Category: Track & field

by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Reed takes our final award for 2025-26

As is our tradition, with the UIL State Track and Field Championships now over, we conclude our Big Country Preps Player of the Week column for the 2025-26 school year.  We’ll pick it up again on Monday, Aug. 31. 

In the meantime, our final award of the school year belongs to Gordon senior Stryker Reed, and with good reason. At the state track meet, Reed won state titles in both the 110 and 300 hurdles, breaking his own state records in both events at 14.20 and 37.24. He took an additional gold with the 1600 relay team with a 47.8 split and bronze in the pole vault at 14-0.  He nearly captured a fifth medal in Austin, taking fourth in the high jump at 6-2.

Oh, and did we mention he plays baseball? 

Well, he does — well enough to help the Longhorns to a series sweep of Oglesby last week, going a combined 4 of 5 with a double, triple, two RBIs, three runs scored and two steals. He also pitched in Game 2, allowing one earned run in three innings of work with four strikeouts. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Big Country dominates Class 1A meet as Gordon sweeps team titles

Cover photo courtesy of Gordon ISD

AUSTIN — The 2026 University Interscholastic League track and field state championships came to a conclusion on Saturday at the University of Texas’ Mike A. Meyers Stadium with the Class 1A and Class 6A meets.

Over the first two days of the meet, area athletes earned a total of 30 medals — taking a dozen during Thursday’s Class 3A/4A portion and 18 on Friday in the Class 2A/5A/Wheelchair meet.

Given their chance to shine along with Class 6A athletes, the best of the Big Country’s Class 1A participants didn’t disappoint.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Area 2A, wheelchair athletes earn 18 medals on second day of meet

AUSTIN — The second day of the 2026 University Interscholastic League track and field championships saw Classes 2A and 5A take the stage, along with the wheelchair division, at Mike A. Meyers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas.

Big Country athletes combined to win 10  events and staked their claim to several state records on an exciting day of action.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Wall boys narrowly miss out on team title; Stephenville boys finish fourth as area athletes have strong first day

AUSTIN — The 2026 University Interscholastic League state track and field championships got under way on Thursday with the Class 3A and Class 4A competitions at Mike A. Meyers Stadium on the campus of the University of Texas, and it was a day of pride for a pair relay teams from Wall.

The quintet of Evan Boehle, Reid Robertson, Hagyn Barbee, Bryson McFarden and Levi King had a memorable day in both the 800 and 1,600 meter relays, running Class 3A record breaking times, but finding themselves in a gaggle of finishers in both races.

In the midst of a banner 12 months for Wall athletics, the Hawks boys team finished in second place overall in the team race.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Jayton’s Chisum ready to shine in final state meet

Jayton’s Jace Chisum admits she’ll likely feel nervous when competing in her final state track meet Saturday.

The senior has earned silver medals in the Class 1A 3,200 and 1,600 the past two seasons in Austin. When Chisum lines up for the 3,200 that morning, it’ll mark her eighth state track race in four years.

But Chisum isn’t anxious because she’s diligently prepared for moments like this.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ferguson takes our top spot with area round no-hitter vs. EP Americas

With the school year winding down, so is area athletic activity. And as is our custom, we will be ending the Big Country Preps Player of the Week next Monday following the state track and field meet.  In the meantime, a familiar face as taken the top spot, despite seeing his team’s season come to a close. 

Abilene junior pitcher George Ferguson has taken our weekly accolade for a third time in the wake of a 5-inning no hitter in a 10-0 win over El Paso Americas last week in Monahans. 

Ferguson, who is already committed to the University of Texas, hit 99 MPH on the radar gun during the win, which saw him strike out 10. He also finished the series with a combined 3-for-9 tally at the plate with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs. 

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by Mike Lee, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Dearth spins his way into the Stephenville record book

Photos by Stephenville ISD coach Nolan Vosburg

Kolton Dearth prepares for an attempt in the shot put.

Observers talk about how Kolton Dearth’s maturity, strength and experience all came together this year in helping the senior break the Stephenville school record in the shot put with a throw of 62 feet, 10.75 inches.

The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Dearth broke the 60-foot barrier and set the school record at the area track and field meet on April 17 in Abilene. Two weeks later, he won his second consecutive Region I-4A shot put title and qualified for this week’s state meet with a mark of 59-8.

Dearth’s 59-8 was the farthest regional throw and made him the favorite for the UIL Class 4A State Track and Field Meet at Mike A. Myers Track and Soccer Stadium in Austin. The 4A boys’ shot put is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

“He’s learned how to contain his adrenalin and emotions,” Stephenville throwing coach Nolan Vosburg said of Dearth. “When he was younger, he wanted it so bad that it sometimes took away from what he was trying to accomplish.

“Being part of a state championship football team helped things slow down for him in other sports. He’s not as hard on himself now as he was as a freshman and sophomore.”

While maturity, strength and experience came together for Dearth this year, he’s always had a sense of discipline and staying the course. James Dearth, Kolton’s dad and the throwing coach at Tarleton State, coached his son to use the spin or rotating motion through the ring as he threw as a junior high athlete.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie sophomore takes this week’s award with a no-hitter

Nothing quite like starting off a playoff series with a masterpiece from your pitcher. 

Wylie sophomore Gehrig Fletcher delivered this artwork last week in a 7-0 win in Game 1 of a bi-district series with Lubbock Coronado. 

Not only did the 10th grader throw a seven-inning no-hitter, but he did it with an unusual twist: he only struck out three batters.

No-hitters are rare enough, but throwing one while pitching to contact is something one almost never sees in a game dominated by aluminum bats. 

“Gehrig is a kid that puts in the work every day,” coach Grant Martin said. He is the epitome of hard work, determination, and resilience.

“He is the best teammate and exemplifies what a student athlete should be. What a performance in a big time setting. So proud of him!”

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by Evan Ren

REGION I-2A TRACK MEET: Bangs boys, Coleman girls score area’s highest team finishes

CANYON — Big Country Region II athletes had a long way to travel for their regional track meet — competing at West Texas A&M University in Canyon on Friday and Saturday.

Bangs was the top team finisher for the area, finishing fourth with 39 points — 28 behind regional champion Abernathy. 

Coleman was the top area finisher in the girls meet with a third-place 52 points — 49 points behind a dominant performance by regional champion Panhandle. 

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by Evan Ren

REGION II-2A TRACK MEET: Hico boys take regional title; Cisco girls take second

SPRINGTOWN — With Porcupine Stadium serving as the backdrop for the Region II-2A Track and Field Championships, a couple of teams from the Big Country Preps coverage area scored big in the event. 

The Hico boys earned the team championship with 78 points, topping Tioga (66) and Bosqueville (62). In the meantime, the Cisco girls earned second in the team standings with 65 points behind Hamilton’s 93. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

CLASS 1A REGIONAL TRACK ROUNDUP: Cross Plains boys, May girls flex muscles at III-1A meet; Guthrie girls strong at I-1A meet

HEWITT — The Cross Plains boys and May girls both finished second in the team race at the Region III-1A meet Friday at Saturday at Panther Stadium to headline a strong showing for the Big Country Preps Coverage area.

The Buffaloes finished with 70 points, 23 behind team champion Saint Jo, while the Lady Tigers tallied 54 points to finish 18 points behind Saint Jo, which also won the girls title.

Blanket (3rd, 62 points), May (7th, 26), Bryson (T8th, 24) and Gorman (T8th, 24) also posted top 10 finishes on the boys side, while Cross Plains (T5th, 37), Newcastle (T5th, 37), Perrin-Whitt (8th, 29) and Gorman (10th, 26) achieved the same feat for the girls, as area athletes combined for 43 total medals and 25 automatic berths to the Class 1A state meet May 16 in Austin.

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION I-4A TRACK MEET: Brownwood girls run away with team title as area athletes shine

LUBBOCK — The Brownwood girls track team feasted at the Region I-4A meet Friday and Saturday at Lowrey Field, collecting nine medals and five automatic state berths to make a comfortable run to the event’s team championship.

The Lady Lions, who accounted  for all but two of the area’s medals on the girls side, got scoring from 13 entries on their way to 107 points — topping second-place Canyon by 31 points and third-place Krum by 44.

The BHS girls success headlined a strong overall showing by area athletes, who combined to claim 22 medals and 12 automatic spots to the Class 4A state meet May 14 in Austin.

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION I-5A TRACK MEET: Abilene High’s Jackson, Wylie boys 800 meter relay earn bronze to top local efforts

LUBBOCK — The Wylie 800-meter relay team of Adrian Jurado, Max Thornton, Jett Wilson and Liam Chapman and Abilene High sprinter Jaden Jackson both earned bronze medals Saturday at the Region I-5A meet to top the list of performances by local qualifiers at Lowrey Field.

Behind its relay effort, the WHS boys finished with 12 team points, while AHS earned seven and Cooper finished with two.

On the girls side, meanwhile, Wylie scored two team points and Cooper earned one.

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION I-3A TRACK MEET: Wall boys defend regional title to headline strong area effort

ABILENE — The Wall boys track team successfully defended its Region I-3A championship Saturday, piling up 141 points to run away from the field at Abilene Christian University’s Elmer Gray Stadium.

The Hawks swept all three relays, setting new meet records in two of those, while accounting for all eight of the area’s gold medals on the boys side.

Wall also had the top finish among area girls teams at the Region I-3A meet, taking second in that race behind champion Holliday — three points ahead of third-place Jim Ned, which also made a strong showing.

Collectively, athletes from the Big Country Preps coverage area combined for 37 medals, earning 23 automatic berths to the Class 3A state meet May 14 in Austin.

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION II-1A TRACK MEET: Gordon boys, girls sweep team titles as area athletes clean up on medal stand

ABILENE — The Gordon Longhorns dominated the Region II-1A track meet for the second consecutive year, piling up an impressive 132 team points to take the boys title by a 50-point gap over second-place Hamlin on Saturday at Abilene Christian University’s Elmer Gray Stadium. 

And the Lady Longhorns got in on the championship action as well, though the margin was not nearly as large.

The Gordon girls finished with 58 points to edge second-place Highland by four points and the third-place duo of Menard and Eula (last year’s girls champion) by nine in a tightly contested team race that saw six schools finish within 15 points of the lead.

Together the Longhorns and Lady Longhorns headlined a wildly successful meet for Big Country athletes, who combined to earn 74 medals and claim 40 automatic berths to the Class 1A state meet May 16 in Austin.

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by Evan Ren

UIL Region I-3A, Region II-1A Track & Field Championships (Day 1)

ABILENE — With Mother Nature doing her best to interfere with sporting events across the Big Country this week, area athletes still managed to gather on Friday at Abilene Christian University for the UIL 3A Region I and II-1A Track and Field Championships. 

The schedule wasn’t exactly as originally scheduled at Elmer Gray Stadium, with all field events bumped to Saturday to escape inclement weather and running preliminaries bumped to late Friday evening. 

There was, however, an opportunity for a pair of area athletes to punch their tickets to the state meet in the 1A  girls and boys 3200 meters, with Jayton’s Jace Chisum and Roby’s Camden Lummus both taking regional gold at 11:49.38 and 9:51.21 respectively. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock’s Blue wins accolade with remarkable performance

If you’re going to top someone who throws a perfect game in our in our Big Country Preps Player of the Week column, you had better do something very special.

This rare occurrence took place last week when Brock sophomore shortstop Kayden Blue helped the Lady Eagles to a three-game bi-district series win over Levelland with a truly memorable performance. In the process, she edged Abilene High ace George Ferguson, who delivered a perfect game win over Cooper. 

With Brock sandwiching wins in Games 1 and 3 (5-1 and 5-2) around a 5-4 loss in Game 2, Blue was quite literally unstoppable, going 10-for-10 in the series with five runs scored (accounting for more than a third of BHS’ run tally. Yet it doesn’t stop there. She also posted a pair of walks (one intentional), making her a perfect 12 for 12 in reaching base throughout a difficult series against excellent competition. 

“Kayden showed all the characteristics of a great leader in all three games and was phenomenal in the leadoff spot for us”

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Ferguson’s heartbreak sufficient for this week’s award

There are varying degrees of “no-hitter” in both high school baseball and softball. This is especially true when the mercy rule is concerned, with pitchers holding the opposition hitless through five innings (in a 10-run rule game) and in the case of the 15-run rule, through only three frames. 

Whether those should be called actual no-hitters, depends on who you speak to. 

There was, however, nothing arguable about the potential no-no delivered by Abilene junior pitcher George Ferguson in last week’s 2-0 win over Wichita Falls Memorial.  To begin with, Ferguson held Memorial hitless through 8.2 innings before finally giving up an infield single in the ninth.  In the process, he walked only one batter and fanned 17. 

It was nothing short of a brilliant performance against a Memorial team that had won eight straight games. If ever one deserved credit for a no-hitter without actually throwing one, it’s Ferguson. 

“George did a great job on the mound from start to finish and that included a 45-minute weather delay,” coach Brad Harman said.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville senior takes our weekly award

In a week that featured at least a half dozen athletes who could have taken our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, we finally settled on a Stephenville senior for our weekly award. 

Willis Jackson, one of the premiere speedsters in the Big Country, took four district titles in the District 6-4A meet last week

This included individual gold medals in the 100 meters (10.66), long jump (22-8.5) and Triple jump (43-8.5). He also collected gold with the 800 relay team (1:28.53), along with a silver with the 400 relay (42.45). 

“Willis is headed to the area track meet in five events,” coach Kolt Kittley said. “He comes to workouts every day with a big smile and a great attitude.

“He was huge in helping us win the district track meet this year.”

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall senior claims this week’s award

As one would expect, the Jim Ned Relays had a quality field of competition last week, opening the door for one of its athletes to snag Big Country Preps Player of the Week honors. 

So it’s not surprising that its top performer sits atop of our weekly list of highlighted competitors from around the area. 

Wall senior Bryson McFarden takes our weekly accolade after medaling five times in Tuscola with four golds and a silver. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde’s Reynolds is the hands-down winner

In the pitcher’s circle, there are varying degrees of perfection. And in the case of our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, that statement was fully illustrated on Friday in a 6-0 Clyde win over Merkel. 

Yes, CHS freshman Brynli Reynolds threw a perfect game. But this wasn’t your standard, every day, run-of-the-mill, garden variety perfecto. 

In fact, it may have been the most dominating performance by a baseball or softball pitcher the Big Country has seen in the last two decades. 

Aside from retiring 21 straight hitters from a very good Merkel team (19-2), Reynolds fanned the first 17 batters she faced and finished with 20 strikeouts. She also helped herself at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI.

It was the second time this season that the Clyde freshman has taken our weekly accolade.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF WEEK: Jayton’s Stanaland takes this week’s spotlight

Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week earned the accolade on the state’s biggest stage. 

Jayton senior guard Sean Stanaland was a big contributor in several areas for the Jaybirds in a surprisingly easy 78-45 win over Kennard in the Class 1A Division II state title game. This began with the 28 points he scored to help JHS to its third straight championship.

He also pulled down 15 rebounds to go with five assists and three steals as Jayton capped its season with a victory in San Antonio’s Alamodome.

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by Evan Ren

SIGNING DAY: Gordon seniors headline area signees for 2025-26

Of all the Big Country area collegiate signees in the 2025-26 school year, what would the odds be for two of them to be from a tiny school from the six-man ranks? And what would the odds be that both would sign to participate in two sports?

What are the odds that they would have the same last name yet be of no relation? And what would the odds be that both would play in the prestigeous Military Appreciation Bowl in Frisco on Dec. 21 (featuring several of the top players in the country)?

Would the planets have to be aligned for both of them to be among the top academic athletes in the Big Country? Or for them both to sign with separate military academies to participate as two-sport athletes at the DI level? 

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: Gordon’s Reed honored to earn NFHS national track award

Mike Reed didn’t get into coaching to win awards.

But the Gordon athletic director was honored to receive a prestigious honor last week when the National Federation of High School Coaches Association named Reed the 2024-25 Coach of the Year for boys track and field.

Of the 24 coaches across the country that were honored, Reed was the only one hailing from Texas. And he said it meant a lot to him because Reed feels like he’s been a supporter for small schools during his time at Rule, Throckmorton and Gordon.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

SIGNING DAY: Twelve Cooper athletes make their futures official

Cooper football coach and campus athletic coordinator Aaron Roan had a hard time hiding his elation Wednesday at Cougar Gym, where 11 student-athletes from four sports (baseball, track, soccer and golf) and a cheerleader made their college decisions official.

The signees’ school choices ranged from Division I to junior college, but getting to continue their careers while pursuing further education is what really mattered.

While most are staying in state, Asharee Davis is heading to Tennessee Tech of the Ohio Valley Conference, where she will take part in the long jump and triple jump for the Golden Eagles.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SIGNING DAY: Eight Abilene High athletes make commitments official at super-sized ceremony

Eight Abilene High athletes made their college commitments official on Wednesday during a Signing Day ceremony at Eagle Gym, capping a week of signings that began Tuesday when Eagle football players Bryson Perez and Dristain Payne solidified their commitments to Hardin-Simmons University.

Kinzley Cantu (softball; Hardin-Simmons), Mason Murray (cross country/track; Baylor University); Jazlyn Ortiz (cross country/track; Franciscan University of Steubenville), Keeley Aston (soccer; Seminole State College), Laly Dehoyos (cheer; Hardin-Simmons), Rylan Stokes (baseball; McMurry University), Camp Churchill (baseball; McMurry) and John Alcantar (cross country/track; Western Texas College) all took part in the event, signing letters of intent in front of friends and family who packed the gymnasium’s lower level. 

That group gave AHS 11 signings in a two-week span, after tennis player Allie Dunn committed to Hardin-Simmons last week. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Gordon’s Stryker Reed takes our final accolade of 2024-25 school year

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.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Gordon sweeps team titles as numerous 1A state records are broken

Cover photo courtesy Mike Reed

AUSTIN — Class 1A athletes and teams from the Big Country Preps coverage area set five state records as the track and field season drew to a close at Mike A. Meyers Stadium on Saturday with the UIL state championships.

The Gordon boys (88 points) and girls (52 points) swept the team titles as area athletes put forth a dominant effort on the day, winning a total of 44 medals.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Big Country athletes persevere in 2A/5A meet despite weather delay

AUSTIN — It wouldn’t be the UIL state track and field meet if there wasn’t a weather delay, but this time the UIL was ahead of the game with bad weather forecast for the Central Texas region on Friday.

As the field events were ongoing for Classes 2A and 5A, the UIL made the decision around lunch on Friday to delay the track portion of the two classifications to Saturday morning in the interest of spectator and competitor safety.

When the meet resumed on Saturday morning, all the drama one could hope for, and more, was ready to unfold.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Brownwood girls claim team title; Wall boys narrowly miss out

Cover photo courtesy Brian Hodnett

AUSTIN — The 2025 UIL state track and field meet got underway on Thursday at the University of Texas’ Mike A. Myers Track & Soccer Stadium, and the Big Country is bringing home some hardware.

The Brownwood Lady Lions made the most of their trip to Austin, claiming the Class 4A girls team championship on the strength of their three relays.

The Wall boys came “painfully close” in the words of track coach Craig Slaughter to giving the Big Country Preps area a second team title as the Hawks’ 64 points left them just two points behind Holliday in the Class 3A boys team standings.

Even so, Slaughter said that Wall’s relay teams, both boys and girls, all set personal records in an “incredible day.”

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