SPORTS
Nocona survives double overtime in regional final 64-62
The Nocona Lady Indians are headed back to San Antonio and will play in the state championship game on Thursday night.
The Lady Indians had to get through a brutal double overtime game against Muenster (64-62) in the regional final before upsetting Panhandle 46-41 in the state semifinals to punch their ticket to state for the second straight year.
Nocona knew it was going to be tough facing Muenster in the regional final despite being the favorite on paper. The Lady Hornets were ranked 21st in the state, but had lost two out of three times during district play against the Collinsville team the Lady Indians had beaten easily the round before.
The team’s also had faced off the previous two years in the regional tournament where Nocona had won both times, though they were always physical and competitive affairs.
Played at the new Wichita Falls Legacy High School on Feb. 20, it seemed like everyone from both communities and some from the surrounding communities had packed the spacious gym.
Nocona tried to pressure Muenster early to try and prevent the Lady Hornets from using their size in the post and it initially worked. Leading scorer Meg Meekins got the ball rolling, scoring seven of the team’s 10 points in the first quarter as they led 10-5.
The second quarter was much more high-scoring for both teams. Nocona had success shooting from 3-point range, making four during the quarter. Aubree Kleinhans led the team with eight points.
Midway through the Lady Indians led 22-9 and it looked like they might start to run away with the game.
The Lady Hornets started to do a better job of getting the ball inside and getting to the free throw line. A big match up problem for Nocona was Muenster’s Anna Hennigan, who used her size advantage and perimeter skill to drive into the lane all game.
The Lady Hornets cut the lead to 28-21 heading into halftime. Though the Lady Indians had a nice lead, Muenster had found a formula that was working and were determined to stick with it in the second half.
The third quarter was all Lady Hornets. Nocona was trying to bring extra help when posted up and switched to a zone defense, but it left open wide open shooters as Muenster made the team pay by making two. The Lady Hornets also employed their tallest player from their bench to use her extra size and Muenster then started grabbing offensive rebounds as well.
The Lady Hornets nearly doubled their first half total. Muenster was also selling out to try and not let Meekins drive into her sweet spots. Nocona made two 3-pointers, but only made one other basket as it struggled to make the Lady Hornets pay for giving so much attention to Meekins.
At the very end, Muenster took its first lead of the game since the first quarter, leading 38-36 with all of the momentum after outscoring the Lady Indians 17-8.
That momentum kept going in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Muenster opened up a 45-38 lead with 4:20 left to play and now had the luxury of trying to burn the clock while Nocona had to take risks.
Things were not looking good and did not seem to be trending the Lady Indians way. Even with Nocona making two trips to the free throw line in the next minute of action, the team made only one to cut the lead to 45-39 with 3:11 left to play.
Then the Lady Indians got some plays from their superstar. Meekins stole the ball and converted them to layups three different times over the next two minutes to tie the game up at 45-45 with 55 seconds left.
Nocona then got a stop and had a chance to shoot for the last shot in the game. It did not go in and the game went to overtime with the score tied at 45-45.
With both teams in the bonus, there were a lot of free throws shot in the overtime period. Muenster made 3-4 to start the period. The Lady Indians did not convert either on their first attempt, but got the offensive rebound and Kleinhans nailed a 3-pointer to tie the game at 48-48.
The Lady Hornets got another trip to the free throw line and missed both shots, but unfortunately a lane violation allowed them to attempt another one to retake the lead 49-48.
Nocona then had Meekins score on a tough floater. Muenster again answered by making two free throws. The Lady Indians saw Kleinhans sink another clutch 3-pointer at the top of the key to give Nocona a 53-51 lead with 37 seconds left.
The Lady Indians added to the lead with a free throw to make it 54-51.
The Lady Hornets through up a 3-point shot in the final minutes, but Nocona fouled the player on the attempt. With 2.5 seconds left, Ella Walterscheid made all three clutch free throws to tie the game at 54-54.
The Lady Indians unfortunately gave Muenster another shot, turning the ball over on a travel right underneath Nocona’s basket with 1.2 seconds left. Thankfully, the Lady Indians defended it well and the game went to its second overtime period.
It did not start off great for Nocona. Muenster scored three points in the opening minute and the Lady Indians saw Kleinhans foul out down 57-54.
Nocona answered in the next minute as Bayler Smith and Meekins made two trips to the free throw line and made both their shots to give the Lady Indians at 58-57 lead.
A few more trips to the line produced three points for Nocona to stretch its lead to 61-57. The Lady Hornets then answered with a clutch 3-pointer from Walterscheid to cut the lead to 61-60.
Thankfully the Lady Indians next trip to the free throw line was a foul from Walterscheid and it was her fifth as she fouled out.
Nocona went 3-4 on its next two trips to the line to go up 64-60 with 14.9 seconds left. Muenster cut it to two points by making a two more free throws with 4.9 seconds left, but that would be all she wrote.
The Lady Indians won 64-62 in a game where nothing seemed to come easy.
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=6873311&T=1
The Red River High School Bass Club competed on Saturday at Eagle Mount Lake as the club finished fifth overall out of 28 clubs.
The club had two teams that brought in fish at the end of the day, but one also finished highly.
The team of Carson Caudle and Hunter Blackburn got fourth overall out of more than 100 teams. The pair caught three fish that weighed in at 7.99 pounds.
The club had one more pair that brought in fish. Walker Strahan and Bryce Ramsey got one fish that weighed in a 1.95 pounds that was good for 33rd place.
Only 37 out of the 126 teams were fortunate enough to bring fish to the weigh-in.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Bowie
Superlatives
Offensive most valuable player: Rayder Mann
First team
Gaige Goodman
Second team
Boston Farris
Honorable mention
Adam Pickett, Bradly Horton, Braden Rhyne
Academic all-district
Hayden Sutton, Keller Dosch, Anthony Jaraleno, Finn Riddle, Tyler Richey, Adam Pickett, Bradly Horton, Hayden Heugatter, Boston Farris, Rayder Mann
Nocona
Superlatives
Co-newcomer of the year: Landon Fatheree
Fighting heart award: Jose Gomez Jr.
First team
Karson Kleinhans, Oscar Salomon-Gomez
Second team
Zyrus Moreno, Walker Murphey
Honorable mention
Adrian Gutierrez
Academic all-district
Jose Gomez Jr., Kyle Waters, Kasch Johnson, RJ Walker, William Henley, Skye Kirby, Landon Fatheree, Karson Kleinhans, Oscar Salomon-Gomez, Zyrus Moreno, Walker Murphey, Adrian Gutierrez
1A
Superlatives: Jesus Sanchez, Forestburg, most valuable player; Barrett Johnson, Saint Jo, offensive MVP; Evan Chavez, Bellevue, sixth man of the year; Camden Dreyer, Gold-Burg, co-newcomer of the year; Josiah Wadsworth, Forestburg, co-newcomer of the year; Curtis Enis, Forestburg, coach of the year
First team
Ryan Jones, Bellevue; Jesse Wadsworth, Forestburg; Kyler Willett, Forestburg; Lee Yeley, Saint Jo; Trent Gaston, Saint Jo
Second team
Aaron Allison, Bellevue; Brycen Bancroft, Bellevue; River Trail, Bellevue; Jayton Epperson, Gold-Burg; Trae Campbell, Prairie Valley; Zeke Bonn, Saint Jo; Landon Shannon, Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Bryce Ramsey, Bellevue; Brenna Criswell, Bellevue; Eli White-Freeland, Gold-Burg; Keelyn Case, Gold-Burg; Barrett Allen, Gold-Burg; Angel Cruz, Forestburg; Hayden Halliburton, Forestburg; John Carranza, Forestburg; Hunter Camden, Prairie Valley; Jarrett Horton, Prairie Valley; Landen Williams, Saint Jo; Jayden Curry, Saint Jo; Colton Curry, Saint Jo
Academic all-district
Bellevue: Walker Strahan, Brycen Bancroft, Bryce Ramsey, Will Bonds, Cowyn Langford
Forestburg: Rafeal Sanchez, Josiah Wadsworth, Tristan Cumby, Hayden Halliburton, Jesse Wadsworth
Prairie Valley: Hunter Camden, Jarrett Horton, Josh Stout, Dayne Sadler, Kasey Caruthers
Saint Jo: Jayden Curry, Colton Curry, Landon Shannon, Barrett Johnson, Trent Gaston, Zeke Bonn, Lee Yeley
Gold-Burg: Levi Hellinger, Brady Allen, Barrett Allen
For pictures from players from every team, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona
The Nocona Lady Indians’ softball team had a great first week as a full team, winning all of their games and going 4-0 at their hosted tournament against a Seymour program.
The Lady Indians were able to add some players from basketball, which only ended the previous week after winning the state title.
Nocona kicked off the week with a blowout win against Perrin-Whitt on March 4. The Lady Indians scored 12 runs in the first inning and seven in the second as the game ended after three innings due to run-rule, Nocona winning 19-1.
Skye Kirby led the team with four RBIs while Kylea Wallace and Heidi Atteberry were second with two RBIs each. The team drew 12 walks.
Reagan Phipps, fresh from the basketball court, allowed one run (zero earned) on two hits while striking out seven batters.
Nocona on March 6-7 played double-headers on each day against Seymour and its JV team.
The first game against the Lady Panthers varsity team saw the Lady Indians win 14-6 after four and half innings. Gwyndelyn Forsyth led the team with three RBIs while Tinley Cable, Kirby and Phipps each drove in two runs. Phipps hit a home run as well.
On the mound, Phipps allowed six runs on nine hits while striking out nine batters.
The next game against the JV team from Seymour was strangely closer, but Nocona came out on top, winning 10-7 after four innings played.
Forsyth led the team with two RBIs as five different players drove in one run each. Atteberry got the start on the mound and allowed seven runs on six hits while striking out six batters and walking seven.
The next day Nocona dominated the Seymour varsity team again, winning 11-2 after five innings played. Evelyn Marquez led the team with two RBIs while four other players had one in a balanced approach. Phipps allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out seven batters.
The Lady Indians made sure not to let up against the Seymour JV team in the next game. Nocona won 16-3 after four innings played to end the week off right.
Kaitlyn Tiffner led the team with four RBIs while Marquez drove in three, Kirby and Cable drove in two. Atteberry allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits while striking out two batters.
Saint Jo
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers had tough games last week against 2A team Chico and Muenster.
The Lady Panthers lost by the scores 21-2 and 22-0 as they try to look for the positive while playing against mostly bigger schools.
Saint Jo played Chico on March 7. Most of the damage was done in the second inning, with the Lady Dragons scored 13 runs. The Lady Panthers did score runs in two of the three innings played, but the game ended after three due to run-rule as Chico won 21-2.
Reagan Wilson led the team with one RBI. On defense, the team had 17 walks and allowed 10 hits, though the team committed zero fielding errors.
It did not get any easier hosting Muenster on March 10. The Lady Hornets scored 10 runs in the first inning before Saint Jo could come up to bat and had dug itself a big hole. The Lady Panthers had little success with their bats in the game, with Maxey Johnson being the sole base runner as she got a hit.
Muenster won 22-0 as the Lady Hornets had 14 hits and drew 16 walks.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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