Signals of change
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Craftsman honored
Broncos’ stellar season ends in Childress
By Sandy Anderberg
The 2017 Bronco football season ended Friday night in Childress with a 0-33 loss to Wellington.
The Broncos finished with a record of 12-2 on the year and were able to capture the Regional Finals Championship trophy on the way and reached the State Quarterfinal game for the first time since 1972.
This group of young men has played hard all year and was strengthened by a new coach with a new pride in the maroon and white. Their only two losses came at the hands of Wellington, who is now looking to defeat Muenster in the state semifinal game.
“I am extremely proud of the season these guys put together this year,” head coach Clint Conkin said. “They fougth hard in every game and never gave up. It did not go the way we wanted it to Friday, but our guys played their tails off.”
The Broncos struggled somewhat on offense and were stopped by a huge line. Daquawne Oliver had nine carries for 14 yards, and Damarjae Cortez carried seven times for 16 yards. Noab Elam had four yards from four carries, Ryan McCleskey had three carries for a yard, and Dalton Benson carried the ball twice for three yards. N. Elam threw the ball 12 times for 37 yards, and Cortez passed for 22 yards going two for six. Colt Wood was able to catch a pass for 26 yards, and Preston Elam caught two passes for 33 yards.
Conkin knows the Broncos gave it their all this season.
“Again, I am very proud of these guys,” he said. “They finished the year 12-2 and made a lot of memories that will last them a lifetime.”
Spirit of the Season
Honoring Kylie
Broncos win Area Title
By Sandy Anderberg
Six turnovers plagued the Broncos in their Area match up with Bovina last Friday in Canyon at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, but they were able to put them behind them and outlast the Mustangs to get the 26-20 win.
The victory put the Broncos one step closer to the state game as they will take on Hamlin Friday night, December 1, at Wolfforth Frenship beginning at 7:00 pm.
The first half of play proved to be somewhat disastrous for the Broncos as they had three turnovers and could not find the end zone. Bovina was able to put 20 points on the board while holding the Broncos scoreless until Daquawne Oliver found the end zone from one yard out with thirty seconds left in the half.
“I thought our kids played their tails off Friday afternoon,” first year head coach Clint Conkin said. “We got behind early at 20-0 on some turnovers on our part, but these guys never quit fighting. We finally settled in right before half cutting into the lead 20-6.”
The second half was night and day for the Broncos as they flipped the switch to turn on their offense to put points on the board and played solid defense to hold the Mustangs scoreless. Early in the third quarter, quarterback Noab Elam hit Andy Davis from 13 yards out to give the Broncos their second touchdown in the game. Oliver scrambled for the two-point bonus. Elam was able to find Dalton Benson for an 11-yard pass and score early in the fourth quarter for the Broncos’ third TD.
“We came out in the second half and played like I knew we could,” Conkin said. “Our defense has played great all season, and they played awesome Friday afternoon. We had guys flying around making tackles.”
According to Conkin, Colt Wood and Preston Elam both had big interceptions in the game on the defensive side, and Wood had a fumble recovery.
“Our defense played solid all afternoon,” Conkin said. “I am very proud of these guys.”
The Bronco defense never gave up in the final quarter of play. After Ryan McCleskey scored the last Bronco touchdown on a 30-yard run, the Mustangs got the ball back about the five-minute mark.
They had some success driving the ball, but when it mattered most, the Bronco defense got busy. A penalty put Bovina on our five-yard line, but they were penalized and Davis got a big quarterback sack. That put them back on the 24-yard line where the Broncos held and got the ball back with enough time to earn a first down before the buzzer.
The Broncos rushed for 250 yards to only three for Bovina. The Broncos passed for 105 yards to give them 355 total yards to 222 for the Mustangs. Clarendon posted 17 first downs to 12 for Bovina but committed six turnovers to only three for their opponent.
Offensively, Oliver had 26 carries for 134 total yards and one score and one conversion. McCleskey had 14 carries for 82 yards and on TD. Benson had two carries for 14 yards, and Damarjae Cortez had five carries for three yards. Preston Elam had three carries for five yards, and Noab Elam carried twice for 12 yards. N. Elam was 10 of 18 passing for 105 yards and two touchdowns. P. Elam caught two passes for 31 yards, and Nathan
Shadle caught one for nine yards. Benson had two catches for 22 yards and one TD, and Wood had two catches for 25 yards.
“I am very proud of these guys,” Conkin said. “They are a fun team to coach.”
Chuck and the gang
Giving thanks
Kearney signal work to begin next week
Replacing traffic signals on US 287 at Kearney Street will get underway next week now that workers have moved curbs out at each corner to accommodate the structures.
The Texas Department of Transportation says during this phase of the project the old traffic signals will be taken down, and the intersection will not be stop-controlled on US 287. In other words, highway traffic will not stop at the intersection. Temporary stop signs will be installed on the north and south sides of Kearney Street.
“While the new signal structures are being installed, the intersection of US 287 and Kearney Street will function similarly to other non-signalized intersections throughout Clarendon,” said Matt Herbstritt, TxDOT Childress Area Engineer. “Through-traffic on Kearney Street should take extra care to make sure the intersection is clear and safe to proceed before crossing US 287. Motorists can expect the new traffic signals to be installed and fully functional within a few weeks.”
Curbs have been moved out into Kearney Street at the intersection as part of this job, which has caused a lot of conversation around town and raised concerns about traffic safety and the ability of vehicles to negotiate turns going downtown.
Herbstritt says the changes were due to space requirements for the new signal structures and required ADA ramps.
“We ran into a limited amount of space for traffic structures and ADA ramps,” Herbstritt said. “In order to make things fit, we moved the structures out.”
The initial curb installation left a 90-degree curb jutting out between two ramp openings, but Herbstritt said that is going to be changed.
“We’re to take down that corner and give it slight radius and flatten those points,” he said.
In addition, the TxDOT project will improve access to sidewalks at the Donley County State Bank entrance and at the former Bivens Pharmacy building.
The project will also include the installation of pedestrian crosswalk lights, push buttons, and audible messages to make the intersection safer and fully ADA compliant. LED safety street lights will be installed, and the new signal poles will feature lighted street signs as well.
The new signal system itself will have a flashing yellow arrow for left turns off US 287. This new type of turn signal is intended to create a safer, more efficient left turn movement. When illuminated, the flashing yellow arrow means that a vehicle is allowed to cautiously enter an intersection to make the left turn indicated by the arrow, but the driver must first yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians before proceeding with caution.
Herbstritt said a solid green left arrow can only be installed when traffic studies warrant one. Traffic turning onto Kearney is not currently heavy enough for that, but he said the system would allow for that in the future if conditions change.
Broncos win bi-district title
The Broncos shook off the loss to Wellington in their last regular game of the season to defeat Vega in Hereford, 36-14, last Friday night.
The win puts them at 10-1 for the year and gave them the Class 2A Division II Bi-District Title. Clarendon will play for the Area Championship on Friday, November 24, against Bovina at Kimbrough Stadium in Canyon at 2:00 p.m.
“I thought our guys played very good after the first six minutes of the game,” first year head coach Clint Conkin said. “We started off slow but finished with a win.”
The Broncos put up good stats in the game as they had 364 total yards of offense. Three hundred eight of those yards were rushing yards. Daquawne Oliver had 23 carries on the night for 127 yards and three touchdowns. Oliver scampered 45 yards in the first quarter to put the Broncos on the board and go up by a point after the bonus. Oliver had a run of two yards in the second and the final TD from five yards out.
Ryan McCleskey had a big night running the ball going 105 yards on seven carries, which included on 71-yard run for a touchdown. Preston Elam caught a 19-yard pass from brother Noab for the other Bronco score.
Damarjae Cortez carried eight times for 25 yards and had two catches for six yards with two conversions, and P. Elam had three carries for 30 yards and caught a pass for 20 yards. N. Elam was five for 10 passing for 36 yards for one TD and two conversions.
Colt Wood had one catch for 20 yards, and Andy Davis snatched a pass for nine yards.
The Bronco defense was strong all night according to Conkin.
“Our defense played great once again,” he said. “We held Vega to 154 yards rushing and 41 passing. We had several guys flying around making tackles. Andy Davis and Damarjae Cortez both had an interception on defense, and Justin Christopher also recovered a fumble.
“I am very proud of the way our guys fought to win the Bi-District Championship,” Conkin said.
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