Category: Haskell Indians

by Evan Ren

2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Rising Stars Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the area!

Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Rising Stars Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the area!

Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall junior has huge day in San Angelo to capture our award

Wall junior Briggs Jones may be on the verge of a major breakout season in area track and field. 

Our Big Country Player of the Week not only won five medals at the coveted Angelo State Spring Break meet, but he broke two solo school records and helped break a third. It seldom gets much better than that. 

Aside from setting school marks in the long jump at 23-9.5 (for gold) and the triple jump at 45-2 (for gold), Jones was part of the 800 relay team’s silver medal performance of 1:28.49 — another Wall school mark. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 25): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 25.

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 25): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 25.

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2023 True Grit Team: The toughest, hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Most high school football teams have that one player acknowledged by the coaching staff as the prime example of what a teammate should be. 

He’s the guy who seldom misses any practice time and is a regular in the weight room. He’s early to arrive. He’s late to leave and takes pride in being coachable, though he seldom needs direction. 

He always sets the right example for younger players. He doesn’t complain and above all else, he’s tough enough to make all the aforementioned traits consistently possible. 

Know someone like that? Here is where they are honored. 

Welcome to Big Country Preps’ “True Grit” team — a collection of area players nominated by their head coaches and Big Country Preps staff, who exemplify the character traits football mentors want throughout their roster. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 11): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 11.

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 11): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks

Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 11.

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

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Buck Powell
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Hico’s Powell takes this week’s accolade

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. 

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by Evan Ren

2023 BIG COUNTRY PREPS BOYS BASKETBALL PREVIEW: The area’s top teams in each class throughout the BCP coverage area

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.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Wylie, Cooper clash in burgeoning rivalry game

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. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 31)

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.

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 10 REPORT: Windthorst locks up district title; Haskell clinches No. 3 seed; Archer dominates Petrolia

Windthorst 54, Seymour 22 — The Trojans (7-2, 5-0) clinched the district title with a lopsided win over second-place Seymour. 

Brock Belcher threw for 137 yards, rushed for 127 and accounted for four TDs to lift Windthorst, which blew the game open with a 32-14 second half. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Bulldogs, Bearcats meet with district title in the balance

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. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 24)

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.

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II Week 9 Report: Windthorst escapes upset bid by Archer City; Munday, Haskell both fall

Windthorst 28, Archer City 27 — The Trojans (6-2, 4-0) escaped a major upset behind quarterback Brock Belcher, who threw for 201 yards, rushed for 156 and accounted for all four WHS TDs.

Archer City produced a surprising 386 yards against their heavily favored opponent, including 195 yards rushing. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Stephenville hosts China Spring (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

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. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. I WEEK 8 REPORT: Haskell outlasts Archer City; Seymour, Windthorst keep rolling

Haskell 34, Archer City 33 — In a wild game featuring four lead changes, the Indians (3-4, 3-1) scored an important win over Archer City to remain in contention for a high playoff seed. 

Haegen Pinkerton rushed for 104 yards and two scores and Trevor Henry added 100 yards rushing and another score to lift Haskell. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Hico hosts Dawson with high playoff seeds in the balance (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

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.

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II Week 7 Report: Haskell wins second straight; Archer City, Windthorst victorious

Haskell 39, Munday 0 — Haegen Pinkerton rushed for 169 yards and two scores and threw for 79 yards and another score to help Haskell (2-4, 2-1) to a win over Munday.

The Indians remained in the playoff hunt with the victory and will host Archer City (3-2, 1-1) in a crucial district game next week. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS NOTEBOOK: Mentioned tonight …Roscoe, Brock, Haskell and Stamford

Jake Freeman

ROSCOE — At first glance, the Roscoe Plowboys of 2023 may leave you short of being awestruck.

They’re 4-1 against good overall competition. But with the exception of a lopsided win over Colorado City in Week 1, nothing really leaps off the page. 

There are, however, two factors here to consider: First, the Plowboys have been without starting quarterback Jax Watts since a Week 1 injury. And secondly, their last four games have all been decided by two scores or less and they’ve managed to win three of them under tough circumstances.

That’s a good sign.

Consistently finding a way to win close games is a trait you want to carry into district play. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 6 REPORT: Indians collect first win; Seymour, Electra both victorious

Haskell 27, Petrolia 7 — Former Petrolia coach Mitch McLemore earned a win against his former team behind 141 passing yards from Haegen Pinkerton. 

The Indians (1-4, 1-1) built a 20-0 first-half lead then held off Petrolia for their first win of the season. 

Petrolia (2-4, 1-1) was limited to 172 yards in total offense. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Yellow Jackets head to Brownwood to face archrival

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. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II Week 5 Report: Windthorst too much for Haskell in league opener

Windthorst 47, Haskell 7 — Brock Belcher threw for 230 yards and four scores to lead the Trojans to a big win over the Indians in the district opener for both clubs. 

Kasen Wiles was the top target of Belcher’s, hauling in eight passes for 148 yards as Windthorst improved to 3-1. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater plays host to Clyde in battle of unbeatens

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. 

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by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 4 REPORT: Seymour back to its winning ways; Haskell, Munday fall

Seymour 75, Quanah 18 — Coming off a lopsided loss to Albany, Seymour got back on the winning track with a blowout of Quanah. 

Brayden Loyd threw for 317 yards and six touchdowns to lead Seymour (3-1), which rushed for 221 yards as a team using six ball carriers. 

Continue reading “DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 4 REPORT: Seymour back to its winning ways; Haskell, Munday fall” →

by Evan Ren

DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 1 REPORT: Seymour wins big at Anson

Seymour 40, Anson 14 — Brayden Loyd hit 17 of 23 passes for 324 yards and five touchdowns to lead Seymour to a win at Anson. 

The Panthers also rushed for 62 yards and an additional score. 

Anson (0-1) got most of its production on the ground, rushing for 222 yards as a team behind six different ball carriers. 

Continue reading “DISTRICT 7-2A DIV. II WEEK 1 REPORT: Seymour wins big at Anson” →

by Evan Ren

HASKELL FEATURE: McLemore continues to hear positives in battle with cancer

HASKELL — In December of 2021, Haskell head football coach Mitch McLemore was given what amounted a death sentence. 

Diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer, which has an expected five-year survival rate of less than six percent, the prognosis handed down from his doctors was terminal. 

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by Evan Ren

2023 HASKELL FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Indians counting on large O-line to push them through to playoffs

 

HASKELL — Three years into his tenure at Haskell, coach Mitch McLemore has had a mixed amount of success and disappointments thus far with the Indians.

But at the of the day, however, both of is first two seasons at HHS have produced a postseason berth and a measure of competitive consistency. 

This year, with five starters back on both sides of the ball, 20 lettermen and a roster expected to be around 30 deep, there is hope in the Haskell camp that the Indians can continue their trend of competitive football and perhaps even improve on it. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Haskell Indians … 36 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. 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 Haskell Indians. On Monday we will take a look at the Santo Wildcats, followed by the Hico Tigers on Tuesday.

Continue reading “COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Haskell Indians … 36 days to two-a-days” →

by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Stamford girls claim share of Class 2A team title

AUSTIN — After a slow start in the field events on Friday saw the Big Country net just four medals, things heated up in the evening session when the track events got rolling.

Big Country athletes picked up 10 medals under the lights at Mike A. Meyers Stadium at the University of Texas, giving the area 14 for the day.

On top of that, the Stamford girls team finished in a three-way tie with Refugio and Panhandle with 32 points to claim a share of the state championship. Goldthwaite’s girls finished three points back in fourth.

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION II-2A TRACK RECAP: Albany, Cisco go 1-2 in boys race; Stamford shares girls title

SPRINGTOWN — Big Country athletes made a big showing at the Region II-2A track meet, collecting a combined 37 medals and clinching 28 state berths over the two-day event at Porcupine Stadium.

 Along the way, Albany and Cisco went 1-2 in the boys team race, while Stamford shared the girls team title with Era and Hamilton.

The Albany Lions had the highest point total of any program, boys or girls, collecting five medals on the way to 70 points, while the Cisco boys followed closely behind with 67 points. Stamford finished third in the boys team race with 64 points,  while the girls earned 56 points to finish in a three-way tie atop the team standings.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Haskell, Cisco split first two games of bi-district series

ANSON — The first two games of the Region I-2A bi-district softball matchup between Cisco and Haskell were anything but pretty.

Over the course of five hours, the two teams combined for 29 runs, 32 hits and 27 errors as they split the first two games of the best-of-three series at Anson on Thursday night.

Haskell took the opening game 8-7 in eight innings before the Lady Loboes bounced back with a 14-0 win in the second game.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Phillips takes yet another Player of the Week award

Clyde’s Payton Phillips is no stranger to our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. She’s no stranger to gold medals either. 

And for the third time since last year, the CHS senior has captured our weekly accolade — this time with an armful of hardware. 

In her latest performance, Phillips won four separate district championships and took silver in a fifth at the District 6-3A track meet. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Albany’s Chapmans share this week’s award

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.” 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Bangs southpaw takes this week’s accolade

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. 

Missing a perfect game by one hit batsman in a 7-0 win over Coleman, she followed that with three perfect innings in a 15-0 route of Christoval. 

In other words, Wolf tossed nine complete hitless innings last week, along the way walking none and fanning 13. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater senior captures five medals and our award

“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. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Hamlin holds off Haskell with homers, big defensive plays

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.” 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Anson, Haskell split varsity doubleheader at AHS

ANSON — Two of the Big Country’s oldest rivals clashed on Friday when Haskell paid a visit to Anson, resulting in a split of a District 10-2A girls-boys varsity doubleheader. 

The Haskell girls took the opener with a come-from-behind 50-41 win, after which the Anson boys earned a measure of payback, dropping Haskell 36-26 in the nightcap.

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