SPORTS
Local coaching in state title game
Longtime Bowie resident Randy Rayburn will be on the coaching staff of his alma mater this Friday when they play in the 5A Oklahoma state title game in football.
Rayburn, who has lived in Bowie for 13 years, where his wife Cindy works and his daughter Moriah goes to high school, has commuted to Ardmore, OK for the last six years as a history teacher and assistant football coach.
After coaching under Brad Keck’s staff from 2006-2009 at Bowie High School, Rayburn bounced around before eventually making it back to his hometown.
“Ardmore is my home,” Rayburn said. “I went to school at Ardmore. I played football at Ardmore. Graduated from Ardmore.”
After his father passed away, Rayburn’s position at Ardmore also has allowed him to keep an eye on his mother as well.
Still, the Rayburn family lives in Bowie. With his wife enjoying her job at Legend Bank and his daughter playing volleyball for the Lady Rabbits, a sport that Ardmore and many schools in southern Oklahoma do not offer, Rayburn has been the one to make the 84 mile commute on weekends for the good of his family.
He is reaping the rewards now since the Tigers are playing in the school’s first state title game since 1992.
Undefeated and ranked number two in the state for most of the season, they are on a collision course against the number one ranked team in the state and also undefeated Carl Albert. They play at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 at Edmond Sata Fe High School.
Still, Rayburn hopes to one day make it back to Bowie.
“I really enjoyed my time at Bowie High School,” Rayburn said. “If the opportunity ever presented itself I would love to come back to Bowie.”
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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