SPORTS
Whitaker twins compete one last time
The state tennis tournament is happening April 25-26 in San Antonio and with its completion will come the end of an era for Gold-Burg athletics.
The senior girl’s doubles team of Sadie and Shadie Whitaker will represent the Lady Bears one final time on the biggest high school stage to see how far they can possibly go. Not far away will be their loud, but caring Coach Cheryl Cromleigh who has coached the pair in just about every sport since junior high.
The pair are not just sisters but twins and like their names they are similar enough to get confused unless you get to know them.
Shadie is the shy one during interviews, struggling with the awkwardness of the interview setting in two tries this year even with her sister and coach trying to give her answers to say.
You would never guess she is shy with how she plays on the court. She earned second team all-district honors in basketball and has been a valuable 3-point shooter for four years, starting most of that time.
In volleyball she was an all-around player for four years on varsity and earned first-team all-district honors this year.
Sadie’s demeanor is more relaxed. She has come out of her shy shell over the years, enough to even participate in one-act play this year.
Sadie was the lead outside hitter in volleyball during the fall and also earned first team all-district honors. On the basketball court, she was more of an all-around player who could sometimes come off the bench depending on the match up.
Like most 1A school athletes, between the two of them they have been talked into giving just about any sport or activity a try at some point during the last four years. Their older brother Kolton Whitaker, who graduated in 2022, was similar in that vain.
On the tennis court is where the pair and their coach call home though.
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.
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