Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 25.
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.
Category: Wylie Bulldogs
LOCAL BASEBALL ROUNDUP: Wylie shuts out Coronado; Abilene High falls in finale to Lubbock Cooper
After storms in and around Abilene wreaked havoc on Tuesday’s District 4-5A baseball slate, clearer weather prevailed Wednesday, allowing Wylie, Abilene High and Cooper to complete games that were suspended due to lightning.
WHS completed a shutout of Lubbock Coronado, tacking on five runs Wednesday to earn a 7-0 win, while the AHS saw a late rally come up just short in a 5-4 loss to Lubbock Cooper and Abilene Cooper downed Lubbock High 4-0.
It was the final home game for all three local teams, and the final regular season altogether for Abilene High, which has clinched the district’s No. 3 playoff spot. Wylie, meanwhile, will play at Lubbock Cooper on Friday for the 4-5A championship, while Cooper will close out its season Friday at Coronado after being eliminated from playoff contention Monday with a 12-2 loss at Lubbock Monterey.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Eula’s Cauthen takes our weekly award through three sports
There is very little that Eula’s Halie Cauthen isn’t good at athletically. Already an Honorable Mention All-Big Country Preps basketball player, the EHS junior showed her full range of versatility last week with three big performances in three different sports.
To begin with, Cauthen opened the week by qualifying for the 1A state golf tournament as an individual at the regional tournament, closing with rounds of 103 and 105.
Then, after playing 54 holes of golf in three days, Cauthen rushed back to compete for the district championship in softball against Cross Plains.
With a game time of 7:30 p.m., she arrived from the golf tournament at 7:25 and went 4 for 4 with three triples, three RBIs and four runs scored to help Eula clinch the district title in a 10-1 victory.
But Cauthen wasn’t finished quite yet.
GAME REPORT: Wylie softball clinches share of district title, top playoff seed with 6-2 win at Lubbock Cooper
WOODROW — The Wylie softball team clinched a share of the District 4-5A title and locked up the league’s No. 1 playoff seed Friday night with a 6-2 road win over Lubbock Cooper.
The Lady Bulldogs, who closed district play on a five-game winning streak, scored the final five runs of the game to pull away for the win after the Lady Pirates had taken a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first inning.
The victory improved Wylie (24-8 overall) to 9-3 in 4-5A play, setting up a three-way tie atop the standings between itself, Lubbock Cooper (17-13, 9-3) and Lubbock Monterey (20-12-2, 9-3). But the Lady Bulldogs earned the top playoff seed by virtue of a 3-1 record against those two squads.
FEATURE: Wylie softball riding an offensive surge into district finale, the postseason
Just under three weeks ago, the Wylie softball team entered its open date off a three-game losing streak that culminated in the Lady Bulldogs being no-hit in a 2-0 loss to Abilene High.
At the time, coach Heather Collier had a simple message for her squad. “Softball … can be a rollercoaster ride,” she said, adding that the key was to “hang on for it” and remain confident in the process that had helped WHS open District 4-5A play at 4-0.
If there was any question about that message or whether it was received, the Lady Bulldogs have answered it emphatically since, averaging an eye-popping 13.8 runs in their last four games — all wins.
Big Country Baseball Statistical leaders (through April 18)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 18.
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.
FINAL Big Country Regular Season Softball Statistical leaders for 2024 (through April 18)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 18.
With the end of the regular season, this will be our FINAL softball leaders posting for 2024.
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.
GAME STORY: Big seventh inning lifts Wylie to win over red-hot Cooper
Facing off with a red-hot Cooper team that had won five straight games to work itself back into the District 4-5A playoff race, the Wylie baseball team weathered an early storm and put together one big inning late to pull away for a 6-2 win Tuesday at Cougar Field.
Trailing 2-0 after two innings, the Bulldogs scratched across single runs in the third and fifth innings to tie the game, before exploding for four runs in the top of the seventh to finally put the Cougars away.
The victory improved Wylie (21-4 overall) to 10-4 in district play, keeping the Bulldogs within a half-game of league-leader Lubbock Cooper (17-13, 11-4), while Cooper (12-14, 6-9) remains within a game of 4-5A’s final playoff spot thanks to Abilene High’s 7-1 win over Lubbock Monterey on Tuesday.
LOCAL SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Abilene High, Wylie earn important wins
While the District 4-5A baseball race garners hype and headlines, the softball race may be just as compelling.
Wylie beat Lubbock Coronado 15-4 on Tuesday night while Abilene High knocked off district leader Lubbock Cooper 5-4, creating a logjam among the league’s four teams jockeying for playoff positioning.
Tuesday’s win by the Lady Eagles leaves them at 8-4 in district play with their season complete while it dropped the Lady Pirates to 9-2. Wylie, meanwhile, is now tied for second place with Lubbock Monterey at 8-3.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (through April 11)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 11.
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.
GAME STORY: Clutch pitching, one big inning lift Abilene High to key 3-2 win at Wylie
Inheriting a bases-loaded, no-out situation in the bottom of the seventh inning with his team clinging to a narrow 3-2 lead, Abilene High ace Brady Bennett couldn’t have asked for a much more difficult relief assignment Tuesday in the Eagles’ last of three District 4-5A meetings with Wylie.
But after watching teammates Connel Colley and Joseph Flores pitch out of similar jams each of the previous two innings, the AHS right-hander rose to the occasion himself, delivering three strikeouts on just 10 pitches to preserve a dramatic one-run victory over the Bulldogs.
The win, combined with Abilene Cooper’s 10-2 upset of Lubbock Cooper on Tuesday, pulled the Eagles into a three-way tie for first place in the 4-5A standings with LCHS and Wylie, adding a new layer of craziness to an already wild district race.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Wall’s Jones takes five district titles and our Player of the Week
While we normally try to share the love in our Big Country Preps Player of the Week column, five district titles in one week isn’t easy to sidestep.
And while Wall’s Briggs Jones has already pulled down our award once this year, he earned a second with his showing at the District 6-3A meet in Clyde last week by sweeping the long jump (23-2), the triple jump (44-10.75), the 200 meters (21.92), the 100 meters (10.72) and assisting the 800 relay team to gold with a 1:29.68 split.
GAME STORY: Wylie Bulldogs bounce back from tough loss with big 4-2 win over Lubbock Cooper
The Wylie Bulldogs weren’t happy with how they played Friday in a 10-2 loss at Lubbock Coronado, but the 18-game District 4-5A schedule doesn’t give any team too long to dwell on any particular result.
That proved to be a good thing for coach Grant Martin’s team, which responded to Friday night’s loss with a 4-2 home win over Lubbock Cooper on Saturday afternoon, pulling into a first-place tie with the Pirates in the process.
Senior Brady Clark delivered a strong outing on the mound, limiting Cooper to two runs on six hits over 6.1 strong innings, and his teammates made that stand up with three runs in the second and another in the fourth.
GAME STORY: Wylie snaps losing streak with 19-1 win over Cooper
Riding a three-game losing streak into Friday’s home matchup with crosstown rival Cooper, the Wylie softball made it apparent early it had no intention of seeing that skid reach four games.
The Lady Bulldogs scored six runs in the first inning and eight more in the second to build a 14-0 lead and cruised from there to a dominant 19-1 win at Bulldog Field.
The victory improved WHS (20-8 overall) to 5-3 in District 4-5A play, pulling coach Heather Collier’s squad a half-game ahead of Abilene High (16-12-1, 5-4) for third in the league standings after the Lady Eagles’ 4-1 road loss to second-place Lubbock Monterey (18-11-2, 7-2) on Friday.
DISTRICT 4-5A TRACK MEET: AHS boys narrowly miss team title as local athletes combine to claim 48 medals
Entering the mile relay just two points down to Lubbock Cooper in the team race, the Abilene High boys track team gave itself a chance to claim team gold at the District 4-5A meet Thursday at the Shotwell Annex.
But after taking three of the top four spots in the 1,600 meters to put themselves in that position, the Eagles finished second to the Pirates in the final race of the evening to close the two-day meet with 172 points — six short of a district championship.
That 1-2 finish between LCHS and Abilene High mirrored the finish in the girls team race, which saw the Lady Pirates earn 141 points to top the second-place Lady Eagles by 29 points and the third-place Cooper Lady Cougars by 37.
The team medals, which also included a bronze for the Wylie boys (73 points) capped a successful district meet for Abilene’s three largest high schools, which combined to earn 48 medals (24 girls, 24 boys) and claim 68 spots at the Districts 3/4-5A area meet next week at Lowrey Field in Lubbock.
Big Country Baseball Statistical Leaders (Through April 4)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through April 4.
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.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (Through April 4)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through April 4.
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.
PHOTO GALLERY: District 4-5A Track Meet Day 1 (150 images)
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GAME STORY: Abilene High ace Silva throws no-hitter in dominant effort against Wylie
After finishing on the losing side of a 3-2 pitchers’ duel in her first matchup with Wylie on March 5, Abilene High ace Diana Silva left nothing to chance in Thursday’s rematch.
The senior right-hander no-hit the Lady Bulldogs, allowing just two baserunners all game, to make the same run total hold up in a 2-0 win at the AHS softball field.
Silva struck out eight while walking one batter and hitting another to complete the seven-inning gem in just 86 pitches, pulling her Lady Eagles (15-11-1 overall, 4-3 in district) into a third-place tie with Wylie (19-8, 4-3) in the in District 4-5A standings.
Big Country Baseball Statistical Leaders (Through March 28)
Here are the area’s baseball statistical leaders through March 28.
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.
Big Country Softball Statistical Leaders (Through March 28)
Here are the area’s softball statistical leaders through March 28.
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.
Evan Ren’s 2024 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players in the Big Country!
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 upon which championship foundations are built.
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 2023-24 season.
Players are listed in no particular order.
Enjoy.
2024 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Rising Stars Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the area!
Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.
- Girls Superlative Award Winners
- Girls First Team
- Girls Second Team
- Girls Third Team (w/ honorable mention)
- Boys Superlative Award Winners
- Boys First Team
- Boys Second Team
- Boys Third Team (w/ honorable mention)
- Gym Rat Team: The toughest, hardest-working teammates in the Big Country! (Sunday)
PHOTO GALLERY: Wylie-Abilene High baseball (50 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: Wylie-Abilene High baseball (50 images)”
2024 All-Big Country Preps Girls Basketball Rising Stars Team: The top freshmen and sophomores in the area!
Here is our 2024 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball Rising Stars team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.
- Girls Superlative Award Winners
- Girls First Team
- Girls Second Team
- Girls Third Team (w/ honorable mention)
- Boys Superlative Award Winners
- Boys First Team
- Boys Second Team
- Boys Third Team (w/ honorable mention)
- Boys Rising Stars Team (area’s top underclassmen)
- Gym Rat Team: The toughest, hardest-working teammates in the Big Country! (Sunday)
GAME STORY: Clutch triple by Briscoe propels Wylie to crosstown win over AHS
The Abilene High and Wylie baseball teams spent the first three innings of Friday night’s showdown for the District 4-5A lead at Blackburn Field searching for a critical hit that would create some momentum.
Wylie’s Tye Briscoe delivered it on a full count pitch leading off the fourth with a triple to right that kickstarted a run of three hits in four batters as the Bulldogs knocked off the Eagles 6-2 in front of a rowdy crowd.
Both Wylie coach Grant Martin and his AHS counterpart, Brad Harman, said it was the most important at-bat of the contest.
GAME STORY: Wylie outlasts Monterey in nine innings, walks off with wild 12-11 win
Hosting Lubbock Monterey with sole possession of the District 4-5A lead on the line, the Wylie softball team needed nine innings and an extra out Monday to outlast the Lady Plainsmen.
But after seeing a 10-4 lead after five innings turned into an 11-10 deficit after 8½, the Lady Bulldogs finally put MHS away, taking advantage of a two-out throwing error to tie the game before getting a walk-off double from Kinsley Turner to end it.
The ninth-inning error was the only one made behind Monterey ace Anays Perez, who was roughed up for 21 hits in a complete-game loss. The last of those — Turner’s two-out double to the gap in left-center — allowed Wylie (18-5 overall) to celebrate a big home win and a perfect 3-0 start to district play.
GAME STORY: Wylie bats apply steady pressure in 13-3 win over crosstown rival Cooper
The Wylie softball team improved to 2-0 in District 4-5A play with its second crosstown win in as many weeks, following last Tuesday’s 3-2 triumph over Abilene High with a 13-3 victory over Cooper on Thursday Cougar Field.
The Lady Bulldogs scored in every inning but one, using a five-run fourth to break open a 3-1 game before putting the finishing touches on a dominant effort with a four-run top of the seventh.
The victory, which featured 14 hits, including five for extra bases, improved Wylie to 17-5 overall, while Cooper fell to 9-14-1 on the season and 0-2 in league play.
GAME STORY: Gay’s gem, late offense fuel Wylie to 7-1 win over crosstown rival Cooper
A strong pitching performance by junior Brady Gay and a couple of big innings were enough to fuel the Wylie baseball team past rival Cooper in a 7-1 win Thursday at Abilene Christian University’s Crutcher Scott Field.
The game, which capped a rain-filled opening day of the Abilene ISD Invitational, saw a venue change and a slight delay due to the storms that blew through Abilene on Thursday. But the clouds and wet weather cleared in time for Gay to toss a six-inning gem that was rewarded with a win when his teammates put up seven runs over the fifth and sixth innings.
The victory improved Wylie (12-0 overall) to 2-0 in District 4-5A play, while Cooper fell to 5-6 on the year and 1-1 in league action.
BREAKING: Wylie hires Hardin-Simmons alum Fecci as new athletic director
With one eye on the current time and one turned towards the future, Wylie ISD named Mike Fecci its new athletic director on Monday night.
Fecci comes to Wylie after having spent 17 years with McKinney ISD, the last two of which he’s been the assistant AD for the four-high school district.
His experience in a multi-school district was something that sold the WISD administration on him.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Merkel senior closes the curtain in a big way.
Merkel senior Kooper Darby picked the right time to post the best all-around game of his high school career.
Playing in his final basketball game as a Merkel Badger, our Big Country Preps Player of the Week tallied a career-high 44 points to go with 16 rebounds, five assists, five steals in a 79-42 win over San Angelo Grape Creek.
With the Badgers (17-16) missing the playoffs, Darby had a final opportunity to make an impact as a high schooler and he did — like a meteor.
PHOTO GALLERY: Cooper-Wylie boys basketball play-in game (75 images)
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GAME STORY: Carrillo’s late floater lifts Wylie to one-point over Cooper, into playoffs
After 12 district games and two thrilling head-to-head matchups yielded identical records, the Cooper and Wylie boys basketball teams needed a rubber match Friday to decide which of the two would represent District 4-5A as its fourth and final playoff team.
It was only fitting that the third meeting — like each of the two before it — would come down to the final seconds.
After scoring 19 points in a two-point Wylie win on Jan. 23, Isaiah Carrillo broke the Cougars’ heart a second time Friday at Abilene Christian University’s Moody Coliseum, hitting a contested floater with 1.7 seconds left to lift the Bulldogs to a 44-43 victory and into the Region I-5A playoff bracket.
THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: There’s still plenty to be decided as we approach end of regular season
We’re down to the final scheduled date of the boys basketball regular season, but there’s still plenty to be decided on the Big Country hoops scene.
Included on Tuesday’s slate are a number of matchups with district title implications and several others that will either decide or help decide playoff berths.
Here’s a peek at some of the biggest games on tap this week, as well as a look back at some of last week’s most influential results:
PHOTO GALLERY: Abilene High-Wylie boys basketball (78 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: Abilene High-Wylie boys basketball (78 images)”
GAME STORY: Abilene High wins wild one at Wylie to stay in District 4-5A title hunt
Needing a road win over Wylie to stay in the District 4-5A title race, the Abilene High boys basketball team secured the result it was looking for Friday at Bulldog Gym. But getting there was anything but easy.
The Eagles got all they could handle from a shorthanded Bulldogs squad, which rallied from a trio of 13-point deficits in the third quarter to take a five-point lead with less than four minutes remaining in the game. But coach Justin Reese’s squad had the final run in a second half that was full of them to escape with a thrilling 65-64 victory.
Down 61-56 with 3:53 to play, AHS responded with nine consecutive points, using a pair of Tyson Thompson free throws to ice the game late before a Will Evans 3-pointer at the buzzer pulled the final margin to one. Continue reading “GAME STORY: Abilene High wins wild one at Wylie to stay in District 4-5A title hunt”
SIGNING DAY 2024: Abilene schools combine for more than 20 signees across five sports
With athletes across the country putting pen to paper to make their college choices official Wednesday, Abilene’s local high schools were as active as they’ve ever been on National Signing Day.
Wylie had a school-record 10 athletes across four sports take part in a single ceremony Wednesday afternoon, while Abilene High had nine athletes from three sports sign their letters of intent over the course of the day and Cooper had four football players represented at its Signing Day ceremony.
In all, more than 20 local athletes made pledges to 13 schools, spanning all level of collegiate athletics.
BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Rigdon has another huge week
Benjamin’s Grayson Rigdon has been posting such overwhelming numbers for so long, that people scarcely blink when upon hearing of his latest exploits.
So here we go again: Rigdon is our Big Country Preps Player of the Week after posting monstrous numbers in wins over Munday (81-60) and Electra (99-74).
In the Munday win, the junior guard tallied 41 points, nine assists and eight steals. Three nights later, he charted 51 points, six assists and 10 steals to help the Mustangs improve to 15-0 overall and 10-0 in district.
UIL REALIGNMENT: Local football teams spared surprises on ‘uneventful’ realignment day
While the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment offered surprises for many coaches across the state, Abilene’s local football mentors were spared any real suspense when they opened their packets containing new districts for the next two school years.
When the news became official at 9 a.m. Thursday, Abilene High’s Mike Fullen, Cooper’s Aaron Roan and Wylie’s Clay Martin found their schools where they expected to in the Region I landscape.
Fullen’s Eagles will once again be in District 2-5A Division I, sharing a league with familiar opponents Amarillo High, Amarillo Caprock, Amarillo Tascosa, Lubbock Coronado and Lubbock Monterey, while adding a lone newcomer in Lubbock High. Cooper and Wylie, meanwhile, will be in District 2-5A DII with Amarillo Palo Duro, Lubbock Cooper, Plainview and new Wichita Falls ISD schools Legacy and Memorial.
THIS WEEK IN BOYS BASKETBALL: Several district leads on the line in loaded area slate
As a fan of high school basketball, I generally have no trouble finding area matchups I find interesting. Browsing this week’s slate, I had more trouble finding games that weren’t.
As we continue to barrel toward the boys basketball playoffs, we’ll see a number of Big Country district races take shape this week as league leads will be on the line in a number of marquee matchups.
If, like me, you enjoy hoops action, there should be plenty to pique your interest on both Tuesday and Friday. Here’s a look at the week to come:
PHOTO GALLERY: Cooper-Wylie basketball doubleheader (134 images)
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BREAKING: Wylie to split roles of athletic director and head football coach
A move that has been discussed as a possibility for several years became official on Friday afternoon as Wylie announced it would be splitting the jobs of athletic director and head football coach into separate roles.
Clay Martin, who has served WISD in both capacities since 2020, was the one who went to the district and suggested it was time, Wylie Superintendent Joey Light said.
Light said Martin was given an option of which job to fulfill moving forward and the veteran coach chose to remain on the sidelines.
Big Country Boys Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 25): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country boys basketball through Jan. 25.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
Big Country Girls Basketball Statistical Leaders (through Jan. 25): Scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, FT Pct., pass deflections and blocks
Below are the current season statistical leaders for Big Country girls basketball through Jan. 25.
This database will be continually updated for our subscribers throughout the regular season, using only those statistics submitted by area coaches.
GAME STORY: Carrillo scores 19 as Wylie boys rally past Cooper for key district win
There’s not a lot separating the Wylie and Cooper boys basketball teams. That much is clear is after two meetings between the squads.
But thanks to WHS’ 51-49 home victory over the Cougars on Tuesday, which avenged a 56-52 overtime loss to CHS on Dec. 19, the Bulldogs now hold a two-game edge on their crosstown rival for one of District 4-5A’s final two playoff spots.
Paced by junior point guard Isaiah Carrillo, who scored a game-high 19 points, Wylie rallied from a 43-39 fourth-quarter deficit to snap a mini two-game losing streak and hand the Cougars their second consecutive one-possession loss.
GAME STORY: Sloan’s 36-point night fuels Cooper to needed upset win at Wylie
With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread following a lopsided 79-46 home loss to archrival Abilene High on Friday, the Cooper Lady Cougars entered Friday’s Southtown Showdown at Wylie needing a spark in the worst possible way.
Trailing 24-16 in the second quarter, they got it from do-it-all power forward J’Lee Sloan.
The talented senior scored 15 of her game-high 36 points in that second period to keep her team within striking distance at halftime, before sparking a 24-8 run through the third quarter to propel Cooper to a 66-60 upset of Wylie at Bulldog Gym.