Category: Haskell Indians

by Evan Ren

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP (Day 2): Vancleave wins discus state title at the last possible moment

How many of you once dreamed of hitting a game-winning homerun or shooting the game-winning shot to win a championship?

Hamlin senior Jenna Vancleave experienced the track and field equivalent of the same dream on Friday in Austin, only she had an even greater sense of urgency.

Not only did Vancleave win the girls 2A discus state title on the final throw of the competition at the state meet, but she did it on what she knew would be the final throw of her career. Her performance shares the spotlight with Wylie’s Kylor Aguilar, who took gold in the boys 5A pole vault. 

“I just came in hoping for the best,” Vancleave said. “It was all in God’s hands.

“I was very nervous. My stomach hurt so bad, but my coaches talked to me and calmed me down. They were like, ‘You’ve just got to throw. Let it loose and relax.’ So I took that advice and and apparently it worked.” 

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Handicapping the boys state track meet.

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. 

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Picking the favorites, dark horses and longshots at the girls state track meet

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. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

UPDATED: Haskell hires McLemore to replace Hodnett

After the departure of Brian Hodnett earlier this month, the Haskell Indians have found their new head football coach and athletic director.

The Indians turned to former Big Spring coach Mitch McLemore, naming him the 30th head coach in school history on Thursday morning.

He looks to build on the success that Hodnett had prior to taking the offensive coordinator position at Sweetwater. Hodnett made three playoff appearances during his tenure in Haskell County. Continue reading “UPDATED: Haskell hires McLemore to replace Hodnett” →

by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde’s Phillips earns this week’s spotlight

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. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION II-2A TRACK RECAP: Haskell girls top Stamford for team title

SPRINGTOWN — The Haskell girls track team made a remarkable showing at the Region I-2A track meet Friday and Saturday at Porcupine Stadium, sweeping all three relays to run away with the team title.

The Maidens finished with 106 points to top second-place Stamford by 26 points, headlining an outstanding weekend for Big Country athletes and teams.

In all, area competitors accounted for 33 total metals and 26 state berths, with the bulk of those coming on the girls side of things. Big Country girls claimed 10 gold medals and eight silvers out of their 23 total medals.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Hawley softball starts quick in run-rule win over Haskell

HAWLEY — The Hawley softball team used a dominant pitching performance by ShayLynn Bailey and clutch hitting throughout the lineup to take an 11-1 win in five innings over Haskell on Friday afternoon.

Bailey had a complete game in the circle and added RBIs on a double and triple as the freshman had a strong outing and fed off the defense behind her.

She allowed just four hits and struck out five without walking anyone.

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2021 Gym Rat Team: The toughest, hardest-working teammates 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 2020-21 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.

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by Evan Ren

PHOTO GALLERY: Haskell-Cisco girls basketball region quarterfinal playoff (92 images)

Photos may be purchased for $7 each by clicking on the small shopping cart emblem below the lower right corner of the gallery. The “BigCountryPreps.com” watermark will be removed from all purchased photos.

LINK … GAME STORY: Cisco stuns heavily favored Haskell, advances to regional semfinals

LINK…CAPITAL FARM CREDIT WEDNESDAY NIGHT PODCAST: Cisco’s Kevin Hearne joins the show 

by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Cisco stuns heavily favored Haskell, advances to regional tournament

TUSCOLA — Having already suffered a pair of sound defeats (65-46 and 59-49)  at the hands of Haskell in district play, the Cisco girls basketball team approached Tuesday’s regional quarterfinal with the Maidens without a hint of pressure.

All the stress, as it turned out, was on heavily favored Haskell, which suffered one of its worst shooting nights of the year in a stunning 44-41 upset loss to Cisco at Bill Thornton Arena. 

Braley Brunson scored 12 points and Justice Fox added 10 more to lead the unranked Lady Loboes (17-8), who gradually build a 17-point lead by the end of the third quarter before absorbing a furious Haskell rally in the fourth. 

No. 13 Haskell closed its season at 20-5, led by Delaney Hanson’s game-high 22 points. Savannah Camancho added seven more for the Maidens, which saw multiple shots from point-blank range fail to find the target with the help of some interior defense by the Lady Loboes. 

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