SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Perez fills key role for Harrold
The Gold-Burg and Harrold High School football teams are dealing with a serious numbers crunch.
And it all unfolded in Friday night’s game between the Bears and Hornets at Harrold.
Harrold needed a sixth football player, so in stepped Olivia Perez – with the most selfless act of the 2016 season.
“Hands down, she would win that award,” said Harrold head football coach Craig Templeton, who also serves as the high school principal in the district.
“I know if she doesn’t play, we don’t have a season,” Templeton added. “That’s the ultimate teammate right there.”
Many six-man football programs are battling with declining participation in football, and it’s becoming a hot-button issue on message boards about this great game.
“For Gold-Burg, it’s definitely the first time we’ve played against a female,” said Gold-Burg head football coach and athletic director Jay Johnson.
Johnson said he’s impressed with Olivia Perez, who doesn’t play just special teams.
Perez is a wide receiver on offense, and she plays cornerback on defense.
“She’s athletic,” Johnson said. “We’ll treat her like we are playing against anybody else. But, yes, she’s a great athlete.”
Johnson said the game put six-man football in the spotlight, and it will speak to equity in sports.
“It’s a great thing, and a great opportunity for our team to be involved in a game like this,” Johnson said. It’s going to be a great experience for our kids.”
Harrold is in a rural location between Oklaunion and Electra, located in the eastern half of Wilbarger County.
Johnson is concerned a lack of numbers may force some high schools to not offer football.
Because of declining participation in football, some districts in other states form cooperatives. Read more in the Sept. 17 Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Harrold’s Olivia Perez (11) decided to help out her friend Brady Blakely and join the Hornet football team. Perez is the sixth player on the squad. She plays wide receiver on offense and cornerback on defense. (Courtesy photo by Patrick Johnston/Times Record 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.
Sunset native Cason Richey (right) and his team roping partner Beldon Cox from Weatherford repeated as the International Finals Youth Rodeo champions last weekend at Shawnee, OK. Richey and Cox won the previous year and were able to complete the repeat by catching three steers in a combined time of 16.6 seconds. Richey is expected to compete attend Texas Tech University this fall and compete on the rodeo team.
The Chisholm Trail Youth Rodeo had its awards ceremony this week, giving out plaques and buckles to the top competitors throughout the summer season.
There were four age categories with five events to compete in for the young athletes.
Along with the best results in each event, at the end the overall best cowboy and cowgirl in each age division was awarded as well.
The lead line division, in which an adult helps the young competitors, saw Rylee Stewart win the first in poles, barrel racing and mystery event on her way to win top cowgirl.
Hattie Snow got the fastest time in the flags event and Lany Shupak got the fastest goat time. Riggin Bishop got named the top cowboy in the division.
In the eight-and-under division, Whitley Goins won the top cowgirl and Trell Carpenter won top cowboy. Goins got the fastest times in barrel racing, flags and mystery event. Carpenter got the fastest time in poles and goats.
In the 9-12 age division, Sage Keck won the top cowgirl while Chisum Carpenter won the top cowboy. Keck got the fastest times in four of the five divisions. Only Layna Taylor getting the fastest goat time prevented her from winning in a clean sweep.
In the 13-18 age division, Tess Egenbacher won the top overall cowgirl award.
Kiley McCracken won both the barrel racing and flags event. Emma Strahan won the poles and mystery event. Hadlee Bryan won the goats event.
There was no top overall cowboy in the age division.
To see the times for the winners of each event in all four age categories along with pictures of all of the top cowboys and cowgirls, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
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