Author: Daniel Youngblood

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Snyder rides big first inning to 7-0 win in playoff, series opener against Glen Rose

EULA — The Snyder Lady Tigers opened their postseason with a shutout win Thursday night, using a four-run first inning to set the tone for a 7-0 victory over Glen Rose in the opener of a best-of-three Region I-4A Division II bi-district series at the Eula softball field.

Coming off an undefeated run to the District 5-4A championship, SHS controlled the game from start to finish, thanks to the early offensive explosion and a strong start in the circle by Sydnee Gomez.

Coach Regina Cummings’ Lady Tigers, who reached the state semifinals a year ago, will now have a chance to close out the series when it resumes at 10 a.m. Saturday back in Eula.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Ferguson’s perfect game fuels Abilene High to 5-0 Senior Night win over Cooper

During a junior season that might best be described as “otherworldly,” Abilene High ace George Ferguson has flirted with perfection on several occasions.

On Tuesday, against crosstown rival Cooper, the 6-foot-4 flamethrower finally achieved it.

Pitching in front of a packed Senior Night crowd at Blackburn Field, Ferguson retired all 21 batters he faced to lead the Eagles to a 5-0 win over the Cougars. The University of Texas commit needed just 82 pitches to complete his first career perfect game, notching 16 strikeouts in the process.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Walker, Garrett shine as Wylie offense explodes for 11-1 run-rule win over Cooper

Needing a win over Cooper and an Abilene High loss to Wichita Falls Memorial to move back into position to control its own destiny in the District 4-5A championship race, the Wylie baseball team got both Friday.

The Bulldogs did their part with an 11-1 home win over the Cougars, while Memorial rallied past AHS for a 7-5 win on the other side of town to create a logjam atop the league standings, where Wylie (18-5-1, 7-3), Abilene High (19-9-1, 7-3) and Memorial (15-14, 8-4) all remain in contention for the district title.

The rule-rule victory — and the offensive explosion that helped facilitate it — were both welcome sights for Wylie coach Grant Martin, whose team was coming off a 2-0 win over Cooper on Tuesday and had averaged just four runs per game over its last five contests. And with Friday’s results, the Bulldogs can now clinch at least a share of the district championship with a sweep of last-place Wichita Falls Legacy in its final district series next week.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High clinches outright district title, spoils Wylie’s Senior Night with 18-2 win

When the Abilene High and Wylie softball teams have met in recent years, the result has typically been a thrilling, low-margin pitcher’s duel, where scoring opportunities are rare and every run feels like a small victory.

Heading into Tuesday’s matchup between the teams at Bulldog Field, the last five regular-season meetings had been decided by two or fewer runs with just 14 combined runs being scored in those games.

Tuesday’s game was … well … different. After a scoreless first inning seemed to foreshadow another tight, low-scoring affair, the Lady Eagles exploded for five runs in the second. And the hits and runs continued from there for AHS, which pounded out an 18-2 victory to spoil Wylie’s Senior Night and complete its second consecutive perfect run through District 4-5A play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2026 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

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 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

2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2026 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

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

by Daniel Youngblood

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 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

2026 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2026 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

GAME STORY: Garrett outduels Ferguson, helps Wylie take season series from Abilene High

Facing off with Abilene High ace George Ferguson, who had not allowed an earned run all year entering Thursday, Wylie coach Grant Martin knew he’d need a strong start of his own to have any chance of leaving Blackburn Field with a win.

In his pursuit of that, he turned to a senior who had done most of the pitching in his career out of a relief role.

Colby Garrett, who pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to beat AHS on Tuesday, delivered exactly what his coach was looking for in Thursday’s rematch, allowing one run in a gusty complete-game effort to outduel Ferguson in a 5-1 Bulldogs victory.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High rallies out of early hole to down WF Memorial 11-4

Trailing Wichita Falls Memorial 4-1 after two and a half innings, the Abilene High softball team found itself in an unfamiliar spot Thursday at the AHS softball field.

But after mustering just one run through the first two innings, the Lady Eagles scored 10 runs over their final four trips to the plate, chasing Lady Mavericks starter Madi Walker after just 2.1 innings before abusing reliever Sam Lail for seven runs in an an 11-4 win.

The victory, which came on Strikeout Cancer and Teacher Appreciation night for AHS, kept the Lady Eagles (17-9-1 overall) perfect in District 4-5A play at 5-0. With it, they remain game ahead of second-place Wylie, which they’ll face for the second time April 14 after matchups against Cooper (Tuesday) and Wichita Falls Legacy (April 10).

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: McCarty’s homer, patience at the plate lift Wylie to key 7-2 win over Abilene High

For most of five innings Tuesday, the Wylie and Abilene High baseball teams were locked in a thrilling pitcher’s duel, competing with playoff intensity in front of an engaged capacity crowd at Bulldog Field.

With the Eagles leading 2-1 in the home half of the fifth after George Ferguson had broken a 1-all tie with an RBI single in the top of the inning, the outcome of the key District 4-5A matchup was still very much in doubt, and a narrow win one way or the other seemed all but inevitable.

But with two outs in that frame, Wylie freshman Myles McCarty launched a game-tying home run to right field, flipping the momentum on a dime. The blast kicked off a walk-fueled five-run rally that would finally give WHS some separation in a 7-2 win for the Bulldogs.

Continue reading “GAME STORY: McCarty’s homer, patience at the plate lift Wylie to key 7-2 win over Abilene High” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Brock rallies past Abilene High for 4-2 win in nondistrict tune-up

Taking a brief break from their respective district races, the Abilene High and Brock baseball teams met for a nondistrict matchup Saturday at Blackburn Field, and the outcome was a competitive game between two league-leading squads.

AHS led 2-1 after four innings, but the visiting Eagles scored the game’s final three runs to leave Abilene with a 4-2 victory and a six-game winning streak that included a pair of run-rule wins over defending regional finalist Graham last week.

Brock (13-3 overall, 2-0 in District 6-4A) took advantage of some shaky defense by Abilene High to pull ahead with a pair of runs  in the fifth, before tacking on an insurance run in the seventh. And that late offense was all the support necessary for Austin Gallogly and Brody Burns, who earned a win and save, respectively, in relief of starter Colton Ripple.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High ace Reyes tosses one-hit shutout to outduel Faries in 2-0 win over Wylie

Wylie junior Avie Faries pitched a good game Friday against crosstown rival Abilene High. AHS senior Avah Reyes pitched a great one.

That was the difference as the Lady Eagles took sole possession of the District 4-5A lead with a 2-0 win on their home field.

Taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning, Reyes worked around one hit and a pair of walks to finish with a complete-game shutout, facing one batter over the minimum to outduel Faries, who allowed single runs in the third and sixth innings to take a hard-luck loss.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High scores early, often in 16-1 rout of Wichita Falls Legacy

Entering Tuesday with a one-game lead on Wylie for first in the District 4-5A championship race, the Abilene High baseball team took care of business against last-place Wichita Falls Legacy, riding a nine-run first inning to a 16-1 run-rule victory at Blackburn Field.

Ten Eagles players had at least one hit as AHS combined for 15 hits as a team, providing plenty of support for starter Gavin Colley, who limited Legacy to two hits and one run over four strong innings to earn the victory.

Tuesday’s outcome, which improved the Eagles to 15-5-1 overall and 5-0 in district play, added a half game to Abilene High’s lead over Wylie (14-3-1, 3-1), which is idle this week. Wichita Falls Memorial (8-13, 2-3) defeated Cooper (9-11-1, 2-3) by a 6-4 margin in Tuesday’s other league game to provide some separation for the Eagles and Bulldogs atop the district standings.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Ferguson dominant again as Abilene High shuts out rival Cooper 7-0

George Ferguson took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before “settling” for a two-hit shutout Friday to lead the Abilene High baseball team team to a 7-0 win over crosstown rival Cooper in a District 4-5A matchup at Cougar Field.

The standout right-hander tallied 12 strikeouts without issuing a walk, pitching around leadoff singles in the sixth and seventh innings to help the Eagles (13-5-1) wrap up the first of three trips through the league play at 4-0.

Behind its hard-throwing starter, AHS took control of the game early, following a one-run second inning with a two-run third to put the Cougars in a hole they had little hope of climbing out of against one of the top junior pitchers in the nation.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Fast start, strong pitching lift Wylie to district-opening win over rival Cooper

The Wylie softball team kicked off District 4-5A play with an impressive victory Tuesday, riding a fast start at the plate and a strong pitching effort from Avie Faries and Shae McAllister to a 5-2 win over crosstown rival Cooper at the Cougar Field.

The Lady Bulldogs followed a two-run first inning with another run in the second to take a 3-0 lead, and that was all the run support necessary for their two pitchers, who combined to limit the Lady Cougars to four hits and trio of walks in the win.

Faries started and tossed four shutout innings to earn the winning decision before giving way to McAllister, who allowed two runs (one earned) in a three-inning save. Tuesday’s outcome improved Wylie (13-10 overall) to 1-0 in league play, creating an early tie atop the 4-5A standings with Abilene High (13-9-1, 1-0), which defeated Wichita Falls Memorial 7-2 in Tuesday’s other league game.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie bounces back from loss to Abilene High with run-rule win over WF Memorial

The Wylie baseball team bounced back from Friday’s 5-0 loss to Abilene High in a major way Saturday afternoon, pounding out 12 hits — seven for extra bases — in a 14-2 home win over Wichita Falls Memorial.

With a turnaround of less than 24 hours between Friday’s District 4-5A opener and Saturday’s matchup with the Mavericks, the Bulldogs weren’t afforded any time to dwell on the loss to the Eagles or the two-hit shutout they faced at the hands of flamethrowing right-hander George Ferguson.

But the immediate return to the field proved beneficial, as Wylie pounded out five first-inning runs on its way to the run-rule victory. Coach Grant Martin’s team would tack on seven more runs in the fourth, making an easy winner of Dylan Regala, who took a no-hitter into the fifth inning, before surrendering pair of runs on a couple of hits and two walks.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Missed opportunities cost Abilene High in 3-2 softball loss to Wolfforth Frenship

Trailing by one with runners on second and third and no outs in the bottom of the seventh, the Abilene High softball team looked poised to rally for a walk-off win over Wolfforth Frenship in its nondistrict finale Friday at the AHS softball field.

But a series of unfortunate events left the Lady Eagles with a 3-2 loss on a frustrating night where missed opportunities were a recurring theme.

AHS had a runner gunned down at the plate in the first inning and failed to cash in on a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the fourth, which left the game tied at 1-1 until the top of the sixth, when the Lady Tigers scored a pair of runs to set up the seventh inning’s dramatics. Down 3-1 in their last at-bat, the Lady Eagles didn’t flinch, getting a leadoff single from Jazlynn Johnson-Burns and an RBI double from Avah Reyes around a Leilani Valero walk to narrow the gap to one, but the rally would end there due to an out on the basepaths and back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded.

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by Daniel Youngblood

CLASS 2A DII BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Steed, Gaylor help Lipan avenge title game loss to Martin’s Mill

SAN ANTONIO — Just under a year ago, the Lipan boys basketball team sat dejected in a postgame press conference, reeling from a 55-43 loss to Martin’s Mill in the Class 2A Division II state championship game that kept the Indians from claiming their third straight title.

No one took the loss harder than then-junior Darius Steed — the elder-statesman on a young LHS team, who vowed at the time that he’d go immediately to work to fix the mistakes he made that contributed to that loss and the feelings of disappointment he felt after it.

On Thursday, the 6-foot-7 senior post player made good on his word, dominating the paint and glass as the Indians avenged that defeat with a 47-34 win over the Mustangs at the Alamodome. The victory marked the sixth state championship for the Lipan boys program and the third in four tries for Steed, the lone senior on the Indians roster.

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by Daniel Youngblood

CLASS 1A DII BOYS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Jayton routs Kennard to complete rare three-peat

SAN ANTONIO — The top-ranked Jayton Jaybirds made history Thursday, blasting Kennard 78-45 in the Class 1A Division II championship game to become the first Class 1A boys basketball team since the early 1980s to claim three consecutive state titles.

The Jaybirds, who were making their fourth straight trip to the Alamodome and sixth since 2019, overwhelmed the state-rookie Tigers, closing the first half on a 14-4 run to build a double-digit lead they would only add to the rest of the way.

The victory made Jayton the first program ever to complete a three-peat on the hardwood while also claiming back-to-back state football championships. And in the process, it further established the senior trio of Bode Ham, Sean Stanaland and Colt Gentry as one of the most successful group of athletes in the history of Texas high school sports.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Top-ranked Jayton rallies from early hole to knock off Whitharral, earn fourth straight state trip

LUBBOCK — The top-ranked Jayton boys basketball team had its mettle tested by Whitharral in its Class 1A Division II state semifinal matchup against the Panthers on Monday at Frenship Memorial’s Panther Pit.

But the Jaybirds showed the type of resolve you’d expect out of a two-time defending state champion, rallying from eight points down in the second quarter to grind out a 41-36 win and earn their fourth straight trip to the state title game in San Antonio.

In a game that saw four ties and 10 lead changes, coach Ryan Bleiker’s squad pulled ahead for good in the final two minutes of the third quarter, before holding off WHS in the fourth to improve to 28-3 on the year. The Jaybirds will now await the result of Tuesday’s matchup between Milford and Kennard to see who they will play for the championship at 1 p.m. Thursday at the Alamodome.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Munday holds off Water Valley to earn first state semifinals appearance since 1985

ABILENE — With four trips to the region quarterfinals or deeper since 2019, including regional semifinals appearances in 2023 and 2025, the Munday boys basketball team has been knocking on the door of a state run for most of coach Adrian Daniel’s eight-year tenure at the school.

On Friday, the Moguls finally banged that thing down.

Facing the same Water Valley squad that eliminated them in a 46-40 heartbreaker last season, Munday stood tall against the Wildcats on Friday, overcoming a pair of extended runs to earn a 52-47 victory at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum.

The win advanced the Moguls to the state semifinals for the first time since 1985, matching the program’s deepest run since Munday Dunbar fell to Crane Bethune in the Prairie View Interscholastic League title game in 1961.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: New Home slips past Roscoe 66-61 to end Plowboys season in regional semis

SNYDER — After narrowly escaping their first matchup against New Home with a  65-59 win in a tournament game in December, Roscoe coach Russell Best and his Plowboys knew they’d be in for a fight in Tuesday’s Region I-2A Division II semifinal.

The second meeting proved no less competitive than its predecessor, but this time it was the Leopards who prevailed, ending Roscoe’s campaign with a thrilling 66-61 victory in front of a packed and boisterous crowd at Tiger Gym.

The Plowboys erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit to tie the game at 58 with 4:25 to play, but Zack Armes’ last of eight 3-pointers kicked off 8-2 run in the final 2:12 to lift New Home to the win in a contest that saw four ties and seven lead changes over its duration.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Stanaland’s block, overtime run lift No. 1 Jayton to epic win over second-ranked Gordon

ABILENE — In what felt in both environment and quality of play like a state championship game, the top-ranked Jayton Jaybirds outlasted the No. 2 Gordon Longhorns for a 47-42 win in overtime Friday night at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum.

The matchup, which was being played for the second straight year in the Region II-1A Division II area round, was tight throughout with eight ties and 10 lead changes — six of which came in the fourth quarter and overtime.

But a key defensive play at the end of regulation and a 7-0 run in the extra period were enough to lift two-time defending state champion Jayton to a thrilling victory in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd of partisans for both squads.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Top-ranked Gordon girls ride second-quarter run to 46-36 win over Jayton, earn trip to state semis

ABILENE — A 13-0 run spanning the final 6:45 of the second quarter and and first 30 seconds of the third provided the difference for the top-ranked and undefeated Gordon Lady Longhorns in a 46-36 win over No. 14 Jayton in the Region II-1A Division II championship game Friday night at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum.

The first game of a highly anticipated and strongly attended doubleheader between the two schools’ basketball programs, Friday’s matchup was tied on four occasions in the first 10 minutes — the last at 14-all with 6:45 to play in the opening half. But Gordon went into halftime on a 10-0 run and opened the second half with a 3-pointer to take a game-high 13-point lead that it would defend the rest of the way.

The victory improved coach Matt Garnett’s squad to 34-0 and earned the Lady Longhorns a trip to the state semifinals, where they’ll take on 24-time state champion Nazareth early next week at a time, date and site to be announced.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Baseball Position Rankings: Utility Players

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 2026. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through these lists and are as excited as we are that baseball season is underway.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Baseball Position Rankings: Outfielders

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 2026.

We hope you enjoy our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Waco Live Oak Classical tops No. 2 Abilene Christian in title game for second straight year

ROBINSON — The Abilene Christian girls basketball team’s bid for its first state championship since 1979 came to an end Thursday with a 56-48 loss to Waco Live Oak Classical in the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Class 3A state title game at Waco Robinson High School.

For the second straight year, the top-ranked Lady Falcons used a big first quarter to grab an early lead and held off a spirited effort by the Lady Panthers the rest of the way to secure a single-digit win for the championship.

After racing out to an 11-4 first-quarter lead on its way to a 47-39 win that ended a Cinderella run for ACS last season, Live Oak sprinted out to a 19-11 advantage after the first quarter Thursday, leaving the second-ranked Lady Panthers to complete a comeback that never quite materialized in finishing as the TAPPS Class 3A runner-up for the second consecutive year.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps Preseason Baseball Position Rankings: Infielders

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 2026.

We hope you enjoy reading through our rankings.

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