Junior high boys and girls post wins to open Bulldog basketball season

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Bulldog Jackson Montano (5) puts up a jumper late in the third quarter of the Decatur-Thaden junior high basketball contest at Peterson Gym in Decatur Nov. 1. Montano led the Bulldogs with eight points which contributed to a 30-11 victory over the Barnstormers. — Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Bulldog Jackson Montano (5) puts up a jumper late in the third quarter of the Decatur-Thaden junior high basketball contest at Peterson Gym in Decatur Nov. 1. Montano led the Bulldogs with eight points which contributed to a 30-11 victory over the Barnstormers.

DECATUR -- The opening of the high school basketball season is always exciting for fans as the 2021 football season comes to a close. Opening the basketball season for the Decatur Bulldogs were both the junior high boys' and girls' teams. The results favored the Bulldogs for the first games of the 2021 season.

Up first were the junior high girls as the team squared off against the Thaden Lady Barnstormers in the gym at Decatur Middle School on Nov. 1.

Fess Thompson, who returns to the Decatur program after a year coaching in Pine Bluff, took control of the girls' basketball program for the 2021-22 season.

Taking the court for the first girls' contest were Ruby Frye, Annie Janes, Sydnie Brooks, Daisy Fuentes and Heaven McGarrah. Together they built a 3-0 lead with less than two minutes off the clock in the first quarter. Eventually, Thompson worked his other girls onto the court.

The remainder of the junior high Lady Bulldogs include Sunshine Thor, Leslie Hernandez, Sherlin Giron, Shaylee Morales, Prya James, Anna Xiong, Kaylen Cruz, Kacie Wood, Jenecis Batres and Cali Harrington. Together the team built a 24-point lead going into the final two minutes of the third quarter.

A short time later, a Lady Barnstormer was fouled by a Lady Bulldog player, sending Thaden to the line for two. The girl missed her first shot but landed the second for the only point of the game up to that point. The Decatur Lady Bulldogs went on to win the contest 34-1 over the Thaden Lady Barnstormers.

Up next were the junior high boys under the direction of Dayton Shaw. Like the girls in the contest before, the boys put up four points while holding Thaden scoreless for the first four minutes of the first quarter. By the end of the quarter, the junior high boys increased their lead by two while continuing to hold the Barnstormers scoreless going into the next six minutes. By the end of the first half Thaden had yet to score, while the Bulldogs held a 16-point lead.

It was the halfway point of the third quarter before the Barnstormers finally put points on the scoreboard. By the end of the contest, the Decatur Bulldog junior high team posted its first win of the season by defeating the Thaden Barnstormers, 30-11.

This year's junior high Bulldogs consist of John Colorado, Marlon Revolorio, Brandon Cruz, Jackson Montano, Ricky Thor, Israel Thao, Josue Cuceyo, Gio Puga, Allen Medel, Chris Rubi, Jason Bruffett, Jefferson Almengor, Emilio Smith-Gomez and Norman Thompson.

Montano led the way for the Bulldogs with eight points, followed by Cruz and Smith-Gomez, each with four points.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Bulldog Ricky Thor (right) steals the ball out of the hands of a Barnstormer player during the second quarter of the Decatur-Thaden junior high basketball game in Decatur Nov. 1.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Jason Bruffett (Decatur 24) sets up a perfect screen, allowing teammate John Colorado to move in toward the basket during the second quarter of the Decatur-Thaden junior high basketball contest at Peterson Gym in Decatur Nov. 1. The junior high Bulldogs opened the 2021-22 basketball season with a win 30-11.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS After a Barnstormer defender committed a foul, Bulldog Jason Bruffett goes to the foul line and launches the ball at the net during the Decatur-Thaden junior high basketball contest in Decatur Nov.1. The junior high Bulldogs defeated the Barnstormers 30-11 to open the 2021-22 season with their first win.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Lady Bulldog Sherlin Giron corners a Lady Barnstormer who was looking to pass to another teammate during the second quarter of the Decatur-Thaden junior high girls basketball contest at Peterson Gym in Decatur Nov. 1. The Lady Bulldogs posted their first win of the 2021-22 basketball season over the Lady Barnstormers.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Sydnie Brooks (Decatur 1) drives around a Barnstormer player after picking up a rebound during the first quarter of the Decatur-Thaden junior high girls basketball contest at Peterson Gym in Decatur Nov. 1. After clearing the Thaden player, Brooks was able to move the ball across center court line where she passed it on to a teammate.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Lady Bulldog Daisy Fuentes (4) steals the ball away from a Lady Barnstormer during the first quarter of the Nov. 1 Decatur-Thaden junior high girls basketball contest in Decatur. The young Lady Bulldogs defeated the Thaden Lady Barnstormers for the first win of the new season.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS After driving hard downcourt, Lady Bulldog Cali Harrington puts the brakes on as she sets up for a jumper from the top of the key during the Nov. 1 Decatur-Thaden junior high girls game in Decatur. Harrington put up the shot which hit its mark for a Lady Bulldog two point field goal.