SPORTS
STORM CENTER COLUMN: Cowboys look forward to ’15
There’s a certain segment of Dallas Cowboys fans that believes owner Jerry Jones shouldn’t also serve as the organization’s general manager.
Well, this wasn’t a banner year for that segment.
See, Dallas claimed the NFC Eastern Division title with a 12-4 record after three marginal 8-8 campaigns and won a playoff contest for the first time since 2009.
This was the Cowboys’ best season record-wise since 2007. And Dallas, save for that ouster last week in Green Bay by five points, was the simply the best road team this year.
Earlier this week, the Pro Football Writers Association named Jones its National Football League Executive of the Year.
In part, the decision to give Jones this honor comes from the fact he listened to his son, Stephen, during the 2014 Draft.
The Cowboys selected Zach Martin from the University of Notre Dame rather than make the sexy, sizzling, splash pick of Johnny Manziel.
Martin has given Dallas an anchor on its offensive line for many years to come.
It’s time for Cowboys’ fans to be honest with me.
Did you truly expect your team to have this great a season?
After all, if wide receiver Dez Bryant completed a football act late last Sunday, your team would be playing for the NFC title tomorrow in Seattle.
This sports editor distinctly recalls a certain narrative on radio and television back in August, “The Cowboys aren’t good.” I heard fans say Dallas would finish with a record at .500 again – or possibly even below the Mendoza line.
But, the Cowboys’ 2014 off-season was a smart one, and I knew Dallas and the Philadelphia Eagles would vie for the division title. That’s how it played out, with the star emerging ahead of the wing. Read more of this column in the weekend Bowie News.
Editor’s Note: The Storm Center column is the expressed written views of sports editor Eric Viccaro and not The Bowie News.
Will both wide receiver Dez Bryant and running back DeMarco Murray play for the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium during the 2015 season? Well, that will be up to owner Jerry Jones and Dallas’ leadership. (Courtesy photo by James Smith/The Dallas Cowboys)
SPORTS
District awards for 1A released
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
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
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.
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