SPORTS
SJ co-district champs
Even though the last game did not go how they wanted it, the Saint Jo baseball team ended up as the co-district champions for the first time since the program was brought back.
Three years ago the Panthers brought back baseball after some time. With no district, they had an outlaw schedule where they played anybody who would give them a game.
Saint Jo did not field a team the next year, but brought it back last year. They played in a blended district of 1A and 2A schools. Between those two seasons, the program won only one game.
This season has bred positive results. The Panthers doubled their win total early in the season with some of their tournament wins.
Facing a district with more teams being 2A than 1A, Saint Jo held their own in those games and was able to win some as well as they finished 5-7. They also spent several weeks at the tenth position in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association state poll.
The turnaround seemed to come out of nowhere, but first year athletic director and Coach Derek Schlieve thinks it had to do with getting to know his players.
“I think a lot of people were surprised,” Schlieve said. “We were able to come in and get to know the guys during football and most of our baseball players are football players so that wasn’t a challenge for us that way and probably the chemistry is the biggest difference.”
With the positive results this season, the program hopes to join a district with similar sized schools so the competition can be more even. Not every 1A school can field a baseball team, but the number is growing and the possibility is there for them joining an all 1A district.
“There are enough 1A schools,” Schlieve said. “Right now I think everyone is looking at what the logistics of it would look like. The travel would be more, but I think it would be advantageous since whenever you are in a division, you are in a division for a reason.”
They will be playing similar sized schools going forward as they head into the playoffs. Saint Jo plays Northside at 6 p.m. on May 4 at Windthorst in a one game playoff.
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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