ABILENE — A year removed from reaching the Region I-4A DII semifinals, the Brock Lady Eagles have now pushed all the way to the state tournament. And they’ve done so, in dominating fashion. 

After defeating Canyon Randall 9-1 to open the regional championship series on Thursday, Brock completed a two-game sweep on Friday with a crushing 15-1 win at Poly Wells Field.

Kayden Blue was 4-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored and Alison “Gator” Coleman scattered five hits in a complete game win to lead Brock, which will face either Van Alstyne or North Lamar in the state semifinals at a site and time to be determined.

Randall finished its season at 30-10.

“We knew they were going to come out hard and we had to match their intensity,” said Brock coach Gregory Connors, whose team improved to 32-10 with its seventh straight postseason victory. “We knew what to expect. We’ve been here before and it’s a (great) experience for a young team.” 

ABILENE — In the end it was all a matter of Brock being Brock, and Alison Coleman being Alison Coleman. 

Game 1 of the Region I-4A DII softball championship series ended with a relatively easy 9-1 win for Brock over Canyon Randall at Poly Wells Field. This involved the Lady Eagles doing what they do best — wreaking havoc on the basepaths and backing it with solid pitching and defense.

Jayci Smith was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and Coleman tossed a two-hitter with no earned runs allowed and three Ks to lead Brock (31-10) which can close the series with a win in Game 2 at 6 p.m. on Friday at the same venue.

Taking advantage of some early Randall nerves, Brock jumped on the Lady Raiders with two runs on two hits, one error and a walk in the top of the first and never relinquished the lead. Kathryn Utley supplied both early RBIs with a single to score Kayden Blue and Smith. 

This supplied Coleman with all the support she would eventually need. 

“We have speed and we’ve shown that,” Brock coach Gregory Connors said. “And when our sticks go along with our speed it creates chaos.” 

Jayton’s Jace Chisum admits she’ll likely feel nervous when competing in her final state track meet Saturday.

The senior has earned silver medals in the Class 1A 3,200 and 1,600 the past two seasons in Austin. When Chisum lines up for the 3,200 that morning, it’ll mark her eighth state track race in four years.

But Chisum isn’t anxious because she’s diligently prepared for moments like this.

With the school year winding down, so is area athletic activity. And as is our custom, we will be ending the Big Country Preps Player of the Week next Monday following the state track and field meet.  In the meantime, a familiar face as taken the top spot, despite seeing his team’s season come to a close. 

Abilene junior pitcher George Ferguson has taken our weekly accolade for a third time in the wake of a 5-inning no hitter in a 10-0 win over El Paso Americas last week in Monahans. 

Ferguson, who is already committed to the University of Texas, hit 99 MPH on the radar gun during the win, which saw him strike out 10. He also finished the series with a combined 3-for-9 tally at the plate with two doubles, a homer and three RBIs. 

Photos by Stephenville ISD coach Nolan Vosburg

Observers talk about how Kolton Dearth’s maturity, strength and experience all came together this year in helping the senior break the Stephenville school record in the shot put with a throw of 62 feet, 10.75 inches.

The 6-foot-2, 305-pound Dearth broke the 60-foot barrier and set the school record at the area track and field meet on April 17 in Abilene. Two weeks later, he won his second consecutive Region I-4A shot put title and qualified for this week’s state meet with a mark of 59-8.

Dearth’s 59-8 was the farthest regional throw and made him the favorite for the UIL Class 4A State Track and Field Meet at Mike A. Myers Track and Soccer Stadium in Austin. The 4A boys’ shot put is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

“He’s learned how to contain his adrenalin and emotions,” Stephenville throwing coach Nolan Vosburg said of Dearth. “When he was younger, he wanted it so bad that it sometimes took away from what he was trying to accomplish.

“Being part of a state championship football team helped things slow down for him in other sports. He’s not as hard on himself now as he was as a freshman and sophomore.”

While maturity, strength and experience came together for Dearth this year, he’s always had a sense of discipline and staying the course. James Dearth, Kolton’s dad and the throwing coach at Tarleton State, coached his son to use the spin or rotating motion through the ring as he threw as a junior high athlete.

Here are the girls area track bests through May 10 (top 15 in each event): 

Here are the boys area track bests through May 10 (top 15 in each event): 

BIG SPRING — While much of the Jim Ned softball team’s 2026 season has been about solid defense, consistent hitting and dominance, Saturday’s Region I-3A DI semifinal with Shallowater was largely about resilience. 

Already leading the series after a 9-6 win in Game 1 on Thursday, the Lady Indians suffered through seven uncharacteristic errors in a 7-6 Game 2 loss at Lady Steer Field to see a 17-game winning streak snapped. Then, almost as if it never happened, Jim Ned quickly regained its form to eliminate Shallowater, 7-2 in Game 3

Not only did the Lady Indians recover defensively, but pitcher Jayden Nunez, who struggled in Game 1 on Thursday, rediscovered her rhythm with four shutout innings at the outset of Game 3. She also added a solo homer for what proved to be the game-winning RBI in the sixth inning.

Jim Ned (29-5) now advances to face Iowa Park (27-7-1) for the Region I-3A DI championship.

It will be the second meeting between the two clubs, with Jim Ned having defeated the Lady Hawks 6-2 on Feb. 21.

MONAHANS — You know you’re having a good season when you toss a five-inning no-hitter with two walks and nine strikeouts and you’re not as sharp as you normally are.  But that is reality for Abilene High School junior George Ferguson, who led the Eagles to a 10-0 mercy rule win over El Paso Americas on Friday in Game 1 of a Region I-5A DII area round series at the Jerry Larned Sports Complex. 

It was the third no-hitter of the season for Ferguson, which includes a perfect game thrown against Abilene Cooper on April 21. He also helped himself at the plate, delivering a two-run homer in the first inning to score Xavier De La Cruz and put the Eagles up for good. 

Also coming up big for Abilene were Brenner Paul, who finished 3-for-3 with a homer and four RBIs and Jaxon Harris (1-for-3, two RBIs). 

The Eagles (25-9-1) can close the series out with a win in Game 2 on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the same venue. Game 3 (if needed) will be 30 minutes after Game 2.  

Americas slipped to 23-7-1 with the loss.

“You know what you’re going to get when (Ferguson) is out on the mound,” Abilene coach Thomas Harmon said. “He’s going to take the ball and compete his tail off and he did that today. At the plate he was loose and relaxed and that showed. It was one of the better all-around games he’s had all year.”

BIG SPRING — With Shallowater coming off a six-run second inning that saw the Filles cut an 8-0 Jim Ned lead to 8-6, the task of protecting that slim lead fell upon freshman reliever Paige Wilson. 

The momentum was against her and the pressure was suddenly off the scale. Nonetheless, Wilson delivered five straight shutout innings to earn a 9-6 win for the Lady Indians in Game 1 of a Region I-3A semifinal series on Thursday at Lady Steer Field. 

Gabby Cabrea was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Pyper Tilley was 2-fior-4 with two RBIs to pace Jim Ned (28-4), which can close the series with a Game 2 win on Saturday at the same venue. Game 3, if needed, will follow 30 minutes after Game 2. 

Shallowater (22-11-1) was led by Kynsi Sue, Peyton Ramirez and Skyler Stephenson, all of whom homered in the second inning. And it was in that second inning when the game suddenly took on a whole new look — setting the stage for Wilson.

EULA — After suffering a bruised rib against Jim Ned in mid April, Wall’s Gage Reichenau has been slowly recovering from the injury and trying to get to the point where he could pitch effectively again. 

That evening came on Wednesday night in a 5-4 win over Tolar in Game 1 of a Region I-3A area round series at the Eula Athletic Complex.

Overcoming a sluggish first inning that saw him allow a pair of runs on three walks and an error, Reichenau found his rhythm and delivered 6.1 solid innings in a come-from-behind victory for the Hawks. 

Reid Ballard and Tyler Klinesmith both had two hits and two RBIs to lead Wall (24-8), which can end the series with a Game 2 win on Friday at 4:30 p.m. in Eula. Game 3, if needed, is slated for 1 p.m. on Saturday at the same venue. 

Tolar (19-9) was led by Nolan Cauble, who was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. 

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Here are the girls area track bests through May 3 (top 15 in each event): 

Here are the boys area track bests through May 3 (top 15 in each event):