Category: Sweetwater Mustangs

by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Sweetwater overcomes slow start to top Snyder 12-2, claim first district title

SWEETWATER — With their first-ever district championship in softball on the line, the Sweetwater Lady Mustangs had enough poise to overcome a rocky start against area rival Snyder, dropping the Lady Tigers 12-2 in five innings on Tuesday. 

Elliannia Perez tossed a complete game and freshman Kendall Daniel was 3 for 3 with a homer, double and five RBIs to lift Sweetwater (16-8-1, 9-0), which locked up the league title by rallying from an early 2-0 deficit. 

Snyder slipped to 10-16 overall and 5-4 with the loss. The Lady Tigers were led by Myia and Aaliyah Braziel, who were 2 for 3 and 2 for 2, respectively. 

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Sweetwater multi-sport star Foster finds stride on track as one of area’s top hurdlers

To trace the origin of Harrison Foster’s breakout in track, one must look back months ago to Sweetwater’s football season.

Foster emerged as a key player for the district champion Mustangs, catching 10 touchdowns and becoming the team’s second-leading tackler on defense.

“The success I had during the football season brought me with more confidence, and I started believe that I can do more than I thought I could,” Foster said. “With the success we had during football, it brought our team a lot closer. Especially with all the multi-sport athletes, those relationships can carry over and start us off on a good note.”

Foster’s 2020-21 athletic season has a chance to end on a great note as the junior is one of the Big Country’s top hurdlers. Foster owns the area’s top time in the 300-meter hurdles (39.96) and has also run a sizzling 15.12 in the 110 hurdles.

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
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.

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

UPDATED: Sweetwater names Hamlin’s Lucas new AD, football coach

The Sweetwater Mustangs have their new head football coach and athletic director and didn’t have to look far to find him.

Sweetwater has tabbed Russell Lucas, Hamlin’s coach for the past 13 seasons, to replace Ben McGehee at the helm of the storied program. McGehee left the program in early February to take over Magnolia West.

That history is one thing that appealed to Lucas, who wasn’t even looking to leave the Pied Pipers. Continue reading “UPDATED: Sweetwater names Hamlin’s Lucas new AD, football coach” →

by Daniel Youngblood

PHOTO GALLERY: Abilene ISD baseball tournament Day 2 (72 images w/ scores)

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.

ABILENE ISD TOURNAMENT

Day 2 scores

Cooper 9, Southwest Christian 1

Wylie 3, Brownwood 1

MIdland High 14, Brownwood 3

Midland Lee 10, Wylie 4

Abilene High 13, Sweetwater 0

Wichita Falls Rider 7, Cooper 2

Records — Abilene High 2-12; Cooper 7-7; Wylie 10-3; Brownwood 5-5; Sweetwater 3-9-1

by Daniel Youngblood

PHOTO GALLERY: Abilene ISD baseball tournament Day 1 (52 images w/ scores)

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.

ABILENE ISD TOURNAMENT

Day 1 scores

Wylie 12, Abilene High 3

Cooper 6, Sweetwater 0

Brownwood 7, Sweetwater 5

Southwest Christian 3, Wylie 0

Crandall 4, Brownwood 1

Wichita Falls Rider 11, Abilene High 1

Midland High 5, Cooper 4

Records — Abilene High 1-12; Cooper 6-6; Wylie 9-2; Brownwood 5-3; Sweetwater 3-8-1

by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

McGehee to leave Sweetwater for Magnolia West

Sweetwater is in the market for a new athletic director and head football coach now that Ben McGehee is taking over the program at Class 5A Division I Magnolia West.  

McGehee finished with a 23-21 mark in four seasons leading the Mustangs. Sweetwater made the playoffs on three occasions, bowing out to Celina 37-22 in the area round to cap off an 8-2 mark in 2020.  

McGehee, who couldn’t be reached for comment, took over the Mustangs’ program a couple months after Shane Mobley led Sweetwater to the 2016 Class 4A Division II title game. Sweetwater compiled a 10-3 record in his first season, then followed that up with 1-9 and 4-7 marks.   

Continue reading “McGehee to leave Sweetwater for Magnolia West” →

by Evan Ren

SIGNING DAY: Eastland’s Morton headlines this year’s Big Country recruiting crop

With National signing Day officially in the books, it’s time to take a quick look at this year’s Big Country signees — the most notable of which is Eastland quarterback Behren Morton, who has inked a Letter of Intent with Texas Tech. 

Wall offensive lineman Tate Williams (Baylor) and Cash Jones of Brock (Georgia) were the area’s only other players to sign with power conferences.

Angelo State was among the busiest of the area’s bigger universities, snagging Tyler Simpson of Blanket, Logan Glover of San Saba and Kason Phillips of Stephenville. 

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS 2020 MAX EFFORT TEAM: The hardest-working volleyball players in the Big Country

Our All-Big Country Preps Volleyball team, released today, is in place to honor those who achieved the most on-court success in 2020. It is off the court, however, where character, grit and work ethic are often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps Max Effort Team that we wish to honor those players who were the hardest-working, best teammates in the area this fall. 

This team isn’t about who the best volleyball players were.

The Max Effort team honors hustle, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches wish every player had.

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Sweetwater girls rally in fourth for win over Big Spring

SWEETWATER — Both the Sweetwater and Big Spring girls basketball teams went into Tuesday night’s game tied for fourth place in District 3-4A and looking to get a leg up on the other one to close out the first half of district play.

Jazzy Villa made a pair of free throws coming off a technical foul between the third and fourth quarters to put the Lady Mustangs ahead and Sweetwater used a dominant defensive effort in the closing minutes to pick up a 51-47 win at Mustang Gym.

Sisters Kenzi and Kya Mitchell had 13 and 12 points, respectively, while Villa added 10 as the Lady Mustangs improved to 9-12 this year and 2-3 in District 3-4A action.

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2020 True Grit Team: The toughest, hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Most of us know a football player who lives in the weight room, who’s always dependable and who always does what his coaches ask him. He always puts the team first. He’s early to arrive and late to leave. And he seldom needs direction because he always pays attention. 

You know the type. But you seldom hear about them, since there is no specific category to put them in and the media doesn’t recognize these qualities.

This is the guy who always sets a good example. He doesn’t complain and above all else, is tough mentally and physically. He’s not necessarily the best player on his team (though some are). But he’s definitely the guy who gets the most out of whatever talent he was born with.

Welcome to the 2020 “True Grit” team — the one place in the Big Country where guys who fall into this category are recognized for it.

You need to login to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us