Category: Santo Wildcats

by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2022 BCP Baseball/Softball All-Hustle Team: The hardest-working players in the area!

OTHER 2022 ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS TEAMS

Character, grit and work ethic aren’t seen in a box score. And it is with our Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team that we wish to honor those players (male and female) who exemplify those qualities. 

The All-Hustle team isn’t about who the best baseball and softball players were. It honors the best teammates. 

It is here where effort, discipline and coachability — traits that coaches wish they had in every player and upon which championships are built — are honored.

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 2022 baseball and softball seasons.

The players below are listed in no particular order. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Feb. 3)

Each Thursday night, Big Country Preps will publish area boys and girls basketball statistical leaders.

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

Teams that do not submit their statistics in a given week will not be listed when our stats are posted, but will be added to the lists below as they are received in the coming days. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

UIL REALIGNMENT: Going virtual amid winter storm adds stress for area coaches

When the University Interscholastic League held its biennial realignment in February 2020, the world had yet to shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

That would come just over a month later.

While many thought things would be back to normal in time for Thursday’s release, on Wednesday another winter storm from Mother Nature led to an unprecedented challenge: a virtual realignment.

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by Evan Ren

UIL REALIGNMENT: Big Country football landscape will change dramatically

While icy road conditions may have changed the UIL’s method of delivering the news, the results of its biennial realignment still offered the usual mix of surprises on Thursday. 

Held via live feed over the internet, area coaches learned their fate on the web. 

Topping the list of stunners for area teams would be the shift of Brownwood from its centralized home in District 5-4A DI to the far west in District 2.  There, the Lions will join Big Spring, Lubbock Estacado, San Angelo Lake View and Andrews — the last of which will produce a 480-mile round trip.

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by Evan Ren

SIGNING DAY: Eakin, Jones among several high-profile area signees

What appeared to be a slow year for the Big Country on the signing front quickly blossomed into something memorable in 2022. 

With National Signing Day taking place on Wednesday, the Big Country Preps coverage area finished with multiple Division I signees, including several on the gridiron. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 20)

Each Thursday night, Big Country Preps will publish area boys and girls basketball statistical leaders.

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

Teams that do not submit their statistics in a given week will not be listed when our stats are posted, but will be added to the lists below as they are received in the coming days. 

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by Evan Ren

Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 20)

Each Thursday night, Big Country Preps will publish area boys and girls basketball statistical leaders.

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

Teams that do not submit their statistics in a given week will not be listed when our stats are posted, but will be added to the lists below as they are received in the coming days. 

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN’S 2021 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, takes pride in being coachable but seldom needs direction. 

He always sets the right example for younger players. He doesn’t gripe and, above all else, he’s tough enough to make all the aforementioned traits 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, who exemplify the character traits football mentors want throughout their roster. 

Not all of them are great players. In fact, many of them will never play a down of college football. But every single one of them is making the most of their high school football experience and has helped those around them do the same.

We are absolutely honored to present these young men to you — the toughest, hardest-working football players the Big Country had to offer in 2021. 

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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN’S WEEK 14 PLAYOFF FORECAST: 16 area teams still battling for regional titles

LAST WEEK: 17-4, .809
SEASON TOTAL: 487-105, .823

Some areas have quantity. Others have quality. The Big Country has both — at least, this year it does. 

Entering Week 14 there are no fewer than 16 area teams with a shot at reaching December. And with six of them paired off against each other, the Big Country is guaranteed to have at least three survivors a week from now. 

I have a strong feeling we’re going to see more area survivors than that. But we will have some casualties this time around. There’s no avoiding it with the level of competition our teams are facing. 

With 11-man teams reaching the regional semifinal round and six-man teams playing for regional titles, there are nothing but monsters remaining to block the path to Arlington. 

Who will make it through? 

Here’s this week’s forecast: 

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by Evan Ren

Class 2A area round report: A look at all of this week’s 2A area round games involving the Big Country.

DIVISION I

Cisco 69, Panhandle 21 — Hunter Long rushed for 334 yards and three scores as Cisco eliminated Panhandle. 

Trent Huston added 146 yards rushing and three more TDs to help Cisco, which built a 48-7 halftime lead before putting things into cruise control.

The Loboes (10-2) finished with 686 yards in total offense including 664 on the ground. They advance to face New Deal (11-1) in the Region I-2A DI semifinals next week. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Santo runs away from Roscoe in second half, earns trip to third round

CISCO — The Santo football team used a familiar formula to overcome a sluggish start Thursday, rushing for 318 yards to wear down and eventually pull away from Roscoe for a 33-12 area-round win at Chesley Field.

Trailing 6-0 less than three minutes into the game and in danger of falling farther behind after fumbling the ball away on their first possession, the Wildcats used a red zone stop, a touchdown drive and a scoop-and-score to take a 14-6 lead into halftime.

And after the Plowboys pulled within two with a touchdown on their first drive of the second half, Santo (11-1) controlled the ball, the clock and the game the rest of the way to advance to the third round of the playoffs for just the third time in program history.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Boys Basketball Position Rankings: Guards

With boys basketball season beginning this week, it’s time to shine a spotlight on some of the players you’ll be reading about throughout the 2021-22 season.

For the first installment in a three-part series that will cover all positions on the area boys basketball scene, we’ll be taking a look at the Big Country’s top guards, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this winter.

We hope you enjoy reading through our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

Week 8-2A Div. II Week 11 Report: Albany blasts Cross Plains to finish perfect regular season

Albany 61, Cross Plains 3 — The No. 4 Lions piled up 506 yards of total offense in a blowout win over the Buffaloes to close out the regular season at 9-0 overall and 4-0 in district play.

Behind big games from quarterback Cole Chapman (15-22-0—193, 2 TDs passing) and running back Jaheim Newton (14-124, 3 TDs rushing), Albany raced out to a 34-3 halftime lead and cruised from there.

The loss dropped Cross Plains to 5-4 overall and 1-3 in district play.

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by Daniel Youngblood

District 8-2A Div. II Week 10 Report: Hico closes regular season with shutout win over Meridian

Hico 42, Meridian 0 — The Tigers wrapped up the No. 3 playoff seed out of this district with a shutout win over the Yellowjackets.

Hico (5-5, 2-2) led just 14-0 at halftime, but coach Todd Swearengin’s squad scored three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter to pull away.

Angel Gonzalez led the effort for the Tigers, rushing for 164 yards and three touchdowns on just 17 carries. Reese Polk (12-59 rushing) and Price Mullin (7-37) also had rushing scores for Hico, which posted its best regular-season record and highest playoff seed since 2017.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Santo gets its chance in the spotlight (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 39-8, .830
SEASON TOTAL: 361-82, .814

Since absorbing Santo into our coverage area last season, we have yet to have the Wildcats in our Big Country Preps Game of the Week. 

That all changes on Friday night when the unbeaten ‘Cats head to Albany, where they will face what might be the best AHS team we’ve seen in five or six years. And given Albany’s track record, that’s saying a great deal.

To the winner: A District 8-2A Division II title, a No. 1 seed in the playoffs and a slightly more equitable postseason path in a tough region. 

Here’s this week’s forecast: 

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater QB Holsey snags this week’s accolade

It’s never a surprise to see Sweetwater senior quarterback Leo Holsey among the top performers in our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week column. 

Since his freshman year, the four-year starter has topped our weekly list multiple times, including this week after helping Sweetwater to a 61-37 win over Pecos on Friday. 

Holsey only threw 15 passes, but he connected on 12 of them for 364 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed six times for 75 yards and two more scores, giving him a direct hand in 439 yards and seven TDs. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

District 8-2A Div. II Week 9 Report: Cross Plains routs Meridian for first district win

Cross Plains 60, Meridian 12 — The Buffaloes snapped a two-game district losing streak and all but clinched the No. 4 playoff seed in this league with a lopsided win over the YellowJackets.

Needing a win to avoid missing the postseason for the first time since 2014, coach Daniel Purvis’ squad raced out to a 35-6 lead by halftime and cruised from there to the blowout. Cross Plains outgained Meridian 520-225, rushing for 341 of those yards. 

Kade Purvis passed for 185 yards and three touchdowns, while Ryan Hopkins (3-113, 2 TDs rushing; 7-80, 2 TDs) had a huge day in both the running and passing game.The 60 points were a season-high for the Buffs, which had been limited to 13 points through its first two district contests. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Cisco to battle Coleman with top seed in the balance (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 35-11, .760
SEASON TOTAL: 322-74, .813

This week’s Big Country Preps Game of the Week will send me south to historic Hufford Field in Coleman, where the Bluecats (6-0) will play host to perennial power Cisco (6-1) in what is essentially the District 4-2A Division I championship.

Opened way back in 1934, Hufford is one of the Big Country’s oldest and most unique venues and if you are looking for a game to go to on Friday, this one will not only offer some good football, but some nostalgia as well.

The immense rock wall surrounding the field was built in 1940 by the Works Progress Administration or WPA as the nation battled its way out of The Great Depression.

Hope to see you there.

Here are this week’s picks:  

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