SPORTS
Nocona volleyball clinches playoff berth
The Nocona Lady Indians clinched the last playoff spot in the district with their win against Jacksboro on Tuesday.
It was senior night for the Lady Indians and the Lady Tigers made them work for it as the match went to five sets, but Nocona got things done in the end.
Nocona came into the match on a four match losing streak. With its loss to Breckenridge a few weeks back and the Lady Bucks going on a rampage the second round of district, the Lady Indians were in position Tuesday night where they could be kicked out of the playoffs.
The good news was Breckenridge was playing district runner-up Henrietta. The Lady Cats did not suffer an upset loss to the Lady Bucks like both Nocona and Bowie had in the most recent weeks.
Still, to avoid a play-in game and guarantee the final playoff spot, the Lady Indians would need to beat the Lady Tigers.
Despite the emotions of senior night and trying to shake off the four game losing stretch, Nocona was also missing a starter, setter/hitter Megyn Meekins who is out with a foot injury.
The first set was competitive for the first 30 points. Jacksboro was up 16-14, but had its lead increase to 20-15.
The Lady Indians fought back to cut the lead to 21-19 and stayed close down 23-22.
Unfortunately for Nocona, Jacksboro closed out the set on top by the narrowest of margin 25-23 to take the early lead.
The second set could not have been more different. From the start the Lady Indians got into a groove serving the ball and the Lady Tigers serve-receive was a mess.
The 10-5 lead grew to 14-6 and 18-7. Jacksboro never got into the set as Nocona won 25-11 to tie the match up at 1-1.
The third set was like the opposite of the second for the Lady Indians for the first half of it. The Lady Tigers lead grew to 14-6 and still was firm at 16-9.
From there Nocona came all the way back to tie the score at 16-16. It looked like that effort might go to waste though as Jacksboro then got a bit of a lead 22-18 heading into the final few points.
The Lady Indians came back again to cut the score to 23-22. This time though, it went into extra points and Nocona came out on top 27-25 to take the match lead 2-1.
For most of the fourth set it looked like the Lady Indians were on their way to close out the match. An early 10-5 lead shrunk to 13-12 before immediately going back up to 17-13.
Unfortunately, the Lady Tigers came back to not just tie but take the lead 18-17. With the teams tied at 20-20 and the final few points looking like it could go any team’s way, it was Jacksboro that won out 25-21 to tie the match up at 2-2 and force a fifth and final set.
It looked like it might be a tight fifth set with how the match had gone to that point. Curiously though, it went much like how the second set went for Nocona.
The Lady Indians scored the first seven points of the set. Any of the several point come backs the Lady Tigers had done in the previous two sets never came as Nocona easily coasted to a one-sided fifth set win 15-3, winning the match 3-2.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend 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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