SPORTS
2014: Year of triumph, tragedy
By ERIC VICCARO
bnewssports@sbcglobal.net
Both triumph and tragedy surfaced here in the north Texas sports scene during the 2014 calendar year.
On the positive side, now second-year Bowie High School head boys’ basketball coach Doug Boxell earned his 700th win of the season and Forestburg made only its second playoff appearance in school history.
There was also melancholy as we heard about the four North Central Texas College softball players who lost their lives in a tragic vehicular accident north of Ardmore, Okla.
The former Top O’ The Lake Golf Course was sold and transformed into Twisted Oaks Golf Club.
There were other changes throughout the county, most notably former Nocona boys’ basketball coach J.D. Mayo took a job with Joshua and former Lady Indian volleyball coach Sandy Langford left Nocona for Glen Rose.
Bowie had a college signing of spectacular note when Lady Rabbit center Jordan Brightwell put pen to paper on a National Letter of Intent to play basketball for NCAA Division I Tennessee State in Nashville.
No. 1 sports story of the year: NCTC softball accident
There was plenty of shock when the news spread on Sept. 26 that four North Central Texas College softball players were killed in an auto accident on Interstate-35 in Oklahoma.
Fifteen players and coaches were injured in the wreck. The team was returning from a scrimmage against Southern Nazarene University of Bethany, Okla.
The four players killed were Brooke Deckard, Jaiden Pelton, Meagan Richardson and Katelyn Woodlee. The four were deemed, “The Angels In The Infield.”
A scholarship has been started in honor of those who perished, and there’s also an NCTC Softball Benefit Fund.
There was a prayer vigil on campus on Sept. 29, and it became a national story carried on all four major network outlets.
In the month of November, softball dignitaries such as Jennie Finch came to Gainesville as more than $19,000 was raised from a pair of alumni softball games, and live and silent auctions.
Editor’s Note: Read more, and see a photo page, in the mid-week Bowie News in print and with your electronic subscription.
North Central Texas College softball players Meagan Richardson, Brooke Deckard, Katelynn Woodlee and Jaiden Pelton all lost their lives in a vehicular accident back in late September. The story received national attention on college athletics and travel. (Photo graphic provided by North Central Texas College)
The Red River High School Bass Club competed on Saturday at Eagle Mount Lake as the club finished fifth overall out of 28 clubs.
The club had two teams that brought in fish at the end of the day, but one also finished highly.
The team of Carson Caudle and Hunter Blackburn got fourth overall out of more than 100 teams. The pair caught three fish that weighed in at 7.99 pounds.
The club had one more pair that brought in fish. Walker Strahan and Bryce Ramsey got one fish that weighed in a 1.95 pounds that was good for 33rd place.
Only 37 out of the 126 teams were fortunate enough to bring fish to the weigh-in.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Bowie
Superlatives
Offensive most valuable player: Rayder Mann
First team
Gaige Goodman
Second team
Boston Farris
Honorable mention
Adam Pickett, Bradly Horton, Braden Rhyne
Academic all-district
Hayden Sutton, Keller Dosch, Anthony Jaraleno, Finn Riddle, Tyler Richey, Adam Pickett, Bradly Horton, Hayden Heugatter, Boston Farris, Rayder Mann
Nocona
Superlatives
Co-newcomer of the year: Landon Fatheree
Fighting heart award: Jose Gomez Jr.
First team
Karson Kleinhans, Oscar Salomon-Gomez
Second team
Zyrus Moreno, Walker Murphey
Honorable mention
Adrian Gutierrez
Academic all-district
Jose Gomez Jr., Kyle Waters, Kasch Johnson, RJ Walker, William Henley, Skye Kirby, Landon Fatheree, Karson Kleinhans, Oscar Salomon-Gomez, Zyrus Moreno, Walker Murphey, Adrian Gutierrez
1A
Superlatives: Jesus Sanchez, Forestburg, most valuable player; Barrett Johnson, Saint Jo, offensive MVP; Evan Chavez, Bellevue, sixth man of the year; Camden Dreyer, Gold-Burg, co-newcomer of the year; Josiah Wadsworth, Forestburg, co-newcomer of the year; Curtis Enis, Forestburg, coach of the year
First team
Ryan Jones, Bellevue; Jesse Wadsworth, Forestburg; Kyler Willett, Forestburg; Lee Yeley, Saint Jo; Trent Gaston, Saint Jo
Second team
Aaron Allison, Bellevue; Brycen Bancroft, Bellevue; River Trail, Bellevue; Jayton Epperson, Gold-Burg; Trae Campbell, Prairie Valley; Zeke Bonn, Saint Jo; Landon Shannon, Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Bryce Ramsey, Bellevue; Brenna Criswell, Bellevue; Eli White-Freeland, Gold-Burg; Keelyn Case, Gold-Burg; Barrett Allen, Gold-Burg; Angel Cruz, Forestburg; Hayden Halliburton, Forestburg; John Carranza, Forestburg; Hunter Camden, Prairie Valley; Jarrett Horton, Prairie Valley; Landen Williams, Saint Jo; Jayden Curry, Saint Jo; Colton Curry, Saint Jo
Academic all-district
Bellevue: Walker Strahan, Brycen Bancroft, Bryce Ramsey, Will Bonds, Cowyn Langford
Forestburg: Rafeal Sanchez, Josiah Wadsworth, Tristan Cumby, Hayden Halliburton, Jesse Wadsworth
Prairie Valley: Hunter Camden, Jarrett Horton, Josh Stout, Dayne Sadler, Kasey Caruthers
Saint Jo: Jayden Curry, Colton Curry, Landon Shannon, Barrett Johnson, Trent Gaston, Zeke Bonn, Lee Yeley
Gold-Burg: Levi Hellinger, Brady Allen, Barrett Allen
For pictures from players from every team, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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