BRECKENRIDGE — Three years into his building project at Breckenridge, head coach Casey Pearce may finally have enough weapons and experience to create a large blip on the Big Country radar screen. 

Coming off a 4-7 season that saw his Buckaroos finish 3-2 in district play and qualify for the playoffs, Pearce has 14 of 22 spots filled by returning starters, including his starting quarterback, two promising running backs and perhaps more overall speed than any Class 3A team in the Big Country. 

“We’re in a position to have an opportunity to compete at a pretty high level,” Pearce said. “We’re excited about what we’ve got. Our offensive skill kids and our foot speed are where we want them. 

“Our biggest question will be our offensive line and how we put that together. We’re fairly athletic (up front). We’re just not super heavy.” 

Carsyn and Cutter Campbell have been competing against each other their whole lives.  

It doesn’t matter if it’s on the football field or at their house, Goldthwaite’s senior twins are always seeing who the “big dog” is.  

“Whether it’s the first one who gets to the truck or who can eat the most food, we’re fighting for it,” Carsyn said. “Everything is a competition. We’ll end up tying or one of us will win, then the other will win the next time. We don’t have a legit answer on who’s the better twin.”  

GOLDTHWAITE — Andy Howard is more than comfortable being back on Goldthwaite’s sidelines.  

It’s the hometown of his wife, where his four kids still go to school and where he spent from 2015-18 coaching the Eagles’ defense under Greg Proffitt.  

After being at Brownwood the past three-plus years, Howard returns to lead a football program that has four state titles on its resume but also hasn’t enjoyed a winning season since 2016.  

Continue reading “GOLDTHWAITE 2022 FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Youthful Eagles welcome a new coach and a new system” →

Former Dublin coach Bob Cervetto
Original release date: Nov. 18, 2020 

Dublin’s Greg Hardcastle joins the show
Original release date: Nov. 17, 2021

Mississippi ump Kristi Howard joins the show
Original release date: April 13, 2022

Roscoe’s Jake Freeman joins the show. 
Original release date: Oct 6, 2021

Forsan’s Jason Phillips
Original release date: Sep 22, 2021

Stamford’s Joe Crabb joins the show
Original airdate: Jan. 19, 2022 

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: FCA volleyball all-star game (85 images)” →

Trailing the Coleman Bluecats 11-3 after three innings in Game 2 of their Region I-2A baseball quarterfinal series at McMurry University, the Albany Lions had something stunning in store for everyone attendance — a comeback for the ages.  

Coy Lefevre, Zane Waggoner, Caden Price, Cole Read and Bryson Herring all collected two hits and at least one RBI each to lead Albany (19-4), which scored 11 runs over a five-inning stretch to rally for a 14-12 win in eight innings on Saturday.

The Lions now advance to face either Clarendon or Lockney in the Region I-2A semifinals. 

“They stayed with it and it was a great comeback,” Albany coach David Fairchild said. “We didn’t start well on the mound and we used a lot of pitchers today.

“I’m proud of the way they battled.” 

Merkel’s Alyssa O’Malley continues to endure pain, continues to amaze and continues to win. 

For the second straight week, O’Malley has captured our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week award after capturing four Region I-3A championships, despite a stress fracture in her foot.

And in O’Malley’s case, we’re talking about individual events — not medals won in a relay event. 

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: Region I-3A Track Meet Day 1” →

Haskell’s girls relay teams truly believe they can beat anybody at the Class 2A level.  

That confidence was instilled last year when they captured three relay medals at state. It’s only grown under new coach Mindy Myers, who’s no stranger to success on the sport’s biggest stage.   

Last week’s area track meet was the next step of progression for the Lady Indians, who ran their fastest times of the year in the 4×100 (50.01), 4×200 (1:45.27) and 4×400 (4:06.42).   

Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 14 (top 25 in each category).

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. 

Photos courtesy of Cassie Gang Photography

Coleman’s Devinar Roberson has an explosiveness that can’t be taught.  

He’s motivated by a play-to-win mentality. And he doesn’t mind putting on a show, either.  

Those qualities make Roberson not only a state title contender in multiple field events, but also a must-watch competitor every time the senior jumps.  

Here are the girls area track bests through April 10 (top 15 in each event): 

ANSON — A year ago, the Anson Tigers couldn’t have come much closer to reaching the state tournament. Stopped within one victory of a trip to Round Rock, the Tigers fell in three games to New Deal in the Region I-2A championship series in Seminole. 

At first glance, a Game 3 loss to New Deal was a disaster, ending in a 10-2 loss. But Anson was trailing 4-2 after five complete innings — still competing for a shot at state when New Deal broke things open with s six-run sixth inning. 

That is the memory that is currently fueling the 2022 Anson Club, which is hoping to navigate its way back through a tough Region I bracket to reach the promised land for Class 2A teams: Dell Diamond in Round Rock for the state tournament.

Here the boys area track bests through April 3 (top 15 in each event): 

Here are the girls area track bests through April 3 (top 15 in each event): 

Here the boys area track bests through March 27 (top 15 in each event): 

Scoring and rebounding is only part of the story when it comes to basketball. Behind the scenes and beyond the view of the public, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Big Country Preps Gym Rat Team that we salute the individuals who exude the most of it. 

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 effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches love above all else and that championship foundations are built upon.

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat team is selected entirely by area coaches, described in their own words. And Big Country Preps is absolutely honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2021-22 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

Enjoy.