With the start of football season around the corner, it’s time to take a look at the players who will be making the biggest impact in 2021.
For the first installment in an eight-part series that will cover all position groups, we’ll be taking a look at the area’s top defensive linemen, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this fall.
As with any such list, these rankings are subjective. We hope you enjoy reading through them.
Without further ado it is time for us to make our Big Country predictions, district-by-district.
This is the culmination of several weeks of research and two solid months of summertime labor, so we’re more than ready to post it.
Every year, one of the things I look forward to most, is mapping out the upcoming football season — charting the games I believe will have the greatest impact.
First and foremost, it’s a preseason menu for area fans who enjoy driving to some of the Big Country’s best football games on a weekly basis. Call it a football roadmap of sorts.
FORSAN — Senior Cayden Morgan has been a playmaker since the day he stepped on campus.
A two-way starter since his freshman year, the standout receiver/safety has played a significant role in leading the Buffaloes through a rebuilding process that ended last year with FHS’ first playoff appearance since 2016.
Now entering his final high school season with a group of 13 other lettermen, Morgan is hoping to close his celebrated career with his best campaign yet. And after watching what he’s accomplished to date, 13th-year Forsan coach Jason Phillips sees no reason why he can’t.
FORSAN — Last fall, the Forsan Buffaloes ended a lengthy rebuilding process with their first playoff berth since 2016.
This year, the goal and expectation is to build on that success.
Blessed with an outstanding senior class that has led the program’s resurgence, and buoyed by call-ups from a 6-1 junior varsity team, Forsan has set its sights higher for 2021. With 14 returning lettermen, including seven offensive and five defensive starters, the Buffaloes are gunning for a district championship and playoff run.
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 Saturday, Aug. 14. 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. 2, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2021 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.
Today, we stay in Class 2A Division I with the Forsan Buffaloes. On Friday, we will take a look at the Haskell Indians, followed by the Hawley Bearcats on Saturday.
When University of Texas commit Citlaly Gutierrez is on top of her game, the Stamford softball team is tough to beat.
On Thursday afternoon, the junior pitcher was a fifth-inning error away from a perfect game as the Lady Bulldogs beat Forsan 10-0 to open their best-of-three Region I-2A semifinal series at Wylie High School.
Gutierrez struck out 15 of the 16 batters that she faced while throwing 65 percent of her 74 pitches for strikes.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Hamilton eliminates Forsan with 9-3 win in Game 3 of area series
After suffering a 13-1 loss in Game 2 of their Region I-2A area round series with Hamilton, the last thing the Forsan Buffaloes needed on Saturday was a rough start in Game 3.
Yet that is precisely what happened at Crutcher Scott Field, with Hamilton building a 7-0 lead through the top of the fourth and holding on for a series-clinching 9-3 win over the Buffaloes.
Chase Weaver was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and earned the win on the mound to lead Hamilton (23-9-1), which now advances to face Anson in the regional quarterfinals.
Forsan (15-13) was led by Brandon Valdez, who was 1 for 3 with an RBI triple and by Major Stockton (1 for 3, one RBI).
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LINK … GAME STORY: Forsan blanks Hamilton behind gem from Valdez
Brandon Valdez had seven strikeouts and allowed just three hits in a complete-game shutout as Forsan took the opener of a best-of-three Region I-2A area-round series 3-0 over Hamilton on Thursday night at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field.
Valdez, who threw a no-hitter to clinch the District 6-2A championship, worked fast and consistently ahead of hitters as the Buffaloes took advantage of limited baserunners behind him.
It was an effort that Forsan coach Stephen East knew he could expect from his staff ace.
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Continue reading “LIVE: State Track and Field Meet medalists and Big Country Placings (DAY 1)”
Having already released our picks for the girls state track meet earlier this evening, we now present the boys event, using the same approach.
We’ll comb through each event involving a Big Country athlete (or athletes) and assess if they are favorites, dark horses or long shots to get on the medal stand.
Let’s not waste any time. Let’s dive in.
I don’t care who you are — even if you’re a non-fan when it comes to track and field.
The excitement of the state meet in Austin will capture your attention if you catch sight or sound of it. It’s inescapable.
And once per year, it is my pleasure to examine the multitude of Big Country athletes heading to Austin for the event and pick who we can expect to see on the medal stand from our area.
Let’s begin with the girls side, looking at each event in which a Big Country athlete has qualified for state.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 29:
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.
In a week filled with unforgettable moments, several of our nominees handed in by area coaches could justifiably be called our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week.
We finally settled on Clyde sophomore Payton Phillips, who stunned attendees at the Region I-3A meet by taking gold in both the long jump (18 feet, 6 inches) and the 100 hurdles (15.12) — breaking school records that were 25 and 15 years old, respectively.
CANYON — With only one area district in Region I-2A, the Big Country didn’t have a huge contingent of athletes at the regional meet Friday and Saturday at West Texas A&M. But that didn’t keep the area from making an impact.
Coleman jumper Devinar Roberson claimed a pair silver medals to earn state berths in the high jump and triple jump on the boys side, while three area girls earned four spots at the state meet next month in Austin.
Coleman’s Abbi Allen claimed two of those, finishing second in the high jump and long jump, while teammate Jordan Rae took silver in the triple jump and Forsan thrower Aleena Nelson earned the area’s only gold medal in the shotput.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 22:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 22. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 22:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 22. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
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LINK … GAME STORY: Colorado City uses fast start to earn important win at Forsan
LINK … FEATURE: Colorado City sophomore proving to be one of the area’s top players
FORSAN — On a cold, dreary Friday, the Colorado City softball team had enough energy to muster a quick start, and enough poise to hold off a Forsan rally in a 14-6 win at FHS.
Mallory Kern was 4 for 5 with two doubles and Kaci Rivera was 3 for 5 with a double, triple and five RBIs to lead Colorado City (19-6, 5-1 District 4-2A), which has forced a first-place tie with Forsan in the league standings.
The Lady Buffaloes (11-3-1, 5-1) were led by Aubrie Smith, who was 2 for 4 with a three-run homer and by Kelcey Zubiate, who was 2 for 4 with a run scored.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 15:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 15. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 15:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 15. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 8:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 8. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 8:
Statistics are from throughout the Big Country Preps circulation area as submitted by coaches as of April 8. These lists will be continually updated as we receive more submissions.
