Author: Evan Ren

by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gordon’s Stryker Reed takes our final accolade of 2024-25 school year

As our tradition dictates, we close the books on our Big Country Preps Player of the Week on the first Monday following the UIL State Track and Field Championships in Austin. 

And more often than not, our final award of the school year goes to someone who scored big at the state capital. 

This year is no exception, with Gordon’s Stryker Reed taking the award after helping GHS win the boys team state championship, setting two individual state records and helping to set a new relay mark in the process.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Bangs completes sweep of area series with 13-2 win over Forsan

SAN ANGELO — A fast start and steady pitching lifted the Bangs Lady Dragons to a 13-2 mercy rule win over Forsan to sweep their Region I-2A DI area round series on Saturday at the SAS Softball Complex.

Abby Wolf went the distance in the circle and was 3 of 4 with four RBIs while Neeley Bradley was 3-of-4 with two homers and four RBIs to lead Bangs (24-7) which pounded out a 9-0 lead in the first three innings and never looked back. 

The Lady Dragons now advance to face Clarendon in the Region I semifinals; Forsan, which hurt itself with four errors, closed its season at 13-12, led by Ari Mealing who was 1-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Colorado City advances with Game 2 extra-inning win over Anson

HERMLEIGH — One of the biggest challenges in any sport is to lose a big lead along with the momentum, only to recapture both and win the game. 

The Colorado City softball team managed to pull this off on Friday to capture a Region I-2A DI area title with a 13-7 win over Anson in nine innings at Lady Cardinal Field. 

Southpaw Mia Obenhaus went the distance in the circle and was 3-of-5 with two doubles and four RBIs to lead Colorado City (24-7), which advances to face sixth-ranked Floydada (29-6) in the regional semifinals next week. 

Leading 6-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, and 7-5 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Lady Wolves absorbed a seven-run Anson rally over the final three frames to send the contest into extra innings. There, Colorado City turned on a dime with a six-run outburst in the ninth to get the win and a 2-0 series sweep. 

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by Evan Ren

AREA BASEBALL STAT LEADERS (Final stat report for 2025)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through May 1.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock’s Mylee Cedillo takes this week’s accolade with two doses of late-game heroics

If one is to play the role of hero, there’s not a better time to do it than in postseason play in your senior year. 

Brock’s Mylee Cedillo lived that experience — not once, but twice in last week’s uber-intense bi-district series with fifth-ranked Levelland that saw the Lady Eagles edge the Loboettes 2-1 and 7-6 in 13 innings. 

It all began Friday night in Game 1, with Levelland pitcher Aubrey Rivas carrying a no-hitter and a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning. Cedillo responded to the pressure with an RBI double to drive home both Lily Springstead (who walked) and courtesy runner Emily Faddis (running for Ali Coleman who reached on an error) to give Brock a 2-1 win. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Brock remains unbeaten with 13-inning marathon victory over Levelland to win 4A DII bi-district series

EULA — To get past a difficult Levelland team in their Class 4A DII bi-district series, the Brock Lady Eagles had very little margin for error. In fact, through Friday’s 2-1 win in Game 1 and Saturday’s 7-6 win in 13 innings, Brock played error-free softball to advance to the area round. 

Twenty full innings without a single miscue.

Mylee Cedillo was 6 of 7 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored (including the 13th inning game-winner) while freshman phenom Ali Coleman went the distance in the circle to lead the top-ranked and still-unbeaten Lady Eagles (27-0-2), who will face Burkburnett in the area round next Friday and Saturday in Graham. 

Levelland closed its season at 28-6-1, led by Saydi Mendez, who was 6 of 7 with a triple and two RBIs.

“We had to play that way to win,” said Brock coach Greg Connors of his team’s fielding perfection — knowing full well that fifth-ranked Levelland would be a handful. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Stephenville outlasts Big Spring in bi-district sweep of the Lady Steers

ABILENE — It took more than five hours of combined play for Stephenville and Big Spring to settle their bi-district issue on Friday at Bulldog Field, with the Honey Bees taking consecutive wins to move into the area round. 

Following a well-played, 6-3 Stephenville win in Game 1, the night cap saw a far sloppier performance by a pair of tired clubs, with the Honey Bees topping Big Spring 22-7 to lock up the series. 

Stephenville (17-13-1) now advances to face either Springtown or Fort Worth Southwest at a site and time to be determined. Big Spring closed its season at 12-12. 

“When you start this thing with the first pitch at 5:30 and it being 11 p.m. on the last out it makes for a long day,” Stephenville coach Chase Cleland said. “But that’s what doubleheaders in postseason are for — to see who can outlast the other one and try to play the cleanest ball you can play.”

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by Evan Ren

Final Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 24)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 24:

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 24)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 24.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Hermleigh freshman softballer blanks Hawley 10-0; HHS baseball celebrates first district title

HERMLEIGH — For both teams, it was little more than a dress rehearsal for the upcoming playoffs. But by game’s end, Hermleigh gave the impression that it is again ready to do some damage in the 1A softball bracket after handing a 10-0 mercy rule loss to Class 2A Hawley in Tuesday’s playoff warmup game at Lady Cardinal Field.  

Freshman Peyton Miller tossed a six-inning, three-hit shutout with six strikeouts while Hailey Minton and Brooklyn O’Quinn were both 1-for-2 with a combined three RBIs to lead Hermleigh (17-1), which took advantage of 12 walks, three passed balls, two wild pitches and an error to take control of the game. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Jones holds down the top spot yet again

At Big Country Preps, we pride ourselves on sharing the love as much as possible. But Wall senior Briggs Jones has been so spectacular of late, that he’s making that difficult. 

Jones has not only taken our Big Country Preps Player of the Week for a second straight time, but for a third time this year and a fourth time in his athletic career. 

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by Evan Ren

REGIONAL TRACK: Wall, Gordon take boys regional titles; Eula snags 1A girls regional championsip

ABILENE — Both teams had dominated the Big Country and surrounding area for the entire track season, so few were stunned on Saturday when both Wall and Gordon captured the Region I-3A and II-1A boys championships at Abilene Christian University’s Elmer Gray Stadium.

It completed a near clean sweep of the regional meets from teams in the Big Country Preps coverage area, with Eula taking the 1A girls title and Wall finishing second to Holliday in the 3A girls regional meet. 

“That’s always awesome ,” Wall coach Craig Slaughter said of taking the regional team title. “You have to have talented kids who perform at the right time.

“We just had some monster performances all weekend long. Kid after kid PR’d and we just had an incredible couple of days.” 

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by Evan Ren

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 17)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 17:

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 17)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 17.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Brock shuts out Mineral Wells behind masterpiece from Evan O’Connor

MINERAL WELLS — With a raucous Mineral Wells crowd aiming a wide variety of noise makers (including duck calls) at him, Brock’s Evan O’Connor had an effective countermeasure: pure heat. 

With first place in District 6-4A DI in the balance, O’Connor unleashed one of the most dominant performances the Big Country Preps coverage area has seen this year with a one-hit, 6-0 victory at Pratt Field. 

Consistently hitting the radar gun at 91 mph and pegging it at 92, the junior southpaw fanned 16 Mineral Wells hitters against only two walks and limited the Rams to a second-inning infield hit by Curry Crouch. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Jones takes the award with spectacular effort at area meet

The best way to describe the area meet performance of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week (Wall’s Briggs Jones) is to simply let his coach, Craig Slaughter do the talking. 

“He ran a blistering 10.41 to set a school record and win the 100 meters,” Slaughter said. “He broke his long jump record with a jump of 23-11.5. I only let him jump twice because he was running out of room in the pit and I need that dude cranked up this week.

“Then he destroyed his triple jump record with a jump of 48-7.25

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by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 10)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 10.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 10)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 10:

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Eastland maintains slight hold on high seed with 16-3 win over Tolar

EASTLAND — A combination of speed and power was on full display on Tuesday, as the Eastland Lady Mavericks handed visiting Tolar a 16-3 mercy rule loss at the Linda Morren Diamond Park Softball Field. 

Eastland pounded out 13 total hits, including six doubles and two triples to put the game way. Much of that power was concentrated in an explosive 11-run third inning that turned a 5-2 EHS lead into a 16-2 runaway.

Jayci Majors was 2-for-3 with two triples and three RBIs and Adyson Carroll was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Lady Mavs (15-8, 8-3) which maintained a half-game lead over Comanche for the No. 2 playoff seed with the win. 

Tolar (13-11, 6-5) was led by Jorgia Reed, who was 2 for 2 with a double and Kaira Krause, who was 2 for 2 with an RBI.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cisco junior takes the top spot with no-hitter

While no-hitters are fairly common at the high school level, the bulk of them are of the five-inning variety — ending early while locking down a mercy rule win. 

Going the full seven innings without allowing a hit, however, is much less common. And in the case of Cisco junior Case Williams, his seven-inning no-no in a 2-0 win over a good Coleman team last Tuesday secured our Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the Week ending April 5.

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by Evan Ren

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 3)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 3:

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 3)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 3.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Briggs Jones takes the top spot

After nursing a sore back which prevented him from jumping for a few weeks, Wall senior Briggs Jones made a return to the stage in a big way last week. 

Competing in Wall’s very own Cotton Patch Relays, Jones took five gold medals, winning the long jump, triple jump, 100 meters, 200 meters and yet another with the 800 relay team. 

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2025 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players 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 2024-25 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Evan Ren

2025 All-BCP Boys Basketball Superlatives: Sanderson, Gaylor, Matlock, Harrison, Bleiker take top spots)

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2025 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Rising Stars Team

Here is our 2025 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

2025 All-BCP Girls Basketball Superlatives: Grohman, Rynders, Enduki, Hudson and Cooley take top spots

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2025 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 Evan Ren

2025 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Rising Stars Team

Here is our 2025 All-Big Country Preps Girl’s 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

Area Softball Stat Leaders (through March 27)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through March 27:

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through March 27)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through March 27.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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