Here are the Big Country’s receiving leaders through Week 3:
Category: Wylie Bulldogs
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde quarterback takes the top spot
In a week that featured several performances worthy of capturing the Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week award, Clyde quarterback Blake Carr narrowly captured the top spot with an explosive performance in a 41-21 win over Merkel.
Carr, a junior, hit 18 of 23 passes for 311 yards and four scores as CHS improved to 2-1 on the year. He also rushed six times for 106 yards and a fifth touchdown on a 46-yard run.
DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 3 REPORT: Cooper edges Central in OT; Wylie comes up just short against Lubbock Cooper
Cooper 41, San Angelo Central 38 (OT) — The Cougars broke into the win column, holding off a late rally by Central to defeat the Bobcats in overtime.
Cooper (1-2), which outgained Central 434-356, led 28-20 at halftime and 35-20 after three quarters, but the Bobcats scored 15 unanswered points, tying the game on a 20-yard blocked punt return with 1:40 remaining in the game. After Central tacked on a Chase Miller field goal to take a 38-35 lead in OT, the Cougars won the game on a 22-yard pass from Chris Warren to Malik Jackson.
Cooper was led in the victory by Warren (20-29-1—177, 2 TDs passing; 14-61, 1 TD rushing) and running back Daniel Bray (11-116, 1 TD rushing). Quarterback Tyler Hill paced he Bobcats, meanwhile, completing 21 of 38 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 77 yards and another score.
PHOTO GALLERY: Lubbock Cooper-Wylie football (78 images)
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GAME STORY: Early miscues cost Wylie in 33-28 loss to Lubbock Cooper
The Wylie football team outgained Lubbock Cooper 538-396 and punted just once Friday night in its home opener against the Pirates. But a handful of early miscues left the Bulldogs on the short side of a 33-28 score in a thrilling nondistrict matchup at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.
WHS (2-1) had at least two first downs on each of its nine possessions, driving inside the Cooper 35-yard line on every one. But a kickoff return touchdown by the Pirates and a pair of red zone turnovers kept the Bulldogs from taking control in the first half, allowing the Pirates to find their offensive rhythm after halftime.
With the score tied at 14 at the break, Cooper ran the ball on all 31 of its second-half snaps, amassing 243 of its 309 rushing yards in the final two quarters. The Pirates found the end zone on each of their first three possessions of the second half, allowing coach Chip Darden’s squad to escape Abilene with a hard-fought victory.
FEATURE: Clutch, opportunistic Wylie defense off to roaring start
As a former defensive coordinator, Wylie coach Clay Martin has a warm place in his heart for well-played defense. Through the first two games of this season, he’s seen a lot of it.
Over their last six quarters, the Bulldogs have allowed just a single touchdown, twice forcing fumbles inside the 10 to thwart opponents’ scoring chances.
That level of defensive dominance has been crucial in Wylie’s 2-0 start, which saw the Bulldogs hold off a second-half rally at Brownwood before shutting out Lubbock Monterey on the road. With Lubbock Cooper coming to Hugh Sandifer Stadium this week, the Wylie defense is set for its biggest test of the young season, but Martin is thrilled with what he’s seen from that unit so far and excited to see how the Bulldogs attack the next challenge put in front of them.
PHOTO GALLERY: San Angelo Central-Wylie volleyball (80 images)
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GAME STORY: Wylie volleyball splits pair in final matches before district play
The Wylie volleyball team wrapped up the pre-district portion of its schedule with a home split Tuesday, sweeping Granbury 25-18, 25-19, 29-27 before falling to San Angelo Central 25-14, 24-21, 16-25, 25-16 in the finale of a dual match at Bulldog Gym.
The results send the Lady Bulldogs into Friday’s District 4-5A opener at Abilene High with a 15-13 record.
While her team struggled at times in the nightcap against the Lady Cats, Wylie coach Shay Cox focused on the positives from the two matches, concluding that the Lady Bulldogs showed some necessary growth with league play on the horizon.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP Player of the Week: Stephenville junior takes award with stunning effort
When word came of last week’s epic 62-61 win by Stephenville at Everman, one could only expect there to be some epic performances involved.
There were.
And at the top of that list is our Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week, Tate Maruska, a junior running back who went absolutely bananas in that game.
DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 2 REPORT: Wylie shuts out Monterey in tough week for league
Wylie 30, Lubbock Monterey 0 — The Bulldogs dominated the Plainsmen from start to finish, building a 21-0 lead less than 14 minutes into the game and cruising from there to the shutout win.
Wylie (2-0) outgained Monterey 470-280, rushing for 232 yards and passing for 238. Landry Carlton had a big day individually, rushing for 126 yards and two touchdowns while adding 32 yards and another score receiving. In the passing game, K.J. Long was 16 of 22 for 238 yards and a pair of scores, hitting Braden Regala eight times for 154 yards and a TD.
Monterey was led in the loss by quarterback D.J. Williams (19-31-1—213) and running back Jayden Hibbler (13-95 rushing; 8-86 receiving).
GAME REPORT: Wylie dominant in shutout win over Lubbock Monterey
Photos by Olivia Raymond, HubCityPreps.com
LUBBOCK — Despite a quick turnaround, a shortened week of preparation and its second lengthy road trip in as many weeks, the Wylie football team was dominant in all phases Thursday against Lubbock Monterey, routing the Plainsmen 30-0 at Lowrey Field.
The Bulldogs (now 2-0) outgained Monterey 470-280, taking a 21-0 lead by the 10:13 mark of the second quarter and never faltering after the fast start.
Wylie, which took that three-touchdown lead into halftime, added nine more points to its advantage in the second half, forcing its second red zone fumble of the season early in the fourth quarter to preserve the shutout.
FEATURE: Wylie RB Carlton proving himself a threat in expanded role
Playing a reserve role behind a pair of senior backs in 2021, Landry Carlton garnered only a handful of carries as a junior. But Wylie coach Clay Martin was confident coming into this season that the 5-foot-6, 160-pound senior was ready to carry a heavier load.
One game and one 100-yard performance later, Carlton is already proving that his coach’s faith was well placed.
Making his first start after rushing for 65 yards and a touchdown last season, Carlton ran for 124 yards on just 16 carries on Friday to help the Bulldogs to a 30-24 road win over Brownwood in their season opener. And that performance was only the beginning, if you ask Martin, who is excited to see what his senior back will do with the opportunity that he’s waited — and worked — so long to have.
District 2-5A Div. II Week 1 Report: Wylie among four league teams to open season with win
Wylie 30, Brownwood 24 — The Bulldogs used big offensive first half and a strong defensive second half to hold off the Lions in a season-opening thriller at Gordon Wood Stadium.
Wylie, which gained 292 of its 404 total yards in the first half, led 30-17 at halftime. And that was all the scoring the Bulldogs (1-0) needed thanks to a defensive effort that saw Brownwood limited to just one second-half touchdown.
Running back Landry Carlton led the Wylie offense, rushing for 124 yards on 16 carries, while quarterback KJ Long passed for 136 yards and one score and added 67 yards rushing. Receivers Harrison Heighten (2-81, 1 TD) and Braden Regala (8-55 receiving; 1-51, 1 TD rushing) also had big days.
PHOTO GALLERY: Wylie-Brownwood football (90 images)
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GAME STORY: Wylie outlasts Brownwood for thrilling 30-24 win in season opener
BROWNWOOD — The Wylie Bulldogs played one half of great offensive football and one half of clutch, shutdown defense Friday in their season opener against Brownwood. In the end, that was enough to add up to a thrilling 30-24 win over a scrappy Lions squad at Gordon Wood Stadium.
The Bulldogs put up 292 yards of offense over the first two quarters in building a 30-17 halftime lead, before hanging on for dear life in the second half.
Despite playing most of the final two quarters on its end of the field, the Wylie defense held Brownwood to just one second-half touchdown, forcing a fourth-quarter fumble at the 5-yard line to stymie a potential go-ahead drive before sealing the game with a three-and-out with under two minutes to play.
VIDEO: Wylie coach Clay Martin previews season-opening trip to Brownwood
WYLIE (0-0) AT BrOWNWOOD (0-0)
7:30 p.m. Friday at Gordon Wood Stadium, Brownwood
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Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Quarterbacks
After a week of highlighting area playmakers, we wrap up our eight-part preseason position rankings series with the Big Country’s best signal callers.
To complete our look at the area’s top players, we’ve ranked our top 10 quarterbacks with a list of others to watch in 2022.
We hope you enjoy this list and that you’ve enjoyed our position rankings as we get set to kick off a new season.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Running Backs
As we wind down our eight-part preseason position rankings series, we arrive finally at the Big Country’s top ball-carriers.
After breaking down this year’s crop of receivers and tight ends earlier today, we move now to the area’s top backs, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch in 2022. Don’t forget to check in Thursday when we conclude our series with the top 10 area quarterbacks.
We hope you enjoy tonight’s list and encourage you to check out the other position groups, which are linked below.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
We’re approaching the final stretch of our eight-part preseason position rankings series, and it’s time to look at the Big Country’s top receivers.
After starting the offensive portion of our series Tuesday with the linemen, we now shift our attention to the playmakers on the perimeter, ranking our top 10 wideouts/tight ends with a list of others to watch in 2022.
We hope you enjoy our list and encourage you to check out the other position groups, which are linked below.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Offensive Linemen
With the defensive and special teams rankings behind us, it’s time to look at the area’s top offensive players. And we’ll start with the foundation of any productive offense: the offensive line.
For the fifth installment of our eight-part preseason position rankings series, we turn our attention to the trenches, ranking the Big Country’s top 10 offensive linemen with a list of others to watch in 2022.
We hope you enjoy reading through our rankings.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Kickers/Punters
After recognizing the top defensive players throughout the Big Country over the past three days, it’s time to honor the specialists.
We continue our eight-part preseason position rankings series by naming our top eight kickers and top eight punters to watch this fall.
We hope you enjoy this list and that you have enjoyed our position rankings as we get set to kickoff the 2022 season.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Defensive Backs
After starting with the linemen and linebackers, we turn to the defensive backfield to complete our look at the top defenders in the Big Country.
For the third installment in our eight-part preseason position rankings series, we shift our focus to the secondary, giving our list of the area’s top-10 defensive backs and others to look out for in 2022.
We hope you enjoy our list.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Linebackers
After taking a look at the Big Country’s top defensive linemen on Saturday, it’s now time to examine those who will backing them in 2022.
Continuing with Big Country Preps’ eight-part preseason position rankings series, here’s our top 10 linebackers to watch this fall, as well as a list of the others we’re expecting big things from.
We hope you enjoy our list.
Big Country Preps Preseason Football Position Rankings: Defensive Linemen
With the start of football season around the corner, it’s time to take a look at the players who will be making the biggest impact in 2022.
For the first installment in an eight-part series that will cover all position groups, we’ll be taking a look at the area’s top defensive linemen, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch this fall.
As with any such list, these rankings are subjective. We hope you enjoy reading through them.
PHOTO GALLERY: Wylie-Abilene High football scrimmage (w/ video interviews with both coaches)
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2022 DISTRICT PREDICTIONS: Evan and Daniel make their picks
Without further ado, it is time for us to make our Big Country predictions, district-by-district.
This is the culmination of several weeks of research and two solid months of summertime labor, so we’re more than ready to post it.
So dive in and study our take on the upcoming season, along with the more than 80 preseason stories we posted earlier today. Enjoy! We’ll see you on the road.
WYLIE FEATURE: Senior OL Clay leads with confidence, knowledge, actions
At 6-foot-2 and and 265 pounds, Cayden Clay is an intimidating presence on the Wylie line. But the senior’s stature on his team extends well beyond the shadow he casts physically.
Now in his third season as a starter, Clay brings a veteran presence backed up by years of hard work and consistently strong play.
And with the athletic ability and knowledge to play any position on the offensive line, he’s a dream to coach, Wylie’s Clay Martin said.
2022 WYLIE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Hungry Bulldogs have sights set on playoff return
Coming off a 4-6 season in which they finished just outside the playoff picture, the Wylie Bulldogs are hoping for bigger things in 2022.
And with 31 lettermen returning and a new district that features just two playoff teams from a year ago, coach Clay Martin’s squad has reason to be optimistic.
The Bulldogs, who graduated 29 lettermen, will need to replace six starters on offense and eight on defense. But Martin likes the team he has this year and is hoping to see Wylie establish a new level of consistency in his third year as the program’s head coach.
COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: Abilene High, Abilene Cooper and Abilene Wylie
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. 17. 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 Aug. 1, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2022 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.
We close out our series with Abilene High, Cooper and Wylie.
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Evan Ren’s 2022 BCP Baseball/Softball All-Hustle Team: The hardest-working players in the area!
OTHER 2022 ALL-BIG COUNTRY PREPS TEAMS
- All-Big Country Preps Baseball Superlative Award Winners (Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, etc.)
- All-Big Country Preps First-Team Baseball Selections
- All-Big Country Preps Second-Team Baseball Selections
- All-Big Country Preps Softball Superlative Award Winners (Pitcher of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, etc.)
- All-Big Country Preps First-Team Softball Selections
- All-Big Country Preps Second-Team Softball Selections (plus honorable mention)
- Big Country Preps Rising Stars Team (area’s top Sophomores and Freshmen!)
Character, grit and work ethic aren’t seen in a box score. And it is with our Big Country Preps All-Hustle Team that we wish to honor those players (male and female) who exemplify those qualities.
The All-Hustle team isn’t about who the best baseball and softball players were. It honors the best teammates.
It is here where effort, discipline and coachability — traits that coaches wish they had in every player and upon which championships are built — are honored.
It is for that reason that this team is largely selected by area coaches and described in their own words.
Big Country Preps is now honored to present these individuals to you — the best team players (boys and girls) that the Big Country had to offer during the 2022 baseball and softball seasons.
The players below are listed in no particular order.
PHOTO GALLERY: Wylie-Aledo baseball region semifinal Game 2 (108 images)
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GAME STORY: Rudel, big seventh inning fuel Aledo to 8-0 win over Wylie to secure series sweep
Wylie ace Brooks Gay kept his team in the game as long as he could Friday, but the Bulldogs could never solve Aledo starter Hunter Rudel in a season-ending 8-0 loss at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field.
WHS, which fell 2-1 in Game 1 of the Region I-5A semifinals series on Thursday, trailed 1-0 after five innings and 2-0 heading into the seventh Friday, but the Bearcats roughed up four Bulldogs pitchers for six runs in the final inning to pull away and secure the series sweep.
For the game, Gay allowed four runs (three earned) on nine hits and three walks, using eight big strikeouts to pitch out of any major trouble. But he was outdueled by Rudel, who limited the Bulldogs to two hits and three walks with five strikeouts in a complete-game shutout as Aledo eliminated the Bulldogs for the second consecutive season.
GAME RECAP: Wylie drops pitchers’ duel to Aledo in Game 1 of I-5A semifinals series
WEATHERFORD — The Wylie baseball team dropped a hard-fought series opener to Aledo on Thursday, losing 2-1 at Weatherford College to fall behind 1-0 in the Region I-5A semifinal series between the two squads.
The Bulldogs outhit the Bearcats 6-5 and didn’t trail for the first time until the bottom of the sixth, but their inability to score after the first inning off AHS starter Ethan Jaques left them on the wrong end of a scoreboard when the game ended.
Wylie pitchers Trey Gomez and Grayson Bearden combined to limit Aledo to five hits, four walks and the two runs over six strong innings, but they were outdueled by Jaques, who surrendered one unearned run in seven innings to earn the complete-game win.
PHOTO GALLERY: Wylie-Aledo softball region semifinal Games 1 and 2 (154 images)
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GAME STORY: Wylie battles but falls to Aledo in Game 2, sees season end in I-5A semis
STEPHENVILLE — After being run-ruled by Aledo in Game 1 of its Region I-5A semifinals series on Thursday, the Wylie softball team gave a much more representative effort Friday in Game 2. But it wasn’t enough to extend the series as the Lady Bulldogs saw their season end with a 7-3 loss to the Ladycats at the Tarleton State University softball field.
Wylie trailed just 4-3 after three innings and was still within two runs (5-3) heading into the sixth. But Aledo scored a pair of runs in the top of that inning to double its lead and held on from there for the sweep.
Despite the outcome, which saw the Lady Bulldogs close their season at 23-9, coach Heather Collier was proud of her team and the way it responded to the rough series opener.
GAME RECAP: Wylie baseball closes out El Paso Del Valle with 11-0 win in Game 2
MONAHANS — The Wylie baseball team wrapped up a Region I-5A quarterfinals sweep over El Paso Del Valle on Friday, following Thursday’s 3-1 victory with an 11-0 win in Game 2 to advance to the fourth round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Brooks Gay limited the Conquistadors to just one hit in a five-inning shutout in the clincher as the Bulldogs improved to 25-5 on the season.
Wylie will now await the conclusion of the series between Aledo and Burleson Centennial to find out who its opponent will be next week in the I-5A semifinals.
GAME STORY: Aledo rides pair of big innings to run-rule win over Wylie in Game 1
STEPHENVILLE — The red-hot Wylie Lady Bulldogs ran into a buzzsaw Thursday in the opener of their Region I-5A semifinal series against Aledo, seeing their nine-game winning streak snapped with a 14-2 run-rule loss to the Ladycats at the Tarleton State University softball field.
Wylie, which had won 12 of its last 13 games coming into Thursday’s matchup, trailed Aledo 8-0 after two innings thanks to a seven-run Ladycats second that all but ended the competitive phase of the game.
AHS outhit the Lady Bulldogs 14-3, pounding out seven extra-base hits, including home runs by Ana Flores and Madysen Boutwell to bookend the scoring in its big second inning.
CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Stephenville pole vaulter Kirbo wins final award of 21-22 school year
As one of the defensive leaders for Stephenville’s state championship football team, Ben Kirbo was ensured a memorable senior year regardless of what happened at the Class 4A state track meet.
But the SHS standout and future TCU pole vaulter wanted a little icing on his cake … and got it.
Kirbo vaulted 16 feet in Austin last week to win the Class 4A pole vault competition by a full foot over Pleasanton’s Preston Pilgrim and Argyle’s Mitchell Thompson. And in doing so, he earned our final Capital Farm Credit/BCP Player of the Week award for the 2021-22 school year.