Maybe Johnny Estelle sounds like a broken record when he talks about how balanced Region XIV basketball is from top to bottom.
His young players have learned in the last week that he’s right.
Navarro has been involved in a pair of two-point games in the last week. The Runnin’ Bulldogs beat then-No. 22 Trinity Valley last Wednesday, 66-64, on Matt Pressey’s 3-pointer in the waning seconds. Navarro had a one-point lead at Paris late in overtime on Saturday and lost, 72-70, for the first conference loss of the season.
Now Navarro (14-2, 4-1) has to be careful Wednesday night against Panola at 7 p.m. at the Wolens Special Events Center.
Panola comes in with 1 -4 conference record, but the Ponies still have an overall winning record at 8-6 and the teams split last year’s season series.
This is no time for relaxation, especially coming off a loss that dropped Navarro from No. 2 to No. 8 in the NJCAA national poll on Tuesday.
“Both teams are trying to start something new,” Estelle said. “I know you probably get tired of how tough the conference is, but it’s true. We can’t let one loss turn into two or three losses.”
Sophomore guard Darian Thibodeaux said Navarro’s freshmen contingent has been sent a message of how competitive things are in Region XIV. If the players needed a reminder, even after Saturday’s overtime loss, they only have to reflect back on Tuesday’s intense hour-long practice.
“Some of the guys thought it was going to be easy,” Thibodeaux said. “It’s a fight every night.”
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Discussion
Runnin’ Bulldogs look for bounce-back game
No. 8 Navarro can’t let down against struggling Panola
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Harvell leaves Mildred, coaching
Ready to move on to another chapter in his professional life, Patrick Harvell has resigned as athletic director and head football coach at Mildred. His five seasons off South Highway 287 can be counted among the school’s best on the football field.
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2A-DII FINAL: Destination point - Little time to think as Mildred readies for state final
When you get this far into the playoffs, you take the bad, with the good. For Mildred coach Patrick Harvell, it’s the number of requests pouring in. When your team is one of 18 left in the state playing, two in your division, you become a hot commodity. “It’s extremely hectic,” Harvell said Monday morning.
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GC Football: Mildred state championship information
Want to make plans to watch the Mildred Eagles play for a state championship Thursday at Cowboys Stadium? Visit the school's website for game details. If you can't make it, you can track the game with us.
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Follow Mildred tonight on Facebook, Twitter
Can't make the trip to Marble Falls? You can follow the Mildred Eagles as they make a bid for the 2A-DII state championship game with the Daily Sun's Sports Facebook and Twitter pages.
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Region II-2A DII SEMIS: Mildred faces red-hot Sonora with chance at school history
For the second straight season, and for only the third time in the school’s history, Mildred will play for a chance to get to the state finals in football. It’s an opportunity coach Patrick Harvell wants his team to understand. Friday, Mildred (12-1) takes on a streaking Sonora team at 7:30 p.m. in Marble Falls. The winner will face the Elysian Fields-East Bernard winner next Thursday at Cowboys Stadium for the Class 2A Division II title.
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Top shelf: Mildred QB Shimonek has put up dizzying career numbers
You can’t pull a four-inch thick book off the shelf, blow the dust off the cover and find it on the pages inside. A comprehensive digital database doesn’t exist to prove it. But there is little doubt when Nic Shimonek walks off the field the last time for the Mildred Eagles, he’ll do so owning every significant career passing record in the history of the Golden Circle.
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Balancing Act: Mildred’s offense keeps on ticking under Braswell
Legos for one child might lead to a castle. Another may take the same blocks and make an airplane. The fun lies in the mixing and matching and building, and a change in play caller at Mildred hasn’t halted results.
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Late-round knockout: Mildred outduels pesky Nocona, 45-35
Patrick Harvell doesn’t know how many kids he’ll have healthy Saturday morning. But he’ll need his trainer to do a yoeman’s effort. The Eagles have another football game to play. Mildred and Nocona went toe-to-toe, but the Eagles scored three of the game’s final four touchdowns after falling behind and limped out of Aledo with a 45-35 Region II-2A Division II championship.
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Angry Birds: Mildred’s front four jelling, excelling
Ultimately, the goal remains to win. But when you’re a defensive lineman, personal aspirations mean something. “I want the tackle across me to hate me, or fear me at the end of the game,” junior defensive end Nic Stone said. That’s a sentiment his teammates up front on Mildred’s defensive line can relate to. They all play with an edge, with a little bit of fury, an anger.
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GC Football: Mildred, Nocona on similar paths in Region II-2A DII finals
Part of Mildred’s success a year ago stemmed from a group of seniors groomed in Patrick Harvell’s program. It was his fourth year at the helm, their fourth year under him, and expectations loomed large. A year later, it’s a similar situation being played out in Nocona.
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