Category: Wylie Bulldogs

by Evan Ren

Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (through Sept. 14)

Big Country Preps is publishing area volleyball statistical leaders each Tuesday at 7 p.m.

This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the remainder of the season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.

We will continually update the database throughout the regular season.

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by Zach Duncan, Special to Big Country Preps

FEATURE: McMurry-bound Miller leading the way for Wylie volleyball

As the setter for Wylie’s volleyball team, Lexi Miller knows the Lady Bulldogs’ attack goes through her.  

By running a 5-1 rotation, Wylie coach Shay Cox puts a lot on her senior, who has rarely left the court the past three seasons.  

“Lexi knows who to get the ball to and who’s getting the job done,” Cox said. “We talk about mixing it up – you don’t want the defense to key in on one hitter. Lexi works hard to balance it well and puts us in a good position.”  

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde’s Phillips takes this week’s top spot

Clyde junior Payton Phillips first hit the area radar screen last spring when she took double gold at the Region I-3A track meet in the both the long jump and 100 hurdles. 

But our Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week is also one of the area’s top volleyball setters as well, as last week’s effort in a three-set win over Graham and four-set loss to Stephenville illustrated. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Cooper rides big third quarter to thrilling 30-24 win over Wylie

Unlike the first two meetings in the Southtown Showdown series, Friday’s matchup between Cooper and Wylie was a tight one.

But the outcome was the same as the Cougars rallied from a 17-10 halftime deficit to knock off the Bulldogs 30-24 in a thrilling affair at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.

Cooper, which improved to 3-0 all-time against its southside rival, scored 17 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a two-score lead into the final period, before holding off a furious Wylie rally in the final five minutes to secure the win.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Running backs Gomez, Carpenter providing strong 1-2 punch for Wylie

With a big, strong offensive line and a pair of experienced backs, the Wylie football team expected its running game to be a strength in 2021.

Last week, in a 30-22 win over Lubbock Monterey, the Bulldogs saw it in all its glory.

Led by senior backs Trey Gomez and Josh Carpenter, who both topped the 100-yard mark in that victory, WHS rushed for 265 yards as a team against the Plainsmen. And after catching a glimpse of just how dominant the Bulldog ground attack can be, that duo is ready to make a habit out of pounding opposing defenses into submission.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Brady cancels, Ren goes scrambling (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 42-9, .823
SEASON TOTAL: 85-21, .801

I was very much looking forward to our Big Country Preps Game of the Week – Coleman (2-0) at Brady (2-0). Unfortunately, COVID intervened by midweek, forcing a cancellation of the contest.

On a positive note, there are several other quality games throughout the area for us to focus on, and (taking a bow) the column is already hitting over 80 percent on picks and we’re only in Week 3.

Numbers of that sort are generally reserved for Weeks 7-10, so I’m feeling pressure to keep the early momentum going.

In the absence of our Game of the Week, I’ll be heading to Cross Plains on Friday, where Haskell will be paying a visit to the Buffaloes (COVID allowing, of course).

Let’s dive in to this week’s picks:

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie volleyball starts fast, sweeps Abilene High

The Wylie volleyball team never trailed in three games as the Lady Bulldogs swept Abilene High 25-17, 25-13, 25-13 on Tuesday night at Bulldog Gym.

Getting a quick sweep of a crosstown opponent was big for Wylie, said coach Shay Cox, noting that it would have been easy for her squad to get too hyped up for Tuesday’s match or to be caught looking ahead to Friday night’s showdown with former district foe Aledo.

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by Evan Ren

CAPITAL FARM CREDIT/BCP PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Big Spring QB Baeza takes top spot

Much of the Big Country remains unaware of him. But Big Spring senior Gabriel Baeza has begun to post numbers that demand attention, and he’s starting to get it. 

His latest effort: 374 yards passing for three touchdowns in a 49-10 win over Lubbock High School to push Big Spring to a 2-0 start.

This week’s Capital Farm Credit/Big Country Preps Player of the Week also rushed 12 times for 56 yards and three additional scores, giving him a direct hand in six TDs. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Bulldogs get redemption with thrilling win over Lubbock Monterey

After a disappointing season-opening loss on the road at Burleson last week, the Wylie football team had one thought in advance of its home opener.

Redemption.

Behind a two-headed rushing attack featuring Josh Carpenter and Trey Gomez, the Bulldogs earned that with a 30-22 win over Class 5A Division I Lubbock Monterey on Friday night at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.

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by Daniel Youngblood

FEATURE: Wylie looking to learn from last week’s mistakes, rebound against Monterey

The Wylie football team’s season opener at Burleson was a forgettable one for the Bulldogs, but there are parts coach Clay Martin wants his team committing to memory.

In the days since that 42-3 loss to the Elks, the Wylie staff has been working hard to ensure that the WHS players have taken all of the lessons they should from that experience while, at the same time, moving past that game in time for Friday’s matchup against Lubbock Monterey.

While that can be a fine line to walk, Martin feels his Bulldogs have done just that. And he’s confident that their second showing — a 7 p.m. matchup at Hugh Sandifer Stadium — will be a more representative example of this team’s ability.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie volleyball takes down Midland Christian in three games

Hosting a Midland Christian squad it had just beaten over the weekend at the Wolfforth Frenship tournament, the Wylie volleyball team took care of the Lady Mustangs in three sets Tuesday, claiming a 25-15, 25-13, 25-18 victory at Bulldog Gym.

Coming off a 25-14, 25-6 tournament win over MCHS, the Lady Bulldogs showed no signs of complacency or let-up in Tuesday’s rematch, dominating play from start to finish to improve to 17-9 on the year.

Tuesday’s match marked the third time this season that Wylie had played a team twice and the first time the Lady Bulldogs have taken two matches from an opponent. In its first two rematch scenarios — against Dumas and Burleson Centennial — the Lady Bulldogs won the first match but were unable to take the second.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Burleson rides fast start to 42-3 win over Wylie in season opener

BURLESON — Burleson grabbed the momentum on the opening play and never relinquished it in a dominant 42-3 win over Wylie in the season opener for both teams Thursday at Burleson Stadium.

After winning the toss and deferring to the second half, the Elks tried and recovered an onside kick to open the game, and they followed that with the first of five consecutive touchdowns to put the visiting Bulldogs on the ropes from the start.

Following a failed onside kick on Burleson’s second kickoff, Wylie threatened to answer with a score of their own. But penalties turned a first-and-goal situation from the 4 into a 37-yard field goal attempt that was pulled to the left and no good. The Elks then capitalized on the following drive, pushing 80 yards in nine plays to go up 14-0 with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter, and it was off to the races from there.

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Stephenville play host to Sweetwater (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 0-0, .000
SEASON TOTAL 0-0, .000

At last, here we are. 

The 2021 football season has arrived, giving us a much-needed diversion every Friday night, in isolated spots all over Central Texas. As always, I will endeavor to pick the winner of all our area games, from Class 1A through Class 6A, with the top matchup serving as our Big Country Preps Game of the Week.

Our first spotlight game should come as no surprise, with long-time Hamlin coach Russell Lucas debuting as the head coach of the Sweetwater Mustangs — one of the most -storied programs in the Big Country.

Their opposition?

The Stephenville Yellow Jackets at Tarleton State’s Memorial Stadium. 

With that, let’s dive into the picks, shall we? 

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 2021.

We hope you enjoy this list and that you’ve enjoyed our position rankings as we get set to kickoff a new season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 Monday, we move now to the area’s top backs, ranking our top 10 with a list of others to watch in 2021. Don’t forget to check in Wednesday night 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.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 pass-catchers.

After starting the offensive portion of our series Sunday with the linemen, we now shift our attention to the playmakers on the perimeter, ranking our top 10 wide receivers/tight ends with a list of others to watch in 2021.

We hope you enjoy our list and encourage you to check out the other position groups, which are linked below.   

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 2021.

We hope you enjoy reading through our rankings.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 10 kickers and top three 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 2021 season.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 2021.

We hope you enjoy our list.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason Position Rankings: Linebackers

After taking a look at the Big Country’s top defensive linemen on Wednesday, it’s now time to examine those who will backing them in 2021.

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.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BCP Football Preseason 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 2021.

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.

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by Evan Ren

2021 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. 
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by Evan Ren

EVAN REN: The top area games worth traveling to in 2021

Every year, one of the things I look forward to most, is mapping out the upcoming football season — charting the games I believe will have the greatest impact. 

First and foremost, it’s a preseason menu for area fans who enjoy driving to some of the Big Country’s best football games on a weekly basis. Call it a football roadmap of sorts.

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by Daniel Youngblood

WYLIE FEATURE: Offensive line, lack of running game no longer trouble spots for Bulldogs

During its two-year playoff hiatus spanning the 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Wylie football team’s struggles could largely be boiled down to one simple issue. When push came to shove, the Bulldogs couldn’t move the pile at the line of scrimmage.

This problem, evident on both sides of the ball, was a throttling force for WHS, particularly on offense where a lack of a running game made moving the chains with consistency a near impossibility.

But after averaging 92. 1 rushing yards and 14.2 points per game over those two campaigns, which saw the Bulldogs post a 2-18 overall record, Wylie took a significant step forward in 2020. And that progress, which culminated in a 4-4 mark and playoff berth in Clay Martin’s first year as head coach, could just be the start.

No longer undersized or overmatched, the Wylie offensive line managed to assert its will a little last fall, paving the way for 152 rushing yards per game. And with that production came success and confidence — two things the Bulldogs are expecting to start the 2021 season with.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2021 WYLIE FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Bulldogs hoping to reload, build on last year’s progress

After posting a combined 2-18 record across the 2018 and 2019 seasons, the Wylie football team took a nice step forward last fall in coach Clay Martin’s first year at the helm. 

While COVD limited the Bulldogs to just eight games, Martin’s squad finished 4-4, reaching the playoffs for the first time in WHS’ three years as a Class 5A program.

With 27 returning lettermen being joined by call-ups from a 4-3 junior varsity team, the Bulldogs will be looking to build on that progress this season. And despite graduating seven starters on both sides of the ball, Martin believes they can do just that.

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by Daniel Youngblood

COUNTDOWN TO TWO-A-DAYS: Wylie Bulldogs

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 Saturday, Aug. 14. 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. 2, we’ll be spotlighting each 11-man team in the area and posing some of the key questions they’ll face in 2021 as part of our annual “Countdown to Two-a-Days” series.

Today, 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.

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