County athletes participate in FCA games
By Sam Waller
Eight graduates from Shackelford County high schools enjoyed one last hurrah as high school athletes last week in the Big Country Fellowship of Christian Athletes All-Star Festival.
“Everything went very smoothly,” local FCA representative Paul Johnston said. “The kids and coaches had a lot of fun, but it was extremely hot.”
On Friday, June 10, Albany’s Ana Balliew (softball) and Cooper Fairchild (baseball) played for the North teams in games at San Angelo. On Saturday, June 11, Albany’s Sarah Cotter and Moran’s Johnnie Hise played for the North in the volleyball match at Abilene Wylie with Moran coach Jo Hise on the North coaching staff, while Albany’s Brooks Neece and Bryce Asher squared off on opposite sides in the Myrle Greathouse All-Star Football Classic at Shotwell Stadium. Albany running back Jaheim Newton, who was selected for the football game, did not participate following knee surgery during the spring.
Moran’s Hannah Rogers and Albany’s Savannah Hobbs served as cheerleaders at the Abilene events.
In the softball game, Balliew pitched two shutout innings to close out the North’s 12-3 victory, striking out one, after playing three innings at third base. At the plate, she went 0 for 3, grounding out each time, but moved runners over to help build runs.
In the baseball game, Fairchild played five innings in center field, rotating in under the game’s unlimited substitution rule. The South team won 15-2.
“Cooper had a couple of good catches,” Albany baseball coach David Fairchild said. “He had two at bats and hit one good line drive. It was good weekend for him.”
More important than the on-field result, David Fairchild said, was being able to enjoy the all-star experience.
“Cooper had a good host family, and they had a lot of activities for the kids to do,” the coach said. “We went down for the meal and ceremony on Friday. The FCA did a really good job hosting down in San Angelo for three days, getting all the kids where they needed to be.”
The volleyball match offered one last opportunity for the Hises to take the court together.
“That was a blessed experience to watch those girls play that calibre of ball,” Jo Hise said. “They came together because of their love for the sport, but they were also there because of their love of the Lord. Getting to work with those other five coaches – the other two on the North team and the three on the South team – who are great women of God was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
After splitting a pair of warmup sets, the South won the match in three sets.
“All of those young ladies were able to play all six positions,” Jo Hise said. “They were all very skilled and very talented. It was hard to choose who was going to play which position.”
In the football game, Neece played outside linebacker on the Red team while Asher played defensive line for the Blue team in the Red’s 21-10 victory.
“They did really well,” Lions football coach Denney Faith said. “I was proud of them. Both got to play quite a bit, and I thought they gave a good showing for Albany football.”
