SPORTS
Jackrabbits beat Shallowater to advance to regional final
The Bowie Jackrabbits improbable playoff run continues with another series win against Shallowater clinched on Saturday in the regional semi-finals.
The Jackrabbits came back from losing game one 6-2 to win the final two games of the series 14-7 and 10-1 over a three-day period that also included graduation.
Bowie came into the series as underdogs. The Mustangs were 32-1-1 on their season with some polls placing them as high as 3rd in the state. They had not lost in more than two months and their mostly senior led team was looking forward to a rematch against Brock in the regional finals.
The first two games were played in Amarillo. Game one was played Thursday night.
Carson Sanders got the start on the mound against Shallowater’s ace pitcher. He found himself in trouble in the first inning as two singles and an error at shortstop allowed one run to score.
The Mustangs added to it with a two-out rally in the second inning. Four straight singles scored two runs to make the score 3-0. The Jackrabbits answered in the same inning as Logan Hutson hit a sacrifice fly ball to make it 3-1.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Bowie on defense, the team looked to make a move. The Jackrabbits loaded the bases up with no outs and were in position for a possible big inning that could take control of the game. Unfortunately, the next three batters struck out and Bowie failed to capitalize.
The team felt it in the fourth inning. The Mustangs added one more run on three singles, two of them coming with two outs to make the score 4-1.
In the fifth inning Shallowater’s leadoff got on base thanks to an error and the next batter drew a walk. After both moved into scoring position and with two outs, a single drove them both in to up the lead to 6-1.
Bowie got one of those runs back in the same inning. Jake Fallis drove in a run hitting into a fielder’s choice at second base to cut the lead to 6-2.
The Mustang bats threatened to score more in the final two innings. In both they were able to get two runners on base, but the Jackrabbit defense and relief pitcher Colton Richey held.
Bowie bats had no luck in a quick sixth inning, but did threaten in its final three outs in the seventh inning. Sanders hit a single and Kynan DeMoss drew a walk to put two runners on base with only one out. Later a wild pitch put them both into scoring position.
That would be where they would stay as an infield fly ball and a fly out to right field fell into Shallowater gloves for outs to end the game.
The Mustangs won 6-2.
Bowie had six hits and drew five walks in the game, but the lack of timely hitting and a flawless defensive game from Shallowater led to few runs.
The Jackrabbit defense had two fielding errors that contributed to runs, but the Mustangs also had 11 hits and three walks.
Sanders pitched 4.2 innings and gave up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits while striking out four. Richey pitched 2.1 innings and gave up no runs on one hit and two walks.
It was not the first time Bowie had found itself down after game one this playoff run. Coach Tyler Price said he talked to his team and they agreed that though they hadn’t played well, they had only lost by four runs.
The Jackrabbits had a quick turnaround time as game two started a 10 a.m. the next day on Friday so that they could get back for graduation later that night, win or lose.
Bowie led off the game and immediately took control. Two walks and an error in the first inning showed the Mustangs were not quite as sharp as they had been the previous night.
The Jackrabbits took advantage as Fallis drove in a run with a single. Richey would later hit a sacrifice fly to drive in another run to put them up 2-0.
Kawlyer Swearingin got the start on the mound for Bowie and Shallowater got one of those runs back on a groundout to make it 2-1.
The Jackrabbits loaded up the bases to start the second inning with no outs. Sanders drove one in with a sacrifice fly ball to extend the lead to 3-1.
Bowie’s big offensive inning came in the third. After Richey and Swearingin led off with a double and single, a change at pitcher came from the Mustangs. Later Brody Armstrong drove in one run with a ground out for out two.
The Jackrabbits did a lot before getting their third out. Cade Thompson, DeMoss and Fallis all drove in one run each with singles. Devin Melton followed with a double that drove in two more runs to up the lead to 9-1 before out three came.
The Mustangs were not just going to lay down. A double drove in one run to make it 9-2 and put two runners in scoring position with two outs, but Swearingin limited the damage to one run.
The fourth inning was the first one the Bowie bats failed to score despite getting one hit. Shallowater continued to chip away at the lead, loading the bases with a single, a hit batter and a drawn walk with one out. A single followed that drove in two runs to cut the lead to 9-4.
The Jackrabbit defense then came through with an inning ending double play to get out of the fourth.
Any momentum the Mustangs got from the previous inning went away in the fifth. The Bowie bats came alive again.
Fallis drove in a run with a double. Later with two outs and after a hit batter, Swearingin’s fly ball to right field induced an error that scored two runs. After he stole second base, Swearingin was driven in by next batter Hutson on a single to make the score 13-4.
After a scoreless inning from Shallowater, Bowie added one more to its lead in the sixth inning. Sanders hit a one out triple and was later driven in by DeMoss on a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 14-4.
The Jackrabbits were three outs away from winning the game via run-rule, but the Mustangs were not going to go down without a fight.
Two straight fielding errors, one in the outfield and one in the infield, started the bottom of the sixth that allowed one Shallowater run.
A walk and two outs later, a single drove in two more runs to cut the lead to 14-7 before out three led to the final inning.
The Jackrabbits had no luck adding to their lead despite getting two runners on base with one out. A leadoff single and later a single with two outs that put runners at the corners for Shallowater was all the Mustangs could manage. In the end, Bowie sealed up the win 14-7 to force a game three.
DeMoss, Fallis and Melton led the team with two RBIs each. The Jackrabbits wracked up 15 hits and drew five walks while taking advantage of five fielding errors from the usually sharp Mustangs.
Swearingin pitched six innings and allowed seven runs (three earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out three batters. DeMoss came in to pitch the final inning and gave up no runs on one hit while striking out one.
To read the full story about what happened in game three, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
The Nocona Indians were able to beat Saint Jo at home on Thursday night in a tight contest.
The Indians won 55-48 against the Panthers in a game where both teams played hard, but made plenty of early season mistakes.
Nocona came into the game following a low-scoring win against Bells earlier in the week 35-30. For a young Indians team that only has a few players with varsity experience this year, every early season win builds confidence.
For Saint Jo, the Panthers were still without several returning starters since football is still going on. Despite that, new Coach Jacob Nocktonick is trying to build what he can with his group of basketball first players that include several key players even when the football team is integrated.
Despite Saint Jo being the smaller school, overall it had the height advantage in the front line since Nocona features only one player, Kasch Johnson, who is built like a post player. That is nothing new for the Indians, who featured a short team the previous year as Coach Brody Wilson emphasizes full-court pressure on defense and pushing the ball in transition in his system that makes up for a lack of height and size.
Initially Nocona’s pace and energy, grabbing several offensive rebounds, got it the lead 9-3. Eventually, the Panthers adjusted and trailed only 12-11 after the first quarter.
Saint Jo got the lead early in the second quarter. Post Trent Gaston took advantage of his size advantage, especially when the Indians had Johnson out, and led 17-12. Both teams had trouble scoring in a rough second quarter as open perimeter shots just were not going in and shots at the rim were tough to convert.
The Panthers led 23-20 heading into halftime.
Both teams had better offensive success pushing the ball when it could in the second half.
Saint Jo broke Nocona’s press and punished the Indians with quick baskets. Nocona ran whenever it could and seemed to put up an array of perimeter shots and drives, getting offensive rebounds it seemed at will to keep the pressure up and infuriate the Panthers coach.
The Indians got a big push from Landon Fatheree in the second half. After scoring eight points in the first half to lead the team, he scored 10 of his team’s 14 points in the third quarter.
Nocona got the lead back, but only led 34-33 heading into the final period.
The Indians had a comfortable lead up 44-36 when Saint Jo’s Gaston fouled out with 4:56 left in the game. Still, the Panthers did not give up and a minute later had whittled Nocona’s lead down to one basket 44-41 with 3:45.
The game stayed a one-possession game for the next two minutes as Saint Jo had several chances to tie or take the lead not go through.
Nocona made its free throws down the stretch to win with a little more comfort, with the final score being 55-48.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News. To see more pictures, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870682&T=1
Nocona senior Meg Meekins signed her official letter of intent to play college basketball at Lubbock Christian University on Wednesday. Meekins, the daughter of Brandi and Lance, is a four-year starter on the volleyball and basketball court. She has earned several accolades like being named to the All State Teams for TGCA, TABC, Associated Press and was selected to the All Tournament Team at the UIL State Basketball Tournament in San Antonio last year.“The coaching staff and the community of the LCU program and just knowing you have a staff that coaches you, but also looks over you just like Coach (Kyle) Spitzer did here was a huge part in the recruiting process,” Meekins said. She plans to pursue a degree in either physical or occupational therapy.
For more pictures, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870680&T=1
The Bowie Lady Rabbits got more than they bargained for when they traveled to Bellevue on Tuesday night.
The Lady Rabbits escaped with the win 44-40, taking the lead with less than a minute to go after trailing whole game.
Bowie came into the game confident. The larger 3A school was supposed to play Windthorst, but had to reschedule because the Lady Trojans volleyball team was playing in the state tournament.
Finding a last minute replacement, the Lady Rabbits thought they would have an easy game playing the 1A program down the road. Little did they know.
Bellevue had a couple of players out with injury to limit its depth a bit and a new coach in Celsey Hoffman, but the Lady Eagles were coming off of nearly beating a Nocona team the previous week. While the Lady Indians were missing four starters who were still in volleyball, it still showed this was not a 1A team to take lightly.
Bellevue came out fast showing tough defensive pressure despite giving up size at nearly every position. Within a few minutes the Lady Eagles had used that pressure to force turnovers and convert those steals into transition opportunities.
Also, the energy showed in other areas as Bellevue seemed to grab every loose ball and fought for offensive rebounds despite lacking in height compared to Bowie.
After a little more than four minutes into the game the Lady Eagles led 15-0. The Lady Rabbits had barely been able to set up their offense or attempt a shot against the pressure.
Bowie Coach Matthew Miller had to reset his shell-shocked team during multiple timeouts. The young ballhandlers was reminded how the team was going to break the press defense so it could set up its offense.
Bellevue led 19-4 after the first quarter, led by Mary Grace Broussard and Brittany Gill who each scored six points.
The Lady Rabbits settled down and made some good progress in the second quarter. Their defense switched between man-to-man and 1-3-1 to keep the Lady Eagles off balance. With them taking care of the ball better, there were less chances for Bellevue in transition and the Lady Eagles offense struggled to consistently find ways to score against Bowie’s length.
The Lady Rabbits offense found some success as well. Five different players made at least one basket and the team made two 3-pointers.
While the game was physical from the start, now that Bowie knew what type of game it was in the team responded back. It was not pretty and only enough fouls were called to make the game watchable, but individual foul trouble affected Bellevue harder than the Lady Rabbits in the second quarter.
The Lady Eagles still led heading into halftime, but Bowie had gotten it down to single digits trailing 25-19.
The third quarter was more even between the two teams as both had trouble consistently scoring baskets. Bellevue made three baskets and a couple of free throws to keep ahead.
The Lady Rabbits got a big lift from Lanie Moore, who knocked in all three of her 3-pointers in the quarter, scoring nine of the team’s 12 points.
Bowie still trailed, but had cut the lead down to one point earlier in the quarter and one basket 34-31 heading into the fourth quarter.
Bellevue grew the lead to 38-32 early in the final period. The Lady Rabbits struggled to get anything going offensively and trailed 40-34 midway through the quarter.
Bowie’s Kendall Fallis made a 3-pointer in transition to cut the lead to one basket 40-37.
The score stayed there for the next several minutes even as the Lady Eagles had two starters, Karis Denson and Mattie Broussard, foul out of the game.
With a little more than a minute left, the Lady Rabbits drew up and out of bounds play that got Laney Segura an open shot in the corner. Despite not having made a basket all game, she sunk the 3-pointer to tie the game at 40-40 with a minute still to play.
Bowie had been in a pressure defense for the second half of the fourth quarter to prevent Bellevue from passively running clock. Still in the defense, the team next stole the in-bounds pass and Railey Martin made the undefended layup to give the Lady Rabbits their first lead of the game 42-40 with 48 seconds left.
The Lady Eagles could not tie the score on their next offensive possession. Bowie would made two more free throws to make the final 44-40.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870678&T=1
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