SPORTS
Nocona girls beat Merkel 50-49
The Nocona Lady Indians survived a second half assault from Merkel in the area round of the playoffs on Friday, holding on to win late.
The Lady Indians won by the narrowest of margins 50-49 to continue their season, sending the Lady Badgers packing for the second straight year.
Nocona started the game off well. The Lady Indians limited Merkel’s chances offensively while also looking for chances to score off of rebounds. Averee Kleinhans attacked the rim and got the free throw line, scoring five points. Sydni Messer knocked in a par of shots to also score five points. Nocona led 12-7.
The game picked up the pace in the second quarter for both teams, but the Lady Indians added to their lead. The team made three 3-pointers in the quarter and Kleinhans and Messer both shared in equal measures again, scoring six points each.
Nocona’s lead was in the double-digits 31-19 heading into halftime, but something from Merkel was lurking. Senior leading scorer Kaydi Pursley had carried the Lady Badgers offensively so far, scoring 15 of her team’s 19 points, including 10 in the second quarter. Little did the Lady Indians know she was just warming up.
Merkel changed the way it was playing defense to start the second half. Nocona went cold for all of the quarter, with only a pair of 3-pointers from Trystin Fenoglio and Kleinhans keeping the Lady Indians from posting scoreless quarter.
Pursley continued her scoring pace from the second quarter, scoring 11 points in the quarter as the Lady Badgers caught back up. Nocona’s lead was almost gone as it was a one-score game 37-35 heading to the final quarter.
The Lady Indians lost the score at one point as both teams went back and forth. Pursley was not cooling off as she would score 12 points in the quarter on her way to finishing with a game high 38 points.
Still Nocona would not fold. Fenoglio and Kleinhans both at different times came up with great finishing drives that were rewarded with free throws for traditional three-point plays to swing the momentum.
Down the stretch, the Lady Indians held a 50-49 lead with a little more than 30 seconds to go. Messer got her hand on a pass and almost completed the save, but it went out of bounds even with her diving to try and save it.
After inbounding the ball and working it to the left high post, the Lady Badgers bounce pass out to the perimeter was stolen by Kleinhans. She took the ball the other way and was fouled with eight seconds left.
She missed the free throw and Merkel raced the ball up the court while making sure it was in the hands of Pursley. Never breaking stride she put up a running shot from 3-point land was blocked and taken away by Fenoglio as the clock ran out, preserving Nocona’s win 50-49.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
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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