Here are the girls area track bests through April 30 (top 15 in each event):
Month: April 2023
REGION IV-2A TRACK RECAP: Goldthwaite teams collect nine combined medals, earn seven state berths
KINGSVILLE — The Goldthwaite girls and boys track teams both made successful showings at the Region IV-2A track meet Friday and Saturday at Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Javelina Stadium, finishing third and sixth in their respective team races.
The Lady Eagles claimed six medals and clinched five berths to the state meet, while the Eagles earned three medals and secured two state bids.
The GHS girls finished 63 points to tie with Shiner for third, 18 points behind team champion Thrall and nine points behind runner-up Refugio. The boys, meanwhile, totaled 37 points to finish three points outside of the top five. Refugio won the boys team title with 88 points, followed by Falls City with 53, Mason with 52, Stockdale with 42 and Shiner with 40.
REGION II-2A TRACK RECAP: Albany, Cisco go 1-2 in boys race; Stamford shares girls title
SPRINGTOWN — Big Country athletes made a big showing at the Region II-2A track meet, collecting a combined 37 medals and clinching 28 state berths over the two-day event at Porcupine Stadium.
Along the way, Albany and Cisco went 1-2 in the boys team race, while Stamford shared the girls team title with Era and Hamilton.
The Albany Lions had the highest point total of any program, boys or girls, collecting five medals on the way to 70 points, while the Cisco boys followed closely behind with 67 points. Stamford finished third in the boys team race with 64 points, while the girls earned 56 points to finish in a three-way tie atop the team standings.
REGION I-2A TRACK RECAP: Coleman’s Smith, C-City’s Raschke headline solid area effort
CANYON — Behind gold medal efforts by Coleman’s Braxton Smith and Colorado City’s Jordan Raschke, the Big Country locked up seven state berths over the weekend at the Region I-2A track meet at West Texas A&M University Track & Field Complex.
Smith won the boys long jump and Raschke the boys 110-meter hurdles to headline a list of 12 area entries to medal at the meet — six on the boys side and six on the girls side.
The Bluecats, who also got a silver medal from Clayton Lackey in the discus and a bronze in the 400 relay, had the top team finish of any Big Country squad, scoring 34 points to finish third behind champion Panhandle (77) and runner-up Plains (47).
REGION I-4A TRACK RECAP: Stephenville’s Cameron, Brister headline strong showing for area athletes
LUBBOCK — Big Country athletes combined to claim 18 medals and clinch 13 automatic berths to the state track meet at the Region I-4A meet over the weekend at Lowrey Field.
The area accounted for 11 gold medals, two silvers and five bronzes as Stephenville and Sweetwater claimed top-five team finishes on the girls side and Stephenville and Brownwood finished in the top 10 in boys competition.
Stephenville’s Victoria Cameron headlined the meet for the Big Country girls contingent, leaving Lubbock with four gold medals, while Stephenville’s Creece Brister won both throwing events on the boys side.
REGION I-5A TRACK RECAP: Wylie thrower Blake earns state trip with silver medal in discus
LUBBOCK — Wylie senior Ryan Blake earned himself a trip to Austin with a silver medal performance in the discus over the weekend at the Region I-5A track meet at Lowrey Field.
The standout thrower highlighted a local effort that saw nine local entries score for their respective schools in the team standings.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie secure bi-district sweeps to advance to area round
The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams closed out bi-district sweeps on Saturday, advancing to next week’s area round with lopsided Game 2 wins.
The Lady Eagles followed a 6-0 Game 1 victory over Amarillo Caprock with an 11-1 rout in Game 2, while the Lady Bulldogs trounced Plainview 10-0 a day after claiming an 11-1 win in Game 1.
With the series victory, AHS moves on to take on 34-1 El Paso Hanks next week in the second round. Wylie, meanwhile, will face El Paso Parkland (18-16).
GAME STORY: Early eliminates Jacksboro in back-to-back nail-biters
EARLY — It was six hours of insanity with a half hour bathroom break in the middle. But by the time the dust settled, the Early Lady Longhorns had posted back-to-back one-run victories to eliminate Jacksboro in a best-of-three bi-district series that may never be forgotten by those who played in it.
Having lost Game 1 on Thursday, Early rallied to take Game 2, 9-8 Saturday evening. But that was a mere warmup for the storm ahead: An 18-17 knockdown drag-out affair that didn’t end until after 1 a.m. Sunday morning. Fans arrived in short sleeves, enjoying a warm evening. They left wrapped in blankets as a late-night chill dominated Game 3 several hours later.
REGION I-3A TRACK MEET: Brock, Breck boys go 1-2 again; Big Country girls claim six individual golds
The Brock boys track teams clinched its third consecutive region championship Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Elmer Gray Stadium, and for the second year in a row, the Eagles’ stiffest competition came from Breckenridge.
Brock took first at the Region I-3A meet, tallying 70 team points over the two-day competition, while the Buckaroos finished with 55 points, edging third-place Vernon (54) for their second runner-up finish in as many years.
Those performances headlined a successful meet for area competitors, which saw athletes or relay teams from the Big Country Preps coverage area claim 26 total medals — 14 on the boys side and 12 on the girls. That list featured 15 automatic qualifying bids to the state meet May 11-13 in Austin, including 10 total gold medals.
PHOTO GALLERY: Snyder-Glen Rose softball bi-district playoff series (227 photos)
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PHOTO GALLERY: Brownwood-Levelland softball bi-district playoff (59 images)
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PHOTO GALLERY: Stephenville-Sweetwater softball bi-district playoff (108 images)
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GAME STORY: Late homer in Game 2 propels Glen Rose rally for series win
After a thrilling extra-innings win over Glen Rose in Friday’s series opener, the Snyder softball team needed to win just one game on Saturday at Cougar Diamond to advance in the Region I-4A postseason.
When Ava Aviles launched a home run in the top of the sixth inning of Game 2 that landed on top of the batting cages to give Snyder a one-run lead, it appeared as though the Lady Tigers were on the verge of sweeping the series.
Glen Rose’s Mia Fletcher answered with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning, though, to propel Glen Rose to a 6-5 win before her squad scored early and often in Game 3 to secure a 10-3 win and complete a series rally.
GAME STORY: Jim Ned avenges mercy rule loss to Wall with 2-1 victory over Hawks in regular season finale
TUSCOLA — What a difference a day makes.
Having suffered an 11-1 mercy rule loss to the Wall Hawks on Thursday, the Jim Ned Indians returned on Friday to hand Wall a 2-1 defeat and force a first-place tie in District 6-3A in the process.
Hagan Headrick delivered the game-winning RBI with an infield single to score Cooper Mascorro with two outs in the seventh inning to lift Jim Ned (23-4, 13-1) which will face Wall in a district tie-breaker for the No. 1 seed on Monday at a time and site to be determined.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie kick off playoffs with lopsided wins
The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams opened the playoffs with impressive showings Friday, each winning the opener of their Region I-5A bi-district series with comfortable wins.
The Lady Eagles shut out Amarillo Caprock 6-0 at Lubbock Cooper, while the Lady Bulldogs routed Plainview 11-1 at Lubbock Christian University.
Both teams will try to close out their series Saturday, when play resumes with Game 2 at their same respective sites.
GAME STORY: Walls’ two homers launch Brownwood into second round
Leave no doubt.
That’s what the Brownwood softball team wanted to do after a late rally on Thursday gave it a 1-0 series lead over Levelland.
Friday afternoon, Chloe Walls left no doubt, as her bat propelled the Lady Lions to a 12-0 win over the Lady Loboes at Cougar Diamond and a sweep of the Region I-4A bi-district series.
GAME STORY: Snyder rallies from 5-0 deficit to take down Glen Rose in nine innings
Trailing 5-1 and down to their final three outs, the Snyder Lady Tigers needed a spark Friday in Game 1 of their best-of-three bi-district series against Glen Rose.
Coach Regina Cummings’ squad had been limited to just five hits through the first six innings and was shut out until Ava Aviles’ solo home run in the fifth.
But after struggling to find their bats for most of the game against Glen Rose starter Shannon Wright, SHS got the jolt it needed in the seventh in the form of a leadoff home run by Tayla Jamison. That blast to left kick started a six-hit frame that would also feature a two-run shot by Aviles and a game-tying double by Arynne Vasquez to force extra innings, where the home team completed a dramatic 6-5 win with Saleigh Hernandez’s walk-off home run in the ninth.
PHOTO GALLERY: Cisco-Haskell softball bi-district playoff (63 images)
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GAME STORY: Wall crushes Jim Ned 11-1 in first game of District 6-3A title showdown
WALL — A highly anticipated District 6-3A showdown for the league championship turned into a Wall showcase on Thursday, as the Hawks took the first of two games with Jim Ned 11-1 at WHS.
Luke Kemp tossed a two-hitter with nine strikeouts while Hagyn Barbee and Cale Braden were both 2 for 3 with two RBIs to lead Wall (24-4-1, 13-0)) which can clinch the district title if it defeats the Indians in Friday’s 7 p.m. rematch at Jim Ned.
The Indians fell to 22-4 and 12-1 with the loss.
“We came out ready to play,” Wall coach Jason Schniers said. “I challenged my kids yesterday at the end of practice to make sure we continue to give an effort every day and to make sure that we understand we haven’t really accomplished anything yet.
“We have a good record and we’re undefeated in district but other than that, nothing has been accomplished. It was a reminder about the purpose of what we’re going through over the next two days and boy did our kids respond in a big way.”
GAME STORY: Sweetwater run-rules Stephenville 13-2 to open best-of-three bi-district series
BRECKENRIDGE — The Sweetwater softball team opened the playoffs in explosive fashion Thursday, racking up 17 hits in a 13-2 run-rule victory over Stephenville in Game 1 of a best-of-three Region I-4A bi-district series.
The Lady Mustangs scored at least one run in every inning, plating four in the first and three in the second to build an early lead they’d only add to the rest of the way.
With Thursday’s victory, Sweetwater will have a chance to clinch a sweep and a spot in the area round when the series resumes with Game 2 at 5 p.m. Friday back in Breckenridge. Game 3, if necessary, would follow 30 minutes after the completion of Game 2.
GAME STORY: Haskell, Cisco split first two games of bi-district series
ANSON — The first two games of the Region I-2A bi-district softball matchup between Cisco and Haskell were anything but pretty.
Over the course of five hours, the two teams combined for 29 runs, 32 hits and 27 errors as they split the first two games of the best-of-three series at Anson on Thursday night.
Haskell took the opening game 8-7 in eight innings before the Lady Loboes bounced back with a 14-0 win in the second game.
FEATURE: Breckenridge boys track hoping to make another strong showing at region meet
The Breckenridge boys track team is peaking at the right time.
That’s good news for Mark Young’s Buckaroos as they head into the Region I-3A Meet this Friday and Saturday at Abilene Christian University.
Young has a special place in his heart for the mile relay, an event he ran during his college days at ACU. That explains why he was still pumped up a couple days after Breckenridge ran an area-best 3 minutes, 22.79 seconds at last week’s Districts 7/8-3A area meet.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (through April 27)
NOTE: WITH THE REGULAR SEASON COMING TO A CLOSE, THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL SOFTBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS LIST FOR 2023
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 27 (top 25 in each category).
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Big Country Baseball Statistical Leaders (through April 27)
NOTE: WITH THE REGULAR SEASON COMING TO A CLOSE, THIS WILL BE OUR FINAL BASEBALL STATISTICAL LEADERS LIST FOR 2023
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 27 (top 25 in each category).
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
PHOTO GALLERY: Cisco-Albany baseball (106 images)
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PHOTO GALLERY: Brownwood-Glen Rose baseball (29 images)
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LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie locks up playoff berth with win at Coronado; AHS clinches postseason spot despite loss
Photos by Mark Rogers, HubCityPreps.com
LUBBOCK — The Wylie baseball team locked up a playoff berth and dashed Lubbock Coronado’s postseason hopes in one swoop Tuesday, routing the Mustangs 7-1 to set up a huge home matchup with Lubbock Cooper on Friday.
Needing a win over Coronado to avoid a do-or-die game against the District 4-5A leading Pirates in Friday’s regular season finale, the Bulldogs took control early, using a three-run second inning to build a lead they would never relinquish.
Pitcher Sam Walker took care of things from there, limiting the Mustangs to one run over seven outstanding innings to help his team improve to 17-10 overall and 11-6 in league play.
GAME STORY: Posey, Brandstetter help Lions clinch No. 2 seed with Glen Rose bashing
BROWNWOOD — Logan Posey is the first person to admit that he’s struggled at the plate for the Brownwood baseball team this season.
The junior catcher’s slump was so prolonged that the Lions had used their designated hitter for him in seven consecutive games while he worked on his swing.
Inserted back into the batting lineup on Tuesday, Posey had a home run, a double, two walks and three RBIs to help Brownwood clinch the No. 2 seed out of District 6-4A with a 10-0 win over Glen Rose at Morris Southall Field.
GAME STORY: Chapman helps Albany clinch District 8-2A title with 10-0 Senior Night win over Cisco
ALBANY — Senior Cole Chapman pitched five shutout innings and delivered a pair of hits, including a two-run triple in the second, to fuel the Albany baseball team to a 10-0 Senior Night win over Cisco on Tuesday at the Albany Lions Baseball Field.
Behind Chapman’s efforts, AHS (9-1 in league play) claimed its eighth consecutive win to clinch the outright title in District 8-2A and take a 17-2 overall record into the playoffs next week.
The Lions, who topped Cisco 4-0 the first time the teams met on April 4, took advantage of 10 walks and a pair of Loboes errors in Tuesday’s rematch, scoring in each of the first four innings before capping the run-rule victory with a single run in the sixth.
GAME STORY: Coleman stops Bangs, 6-2, to remain in the hunt for No. 2 seed
COLEMAN — There was nothing fancy about it. Nothing overwhelming. But at the end of the day, Coleman’s 6-2 win over area rival Bangs on Tuesday, was solid enough to keep the Bluecats (13-9, 8-3 District 7-2A) in contention for a No. 2 seed in the playoffs.
Jorge Salas pitched well enough to overcome three errors committed behind him and Ryland Gentry was 2 for 4 with two RBIs to lead Coleman, which finished with a modest six base hits (all singles) to get the win.
Bangs (15-7-2, 7-4) was led by Kenny Cole, who was 1 for 3 with an RBI triple and Skylar Minshew, who was 1 for 4 with a double. Theirs were the only Bangs’ hits recorded as Salas earned the win in five solid innings of work.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock sophomore takes this week’s accolade with mercy rule no-hitter
A no-hitter alone is often enough to secure the Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. But when it’s backed by a solid offensive performance, it’s very difficult to get knocked off of the perch.
Brock sophomore Jesse Rusinek takes this week’s accolade after holding Eastland hitless in a 15-0 mercy rule win that saw him miss a perfect game by one walk. He fanned 12 in the process.
“He was dealin’ out there,” Brock coach Kobe Page said of the stuff Rusinek had in the Eastland game. “When he’s on, he’s pretty tough … just showing up, battling and moving the ball around the strike zone. He was ‘on.'”
FEATURE: Talented, aggressive Bangs softball squad focused on the now heading into postseason play
As the Bangs softball team was putting the finishing touches on an 11-0 blanking of Miles on Friday, coach Leslea Miller could have been tempted to move one eye, at least, to the spot on next week’s calendar that notes the beginning of the UIL playoffs.
She didn’t.
Never mind that the Lady Dragons (23-4 and 14-0) have already clinched a spot and have blitzed through district foes like a tornado, winning all but three games by the run rule. Curiously, Friday’s 11-run triumph didn’t qualify, as it took a five-run seventh inning for Bangs to put the Lady Bulldogs away.
Never mind, also, that Bangs has recorded nine district shutouts, while scoring 191 runs in the process.
And, finally, never mind that the Big Country Preps roster of weekly statistics leaders is a veritable Bangs tribute chronicle.
FEATURE: Young, tight-knit Brownwood softball team excited to make playoff return
At the end of every practice and game, Brownwood’s softball team breaks out shouting the word “family.”
First-year head coach Cherita Munguia believes that mantra has been an important one for a squad that often starts five sophomores and a freshman.
“They love each other fiercely and play like a family,” Munguia said. “They’re extremely hungry, are super coachable and have an energy that’s unmatched. It’s been a really exciting journey.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Lubbock Coronado-Abilene High baseball (96 images)
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GAME STORY: Abilene High rides fast start to 10-3 win over Lubbock Coronado
Hosting Lubbock Coronado with a chance to put some separation between itself and the Mustangs in the District 4-5A standings, the Abilene High baseball team took care of business Saturday at Blackburn Field.
The Eagles scored four runs in the first inning, and junior ace Brady Bennett took care of the rest, bottling up the Coronado offense for 6.1 solid innings in a 10-3 win.
The victory improved Abilene High (14-15 overall) to 11-6 in district play, pulling the Eagles within a half-game of league leader Lubbock Cooper (18-15, 11-5) while dropping the Mustangs (18-12) into fifth place at 9-7 in 4-5A action.
PHOTO GALLERY: Lubbock Cooper-Wylie softball (60 images)
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PHOTO GALLERY: Clyde-Jim Ned softball (73 images)
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PHOTO GALLERY Hawley-Hamlin softball (59 images)
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PHOTO GALLERY: Districts 5/6-4A area track meet (104 images)
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GAME STORY: Wylie softball locks up No. 2 playoff seed with 9-1 win over Lubbock Cooper on Senior Night
The Wylie softball team wrapped up the runner-up spot in the District 4-5A standings on Friday, pulling away for a 9-1 home win over Lubbock Cooper in the regular season finale for both teams.
Mykala Reed highlighted a three-run second inning with a two-run homer to put the Lady Bulldogs in control early, and pitchers Rylee Moore and Reese Farrar took care of the rest, combining to limit the Lady Pirates to a one unearned run on just three hits.
The victory improved WHS to 26-6 overall and 10-2 in district play, securing the No. 2 playoff seed behind champion Lubbock Monterey and earning a bi-district matchup next week with District 3-5A’s third-place finisher, Plainview.
GAME STORY: Hamlin snags No. 2 seed with important win over Hawley
HAMLIN — With Stamford clinching the league title on Friday, the only drama remaining in District 7-2A occurred in Hamlin, where the Lady Pipers and Hawley had a second-seed issue to settle in a winner-take-all matchup at Hamlin High.
The Lady Pipers (21-6, 6-2) claimed the No. 2 spot with a 6-3 win behind a solid pitching effort from Zoe Moore, an error-free defense and an 11-hit barrage that saw no fewer than five doubles.
GAME STORY: Clyde holds off late Jim Ned rally to end the regular season
TUSCOLA — With two runners on and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Jim Ned’s Libbie Brnovak stepped to the plate with her squad trailing Clyde 5-1 in the District 6-3A regular season finale on Friday afternoon.
Brnovak ripped a shot into right-center that scored Makenzie Ince and Briana Jones, but she was thrown out at third base on a strong throw by Chasity Davis, and the Lady Bulldogs escaped with a 5-3 win to clinch third place outright.
The Lady Indians, meanwhile, tied for fourth place with Wall but still earned a playoff berth by virtue of their sweeping the Lady Hawks in the opening week of district play.