Bearkats defeats Bobcats 10-4
Sam Houston State Bearkats defeated the Texas State Bobcats by the score of 10-4. The win increased their Southland Conference record to 6-2 (13-9).
The Bearkats wasted no time in the bottom of the second when they scored three runs that made it 3-0 on an error by third baseman Nick Smelser and on back-to-back RBI singles by second baseman Jesse Plumlee and short stop Corey Toups.
“We had great at-bats and were tenacious throughout every at-bat,” head coach David Pierce said. “We kept grinding it and we got runs from it.”
The Bearkats continued the on-slaught as they scored three more runs in the bottom of the third inning to increase the lead to 6-0 on an RBI double by third baseman Kevin Miller, an RBI single by Plumlee and a throwing error by second baseman Tyler Sibley that allowed catcher John Hale to score.
The Bobcats made things interesting in the top of the sixth inning when they scored three runs to cut the lead to 6-3 on an RBI single by designated hitter Ben McElroy and a two-run single by center fielder Jeff McVaney.
It seemed as if the momentum was riding for the Bobcats as left fielder Brooks Orton led off the top of the seventh inning with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Andrew Stumph. But the Bearkats got the next three outs to get out of the inning.
The Bearkats capitalized and exploded for three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to extend the lead to 9-3 on a sacrifice fly by Plumlee and a two-run single by left fielder Luke Plucheck.
The Bobcats added a run in the top of the eighth inning to make it 9-4.
The Bearkats added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning to increase the score to 10-4.
Starting pitcher Justin Jackson went 5 and 2/3 innings and got his fourth win of the season. He gave up three runs on five hits and struck out four batters.
“You want to continue and give yourself some opportunites,” head coach David Pierce said. “We had an opportunity to win the series and we did.”
Starting pitcher Colton Turner only went 2 and 2/3 innings and suffered the loss.
The Bearkats will be going for the sweep tomorrow in the rubber match against the Bobcats at 1 p.m.
“We have to come out and play like we are trying to get swept,” Miller said.
“We have an opportunity to get a sweep,” coach Pierce said. “Nothing is guranteed, but we have the opportunity and they are buying into it.”
“I think they will be ready.”
Aggies Defeated Bearkats 19-16 in “Stunt Competition”
The Texas A&M Aggies defeated Sam Houston State University (SHSU) Bearkats All-Girl Squad by the score of 19-16 in the “Stunt Competition that was hosted at the Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum on the campus of SHSU on Sunday.
The stunt competition focuses on the technical and skill aspects of cheerleading. It is recognized as an “emerging sport” by the NCAA.
They are four quarters in the competition . The first quarter consist of partner stunts, the second quarter is pyramids and tosses, the third quarter is group jumps and tumbling and the fourth quarter is where each team perform a two minute and two second team performance.
The first three quarters consists of three rounds each where both teams compete head –to-head on the floor.
In each round, they perform one of six pre-choreographed routines. A team with possession of each round will determined which one of the routines they will perform.
The judges ranks the teams of each round based on execution of each performance. The team with the best execution will be awarded first place with two points while the second place team will be awarded one point.
A team may forfeit a round if they are unable to perform the necessary skills in the routine. If that happens, the other team can still perform the routine and either get one point or two points.
In the first quarter, the Aggies swept through all of the three rounds and took a commanding 6-3 lead.
In the second quarter, the Bearkats made some strides in the routine and took the first round to cut the lead to 6-5. However, the Aggies continued with their domination and took the second and third rounds to extend their lead to 10-6.
Both teams tied in the first round on the third quarter with the Aggies maintaining their lead to 12-8. Despite the tie, the Aggies took the second and third round to increase their lead to 16-10.
In the fourth quarter, each team performed a full routine. A&M couldn’t hold their pyramids fully, while the Bearkats hold the pyramid flawlessly. A drop pyramid weighs more than a drop stunt because of the degree of difficulty it brings to the whole routine.
Even though the Bearkats took the fourth quarter, it was too little too late as the Aggies went on to win it by the score of 19-16.
We laid off a little bit on the first three quarters, All-Girl Co-Captain and All-American Andrea Dearing said. “We focused hard on our nationals routine and it showed even though we won the fourth quarter.”
Though they lost, they feel that today’s competition will help them to improve their routine as they get set for the NCA/NDA National Cheer Competion that will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida from April 11-15.
“It was really important for us to get in front of the crowd and have a lot of energy and work out some kinks, Dearing said.”
Panthers knocks off Bearkats 78-69
The University of Northern Iowa Panthers advanced to the Final Four of the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament as they defeated Sam Houston State Bearkats by the score of 78-69.
The tournament was Bearkats first post-season appareance in the 48th year history of the women’s basketball program. They were knocked out of the first round of the Southland Conference Basketball Tournament last Tuesday that squashed any chances for them to make the NCAA Tournament.
The Panthers started the game on a 5-0 run behind K.K. Armstrong’s three-pointer and a basket by Amber Kirschbaum.
The Bearkats answered with a 5-1 run of their own to cut the lead to 8-5. They continued their moment when Sequeena Thomas and Zoe Tucker hit back to back baskets to help the Kats take the lead by the score of 9-8.
The Bearkats continued on a 9-3 run to increase the lead to 18-11.
The Panthers went on a 9-4 run to pull within a 22-20 lead. But a pair of three pointers by Britni Martin and Jasmine Johnson helped the Bearkats extend the lead to 28-20.
The Panther exploded with a 12-4 run with Armstrong scoring 6 of those points to tie the game at 32.
But Thomas scored back to back baskets to close the half with the Bearkats leading 36-32.
It seemed as if the Bearkats was in control of the game as they started the second half on a 4-2 run to increase the lead to 40-35.
But the Panthers mounted a 8-5 run behind three straight baskets by Katelin Oney to cut the lead to 46-45.
Brittni Donaldson made a three pointer on the next possession to give the Panthers a 48-45.
Martin’s three-pointer tied the score at 48.
The Panthers answered behind Rachel Madrigal’s three-pointer that gave the Panthers a 51-48 lead and they would maintain the lead for the rest of the game and win it by the score of 78-69.
Armstrong finished the game with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for the Panthers. Oney contributed with 20 points, 5 assists and 2 rebounds.
Martin led the Bearkats with 19 points and 4 rebounds while Thomas was second on the team with 13 points and 9 rebounds.
Cheerleaders’ Preparation For Daytona
by Cheval John
While many students were out on spring break, the SHSU All-Girl/Co-ed Cheerleaders, along with the Orange Pride Dance Team were here at SHSU all week practicing for the NCA/NDA National Competition that will be held in Daytona Beach, Florida from April 11-15.
The NCA/NDA competition is based on many factors that includes technique, stability of stunts/strength, flow of routine, degree of difficulty, perfection of routine and overall impression.
For the first time this year, both squads will be competing together as the All-Girl Squad moved up to Division I in the NCA in competion.
Prior to that, the All-Girl Squad competed at the intermediate level in the NCA and have come a long way since then.
Though it will be new for them, they believe that competing with the co-ed squad is bringing them together as a family.
“With co-ed going with us, it’s a whole another team to support us and another team for us to support,” All-Girl co-captain Andrea Dearing said. “A big part of nationals is having a crowd cheering you on and with the co-ed being there, it’s going to bring ten times more energy.”
Though the co-ed team receives scholarships, the all-girl team doesn’t receive any sholarships, but they raise the money through sponsorships and each member on the team has to have a minimum of $250 in order to remain on the squad.
The stereotypical view of cheerleaders is that they are at sporting events to bring extra school spirit ot the the crowds who are attending the games and to cheer the team to victory.
What they don’t see is the dedication and the hard work that goes into being a cheerleader.
“We cheer during the football season, volleyball season and the basketball season and on top of that, we have nationals,” Dearing said. “We put a lot of hard work and a lot of effort into this.”
With school about to be back in session next week, they believe that it is all worth it in the end because of the preparation that they put into perfecting their routine.
“This is where we want to be,” Dearing said. “While there in school, we are going to be in Daytona competing and hopefully getting a ring and that is more than any spring break trip is worth.”
The Grass Is Not Always Green On The Other Side
by Cheval John
After the University of Texas Longhorns was knocked out in the first round of the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tourmanent, Gail Goestenkors resigned as head coach of the Longhorns yesterday due to “fatigue.”
In her five seasons as head coach of the Longhorns, she has taken the team to five straight consecutive NCAA tournaments.
However, that was not enough for the Longhorn faithful because of various reasons: 1) She has take her previous team, the Duke Blue Devils to Four Final Four Appearances and played in the national championship twice during her 15 years at the institution and
2) She was replacing legendary coach Jody Conradt, who was the head coach for 31 years, has guided the Longhorns to 21 NCAA tournament appearances, including three Final Fours and winning one national championship in 1986.
In addition, the university launched the Longhorn Network this past August and they want to showcase their excellence to the world on a daily basis, so that they can continue to attract quality recruits to the university.
In retrospect, Goestenkors should have stayed at Duke because she would have become an iconic figure for the women’s basketball team as the current men’s basketball head coach for Duke Mike Krzyzewski.
Instead, she is just another casuality because she could not meet the expectations from the Longhorn faithful and it was difficult to duplicate the success of Jody Conradt.
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