Category: Wylie Bulldogs

by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater’s Moore wins second award in less than a month

Korda Moore has been playing well all year for the Sweetwater Mustangs. But he picked the right moment for one of his best games last Friday, helping the Mustangs clinch a playoff spot with a 51-38 win over Snyder. 

To begin with, Moore rushed 11 times for 106 yards and five scores.  Along the way he added a pair of two-point conversion runs for a total of 34 points on the night. 

Defensively he charted 12 tackles, three of which were behind the Snyder line of scrimmage and had a quarterback hurry as well. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 11 REPORT: Wylie tops Cooper for No. 2 seed; Palo Duro takes last playoff spot from Plainview

Wylie 17, Cooper 7 — The Bulldogs outlasted their crosstown rival Cougars for a hard-fought, defensive win, using a pick-six by Collin Bruning to seal the victory with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

Bruning forced and recovered a fumble inside the red zone earlier in the fourth quarter to lead a Wylie defense that limited Cooper 240 total yards and shut the Cougars out over the final three quarters.  Offensively, the Bulldogs (7-3, 4-1) had just 141 total yards, led by Julius Laine with 65 yards and a touchdown rushing.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

BCP GAME OF THE WEEK: Bruning fuels Wylie past Cooper in defensive Showdown

Neither the Wylie or Cooper offense could get much going Friday at Shotwell Stadium, leaving the outcome of the Big Country Preps Game of the Week in doubt deep into the fourth quarter. 

But WHS linebacker Collin Bruning took things into his own hands in the closing minutes, following a key red zone fumble recovery early in the final period with a 69-yard pick-six at the 1:25 mark to lock up a 17-7 win for the Bulldogs in the sixth Southtown Showdown.

Bruning’s defensive TD, which accounted for the only points of the second half, helped Wylie (7-3 overall, 4-1 in district) earn the No. 2 playoff seed out of District 2-5A Division II and a home playoff game in next week’s bi-district round while forcing third-seeded Cooper (4-6, 3-2) to make a long trip west to El Paso for its playoff opener.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Wylie, Cooper clash in burgeoning rivalry game

LAST WEEK: 47-5, .903
SEASON TOTAL: 438-91, .827

With the column hitting at more than 90 percent accuracy last week, we now close the regular season on the upswing and with something uncommon: A local Big Country Preps Game of the Week. 

While our weekly picks column generally highlights the top area game outside of the Abilene city limits, this week seems to call for us to stay at home with rivals Wylie (6-3, 3-1) and Cooper (4-5, 3-1) fighting for sole possession of the No. 2 seed in District 2-5A Division II. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 31)

NOTE: This will be our final installment of Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders for the 2023 season 

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.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 10 REPORT: Wylie, Cooper win; Rider routs Plainview

Wylie 33, Amarillo Palo Duro 16 — The Bulldogs raced out to a 21-3 first-quarter lead and were never threatened after, locking up a playoff spot with a comfortable win over the Dons.

Bear Meng passed for 198 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 79 yards and another score to lead Wylie (6-3, 3-1), which also got 57 yards rushing from Malachi Daniels. Braden Regala (4-75) and Derrick Evans (3-66) both had receiving touchdowns, but Evans was knocked out of the game and taken to the hospital in the first quarter.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Bulldogs hammer Palo Duro in home finale, clinch playoff berth

The Wylie football team overcame a scary first quarter injury to senior wide receiver Derrick Evans to take a 33-16 District 2-5A Division II win over Amarillo Palo Duro on Friday, clinching a playoff berth at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.

After the game, Wylie coach Clay Martin said that Evans, who took a shoulder to the side of his head and was taken via ambulance to Hendrick Medical Center, had a CT scan that came back negative.

Several Bulldogs said that Evans’ health was on their mind as the game resumed.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Bulldogs, Bearcats meet with district title in the balance

LAST WEEK: 44-7, .862
SEASON TOTAL: 391-86, .820

It really didn’t take long for people to start talking about the Hawley – Stamford matchup in 2023. In fact, this one was on our calendar as a possible Game of the Week before the season even started. 

Who will win? That depends on who you speak with. Our Twitter poll is split virtually down the middle and even the computers see this one as a near tossup.

Stamford (7-0, 4-0 District 4-2A DII) enters this game scarcely challenged, rolling over the opposition by an average tally of 45-8. Hawley (6-2, 4-0), on the other hand, comes in with some battle scars after a brutal schedule featuring Jim Ned, Lubbock Roosevelt and Albany. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

Big Country Volleyball Statistical Leaders (as submitted by area coaches through Oct. 24)

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.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 9 REPORT: Cooper, Wylie roll to wins; Rider stays unbeaten in league play

Cooper 31, Plainview 14 — The Cougars used a 21-point second quarter to climb out of an early 7-0 hole and were never threatened after halftime in a dominant showing against the Bulldogs.

Cooper (3-5, 2-1) outgained Plainview 284-191, limiting a talented Bulldogs offense to just 3.8 yards per play. Christian Rico (8-52 rushing), Austin Cummins (8-32 rushing; 9-18-1—94 passing) and Troneal Robinson (13-29) all had rushing scores for the Cougars, who also got a TD pass from Cummins to tight end Clayton Gift (3-46 receiving) in the victory.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Wylie dominates Lubbock High from start to finish, moves to 2-1 in league play

Photos by Mandi McDonald, HubCityPreps.com

LUBBOCK — The Wylie football bounced back from last week’s loss to Wichita Falls Rider with a blowout win over Lubbock High, pushing out to a 42-0 halftime lead and cruising from there to a 52-7 victory Friday at Lowrey Field.

The Bulldogs outgained the Westerners 454-159, building a 49-0 lead before the home team finally got on the board in the third quarter.

The win improved Wylie to 5-3 overall and 2-1 in district play, setting up key district matchups with Amarillo Palo Duro and Cooper in Abilene to close out the regular season.

Continue reading “GAME REPORT: Wylie dominates Lubbock High from start to finish, moves to 2-1 in league play” →

by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Stephenville hosts China Spring (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 40-8, .833
SEASON TOTAL: 347-79, .814

As Week 9 of the 2023Texas High School football season gets underway, there are multiple high-profile games that would qualify as our Big Country Preps Game of the Week.

But we’re settling for a rare Thursday night matchup at Tarleton State University where seventh-ranked 4A DI Stephenville (5-2, 1-0) will play host to fourth-ranked China Spring (6-2, 2-0) in a game will give the victor sole possession of first place in District 5.

Picking who wins it may come down to throwing darts, but I do believe China Spring has one key advantage. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 8 REPORT: Cooper snaps losing streak; Rider takes league lead with win at Wylie

Photos by Tom Carver, PressPassSports.com

Cooper 28, Amarillo Palo Duro 21 — Daniel Bray rushed for 99 yards and a two touchdowns, Christian Rico had an 85-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and the Cooper defense held the Dons to seven points over the final three quarters to hold on for a crucial district win.

Cooper raced out to a 21-14 lead after a quarter and extended that to 28-14 by halftime, before holding off Palo Duro in the second half to improve to 2-5 overall and 1-1 in district play.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME REPORT: Wylie can’t overcome slow start in 34-14 loss to Wichita Falls Rider

A slow start and a couple of missed opportunities in the first two quarters put Wylie in a 14-0 halftime hole, and the Bulldogs could never dig their way out in a 34-14 loss to Wichita Falls Rider on Friday at Hugh Sandifer Stadium.

WHS outgained Rider 371-330 and had 21 first downs to the Raiders’ 13, but the visitors took advantage of a Wylie interception and a short field to build a two-score lead just two possessions in, and Bulldogs couldn’t cash in on a couple scoring opportunities before the halftime break.

That left coach Clay Martin’s team playing from behind the rest of the way, and though the Bulldogs twice cut the deficit a single touchdown in the second half, that was as close as they could get in a key District 2-5A Division II loss.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Hico hosts Dawson with high playoff seeds in the balance (w/ Evan Ren’s Big Country Picks)

LAST WEEK: 41-7, .854
SEASON TOTAL: 307-71, .812

 Big Country Preps makes a point of sharing the love and we look for opportunities to take our Game of the Week to as many different places that make sense each year. 
Yet since our inaugural season in 2018, a rebuilding Hico football team missed our spotlight game for five straight seasons. 

That drought ends this week when BCP visits Hico for the first time as the Tigers (5-2, 2-1 District 10-2A DII) host Dawson (5-1, 2-0) in a crucial matchup with high seed implications.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie on the verge of playoff berth after sweeping Cooper; Lady Coogs looking for a miracle

With just two weeks left in the regular season, only one playoff berth has been decided in District 4-5A: the Lady Pirates of Lubbock Cooper know they will be playing in the postseason.

Who joins them in chasing a state championship is still up in the air, but a small sliver of the picture came into focus on Tuesday night.

Wylie knocked off Cooper 25-8, 25-15, 25-19 at Bulldog Gym to move to the precipice of clinching its postseason berth, but the Lady Bulldogs were denied a chance to officially clinch when Lubbock Monterey claimed a five-set thriller over Abilene High.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

ABILENE NOTEBOOK: Abilene High, Wylie football set for huge district showdowns

Those paying attention likely already know that Abilene High is in the midst of one of its best football seasons in several years.

Off to a 5-2 start, the Eagles have only lost to 5-1 Class 6A squads from Midland Legacy and Wolfforth Frenship, and they’ve dominated their first three district opponents to the tune of a 156-34 margin.

But if AHS hopes to close the 2023 season with its first district championship since 2016, it will likely come down to this week’s home matchup against Lubbock Cooper. Since falling 35-34 to Wylie on Sept. 8 in a game that saw them allow three defensive touchdowns, the Pirates (4-2, 2-0) have been almost as dominant  as the Eagles, setting up quite a matchup Friday at Shotwell Stadium.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Clyde senior claims his second weekly accolade

One top-notch performance after another. 

That’s the 2023 résumé of Clyde senior quarterback Blake Carr, who has once again taken our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award after leading the Bulldogs to a 60-36 rout of Vernon on the road on Friday. 

It is the second time this season Carr has taken the top spot. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. I WEEK 7 REPORT: Wylie, Rider and Palo Duro open league play with wins

Wylie 36, Cooper 34 — Malachi Daniels rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown and the WHS defense made four stops inside its own 25-yard line to escape Plainview with a thrilling two-point victory.

Wylie (4-2, 1-0) was outgained 343-273, but coach Clay Martin’s squad took advantage of two blocked extra points (one returned for two points) and a 2-1 edge in the turnover margin, including a fourth-quarter scoop-and-score.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie escapes Plainview with wild 36-34 win to open district play

PLAINVIEW — Friday’s District 2-5A Division II opener between Wylie and Plainview was a dog fight in more ways than one.

In the end, it was the Bulldogs from WHS who had just a bit more bite than their PHS counterparts in a thrilling 36-34 win.

In a game that featured a number of wacky plays and wild momentum shifts, Wylie rallied from a 20-16 halftime deficit to take a two-possession lead on a pair of occasions in the final five minutes of the game. But Plainview responded each time it looked like the visitors had put their hosts away, forcing coach Clay Martin’s team to recover an onside kick in the final minute to secure the narrow victory.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie holds off Abilene High on road to take four-set thriller

It’s not often that the momentum — or even outcome — of an entire volleyball match hinges on a single point, but that sure seemed to be the case in Wylie’s 25-27, 25-15, 26-24, 25-21 win at Abilene High on Tuesday night at Eagle Gym.

After seeing a 24-21 lead erased in a tough Game 1 loss to fall into an early hole, the Lady Bulldogs found themselves in an almost identical situation in Game 3. This time, Wylie watched a 24-19 lead evaporate as the Lady Eagles fought off game point for five consecutive points to even the score at 24-all.

With the set and match score tied and the balance of the key District 4-5A contest seemingly at stake at that point, the teams played their longest point of the match, going back and forth for what felt like minutes before the rally finally ended with an AHS hitting error. That point spurred Wylie to a Game 3 win, which was followed by a come-from-behind victory in Game 4 to take the match — and a two-match lead on the Lady Eagles in the district standings.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

ABILENE NOTEBOOK: Local volleyball races heating up; football teams hitting pivotal stretches

Several weeks ago, when our local volleyball teams were struggling against tough nondistrict schedules, I laid out a case in this column for patience, citing the significant progress those squads typically make over the course of the season.

Well, we’ve reached the midway point of the District 4-5A campaign and the Wylie and Abilene High volleyball teams are making me look smarter than I really am.

Heading into the second half of league play, which begins Tuesday with a big matchup between those two teams at AHS’ Eagle Gym, the Lady Bulldogs (18-15 overall) are in second place at 5-1 — behind only 6-0 Lubbock Cooper — while the Lady Eagles (11-19 on the year) are a match behind in third at 4-2.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Yellow Jackets head to Brownwood to face archrival

LAST WEEK: 46-12, .793
SEASON TOTAL: 229-61, .789

More often than not, Big Country Preps makes an appearance at the annual Stephenville-Brownwood matchup. Because more often than not, it produces a game worthy of one of Texas’ top rivalries. 

This year is no exception as Stephenville travels to famous Gordon Wood Stadium for the Big Country Preps Game of the Week. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 5 REPORT: Wylie stays hot as district goes 2-4 in final week of nondistrict action

Wylie 37, San Angelo Central 27 — Bear Meng passed for 191 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 47 yards and another score to lead the Bulldogs to a homecoming win over the Bobcats in their final nondistrict game of the season.

Malachi Daniels added 106 yards and two touchdowns rushing while Derrick Evans received 101 yards and a TD as Wylie (3-2) built a 24-14 lead by halftime and stretched that to 30-14 by the end of the third quarter.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Total team effort lifts Wylie to homecoming win over San Angelo Central

San Angelo Central entered Friday night’s game against Wylie at Hugh Sandifer Stadium with a 1-3 record and every game being decided by one score.

Last year, the Bobcats used a walkoff Hail Mary to beat the Bulldogs at San Angelo Stadium.

There would be no close finish or miracle this go-round as the Bulldogs thoroughly dominated the Bobcats in all phases of the game and took a 37-27 homecoming win in front of a packed house.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS GAME OF THE WEEK: Sweetwater plays host to Clyde in battle of unbeatens

LAST WEEK: 44-11, .800
SEASON TOTAL: 183-49, .788

Some weeks are just loaded with competitive area games and Week 5 of the 2023 season falls squarely into that category. 

This week’s menu features six or seven games that under normal circumstances, would qualify for our Big Country Preps Game of the Week. This forces us to push some great matchups aside to select our spotlight game. 

This week, we go with a battle of unbeatens — Class 3A Division I Clyde (4-0) at Class 4A Div. II Sweetwater (4-0) — at the famed Mustang Bowl at SHS. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Wylie stays undefeated in District 4-5A volleyball with sweep of Monterey

Wesley Ruff, Bri Johnston and Aliyah Jowers all finished the match with double digit kills as the Wylie volleyball team swept Lubbock Monterey 25-17, 25-18, 25-19 in District 4-5A action Tuesday night at Bulldog Gym.

Ruff and Johnston each finished the match with 12 kills, while Jowers added 10 as the Lady Bulldogs improved to 16-14 on the season and, more importantly, 3-0 in district.

Adding to the all-around team effort were Mycala Reed (15 digs) and Callie O’Connell (34 assists, 10 digs) in a performance coach Shay Cox was excited to see.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

ABILENE NOTEBOOK: Talking Wylie football, predictions slump, local volleyball turnarounds

Following their 0-2 start, I was consistent in my belief that the Wylie Bulldogs would finish the season with a much stronger football team than the one that started it. I said as much on our weekly podcast after each of Wylie’s defeats, downplaying the ultimate significance of season-opening home losses to quality outfits from Brownwood and Lubbock Monterey.

But I’d be lying if I said I expected the type of quick turnaround we’ve seen the last two weeks from coach Clay Martin’s team, which is now 2-2 after gritty road wins over Lubbock Cooper (35-34) and Stephenville (42-32) — both double-digit favorites according to a prominent power ranking service. 

When I talked about Wylie finding its stride and eventually turning a corner, I was thinking more about October than September. So to see the Bulldogs go from where they were in Weeks 1 and 2 to beating a pair of good, established programs on the road was a surprise to even me.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Moran running back takes the award with insane performance

There are big games and then there are those that border on insanity. 

Moran running back Ellis Hise, our Big Country Preps Player of the Week for the week ending Sept. 16, fell squarely into the latter category on Saturday with a performance that was absolutely nuts. 

Helping the Bulldogs to a thrilling 68-67 win over Mullin in one of the top six-man games the Big Country has seen this year, Hise rushed for 287 yards and six touchdowns on only 26 carries. But that’s just the beginning. 

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

DISTRICT 2-5A DIV. II WEEK 4 REPORT: Wylie downs Stephenville; Plainview keeps winning

Wylie 42, Stephenville 32 — Bear Meng passed for 252 yards and three touchdowns and added 78 yards and another TD rushing to lead the Bulldogs to a exciting road win over the Yellow Jackets.

Trailing 10-7 at the 7:58 mark of the second quarter, Wylie (2-2) reeled off 28 consecutive points to go up 35-10 with just under eight minutes to go in the third quarter, before holding off a furious Stephenville rally with a late touchdown drive to put the game away.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Wylie holds off Stephenville rally, spoils Yellow Jackets homecoming with 42-32 win

STEPHENVILLE — Leading Stephenville 35-10 early in the third quarter after scoring its fourth consecutive touchdown off the Yellow Jackets’ second turnover of the game, the Wylie football team seemed to be well on its way to a comfortable win Friday night at Tarleton Memorial Stadium.

In the end, though, it would take a pressure-packed touchdown drive in the final 5:50 and a victory-sealing interception in the end zone for the Bulldogs to finally breath easy with a thrilling 42-32 win. 

Stephenville quarterback Ryan Gafford hooked up with Tristian Gentry for three second-half touchdown passes to trim a once-four score Wylie lead to 35-32 with just under six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. But after managing just one first down on their four previous possessions, the Bulldogs marched 74 yards in 10 plays on their last to fend off the SHS rally and spoil the Yellow Jackets homecoming.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us
by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cooper’s Bray takes this week’s top spot

When it comes to individual performances, there are big games and there are big games.

And then there’s what Cooper junior Daniel Bray did against San Angelo Central last week in leading the Cougars to their first win of the season.

The explosive tailback, who had been limited some in the first two weeks by a nagging ankle injury and the growing pains of a young offensive line, broke out in a historic way in that 53-45 victory over the Bobcats. By the time the game was over, he had rushed for a school-record 366 yards and seven touchdowns on just 21 carries, making a case for our Big Country Preps Player of the Week award that was too compelling to pass over — even in a week with a number of other monster performances.

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please . Not a Member? Join Us