Author: Brandon McAuliffe

by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Bruning’s pinch-hit double propels Wylie to big sixth inning, win over Abilene High

For the better part of six innings, Friday night’s District 4-5A showdown between Abilene High and Wylie was a fan’s dream: intense, thrilling, competitive and headed down to the wire.

Enter Collin Bruning.

With the Bulldogs trailing 4-3 and down to their final four outs, Bruning came off the bench and had a pinch hit double that landed just inches fair to jumpstart a seven-run rally that propelled Wylie to a 10-4 win at Bulldog Field.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Conover stepping down as Cooper boys basketball coach

Citing a desire to get to be a parent and enjoy watching his son, Cooper boys basketball coach Bryan Conover announced on Wednesday that he’s stepping down from his post.

It was a move he said he knew he was going to make going into the season, which culminated with a playoff berth as the Cougars went 18-13 and finished as the District 4-5A runner-up.

While tough, the decision wasn’t one that Conover struggled to make.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Hamlin promotes Botos to head football coach, athletic director

When Chris Evans announced that he was stepping down as the head football coach and athletic director at Hamlin on Feb. 28, softball coach Jason Botos was given the job on an interim basis.

Monday afternoon, the interim title was lifted and Botos was promoted to the dual roles permanently.

It was a simple decision for Hamlin superintendent Dr. Randy Burks and the school board, led by Kendon Gruben.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

LOCAL ROUNDUP: AHS teams pick up wins; Wylie baseball knocks off Lubbock High

Despite it being the end of spring break, the local baseball and softball teams were busy on the diamonds on Saturday, both in town and in Lubbock.

The six teams from Abilene High, Cooper and Wylie combined to go 3-3 in action.

You can read Daniel Youngblood’s story on Lubbock Monterey’s 6-2 win over Cooper in District 4-5A baseball here.

Meanwhile, Abilene High’s baseball and softball teams, along with Wylie baseball, picked up key District 4-5A wins. Wylie softball dropped a heartbreaker at Lubbock Monterey and the Cooper softball squad dropped a nondistrict game against Wolfforth Frenship.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Six-run sixth lifts Cooper past Abilene High

First-year Abilene High baseball coach Brad Harman admitted that he didn’t sleep much on Friday night with the excitement of his initiation into the Crosstown Showdown looming.

He may not get much sleep on Saturday night either.

Cooper used a six-run sixth inning to take the lead and held off the Eagles 12-8 on Saturday afternoon at Cougar Field in a District 4-5A matchup that also served as the conclusion of the Abilene ISD Invitational baseball tournament.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

ABILENE ISD INVITATIONAL: Wylie gets big win over Cooper; AHS splits a pair of games

Not only did Thursday mark the opening game of the 2023 Abilene ISD Invitational, it also featured a District 4-5A matchup with the Southside Showdown between Cooper at Wylie at Bulldog Field.

Abilene High split a pair of games with schools from Wichita Falls ISD, while the Bulldogs picked up a 10-0 win over the Cougars to close out the day in a game played mainly in a heavy mist.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING NEWS: Jim Ned looks internally, hires Todd as new athletic director

TUSCOLA — The Jim Ned Consolidated Independent School District is facing the reality that as early as the 2024-25 realignment period that its lone high school could move up to Class 4A due to the booming growth that the community is experiencing.

Because of that, JNCISD made the decision to split the head football coach and athletic director duties into separate roles.

Monday night, Indians offensive coordinator Dustin Todd was named the district’s new AD and given a two-year contract during a regularly scheduled school board meeting.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Rigdon’s 44 points sends Benjamin to first state tournament

SNYDER — For the first time in school history, the Benjamin Mustangs are headed to the Class 1A boys basketball state tournament after they beat Garden City 59-52 on Saturday afternoon at The Coliseum.

Benjamin, ranked No. 19 in the state, followed up Friday’s upset of No. 4 Irion County by taking down the seventh-ranked Bearkats in the Region II-1A final.

Grayson Rigdon, who was named tournament MVP, scored 44 points in the win.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

SIGNING DAY: Hall’s signing shows McMurry working to develop local pipeline

There were numerous times over the past few months that Tristen Hall thought his football career ended when Abilene High was eliminated by Burleson Centennial in the third round of the Class 5A playoffs in November.

The senior defensive end was at peace with that, too, after a bumpy road on the recruiting trail that saw him earn an offer from NAIA Wayland Baptist in Plainview that he said just wasn’t the right fit.

On Wednesday afternoon, though, in front of his teammates and family, Hall signed with a program he knew was home.

Hall, who didn’t even play football until seventh grade, is staying home to play at McMurry.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

Cross Plains’ Cosby leaves hardwood legacy behind as he moves full-time into administrative role

All good things must come to an end, and for the Cross Plains boys basketball team, the end is the tenure of Dade Cosby leading the program.

On Tuesday, Cosby announced that he was stepping down from the program that he’s been part of for nearly a decade in order to focus on his other job — being the superintendent of the school district.

His coaching career came to a close with a 53-35 loss to Aspermont in the area round of the playoffs on Friday night.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Rigdon, Benjamin use hot third quarter to knock off Knox City

STAMFORD — Benjamin’s Grayson Rigdon has been the most prolific scorer in the Big Country this year by a wide margin as he averaged 40.4 points per game during the regular season.

Tuesday night, he put his skills on display in the Region II-1A quarterfinals and propelled the No. 19 Mustangs into the regional tournament with a 42-point effort in Benjamin’s 72-43 win over Knox City.

It was a 13-0 run over the first three minutes of the second half that helped the Mustangs put the Greyhounds away.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Hamlin’s Evans stepping down from post

Hamlin football coach and athletic director Chris Evans announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down from his post after a two-year stint in which a rebuild of the Pied Pipers program began.

Evans went 5-5 in 2022 after a winless campaign in his first season. He is 38-31 in six years as a head coach between Hamlin and Wheeler.

“I’ve enjoyed my time here and wish nothing but the best for them,” Evans said.

 

by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Athletic Vernon too much for Brady in area round

ANSON — The Brady boys basketball team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the state in the opening round of the postseason with a 42-37 win over District 6-3A champion San Angelo TLCA on Tuesday night.

It left many people wondering what the Bulldogs would do as an encore, especially since they were playing with house money when taking on No. 25 Vernon on Friday at Anson’s Tiger Gymnasium.

Another upset was not in the cards for the Bulldogs, who were held scoreless until midway through the second quarter as Vernon ran away with a 67-36 win.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Slow start dooms Cross Plains in area round loss

ANSON — The Cross Plains Buffaloes started the postseason off with an upset win over Hermleigh on Tuesday night.

There would be no repeat of that magic in the area round with the Buffaloes giving up the first 14 points of the game on their way to a 53-35 loss to Aspermont at Tiger Gymnasium on Friday night.

The slow start was something that coach Dade Cosby’s team wasn’t able to overcome, but they never stopped fighting.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Hermleigh girls outlast Eula in regional quarterfinal thriller

TUSCOLA — Tuesday night marked the third straight year that the Eula and Hermleigh girls basketball teams have met in the playoffs with a berth in the regional tournament on the line.

After the Lady Cardinals won the first two matchups 44-41 and 54-39 at Wylie’s Bulldog Gym, the series shifted to Jim Ned’s Bill Thornton Arena as the Lady Pirates looked to break the streak.

For the third straight year, though, the Lady Cardinals broke Eula’s heart, this time with a 49-46 win in an instant classic.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: May survives upset-minded Ira in playoff opener

WINTERS — After a shocking bi-district loss ended the football season for May, the Tigers found themselves in a similar situation on Monday night at Blizzard Gym to start the postseason in basketball against Ira.

The fourth-place Bulldogs had May on the ropes in the third quarter, leading 42-39 with momentum, but the Tigers responded like a hungry squad.

May reeled off 12 consecutive points, spanning the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth, and used the run to propel itself to a 68-50 win that was far less comfortable than the final score indicated.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Jim Ned turns away Ballinger, advances to fifth straight regional tournament

WINTERS — With a spot in the Region I-3A tournament on the line on Monday night at Blizzard Gym, the Jim Ned and Ballinger girls basketball teams squared off for the third time this season.

The Lady Indians were seeking their fifth straight berth in the regional tournament while the Lady Cats were in the regional quarterfinals for the first time since 2008.

Despite a strong defensive first half, the Lady Cats struggled to score offensively, and Jim Ned’s offense came to life in the second half to propel the Lady Indians to a 53-18 win and an 8 p.m. date with Idalou on Friday at Wolfforth Frenship.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Eula starts fast and rolls past Rotan, earns quarterfinals rematch with Hermleigh

ANSON — The Eula Lady Pirates, ranked No. 16 in the state in Class 1A, wasted no time in putting an end to any hopes Rotan had of a second straight playoff upset Friday night at Tiger Gymnasium.

The Lady Pirates jumped out to a double-digit lead in the first four minutes of the game on their way to a 41-16 win, earning a Region II-1A quarterfinal date with No. 12 Hermleigh on Tuesday at Jim Ned’s Bill Thornton Arena.

Eula was led offensively by Hailie Cauthen and Nyellie Lee. Cauthen had 15 of her game-high 17 points in the first half, while Lee scored 11 points.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Big second half lifts No. 3 Holliday to area round win over Wall

ANSON — Wall coach Jerry McSherry knew his squad would have a tough time in Thursday’s Region I-3A area round game against third-ranked Holliday.

While the Lady Hawks struggled offensively, they dominated on the defensive end of the floor in the first half, building a six-point lead at the break.

A much different story unfolded in the second half, however, as the Lady Eagles pulled away for a 46-33 win, ending the Lady Hawks’ season at 28-6.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Hawley uses late run against Albany to claim first district title in nearly four decades

HAWLEY — They are bound to be partying like it’s the 1980s in Hawley this week after a 20-0 game-ending run gave Hawley a 65-47 win over Albany and the outright District 10-2A basketball championship.

It’s the first time the Bearcats have won a district title in boys basketball since 1987.

Kason O’Shields had 17 points in the first quarter and bookended a 37-point night with 12 more points in the fourth quarter to fuel HHS.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Albany upends Cisco, sets up district championship showdown with Hawley

ALBANY — Albany and Hawley both won state championships in football less than two months ago and are now set to square off for at least a share of the District 10-2A championship on Tuesday night.

The showdown comes after the Lions dominated Cisco 46-33 on Friday night, jumping out to a double-digit first quarter lead and never looking back.

It sets up a game with major playoff implications as the eventual runner-up between Hawley (12-4, 10-1) and Albany (13-3, 9-2) would face Class 2A’s top-ranked team, Lipan, in the second round of the playoffs. While the Bearcats lead the Lions by a game in the district standings, an AHS win would secure coach Ryder Peacock’s team the No. 1 playoff seed by virtue of its 51-48 win on Jan. 20.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wall sweeps Merkel in District 6-3A twin bill

The Merkel Lady Badgers entered Tuesday’s regular season finale knowing the stakes were clear: beat Wall and get a seeding game with the Lady Hawks or enter the postseason as the No. 3 seed out of District 6-3A.

Wall, meanwhile, knew that a win locked them into the No. 2 seed and would allow a week of rest before starting the postseason.

In the end, it was the Lady Hawks who used a strong defensive effort, including holding the Lady Badgers scoreless for more than 12 straight minutes in the first half, to take a 37-19 win at Badger Gym.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie boys lose thriller as Lubbock Monterey sweeps doubleheader

Martin Marshall had the look that Wylie wanted as the clock was ticking down.

The junior guard caught a pass from Hunter Hood with two seconds left and unleashed a 3-pointer from the wing in an attempt to send the Bulldogs’ District 4-5A showdown with Lubbock Monterey into overtime.

But Marshall’s shot bounced off the rim and out, allowing the Plainsmen to escape Bulldog Gym with a 56-53 win in which neither team was ever able to take complete control.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

FEATURE: Abilene basketball officials work hard to ensure games go smoothly

From coaches and players to clock operators and official scorekeepers, it takes a lot of people to ensure that basketball games are run smoothly across the United States.

But none of the games could happen if not for two or three others on the court that hope you don’t notice them — the referees.

For Tuesday’s Southtown Showdown between Cooper and Wylie, the Abilene Basketball Chapter of the Texas High School Basketball Officials Association gave BigCountryPreps.com an all-access, behind-the-scenes look at what all goes into a game for them.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie records sweep of Abilene High in crosstown hoops

The Wylie boys basketball team knew that it needed the student body to be rowdy in Tuesday’s District 4-5A showdown against crosstown rival Abilene High.

After a relatively quiet first quarter, the students got loud and then made a world of difference in the second half as the Bulldogs took a 54-45 win at Bulldog Gym to close out their first half of district play.

Wylie coach Gregg Ruffin was effusive in his praise of the student body and the difference it made in the game.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Anson girls, Albany boys take key District 10-2A wins

ANSON — Locked in a tight battle after the first quarter, the Anson girls exploded in the second and rode the momentum all the way to a 55-35 win over Albany as the two squads closed out the first half of District 10-2A play on Friday night.

Meagan McWhirter had a big night for the Lady Tigers, scoring a game-high 18 points, as Anson improved to 15-8 overall but, more importantly, 3-3 in league play.

Anson is tied for third place in the district after the first round of games, which is critical with the Lady Tigers having just three more home games the rest of the year.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Eula Lady Pirates hammer Cross Plains in District 13-1A showdown

EULA — Mary Mosley Gymnasium has earned a reputation of being a tough place to play, much like The Teepee was at Haskell until Haskell ISD opened a new gym recently.

With the Eula boys basketball team playing a nondistrict road game on Tuesday night, the Lady Pirates saw a smaller than usual crowd for their District 13-1A game against fifth-ranked Cross Plains.

But while it lacked in size, the crowd was loud and rambunctious, helping pave the way for a 46-27 win.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Mustangs use big third quarter to hold off feisty Jaybirds

SWEETWATER — The Jayton boys basketball team entered Friday’s game at Sweetwater ranked No. 2 in the state in Class 1A and sporting one of only a couple of undefeated records in the state.

After the Mustangs used a big third quarter fueled by the hot shooting hand of Stason Hernandez to get a 51-38 win at Mustang Gym, Jayton coach Ryan Bleiker felt a sense of relief.

The relief didn’t come from losing, but rather that his squad didn’t have to carry the burden of being undefeated anymore.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Abilene High boys rout Lubbock High, AHS girls can’t rally from early hole

When you’re a young team, basketball can be intimidating if shots aren’t falling for you.

If they are falling? Then it’s contagious and can lead to an avalanche of scoring for a squad.

In a District 4-5A game on Tuesday night at Eagle Gym, the Abilene High boys team had shots falling like crazy, and it led to a 69-29 win over Lubbock High in which nine players scored for coach Justin Reese’s squad, led by Chris Motl’s game-high 14 points.

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