SPORTS
Jackrabbits lose opening district series
The Bowie Jackrabbits started off district last week as they lost two disappointing games to Jacksboro.
The Tigers won 9-5 and 6-4 to win the series overall.
This year’s district schedule is formatted so every team plays each twice within the same week so a team cannot pitch their best players in both games like they could in the past since pitchers have so many days they have to sit out after pitching.
Bowie got off a to a great start in the first game on March 18 at Jacksboro. Edmond De Leon hit a two-run home run to left field to put the Jackrabbits up 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
Unfortunately, the Jackrabbits had an ugly second inning, giving up five runs on four singles, three fielding errors and a triple. Bowie trailed 5-2 and never recovered.
Austin Cheney drove in a run with a single in the fourth inning, but the Tigers got it back in the same inning, scoring on a wild pitch to make it 6-3. Jacksboro then hit a solo home run in the fifth inning and drove in a run on a groundout to extend its lead to 8-3.
Hayden Rodriguez singled to drive in a run for Bowie in the sixth inning, but the Tigers again got it back in the same inning, this time on another fielding error to make it 9-4 heading into the final inning.
The Jackrabbits needed to make up five runs and got a good start when the lead off hitter Rayder Mann got on base by getting hit by a pitch. A passed ball allowed him to get to second base before he stole third base. An error on the throw to third base allowed him to come home, scoring to make it 9-5.
Unfortunately, Bowie could rally for a comeback. After another hit batter, the next three Jackrabbit batters struck out to end the game.
The Tigers won 9-5.
Bowie knew playing a cleaner game defensively would give it a better chance when it played Jacksboro again on March 21. The Jackrabbits also knew they had a good chance with ace De Leon starting on the mound for them.
It was a pitcher’s dual, but unfortunately Bowie’s fielding cost them in the third inning. Three fielding errors and a wild pitch allowed the Tigers to score two runs with two outs to give them the lead 2-0.
It wasn’t until the fifth inning until the Jackrabbit bats were able to break up the shut out. De Leon helped his cause by driving in a run with a single to cut the lead to 2-1.
In the same inning, Bowie had a chance for more runs. A single and walk followed to load the bases with only one out. Unfortunately a strike out followed and then a base runner got picked off at third base for out three. The Jackrabbits trailed 2-1 heading into the sixth inning.
De Leon was subbed out and Jacksboro scored three runs on an RBI single, a passed ball and a wild pitch to make it 5-1 for the Tigers. Jacksboro then added one more run in the seventh inning on an RBI single to put the score at 6-1.
Bowie again needed to make up five runs in its final at-bats.
The Jackrabbits showed life. With two runners on base, an errant throw trying to get one of them out allowed one run to score. Then Caden Belcher’s groundball to first base was too hot to handle, inducing an error that allowed two runs to score.
A drawn walk and hit batter then loaded the bases up with two outs and Bowie had a good chance to complete the comeback.
A high wild pitch allowed the Jackrabbits to try and score from third base. Unfortunately, the Jacksboro catcher fielded the ball and got it to his pitcher at home plate. It was a close call, but the Bowie’s runner sliding home was called out to end the game.
The Tigers won 6-4.
To read the full story, pick up a copy the weekly edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the first game at Jacksboro, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6873814&T=1
The Red River High School Bass Club competed this past weekend, May 31 – June 1, at the State Tournament on Lake Conroe for the two-day tournament.
Two of the teams from Montague County traveled south to try their best at the culmination of the year for the state title. Teams were able to pre-fish on Friday before the Saturday and Sunday competition. On Friday, there was a flipping contest for the youth and Cooper Johnson won third overall and won a $500 scholarship and an Academy gift card.
The club’s two teams who competed were Lane Smith/Colt Henry with boat captain Jimmy Smith. The team placed 63rd with a total of 16.22 pounds. The second team of Cooper Johnson/Corbyn Patton and boat captain Jayson Toerck placed 169th with a total weight of 2.29 pounds.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
The Maskat Shrine Oil Bowl is this week on June 6-7 and graduating athletes from Bowie, Nocona and Saint Jo are confirmed to be playing.
In total, seven athletes from Bowie, five from Nocona and three from Saint Jo are planning to play in the all-star games this week. Nocona also will have a pair of coaches participating as well.
The girl’s basketball game kicks off events on June 6, scheduled for 6 p.m. at Wichita Falls Memorial High School. In the game, the east team will have Nocona players Avery Crutsinger, Meg Meekins and Reagan Phipps playing while Kyler Spitzer and Clayton Brown coach them one last time.
On the west team, Saint Jo’s Payzlie Cervantes is confirmed to be playing.
The boy’s basketball game is scheduled to follow at 7:30 p.m. On the east team, Bowie’s Boston Farris and Nocona’s Jose Gomez Jr. will be playing.
On June 7, the volleyball games are scheduled to start at 4 p.m. with the small school game. On the west team, Nocona’s Kaygan Stone and Saint Jo’s Taylor Patrick are confirmed to play. On the east team, Saint Jo’s Aubrey Morman will get to play her teammate.
There are no local athletes confirmed to be playing in the big school volleyball game.
The final event is the football game, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. It is an all Bowie affair with six players confirmed to be playing for the east team: Justin Clark, Jorge De Leon, Hunter Fluitt and Braden Rhyne, Preacher Chambers and Moh Azouak.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona Independent School District officials looked inward for a new athletic director/head football coach, selecting Jeff Hill for the position.
Hill, who served last year as Nocona football’s offensive coordinator and also led the softball program to the playoffs for the first time in a while as its head coach, was upgraded to the role.
This came on the heels of former Athletic Director Blake Crutsinger, who served in the role the last four years, resigned in May.
For Hill, the choice to apply for the position was a no brainer. His one year in Nocona had impressed upon him and his wife that it was the place they would like to be long term.
“I’m looking for a town to raise my kids in and Nocona has treated my family really well,” Hill said. “There are some really good people. The kids work hard. Everything I am looking for in a hometown is right here in Nocona and I want to try and make it as best as it can be, especially through athletics.”
Before Nocona, Hill served as the athletic director at S&S Consolidated while also spending time at Hebron and Whitewright in his coaching career.
Hill expresses great respect for the departing Crutsinger and besides changing a few small things in how he personally wants to do things, he is not trying to come in with a sweeping restructuring of the whole athletic department.
The program had five of its six team sports make the playoffs, with volleyball playing in the regional final and the girl’s basketball team winning the state championship.
That along with two athletes competing at the state championship in cross country and track with one earning a gold medal, it was one of the more successful school years in athletic program history.
“Coach Crutsinger was awesome and did a great job so honestly just little tweaks, a little bit of structure and cohesion amongst the coaching staff between boys and girls,” Hill said. “I hope to keep the winning tradition going overall in the athletic department.”
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News.
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