SPORTS
Nocona moving down to 2A
On Wednesday the University Interscholastic League released the conference cutoff numbers for the 2022-2024 school years.
The big news for Montague County is Nocona will drop down from 3A classification to 2A for the first time since 2014.
The Indians turned in a 249 enrollment number back on Oct. 29. It turned out to be one student short of the 250 barrier that would have required Nocona to stay in 3A.
This will make the Indians one of if not the largest 2A school in the state for the next two years which has coaches, fans and athletes alike excited for the future.
“This is really big for the town of Nocona,” Athletic Director Blake Crutsinger said. “I know people have been wanting this for a long time and it just helps us be a lot more competitive in everything. We are no longer one of the smallest schools in 3A. Being on the top end of 2A will really help our kids be a lot more competitive.”
Crutsinger also mentioned that besides helping compete better in athletics, this also will help Nocona UIL academics and band.
Outside of the Indians, no other schools in The Bowie News coverage zone are reclassifying. Bowie turned in 497, a good 47 kids away from threatening to go up to 4A. The Jackrabbits will stay in division I when it comes to football.
Among the 1A schools, Saint Jo was the closest to having to reclassify.
The Panthers turned in 99, with the cutoff number being 105 to move up to 2A.
The move up to 2A also would mean transitioning from six-man football to 11-man, which would have caused a whole host of logistical changes Saint Jo avoided.
All of the other 1A schools did not have to worry about going to 2A, but some did have to worry about going up from division II to division I in football. The cutoff number for division I was 59.
Forestburg (52) and Gold-Burg (47) were thankful to be short of that number.
Prairie Valley and Bellevue did not have to worry about that since neither school plays football. The Prairie Valley Bulldogs turned in the second highest number (56) out of the 1A schools in the area while the Eagles turned in the lowest with 40.
You can look up the conference cutoff numbers and enrollment numbers for all of the schools in the state at www.uiltexas.org.
The official district realignments will be released at 9 a.m. on Feb. 3.
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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