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Nocona vs Bowie ladies battle; Lady Indians win district title

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In a game that had people from both communities show up in a frenzy, the Nocona Lady Indians were able to secure an un-shared district title on their rival Bowie’s home court on Tuesday.
In a low scoring defensive struggle that saw the Lady Rabbits lead for most of the game, the Lady Indians were able to come out ahead 38-34.
The stakes coming into the game could not have been higher. With Bowie one game back in the standings, a Lady Rabbit win would mean the teams would share the district title along with Childress.
Fans came out of the woodwork as Bowie’s student section was easily the most energetic it has been all season, ready at any moment to shout the cliché, but effective “You can’t do that” chant on every foul call.
As if things could not have been more high stakes, the Lady Rabbits were missing head coach Chuck Hall from the sidelines on Tuesday for unspecified reasons. Assistant Coach Jaimie Hickey assumed the role as head coach in the team’s biggest game of the year. Also it was senior night.
Both teams came out and knocked in three-pointers in the first minute and half to start the game, but soon the game settled into a slow pace that Bowie favors.
Nocona’s Averee Kleinhans was able to push the ball in transition to get some baskets and to the free throw line, but opportunities were few and far between for her.
The Lady Rabbits try to work from inside out, which usually means getting the ball to leading scorer Hope Howard, and going from there. The Lady Indians made sure Howard had no where to go for most of the game after she caught the ball in the post. At some points three defenders would closer her off forcing her to pass out.
Nocona’s plan of running the offense through Kleinhans while her and Trystin Fenoglio shared ball handling duties, Bowie tried to take away Fenoglio. They left Aslyn Davis on Kleinhans for most of the game to make her earn every point and limit her playmaking opportunities.
Both of these defensive approaches worked for the most part. Kleinhans scored eight of the teams 10 points while the Jackrabbits got a smattering of scoring from three players while controlling the tempo. Nocona led 10-9 heading into the second quarter.
Bowie came out in a press defense to start the second quarter. While it did not force many turnovers, it did enough to disrupt the Lady Indians offense for most of the quarter. They invited Kleinhans to shoot and would have a defender there to contest every shot or bring help on her drives to the basket. Nocona was limited to six points in the quarter.
Offensively, the Lady Rabbits continued to grind out possessions with long sequences of passing. Baskets from four different players from a variety of different spots on the court, including another three-pointer, allowed Bowie to take a small 19-16 lead at halftime.
For the large majority of the third quarter, it was all the Lady Rabbits. Everyone on Bowie’s side from the players on the bench to the crowd cheered every good thing that happened. For a mostly defensive team that has had its issues during the season scoring the ball, some games energy and enthusiasm has been lacking, but there was no excuse for it Tuesday night.
The defense continued to frustrate Kleinhans while shutting everyone else out, while the offense scored in big ways. The Lady Rabbits established the biggest lead of the game 29-19, punctuated with two three-pointers and the ref warning Kleinhans about her almost drawing a technical foul. With the crowd going crazy and the low scoring nature of the game, the lead seemed like it might be too much for the Lady Indians to overcome.
With less than two minutes to go in the third quarter, Kleinhans was subbed out so she could regain her composure. In her place Fenoglio was able to score back-to-back quick baskets with driving floaters to cut what seemed like a near insurmountable lead 10 point lead a few minutes ago to 29-23 heading into the fourth quarter.
The teams traded baskets in the opening quarter as Howard scored inside and Fenoglio made another floater. Kleinhans checked back in and Nocona was able to cut the lead to one basket 31-28 with a little less than four minutes to go.
Bowie tried to run some clock on its next two possessions, but both possessions ended with turnovers. The Lady Indians cut the lead to one point 31-30 with 1:45 to go. With her team in the bonus, Kleinhans knocked in two free throws to give Nocona its first lead since the second quarter 32-31.
The Lady Rabbits had a chance to take back the lead seconds later with a one-and-one free throw attempt, but missed the first shot. Kleinhans was sent back to the free throw line and again made both attempts to increase Nocona’s lead to 34-31 with 1:11 to go.
Bowie’s Taygon Jones was fouled and despite being a freshman, she coolly knocked in both free throws to cut the lead to 34-33 with 57 seconds left. The Lady Rabbits then tried to force a turnover with their press, but ended up having to foul Fenoglio with 34 seconds left.
Fenoglio was able to make both free throws to put the lead back up to 36-33. Bowie drew a shooting foul with 21 seconds left, but unfortunately for them could not make either shot. The Lady Rabbits Jayci Logan was able to secure the offensive rebound and Bowie got off a potential game tying three-pointer that missed the basket.
Nocona got the rebound and Kleinhans was able to make her next two free throws with eight seconds left to ice the game. The Lady Indians won 38-34.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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Nocona softball wins final game of the season against Alvord

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The Nocona Lady Indians played their final game of the regular season with a drubbing of Alvord at home.
The Lady Indians won 11-1 after six innings due to run-rule to end their season on a positive note despite no playoffs.
The game was rescheduled from last week due to weather.
Nocona was coming off a tough loss against Muenster the previous game, but knew it had a chance against Alvord after beating the Lady Bulldogs 6-4 in the first game.
The game started slow, but the Lady Indians got the lead with one run in the first inning. Alvord answered with one run in the third inning before Nocona retook the lead and never let it go.
The Lady Indians scored three runs in the third inning, two in the fourth, three in the fifth and the final two in the sixth inning to end the game on Charity Claxton’s sacrifice bunt that scored the last run.
Nocona won 11-1.

Coach Nolan Lanham thought it was the most complete game the team had played all season.
While he is sad this year’s season is complete, he is excited about what the team accomplished this year and what it can build off of it in the coming years.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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Baseball Roundup

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Nocona
The Nocona Indians won their first game against Chico on Tuesday night to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Indians won 9-4 against the Dragons.
Nocona was coming into the game after a close, low-scoring series against Perrin-Whitt that saw the Indians win one game and lose another.
The Indians took an early lead with Brody Langford driving in a run on a single. Chico answered with two runs in the same inning to take back the lead 2-1.
The teams exchanged runs in the next four innings.
Nocona tied the score at 2-2 in the second inning when RJ Walker hit a sacrifice fly ball deep enough to score one run. The Dragons took the back the lead with an RBI double in the third inning to make it 3-2.
The Indians again tied the score in the fourth inning when Langford hit into a fielder’s choice out with the bases loaded. Once again, Chico retook the lead in the fifth inning, also scoring on a fielder’s choice groundout to go up 4-3.
After a scoreless sixth inning, Nocona was down to its final three outs of the game.
With two runners on base and two outs and looking at a full-count, Caden Belcher came through for the Indians with a base hit. It scored the tying run and the second runner was waived home and had a chance to score the game’s winning run. He was just tagged out for out three, but not before Nocona had tied the score at 4-4.
Chico loaded the bases up with one out in the seventh inning, but Wesley Murphey stepped up and struck out the next two batters to get out of the jam scot free and force the game into extra-innings.
Nocona was still reeling from the momentum of the last inning and it came through in the eighth inning.
With two runners on base and two outs, the Indians started a two-out rally with Wesley Murphey hitting a triple that brought both runners home to score.
Langford followed with a single that drove in one run. Following another single, Konnor Harrington hit a single that drove in another run. Following a walk that loaded the bases, a passed ball allowed Nocona to score another run.
The Indians more than doubled their seven inning total, scoring five runs and leading 9-4.
Wesley Murphey and the defense then closed the door, striking out the first batter before inducing groundouts to shortstop and second base for outs two and three to end the game.

Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers played their final regular season series in a double-header on Tuesday against Lindsay.
The bigger Knights won both games by run-rule, 12-2 after six innings and 15-2 after five innings.
Saint Jo had last played a week ago in a double-header against Muenster’s JV and varsity teams. The Panthers competed well with the JV team, but struggled more against the varsity team.
Lindsay had no JV team so Saint Jo had to play the 2A school twice and hoped it could compete.
The Knights got off to a fast start in game one, scoring seven runs in the first inning and never looking back.
The Panther defense played better from then on, never allowing Lindsay to score more than two runs in an inning and even holding the Knights scoreless in two innings.
Saint Jo was able to score in the fifth inning when the team loaded the bases and drew two walks to score two runs.
That was enough to keep the game from ending after five innings, but Lindsay scored two runs in the sixth inning to end the game early with the score 12-2.
The second game saw Lindsay score at least one run in every inning, highlighted by seven in the second inning.
Saint Jo scored two runs in the fourth inning. Charlie Evans hit an RBI double. Later he scored on the base paths after Lindsay failed to prevent a stolen base elsewhere.
The game ended after five innings with the Knights winning 15-2.

Bellevue
The Bellevue Eagles lost its final regular season game against Alvord on Tuesday.
The Bulldogs won 22-0 after four innings due to run-rule.
Bellevue knew it was going to be tough competing against a bigger school, but was hoping to compete.
Unfortunately, the Bulldogs came through and scored 14 runs in the first inning to suck any momentum from the Eagles before they had even had a chance to bat.
Bellevue prevented Alvord from scoring in the second inning, but not the third or fourth innings.
The Eagle bats did not have much luck scoring any runs as the Bulldogs won 22-0 after four innings.
Bryce Ramsey and Blake Reese got the only two hits for Bellevue in the game. Alvord racked up 15 hits, drew nine walks and were hit by five pitches which led to all of the runs.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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Saint Jo softball beats Perrin-Whitt in the playoffs

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The Saint Jo Lady Panthers won their one-game playoff game agaisnt Perrin-Whitt on Wednesday 16-1 to continue their season to the area round.

The Saint Jo Lady Panthers won their playoff one-game series against Perrin-Whitt on Wednesday afternoon.
The Lady Panthers stomped the Lady Pirates 16-1 after three innings by run-rule to advance in the playoffs.
Saint Jo was coming into the playoffs after a tough regular season. The Lady Panthers won their first game of the season, but struggled the rest of the way due to injuries, the busyness of spring and because most of their opponents were larger 2A schools.
Finally playing a school their own size while having more than a week from its last game to prepare to get everyone more healthy and focused paid dividends on Wednesday against Perrin-Whitt.
Saint Jo has struggled with its pitching and aspects of its defense, but its ability to score runs when locked in has been documented this year.
In four of its 10 games this season, the team has scored 13 or more runs in high scoring affairs.
Starting out hitting in the top of the first allowed the Lady Panthers to start out strong against the Lady Pirates team that had their own problem with pitching and defense.
Maxey Johnson drove in the team’s first run on a bunt that she somehow stretched into a double. Later she and Jordyn O’Neal would score on wild pitches to put Saint Jo up 3-0.
While the team was hit by two pitches and drew a walk during the inning, a surprising double-play from Perrin-Whitt ended the Lady Panthers scoring start to the game.
Pitcher Johnson has struggled through injuries this season, but started great on the mound. Her first pitch thrown was lined out right to the shortstop for an out. She then struck out the next two batters to keep Saint Jo’s momentum going heading into the second inning which would break the game open.
Nevaeh Spann led off with a single and Tatum Morman followed with a double.
After the next batter loaded the bases up with a drawn walk, the next two batters were hit by pitches while the following drew a walk to drive in three runs.
In between another batter getting hit by a pitch and another drawn walk scoring two more runs were a strikeout and fly out to the pitcher.
Morman was then up again for the second time in the inning and hit a double to left field to drive in two runs. Saint Jo earned one more run in the inning on a wild pitch before a strikeout ended the scoreathon. The Lady Panthers had scored eight runs in the inning and now led 11-0.
The Lady Pirates were able to get some offense going in retaliation. A leadoff walk would come back to bite Saint Jo.
Johnson struck out the next batter and fielded a pop up for out two. After a walk put another baserunner on, a fly ball to center field resulted in an error that allowed one run to score for Perrin-Whitt.
The Lady Panthers put out the fire before it could grow out of control. The next batter hit a groundball that was easily fielded by Johnson who tossed her out at first base.
Up 11-1 entering the third inning, Saint Jo hitters were getting inpatient just sitting idly by for good pitches to it after drawing so many walks and being hit by pitches. They started to take more chances and put the ball in play.
Two singles led off the inning for the Lady Panthers. O’Neal then grounded out to third base, but it drove in one run. Aubrey Morman followed with an RBI single.
Following a hit, Saint Jo would draw three walks in a row. However, the Lady Panthers scored three more runs thanks to wild pitches to grow their lead to the limit of the run-rule before a strikeout ended the offensive onslaught.
Heading into the bottom of the third inning and up 16-1, Saint Jo had to not let Perrin-Whitt score at all to end the game early.
The Lady Pirates got their leadoff hitter on base again, this time thanks to an error on a fly ball in the outfield that got the runner on second base.
The baserunner would then successfully steal third base and was in perfect position to score on any contact hit or wild pitch.
Johnson was not fazed and induced a weak pop up to the catcher for out one. Johnson then struck out the next batter four out two.
The final batter then grounded out to second base for out three to end the game.
Saint Jo won 16-1.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

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