SPORTS
Looking back: 1944 Nocona boy’s basketball 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 Nocona High School’s 1943-44 boy’s basketball team that would win the program’s and county’s first state title.
The text is from a March 1944 edition of The Nocona News.
If you have any memories of this team or time in Nocona’s history, we would love to hear from you.
The Nocona Indians completed their basketball season in a blaze of glory, by winning the Class A State Championship for the first time in the history of the school.
In three hard games, the Indians won the title and surprised everyone except the Indians themselves. Neither of the three champions–Sunset, Class AA, Nocona, Class A or Prairie Lea, Class B–were picked as championship teams before the tournament. The first game was a thriller between Nocona and Huntsville. Huntsville took an early but slight lead, and the Indians came back with the able assistance of Teague and Eastup, to catch the Hunsville five and beat them, 28-23.
The following morning, the Indians met the Dimmitt five who had previously beaten Beavides, 38-23. After a slow first half, which left the Indians with a two-point lead, the Redskins, or rather Milas Downey, pulled away from Dimmitt and beat them, 43-23. This set a temporary record for the tournament that was later beaten by Goose Creek. Milas, however, set a tournament record and a probable all-time record by making 25 points in the Dimmitt game.
The championship game with Mount Vernon was a thriller that few Nocona people will forget.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
Nocona got its new press box into place this week at Jack Crane Stadium. The old press box, which was in place for more than 60 years, was taken out in early June and moved to Indian Valley Raceway. The new press box was by the Southern Bleacher Company out of Graham. Athletic Director Black Crutsinger said they looked at a lot of press boxes and decided they liked the one at Lindsay High School and went with that model. Sean Hutson operated the crane from the Hurd Crane Service that put the press box up for Nocona.
Sunset native Cason Richey (right) and his team roping partner Beldon Cox from Weatherford repeated as the International Finals Youth Rodeo champions last weekend at Shawnee, OK. Richey and Cox won the previous year and were able to complete the repeat by catching three steers in a combined time of 16.6 seconds. Richey is expected to compete attend Texas Tech University this fall and compete on the rodeo team.
The Chisholm Trail Youth Rodeo had its awards ceremony this week, giving out plaques and buckles to the top competitors throughout the summer season.
There were four age categories with five events to compete in for the young athletes.
Along with the best results in each event, at the end the overall best cowboy and cowgirl in each age division was awarded as well.
The lead line division, in which an adult helps the young competitors, saw Rylee Stewart win the first in poles, barrel racing and mystery event on her way to win top cowgirl.
Hattie Snow got the fastest time in the flags event and Lany Shupak got the fastest goat time. Riggin Bishop got named the top cowboy in the division.
In the eight-and-under division, Whitley Goins won the top cowgirl and Trell Carpenter won top cowboy. Goins got the fastest times in barrel racing, flags and mystery event. Carpenter got the fastest time in poles and goats.
In the 9-12 age division, Sage Keck won the top cowgirl while Chisum Carpenter won the top cowboy. Keck got the fastest times in four of the five divisions. Only Layna Taylor getting the fastest goat time prevented her from winning in a clean sweep.
In the 13-18 age division, Tess Egenbacher won the top overall cowgirl award.
Kiley McCracken won both the barrel racing and flags event. Emma Strahan won the poles and mystery event. Hadlee Bryan won the goats event.
There was no top overall cowboy in the age division.
To see the times for the winners of each event in all four age categories along with pictures of all of the top cowboys and cowgirls, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.
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