The Bowie Lady Rabbits fell one game short of making the playoffs on Thursday night at Holliday.
The Lady Eagles three home runs proved to be too much to overcome as they won 11-6 to earn the district’s final playoff spot ahead of the Lady Rabbits.
Bowie came into the game with everything on the line and the confidence it could do it. After sweeping City View the previous week, the Lady Rabbits then beat a Holliday program it last won against in 2017 earlier in the week 8-4 to set up basically a one-game playoff between the teams. Whichever team won game two of the series on Thursday would earn the district’s fourth and final playoff spot.
The Lady Rabbits got on the board first in the opening inning. With two runners on base, KP Rutherford smashed a double to drive in one run and give Bowie a 1-0 lead.
Unfortunately, Holliday hit back hard in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Lady Eagles hit a grand slam to take the lead. Two batters later, an error at third base allowed another run to score as Holliday led 5-1.
The Lady Eagles added to it in the second inning. A fielder’s choice out with two runners on base allowed one run to score. Then the next batter hit a two-run home run as Holliday’s lead grew to 8-1heading into the third inning.
Bowie threatened, loading the bases with no outs in the third inning, but could not get runners home. Holliday then loaded the bases with one out and looked to add to its lead, but the Lady Rabbits showed some life, retiring the next two batters to get out of the tight jam with no runs allowed.
In the fourth inning, Bowie had Chloe Kinney come through, driving in a run with a single to cut the lead to 8-2. The Lady Eagles got the run back in the same inning with a solo home run, making the score 9-2.
The Lady Rabbits doubled their run total in the fifth inning. With two runners on base, Carcyn Moore grounded out but drove in a run.
Next batter Victoria Watson hit a single to drive in another runner, cutting the lead to 9-4. Bowie then followed with a quick one-two-three inning, retiring three batters on only six pitches as it looked like it had some momentum heading into the sixth inning.
It carried over with Rutherford blasting a two-run home run over the fence to cut the lead further down to 9-6 as it looked like the Lady Rabbits might be able to make a late run at tying or even winning the game.
Unfortunately, Holliday was able to get those two runs back in the bottom of the sixth inning. With two outs, an error at shortstop allowed one run to score and a single drove in another as the Lady Eagles led 11-6 heading into the final inning.
Bowie would need a huge and clutch offensive inning in its final three outs, but unfortunately could not get anything going.
All three batters were retired and the season ended for the Lady Rabbits.
Rutherford led the team with three RBIs, hitting a double and two-run home run.
The team finished with 12 hits, but just not enough were timely enough to get more runs home in a game where they needed it after Holliday hit three home runs. Bowie’s defense committed three fielding errors.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekly edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6874529&T=1

Last week was full of regional golf tournaments and at the end Montague County had one player qualify for the state tournament.
Prairie Valley’s Dayne Sadler, a freshman, placed fourth overall at the regional tournament and was the first state qualifier since the top three players in front of him were on the two teams that qualified for state.
Sadler shot 93-89 while competing at the 1A Region III tournament at the Mount Pleasant Country Club along with his team that finished 11th overall. His teammates included Sawyer Bray (116-111), Jarrett Horton (134-130) and James Wells (120-130). Lukacey Peters shot 153-154 but it did not count towards the team total. Case Carpenter missed the tournament with a hurt finger.
Coach Lisa Sadler was proud of Dayne, who recovered after starting 18 over on his first five holes on day two to make one birdie and 12 pars the rest of his round.
Sadler was not sure when or if there was a last time a Prairie Valley player had qualified for the state golf tournament, but she does know it has not happened in the 11 years she has been there.
While Prairie Valley was possibly making school history, another program was trying to get back.
The Bowie boy’s team had finished third at the state tournament the previous two years coming in. While it had graduated two members, the team had enough returners to hope to make a run this year as well. Unfortunately, the Jackrabbits came up just short, finishing in fourth place.
The team competed at the 3A Region I tournament at Live Oak Golf Club in Abilene. Rayder Mann was the team’s lowest scorer both days, shooting 76-81. Zac Harris (77-89), Hunter Lea (83-79) and Hunter Fluitt (89-87). Cason Airington shot 92 both rounds, but it did not count towards the team total, which was 325-326.
Ultimately, the Jackrabbits were seven shots back from second place and returning to state. The team graduates three members, Harris, Fluitt and Lea, but Coach Matthew Miller does not think the cupboard is bare, hoping to get back to work and make a run at it next year.
The Bowie girl’s team competed at the Shady Oaks Golf Course in Baird. While the program had competed at regionals the last several seasons, this year was the first time in awhile where the team felt like it had a shot at qualifying for state if things went well.
Not enough things did as Miller felt like the team struggled both days as the team shot 387-403 and finished eighth overall.
Miley Thompson was the team’s lowest score both days shooting 86-89. Tess Egenbacher shot 87-97. On day one Reegen Ferguson shot 104 and Kendall Fallis shot 110 to contribute towards the team’s total. On day two, Hanna Bell, who’s 111 score the previous day did not count towards the team total, shot 105. Fallis shot 112 to wrap up the team’s score was Ferguson’s score of 113 did not count.
Miller does not think either round was representative of what the team was capable of, but he was still proud of this group for all the things it accomplished this season. With the team graduating just one player, Bell, the program hopes to build on this year’s success and try to push for state again.
The Nocona girls team competed at the 2A Region II tournament at the Old Brickyard Golf Course in Ferris. The Lady Indians finished ninth overall. Jessie Howard was lowest scorer each day, shooting 101-94. Paige Davis shot 117-106 and was second both days.
Heidi Atteberry and Avery Crutsinger both shot 118 to round out the first day. Atteberry shot 113 on day two and Alexa Sosa, who on day one had shot 125 and had contributed to the team’s total, shot 116. Crutsinger shot 124 on day two and it did not count towards the team’s total.
Coach Kyle Spitzer thought his team did well considering several girls came into the season with little golf experience.
The rest of the schools played at the 1A Region III tournament at the Mount Pleasant Country Club.
Prairie Valley’s girl team finished better than its boy’s team, getting ninth place. Linzie Priddy was the team’s lowest scorer, shooting 106-111. Avaree Woodyard (118-117), Abbie Pepper (128-125) and Maloree Woodyard (137-137). Kiley McCracken’s scores of 142-140 did not count towards the team total.
Coach Sadler thought her team played well considering the course was very hard according to her.
The Gold-Burg boy’s golf team finished tied for sixth overall at the tournament. The team shot 428-432 during the two days. Keelyn Case was the team’s lowest scorer each day, shooting 98-96. Payton Epperson was only one shot behind him, shooting 98-97.
Levi Hellinger (112-124) and Paul Jones (120-115) rounded out the team’s scoring. Brayden Odom’s scores (128-140) did not count toward the team’s total.
Saint Jo had one player compete individually in the boy’s and girl’s tournaments. Julian Luna finished 41st overall as he shot 106-116. Payzlie Cervantes finished 55th overall as she shot 131-136. Coach Jacob Nocktonick was proud both made it to regionals as seniors.

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

After competing at the regional track meet this past weekend, five area schools are sending athletes to the state meet.
The highlight was Saint Jo as the program had 11 athletes qualify for state, with the boy’s team winning the overall team title and the girl’s team finishing second at regionals. Other schools saw Bowie qualify two athletes in the wildcard position while Nocona, Forestburg and Bellevue each qualified one athlete.
Bowie competed in the 3A Region I meet at Abilene Christian University. Tyler Richey finished third in the pole vault jumping 14-6. Usually only the top two finishers qualify for state, but the third place athlete who posts the best time, jump, ect is offered a wildcard spot at state, which is what Richey got.
His teammate Russell Anderson also got it as he finished third in the 400 meters. His career best time of 49 seconds was good enough to earn him the wildcard spot as well.
Nocona competed at Springtown High School in the 2A Region II meet. Graci Brown, who had made appearances the previous two seasons at state, was trying to make it back for her final attempt.
Brown made it look easy in the 400 meters, getting first with a time that is fastest in her classification at 57.86 seconds. Unfortunately, her attempts to qualify in the 200 meters and in the 4×400 meter relay came up just short, finishing fourth in both races.
The rest of the schools competed at the 1A Region III meet at Waco Midway High School.
Saint Jo had a big day. The boy’s team qualified its 4×200 and 4×400 meter relays which included Devin Stewart, Damon Byrd, Barrett Johnson, Lee Yeley and Trent Gaston.
Individually, Stewart qualified in the 300 meter hurdles as well where he finished first. Gaston got second in the 110 meter hurdles and qualified for state as well. Yeley got second in the high jump to qualify individually.
Byrd, who won a bronze medal at state the previous year in the triple jump, finished third in both the triple and long jump events. Thankfully, his jumps were good enough to earn him the wildcard position to return to state in both events.
The girl’s team qualified both its 4×100 and 4×200 meter relay teams consisting of Abby Carter, Aubrey Morman, Jordyn O’Neal, Taylor Patrick and Savannah Hill. Hill also qualified in the 300 meter hurdles where she finished second. The final qualifier was Maxey Johnson who finished second in the discus.
For Bellevue, Mattie Broussard swept the 800, 1600 and 3200 meter races to finish as regional champ in each race and qualify for state.
For Forestburg, defending state champion in the high jump Brenna Briles was able to qualify for state in the event as she finished second. She also qualified in the triple jump where she finished second as well.
The state track meet is scheduled for May 1-3 at Mike A. Myers Stadium at the University of Texas in Austin.

Results for all area athletes are in the weekly edition of the Bowie News. Pictures of all state qualifiers are in the paper as well.