Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Category: Abilene High Eagles
LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie, Abilene High secure sweeps to earn crosstown matchup in I-5A quarters
The Abilene High and Wylie baseball teams passed their area-round tests over the weekend, each sweeping El Paso-area schools to earn a crosstown matchup in the Region I-3A quarterfinals later this week.
Abilene High took down El Paso Ysleta 5-1 and 12-1 to improve to 4-1 in the postseason, while Wylie knocked off Canutillo 2-1 and 9-5 to stay perfect in the playoffs at 4-0.
The series between the Eagles and Bulldogs is set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday at McMurry’s Walt Driggers Field.
GAME STORY: Small ball helps Lady Eagles shut out Wylie, advance to region semis for first time since 2003
When Amyah Starks suffered a season-ending knee injury in an early-season tournament, the Abilene High softball team was forced to find a new offensive identity with their slugger sidelined.
The Lady Eagles perfectly executed their small ball mentality in a five-run fourth inning, getting just a leadoff single in the frame as they finished off a Region I-5A sweep of crosstown rival Wylie with a 6-0 win Saturday morning at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
Despite being sidelined, Starks said she’s having as much fun this year she’s had in her four years in the program.
GAME STORY: Big fifth inning fuels Abilene High to 7-0 win over Wylie in series opener
The series opener between Abilene High and Wylie was the pitcher’s duel many expected for 4½ innings Friday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field.
But when the Lady Eagles finally broke through against Lady Bulldogs starter Halli Russell in the bottom of the fifth, they did it big, pushing across seven runs to turn a scoreless thriller into a comfortable 7-0 win and take a 1-0 series lead in the best-of-three Region I-5A quarterfinal clash.
The victory, which improved Abilene High to 24-13-1 on the year, has the Lady Eagles within one win of their first trip to the fourth round of the playoffs since 2003 — something they’ll try to secure when the series resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday back at ACU.
PREVIEW: Abilene High, Wylie softball teams set for crosstown ‘showcase’ with trip to fourth round on the line
Since 2018, the city of Abilene has had at least one team reach the third round of the softball playoffs every year but 2020, when no postseason was played due to COVID.
A local team has reached the fourth round of the playoffs in three of the last five completed seasons.
With Abilene High and Wylie set for a Region I-5A quarterfinals series Friday and Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field, that’s already guaranteed to happen again this season. The only question is which of those two surging teams it will be that represents the Key City in the region semifinals next week.
SIGNING DAY: Four Abilene High girls make college decisions official
Four Abilene High athletes from three girls programs celebrated with family and friends Wednesday as they made their college decisions official during a signing day ceremony at Eagle Gym.
Volleyball players Yasmine DeLaGarza (Vernon College) and Amelia Carr (Arlington Baptist), track athlete Adriahna Peeples (Hardin-Simmons) and soccer player Laila Brown (McMurry) all announced where they’d be continuing their academic and athletic careers, adding to a successful athletic year for AHS girls programs that will continue this weekend when the Lady Eagles softball team meets Wylie in the Region I-5A quarterfinals.
Wednesday’s four signees bring the list of Abilene High seniors who will compete collegiately to 16 for the school year after nine signed on Feb. 7 and three more did so on April 30.
Continue reading “SIGNING DAY: Four Abilene High girls make college decisions official”
SOFTBALL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Despite weather, 12 area teams advance to third round with Bangs-Stamford outcome still pending
Here are the recaps of the Big Country softball playoff results in the second round of the postseason: Continue reading “SOFTBALL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Despite weather, 12 area teams advance to third round with Bangs-Stamford outcome still pending”
LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: AHS rallies past Plainview in three, Wylie sweeps Caprock
The Abilene High and Wylie baseball teams both won their opening playoff series over the weekend, with the Eagles surviving a wild three-game set with Plainview and the Bulldogs comfortably sweeping Amarillo Caprock.
After cruising to an 11-3 win in Game 1 on Thursday, AHS found itself down to its final outs on Friday, thanks to a 5-3 loss in Game 2 and a 3-0 seventh-inning deficit in Game 3. But the Eagles rallied for four runs in their final at-bat to extend their season with a 4-3 walk-off win on a bases-clearing double by Beckham Paul.
Wylie had considerably less trouble with Caprock, following a 6-0 shutout in Game 1 on Friday with a 12-2 rout in Game 2 a day later to end the series without the need for a third game.
With the series victories, both teams advance to the Region I-5A area round this week, where Abilene High will take on El Paso Ysleta and Wylie will face off with Canutillo.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie softball teams sweep way into I-5A quarterfinals
The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams enjoyed a successful weekend, each sweeping their area-round series to advance to the Region I-4A quarterfinals, where they’ll play each other on Friday and Saturday.
Abilene High earned its second consecutive series win over a higher-seeded team, following its bi-district series victory over District 3-5A champion Amarillo High with an impressive showing against District 2-5A runner-up El Paso Ysleta. The Lady Eagles rallied past the Lady Indians for a 4-3 win in Game 1 before run-ruling Ysleta 11-1 in Game 2 to clinch the sweep.
Wylie, meanwhile, dispatched of District 1-5A runner-up Canutillo, following a 16-6 run-rule victory in the series opener with a hard-fought 7-6 win in Game 2.
The Lady Eagles and Lady Bulldogs will now meet in the third round of the playoffs after splitting their two district matchups. That series will be played at Abilene Christian University’s Poly Wells Field, opening at 6 p.m. Friday, before resuming with Game 2 ( and Game 3, if necessary) on Saturday, beginning at noon.
STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Hico’s Hunt, Goldthwaite’s Jernigan headline 18-medal day for area athletes
AUSTIN — After area Class 3A and 4A competitors opened the UIL Track & Field State Meet with a combined 10 medals on Thursday, Big Country Preps athletes took partial ownership of the medal stand at Mike A. Meyers Stadium at the University of Texas on Friday in the Class 2A and 5A portions of the event.
Area athletes combined to claim 18 medals on the day, with Hico junior Kaylee Hunt joining Goldthwaite seniors Lainey Jernigan and Hope Hermesmeyer in a dominating performance.
The trio combined for six medals on the day as Goldthwaite, Stamford and Hico all posted top-five finishes in the 2A girls team competition.
SIGNING DAY: Abilene High’s Neves, Carrillo and Paul headed to McMurry
A trio of Abilene High athletes announced their college decisions on Tuesday as Bryce Neves, Jadrian Carrillo and Beckham Paul made their commitments to McMurry University official during a Signing Day ceremony at the Chuck Moser Fieldhouse.
Neves and Carrillo, both linebackers, committed to play for the War Hawks football team, while Paul, a standout safety in the fall and center fielder in the spring, will continue his career in baseball.
The trio’s signing ceremony capped a strong athletic year for Abilene High, which had nine athletes sign letters of intent to compete collegiately in February.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cisco hurler takes the top spot after remarkable turnaround
Coming off a subpar performance in Game 1 of last week’s 2A bi-district series with Hawley, Cisco pitcher Hannah Rogers did something few expected: a complete about-face.
Rogers, who had been beaten up in an 11-4 loss on Friday afternoon that saw her allow 14 hits, quickly regained her form for Game 2 that evening. Limiting Hawley to seven hits, she led Cisco to a series-tying 5-2 win.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High rallies to eliminate Amarillo High; Wylie blasts Tascosa
Entering the second game of their respective Region I-5A bi-district series at Lubbock Cooper, the Abilene High softball team was hoping force a third game and Wylie was hoping to avoid one. Both accomplished their mission.
The Lady Eagles rebounded from Friday’s 5-0 loss to Amarillo High to sweep the Lady Sandies on Saturday, winning Game 2 by a 7-2 margin and taking the deciding third game 6-2, while the Lady Bulldogs backed up a 10-2 win over Amarillo Tascosa in Game 1 with a 18-4 win in Game 2 to cruise past the Lady Rebels.
With those results, both Abilene High and Wylie are headed to the area round, where the Lady Eagles will face off with El Paso Ysleta and the Lady Bulldogs will play Canutillo next week.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie routs Tascosa in series opener; Amarillo High too much for Abilene High
Opening the playoffs on opposite ends of their district’s seeding spectrum, the Wylie and Abilene High softball teams found opposite results in their respective postseason openers on Friday at Lubbock Cooper.
Wylie, District 4-5A’s No. 1 seed, had little trouble with Amarillo Tascosa in a 10-2 victory in Game 1 of a best-of-three bi-district series, while fourth-seeded Abilene High ran into a buzzsaw in a 5-0 loss to Amarillo High.
Both the Lady Bulldogs and Lady Eagles will conclude their first-round series on Saturday back at the Lubbock Cooper softball field for Games 2 and 3, if necessary.
FINAL Big Country Regular Season Baseball Statistical leaders for 2024 (through April 25)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 25.
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.
LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie shuts out Coronado; Abilene High falls in finale to Lubbock Cooper
After storms in and around Abilene wreaked havoc on Tuesday’s District 4-5A baseball slate, clearer weather prevailed Wednesday, allowing Wylie, Abilene High and Cooper to complete games that were suspended due to lightning.
WHS completed a shutout of Lubbock Coronado, tacking on five runs Wednesday to earn a 7-0 win, while the AHS saw a late rally come up just short in a 5-4 loss to Lubbock Cooper and Abilene Cooper downed Lubbock High 4-0.
It was the final home game for all three local teams, and the final regular season altogether for Abilene High, which has clinched the district’s No. 3 playoff spot. Wylie, meanwhile, will play at Lubbock Cooper on Friday for the 4-5A championship, while Cooper will close out its season Friday at Coronado after being eliminated from playoff contention Monday with a 12-2 loss at Lubbock Monterey.
REGION I-5A TRACK RECAP: Cooper long jumper Hatcher, AHS boys sprint relay earn trip to state meet
LUBBOCK — Cooper girls long jumper Jazlyn Hatcher and the Abilene High boys sprint relay team of Bryson Perez, Jaden Jackson, Brayden Henry and Ryland Bradford both earned trips to the state track meet May 3 in Austin with strong performances at the Region I-5A meet on Friday at Saturday at Lowrey Field.
Hatcher won gold in the long jump, leaping 19 feet, 3¼ inches to edge Justin Northwest’s Levariya Pinder (19-0), while AHS’ 400-meter relay ran a silver medal time of 42.17 seconds to finish behind only Mansfield Timberview (41.94).
Those efforts headlined a solid showing by Abilene’s three largest public schools, which combined to earn points in 11 events.
Big Country Baseball Statistical leaders (through April 18)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 18.
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.
FINAL Big Country Regular Season Softball Statistical leaders for 2024 (through April 18)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 18.
With the end of the regular season, this will be our FINAL softball leaders posting for 2024.
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.
BREAKING: Abilene ISD fills prominent roles within athletic department
Abilene Independent School District Athletic Director Jim Garfield hasn’t had to make too many significant hires during his short time leading the department.
During his nearly two years, Garfield had hired Brandon Hudson to lead the Cooper girls basketball team, Tiffany Van Hoose to lead the Abilene High girls soccer program and Brad Harman to captain the AHS baseball team.
Wednesday afternoon, the veteran administrator added to that list when AISD announced the replacements for Del Van Cox (assistant AD) and Brenda Andress (AHS girls basketball). Lubbock ISD Assistant AD Lou Mora will replace Cox while Andress’ successor is Hale Center girls basketball coach Alfonzo Franklin.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie earn important wins
While the District 4-5A baseball race garners hype and headlines, the softball race may be just as compelling.
Wylie beat Lubbock Coronado 15-4 on Tuesday night while Abilene High knocked off district leader Lubbock Cooper 5-4, creating a logjam among the league’s four teams jockeying for playoff positioning.
Tuesday’s win by the Lady Eagles leaves them at 8-4 in district play with their season complete while it dropped the Lady Pirates to 9-2. Wylie, meanwhile, is now tied for second place with Lubbock Monterey at 8-3.
GAME STORY: Cooper outlasts Abilene High in 11-inning epic, claims fifth straight victory
Friday’s crosstown baseball showdown between Abilene High and Cooper took 11 innings and nearly three hours to decide. But by the end of the epic affair, the visiting Cougars found themselves celebrating a near perfect night at Blackburn Field.
In addition to outlasting their archrival for a thrilling 8-7 win — their fifth victory in a row after a 1-8 start to District 4-5A play — the Coogs (12-13, 6-8) got the results they were looking for in both of the district’s other two matchups, pulling within a game of Lubbock Monterey for league’s fourth and final playoff spot with four games remaining.
Monterey (12-15-1, 7-7) fell 3-2 to now-sole district leader Lubbock Cooper, while Lubbock Coronado (12-16, 6-8) fell by the same score to last-place Lubbock High, adding an extra layer of satisfaction to Cooper’s marathon win over the Eagles.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (through April 11)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 11.
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.
GAME STORY: Clutch pitching, one big inning lift Abilene High to key 3-2 win at Wylie
Inheriting a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the bottom of the seventh inning with his team clinging to a narrow 3-2 lead, Abilene High ace Brady Bennett couldn’t have asked for a much more difficult relief assignment Tuesday in the Eagles’ last of three District 4-5A meetings with Wylie.
But after watching teammates Connel Colley and Joseph Flores pitch out of similar jams each of the previous two innings, the AHS right-hander rose to the occasion himself, delivering three strikeouts on just 10 pitches to preserve a dramatic one-run victory over the Bulldogs.
The win, combined with Abilene Cooper’s 10-2 upset of Lubbock Cooper on Tuesday, pulled the Eagles into a three-way tie for first place in the 4-5A standings with LCHS and Wylie, adding a new layer of craziness to an already wild district race.
FEATURE: Breckenridge workhorse Chloe Whitmire not afraid to live on the edge while in the circle
BRECKENRIDGE — Chloe Whitmire isn’t your standard, cookie-cutter-mold high school softball pitcher.
While many pitchers carry a grim look on their faces heading into the circle, it’s not uncommon to spot Whitmire wearing a smile, even while under pressure.
While the majority of hurlers focus on keeping the ball down and changing speeds, this 17-year-old Breckenridge senior spends much of her time up in zone, aggressively challenging hitters with a hard riseball and screwball.
Her numbers are uncommon as well.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Jones takes five district titles and our Player of the Week
While we normally try to share the love in our Big Country Preps Player of the Week column, five district titles in one week isn’t easy to sidestep.
And while Wall’s Briggs Jones has already pulled down our award once this year, he earned a second with his showing at the District 6-3A meet in Clyde last week by sweeping the long jump (23-2), the triple jump (44-10.75), the 200 meters (21.92), the 100 meters (10.72) and assisting the 800 relay team to gold with a 1:29.68 split.
DISTRICT 4-5A TRACK MEET: AHS boys narrowly miss team title as local athletes combine to claim 48 medals
Entering the mile relay just two points down to Lubbock Cooper in the team race, the Abilene High boys track team gave itself a chance to claim team gold at the District 4-5A meet Thursday at the Shotwell Annex.
But after taking three of the top four spots in the 1,600 meters to put themselves in that position, the Eagles finished second to the Pirates in the final race of the evening to close the two-day meet with 172 points — six short of a district championship.
That 1-2 finish between LCHS and Abilene High mirrored the finish in the girls team race, which saw the Lady Pirates earn 141 points to top the second-place Lady Eagles by 29 points and the third-place Cooper Lady Cougars by 37.
The team medals, which also included a bronze for the Wylie boys (73 points) capped a successful district meet for Abilene’s three largest high schools, which combined to earn 48 medals (24 girls, 24 boys) and claim 68 spots at the Districts 3/4-5A area meet next week at Lowrey Field in Lubbock.
Big Country Baseball Statistical Leaders (Through April 4)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 4.
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.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (Through April 4)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 4.
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.
PHOTO GALLERY: District 4-5A Track Meet Day 1 (150 images)
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: District 4-5A Track Meet Day 1 (150 images)”
PHOTO GALLERY: Abilene High-Lubbock Coronado baseball (59 images)
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Abilene High-Lubbock Coronado baseball (59 images)”
GAME STORY: Silva tosses second straight no-hitter as shorthanded Abilene High cruises past Cooper
Coming off a no-hitter against Wylie on Thursday, Abilene High senior Diana Silva wasn’t expecting to pitch in Tuesday’s crosstown matchup against Cooper.
But when a family emergency forced a pair of her teammates to miss the game, the senior ace responded in the best way she could — with her second no-hitter in as many outings.
Pitching around a couple of walks and her own throwing error in the seventh, Silva was nothing short of dominant, striking out 13 Lady Cougar hitters in a 8-0 victory at Cougar Diamond.
GAME STORY: Six-run third inning propels Abilene High to district win over Coronado
While it was what Abilene High coach Brad Harman calls a “perfect play,” the turning point of Tuesday’s District 4-5A matchup at Blackburn Field between AHS and Lubbock Coronado went the Mustangs’ way.
With two outs in the second inning of a 1-1 game, Harman had freshman George Ferguson try to score from second base on a hit up the middle. Isaiah Trevino delivered a strike to Bodie Pope to cut down Ferguson to end the frame, but the message was sent — the Eagles were going to be aggressive on the basepaths.
AHS would capitalize on that aggression later, scoring six in the third inning to cruise to a 9-5 win in a game that leaves AHS a half-game behind district co-leaders Wylie and Lubbock Cooper in the 4-5A standings.
GAME STORY: Abilene High ace Silva throws no-hitter in dominant effort against Wylie
After finishing on the losing side of a 3-2 pitchers’ duel in her first matchup with Wylie on March 5, Abilene High ace Diana Silva left nothing to chance in Thursday’s rematch.
The senior right-hander no-hit the Lady Bulldogs, allowing just two baserunners all game, to make the same run total hold up in a 2-0 win at the AHS softball field.
Silva struck out eight while walking one batter and hitting another to complete the seven-inning gem in just 86 pitches, pulling her Lady Eagles (15-11-1 overall, 4-3 in district) into a third-place tie with Wylie (19-8, 4-3) in the in District 4-5A standings.
Big Country Baseball Statistical Leaders (Through March 28)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through March 28.
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.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (Through March 28)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through March 28.
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.
GAME STORY: Colley’s complete game shutout lifts Abilene High to 4-0 win over Cooper
Abilene High right-hander Connel Colley was dominant from start to finish Tuesday, limiting crosstown rival Cooper to just two hits and a pair of walks over seven stellar innings to pitch the Eagles to a tidy 4-0 win at Cougar Field.
The 6-foot-4 junior took a no-hitter into the fourth inning and never allowed a runner to advance past second base, needing just 90 pitches to secure the complete game shutout despite recording 10 of his 21 outs by strikeout.
The victory, AHS’ fifth in its last six games, improved the Eagles to 12-7-1 overall and 6-2 in District 4-5A play, pulling coach Brad Harman’s squad into a second-place tie with Lubbock Cooper (12-11-1, 6-2) — just a half-game back of Wylie (17-1, 6-1) for the league lead.
Evan Ren’s 2024 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players in the Big Country!
Scoring and rebounding is only part of the story when it comes to basketball. Behind the scenes and beyond the view of the public, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who exude the most of it.
This team isn’t about who the best players are, though some of the area’s top players are on this list.
The Gym Rat team is about effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches love above all else and upon which championship foundations are built.
It is for that reason that our Gym Rat team is selected entirely by area coaches, described in their own words. And Big Country Preps is absolutely honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2023-24 season.
Players are listed in no particular order.
Enjoy.