SPORTS
Longhorns break nine year drought with playoff win
The Forestburg Longhorns won their first playoff game in nine years by beating Newcastle on Tuesday night.
The Longhorns won 53-46 against the Bobcats in a close and emotional game before losing in the area round to Dodd City on Thursday night 61-26.
Forestburg came into the playoffs in a bit of a funk. With second place wrapped up in the district standings, the Longhorns had lost their three previous games, with the most recent two being close heartbreakers.
Newcastle was a shorter and athletic team that was led by an electric point guard Isaac King who seemed to score on any transition opportunity.
Forestburg had the size advantage and seemed to handle Newcastle’s press defense the majority of the time.
The Longhorns wanted to slow it down and play inside out, using their size advantage in the post or finding openings in the mid-range against the Bobcats zone defense.
Forestburg led 15-13 after the first quarter, with Newcastle being carried by King who scored 11 of his team’s points. He had to sit for long stretches in the middle quarters due to foul trouble and the Longhorns took advantage.
Forestburg led 25-19 at halftime and got out to a double-digit lead in the third quarter despite key post player Kyler Willett sitting with his own foul trouble.
Leading scorer Jesus Sanchez put an exclamation point on his team’s momentum by sinking a half-court buzzer beater heading into the fourth quarter, putting the Longhorns up 41-30.
Newcastle picked up the intensity on its press and started to create some turnovers. Forestburg was trying to run some clock at the same time, but the Bobcats picked up momentum and started closing the gap.
Newcastle cut it to two points, down 48-46 in the final two minutes. The Bobcats had an opportunity to tie the game following a steal, laying the ball up with 1:25 left in the game.
However, the basket was wiped away as the player was called for traveling.
Newcastle had one more opportunity to tie the game in the final minute, but Forestburg’s Angel Cruz stole the ball away and threw the ball ahead to Sanchez who was fouled following his layup. He made the free throw to complete the 3-point play and clinch the game.
Forestburg scored one more basket at the very end to make the final score 53-46.
The playoff win was the first for the Forestburg boy’s basketball program since 2015.
The Longhorns did not have much time to bask in the win as they played the ninth ranked team in the state in 1A Dodd City on Thursday night.
Unfortunately, it was not a close game.
Forestburg had trouble scoring all game, only scoring in double-figures in the fourth quarter.
The Hornets were raining 3-pointers early on and led 29-12 at halftime. With Dodd City then scoring 24 points in the third quarter, the game was out of reach.
Forestburg did outscore the Hornets in the fourth quarter, but the lead was too big as Dodd City won 61-26.
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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