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)
Bowie, playing on a short rest, held with host Jacksboro for most of the volleyball match Oct. 1, but the Tigerettes pulled away late and defeated the Lady Rabbits 3-1 (26-24, 12-25, 25-14, 22-25).
The match was scheduled for Oct. 2 but was moved. Both teams are now 2-2 in District 6-3A.
Jacksboro got out to a quick lead in game one before Olivia Stewart’s kill and a three-point Olivia Richey serving run put the visitors up 8-7. Junior Abby Reneau broke things open with a six-point string to give Bowie a 15-8 cushion and force Jacksboro into a timeout.
The Tigerettes came back and took an 18-16 lead. KP Rutherford’s kill broke the serve and allowed Molly Enlow to tie the game at 18.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Gold-Burg Football Coach Austin Norman called his Bears’ 35-32 loss to host Perrin a “barn burner”.
It most definitely was as Gold-Burg, now 1-5 for the year gave the 5-1 Pirates everything they wanted for four quarters. Gold-Burg scored on the last play of the first half on a Peyton Epperson run with the two point conversion cutting the deficit to 20-16.
The Bears were their own worst enemy to open the third quarter with face mask and offside penalties moving the Pirates downfield setting up a first-and-goal at the Bear three. Defense by Epperson, Keelyn Case and Barrett Allen and a pair of Perrin penalties helped stop the drive and force a turnover on downs.
Gold-Burg was slapped with an intentional grounding penalty on the first play, giving Perrin a safety and extending the Pirate lead to 22-16. Defense by Epperson and JoJuan Grace after a first down run closed out the third quarter.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Nocona and Prairie Valley cross country teams took part in the Prairie Valley Invitational Sept. 20 while Bowie varsity runners competed in the Lubbock Invitational.
Lubbock
Leading the Rabbits was Kellen Rater who finished 10th among 162 runners with a time of 17:24.50. Finishing behind Rater was Shawn Willett with a time of 19:33.20. Hayden Sutton ran a 20:27.10 followed by Taven Melton in 20:39.20, Coleman Holloway in 20:53.80 and Jaxon Castro with a time of 21:31.60.
Laney Segura led the Lady Rabbits with a time of 14:41.30. She was followed by Kylee Waldrep in 15:56.80, Bella Lozano in 16:04.80, Angeles Alvarez with a time of 16:15.40, AnDee Miller in 16:23.70 and Isabella Caswell in 16:51 flat.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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