Category: Local football

by Daniel Youngblood

SIGNING DAY: Abilene High’s Neves, Carrillo and Paul headed to McMurry

A trio of Abilene High athletes announced their college decisions on Tuesday as Bryce Neves, Jadrian Carrillo and Beckham Paul made their commitments to McMurry University official during a Signing Day ceremony at the Chuck Moser Fieldhouse.

Neves and Carrillo, both linebackers, committed to play for the War Hawks football team, while Paul, a standout safety in the fall and center fielder in the spring, will continue his career in baseball.

The trio’s signing ceremony capped a strong athletic year for Abilene High, which had nine athletes sign letters of intent to compete collegiately in February.

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by Evan Ren

SIGNING DAY 2024: Multiple area athletes have now inked their commitments

With National Signing Day taking place on Wednesday, the Big Country, as always, saw a large number of athletes finalize their commitments to compete at the next level. 

Headliners among this year’s signees include Albany running back Adam HIll and Hawley receiver Chandlin Myers, both of whom signed early with Texas Tech University. 

Stephenville offensive lineman Creece Brister (TCU) and Comanche defensive back Kyler Beaty (Baylor) also inked their letters early. They’re joined Brock offensive/defensive lineman Hunter Fay (Navy) and standout hurdler Dylan Foster (Army) as the top signees in the Big Country Preps coverage area.

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: Why do coaches even bother?

If I were to ask one question of every high school coach in America – just one – it would be … why bother?

Yes … why bother?

While that may sound vague to some, it will quickly make sense to coaches and to those who have been paying attention.

Put simply, a once-thankless profession has sunk even lower than that (if that’s possible) – making me wonder if it’s worth the effort.

Continue reading “EVAN REN: Why do coaches even bother?” →

by Daniel Youngblood

UIL REALIGNMENT: Local football teams spared surprises on ‘uneventful’ realignment day

While the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment offered surprises for many coaches across the state, Abilene’s local football mentors were spared any real suspense when they opened their packets containing new districts for the next two school years.

When the news became official at 9 a.m. Thursday, Abilene High’s Mike Fullen, Cooper’s Aaron Roan and Wylie’s Clay Martin found their schools where they expected to in the Region I landscape.

Fullen’s Eagles will once again be in District 2-5A Division I, sharing a league with familiar opponents Amarillo High, Amarillo Caprock, Amarillo Tascosa, Lubbock Coronado and Lubbock Monterey, while adding a lone newcomer in Lubbock High. Cooper and Wylie, meanwhile, will be in District 2-5A DII with Amarillo Palo Duro, Lubbock Cooper, Plainview and new Wichita Falls ISD schools Legacy and Memorial.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

UIL REALIGNMENT: Coaches have different paths to filling out football schedules

When it comes to building a football schedule, it’s often about making the pieces fit one’s unique situation. That can be a challenge, given that some coaches’ phones never stop ringing while others can’t get anyone to look them in the eye.

This Tetris game is played every other year during the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment, and the 2024 version was no different.

Coaches such as Craig Slaughter (Wall) and Russell Lucas (Sweetwater) may have a more difficult time getting colleagues to answer their phones because of the talent in their programs, while coaches on the down side of a talent cycle might have to put their devices in “Do Not Disturb” mode just to get them to quit ringing.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Wylie to split roles of athletic director and head football coach

A move that has been discussed as a possibility for several years became official on Friday afternoon as Wylie announced  it would be splitting the jobs of athletic director and head football coach into separate roles.

Clay Martin, who has served WISD in both capacities since 2020, was the one who went to the district and suggested it was time, Wylie Superintendent Joey Light said.

Light said Martin was given an option of which job to fulfill moving forward and the veteran coach chose to remain on the sidelines.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS RISING STARS TEAM: The top football under classmen in the Big Country for 2023

Here are our selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps Rising Stars Team — an honor reserved for the area’s top freshman and sophomore football players. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel vs. Twitter Polls (Week 17)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games and select six-man games, in addition to the results of Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week.

Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

REALIGNMENT CENTRAL: UIL releases cutoffs for 2024-25 school years

In order to account for new schools opening and in keeping the different classifications as balanced and competitive as possible, the University Interscholastic League goes through a realignment every other year.

It’s one of the highlights of what’s typically a slow football offseason, but it got underway in October with Snapshot Day prior to taking the next step on Tuesday with the disclosure of enrollments for each of the state’s classifications from 1A through 6A.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel vs. Twitter Polls (Week 16)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games and select six-man games, in addition to the results of Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week.

Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Abilene High can’t overcome slow start in region finals loss to Aledo

STEPHENVILLE — Abilene High’s most successful football season in more than a decade came to an end Friday with a 56-21 loss to top-ranked Aledo in the Region I-5A Division I final.

A disastrous start saw the Eagles fall behind 28-0 after a quarter. And following a successful second period, during which coach Mike Fullen’s squad was able to narrow the deficit to 28-14 by halftime, Abilene High ran out of gas against a Bearcats squad in search of second consecutive state title and 12th in program history.

The loss forced Abilene High, which was outgained 527-210 and limited to just a single yard on the ground, to end its season at 11-3. But the run to the fourth round of the playoffs marked the Eagles’ deepest since 2011 and the 11 wins tied the program’s most since 2012.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Blue-collar Abilene High program comfortable, content in underdog role

When Abilene High takes the field for its Region I-5A Division I final against Aledo on Friday at Tarleton Memorial Stadium, the Eagles will do so as the clear underdog.

Unbeaten at 13-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state in their classification, the Bearcats are the favorite to return to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, where they won their most recent of 11 state championships last fall.

But if you think the Eagles will be uncomfortable in a challenger role or intimidated playing a state power, you don’t know enough about the AHS program. During a 25-year run that has seen Abilene High reach the playoffs 21 times, achieve double digit wins on 11 occasions and claim a state title of its own in 2009, the Eagles have built a well-earned reputation as a giant killer.

And they’re all too happy to put their own tradition on the line this week in Stephenville.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel vs. Twitter Polls (Week 15)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games and select six-man games, in addition to the results of Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week.

Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville’s Butchee takes the top spot

We freely admit that more offensive players take our Big Country Preps Player of the Week than do defenders. 

But a great defensive performance can, indeed, take the top spot and that is the case with this week’s award winner: Stephenville sophomore linebacker, Hudson Butchee. 

With the Yellow Jackets squaring off with perennial power Celina in the Region II-4A DI semifinals, Butchee played like a man possessed in a 7-3 Stephenville win. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Fast start, clutch defense fuel Abilene High past Justin Northwest, into fourth round

WICHITA FALLS — A fast start offensively and a clutch defensive performance throughout were all Abilene High needed Friday to down Justin Northwest 27-16 and advance to the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

AHS raced out to a 14-0 lead after a quarter, took a 20-7 advantage into halftime and never trailed the rest of the way despite frequent challenges by the Texans offense in the second half.

The Eagles, who turned Northwest away in the red zone twice in the third quarter, allowed just one second-half touchdown despite spending most of the final two periods on their own end of the field. That allowed the offense, which finished four of their five first-half possessions with points, to put the game away with their only scoring drive of the second half late in the fourth quarter.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel vs. Twitter Polls (Week 14)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games and select six-man games, in addition to the results of Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week.

Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Cooper can’t keep up with Colleyville Heritage in area-round loss

MANSFIELD — The Cooper football team couldn’t keep pace with Colleyville Heritage in its Region I-5A Division II area-round matchup Friday, falling behind early and never recovering in a 55-21 loss at Newsom Field.

The Panthers raced out to 14-0 lead less than eight minutes into the game and increased their advantage to 35-7 by halftime, putting the game out of reach before the start of the third quarter.

Trailing 52-7 early in the fourth quarter, the Cougars added a pair of late touchdowns before seeing their season end at 5-7.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Argyle too much for Wylie to handle in 49-14 area-round victory

STEPHENVILLE — The Argyle Eagles ended Wylie’s football season for the second year in a row, controlling all phases of the game in a 49-14 area-round victory Friday at Tarleton Memorial Stadium. 

AHS, which defeated Wylie 35-28 in the fourth round last year, held the Bulldogs without a first down until the 7:36 mark of the second quarter in Friday’s rematch. And by the time the Wylie offense finally found some rhythm in its quick passing game, it was in too deep a hole to dig out of.

The Eagles outgained the Bulldogs 482-256 for the game, taking a 28-7 lead into halftime and holding WHS at arm’s length the rest of the way.

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by Yale Youngblood, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Slack, stingy defense fuel Abilene High past Denton Ryan

CROWLEY — Dylan Slack passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns, and a ball-hawking Abilene High defense recovered two fumbles and intercepted a pass to lead the Eagles to a 31-21 win over Denton Ryan on Friday night. As a result, the District 2-5A Division I champions will advance to the third round of the playoffs to face Justin Northwest next Friday in Wichita Falls

The victory improved the Eagles’ record to 10-2. Denton Ryan, which earned second place in District 3-5A Division I, finished its season at 8-3. Additionally, the Raiders failed for the third time to earn a victory in the all-time series, having lost twice previously to Abilene High in regular season games in the early 2000s.

Slack was a big reason why, as the senior quarterback guided the Eagles’ ball-control passing game to help rally AHS from 7-0 and 14-10 first-half deficits. That was no small feat, considering that from the opening whistle to his final-play kneel to cap the win, Slack wasn’t only battling a talented Raiders defense, but a steady drizzle and occasional wind gusts.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Senior linebacker Bryce Neves a ball-seeking missile for Abilene High defense

When Abilene High linebacker Bryce Neves looks back at his junior film, he’s struck by how slow he appears to play. But before one accepts that critique at face value, they should probably be aware of who it’s coming from.

Neves, who was a playmaker for an excellent Eagles defense last season, was playing at a perfectly acceptable speed and level. In fact, it was good enough to earn him a second-team all-district nod out of a strong Class 5A Division I league.

It just didn’t match the bullet train pace at which he’s reading, reacting and playing this year as a senior for the 9-2 Eagles.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Wylie LB Collin Bruning a leader, playmaking force for improved Bulldogs defense

As a quarterback and safety growing up, Wylie senior Collin Bruning has always had a knack for making plays. When he was moved to inside linebacker last year by former Bulldogs defensive coordinator and now Midland Greenwood head coach Bryan Hill, he took that same quality with him to his new position.

After breaking out last year in Hill’s 4-3 scheme, racking up 128 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, two sacks, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception, Bruning is in the midst of an even better season this fall as a senior.

And that playmaking ability that he developed in the offensive and defensive backfield as a young player has served him quite well as he’s helped lead a successful transition to current DC Matt Kates’ 3-4 alignment.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Big Country Preps’ Pick ‘Em Panel vs. Twitter Polls (Week 13)

Each week here at Big Country Preps, we’ll post our picks for all of that week’s 11-man games and select six-man games, in addition to the results of Evan Ren’s Twitter polls for each matchup.

For those interested in voting, polls go up on Monday night each week.

Disagree with our picks or the Twitter consensus? Let us know in the comments section below.

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