Honoring those who served
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Halsey competes at state
Bell receives state coaching recognition
By Sandy Anderberg
Clarendon High School’s Kasey Bell has been honored for her work as the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Assistant Coach of the Year for the 2023-2024 season.
Bell, who is the Junior Varsity Lady Bronco coach, was nominated by Lady Bronco head coach Korey Conkin and received her award last weekend.
The TABC is a part of Texas Basketball Coaches and has strived to see the sport attain the recognition that other states enjoyed. Since its beginning in 1975, the TABC has focused on boys’ basketball, but five years later introduced the association to girls coaches as well. The group is responsible for increasing media attention throughout the state for many years.
Bell has been employed at Clarendon ISD since 2001 as an Elementary Physical Education Teacher and began her coaching career in 2002. According to Bell, she has worked with many good coaches at CISD and has been Conkin’s assistant for eight years.
“I have coached with wonderful head coaches over the years, and the last eight years getting to work with a friend and such a talented coach in Korey is a blessing,” Bell said.
While in her junior varsity coaching position, Bell has recorded a remarkable 378 wins to 94 losses. Conkin noted that in her eight years working with Bell, she never had a season with under 16 wins.
“Her JV ‘Dynasty’ has been 2-2A District Champs the past two years and outscored their opponents 1,172-376 in the ‘22-’23 season with an impressive 22-2 record,” Conkin said. “Her ‘23-’24 season was just as successful and she led her team to a 16-3 record while outscoring her opponents, 962-246.
“Her amazing coaching abilities were definitely showcased when her team came up victorious against 5A Amarillo High JV in an overtime game where the team had two of six girls foul out and finished with four players on the court. Pure joy for her team was the feeling after that big win.”
Bell has a huge knowledge of basketball as she played her high school years at Motley County with a lot of success and continued her career at Clarendon College where her teammate was none other than Conkin, who was raised in Clarendon. They were able to begin a friendship that would result in successes as players and coaches.
“Any Clarendon head coach from 2001 would surely agree that she is class, knowledge, passion, support, discipline, fun, and dedication all wrapped up into one,” Conkin said. “Her ability to shine her light in many aspects of life, amongst these Clarendon kids is priceless. To have known her all these years, to have a true friend in her, and to have her stand beside me on and off the court has been one of my greatest life blessings. Any Lady Bronco would be sure to say the same. We love our Coach Bell, and she is the perfect candidate to represent all amazing assistant coaches by receiving this award.”
“I am extremely blessed to have received this award,” Bell said. “I couldn’t do this job without my amazing family always helping me out. My record of 378 wins to 94 losses is a testament of the wonderful and talented young ladies that have come through this program in my 22 years (at CISD).”
Bell plans to continue teaching and coaching in Clarendon where she lives her two boys, Kyler and Brance, and her husband, Jackie.
Ropes ends Broncos’ playoff run
By Sandy Anderberg
The Clarendon Broncos had a great season and played hard in the playoffs but exited early with two losses to Ropes in Plainview last week finishing with an 18-3-2 record.
The first game of the best of three series was a hard-fought battle by both teams, and the pitchers were able to manage the game strategically. Ropes won 1-0. Bronco senior Harrison Howard was at the helm in the first game and threw for five and a third innings. In his time on the mound Howard allowed four hits and one run. He posted nine strikeouts. Fellow senior Easton Frausto took over the duties for the final innings and faced six batters striking out two.
Both teams struggled to get anything going until the third when Ropes earned their first run of the game. The Broncos only recorded two hits in the game. Levi Gates hit a single and Howard knocked down a double. The final four innings produced no runs for either team and the Eagles went one game up over the Broncos.
The second game ended in seven innings with Ropes taking the win at 5-0. Jared Musick was on the mound for the Broncos just under six innings and allowed four hits, five runs, and had two strikes as he went the distance and posted five Bronco strikeouts.
The Eagles got things going in the opening inning when a batter was hit by a pitch with all three bases loaded to score one run. The Broncos were not able to get anything going the first inning. Musick was able to go three up, three down in the second and third innings, but Ropes came to home plate determined to put runs on the board in the fourth. With two outs on the board, Musick walked two batters before a hit brought one Eagle home. A couple of errors in the field allowed Ropes to get two more runs before the inning was over. They were able to score their final run in the sixth inning. The Broncos were able to put runners on the bases, but a double play ended their chance at extending their post-season play.
The Bronco seniors will be missed next year as they all have played an important role in their four years in high school. Congratulations to seniors Easton Frausto, Jared Musick, Levi Gates, Waite Dushay, and Harrison Howard.
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Broncos win Bi-district title
By Sandy Anderberg
Clarendon senior Harrison Howard took the mound in the Broncos’ Bi-District opener against West Texas in Amarillo at Palo Duro High last week and made easy work of the Comanches shutting them out 8-0.
Howard went wire to wire from the mound posting 16 strikeouts in the game. It took Howard 100 pitches in the seven innings which consisted of 63 pitches in the strike zone.
In their first at bat, Easton Frausto got on board first on a single to left field. Jared Musick grounded out before Levi Gates singled to left field and scored Howard. A quiet second inning led to one score and the Broncos were on top 3-0.
Another two runs were collected in the fourth when Howard slammed a triple that scored Mason Sims and Musick. The Broncos went wild in the fifth inning as they took advantage of several errors made by WT and left the inning with three more runs to get the win.
Along with his triple, Howard had one single, three RBIs, one run and a stolen base. Frausto had two singles, one RBI, one run, and one stolen base, while Levi Gates added a single, RBI, and one run. Bryce Williams and Mason Allred collected one run each and Allred had one RBI.
The big test came in the second game. With a game up in the best two out of three, the Broncos were in a good spot, but the Comanches were not finished and began the game full on. They were able to gain the early edge scoring two runs in the first inning on a double and a line drive single to center field. Musick got the call and was able to strike out the next two batters to end the inning.
A determined West Texas team went on to score two runs in the next inning, then proceeded to stop the Broncos after only four batters in the third.
It was the bottom of the fifth before the Broncos began to turn the game around in their favor. Allred, Williams, and Grant Haynes were hit by pitches to load the bases. Sims was able to slam a hit to the shortstop who turned a double play to pick off Williams at second. Allred was able to reach home plate to put another run on the board. With WT leading by five, things looked bleak for the Broncos. With a possible game three on their minds, the Broncos went to work to avoid a third game in the series.
In their next at bat, Gates’ single to right field advanced Musick and put a Frausto run on the board. With bases loaded, Haynes reached base on an error. With two outs and down to runs, the Broncos turned up the heat at the plate with a walk, a Shane Hagood single, and two more base on balls. Howard was able to send a hard-hit ground ball to left field that scored Hagood and Frausto to take the lead.
Gates then knocked down a single to center that scored Musick for the final run of the game. Frausto sealed the win from the mound with a WT ground-out, strike-out, a walk, and another ground out for the win.
The Broncos will play Sudan in the Area Round in Floydada Thursday, May 9, at 5 p.m. Game two will be held on Friday, May 10, with a game three immediately following if needed.
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