Month: March 2024

by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Goldthwaite’s Jernigan ready to defend state hurdles titles

Photos provided by April Wetzig 

GOLDTHWAITE — Lainey Jernigan is excited to begin the next chapter of her life as a member of Angelo State’s track team.

But before Jernigan moves on, the Goldthwaite senior still has her sights set on defending her two Class 2A state titles in the hurdles.

“Going out as a double state champion would mean the world to me,” Jernigan said. “It would represent all of my years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice in this sport. It would also mean so much to my teammates, coaches, family and supporters who have been with me every step of the way.”

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High ace Silva throws no-hitter in dominant effort against Wylie

After finishing on the losing side of a 3-2 pitchers’ duel in her first matchup with Wylie on March 5, Abilene High ace Diana Silva left nothing to chance in Thursday’s rematch.

The senior right-hander no-hit the Lady Bulldogs, allowing just two baserunners all game, to make the same run total hold up in a 2-0 win at the AHS softball field.

Silva struck out eight while walking one batter and hitting another to complete the seven-inning gem in just 86 pitches, pulling her Lady Eagles (15-11-1 overall, 4-3 in district) into a third-place tie with Wylie (19-8, 4-3) in the in District 4-5A standings.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Colley’s complete game shutout lifts Abilene High to 4-0 win over Cooper

Abilene High right-hander Connel Colley was dominant from start to finish Tuesday, limiting crosstown rival Cooper to just two hits and a pair of walks over seven stellar innings to pitch the Eagles to a tidy 4-0 win at Cougar Field.

The 6-foot-4 junior took a no-hitter into the fourth inning and never allowed a runner to advance past second base, needing just 90 pitches to secure the complete game shutout despite recording 10 of his 21 outs by strikeout.

The victory, AHS’ fifth in its last six games, improved the Eagles to 12-7-1 overall and 6-2 in District 4-5A play, pulling coach Brad Harman’s squad into a second-place tie with Lubbock Cooper (12-11-1, 6-2) — just a half-game back of Wylie (17-1, 6-1) for the league lead.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Second-ranked Hawks edge Clyde 1-0 for District 6-3A lead

CLYDE — With the top spot in District 6-3A at stake between second-ranked Wall and Clyde on Tuesday, it was Wall’s Augden Hallmark who was the star of the show in a 1-0 nail-biter at the Hanner Sports Complex. 

Given only one run to work with, Hallmark scattered six Clyde hits through seven innings of work and struck out 12 Bulldogs to lift Wall (19-3, 6-0) which now leads CHS by a game in the league standings. 

Gunnar Dillard was 1-2 with the game’s only RBI to give Hallmark the slimmest of leads to protect, which he did by escaping two separate jams in the second and sixth innings. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Bangs looks to the Coastal Bend, hires Big Country native Buzzard to lead program

BANGS — Bangs ISD has found a new leader for the Dragon football program and athletic department as a whole.

BISD announced Monday morning that it had tabbed Gregory-Portland assistant coach Colton Buzzard to the athletic director/head football coach role, replacing Jason Cole. Cole was reassigned in February after less than a year of leading the program.

While Bangs marks Buzzard’s first head coaching job, it’s not his initial foray into Big Country football. He played for his father, Rusty, in the mid-2000s at Coleman.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Hermleigh senior takes this week’s accolade

Sometimes the mercy rule and cheat a player a bit, limiting their number of plate appearances or the number of innings they can pitch. 

But in District 15-1A, there is an added mercy rule, beyond the standard 10-run lead after five innings. There, a 15-run lead after three frames is enough to end a game early, which left our Big Country Preps Player of the Week (Hermleigh’s Summer Smith) short of what may have been a staggering set of numbers. 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: May’s Amanda Harrell begins her battle for state meet return

Amanda Harrell’s senior season of track has only just begun.

But the May senior fully expects it to last until May 4. That’s the date of the Class 1A UIL state meet in Austin.

Harrell left state last year with a second-place finish in the discus, but she’s hoping for a gold this time around in what would be her third trip to state.  

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2024 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Scoring and rebounding is only part of the story when it comes to basketball. Behind the scenes and beyond the view of the public, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who exude the most of it. 

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 effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches love above all else and upon which championship foundations are built.

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat team is selected entirely by area coaches, described in their own words. And Big Country Preps is absolutely honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2023-24 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Evan Ren

2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Superlatives: Stanaland, Rigdon, Gleaton, Lee and Bleiker all honored

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Rising Stars Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the area!

Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Superlatives: Hermesmeyer, Grohman, Watts among this years winners

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2024 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2024 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2024 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

2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Rising Stars Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the area!

Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Jeffers’ walk-off blast lifts Clyde to win over Merkel, earns coach Sewell his 400th career win

CLYDE — If the calendar says its March 22 and the Clyde softball team is facing Merkel, there’s a good chance that something big is on the horizon for Lady Bulldogs coach Reagan Sewell.

After getting the 300th win of his career on March 22, 2019 against the Lady Badgers, Sewell’s squad got him No. 400 on Friday in memorable fashion — with a walk-off home run.

Jaci Jeffers blasted the second pitch she saw from Merkel ace Josie Whitehead deep to center as the Lady Bulldogs rallied for a 7-6 win on their home field.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Clutch triple by Briscoe propels Wylie to crosstown win over AHS

The Abilene High and Wylie baseball teams spent the first three innings of Friday night’s showdown for the District 4-5A lead at Blackburn Field searching for a critical hit that would create some momentum.

Wylie’s Tye Briscoe delivered it on a full count pitch leading off the fourth with a triple to right that kickstarted a run of three hits in four batters as the Bulldogs knocked off the Eagles 6-2 in front of a rowdy crowd.

Both Wylie coach Grant Martin and his AHS counterpart, Brad Harman, said it was the most important at-bat of the contest.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High ace Silva notches 300th career strikeout in 6-0 win over Coronado

Abilene High senior Diana Silva struck out 11 batters over 5.2 shutout innings Tuesday to pitch the Lady Eagles to a 6-0 home win over Lubbock Coronado, reaching an impressive milestone in the process.

The AHS right-hander closed her outing with the 300th punchout of her career to move within 85 strikeouts of the school record set by 2019 graduate Kaylen Washington.

Silva’s performance, which featured just one Lady Mustangs hit and a pair of walks, was one of many highlights in the game for the Lady Eagles, who pounded out 12 hits in improving to 14-10-1 overall and 3-2 in District 4-5A play.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Sixth inning rally lifts Hawley past Albany in district opener

HAWLEY — Hawley baseball coach Jamie Seago said that he’s been preaching to catcher Keegan Ables all year that its okay to get hit by a pitch when batting.

Tuesday night, with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the sixth, Ables took one right off the hip to bring home the tying run in what turned out to be a thrilling 4-3 win over Albany in the District 8-2A opener for both teams.

Creed Ernst followed with a walk that drove in Drew Siller for the winning run.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie outlasts Monterey in nine innings, walks off with wild 12-11 win

Hosting Lubbock Monterey with sole possession of the District 4-5A lead on the line, the Wylie softball team needed nine innings and an extra out Monday to outlast the Lady Plainsmen.

But after seeing a 10-4 lead after five innings turned into an 11-10 deficit after 8½, the Lady Bulldogs finally put MHS away, taking advantage of a two-out throwing error to tie the game before getting a walk-off double from Kinsley Turner to end it.

The ninth-inning error was the only one made behind Monterey ace Anays Perez, who was roughed up for 21 hits in a complete-game loss. The last of those — Turner’s two-out double to the gap in left-center — allowed Wylie (18-5 overall) to celebrate a big home win and a perfect 3-0 start to district play.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall junior has huge day in San Angelo to capture our award

Wall junior Briggs Jones may be on the verge of a major breakout season in area track and field. 

Our Big Country Player of the Week not only won five medals at the coveted Angelo State Spring Break meet, but he broke two solo school records and helped break a third. It seldom gets much better than that. 

Aside from setting school marks in the long jump at 23-9.5 (for gold) and the triple jump at 45-2 (for gold), Jones was part of the 800 relay team’s silver medal performance of 1:28.49 — another Wall school mark. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Big innings, solid pitching from Bennett lift AHS into tie for District 4-5A lead

Saturday’s are quickly earning a new name around the Abilene High baseball program — Brady-day.

A week after Brady Bennett led the Eagles to a 2-1 win over crosstown rival Cooper, the senior took the mound against Lubbock Cooper and dominated again, leading AHS to a 13-5 win over the District 4-5A leader entering the day.

The win moved AHS into a tie for first place in the district standings with the Pirates at 4-1.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie bats apply steady pressure in 13-3 win over crosstown rival Cooper

The Wylie softball team improved to 2-0 in District 4-5A play with its second crosstown win in as many weeks, following last Tuesday’s 3-2 triumph over Abilene High with a 13-3 victory over Cooper on Thursday Cougar Field.

The Lady Bulldogs scored in every inning but one, using a five-run fourth to break open a 3-1 game before putting the finishing touches on a dominant effort with a four-run top of the seventh.

The victory, which featured 14 hits, including five for extra bases, improved Wylie to 17-5 overall, while Cooper fell to 9-14-1 on the season and 0-2 in league play.

Continue reading “GAME STORY: Wylie bats apply steady pressure in 13-3 win over crosstown rival Cooper” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Silva, Lady Eagles too much for Cooper in 9-0 crosstown win

Coming off a difficult 3-2 loss to Wylie in its District 4-5A opener with a full week to think about that result, the Abilene High softball team bounced back with an impressive showing Tuesday afternoon against rival Cooper.

Led by senior Diana Silva, who pitched four dominant innings while going 2 for 2 at the plate, the Lady Eagles cruised to a 9-0 home win over the Lady Cougars, evening their league record to 1-1 in the process.

After managing just three hits in the loss to Wylie, AHS (12-9-1 overall) pounded out 12 singles against Cooper freshman Payton Ellis while adding four walks and a hit batsman to put constant pressure on the Lady Coogs defense. Leading 7-0 after three innings, the Lady Eagles were never able to put the run-rule into effect, but they maintained firm control throughout the contest.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Bulldogettes dominate Clyde to take District 6-3A lead

Clyde’s Kaycee Bingham tries to make a difficult play in the second inning of Tuesday’s game with Coahoma. The Bulldogettes won the game 13-0 at the Hanner Sports Complex at Clyde High School.

CLYDE — They are the defending 3A state champion, they are currently ranked No. 1 and when they took the field against highly regarded sixth-ranked Clyde on Tuesday, they were unbeaten. 

Roughly 90 minutes and five innings later, the Coahoma Bulldogettes had improved to 14-0 overall and 4-0 in District 6-3A after a 13-0 run rule win at the Hanner Sports Complex. 

Hannah Wells tossed a five-inning shutout and was 3-for-4 at the plate with a homer and two RBIs to lift Coahoma, which blew the game open with a three-run second inning and a five-run third.  

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jayton’s Gentry takes this week’s award

Big moments attract big-time players and our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, certainly made the most of his opportunity over the weekend. 

After scoring nine points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing four assists in a state semifinal win over Fayetteville last Thursday, Jayton sophomore Colt Gentry, saved his best for last in a 60-53 win over Benjamin in the 1A boys state title game on Saturday.

Gentry charted a team-high 19 points to go with six boards, four assists, a steal and a block to help the Jaybirds to the state title and earn state tourney MVP honors in the process. 

It was his second straight week of huge performances under pressure, the first of which helped the Jaybirds win the regional tournament.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Senior ace Bennett pitches, hits Abilene High to walk-off win over rival Cooper

A whirlwind of a week ended on a thrilling note for the Abilene High baseball team on Saturday, as the Eagles scored a 2-1 walk-off win over archrival Cooper in a District 4-5A matchup at Blackburn Field.

Closing out the rain-soaked Abilene ISD Invitational, AHS followed up a weather-suspended matchup with Wylie on Friday night with a gritty, emotional win over another crosstown opponent less than 20 hours later to improve to 8-5-1 overall and 2-0 in district play.

Senior ace Brady Bennett was the hero on the mound and at the plate, allowing one unearned run over a three-hit complete game while coming through with the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

ABILENE ISD INVITATIONAL: Wall, Brock earn wins over larger classification opponents

As weather wreaked havoc with the first two days of the Abilene ISD Invitational baseball tournament, first-year Wall coach Jeremy Gordon was just happy to get two games in on Saturday.

The fact that he got two solid pitching performances with clutch at-bats in both only made him happier.

Wall shut out Class 6A Copperas Cove 8-0 before downing Class 4A Snyder 7-1 at Cougar Diamond to finish 3-1 in the tournament.

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by Evan Ren

CLASS 1A BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Jayton boys outlast Benjamin to take state title

Jayton coach Ryan Bleiker works one of the officials in Saturday’s 60-53 1A state title win over Benjamin in the Alamodome.

SAN ANTONIO — In three previous trips to the state tournament, coach Ryan Bleiker’s Jayton Jaybirds had fallen short in their quest for the program’s first-ever state championship. 

Trip No. 4, however, was the charm, ending in Saturday’s dramatic 60-53 win over highly touted Benjamin and star guard Grayson Rigdon at the Alamodome. 

Colt Gentry scored 19 points while Ayden Salazar and Sean Stanaland added 14 points each to pace Jayton (38-3), which fought its way through four ties and 12 lead changes to finally emerge on top in the end. 

Rigdon, who entered as one of the nation’s top scorers at more than 45 points per game, led the Mustangs (24-2) with a game-high 32 points. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Jim Ned stays in house, promotes McClure to head coach

TUSCOLA — After casting a wide net in search of a replacement for Matt Fanning, who resigned in February, Jim Ned found their man on Friday morning to be the 20th head football coach in program history.

As it turned out, Athletic Director Dustin Todd didn’t have to look very far.

Todd, who on Thursday celebrated the first anniversary of being named to his current role, handed the keys to the program to Jim Ned defensive coordinator Johnathon McClure during a specially called school board meeting.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Gay’s gem, late offense fuel Wylie to 7-1 win over crosstown rival Cooper

A strong pitching performance by junior Brady Gay and a couple of big innings were enough to fuel the Wylie baseball team past rival Cooper in a 7-1 win Thursday at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field.

The game, which capped a rain-filled opening day of the Abilene ISD Invitational, saw a venue change and a slight delay due to the storms that blew through Abilene on Thursday. But the clouds and wet weather cleared in time for Gay to toss a six-inning gem that was rewarded with a win when his teammates put up seven runs over the fifth and sixth innings.

The victory improved Wylie (12-0 overall) to 2-0 in District 4-5A play, while Cooper fell to 5-6 on the year and 1-1 in league action.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Jayton uses suffocating defense to beat Fayetteville in 1A state semifinal

Fayetteville

SAN ANTONIO — The Fayetteville Lions entered Thursday’s state semifinal with Jayton as one of the highest-scoring 1A teams in Texas, having scored more than 100 points four times, including a peak of 111.

They left shooting 16 percent from the floor with three single-digit quarters and a 3-of-26 tally beyond the arc (11.5 percent) in a 65-26 blowout loss to the Jaybirds in the Alamodome. 

Sean Stanaland charted a career-high 32 points, nine boards and seven assists to lead Jayton (37-3), which advances to face fellow Big Country school, Benjamin (24-1), in Saturday’s 1A state title game at 8:30 a.m. in the same venue. Other top contributors for the Jaybirds included Colt Gentry with nine points, 11 rebounds and three steals, along with Griff Reel (seven points two assists, one steal).

By forcing the matchup with Benjamin, Jayton’s win guarantees a 1A boys state title for the Big Country, which hasn’t won a boys basketball state championship in any class since Eula did it in 2011.

Fayetteville finished its season at 32-6. Easton Jaeger was the only Lion in double digits, leading his team with 10 points. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Unsung heroes help lift Benjamin to convincing state semi win over Gordon

SAN ANTONIO — Entering Thursday’s Class 1A semifinal between Benjamin and Gordon, the prominent question being asked was on amount of production BHS could get from the supporting cast surrounding standout guard Grayson Rigdon. Could the Mustangs get enough points to support him and reach the title game? 

The answer following a 75-58 Benjamin win in the Alamodome was an unequivocal yes. While Rigdon led all scorers with 32 points, it was 15 points below his nation-leading average of 47 and presented the Longhorns with a more threats that they expected to deal with. 

Weston Weatherford tossed in 20 points and Jules Pugi added 13 more to help support Benjamin (23-1) which now advances to face Jayton (37-3) in Saturday’s 1A state title game at 8:30 a.m. 

Gordon closed its season at 21-7, led by Stryker Reed with 27 points and Brayden Walters with 11. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: After three years, Kates leaving Merkel to be closer to family

When he took over the program in 2021, Will Kates was the fourth head football coach that the Merkel Badgers program had seen in as many years — after a period in which the program had had just three coaches from 2000-2018.

Having spent three years providing stability to the team, Kates announced on Wednesday that he was stepping down from his post and would be the offensive coordinator at Saginaw Eagle Mountain.

It’s a decision that was difficult for the first time head coach.

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