It’s always nice to see numbers that match a nickname. And in the case of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, there’s no worries in that department.
Roscoe junior running back Ivan “The Terrible” McCann takes the accolade for the week ending Nov. 18 after helping the Plowboys to a stunning 50-22 win over Windthorst in the 2A DI area round.
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.
Comanche 46, Eastland 7 — The Indians ran for 295 yards, getting 100-yard games from Colt Schwertner and Sawyer Wilkerson to pull away from the Mavericks for a lopsided win.
Comanche (6-4, 3-2), which got 125 yards and two touchdowns from Schwertner and 109 yards from Wilkerson, led 25-0 by halftime and was never threatened after the break. Layden Welch also had a productive day for the Indians, passing for 89 yards and two TDs while rushing for 39 yards an another score.
LAST WEEK: 47-5, .903
SEASON TOTAL: 438-91, .827
With the column hitting at more than 90 percent accuracy last week, we now close the regular season on the upswing and with something uncommon: A local Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
While our weekly picks column generally highlights the top area game outside of the Abilene city limits, this week seems to call for us to stay at home with rivals Wylie (6-3, 3-1) and Cooper (4-5, 3-1) fighting for sole possession of the No. 2 seed in District 2-5A Division II.
NOTE: This will be our final installment of Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders for the 2023 season
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Comanche 48, Merkel 0 — The Indians rushed for 330 of their 436 yards, getting big games from Sawyer Wilkerson and Colt Schwertner in a blowout win over the Badgers.
Wilkerson finished with 139 yards and two touchdowns while Schwertner added 102 yards and one TD to lead Comanche (5-4, 2-2), which built a 28-0 lead by halftime.
LAST WEEK: 44-7, .862
SEASON TOTAL: 391-86, .820
It really didn’t take long for people to start talking about the Hawley – Stamford matchup in 2023. In fact, this one was on our calendar as a possible Game of the Week before the season even started.
Who will win? That depends on who you speak with. Our Twitter poll is split virtually down the middle and even the computers see this one as a near tossup.
Stamford (7-0, 4-0 District 4-2A DII) enters this game scarcely challenged, rolling over the opposition by an average tally of 45-8. Hawley (6-2, 4-0), on the other hand, comes in with some battle scars after a brutal schedule featuring Jim Ned, Lubbock Roosevelt and Albany.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Every now and then, the biggest performances come at precisely the right time. And in the case of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, that couldn’t be more true than it is now.
With his team laboring through a five-game losing streak and in danger of losing a playoff spot, Big Spring’s Kavien Ford came up with one of the best performances we’ve seen this year when he rushed for 374 yards and seven scores on 39 carries in a 63-43 win over San Angelo Lake View.
The win put Big Spring (2-6, 1-1) in a three-way tie for second place with one game remaining in the regular season. It also kept Lake View in sole possession of last place.
Comanche 60, Dublin 13 — Layden Welch ran for 98 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 154 yards and two more scores to help the Indians snap a four-game losing streak with a thorough victory over the Lions.
Sawyer Wilkerson added 98 yards and a touchdown on the ground, while Colt Schwertner (8-79), Kazdon Thedford (2-68) and Ezequiel Medrano (1-20) also rushed for touchdowns as Comanche improved to 4-4 overall and 1-2 in district play.
LAST WEEK: 40-8, .833
SEASON TOTAL: 347-79, .814
As Week 9 of the 2023Texas High School football season gets underway, there are multiple high-profile games that would qualify as our Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
But we’re settling for a rare Thursday night matchup at Tarleton State University where seventh-ranked 4A DI Stephenville (5-2, 1-0) will play host to fourth-ranked China Spring (6-2, 2-0) in a game will give the victor sole possession of first place in District 5.
Picking who wins it may come down to throwing darts, but I do believe China Spring has one key advantage.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Eastland 23, Merkel 20 — The Mavericks raced out a 14-0 lead in the first quarter, stretched it to 23-6 by halftime and held on for dear life from there to knock off the Badgers in a district thriller.
Isaiah Hays passed for 166 yards and a touchdown for Eastland (2-5, 1-1), which got rushing touchdowns from Eddie Medina and Cayden Alford and strong receiving days from Jay Oznick (9-87) and Preston Rose (2-59, 1 TD).
LAST WEEK: 41-7, .854
SEASON TOTAL: 307-71, .812
Big Country Preps makes a point of sharing the love and we look for opportunities to take our Game of the Week to as many different places that make sense each year.
Yet since our inaugural season in 2018, a rebuilding Hico football team missed our spotlight game for five straight seasons.
That drought ends this week when BCP visits Hico for the first time as the Tigers (5-2, 2-1 District 10-2A DII) host Dawson (5-1, 2-0) in a crucial matchup with high seed implications.
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: Jacksboro-Eastland football (47 images)”
Merkel 47, Dublin 21 — The Badgers kicked off district play with a comfortable win over the Lions, getting 145 yards and three touchdowns passing from Maddox O’Malley and 181 yards and a TD rushing from Connor Willyerd in the process.
Rayson Houston (1-59 receiving), Kaden Blubaugh (3-44) and Bryant Jones (2-37) all caught touchdown passes from O’Malley, who added 34 yards and another score rushing in the win. Merkel (5-1, 1-0) finished with 496 yards of total offense, rushing for 287 to go with 209 yards through the air.
EASTLAND — Going into Friday night’s District 5-3A Division II opener, the Eastland Mavericks knew that they would have to limit explosive plays on defense to have a shot at upsetting Jacksboro.
Despite Eastland’s efforts, the Tigers had 10 plays that covered at least 20 yards on their way to putting up 617 yards of offense in a 49-24 win at Maverick Stadium.
It was a defensive effort that left first-year Eastland head coach Bobby Schuman looking for answers.
LAST WEEK: 37-3, .925
SEASON TOTAL: 266-64, .806
Contrast in styles games make for excellent entertainment and are usually high on our list of potential Big Country Preps Games of the Week.
Friday we have such a matchup when Clyde (5-0) travels to Vernon (5-0) in the District 3-3A DI opener for both clubs. Clyde and its power spread offense capable of running or throwing the ball well, against a run-based multiple attack used by Vernon that seems almost out of the 1950s.
Both clubs are good at what they do. Both are physical and both are fully aware of how important this league opener is. In fact, this may end up ranking as one of the more physical Games of the Week we’ll see in 2023.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
LAST WEEK: 46-12, .793
SEASON TOTAL: 229-61, .789
More often than not, Big Country Preps makes an appearance at the annual Stephenville-Brownwood matchup. Because more often than not, it produces a game worthy of one of Texas’ top rivalries.
This year is no exception as Stephenville travels to famous Gordon Wood Stadium for the Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
The biggest problem I have with our high school football scheduling practices in Texas is that by the second year of the alignment period, many of those schedules are out of date and no longer suitable for schools that have been hit hard by graduation. And if you want an example of that, I’ll give you one close to home: the Cisco Loboes.
Cisco (1-4), which notched its first win of the season last week with a victory at Colorado City, is both young and thin in the numbers department. It’s one of those years that every program below the 4A level will eventually run into. And unfortunately, since the Loboes had reeled off 12 straight winning seasons, including a state title in 2013, their nondistrict schedule was merciless.
No Class 2A team was willing to take them on, so they ended up with four straight likely playoff teams from Class 3A in Clyde, Wall, Breckenridge and Jacksboro.
Eastland 21, Jim Ned 19 — Isaiah Hays passed for 259 yards and a touchdown and Cayden Alford rushed for a pair of scores to lift the Mavericks to an upset win over the Indians.
Preston Rose had a huge day receiving, hauling in four passes for 127 yards and a TD for EHS (1-4), which outscored Jim Ned 14-12 in the final quarter to earn its first victory of the season.
LAST WEEK: 44-11, .800
SEASON TOTAL: 183-49, .788
Some weeks are just loaded with competitive area games and Week 5 of the 2023 season falls squarely into that category.
This week’s menu features six or seven games that under normal circumstances, would qualify for our Big Country Preps Game of the Week. This forces us to push some great matchups aside to select our spotlight game.
This week, we go with a battle of unbeatens — Class 3A Division I Clyde (4-0) at Class 4A Div. II Sweetwater (4-0) — at the famed Mustang Bowl at SHS.
Merkel 54, Bangs 37 — Connor Willyerd and Maddox O’Malley rushed for 171 and 164 yards, respectively, as the Badgers ran over and around the Dragons for a comfortable win.
Willyerd had one touchdown and O’Malley rushed for four as Merkel (3-1) finished with 389 yards on the ground as a team. Braxton Duden (4-60 rushing) also had a rushing TD for the Badgers, who got 98 yards passing and one score from O’Malley and 72 yards and two touchdowns receiving from Kaden Blubaugh.
Comanche 57, Early 0 — Layden Welch passed for 266 yards and four touchdowns and Colt Schwertner rushed for 264 yards and a score to fuel the Indians to a blowout win on a day standout running back Sawyer Wilkerson was limited to three carries by an ankle injury.
Welch, who hit Kyler Beaty six times for 136 yards and two TDs, also ran for 28 yards and two scores as Comanche improved to 3-0.
Merkel 34, Stanton 7 — The Badgers overcame a slow start, scoring 34 unanswered points over the final three quarters to rally from a 7-0 deficit after the first.
Maddox O’Malley passed for 234 yards and a touchdown and added another TD on the ground to lead Merkel (2-0), which also got 116 total yards from Connor Willyerd (14-72 rushing; 4-44 receiving) and strong receiving days from CJ Walcott (3-105, 1 TD), Bryant Jones (2-68, 1 TD) and Kaden Blubaugh (2-66, 1 TD).
Comanche 37, Brady 8 — Sawyer Wilkerson ran for 189 yards and two touchdowns, while Layden Welch passed for 163 yards and three scores and rushed for 51 yards and an additional TD to fuel the Indians to comfortable win over the Bulldogs.
Behind those two and receiver Kyler Beaty, who hauled in five passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, Comanche (1-0) built a 25-8 lead by halftime and was never threatened after the break.
EASTLAND — First-year Eastland coach Bobby Schuman didn’t accept the EHS job because he wanted to turn the program upside down.
Quite the contrary. Schuman, a long-time assistant at Eastland under former head coach James Morton, has something much more practical in mind.
Rather than tearing the system apart, Schuman will write off a 1-9 2022 season as a youthful and temporary downturn for an otherwise very successful program.
EASTLAND — There are several reasons for optimism in the Eastland camp heading into first-year coach Bobby Schuman’s inaugural season.
To begin with, the Mavs have eight starters on both sides of the ball coming back from last year’s 1-9 club, 18 returning lettermen and a healthy varsity roster of around 30 players.
Most of Eastland’s skill is back, including an experienced quarterback in Isaiah Hays (1,840 yards passing, 16 TDs), one of the area’s top receivers in Jay Oznick (36 catches, 657 yards) and a huge overall increase in team maturity.
Day 1 of Big Country Preps’ 2023 Photo Tour is now in the books, with seven more days of shooting yet to come from practice fields throughout the area.
Here are but a few of the images collected Monday:
Continue reading “Scenes from Big Country Preps Photo Tour Day 1”
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. 16. 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 July 31, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2023 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.
We continue in Class 3A Division II with the Eastland Mavericks. On Tuesday we will take a look at the Merkel Badgers, followed by the Breckenridge Buckaroos on Wednesday.
Continue reading “COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Eastland Mavericks … 14 days to two-a-days”
It’s difficult to trump a no-hitter, though Snyder’s Ava Aviles came close last week.
Aviles, who threw back-to-back two-hitters for Snyder softball, is our first runner-up to her classmate, Player of the Week Ty Davis and his first career no-hitter.
Davis earned a 13-2 five-inning win over Levelland last week, holding LHS hitless in the mercy rule win, finishing with five strikeouts.
“Ty has continued to improve on the mound and has given us some excellent innings this season, none bigger than last Tuesday with his no-hit performance,” Snyder coach Shane Stewart said. ” I am proud of him and looking forward to watching him mature as a pitcher and a young man.”
It’s always a good sign early in the season when you’re getting good pitching against quality competition. And in the case of the Big Spring Lady Steers, the numbers in the circle thus far are downright encouraging.
Courtesy of senior Alexcia Munoz, the Lady Steers are off to a 5-1 start, including a 4-0 mark from Munoz in last week’s Abilene Icebreaker tournament.
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: Eastland-Breckenridge basketball doubleheader (83 images)”
BRECKENRIDGE — The Breckenridge girls and boys basketball teams had different reasons for needing wins over Eastland in Friday’s varsity doubleheader in Breckenridge.
But by night’s end, both had achieved their mission in a convincing two-game sweep at Breckenridge High School.
The BHS girls opened the twin bill with a come-from-behind 48-32 win to secure their hold on a playoff seed. The Breckenridge boys completed the sweep in the nightcap to keep their fading playoff hopes alive with a 48-31 win.
After highlighting the Big Country’s top guards and forwards the past two nights, we now take a look at the area’s best big men.
For the final installment in our three-part boys basketball position rankings series, we rank the Big Country’s top 10 post players.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading through our rankings, and make sure to check back for all our boys and girls basketball coverage this season.