SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Nocona, Alvord clash opening week
By ERIC VICCARO
sports@bowienewsonline.com
The Nocona High School football team will open the 2016 season with a home game versus Alvord at 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 at Jack Crain Stadium.
The schedule doesn’t have as much bite as in previous years, and there are four new opponents on the docket because Nocona is no longer in an eight-team district.
When districts were realigned in the winter, Cisco and Eastland were moved into Conference 3A Division II Region 1.
Nocona’s new district features nearby rival Henrietta, the always athletic Holliday, Wichita Falls City View, Millsap and Jacksboro, the lone district game the Indians won last season.
“We dropped Cisco and Eastland, two of the best programs around here,” Nocona head coach Brad Keck said. “That helps us.”
In addition, Keck said the traditional game with Muenster won’t take place for the next two years because the Indians and Hornets couldn’t make it work. Muenster advanced to the Conference 2A Division II semifinals last year, before falling to Bremond.
Nocona is coming off a 2-8 season, with wins during the first and last weeks of the season. The Indians were outscored 312-160, but the team scored double the points it did during the winless 2014 campaign. Read more, including see a clip-and-save box schedule, in the June 11 Bowie News.
Nocona linebacker Tanner Cable (right), shown here playing against City View in Wichita Falls last year, will be a featured player on defense for the Indians in 2016. (News file photo by Eric Viccaro)
In its first match since last year’s state semifinal appearance, Saint Jo hosted Bryson Aug. 11 and took a 25-13, 25-12, 25-21 win over the Cowgirls.
The Lady Panthers lost some talent to graduation but have five seniors ready to have a successful season. Savannah Hil, one of the five, got Saint Jo rolling offensively with a four-point serving string, including a pair of aces. Abby Carter’s kill and Kamron Skidmore’s block helped put the Lady Panthers up 5-2 in game one.
Hadleigh Moore added a four-point string of her own to extend the lead to 10-3. Tatum Morman’s pair, helped by a Hill kill, gave Saint Jo a 14-5 lead. Bryson got within five before a Hill 3-pointer, with help by a Carter kill, put the lead back at 18-10.
After an Olivia Johnson kill broke serve, Jordyn O’Neal served up the final five points, with Johnson providing a kill to move things along.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Despite being the smallest school in the Brock varsity classic volleyball tournament, the Lady Indians finished 4th out of the eight teams there.
After losing to the host team in its first pool play match Aug. 14 18-25, 14-25 and also to Class 3A Wall 12-25, 8-25, Nocona rebounded to close out pool play with a 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 win over Christoval. Sy Parker had 16 kills and 7 blocks in the three matches. Raylea Bowles had 12 kills, 17 digs and served up three aces. Maddyn Bowles had seven kills and 14 digs while Paige Davis had seven kills and 15 digs. Baylee Thomas added 11 digs.
From the setter spot, Kasi Castro had 20 assists, served up five aces and contributed 14 digs. Leah Meekins added 18 assists and six digs during the three matches.
To open Saturday’s bracket play, the Lady Indians posted a 25-18, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19 win over Fort Worth Christian. Castro staked Nocona to a 2-0 lead in game one. Kills by Parker set up pairs of points from Raylea Bowles and Leah Meekins helped Nocona negate an early deficit and take a 10-9 lead.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
County football teams had their first scrimmage of the season Aug. 14 with mixed results.
Forestburg hosted Azle Christian and Victory Christian. Under a new system with new head coach Cori Hayes, the Longhorns looked pretty good in the coach’s eye.
“The first team looked good,” Hayes explained. “Overall we need to work on our pace and blocking assignments and blocking assignments. Overall we looked good for the new regime.”
Forestburg hits the road to scrimmage Newcastle Aug. 21.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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