Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2026 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.
Here are our first-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our second-team selections for the 2026 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2026 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.
Set to make their fifth consecutive state championship game appearance on Thursday with a chance to extend their state-record streak of consecutive titles to four, the Coahoma Bulldogettes have become the gold standard where Texas high school softball is concerned.
A program with a rich history, Coahoma has always taken its softball seriously, reaching the state tournament 15 times since 1996 and earning four championships out of those trips. But the Bulldogettes have kicked things into a new gear this decade, building a genuine dynasty under coach Alex Orosco.
While the past four years, which featured a one-run loss in the title game in 2022 followed by three consecutive championship runs, have been attributed by many to the impact of do-it-all standout Hannah Wells, who is already making her presence felt as a freshman for the University of Texas, this year’s run has shined the spotlight back on the program itself.
In getting back to Austin with a group of girls who had previously starred in supporting roles, the Bulldogettes have shown that the depth of talent and winning culture built in Coahoma has serious staying power. And if they can beat Kingsville Santa Gertrudis Academy when the two square off at 7 p.m. Thursday at the University of Texas’ Red & Charline McCombs Field, CHS will become the only school in state history to have a senior class end all four of its years on campus with softball state championships.
GRAHAM — With the graduation of four-year standout Hannah Wells last May, there was an expectation among some that the three-time defending state champion Coahoma Bulldogettes might take a step backward in 2026.
On Saturday at Graham’s Hogan Field, coach Alex Orosco’s team sent a strong message to what few doubters it might still have.
Playing Region II champion Grand Saline in a one-game Class 3A Division II state semifinal playoff, Coahoma led wire to wire in a dominating effort against the Lady Indians, blasting three home runs on their way to a 13-3 run-rule victory. In the process, the Bulldogettes earned their fifth straight state championship game appearance and an opportunity to extend their state-record title streak to four consecutive years next week against Kingsville Santa Gertrudis Academy — the team against which they started their championship run in 2023.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Coahoma-Wall baseball regional semifinal playoff (185 images)”
ABILENE — A day after a three-run top of the first inning propelled the Wall baseball team to a 13-1 win over Coahoma in Game 1 of the Region I-3A Division II semifinal at McMurry University’s Walt Driggers Field, the Bulldogs started Game 2 off with their own crooked number.
Coahoma, however, was unable to sustain the momentum of the fast start as the Hawks finished off a sweep of the best-of-three series with a 9-3 win on Saturday afternoon.
The Bulldogs managed just four hits off Wall starting pitcher Gage Reichenau — and they were just fractions of an inch away from only getting one hit in his four innings of work.
ABILENE — Wall baseball coach Jeremy Gordon knows that at this point in the season, bullpen depth becomes more and more important with each passing week.
That’s why, with Kellan Oliver in the middle of a one-hitter in Wall’s 13-1 win over Coahoma in Game 1 of their best-of-three regional semifinal series at McMurry University’s Walt Driggers Field on Friday, he turned to Wyatt Jost and Kalan Sanders for the final two innings.
After the game, Gordon was quick to note why getting Jost and Sanders on the mound was important.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Coahoma-Holliday softball regional semifinals (58 images)”
CLYDE — The way that Region I played out in the Class 3A Division II softball playoffs in 2026 is one that likely won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
A week that was set to feature Coahoma versus Holliday and Jacksboro versus Canadian, following Jacksboro’s 3-2 win over Wall in Monday’s Game 3, started with the Tigerettes dropping out of the postseason on Wednesday due to use of an ineligible player during district play that would have kept Jacksboro out of the postseason entirely.
It then continued on Friday as the Bulldogettes and Lady Eagles engaged in a pair of heavyweight slugfests in their best-of-three regional semifinal as Coahoma took the opening game 22-18 before seeing Holliday take Game 2, 16-12, to set up a winner-take-all showdown on Saturday morning at the Hanner Sports Complex.
In Game 3, Coahoma’s offense showed up in full force, scoring double-digit runs in two different innings to fuel the Bulldogettes to a series-deciding 27-11 win.
ABILENE — The Wall boys track team successfully defended its Region I-3A championship Saturday, piling up 141 points to run away from the field at Abilene Christian University’s Elmer Gray Stadium.
The Hawks swept all three relays, setting new meet records in two of those, while accounting for all eight of the area’s gold medals on the boys side.
Wall also had the top finish among area girls teams at the Region I-3A meet, taking second in that race behind champion Holliday — three points ahead of third-place Jim Ned, which also made a strong showing.
Collectively, athletes from the Big Country Preps coverage area combined for 37 medals, earning 23 automatic berths to the Class 3A state meet May 14 in Austin.
There are varying degrees of “no-hitter” in both high school baseball and softball. This is especially true when the mercy rule is concerned, with pitchers holding the opposition hitless through five innings (in a 10-run rule game) and in the case of the 15-run rule, through only three frames.
Whether those should be called actual no-hitters, depends on who you speak to.
There was, however, nothing arguable about the potential no-no delivered by Abilene junior pitcher George Ferguson in last week’s 2-0 win over Wichita Falls Memorial. To begin with, Ferguson held Memorial hitless through 8.2 innings before finally giving up an infield single in the ninth. In the process, he walked only one batter and fanned 17.
It was nothing short of a brilliant performance against a Memorial team that had won eight straight games. If ever one deserved credit for a no-hitter without actually throwing one, it’s Ferguson.
“George did a great job on the mound from start to finish and that included a 45-minute weather delay,” coach Brad Harman said.
In a week that featured at least a half dozen athletes who could have taken our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, we finally settled on a Stephenville senior for our weekly award.
Willis Jackson, one of the premiere speedsters in the Big Country, took four district titles in the District 6-4A meet last week
This included individual gold medals in the 100 meters (10.66), long jump (22-8.5) and Triple jump (43-8.5). He also collected gold with the 800 relay team (1:28.53), along with a silver with the 400 relay (42.45).
“Willis is headed to the area track meet in five events,” coach Kolt Kittley said. “He comes to workouts every day with a big smile and a great attitude.
“He was huge in helping us win the district track meet this year.”
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.
Digital photos, prints and keepsakes may be purchased by clicking the link below. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.
BIG SPRING —If the rankings are correct, the Wall Lady Hawks are not only the top Class 3A team in the state, but they’ve now beaten two of the top three teams in the span of three days.
Their latest victim: The Coahoma Bulldoggettes, who entered Friday’s Region I-3A DII championship ranked second by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches, only to fall 56-42 to the Lady Hawks.
Four Wall players scored in double-digits at the Dorothy Garrett Coliseum, with Jewels Johnson and Kathrine Lewis leading the way with 14 and 12 points respectively. Kenzzie Covert and Brynlee Graves added 10 each as the Lady Hawks improved to 35-3.
Wall, which toppled third-ranked Idalou in the regional semis on Tuesday, now advance to face sixth-ranked Paradise (33-4) in the state semifinals. This will be a rematch of a previous meeting between the two teams, won by Wall, 55-37 on Dec. 30.
Coahoma closed its season at 34-2, led by Addison Schmidt with a game-high 19 points and Bree Lewis with 13.
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.
Photos contributed by Lyndel Moody of Coahoma ISD
The Coahoma girls’ basketball team lost just one senior from last year’s 26-5 team that reached the Class 3A Division II regional semifinals.
With a returning cast that includes veterans Madi Renteria, Bree Lewis and Blakely Rodgers – plus the addition of impressive newcomer Addison Schmidt – the Bulldogettes finished the 2025-26 regular season 31-1 and appear poised for another deep postseason run.
“We’re still hungry, and we’re definitely looking forward to the playoffs,” second-year head coach Alyssa Peterson said Friday.
Coahoma, ranked No. 2 in Class 3A by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll, opens the playoffs against Tornillo at 5 p.m. Monday at Monahans. The winner will advance to face the Slaton-Canadian winner in the second round later in the week. Coahoma blanket Tornillo in last year’s bi-district game 78-0 – and that’s not a typo.
The Bulldogettes enter the playoffs having won 27 consecutive games since their only loss – 57-26 to Cisco on Dec. 2. That includes tournament championships at Lubbock Roosevelt, Garden City and Jayton.
The win streak also includes a second consecutive 12-0 run through the District 3-3A schedule.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Here are our first-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our second-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps Football Team (Third-Team roster). For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
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.
There are memorable shooting nights. Then there are shooting nights one is unlikely to ever forget.
Wylie senior guard Swade Sipe had one of the latter on Friday night, with a 33-point effort in a 74-62 win over Brock.
During the course of this performance, Sipe was 11 of 11 from the field, 6 of 6 from 3-point range, 5 of 5 from two-point range and 5 of 6 from the foul line.
This explosive, nearly perfect effort against a very good 4A Brock team earns Sipe our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award, during a week when several players posted numbers good enough to claim the accolade.
You have to love a great all-around performance and in the case of Brayden Henry, our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, his effort in last week’s 84-25 bi-district win over El Paso Bel Air was a record-setter.
Aside from going 6 of 7 through the air or 56 yards and one TD, he also rushed five times for 137 yards and three more scores.
Wall 71, Stanton 7 — Landon York was perfect in Wall’s season finale, hitting 8 of 8 throws for 142 yards and five TDs.
Hagyn Barbee led the way on the ground, with 59 yards on two carries. The Hawks rushed for 238 yards and three scores as a team and finished 10-0 through the regular season.
Stanton finished at 1-9.
Coahoma 42, Stanton 0
Coahoma had an easy time with a struggling Stanton team, rolling up 391 yards in total offense, including 257 passing yards from Austin Joslin.
CHS led 21-0 at the break and put the game away with 21 unanswered third-quarter points.
Coahoma improved to 7-2 overall and 2-1 in league play; Stanton dropped to 1-8 and 0-3.
Merkel 48, Stanton 9 — Easton Malone threw for 253 yards and four scores and CJ Guadarrama rushed for 93 yards and three more TDs to lift Merkel to a rout of Stanton.
The Badgers (6-2, 1-1) will next face Grape Creek on the road next Friday.
Wall 58, Coahoma 0 — Wall’s Landon York kept his hot hand, hitting 17 of 24 throws for 333 yards and two scores to help Wall to an important league win over Coahoma.
Brady Neal led Wall (8-0, 2-0) on the ground with 107 yards rushing and three scores.
Limited to only 158 total yards, Coahoma fell to 6-2 and 1-1.
Slowly but surely, the Cooper Cougars have emerged as one of the most explosive teams in the Big Country. And in its latest exploit, CHS rolled up 517 yards in total offense in a 66-16 win over Lubbock Cooper.
At the top of the stat sheet: Cooper quarterback Jaden Carrillo, who hit 18 of 27 throws for 263 yards and six touchdowns. He also rushed 11 times for 80 yards and another score to help the Cougars improve to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in District 2-5A DII.
His six TD passes tied a school record held by Zac Allen and Clayton Nicholas.
Wall 63, Merkel 13 — Landon York threw for 387 yards and seven TDs to keep the Hawks (7-0, 1-0) unbeaten.
Merkel, which is off to its best start in several years, slipped to 5-2 and 0-1.
The Badgers will have their open date next Friday. On the same evening, Wall will travel to Coahoma in a game that will be crucial for both teams’ hopes of winning the district.
Wall 35, Idalou 21 — Landon York threw for 307 yards and two scores and Wall rushed for 95 yards via committee in a tough win at Idalou.
The Hawks improved to 6-0 in their final non-district game of the season. Idalou fell to 3-3.
As it turned out, the best game in the Big Country last week was Clyde’s dramatic 54-49 win over Muleshoe in the top shootout the area has seen thus far in 2025.
At the heart of all that mayhem was our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, CHS junior quarterback Devan Wright.
Wall 35, Sweetwater 0 — Wall (5-0) remained unbeaten with a workmanlike effort against Sweetwater.
Landon York threw for 171 yards and three TDs to lift Wall, which limited the Mustangs to 183 total yards.
Sweetwater (1-4) was led by Caiden Ortiz, who threw for 108 yards and Mason Blueford, who rushed three times for 45 yards.
COAHOMA — Most successful football programs have an identity of sorts — an aspect of the team which most fans quickly think of when the subject of that ballclub is brought up.
At Coahoma, where coach Chris Joslin is currently in his eighth year of guiding the Bullldogs, that identity has largely been built around offense. And heading into this season with quarterback Boyd Cox expected to improve on an already impressive set of numbers, offense was again what most area fans were talking about when the subject of the Bulldogs came up around the water cooler.
Not anymore.
Prior to the season starting, much of the attention garnered by Coahoma came through its offense, with veteran quarterback Boyd Cox expected to put up some of the best numbers in the area.
As it has turned out, Cox is gone for the season with an injury suffered in a season opener with Forsan. But the Bulldogs have found compensation with a defense that has been nothing short of spectacular.
Coahoma enters this week at 4-0, having topped Forsan (60-8), Roscoe (14-3), Kermit (51-0) and perennial power Albany (15-12).
Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS NOTEBOOK: Coahoma defense among top area surprises”
Coahoma 15, Albany 12 — The Bulldogs earned an always-tough win at Albany (3-1) by limiting the Lions to only 131 yards in total offense.
CHS in the meantime, finished with 268 total yards, led by Austin Joslin, who threw for 167 yards and two TDs.
Coahoma improved to 4-0 with the win.