SPORTS
Nocona teams both win at Henrietta
The Nocona basketball teams won at Henrietta on Friday to keep the good times rolling for both teams.
The Lady Indians stayed undefeated as they easily won 65-18 while the Indians controlled an intense game to win 49-38.
The Nocona girls started the game a little sloppy on defense. The Lady Cats scored more than half their points in the first quarter. Still, the Lady Indians run-n-gun offense proved too much as they established an 18-10 lead.
Nocona’s full-court defense started to affect the game in the second quarter and never let up. This prevented Henrietta from establishing much offense while the Lady Indians forced the pace they wanted. Nocona led 30-14 at halftime.
With the game firmly in hand, Coach Kyle Spitzer called off the press and started emptying his bench as soon as midway through the third quarter.
Despite that, the Lady Indians defense was still effective of shutting down the Lady Cats even in the half court.
Nocona continued to try and play fast, but some sequences were a bit sloppy as some turnovers added up.
Still the Lady Indians never were in trouble, allowing Henrietta only four points in the second half as they won 65-18.
The Indians’ game was expected to be a bit more competitive, though Nocona had won the first game by 18 points.
The first quarter was back and forth for most of it. The Indians came through and made three 3-pointers as they established a 15-10 lead.
Early on there was some chipy plays, resulting in a double foul called that led to some pushing.
Henrietta tried to use its size and try and make shots around the basket, but Nocona answered back with tough contests. Midway through the second quarter, the Bearcats had tied the game back up at 18-18, but Indians finished the quarter on an 8-0 run to take control back. Nocona led 26-18 at halftime.
The third quarter was a low scoring quarter for both teams, but it was in the Indians favor.
Henrietta could not buy a basket while missing free throws, while Nocona made a couple of baskets while knocking in all of its free throw attempts.
The Indians led 34-21 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Bearcats tried to dial up the defensive pressure to try and get back in the game with a full court press.
Nocona did not let this affect them at all. While the Indians did not score a lot, every possession ended with a good shot after running some time off the clock.
With nothing to lose, Henrietta started to try and force some quick shots and some finally started to go in. After scoring only three points in the previous quarter, the Bearcats scored 18, including 10 in the final minute and half of the game.
With the pressure not working, Henrietta started intentionally fouling down the stretch to save time.
The game might have started to get close if senior Landry McCasland did not calmly make eight straight free throws down the stretch.
This allowed the end of the game to come with little drama as Nocona won 49-38.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
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.
-
NEWS1 year ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS5 months agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS12 months agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS1 year agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS9 months agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS12 months ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS1 year agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS1 year ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint