SPORTS
Great Texas Birding Classic awards grants
The 23rd annual Great Texas Birding Classic (GTBC) has wrapped up another year and the winners of the largest and longest bird-watching competition in the United States have chosen 10 conservation projects to award grant funds. Grants range in amount to $1,000 to $10,000.
The Birding Classic continues to grow in popularity year after year, and it’s been thrilling to see so many families, kids and friends connect with nature through the event,” said Shelly Plante, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department nature tourism manager.
This year, 850 participants statewide participated in this event that spanned a full month during spring migration. Despite heavy rains during the final half of the tournament, teams saw a wide variety of bird species during their time in the field. In total, all 136 teams saw 411 species of birds during the monthlong competition. Among those were 19 youth teams called Roughwings (ages 13 and younger) and Gliders (ages 14-18). Thirteen of the youth teams were sponsored by the Texas Ornithological Society.
Since its inception, the winners of the GTBC have been able to award $993,000 in on-the-ground habitat acquisition, restoration and enhancement projects. This year, team registrations and sponsorships to the monthlong, 136-team tournament made it possible for the GTBC to award $39,000 in conservation grants to projects throughout the state.
For many participants, the GTBC offers more than just a chance to check off birds on a list and win prizes, but also an opportunity to connect with nature and appreciate the diversity of birds around them.
“I was introduced to birding last year through this competition and loved it so much,” said Isabelle Zentil, an 18-year-old Gliders participant. “I started to go birding with my dad over the summer and was thrilled when I got the opportunity to do it again this year.”
“In addition to the hundreds of people participating each year, the real winner is the birds since funds raised go toward bird conservation grants here in Texas,” said Plante.
The Nocona Lady Indians beat Saint Jo at home on Saturday morning.
The Lady Indians won 16-1 after four innings due to run-rule against the smaller school.
Nocona was coming off a competitive loss at Collinsville earlier in the week while the Lady Panthers were hoping to compete after a busy week of their athletes doing everything else besides just softball.
The Lady Indians easily won the first matchup between the teams in March, 19-2 and it was more of the same on Saturday.
Saint Jo struck first to start the game off well. Jordyn O’Neal hit a one out single. Krista Reeves followed with a walk after O’Neal had stolen second base and had advanced to third thanks to an error trying to throw her out. A wild pitch then allowed her to score to put the Lady Panthers up 1-0.
The lead did not last long. Nocona’s first two batters drew walks which set up Abby Hill to drive them both in with a single to right field.
Despite giving up a single and a walk later in the inning, Saint Jo’s defense did not allow another run. A line out and groundout to the shortstop while picking off a runner attempting to steal got the Lady Panthers out of the inning unscarred.
The Lady Indians led 2-1.
That was about as competitive as it got. In the second inning, Nocona’s bats got going. Two singles and a hit batter loaded the bases up with no outs.
Reagan Phipps drew a walk that drove in a run. Hill hit another two RBI single. Skye Kirby followed with a two RBI double.
After the first out, Allie Sutton drove in one run with a single. There was a fly out for out two, before a runner came in to score after a passed ball. Finally, an error allowed two more runs to score on the base paths.
Nocona had scored nine runs and led 11-1 to break the game open heading into the third inning.
Taylor Patrick hit a double, with O’Neal and Reeves following with singles. Unfortunately for Saint Jo, Patrick was thrown out before the hits attempting to steal a base so the Lady Panthers scored no runs from this.
The Lady Indians kept pouring on the runs. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases up with no outs. Tinley Cable then hit an RBI single. Shelby Swell was hit by a pitch that drove in another run.
After two strikeouts, Evelyn Marquez drove in two more runs on a double to put Nocona up 15-1, coming up one run short of ending the game early.
The Lady Indians scored that one run in the fourth inning. After Phipps drew a leadoff walk, Hill hit a triple that drove her in to end the game.
Nocona won 16-1.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
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