Category: Clyde Bulldogs

by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Coahoma rallies to defeat Clyde in rainy Game 1

HERMLEIGH — Among those who keep tabs on area softball, the general consensus was that the Coahoma-Clyde Class 3A bi-district series would be a slugfest. 

And on Friday night at Hermleigh, through three hours and 10 minutes, two rain delays, 26 combined runs and 25 combined hits, the two area powers managed to demonstrate why.

Kenzie Canales was 2 for 5 with a double, a home run and three RBIs to lift Coahoma (22-5) to a 16-10 win in Game 1. The Bulldogettes, who trailed 6-0 early on before heating up offensively, can lock up the best-of-three series with a win in Game 2 at noon on Saturday in Hermleigh. 

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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 Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Rapidly improving Clyde softballers get boost from Puryear, Kirksey

Photos by Seth Larue

It took almost until mid-April for Clyde’s softball team to reach a winning record.  

But there aren’t many area softball teams currently more dangerous than the Lady Bulldogs, who have grown tremendously over the past two months.   

Senior Paige Puryear and junior Maddi Kirksey are two reasons why Clyde is surging. Puryear has gotten comfortable in the circle, while Kirksey is a dependable catcher hitting a blistering .672. Puryear isn’t too far behind, batting .557 from the leadoff spot.  

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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 Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Yardley’s gem, clutch offense lead Jim Ned past Clyde

CLYDE — In what’s become a rather predictable outcome, the Jim Ned baseball team rode a masterful Tuesday night pitching performance for a 10-0 run-rule shortened win over Clyde at Bulldog Field in District 6-3A action.

Having already seen a perfect game and no-hitter thrown by the Indians on Tuesday nights this season, Jim Ned saw Tate Yardley spin a two-hitter with six strikeouts as they improved to 18-0-1 this year and 7-0 in district.

Yardley faced a three-ball count with just three batters as he turned those into a strikeout, walk and ground out.

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by Evan Ren

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. 

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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

UPDATED: Clyde tabs Cooper OC Dudgeon to be new head football coach/AD

Cooper offensive coordinator Danny Dudgeon will be the new head football coach and athletic director at Clyde.

The selection was confirmed by Clyde Superintendent Kenny Berry on Tuesday afternoon.

Dudgeon replaces Scott Campbell, who was reassigned from his position in late February.

The Clyde job is Dudgeon’s first career head coaching position and he takes over a squad that went 4-7 in 2020, losing to Pilot Point in the bi-district round of the playoffs.

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by Evan Ren

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. 

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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 Evan Ren

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.

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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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