Gym Rat Team: The toughest, hardest-working teammates in the Big Country

While scoring and rebounding garner much of the attention in basketball, there are other elements, crucial to success, that seldom grab headlines. 

Behind the scenes is where character, effort and sacrifice set the foundation for teams to reach their full potential. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who bring these elements to the table. 

This team isn’t about who the best players are — though some of the area’s top players are on this list. 

The Gym Rat Team is about outworking, outhustling and outgiving everyone around you, both on the floor and off. Hard-working, honest, selfless, tough, coachable kids are what we seek for this roster. 

A Gym Rat Team member can be your best player or the last player off the bench. But the one thing all of them bring is an uncompromisingly good attitude. 

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat Team is selected entirely by area coaches. And Big Country Preps is truly honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2020-21 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Daniel Youngblood

All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Superlatives: Edgar, Jones, Delgado and Gray claim top honors

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys basketball selections, click the links below.

Continue reading “All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Superlatives: Edgar, Jones, Delgado and Gray claim top honors” →

by Daniel Youngblood

2021 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2021 All Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2021 All Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Girls All-Big Country Preps team released!

THIS WEEK: Evan and Dan discuss the first-team roster for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. 

by Daniel Youngblood

All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Superlatives: Graham, Hanson, Allen and Booth take top awards

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2021 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2021 All Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2021 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2021 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Snyder rallies from 9-0 deficit to capture important district win over Big Spring

SNYDER — From a coach’s perspective, there is a big difference between a 2-2 and 1-3 record in district play. And heading in to Tuesday’s matchup between Big Spring and Snyder at Moffett Field, each club was faced with a choice between both scenarios. 

With both teams holding 1-2 district marks, the danger of heading into the second half of league play with a sub-.500 mark supplied the incentive. It resulted in a wild, come-from-behind 11-10 win for Snyder. 

Jaden West was 2-for-4 with an RBI and Austin Escobedo delivered four innings of solid relief pitching to lead the Tigers (9-7, 2-2), who rallied from a 9-0 deficit to earn the win. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Seventh-inning rally lifts Frenship past AHS in baseball

An inexperienced Abilene High baseball squad learned the hard way on Tuesday afternoon how hard, and important, it is to finish games as the Eagles fell 11-6 to Wolfforth Frenship in a District 2-6A game at Blackburn Field.

The Eagles saw the Tigers score six runs with one out in the top of the seventh to take the first of three games the two squads will play this week, spoiling a bounce-back effort by Matthew Ezzell on the mound.

Ezzell gave up five runs in the first three innings before settling down and then ran out of steam in the seventh, coach Lee Fletcher said.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

UPDATED: Clyde tabs Cooper OC Dudgeon to be new head football coach/AD

Cooper offensive coordinator Danny Dudgeon will be the new head football coach and athletic director at Clyde.

The selection was confirmed by Clyde Superintendent Kenny Berry on Tuesday afternoon.

Dudgeon replaces Scott Campbell, who was reassigned from his position in late February.

The Clyde job is Dudgeon’s first career head coaching position and he takes over a squad that went 4-7 in 2020, losing to Pilot Point in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Yardley takes top spot with perfect game

Six innings of perfection, spanning through two games.

That is what Jim Ned junior Tate Yardley delivered to take our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week, beginning with a five-inning perfect game in a 21-0 mercy rule win over San Angelo TLCA on March 16. 

Yardley, who quarterbacked Jim Ned to a 3A DI state football title in December, was flawless in the TLCA win, sitting down 15 straight hitters, including 11 via strikeout.  It was the second straight week that a Jim Ned pitcher had delivered perfection, with teammate Blaine Palmer having charted a five-inning no-no in a mercy rule win over Brady on March 8.

Yardley extended his streak of consecutive hitters retired on Friday by striking out the side in an inning of relief to close out a 7-0 win over Wall. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Lubbock High jumps on Cooper early, holds on for 8-4 win

The Cooper baseball team fell behind early and never recovered Saturday in an 8-4 loss to Lubbock High in a District 4-5A matchup at Cougar Field.

The Westerners scored in each of the first three innings, including four runs in the second, to push out to a 6-0 lead and held off the Cougars from there to earn their first district win of the year and keep Cooper from matching its longest winning streak of the season at two games.

The Coogs, who were coming off a 13-2 run-rule win over Lubbock Monterey on Friday, moved back below .500 with the loss, falling to 8-9 overall and 1-2 in league play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Rough seventh inning sinks Wylie in 8-5 loss to Lubbock Cooper

The No. 23 Wylie baseball team suffered its first district loss of the season Saturday, allowing six runs in the seventh inning to fall 8-5 to Lubbock Cooper at Bulldog Field.

Wylie and Cooper were deadlocked at 2-2 after six innings, but the Pirates sent nine batters to the plate in the seventh, using four hits, a walk and a pivotal Wylie error to put some separation between themselves and the Bulldogs.

Wylie rallied in its half of the seventh, plating three runs and getting the tying run to the plate, but coach Grant Martin’s squad was unable to complete the comeback, falling to 12-4 on the year and 2-1 in District 4-5A play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High scores five in seventh to rally past Frenship

Trailing Wolfforth Frenship 7-2 after 6½ innings, the Abilene High softball team rallied for six runs in their final at-bat to earn an 8-7 walk-off win over the Lady Tigers in front of its home crowd Friday.

After being limited to just four hits through the first six innings, the Lady Eagles pounded out six hits in the seventh, tying the game on Chloe Melchor’s two-run single to center and winning it on a RBI hit by KK Roberson.

Down 7-3 after recording its second out of the seventh inning, AHS’ last five batters reached, alternating singles and walks leading up to Roberson’s game-winning hit.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Keefer, 10-run second key run-rule win for Cooper

The Cooper baseball team bounced back well from Tuesday’s district-opening loss to Lubbock Cooper, using a 10-run second inning to run-rule Lubbock Monterey 13-2 in a District 4-5A matchup Friday at Cougar Field.

The Cougars got five strong innings from pitcher Jack Keefer and gave the senior all the run support he would need during that big second inning, sending 14 batters to the plate in the frame to chase Monterey starter Nick Zarate.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Stamford girls jump three classifications for big win over Wylie

STAMFORD — In the end, it was precisely what many people expected: A low-scoring game between a Class 2A softball powerhouse with an ace pitcher and a solid Class 5A club believed by most to be capable of doing some postseason damage. 

The final: Stamford 2, Wylie 1 in nine rather quick innings which saw pitchers Citlaly Gutierrez (SHS) and Reese Farrar of Wylie make short work of their opposition. 

Laylonna Applin tripled and scored on a throwing error with no outs in the bottom of the ninth to end it for Stamford (17-4), which saw Gutierrez spin a four-hitter through nine innings of work. The University of Texas-bound junior allowed no earned runs, walked one and struck out 16 to help SHS leapfrog three classifications for a difficult win.

Wylie (12-7) was led by Kaylin Samulde, who singled and scored WHS’ lone run on a fourth-inning passed ball. 

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