SPORTS
Longhorns beat Panthers 53-43
The Forestburg Longhorns took control of second place in district with a win at Saint Jo on Friday night.
The Longhorns 53-43 in a game that was a lot closer than it seemed like it was going to be at the start of the game.
Forestburg came into the game with a one game advantage on the Panthers in the district standings. The Longhorns won the first game between the teams 56-40, which was their first win against Saint Jo since 2018.
The Panthers were missing a starter in that first game and with the home crowd on their side, they were hoping the second game would be different.
Early on it was not much different from the first game.
Forestburg was passing through Saint Jo’s zone defense and getting easy looks for its big post player Kyler Willett and looks in the mid-post for scorer Jesus Sanchez. They combined to score all of the team’s points in the quarter.
With the Longhorns up 8-0 midway through the first quarter, Saint Jo suffered a big set back when the team’s best post player Trent Gaston went down with a serious leg injury that put him on the bench for the rest of the game.
Forestburg led 17-6 after the first quarter.
The Panthers had to double-down on having high energy and feisty play to make up for their size disadvantage. They started to employ a full-court press, generally started to win the hustle balls and did their best to try and speed up the Longhorns pace faster than what they wanted to play.
Forestburg took a hit when Willett picked up his fourth foul and had to sit not just for most of the second quarter, but all of the third quarter as well.
The Longhorns survived offensively in the second quarter with five different players scoring at least one basket, but the good looks were harder to generate without Willett and his size advantage out there.
Still, Forestburg led 32-14, but Saint Jo came screaming back in the second half.
The Panthers were finally able to have several 3-pointers go in for them in the third quarter after only one found the net in the first half. Saint Jo made three in the period while the defensive intensity really seemed to bother and limit the Longhorns, who only scored seven points.
The Panthers cut the lead to 10 points, down 39-29 but had the game flipped in their style and favor with a raucous crowd getting into it.
Even with Willett coming back in for Forestburg in the fourth quarter, Saint Jo’s charge continued to come.
Midway through and with only four minutes left to play in the game, the Panthers had cut the Longhorns lead to single-digits 41-34 and Forestburg had only scored two points.
The Longhorns did not sweat as they started earning a lot of trips to the free throw line from an aggressive Panthers team that was not just going to let them burn clock.
Despite earning only three attempts in the first three quarters, Forestburg went 10-12 at the free throw line to keep Saint Jo at bay, even as the Panthers cut the lead to six points in the final minutes of action.
The Longhorns won 53-43 thanks to the good free throw shooting.
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.
-
NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS8 months agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS1 year agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS2 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS12 months agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS1 year ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS2 years agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint