SPORTS
Basketball Roundup
Nocona
Both Nocona teams won senior night on Friday against tough Windthorst teams.
The Lady Indians dominated with a 71-39 win to wrap up their sixth straight district title. The Indians won 65-50 to stay undefeated and in first place in the district.
The Nocona girls came into the game confident. The sixth ranked team in the state in 2A according to the latest Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll had outscored district opponents 590-187. The first game the Lady Indians beat the Lady Trojans 51-27.
Still, Windthorst was the second seeded team in the district with its only loss coming against Nocona. If anyone was going to challenge the Lady Indians it would be the Lady Trojans.
Nocona made sure there were no thoughts about upsets.
The Lady Indians came out firing, scoring 24 and 23 points in the first two quarters. Nocona’s press defense was creating transition scoring opportunities that allowed the team to score quickly while limiting Windthorst’s offense.
The Lady Indians led 47-16 at halftime.
Naturally there was a drag in the second half with Nocona up 30 or more points.
The Lady Trojans had their best offensive stretch in the third quarter, keeping up with the Lady Indians and only getting outscored 18-15.
Nocona then slowed the pace down to limit Windthorst’s opportunities in the fourth quarter. Despite the Lady Trojans actually outscoring the Lady Indians for the only stretch in the game, it was only by two points as neither team scored in double-figures.
Nocona won 71-39.
The Nocona boy’s were confident heading into the game with an undefeated district record, but had barely survived second place Seymour not once, but twice.
Still, the Indians had their full team again as the suspensions from the on-court altercation against Olney had been served.
Windthorst had a chance to possibly jump to second place ahead of Seymour if the Trojans could win.
Despite Nocona being ranked the 12th best team in the state in 2A in the same poll, the Indians margin of victory had not quite been as dominant as the girls team.
Still, the Indians came out in the first half and dominated.
Nocona outscored Windthorst 18-8 in the first quarter and 20-9 in the second quarter as the Indians were in control, up 38-17 at halftime.
The Trojans offense woke up in the third quarter and nearly doubled their first half total with 15 points. Thankfully, Nocona’s offense was still scoring at a scorching pace with 19 points as it led 57-32 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Indians did not have a good end to the game as Windthorst’s offense upped the antee in the final period. Nocona’s offense, no longer concerned with scoring, was limited to eight points while the Trojans scored a game high 18 points.
Still, the Indians won by a comfortable margin 65-50.
Gold-Burg vs Prairie Valley boys
The Gold-Burg Bears were able to pull ahead in the second half against Prairie Valley on Friday night.
The Bears won 50-39 in a game that was much closer than that final score for the first three quarters.
Gold-Burg came into the game hoping it could hold on to its fourth place in the district standings with a 3-5 record. Prairie Valley had a 2-7 record, but knew it could compete and beat almost any team in the district despite its largely youthful team.
It was a close first quarter as the Bears led only 13-12. The Bulldogs did a good job of playing defense in the second quarter, limiting Gold-Burg to only six points while not slowing down their offense at all.
Prairie Valley outscored the Bears 14-6 and led 26-19 at halftime.
Gold-Burg bounced back and the teams played a competitive third quarter. The Bears outscored the Bulldogs 12-9 as Prairie Valley’s lead was cut to 35-31 heading into the fourth quarter.
Gold-Burg’s defense then came alive, with its press creating costly turnovers it could convert into quick points in transition. The Bulldogs had 13 turnovers in the final period while also scoring only four points.
The Bears ran away with the game, scoring 19 points in the final period as they won with the double-digit margin 50-39.
Missing scores
Coaches from both Bellevue basketball teams did not return emails with information about Friday’s game against Midway.
The Gold-Burg Lady Bears basketball team had to cancel its season for having too few players.
Prairie Valley was originally scheduled to play them on Friday, but did not.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week 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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