SPORTS
Saint Jo baseball wins 11-1 on road
The Saint Jo baseball team traveled to Thackerville on Tuesday and beat the Wildcats handily in short work.
The Panthers won 11-1 after only three innings as they dominated Thackerville in almost every way.
Saint Jo had two runners on base with one out when Pepe Gam hit a double to drive in both runners. He was followed by Logan Morman who traded places with him as he hit a double to drive him in.
After a drawn walk and a ground out that put both base runners in scoring position, Trevor Conner hit a fly ball to center field that looked like it was going to be the third out. The ball was dropped for an error, allowing one run to score and the inning to continue. An error by the pitcher allowed another run to score putting the Panthers in the lead 5-0 before the next batter grounded out for the third out.
The Wildcats looked to respond as the leadoff batter hit a single. He stole second base, but catcher Gam would not let him get away with it again as the runner was thrown out trying to steal third base two pitches later.
The other two batters both grounded out to end the first inning and Saint Jo looking in control.
The Panthers first two batters got on base with no problem. Connor Thompson was able to score on an executed double steal from third base. Jase Johnson then drove in the other runner on a single.
After a drawn walk and fielder’s choice out, Collin Thomas drove in a run on single, but one base runner was thrown out at second base. Following an error, Trevor Conner drove in a run on a double into the outfield to put Saint Jo up 9-0.
With the Wildcats up to bat, the leadoff batter got away as he was hit by a pitch. He would steal second and third base before scoring on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 9-1.
While one other batter got on base with a walk, the other three batters were struck out by Morman as the game moved into the third inning.
Saint Jo loaded the bases up with two hits and a hit batter with two outs. Chance Bennett was then hit to drive in one run followed by another hit batter Conner. The Panthers lead was now double-digits up 11-1 as the next batter grounded out.
Thackerville hoped to get some more leadoff magic going as it drew a walk. After some pick-off attempts at first, the runner was called out on appeal. A ground out followed to put the Wildcats in a dire situation.
The Panthers looked like they had the game ended with a strike out, but the ball was not handled by the catcher well allowing the batter to reach first base, giving Thackerville some life.
It was short lived as the next batter grounded out to second base to end the game, Saint Jo winning 11-1.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend 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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