God & Country
Archives for February 2016
Broncos overtake Cyclones on home court
By Sandy Anderberg
Wanting to even the score after a previous loss, the Clarendon Broncos meant business when the Memphis Cyclones came to their gym last Tuesday night. They had a game plan and were able to pull off a big win at 56-42 as their District season nears its end. The Broncos played solid on both ends of the court and turned a first quarter one-point lead into a seven-point lead at the break. Their determination to get the win was more than the Cyclones could handle and after the Broncos found a rhythm, the game was sewn up and the Broncos earned a big win.
“We played really good defense and did a good job getting the ball inside on offense,” coach Brandt Lockhart said.
Junior Ceniceros and Marshal Johnson led the Broncos in double figures with 16 and 15 points respectively. They both grabbed five rebounds each, and Ceniceros had two steals on defense. Colt Wood put in nine points and had four assists, and Chesson Sims added seven points. Chance Lockhart had five, Keandre Cortez three, and Bryce Grahn two.
The Broncos knew Friday night’s game with Shamrock would be a tough one and they went at the Irish focused and determined. But the Broncos came up short and took a 47-53 loss. The Broncos trailed for the majority of the game, but were never out of it. The undefeated Irish led by as many as 13 points after the third quarter, but the Broncos never quit and hustled their way back to within less than 4 points at one point. Shamrock was able to hit one more three-pointer than the Broncos, but both teams shot 71 percent from the bonus line.
“We had too many turnovers on offense and you cannot do that against a good team,” Lockhart said. “We did a great job of coming back in the fourth quarter and got within four points.”
Lockhart pumped in 15 points and added seven rebounds and five assists. Ceniceros had 11 points, and Grahn finished with eight points and four rebounds and five assists. Johnson had five points and three steals, and Wood had four points. Keandre Cortez had three points, and Sims added one.
The Broncos will travel to Quanah Friday, February 12, and finish their district season at home on Tuesday, February 16, against Wheeler.
Butler’s layup gives win to Ladies
By Sandy Anderberg
The Lady Broncos had already defeated Shamrock in the first round of district and was looking to make it 2-0 against the Lady Irish last Friday night. After a hard-fought game, the Lady Broncos’ Brianna Butler put in a nice layup with just ticks on the clock for the 41-40 win. Shamrock’s attempt to win the game failed, and the Lady Broncos took the one-point win.
The first eight minutes belonged to the Lady Irish as they held a four-point advantage going into the second quarter. But Clarendon stormed back to go up by one at the break with solid play. The Lady Broncos shot 75 percent in the first half from the bonus line and that proved to be the difference in the end.
Both Jensen Hatley and Emily Johnson were perfect from the free throw line at five out of five in the first half.
The scoring stayed all square until the final buzzer with both teams scoring 21 points each in the second half and the margin staying at one in the Lady Broncos’ favor. Butler finished with 14 points, and Berkeley Alexander helped with 10. Shaelyn Owiti put in seven, Hatley and Hannah Hommel three each, Hannah Howard and Johnson with two each.
Earlier in the week, the Lady Broncos hosted Memphis; and despite playing a tough game, the Ladies lost 42-54.
Clarendon held a nine-point lead at the break and seemed to have control of the game. But a cold-shooting fourth quarter left the girls fighting to get the lead, and foul trouble hindered their comeback attempt. The Lady Cyclones were able to make 14 out of 22 free throws in the second half, which proved to be the difference in the game. Owiti hit four three-pointers for 12 points, and Butler added 10. Sandrea Smith and Briley Chadwick each had five, and Alexander put in four. Hatley had three, Howard two, and Johnson one.
Gloria Indgrid Nelson
Gloria Indgrid Nelson, 78, passed away Saturday, January 30, 2016, from congestive heart failure and double pneumonia.
Gloria was born to Berna and Earl Olson, in Gonvick, Minnesota on November 21, 1937, she had 4 sisters, and 2 brothers. She moved to Phoenix, Ariz. during her childhood. She was married to Harold Belk, Sr., widowed in ’56, married Joseph Moody, then John T. Nelson. She settled in San Diego, California where she raised 3 children, and most of their friends at various times. She worked as a cashier for 35 years. She moved to Clarendon in 2006.
She loved family, friends, and never met a stranger. She was extremely passionate in all aspects of life, Gloria had more than just a flair for life.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Laura (Jeannie) and John Molder of Clarendon, her granddaughter, Erin Belk, of San Diego, a grandson and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Donna Belk, of San Diego, granddaughter Amy Belk of Yuma, Ariz., sisters Yvonne Norks, of Alaska, Carmen Whitten, of Camp Verde, Ariz., Sandee and Husband Bob Buescher of Phoenix, Ariz., sister-in-law, Dee Olson, of Camp Verde, Ariz., 5 great grandchildren, serval cousins, nieces, nephews, step-children step-grandchildren, and many who consider her as “mom’, or “grandma”.
There will be a “Celebration of Life/Reception” for her Clarendon friends and family at the VFW Hall where she was a member of the Auxiliary Post 7782, on Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. Another is scheduled on April 16, 2016, in Camp Verde, Ariz., for her family and friends out West.
Jerry Leland Behrens
Jerry Leland Behrens 76, died on February 4, 2016, in Lubbock.
Memorial services will be at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 11, 2016, at the First Baptist Church of Canyon with Curtis House, minister of Harvest Christian Fellowship of Amarillo, and Pastor William Fifer, pastor of Holy Trinity Church of God and Christ in Amarillo, officiating. Graveside service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday at Dreamland Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 10, 2016, at Brooks Chapel in Canyon.
He was born on January 6, 1940, in Hedley to Truett and Thelma Pierce Behrens. He attended Clarendon Public Schools where he excelled in all sports and graduated in 1958. He was selected as a senior to play in the All Star Greenbelt Bowl in Childress and the City Slickers vs the Sodbusters All Star game at Price College in Amarillo. He received a football scholarship to West Texas State College where he played from 1958 to 1962 during the Joe Kerbel era. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from West Texas State College in 1962 and his Master of Education degree in 1965. Jerry married his college sweetheart, Delores Bohannon, in Childress on June 22, 1963. He began his coaching career in Amarillo at Crockett Jr. High School and then Tascosa High School. From 1964 to 1971 he coached at Odessa Permian High School, where he was on the coaching staff that led the Permian Panthers to a state championship title in 1965. Jerry then moved back to Canyon and coached at West Texas State University from 1971 to 1977. He was inducted into the West Texas State University Hall of Champions in 1989. He was selected to coach the All Star Greenbelt Bowl game in Childress in 1985 and also coached the Texas High School Coaches Association All Star Game. After coaching, Jerry began his career at Herff Jones, where he received the Pinnacle Club Achievement Award, and continued there until retirement. He was a member of the Panhandle Selection Committee for the Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Canyon.
Jerry loved coaching and coached many AAU and Kids Inc. football, basketball, baseball, and track teams. He was also the official starter at many track meets throughout the Panhandle. He was an avid supporter of all WT sporting events, and was a member of the T Club and the WT Buffalo Club. He enjoyed golf and entering his 1954 Chevy truck in parades. Jerry loved people and never met a stranger. He was a friend to everyone, a mentor to many, and will be remembered for his generosity and kindness. He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Delores; his son, Phil Behrens and wife, Stephanie, of Goldthwaite; his daughter, Jara DuBose and husband, Bill, of Abernathy; nine grandchildren, Brock, Brylee, Brandt, Brette Kaite, Briar Tru, and Brecken Behrens, and Kalli, Khaki, and Kodi Belle DuBose; a sister, Elaine Marshall, of Amarillo; his grandchildren in love, McKayla, and McKall, Morton, and his namesake, Behren Morton.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials go to the WTAMU Foundation, Jerry Behrens Memorial Scholarship, WTAMU Box 60766, Canyon, TX 79016.
Dickey Library to host authors this Sunday
Behind every book is a hardworking author, but rarely do readers have the opportunity to meet the people behind the pages. Booklovers will have the opportunity to meet five such writers on Sunday afternoon during a “Meet the Authors” event at Clarendon College.
Clarendon locals Bethany Claire and Lisa Bilbrey will be joined by fellow Texans Jodi Thomas, Linda Broday and Val Conrad for author presentations, question & answer sessions, and book signings Sunday, February 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Vera Dial Dickey Library in Clarendon.
Bethany Claire is the USA Today Bestselling Author of the Scottish time travel romance novels in Morna’s Legacy Series. She has a love for storytelling and has devoted herself to writing full-time.
Lisa Bilbrey, an assistant in the Clarendon College library, enjoys writing so much that she spends a large portion of everyday writing. Her works include Life’s Unexpected Gifts, A Season of Change, and The Apartment.
With millions of books in print, Jodi Thomas is both a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over 40 novels and 13 short stories that travel through past and present day Texas.
In 2006, Thomas was inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame, and has won numerous awards for her works. She is currently Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon.
Also a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Linda Broday write historical western romance. She lives in the Texas Panhandle, and her books include Texas Mail Order Bride, Twice a Texas Bride, Forever His Texas Bride.
Valerie Conrad is an instructor in the Associate Degree of Nursing program at Clarendon College, but writing is always on her task list. She weaves medicine in with suspense in her writing, and her works include Blood of Like Souls, Tears of Like Souls, and Promises of Like Souls.
Clarendon hosts TML meeting
More than 140 people attended when the City of Clarendon hosted the Region 2 Texas Municipal League meeting in Amarillo last Thursday evening, January 28, at the Civic Center Grand Plaza.
Several cities from the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle were represented by mayors, city council members, and other city employees, and staff of the Panhandle Regional Planning Commission also attended.
The stage was set for Clarendon’s Western heritage theme as the Chuckwagon from the Bar H Dude Ranch parked near the registration desk as guests entered.
Tables at the event were dressed with boots from Cornell’s Country Store embellished with greenery from Country Bloomers.
Danny Mullins warmed up the crowd with musical selections during the hospitality hour, and Jo Shaller opened the program with several pieces of cowboy poetry.
Following remarks from incoming TML president Mary Dennis, Mayor of Live Oak, Clarendon Mayor Larry Hicks introduced the many representatives Clarendon had at the event.
Clarendon College’s Ashlee Estlack delivered the keynote on the topic of Branding Your City for Success. Estlack has been in charge of marketing for CC for ten years and created the logos and branding guidelines for both the college and the city. She also has developed brochures and other marketing material for the city, the Mulkey Theatre, and local businesses. Her program emphasized a unified approach to branding through the consistency of logos, appearance, and messaging.
Afterwards, city officials handed out several door prizes that had been donated for the cause by Clarendon merchants.
Spearman Mayor Brian Gillispie presided over the evening’s program. The next TML Region 2 meeting will be in Canyon this April.
Texas Municipal League provides services to Texas cities with the mission of serving the needs and advocating the interests of its members. Membership in the League is voluntary and is open to any city in Texas. Currently, 1,148 cities are members of TML.
Chamber banquet tickets now on sale
Tickets are on sale for the 2016 Clarendon Chamber Awards Banquet next Thursday, February 11, with Texas humorist Tumbleweed Smith as the headline entertainment.
The awards to be given that night will be the Saints’ Roost Award, Business of the Year, the Man and Woman of the Year, and outstanding youth from Clarendon and Hedley.
This year’s Chamber event with a Mardi Gras theme will begin at 6 p.m. with a hospitality and hors d’oeuvres along with a silent auction followed by the banquet, entertainment, and awards at 7 p.m.
Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance at the Visitor Center located inside Mulkey Theatre. Businesses are also invited to purchase blocks of tickets by sponsoring tables at the event.
For more information, contact Chamber Manager Bonnie Campbell at the Clarendon Visitor Center at 874-2421.
Local case is among pleas heard Jan. 28
A Donley County case was one of four pleas that were heard by the District Court when it met in Childress on Thursday, January 28.
District Attorney Luke Inman, assisted by Greg Buckley, prosecuted the cases for the State of Texas, with the Honorable Judge Stuart Messer presiding.
Jesus Serrano-Perez was placed on probation for a period of three years for the third degree felony offense of evading arrest in a motor vehicle. Serrano-Perez was indicted on January 25 by the Donley County Grand Jury.
Serrano-Perez, 36 from Cleveland, Tex., was arrested in Donley County for the offense that took place on September 20, 2015 by DPS Trooper Justin Dillman.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Serrano-Perez is required to pay a $3,000 fine to Donley County, $488 in court costs, complete 200 hours of community service, and a $500 transfer fee. If Serrano-Perez violates probation, he could face up to ten years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.
Shelly Renae Southerland, 33 from Wellington, pleaded true to allegations listed in the State’s Motion to Adjudicate and was sentenced to 18 months in the State Jail Division of TDCJ for the state jail felony offense of possession of a controlled substance.
On November 2, 2015, Southerland originally pleaded to the charges from the October 6, 2015, offense in Collingsworth County, when he was arrested by Collingsworth County Deputy Billy Doss. The State filed the motion to adjudicate on December 22, 2015, alleging four violations of community supervision.
Southerland is also required to pay $376 in court costs to Collingsworth County, a $1,000 fine, and $180 restitution.
Bryson Thomas McElroy was placed on probation for a period of three years for the third degree felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. McElroy plead to an information filed by the State on January 27, 2016, and was placed on deferred adjudication.
McElroy, 20 from Delwin, FL, was arrested in Childress County for the offense on August 10, 2014, by Childress Police Department Sergeant Jerrald Johnson. If McElroy violates probation, he could face up to ten years in the Institutional Division of the TDCJ.
Flavio Estrada was placed on probation for two years for the state jail felony offense of possession of a controlled substance. Estrada pleaded guilty and was placed on deferred adjudication for the offense.
Estrada, 34 from Amarillo, was arrested in Childress County for the offense on July 14, 2015 by Todd Gambol. Estrada plead to an information filed by the State on September 3. If Estrada violates probation, he could face up to two years in the State Jail Division of the TDCJ.
CHS competes in UIL contest
Students at Clarendon High School recently competed in a UIL academic meet, and several came away with medals.
The Current Issues & Events team of Caleb Cobb, Emilie Thompson, Noab Elam, Cooper Bilbrey, Alex Bilbrey, Preston Elam, and Josh Cobb placed 1st in the meet, with Caleb Cobb placing 3rd as an individual and Emilie Thompson placing 5th.
The Science team also placed first as a team among competing schools. Chesson Sims placed 1st overall and 1st in Chemistry, with Hannah Howard placing 2nd overall & 2nd in Chemistry. Aubryanna Powell, Grayson Burch, and Bryce Grahn completed the team.
The Social Studies team placed 3rd, led by Caleb Cobb, who won the meet, & Emilie Thompson who finished 4th.
The Mathematics team was 3rd overall, with Cire Jauregui leading the way, finishing at 5th place as an individual. Chance Lockhart and Marshal Johnson completed that team.
Other competing schools included Dalhart, West Texas High, Fritch, Borger, Gruver, Canadian, Vega, Dumas, and Hartley.
The next academic competition for CHS students is Saturday, February 13, at Canadian. District competition is in March after Spring Break.
Reader Comments