Author: Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: De Leon dominates in season opener with San Saba

Photos by Mike Lee

DE LEON – There were a couple of explanations for why De Leon junior Lane Couch basically sprinted untouched four times on long-distance touchdown runs of 46, 76, 78 and 62 yards during the Bearcats’ 40-7 season-opening football win over the San Saba Armadillos on Friday night.

One was obvious, and Couch – who finished with an eye-opening 348 yards on a modest 14 carries – explained.

“It didn’t matter if we ran left or right, the O-line was opening holes that you could drive a truck through. I mean every time,” Couch said. “Our O-line did a great job of preparing. They work their tails off, and they don’t get much recognition.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

EARLY FEATURE: Reedy was ready from Day 1 as a freshman

Andrew Reedy was a starting wide receiver for the Early Longhorns from Day 1 of his freshman year. By year 2, opposing defenses keyed on him, and last year as a junior, almost all Longhorns’ opponents double-covered Reedy.

Through those three years combined, Reedy caught 163 passes for 2,518 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also scored nine rushing touchdowns in 2024 and 2025 combined.

Now preparing for his senior season at Early, the question that begs asking: How did Reedy keep catching so many passes if opposing defenses were focused on stopping him?

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

2026 EARLY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Headline: Longhorns elevated into higher ‘tax bracket’

The Early Longhorns are ahead of last year’s pace, when first-time head coach and athletic director Marvin Wilson was learning on the run.

“My feet are good and wet now,” said Wilson, who finished 5-6 and gained a share of the district championship in his initial season as Early’s coach. “When we started practice this year, you could tell we were way ahead of last year. Everyone knew what to do, and things went a lot smoother.”

It’s a good thing the Longhorns are ahead of their 2025 pace because the UIL realignment elevated them to Class 3A Division I and placed them in a district with Wall, Llano and Ingram Moore. Wall won the Class 3A DII state championship with a 16-0 record last year before also elevating. Llano (13-2) advanced to the Class 3A DI state semifinals last year, and Ingram (7-6) reached the regional semifinals.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

COLEMAN FEATURE: Bluecats’ QB hopes to recapture the magic of 2024

An interesting scenario has emerged within the Coleman Bluecats’ football team this season.

Hunter Edington began walking the sidelines at Coleman football games by age 3 or “since he could walk,” said his dad Zach Edington, who was a Coleman assistant coach for 22 years from 2003-2025.

As a sophomore in 2024, the younger Edington was quarterbacking the Coleman JV team until the starting varsity quarterback was injured. Hunter ended up starting five varsity games at quarterback to end the season.

The Bluecats were 0-7 when Hunter became their starting quarterback, but he guided the Coleman to district wins over Hico 14-6, Ballinger 14-7 and Bangs 31-16 to secure a playoff berth.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

2026 COLEMAN FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bluecats have new coach, but few changes expected

Before examining Coleman’s expectations for this football season, you have to set the table with the Bluecats’ late head coaching change.

John Elder, 81-56 with eight playoff berths and three 11-win seasons, resigned as Coleman’s head coach in mid-July – about three weeks before the start of fall camp practices.

Fortunately for Coleman, the Bluecats had a veteran coach with longtime ties to the area already on the staff. Coleman promoted Zach Edington to head coach. Edington has coached at Coleman for 23 years, including the last 13 as offensive coordinator.

“I’m from Cross Plains, class of 1999, and in college, I did my student teaching at Coleman. They hired me right out of college in 2003, so Coleman is the only school I’ve coach at,” Edington said.

“Having been here my whole career, the Coleman administration and school board know what they’re going to get out of me.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

BANGS FEATURE: Dragons’ Alqorum proves a quick study in football

Lead photo art contributed by Ryan Alqorum

Ryan Alqorum is a rarity in Texas. He never saw a high school 11-on-11 tackle football game until he was a sophomore. He never played tackle football until he was a junior.

But after making 54 tackles last season – including 20 for losses and 11 sacks – in his first season of organized tackle football as a junior at Bangs, Alqorum is proving to be quick study.

“I’ve learned a lot about football from scratch, but I know I’ve still got a lot more to learn,” Alqorum said as he prepares for his senior season at Bangs. “I really like football. It’s an amazing game.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

2026 BANGS FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Dragons to lean on line experience in 2026

High school football teams that finished 6-5 and lost 16 seniors from last year might not be optimistic about the upcoming season. But third-year Bangs head coach Colton Buzzard is optimistic because of what positions the returnees play.

“We have three interior linemen plus our tight end back on our offensive front,” Buzzard said. “And our defensive line should be pretty solid. With the line experience being our strength, it gives us a good foundation to build on.”

Bangs is picked to finish fifth in the new District 7-2A Division I behind No. 5-ranked Mason, San Saba, Johnson City and Brady. Coleman is also in the reshuffled district.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

BALLINGER FEATURE: Headline: 6-foot-4 Kresta gives Bearcats a tall receiving target

Photos courtesy of Hunter Kresta

Hunter Kresta represents a microcosm for why the Ballinger Bearcats have higher hopes this football season after finishing 3-7 last year.

Kresta is one of 15 seniors on the Bearcats roster. The seniors have enjoyed success in multiple sports at all levels. Last year’s 3-7 showing in football had much to do with injuries, with four starters being lost for the season.

“Most of the seniors, we’ve been together since the seventh grade,” Kresta said. “We’ve played together, had some fun and improved through the years. Our goal is to win district this year.

“This is my third year on the varsity, and I feel a lot more confident.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

2026 BALLINGER FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Headline: Bearcats hope to avoid injuries in 2026

The short answer for why Ballinger slipped to 3-7 last year and lost all five of its district games by an average of 41.8 points is injuries. The Bearcats lost four starters with season-ending injuries and were down to their third-team quarterback.

“To get back to where we want to be, we have to first stay healthy,” second-year Ballinger football head coach Bryan Gayoso said. “It’s tough when you lose four starters to injuries at the Class 2A level. We learned some life lessons about trying to overcome obstacles last year.

“Injuries aside, we have to get better at what we do.”

Ballinger has posted a 9-32 record over the last four seasons. The Bearcats haven’t finished with a winning record or won a playoff game since 2021.

But there is immediate hope for this season.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GOLDTHWAITE FEATURE: Football serves as getaway for Goldthwaite linebacker

Photos by Terry Thompson

Walt Thompson is not a typical high school football player.

In addition to being a third-year starter at middle linebacker for the Goldthwaite Eagles with 206 tackles the previous two seasons, Thompson is better known in his hometown as a two-time UIL Class 2A state champion medalist in golf.

Thompson won state in golf as a freshman in 2024 and as a sophomore in 2025. He took the Goldthwaite team with him to state last spring, but Thompson finished eighth in the 2026 medalist standings.

Golf is his sport of the future as Thompson is considering collegiate offers from NCAA Division II Lubbock Christian University and NAIA Texas A&M-Texarkana.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

2026 GOLDTHWAITE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Headline: Eagles are finally grown up and ready to fly

Andy Howard has been through four challenging seasons as head coach of the Goldthwaite Eagles. From an 0-10 finish in his first season (2022) to initially low attendance for summer conditioning, Howards and his Eagles have faced their share of adversity.

But in the last two seasons, the Eagles made progress – even with young rosters. They finished 7-5 in 2024 and 8-4 in 2025. It marked Goldthwaite’s first seasons with back-to-back playoff wins since 2012-13.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

SIX-MAN FEATURE: Panther Creek duo becomes fourth set of six-man hall of fame brothers

Photos courtesy of Betty Berry
(Note: Texas six-man football historian Leman Saunders contributed to this article).

Jamie Humphries’ induction into the Texas Six-Man Coaches Association Hall of Fame class of 2026 was celebrated on June 20 at Wichita Falls. But Jamie’s journey actually began 11 years ago, when his younger brother Chad Humphries was inducted into the same hall of fame.

After his induction in 2015, Chad said of Jamie, “He was a great athlete. I know he was a better runner than I was. Jamie gave me a lot of motivation. I had big shoes to fill when I became the quarterback. I didn’t want to let the family name down.

“My brother deserves to be in the hall of fame, too,” Chad said. “I totally believe he will be someday.”

Someday came last month.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Dearth spins his way into the Stephenville record book

Photos by Stephenville ISD coach Nolan Vosburg

Kolton Dearth prepares for an attempt in the shot put.

Observers talk about how Kolton Dearth’s maturity, strength and experience all came together this year in helping the senior break the Stephenville school record in the shot put with a throw of 62 feet, 10.75 inches.

The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Dearth broke the 60-foot barrier and set the school record at the area track and field meet on April 17 in Abilene. Two weeks later, he won his second consecutive Region I-4A shot put title and qualified for this week’s state meet with a mark of 59-8.

Dearth’s 59-8 was the farthest regional throw and made him the favorite for the UIL Class 4A State Track and Field Meet at Mike A. Myers Track and Soccer Stadium in Austin. The 4A boys’ shot put is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

“He’s learned how to contain his adrenalin and emotions,” Stephenville throwing coach Nolan Vosburg said of Dearth. “When he was younger, he wanted it so bad that it sometimes took away from what he was trying to accomplish.

“Being part of a state championship football team helped things slow down for him in other sports. He’s not as hard on himself now as he was as a freshman and sophomore.”

While maturity, strength and experience came together for Dearth this year, he’s always had a sense of discipline and staying the course. James Dearth, Kolton’s dad and the throwing coach at Tarleton State, coached his son to use the spin or rotating motion through the ring as he threw as a junior high athlete.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Stephenville football receives nation’s highest academic honor

As impressive as the 2025 Stephenville Yellow Jackets were on the football field – winning the Class 4A Division I state championship with a 16-0 record – they were even more impressive in the classroom.

Stephenville was the undefeated state champion on the football field. The Yellow Jackes were national champions in the classroom.

The Irving-based National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame recently announced Stephenville High School as the national winner of the 2025-26 NFF Hatchell Cup, the highest academic team honor in high school football.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Goldthwaite girls capture unlikely 3rd straight regional basketball title

Photos contributed by Terry Thompson

Jayden Stewart passes to a teammate against Burton.

GOLDTHWAITE — Expectations surrounding the Goldthwaite Lady Eagles weren’t that high this season, even though they were the two-time reigning Region IV girls’ basketball champions.

After losing seven seniors from last year’s Region IV winner, Goldthwaite did return two all-state players in juniors Kenley Howard and Rylee Greenway. A third junior, Angelica Oosthuizen, missed her entire sophomore season because of a knee injury.

But the remaining varsity spots had to be filled with players who had never played on the varsity. A 2-7 start had some locals just hoping for a playoff berth.

Once the playoffs were made with a 20-12 regular-season record, a bidistrict win followed by an area loss to state-ranked Port Aransas seemed to be Goldthwaite’s ceiling.

But last Friday, Goldthwaite beat Burton, another state-ranked opponent, 42-31, giving the Lady Eagles (24-12) their third consecutive regional championship.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Eagles enter playoffs flying high with 17-game win streak

Photos contributed by Terry Thompson

Entering this season, the Goldthwaite boys’ basketball team had to replace all-state guard Luke Sanderson, a four-year starter who averaged 23 points per game last year. The Luke-led Eagles won 26 games and reached the state semifinals last season for the first time in school history.

This appeared to be a rebuilding season with a young roster that includes one senior, one junior, one freshman and five sophomores. But it really wasn’t a rebuilding season; 20th-year Goldthwaite coach Jeffrey Head has waited to coach this group since they were in junior high.

Goldthwaite (25-3) will enter the Class 2A Division II playoffs with a Region IV bidistrict matchup against Sabinal (14-11) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Kerrville.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Yellow Jackets ahead of schedule, but lacking a postseason win

Coach Drew McDorman said the Stephenville boys’ basketball team is ahead of schedule in Year 3 of building a consistently successful program.

In Year 1 in 2023-24, the Yellow Jackets fielded a mostly freshman and sophomore team and finished 16-18. They made the playoffs but lost 66-32 in bidistrict to perennial Region I-4A power Lubbock Estacado.

In Year 2 in 2024-25, the Jackets improved to 23-10 and avoided Estacado. But they still lost in bidistrict 77-65 to a 14-16 San Angelo Lake View team that made seven 3-point shots and won its first playoff game in 26 years.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Comanche girls end their Jim Ned roadblock with 46-44 area win

BROWNWOOD — The fourth time proved to be the charm for the Comanche Maidens.

After being eliminated from the Class 3A girls’ basketball playoffs by Jim Ned the last three years, the Maidens fought off the Lady Indians 46-44 in Thursday night’s Class 3A Division I area game at the Brownwood Coliseum.

Comanche (22-10) advances to play the Shallowater-Denver City winner in next week’s regional semifinals. Jim Ned, which had to replace its entire starting lineup and coaching staff from last season, finished 19-14.

Senior J’Lee Salinas, who rallied Comanche from a brief 43-42 deficit with three free throws in the final 3:18, scored 18 points. Senior Kaysi Wilcox added 16 points for the Maidens.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Region IV-2A bullies flex muscles as farewell tour begins

Goldthwaite photos contributed by Terry Thompson

COMFORT – The three bullies of Class 2A Region IV girls’ basketball – the San Saba Lady Dillos, Goldthwaite Lady Eagles and Mason Cowgirls – began their farewell tour in typical dominating fashion in bidistrict games Monday night.

San Saba beat Charlotte 70-19, and Goldthwaite beat La Pryor 77-29 at Comfort. Over at Junction, No. 2-ranked Mason beat Brackettville 88-16.

The three bullies – all members of District 29-2A – have combined to win six of the last nine Region IV-2A championships, including a sweep last year in the first season of Division I and Division II playoff brackets. San Saba won the Region IV-2A Division I championship last year while Goldthwaite edged Mason in overtime for the Region IV-2A Division II title.

In 2024, Goldthwaite beat San Saba in the regional championship game.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Coahoma’s Bulldogettes hungry, poised for another playoff run

Photos contributed by Lyndel Moody of Coahoma ISD

Madi Renteria averages 14.2 points and six rebounds per game.

The Coahoma girls’ basketball team lost just one senior from last year’s 26-5 team that reached the Class 3A Division II regional semifinals.

With a returning cast that includes veterans Madi Renteria, Bree Lewis and Blakely Rodgers – plus the addition of impressive newcomer Addison Schmidt – the Bulldogettes finished the 2025-26 regular season 31-1 and appear poised for another deep postseason run.

“We’re still hungry, and we’re definitely looking forward to the playoffs,” second-year head coach Alyssa Peterson said Friday.

Coahoma, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll, opens the playoffs against Tornillo at 5 p.m. Monday at Monahans. The winner will advance to face the Slaton-Canadian winner in the second round later in the week. Coahoma blanket Tornillo in last year’s bi-district game 78-0 – and that’s not a typo.

The Bulldogettes enter the playoffs having won 27 consecutive games since their only loss – 57-26 to Cisco on Dec. 2. That includes tournament championships at Lubbock Roosevelt, Garden City and Jayton.

The win streak also includes a second consecutive 12-0 run through the District 3-3A schedule.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Brock inches closer to District 6-4A boys title

Brock coach Zach Boxell stresses a point to his players during a timeout.

STEPHENVILLE — The Brock Eagles finished Friday’s key District 6-4A boys’ basketball game with a 15-3 run — erasing a six-point deficit, forcing overtime and eventually overcoming the Stephenville Yellow Jackets 58-52 at Gandy Gym.

The win improved Brock’s record to 23-9 overall and 8-1 in District 6-4A. The Eagles will secure the district championship and No. 1 seed for the Class 4A Division II playoffs with a win Tuesday over Mineral Wells, which hasn’t won a district game.

“It’s been a battle,” Brock coach Zach Boxell said of the 6-4A race. His Eagles lost 74-59 to Glen Rose and trailed the Tigers halfway through the district schedule.

“We knew coming in here to Stephenville tonight with a big crowd that it was going to be hard to get a win. Being in a tough district should help prepare us for the playoffs,” Boxell said.

Stephenville lost at home for the first time in 13 games in Gandy Gym this season. Despite Friday’s loss, the Jackets (28-4, 6-3) still secured a Class 4A DI No. 1 seed because Graham (4-5) lost against Glen Rose.

“Our crowd was awesome. I wish we could have gotten a win for them,” said Stephenville coach Drew McDorman, whose Jackets began this week with a 63-37 home win over Glen Rose. “I told the kids that, when you beat good teams, people will show up to see you play.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Cross Plains qualifies six relays for state – again

Photos courtesy of Cross Plains High School 

The Cross Plains boys’ and girls’ track teams have qualified all six of their relay teams for the Class 1A UIL State Track and Field Meet at Austin on Saturday. The Buffaloes and Lady Buffs accomplished the same feat last year, but they have received more recognition this year since they won all six relays at regional.

The relays’ sweep helped the Buffaloes and Lady Buffs both win Region II-1A team championships April 29-30 in San Angelo.

Last year at state, the Cross Plains boys finished second in the 400-meter relay, third in the 800-meter relay and fifth in the 1600-meter relay. The girls won the 400 relay, ran second in the 800 relay and finished fifth in the 1600 relay.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Aspermont softball makes successful return after 13-year hiatus

By Mike Lee, special to Big Country Preps 
Photos by Mark Martinez of the Double Mountain Chronicle

Back in February, Aspermont High School hadn’t fielded a softball team in 13 years. The Lady Hornets’ coach was going to be the ag teacher, and she was finishing up a maternity leave of absence.

But here we are in May, and the Lady Hornets are 9-2 with a playoff win to their credit as they face Van Horn in the Class 1A regional quarterfinals Thursday afternoon in Odessa. The Aspermont-Van Horn winner will advance to play the Eula-Marfa winner in the regional semifinals.

About 20-25 Aspermont girls signed a petition to restart softball in 2022, and it was approved by the superintendent and school board. Kelsey Myers, the school’s third-year agricultural teacher and FFA sponsor, agreed to coach the team.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Merkel’s Holloway finds home in 400 and helping relays

Photos courtesy of Rachael Holloway 

It became obvious after her sophomore track season in 2021 that Avery Holloway needed to find another individual event to replace the 100-meter hurdles.

“She was solid in the 100 hurdles, but she wasn’t going to get to state,” Merkel girls’ track coach Tracy Damiano said. “We needed to find her another individual event. She’s the ultimate team player and has always run on whatever relays we needed her to run. She always ran well in the 4×400 relay, so we tried her in the open 400.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Sprinters lead Breck boys’ track to first district title in 22 years

Photos courtesy of Breckenridge boys’ track coach Mark Young

It’s not unusual for one sprinter to lead the area in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes. Breckenridge has two such sprinters in juniors Sean Cooksey and Adrian Ruiz.

Cooksey leads the Big Country in the 100 with his fastest time of 10.75 seconds. Ruiz leads the Big Country in the 200 with his 22.38.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Stephenville’s Tori Cameron loves soccer, but she’s a state champion sprinter

Photos by Stephenville girls’ track coach Jeremiah Butchee

Victoria (Tori) Cameron is a soccer player blessed with sprinter’s speed for track and field.

The Stephenville High School junior just completed the 2022 soccer season as a forward for the Honeybees, who finished 21-1-2 after a 1-0 loss to Midlothian Heritage on Friday in the Class 4A regional semifinals. It was Stephenville only loss all season. The Honeybees were ranked fifth in the state and allowed only five goals all season.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Snyder’s 1600 Relay … No stars. No depth. Just determination.

Photo by Snyder boys’ track coach Desmond Ayala.

 The Snyder boys’ Big Country-leading 1600-meter relay suffered its first loss Saturday in five track meets this spring, finishing second to Lubbock Coronado’s 3:23 at the Lubbock Invitational. But veteran track coach Desmond Ayala accomplished a key goal with the Tigers’ runner-up finish in 3 minutes, 26.27 seconds.

“We wanted to run against some tough competition that would push us,” Ayala said of his Class 4A Tigers. “We had to run for our lives today. We were in fourth place at one point. Jeremiah Rodriguez (the third leg) got us back in the race. Then on the anchor leg, Jay Castillo got hit on his heel and stumbled and almost fell.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: An Unusual Mix — Senior-laden Eagles are led by a freshman

The Goldthwaite boys’ basketball team lists seven seniors on its roster, yet the Eagles’ leading scorer is freshman Luke Sanderson.

A 5-foot-10 guard, Sanderson leads Goldthwaite in scoring at 16.6 points per game, assists at 2.9 per game, steals at 2.1 per game, and free-throw shooting at 74 percent. He also ranks second on the team in rebounds at 6.1 per game and in field goal shooting at 48 percent.

This on a playoff-bound team that has seven seniors in guards Jackson Patrick, Seth Gardner and Saul Vaquera; forwards Cason Guthrie, Bryson Keel and Cole Hermesmeyer; and center Kody Roberts.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Early’s 6-5 Vic Cooper learns to deal with collapsing defenses

Photos by Mike Jones of MJ Photography and Shayla Kirby

Early High School’s Vic Cooper was a good basketball player last season, when he averaged 16.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game as a junior. But second-year Early coach Eric Davis said Cooper is even better this season as a senior.

“The biggest improvements are in his strength and toughness,” Davis said of the 6-foot-5, 195-pound Cooper. “He’s also improved his ball-handling skills, shooting touch and court vision to make himself a more versatile player. He’s not as raw as he was last year, and he was pretty good last year.”

Another big difference in Cooper this season is his handling of opposing defenses that collapse on him in the paint.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Goldthwaite girls see their season end in 38-34 loss to Three Rivers

DRIPPING SPRINGS – The Three Rivers Lady Bulldogs rallied from a nine-point deficit in the third quarter and beat the Goldthwaite Lady Eagles 38-34 Thursday night in a Class 2A girls’ area playoff basketball game.

Guard Andrea Valdez made a 3-point shot that gave Three Rivers a 36-34 lead with 34 seconds left to play. After a Goldthwaite turnover, Three Rivers missed two free throws, but Amie Valdez grabbed the rebound. The Lady Eagles were forced to foul, and Mayah Brogdon made two free throws that extended the Lady Bulldogs’ lead to 38-34 with 18 seconds left.

Three Rivers (26-8) advanced to play the winner of Friday’s Mason-Port Aransas game. Goldthwaite (22-13) finished fourth in District 29-2A this season and was hoping for a rematch with Mason in the regional quarterfinals for the second consecutive season.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: San Saba’s Mejia plays multiple sports, but loves basketball

Reagan Mejia participates in football, basketball, baseball, golf and tennis for Class 2A San Saba High School. But the Armadillos’ senior loves basketball.

“He has such a high basketball IQ because he loves the game,” San Saba boys’ coach Mark Kyle said of the 5-foot-10 guard. “He loves competing in all those sports, but he’s special in basketball. You don’t see many football players that are gym rats like he is. It’s not a burden for him to take 300 extra shots a day. He loves it.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: At 25 points and 9 rebounds per game, Hico’s Booth drawing flattering comparisons

HICO — As Grace Booth nears the halfway point of her high school basketball career, the Hico sophomore can’t help but draw comparisons to Marissa Warren, the previous Lady Tigers’ star player.

“Oh yeah, you can compare them. They’re actually very similar,” longtime Hico girls’ coach Brad Stegall said. “Grace is a little stronger, especially going to the basket and rebounding. Marissa was a little better ball handler. They both can take over a game if they need to.”

Warren, who played at 5-foot-8, was a two-time all-state point guard and three-time district MVP. Anybody objective fan from an opposing town or school that saw Warren play knew she was hands-down the best player in the district from 2016-2018.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Parker’s faster tempo agreeing with 18-7 Lions so far

The Brownwood Lions’ basketball team has hit to court running – literally – this season under new head coach Will Parker.

Brownwood is 18-7 overall and 2-0 in District 6-4A after league wins over Gatesville, 91-66 on Tuesday, and at Stephenville, 67-59 on Friday. This week the road gets tougher as Brownwood plays at Tuesday at Glen Rose (17-5, 1-1) and hosts Lampasas (19-10, 2-0) on Friday.

“It should be a dog fight for the playoff seedings,” Parker said of the District 6-4A race. “We had a good battle with Stephenville and beat them by eight points. Gatesville beat Stephenville by two, and Lampasas beat Glen Rose by three.

“Our game at Stephenville was physical and loud. It was a rivalry game, and they had a big crowd. Our seniors stepped up. We knew we had to outrebound them to limit their second-chance points, and we outrebounded them 49-44. And we two fewer turnovers than they had.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Brownwood’s Goodwin prefers team wins over individual stats

Tessa Goodwin’s individual statistics aren’t as impressive as last season when the Brownwood forward made all-state, but the Class 4A Lady Lions are enjoying a better season and are in line to return to the playoffs.

And that’s just fine with Goodwin.

“I realized this year that other teams were going to have two or three players doubling up on me inside,” the 5-foot-10 senior said. “We’ve got some veteran 3-point shooters this year like Mady Pyle and Kassidy Wooten and Naysa Leach. If their doubling up on me, our 3-point shooters are open. That’s less of a hassle for me, and it helps the team.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Goldthwaite boys remain undefeated in District 29-2A

GOLDTHWAITE — The Goldthwaite Eagles can’t be labeled as offensively challenged as long as they keep shooting 3-point shots the way they did this week.

Goldthwaite beat the Harper Longhorns 61-33 in District 29-2A Friday night, and for the second game in a row, the Eagles made 12 3-point shots. On Friday, senior guard Jackson Patrick made five 3-pointers – every field goal he made was a trey – and freshman guard Luke Sanderson added four 3-point shots. Brothers Collin and Seth Gardner combined to make the other three treys.

Patrick and Sanderson each scored 18 points as Goldthwaite (12-10 overall) improved to 4-0 in district and set up a showdown Tuesday against San Saba (12-7, 4-0) for the 29-2A lead. San Saba is the two-time defending district champion, and Goldthwaite finished second last year.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Hermleigh adjusts to changes, posts 10-0 regular-season record

Photos by Sasha Duck, Hermleigh school photographer

Sam Winters is in the first season of his second stint as Hermleigh’s head coach.

The Hermleigh Cardinals completed a 10-0 regular season Oct. 29 by beating preseason favorite Ira 66-48 for the District 7-1A Division I football championship. With a bye Nov. 5, the Cardinals could sit back and soak up the spoils of victory.

Or maybe not.

“It was like ‘Congratulations, you’re the district champions. As a reward, you get to play the state champions in bidistrict,’ ” Hermleigh head coach Sam Winters said.

Sterling City won the Class 1A Division I state championship last year. But the Eagles were upset by Westbrook this year and finished second in District 8-1A DI, creating the bidistrict matchup with Hermleigh. It’s a rematch of last year’s bidistrict game won 61-12 by Sterling City.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Wall volleyball aiming to win district, get beyond area round of playoffs

Photos by Kristie Williams

The Wall Lady Hawks volleyball team has made the playoffs in all six seasons with Robynn Jones as head coach. But like with most successful sports teams, the Lady Hawks want more.

They are seeking to beat Clyde for the District 6-3A championship and advance beyond the area round of the Class 2A playoffs.

“Every year since Clyde has been in our district, we hadn’t beaten them until this year,” Jones said Tuesday. “We beat them earlier this year in a tournament, and we stole one from them in district. We actually split (two matches) in district.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Clyde lineman beats cancer, returns to play football

Portrait and hospital photo by Brad Schowengerdt.  Game photos by Toni Brockway.

Wes Schowengerdt

The Clyde Bulldogs have lost seven of eight games as they finish a tough rebuilding football season. But the Bulldogs also have witnessed an inspiring miracle with the return of Wes Schowengerdt.

The senior offensive tackle has returned to play in Clyde’s last two games, including the Bulldogs’ only win against San Angelo TLCA. He returned after a 10-month battle with cancer, including seven months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. He also was diagnosed with COVID during the middle of treatments, leading Schowengerdt to spend a month in the hospital at one point.

The 230-pound offensive tackle weighs about 50 pounds less than before all the treatments, but No. 56 just wanted a chance to finish what he started.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: De Leon volleyball poised for another playoff run after slow start

Photos courtesy of Tayla Rainwater and Rob Mendez

Team photo by De Leon student Tayla Rainwater.

A 6-7 start by the De Leon volleyball team was somewhat understandable despite last year’s unprecedented run to the Class 2A regional semifinals in what was the Lady Cats’ best season on record.

“We lost three really good seniors off last year’s team, so we had some big shoes to fill,” fourth-year De Leon head coach Kinsey Garcia said Tuesday. “Plus we were fitting in a talented newcomer to the team (in sophomore Genesis Mendez). We didn’t play any tournaments last year because of COVID, so we had to get used to playing multiple matches in a day.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FOLLOW UP: Wolves end 26-game skid with ‘crazy, nutty’ finish

Game photos courtesy of Joel Ashby, Amy Raschke and Carrie Gutierrez. 

Dan Gainey

Dan Gainey had to collect his thoughts when asked the feeling at the end of the Colorado City Wolves at Haskell Indians football game Friday at Haskell.

“There are a lot of adjectives to describe it – crazy, nutty. Some things just don’t make any sense at all,” said Gainey, ninth-year head coach at Colorado City.

The finish — which involved two interceptions, a safety, the return of a squib kick for a touchdown and two attempts at the winning extra point – was unbelievable enough. But consider also that Colorado City’s 28-27 win over Haskell ended the Wolves’ 26-game losing streak that dated to 2018.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Comanche senior Carr learns role of the busy libero

Portrait by Sutherland Photography of Goldthwaite. Action photos by Santos Gomez. 

The role of libero requires a mentally tough leader determined to get to every ball to flip the game from defense to offense with the dig, pass, set and kill sequence for her volleyball team.

When Comanche needed a new starting libero this season, senior Makenna Carr was a natural choice.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Rasberry emerges as dangerous weapon in loaded Dublin passing game

The Dublin Lions have four players with more than 300 yards receiving halfway through the regular season, with junior Dalan Rasberry emerging as the receptions leader.

Rasberry has a team-high 24 receptions for 353 yards and three touchdowns as Dublin (4-1) prepares for its District 5-3A Division II opener Friday at Comanche. The Lions’ stable of receivers also includes Tyler Harrell, who has 18 catches for 325 yards and two TDs; Christian Ramirez (17-375-5) and Cooper Hubble (9-323-5).

All four Dublin receivers are ranked in the top 10 of the bigcountrypreps.com leaders.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: ACS junior Beard recovers from knee surgery to play on both rows

Photos courtesy of Kelsey Aycock of Copper and Pearl Photo & Video

Despite a season-ending ACL knee injury last year, Campbell Beard become an inspiration as the 2020 Abilene Christian School volleyball team advanced to the TAPPS Class 2A regional final.

“I was set to help the team try to get to state, but that wasn’t part of the plan,” Beard said of 2020. “So I wanted to be there for my teammates. It was hard at times to put a smile on my face, but it allowed me to see a different perspective as a cheerleader and encourager for the team.”

ACS coach Arnett McClure said, “I can’t imagine how depressing it was for Campbell, but she was at every practice and game yelling for the team, talking to the players and picking people up.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Breck libero Thompson an ace at keeping the ball alive

Photos courtesy of Calvin Best, Breckenridge ISD

Haigan Thompson’s Big Country-leading 10.9 digs per set begins with studying video of opponents with first-year Breckenridge coach Paula Taylor.

“The very first thing is we try to study our opponents’ tendencies – especially where they like to hit the ball and where certain players like to hit the ball,” Taylor said Monday. “We talk to our assistant coaches during the matches about where they’re hitting the ball, and we listen to Haigan about what spots they’re hitting to.”

Thompson, a 5-foot-4 junior libero, also reads and reacts based on keys from the opponents’ hitters during matches.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Anderson is Brownwood’s latest bell-cow running back

Konlyn Anderson has exceeded expectations through four games this season as Brownwood’s latest bell-cow running back, a crucial role in Lions head coach Sammy Burnett’s run-first offensive scheme.

“I honestly believe that if we can move the ball on the ground, we can control the clock and control the opponents’ possessions,” Burnett said Saturday. “If we can run, that opens up our RPOs (run-pass options), our play-action passes and our vertical passing game.”

Burnett’s belief in the running game comes from his football roots. He played the 1985 season at Brownwood for legendary coach Gordon Wood and the 1986 and 1987 seasons for Randy Allen, two of the four winningest coaches in Texas high school football history. Both Wood and Allen utilized the run-first Wing-T offense.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Talented Potts lifts up Sweetwater volleyball team

Portrait by Brandi Dent Photography in Sweetwater.  Action photo by Will McClure

There’s no denying the impact of versatile senior Jazzane Potts on the Sweetwater volleyball team. The Lady Mustangs opened this season 1-12 while Potts was undergoing treatment on both her knees, but Sweetwater is 6-5 since her return.

Sweetwater (7-17) had won five consecutive matches entering Tuesday’s nondistrict match at Wall.

“We were sending her to three different doctors,” third-year Sweetwater coach Mitzi Bell said Monday. “We kept asking Jazzane, ‘Are you cleared yet? Are you cleared yet?’”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Cisco star Hearne doesn’t mind doing the dirty work.

There was no doubt what play Cisco football coach Kevin Stennett wanted to call when he made the decision to go for two extra points while trailing Breckenridge 27-26 in overtime last Friday night.

“I wanted my quarterback, Hunter Long, to carry the ball, and I wanted him to run behind (tight end) Dawson Hearne,” Stennett said. “We even moved Dawson from one side of the formation to the other side so Hunter could follow him. Those are two people I trust. That’s the best I can do to get in the end zone right there.”

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

GOLDTHWAITE FEATURE: Eagles’ Patrick has enjoyed success, but wants more wins in football

GOLDTHWAITE — Jackson Patrick has played on a state championship golf team and a state runner-up golf team. He has qualified for state in track and field in the pole vault. He has been the best 3-point shooter on a playoff basketball team.

But there’s one glaring omission from the athletic resume of the Goldthwaite High School senior: a winning season in football.

Patrick has started for the Eagles in football since he was a freshman, when he was leading the team in receiving, scoring, and tackles before his season was cut short because of a broken leg. Goldthwaite finished 1-9.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

2021 GOLDTHWAITE PREVIEW: Timing may be right for Virdell’s third season

GOLDTHWAITE — The timing may be right for the Goldthwaite Eagles to end their longest losing skid in 45 years.

Third years are often when circumstances improve for new coaches tasked with rebuilding football programs. Third-year Goldthwaite head coach Keith Virdell just completed his first full offseason with his players, and he has 12 seniors that won back-to-back district championships in middle school but have struggled so far in high school.

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Hawley baseball: From 2-13 to the regional quarterfinals

Photos courtesy of Taylor Seago

The rebuilding Hawley Bearcats were 2-13 in nondistrict baseball games this season. A 5-5 record in District 8-2A, combined with a lost coin flip with Stamford, left Hawley as a No. 4 seed entering the Class 2A playoffs.

But since the postseason began, Hawley has won four of five games, including a two-game sweep of state-ranked De Leon and a marathon three-game series with Eldorado.

So as Hawley (11-19) prepares for its 2A regional quarterfinals best-of-three series against Albany, the answer everyone wants to know is: What happened to the Bearcats once the playoffs began?

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