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STORM CENTER: Full throttle running

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Cross country season is kicking – pardon the pun – in the area.
This past Thursday, the sports editor went to the Wichita Falls Invitational inside Kiwanis Park.
The course itself, despite being flat, isn’t the easiest to run, let alone walk.
The grass has burnt up from not receiving much rain in recent months and the course itself meanders like an unpredictable serpent around the boundary of the facility.
Cross country can be one of those overlooked sports, and unfortunately the blame can lie with people like me – the sports editor.
Football is king in Texas, and volleyball is the queen of fall sports for girls.
But, there’s also cross country, and plenty of it.
Today, the sports editor went to the Decatur Reunion Run inside Joe Wheeler Park.
I think it’s pretty special the Decatur Independent School District serves as host for not just one meet per year, but two.
Decatur takes the sport of cross country mighty seriously, as evidenced by all the success the Eagles and Lady Eagles have had.
The Lady Eagles have won state championships four times, the oldest from 1999 and the most recent in 2009.
Not to be outdone, Decatur’s boys have claimed state championships in 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2012. The credit goes to the runners for sacrificing themselves. And to head coach David Park.
The cross country team has its own website through Decatur ISD, complete with a glossary of workout terms, the rules of the road, runner placement and expectations for team leadership.
Cross country coverage ramps up as the season goes along.
Next Wednesday, Oct. 7, Bowie High School will have its first meet at home in a long time. The race will take place at Twisted Oaks Golf Course.
I am happy to see course superintendent Chad Thummel and owners Andy Duke, Dewayne Hamilton and Greg Vicars allow runners to use the facility.
The first time I visited Twisted Oaks, back when it was known as Top O’ The Lake, I thought it was the perfect venue for a meet.
There are enough hills to challenge the runners, and the ground is soft because the course is watered on a consistent basis. The venue is maintained immaculately, in other words.
There’s only drawback I can see having a meet at Twisted Oaks. But, it’s a minor issue. Parking is not ample for school vans and spectators.
However, that could be said for most of the meets I’ve attended throughout my career. Read more from this column in the weekend Bowie News.

Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.

Bowie’s Dane Lancaster continues his recovery from a rodeo accident, running for the junior high boys’ cross country team. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (News photo by Eric Viccaro) 

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SPORTS

Buffest entertains crowd

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(Photo by Benjimen Barker from J Bar S Photography)

The 19th annual Bullfest came to the county on May 4, hosted at the Saint Jo Rodeo Arena. With bulls provided Big L Rodeo Company, Locke Bucking Bulls and more, it attracted many great riders, both local and farther away. In the end, it was Colby Deel from Jacksboro who won the the senior division round. The junior division winner was Ringo Stummer from Mountain Springs.

To see more photos, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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SPORTS

Forestburg track set school records this year

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With the track season firmly over this year, one school went out of its way to encourage its athletes to not only improve on their totals, but set some school records this season.
Brenna Briles set the school record in the girl’s high jump (5-4), triple jump (33 feet), 100 meters (13.11) and the 200 meters (27.87).
Kayden Dill set the school record boy’s 100 meters (11.08) and 200 meters (23.47). Tye Reid set the boy’s 110 meter hurdles record at 18.7 seconds. Jesse Wadsworth set the boy’s 800 meters record with a time of 2:06.
Some relay teams also set some records. The boy’s 4×100 meter team of Jeremiah Perez, Kyler Willett, Will Johnson and Dill set the record with the time of 45.29 seconds.
The 4×400 meter relay team with Christian Binanti, Johnson, Willett and Wadsworth ran a time of 3:40.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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Prairie Valley names Caruthers as new athletic director

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Kent Caruthers poses with his grandson Kasey and wife Rosie. (Courtesy photo)

The Prairie Valley Bulldogs will be seeing a new face around the gym and fields next fall with the hiring of a new Athletic Director and Head Coach, Kent Caruthers.
Caruthers will be replacing Coach Seth Stephens, who has accepted a coaching job in LaPoynor, moving closer to his family and hometown. Although Coach Stephens will be missed after six years of being a part of the Prairie Valley family, Coach Caruthers will step into his new role with a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Coach Caruthers has coached basketball, football, volleyball, cross country, track and golf.
He has a well-rounded background, which makes him the perfect candidate for a 1A coaching position.
He comes, most recently, from Matagorda where he was the athletic director, boys basketball, volleyball, and track coach.
He spent the majority of his coaching career at Tolar, where he was the head boys basketball coach, defensive coordinator for the varsity football team and head golf coach.
His record and experience speak for themselves, but when asked why he felt led to apply for this position, he said that the move north is all about coaching good kids.
His coaching philosophy revolves around hard work, stating “A winner is someone who recognizes their God-given talents, works their tail off developing the talents into skills and uses these skills to accomplish their goals.”

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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