SPORTS

HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Ponder shoots by Bowie boys

Published

9 years ago

03/07/2015

The Bowie High School boys’ basketball team saw its season come to an end on Wednesday as Ponder shot lights out to win.
Ponder, ranked No. 6 in the season-ending Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Conference 3A poll, had the one-two punch of Blake Anderson and Chase Harris combine for 54 of the Lions’ points in a 65-51 conquest over the Jackrabbits.
“Ponder’s an experienced team and they played with a lot of confidence,” Bowie head coach Doug Boxell said.
Bowie’s defensive scheme in this Conference 3A regional quarterfinal was meant to prevent the Lions from dribble drives, Boxell said.
Then Ponder went bombs away from beyond the 3-point arc, canning 10 triples.
“They made 10 3’s, that’s 30 points right there,” Boxell added.
Ponder (28-9 record) advanced to the 3A regional semifinals against No. 11 Van Alstyne Friday night at Rockwall Heath High School.
Bowie finished the season with a District 3A-9 championship, bi-district and area titles and an overall record of 25-10. The team graduates three seniors in Cooper Cantwell, Trey Johnson and Chuy Saucedo.
“Cooper was great at 3-pointers,” Boxell said. “Trey came in to play point guard, and he gave us a lift. It was satisfying to reach this level this year, and we’ve made great strides. The future is bright with the players we have returning.”
Saucedo broke his hand during the season and didn’t play much, but he still contributed to the success of the team.
Bowie made its run midway through the third quarter as Zeke Vaughan scored on back-to-back Jackrabbit possessions. Vaughn first scored on a follow and then a drive.
That made the score 35-34 in favor of Ponder with 3 minutes, 13 seconds left in the third.
“We moved the ball better (in the third quarter),” Boxell explained.

Editor’s Note: Read more, and see complete box scores, with the Bowie News in print and with your electronic subscription.

Bowie’s Chase Hall reacts after picking up his fourth foul during Wednesday’s Conference 3A Region 2 quarterfinal game at Decatur High School. Hall battled foul trouble all game as Bowie lost 65-51. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)

SPORTS

District awards for 1A released

Published

8 hours ago

05/18/2024

bowienews

Bellevue’s Bryce Ramsey was named his district’s newcomer of the year.

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

Published

8 hours ago

05/18/2024

bowienews

Forestburg boys basketball coach Eldon Van Hooser helped lead the program to its first playoff win in nine years in his last year coaching.

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

Published

3 days ago

05/15/2024

bowienews

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.