Category: Ballinger Bearcats

by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde’s Phillips earns this week’s spotlight

In a week filled with unforgettable moments, several of our nominees handed in by area coaches could justifiably be called our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week. 

We finally settled on Clyde sophomore Payton Phillips, who stunned attendees at the Region I-3A meet by taking gold in both the long jump (18 feet, 6 inches) and the 100 hurdles (15.12) — breaking school records that were 25 and 15 years old, respectively. 

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie senior Aguilar vaults way to honor

Kylor Aguilar’s high school athletic career has been filled with obstacles, but after beginning it with such promise as a state silver medalist as a freshman, the Wylie pole vaulter is on track to finish it in style.

Aguilar, who had his sophomore season derailed by a rare bone disorder and had his junior season shortened by the COVID-19 stoppage, is having his best high school season to date as a senior.

And after vaulting a career best 15 feet, 9 inches at the District 4-5A meet in Lubbock, he’s our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the week ending April 10.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Ballinger softballers hold on for crucial road win at Jim Ned

TUCSCOLA — It took the better part of a month for Ballinger to get a second shot at Jim Ned, following a 10-8 loss to the Lady Indians way back on March 13 at home. 

On Friday, however, the Lady Cats utilized a huge start, some timely hitting and a handful of Jim Ned mistakes to get a measure of revenge in a 13-9 win. 

Alina Pena was 2 for 4 with a triple and four RBIs and went the distance in the circle to lead Ballinger (12-7, 7-3), which held off a Jim Ned rally after taking an early 8-0 lead. 

Jim Ned (13-7, 7-2) was led by starting pitcher Libbie Brnovack, who as 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. The Lady Indians rallied with seven runs over the last four innings only to fall short.

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2021 Gym Rat Team: The toughest, hardest-working teammates in the Big Country

While scoring and rebounding garner much of the attention in basketball, there are other elements, crucial to success, that seldom grab headlines. 

Behind the scenes is where character, effort and sacrifice set the foundation for teams to reach their full potential. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who bring these elements to the table. 

This team isn’t about who the best players are — though some of the area’s top players are on this list. 

The Gym Rat Team is about outworking, outhustling and outgiving everyone around you, both on the floor and off. Hard-working, honest, selfless, tough, coachable kids are what we seek for this roster. 

A Gym Rat Team member can be your best player or the last player off the bench. But the one thing all of them bring is an uncompromisingly good attitude. 

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat Team is selected entirely by area coaches. And Big Country Preps is truly honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2020-21 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Chorn’s walkoff, Neuman’s pitching lead Clyde past Ballinger

CLYDE — Tuesday night’s District 6-3A baseball game between Clyde and Ballinger got started nearly 30 minutes late due to a pregame issue that resulted in a portion of the infield grass behind the pitchers mound at Bulldog Field being left under a significant amount of water.

The delayed start seemed to have a bigger effect on the two defenses more than starting pitchers Dylan Neuman (Clyde) and Nakia Villarreal (Ballinger) as the two aces matched each other nearly pitch-for-pitch once the game got going.

In the end, it was Clyde’s Luke Chorn singling home Monroe Burleson with one out in the bottom of the seventh over a drawn in infield for a 4-3 walk-off win for the Bulldogs.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Ballinger boys find stride in fourth quarter, down Crane for bi-district win

STERLING CITY — Offense didn’t come easy for the Ballinger boys basketball team for most of its Region I-3A bi-district game against Crane on Friday. But the Bearcats found their rhythm when they needed to most, outscoring the Golden Cranes 15-7 over the final eight minutes to rally for a 39-32 win at the Sterling City gym.

Ballinger, which trailed 16-15 at halftime and 25-24 after three quarters, needed 2½ minutes to score its first points of the fourth quarter. But some excellent defense kept the deficit at one until that point, and a Jonathan Delgado 3-pointer kicked off a 12-0 run that gave coach Jeff Holland’s squad a commanding 36-25 lead with just under three minutes remaining.

Crane outscored BHS 7-3 the rest of the way, but it was of little consequence as the Bearcats advanced to the area round, where they’ll face off with the winner of No. 3 Peaster and Bowie next week.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Resilient Coahoma girls rally past Ballinger for bi-district win

STERLING CITY — The Coahoma girls basketball team withstood a couple of Ballinger runs before delivering their own late in the fourth quarter Friday to pull out a 51-47 win in a Region I-3A bi-district matchup at the Sterling City gym.

The Bulldogettes, who trailed at the end of each of the first three quarters, outscored the Ladycats 19-13 in the final period, using a late 9-0 surge to turn a 42-40 deficit at the 3:59 mark into a seven-point lead with 1:47 to play.

From there, Coahoma (17-6) was able to hold off Ballinger to advance to the area round, where it will face No. 16 Peaster next week at a time, date and location to be determined.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville’s Withers takes this week’s accolade

When you shoot 73.5 percent from the floor, you don’t have to shoot very often to create impressive numbers. 

That was the case with our Capital Farm Credit Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Landri Withers of Stephenville, who tallied 39 total points in wins over Gatesville (73-55) and Brownwood (45-27). The Honeybees (20-2) clinched the District 6-4A title with the Brownwood win, during which Withers tallied 23 points. 

She closed the week with a combined seven rebounds, 12 pass deflections and three steals. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wall takes pair of 6-3A nailbiters against Ballinger

BALLINGER — The Wall Hawks used a strong fourth quarter to fend off a Ballinger comeback attempt and claim a 49-35 District 6-3A win Friday night at Joe Forester Gymnasium.

With both squads having already clinched playoff berths, the Hawks put themselves in position to claim the outright district championship with a win over San Angelo TLCA on Tuesday.

The Bearcats, meanwhile, suffered their first home loss of the season after posting their lowest scoring game of the season.

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by Evan Ren

SIGNING DAY: Eastland’s Morton headlines this year’s Big Country recruiting crop

With National signing Day officially in the books, it’s time to take a quick look at this year’s Big Country signees — the most notable of which is Eastland quarterback Behren Morton, who has inked a Letter of Intent with Texas Tech. 

Wall offensive lineman Tate Williams (Baylor) and Cash Jones of Brock (Georgia) were the area’s only other players to sign with power conferences.

Angelo State was among the busiest of the area’s bigger universities, snagging Tyler Simpson of Blanket, Logan Glover of San Saba and Kason Phillips of Stephenville. 

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