STAMFORD — Benjamin’s Grayson Rigdon has been the most prolific scorer in the Big Country this year by a wide margin as he averaged 40.4 points per game during the regular season.
Tuesday night, he put his skills on display in the Region II-1A quarterfinals and propelled the No. 19 Mustangs into the regional tournament with a 42-point effort in Benjamin’s 72-43 win over Knox City.
It was a 13-0 run over the first three minutes of the second half that helped the Mustangs put the Greyhounds away.
The first time Adrian Daniel coached in regional quarterfinal game at his alma mater, McMurry University, the Munday boys basketball team saw a 32-25 third-quarter lead evaporate in a 53-39 loss to Jayton in 2019.
Facing a similar situation Tuesday on the same floor, the Moguls got the job done against Aspermont.
Leading 25-13 after a half and, as fate would have it, 32-25 after three quarters, Daniel’s squad saw a 12-point advantage with 6:21 remaining trimmed to three with 45 seconds to play. But Munday made the stops and free throws it needed down the stretch to escape with a 50-46 win and advance to the regional tournament for the first time since 2013.
Hamlin football coach and athletic director Chris Evans announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down from his post after a two-year stint in which a rebuild of the Pied Pipers program began.
Evans went 5-5 in 2022 after a winless campaign in his first season. He is 38-31 in six years as a head coach between Hamlin and Wheeler.
“I’ve enjoyed my time here and wish nothing but the best for them,” Evans said.
GRAHAM — Facing off in the Region I-3A quarterfinals with an athletic Vernon squad that had cruised through its first two playoff tests, the Brock boys basketball team knew it would get all the Lions had Monday at the Graham High School gymnasium.
But as it turned out, the 10th-ranked Eagles had just a little bit more.
After stretching a 23-20 halftime lead to eight points early in the fourth quarter, BHS saw Vernon rally to tie the game at 36 with just over two minutes remaining. But rather than panic as the tension and noise level rose, the Eagles responded with a game-closing 4-0 run to take a 40-36 win and advance to the Region I-3A tournament for the seventh consecutive year and 12th time since 2010.
It’s always a good sign early in the season when you’re getting good pitching against quality competition. And in the case of the Big Spring Lady Steers, the numbers in the circle thus far are downright encouraging.
Courtesy of senior Alexcia Munoz, the Lady Steers are off to a 5-1 start, including a 4-0 mark from Munoz in last week’s Abilene Icebreaker tournament.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Abilene Icebreaker Softball Tournament (241 images)”
WOLFFORTH —While 6-foot-2 Holliday post Jalynn Bristow was projected to be major challenge for Jim Ned in Saturday’s Region 1-3A championship game, the Iowa State signee may have exceeded expectations.
Pouring in 24 points (nearly half of her team’s total), Bristow led the Lady Eagles to a 53-40 win to eliminate Jim Ned and push Holliday to the UIL State Tournament. This, despite landing in second half foul trouble and being forced to sit out much of the fourth quarter on the bench.
Jim Ned closed its season with a 35-2 mark, capped by its fifth straight appearance in a regional tournament. Emma Doran led the Lady Indians with 11 points; Lexi Wishert added nine.
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SNYDER — After scoring the first nine points of the game, the 12th-ranked Hermleigh Lady Cardinals led Irion County for 28½ of the 32 minutes in their Region II-2A semifinal Friday at The Coliseum. But a late scoring drought for the Lady Cardinals opened a window, and the Lady Hornets flew through for a dramatic 36-33 win.
Hermleigh, which led 15-5 after a quarter and still held an eight-point lead (30-22) as late as the 4:15 mark of the third period, was outscored 14-3 over the final 12 minutes, resulting in a heartbreaking loss for coach Tommy Cross’ squad.
The Lady Cardinals’ only points of the fourth quarter came on a layup by senior Juli Munoz that gave HHS a 33-30 lead with about 6:45 to play in the game. But Irion County scored the final six points, escaping with the come-from-behind victory when Syreah Callaway’s game-tying 3-point attempt rimmed out just before the final buzzer.
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SNYDER — The Highland girls basketball team rebounded from a slow start and bevy of missed opportunities in the first three quarters Friday to force overtime in its Region II-1A semifinal matchup with sixth-ranked Veribest. But the Lady Hornets couldn’t quite close the deal in a 36-31 loss to the Lady Falcons at The Coliseum.
HHS, which trailed 10-4 at the end the first quarter, missed a load of layups and went just 1 of 6 from the free-throw line in the first half, twice missing the front end of one-and-one situations. Despite this, the Lady Hornets found themselves up on two occasions in the fourth quarter — the last at 27-25 with just over a minute remaining.
But Veribest, which led for the vast majority of contest, evened things up with a pair of late free throws and outscored Highland 9-4 in overtime to end the Lady Hornets’ season at 30-8.
LUBBOCK — With only two seniors and two juniors surrounded by a host of sophomores and freshmen, few were expecting to see the Stephenville Honey Bees in this year’s Region I-4A semifinals.
Nonetheless, Stephenville was at Lubbock Christian University on Friday taking on No. 4 Canyon. But as fate would have it, the ‘Bees were finally toppled, 49-31 to close a remarkable 32-5 campain.
Sydnee Winfrey and Jaylee Moss dropped in 11 points apiece and Shaylin Schulte added eight more to lead Canyon (32-3), which advances to face top-ranked Glen Rose for the regional title.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Aspermont-Cross Plains boys basketball playoff (38 images)”
WOLFFORTH — A slow start, a hostile crowd and regional semifinal pressure were all in a day’s work for the Jim Ned Lady Indians, who overcame all three handicaps to eliminate Idalou 47-33 on Friday at Frenship High School’s Tiger Pit.
Lexi Wishert had 17 points, including three 3-pointers and Ashlynn Galvin added 10 more to lead Jim Ned (32-1), which now advances to face Holliday (31-3) in the Region I-3A title game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Idalou was led by Logan Heard with 15 points and Maddie Holmes with seven. The Lady Cats finished their season at 25-13.
ANSON — The Brady boys basketball team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the state in the opening round of the postseason with a 42-37 win over District 6-3A champion San Angelo TLCA on Tuesday night.
It left many people wondering what the Bulldogs would do as an encore, especially since they were playing with house money when taking on No. 25 Vernon on Friday at Anson’s Tiger Gymnasium.
Another upset was not in the cards for the Bulldogs, who were held scoreless until midway through the second quarter as Vernon ran away with a 67-36 win.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Brady-Vernon boys basketball playoff (45 images)”
ANSON — The Cross Plains Buffaloes started the postseason off with an upset win over Hermleigh on Tuesday night.
There would be no repeat of that magic in the area round with the Buffaloes giving up the first 14 points of the game on their way to a 53-35 loss to Aspermont at Tiger Gymnasium on Friday night.
The slow start was something that coach Dade Cosby’s team wasn’t able to overcome, but they never stopped fighting.
After recognizing the Big Country’s top pitchers, catchers, infielders and outfielders, we wrap up our baseball position rankings series with the area’s multi-position standouts.
For the final installment in our five-part series, we take a look at the top utility players, ranking our top-10 with others to watch in 2023.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through these lists and are as excited as we are that baseball season is underway.
For the fourth installment of our five-part baseball position rankings series, we shift our focus from the infield dirt to the outfield grass.
After highlighting the Big Country’s top pitchers, catchers and infielders earlier this week, we now do the same with the area’s best outfielders, ranking our top 10 with others to watch in 2023.
We hope you enjoy our list.
There are two constants when speaking about the girls basketball regional tournaments from the Big Country perspective.
First, we are almost guaranteed to have representation at the regional level — partly due to talent and partly due to the sheer volume of teams the Big Country houses (nearly 80). And secondly, surviving beyond this point is usually a crapshoot, with one monstrous team after another blocking the road to San Antonio.
After ranking the top pitchers and catchers on the Big Country baseball scene the past two nights, we now turn our attention to the infield.
For the third installment in our five-part position rankings series, we list our top-10 infielders in the area with a list of others to watch in 2023.
We hope you enjoy reading through our rankings.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Not much separated the Snyder and Stephenville boys basketball teams in their Region I-4A bi-district matchup Tuesday at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena.
Three points, to be exact.
In a evenly-matched game that close throughout, the Tigers escaped with a 41-38 win that wasn’t decided until the final buzzer, shortly before which Payton Poston’s game-tying 3-point attempt bounced off the rim and out, finally allowing the Snyder coaches and players to exhale and eventually celebrate.
CLYDE — Outgunned athletically, both in terms of size and quickness by Lubbock Estacado, the Stephenville Honey Bees had to fall back on an old standby to win Tuesday’s Region I-4A quarterfinal: team defense.
Though it took the better part of four quarters to achieve it, 10th-ranked Stephenville finally put the Lady Matadors in their rearview mirror, topping Estacado 55-43 at the Clyde High School gym.
Mya Wilson scored 21 points and Lillie Skiles added 11 more to lead Stephenville (32-4), which now advances to the Region I-4A semifinals at Lubbock Christian University where they will face fourth-ranked Canyon (31-3) on Friday at 6:30 p.m.
TUSCOLA — Tuesday night marked the third straight year that the Eula and Hermleigh girls basketball teams have met in the playoffs with a berth in the regional tournament on the line.
After the Lady Cardinals won the first two matchups 44-41 and 54-39 at Wylie’s Bulldog Gym, the series shifted to Jim Ned’s Bill Thornton Arena as the Lady Pirates looked to break the streak.
For the third straight year, though, the Lady Cardinals broke Eula’s heart, this time with a 49-46 win in an instant classic.
After opening our baseball position rankings series with the pitchers on Thursday, it’s time to shift our attention to their battery mates.
For the second installment in our five-part series, we celebrate the Big Country’s top catchers, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch in 2023.
We hope you enjoy our list.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Ira-May boys basketball bi-district playoff (41 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Third-seeded Rising Star gave the District 13-1A runner-up Westbrook Wildcats all they wanted in Monday’s Region II-1A bi-district matchup at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena, but ultimately, coach Homer Matlock’s team was just a little too much in a 49-40 victory.
Leading by one point after a quarter and two points at halftime, WHS used a 14-8 run through the third quarter to create the separation it needed to pull away for the win and advance to the area round, where it will face the winner between Knox City and Crowell later this week.
Junior guard Parker Matlock fueled the effort for Westbrook, tying a game high with 18 points, while Grayson Jeffrey hit three of the Wildcats’ seven 3-pointers to overcome a game effort by Rising Star.
Playing without seniors Brenson Halford and Tyler Stewart, who were seriously injured in a car accident near Lubbock on Feb. 11, the Hermleigh boys basketball team struggled to contain the Cross Plains duo of Noah Moses and Ryan Reed on Monday night in a 39-34 bi-district upset at McMurry University’s Kimbrell Arena.
Moses and Reed scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, to lead the fourth-seeded Buffaloes, who used a 10-8 run through the fourth quarter to protect a lead that had been trimmed to three points (29-26) heading into the final eight minutes.
In a game that was tight throughout, Cross Plains held the District 14-1A champion Cardinals under 10 points in three of the four quarters to advance to the Region II-1A area round, where it will face off with the winner of Aspermont and Electra later this week.
WINTERS — After a shocking bi-district loss ended the football season for May, the Tigers found themselves in a similar situation on Monday night at Blizzard Gym to start the postseason in basketball against Ira.
The fourth-place Bulldogs had May on the ropes in the third quarter, leading 42-39 with momentum, but the Tigers responded like a hungry squad.
May reeled off 12 consecutive points, spanning the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, and used the run to propel itself to a 68-50 win that was far less comfortable than the final score indicated.
WINTERS — With a spot in the Region I-3A tournament on the line on Monday night at Blizzard Gym, the Jim Ned and Ballinger girls basketball teams squared off for the third time this season.
The Lady Indians were seeking their fifth straight berth in the regional tournament while the Lady Cats were in the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2008.
Despite a strong defensive first half, the Lady Cats struggled to score offensively, and Jim Ned’s offense came to life in the second half to propel the Lady Indians to a 53-18 win and an 8 p.m. date with Idalou on Friday at Wolfforth Frenship.
CISCO — After having swept through District 6-4A with an 8-0 mark, few who follow area basketball were expecting Glen Rose to struggle in its Region I-4A bi-district matchup with fourth-seeded Sweetwater on Monday night.
Nonetheless, the Tigers got all they wanted from a Mustang team that finished 5-5 in District 5. By night’s end, Glen Rose prevailed 49-40, but not before a boisterous crowd got its money’s worth at Ray Saunders Gym.
After kicking off the spring sports season with our softball position rankings last week, it’s time to turn our attention to the the baseball field and the players you’ll be reading about throughout the 2023 campaign.
For the first installment in a five-part series that will cover all position groups on the area baseball scene, we’ll be taking a look at the Big Country’s best pitchers, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this fall.
We hope you enjoy reading through our list.
While Hawley’s Kason O’Shields is better known for his prowess on a football field, the HHS senior is actually a remarkable all-around athlete who is capable of having an impact in a variety of different sports.
This week is a prime example of that, as O’Shields takes our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending February 18.
At 6-foot-5, having scored 1,000-points-plus in a varsity career that began when he was a freshman, Cooper’s Jaelyn Rivera is standing tall these days — both literally and figuratively.
As the primary offensive force on a Cougar team that is 18-12 after finishing second in District 4-5A, Rivera will lead Cooper into its Region 1-5A bi-district game against Amarillo Palo Duro at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Lamesa.
While Cooper coach Bryan Conover can only speculate how his team’s deliberate-offense/stifling-defense style will match up against the Dons’ run/gun/launch-the-3-as-soon-as-it’s-open attack, he knows his team will be perched on Rivera’s sturdy shoulders when the game tips off.
Sitting at 0-4 in District 5-4A play on Jan. 25, the Sweetwater boys basketball team found itself at a crossroads.
The Mustangs’ campaign, which began with a promising 17-6 run through nondistrict play, was headed toward a disappointing end without some necessary course correction.
Coach Evan Grantham’s squad needed to right the ship and quickly if it hoped to finish its season in the playoffs. Fortunately, it did just that.
Zach Lewis is ready to leave everything on the court these next couple weeks.
The Brock senior point guard’s competitive basketball days are numbered as he’ll be attending business school at Texas A&M next fall.
After playing a crucial role on the Eagles’ state-qualifying team two years ago and nearly leading Brock back to San Antonio last year, Lewis is well-versed in high-stakes postseason games.
Adam Hill was a key member of Albany’s state championship football team last fall.
The junior lined up at running back, played tight end in certain sets and even was occasionally a fullback. Hill was also a defensive end for the Lions after playing strong safety the previous year.
Hill’s versatility can also be seen on the basketball court. He’s a bigger guy who can handle the ball well. Hill pounds the glass with his 6-foot-2 frame and has worked hard to improve his outside shooting.
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Continue reading “Lubbock Cooper-Wylie boys basketball play-in game (64 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “Roby-Highland girls basketball area round playoff (46 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Roscoe-Sundown girls basketball area round playoff (47 images)”
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Rotan-Eula girls basketball area round playoff (36 images)”