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.
Albany 66, TLCA 0 — Albany concluded a perfect regular season and sweep of its district opponents with a win over Abilene TLCA.
Chip Chambers threw for 145 yards and four TDs and Adam Hill rushed for 98 yards and three TDs on three carries to lift the Lions (10-0, 5-0), who will face Albany vs. Eldorado, on Thursday at Colorado City’s Wolf Stadium. at 7 p.m.
TLCA closed its season at 1-9 and 0-5.
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.
Roscoe 34, Miles 33 — Ivan “The Terrible” McCann bulldozed his way to 231 yards rushing and four scores to lift Roscoe to an important district win over visiting Miles.
The Plowboys led 34-21 late in the third quarter before absorbing back to back Miles touchdowns, both of which were followed by missed PATs.
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.
Cross Plains 28, Hamlin 6 — Dusty Wyatt rushed for 227 yards and three TDs to lift Cross Plains to an important district win over Hamlin.
Leading 13-6 at the break, the Buffaloes took firm control of the game with a pair of second-half touchdowns.
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.
Roscoe 57, Abilene TLCA 0 — In a game that was halted in the second half due to an injury scare, the Plowboys remained in district title contention with a win over the Eagles.
Jace Arnwine threw for 213 yards and two scores and Aiden Cema rushed for 116 yards and two more TDs to lift Roscoe (6-1, 2-0), which faces defending state champion Albany next week for sole possession of first place in the district.
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.
Albany 41, Miles 0 — Adam Hill rushed for 184 yards and three scores and Chip Chambers threw for 195 yards and three more TDs to lift Albany to an easy win over Miles.
The Lions finished with 475 yards in total offense while limiting a much-publicized Miles offense to 105 total yards.
Most of District 6-2A Division II was idle on Friday, with district play opening next week. Roscoe’s tough win over Junction was the lone game played, with the rest of the league enjoying a bye.
Here’s a quick look at the approaching district matchups:
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.
Albany 31, Comanche 13 — Chip Chambers passed for 178 yards and three touchdowns and Adam Hill rushed for 136 yards and a score to lead the Lions to a comfortable win over the Indians.
Behind those two, Albany outscored Comanche 10-0 in the third quarter, stretching a 14-7 halftime lead to three scores by the start of the fourth.
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.
Albany 27, Hawley 14 — Albany improved to 4-0 with a win in this matchup of defending state champions behind three TD passes from Chip Chambers.
Leading 27-14 at the break, the Lions held on through a scoreless second half at Hardin-Simmon’ Shelton Stadium in a game that was moved due to Hawley’s Forrest Field being rendered unplayable by recent rainfall.
Hawley (2-2) was led by Keagan Ables, who threw for 231 yards and one score.
Albany 41, Seymour 14 — The Lions threw for only 26 yards, but with Adam Hill rushing for 326 yards and four scores, they didn’t really need to throw the football around much.
Albany improved to 3-0 with the win.
Hamlin 19, Water Valley 14 — First-year Hamlin Coach Jason Botos earned his first victory as his Pied Pipers rushed for 201 yards as a team.
Clayton Rister led Hamlin (1-1) with 113 yards rushing on 14 carries with one TD.
Roscoe 42, Colorado City 0 — Roscoe used a dual-threat offense and a strong defensive effort to beat C-City in the opener for both teams.
Jace Arnwine threw for 258 yards and two scores and Ivan McCann rushed for 139 yards and two more touchdowns to lift the Plowboys, who limited C-City to only 107 yards in total offense.
Continue reading “DISTRICT 6-2A DII WEEK 1 REPORT: Roscoe opens season with big win over C-City”
In the high school football world — especially in Texas, where the parlance isn’t too much of a stretch — stories introducing a newcomer taking the lead position at a prep program are occasionally headlined by the words, “There’s a new sheriff in town.”
Well, Hamlin has a new coach this fall: Jason Botos.
But to be accurate, headlines announcing his arrival this fall probably need to be prefaced, “The deputy sheriff has been promoted.”
Coach Jason Botos readily acknowledges that his first year as head coach of the Hamlin Pied Pipers could present “a challenge,” given that a good portion of his principal players will be sophomores in 2023.
But, as Botos sees it, there’s plenty of glass-half-full promise for the squad, which is already showing in preseason workouts that it is willing to work hard, has decent depth and won’t back down from competition.
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 2A Division II with the Cross Plains Buffaloes. On Saturday we will take a look at the Roscoe Plowboys, followed by the Haskell Indians on Sunday.
Continue reading “COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Hamlin Pied Pipers … 38 days to two-a-days”
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: Hamlin-Bangs softball area-round playoff (64 images)”
SAN ANGELO — The Bangs Lady Dragons demonstrated two distinct ways to win in Friday’s area round series with Hamlin — a come-from-behind 3-1 victory in Game 1, followed by a harrowing 10-9 escape in Game 2.
By night’s end, Bangs had clinched a spot in the Region I-2A quarterfinals where it will face Hawley next week at a site and time to be determined.
Abby Wolf earned two complete game wins in the circle and was a combined 3 for 8 with three RBIs to lead Bangs (26-4), which is now enjoying one of the most successful seasons in the program’s history.
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.
Brock sophomore Jesse Rusinek takes this week’s accolade after holding Eastland hitless in a 15-0 mercy rule win that saw him miss a perfect game by one walk. He fanned 12 in the process.
“He was dealin’ out there,” Brock coach Kobe Page said of the stuff Rusinek had in the Eastland game. “When he’s on, he’s pretty tough … just showing up, battling and moving the ball around the strike zone. He was ‘on.'”
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-Hamlin softball (59 images)”
HAMLIN — With Stamford clinching the league title on Friday, the only drama remaining in District 7-2A occurred in Hamlin, where the Lady Pipers and Hawley had a second-seed issue to settle in a winner-take-all matchup at Hamlin High.
The Lady Pipers (21-6, 6-2) claimed the No. 2 spot with a 6-3 win behind a solid pitching effort from Zoe Moore, an error-free defense and an 11-hit barrage that saw no fewer than five doubles.
It’s not often that a Big Country baseball team charts two no-hitters in the same week. But when two pitchers with the same last name are charting the no-nos it’s about as common as the planets aligning.
That was the case last week with the Albany Lions, who in sweeping Haskell (15-0) and Stamford (11-1) saw Cole and Tyler Chapman (non-siblings) post back-to-back no-hitters.
Cole, a senior, blanked Haskell in four innings of work in a mercy rule win, fanning six. Three days later, Tyler got into the act in a five-inning run-rule win with 12 Ks.
They now share our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award — another rarity.
“We were very proud of our pitchers last week,” Albany coach David Fairchild said. “Both pitchers were in control and in command of their pitches.”
When Chris Evans announced that he was stepping down as the head football coach and athletic director at Hamlin on Feb. 28, softball coach Jason Botos was given the job on an interim basis.
Monday afternoon, the interim title was lifted and Botos was promoted to the dual roles permanently.
It was a simple decision for Hamlin superintendent Dr. Randy Burks and the school board, led by Kendon Gruben.
“Damarrius Walker is a very talented young man,” Sweetwater coach Brian Hodnett said. “There isn’t much in track and field that he can’t do!
“We as a staff are excited to see how far he can go this year.”
So is the rest of the area as our Big Country Preps Player of the Week collects the award after scoring 44 points individually at the Hamlin Pied Piper Relays last week.
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: Haskell-Hamlin softball (27 images)”
HAMLIN — In the aftermath of Hamlin’s 10-6 win over area rival Haskell in Friday’s District 7-2A softball opener, dissecting what had just taken place was an exercise in answering a key question.
Yes, the Lady Pipers won, propelled by an eight-run second inning, a solid pitching effort from Zoe Moore and home runs by Samantha Gonzalez and Roxanne Rivera. But what if Haskell (11-8-1, 0-1) doesn’t hit into four inning-killing double plays?
The answer is that Friday’s matchup could have taken a much different turn at several key points, but Hamlin (14-4, 1-0) was the club that executed at every one of them.
“It’s frustrating, but I think they realize where we can improve and the things we need to work on in order to win a game like this,” Haskell coach Emily Dyes said. “We’ve got some good hitters, but we’ve got to get better defensively and minimize our errors every game.”
HAMLIN — In 2022, the Hamlin softball team enjoyed what was arguably its best season ever, finishing the year with a 24-7 mark and a loss to Stamford in the Region I-2A championship game.
The Lady Pipers finished one win away from the first state tournament trip in program history. Understandably, that is a focal point in 2023, and nowhere is that more evident in than in the battery combo of pitcher Zoe Moore and catcher Emily Duniven — a pair of college-bound seniors facing their final opportunity to leave their mark on a burgeoning program.
Hamlin football coach and athletic director Chris Evans announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down from his post after a two-year stint in which a rebuild of the Pied Pipers program began.
Evans went 5-5 in 2022 after a winless campaign in his first season. He is 38-31 in six years as a head coach between Hamlin and Wheeler.
“I’ve enjoyed my time here and wish nothing but the best for them,” Evans said.
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.
While Hawley’s Kason O’Shields is better known for his prowess on a football field, the HHS senior is actually a remarkable all-around athlete who is capable of having an impact in a variety of different sports.
This week is a prime example of that, as O’Shields takes our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending February 18.
CISCO — With very young, inexperienced Hamlin basketball teams coming to town on Friday, the Cisco girls and boys took advantage of the opportunity to strengthen their positions in District 10-2A with a pair of lopsided wins.
The Lady Loboes opened the evening with a 67-20 win over HHS, after which the Cisco boys handed the young Pied Pipers a 90-25 blowout in Game 2 of a varsity doubleheader.
