Abilene ISD -

A berth in the Class 5A playoffs is on the line tonight in Eagle Gym when Abilene High hosts Wylie in a District 4-5A clash. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Wylie knocked off the Eagles, 55-52, earlier this month at Bulldog Gym, Abilene High’s only district loss until the Eagles lost Tuesday at Wichita Falls Legacy, 52-35. That win gave Legacy the district lead with a 4-1 record. Wylie is second at 3-1, followed by Abilene High at 3-2 in third, Wichita Falls Memorial at 2-2, and Cooper in fifth at 0-5.

Legacy’s win also gave the Leopards a playoff spot, and the winner of tonight’s game between Abilene High and Wylie will clinch a playoff spot. A win would give one of those teams four wins in the district, and since the best Cooper can do now is 3-5, four wins would be enough to clinch a spot in the playoffs.

After tonight, Abilene High’s last two games of the regular season are at home against Memorial on Friday, Feb. 7, and at Cooper on Tuesday, Feb. 11. Cooper – which will need to win its final three games and get some help from teams above it to reach the playoffs – will play at Wichita Falls Legacy next Tuesday, at Wylie on Friday, Feb. 7, and at home against Abilene High on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Cooper's loss on the girls’ side on Tuesday night at home against Wichita Falls Memorial determined all four playoff spots. The Lady Cougars are 0-7 in district with one game to play, and every other team in the league has at least two wins, eliminating the Lady Coogs.

Wylie leads the district with a record of 6-0, followed by Abilene High in second place at 5-2, Wichita Falls Memorial in third at 3-3, and Wichita Falls Legacy in fourth at 2-4. If Abilene High defeats Wylie on Friday night at Eagle Gym, it would secure at least second place in the district for the Lady Eagles and leave them just half a game behind first place.

After tonight’s Wylie at Abilene doubleheader (both Cooper teams are off), the girls’ season will end next Tuesday with Cooper at Wichita Falls Legacy and Wylie at Wichita Falls Memorial. Abilene High teams are off Tuesday.

Soccer: Teams Nearing Start of District Play
All four soccer teams in Abilene ISD are closing non-district play this week as District 4-5A play starts next Tuesday (Feb. 4).

On the boys’ side, Abilene High and Cooper earned 1-1 ties Tuesday night, with the Eagles playing at Midland High and Cooper hosting Odessa High. Cooper is 5-3-1 on the season and will host Burkburnett tonight, while AHS is 3-3-3 and off.

District 4-5A play will begin Tuesday, Feb. 4, with AHS hosting Wichita Falls Memorial and Cooper playing at Wylie. Next Friday, Cooper and Abilene High will play each other at Shotwell Stadium.

On the girls’ side, Abilene High picked up a big 1-0 win at San Angelo Central on Tuesday, and Cooper beat Lake Worth by the same score at Shotwell Stadium. The Lady Cougars are 6-4-3 overall, and Abilene High is 3-6-0.

Abilene High is at Odessa High and Cooper at Bridgeport tonight in their final non-district matches of the season. AHS will open District 4-5A play on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at Wichita Falls Memorial, and Cooper will play at Wylie. Next Friday, the Lady Eagles and Lady Cougars will play each other at Shotwell Stadium.

In Memoriam: Dub Pierce
Former Abilene High School boys basketball coach James “Dub” Pierce passed away on Jan. 16, 2025, at age 89.

Pierce attended schools in Hobbs, New Mexico, and graduated from Hobbs High School, where he played basketball and baseball. He played for legendary Hobbs HS head coach Ralph Tasker, who was one of his role models. Pierce attended and graduated from Hardin-Simmons University, where he played baseball for the Cowboys, earning three letters. He graduated from HSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1958 and then obtained a Master’s in 1962.

He married Betsy Polk on Jan. 31, 1959, and they would have celebrated 66 years together this year. Together, they raised four children: Mark, Kim, Paige, and Kyle.

Pierce taught and coached for 26 years in public education. He began in 1958-59 in Loraine, Texas, before moving to Abilene. He worked at Dyess and College Heights elementary schools and Mann Junior High before moving to Lincoln Junior High, where he coached and taught for 13 years. While coaching at Lincoln, his teams were city champions in football and basketball numerous times.

In 1975, he moved up to Abilene High, where he was an assistant coach in football and boys’ basketball. He was the assistant basketball coach under James Boynton, who later became the principal at Abilene High, with Pierce serving as an associate principal. Those two coached the Eagles to the Class 4A State Tournament in 1978, where they lost to eventual state runner-up San Antonio Fox Tech in the semifinals. The Eagles finished the season 34-5, led by future Texas Tech and Oklahoma standout David Little.

Pierce later became the head coach of Abilene High and was voted District 4-5A Coach of the Year in 1982, when his team won the district title. After his coaching career ended, he served as the associate principal at AHS and was named Region 14 Outstanding Assistant Principal during his tenure. He retired in 1996.

Professionally, Pierce served on the advisory board of the Texas High School Coaches Association, chaired the North All-Stars selection committee, and was an assistant coach of the North All-Stars. He was also a member of the Texas State Teacher Association and Abilene Retired Teachers. 

After retiring, Pierce enjoyed traveling and driving “Miss Betsy," watching his grandchildren participate in various activities, and going to HSU to watch different sports teams practice.

He also enjoyed the banter and teasing from his fellow coaches and sports enthusiasts at the Athletic Supply Coffee round table, along with a good Larry’s hamburger. For 16 years after retiring, Pierce volunteered at Sam Thomas Elementary, where he helped many young readers hone their skills. A lifelong educator, Pierce would inevitably ask any young person he met about which school they attended.

Pierce and Betsy have been longtime members of First Baptist Church in Abilene. Pierce served as a deacon and, for many years, chaired the hospital visitation team. A leader by example, Pierce visited many First Baptist members and others in the Abilene community.