When selecting our Big Country Preps Player of the Week, the quality of competition is one of the top considerations we look at.
And in a week that is absolutely loaded with nearly 50 quality nominations from area coaches, choosing the player to occupy the top spot was no easy task.
Our choice: Breckenridge junior Owen Woodward, who helped Breckenridge in its stunning 3-0 win over top-ranked Brock with a three-hit, no-walk, 12-strikeout complete game.
BROCK — For at least three full innings during Friday’s game at top-ranked Brock, Breckenridge starting pitcher Owen Woodward was nervous, his breaking ball was hanging and he wasn’t quite sure if he and the Buckaroos were going to pull off the upset they had in mind.
But after being staked to 1-0 lead in the third inning, the junior right-hander settled in, his curve developed a nasty snap in the late innings and he finished with a jaw-dropping three-hit shutout in a shocking 3-0 Breckenridge win.
FEATURED SCHOOLS: Albany, Anson, Baird, Breckenridge, Brock, Brownwood, Clyde, Coahoma, Colorado City, Comanche, Cross Plains, Dublin, Eastland, Forsan, Hamlin, Haskell, Jim Ned, Merkel, Snyder, Stamford, Stephenville, Wall and Winters.
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BRECKENRIDGE — For the second straight year the Dublin Lions were the guests for the Breckenridge homecoming.
And, for the second straight year, they were completely indifferent to the occasion — edging the Buckaroos 22-21 in a thrilling Big Country Preps Game of the Week.
Cy Wing threw for 233 yards and three scores, including a go-ahead TD pass to Mark Ybarra with 0:19 to play to lift Dublin (5-0) which remains unbeaten with its best start since 1999.
7:30 p.m. Friday at Jacksboro ISD Stadium, Jacksboro
Not since 2013 have the Breckenridge Buckaroos — a Big Country cornerstone — actually played in a district involving Big Country teams.
Over the past four years, realignment has sent the Buckaroos north and east, where they’ve faced teams such as Ponder, Paradise, Brock, Bowie and Boyd.
However, 2018 brings the Buckaroos home to their traditional territory where they will be housed with Big Country Stalwarts from Clyde, Jim Ned, Early, Eastland and Wall in District 3-3A Division I.
Don’t expect fifth-year Breckenridge coach Casey Hubble to involve himself in the hype surrounding his 2018 Buckaroos.
The media, however, may not be able to help itself, and the numbers provide some reasoning for that.
To begin with, Breckenridge returns all but one offensive starter, more than half its defense and has a solid nucleus of seniors for leadership.
Toss in the fact that the Buckaroos weren’t thrilled with a season-ending loss to Merkel in the playoffs last year and you can add hunger to their list of potential advantages.
Like Big Country Preps co-founders Evan Ren and Daniel Youngblood, Wichita Falls Time Record News area writer Zach Duncan has been covering high school sports in his market for a long time.
Entering his 15th football season with the Wichita Falls newspaper, Duncan has seen more great games than he can count and worked with some outstanding coaches and players. This week, he took some time to share some his favorite football stories and talk shop with Evan and Daniel.
Also in this episode, Evan and Daniel discuss District 3-3A Division I and District 7-2A Division II — two all-area leagues that should be competitive from top to bottom.