SPORTS
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Optimism abounds for girls
By ERIC VICCARO
sports@bowienewsonline.com
Around Montague County and the rest of Texas, basketball season started in earnest.
The Bowie High School girls’ team – buoyed by the returning Kamryn Cantwell – took on Conference 4A Burkburnett in the traditional home opener.
Nocona also opened the season with a home date against Iowa Park.
There were several other girls-boys doubleheaders on the docket, with Bryson at Gold-Burg, Poolville at Bellevue, Wichita Christian at Saint Jo and Christ Academy at Prairie Valley.
Forestburg doesn’t open the season until Nov. 18 at Perrin-Whitt.
The boys’ basketball preview will run in the weekend edition of the News for Nov. 19.
Bowie
The Lady Rabbits are under new management, per se, as Chuck Hall has replaced Colby Davis-Pastusek as the head coach. Bowie’s coming off a 27-9 season, advancing all the way to the regional quarterfinals before falling to Brock 55-39.
Nocona
Nocona’s biggest memory during the 2015-16 season was a two-point home victory over Bowie during district play.
The Lady Indians (14-16) barely missed the playoffs last year, falling to Henrietta in a play-in game to determine the fourth seed.
Bellevue
Bellevue took the third and last playoff spot in District 1A-21 a season ago, and the Lady Eagles advanced to area.
However, the team will need to find new leadership this season in absence of do-everything Devon Cassetty.
Saint Jo
Saint Jo also features a new coach in former Hardin-Simmons and Muenster High center Taylor Klement.
The Lady Panthers won their opener on Saturday versus Chillicothe, playing tenacious defense.
Prairie Valley
Prairie Valley has won one of its first three games this season, coming off a hard-fought loss to Wichita Christian this past Friday.
The Lady Bulldogs have a more experienced squad that’s expected to win more than they did last year (5-24 overall record).
Forestburg
Forestburg was one of three playoff qualifiers from Montague County in 2015-16, coming off a 16-9 campaign.
The Lady Horns finished second in 1A-21, and virtually the entire team is back minus Cheyenne Banks.
Gold-Burg
Cheryl Cromleigh returns for her second season as head coach of the Lady Bears, a team that narrowly missed the playoffs last year – taking fourth in 1A-21.
Expect to see Gold-Burg try to use the high-low offense to generate points, and hopefully improve on the 2015-16 marks of 13-14 overall and 7-7 in district play.
Saint Jo’s Emily Haney (00) will be asked to be one of the point guards this season for the Lady Panthers, who have a new coach this season in Taylor Klement. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)
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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