SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Walls to the Falls
Growing up as a Philadelphia Eagle fan in Connecticut, there were players from opposing teams I ultimately grew to respect.
One of those players was defensive back Everson Walls.
Walls will be the featured speaker during the 10th annual Midwestern State University athletics Welcome Back Dinner.
The event will start at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 28 at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on the MSU campus. First up, there will be an auction featuring Dallas Cowboy and Midwestern State memorabilia.
The dinner, catered by the Branding Iron, starts at 6 p.m. and then Walls will speak at 6:45 p.m.
Reserve your seat for $75.
A limited number of corporate tables accommodating six people with sponsor acknowledgement remain available for $350.
For more information, call Sheri Mummert at 1-940-397-4779.
Walls has a story any football fan can appreciate.
He grew up in Richardson, and played for old Berkner High School. Playing for the Cowboys was part of Walls’ manifest destiny because he lived less than two miles from the team’s practice facility.
He broke into the National Football League in 1981 as an undrafted free agent from Grambling University based in Louisiana.
At Grambling, Walls played for legendary coach Eddie Robinson, and the defensive back eventually earned All-American honors as a senior while leading the nation with 11 interceptions. Yes, 11.
Before reaching the NFL, Walls was thought by pro scouts to be too slow. He ran a 40-yard dash time of 4.72 seconds during workouts.
Still, the Cowboys made a smart move and signed Walls as an undrafted free agent.
Head coach Tom Landry eventually named Walls one of the team’s starting cornerbacks by the fifth week of the 1981 season. Read more from this column in the Aug. 20 Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Everson Walls will be the featured speaker during the 10th annual Midwestern State University athletics Welcome Back Dinner at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 28. (Courtesy photo)
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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