SPORTS
Bowie breaks the Bulldog full-court press
The Bowie Jackrabbits passed a big early season test by dominating Burkburnett at home on Tuesday night.
The Jackrabbits won 66-45 and were up by more than that several times in the second half.
This is Bowie’s seventh season in a row playing the Bulldogs. Traditionally a competitive 4A program that makes the playoffs, it has always been a tough draw that has not favored the Jackrabbits during that time.
Bowie has won only once in the past six seasons against the Bulldogs, and it was not the state title team or the team after that one. It was a close 68-64 win in 2020, which was current Jackrabbit Coach Andy Atkins’ second win.
Burkburnett is, if not the first, than the best early season test for Jackrabbit teams on how good its press break is. The Bulldogs feature a lot of good, long athletes and their Coach Danny Nix employs a platoon system to keep them fresh and full-court presses teams all game.
Bowie was coming off a win against Springtown where it saw some press defense and was in the mindset already coming in. With senior ball handlers Brody Armstrong and A.J. Whatley having multiple years of experience coming into the game, the Jackrabbits were ready to attack the press.
Bowie avoided disaster bringing the ball up and carefully worked around the trapping zone defense into its players inside. Bayler Swint and Tucker Jones aren’t the tallest of front court duos, but both took advantage of their teammates passing and looked to finish around the basket. They combined to score 16 of the team’s 20 points in the first quarter as the Jackrabbits led 20-10.
Bowie sat back in a tight zone all game and dared Burkburnett to shoot from outside, not wanting to give up driving lanes. The Bulldogs made five 3-pointers in the game, but it was not enough to make the Jackrabbits change its strategy or come back from the double-digit deficit.
Bowie’s offense got more balanced as its perimeter players started to find holes in the zone and knocking in three 3-pointers in the second quarter. The Jackrabbits didn’t falter even when inexperienced bench players came into the game as they led 38-22 at halftime.
The defense was its most locked in during the third quarter, which allowed some mistakes to not be catastrophic or momentum changing for Bowie. Andrew Sandhoff led the team with seven points during the quarter while Jones added six more points.
The Jackrabbits had a commanding 55-29 lead at the start of the fourth quarter and the bench units got to play out the majority of the rest of the game. It was the only quarter Burkburnett outscored Bowie, but only by 16-11 which allowed the Jackrabbit starters to sit back and cheer on their teammates playing big minutes.
Bowie won easily 66-45.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Saint Jo hosted its own volleyball tournament Sept. 10-12.
In its first match, the Lady Panthers bested Sam Rayburn in a b est-of-three match 2-1 (25-11, 23-25, 25-14.) In the opener, senior Tatum Morman staked the Lady Panthers to a 4-0 lead with help from Kamron Skidmore and Olivia Johnson kills. The Lady Rebels would come back and tie the game at seven.
Savannah Hill’s kill broke serve and allowed Abby Carter to string together seven points. An ace and a Hill kill helped keep the drive alive. Hill later rolled off six points in a row, helped by two aces, to go up 23-10. Sam Rayburn broke serve but Saint Jo finished the game with a single Morman point.
Sam Rayburn came right out of the gate firing in the second game leading 4-0. A single Carter point, thrown down by a Hill block, and Hill’s four-point skein put the Lady Panthers up 8-6. Sam Rayburn tied the game at eight.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Forestburg’s volleyball team gave visiting Chico a solid test Sept. 8, but the Lady Dragons rebounded from a third-set loss to pull out the 3-1 win (25-23, 25-19, 25-27, 25-19).
The Lady Longhorns got out to a quick start with aces from freshmen Madi Wadsworth and Lacie Shotwell staking the squad to a 4-1 lead in game one. Wadsworth later broke a 4-all tie with a kill.
Addy Conway rolled off four straight points, helped by a Wadsworth kill to give Forestburg an 11-9 lead. Chico took a 16-14 lead but a Brenna Briles ace and Jocelyn Rich’s two points forced Chico into a timeout down 17-19.
The respite worked as it would be Forestburg’s last lead of game one, the Lady ‘Horns not having another serving point.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
After splitting the first two games with Vernon Northside, Bowie’s volleyball team turned things out and wound with a 3-1 match win (25-17, 15-25, 25-17, 25-17).
Molly Enlow used two aces amidst a four-point string to give the Lady Rabbits a 5-1 lead in game one. Senior KP Rutherford’s pair of points extended the lead to 8-3.
Northside cut the deficit to 10-11 before Rutherford’s kill broke serve.
Bella Culwell’s point, aided by an Ellie Mowery kill, put Bowie up 13-10. Northside tied the game at 13 before Rutherford came through with another pair for a 17-14 lead. Lillie Maddox also had a deuce for a 20-15 lead and force a Lady INdian timeout.
Northside broke serve but a Sophie Maddox block and Lillie Maddox three-point string gave the squad game point at 24-16. The squads exchanged side outs to end the game.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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