De Leon 52, Valley Mills 27 — Lane Couch rushed for 204 yards and two touchdowns, while Heston Jobe had a big game on the ground and through the air to lift the Bearcats to a comfortable win over the Eagles.
Jobe passed for 159 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 130 yards and two more scores to help De Leon (2-1) build a 40-14 lead by halftime. The junior quarterback had touchdown passes to Jake Cooper (5-51), Bryce Burkeen (1-40) and Max Jones (1-40) in the win.
LAST WEEK: 46-28, .621
SEASON TOTAL: 94-48, .661
Abysmal.
That’s about the only adjective that comes to mind when trying to describe my Big Country football picks, which are off to the single worst start through two weeks that I’ve ever experienced in 18 years of covering area football.
A percentage of .621 after two weeks of play is beatable by throwing darts, flipping coins, or even consulting with your local horoscope page. Yet here I sit, trying to dig myself out of the hole I’ve created. But enough of that, Glen Rose at Brownwood is our Big Country Preps Game of the Week, in a week filled with interesting matchups.
Let’s have a look at them:
Ballinger 21, Christoval 0 — Cade Strube threw for 100 yards and two touchdowns and Aiden Pena piled up 183 yards on the ground to fuel the Bearcats to their second consecutive win to open the season.
Ballinger, which went 0-10 a year ago, scored one touchdown in each of the first three quarters and kept the Cougars off the board the entire game to continue their hot start to the 2024 campaign.
DE LEON — Entering this football it was expected that De Leon junior quarterback Heston Jobe would be among the top producers in the Big Country.
It took him all of one night to prove it in a 79-43 win over Dublin on Friday.
Jobe, who connected on 13 of 20 throws for 413 yards and four scores, also rushed for 176 yards and four more TDs.
By night’s end, the Bearcats were 1-0 and Jobe had accounted for 589 yards and five touchdowns.
Ballinger 28, Merkel 10 — Kyson Weathers ran for one touchdown and threw for another to help the Bearcats snap a 10-game losing streak dating back to the start of the 2023 season.
Ballinger, which led 21-3 by halftime and stretched its lead to 28-3 before Merkel finally scored its only touchdown in the fourth quarter, also got rushing touchdowns from Aiden Pena and Jaylin Washington.
LAST WEEK: 0-0, .000
SEASON TOTAL: 00-00, .000
Week 1 is often loaded with difficult picks and 2024 is no exception.
Our first slate of games this year has a number of contests that could have qualified for the Big Country Preps Game of the Week. But we finally settled on Albany at Stamford for the spotlight.
The two-time defending state 2A DII state champions, minus several key players lost to graduation, facing a Stamford club bringing back most of its skill and a ton of speed.
DE LEON — When asked if there was anything that junior utility man Jake Cooper wasn’t good at, De Leon head football coach Jacob Marwitz laughed out loud.
In other words, no.
That’s not difficult to believe, considering his numbers, which saw the 6-foot-1, 180-pounder lead the team in tackling in over half of DHS’ games last year from his safety-linebacker hybrid spot. He also rushed for 972 yards and 14 scores on only 160 carries and caught 45 passes for 435 yards and two more scores.
DE LEON — Fourth-year De Leon football coach Jacob Marwitz has taken his share of lumps while rebuilding the DHS program.
But if the rate of improvement shown by the Bearcats is any indicator, the 2024 season could produce the best team De Leon has shown in at least six years.
Marwitz’s teams have posted records of 0-10, 4-6 and 7-5 in succession since he inherited a 1-9 club in 2021. And the numbers have climbed right along with the success rate.
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. 21. 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. 5, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2024 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.
Today, we stay in Class 2A Division I with the De Leon Bearcats.
Continue reading “COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The De Leon Bearcats … 25 days to two-a-days”
OTHER 2024 ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS TEAMS
Our All-Big Country Preps Softball and Baseball Teams, released Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, are in place to honor those who achieved the most on-field success in 2024. 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 the Big Country had to offer during the 2024 season.
The players below are listed in no particular order.
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: 2024 State LineMAN Challenge (165 images)”
ABILENE — Needing a Game 3 win to clinch their Region I-2A bi-district series against De Leon and extend their season another week, the Stamford Bulldogs delivered a knockout blow Monday at Abilene Christian High School’s Hudson Wade Memorial Field.
Junior left-hander Caden Moreno was dazzling on the mound, while the SHS lineup took advantage of nine hits, six walks and seven Bearcats errors in a 10-0 run-rule victory.
The lopsided win closed what had been a tight series to that point, with Stamford taking Game 1 by a 2-0 margin on Thursday and De Leon edging the Bulldogs 4-2 in a lightning delayed Game 2 on Saturday.
Here are the recaps of the Big Country softball playoff results in the second round of the postseason: Continue reading “SOFTBALL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Despite weather, 12 area teams advance to third round with Bangs-Stamford outcome still pending”
ABILENE — Coming off a crisp 2-0 win over De Leon in the opener of their Region I-2A bi-district series, the Stamford Bulldogs were hoping to close out the Bearcats quickly Saturday at Abilene Christian High School’s Hudson Wade Memorial Field.
Both De Leon starter Justin Hornback and Mother Nature had different plans.
The former pitched six gutsy innings to fuel the Bearcats to a 4-2 series-evening win, and latter wreaked enough havoc through an extended lightning delay to ensure that neither team would be celebrating a series victory Saturday.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 25.
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.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 18.
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.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 18.
With the end of the regular season, this will be our FINAL softball leaders posting for 2024.
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.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 11.
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.
While we normally try to share the love in our Big Country Preps Player of the Week column, five district titles in one week isn’t easy to sidestep.
And while Wall’s Briggs Jones has already pulled down our award once this year, he earned a second with his showing at the District 6-3A meet in Clyde last week by sweeping the long jump (23-2), the triple jump (44-10.75), the 200 meters (21.92), the 100 meters (10.72) and assisting the 800 relay team to gold with a 1:29.68 split.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 4.
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.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 4.
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.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through March 28.
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.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through March 28.
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.
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 upon which championship foundations are built.
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 2023-24 season.
Players are listed in no particular order.
Enjoy.
Here is our 2024 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.
Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps girls 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.
As a fan of high school basketball, I generally have no trouble finding area matchups I find interesting. Browsing this week’s slate, I had more trouble finding games that weren’t.
As we continue to barrel toward the boys basketball playoffs, we’ll see a number of Big Country district races take shape this week as league leads will be on the line in a number of marquee matchups.
If, like me, you enjoy hoops action, there should be plenty to pique your interest on both Tuesday and Friday. Here’s a look at the week to come:
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 25.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 25.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
We’ve reached the midway point of the district schedule in most area boys basketball leagues, and district championship and playoff races are heating up.
As one might expect with February approaching, the Big Country slate is full of meaningful games.
With that in mind, it’s time to renew our winter custom of taking a look at the most important games on the horizon and a peak back at last week’s most important results.
We hope you enjoy.
Here are our selections for the 2023 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.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 11.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 11.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
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: Evan Ren’s top 100 football photos for 2023”
LAST WEEK: 36-5, .878
SEASON TOTAL: 513-103, .832
As we enter Week 13, the Big Country Preps coverage area still has 33 teams from 1A through 5A with a playoff pulse, including a handful with decent shot at a state championship.
However, as we all know, things begin to get much tougher when you get to the area round and unless I miss my guess, we’ll see around 15-17 of our area teams eliminated by Saturday.
The good news is, we should have 16-18 clubs playing over the Thanksgiving holiday, which is a pretty solid number for what will be the 14th week of the season.
So without further ado, let’s dive in.
Here’s this week’s playoff forecast:
Big numbers are always great to have when we decide the winner of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. Solid numbers across multiple tasks are even better.
That was the case with this week’s spotlight player, Buck Powell, of Hico, who helped the Tigers to a 47-14 rout of Maud in the Class 2A DII bi-district round on Friday.
With a new season of boys high school basketball poised to begin, it’s time to take a look at what the Big Country will produce on the court.
Below you will find our top teams in each classification in the Big Country Preps coverage area, from Big Spring in the West, to Brock in the east and from Brady in the south to Munday in the north.
Our rankings of the top teams in each class are given, along with a season outlook, cataloguing our expectations for each club.
Here’s our preview. We’ll see you on the road.
Coleman 42, Bangs 0 — Brayden Torres passed for 183 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 91 yards and two more scores to lead the Bluecats to a blowout win over the Dragons.
Coleman (8-2, 5-1), which also got a 58-yard touchdown run and a TD reception from Hunter Lackey, scored 21 points in each of the first two periods, ending the competitive phase of the game before halftime.