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)
In its first match since last year’s state semifinal appearance, Saint Jo hosted Bryson Aug. 11 and took a 25-13, 25-12, 25-21 win over the Cowgirls.
The Lady Panthers lost some talent to graduation but have five seniors ready to have a successful season. Savannah Hil, one of the five, got Saint Jo rolling offensively with a four-point serving string, including a pair of aces. Abby Carter’s kill and Kamron Skidmore’s block helped put the Lady Panthers up 5-2 in game one.
Hadleigh Moore added a four-point string of her own to extend the lead to 10-3. Tatum Morman’s pair, helped by a Hill kill, gave Saint Jo a 14-5 lead. Bryson got within five before a Hill 3-pointer, with help by a Carter kill, put the lead back at 18-10.
After an Olivia Johnson kill broke serve, Jordyn O’Neal served up the final five points, with Johnson providing a kill to move things along.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Despite being the smallest school in the Brock varsity classic volleyball tournament, the Lady Indians finished 4th out of the eight teams there.
After losing to the host team in its first pool play match Aug. 14 18-25, 14-25 and also to Class 3A Wall 12-25, 8-25, Nocona rebounded to close out pool play with a 20-25, 25-23, 25-20 win over Christoval. Sy Parker had 16 kills and 7 blocks in the three matches. Raylea Bowles had 12 kills, 17 digs and served up three aces. Maddyn Bowles had seven kills and 14 digs while Paige Davis had seven kills and 15 digs. Baylee Thomas added 11 digs.
From the setter spot, Kasi Castro had 20 assists, served up five aces and contributed 14 digs. Leah Meekins added 18 assists and six digs during the three matches.
To open Saturday’s bracket play, the Lady Indians posted a 25-18, 18-25, 26-24, 25-19 win over Fort Worth Christian. Castro staked Nocona to a 2-0 lead in game one. Kills by Parker set up pairs of points from Raylea Bowles and Leah Meekins helped Nocona negate an early deficit and take a 10-9 lead.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
County football teams had their first scrimmage of the season Aug. 14 with mixed results.
Forestburg hosted Azle Christian and Victory Christian. Under a new system with new head coach Cori Hayes, the Longhorns looked pretty good in the coach’s eye.
“The first team looked good,” Hayes explained. “Overall we need to work on our pace and blocking assignments and blocking assignments. Overall we looked good for the new regime.”
Forestburg hits the road to scrimmage Newcastle Aug. 21.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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