Category: Breckenridge Buckaroos

by Evan Ren

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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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde’s Reynolds is the hands-down winner

In the pitcher’s circle, there are varying degrees of perfection. And in the case of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, that statement was fully illustrated on Friday in a 6-0 Clyde win over Merkel. 

Yes, CHS freshman Brynli Reynolds threw a perfect game. But this wasn’t your standard, every day, run-of-the-mill, garden variety perfecto. 

In fact, it may have been the most dominating performance by a baseball or softball pitcher the Big Country has seen in the last two decades. 

Aside from retiring 21 straight hitters from a very good Merkel team (19-2), Reynolds fanned the first 17 batters she faced and finished with 20 strikeouts. She also helped herself at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI.

It was the second time this season that the Clyde freshman has taken our weekly accolade.

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Hoops
by Evan Ren

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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by Evan Ren

FINAL Big Country Girls 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 girls basketball through Feb. 12. This will be our FINAL girls stat leaders for 2026.

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 or her email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Comanche senior takes this week’s award

Comanche senior J’Lee Salinas is no stranger to BCP accolades, having already won our Player of the Week award as well as being named to our All-Big Country Preps team. 

Well, she’s done it again after helping Comanche sweep district mates Millsap and Peaster — taking our Player of the Week award for the week ending Feb. 7.

Salinas had a solid week with a double-double in a win against Millsap (83-27), finishing with 24 points,10 rebounds, four assists and six steals.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: District title, playoff races continue to take shape as regular season nears its end

The boys basketball regular season is nearing its end, and district championship and playoff pictures across the area are coming into view.

Most leagues now have clear favorites in both their title and playoff races, but several remain unresolved with just two or three games left to play. 

With just a couple of weeks of games remaining, let’s dive in and take a look at this week’s biggest games and last week’s most significant developments.

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by Daniel Youngblood

UIL REALIGNMENT: Area football landscape experiences major changes in biennial district reshuffling

Surprised — and in some cases, stressed out — faces could be seen in abundance Monday morning at Abilene’s Region 14 Education Services Center, where coaches from throughout the area and beyond gathered to learn their new district homes as part of the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment.

In what can best be described as a seismic shift in the Big Country football landscape, a majority of area schools were placed in unfamiliar environs — be that a new district with new foes or even a new region entirely.

The now venerated process by which the UIL releases the packet containing the new district alignments for football, basketball and volleyball is frequently compared by coaches to waking up on Christmas morning to find what presents await under the three. And on this day, in particular, few found the gifts they were expecting.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Weather-truncated week sets up wild stretch run in several area districts

Last week’s winter storm made for a wild week of action, condensing a week’s worth of games into three day’s time. And the results were as unpredictable as you might expect given the circumstances.

We saw several district championship and playoff races shaken up by upsets and others take shape as the cream continued its rise to the top.

As we do here weekly, it’s time to take survey of the Big Country boys basketball landscape. We hope you enjoy this look at the biggest developments from last week and the biggest games this week’s slate has to offer.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Big games in full supply despite weather-related schedule changes

Mother Nature did her best to bring the high school basketball season to a standstill, sending a winter storm that put most Big Country teams on the shelf for a week. But the action around that unexpected break gives us plenty to talk about in this week’s look at the area boys basketball scene.

With a number of excellent (and meaningful) games last week and some big matchups slated for the next few days, the area district races remain as intriguing as ever.

Let’s go ahead now and take a look at the biggest games the area slate has to offer this week and some of the outcomes last week that helped shape the weeks to come.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN’S 2025 TRUE GRIT TEAM: The toughest, hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Most high school football teams have that one player acknowledged by the coaching staff as the prime example of what a teammate should be. 

He’s the guy who seldom misses any practice time and is a regular in the weight room. He’s early to arrive. He’s late to leave and takes pride in being coachable, though he seldom needs direction. 

He always sets the right example for younger players. He doesn’t complain and, above all else, he’s tough enough to make all the aforementioned traits consistently possible. 

Know someone like that? Here is where they are honored. 

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by Evan Ren

2025 BIG COUNTRY PREPS RISING STARS TEAM: The top underclassmen in the Big Country

Here are our selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps Rising Stars Team — an honor reserved for the area’s top freshman and sophomore football players. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: District races taking shape as title, playoff favorites begin to emerge

District races are heating up throughout the Big Country and the cream is quickly rising to the top in our area leagues.

Last week and helped provide some clarity in a number of district’s throughout the BCP coverage area, and this week will, no doubt, do the same.

Without further ado, let’s go ahead and dive into this week’s column and take a look at the biggest games on this week’s slate and some of the top results last week had to offer.

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by Daniel Youngblood

THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Several games on the docket with district title implications

With district play either underway or starting this week for all area boys basketball teams, it’s time to start taking a closer look at how our Big Country hoops races are shaping up.

And as we’ve done in the past, we’ll break down our top upcoming matchups, the top results from the previous week and the area’s biggest surprise right here each Sunday, starting with this column.

We hope you enjoy a look at this week in area boys basketball.

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Comanche
by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 11 REPORT: Comanche, Jim Ned, Breckenridge close the regular season with wins.

Comanche 43, Clyde 42 — The Indians pulled off a stunning upset on Friday to finish at 5-5 overall and 2-3 in district play — narrowly missing the playoffs.

Comanche grabbed an early 21-7 lead, then fought off a huge Clyde rally to put an exclamation point on their season. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 10 REPORT: Jim Ned, Sweetwater and Comanche all score important wins

Jim Ned 41, Clyde 34 — Cash Gwinn threw for 157 yards and two TDs and rushed for an additional 40 yards and a third score to lift Jim Ned to an important win over Clyde. 

Trailing 34-28 at the break, the Indians (8-1, 4-0) rallied with two unanswered scores in the second half to get the win. 

Devan Wright led Clyde with 172 yards rushing; Miles Wilsher rushed for 72 yards and four TDs.

Jim Ned improved to 8-1 and 4-0 with the win and can clinch the district title with a win over Sweetwater next Friday. Clyde fell to 7-2 and 3-1.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall quarterback Landon York snags this week’s accolade

What more can be said about the performance of Wall senior Landon York last week other than it was a model of efficiency?
Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week shredded Grape Creek in a 48-0 district win to clinch the District 4-3A DII championship.

Along the way, York connected on 18 of 21 throws for 246 yards and get this: seven touchdowns. That means one out of every three throws resulted in points. 

How good of a night did he have? How about a ridiculous quarterback rating of 294.1?

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 9 REPORT: Bucks now the frontrunner for No. 4 seed; Jim Ned, Clyde both win

Breckenridge 26, Comanche 22 — Breckenridge used a solid defensive effort to get past Comanche in a vitally important game for both clubs. 

Limiting Comanche to 239 yards, the Buckaroos snagged sole possession of fourth place and the potential No. 4 playoff seed with two games left. 

Breckenridge improved to 3-5 and 1-2 in league play; Comanche fell to 3-5 and 0-3. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 8 REPORT: Jim Ned, Sweetwater, Clyde score Week 8 wins

Jim Ned 49, Breckenridge 7 — Cash Gwinn threw for 186 yards and three scores and Aiden Ellis rushed for 127 yards and another TD as Jim Ned earned its fourth straight win.

The Indians quickly built a 42-7 first-half lead before coasting to the finish. 

Breckenridge fell to 2-5 and 0-2.

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Jim Ned, Sweetwater, Clyde open district play with wins

Jim Ned 56, Comanche 3 — Cash Gwinn threw for 283 yards and three scores and Aiden Ellis rushed for 90 yards and two more TDs as Jim Ned (5-1, 1-0) won the district opener for both schools. 

After building a 35-3 halftime lead, Jim Ned ended any hopes of a Comanche miracle with a 21-0 third quarter. 

Comanche (3-3, 0-1) was led by Cooper Welch, who threw for 120 yards. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Fourth-quarter rally leads Clyde past Breckenridge in district opener

CLYDE — Having a drive where a team needs to gain at least 30 yards to convert a first down is usually something that can derail an offense’s momentum in a football game.

If it happens twice in a game? That’s a recipe for disaster.

Despite the odds being against them, the Clyde Bulldogs overcame two possessions where it needed a least 35 yards for a first down with a fourth-quarter rally to beat Breckenridge 22-14 at Bulldog Stadium to open District 6-3A Division I play on Friday night.

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 5 REPORT: Clyde, Jim Ned, Breckenridge, Comanche all victorious

Clyde 54,  Muleshoe 49 — The Bulldogs topped Muleshoe in what turned out to be the area’s most entertaining game of the week. 

Devan Wright rushed for 179 yards and four scores and threw for 246 yards and three more touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs, who improved to 4-1 with the win. 

Muleshoe dropped to 2-3. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 4 REPORT: Comanche, Jim Ned, Breckenridge and Clyde notch wins

Comanche 36, Tolar 33 — Ladainian Smith rushed for 141 yards and three scores and Zaden Tello rushed for 103 yards and another TD to help Comanche even its record at 2-2. 

Tolar (2-2) was led by Briton Rice, who threw or 259 yards and three scores. 

Comanche will next see action when it travels to Early next Friday.  Tolar will play host to Breckenridge on the same evening. 

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Ladanian Smith
by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 3 REPORT: Indians notch first win of the season behind Smith

Comanche 42, Eastland 14 — Ladanian Smith rushed for 102 yards and two scores and Zaden Tello rushed or 72 yards and two more TDs as Comanche (1-2) earned its first win of the year. 

The Mavericks dropped to 0-3 with the loss.

Eastland trailed 28-14 at the break before Comanche put things away with a pair of second-half touchdowns. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 2 REPORT: Clyde, Jim Ned both score Week 2 wins to remain unbeaten

Clyde 52, Eastland 28 — The Bulldogs used a 20-0 first quarter to gain control of this contest and never looked back. 

Clyde (2-0) rolled up 521 yards in total offense while limiting Eastland (0-2) to 279. 

Harley Griffin rushed for 124 yards and two scores and Miles Wilsher rushed for 107 and another TD to lead the Bulldogs. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 3-3A DIV. I WEEK 1 REPORT: Jim Ned stuns Estacado by three scores

Jim Ned 42, Lubbock Estacado 21 — Cash Gwinn was 8-of-15 through the air for 187 yards and three scores and Aiden Ellis rushed for 113 yards and another TD to lift Jim Ned to an impressive win over Lubbock Estacado. 

With the score knotted at 21-21 at the break, the Indians took command with three unanswered scores in the second half. 

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Top games worth traveling for during the 2025 football season

Got the truck started yet?

Ready to jump on one of those farm-to-market roads to watch high school football into the late hours on a Friday night?

You’re not alone.

And, as tradition would have it, I tip my cap to those of you who will be hitting the trails each week in search of pigskin. My method: a preseason menu of sorts.

Each week for the next 11 weeks, Big Country Preps will be searching for its Game of the Week, and we’re already looking ahead. We now present our preliminary list of Big Country Games worth traveling for, but keep in mind: the following list is subject to change as surprises and disappointments emerge.

And as we all know … surprises and disappointments always emerge.

So, without further delay, here is our list of Big Country games worth traveling for in 2025.

I’ll see you on the road.

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by Evan Ren

BRECKENRIDGE FEATURE: Buckaroos trying to settle on one of three quarterbacks

BRECKENRIDGE — A two-way quarterback competition can be considered a blessing or a curse at any level. But a three-way battle for the starting job is just plain unusual, particularly at the high school level where it seldom (if ever) happens. 

That puts Breckenridge coach Casey Pearce in the strange position of having to choose a starter between sophomore Cooper Wimberley (5-9, 160), junior Hudson Woodward (6-2, 178) or senior Joseph Juneau (6-2, 180) — three equally matched candidates who as of this writing, are neck and neck in their competition for the position.

“They haven’t shaken out as far as a true front-runner,” said Pearce, who in 29 years of coaching has only seen this three-way quarterback scenario happen once. 

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by Evan Ren

2025 BRECKENRIDGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bucks hope experience and depth compensate for lack of size

BRECKENRIDGE — There is good news and bad news in the Breckenridge camp heading into the 2025 season. 

On the plus side, the Buckaroos have eight starters back on both sides of the ball from last year’s 1-9 team, with 17 lettermen and additional help from last year’s 6-2-2 JV team.

Unfortunately for Breckenridge, very few of this year’s Buckaroos could be called “plus size.” 

In short, the Bucks aren’t the biggest guys on the block. 

That leaves seventh-year coach Casey Pearce with a dilemma to solve: Can the Buckaroos compensate for their lack of size with a combination of depth and experience?

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by Evan Ren

COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Breckenridge Buckaroos … 16 days to two-a-days

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 Wednesday, Aug. 20. 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. 4, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2025 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.

Today, we take a look at the Breckenridge Buckaroos. 

 

 

by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2025 Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team (the hardest-working baseball and softball players in the area)

OTHER 2025 ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS TEAMS

  • ALL BIG COUNTRY PREPS BASEBALL Superlative Awards (Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, etc)
  • ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS BASEBALL: First-Team Selections
  • ALL BIG COUNTRY PREPS BASEBALL: Second-Team Selections (plus honorable mention)
  • ALL BIG COUNTRY PREPS SOFTBALL: Superlative Awards (Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, etc)
  • ALL BIG COUNTRY PREPS SOFTBALL: First-Team Selections
  • ALL BIG COUNTRY PREPS SOFTBALL: Second-Team Selections (plus honorable mention)

Our All-Big Country Preps Softball and Baseball Teams, released Saturday and Sunday, respectively, are in place to honor those who achieved the most on-field success in 2025. It is off the field, however, where character, grit, and work ethic are often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team that we wish to honor those players, male and female, who were (simply put) the hardest-working, best teammates in the area this spring. 

This team isn’t about who the best baseball and softball players were.

The All-Hustle team honors effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches wish they had in every player and upon which championships are built.

It is for that reason that this team is largely selected by area coaches and described in their own words.

Big Country Preps is now honored to present these individuals to you — the best team players (boys and girls) that the Big Country had to offer during the 2025 season.

The players below are listed in no particular order. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

2025 All-Big Country Preps Baseball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2025 All-Big Country Preps Baseball Team: Second-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our second-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2025 Big Country Preps Rising Stars Baseball Team

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2025 All-Big Country Preps baseball teams. 

Here, you will find our Rising Stars Team honoring the top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country.

For the rest of this year’s baseball selections, please click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2025 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: First-team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2025 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: Second-team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our second-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2025 Big Country Preps Rising Stars Softball Team

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2025 All-Big Country Preps Softball teams. 

Here, you will find our Rising Stars Team honoring the top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country.

For the rest of this year’s softball selections, please click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

AREA BASEBALL STAT LEADERS (Final stat report for 2025)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through May 1.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Final Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 24)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 24:

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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by Evan Ren

Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 24)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 24.

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. 

If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com. 

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