SPORTS
Bowie graduate thriving in college
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Hunter-Hutto-College-Web.jpg)
Not many college athletes stick with it long enough to ever see the field for any significant action, but for Bowie graduate Hunter Hutto, he enjoyed a fun season being a part of a winning Hardin Simmons University football team this fall.
The college sophomore and son of Jerry and Shirley Bellah, Hutto came into college as an undersized offensive lineman after a summer of doing manual labor that unexpectedly trimmed him down to 250 pounds.
“I graduated high school weighing what they wanted me to weigh,” Hutto said. “Over the summer I was working and spent a lot of time in the sun. I cut down about 30 pounds heading into my freshman year and I just couldn’t hold weight. I still have the same problem and I can’t gain weight now.”
His freshman season last year saw him bouncing around to several different positions on the offensive line. He was used to that from his last season in high school though it was because the Jackrabbits suffered a lot of injuries that he helped plug up along the line. Hutto still performed well enough to earn Bowie’s only first team all-district selection as a senior.
After a season on the developmental team his freshman year for the Cowboys, it was in the spring when coaches asked Hutto if he would consider changing positions to tight end. While still a position that does its fair share of blocking, it is also a skill position where he would go out to catch passes.
“I’ve always been real paranoid about fumbling,” Hutto said. “If I got the opportunity in a game and doing something like fumbling and allowing the other team to get a turnover. That is what wins and loses football games just off the bat. That’s definitely something in the back of my head.”
Thankfully, Hutto was mostly asked to block this year, his first on the big stage. He was in on special teams for field goals and on offense he was part of a short yardage formation when the team needed to get that that one tough yard.
“We had a package called rhino,” Hutto said. “That was whenever we had a three tight end personnel and it was kind of bigger dudes when we’re on the goal line. Anything with short yardage I was in. I got to be in when we scored touchdowns.”
Hutto also got to experience being on the winningest team he has ever been on. The Cowboys went 9-1 during the regular season, at one point winning seven straight, while claiming their first outright American Southwest Conference title since 2004.
The ride came to an end in the first round of the playoffs with a loss to Trinity University, but the tone had been set and Hutto was hooked on the experience.
“It was definitely a big change winning all the time because you didn’t know how to feel,” Hutto said. “Especially making the playoffs. We were in the first round and I was like, I’ve never really played football past November. I’m not used to playing in big football games. That was a change that you have to get mentally switched to play football games with big stakes to them.”
The jump up from playing 3A Texas High School football at Bowie to Division III football at Hardin Simmons was an adjustment in every aspect.
“To sum it up, at Bowie going against the practice team, you are going against younger guys every day,” Hutto said. “You turn around and you’re practicing against the older guys my freshman year at Hardin Simmons. That definitely made me a lot better. But this year being on varsity, practicing against the show team. Those guys are good. They’re not there for no reason. If you make the slightest error, those guys are going to find it. A lot of times our players that we practice against are better than the guys we play against in a game.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
SPORTS
Big crowd attends Bowie Sports Association Awards night
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/backs-of-boys-scaled.jpg)
Nearly 600 youngsters signed up for this season of youth baseball sports through the BSA. The group celebrated with awards this past week and introduction of all its teams. See all the awards and photos from the night in the mid-week Bowie News. (Photos by Barbara Green)
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cute-girls-1024x684.jpg)
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/close-up-rings-1024x684.jpg)
SPORTS
World gets ready for 2024 Summer Olympics
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/rings.jpg)
The 2024 Summer Olympics is just a few weeks away taking place in Paris. The opening ceremonies will be July 26 and are planned to be unique as they take place along the Seine River that flows through Paris. Thomas Bach prepared this op-ed to welcome the world to Paris.
By Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee
The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 is only days away. The excitement gripping this nation is palpable.
As this unique festival of sport draws closer, we all are feeling that France and the French people are ready to welcome the world’s best athletes with the hospitality and passion for sport for which they are famous all around the world.
Already millions of people have greeted the Olympic flame on its journey around France with a huge wave of enthusiasm. All of us are looking forward to an unforgettable celebration of Olympic sport and French culture in the coming weeks.
Read the full story in the mid-week sports in your Bowie News.
SPORTS
Firecracker 5K welcomes 100 runners on July 4th
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/start-big-group.jpg)
Saint Jo’s Firecracker 5K welcomed 100 runners for its 16th year on July 4th.
According to runsignup.com, Old Jo’s Firecracker 5K saw 100 runners of all ages register to kick off in downtown Saint Jo.
Brayden Willett, 14, Nocona, was the top male finisher with a time of 19:02.6. Sarah Rainey, 35, Saint Jo, was the top female finisher with 21:47.1.
In the male nine and under division, I. Miller, nine, Muenster, repeated his first place win from 2023 with at time of 34:52.8. E. Thomas, eight, no town listed, also repeated her win with a time of 31:58.5.
Emry Raney-Cavnar, 14, Ardmore, OK, won the male 10-14 group and E. Christensen, 11, Decatur, took the female race. In the male 15-19 division Luke Gehrig, 17, Muenster, won, while Sophia Christensen, 15, Decatur, took the ladies’ title.
See all the results and more photos in the weekend Bowie News.
Special appreciation to Jennifer Gaston Panther Photography for use of her photos.
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Brayden-Willett-overall-winner-1024x682.jpg)
![](https://bowienewsonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Sarah-Raney-overall-winner-female-1-1024x682.jpg)
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