SPORTS

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: With heavy hearts, Nocona beats Alvord

Published

11 years ago

09/02/2015

From Staff Reports

With heavy hearts, the Nocona High School football team prevailed over Alvord 26-18 in the season opener for both schools.
“I think the town went through a whole lot (on Friday),” said Nocona head coach Brad Keck, referring to the death of Luke West due to cancer. “The kids knew of Luke, and they knew he was one of us.”
West played fullback and linebacker at Nocona in the 2000s. In 2009, Keck’s first year as Indians’ head coach, West was a senior on the team.
It seems everyone in North Texas was affected by West’s death. Luke’s uncle, Daylon, is the defensive coordinator at Bowie. Luke’s cousin Brent West is the head coach at Cisco, where uncle Kelly serves as the superintendent.
Fred West, Luke’s grandfather, was the head coach at Nocona from 2002-05. Luke passed away from leukemia at 23 years old.
West is the son of Dr. Randy and Sabrina West.
Nocona snapped a 13-game losing skid behind a poised sophomore quarterback in Jeremy James and an offensive line featuring Brendan Ramsey, Juan Mancilla, Barkley Hayes, Zach Boyd, Mack Hill and Peyton Crabtree.
“I think we blocked better, that was the whole key to it,” said Keck as the Indians generated 413 yards in total offense. Keck said James made few mistakes when in the pocket and Emmanual Gayton was able to see the hole, run through it and break tackles for extra yards. Read more, and see the complete boxscore, in the mid-week Bowie News.

The Nocona High School football team, coaches and cheerleaders gather around the No. 7 worn by deceased Luke West, a former Indian fullback and linebacker. West died last week from leukemia at the age of 23. (Courtesy photo by Todd Peterson)

SPORTS

Bowie softball team falls in area round

Published

5 days ago

05/07/2026

bowienews

Bowie softball had a historic season, where the squad made the postseason for the first time since 2019 and knocked a top seed from the playoffs, come to an end April 29.

No-4 ranked Tuscola Jim Ned got out to a quick start and took an 11-1, five inning win in the area round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs. Bowie had its season end at 19-15.

With a large crowd at Weatherford High rooting them on, Bowie took the field looking to knock out another top seed, as they did with Early last week.

For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.

SPORTS

Willett, Richey off to State

Published

5 days ago

05/07/2026

bowienews

Bowie will have two track athletes at the State track and field meet May 14 with top two finishes at the Region 1-3A track meet at Abilene Christian University May 1-2.

Tyler Richey finished 2^nd in the pole vault with a 15’ leap. Richey was also 9^th in the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 15.39. Sophomore Braden Willett was 3^rd in the 1,600-meters with a school record best of time of 4:21.93. Willett was 4^th in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 9:29.71.

Several other Rabbits and Lady Rabbits competed at the regional meet. The 800-meter relay foursome of Colton Dosch, Richey, Finn Riddle and Jaxon White finished 6^th with a time of 1:30.24 while the 1,600-meter relay team of Dosch, Judah Livsey, Riddle and Blaine Leonard finished 8^th with a time of 3:30.76.

For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.

SPORTS

Fourteen track athletes head to State

Published

5 days ago

05/07/2026

bowienews

Saint Jo’s boys and girls track teams took top honors at the Region III-A track meet at Hewitt Midway High School May 1-2 and will send several athletes to the state track and field meet May 16 in Austin.

The boys were led by Damon Byrd who won both the long jump with a 22’9 ¾” leap and triple jump with a 45’ 10 ½”. Byrd also won the 100-meter dash with a time of 1.03 and was a member of the victorious 800-meter relay along with Trent Gaston, Barrett Johnson and Lee Yeley with a time of 1:30.80.

Yeley won the high jump with a 6’ leap. Byrd, Yeley, Dominic Luna and Gaston combined for a 2^nd-place finish in the 1,600-meter relay with a time 3:32.81. Gaston was 2^nd in the 110-meter hurdles with a tie of 16.09. Johnson was 2^nd in the 400-meter dash in 50.75, Ayden Giambruno was 6^th in the 3200-meter run in 11:05.24 with Yeley 8^th in the 200-meters with a time of 25.61.

For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.