SPORTS
Volleyball Roundup
Bowie
The Bowie Lady Rabbits lost at private school Christ Academy on Tuesday night.
The Lady Warriors won in straight sets 3-0, but it was the type of match where every set could have gone either way by the end.
The first and third sets were won by the narrowest margins 25-23 while the second set was almost just as close lost 25-22.
While the overall results have not gone the Lady Rabbits way in recent weeks, it has been against tough, playoff caliber teams. The battle-tested team will hopefully have learned the tough lessons and are able to bounce back with district play starting next week.
Nocona
The Nocona Lady Indians won on the road on Wednesday night against 4A Burkburnett.
The Lady Indians won in straight sets against the Lady Bulldogs.
Nocona easily won the first two sets by big margins 25-12 and 25-7. The third set proved to be more competitive, but the Lady Indians were able to close it out in the end winning 25-20.
Ava Johnson led the team with five service aces. Avery Crutsinger and Bren Fenoglio each had three blocks to lead the team while Aubree Kleinhans had six digs in the back row.
Skyler Smith led the team in kills (13) and assists (14) while Meg Meekins was second in both categories with 11 kills and 12 assists while also having three aces.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers won against Electra at home on Tuesday night.
The Lady Panthers won in four sets against the Lady Tigers.
Saint Jo did not start the match well, down 9-1 in the first set. The Lady Panthers clawed their way back and just barely came back to steal set one in extra points 26-24 to go up 1-0.
Unfortunately, that come back momentum was nowhere to be seen in set two. Electra got the lead early and Saint Jo could not recover this time as the Lady Tigers won 25-13 to tie the match up at 1-1.
From there the Lady Panthers played better the rest of the match. The third set was the most competitive from start to finish of the match and had a lot riding on it.
With Saint Jo finding its rhythm on offense while upping its defensive energy, it was just enough for the Lady Panthers to win the set by the narrowest of margins 25-23 to go up 2-1.
After that, Saint Jo was rolling and won the fourth set authoritatively 25-16 to win the match 3-1.
Forestburg
The Forestburg Lady Horns won their first five-set match of the season on Tuesday against Savoy at home.
The Lady Horns won the back-and-forth match by winning the fifth set against the Lady Cardinals in the only set that did not seem to come down the wire.
The first set was the tone setter for the match as it came down to the last few points. It had to go to extra points, but unfortunately Savoy came out on top 26-24 to take the early lead.
Forestburg bounced back to win set two 25-20 and set three 25-22 to go up 2-1 and was hoping to close out the match.
Unfortunately, the fourth set proved to be another close one at the end and the Lady Cardinals pulled out the win by the narrowest of margins 25-23 to force a fifth and final set.
Despite the competitive nature throughout the match, the fifth set proved to the anomaly that it usually is. With teams only needing to get to 15 instead of 25, the shorter set means every lead feels bigger than it is at any other point in the match.
The Lady Horns got a lead and was able to grow it and ride it until the end, powered by Justynne Roller serving the last seven points of the match, as they won by the biggest margin of the match 15-8 to be victorious 3-2.
Gold-Burg
The Gold-Burg Lady Bears lost a tough match to Garner on Tuesday night.
The Lady Horns won in straight sets 3-0 with set scores being 25-7, 25-8 and 25-10.
Coach Cheryl Cromleigh thought her team served better than it has recently, but on the opposite end just could not handle Garner’s servers, who had lots of power and really well tuned spot serves.
Bellevue
The Bellevue Lady Eagles lost a tough match against 2A Alvord on Tuesday night at home.
The Lady Bulldogs won in straight sets with the scores being 25-6, 25-13 and 25-11.
Coach Mollee Kirk thought her team played well in the beginning of some sets that gave Alvord some trouble, but just could not finish when the Lady Bulldogs made adjustments.
Kirk also praised libero Brylie Hager, who she said had an outstanding game and left everything on the court.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Saint Jo will have a new boy’s basketball coach this school year.
Jacob Nocktonick is coming to the district after spending the last two years at Bland as an assistant coach. It is his first head coaching job in basketball.
Nocktonick graduated from Princeton High School in 2015 where he played and loved basektball. He graduated in 2019 from Tarleton State University and despite playing basketball up until he graduated, he did not see coaching in his future. He worked for most of three years after college at a landscape supply company, but something was missing from his life.
“I realized after being out of it for three or four years, something was missing from my life that I really loved,” Nocktonick said. “That was playing the game I love and being around people that really love to be there.”
Nocktonick did not have much experience coaching before then, but through his experience at Bland, he knows he has found his true purpose.
“I missed that passion,” Nocktonick said. “I love it and love the kids I have been working with.”
Nocktonick is especially excited in his role in shaping young men for the future through basketball.
“At the end of the day, people aren’t going to remember me for my records,” Nocktonick said. “I get to touch lives in this role. It’s a lot different than other jobs because I have a lot of kids that look up to me. Even past players from Bland still hit me up, asking for life advice and it’s just different.”
He describes himself as the type of teacher who likes to climb up on his desk and get everyone involved more than just lecture through power point presentations. That extends to his coaching as well.
“I am extremely passionate and enthusiastic,” Nocktonick said. “I want kids to know when the time is to be serious, but know we are going to have fun, bond and become like family. I am not in this for the business. I am in this for the relationships.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
The Bowie cheerleading team went to cheer camp on July 13-16 at Texas Women’s University.
It was a good opportunity for the team to learn new things to take into the school year, according to cheer sponsor Destanie Curry.
“They learn their job is not to just lead the crowds in cheers, but they are ambassadors of their school and community and how to fulfill that role to the best of their ability,” Curry said. “Of course, they also learn stunt safety, new stunts, new cheer material and how to incorporate all this into pep rallies, routines and games.”
It can be intense, with campers expected to eat, sleep and breathe cheerleading from morning until night, staying positive and spiritful in everything they do since councilors are always watching and looking to see who will earn extra awards.
At the end of the four days, the Lady Rabbits cheerleading team took home several team and individual awards.
The team won one spirit stick daily and one on the final day. They were awarded each night to teams who demonstrated leadership, positive attitudes, excellent class participation and who respect and encourage one another, their coaches and staff.
Bowie earned its National Federation of State High School Association’s squad credential. The group earned Stunt SAFE, which was presented to teams that displayed excellent skills in spotting and stunt technique.
The final team award was in the Game Day Championship trophy. The competition included crowd involvement with a game day chant and cheer learned at the camp.
They were judged on crowd leading effectiveness, use of props, incorporation of stunts, technique and execution of skills.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona got its new press box into place this week at Jack Crane Stadium. The old press box, which was in place for more than 60 years, was taken out in early June and moved to Indian Valley Raceway. The new press box was by the Southern Bleacher Company out of Graham. Athletic Director Black Crutsinger said they looked at a lot of press boxes and decided they liked the one at Lindsay High School and went with that model. Sean Hutson operated the crane from the Hurd Crane Service that put the press box up for Nocona.
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