SPORTS
Looking back: 1974 state title
During the next few weeks The Bowie News will be looking back at sports teams that accomplished big things for their communities.
The next team we are looking at is Bowie High School’s 1973-74 boy’s basketball team that would win the program’s fifth state title 20 years after the last one.
The photo was taken from the school’s yearbook from that year. The text is from the March 1974 edition of The Bowie News.
If you have any memories of this team or time in Bowie’s history, we would love to hear from you.
There was never any doubt in the minds of the Bowie Jackrabbits that they would go all the way to the State Tournament in Austin this year and likewise there was no doubt that they would win the tournament which they did Saturday with an impressive 76-66 win over Friona.
And impressive they were. Showing the skill and determination of seasoned pros, the Jackrabbits with only two seniors, David Prater and Bobby Brashear, blew the game wide open in the third quarter of the final game when they popped the bucket with 29 big points to completely wipe out a three-point Friona lead at halftime.
The ‘Rabbits started the game hot as they quickly jumped to a two-point lead and at one time had Friona down 10 to 4 before cooling off and trailed 14 to 18 at the end of the first quarter.
Friona then took over the hot hand in the second quarter and built their lead at one time to 3 points, 22-30, before the tide started changing in favor of the ‘Rabbits.
Coach Gayno Shelton must have fed the ‘Rabbits some nitro during intermission, because they just completely exploded during the third quarter.
It was during this death blow quarter that Darwin McKinley hit on 8 points, Brashear on 8 points, Lee Ray Massey tallied with 9 points and Prater added another 4 points.
Sporting an 18 point lead heading down the final stretch, Bowie slowed the game just enough to maintain their margin and pull foul calls against their opponents.
The ‘Rabbits lost the services of Prater via the foul route late in the fourth quarter and right behind Prater to the bench with five fouls was Darwin McKinley, but the big hurt had been put on Friona and Coach Shelton literally emptied the bench in the final 15 seconds of play.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie 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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