Munday’s Caisen Lee isn’t the first freshman to whom we’ve given our Big Country Preps Player of the Week Award. But during the basketball playoffs, it is indeed a rare occurrence.
Nonetheless, Lee takes our top spot with a pair of top notch efforts in playoff wins over Aspermont (77-48) and Westbrook (48-36).
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Wall-Abilene High baseball (51 images)”
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: Tolar-Wall girls basketball area-round playoff (78 images)”
BROWNWOOD — As expected coming in to the Region I-3A Division II area-round matchup between Tolar and Wall, there wasn’t much separating the Lady Rattlers and Lady Hawks on Tuesday night at Warren Gym.
But only one of the teams had Senne Imel — a fact that proved the difference in a 53-48 Tolar win.
THS’ senior shooting guard poured in a game-high 33 points to lead the Lady Rattlers (24-10), who also got nine points from sophomore point guard Jaycee Jones in earning a trip to the region semifinals to take on 11th-ranked Idalou (27-9) next week at a time, date and place to be announced.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Feb. 13.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his or her email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Feb. 13.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
WALL — With a chance to lock up the District 6-3A title on the line, the Jim Ned Indians had to clear a familiar hurdle to get there — their archrival Wall on the Hawks’ home floor.
Wyatt Nickson scored 25 points and Dean Guffey tossed in nine more to lead Jim Ned (23-9, 11-1) which overcame a fourth-quarter Wall rally to get a 58-49 win.
Led by Paxton Brake with 18 points and Lane Stansberry with 11, the Hawks slipped to 17-12 and 8-3.
National Signing Day is typically a busy one in the Big Country Preps’ coverage area and 2025 was no exception with several players inking and/or confirming their commitments to play at the next level.
At various signing ceremonies held throughout the area, athletes celebrated their final choices to pursue a degree while competing collegiately.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 30.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 30.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his or her email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 23.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 23.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Is your favorite team missing? If so, please pass along a friendly reminder to your coach to check his or her email for our weekly stats request. We’ll be happy to add them to our database after they arrive.
We all know a football player who almost never misses any practice time and practically lives in the weight room. He’s always early to arrive and late to leave. He’s coachable, but seldom needs direction because he always pays attention.
You know who I’m talking about.
The guy who sets a good example for young players. The guy who never complains and, first and foremost, is tough mentally and physically. He may not be the best player on a team (though some of them are). But he’s definitely the guy who gets the most out of the talent he’s given.
Welcome to the 2024 “True Grit” team — the one place in the Big Country where guys who fall into this category are recognized for it.
Here are our superlative award winners for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our first-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our second-team selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps football team. For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our selections for the 2024 All-Big Country Preps Football Team (Third-Team roster). For the rest of this year’s selections, click the links below.
Here are our selections for the 2024 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.
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: Wall-Clyde basketball doubleheader (72 images)”
CLYDE — With logjams atop the District 6-3A basketball standings for both the boys and girls, the Wall Hawks earned a pair of crucial wins on Tuesday night, sweeping Clyde at Bulldog Gymnasium.
The Lady Hawks got 18 points from Kennedi Graves as they rolled to a 70-26 win in the opener, while Jager Thompson had 12 of his 15 points in the second half to lead Wall to a 46-33 win in the nightcap.
In both games, it was the second quarter that proved pivotal.
After watching the girls basketball team have to hang on for a win over Stephenville in the first game of the night, the Abilene High boys made sure their game would lack the same drama.
The Eagles had 10 different players contribute on the offensive end as they rode a fast start to a 67-35 win over Wall on Tuesday night at Eagle Gym .
Abilene High jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never trailed on its way to pushing its season record to 12-5. The fast start was exactly what coach Justin Reese was looking for as the Hawks had several football players seeing their first basketball action of the season.
Our final Big Country Preps Player of the Week for 2024 earned it in several ways.
Forsan sophomore Coy Evans, a multi-talented guard who plays way ahead of the learning curve, takes our accolade after helping the Buffaloes to a 3-1 record and a third-place finish in the Borden County Tournament over the Weekend.
“He played very unselfish basketball,” Forsan coach Cory Richardson said. “He was getting other people involved and when we needed him to, he stepped up and scored.”
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: Wall-Gunter football state semifinal football playoff (72 images)”
ABILENE — Leading 32-17 with 9:43 left in the third quarter of Friday’s Class 3A DII state semifinal with Gunter, the Wall Hawks were clicking on all cylinders. They were in possession of the scoreboard, all of the momentum and were less than two quarters away from a trip to the state championship game.
Then it happened.
The two-time defending state champion Tigers reeled off 25 unanswered points to defeat Wall 42-32 at Abilene Christian’s Wildcat Stadium.
Preston Tarpley threw for 228 yards and three scores and kicked two field goals to lead Gunter (13-2), which advances to face Woodville (13-2) for the 3A DII state title.
LAST WEEK: 5-2, .714
SEASON TOTAL: 590-143, .804
With area six-man teams Jayton and Gordon enjoying a week off after qualifying for their respective state championship games, Week 15 brings us three teams (Brock, Wall and Stamford) from the Big Country Preps coverage area that still have a chance at reaching Jerry World.
The survivors will join our six-man clubs in Arlington next week on Texas High School Football’s biggest stage.
That said, let’s dive into this week’s forecast.
I’ll see you on the road.
Ira junior Hudson Luft had a week that was nothing short of eye-popping — eye-popping enough to earn him our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award for the week ending Dec. 7.
Luft takes it this time around with a performance that went as follows: 28 points, 10 boards vs. Spur, 18 points, eight steals vs. Eden, 46 points, four steals vs. Loraine, 21 points vs. Robert Lee, 30 points, six steals vs. Roscoe and 24 points vs Winters.
LAST WEEK: 7-2, .777
SEASON TOTAL: 585-141, .805
It seems like the day before yesterday when I was out working our annual football photo tour during two-a-days.
Now we’re looking down the barrel of Christmas.
Unbelievable.
At any rate, we still have eight teams from our coverage area slugging their way through the playoff brackets and unless I miss my guess, we’ll see at least four playing for state titles in Arlington.
In the meantime, we’ve got state semifinals to take care of.
Here’s this week’s forecast:
With all the competition in the Big Country Preps coverage area, taking our Player of the Week award once is a big enough challenge.
Wall quarterback Landon York has done it twice.
York, who led Wall to a 56-21 win over Littlefield in the Region I-3A DII semifinals, takes his second award with a huge performance.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Wall-Littlefield region semifinal football playoff (91 images)”
Stephenville 47, Canyon Randall 7 — Ryan Gafford threw for 198 yards and three scores and Sawyer Wilkerson rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns to help the Yellow Jackets to a rout of Randall.
Stephenville totaled 399 yards in total offense en route to the win. Tristian Gentry was the leading receiver for SHS, with eight catches for 158 yards and two scores.
SWEETWATER — The Wall Hawks put up 522 yards of offense and rolled to a 56-21 win over Littlefield in a Region I-3A Division II semifinal matchup on Friday afternoon at the Mustang Bowl.
The win moves the Hawks into the regional finals, where they will take on Canadian, which needed a fourth-and-goal interception late to claim a 27-21 win over Idalou.
Friday’s matchup was the fourth all-time in the postseason between the Hawks and Wildcats. Littlefield won the first meeting in 2010 by a 35-0 score in the regional finals, while the Hawks took the last two matchups in 2015 (area round) and 2016 (regional semifinals) by scores of 63-27 and 55-7, respectively.
LAST WEEK: 24-2, .923
SEASON TOTAL: 578-139, .806
Big Country Preps carries 16 teams from its coverage area into Week 14 and it’s my guess that at least nine of them will survive Thanksgiving weekend.
And on that subject, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you from all of us at BCP.
Here are this week’s picks, we’ll see you on the road!
Only a year removed from running a ground-based flexbone option attack, the Wall Hawks have managed to put that approach in the distant past with a remarkable effort through the air in 2024.
And who would have thought that making that difficult transition could have happened so quickly?
Now, having committed to a full-blown spread attack under new coach Craig Slaughter, the Hawks have already accumulated nearly 3,000 passing yards, placing them near the top in that category among Big Country teams.
Jim Ned 35, Dalhart 7 — Gray Beasley rushed for 119 yards and four TDs and threw for 75 yards to lead Jim Ned to an area round win over Dalhart.
Leading 14-7 at the break, the Indians put the game away with 21 unanswered points in the second half.
Jim Ned (9-3) advances to face Paradise (10-2) in the Region I-3A DII semifinals. Dalhart finished up at 8-4.
It’s been a little while for Anson’s Corey Layne.
The AHS senior quarterback took our Big Country Preps Player of the Week way back on Sept. 16, but has missed the top spot for two months — until today.
Layne, who led Anson to a 45-11 bi-district rout of Christoval last week, took our Player of the Week with an effort that included 197 yards rushing and four scores on only 20 carries. He also hit 12 of 20 passes for 171 yards and three more TDs to give him a direct hand in seven scores.
But that’s just the half of it.
When someone hits 27 of 34 passes for 441 yards and five scores, it’s generally the type of performance that appears on our Player of the Week radar screen.
When it’s done in only two and a half quarters, however, it makes everyone sit up and do a doubletake.
That was the case for Glen Rose quarterback Canyon Evans, who shredded Fort Worth Dunbar in a 61-7 win on Friday that saw him removed before the onset of the fourth quarter.
Coahoma 42, Merkel 14 — Jaidyn Vineyard rushed for 354 yards and five scores to help push Coahoma through to a district win over Merkel.
The Bulldogs (6-3, 2-2) finished with 449 yards in total offense. Merkel finished its season at 0-10 and 0-4.
LAST WEEK: 45-8, .849
SEASON TOTAL: 464-122, .791
The regular season ends Friday night (if you can believe it) and there’s no better way to close things up than with No. 5 Class 2A DI Hawley (9-0, 4-0) at No. 1 Stamford (9-0, 4-0).
The winner will earn the District 4 championship and No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs, so much is at stake.
I’m leaning toward Stamford here for three reasons: First, the overall team speed of SHS is unmatched by anyone in the area.
Secondly, the Bulldogs have an intangible working here — specifically a last-second miracle touchdown scored by Hawley’s
Camden Ables from 45 yards out with 0:47 left in last year’s game.
Coahoma 57, Stanton 40 — Jaidyn Vineyard rushed for 347 yards and two TDs and Boyd Cox threw for 294 yards and five touchdowns to lead Coahoma in a thriller.
The Bulldogs closed with 644 yards in total offense while improving to 5-3 and 1-2.
Wall 58, Grape Creek 6 — 
Landon York threw for 293 yards and four scores and Thomas Leanos rushed for 110 yards and another touchdown to lead Wall to an easy win over San Angelo Grape Creek.
The competitive phase of this game ended quite early, with Wall building a 28-0 first quarter lead and expanding it to 51-0 by the break.
LAST WEEK: 41-10 .803
SEASON TOTAL: 367-108, .772
Football season doesn’t feel complete without at least one visit to Chesley Field in Cisco. And Friday night, the Big Country Preps Game of the Week will stop by for a crucial District 4-2A DI matchup between the Loboes (5-2, 1-1) and Hawley (7-0, 2-0).
For Hawley, a win here will keep open the possibility of an unbeaten regular season. For Cisco, a victory would signal the beginning of a climb back into area prominence.
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Continue reading “PHOTO GALLERY: Wall-Clyde volleyball (75 images)”
CLYDE — When Clyde and Wall first met on the volleyball court in District 6-3A play last month, the Lady Hawks won a five-set thriller at home. That afternoon, all five sets were decided by either two or three points.
The rivals met again Tuesday night as the Lady Bulldogs honored their five seniors and, with former coach Laura Carr watching from the stands, took down their nemesis 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 at Bulldog Gym.
While the sweep was shocking in its own right, it was the way that Clyde finished off the match that was even more impressive. Courtney Freeman’s squad went on a 14-2 run to close out the third set.
Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m. roughout the regular season.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
With the Albany Lions winning last week’s district game with Winters by a score of 60-0, there were ample opportunities for the Lions to produce a Player of the Week-worthy performance.
They found one in senior Branson Beal, who rushed 11 times for 144 yards and five scores. He also caught a 46-yard TD pass to chart six touchdowns on the night.
“He might have the quickest feet of any (player) I have coached,” Albany coach Denney Faith said. “Combine that with great vision it makes him fun to watch.”
Wall 48, Coahoma 6 — Landon York threw for 253 yards and three scores and Thomas Leanos rushed for 81 yards and two more TDs to lead Wall over Coahoma.
The Hawks improved to 7-1 and 2-0 with the win; Coahoma slipped to 4-3 and 0-2.
It isn’t often that a place-kicker nails down our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, but Comanche’s Alex Terrell has done exactly that with a pressure-packed performance in a 13-10 overtime win over Jim Ned in our Game of the Week last Friday.
Aside from hitting a game-tying 30-yard field goal to send the contest into overtime, Terrell connected on a 31-yard field goal in the extra period to give CHS the win.
Wall 48, Merkel 7 — Landon York threw for 309 yards and three scores on 20 of 22 passing to lead Wall over Merkel.
The Hawks rushed for 170 yards via committee with six different players carrying the football.
Wall improved to 6-1 overall and 1-0 in district play; Merkel fell to 0-7 and 0-1.