SPORTS
Lady Rabbits lose to Jacksboro 40-28
The Bowie Lady Rabbits had a disappointing senior night on Friday against Jacksboro.
The Lady Tigers won 40-28 against the Lady Rabbits.
Bowie entered the game hoping to get its first district win. Jacksboro was fighting for the final playoff spot, but the Lady Rabbits had played the Lady Tigers close in the first game, only losing 37-35.
Bowie also had something new this time around. Leading scorer Ziba Robbins took the floor for her first in-game action since before district play back in early December. Robbins has been out since then with a leg injury.
The team’s biggest weakness has been its inability to score at a consistent level. With Robbins back and with the team playing Jacksboro well in the first game, there was hope it would all work out for a victory in front of the home crowd.
The first quarter was close and competitive. With Robbins obviously not at full strength after so much time off, she was moved off the ball and her minutes were limited as she was not expected to carry the heavy offensive load in her first game back.
Still, she shot a pass down low for Kayleigh Crow for an uncontested layup. Emily Cueva made a 3-pointer and scored five points and Maycie Metzler got to the free throw line.
The offense was flowing midway through the first quarter like it rarely has in the last month.
Defensively, Bowie knew what to expect. Jacksboro was powered by a skilled post player Hayden Walker and guard Kylie Tullous.
Coach Matthew Miller found what worked last game and kept it to start the game, denying and shadowing both players while his other three players played a triangle zone.
While it was tough to fluently run offense, the Lady Tigers still found ways to get it to Walker in the mid-post area and she started her parade to the free throw line early and it did not stop all game.
Jacksboro led 10-9 heading into the second quarter.
Bowie’s offense hit a snag in the middle quarters. While the Lady Rabbits defense did well enough in the second quarter to keep the game close, trailing only 18-14, it did not last in the second half.
The only thing Jacksboro had going for it offensively in the first half was Walker getting to the free throw line. She got there 18 times in the first half alone, though she was not making them at a good percentage it was still frustrating for Bowie.
The Lady Tigers diversified their offense in the third quarter, making their only 3-pointers in quick succession and had five different players score at least one basket.
With the Lady Rabbits offense still going through a drought of scoring five points in the third quarter, Jacksboro got out to a double-digit lead 34-19 heading into the fourth quarter of the game.
Bowie’s offense picked up a bit in the final period. Robbins scored five of her eight points and the team scored nine points like it did in the first quarter.
It was not enough even if the Lady Rabbits had prevented the Lady Tigers from scoring. Jacksboro’s offense slowed down in pace to prevent Bowie the chances to try and come back.
The Lady Tigers won 40-28.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
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.
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.
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.
-
NEWS1 year ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS6 months agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS1 year agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS1 year agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS10 months agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS1 year ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS1 year agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS1 year ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint