SPORTS

3A boys all-district teams awards announced

Published

5 years ago

03/06/2019

With Childress being the last team out of the playoffs last week, the district awards for 8-3A boys basketball were announced last week.
For the Bowie Jackrabbits, four players were honored as the team finished second in the district standings. The Nocona Indians had two players honored as the team finished fifth in the district standings.
For the Jackrabbits, Justin Franklin was one of the two recipients of the offensive player of the year award. The point guard and main ball handler for Bowie, Franklin could do it all offensively, but his playmaking skills came to the surface more as the season wore on and he grew more comfortable into the role.
Big Daniel Mosley was named the district’s defensive player of the year. A big presence felt on both sides of the floor, no team had an easy time scoring close to the basket when Mosley was around.
Named to the first team for Bowie were starters Taylor Pigg and Braden Armstrong. Pigg’s all out tenacious defense, three-point shooting and second ball-handling duties was important to the Jackrabbits all year.
Armstrong’s versatility with his length and skill set really started to show itself right as district play got started against City View.
The long wing had the skills to play inside or outside while giving Bowie good shooting from outside. He teased an all around game he will have a chance to show off next year as possibly the Jackrabbits number one option.
For the Indians, leading scorer Jason Sparkman was named to the firs team. While it was a flip of the coin which shooter would get hot from three-point range for Nocona each night, the one constant was Sparkman scoring double digit points.
Working in the high post area and showing he could go get his points when guarded one-on-one or as a finisher, Sparkman will be important next year as a senior.
Carter Horn was named to the second team. One of the Indians best shooters, he had the size and skill to impact the game when his shot was not going in. With both players from Nocona being juniors, they will have proven starters coming back to lead the team.

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

SPORTS

District awards for 1A released

Published

3 hours ago

05/18/2024

bowienews

Bellevue’s Bryce Ramsey was named his district’s newcomer of the year.

With the baseball and softball seasons over for the area 1A schools, district awards have been released.
Listed below are those earned honors on the field and in the classroom for Saint Jo and Bellevue.

Softball
Saint Jo
Honorable mention
Utility player: Taylor Patrick; Catcher: Jordyn O’Neal

Baseball
Superlatives
Offensive MVP: Devin Stewart, Saint Jo
Newcomer of the Year: Bryce Ramsey, Bellevue

Pitcher: Trent Gaston, Saint Jo
Outfielder: Jayden Curry, Saint Jo

Second team
Pitcher: Charlie Barclay, Saint Jo
Infielder: Brycen Bancroft, Bellevue; Sam Martin, Saint Jo
Outfielder: Rylan Forrester, Saint Jo
Catcher: Charlie Evans, Saint Jo
Utility: Logan Hoover, Saint Jo
DH: Amzy Barclay, Saint Jo

Honorable mention
Cody Gaston, Saint Jo; Xander Joyner, Saint Jo

To see academic awards from Saint Jo players, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

SPORTS

Forestburg coach retiring

Published

4 hours ago

05/18/2024

bowienews

Forestburg boys basketball coach Eldon Van Hooser helped lead the program to its first playoff win in nine years in his last year coaching.

Eldon Van Hooser is leaving Forestburg better than he found it.
The head boy’s basketball coach is retiring after more than 30 years, spending the last five at Forestburg.
Van Hooser did not come to this decision because of a lack of fire or feeling tired after decades in the profession. He had to for family reasons.
“My wife has MS (multiple sclerosis) and it’s a disease where you have trouble standing and walking and she needs help,” Van Hooser said. “I am able to so I am going to step away from teaching and coaching to be there for her.”
Van Hooser was hired in 2019. Along with being the boy’s basketball coach, he also was the football team’s defensive coordinator.
There were some lean years for Forestburg on the boy’s athletic side, with numbers being low and the available athletes being mostly underclassmen.
For two years, the Longhorns’ boy’s basketball team won few games and one of those seasons saw the team field five players on the high school team.
“One of those years we had COVID-19 and the other we had five kids,” Van Hooser said. “It was very rough. After that we worked with the kids and we had a good freshman group coming up. Next year they are going to be seniors.”
That group has helped to turn the program around. Last year the young Longhorns team contested for a playoff spot and just barely missed it finishing fifth in the district.
This season, that same group took a leap and finished second in district with a record of 7-5.
Despite losing its last two regular season games in dramatic fashion heading into the playoffs, the team stepped up in the bi-district game.
Playing against an athletic Newcastle team, Forestburg led for most of the game.
Unfortunately, the previous game against Bellevue saw the Longhorn team blow the lead late in the fourth quarter against a hard pressing style team and they were suffering the same fate against the Bobcats down the stretch.
Fortunately, Forestburg held on just enough to win 53-46. It was the first boy’s basketball playoff win in nine years for Forestburg.
“It was huge for our program,” Van Hooser said. “This new year we will have new goals. The new coach will have some goals of his own, but I set some for the team and think that we have come a long way.”

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.

SPORTS

Bowie Sports Banquet

Published

3 days ago

05/15/2024

bowienews

The Bowie sports banquets was on Monday night. Olivia Gill and Tucker Jones were named Jackrabbit and Lady Rabbit of the year. Pick up the mid-week paper for all of the sports team awards and pictures.