SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL: Bowie garners play-in match over Nocona
By ERIC VICCARO
bnewssports@gmail.com
In mid-August, Bowie and Nocona squared off with the Lady Rabbits topping the Lady Indians at the Advantage Sports Complex Nike Tournament.
The two teams split District 3A-9 matches, with Bowie winning in four games here while the Lady Indians swept the Lady Rabbits in Nocona.
Bowie and Nocona had to play a fourth time this season in a 3A-9 play-in game at Henrietta High School, and the Lady Rabbits prevailed in three games by scores of 25-20, 25-17, 25-16.
For Nocona head coach Tiffany Clay, she wished she could have been in two places at once. Clay gave birth to a child late last week, and Heather Nobile was named as the interim leader.
“I knew all season there was possibility I would be missing a game or two, but coach Nobile was prepared and did everything I asked her to do,” Clay said.
The difference between winning and losing for Bowie came down to spot serving and blocking – and the Lady Rabbits excelled in these areas.
“Our service was some of the best it’s been,” Bowie head coach Jeanie Stark said. “We hit spots to keep them out of system. That kept them from getting good passes.”
Bowie saw plenty of free balls from Nocona.
While the Lady Rabbits had just 28 kills, they were able to get eight solo ace blocks – a strong number for a match that went just three sets.
“We were able to get blocks at the right time,” Stark added.
Stark said she was pleased with how Bowie handled the “stress” of the moment, being in a one-game playoff for advancement.
Bowie (25-14) faced Texas Girls Coaches Association second-ranked Gunter, the winner of District 3A-10, on Tuesday evening at Gainesville High School. Read the mid-week Bowie News for more, including capsules on the Conference 1A playoffs.
Bowie libero Karsen Morgan (5) bumps the ball forward during Saturday’s District 3A-9 play-in volleyball match. The Jackrabbits had strong serve reception in the match. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
Bowie had six players play in the Maskat Shrine Oil Bowl football all-star game. For pictures from not just the football game, but the basketball and volleyball games as well that feature athletes from Bowie, Nocona and Saint Jo, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6875584&T=1
Nocona is welcoming back Coach Sandy Langford, former coach and alumnus for the Lady Indians, as its new volleyball head coach.
Langford comes back to Nocona after spending the past 11 years leading the Glen Rose volleyball program.
Her circumstances with her family allowed her to jump at the opportunity once she became aware the position at Nocona was available.
“My youngest graduated and is playing football at Midwestern (State University),” Langford said. “All of our family is here and I knew that Coach Kara (Lucherk) was leaving. We were eventually going to retire here. Our oldest son plays college football at West Texas A&M and we’ll be two hours closer to him as well.”
She again will lead the Lady Indians volleyball program, one that she led all the way to the state title game in 2011, which is the farthest the volleyball program has ever gone in its prestigious history.
Langford kept up that level of success during her 11 years at the bigger 4A Glen Rose. She won less than 20 games only twice during her time, winning her 500th career game back in 2023. Her teams were ranked among the top 10 in the state five times and Langford led Glen Rose to the state tournament in 2017, the best finish in program history.
With the Lady Indians also having its own string of success, appearing in back-to-back regional finals while finishing atop the district standings both years, Langford is excited to not just keep the success going, but shoot for the stars.
“We are not expecting anything less than a state championship,” Langford said.
She has stacked the non-district schedule with strong, state-ranked 3A and 4A teams as well as big tournaments that will test Nocona’s mettle early next season in the hopes it will prepare them for a long playoff run.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
The Red River High School Bass Club competed this past weekend, May 31 – June 1, at the State Tournament on Lake Conroe for the two-day tournament.
Two of the teams from Montague County traveled south to try their best at the culmination of the year for the state title. Teams were able to pre-fish on Friday before the Saturday and Sunday competition. On Friday, there was a flipping contest for the youth and Cooper Johnson won third overall and won a $500 scholarship and an Academy gift card.
The club’s two teams who competed were Lane Smith/Colt Henry with boat captain Jimmy Smith. The team placed 63rd with a total of 16.22 pounds. The second team of Cooper Johnson/Corbyn Patton and boat captain Jayson Toerck placed 169th with a total weight of 2.29 pounds.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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