If you’ve avidly followed the bouncing ball over the past several seasons, you might be aware that the Goldthwaite Lady Eagles have evolved into one of the region’s standard bearers on the hardwood.
Coach Angie Hermesmeyer has assembled a program that routinely challenges for district titles and generally looms as one of the area’s tougher outs once postseason play begins.
This year, the Lady Eagles are 30-3 overall after going a perfect 12-0 in District 29-2A play. And get this: Goldthwaite hasn’t lost a game in 2024.
So, Hermesmeyer was asked, what is a fair expectation of this incarnation of the Lady Eagles on the eve of her team’s area-round playoff game against Kenedy at 7 p.m. Friday at Ingram Moore High School?
SAN SABA — It was a big night in the enemy camp for the Goldthwaite basketball teams on Friday, handing archrival San Saba a pair of convincing losses in a crucial District 29-2A varsity doubleheader.
We freely admit that more offensive players take our Big Country Preps Player of the Week than do defenders. 
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. 
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.
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. 
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. 
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. 
San Saba 40, Goldthwaite 35 — Ethan Gonzales ran for 139 yards and two touchdowns and Lane Millier added 85 yards and a score on the ground and 92 yards and another TD through the air to lift the Armadillos to a thrilling win over the Eagles.
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.
Bangs 41, San Saba 38 — Kenny Cole rushed for 212 yards and three touchdowns to go with 56 passing yards to lead the Dragons to a key district win over the Armadillos.
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. 
One top-notch performance after another. 
After opening the season with a 50-34 loss to archrival Coahoma on Aug. 25, the Forsan Buffaloes have set about improving things and gradually chipped away with consecutive wins over Post (1-5), Stanton (1-5), McCamey (2-4) and Kermit (1-6) to improve to 4-1 prior to their open date on Sept. 29. 
Goldthwaite 42, Bangs 14 — Ethan Deeds passed for 136 yards and two touchdowns — both to Luke Sanderson — and rushed for 93 yards and two more scores as the Eagles pounded out 259 yards on the ground to pull away from the Dragons for a lopsided victory in a near must-win game for both teams.
Contrast in styles games make for excellent entertainment and are usually high on our list of potential Big Country Preps Games of the Week. 
San Saba 32, Hamilton 28 — Ethan Gonzales ran for 215 yards and three touchdowns while Lane Miller added a pair of rushing scores of his own to lead the Armadillos to an upset win over the Bulldogs in the district opener for both squads.
Andy Howard knew Goldthwaite would be much improved this season. 
After two weeks, few teams are grabbing the attention of Big Country football fans more than the Clyde Bulldogs (2-0), who have opened with consecutive wins over Cisco and Eastland. 
De Leon 42, Cross Plains 7 — Heston Jobe hit 15 of 21 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns while adding 66 yards and two more scores on the ground to lift the Bearcats to a comfortable win over the Buffaloes.
GOLDTHWAITE — Not since Nov. 5, 2021 had the Goldthwaite football team tasted victory — a span of time that was filled with 12 straight defeats. 
Andy Howard is still looking for his first win as Goldthwaite’s head football coach. 
A no-hitter alone is often enough to secure the Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. But when it’s backed by a solid offensive performance, it’s very difficult to get knocked off of the perch. 
Bangs southpaw Abby Wolf has thrown so many no-hitters this year, that the subject barely raises an eyebrow. But in consecutive district wins over Coleman and Christoval last week, the sophomore managed to create a stir. 
GOLDTHWAITE — The Goldthwaite girls basketball program’s motto this year is “US.” 
