Bushland head coach Jason Culpepper celebrates after getting his 700th career win Saturday. [Ben Jenkins/ Press Pass Sports]
Bushland’s Jason Culpepper achieved a special milestone during his Lady Falcons thumping of Littlefield, 25-9, 25-15, 25-6, in a Class 3A area round matchup Saturday at Hereford.
While the match was nothing to write home about, the significance was. Culpepper earned milestone win No. 700 of his illustrious coaching career putting him third all-time among Texas Panhandle coaches.
“This means I’ve been around a lot of great players,” Culpepper said. “When you’re a coach you just want to get better everyday. All the teams, and players that I’ve been with has made it so much fun. It was also special to win it here in Hereford. I started my career here as an assistant her for a legendary coach in Brenda Kitten.”
Culpepper is now 700-167 all-time in 21 years with stops at Dalhart, Randall and Bushland. Culpepper also has two UIL state championships under his belt. He won it at Randall in 2009, and last season with the Lady Falcons.
Culpepper trails only former Amarillo High coach Jan Barker (1,116 wins) and former Dumas coach, Jack Wilson (713) for the most victories in the Texas Panhandle.
As for the game against Littlefield, Jaycee Adams finished with 16 digs and six aces. Abby Howell and Emma Troxell combined for 19 kills.
Bushland has now won 10 straight playoff games dating back to last season improving to 31-4 overall.
District 4-4A continues to flex
Hereford, Dumas, Canyon, and Pampa are proving that District 4-4A is in the mix of one of the best districts in the state at any level.
After sweeping the bi-district round earlier in the week, the four teams put on another display on Thursday and Saturday by going a perfect 4-0.
Hereford dominated Monahans, 25-9, 25-12, 25-17, in its area round contest, Dumas beat Pecos in four sets, 25-23, 21-25, 25-10, 25-14.
Canyon rallied in a five-set thriller to get past 18-25, 25-23, 20-25, 26-24, 15-11.
Then Pampa took down its second straight district champion downing Seminole, 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23.
The stage is now set for an all District 4-4A regional quarterfinal. Dumas (34-12) will play Canyon (19-22) at 6:30 p.m. at the Tascosa Activity Center on Monday. The Demonettes swept the season series from the Lady Eagles.
The No. 2-ranked Lady Whitefaces (45-2) take on Pampa (24-16) at 6 p.m. Monday at River Road
Hereford swept the Lady Harvesters in the regular season.
AHS, Randall both cruise
Amarillo High and Randall both rolled to the Class 5A regional quarterfinals.
The Lady Sandies swept El Paso Hanks in the Class 5A area round Thursday, 27-25, 25-13, 25-9.
Currie Marusak tallied 19 kills, while teammate Jo Moffitt added 35 assists and six blocks with six digs.
AHS is now 34-11 overall, and will battle District 4-5A champion Lubbock-Cooper in the regional quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Dimmitt.
Randall made quick work of El Paso El Dorado thanks to a 25-14, 25-15, 25-14, sweep.
Paris Patterson and Jordyn Gove combined for 31 kills, and 31 assists in the victory.
The Lady Raiders (28-14) advance to face the Abilene Wylie-El Paso Burgess winner in the regional quarterfinals.
Area round scores
Class 5A
Amarillo High def. El Paso Hanks 27-25, 25-13, 25-9
AHS— Kills: Currie Marusak 19, Brielle Worley 11; Blocks: Jo Moffitt 6, Addison McLain 2; Digs: Worley 8, Moffitt 6; Assists: Moffitt 35; Aces: Worley 2, McLain 2;
Records: AHS 34-11; Hanks 25-15.
Randall def. El Paso El Dorado 25-14, 25-15, 25-14
Randall— Kills: Paris Patterson 17, Jordyn Gove 14; Blocks: Julia Woolsey 2, Patterson 1; Digs: Gove 21, Patterson 13; Assists: Zenaida Murillo 19, Maretta Ramirez 17; Aces: Patterson 3, Taylor Irving 2.
Records: Randall 28-14; El Paso El Dorado 18-17.
Class 4A
Dumas def. Pecos 25-23, 21-25, 25-10, 25-14
Dumas— Kills: Abree Elsheimer 17, Brooklyn Sianez 13; Blocks: Sheda Madit 5.5, Brenley Rodriguez 5; Digs:Jazzy Ortiz 23, Elsheimer 13; Assists: Halie Coon 28, Karyme Castillo 21
Aces: Ortiz 2, Elsheimer 2.
Records: Dumas 34-12; Pecos 11-18.
Canyon def. Midland Greenwood 18-25, 25-23, 20-25, 26-24, 15-11
Canyon— Kills: Ava Haugen 15, Sydnee Winfrey 10; Blocks: Winfrey 5, Brooklyn Simmons 3; Digs: Maclin Culwell 22, Madi Lewis 20; Assists: Ryne Roden 42; Aces: Haugen 2, Camden Kraai 2.
Records: Canyon 19-22; Greenwood 37-8.
Hereford def. Monahans 25-9, 25-12, 25-17
Hereford— Kills: Taytum Stow 14, Camryn Blair 10, Nickilah Whatley 10; Blocks: Stow 2, Whatley 2; Digs: Bonnie Vallejo 18, Miranda Acosta 15; Assists: London Baker 23, Micah Palacios 15; Aces: Palacios 2.
Records: Hereford 45-2; Monahans 18-23.
Pampa def. Seminole 23-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-23
Pampa— Kills: Mikalie Floyd 28, Mazi Smith 9; Blocks: Smith 4, Hawthorne 1; Digs: Haley Fossett 25, Floyd 19; Assists: Maecie Hawthorne 41; Aces: Valeri Anguiano 2, Smith 2
Records: Pampa 24-16; Seminole 20-14.
Class 3A
Bushland def. Littlefield 25-9, 25-15, 25-6
Bushland— Kills: Abby Howell 11, Emma Troxell 8; Blocks: Madyson Ebberly 2; Digs: Jaycee Adams 16, Jada Permenter 7; Assists: Millie Maupin 20, Logan Culpepper 12; Aces: Adams 6, Culpepper 4.
Records: Bushland 31-4; Littlefield 22-17.
Highland Park def. Friona 25-13, 25-11, 25-8
HP— Kills: Nevaeh Rodriquez 11, Kendalyn Kosechata 7; Blocks: Melanie Koval 4, Kyra Courtemanche 4; Digs: Kierra Kosechata 8, Kendalyn Kosechata 8; Assists: Mercedes Harton; Aces: Kendalyn Kosechata 3, Rodriquez 3, Braylee Lewis 2, Harton 2.
Records: Highland Park 26-12; Friona 10-26.
Class 2A
Sanford-Fritch def. Forsan 25-13, 25-10, 25-11
SF— Kills: Bella Price 15, Avery Conner 6; Blocks: Price 8, Conner 3; Assists: Kinley Roberts 9.
Records: Fritch 20-11.
West Texas High def. Fort Hancock 25-13, 20-25, 17-25, 26-24, 15-12
Records: WT High 17-15; Fort Hancock 7-10.
Class 1A
Miami def. Marfa 25-21, 25-17, 25-12
Miami—Kills: Mercedes Hartwig 13 Elizabeth Gorecki 10; Blocks: Hartwig 2; Digs: Abby Skidmore 12, Gorecki 12; Assists: Haley Hurst 26; Aces: Cheyenne DeMeritt 6, Bella-Lynn Calvert 3.
Records: Miami 28-8; Marfa 5-9.
Wildorado def. Fort Davis 25-23, 25-22, 25-23
Wildorado— Kills: Makenna Byrd 10, Kndall Ragland 8; Blocks: Brooke Trayler 2; Digs: Jovi Perkins 22; Assists: Giselle Esparza 17 Reyna Segovia 13; Aces: Sonell Van Wyk 3.
Records: Wildorado 30-13; vs. Fort Davis 30-9.