SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Love’s dream realized
Dejai Love had always wanted to be a cheerleader, and last week Bowie High School cheerleaders granted her that wish.
Love is a ninth-grader at BHS who suffers from Down Syndrome, which is a genetic disorder that’s associated with physical growth delays and distinguished facial features.
“We try to involve as many kids as possible,” said BHS cheer sponsor Nicole Jordan. “I think it’s important for everyone to be included because they are part of the school spirit.”
Love wanted to be a cheerleader for Halloween, and she was all decked out for the BHS pep rally and the game against Paradise.
Jordan said she had an old uniform Love could wear, and she performed well.
“Dejai did great,” Jordan said. “She did great in practice on Thursday and Friday, and she knew the cheers. She kept up the whole game.”
Love stays in Brooke Hunter’s self-contained classroom at the high school where she learns life skills.
The moment touched Amy Justiss, Love’s mother, so much she wrote a letter to the Bowie cheerleaders.
“Today, you made a little girl’s dream come true,” Justiss said. “She has always wanted to cheer, and since she is special needs no one would let her join their team.”
Justiss said Love enjoys watching the cheerleaders and mascot.
“Watching her (Dejai), I couldn’t help but cry, her smile from ear to ear was one I have never seen before,” Justiss said.
Justiss called the cheerleaders heroes for their actions.
“Your parents and teachers should be very proud of you all,” added Justiss, who works in Bridgeport for a monster truck promotion. “Thank you for being kids she can look up to and feel safe with.”
There are scores of videos from both the game and pep rally on Facebook, and Love was spot on with her routines. Read more in the Nov. 5. Bowie News.
Bowie’s Dejai Love (center) cheers during an Oct. 28 game versus Paradise at Jackrabbit Stadium. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Bowie, playing on a short rest, held with host Jacksboro for most of the volleyball match Oct. 1, but the Tigerettes pulled away late and defeated the Lady Rabbits 3-1 (26-24, 12-25, 25-14, 22-25).
The match was scheduled for Oct. 2 but was moved. Both teams are now 2-2 in District 6-3A.
Jacksboro got out to a quick lead in game one before Olivia Stewart’s kill and a three-point Olivia Richey serving run put the visitors up 8-7. Junior Abby Reneau broke things open with a six-point string to give Bowie a 15-8 cushion and force Jacksboro into a timeout.
The Tigerettes came back and took an 18-16 lead. KP Rutherford’s kill broke the serve and allowed Molly Enlow to tie the game at 18.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Gold-Burg Football Coach Austin Norman called his Bears’ 35-32 loss to host Perrin a “barn burner”.
It most definitely was as Gold-Burg, now 1-5 for the year gave the 5-1 Pirates everything they wanted for four quarters. Gold-Burg scored on the last play of the first half on a Peyton Epperson run with the two point conversion cutting the deficit to 20-16.
The Bears were their own worst enemy to open the third quarter with face mask and offside penalties moving the Pirates downfield setting up a first-and-goal at the Bear three. Defense by Epperson, Keelyn Case and Barrett Allen and a pair of Perrin penalties helped stop the drive and force a turnover on downs.
Gold-Burg was slapped with an intentional grounding penalty on the first play, giving Perrin a safety and extending the Pirate lead to 22-16. Defense by Epperson and JoJuan Grace after a first down run closed out the third quarter.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Nocona and Prairie Valley cross country teams took part in the Prairie Valley Invitational Sept. 20 while Bowie varsity runners competed in the Lubbock Invitational.
Lubbock
Leading the Rabbits was Kellen Rater who finished 10th among 162 runners with a time of 17:24.50. Finishing behind Rater was Shawn Willett with a time of 19:33.20. Hayden Sutton ran a 20:27.10 followed by Taven Melton in 20:39.20, Coleman Holloway in 20:53.80 and Jaxon Castro with a time of 21:31.60.
Laney Segura led the Lady Rabbits with a time of 14:41.30. She was followed by Kylee Waldrep in 15:56.80, Bella Lozano in 16:04.80, Angeles Alvarez with a time of 16:15.40, AnDee Miller in 16:23.70 and Isabella Caswell in 16:51 flat.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death