Day 1 of Big Country Preps’ 2020 Photo Tour is now in the books, with seven more days of shooting yet to come from practice fields throughout the area.
Here are but a few of the images collected Monday:
Category: Breckenridge Buckaroos
COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: Breckenridge Buckaroos
Football is just around the corner, and we at BigCountryPreps.com are committed to bringing you the information you need to prepare for your favorite team’s season.
We’ll be releasing our Big Country Preps Preseason Football Preview, the most comprehensive look at the upcoming Big Country football season anywhere, on Saturday, Aug. 14. But you won’t have to wait until then to sate your gridiron appetite.
Leading up to the first day of fall football practice on Aug. 2, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2021 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.
Today, we move to Class 3A Division I with the Breckenridge Buckaroos. On Tuesday, we will take a look at the Clyde Bulldogs, followed by the Early Longhorns on Wednesday.
LIVE: State Track and Field Meet medalists and Big Country Placings (DAY 1)
CHECK FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY AT BIGCOUNTRYPREPS.COM
Continue reading “LIVE: State Track and Field Meet medalists and Big Country Placings (DAY 1)”
EVAN REN: Handicapping the boys state track meet.
Having already released our picks for the girls state track meet earlier this evening, we now present the boys event, using the same approach.
We’ll comb through each event involving a Big Country athlete (or athletes) and assess if they are favorites, dark horses or long shots to get on the medal stand.
Let’s not waste any time. Let’s dive in.
EVAN REN: Picking the favorites, dark horses and longshots at the girls state track meet
I don’t care who you are — even if you’re a non-fan when it comes to track and field.
The excitement of the state meet in Austin will capture your attention if you catch sight or sound of it. It’s inescapable.
And once per year, it is my pleasure to examine the multitude of Big Country athletes heading to Austin for the event and pick who we can expect to see on the medal stand from our area.
Let’s begin with the girls side, looking at each event in which a Big Country athlete has qualified for state.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie’s Farrar pitches her way to honor
As a sophomore in her first playoff action, leading a fourth-place team against a district champion, no one would have blamed Wylie pitcher Reese Farrar for having jitters in the opener of her team’s Region I-5A bi-district series against District 3-5A champ Amarillo High.
If she did, she did a darn good job of hiding it.
All the right-hander did was pitch a six-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts to lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 10-0 victory in Game 1 and set the tone for a big series sweep, earning our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week honor in the process.
Big Country baseball statistical leaders for 2021 (through April 29)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 29:
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.
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.
Big Country softball statistical leaders (through April 22)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 22:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 22. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Big Country baseball statistical leaders (through April 22)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 22:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 22. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Escalon takes this week’s accolade
Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the Week ending April 17 could have only been better had he thrown a no-hitter.
Breckenridge freshman Camden Escalon came within one hit of a no-no on Saturday in an 18-0 rout of Wichita Falls City view.
Along the way he fanned 10 hitters against only two walks to improve his personal record to 2-0 on the year.
As a team Breckenridge enters this week at 13-6 and 6-3 in district play.
Big Country Baseball statistical leaders (April 15)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 15:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 15. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Big Country Softball statistical leaders (April 15)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 15:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 15. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
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.
Area baseball statistical leaders (April 8)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 8:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 8. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Area softball statistical leaders (April 8)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 8:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 8. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Aspermont junior takes this week’s award
A strained hip may have slowed Aspermont junior Sadie Gentry, but you’d never know it by watching her compete.
A week ago, Gentry took gold in the high jump (4-8) and the 400 meters (63.8) at the District 15-1A meet. She then helped the 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams take district titles as in 52.9 and 4:33, respectively.
Her four district titles were more than sufficient to earn her our Capital Farm Credit Player of the Week/BCP Player of the Week award for the week ending April 3. But when you add the fact that she was nursing a sore hip and following orders to not overdo it, her performance becomes even more significant.
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.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Yardley takes top spot with perfect game
Six innings of perfection, spanning through two games.
That is what Jim Ned junior Tate Yardley delivered to take our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week, beginning with a five-inning perfect game in a 21-0 mercy rule win over San Angelo TLCA on March 16.
Yardley, who quarterbacked Jim Ned to a 3A DI state football title in December, was flawless in the TLCA win, sitting down 15 straight hitters, including 11 via strikeout. It was the second straight week that a Jim Ned pitcher had delivered perfection, with teammate Blaine Palmer having charted a five-inning no-no in a mercy rule win over Brady on March 8.
Yardley extended his streak of consecutive hitters retired on Friday by striking out the side in an inning of relief to close out a 7-0 win over Wall.
FEATURE: Bartleys take things light (to a point) when managing against each other
STAMFORD — Breckenridge baseball coach Kevin Bartley Jr., is quite open about who his hero is. It is the man who taught him more about baseball and life in general, than anyone else — his father, Stamford baseball coach Kevin Bartley Sr.
In fact, Junior can scarcely approach the topic of his father’s influence without getting emotional. Nonetheless, he welcomes the public into it with an annual meeting against SHS on the diamond — a game that brings both fun and a high level of family competitiveness into the limelight. Some 60 miles and a full generation may separate the two, but the fear of competing with one another does not.
Breckenridge travelled to Stamford on Friday, falling to the Bulldogs 5-1 at Wendeborn Field. There were plenty of smiles on both sides as action got underway. Not so much as Breckenridge boarded the team bus to go home.
At the end of the day, both of these clubs want to win — family ties or no family ties.
GAME STORY: Stamford stops Breckenridge 5-1 behind four-hitter from Holt
STAMFORD — They didn’t hit the ball particularly hard. Nor did they hit it that often. But for Stamford, the combination of Bryson Holt’s complete-game
four-hitter and three costly Breckenridge errors were all the Bulldogs needed to walk away with a 5-1 win on Friday at Wendeborn Field.
Pablo Gutierrez, Dylan Faulks and Payton Rosenquist were all 1-for-3 with an RBI to lead Stamford (6-3) which coasted behind Holt’s pitching after grabbing an early 4-0 lead in the first two innings.
“(Holt) was unbelievable,” Stamford coach Kevin Bartley Sr., said. “He threw under 85 pitches and he was really in the zone. He threw hard and threw well. I’ve watched (Breckenridge) play and they’re a good-hitting ballclub. They came out a little flat, but you have to give Bryson credit. He was hitting his spots and doing what he needed to do.”
PHOTO GALLERY: Rock Field Classic baseball tournament (134 photos)
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CAPITAL FARM CREDIT WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Area hoops official Jeff Groban joins the show
THIS WEEK: Longtime area basketball official Jeff Groban talks to Evan and Dan about the challenges of his profession
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Morrison takes home this week’s accolade
When one hears the name of Trace Morrison, the first thing that may come to mind among Big Country Sports fans is Stephenville’s utility man extraordinaire who earned All-Big Country Preps honors as a receiver, punter and place-kicker.
Well, you’ve got the right guy. You’ve just got the wrong sport this time around.
As it turns out, Morrison is also one of the area’s top baseball players, as evidenced by him taking our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending Feb. 27.