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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Tuesday, September 3, 2002
Late collapse helps Fabens get by Pecos
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
"Leadership" has been something Pecos Eagles' volleyball coach Becky
Granado has been looking for from one or two of her players since the
start of preseason workouts a month ago. The championship game of the
Cantaloupe Classic Volleyball Tournament on Saturday gave fans a chance
to see why.
After dominating former District 2-4A rival Fabens in the first game of
the title match, 15-6, the Eagles saw the Wildcats break a 9-9 tie in the
second and go on to win, 15-11. The deciding game was then a combination
of the first two contests _ the Eagles dominated early, jumping out to a
7-2 lead, but never scored again, as Fabens rolled off 13 straight points
to win 15-7, and take the championship.
The loss ended the weekend on a sour note for the Eagles, who went 7-1
in pool play, then swept Fort Stockton, 15-2, 15-10, and Fort Davis, 15-0,
15-2, for their first officials victories of the season. The title game loss
left Pecos with a 2-7 season record going down to Alpine this afternoon for
the second dual meet of the season against the Bucks and Odessa High Bronchos.
Alpine and Odessa High defeated Pecos in the teams' season opening matches
on Aug. 20.
"They just seem satisfied doing what they're doing," said Granado, whose
team had swept district rival Fort Stockton and Fort Davis earlier on Saturday
to advance to the title match against Fabens, who they had split with during
pool round play. "We make one mistake and that one mistake will turn us."
"We go out there and play defense the first game, and then we just stop
moving and stop talking," the Eagles' coach said. "Leslie was pounding the
ball in the first two games, but we get to the championship game and she
holds back."
Rodriguez did end up getting the tournament's MVP award, but her last
two points in the title game came on dinks over the Wildcats' defense in
Game 2. The Eagles' only points in Game 3 that did not come off Fabens errors
were on hits by Jennifer Martinez and Stephanie Herrera.
"They are young, as far as experience goes. I think we've got three rotations
with only one senior out there," Granado said. "Only Leslie, Stephanie and
Mindi (Harrison) played much last year, but that's still no excuse."
Pecos' defense was on almost every ball Fabens hit in the opening game
and in the early part of Game 2, but after a free ball fell in midway through
the second game, the Eagles lost their balance and became tentative, both
on the front and back lines.
Wildcats' hitter Stacey Macias was the biggest beneficiary of the breakdown.
Macias ended the first game by getting blocked by Martinez and spiking another
shot into the net, but came up with a series of kills against the Eagles
in Game 3, leading the Wildcats back from 6-0 and 7-2 deficits and earning
her the tournament's Outstanding Hitter Award.
On Friday in pool play, the Eagles lost the first game to the Wildcats,
15-11, then beat Fabens, 15-9. Pecos also defeated Marfa 15-11, 15-4; Anthony
15-11, 15-8; and Fort Hancock, 15-5, 15-9.
"We did better than Tuesday. We're trying to play as a team, I have to
give them credit for that," Granado said following Friday's matches.
Herrera and Martinez joined Rodriguez on the All-Tournament team, while
Fabens' Jennifer Ramos was named the tournament's Outstanding Setter and
Jessica Antunez the tournament's Outstanding Defensive Player. The other
all-tournament players were Alexis Charis of El Paso Parkland, Suzanne Shoer
of Fort Davis and Jackie Hinojos of El Paso Ysleta.
Parkland won consolation over Anthony in the tournament, 15-9, 15-7, while
El Paso Ysleta rallied to down Fort Davis for third place, 4-15, 16-14, 15-10.
Bears open 2002 season with win over Vaqueros
Kick return defense was about the only thing wrong for the Balmorhea Bears
this past Friday night, as they opened up their 2002 six-man football season
with a 62-12 victory in Sierra Blanca over the Vaqueros.
The Bears played their District 6-A six-man rival in a non-district game
and had little trouble with the Vaqueros, who have had problems just fielding
enough players for a team the past few seasons. Coach Ennis Erickson said
Balmorhea was able to end the game in the third quarter under the 45-point
rule.
"We just had a good overall contribution from a large number of people,"
said Erickson who had to replace most of his starters from last year's team
due to graduation. "They stepped in and did a good job."
Erickson said the Bears' defense shut out the Vaqueros, who got both their
scores on special teams play. "We were ahead 40-0 when they returned a kickoff
for a touchdown. Then we scored and they returned another kickoff for a touchdown,"
he said.
Meanwhile, Balmorhea had two returns for scores on defense, off an interception
by Robbie Mendoza and a fumble recovery by Keith Baeza.
"The last extra point kick wasn't tried because of the 45-point rule and
we missed our first extra point. But we got a safety later on to make up
for it," Erickson added.
After playing a "zero week" game, the Bears will take this week off, before
returning to action with a neutral site game on Saturday, Sept. 14 against
Lubers Avoca, beginning at 11 a.m. at Loop High School, located on State
Highway 83, east of Seagraves.
Two other District 6-A six-man teams faced each other in a non-district
match-up on Friday, with Fort Davis winning their first game after dropping
down from 11-man football, beating Grandfalls, 36-12. Buena Vista also won
its season opener, 56-6 over Spade.
Eagles to get forfeit win, lose district home game
The football season hasn't even started yet, and the Pecos Eagles have
already won a game and lost a game _ and both games are the same one.
The Eagles have lost their Oct. 18 home game against the Presidio Blue
Devils, after Presidio decided not to play a varsity schedule during the
district season. Presidio was not competitive in District 4-3A last season,
and lost a non-district game to Pecos, 62-8.
The Oct. 18 game will go in the books as a win for Pecos, but they will
now play only four district games, three of them on the road.
The Pecos-Barstow-Toyah ISD business office will refund money to people
who have already bought season tickets for the Eagles' 2002 home games, while
season tickets for the remaining four home games will be $20 per seat and
can be picked up at the business office, 1302 S. Park St. Pecos' first home
game is Sept. 13, against Lamesa.
All of the Eagles' other district rivals _ including Presidio _ opened
their 2002 seasons this past weekend, and only the Greenwood Rangers came
out with a victory. The Rangers downed the Ballinger Bearcats 28-6, as running
back Jeremy Audus ran for 229 yards and one touchdown.
Monahans dropped their season opener at Merkel by a 21-3 final score,
Kermit was shut out at home by Ozona, 33-0, Fort Stockton lost at Ratliff
Stadium in Odessa on Saturday to Colorado City, 15-6, and Presidio was shut
out at Van Horn, 49-0.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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