Roll over
This Week
Go Bronchos!
Hooting for the Broncos
Next stop: Austin
Now, it all comes down to two games. The two most important games of the season await the Bronco team in Austin beginning Thursday.
The Clarendon Broncos suffered through a 41-year dry spell from the state basketball tournament, but broke new ground with a dominating team and a great coaching staff.
The last appearance at state by Clarendon’s basketball team happened in 1970 when the Bronchos played for the state title but were defeated by Kennard. Several present Clarendon residents were part of that team. The Bronchos also made the state tournament the previous year but were defeated in the semi-final game. The 1968 team qualified for the Regional tournament but was unable to move on.
But this 2011 team is ready to make basketball history and is determined to bring home the gold.
The Broncos were named Regional Champions by stomping the White Deer Bucks on Saturday in the final game of the Regional Tournament.
The 67-52 win over the Bucks followed a close 47-40 win over Farwell on Friday. There was no question as to who was the dominant team in the Regional Finals game as the Broncos went on a scoring frenzy in the first quarter to set the tone for the game.
After White Deer posted four points to begin the game, the Broncos took control and scored 14 straight points with about two minutes left in the quarter. They quickly upped that point spread to 13 at the end of one. Things just got better in the next period as the Broncos made good on several White Deer turnovers and led by 20 at the break. All in all, the Bronco pressure defense caused 35 White Deer turnovers, which converted into 33 points for the Broncos.
The Broncos were able to coast in the second half of play, but they never lost their intensity and determination to win. Johnny Gaines put in 22 points, Chris Crump added 12, and Mike Crump had 10 to lead the Broncos. Brayden Phillips had eight, Cole Ward put in seven, and Justin Shillings had seven.
Surrounded by new displays of gold in his office, first year Bronco coach Brandt Lockhart was sporting a huge grin on his face as he commented on the games.
“Our kids played great,” Lockhart said. “They were ready to go.”
And go they did. The Broncos out-hustled, out-played, and out-lasted the Bucks making the game look simple, as they never missed a beat on either end of the court. But it was the intense defense that set the tone for the lopsided game.
“We hurt them a lot with our pressure defense,” Lockhart said. “We caused a lot of turnovers and were able to score from them. They have worked so hard and they deserve this.”
On Friday, the Broncos stayed the course against Farwell in a back and forth game that was close to the end. Twelve clutch free throws in the final two minutes of the game by the Broncos gave them the edge they needed in the highly contested game.
Last Wednesday, the Broncos closed out Gruver 55-50 to earn a spot in the Regional Tournament. In the Farwell game, Gaines had 19 and Phillips scored 15; and in the Gruver game, Gaines scored 25, while Phillips added 14.
The Broncos will face off against Tenaha in the semi-final round of the state tournament at 8:30 a.m. Thursday morning in Austin at the Frank Erwen Center; and if victorious, they will play the winner of Eula and Evadale on Saturday morning also at 8:30 a.m.
Tenaha is 27-9 going into the tournament and is ranked 24th. They defeated two top five teams on their way to the state tournament by one point in each game.
The Broncos are at 24-6 and have been ranked number one all season. They are determined to hang on to that ranking for the duration and have the ability to do so.
“Tenaha is not tall, but they are quick,” Lockhart said.
The Broncos are quick as well and are in a great place to take it all the way. They are, like Coach Lockhart said, “ready to go.”
CISD will be closed for state tourney
Due to the Clarendon High School Bronco basketball team advancing to the state championship, school will release at 12:30 on Wednesday and close on Thursday and Friday in order to give everyone the opportunity to travel to Austin and support the Broncos.
These days will have to be made up on April 9 with Saturday school from 8:30-12:30; April 22 due to the closing in February caused from bad weather; and May 2 will make up the final day.
“It will all be worth it when the Broncos return with that state championship trophy,” high school principal Larry Jeffers said. “Go Broncos!”
Government coming after salt shakers
If you needed an example of why the federal government has grown too big and too intrusive, a perfect one was handed to you recently when the nannies in Washington announced the newest target for their wrath – Salt.
Those of you who keep up with the interference of the Food Nazis were not surprised by this since the subject has come up before. Nonetheless, the severity of their
recommendations caught even your humble editor off guard.
With its boundless knowledge and wisdom, the government now says that certain groups, including people over 51, African-Americans, diabetics, and others totaling half the US population should limit themselves to only half a teaspoon of salt per day, and the rest of us should keep it to only one teaspoon.
Salt is in food for the same reason it has always been in food – it tastes good. It also serves as a preservative and has for millennia. But besides that, it tastes good; it’s a
natural flavor enhancer.
The powers that be know this, but they still are mustering on. Even the Institute of Medicine says, according to one report, “it could take years for consumers to get used to the taste of a lower-salt diet.”
I personally don’t want to get used to bland, nasty food. Pass the salt and stay the heck out of my kitchen.
So why is this important to the government? Why do they care? Well for much the same reason as they would love to ban soft drinks and Happy Meals at McDonald’s – because it’s bad for us. Read the words of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who ties salt to the alleged fat crisis America is having:
“If we fail to get our arms around the obesity epidemic, especially in our children, we’re going to see a significant increase in health care costs over time.”
It’s always about the children.
To accomplish their goals, the government will target Big Food and try to twist corporate arms before getting really nasty. An article on FoxNews.com says: “The Food and Drug Administration has said it will pressure companies to take voluntary action before it moves to regulate salt intake.”
Like so many good government intentions, Secretary Vilsack claims that the new salt guidelines are aimed at preventing higher health care costs, but the secretary clearly is misinformed. President Obama and the Imperial Congress not long ago health care costs under control with last year’s big reform bill. Health care costs are going to go down, and it will soon be practically free. That’s what we were told, right? How could health care costs possibly be going up, unless of course they lied to us and really just wanted
to control every aspect of our existence? But I digress….
It is safe to say unequivocally that if our Founding Fathers had ever thought that the United States government would aim to regulate salt intake, they would have torn up the Declaration of Independence and surrendered to the British.
Congress needs to intervene in this mess before it gets too carried away and stop Agriculture Department and the Food & Drug Administration from implementing these guidelines. Besides, one would think the government has enough on its plate to ever worry about how much salt is on ours.
A tip of the hat…
Congratulations to our Clarendon Broncos for the amazing performance at the regional tournament and making the entire community proud of them. A trip to the state tournament has been a longtime coming, and everyone is excited about the game this week.
Even our neighbors in Hedley have gotten into the spirit of things. When the boys left Tuesday, the Hedley school gathered along US 287, sporting Bronco signs (the size of school buses) and several maroon T-shirts to help cheer their fellow Donley County folks on to victory. My favorite Hedley sign was for the “Bronchos” with green quotation marks around the H. Now that’s clever.
Good luck, guys! We know you’ll do us proud in Austin, and your hometown paper will be there for the action.
And speaking of Austin…
Check out the ad from the Clarendon College Foundation on page eight detailing the economic impact CC has on our area. Clearly, we all depend on the college, and any cut in state funds is going to have a negative impact on our community. Supporters of Clarendon College and our public schools need to make sure our elected representatives know that we want to preserve as much funding as possible for those institutions.
So while you’re in Austin this week and don’t have anything to do on Thursday afternoon or all day Friday because your sticking around for that championship game, pop by the State Capitol and say “hello” to Rep. Warren Chisum and Sen. Robert Duncan and just let them know that you appreciate them and that you support funding for the college and our schools. Capitol employees will gladly direct you to their offices, and your few minutes could make a big impact on our community.
Jean Baten
Jean Baten, 84, died March 4, 2011, in Lubbock.
Services were will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, March 10, in Robertson Funeral Directors Saints’ Roost Chapel in Clarendon with Rev. Bob Fagan, Pastor of Memorial Baptist Church in Lubbock, and Rev. Wayne Richardson, Pastor of Lighthouse Pentecostal Church in Del Rio, officiating. Interment will be at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Mrs. Baten was born March 18, 1926, in Hall County, Texas, to William Edward and Emma Melissa Moore Gregory. She married Barney Mack Baten on December 23, 1944, in Clarendon.
Jean worked as a Business Office Supervisor for GTE Telephone Company where she retired after 28 ½ years of service. She was a former member of E.S.A. – Beta Tay Chapter, member of Memphis Trail Riders and the Clarendon Ladies Golf Association, and was active with the Donley County Senior Citizens Association serving as Director for several years. She was a member and attended the First Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Barney Mack Baten on May 22, 1988; her twin sister, Lora Dean in 1935; her brother, Weldon Gregory; her sister, Margie Duggins; and her long time friend, Roy Chauveaux.
Survivors include her daughter, LaQuitta Jean Perry and husband John, of Lubbock; her sister, Jaunita Meador, of California; her sister-in-law, Barnetta Perdue, of Amarillo; two grandchildren, Ben Perry and wife Vanessa, of Dewey, AZ, and Lauri Perry, of Amarillo; five great-grandchildren, Drew, Cody, Becca, Amy, and Myla Perry, all of Dewey, AZ; “adopted” granddaughter, Jane Howk, of Amarillo; and two “adopted” great grandchildren, Grant and Kate Howk, of Amarillo.
The family suggests memorials to the Donley County Senior Citizens, PO Drawer B, Clarendon, Texas 79226 or to one’s favorite charity.
Bennie Herschel Clay
Bennie Herschel Clay, 94, died Wednesday, March 2, 2011, in Lubbock.
Services were held Sunday, March 6, in Robertson Funeral Directors Saints Roost Chapel in Clarendon with Rev. Darrell Burton, officiating. Interment was held at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon. Arrangements were under the direction of Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Mr. Clay was born August 18, 1916 in Waxahachie to Dave and Mary Elizabeth Hammonds Clay. He married Nina Ruth Porter on September 7, 1949 in Post. He was a avid hunter and fisherman and while in his youth, he enjoyed playing baseball. He was a Mason and a Baptist.
He was preceded in death by his wife on September 11, 1989; his parents; and several brothers and sisters.
Survivors include a son, Herschel Wayne Clay of Midlothian; a daughter, Mary Ann Hickman of Lubbock; and three grandchildren.
The family suggests memorials be to the Whisperwood Nursing Home Activities Fund c/o Activity Director, 5502 West 4th, Lubbock, Texas 79416.
Spell it out
Video: Broncos take down Bucks
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbJRxOt0JAw
Watch the Clarendon Broncos in action against the White Deer Bucks!
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