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.
Landry Norwood has agreed to become the new Head Boys Basketball Coach for Bowie High.
Norwood grew up in Paradise, playing a number of sports for the Panthers during his high school career. With a number of family members still in the area and the position coming open, Norwood applied and was hired.
“I know the tradition up here,” Norwood said. “I was glad (Athletic Director and Head Football) Coach Tyler Price felt he could put his trust in me.”
Bowie’s varsity went 2-10 last year, both wins coming against Vernon. Norwood spent five years as an assistant in Lipan before spending the next four years at Llano, three years as head coach. He said his last two years in Llano were rough after graduation of nine seniors his first year and a 26-7 squad.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News
Nocona came into game two of its Class 2A Division I bi-district series with Archer City looking to rebound from a 17-0 loss in game one.
The Lady Indians took a quick lead but the Lady ‘Cats had too much in the tank and knocked Nocona out of the playoffs courtesy of a 13-3, five-inning victory winning the best of three series, 2-0.
Kylea Wallace reached base on a second baseman’s error. With one out, M’leigha Franklin took a pitch over the wall in left field for a home run, igniting the Lady Indian crowd with a 2-0 lead.
Archer City prevented further damage by retiring the next two hitters. The Lady ‘Cats struck in the bottom of the inning for seven runs.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Culture. It’s a beautiful word.
Bowie Softball Coach Griffin Fields has been trying to install a positive, winning culture since taking over the job. For the first time since 2019, the Lady Rabbits qualified for the postseason, facing District 8 top seed Early in the bi-district round.
After beating the Lady ‘Horns 9-8 in game one of the best-of-three series April 23, Early came back and evened the series less than 24 hours later, 15-0. The Lady Rabbits used the aforementioned culture and got out to a quick lead in game three.
Bowie was then forced to come from behind for the second straight night. Kinley Baker, who had the game winning RBI in game one, came through again in game three and broke a 6-all tie with a single to lift the Lady Rabbits to a 9-6 victory in the finale.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
-
NEWS2 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS3 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News