Month: April 2021

by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Aggressive, care-free Coleman softball team proving to be a difficult foe

Photos courtesy Coleman softball parents and Kathy Turner of Coleman Today News

Saturday was a missed opportunity for Coleman’s softball team.  

With a chance to win the District 6-2A title outright, the Bluekatts suffered a lopsided loss against Eldorado.  

But second-year coach Cody LeCroy looks at the situation as a learning experience for a youthful Coleman squad that has unlimited potential. After all, when you start more freshmen than seniors, you’re bound to have a couple hiccups along the way.  

“You don’t want to lose by any means. I told them, remember this feeling, it’s not a good feeling,” LeCroy said. “Remind yourself how much harder we have to work and how important the little things are.”  

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Hitting machine Arellano changes positions again — this time to pitcher and third base

Photos by Calvin Best, Breckenridge ISD journalism teacher.

Taking on a new role this season is nothing new for Jonas Arellano. The Breckenridge senior has played almost every position a baseball player can during his high school career.

After playing on Breckenridge teams loaded with upperclassmen the last two years, Arellano is now the Buckaroos’ most experienced player and one of just three seniors in 2021.

“We lost 11 seniors last year, so we basically called up our 2020 JV to start this season,” third-year Breckenridge coach Kevin Bartley said. “Jonas is our heart and soul. He was a part of our 31-4 team in 2019 that made the regional semifinals. He’s our only player with deep playoff experience. He understands team chemistry and keeps everybody moving in the right direction.”

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Escalon takes this week’s accolade

Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the Week ending April 17 could have only been better had he thrown a no-hitter. 

Breckenridge freshman Camden Escalon came within one hit of a no-no on Saturday in an 18-0 rout of Wichita Falls City view. 

Along the way he fanned 10 hitters against only two walks to improve his personal record to 2-0 on the year. 

As a team Breckenridge enters this week at 13-6 and 6-3 in district play. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Hamlin makes hire for new head football coach, athletic director

HAMLIN — The Hamlin school board approved the hiring of Wheeler’s Chris Evans to be the Pied Pipers’ new head football coach and athletic director at a school board meeting on Monday night.

Evans, who will be replacing new Sweetwater coach Russell Lucas, went 33-16 in four seasons at Wheeler, following up a 6-6 record in his first year in 2017 with records of 8-4, 10-3 and 9-3.

His 2017 squad lost to the Pied Pipers 47-27 in the area round of the playoffs, and Hamlin defeated the Mustangs 56-22 in a regional semifinal as the team made its run to the state championship game in 2019. Continue reading “BREAKING: Hamlin makes hire for new head football coach, athletic director” →

by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Pandemic couldn’t halt progress for Jim Ned sophomore Saling

His favorite sport was on hiatus. His freshman track season was on the verge of being canceled before it even really began.

But that didn’t keep Jim Ned’s Chris Saling from pounding the asphalt once a week, timer in hand.

When the UIL halted athletics last spring because of COVID, Saling still made it out to the track on days the Indians had meets scheduled. He detailed his progress in the 400, 800 and 3,200 meters by recording his times and sending them to coach Dustin Todd. 

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: May’s Reese Chambers seeking return to state in sprints

The present and the future will intersect this week for Reese Chambers.

The May senior will compete in the sprint races at the Region II-1A track and field meet at San Angelo. This is the week in which Chambers can qualify for next month’s UIL state meet after finishing fifth in the 100 meters and ninth as a member of the 400-meter relay at state as a sophomore in 2019.

The top two finishers in each event at regional guarantee themselves a spot in the UIL Class 1A state meet on May 8 in Austin.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

FEATURE: AHS’ Reese surprised by retirement ceremony

“This was pretty special. Justin is quiet and a little devilish.”

Those words spoken by Abilene High softball coach Jim Reese were in regards to his son, Justin, who is the boys basketball coach at AHS.

With the news of Jim’s upcoming retirement from AHS, Justin spent most of the past organizing a surprise retirement ceremony honoring his dad prior to the Lady Eagles 4-3 win over Odessa High in the Lady Eagles’ penultimate home game of the season on Friday.

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by Evan Ren

FEATURE: Young Rivera proving to be one of the top all-round players in the Big Country

COLORADO CITY — Entering the 2021 season as a 15-year-old sophomore, Colorado City’s Kaci Rivera was a largely unknown commodity. 

Having lost most of her freshman season due to the COVID lockdown, Rivera was essentially making her varsity debut when play resumed this year. 

She is currently making up for lost time — both as a hitter and a pitcher. 

Entering this week, Rivera was in the top 10 in virtually every offensive statistic on the Big Country Preps softball leaderboards (published each Thursday), hitting for both power and average. 

In the circle, she and teammate Riley Johnson have formed one of the better 1-2 pitching duos in the area among Class 2A clubs. Rivera has contributed eight wins and as of this writing, is in the area’s top 10 in innings pitched (69), ERA (2.23) and is one of only five Big Country pitchers with more than 100 strikeouts (103). 

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Cooper bounces back with run-rule win at Lubbock High

LUBBOCK — The Cooper softball team bounced back from a rough 23-1 loss to Lubbock Monterey on Tuesday with an 18-6 win at Lubbock High on Friday, improving to 17-8 on the season and 5-3 in District 4-5A play.

The Lady Cougars pounded out 15 hits, including home runs by Angelina Arriaga, Kaleigha Kemp and Summer Simmons, to score in every inning. Up 8-3 after four innings, CHS used five-run outbursts in the fifth and sixth to end the game via the 10-run rule.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: No. 6 Lubbock Cooper rallies past 12th-ranked Wylie to sweep season series

Trailing Wylie 1-0 after four innings Friday at Bulldog Field, the sixth-ranked Lubbock Cooper baseball team rallied for five runs in the final three innings to top the No. 12 Bulldogs 5-3 and complete a sweep of the three-game season series.

The Pirates, who downed WHS 8-5 on March 20 in Abilene and edged the Bulldogs 3-1 on Tuesday in Lubbock, scored two runs in the fifth and sixth innings and one in seventh on Friday, before holding off a late rally from the home team to secure the win.

The victory clinched Cooper (22-4 overall, 11-0 in league play) at least a share of the District 4-5A title, while Wylie (17-7, 7-4) remained in a second-place tie with No. 13 Lubbock Coronado, which was upset 1-0 by last-place Lubbock Monterey on Friday. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Lady Eagles get closer to playoff berth with walk-off win over Odessa High

The Abilene High softball team entered Friday’s District 2-6A game against second-place Odessa High knowing that two wins in its final three games would all but clinch a playoff berth.

What the Lady Eagles never expected was to have two freshmen come up with big nights to help them rally for a 4-3 walk-off win after scoring two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

After watching Diana Silva make a strong first start to keep her team in the game, fellow freshman Amyah Starks had the game-winning hit, dropping a blooper into shallow right to score Emma Mora from second base and lift the Lady Eagles to 11-8 overall and 6-4 in district.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Colorado City uses quick start to top Forsan in important district matchup

FORSAN — On a cold, dreary Friday, the Colorado City softball team had enough energy to muster a quick start, and enough poise to hold off a Forsan rally in a 14-6 win at FHS.

Mallory Kern was 4 for 5 with two doubles and Kaci Rivera was 3 for 5 with a double, triple and five RBIs to lead Colorado City (19-6, 5-1 District 4-2A), which has forced a first-place tie with Forsan in the league standings. 

The Lady Buffaloes (11-3-1, 5-1) were led by Aubrie Smith, who was 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and by Kelcey Zubiate, who was 2 for 4 with a run scored. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Merkel players, coaches enjoying softball resurgence

If Merkel’s softball resurgence has caught you by surprise, you’re not alone. 

Sitting at 11-0 in District 6-3A, having already clinched at least a share of the title in a league that features quality competition from Ballinger, Jim Ned and Clyde, the Lady Badgers have been one of the best stories in the area this year. 

After finishing 0-12 in district in 2019 and dropping their only league game completed before COVID cut the 2020 season short, Merkel has emerged — seemingly out of nowhere — as a legitimate threat in Region I-3A this spring.

But while the dramatic nature of that turnaround has earned the Lady Badgers some newfound and well-deserved attention, coach Bobby Williams isn’t among those shocked by this season’s developments.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Abilene High pitcher Perez embracing challenges of leadership role

Abilene High pitcher Maddie Perez was given a tough assignment this season.

Following in the footsteps of aces Kaylen Washington and Aubrianna Salazar, who pitched the the Lady Eagles to a combined 42-7-2 record the past two seasons, the junior right-hander was handed the ball and asked to help a relatively inexperienced team continue the work their predecessors did to build a winning tradition at AHS.

With just three district games remaining, Perez and her teammates have an opportunity to do just that. While sporting a modest 10-8 overall record and 5-4 mark in District 2-6A, the Lady Eagles can still check off one of their biggest goals by finishing this season in the playoffs.

And though they have tough games remaining against Odessa High (18-6, 8-2), Midland High (22-3, 8-1) and San Angelo Central (10-5, 4-5), coach Jim Reese is glad to have Perez on his side heading into the most important stretch of his season.

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by Evan Ren

BREAKING: Fostel stepping down at Eula

Eula boys basketball coach Josh Fostel has announced today that he will be stepping down after 18 years, multiple district titles and a state championship at EHS.

“I made a decision recently. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it is in our family’s world,” wrote Fostel in a Facebook post announcing the move. “This was a decision that I have been thinking and praying about for quite a while, yet that did not make it any easier.”

by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Day’s pitching, Hobbs’ hitting lead Brownwood past Gatesville

BROWNWOOD — In the bottom of the second inning, Brownwood’s Hunter Day missed the sign for a hit-and-run in which Gavin Brandstetter was thrown out stealing second.

Day and Brownwood coach Brian Harris had a discussion after the fact and Day said postgame that he has to do better as a senior and not make mental mistakes like that.

He buckled down on the mound after the hitting gaffe and that allowed the Lions to rally for a 4-3 win over Gatesville in District 6-4A play on Tuesday night at Morris Southall Field as Kris Hobbs delivered the walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Brock remains unbeaten in district with big win at Early

EARLY — Hoping to force a first-place tie in District 8-3A with perennial power Brock, coach Todd Hatton and a youthful Early baseball team knew they needed a quick start when the Eagles paid them a visit on Tuesday. 

It didn’t happen. 

Quite the contrary, it was Brock that got out of the gate quickly, smothering Early with a six-run first inning and a six-run second in a 12-1 win via the five-inning 10-run rule. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Whitehead, Merkel dominate Brady to clinch at least share of 6-3A title

MERKEL — Josie Whitehead pitched a five-inning one hitter and her teammates pounded out 16 hits Tuesday as the Merkel Lady Badgers shut out Brady 14-0 at home to claim at least a share of the District 6-3A title.

Whitehead was perfect after a one-out double in the first, retiring the final 14 batters she faced, including 10 of the final 12 batters by strikeout.

And while the freshman right-hander was dealing in the circle, the Lady Lady Badger lineup was lighting things up at the plate, following a four-run first with a seven-run second to put the game out of reach early.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Rapidly improving Clyde softballers get boost from Puryear, Kirksey

Photos by Seth Larue

It took almost until mid-April for Clyde’s softball team to reach a winning record.  

But there aren’t many area softball teams currently more dangerous than the Lady Bulldogs, who have grown tremendously over the past two months.   

Senior Paige Puryear and junior Maddi Kirksey are two reasons why Clyde is surging. Puryear has gotten comfortable in the circle, while Kirksey is a dependable catcher hitting a blistering .672. Puryear isn’t too far behind, batting .557 from the leadoff spot.  

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie senior Aguilar vaults way to honor

Kylor Aguilar’s high school athletic career has been filled with obstacles, but after beginning it with such promise as a state silver medalist as a freshman, the Wylie pole vaulter is on track to finish it in style.

Aguilar, who had his sophomore season derailed by a rare bone disorder and had his junior season shortened by the COVID-19 stoppage, is having his best high school season to date as a senior.

And after vaulting a career best 15 feet, 9 inches at the District 4-5A meet in Lubbock, he’s our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the week ending April 10.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: De Leon left-hander Lane Powledge is throwing smoke again

Photos by Melissa Sones

Lane Powledge’s elbow issues of 2020 were left in 2020.

Through last week’s baseball games, the De Leon senior left-handed pitcher was 5-1 with a 1.75 earned run average. He also is the Big Country leader with 71 strikeouts in 28 innings.

“This year he’s off to an all-state start,” De Leon head coach Ricky Barrett said. “We’re a different team when he’s on the mound. He’s pitching lights out. He’s ready to go all the time.”

After going 9-2 with a 1.15 ERA as a sophomore in 2019, Powledge was just starting his pitching comeback from an elbow injury in mid-March last year. He threw 42 strikes in 48 pitches in his first appearance of 2020, and followed with a five-inning one-hitter to beat Santo.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Sweetwater multi-sport star Foster finds stride on track as one of area’s top hurdlers

To trace the origin of Harrison Foster’s breakout in track, one must look back months ago to Sweetwater’s football season.

Foster emerged as a key player for the district champion Mustangs, catching 10 touchdowns and becoming the team’s second-leading tackler on defense.

“The success I had during the football season brought me with more confidence, and I started believe that I can do more than I thought I could,” Foster said. “With the success we had during football, it brought our team a lot closer. Especially with all the multi-sport athletes, those relationships can carry over and start us off on a good note.”

Foster’s 2020-21 athletic season has a chance to end on a great note as the junior is one of the Big Country’s top hurdlers. Foster owns the area’s top time in the 300-meter hurdles (39.96) and has also run a sizzling 15.12 in the 110 hurdles.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: With focus solely on track, Brock’s Torrye Tyler now a threat in the 800 and 400

Photos by Tommy Hays Photography in Brock

Eleventh-year Brock girls’ track coach Keith Shoush always wanted to see what Torrye Tyler could do in the 800 meters.

“Torrye was a Division I recruit in basketball, and the team was always making a deep run in the playoffs,” Shoush said. “I never had her for longer than spring break to the district meet as far as choosing events. We didn’t try the 800 because we didn’t have time to get her in shape for it.”

Until this year.

Tyler, a senior, made a tough decision to stop playing basketball and focus solely on track. With more time to train, Tyler leads the Big Country in all classifications in the 800 meters with a best time of 2 minutes, 19.75 seconds.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Jones trying to take long-suffering Jim Ned softball program to an elite level

TUSCOLA — If one is to criticize Jim Ned softball coach Erica Jones about anything, not caring wouldn’t be it. You can also scratch a lack of intensity, focus and work ethic from the list of possibilities. 

Having worked several of Jones’ games over the last 15 years through her highly successful (and lengthy) tenure at Clyde and a pair of seasons at Anson, I’m as qualified as anyone to offer an accurate viewpoint.

I’ve seen her teams win. I’ve seen her teams lose — the latter of which almost always comes with a glint of tears in her eyes. 

This lady hates losing and after all these years, she’s still not very good at it. But then again, no true competitor is, or wants to be.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Cooper snaps losing streak with home win over Monterey

The Cooper baseball team snapped a six-game losing streak Friday, topping Lubbock Monterey 8-4 at Cougar Field to take the season series from the Plainsmen two games to one.

The Cougars, who fell to Monterey 14-8 on Tuesday in Lubbock, used a four-run bottom of the first Friday to erase an early 2-0 deficit and tacked on three runs in the third to take control for good.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Cooper bounces back with 11-3 home win over Lubbock Cooper

The Cooper softball team bounced back from a tough loss to Wylie on Tuesday with a dominating effort Friday, using a six-run third to take early control in an 11-3 home win over Lubbock Cooper.

The Lady Cougars, who lost to their crosstown rivals on a walk-off home run Tuesday, eliminated the drama early in their win over the Lady Pirates, following a one-run second with six in the third and two in the fourth to go up 9-0 before the visitors finally got on the board.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High builds big lead, holds off late rally in 11-6 win over Lee

The Abilene High softball team jumped out to big early lead and overcame some shaky defense late to secure an 11-6 win over Midland Lee on Friday at the AHS softball field.

Leading 8-0 after three innings and 11-2 after six, the Lady Eagles gave up four runs in the seventh on two hits, two walks and a pair of errors before finally slamming the door on the Lady Rebels to improve to 10-7 overall and 5-3 in District 2-6A play.

AHS committed four errors for the game, leading to five unearned runs, but coach Jim Reese’s squad was able overcome the defensive miscues with a 12-hit day at the plate that included two doubles, a triple and a pair of home runs.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Gay strong once again as No. 11 Wylie rallies past 12th-ranked Coronado

It wasn’t quite the one-hit shutout he threw in his first start against 12th-ranked Lubbock Coronado on March 19, but Brook Gay’s performance Friday was enough to secure a series win for No. 11 Wylie, thanks to a late rally by his offense.

The junior right-hander limited the Mustangs to just two runs on five hits in another complete-game gem, and his teammates answered Coronado’s two-run top of the sixth with two runs of their own in the bottom to earn a 3-2 come-from-behind win at Bulldog Field.

With the victory, the Bulldogs took the season series from the Mustangs 2-1, bouncing back from a 13-8 loss at CHS on Tuesday to improve to 17-5 on the year and 7-2 in District 4-5A play.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Ballinger softballers hold on for crucial road win at Jim Ned

TUCSCOLA — It took the better part of a month for Ballinger to get a second shot at Jim Ned, following a 10-8 loss to the Lady Indians way back on March 13 at home. 

On Friday, however, the Lady Cats utilized a huge start, some timely hitting and a handful of Jim Ned mistakes to get a measure of revenge in a 13-9 win. 

Alina Pena was 2 for 4 with a triple and four RBIs and went the distance in the circle to lead Ballinger (12-7, 7-3), which held off a Jim Ned rally after taking an early 8-0 lead. 

Jim Ned (13-7, 7-2) was led by starting pitcher Libbie Brnovack, who as 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. The Lady Indians rallied with seven runs over the last four innings only to fall short.

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