Here are recaps of the Big Country softball bi-district playoff series:
Category: Early Longhorns
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ferguson’s heartbreak sufficient for this week’s award
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.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville senior takes our weekly award
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.”
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.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall senior claims this week’s award
As one would expect, the Jim Ned Relays had a quality field of competition last week, opening the door for one of its athletes to snag Big Country Preps Player of the Week honors.
So it’s not surprising that its top performer sits atop of our weekly list of highlighted competitors from around the area.
Wall senior Bryson McFarden takes our weekly accolade after medaling five times in Tuscola with four golds and a silver.
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.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Lipan PG Gaylor nabs honor with pair of strong playoff performances
Entering the week at 35-1 and ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, the Lipan Indians have won 33 straight games since suffering their only loss of the year to Class 4A Dallas Roosevelt in mid-November.
At the heart of that success has been standout point guard Court Gaylor, who performed at a high enough level in LHS’ first two playoff games to claim our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cisco junior earns this week’s award
When Cisco junior guard Carter Toof is on his game, there is little one can do to stop him. He’s going to get his point, whether you like it or not.
That was the case last week when Toof helped Cisco to a win over Abilene TLCA with 43 points, 14 rebounds and three assists. He followed that with 20 points, seven boards, four assists and three steals in a playoff warmup loss to Benjamin.
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.
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.
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.
THIS WEEK IN GIRLS BASKETBALL: It’s nail-biting time in Big Country hoops with playoff spots on the line
With January’s schedule-jumbling weather behind us, we now look forward to multiple games with playoff implications around the Big Country Preps coverage area.
There were no shortage of big matchups last week and as usual, there are several more in the days ahead.
So let’s take a quick look at the menu for Feb. 2-6.
It should be fun, I’ll see you on the road.
THIS WEEK IN GIRLS BASKETBALL: Chilly weather, schedule changes can’t cool red-hot district races
The winter storm that blew across most of the state over the weekend wreaked havoc on the area basketball schedule, forcing most of last Friday’s games to be pushed up a day and the bulk of this week’s early games to postponed all the way to Thursday.
But icy weather — and the bevy of schedule changes that came with it — have done little to cool the area’s rapidly heating district races.
We still had a number of thrilling and significant results last week and have a bunch of intriguing games to look forward to over the next few days. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the biggest of those in our weekly look at the Big Country girls basketball scene.
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.
2025 All-Big Country Preps Football Team: First-Team Roster
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.
2025 All-Big Country Preps Football Team: Second-Team Roster
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.
2025 All-Big Country Preps Football Team: Third-Team Roster (w/honorable mention)
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.
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.
THIS WEEK IN GIRLS BASKETBALL: This week’s top games, last week’s top results and our biggest surprise
As we arrive in mid-January, this year’s playoff picture is beginning to take shape with multiple games throughout the area have a direct impact on seeding.
Tonight we take a look at some of those matchups, along with the top results from last week and the area’s biggest surprise.
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.
THIS WEEK IN GIRLS BASKETBALL: A quick peek at girls hoops around the area
With the arrival of the new year, Big Country Preps will again take a look at the area boys and girls basketball scenes each Sunday night until the end of the regular season.
Top games, top results and the week’s biggest surprise will be on the menu.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock junior takes the top spot
Big-time performances are the norm this year for the 13-0 Brock Eagles, who earned a trip to the Region I-4A DII championship game with last week’s 66-3 win over Seminole.
At the forefront of that: This week’s Big Country Preps Player of the Week, junior running back Bryer McDonald.
And with good reason.
PHOTO GALLERY: Early-Holliday bi-district football (54 images)
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Early-Holliday bi-district football (54 images)”
GAME STORY: Early rallies but falls short in high-scoring affair with Holliday
CLYDE — First-year Early head coach Marvin Wilson learned a lot about football in college at Hardin-Simmons University under the legendary Jimmie Keeling and spent this season instilling one of those lessons in his Longhorns squad.
“We are too ignorant to ever think we are out of a game,” he said. “Coach Keeling said it all the time: ‘Go play hard no matter what the circumstances are.’ We’ve tried to play hard and know that we are never out of games.”
The Longhorns came up short at Bulldog Stadium in their Region II-3A Division II bi-district matchup with Holliday, falling 50-36, but the Longhorns battled the entire night and that left Wilson emotional as Early saw its fifth playoff appearance in the past six years end after just one game.
It was a playoff appearance hardly anyone expected when the season began just over three months ago.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Clifton slips past Brady; Early, Tolar earn convincing wins
Clifton 7, Brady 6 — The Cubs finished with just 117 total yards and one touchdown, but it was enough claim a defensive win over the Bulldogs and the district’s No. 2 playoff seed.
Clifton (8-2, 4-1), which held Brady to 166 yards of offense, got a 43-yard touchdown pass from Carter Ritz to Judd New late in the first half and made that hold up thanks to some key defensive plays late in the game.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 10 REPORT: Brady stays perfect in league play with win over Tolar; Early clobbers Eastland
Brady 20, Tolar 14 — Ashton Taylor ran for 164 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and the Brady defense limited Tolar to 199 yards of total offense as the Bulldogs scored a hard-fought win over the Rattlers to stay unbeaten in district play.
BHS (7-2,) also got 78 yards and a TD rushing from Sean Jacoby, who passed for 72 yards as the Bulldogs built a 12-0 lead by halftime.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 9 REPORT: Brady wins OT thriller over Early; Dublin blasts Eastland for first win
Brady 17, Early 15 (OT) — The Bulldogs needed four overtime periods to outlast the Longhorns, getting a two-point conversion run from Ashton Taylor to break a 15-all deadlock and secure a thrilling win.
Taylor also had a touchdown run in the second overtime period after neither team could score in the first. Brady (6-2, 3-0) led 7-0 at halftime thanks to a first-quarter TD run by Johnny Roque, but Early answered with a scoring pass from Caden Wilson to Andrew Reedy to tie the game at 7-all and eventually force overtime.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Early shuts down Clifton; Brady, Tolar earn victories
Early 28, Clifton 3 — Caden Wilson passed for 144 yards and two touchdowns, and the Longhorns defense limited the Cubs to just 80 yards of offense to improve to 2-0 in league play with a dominant effort against CHS.
Early (3-4 overall) finished with just 222 total yards, but that was enough to build a 14-3 halftime lead and create separation from there for the lopsided win.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cooper’s Carillo takes this week’s award
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.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Early routs Tolar; Brady, Clifton also cruise in league openers
Early 43, Tolar 14 — Cameron Love ran for 106 yards and a touchdown, while Caden Wilson and Isaac Ibarra each added two rushing scores to help the Longhorns snap a four-game losing streak with a lopsided win over the Rattlers.
Early (2-4, 1-0) ran for 314 yards as a team, getting 70 yards from Stone Ratliff and 69 yards each from Wilson and Ibarra in the victory. Wilson also passed for 67 yards, hitting Andrew for a TD as the Longhorns built a 28-14 halftime lead.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Haskell’s Pinkerton takes the top spot
The season’s midpoint usually offers little in the way of big-time performances, with most of the area teams taking a bye week prior to the opening of district play.
This year was an exception.
Haskell junior quarterback Haegan Pinkerton delivered an astonishing effort in last week’s 56-42 win over Seymour, that could have taken our weekly accolade at any given point in the season.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde junior is the top Dawg
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.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 5 REPORT: Brady’s rally comes up short against Ingram Moore as league goes 1-5
Ingram Moore 37, Brady 33 — The Bulldogs outgained the Warriors 480-322, but an early hole proved too deep to climb out of in a hard-fought loss.
Brady (3-2) trailed 9-0 after a quarter and 23-7 at halftime, before mounting a rally in the second half. The Bulldogs, who converted just one of five fourth-down attempts in the game, narrowed the gap to 30-25 and 37-33 in the fourth quarter, but that was as close as they get to the lead.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie junior takes the top spot
Wylie junior Haddie Mock was at her very best against difficult competition last week, helping the Lady Bulldogs to wins over seventh-ranked 3A Bushland (25-8) and 21st-ranked 4A Stephenville last week.
Mock finished a whopping combined total of 19 blocks in the two matches to help the Lady Bulldogs improve to 24-7. She also had 16 combined kills.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 4 REPORT: Brady bounces back with rivalry win over Ballinger; rest of league goes 0-5
Brady 36, Ballinger 19 — Sean Jacoby passed for 134 yards and four touchdowns and added 101 yards on the ground, while Ashton Taylor ran for 156 yards to lead the Bulldogs to a three-score win over the Bearcats.
As a team, Brady (3-1) ran for 351 yards on 39 carries, getting 61 yards and a TD from Johnny Roque in addition to what Jacoby and Taylor provided. Taylor also also had a 40-yard TD reception for the Bulldogs, who got two TD catches from Rylan Pedigo (2-39 receiving).
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 3 REPORT: Rice leads Tolar to convincing win over Millsap
Tolar 42, Millsap 18 — Britton Rice passed for 171 yards and four touchdowns, and Kelvin Murray ran for 126 yards and a score to lead the Rattlers to a comfortable win over the Bulldogs.
Leading just 7-6 after one quarter and 14-6 at halftime, Tolar (2-1) outscored Millsap 14-6 in each of the final two periods to pull away.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 2 REPORT: Brady holds off Mason, Tolar slips past Teague
Brady 24, Mason 22 — Sean Jacoby ran for 160 yards and two touchdowns, and Ashton Taylor ran for 91 yards and two scores to help the Bulldogs to a hard-fought win over the Punchers.
Behind those two, Brady (2-0) increased a 12-7 halftime lead to 18-7 in the third quarter before holding off a Mason rally in the final period.
FEATURE: Wilson, Early Longhorns looking to build on winning start
With its 35-18 season-opening victory over Bangs last Friday, the 2025 Early High School football team laid the foundation for something that never occurred in the year prior: a win streak.
That’s why the Longhorns’ next game, set for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Hamilton (1-0), represents a little more to first-year head coach Marvin Wilson than just the second game of the season — and, even, his head coaching career.
“It’s good to get that first one. It re-enforces that you’re doing something right,” Wilson said. “Now we’ve got to build on that.”
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 1 REPORT: Early, Brady open season with wins
Early 35, Bangs 18 — Caden Wilson passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 84 yards and two more TDs to lead the Longhorns to a three-score win over the Dragons.
Brandon Walker added 88 yards and a touchdown rushing and Andrew Reedy had 91 yards and a TD receiving for Early, which outscored Bangs 26-12 in the second half to pull away.
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.
EARLY FEATURE: Great mentality, great effort and great discipline is the Wilson credo in Year 1
EARLY — Former Brownwood defensive coordinator Marvin Wilson did not see himself as a head coach when he came to Early in the spring. Nonetheless, that scenario has taken place at EHS following the resignation of former coach Randall Case in May.
Wilson, who had served for three years as DC under former Brownwood coach Sammy Burnett, was promoted to head coach/AD at Early in June. This gave him two short months to install his system, get to know his players and grow accustomed to everything his new position entailed.
2025 EARLY FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Rising tide approaching at Early with junior and sophomore classes
EARLY — After laboring through a 1-9 season with an extremely young team, the Early Longhorns are hoping to gain traction in 2025 through increases in experience and maturity. And while they are still on the youthful side, it appears likely that the ‘Horns will take a step forward under new coach Marvin Wilson.
Having lost only six lettermen from last year’s team with more than 20 coming back, Early has nine starters back on both sides of the football — further bolstered by some key move-ins.
COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Early Longhorns … 19 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 Early Longhorns.
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.
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.
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.
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.