SPORTS
Nocona boys win first district game
The Nocona Indians picked up their first district win with a home win against Windthorst on Tuesday night.
The Indians won a low-scoring, defensive battled 34-23 against the Trojans.
Nocona lost by one basket in its district opener at Seymour the previous game and did not want to fall farther behind in its first year in the new district.
The first quarter saw the trend that would keep up for both teams for most of the game as its seemed like there was a lid on both baskets. While both teams played physical defense and took some tough shots around the basket, it just seemed like even the open shots just found ways to clank out.
Nocona scored the only basket of the quarter when it successfully diced through a pass through the Trojans 3-2 zone to tall post Ryder Oswald to finish at the rim. Other attempts seemed to go awry besides Oswald drawing free throws and knocking them down.
Those four points proved to be enough as Nocona led 4-1 heading into the second quarter.
It proved to be the most normal period of the game as both team’s offense found its groove at the same time for a competitive quarter. Nocona got a lift from guard Brady McCasland who scored eight of the team’s 11 points in the quarter to keep the Indians in the lead.
Windthorst finally made some baskets and included its only made 3-pointer in the quarter that proved to be the team’s highest scoring of the game.
It did not make up any ground, but Nocona’s lead was only 15-11 at halftime.
It did not get any better for the Indians in the third quarter. Both teams continued to struggle offensively, though not nearly as bad as the first quarter.
Nocona led 21-17 heading into the fourth quarter, with the Indians still feeling in control but the lead not reflecting it with the Trojans only a couple of made shots away from taking it away.
The fourth quarter saw Nocona leverage that control by keeping ball control and drawing free throw attempts as the time was winding down. Windthorst continued to struggle scoring, but the Indians made a few baskets, including Javier Gaytan making the team’s second 3-pointer of the game, to extend their lead.
While Nocona did not shoot great at the free throw line, making 6-11 in the quarter, it was enough to help build its lead since the Trojans continued to struggle scoring against the Indians tough man-to-man defense.
Nocona won with little drama 34-23.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend 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.
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