West Texas A&M Sports Blog

Looking good...

2010-08-25T19:16:00.004-05:00

The latest Pigskin Preview will be on newsstands by the time you read this. It is a different approach to the publication with a stock cover instead of the usual newsprint and I like it and I hope you do as well.

Look for our coverage all year long as we follow the stories that will unfold leading up to the title games.

Hope you guys are as ready as the Globe-News sports department cause we can't wait to see what happens out on the field.

WT wins, 31-25

2009-12-05T16:21:00.001-06:00

West Texas A&M knocked off Nebraska-Omaha, 31-25, in the Kanza Bowl Saturday in Topeka, Kan.

Looking good...

2009-12-05T15:31:00.002-06:00

Look for our coverage all year long as we follow the stories that will unfold leading up to the title games.

Hope you guys are as ready as the Globe-News sports department cause we can't wait to see what happens out on the field.

WT answers, leads 31-22

2009-12-05T15:19:00.001-06:00

WT quarterback Taylor Harris hit Brittan Golden for a 38-yard score, giving the Buffs a 31-22 lead with 8:23 left in the Kanza Bowl.

NO scores, still trails

2009-12-05T15:13:00.001-06:00

Nebraska-Omaha scored on a two-yard run by Levi Terrell, cutting WT's lead to 24-22 with 9:34 left in the Kanza Bowl. The Mavericks went for the two-point conversion on a pass, but it fell incomplete.

WT leads 24-16

2009-12-05T15:04:00.001-06:00

WT leads Nebraska-Omaha 24-16 at the end of the third quarter.

WT leads, 24-16

2009-12-05T14:53:00.001-06:00

The WT Buffs stretched their lead to 24-16 over Nebraska-Omaha with 4:57 left in the third quarter on a 40-yard screen pass from Taylor Harris to Keithon Flemming.

WT scores on reverse, up 17-16

2009-12-05T14:45:00.001-06:00

The WT Buffs take a 17-16 lead over Nebraska-Omaha with a 15-yard reverse run by Tyson Williams with 8:29 left in the third quarter.

NO leads 16-10

2009-12-05T14:31:00.001-06:00

Nebraska-Omaha takes a 16-10 lead over WT on a interception return for a touchdown by Kyle Moore with 14:51 left in the third quarter.

WT leads at halftime, 10-9

2009-12-05T14:07:00.003-06:00

The West Texas A&M Buffs lead Nebraska-Omaha, 10-9, at halftime of the Kanza Bowl Saturday.
WT kicker James Chandler booted a 32-yard field against a stiff 20-mph wind on the final play of the first half to give the Buffs the lead.

N-O takes lead

2009-12-05T13:59:00.001-06:00

Nebraska-Omaha took a 9-7 lead over West Texas A&M with a 27-yard field by Greg Zuerlein with 1:55 left in the first half.

N-O boots 52-yard FG

2009-12-05T13:40:00.001-06:00

Nebraska-Omaha cut the deficit to 7-6 with a 52-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein with 11:32 left in the first half.

N-O answers with field goal

2009-12-05T13:33:00.001-06:00

Nebraska-Omaha got on the board with a 33-yard field goal by Greg Zuerlein.
WT leads 7-3 in the second quarter.

WT leads 7-0 end of first quarter

2009-12-05T13:28:00.001-06:00

The West Texas A&M Buffs lead 7-0 over Nebraska-Omaha after the first quarter of the Kanza Bowl.

WT up 7-0 in Kanza Bowl

2009-12-05T13:20:00.001-06:00

West Texas A&M takes a 7-0 lead with 4:35 left in the first quarter on a 1-yard run by running back Keithon Flemming.

God hates Christmas - and the Kanza Bowl?

2009-12-05T12:22:00.003-06:00

Representatives of Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas staged a protest Saturday outside the stadium about an hour before kickoff of the Kanza Bowl.

The "church" is known for its protests that include members displaying signs with homophobic slurs, alleging that God is taking wrath on America for tolerating homosexuality.

Signs Saturday included the phrase "God Hates Christmas."

The "church" has staged similar protests at military funerals in the Amarillo area in the past few years.

West Texas A&M Lady Buffs National Quarterfinals

2009-12-03T13:00:00.000-06:00

<a href="http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php?option=com_mobile&task=viewaltcast&altcast_code=32a0f81089" >West Texas A&M Lady Buffs National Quarterfinals</a>

A Worthwhile Trip

2009-10-17T15:43:00.002-05:00

In 13 years of covering various events in West Texas, I've gotten used to traveling long distances, which is why the journey I've taken this weekend doesn't seem like such a big deal, even if it's among the longer trips I've taken.

Less than 24 hours after I witnessed Amarillo High beat Midland High 23-20 in a tremendous District 2-5A game in my adopted hometown of Midland, I'm at Abilene's Shotwell Stadium watching West Texas A&M give No. 1 Abilene Christian all it can handle. There's a lot more defense than when the two teams played last season, as ACU leads 14-12 at halftime.

When I drew the assignment to drive the Amarillo-Midland-Abilene triangle, I'll admit at first it wasn't a trip I was all that eagerly embracing, if due mainly to the length. But with two games this outstanding in less than 24 hours, nobody has a right to complain.

Offense name of the game for WT, ACU

2009-10-16T17:39:00.002-05:00

If recent history is any indication, Saturday's Lone Star Conference game between the Buffs and Abilene Christian will light up the scoreboard.

Including the epic last meeting between the two teams - a 93-68 ACU win in the second round of the D-II playoffs on Nov. 22 - the Buffs and the Wildcats have scored a combined 523 points in their past six meetings.

That's an over-under average of just more than 87 points whenever the Buffs and Wildcats square off on the football field.

WT has scored more than 40 points only once this season, beating winless Southwestern Oklahoma State, 41-15, on Sept. 19.

A Nice Change of Pace

2009-10-10T21:09:00.003-05:00

As much as I love football, I've really been looking forward to covering another sport for a change in the seven weeks since I started at the Globe-News. I finally got my first non-football byline on Saturday when thanks to a quirk of scheduling, I got to cover the West Texas A&M-Central Oklahoma match.

It turned out to be a historic occasion, since the Lady Buffs sscored their 50th straight victory over a Lone Star Conference opponent by sweeping UCO. I know volleyball's really big up here, and on WT's Homecoming weekend, a respectable crowd showed up for the match.

The Lady Buffs appear to be as well-oiled a machine as any athletic team up here, although the Randall and Amarillo High volleyball teams might argue with that. With balanced attack and excellent teamwork, WT is a fun team to watch, and it's worth catching the Lady Buffs if you have the time.

I know it's still football season. But with the weather getting colder, it's nice to spend some quality time indoors.

Lady Buffs down Emporia State in Topeka, Kan.

2009-10-02T15:30:00.003-05:00

The West Texas A&M Lady Buffs volleyball team came back from a 2-0 hole to take a 3-2 win over the Emporia State Hornets on Friday at the Holiday Inn Lady Blues Fall Classic in Topeka, Kan.

The Lady Buffs (16-2, 4-0 Lone Star Conference) came into the South Central Region crossover tournament tied nationally at No. 6 with the Hornets (14-2, 4-1 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association). After dropping the first two games 25-22, 31-29, WT took the final three 25-15, 25-20, 15-13.

Special thanks to LadyBuffVolleyball.com for getting me the scores ASAP this afternoon.

Most important weekend of regular season for Lady Buffs?

2009-09-28T22:43:00.003-05:00

The No. 6 (tied) WT volleyball team (15-2, 4-0 Lone Star Conference) is playing well enough to go perfect in the LSC again, so this weekend's Holiday Inn Lady Blues Regional Crossover Invitational may be the biggest round of matches WT will play during the regular season.

The Lady Buffs are slated to play No. 6 (tied) Emporia State, No. 9 host school Washburn and No. 20 Truman State. Not only do the results from this weekend in Topeka, Kan., have a profound impact on the national rankings, they will make or break WT's chances of hosting the South Central Regional tournament.

All of the teams in this tournament are in the South Central Regional, and if the Lady Buffs can come back with three or four wins this weekend, they will be the favorite to host, likely at the First United Bank Center in Canyon.

Also of note this weekend, new WT coach Jason Skoch was most recently from Truman State. He said there may be 400 fans there to watch him at his new school, and that he has to make sure not to get too emotional because of his previous involvement with a team he took to the Final Four.

WT leads TAMK, 7-0

2009-09-26T19:30:00.001-05:00

West Texas A&M led Texas A&M-Kingsville, 7-0, at halftime Saturday at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.
WT's Kelvin Thompson scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.

Lady Buffs still looking ahead

2009-09-23T18:25:00.003-05:00

It's not that the WT volleyball team is looking past opponents. But the No. 7 Lady Buffs are definitely worried more about the quality of their victories than just winning.

And with that comes an overall focus on making it deep -- Elite Eight and National Championship deep -- into the NCAA Division II postseason.

So as they put down more and more Lone Star conference teams, don't expect WT to be too happy or for their intense, perfection driven coach Jason Skoch, to give them a whole lot of praise.

And on a personal note, that makes my job a bit difficult. It's not easy to write about a conference sweep with nothing but critical quotes from Coach Skoch.

WT ahead of SWOSU, 41-7, end of third

2009-09-19T20:18:00.003-05:00

West Texas A&M led Southwestern Oklahoma State, 41-7, at the end of the third quarter Saturday night at Milam Stadium in Weatherford, Okla.

WT leads at halftime, 31-0

2009-09-19T18:46:00.003-05:00

West Texas A&M led 31-0 at halftime, scoring 28 points in the second quarter, against Southwestern Oklahoma State Saturday at Milam Stadium in Weatherford, Okla.
The Buffs scored on four consecutive possessions in the second quarter.

WT leads SWOSU, 3-0, end of first quarter

2009-09-19T18:23:00.004-05:00

West Texas A&M lead Southwestern Oklahoma State, 3-0, at the end of the first quarter Saturday at Milam Stadium in Weatherford, Okla.

WT scored on a 20-yard field goal by James Chandler with 6:25 left in the quarter.

WR Langley leaves Buffs football team

2009-09-19T17:07:00.004-05:00

West Texas A&M wide receiver Wade Langley, a sophomore from Lampasas, quit the Buffs football team earlier this week and was not listed on the roster for Saturday's game against Southwestern Oklahoma State.

Langley, a slot receiver, was second on the team with 14 catches for 130 yards and one touchdown in three games. He was replaced in the pregame starting lineup by Jeremy Watson.

Injuries continue to mount for Buffs

2009-09-18T18:09:00.003-05:00

On offense and defense, injuries have plagued the Buffs this season.

Starting running back Keithon Flemming suffered a dislocated left elbow in WT's final preseason scrimmage, which has unfortunately set the tone for the first three games.

Starting center Hector Rodriguez (knee) is out at least three weeks, according to head coach Don Carthel, and will be replaced for Saturday's game at SWOSU by sophomore Michael Zoch.

True freshman Kyle Voss out of Belton High will start at linebacker Saturday. Offensive lineman Brad McCarty (foot) and Dan Sherwood (illness) are listed as injured for the SWOSU game, as is middle linebacker Kevin McCluskey (arm), the Buffs' second-leading tackler.

Lady Buffs begin LSC season with sweep of Abilene Christian

2009-09-17T22:34:00.003-05:00

The No. 7 Lady Buffs (12-2, 1-0 LSC) swept ACU in pretty convincing fashion. Though the third game was a come-from-behind 25-20 win, WT looked dominant against the preseason No. 2 in the conference.

Middle blockers Lauren Purdy and Melissa Harper led WT's offense, putting up 11 and 10 kills, respectively. The Lady Buffs were also superb on defense, putting together long rallies en route to the convincing conference and South Central region win.

Coach Jason Skoch was surprisingly upbeat and complimentary after the win, which hasn't happened much in his 14-match tenure as WT's head coach. He's still not satisfied, though, and was talking strategy with palyers as I was finishing up my story for Friday's paper at about 9:10 p.m.

The Lady Buffs play Angelo State on Saturday at 2 p.m. in The Box.

Home sweet home

2009-09-15T17:06:00.003-05:00

West Texas A&M head coach Don Carthel was pleased with the play of Bryan Braman in Saturday's 34-10 loss at Central Washington.

Braman finished with two unassisted tackles against the Wildcats, which was sort of a homecoming.

Braman hails from Spokane, Wash.

"(Braman) played extremely well," Carthel said. "He might have been motivated by his family. He has about 30 family members that live in Washington. They were all there hoopin' and hollerin.' "

Braman, a junior, has four tackles in three games this season, including one for a 7-yard loss.

Central Washington beats WT, 34-10

2009-09-12T17:58:00.003-05:00

Central Washington beat West Texas A&M, 34-10, Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg, wash.

The Buffs (0-3 overall) trailed 31-3 at halftime. WT outscored No. 6 CW, 7-3, in the second half.

Central Washington maintains lead over WT

2009-09-12T17:14:00.002-05:00

Central Washington and West Texas A&M failed to score in the third quarter Saturday, as the No. 6 Wildcats kept a commanding 31-3 lead over the Buffs Saturday at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg, Wash.

Central Washington leading WT at half

2009-09-12T16:22:00.002-05:00

No. 6 Central Washington led West Texas A&M, 31-3, at halftime Saturday afternoon at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg, wash.
The Buffs managed only 66 yards of offense in the first half, while CW had 319 yards of offense.

Buffs trail Central Washington

2009-09-12T15:39:00.003-05:00

The West Texas A&M Buffs trailed Central Washington, 14-3, at the end of the first quarter Saturday afternoon at Tomlinson Stadium in Ellensburg, Wash.
WT reached the CW 7-yard line with a first-and-goal on their final possession of the quarter, but settled for a field goal by kicker James Chandler.

Martin signed to Carolina practice squad

2009-09-09T15:16:00.002-05:00

Former West Texas A&M receiver Charly Martin was signed Wednesday to the Carolina Panthers practice squad.

Martin originally signed as a free agent with the San Diego Chargers, playing in four preseason games with seven catches for 88 yards. He was among 21 players released by San Diego Saturday as NFL teams reached the 53-player roster limit.

Martin holds several receiving records at WT, including career catches (244); touchdown catches in a season (22) and career touchdown catches (45).

Times change for defenses

2009-09-08T17:16:00.001-05:00

When the Buffs travel to Ellensburg, Wash., Saturday to take on No. 6 Central Washington at 3 p.m. (CDT), they will be facing the Wildcats for the second time in the past 10 months and for the second time in their past four games.

WT (0-2 overall and 0-1 in the LSC) knocked off CW, 49-42, in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs last season on Nov. 15, 2008 at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.That game was an offensive fireworks show.The two teams combined for 52 first downs 1,088 total yards and 14 kickoff returns.

A repeat of such offensive production by either team seems unlikely. CW is allowing an average of five points a game. The Buffs are allowing 30.5 points a game, but not all those points have been hung on the defense. WT's special teams have allowed nine points in two games.

Volleyball coach looking to middle of the year for great play

2009-09-08T15:48:00.003-05:00

The No. 7 Lady Buffs (7-2) are good, but they're not as good as they could be.

At least, that's how WT coach Jason Skoch tells it. He said Tuesday that, though practice is getting better after the weekend's losses, the team is still working out some mental flaws. And when those get ironed out, the sky's the limit for this squad.

"We're really not consistent and focused right now," Skoch said. "I think some of us don't have a sense of urgency right now.

"I'm looking to the middle of the season. I think we're going to peak at just the right time."

Lady Buffs drop to No. 7 in AVCA D-II poll

2009-09-07T20:27:00.008-05:00

WT (7-2) dropped four spots to No. 7 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association Division II Top 25 poll, released Monday.

The Lady Buffs lost two matches over the weekend at the Colorado Premier Classic in Denver, to Central Missouri and Metro State College - the tournament's host school.

Buffs quarterback Taylor Harris happy for his predecessor

2009-09-06T12:00:00.003-05:00

Former WT quarterback Keith Null remains on the St. Louis Rams' roster after final cuts were made around the NFL as the season approaches.

The news was broken at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium through the public address announcer, who told the team and fans that Null was officially an NFL quarterback.

The man who took Null's place behind center at WT, junior Taylor Harris, was happy about his former teammate making it in the sport's highest level

"Keith's a great guy and he deserves every bit of it," Harris said after the Buffs' loss to Central Oklahoma. "It's great to see a guy succeed that I played with. I'm happy for him. Like 600 guys lost their jobs today, and he was one of them who got to keep it. I'm just happy for him, and I hope he has a lot of fun."

Lady Buffs lose second match of season in Denver

2009-09-05T22:13:00.002-05:00

The Lady Buffs (7-2) dropped their final match of the Colorado Premier Classic in Denver to No. 23 Metro State College (7-1) in another five-set contest.

WT also took a 1-0 lead in the match. Had they won, the Lady Buffs would have at least gotten out of the state with a silver-bracket title.

As it stands, Tuesday's press availability with coach Jason Sckoch at the Big Texan likely won't be lighthearted like it was last week.

Linescore
No. 23 Metro State College def. No. 3 West Texas A&M 22-25, 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 15-10

WT—Kills: Laura Prinsen 18, Natalie Johnson 8. Blocks: Melissa Harper 2. Digs: Lauren Thedford 18, Lauren Beville 17. Assists: Katie Rickwartz 38, Prinsen 4. Aces: Thedford 1, Prinsen 1.

MSC—Kills: Bri Morley 19, Emily Greenhalgh 14. Blocks: Julie Causseaux 1, Amy Watanabe 1. Digs: Watanabe 33, Ngoc Phan 15. Assists: Gabrielle Curtis 61, Lisa Jones 3. Aces: Curtis 2, Jones 2. Amanda Cook 2.

Records: West Texas A&M 7-2. Metro State College 7-1.

Buffs lose second game of season against Central Oklahoma

2009-09-05T22:04:00.003-05:00

West Texas A&M (0-2, 0-1 Lone Star Conference) dropped its third consecutive game, counting last season's playoff loss, to LSC rival Central Oklahoma (1-1, 1-0) 24-17 Saturday night at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium in front of more than 7,000 fans.

The loss marks the first time under WT coach Don Carthel, who began coaching here in 2005, that the Buffs have lost three in a row or their first conference game.

The Buffs gained just 320 total yards of offense, marking their lowest production since the final game of the 2006 season.

Quarterback Taylor Harris threw for 150 yards on 16 passes (out of 30 attempts), but threw two interceptions. He also stepped out of the game for a few series in the third quarter. When asked about a possible sore shoulder, Harris said he was fine.

WT took the first lead of the game in the first quarter on a field goal, but UCO scored 15 unanswered points in the second quarter and never relinquished the lead.

UCO extends lead with field goal

2009-09-05T20:21:00.001-05:00

The Bronchos kicked a 30-yard field goal with 14:48 left in the game to extend their lead over WT to eight points, 18-10.

No scoring in the third quarter: UCO 15, WT 10

2009-09-05T20:19:00.002-05:00

Both the Buffs and Bronchos had turnovers in the third quarter, and neither team put any more points on the board.

Halftime stats

2009-09-05T19:36:00.003-05:00

WT junior quarterback Taylor Harris was 13-for-19 in the first half with an interception and threw for 127 yards.

Other stats ...
RB Kelvin Thompson..........8-13 for 10 yards rushing; 4 receptions for 32 yards
WR Wade Langley...............5 receptions for 64 yards

WT's offense comes alive just before halftime

2009-09-05T19:15:00.004-05:00

West Texas A&M's offense is finally starting to move like a spread offense should. WT (0-1) scored its first touchdown of the game with 1:17 left in the half on -- ironically -- a run.

The drive lasted just 1 minute, 49 seconds, which is a pace the Buffs should be more pleased with after scoring just 3 points during what amounted to all but the last two minutes of the first half.

Central Oklahoma (0-1) still leats 15-10 at the half, but this is now looking like a ballgame after the Bronchos scored 15 unanswered points.

WT 3, UCO 0, end of first quarter

2009-09-05T18:27:00.002-05:00

The West Texas A&M Buffs led UCO, 3-0, at the end of the first quarter.
An announcement over the PA near the end of the first quarter that former WT quarterback Keith Null made the roster of the St. Louis Rams drew a round of applause from the crowd.

WT, UCO face early tests

2009-09-05T14:59:00.003-05:00

It is debatable which team - West Texas A&M or Central Oklahoma - has the tougher early season schedule.
WT hosted top-ranked Grand Valley State last week, UCO today (which was ranked No. 16 in the preseason) and travels to No. 9 Central Washington Sept. 12.
The Bronchos can make their case for the toughest early season slate, taking on No. 5 Pittsburg State last week, No. 13 West Texas today and take a road trip to No. 18 Texas A&M-Kingsville next week.

Lady Buffs drop first match of season to No. 12 Central Missouri

2009-09-05T01:21:00.007-05:00

WT (6-1) took a two-set lead Friday night at the Colorado Premier Challenge but let No. 12 Central Missouri (5-1) come back to take the 3-2 win.

The No. 3 Lady Buffs had four players reach double-digit kills in the loss, including a team-leading effort of 13 by junior outside hitter Lauren Thedford. WT had 26 total blocks, including 10 assists by Lauren Purdy.

WT coach Jason Skoch is likely not happy with the Lady Buffs letting a lower-ranked team come back to beat them.

The Lady Buffs continue in Denver in bracket play today with their first match at 9:30 a.m. against No. 8 Southwest Minnesota State.

Linescore
No. 12 Central Missouri def. No. 3 West Texas A&M 24-26, 15-25, 25-19, 25-21, 15-11

UCM--Kills: Allie Huffman 18, Abby Gruenbacher 14. Blocks: Jennifer Williams 1, Paula Harris 1, Bradye Peniston 1. Digs: Rachel Fister 25, Kelsey Ortwerth 20. Assists: Caitlin Pankratz 50. Aces: Pankratz 2, Peniston 2.

WT--Kills: Lauren Thedford 13, Natalie Johnson 11. Blocks: Lauren Purdy 1, Melissa Harper 1. Digs: Lauren Beville 25, Katie Rickwartz 19. Assists: Rickwartz 36, Laura Prinsen 16. Aces: Prinsen 1, Beville 1.

Records: WT 6-1, UCM 5-1

Lady Buffs win close one against Lewis Universtiy in Denver

2009-09-04T17:33:00.001-05:00

The No. 3 WT volleyball team (6-0) was pushed to five sets for the first time this season during the Colorado Premier Tournament in Denver.

Nineteenth-ranked Lewis University (3-2) won the second and fourth sets, 25-15, 25-20. The Lady Buffs took care of the fifth set 15-11 to stay undefeated on the season and beat their third nationally ranked team of the season.

WT faces another ranked team, No. 12 Central Missouri, tonight at 8:30.

Linescore
No. 3 West Texas A&M def. No. 19 Lewis University 25-20, 15-25, 25-17, 20-25, 15-11

Lewis—Kills: Lauren Seliga 22, Sarah deBuhr, 11. Blocks: Stephanie Sagat 1, Kim Richards 1, deBuhr 1. Digs: Seliga 13, Kelly McConkey 11. Assists: Rachel Ruedi 55. Aces: McConkey 2, Seliga 1, Richards 1, Ruedi 1, Ashlee Lindish 1.

WT—Kills: Laura Prinsen 17, Lauren Thedford 14. Blocks: Melissa Harper 2. Digs: Lauren Beville 14, Katie Rickwartz 12. Assists: Rickwartz 45, Prinsen 5. Aces: Prinsen 4, Rickwartz 1, Beville 1.

Records: Lewis 3-2, West Texas A&M 6-0.

WT's home opener 7th highest since 2004

2009-09-04T14:46:00.003-05:00

The home opener for the Buffs on Aug. 29 - a 37-23 loss to top-ranked Grand Valley State - drew 15,093 fans at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.

The attendance was the seventh-highest at home for the Buffs since 2004, and the biggest opening game attendance since 2004.

For the record, WT's largest crowd in the past six seasons was the 23,276 fans that crammed into Kimbrough for the Buffs 62-31 win over Eastern New Mexico on Oct. 13, 2007. The second most? Also against ENMU - a crowd of 22,993 watched WT beat the Greyhounds 52-51 in overtime on Oct. 8, 2005.

ACU's first D-II playoff win now against WT

2009-09-02T13:23:00.003-05:00

Tuesday's announcement that the Abilene Christian University football program lost an appeal to the NCAA related to infractions in 2007 means ACU is now officially 0-3 that season. ACU has to vacate its first NCAA Division II postseason win - a 56-12 victory over Mesa State, Colo.

That means ACU's first NCAA Division II playoff victory now stands as the 93-68 win over West Texas A&M last season. The Buffs beat ACU, 41-31, in the 2007 regular season.

Second to one

2009-09-01T17:59:00.003-05:00

WT secondary coach Maurice Lane, in his first season with the Buffs, ranks second in the history of Baylor football with 248 solo tackles. Who ranks ahead of Lane? Mike Singletary, with 351.

Lane is third in total tackles, racking up 365 from 2002-05. Singletary, again, is tops with 662.

There's no shame in finishing behind Singletary.

Two volleyball seniors earn conference honors

2009-09-01T17:09:00.001-05:00

Right side hitter Laura Prinsen was named a Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week and Katie Rickwartz earned a Setter of the Week nod Tuesday after the Lady Buffs went 0-5 in their opening weekend.

Prinsen is the team leader in kills with 54 and is averaging more than 3 per set. Rickwartz, a former Canyon Lady Eagle, leads WT in assists and aces with 192 and nine, respectively.

Lady Buffs inch up AVCA poll

2009-08-31T20:10:00.003-05:00

The Lady Buffs moved up to No. 3 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association Poll, released today.

WT (5-0) beat then-No. 19 Nova Southeastern and then-No. 5 Grand Valley State last week in their BritKare Lady Buff Classic en route to a perfect opening weekend.

Grand Valley State is now at No. 6, while Nova Southeastern moved up to No. 16.

The Lady Buffs face two more ranked teams this weekend in the Colorado Premier Tournament in Denver - No. 19 Lewis University and No. 12 Central Missouri. If WT can get past those two, it has a chance to face the No. 1 team, Concordia-St. Paul, in the championship match.

Buffs fall two spots in football poll

2009-08-31T16:32:00.005-05:00

The West Texas A&M football team, ranked No. 11 in the preseason, fell two spots to No. 13 in the American Football Coaches Association Division II poll, which was released Monday.

WT lost to Grand Valley State, the preseason No. 1, 37-23, in Saturday's season-opener.

WT has been ranked 50 consecutive weeks, dating to 2005.

Grand Valley State has a grand time

2009-08-31T15:55:00.003-05:00

Following Saturday's game at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium between the top-ranked Grand Valley State Lakers and the preseason No. 11 West Texas A&M Buffs, GVS head coach Chuck Martin said his team was expecting the worst as far as the surroundings.

"To be honest, I heard some negatives about how they acted, but from the time we got to Texas to the time we left, we couldn't have been treated better," Martin said. "I heard some horror stories from people, you know, be careful when you go down there. This was a great experience, though. Obviously, the win makes it more enjoyable, but it was a great experience."

During their stay, the Lakers visited the Big Texan Steak Ranch and watched a customer attempt to down the famous 72-oz. steak in an hour.

WT head coach Don Carthel said Monday that the GVS contingent remarked that WT and Buffs fans were "awesome."

Buffs lose opener 37-23 to Grand Valley State

2009-08-29T21:20:00.003-05:00

WT dropped its football opener at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, 37-23 Saturday night against Grand Valley State in front of more than 15,000 fans.

Though the WT offense worked well, gaining 452 yards of offense including 408 passing by junior quarterback Taylor Harris.

Harris, in his third start, hooked up with newcomer Tyson Williams a lot. The sophomore caught eight balls for 92 yards.

The players and coach Don Carthel all cited mistakes contributing to the loss.

The No. 11 Buffs are now 0-1 and dropped just their fifth home game under Carthel. Grand Valley State, No. 1 in the nation, has now won 43 consecutive regular-season games.

WT cannon gets unloaded

2009-08-29T19:09:00.003-05:00

The West Texas A&M cannon, loudly present during the Buffs' final preseason scrimmage, was a no-show Saturday.

Due to regulations, such as decibel levels, the Buffs decided not to use the cannon.

It remains to be seen if the cannon will be missed.

Volleyball wins BritKare Lady Buff Classic

2009-08-29T17:14:00.003-05:00

The Lady Buffs went undefeated in their own tournament, starting the season a perfect 5-0 after beating Western New Mexico and Lubbock Christian on Saturday.

Senior right side hitter Laura Prinsen was named tournament MVP, while senior MB Melissa Harper and senior setter Katie Rickwartz made the all-tournament team.

For those about to score ...

2009-08-29T13:34:00.003-05:00

A small sidebar to tonight's marquee matchup between the No. 11 West Texas A&M Buffs and the No. 1 Grand Valley State Lakers at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium - the cannon.

Buffs fans that attended the second preseason scrimmage earlier this month got a taste of the cannon, perched atop the hill in the north end zone. The rather noisy contraption will be fired after every WT score - and can probably be heard as far as Happy.

It will be interesting to see the reaction of WT fans after the cannon's first blast, especially some of the older fans.

Volleyball rebounds to beat Western New Mexico 3-1

2009-08-29T13:30:00.004-05:00

The Lady Buffs (4-0) won their first match of Saturday's final round of matches in the BritKare Lady Buffs Classic at The Box.

WT beat Western New Mexico 3-1, rebounding from the team's first dropped set of the season.

The Lady Buffs play Lubbock Christian at 3 p.m. this afternoon to wrap up the tournament.

Line Score
West Texas A&M def. Western New Mexico 25-9, 25-9, 22-25, 25-18

WNM—Kills: Natali Murdock 12, Siona Verhulsdonk 7. Blocks: Verhulsdonk 1, Jovan Falemalu 1. Digs: Marilee Frost 13, Ellen East 9. Assists: East 24. Aces: East 2, Murdock 1, JoBeth Erling 1.

WT—Kills: Laura Prinsen 16, Lauren Thedford 12. Blocks: Kirsten McCowan 2. Digs: Lauren Beville 17, Sophie McBride 13, Thedford 13. Assists: Katie Rickwartz 44, Erika Dupree 4. Aces: Rickwartz 2, Lauren Purdy 1, McBride 1.

Records: WNM 1-2, WT 4-0.

Volleyball drops first set of the young season

2009-08-29T12:45:00.004-05:00

The Lady Buffs lost the third set of their match with Western New Mexico on Saturday, 22-25.

WT got way down early, falling into a 1-11 hole. Coach Jason Skoch had the court nearly full of underclassmen (Fr. starting libero Lauren Beville doesn't count) during that WNM run. The Lady Buffs made a good run at it, but even the starters were making some mistakes when they could have come back to close out their fourth sweep of the season.

"I tried giving (the underclassmen) an opportunity, and they didn't take advantage of it," Skoch said. "We have to get them in there. They earned it, they've been working hard in practice. It's good for them to see in a game situation that they still have stuff to grow on."

Matches running late at The Box

2009-08-29T11:08:00.003-05:00

UT-Permian Basin nearly beat No. 19 Nova Southeastern in the early game at The Box, pushing the Lady Falcons to five sets. That match ended at about 11:05 a.m., so now WT's match with Western New Mexico will start at around 11:30.

NOTE: Play began at about 11:45.

Volleyball sweeps No. 4 Grand Valley State

2009-08-28T21:21:00.003-05:00

The No. 5 Lady Buffs (3-0) took care of the No. 4 Lakers by coming back to win sets and looking more confident each time.

They did it in front of a huge crowd at The Box. The attendance on the box score says 1,623 people showed up to watch the game. The crowd included a rowdy student section and the entire Grand Valley State football team.

As for the volleyball girls, they did their part taking care of the visiting Lakers. Lauren "the threat" Thedford led the team with 13 kills, while Melissa Harper-ized 11 balls to help WT stay perfect on the young season.

The trick now, he said, will be making sure they don't have a let down during tomorrow's games with Western New Mexico (11 a.m.) and Lubbock Christian (3 p.m.), as neither should be on the same level as Grand Valley State (or Nova Southeastern, who they played earlier Friday).

New WT coach Jason Skoch wasn't as impressed as I was with the wins. But, he said he'd take a sloppy win over perennial NCAA D-II contender GVS.

And if the Lady Buffs can do this when they aren't playing as smoothly as they should ...

For NCAA its sets, not games

2009-08-28T18:37:00.002-05:00

According to veteran WT and NCAA PA announcer Brad Stark, college volleyball matches now consist of the best of five SETS, not GAMES. This is the third year of this change, he said. I will have to see what the UIL says about this issue. My copy editors will be so confused.

Running backs coach Sean Dawkins

2009-08-28T16:00:00.001-05:00

New West Texas A&M running backs coach Sean Dawkins had something in common with the Buffs before he set foot in Canyon.

Arguably the biggest win in WT history came on Sept. 23, 1980, when the Buffs knocked off Oklahoma State - coached by Jimmy Johnson - 20-19 in Stillwater.

Dawkins, a former collegiate running back at Troy, scored a touchdown on a 3-yard run in Troy's 41-23 win over OSU on Sept. 14, 2007 - one of the bigger wins in Trojan history.

It is worth noting that former Palo Duro Don Julius Crosslin had two short touchdown runs for OSU in the game against Troy.

Volleyball sweeps No. 19 Nova Southeastern in "sloppy" match

2009-08-28T12:44:00.000-05:00

Not all wins against ranked teams are created equal, apparently.

WT coach Jason Skoch was not overly pleased with the Lady Buffs' sweep over the No. 19 Sharks Friday afternoon at The Box. He said he asked the Lady Buffs in the locker room to rate their performance, and they gave themselves a 6 out of 10.

"They were right," Skoch said. "But we won. And if we can look that sloppy, and win by that much against a good team, my outlook is that we're going to be really good if we keep working hard."

Much of WT's sloppiness came in the first game, when WT won to 30-28 despite having the first game point at 24-23.

The Lady Buffs (2-0) continue the Lady Buff Classic tonight with a 7 p.m. match with No. 4 Grand Valley State, who watched most of the WT-NSU match from the stands.

Soccer Sweep

2009-08-27T21:50:00.000-05:00

I spent my afternoon watching soccer at West Texas A&M. The Lady Buffs beat New Mexico Highlands 3-0 at the Pitch while the Buffs traveled to Austin and beat St. Edward's 3-0.

The Pitch, in all its glory, has had yet another change. Two seasons ago there was one big bleacher stationed in front of the press box. Last season, chairs lined the sideline opposite the teams. Now WT is back to the bleachers, only this time, it is two small sets split by the press box. Seats aren't as plentiful this season so bring a lawn chair and park in the shade.

While watching the women's game I noticed something that was sorely missing last season, consistency in the attacking game. The Lady Buffs set up their shots and got consistent pressure, the game was never in doubt. On several occasions WT was able to get behind the Highland defenders to get good looks at the goal. If the Lady Buffs look anything like this for the rest of the season, their hope of advancing past the first round of the NCAA Division II tournament will become a reality.

Volleyball rolls to win against UT-Permian Basin

2009-08-27T21:46:00.000-05:00

The No. 5 Lady Buffs looked impressive against UT-Permian Basin on Thursday, sweeping the Lady Falcons in their season and home opener at WT Fieldhouse.

In fact, first-year WT coach Jason Skoch said he thinks it went a little too smoothly, and he was hoping UTPB would push WT a little more as they head into matches with No. 19 Nova (Fla.) Southeastern at 11 a.m. and No. 4 Grand Valley State at 7 p.m.

Senior outside hitter Natalie Johnson led the Lady Buffs in kills with 12, followed by fellow seniors Melissa Harper (MB) with nine and Laura Prinsen (RS) with eight.

Freshmen libero Lauren Beville made her college and WT debut with 10 digs, tied for the team lead with Lauren Thedford and Katie Rickwartz. Rickwartz led the team with 37 assists.

Beeville graduated from Hereford, where she won a Class 4A state title with the Lady Whitefaces. She said that, even playing with the super-competitive Herd, her debut was "nerve-wracking."

WT's Flemming raises questions

2009-08-24T14:47:00.000-05:00

Here's our sports editor's take on WT running back Keithon Flemming's injury, suffered last week in an intrasquad scrimmage:

I attended the West Texas football scrimmage Saturday morning and watched in horror when star running back Keithon Flemming went down with an injury to his elbow.

This arrives just seven days before the Buffs take on No. 1 ranked Grand Valley State in "The Bro" and raises a question. Should the Buffs be hitting at full speed with their best players seven days before their opener?

Of course not.

This is a freak injury, but still you need to at least show up on opening day with your best players. Flemming is proven back. If he was a freshman that's a different story. I don't care if he doesn't take one hit the entire preseason. You need to show up with your best.

And another thing. I was bothered by the fact there wasn't an ambulance sitting near the field. Flemming sat on the field a good 15 minutes before being hauled off. The WT training staff is tremendous.

But no ambulance waiting? RIDICULOUS.

WT volleyball coach: "We're improving"

2009-08-24T14:28:00.000-05:00

New WT volleyball coach Jason Skoch had his first Monday news conference at the Big Texan this afternoon, and he was very candid about how his team looked in their two preseason scrimmages against Eastern New Mexico -- an LSC rival -- and ranked JUCO Frank Phillips College (Borger)/Lubbock Christian.

Skoch didn't hesitate to say that, based on the film he watched because he wasn't there in person, the Lady Buffs were "sloppy" against ENMU and "they just didn't play good."

Part of that sloppiness, he said, were the freshmen he put out there that he expects to see the court this weekend against UT-Permian Basin on Thursday, followed by the Lady Buff Classic Tournament starting Friday with matches against No. 19 NOVA (Fla.) Southeastern and No. 4 Grand Valley State.

"We needed around four (freshmen) to step up, and the first week they didn't look good," Skoch said. "Often freshmen are afraid of stepping on toes, they're not sure of themselves ... they play hesitant."

The good news for WT, though, came the next week agaisnst FPC and Lubbock Christian.

"We pushed them, and we were tough on them, but they responded great," Sckoch said.

Skoch said he expects freshmen Lauren Bevil (libero) and Sophie McBride (defensive specialist) to start this weekend, when he said, "We could win them all."

"They're going to be close matches. But after last weekend (in the scrimmages), I feel more confident we can do it."

New WT quarterbacks coach has high-profile pedigree

2009-08-15T12:21:00.000-05:00

It looks like WT has done well in replacing former QBs coach Ryan Leaf.

Joe Bever (as in 'Leave it to ...') has played and worked for some of the best Division I college coaches in the business. Read more about Bever here at Amarillo.com, or pick up today's copy.

Lady Buffs: New coach is 'intense'

2009-08-12T18:41:00.000-05:00

There's a new sherrif in town, and he's not messing around.

New WT volleyball coach Jason Skoch made his presence felt from Day 1 of spring practices of last year, and all the players seem to agree on one thing. Coach Skoch (that phrase rhymes, and gets more fun to say each time) is an intense dude.

"Yeah, I guess that makes sense," Skoch said Wednesday before their second two-a-day practice. "I would say consistently focused."

Whatever the perception of his coaching style, the players and their coach agree that it's working out so far. All parties are excited about starting the season Thursday, Aug. 27 at home.

We're back

2009-08-10T15:12:00.000-05:00

Just letting everyone know that West Texas A&M sports are about to get back underway, and the Globe-News has you covered. From the nationally-ranked football team to the preseason LSC favorite volleyball team, we'll bring you all the news and notes from the Buffs and Lady Buffs this season.

On Wednesday, I'll be going out to volleyball two-a-days to talk with new coach Jason Skoch (rhymes with coach) and some of the All-American Lady Buffs.

Lady Buffs show mettle in win over UCO

2008-12-04T23:43:00.001-06:00

West Texas A&M passed another test Thursday night.
The Lady Buffs played their second ranked team in as many games and showed they are ready for prime time. Against UCO, in an 86-79 win, the Lady Buffs learned the prime show is 40 minutes, not 30. A 22-point lead was whittled to five with under a minute to go but WT prevailed.
Until WT slacked off, the team played well. The Lady Buffs slowed the Gallopin' Bronchos, who had scored 100 points three times in five games. UCO had 44 points at halftime and had not hit the 60s with 10 minutes to play. That's because WT made the shots harder to fall and guard Courtney Lee kept UCO ballhandlers from moving unabated up the court.
WT has toughed up the last two games. Against physical opponents who like to take it to the hoop, the Lady Buffs have held their ground. And except for three players each missing two successive foul shots, WT has been great at the free throw line.
Those are the kinds of things that help WT win on the road and when the playoffs roll around.

Lady Buffs impressive in early season

2008-12-01T09:38:00.000-06:00

The West Texas A&M Lady Buffs peered into the crystal ball Saturday and got a good look at the postseason.
WT faced Drury in a battle of top-10 Divison II teams. WT has not fared well against teams from the Midwest but stepped up to the challenge with an 80-62 win over the Lady Panthers.
Drury lost by 20 points at No. 2 Washburn before coming to Canyon. The Lady Buffs' margin of victory suggests unbeaten WT deserves its No. 3 national rankings.
WT has a better inside game to go with super scorer Emily Brister. Jamie Dreiling is becoming a force and keep an eye on newcomer Ashley Leven. She's making freshman mistakes, sure, but she's playing without hesitation and the confidence she had as a senior at Amarillo High.
The Lady Buffs are playing good defense and adjusting well on the court. After Drury went back door several times for easy baskets, WT stopped that and forced the Lady Panthers to shoot the 3. Some fell in, most didn't and WT built a lead of more than 20 points.
It's way early yet but the Lady Buffs may be better prepared for a postseason run than in past years with good teams.

New-look Buffs start season fast

2008-12-01T09:27:00.000-06:00

And now on to basketball.
With one starter and a couple of guys who got playing time last season back, most teams would be in a serious rebuilding mode.
But Rick Cooper has gotten his rebuilt West Texas A&M team out of the gate with four wins in five games.
The Buffs got a shot in the arm Saturday with a come-from-behind 77-76 win over a good South Dakota team. WT led only once until going ahead late in the game. USD kept answering Buffs buckets, then took a one-point lead with 14.5 seconds to go. WT scrambled downcourt but somehow got the ball to the open man, Nick Burns, who hit a jump shot with 0.07 seconds to play for the win.
As usual, WT won with a lot of hustle and 3-pointers at the right time. Cooper's teams do that, which is why in his 16th season at WT he's one win away from No. 300. He's averaging right at 20 wins a year. He passed career 450 wins in the Buffs' previous victory.
As players have come and gone, Cooper has been a constant.

Northwest's win over ACU not a shocker

2008-12-01T09:19:00.001-06:00

A surprise, but not a shock.
Many of those who saw Abilene Christian play this season thought the Wildcats could go to the national championship game. Unstoppable offense, good defense, great placekicker.
But this is the playoffs and things are different.
ACU trounced Northwest Missouri by 17 points in Maryville, Mo., in the season opener. The Bearcats were had some holes to fill, most notably at running back, where Xavier Omon left after four 1,000-yard seasons for the NFL. The Wildcats were locked and loaded on offense and the edge went to ACU, which put up 44 points.
ACU scored only 36, its season low in the rematch with the playoff-season Bearcats. This is the team that has played in three straight national title games and won back-to-back championships in the late 1990s, all under coach Mel Tjeerdsma.
The playoff experience likely had a lot to do with Saturday's game in Abilene. Northwest proved to be a team even the Wildcats didn't want to play twice.

Two great offense dominated in Abilene

2008-11-25T08:29:00.000-06:00

The surface of P.E. Shotwell Stadium in Abilene finally in cool enough for another college football game to be played.
Saturday's Division II playoff game between West Texas A&M and Abilene Christian could be called the Lone Star Conference fall track and field championships. More than a half-dozen scoring plays covered at least 50 years.
A total of 1,500 yards and 161 points. Gentlemen, start your calculators.
How does a football team scores 93 points against a good defense?
Let's remember that ACU and WT ranked Nos. 1 and 2 in offense in D-II. On this day, both offenses were at their best and the defenses were defenseless to stop them.
Also, in effort to make something happen, WT players got out of position. Once ACU's Bernard Scott got by the first line of defense, it was clear sailing to the end zone.
WT must improve its playoff defense to get past the second round. But ACU has an offense this year that probably no team in D-II will stop all the way to Florence, Ala.

Two great offenses dominated in Abilene

2008-11-25T08:24:00.000-06:00

The surface of P.E. Shotwell Stadium has cooled enough now that another college football game can be played.

After West Texas A&M and Abilene Christian combined for more than 1,500 yards and 161 points, their Division II playoff game could be called the Lone Star Conference fall track and field meet.