Sports

By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Broncos racked up two huge wins last week as they defeated Quanah on the road at 70-46 and worked over River Road 67-23.

The ladies hustled hard and played solid basketball against both opponents. After playing a good first quarter against the Lady Indians, the Lady Broncos busted open the game in the second quarter of play outscoring their opponent by 14 points.

After building that big lead, the ladies were able to coast to the win. Jentry Shadle topped all scorers with 15, and Camra Smith recorded 10. The duo put in 10 three-pointers as well.

Scoring: Shadle 15, Smith 10, Cartwright 9, Audrey Shelton 8, Deborah Howard 7, Ryann Starnes 7, Jency Burton 4, Anna Ceniceros 4, Taylor Gaines 2, and Maci White 2.

The game at River Road went much the same way for the ladies as their teamwork paid off. The Lady Wildcats never contested the match and the Lady Broncos strolled to the big win.

McKayla Cartwright was unstoppable under the basket and led on the boards with 17. Shadle recorded double figures again with 12.

“This game went well,” head coach Molly Weatherred said. “The girls played hard. I thought we started off slow but picked it up.”

Scoring: Cartwright 17, Shadle 12, D. Howard 9, Gaines 7, Burton 6, Phara Berry 5, Smith 5, Shelton 4, and Starnes 2.

The ladies will compete in the Greenbelt Tournament at home this weekend beginning on Thursday, December 6, and travel to Canadian on Tuesday, December 11.

By Sandy Anderberg

The Bronco varsity basketball team played off against Pampa in the Championship game of the River Road Tournament last weekend and finished in second place.

Earlier in the week, the Broncos took on San Jacinto in Amarillo and were defeated 65-74. Things were fairly even for the Broncos through the first half of play, but a quarter plagued with turnovers hurt them and the Patriots took full advantage. Clarendon fell behind and could not recover before time ran out.

“We played well in the first half,” head coach Brandt Lockhart said. “But we had too many turnovers in the third quarter and that was a big difference in the game.”

Also according to Lockhart, senior Trajen Johnson took three charges for the night. Cole Ward had a huge game inside as he pumped in 30 points, including one three, and going four for five from the bonus line.

Scoring: Ward 30, Diego Santos 10, Charles Mason 7, Johnson 7, Cody Wood 6, Adam Topper 5, and Chance McAnear 2.

On Friday, the Broncos played in the River Road Tournament and took on Borger in the first round. After a hard battle, the Broncos came out on top 55-54. The Broncos seemed to do everything right against the Bulldogs and stepped up their game after coming from behind in the first quarter. The inside work of Ward and Topper gave the Broncos the boost they needed and everyone else came together to get the win. Ward and Topper each recorded a double-double with Ward having 18 points and Topper putting in 12. Each player had 10 rebounds. Santos also helped with 10 assists in the game.

Scoring: Ward 18, Topper 12, Mason 7, Wood 6, Santos 6, and Johnson 6.

The Broncos took on Ascension Academy in the second round and breezed to a 92-42 win. The game was never contested and three players finished in double figures. The inside work of Johnson and Topper was outstanding and Wood hit several shots including one three pointer and shooting five for five from the free throw line. Topper recorded another double-double with14 rebounds and 9 assists.

Scoring: Johnson 27, Topper 23, Wood 12, Santos 9, Ward 9, McAnear 6, Jonah Sell 4, and Zach Cornell 2.

The Broncos played River Road in the third game and won 68-45. Once again, the Broncos were on their game and opened up with a big lead. An explosive second quarter gave the Broncos the edge they needed to take the win. Johnson, Ward, and Topper teamed up to account for 44 of the Broncos’ 68 points. Scoring: Johnson 16, Topper 15, Ward 13, Wood 7, Mason 7, Santos 7, and Sell 3.

The win over the host team put the Broncos in the Championship game against a good Pampa team. They played hard, but lost 42-68. The Broncos struggled with their shots against the Harvesters and were never able to get into a rhythm.

“Overall, we played well in the tournament,” Lockhart said. “We had our best defensive game of the year against River Road. But, we did not shoot the ball well in the championship game.”

Scoring: Johnson 12, Ward 10, Topper 7, Wood 6, Santos 3, Mason 2, and Sell 2.

The Broncos will play in their own tournament beginning Thursday, December 6 and travel to Canadian Tuesday, December 11.

By Sandy Anderberg

Fresh off the football season, the Clarendon Broncos destroyed the Highland Park Hornets at home, 78-49. Good defense and spot-on offense allowed the Broncos to set the tempo of the game and shut down anything Highland Park offered.

The Broncos jumped out to the early lead in the first quarter of play and expanded that lead before the break. But, their third quarter offense was on target and they were able to keep the momentum to get the win. Defensively, the Broncos stopped the Hornets and frustrated them offensively. Cole Ward nailed two three-pointers and hit several other shots to lead the Broncos with 21 points. Cody Wood was also a workhorse for the Broncos putting in 13, and Adam Topper was solid inside and helped with 10.

“I thought we played well for our first game,” head coach Brandt Lockhart said. “I was pleased the way we passed the basketball and hustled.”

Also scoring: Trajen Johnson 8, Diego Santos 7, Tyler Burch 5, Cedric McCampbell 4, Charles Mason 4, Chance McAnear 4, and JoJo Cartwright 2.

The Broncos will play Groom at home December 4 and participate in the River Road Tournament December 6.

By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Broncos shot 77 percent from the free throw line in their 84-30 romp over the Lady Hornets Tuesday night at home. Deborah Howard, Jency Burton, and Camra Smith all shot 100 percent from the charity stripe in securing the win.

The Lady Bronco team was on target offensively as they built on their lead each quarter while denying their opponent any points the second quarter of play. They were solid on both ends of the court and by halftime took a commanding lead of 37 points. Senior Jentry Shadle hit four three-pointers, and Ryann Starnes hit one. Three Lady Broncos finished in double figures with Shadle leading the way with 20 and Deborah Howard and Taylor Gaines putting in 15 and 14 respectively.

“I thought we played with a lot of energy and were able to get some steals that lead to layups,” head coach Molly Weatherred said. “I was pleased with our effort, but we still have a lot to get better at.”

Also scoring: McKayla Cartwright 9, Smith 8, Starnes 7, Burton 6, and Audrey Shelton 3.

The Lady Broncos will play in the River Road Tournament November 29-December 1 and play Groom at home Tuesday, December 4.

The Lady Bronco junior varsity kept its winning streak alive for head coach Kasey Bell as they flew past the Tulia Lady Hornets, 78-45. Great defense was key in the game and the ladies’ offensive explosion in the second quarter sealed the win.

The Lady Broncos started the game off right to build up a commanding lead. The Lady Hornets tried to come back at times, but the Lady Broncos squelched all attempts and turned up their defense. They were equally as confident on the offensive end of the court and frustrated their opponent the entire game. Three Lady Broncos finished in double figures in the game. Haley Ferguson racked up 18 points, Skyler White added 14, and Phara Berry put in 12.

Also scoring: Elizabeth O’Rear 6, Abby Durham 6, Tessa Buckhaults 6, Kendra Davis 5, Gail Mata 5, Damara Brown 3, Sterling King 2, and Amelia Weatherton 1.

On Saturday the Lady Broncos traveled to Miami and easily defeated them 49-21. A huge second half offense enabled the ladies to open a big lead to get the win. They also shot five for ten from the free-throw line. “The third quarter was big for us,” coach Kasey Bell said. “We were a little slow in the first half but the third quarter gave us the momentum we needed.”

Scoring: Berry 10, Brown 10, Ferguson 8, Durham 5, Davis 2, Mata 2, and King 2.

The ladies will travel to Quanah November 27 at 4:00 p.m. and play in the River Road Tournament December 6.

By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Broncos hosted the Tulia Lady Hornets last Tuesday night and came from behind to tie the game in the middle of the final quarter, but could not pull out a win before the buzzer sounded. They fell to Tulia 59-61.

After a fairly even first half, the Lady Hornets turned up the heat in the third quarter of play. The Lady Broncos were plagued by cold-shooting and costly turnovers. Tulia was able to run up the score in the third and make it difficult for the Lady Broncos to come back. But Clarendon’s offense kicked in to put points on the board in the middle of the final quarter of play and they turned up their defense to close the gap and tie the game at 56 all. The contest went down to the wire, and the Lady Broncos had the opportunity to win the game on free throws, but failed to convert.

Jentry Shadle and McKayla Cartwright led the Lady Broncos on the scoreboard with 15 each, and Ryann Starnes also finished in double figures with 11. Deborah Howard put up six, and Lydia Howard helped with four points. Taylor Gaines also added four, and Anna Ceniceros and Audrey Shelton each finished with two.

The Lady Broncos redeemed their loss to Tulia by stomping Miami on Saturday 57-43. Big shots early in the game set the tempo for the Lady Broncos as they held their opponent to only two first quarter points. Three players finished in double figures and they shot six for ten from the bonus line. Shadle hit three three-pointers in her 15-point total, and Smith added two three-pointers. Weatherred felt her team played a little better against Miami.

“We played harder in this game and hit some shots early,” she said. “We were able to jump out and get on them early.”

Scoring: Shadle 15, Cartwright 11, Howard 10, Gaines 9, Smith 6, Maci White 2, Ceniceros 2, and Starnes 2.

The Lady Broncos will play Quanah November 27 at 6:30 pm and participate in the River Road Tournament November 29.

 By Sandy Anderberg

Cross-country runner Audrey Shelton made three consecutive trips to the State Cross-Country Meet and this year bettered her finish bringing home a sixth place medal.

Shelton’s time for the two-mile course in Round Rock was 12:16.62. A runner from Quanah won the race with a time of 11:54.

The high school senior has had a great career as a runner for the Lady Broncos, and hopes to continue her sport at the college level. Shelton bettered her placing and times each year at the state contest. Head coach Molly Weatherred had nothing but praise for Shelton.

“Audrey ran a great race Saturday,” Weatherred said. “She was in the leading pack the entire race and it came down to about a 200-meter race at the end to separate them out. We were hoping she could get into the top 10, but we knew it would be a challenge. She was ready for the challenge and ran one of her fastest times all year.”

By Sandy Anderberg

The Clarendon Broncos waltzed into Cyclone Stadium Friday night knowing their chance at post-season play was not to be, but played for pride and made easy work of Memphis on their home turf defeating them 34-14.

The Broncos dominated from the onset and fifteen seniors walked off the field with a great finish to their four-year high school career. The underclassmen were able to take the big win and know that they will be ready again next season.

According to head coach Gary Jack; the Broncos finished their season on a good note. “Beating Memphis was good,” Jack said. “We got on them quick and played more like we had been playing in the middle of the season.”

Jack named several players who had a great game. “Tyler Burch had a great night with three touchdowns, 12 tackles, and one interception,” Jack said. “It was a good all-round game for him. Trevor Cobb had seven tackles and one fumble recovery and J.D. Baxter had 10 tackles. Trajen Johnson had 10 tackles, and Chance Roland caused a fumble. Ryan Isbell had eight tackles and one interception, and Diego Santos had an interception. John Pigg had five tackles, and Corey Barker had six.

“This was a tough district. We needed one more win and things would have been different. But we have a lot of good memories from the 15 seniors and the underclassmen.”

Stratford was the winner of the District and Sunray and Panhandle finished as the number two and three seeds.

The Hedley Owls travelled to Silverton for their final game of the season last Friday night, November 9.

It was a game for the ages, at least for the seniors. In a battle of owls, the Hedley Owls defeated the Silverton Owls 44-42.

The game was evenly matched and a delight to watch. It was such a good game to watch, that I caught myself hoping the players were having a blast. Both teams played hard and were scrappy. For the most part, good sportsmanship was exhibited by the two sides.

In a season ripe with difficulties and disappointments, the Hedley Owls accomplished something few teams are fortunate enough to accomplish – they won their last game of the season. For the seniors, it was good to see them go out with a final, well played, team win.

The only disappointment of the night came when Hedley war horse, Coltin Kingston broke his ankle in the third quarter. Kingston, who was Hedley’s best player this year, had another excellent game in progress when he went down. He still managed to rush for 222 yards and score four touchdowns in a little more than a half.

His blockers held their blocks a little longer and played hard all evening long. We sometimes forget that a great runner can’t run without the support of his teammates. Even though Coltin deserves much of the credit, much of the credit is also due to his teammates.

Freshman running back Klaiton Moore ran hard all night long, adding 116 yard rushing, most of them coming after contact. Rooster played even harder, if that’s possible, after Coltin Kingston went down with his injury. Actually, the entire team played harder and with more determination after Kingston’s injury. Their efforts are what ultimately won the game for Hedley. This, folks, was a true team win, and a mighty fine win to behold.

The Evans twins, Bryan and Brandon, added 111 yards and 52 yards, respectively to the rushing total. Tanner Chambless added 64 yards and a touchdown to the effort. Austin Adams and Kyle Lindsey made critical pass receptions for critical yards and a touchdown each.

The Owls’ defense was aggressive and balanced. Kingston and Adams both made 10 tackles. Rooster added 9 tackles, and the rest of the defensive players added four tackles each.

With the last game now in the books, this reporter is going to miss watching these exceptional young men compete on the grid iron. I’m very proud to be a small part of the Owls’ season.

The Owls’ players, Coach Wallace and Coach Bains, the Cheer Leaders, and the Hedley Administration are to be commended for an excellent season. These kids, along with Hedley High School, won and lost with grace and dignity.

By Sandy Anderberg

 The Lady Broncos opened their season on the road with a big 58-33 win against the Wheeler Lady Mustangs Tuesday night.

 After three long months of practice, the ladies were able to put together a game plan, that after a slow-shooting first quarter, that easily handled the Lady ‘Stangs. Offensively, the ladies hit 21 out of 28 free throws that helped win the opener and Jentry Shadle and Lydia Howard each connected on a three-pointer that aided in the scoring as well.

 After trailing by four points, the ladies bounced back to score big in the second quarter with 18 points, half of which were from the charity stripe. In the second half, the ladies were able to roll with control on their side. Shadle led the Lady Broncos with 13 and newcomer Taylor Gaines helped with 12 to finish in double figures. Lydia Howard put in seven points and Deborah Howard and McKayla Cartwright each added six. Anna Ceniceros was five for six from the bonus line and Jency Burton and Camra Smith each added two.

 On Saturday, the Lady Broncos easily defeated River Road 84-37. Shadle hit six three-pointers and racked up 26 points to lead the team and Lydia Howard connected on four three-pointers and finished with 15.

 The entire team pressed hard against the Lady Cats and worked together for the win. “Lydia gave us a definite spark and Deborah (Howard) played great defense,” coach Kasey Bell said. “Offensively, Jentry had a great game and Anna came in to play the five when our inside girls got in foul trouble and played well when we needed her.”

 Scoring: Shadle 26, L. Howard 15, Gaines 12, Cartwright 12, Smith 7, Ceniceros 4, Burton 2, and Starnes 1. The Lady Broncos will travel to Miami Friday, November 16 and play at home on Tuesday, November 20 beginning at 6:30 p.m.