Bowie girls
The Bowie Lady Rabbits won a close game at home on Saturday against Graham.
The Lady Rabbits won 41-38 against the Lady Blues, the team’s second straight game where Bowie was able to win by a close margin.
The teams played a nearly even first quarter as both team’s offenses had a little trouble finding some rhythm. Both teams made three baskets by three different players, including one 3-pointer. The only difference was Bowie made its two free throws while the Lady Blues did not, which was crucial since neither team had a day to remember at the charity stripe. The Lady Rabbits led 9-7.
There was a bit more offense in the second quarter from both teams. Bowie made two three pointers and balanced that with some scores inside for 12 points. Graham scored 12 points as well. The Lady Rabbits 21-19 at halftime.
The third quarter was another slog offensively for both teams. Thankfully, Bowie made two 3-pointers and were 2-4 from the free throw line for eight points, which was two points better than Graham.
The Lady Rabbits led 29-25 heading into the fourth quarter.
Both teams had the best offensive performance in the final period. Bowie got a boost from Parker Riddle who scored all seven of her points in the quarter. Three more players added a basket or point to just edge out the Lady Blues in the end 41-38.

Bowie boys
The Bowie Jackrabbits beat up on an undermanned Graham team at home on Saturday.
The Jackrabbits won 41-12 against a Steers team that was missing players who are still in football.
The first quarter was a slog as both teams combined to make three baskets. Thankfully, Bowie led 6-4. The second quarter was not much better as the Jackrabbits scored seven and Graham five. Bowie led 13-9 at halftime.
The Jackrabbits turned the game around in the third quarter, more than doubling their first half total with 17 points and holding the Steers to a rare shutout during the period. Bowie led 30-9 heading into the final period and had the game in hand.
Still, the Jackrabbits did not want to coast to the finish. The team scored 11 points in the fourth quarter while only allowing Graham to score one basket, the only points in the entire second half.
Bowie won 41-12.

Nocona girls
The Nocona Lady Indians won a tough game at Krum on Friday night to get their first win with their full team now that volleyball is over.
The Lady Indians won a low-scoring game 37-31 against the 4A Lady Cats.
Nocona was coming off a loss against 3A Paradise earlier in the week.
It was slow going and close from the start as the Lady Indians led 9-8 after the first quarter and 19-16 at halftime. Krum cut the lead to just one point heading into the final period 26-25. Nocona was able to get a little room with ball control and free throws to earn the victory 37-31.
Meg Meekins led the team with 20 points, five steals and four assists. Avery Crutsinger and Bayler Smith were second with five points each. Aubree Kleinhans grabbed a team high eight rebounds to go with four points.

Saint Jo girls
The Saint Jo Lady Panthers opened their season on Friday at Petrolia by picking up a big win.
The Lady Panthers won 51-29 against the 2A Lady Pirates.
Saint Jo used their tough full-court press and fast paced style of play to pull away from Petrolia from the start of the game.
Payzlie Cervantes led the team with 19 points. Taylor Patrick had a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
Jordyn O’Neal had nine points and a team high five assists.
Krista Reeves had a team high seven steals to go with four points while Aubrey Morman had three blocks in the paint.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.

The Saint Jo Panthers could not pull off another playoff upset on Friday night against second ranked Abbott.
Abbott was able to snowball a huge second quarter run into winning 70-24, ending the game early in the second quarter due to mercy-rule.
Saint Jo knew it had a tough game in front, but it was the third game in a row for the team that felt like it could compete with any team in the state. Saint Jo had upset the 10th ranked team in the state the previous week, Avalon. The team was 9-0 to start the season before falling to Union Hill in a winnable game in the finale to lose its shot at the district title and a one-seed which would have made its playoff schedule easier.
Abbott started the season ranked second after returning everyone besides its coach from a team that went 12-1, losing in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Gordon. So far, the team had lived up to that ranking, going undefeated with only one game not ending early due to mercy rule.
Abbott jumped out to a two touchdown lead with two rushing touchdowns, leading 16-0. Saint Jo’s offense answered as Devin Stewart found Jayden Curry for a nine-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 16-8.
Abbott answered with a 28-yard touchdown pass to go up 22-8 heading into the second quarter.
Saint Jo was able to start the second quarter on a good note. The offense moved down the field and Stewart eventually scrambled for a 14-yard touchdown run. It made it a one-score game again, with Saint Jo trailing just 22-16.
Abbott was able to go back up by two scores with a 26-yard touchdown run to make it 30-16. Still, Saint Jo’s offense had some explosion as Stewart found Lee Yeley for a 50-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 30-24.
It looked Saint Jo was in another high scoring dogfight like it was last week as long as its offense could keep executing at a high level. Unfortunately, even with almost half of the second quarter gone, this is where the game turned for the worse for Saint Jo.
Abbott answered with a quick 45-yard touchdown pass. After kicking the ball deep back to Saint Jo, the Abbott defense forced a turnover, recovering a fumble at the six-yard line. The team then converted the turnover into a short touchdown run as Abbott led 46-24.
There was still enough time for Saint Jo to try and score before halftime. The team drove down the field before facing a fourth down at Abbott’s 12-yard line. Heaving up a prayer to the end zone, Abbott intercepted the pass in the end zone for a turnover.
The team then capitalized on having the ball again despite having less than a minute before halftime. Abbott scored on a 60-yard touchdown run to make 54-24.
With less than a minute left, that was enough time for more things to go wrong. A long kickoff pinned Saint Jo at its nine-yard line. Abbott’s defense was quickly able to drive the offense back for a safety, scoring it two points and getting the ball back.
Saint Jo was able to pin Abbott back to its own eight-yard line and finally felt a little safe with only seconds left before halftime. Then Abbott connected on a 72-yard touchdown pass.
Abbott led 64-24 at halftime as the shell-shocked Saint Jo team tried to recover.
In what was a one-score game midway through the second quarter, Abbott had scored 34 unanswered points, including 24 in the final minute of play.
Saint Jo was going to have to get back into it with its defense since it was going to be kicking off to start the second half. Abbott only needed to score once more to end the game due to the 45-point mercy-rule.
Unfortunately, Saint Jo did not recover the attempted onside kick and the defense could not slow down Abbott. The team scored on a 41-yard run for the final play of the game.
Abbott won 70-24 with eight minutes to play in the third quarter.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.

The Gold-Burg Bears lost in the area round of the playoffs on Friday night against Oakwood at Ferris High School.
The Panthers won 63-24 in a game where the Bears were trailing, but never gave up.
Gold-Burg came into the game confident and hopeful it could keep its magical season going. For only the second time in program history, the Bears had not only won the district title, but had won their bi-district playoff game the previous week.
The win the previous week against Woodson had cost a starter as Caleb Epperson could only watch from the sideline a week after suffering a serious head injury. Still, Gold-Burg thought it could overcome and set more program history by advancing past the area round.
Oakwood had a nearly identical record at 6-5 while the Bears had a 7-4 record. The Panthers were only ranked four spots higher than the Bears heading into this season so it looked like the game was going to an evenly matched thriller.
Oakwood took the first drive and slowly but surely worked its way down the field, mixing in power runs with Gavin Wilbanks before letting its most dynamic athlete, Dayden Velasquez, handle the ball in situations in pass-run plays.
Gold-Burg made the Panthers earn every yard in a nearly five minute drive, but Oakwood executed and scored on a short touchdown run to take the early lead 7-0.
Then the Panthers recovered the ensuing onside kick and it looked like things were about to turn real bad for Gold-Burg. Thankfully, the Bears’ defense again was stiff in Oakwood’s slow march towards their end zone.
This time, Gold-Burg was able to keep the Panthers out, forcing a turnover on downs at its own five-yard line.
Unfortunately, the Bears first offensive drive did not go anywhere. Backed up near its own end zone, Gold-Burg made the rare call, in six-man football, to punt the ball away.
Oakwood would then score less than a minute later on a nine-yard run to push its lead to 15-0 heading into the second quarter.
The Bears’ offense had a bit better of a time on their second drive. Gold-Burg stuck to the script this time around, running hard for short but consistent gains and even got a pass interference call to keep the chains moving.
Then the Bears set up a middle wide-receiver screen pass to Keelyn Case from Levi Hellinger for a 16-yard touchdown pass. It cut the lead to 15-8 and Gold-Burg had renewed hope.
Unfortunately, Oakwood answered back quickly. Getting away from its power running game that the Bears had defended well despite being the smaller team overall, the Panthers decided to play out of the spread more and empower Velasquez to take the reins.
He scored on his second touchdown run of the game, this one a 26-yard run, to put Oakwood back up by two scores 23-8.
Despite Gold-Burg coming off a successful drive, its offense stalled in its next drive. Not able to pick up consistent short to medium gains, the Bears were hunting for the big play more and more and came up empty, turning it over on downs at its own 32-yard line.
It looked like Gold-Burg’s defense might hold as it prevented Oakwood from moving the ball much farther, until Velasquez found a receiver open for a 25-yard touchdown pass after scrambling around. The Panthers led 31-8 heading into halftime.
Frustrations had mounted in the first half as the Bears fell further behind, with offensive execution and body language being some things coaches and players were upset about. While those stayed around until the end of the game, it did not lead to the boiling point explosion that it seemed like it might by the end of the game.
The second half saw Gold-Burg come out and lead a successful offensive drive. Paul Jones got loose on a 23-yard touchdown run to get the Bears back on the board and cut the lead to 31-15.
While Gold-Burg’s defense did a good job of making Oakwood’s offense work, it was not enough to get a stop as the Panthers eventually scored on a short touchdown pass.
The Bears’ offense could not keep the momentum going from their previous drive as again they got behind the chains and were looking for a big play to bail them out. Gold-Burg turned the ball over on downs at its own 30-yard line.
It looked like Oakwood was on its way to score again as it moved inside the Bears’ red zone area. Gold-Burg got a break when Hayden Chambers ripped the ball away from a Panther player to force turnover.
Unfortunately, the Bears were backed up near their own end zone. That came into play as Gold-Burg was tackled for a loss in the end zone for a safety.
It made the score 41-16 heading into the fourth quarter as Oakwood got the ball back.
The Panthers scored on a 13-yard touchdown pass early in the final period to extend the lead to 49-16.
Gold-Burg’s offense answered back as a pass against pressure made Oakwood pay. Jayton Epperson hit Case for a quick pass he took 33 yards for a touchdown to cut the lead to 49-24.
Unfortunately, that would be the final good thing that went the Bears’ way.
Oakwood would score twice more, once on a big run and another on a big pass play, while also forcing two turnovers on defense before the game was up.
Gold-Burg did just enough to avoid having the game ended due to mercy-rule. The Panthers won 63-24.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870730&T=1