Category: Hamlin Pied Pipers

2025 All-Big Country Preps Softball Team: Second-team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our second-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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2025 Big Country Preps Rising Stars Softball Team

Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2025 All-Big Country Preps Softball teams. 

Here, you will find our Rising Stars Team honoring the top freshmen and sophomores in the Big Country.

For the rest of this year’s softball selections, please click the links below.

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2025 COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Hamlin Pied Pipers … 42 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. 20. 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. 4, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2025 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.

Today, we take a look at the Hamlin Pied Pipers.

 

GAME STORY: Gordon rallies past Hamlin in Game to complete sweep, earn first trip to Round Rock

ABILENE — After routing Hamlin 14-1 in the opener of its Class 1A state semifinal series on Thursday in Graham, the Gordon baseball team faced a much stiffer test from the Pied Pipers on Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Bullock Brothers Ballpark.

But despite trailing 6-3 after 3½ innings in Game 2, the Longhorns proved up to the challenge, rallying for a 9-6 win to complete a series sweep and lock up their first state championship game appearance in program history.

GHS, which saw a five-run Hamlin second erase an early 2-0 lead, plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth to pull within a run at 6-5, before exploding for four runs in the fifth for what proved to be the game-winning rally.

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GAME STORY: Botos homer, patient offense, pitching staff help Hamlin rally to oust Ira

EULA — When Hamlin senior first baseman Jantz Botos stepped to the plate just before 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, he didn’t know that with one swing of the bat he would trigger another five hours of baseball at Pirate Field.

With two outs in the fifth inning, the left-handed Botos, who had never homered in his career, was trying to hit a ball into the gap with the Pied Pipers trailing Ira 2-1 in Game 2 of their Region I-1A semifinal.

The senior swatted a 1-2 pitch from Brandt Cox for a three-run home run to left, propelling Hamlin to an 8-4 win in Game 2 before the Pipers outlasted Ira 15-11 in eight innings in Game 3.

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GAME STORY: Ira rallies in seventh to take Game 1 from Hamlin, 5-1

EULA — Leading Ira 1-0 with one out in the top of the seventh, the Hamlin Pied Pipers found themselves in position to grab a leg up on the defending state champs in the opener of their best-of-three Region I-1A semifinals series on Thursday.

But the Bulldogs turned a rare Hamlin error into a five-run rally against Ian Gruben, spoiling a stellar start for the Pied Piper right-hander in a 5-1 win.

The rally made a winner out of Ira ace Jeren Pena, who spun a gem himself, and put coach Toby Goodwin’s squad (24-1) in position to play for a sweep when the series resumes at 1 p.m. Saturday back at the Eula baseball field.

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GAME STORY: Hamlin advances to region semifinals with dominant effort against Westbrook

ABILENE — The Hamlin baseball team cruised through the area round Friday, scoring a pair of run-rule wins over Westbrook at Abilene Christian Schools’ Hudson Wade Memorial Field to earn a date next week with either Ira or May.

Behind strong pitching performances by Ian Gruben and Isaiah Hutchings and a steady barrage of offense, the Pied Pipers downed the Wildcats 14-0 and 12-2 to claim their spot in the Region I-1A semifinals.

The victories improved HHS to 17-2 on the year, while Westbrook saw its season end at 7-10.

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AREA BASEBALL STAT LEADERS (Final stat report for 2025)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through May 1.

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. 

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GAME STORY: Damron’s bat propels Eula to series-clinching win over Hamlin

Emma Damron finished a double shy of hitting for the cycle and had a walk-off three-run inside-the-park home run as Eula finished off a two-game sweep of Hamlin with a 15-4 win at ACU’s Poly Wells Field on Friday night.

Damron tripled in the first inning and had an RBI single in the fourth before ending the game in the fifth inning.

She also earned the praise of coach Jayton Thompson for the work she did behind the plate, catching Macy Flatt, who made her first career postseason start in Eula’s 22-3 win in the series opener.

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Final Area Softball Stat Leaders (through April 24)

Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 24:

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. 

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Area Baseball Stat Leaders (through April 24)

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 24.

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. 

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Jones takes the award with spectacular effort at area meet

The best way to describe the area meet performance of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week (Wall’s Briggs Jones) is to simply let his coach, Craig Slaughter do the talking. 

“He ran a blistering 10.41 to set a school record and win the 100 meters,” Slaughter said. “He broke his long jump record with a jump of 23-11.5. I only let him jump twice because he was running out of room in the pit and I need that dude cranked up this week.

“Then he destroyed his triple jump record with a jump of 48-7.25

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Briggs Jones takes the top spot

After nursing a sore back which prevented him from jumping for a few weeks, Wall senior Briggs Jones made a return to the stage in a big way last week. 

Competing in Wall’s very own Cotton Patch Relays, Jones took five gold medals, winning the long jump, triple jump, 100 meters, 200 meters and yet another with the 800 relay team. 

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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.

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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. 

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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. 

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde hurler takes this week’s award

Clyde softball has been overdue for landing a Big Country Preps Player of the Week award and senior pitcher Kaycee Bingham has just ended the drought. 

The Lady Bulldogs have been posting big numbers on a weekly basis, falling just short of the top spot. But Bingham has landed the spotlight with a 26-0 mercy rule perfect game win over San Angelo Grape Creek last week. She followed that with a three-hit 11-0 shutout of Merkel. 

Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde hurler takes this week’s award”

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. 

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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. 

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GAME STORY: Big third quarter fuels Hamlin to thrilling 50-48 win over Eula in area round

MERKEL — The Hamlin boys basketball team trailed 27-14 at halftime and was outscored in three of the four quarters Thursday in its Region II-1A area-round matchup with Eula. But a huge third period was enough to lift the Pied Pipers to a thrilling 50-48 victory over the Pirates at Badger Gym.

Coming out of the break on a mission, coach Christopher Harvey’s squad needed less than two minutes to erase the 13-point gap. And after pulling ahead by as many as nine points (39-30 with 2:31 remaining in the third quarter), HHS took a 39-34 lead into the final period.

Eula, which trailed by eight on two occasions in the fourth quarter, rallied to tie the game twice in the final two minutes — the last time with just under 40 seconds remaining. But a putback layup by Kyson McGee with about four seconds to play allowed the Pipers to escape with the hard-fought win and earn a region semifinal matchup with the winner of Friday’s contest between Garden City and Rankin.

Continue reading “GAME STORY: Big third quarter fuels Hamlin to thrilling 50-48 win over Eula in area round”

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. 

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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. 

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GAME STORY: Hamlin rallies past Knox City for first playoff win in over a decade

STAMFORD — In 2012, London hosted the Summer Olympics for the third time, NASA landed a rover on Mars and Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Diamond Jubilee.

It was also the last time the Hamlin girls basketball team had won a playoff game — prior to the Lady Pipers rallying in the fourth quarter for a 43-32 win over Knox City on Monday at Bulldog Gymnasium in a Region II-1A Division I bi-district matchup.

It was freshman Kinzlee Gruben’s 3-pointer off a turnover with 27 seconds left in the third quarter, with Hamlin down 28-24, that got the rally started.

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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. 

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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. 

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hoops

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. 

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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. 

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Hoops

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. 

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BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gorman junior takes this week’s accolade

Back-to-back double-doubles in two dominating efforts were enough to give Gorman junior Delila Crain our Big Country Player of the Week for the week ending Saturday, Jan. 18. 

Opening the week with an 83-7 rout of Bluff Dale, Crain posted 30 points and 10 boards to go with five assists, five deflections, six steals and four blocks. 

She followed that with 21 points, 12 boards, five deflections, four assists and three steals in a 58-27 win over Huckabay.

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