SPORTS
First week of Olympics captured my attention
The first week of Olympics competition is mostly done as I write this on Friday morning.
I didn’t watch everything and was not particularly interested in doing homework heading into the games outside of a few storylines I just knew from past Olympics.
I only was able to catch a few sports live because of work, mostly relying on NBC’s three hour, USA centric, tightly edited wrap up show most nights. That means I did miss a lot, especially if it did not involve America.
Still, the first week had me turning on sports every night for the first time in more than month since the doldrums of July sports started up as it is filled with those I am usually not that invested in unless certain criteria are met.
The first week traditionally is filled with a lot of swimming. That’s because team USA seems to have an endless roster of people who at least have a medal’s chance in every race, if not being among the best to ever do it.
I will say, the amount of records not being set seems to be a bit of a downer as a viewer. Apparently, it is the pool’s fault. Shallower pools are slower according to people in the swim world, but science does not back that thinking up.
The only event I caught live, which meant I streamed it on my phone at work, was the men’s street skateboarding final.
While I have spent literally no time on a skateboard in my life, I have always been fascinated by watching X Game competitions growing up and later learning about the history of skateboarding.
It’s fascinating a fad activity from the 1970s fueled mostly by teens looking only to have fun would grow into such an interesting subculture. The fact the forbearers are still around, with the oldest in their 50s-60s, to see it turn into a sport respected enough for the Olympic stage blows all of them away if you ask them.
While a lot of people think skateboarding is people flying off of ramps and halfpipes like the most popular skateboarder Tony Hawk, the vast majority of regular skateboarders skate in the street style since its obstacles are almost everywhere.
These are the ones who grind rails, jump down stairs and get chased away by security guards who don’t want them skating on public property. Yes, the progenitor to these vandals are the ones who are now Olympic athletes.
I was rooting for USA’s Nyjah Huston, who is pretty much recognized as the most successful contest street skater in history. The only thing missing on his resume is an Olympic medal. He failed to medal in 2021, which were the first Olympics with skateboarding in it.
Him and fellow American skater Jagger Eaton were tearing it up, both scoring runs more than 90 points out of 100. The competition then turned into a best trick format, with skaters having five tries to land their two best tricks.
Both looked to have gold and silver locked down, landing two tricks more than 90 points again, which is a really high score.
Unfortunately, defending gold medal champion and teenager, Yuto Horigome from Japan, came out to snipe the gold medal with his final few best tricks.
Japan had two more at the top of the medal stand in the women’s street skate boarding as well, with all three medalists being teenagers as well. A sport of youth rebellion indeed.
Of course, the first week also is ruled by team gymnastics. While the women and Simone Biles were the biggest story, another story proved to be endearing.
The USA men’s team had last won a team medal in 2008. This year, the team was in the running for the bronze if they executed and got some help from some of their competition.
Made up of youthful looking, exuberantly buff men looking to make a mark, every clean routine stuck seemed to mark an explosion of joy from the USA competitors that it was endearing to watch.
It all culminated into the last person to go. All meet, Stephen Nedoroscik had sit calmly by, waiting in the wings to do his one routine on the pommel horse event. With big glasses on that seemed to overshadow his typical buff gymnast frame, he took them off right before he mounted the horse and seemed to turn into Super Man.
As he dismounted, he and his teammates knew he had secured a bronze medal, ending the medal drought.
The explosion of joy and the scenes of them lifting him up as he pumped his arms was one I couldn’t help but feel happy about.
I am not alone in preferring women’s gymnastics as opposed to men’s, but on this day their joy made me care and feel invested.
On a similar note, when I want to see someone get tackled, I would rather them be padded up with a helmet on playing American football instead of rugby. Unfortunately, one is an Olympic sport and the other is not.
I did not realize the women’s rugby competition was going on or that it was in the medal rounds already, but when I saw the highlight of the USA women’s team winning literally in the final seconds how could I not care.
Playing Australia, a country that has a big tradition and really gives a crap about rugby unlike here, USA had just fallen behind with less than two minutes left to play in a low-scoring game.
Backed up near their own goal line and with time running down, the ball found Alex Sedrick who ran through two defenders before breaking away, running the length of nearly the whole field and scoring a try (touchdown) to tie the game up.
The extra-point kick after gave USA the win 14-12 and its first medal in the program’s history.
Immediately, such a dramatic play, fans got to see in real time the “thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” as players on both sides were in tears for different reasons.
I know I missed other great moments from other sports and also from other countries.
What was your favorite thing to watch in the first week? Leave a comment or email sports@bowienewsonline.com.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona
The Nocona Indians ended their regular season with a sweep of Alvord to secure a number one seed heading into the playoffs.
The Indians won 13-6 and 3-1 to earn the top seed in the big school division in the playoffs.
With that much on the line despite already securing a playoff spot the previous week, Nocona had a lot to play for in its final regular season series.
The Bulldogs got on the board first with two runs, but the Indians answered with nine runs in the bottom of the first inning to retake the lead 9-2.
Both teams scored one run in the third inning before Nocona scored three runs in the fourth inning to go up 13-3. Alvord was able to extend the game and avoid getting run-ruled by scoring two runs in the fifth and one in the sixth inning.
The Indian bats were cold in the final three innings, but the defense bounced back to shut out the Bulldogs in the seventh inning to win 13-6.
RJ Walker and Jayce Lehde each drove in three runs to lead the team while Ladon Fatheree and Zyrus Moreno both drove in two runs. Nocona finished with nine hits and drew nine walks during the game.
On the mound, Walker Murphey pitched six innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on 12 hits while striking out one and walking two.
The second game was more a pitcher’s duel that had far less action scoring runs.
The Indians scored first in the second inning with one run, but Alvord tied the game with one run in the fourth inning. Nocona answered with two runs in the fifth inning and held on to win 3-1.
Lehde and Fatheree drove in one run each while Murphey scored the other run on the basepaths thanks to a wild pitch. Nocona had only two hits while the team drew seven walks.
Walker helped carry the team on the mound, pitching the whole game while giving up one run on four hits and striking out 13 batters. The defense committed no fielding errors.
Bellevue
The Bellevue Eagles ended their season on Monday this week, losing some tough games on the way out before closing with a win.
The Eagles lost to Perrin-Whitt 13-1, to Bryson 17-2 before beating Saint Jo 7-2 to end the season on a high note.
Bellevue struggled against the two other 1A teams in its district in its previous matchups as both teams are heading towards the playoffs. Both the Pirates and Cowboys proved it once again in the final matchup on April 22 and Monday before playing a team more on its level.
The Eagles and Panthers were 1-1 against each other this season. Playing after Bellevue’s loss to against Bryson right before on Saint Jo’s home field, the Eagles wanted revenge.
Bellevue got it with a 7-2 win against the Panthers to end both team’s season and this year improve the series 2-1 in the Eagles favor.
River Trail led the team with two RBIs while Hunter Blackburn had a team high two hits.
The team finished with seven hits and drew 10 walks.
On the mound, Bryce Ramsey allowed two runs on nine hits while striking out seven and walking five. The defense committed one fielding error.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Panthers had a tough final week to their disappointing season.
The Panthers lost to Bryson 10-4 before losing to Bellevue 7-2 to close out their season.
Saint Jo knew it was out of the playoff hunt and was playing for pride as it hoped to end the season with its head held high.
The Panthers played the Cowboys on April 22 and were put behind the eight ball when Bryson rallied off seven runs in the third inning. Saint Jo closed the game well, but could not overcome that bad inning as it lost 10-4.
Sam Martin, Charlie Evans, Mathew Sampson and Jayden Curry each drove in one run each. Saint Jo had nine hits and drew six walks during the game.
Unfortunately, Saint Jo’s defense allowed 10 hits and nine walks while committing five fielding errors.
The Panthers then waited a week before ending their season on Monday, due to rain causing the game to be rescheduled, against Bellevue. Each team had beaten the other so far this season and with both teams out of the playoffs, it was a game about local pride more than anything.
Unfortunately for Saint Jo, it did not go its way on Monday. The Eagles scored in every inning besides the first and seventh inning while the Panthers only scored in the fourth inning. Bellevue won 7-2.
Devin Stewart led the team with two RBIs on a double he hit. The team finished with eight hits and drew six walks, but it was not enough to hang with the Eagles.
The pitching staff allowed only four hits, but three fielding errors and nine walks allowed Bellevue to rack up the runs.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
The Bowie Jackrabbits finished their season last week with a dominant series sweep against Vernon.
The Jackrabbits won both games by run-rule 13-2 and 11-1 against the Lions.
Bowie came into the week with its playoff hopes shot after splitting with Holliday. The Jackrabbits were playing for pride and knew they had what it took to win decisively against Vernon and made sure to show it.
Game one did not start off great as the Lions scored two runs in the first inning, but Bowie answered with three runs of its own in the same inning, taking the lead 3-2 and never looking back.
The Jackrabbit defense shut down Vernon the rest of the game while scoring three runs in the second and fourth innings and four runs in the third inning.
It was enough to end the game early after four and half innings, Bowie winning 13-2 in its final home game on senior night.
Edmond De Leon led the team with four RBIs while Boston Farris, Trae Seigler and Jorge De Leon each had two RBIs. The team finished with 10 hits and drew seven walks as the team consistently found ways to score every inning of the game.
Farris got the start on the mound and allowed two runs on six hits while striking out seven and walking four during five innings of work. The defense committed no fielding errors.
The second game was on the road, but the Jackrabbits made sure not to start slow like they did in game one. Edmond De Leon blasted a three-run home run in the first inning to put Bowie up 3-0.
After a scoreless second inning, the Jackrabbits scored three runs in the third and fifth innings and two runs in the fourth inning. With the Lions scoring only one run in the third inning, that was all the run support Bowie needed to end the game early again after five innings.
The Jackrabbits won 11-1.
Edmond De Leon led the team with three RBIs while hitting a home run and a triple. Seigler and Austin Cheney drove in two runs. Bowie finished with 10 hits and drew six walks.
On the mound, Seigler pitched four innings and allowed one run (zero earned) on two hits while striking out and walking one batter. The defense committed three fielding errors.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
For pictures from the last home game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6874727&T=1
For pictures from senior night, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6874728&T=1
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers season ended on Thursday night in the bi-district round of the playoffs against Knox City.
The Houndettes won by run-rule 21-7 after six innings, ending the Lady Panthers year since the series was condensed to just one game.
Saint Jo came into the series after winning the district title, but knew Knox City would be tough. Still, the Lady Panthers had played in and won several games with high scores which gave them hope they could hang with whatever the Houndettes to could bring.
Knox City got on the board first, scoring on a three-run triple to go up 3-0. Saint Jo answered in the same inning with Kamron Skidmore driving in two runs on a single to cut the lead to 3-2.
In the third inning the Houndettes drove in five runs on a single, double and home run to increase their lead to 8-2. The Lady Panthers got one run back in the same inning thanks to a fielding error at third base that drove in one run to make it 8-3.
After a scoreless fourth inning, Knox City added to its lead in the fifth inning. A fielding error allowed one run to score and a three RBI triple added three more to make it 12-3.
In the sixth inning, the Houndettes reeled off nine runs to as it looked like the end was near for Saint Jo. Down 21-3, the Lady Panthers needed to score nine runs to avoid getting run-ruled.
Down to the final out, Saint Jo started a two-out rally. An error at short stop resulted in two runs to score. Jordyn O’Neal then ripped off a two RBI triple as the Lady Panthers had more than doubled their score.
Unfortunately that is where it would end. The next batter grounded out for the final out.
Knox City won 21-7.
Skidmore led the team with three RBIs while O’Neal was second with two. The team finished with seven hits and drew two walks, but it was not enough to keep up with the Houndettes who had 13 hits and drew 12 walks. Saint Jo committed two fielding errors.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
For more pictures from the game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6874729&T=1
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