Category: Boys basketball

Evan Ren’s 2026 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 that championship foundations are built upon.

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 2025-26 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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2026 All-BCP Boys Basketball Superlatives: Gaylor, Toof, Ruffin, Britting, Bleiker take the top spots

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys Rising Stars Team: Future standouts to keep an eye on!

Here is our 2026 All-Big Country Preps Boys’ Basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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BREAKING: Fostel’s coaching career drawing to a close as Eula names him lone finalist for superintendent

EULA — When Josh Fostel and his family moved to Eula to become the boys basketball coach for the 2003-04 school year, few people could have imagined that being the final stop of his coaching career.

After posting a career record of 647-209, including 610-189 leading the boys and girls programs at Eula, the reality began to sit in that his coaching career was over as Fostel, 48, was named the lone finalist for the Eula Independent School District’s superintendent position during Monday night’s school board meeting.

Due to state laws, Eula must observe a mandatory 21-day waiting period before making the hiring official.

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF WEEK: Jayton’s Stanaland takes this week’s spotlight

Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week earned the accolade on the state’s biggest stage. 

Jayton senior guard Sean Stanaland was a big contributor in several areas for the Jaybirds in a surprisingly easy 78-45 win over Kennard in the Class 1A Division II state title game. This began with the 28 points he scored to help JHS to its third straight championship.

He also pulled down 15 rebounds to go with five assists and three steals as Jayton capped its season with a victory in San Antonio’s Alamodome.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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GAME STORY: Late surge lifts Dallas Carter over Brock in Class 4A DII state semifinals

ARLINGTON — Amarion Hunter scored 16 points, Terrell Jackson added 14 and a tenacious Dallas Carter defense recorded eight steals as the Cowboys defeated Brock 52-44 in the Class 4A Division II state semifinals Tuesday night.

The victory improved Carter’s record to 30-6 and earned the Cowboys a trip to San Antonio on Friday for a chance to win the state championship. They will play LaMarque, which beat Houston Wheatley 68-67 in the other semifinal game.

The loss snapped a 12-game winning streak for the Eagles, who finished with a 28-10 record.

A sellout crowd at the Arlington ISD Athletic Center saw a great basketball game for most of the evening. But, in the end, it was the end of periods that sealed the Eagles’ fate.

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

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

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

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

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

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

On Friday, the Moguls finally banged that thing down.

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

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

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GAME STORY: Gaylor, late run propel Lipan past district rival Graford, into state semis

MINERAL WELLS — Court Gaylor scored 29 points to lead Lipan to a 51-40 victory over District 11-2A rival Graford on Friday night before a loud, sellout crowd at the Mineral Wells High School Gymnasium.

The win gave the Indians a three-game sweep of their nemesis this season and bumped their record to 37-1. They’ve now won 35 straight games.

Still, what set off the biggest celebration in the Lipan stands was affirmation that Coach Brent Gaylor’s squad remains in the hunt for the school’s third state championship in the past four years — and the fourth since the 2017-18 season.The Indians will play undefeated Gruver (23-0) at a neutral site early next week, with the winner going to San Antonio for the state title game on Thursday.

Graford finished its season with a 30-5 record.

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GAME STORY: First-quarter run against Lubbock Cooper Liberty sends Brock to the state semifinals

CLYDE — When the boys basketball teams from Lubbock Cooper Liberty and Brock met in tournament play over the Christmas break, the Patriots held on for a 53-52 win after the Eagles closed the game on a 10-3 run.

Friday brought a rematch in the Region I-4A Division II championship game, and the two squads went toe-to-toe for 28 minutes of action at Clyde’s Bulldog Gym. But it was the other four minutes that made the difference as Brock claimed a 56-42 win.

Brock junior guard Eli Paez hit a career milestone in the first quarter when he sank a free throw for the 1,000th point of his career. He finished with a game-high 17 points as the Eagles rode a strong finish to the first quarter to the victory and into next week’s state semifinals.

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

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

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

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

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GAME STORY: Luft, Preston power Ira past Robert Lee into showdown with top-ranked Jayton

ABILENE — Ira and Robert Lee entered Tuesday night’s Region II-1A Division II semifinal at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum unranked and knowing that the winner would have a tall task with top-ranked Jayton waiting for them in the regional final.

Robert Lee entered the game having won its first two playoff games this season by a combined 100 points, while the Bulldogs followed an 18-point win over Strawn to open the playoffs with a 74-72 win over Benjamin in overtime on Friday.

Tuesday night, it was Ira who jumped out to a fast start and cruised to a 51-30 win as Hudson Luft scored 29 points and Noah Preston added 16 more to send the Bulldogs to the regional championship game for the first time since 2011, when they lost to Bronte. Ira has never made it to a state semifinal.

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Lipan PG Gaylor nabs honor with pair of strong playoff performances

Entering the week at 35-1 and ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, the Lipan Indians have won 33 straight games since suffering their only loss of the year to Class 4A Dallas Roosevelt in mid-November.

At the heart of that success has been standout point guard Court Gaylor, who performed at a high enough level in LHS’ first two playoff games to claim our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. 

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

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

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

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

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GAME REPORT: Wylie boys rally past Lubbock Monterey in fourth for first playoff win since 2018

SNYDER — The Wylie boys basketball team claimed its first playoff win as a Class 5A program on Tuesday, rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit to knock off Lubbock Monterey 62-58 in a Region I-5A Division II bi-district matchup at Tiger Gym.

Trailing 32-29 at halftime and 47-45 after three quarters, the Bulldogs outscored the Plainsmen 17-11 over the final eight minutes to reach the area round for the first time since advancing to the Region I-4A championship game in 2018. 

The Bulldogs, who at 15-13 ensured a winning season with the victory, will now take on El Paso Andress (23-9) at 4 p.m. Friday in Fort Stockton.

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GAME STORY: Stephenville boys pull away from Frenship Memorial for first playoff win since 2018

ABILENE — It was a milestone kind of a night for the Stephenville boys basketball team Tuesday as the Yellow Jackets notched their 30th win of the season with their first playoff victory since 2018, knocking off Frenship Memorial 62-50 in a Region I-4A Division I bi-district matchup at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum.

Trailing 9-2 less than three minutes into the game, the Jackets rallied to take their first lead since the game’s opening bucket on a Dillinger Thiebaud layup with 5:41 to play in the second quarter. And coach Drew McDorman’s team protected that advantage the rest of the way, stretching its 21-19 lead to 25-21 by halftime and 41-31 by the start of the fourth quarter.

Stephenville’s lead grew as wide as 15 points in the final period, eliminating any suspense as to whether or not the Jackets (30-4) would be advancing to the area round later this week.

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GAME STORY: Brock outlasts Lubbock Estacado in top-25 OT thriller to open playoffs

Before their Region I-4A Division II bi-district matchup with Lubbock Estacado, Brock boys basketball coach Zach Boxell thought it was a matchup that was better suited in a region final as opposed to the opening round of the postseason.

Both squads made Boxell’s pregame thoughts look prophetic in a matchup of teams that finished the year ranked in the top 25.

Led by Eli Paez’s 24 points, No. 24 Brock outlasted No. 14 Lubbock Estacado 80-72 in overtime on Monday night at McMurry University’s Kimbrell Arena in a matchup between two squads that won their respective district championships but wound up facing off because of how the Division I/II splits played out in the respective districts.

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cisco junior earns this week’s award

When Cisco junior guard Carter Toof is on his game, there is little one can do to stop him. He’s going to get his point, whether you like it or not. 

That was the case last week when Toof helped Cisco to a win over Abilene TLCA with 43 points, 14 rebounds and three assists. He followed that with 20 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals in a playoff warmup loss to Benjamin. 

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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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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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Hoops

FINAL Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders for 2026: Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Feb. 19.  With the end of the regular season, this will be the FINAL boys basketball leaders we post this year. 

This database has been continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive. 

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GAME STORY: Abilene High boys rally past Cooper on Senior Night to take winning streak into playoffs

The Abilene High boys basketball team began and ended its Senior Night in celebratory fashion Tuesday at Eagle Gym, overcoming a sluggish start and a spirited Cooper squad in between to earn a 60-44 win over its crosstown rival in its regular-season finale.

The Eagles, who had already locked up their first district championship since 2016, found themselves trailing for most of the first three quarters Tuesday. But a 29-8 run over the game’s final 11 minutes turned a potentially tenuous situation into a comfortable win, allowing coach Justin Reese to close the game with several senior reserves on the court.

The victory improved AHS to 20-11 on the season and closed out a 7-1 run through District 4-5A, making winners out of seniors Brooks Reese, Trae Shaw, Myles Osborne, Payton Shawver, Luke Jackson, Jeremiah Collins, Brenner Paul and Dylan Bardin in their final game on their home floor.

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GAME STORY: Montelongo, role players play pivotal roles as Wylie ends regular season with win over Legacy

As the final seconds ticked off the clock in Tuesday night’s District 4-5A boys basketball regular-season finale between Wylie and Wichita Falls Legacy, a chant broke out among the Wylie student body reminiscent of one from the movie “Rudy.”

Only this time, it was “Mon-te! Mon-te! Mon-te!”

The chants were for Wylie senior Noah Montelongo, who rarely gets into games but is one of the biggest supporters of his teammates. One of three fourth-year players being honored on Senior Night, he had the ball in his hands to dribble out the clock in the Bulldogs’ 57-35 win.

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GAME STORY: Wylie holds off Cooper rally to clinch playoff spot, end Cougars’ postseason push

Trailing Cooper by a point in the final minute on Friday, the Wylie boys basketball team closed the game on a 5-0 run to grind out a crucial 51-47 victory at Cougar Gym.

It was the second consecutive road win for the Bulldogs in which they faced a deficit in the closing minutes, clinching a playoff spot for coach Gregg Ruffin’s team while eliminating the Cougars from postseason contention.

Wylie led 33-22 at halftime only to see Cooper snag the momentum — and, eventually, the lead on Jabari Collier-Gard’s 3-pointer with 1:30 to play. But a 5-of-6 tally from the free-throw line and a couple of key stops in the final 43 seconds were enough to earn the Bulldogs the hard-fought victory over their crosstown rival.

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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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GAME STORY: New play helps Sweetwater clinch playoff berth with road win over Merkel

MERKEL — Sweetwater boys basketball coach Dillon Gainey said he and his staff were sitting in the coaches office on Friday morning trying to draw up a way to steal points off the opening tip for their District 6-3A road game at Merkel.

It’s safe to say that the play they came up with worked better than anyone could have imagined.

Sweetwater’s Amare Arevalo didn’t even make an attempt to win the opening tip, letting Rayson Houston go uncontested for it, but Houston’s tap went directly to a Mustang and turned into a layup just three seconds into the game as the Mustangs led wire-to-wire in a 57-34 decision over the Badgers.

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GAME STORY: Jayton overcomes determined Roscoe team, noisy crowd to get tough nondistrict road win

Roscoe’s Jace Arnwine looks for an open teammate in the second half of Friday’s game with Jayton with JHS’ Tucker Scott applying defensive pressure.

ROSCOE — With two-time defending Class 1A state champion Jayton coming to town to face 18th-ranked 2A Roscoe, Friday’s non-district boys game was bound to create a special atmosphere. 

And it did just that, as the Jaybirds slipped past the Plowboys 58-54 in front of a raucous crowd at the Roscoe Collegiate Special Events Center.

Colt Gentry scored 21 points, Bode Ham had 13 and Sean Stanaland added 12 more to lead the top-ranked Jaybirds (18-3), who never trailed and maintained a shaky lead from the 4:33 mark of the first quarter until the final horn. 

Roscoe (31-2), which remained within striking distance throughout the game, was led by Jarrell Best with 22 points and Aiden Brown with 18.

Both clubs walked away from the matchup feeling as though they had benefitted from it — especially with postseason play set to start on Feb. 23. 

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Hoops

Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Feb. 12): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Feb. 12. 

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive. 

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