Category: Wylie Bulldogs

by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 3 REPORT: Cooper, Wylie break into win column; Rider, Plainview stay perfect

Cooper 53, San Angelo Central 45 — Junior running back Daniel Bray had a record breaking night, rushing for 366 yards and seven touchdowns to fuel the Cougars to their first win of the season.

Bray did all that damage on just 21 carries, finishing with four touchdown runs of at least 50 yards, including three of 70 yards or more. Behind the standout back, Cooper held a narrow 27-24 lead at halftime, before facing a pair of third-quarter deficits. The Cougars scored the final touchdown of the third quarter and the first of the fourth to take the game’s only two-score lead at 47-38 and held on from there for the victory.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Opportunistic Wylie Bulldogs outlast Lubbock Cooper for first win

Photos by Aaron Baxter, HubCityPreps.com

WOODROW — On most nights, being outgained 225-16 for a half would all but guarantee a blowout loss. But Wylie’s matchup Friday night with Lubbock Cooper was anything but a typical ballgame.

Fueled by three defensive touchdowns — two pick-sixes and a scoop-and-score — the Bulldogs stayed within one TD in the first half before finally finding their offense in the second to eek out a 35-34 win over the Pirates in a thriller of a nondistrict tilt.

It was the first win of the season for coach Clay Martin’s team, which piled up 234 yards in the second half to outscore Cooper 15-6 and complete the comeback victory. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

ABILENE NOTEBOOK: Talking Shotwell renovation, TLCA’s big football win, ACS’ matchup with Benjamin and Wylie volleyball

It’s no secret that the Abilene High-Cooper rivalry — dubbed the Crosstown Showdown — is among the best series in the state of Texas.

When the Eagles and Cougars get together, you know you’re going to excellent effort from both teams in front of close to 15,000 rowdy fans.

In that way, Friday’s matchup, which saw AHS earn a 26-7 win in the 63rd playing of the series, was a lot like many before it. But there was one factor that made the most recent Showdown just a little bit unique: It marked the first game played in Shotwell Stadium since the historic venue got one heck of a facelift.

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 2 REPORT: Wylie, Cooper drop to 0-2; Rider, Plainview stay unbeaten

Lubbock Monterey 34, Wylie 21 — A 17-0 first quarter run was all the Plainsmen needed to score a road victory over the Bulldogs, improving to 2-0 after going winless in 2022.

Wylie outscored Monterey 21-17 over the final three quarters, but the Plainsmen’s fast start proved the difference in the game. Quarterback Luke Arrington (6-10-0—212 passing) and Kashious Lewis (4-174 receiving) led MHS, hooking up for three touchdowns in the game.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Fast start lifts Lubbock Monterey past Wylie

Football games often turn on special teams miscues and gaffes.

Friday’s nondistrict game between Lubbock Monterey and Wylie at Hugh Sandifer Stadium saw two plays that fit into that category — one for each squad.

Ultimately, it was Monterey that was able to make the most of their opportunity as the Plainsmen took a 34-21 win, dropping the Bulldogs to 0-2 on the young season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie volleyball sweeps dual match against Midland Christian, Clyde

The Wylie volleyball team pulled two wins closer to .500 on Tuesday with a sweep in its dual match against Midland Christian and Clyde, defeating the Lady Mustangs 25-22, 25-21, 25-17 before knocking off the Lady Bulldogs 25-16, 25-14, 21-25, 25-17. 

The victories improved WHS to 11-13 with three matches to play before its Sept. 8 district opener against Abilene High. And coach Shay Cox is hoping they will provide some positive momentum for a Lady Bulldogs squad that had lost six of its previous eight matches going into Tuesday night. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

ABILENE NOTEBOOK: Catching up with local volleyball and talking a little AHS, ACS football

It’s an unfortunate truth in this profession that there are more sporting events going on in a given week than we could ever hope to attend. 

And while we here at Big Country Preps pride ourselves on providing the most comprehensive high school sports coverage you’ll find from any Big Country source, we can never make it to all the games and matches that we would like to.

With that in mind, we’re adding a new feature this year to try to catch up on some of the things we missed or just to double back on some notes that we couldn’t quite give the attention they deserved. 

Introducing the “Abilene Notebook,” our collection of such odds and ends from the past week of local athletic action. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 1 REPORT: Wylie, Cooper fall as league goes 3-3 to open season

Brownwood 35, Wylie 21 — Ike Hall rushed for 163 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 81 yards and another score to lead the Lions past the Bulldogs in the season opener between the former Class 4A rivals.

Leading 14-7 at halftime, Brownwood scored two unanswered touchdowns out of halftime to go up 28-7. Wylie fought back to pull within a touchdown on Kenny Scott’s 43-yard fumble return with 4:37 remaining in the game, but Hall broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run on the second play of the following possession to put the game away.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Hall, Brownwood roar past Wylie for 35-21 season-opening win

Fueled by a strong defensive effort and a big game from quarterback Ike Hall, the Brownwood football team rolled into Abilene and secured a 35-21 season-opening win over Wylie on Friday at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.

Leading a young offense comprised otherwise entirely of first-year starters, Hall rushed for 163 yards, passed for 81 and accounted for three total touchdowns to help the Lions avenge last year’s 30-24 loss to the Bulldogs. 

Behind the quarterback’s heroics, BHS extended a 14-7 halftime lead to 28-7 by the opening minute of the fourth quarter. And when Wylie scored two touchdowns in a 69-second span to narrow that three-score deficit to a seven points with 4:37 remaining in the game, it was the dual-threat signal caller who put the game on ice, racing 66 yards on a second-and-6 play to stop the Bulldogs’ rally in its tracks.

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by Daniel Youngblood

WYLIE FEATURE: Bulldogs receiving corps ready to lead another explosive offense

Last year, the Wylie football team fielded one of its most explosive offenses in years. Fueled by the All-Big Country Preps Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback KJ Long, the Bulldogs averaged 37 points per game on the way to their first district title as a Class 5A program and a 10-4 record overall.

While Long and his 3,855 total yards and 42 total touchdowns are gone, WHS will still boast one of the best and most versatile receiving corps in the Big Country.

And coach Clay Martin is confident that group — led by seniors Braden Regala and Derrick Evans, as well as junior Hunter Hood — will keep the Bulldogs passing game churning right along.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 WYLIE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bulldogs ready to defend district title, make another run

Fresh off their first district championship and multi-round playoff run as a Class 5A program, the Wylie Bulldogs will have a new challenge in 2023. WHS, which went 10-4 on its way to the Region I-5A Division II title game a year ago, will now try to prove that success was just the start of something bigger.

With five offensive and four starters back among their 27 returning lettermen, the Bulldogs will their share of questions to answer this fall if they hope to achieve that goal.

But coach Clay Martin likes the team he’ll take to battle this year, and he’s looking forward to seeing how it will respond to being the team to beat in District 2-5A Division II.

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by Daniel Youngblood

COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Wylie Bulldogs … three days to two-a days

Football is just around the corner, and we at BigCountryPreps.com are committed to bringing you the information you need to prepare for your favorite team’s season.

We’ll be releasing our Big Country Preps Preseason Football Preview, the most comprehensive look at the upcoming Big Country football season anywhere, on Wednesday, Aug. 16. But you won’t have to wait until then to sate your gridiron appetite.

Leading up to the first day of fall football practice on July 31, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2023 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.

We move to Class 5A Division II with the Wylie Bulldogs. On Saturday we will take a look at the Cooper Cougars, followed by the Abilene High Eagles on Sunday.

Continue reading “COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: The Wylie Bulldogs … three days to two-a days” →

by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Argyle rides big second inning to 11-3 win over Wylie, clinches series sweep

The Argyle baseball team used a big inning to pull away from Wylie for the second time in as many days Friday at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, this time it was season-ending.

After riding a five-run sixth to a 7-1 win in the opener of the best-of-three Region I-5A semifinal series Thursday in Southlake, the Eagles did their biggest damage early in Friday’s Game 2, plating five runs in the second inning to set the tone for an 11-3 victory in the series clincher.

The loss ended the Bulldogs’ campaign at 23-13-1 — in the region semifinals for the third consecutive year. Coincidentally, each of those previous runs ended — like this year’s — with a Game 2 loss at ACU.

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by Yale Youngblood, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Argyle pulls away in sixth for 7-1 win over Wylie in Game 1

SOUTHLAKE — It seems counterintuitive to classify a 7-1 defeat as “one that got away,” but what transpired as Argyle took down Wylie on Thursday night in the first game of a best-of-three Region 1-5A semifinal baseball series was just that.

And that. And that. And that some more.

While the exclamation point on the Eagles’ victory was supplied by Argyle’s best-struck ball of the evening — a bases-clearing double in the sixth inning by second baseman Colton Roquemore — balls that weren’t struck at all did just as much to put the Bulldogs in an 0-1 hole in the series and needing a victory at 1 p.m. Friday at Abilene Christian University to keep their season alive.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie finishes off sweep of Monterey behind Walker’s gem

MIDLAND — The Wylie baseball team entered Saturday’s Region I-5A quarterfinal Game 2 against Lubbock Monterey having won seven of its last eight contests with timely hitting and masterful pitching.

A seventh-inning rally for a 4-2 win in Friday’s series opener meant that Wylie could give the ball to staff ace Sam Walker in Game 2 with a chance to close out the series and advance to the Region I-5A semifinals.

Walker cut through the Plainsmen lineup with ease as the Bulldogs beat Monterey 4-3 at Ernie Johnson Field on Saturday afternoon.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie score thrilling wins over district foes to open I-5A quarterfinal series

Photos by Khloe Scott, HubCityPreps.com 

MIDLAND — Abilene High right-hander Brady Bennett had his first no-decision of the season while turning in his best start of the year Friday as the Eagles outlasted Lubbock Cooper 1-0 in nine innings at Midland College to open their best-of-three Region I-5A quarterfinal series.

Hours later, across town in Midland, the Wylie baseball team completed a 4-2 win over Lubbock Monterey in Game 1 to take an early lead in its region quarterfinal series as well.

That put both the Eagles and Bulldogs in position to advance to next week’s Region I-5 semifinals with one win Saturday, when their respective series resume back at the same sites. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Jernigan takes our final award for 2022-23

Our final Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the 2022-23 school year could have gone any number of directions. 

We finally settled on Goldthwaite junior Lainey Jernigan, who swept both the girls 2A hurdles titles at the state meet last week. 

Jernigan won the 100 hurdles in 14.62 and the 300 hurdles in 44.12. And the good news for GHS fans is, she’s coming back to defend both crowns next year. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High outlasts Ysleta, Wylie sweeps Del Valle

The Abilene High and Wylie baseball teams advanced again in the Region I-5A playoffs, winning their area round series against El Paso Ysleta and El Paso Del Valle, respectively. 

The Eagles defeated the Indians in three games, following a 6-1 win in Game 1 on Friday with a split Saturday. After dropping Game 2 by a 5-2 margin, AHS bounced back to clinch the series with a 6-1 victory in Game 3.

The Bulldogs took care of business a little quicker, downing the Conquistadores 7-5 in Game 1 on Thursday, before securing the sweep with a 6-1 win in Friday’s Game 2.

With the series victories, Abilene High and Wylie will both advance to the Region I-5A quarterfinals, where they’ll each face off with District 4-5A rivals. The Eagles will play Lubbock Cooper, which routed Clint Horizon in a one-game playoff, while the Bulldogs will take on Lubbock Monterey, which defeated El Paso Hanks in three games.

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by Daniel Youngblood

SERIES RECAP: Wylie softball sees season end with sweep at hands of El Paso Hanks

MONAHANS — The Wylie softball team had its season come to a close Friday with a 7-5 loss to El Paso Hanks in Game 2 of a Region I-5A quarterfinal series that began Thursday with a 6-0 Lady Knights win in Game 1.

The sweep ended the Lady Bulldogs’ campaign at 30-8, one round short of the Wylie’s 2019 and 2022 runs to the region semifinals.

The losses ended the high school careers of eight seniors — Rylee Moore, Kat Martinez, Kadance Gilcrease, Reese Farrar, Hanna Hood, Kylee Rodriguez, Nylah Alvarado and Jadyn Fernandez — who were an instrumental part of the Lady Bulldogs’ success the past several seasons.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

STATE TRACK ROUNDUP: Stamford girls claim share of Class 2A team title

AUSTIN — After a slow start in the field events on Friday saw the Big Country net just four medals, things heated up in the evening session when the track events got rolling.

Big Country athletes picked up 10 medals under the lights at Mike A. Meyers Stadium at the University of Texas, giving the area 14 for the day.

On top of that, the Stamford girls team finished in a three-way tie with Refugio and Panhandle with 32 points to claim a share of the state championship. Goldthwaite’s girls finished three points back in fourth.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie’s Farrar, Moore pitch way to shared honor

Coming off a bi-district sweep of Plainview in which Reese Farrar and Rylee Moore both pitched five-inning one-hitters, it was going to be difficult for Wylie’s co-aces to repeat that performance against El Paso Parkland in the area round.

And yet, they did.

Farrar pitched her second one-hitter of the playoffs while Moore tossed a five-inning no-hitter to fuel the Lady Bulldogs past the Lady Matadors 20-1 and 10-0 and into the Region I-4A quarterfinals, where WHS (30-6) will face off with 36-1 El Paso Hanks this week.

In the process, coach Heather Collier’s dynamic pitching duo claimed our penultimate Big Country Preps Player of the Year award of the 2022-23 school year.

Continue reading “BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wylie’s Farrar, Moore pitch way to shared honor” →

by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie advance with strong Game 2 showings

The Abilene High and Wylie baseball teams closed out bi-district sweeps on Saturday, with the Eagles cruising past Amarillo High 13-4 in Game 2 at Lubbock Cooper while the Bulldogs routed Plainview 12-2 in Plainview.

The victories earned AHS and Wylie spots in the Region I-5A area round, where they will matchup with El Paso Ysleta and El Paso Del Valle, respectively.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie cruises past Parkland; AHS sees season end with loss to Hanks

Saturday played out the same way Friday did for Abilene’s local softball teams, which was a good thing for Wylie and a bad thing for Abilene High.

The Lady Bulldogs extended their season into the Region I-5A quarterfinals with a 10-0 win over El Paso Parkland in Game 2, while the Lady Eagles saw a successful campaign end with a 7-1 loss to El Paso Hanks.

Wylie will advance now to face Hanks next week in a best-of-three series in Monahans, beginning with Game 1 at 6 p.m. Friday. Abilene High, meanwhile, closed its season at 27-7. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie bats explode late against Parkland; Hanks rallies past AHS

What looked like it would be a banner day for the Abilene High and Wylie softball teams in the Permian Basin on Friday quickly evaporated in the span of just three outs for the Lady Eagles.

AHS saw El Paso Hanks score five runs in the bottom of the sixth to earn a 7-6 comeback win.

Wylie also had a three-out swing in its game, but the Lady Bulldogs were on the other end as they walloped El Paso Parkland 20-1.

Both best-of-three series will resume on Saturday.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Big day at plate, Regala’s catch help Wylie open playoffs with run-rule win over Plainview

The Wylie baseball team passed its first playoff test with flying colors Tuesday at Bulldog Field, earning a 15-5 run-rule over Plainview in Game 1 of the best-of-three Region I-5A bi-district series. 

After waiting out an hour lightning delay, coach Grant Martin’s team took early control with a seven-run bottom of the first inning and survived some wildness on the mound to put the visitors away with a four-run sixth. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville’s Cameron takes this week’s award

It’s always a great accomplishment to go to the state track meet in multiple events. But when it’s done in dominating fashion at the Class 4A level or above, you’re generally talking about a very special, gifted athlete. 

Our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, Victoria Cameron of Stephenville, falls directly into that category and she has the regional hardware to prove it. 

Taking four gold medals at the Region I-4A meet, Cameron scored 30 individual points while clinching four berths to the state meet. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

REGION I-5A TRACK RECAP: Wylie thrower Blake earns state trip with silver medal in discus

LUBBOCK — Wylie senior Ryan Blake earned himself a trip to Austin with a silver medal performance in the discus over the weekend at the Region I-5A track meet at Lowrey Field. 

The standout thrower highlighted a local effort that saw nine local entries score for their respective schools in the team standings.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie secure bi-district sweeps to advance to area round

The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams closed out bi-district sweeps on Saturday, advancing to next week’s area round with lopsided Game 2 wins.

The Lady Eagles followed a 6-0 Game 1 victory over Amarillo Caprock with an 11-1 rout in Game 2, while the Lady Bulldogs trounced Plainview 10-0 a day after claiming an 11-1 win in Game 1.

With the series victory, AHS moves on to take on 34-1 El Paso Hanks next week in the second round. Wylie, meanwhile, will face El Paso Parkland (18-16).

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie kick off playoffs with lopsided wins

The Abilene High and Wylie softball teams opened the playoffs with impressive showings Friday, each winning the opener of their Region I-5A bi-district series with comfortable wins.

The Lady Eagles shut out Amarillo Caprock 6-0 at Lubbock Cooper, while the Lady Bulldogs routed Plainview 11-1 at Lubbock Christian University. 

Both teams will try to close out their series Saturday, when play resumes with Game 2 at their same respective sites.

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by Daniel Youngblood

LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie locks up playoff berth with win at Coronado; AHS clinches postseason spot despite loss

 

Photos by Mark Rogers, HubCityPreps.com

LUBBOCK — The Wylie baseball team locked up a playoff berth and dashed Lubbock Coronado’s postseason hopes in one swoop Tuesday, routing the Mustangs 7-1 to set up a huge home matchup with Lubbock Cooper on Friday.

Needing a win over Coronado to avoid a do-or-die game against the District 4-5A leading Pirates in Friday’s regular season finale, the Bulldogs took control early, using a three-run second inning to build a lead they would never relinquish.

Pitcher Sam Walker took care of things from there, limiting the Mustangs to one run over seven outstanding innings to help his team improve to 17-10 overall and 11-6 in league play.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Brock sophomore takes this week’s accolade with mercy rule no-hitter

A no-hitter alone is often enough to secure the Big Country Preps Player of the Week award. But when it’s backed by a solid offensive performance, it’s very difficult to get knocked off of the perch. 

Brock sophomore Jesse Rusinek takes this week’s accolade after holding Eastland hitless in a 15-0 mercy rule win that saw him miss a perfect game by one walk. He fanned 12 in the process. 

“He was dealin’ out there,” Brock coach Kobe Page said of the stuff Rusinek had in the Eastland game. “When he’s on, he’s pretty tough …  just showing up, battling and moving the ball around the strike zone.  He was ‘on.'”

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie softball locks up No. 2 playoff seed with 9-1 win over Lubbock Cooper on Senior Night

The Wylie softball team wrapped up the runner-up spot in the District 4-5A standings on Friday, pulling away for a 9-1 home win over Lubbock Cooper in the regular season finale for both teams.

Mycala Reed highlighted a three-run second inning with a two-run homer to put the Lady Bulldogs in control early, and pitchers Rylee Moore and Reese Farrar took care of the rest, combining to limit the Lady Pirates to a one unearned run on just three hits.

The victory improved WHS to 26-6 overall and 10-2 in district play, securing the No. 2 playoff seed behind champion Lubbock Monterey and earning a bi-district matchup next week with District 3-5A’s third-place finisher, Plainview. 

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