SPORTS
Panthers come back late to beat Chico
Saint Jo started the second round of district play on Friday at Chico and got some revenge from the first match up.
The Panthers won 11-8, with nine runs coming in the final two innings from Saint Jo to come from behind to win.
The Panthers did not start off on the best note. After failing to get a base runner on, the Dragons were able to load the bases with free bases and score two runs on a single to go up 2-0 in the first inning.
Saint Jo’s Chance Bennett was able to hit a one out single to get on base in the second inning. Unfortunately, he was thrown out trying to steal second and the Panthers next batter struck out. Chico failed to get a base runner on as the game moved to the third inning.
Neither team had much luck as Saint Jo went three up and three down while the Dragons leadoff walk did not lead to anything.
The fourth inning saw the Panthers offense get some momentum. With one out, a fielding error and single got two runners on base. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Logan Morman singled to left field to drive in a run. Two batters later Jace Johnson singled to drive in another run and tie the game at 2-2.
The score did not stay tied for long. Chico answered in the bottom of the fourth. Two errors scored two runs a two RBI single to left field scored two more as the Dragons extended their lead to 6-2 before Saint Jo ended the inning with a double play.
Things continued to not go the Panthers way in the fifth inning. All three of their batters struck out on offense. A leadoff walk by Chico came back to bite Saint Jo as a two out single drove in the runner to make the lead 7-2 heading into the final two innings.
The top of the sixth inning is where everything changed. The Dragons changed pitchers and the Panthers jumped on the new one.
The first two hitters hit back-to-back singles. With steals and a wild pitch, Connor Thompson scored. Morman hit a line drive single up the middle to score the other runner.
After striking out for the innings second out a hit batter put two runners on base. Eli Jones hit a double into the gap that scored both runners to cut the lead to 7-6 before the inning ended.
Chico was not ready to just lay down and give up the game. The Dragons were able to load the bases up with two drawn walks and a single, but Thompson was able to get the strike out for the third out to keep the game within one run.
In the final inning, Saint Jo’s offense did not stop. Even with new pitchers in for Chico, the Panthers offense kept going.
After a leadoff walk and steal, Thompson drove in the runner with a double to tie the game. An error allowed runners at the corners. Two batters later Morman cam through with a RBI single to left field. Thanks to an error on the throw, another run scored and Morman ended up on third base.
Bennett batted next and was able to drive Morman in with a single to left field. A couple batters later, Bennett eventually scored on a passed ball to make the score 11-7.
The Dragons threatened to come back themselves. A leadoff walk and several steals put a runner on third base. A ground out for the second out scored the runner to cut the lead to 11-8.
A single followed to keep the game alive, but the next batter flew out to left field to end the game and give Saint Jo the victory.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
It was announced last week Nocona Athletic director/football coach Blake Crutsinger is resigning from his position at the school after serving four years.
Crutsinger said now is the time for his family to make the move, with his daughter Avery graduating after spending four years at Nocona and with his son Kellar about to enter high school and wanting the same for him at another school.
“With her going off to college, she had a really good four years here and just looking at Keller heading into high school and exploring some opportunities that might be better for him, it is just time,” Crutsinger said.
Crutsinger went 19-22 overall, helping the Indians to two playoff appearances in 2022 and 2023. The team’s best season was 2023, when it went 8-2 and won the district title, the first one in 11 years for the program.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Saint Jo senior Payzlie Cervantes signed her letter of intent to play college basketball last week at Highland College in Kansas. She also played volleyball, softball and ran track at Saint Jo. “After talking with Coach Tana Coleman, I really connected with her and loved the campus vibe and direction she wants for the team,” Cervantes said. “I’m looking forward to continuing my basketball career while getting my associates degree in nursing to become a registered nurse.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Last week Montague County had five girls from Bowie and Saint Jo compete at the state tennis tournament, and one team brought back some hardware.
Sisters from Bowie, junior Heidi and freshman Willow Siebert brought back a bronze medal competing in the 3A girl’s doubles bracket.
The pair were the first people from the program to make it back to state since their half sisters, Meagan and Myah Russell, advanced nine years previously.
The Sieberts came into state as a two-seed, having finished second at the regional tournament the previous week.
The duo was ready as they blew through their first two matches. They beat a team from Hondo in the first round with the scores being 6-1, 6-1 and dominated even more in the second round against a team from Tatum, winning 6-0, 6-1.
That got them through to the second day of the tournament, but Coach Dayna Boothe was worried they had had it too easy on day one.
Playing in the semifinals, the Lady Rabbits faced a familiar foe, a team from Peaster they had beaten in the regional tournament the previous week. Unfortunately, near the end of the first set, with the Sieberts fighting to stay alive, Heidi went after a high lob and slammed into the fence. She hurt her right arm and had to play through it for the rest of the match.
They lost the match with the scores being 6-3, 6-3.
It was an all Peaster final, with the other side of the bracket producing the team that both beat the Sieberts at the regional tournament and won their second straight state title.
Still, despite the disappointment, Bowie is bringing back a bronze medal. According to Boothe, after contacting people who would know dating back to the late 1970s, it could possibly be the program’s first medals from the state tournament in tennis.
Of course, Bowie was not the only school represented. Saint Jo had Taylor Patrick competing in girl’s singles and the team of Bailie Nobile and Maxey Johnson competing in girl’s doubles in the 1A classification.
Senior Patrick was making her third appearance at the state tournament, but her first in the singles competition.
She finished third at the regional meet which meant she had a tough first round matchup against a second seed from Fort Davis.
It took everything from Patrick in a match that lasted two and a half hours. She went down in the first set 6-2, but rebounded in a tight second set to win 6-4 to force a third and final set. She had the momentum and won 6-2 to move on.
She had to summon the energy to play later that day against a fresh one-seed player from Utopia. Patrick lost 6-1, 6-1 to end her Saint Jo career. Her opponent would go on to finish second.
Juniors Johnson and Nobile were making their first appearances at the state meet after finishing second at the regional tournament. In the first round they played a tough match against a team from Marathon. It seemed evenly matched throughout, but small mistakes at inopportune times cost them throughout the match. In the end, the team lost by the scores of 6-3, 6-3.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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