Here are the boys area track bests through April 2 (top 15 in each event):
Category: Eastland Mavericks
Evan Ren’s 2025 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players 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 2024-25 season.
Players are listed in no particular order.
Enjoy.
Area Softball Stat Leaders (through March 27)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through March 27:
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.
If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com.
Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through March 27)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through March 27.
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.
If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com.
Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through March 20)
20Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through March 20.
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.
If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com.
Area Softball Stat Leaders (through March 20)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through March 20:
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.
If your favorite team is missing, please give your head coach a friendly reminder to check his or her email for our weekly stat request or send Evan Ren a note at Evan.Ren@BigCountryPreps.com.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville’s Gentry lands the top spot
While Stephenville’s Tristian Gentry is no stranger to this column, it’s usually via football that he lands in our Top 10 — especially after missing track last year due to injury.
Well, it’s track season again and it just so happens that the SHS senior is healthy this time around — returning as one of the area’s top guns in that sport. He’s already off to a great start, having captured four gold medals at a talent-loaded Brock meet last week.
Aside from first place leaps in the long jump (21-1) and triple jump (43-2), he also helped SHS’ 400 and 800 relay teams take gold with splits of 43.26 and 1:30.1, respectively.
Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Feb. 13): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Feb. 13.
This database will be 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.
Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Feb. 13): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Feb. 13.
This database will be 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.
SIGNING DAY 2025: Top area athletes sign on the dotted line
National Signing Day is typically a busy one in the Big Country Preps’ coverage area and 2025 was no exception with several players inking and/or confirming their commitments to play at the next level.
At various signing ceremonies held throughout the area, athletes celebrated their final choices to pursue a degree while competing collegiately.
Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 30): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 30.
This database will be 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.
Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 30): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 30.
This database will be 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.
Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 23): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 23.
This database will be 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.
Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 23): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 23.
This database will be 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.
Evan Ren’s 2024 True Grit Team: The toughest, hardest-working players in the Big Country!
We all know a football player who almost never misses any practice time and practically lives in the weight room. He’s always early to arrive and late to leave. He’s coachable, but seldom needs direction because he always pays attention.
You know who I’m talking about.
The guy who sets a good example for young players. The guy who never complains and, first and foremost, is tough mentally and physically. He may not be the best player on a team (though some of them are). But he’s definitely the guy who gets the most out of the talent he’s given.
Welcome to the 2024 “True Grit” team — the one place in the Big Country where guys who fall into this category are recognized for it.
2024 All-Big Country Preps Football Team: First-Team Roster
Here are our first-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
2024 All-Big Country Preps Football Team: Second-Team Roster
Here are our second-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
2024 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.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS RISING STARS TEAM: The top football under classmen in the Big Country for 2024
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.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Dublin downs Early to clinch playoff spot; Brady, Tolar cruise
Dublin 36, Early 22 — Kaden Gaiten passed for 172 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 133 yards and three more scores to help the Lions clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Longhorns.
Behind the senior quarterback receivers Alex Teten (5-83, 1 TD) and Fernando Esparza (5-69, 1 TD), Dublin (2-8, 2-3) rallied from a 22-2 halftime deficit to for the win.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Stamford, Hawley clash in rematch of last season’s thriller
LAST WEEK: 45-8, .849
SEASON TOTAL: 464-122, .791
The regular season ends Friday night (if you can believe it) and there’s no better way to close things up than with No. 5 Class 2A DI Hawley (9-0, 4-0) at No. 1 Stamford (9-0, 4-0).
The winner will earn the District 4 championship and No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs, so much is at stake.
I’m leaning toward Stamford here for three reasons: First, the overall team speed of SHS is unmatched by anyone in the area.
Secondly, the Bulldogs have an intangible working here — specifically a last-second miracle touchdown scored by Hawley’s
Camden Ables from 45 yards out with 0:47 left in last year’s game.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 10 REPORT: Tolar too strong for Brady; Eastland outlasts early in four OTs
Tolar 42, Brady 21 — Peyton Brown ran for 228 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries to lift the Rattlers to a comfortable win over the Bulldogs in a battle of the final two unbeaten teams in this league.
Tolar (8-1, 4-0), which also got 112 yards and three TDs passing from Briton Rice and two TD receptions from Noah Yanish, scored 21 points in the first quarter and 14 in the second to take a 35-14 lead into halftime.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 9 REPORT: Tolar blasts Clifton; Brady routs Early; Dublin earns first win
Tolar 41, Clifton 0 — Peyton Brown ran for 112 yards and three touchdowns, and the Rattlers defense limited the Cubs to just 114 total yards in a dominant effort all around.
Briton Rice added 162 yards and a touchdown passing for Tolar (7-1, 3-0), which got a team-high 64 yards receiving from Noah Yanish. Behind those three, and Brylen Feist, who caught Rice’s TD pass, the Rattlers did all of their scoring in the first half.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Loboes play host to Hawley in Big Country Preps Game of the Week
LAST WEEK: 41-10 .803
SEASON TOTAL: 367-108, .772
Football season doesn’t feel complete without at least one visit to Chesley Field in Cisco. And Friday night, the Big Country Preps Game of the Week will stop by for a crucial District 4-2A DI matchup between the Loboes (5-2, 1-1) and Hawley (7-0, 2-0).
For Hawley, a win here will keep open the possibility of an unbeaten regular season. For Cisco, a victory would signal the beginning of a climb back into area prominence.
Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 22)
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.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Brady routs Eastland; Tolar blasts Dublin
Brady 47, Eastland 7 — Johnny Menefield ran for 151 yards and three touchdowns to spearhead a 322-yard rushing effort for the Bulldogs, who dominated the Mavericks from start to finish in a blowout win.
Quarterback Sean Jacoby also had a big game for Brady (6-1, 2-0), running for 92 yards and a touchdown while passing for 82 yards and two more scores. Both touchdown throws went to Ashton Ramsey, who finished with two catches for 73 yards, while Ashton Taylor added 81 yards and a TD on the ground.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 7 REPORT: Brady, Tolar open league play with wins; Eastland edged by Clifton
Brady 34, Dublin 31 — Johnny Menefield ran for 200 yards and two touchdowns and Ashton Taylor added 124 yards and two rushing scores of his own to lead the Bulldogs past the Lions in the league opener for both teams.
Mason Airheart added a 62-yard touchdown reception for Brady, which ran for 332 of its 392 yards in improving to 5-1 overall and 1-0 in District 5-3A DII play.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Comanche plays host to Jim Ned (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)
LAST WEEK: 32-12, .809
SEASON TOTAL: 279-91, .757
Now it’s time to get down to business.
With most of the Big Country taking an open date last Friday as a prelude to district play, we now dive headfirst into the games that count the most.
District play opens tomorrow for most leagues in the area, the intensity of which is already tangible.
Can you feel it?
We’ll see you on the road.
Here’s this week’s area picks:
Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 1)
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.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 5 REPORT: Brady, Tolar victorious; Eastland drops tough one to Hawley
Brady 42, Ingram Moore 28 — Johnny Menefield ran for 141 yards and two touchdowns, and Ashton Taylor added 105 yards and a TD on the ground to lead the Bulldogs to a two-touchdown win over the Warriors.
Brady (4-1) rushed for 324 yards as a team, getting 41 yards and a score from quarterback Sean Jacoby, who also passed for 58 yards and a TD.
BIG COUNTRY PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ables takes the top spot after big win over De Leon
Hawley’s Keagan Ables is no stranger to the Big Country Preps Player of the Week column — appearing among our top performers multiple times over the last three years.
However, his latest effort to help HHS defeat De Leon 54-21 on Friday, may rank as one of his best.
The Hawley senior connected on 16 of 32 passes for 441 yards and six touchdowns to help Hawley improve to 4-0 on the year.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 4 REPORT: Eastland gets back on track; Tolar, Brady join Mavs in win column
Eastland 14, Breckenridge 0 — The Mavericks piled up 286 yards rushing while limiting the Buckaroos to 200 total yards in a shutout win.
Cayden Alford rushed for a game-high 87 yards, and Chris Ojeda added 70 to lead Eastland (3-1), which got its touchdowns on a second-quarter run by Isaac Castro and a third-quarter pass from Kye Herrington to Eddie Medina.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Rattlers play host to Comanche
LAST WEEK: 47-11, .810
SEASON TOTAL: 141-59, .705
After nosediving in Week 2 with one of the worst pick records I’ve ever had, the column rebounded in Week 3 with an .810 percentage to push my overall tally over .700 again.
As for this week’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week, Mr. Yale Youngblood will be on hand in Tolar to cover Comanche’s road game with the Rattlers in what should be a fun one.
I’ll be heading to Ballinger, where the Bearcats (3-0) will play host to Brady (2-1) in a battle of upstarts.
Let’s dive into this week’s picks:
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 3 REPORT: Brady edges Ozona; Tolar takes care of Millsap
Brady 47, Ozona 45 — Johnny Menefield and Ashton Taylor both eclipsed the century mark on the ground as the Bulldogs ran for 313 yards as a team in a thrilling win over the Lions.
Menefield ran for 157 yards and three touchdowns and Ramsey had 135 yards and one score for Brady, which also got an efficient passing game from Sean Jacoby (9-10-0—126, 3 TDs) and a productive receiving game from Ashton Ramsey (4-80, 2 TDs).
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Glen Rose visits Brownwood (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)
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:
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 2 REPORT: Tolar edges Teague to break into win column
Tolar 23, Teague 21 — The Rattlers rebounded from last week’s loss to Peaster with a hard-fought win over the Lions.
Tolar (1-1) was limited on offense to 291 yards, including just 93 on the ground, but the Rattlers did enough on the defensive side of the football to make that hold up.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Eastland scores impressive win at Clyde
CLYDE — Only two games into their foray with the wing-T offense, the Eastland Mavericks could very well be ahead of the learning curve with their new attack.
If Friday’s dominating 35-14 win at Clyde in the Big Country Preps Game of the Week doesn’t provide enough evidence, then their 2-0 record, coupled with the 301 yards rushing they produced at Clyde should send up a red flag.
Kye Herrington threw for 119 yards and one score and rushed for an additional TD to help keep the Mavericks unbeaten while Cayden Alford (102 yards rushing and one score) and Cason Browning (90 yards rushing, two TDs) spearheaded the ground game.
Clyde, which was victimized by Eastland’s 36 minutes of possession time, finished with only two first downs and 35 plays from scrimmage.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Eastland, Clyde square off in Game of the Week (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)
LAST WEEK: 48-20, .705
SEASON TOTAL: 48-20, .705
I’m not going to deny that I have an endless fascination with old-fashioned offenses. And I’m not going to deny that I’m a bit eager to see Eastland’s jump to the Wing-T after more than a decade of slinging the ball all over the field.
But this has little to do with why Eastland (1-0) and Clyde (1-0) will be hooking up in our Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
The fact that both clubs are coming off quality wins — Clyde beating Cisco 43-42 in OT and Eastland stopping Coleman 21-6 — creates enough intrigue to snag the top spot. Add the fact that you have a modern spread offense going against an attack that was devised more than 70 years ago and you’re looking at a game with potential to get the spotlight.
And courtesy of a beat-up Brownwood team, this contest made the top of our list.
DISTRICT 5-3A DIV. II WEEK 1 REPORT: Brady, Eastland and Early impressive in season-opening wins
Brady 27, San Antonio YMLA 0 — Ashton Taylor and Johnny Menefield led a dominant rushing performance for the Bulldogs, who pounded out 319 yards on the ground in a shutout win over the Lions.
Taylor finished with 146 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, while Menefield added 101 yards and a TD on 18 attempts as Brady scored 24 points after halftime to pull away following a defensive first half.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Albany travels to Stamford in Game of the Week
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.
EASTLAND FEATURE: Traditionally High-flying Mavs switching to old-fashioned wing-T
EASTLAND — Every year since 2008, the Eastland Mavericks have been associated with throwing the football and finding people in space. And more often than not, at a quick tempo.
Current Springtown coach Brian Hulett started the trend in his first year at Eastland 16 years ago. The tradition continued after Hulett’s departure under Cliff Watkins (2014-15), James Morton (2016-22) and into last season with Bobby Schuman. This stretch included 14 playoff appearances and five district titles so there wasn’t a great deal of pressure to change things up.
2024 EASTLAND FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Mavs have ample experience heading into Schuman’s second year
EASTLAND — Second-year coach Bobby Schuman will be taking traditionally pass-happy Eastland in an entirely different direction in 2024, switching the Mavericks from a modern spread attack to an old-fashioned wing-T.
Eastland will have five offensive and six defensive starters returning to make it go, including seniors Cason Browning (RB, 6-0, 180), Cayden Alford (switching to RB, 5-11, 200), Eddie Medina (5-11, 175) and Isaac Castro (DE/RB, 5-10, 170).
There will be additional help among 15 returning lettermen and call-ups from a solid 7-3 JV team, leaving Schuman with decent numbers to begin his commitment to an offense that dates back more than 70 years.
COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Eastland Mavericks … 16 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. 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 take a look at the Eastland Mavericks.
Continue reading “COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Eastland Mavericks … 16 days to two-a-days”
Evan Ren’s 2024 Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team (the hardest-working baseball and softball players in the area)
OTHER 2024 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 BASEBALL: Rising Stars Team
- 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 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.
PHOTO GALLERY: Hawley 7-on-7 state qualifying tournament (29 images)
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: Hawley 7-on-7 state qualifying tournament (29 images)”
