Hawley 32, Anson 26 — Aiden Romo threw for 214 yards and four scores to lead Hawley (4-2, 1-0) to a huge win over previously unbeaten Anson in the district opener for both clubs.
Hunter Teichelman led Anson (5-1, 0-1) with 314 yards passing and two scores.
Anson will face Stamford (3-3, 0-1) in a crucial matchup next Friday; Hawley will travel to Olney on the same evening.
The season’s midpoint usually offers little in the way of big-time performances, with most of the area teams taking a bye week prior to the opening of district play.
This year was an exception.
Haskell junior quarterback Haegan Pinkerton delivered an astonishing effort in last week’s 56-42 win over Seymour, that could have taken our weekly accolade at any given point in the season.
Olney 33, Crosbyton 0 — The Cubs (2-3) were the lone districts member to hit the field on Friday and came away with a win over struggling Crosbyton.
Tucker Cortinez threw for 343 yards and four scores to lead the Cubs.
The victory was the second in succession for Olney, which travels to Abilene TLCA next Friday.
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-Albany volleyball (55 images)”
ALBANY — Even after losing in straight sets, Albany volleyball coach MJ Reneau was encouraged by how her team performed against No. 7 Hawley at home on Tuesday night.
Hawley claimed a 25-17, 25-23, 25-19 win in the District 6-2A matchup to move to 2-0 in district play while the Lady Lions fell to 1-1.
After the match, Reneau said the final score didn’t indicate how close the two squads are, especially the opening set, which saw Hawley go on a 12-3 run.
As it turned out, the best game in the Big Country last week was Clyde’s dramatic 54-49 win over Muleshoe in the top shootout the area has seen thus far in 2025.
At the heart of all that mayhem was our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, CHS junior quarterback Devan Wright.
Cisco 65, Frenship Memorial 13 — The Loboes rolled up 500 yards in total offense including 321 on the ground in a lopsided win over Memorial.
Noah Hernandez rushed for 108 yards and one score on four carries and Colby Mcilroy threw for 179 yards and three scores to led Cisco (4-1), which charted its fourth straight win.
Memorial dropped to 3-2.
DE LEON — Both schools have Bearcat mascots. Both wear maroon and both entered Friday’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week with 2-1 records.
The similarities, however, ended there.
De Leon dominated their guests from Hawley in a 52-34 win that saw DHS substitute liberally after building a 44-14 lead through three quarters.
LAST WEEK: 54-17, .760
SEASON TOTAL: 161-46, .777
Not all weeks are created equal in high school football, and this week is a good example of it.
There are at least 5-10 games that could easily fit as our Big Country Preps Game of the Week. But at the end of the day, you have to submit your choices and move on.
Our top choice: Hawley (2-1) taking on De Leon (2-1) in a matchup between two clubs that are capable of deep playoff runs.
Since losing their season opener to Peaster (34-0), the Tolar Rattlers (2-1) have not only managed to improve, but they’re rapidly gaining momentum to go with that progress.
Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Briton Rice, is a part of that, having thrown for 197 yards and four scores in last week’s 42-18 win over Millsap. This, after missing a week with an injury.
Hawley 51, Merkel 34 — This was projected to be a shootout and those in attendance were treated to exactly that.
Jesse Nieto threw for 249 yards and five TDs to lift Hawley (2-1), which held off the Badgers after building a 37-13 third-quarter lead. Brycen
Stofel was another key contributor for Hawley with 170 yards rushing on 20 carries.
Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week is seldom an easy choice and this week was no exception. But Big Spring senior quarterback Marcus Rios had the numbers to snag the top spot in a brilliant performance against Lubbock High on Friday.
Rios hit 11 of 19 throws for 261 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-27 win. But that’s just the beginning.
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-Albany football (36 images)”
Stamford 33, De Leon 20 — Trailing 20-14 at the end of three quarters, Stamford rallied with 19 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to beat the Bearcats.
Mason Mueller threw for 213 yards and two scores and Brayden Jimenez rushed for 121 yards and another TD to lead the Bulldogs (1-1).
Heston Jobe led De Leon (1-1) with 140 yards passing; Lane Couch rushed for 118 and two scores.
ALBANY — If it’s raining in the Big Country during football season, two things are a virtual guarantee: the West Texas Fair & Rodeo is in Abilene and Albany is scheduled to play Hawley.
For the first time in four meetings, the Lions and Bearcats were able to play at their scheduled location as Albany took a 21-7 win on Friday night at Faith Field at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium. The previous three seasons had seen the game played twice at Hardin-Simmons University’s Shelton Stadium and once at Wylie’s Hugh Sandifer Stadium.
The latest matchup was a defensive slugfest that saw the Lions knock off Hawley for the second time in three years despite the fact that the Bearcats have dominated the series since 2018.
Photo provided by Randy Day
Milestones catch our eye when selecting our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, as do great weekly performances. But when both occur at the same time, you can rest assured that player will be in the running for the top spot.
This week the spotlight goes to Comanche senior outside hitter J’Lee Salinas, who not only helped the Maidens to the Heart of Texas Tournament Championship in Brownwood, but she also hit the 500-kill milestone in process.
Anson 49, Hamlin 6 — The Tigers rolled up 431 yards in total offense, including 377 yards through the air to hand Hamlin a lopsided loss.
Grayson Feagan was the top gun for Anson, throwing for 349 yards and five scores. Alexander Lozano and Malachi St. John were his top targets. Lozano finished with three catches for 106 yards and two touchdowns while St. John had nine catches for 99 yards and two more scores.
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-Winters football scrimmage (56 images)”
Got the truck started yet?
Ready to jump on one of those farm-to-market roads to watch high school football into the late hours on a Friday night?
You’re not alone.
And, as tradition would have it, I tip my cap to those of you who will be hitting the trails each week in search of pigskin. My method: a preseason menu of sorts.
Each week for the next 11 weeks, Big Country Preps will be searching for its Game of the Week, and we’re already looking ahead. We now present our preliminary list of Big Country Games worth traveling for, but keep in mind: the following list is subject to change as surprises and disappointments emerge.
And as we all know … surprises and disappointments always emerge.
So, without further delay, here is our list of Big Country games worth traveling for in 2025.
I’ll see you on the road.
HAWLEY — Hawley junior Camden Ables has always been a bit ahead of the learning curve since he arrived on campus as a freshman two years ago. He was older than most people in his class, he was the son of a coach (Hawley’s Mitch Ables) and he had the physical tools of an upper classman before playing his first snap.
Not surprisingly, he started as a freshman and earned All-Big Country Preps honorable mention honors in the process. He was a first-team All-Big Country Preps tight end as a sophomore and was named to our Rising Stars team (area’s top underclassmen) as well.
With all that behind him, Camden still has two years of eligibility left as a 17-year-old junior and the proverbial sky, seems to be the limit. Numerous Division I schools have already got him on their radar screen and there is no telling where it will eventually lead.
He’s grown an inch, gained 15 pounds of muscle and now at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he’s running a 4.7 in the 40-yard dash.
HAWLEY — Hawley coach Mitch Ables is unaccustomed to taking a step back.
Having posted a 118-27 record in his 11 years at HHS, including seven straight seasons with 10 wins or more and a state title in 2022, Ables’ teams have had a knack for reloading.
This season, however, could produce a set of challenges that Hawley hasn’t seen in quite some time. Aside from losing half of their starters to graduation, the Bearcats must find a new quarterback and replace several players who earned All-Big Country Preps honors a year ago.
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 Hawley Bearcats.
OTHER 2025 ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS TEAMS
Our All-Big Country Preps Softball and Baseball Teams, released Saturday and Sunday, respectively, are in place to honor those who achieved the most on-field success in 2025. It is off the field, however, where character, grit, and work ethic are often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team that we wish to honor those players, male and female, who were (simply put) the hardest-working, best teammates in the area this spring.
This team isn’t about who the best baseball and softball players were.
The All-Hustle team honors effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches wish they had in every player and upon which championships are built.
It is for that reason that this team is largely selected by area coaches and described in their own words.
Big Country Preps is now honored to present these individuals to you — the best team players (boys and girls) that the Big Country had to offer during the 2025 season.
The players below are listed in no particular order.
Here are our first-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our second-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps baseball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are proud to release our 2025 All-Big Country Preps baseball 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 baseball selections, please click the links below.
Here are our first-team selections for the 2025 All-Big Country Preps softball team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
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.
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.
As our tradition dictates, we close the books on our Big Country Preps Player of the Week on the first Monday following the UIL State Track and Field Championships in Austin.
And more often than not, our final award of the school year goes to someone who scored big at the state capital.
This year is no exception, with Gordon’s Stryker Reed taking the award after helping GHS win the boys team state championship, setting two individual state records and helping to set a new relay mark in the process.
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-Bangs baseball bi-district playoff (54 images)”
EULA — A day after getting a strong start from Alek Southerland and pounding out 11 hits in a 9-1 win over Bangs to kick off their playoff run, the Hawley Bearcats put together a similar performance Friday afternoon to close out a sweep of the Dragons and advance to the area round of the Region I-2A Division I playoffs.
With Keagan Ables taking the mound for Game 2 of the best-of-three bi-district series, coach Jamie Seago’s team collected 13 hits Friday, scoring four runs in each of the first two innings on their way to an 11-0 run-rule victory.
With the win, which saw Ables pitch around one hit and six walks in 4.1 shutout innings, the defending state finalist Bearcats (16-6-2) earned a date with either Forsan or Christoval next week. Those two teams will close out their bi-district series on Saturday after splitting the first two games.
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.
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: Bangs-Hawley softball bi-district playoff (122 images)”
ABILENE — Less than 24 hours after Bangs opened its Region I-2A Division I bi-district series against Hawley with a decisive 17-7 victory, the Lady Dragons and Lady Cats treated those who returned to the Abilene Christian University campus for the end of the best-of-three affair to a couple of classics Saturday afternoon at Poly Wells Field.
Facing elimination after Friday’s run-rule loss, Hawley answered a two-run Bangs top of the seventh with two runs of its own in the bottom of the inning to walk-off with a 7-6 win in Game 2, before BHS rallied from a 6-4 deficit in the fifth inning to earn a series-clinching 8-7 win in Game 3.
As a result of those outcomes — and 14 nail-biting innings for the fans of both teams — the Lady Dragons (22-7) earned a trip to the area round to take on District 5-2A champion Forsan next week, while Hawley saw its season end in heartbreak at 14-15.
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.
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.
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 vs. Hermleigh playoff warmup game (30 images)”
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
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: Stamford-Hawley baseball (49 images)”
Anson 26, Haskell 8 — Hunter Teichelman threw or 260 yards and two TDs and Levi Diaz rushed for 86 yards and two more scores to lead Anson (4-0).