SPORTS
Nocona baseball loses in final inning
The Nocona baseball team fell just short of winning their first district game at Henrietta on Monday.
The Bearcats came back to score two runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 4-3 against the Indians.
Nocona started the game off on a great note. Trey Pepper, Ty Presley and Wesley Murphey had back-to-back-to-back singles to load the bases up with one out in the top of the first inning.
Colton Russell then came through with a double that cleared the bases as the Indians led 3-0. Strikeouts followed to keep Russell at second base.
Presley struck out two of the three batters and did not allow a base runner to end the first inning.
The teams exchanged a scoreless second inning with no base runners. Nocona repeated the feat on offense in the third inning, but the Bearcats found some life.
A one out walk, steal and single put two runners on base. A line out allowed the runner on third to score to cut the lead to 3-1 before the third out.
The Indians offense continued to struggle getting any players on base with another one-two-three fourth inning.
Henrietta continued to find ways to get on base, taking advantage of a fielding error and drawing a walk to lead off the inning. After stealing third base, another sacrifice fly allowed the runner to score to cut the lead to 3-2.
Another fielding error and a single loaded up the bases with one out. A pickoff catching a runner trying to steal home and a ground out to the pitcher ended the jam, with the Indians still in the lead.
Miguel Olivares broke Nocona’s slump as he got on base with a two out single.
Unfortunately, he would be caught trying to steal second for the third out.
A leadoff walk from the Bearcats looked like it might be promising. After stealing second base, a ground out advanced the runner to third base. Presley struck out the next batter and forced a ground out at third base to get out of the fifth inning.
The Indians had no luck getting any base runners on in the sixth inning.
Henrietta had two singles early in the inning, but Presley again got out of the tough situation by striking out two batters to end the chance.
Nocona still had the lead 3-2 heading into the final inning, but the Bearcats were putting pressure and playing better for most of the game.
The Indians hoped to spark a two out rally as Carlos Castro hit an infield single. Unfortunately, he was left stranded as the next batter grounded out.
Nocona would have to rely on its pitching and defense which had been barley keeping Henrietta at bay for the last several innings.
The leadoff batter was able to get on base thanks to a fielding error. After stealing second base, two passed balls allowed the runner to score tie the game up.
The Bearcats got another runner on base with a drawn walk. He would steal second base, but could not advance on a fly ball for the second out.
The runner was sent to steal third base. An error on the throw to third base allowed the runner to then advance to home for the winning run as the Bearcats won 4-3.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
With the baseball and softball seasons over for the area 1A schools, district awards have been released.
Listed below are those earned honors on the field and in the classroom for Saint Jo and Bellevue.
Softball
Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Utility player: Taylor Patrick; Catcher: Jordyn O’Neal
Baseball
Superlatives
Offensive MVP: Devin Stewart, Saint Jo
Newcomer of the Year: Bryce Ramsey, Bellevue
Pitcher: Trent Gaston, Saint Jo
Outfielder: Jayden Curry, Saint Jo
Second team
Pitcher: Charlie Barclay, Saint Jo
Infielder: Brycen Bancroft, Bellevue; Sam Martin, Saint Jo
Outfielder: Rylan Forrester, Saint Jo
Catcher: Charlie Evans, Saint Jo
Utility: Logan Hoover, Saint Jo
DH: Amzy Barclay, Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Cody Gaston, Saint Jo; Xander Joyner, Saint Jo
To see academic awards from Saint Jo players, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Eldon Van Hooser is leaving Forestburg better than he found it.
The head boy’s basketball coach is retiring after more than 30 years, spending the last five at Forestburg.
Van Hooser did not come to this decision because of a lack of fire or feeling tired after decades in the profession. He had to for family reasons.
“My wife has MS (multiple sclerosis) and it’s a disease where you have trouble standing and walking and she needs help,” Van Hooser said. “I am able to so I am going to step away from teaching and coaching to be there for her.”
Van Hooser was hired in 2019. Along with being the boy’s basketball coach, he also was the football team’s defensive coordinator.
There were some lean years for Forestburg on the boy’s athletic side, with numbers being low and the available athletes being mostly underclassmen.
For two years, the Longhorns’ boy’s basketball team won few games and one of those seasons saw the team field five players on the high school team.
“One of those years we had COVID-19 and the other we had five kids,” Van Hooser said. “It was very rough. After that we worked with the kids and we had a good freshman group coming up. Next year they are going to be seniors.”
That group has helped to turn the program around. Last year the young Longhorns team contested for a playoff spot and just barely missed it finishing fifth in the district.
This season, that same group took a leap and finished second in district with a record of 7-5.
Despite losing its last two regular season games in dramatic fashion heading into the playoffs, the team stepped up in the bi-district game.
Playing against an athletic Newcastle team, Forestburg led for most of the game.
Unfortunately, the previous game against Bellevue saw the Longhorn team blow the lead late in the fourth quarter against a hard pressing style team and they were suffering the same fate against the Bobcats down the stretch.
Fortunately, Forestburg held on just enough to win 53-46. It was the first boy’s basketball playoff win in nine years for Forestburg.
“It was huge for our program,” Van Hooser said. “This new year we will have new goals. The new coach will have some goals of his own, but I set some for the team and think that we have come a long way.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
The Bowie sports banquets was on Monday night. Olivia Gill and Tucker Jones were named Jackrabbit and Lady Rabbit of the year. Pick up the mid-week paper for all of the sports team awards and pictures.
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