SPORTS
STORM CENTER: Makayla’s Wish has come true
Ever since the sports editor set foot in Montague County, he’s been amazed by the generosity of the rodeo community.
That was on display yet again last Saturday during a benefit barrel race on behalf of 17-year-old Saint Jo resident Makayla Garrett.
The benefit, called Makayla’s Wish, took place at the Montague County Cowboy Church covered arena on a spectacularly sunny January afternoon in Montague.
There were nearly 200 entries and a tidy five-figure sum was raised to help Garrett and her family during this great time of need.
See, Garrett’s suffering from a condition called familiar adenomatous polyposis (FAP). FAP is a fatal, and there’s currently no known cure.
Garrett’s half-sister Audrey died from FAP back on Nov. 5, 2013. The condition is hereditary, meaning it can be passed down from generation to generation within a family.
FAP first strikes the large intestine, one of the most important parts of the human body’s digestive system.
Polyps can transform into cancer, like it has for Makayla in her stomach and esophagus. The root cause of FAP is a genetic mutation, a flaw in the body’s tumor suppressor genes.
“I’m still in shock,” Makayla’s mother Keysha Avens said of the outpouring of support this past Saturday.
The barrel racing circuit knows Makayla very well.
Her younger sister, Faith, is a barrel racer. Younger brother Hunter Garrett is on the youth rodeo circuit locally. Riggin Garrett, three years old, is already following in Hunter’s footsteps. 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.
Saint Jo resident Makayla Garrett (right) enjoys riding a horse during Saturday’s Makayla’s Wish benefit barrel race at the Montague County Cowboy Church. (Courtesy photo by Keysha Avens)
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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