Sports

By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Bronco softball team wrapped up the week with four big wins over non-district teams. The 5-1 team defeated San Jacinto 23-4, River Road 18-6 and 18-3, and ripped Quanah 25-2. Those four wins came after losing a close game to Borger at 6-14 and shutting out Fritch 20-0.

According to head coach Gary Jack; the Lady Broncos’ loss to Borger was the result of errors late in the game.

“Borger is the only team to defeat us this season, and they are a 3A team,” he said. “Trevela (Dronzek), Camra (Smith), and Phara (Berry) have pitched well early and Audrey (Shelton), Trevela, Maci (White), Camra, Amber (Keelin), and Savannah (Topper) have hit the ball well.”

Despite starting the season late because of the success the ladies had in basketball, Jack feels his team is doing all right.

“We are doing okay without late start,” Jack said. “We were tied with Borger 5-5 in the fifth inning and then made some errors late in the game that hurt us.”

The Lady Broncos will continue their season on Saturday when they play Booker at home in a district match up beginning at 1:00 p.m. They will be on the road to Claude on Tuesday, March 27, at 4:00 p.m

By Fred Gray

The Clarendon College Bulldogs swept Midland College in a rain-delayed four game home stand this past Sunday, March 11, and Monday, March 12.  The Bulldogs are now 18-5 under first year skipper Chris Joblin.

In game one of the series, the Bulldogs were down 6-2 going into the bottom of the seventh.  They rallied for five runs and won the game 7-6. 

In game two, Canadian Jacob Gosselin-Deschesnes pitched a stellar game, winning 11-3.  This team can hit and score runs in abundance.

Game three resulted in another last inning Bulldogs’ rally, scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 6-5 win. There is no quit in this team.

Jorge Perez pitched a sparkling game four, winning 11-1.  Once again, great run production accompanied Perez’s effort. 

Joblin commended his team for their excellent play and pointed out the excellent hitting by Puerto Rican Wigberto Nevarez, Aussie Alex Howe, and Julien Casaubon – who sent two big hits north, towards his Canadian homeland.

The Bulldogs are currently tied for first place in Conference play as they begin a long series of away games. They return home on April 3. The Bulldogs put on a great show. Come out and watch these guys play. You won’t regret it.

By Sandy Anderberg

Junior runner Audrey Shelton aced the 800-meter and 1600-meter runs to top the field in both of those events at the Panhandle Relays.

Shelton ran a 5:46.96 in the 1600 and a 2:35.14 in the 800. Samantha Sanderson also participated in the 800, but she did not place.

The Lady Broncos ran the 800-meter relay and finished 7th with a time of 1:56.99. The relay members are Glory Bryley, Amber Keelin, Jentry Shadle, and Marqueda Gaines.

The ladies participated in the mile relay, but did not get a time. Those running on that relay were Abby Johnson, Sam Sanderson, Jacy Hill, and G. Bryley. The Lady Broncos finished 8th as a team with 36 points.

Discus: Caitlyn Nowlin 2nd 95’6”, Minnie Buckhaults 17th 65’9”. High jump: Amanda Powell, Keelin participated; long jump: Johnson 9th 13’8¼”, G. Bryley participated; 200-meter: Johnson 7th 29.33, Elizabeth O’Rear 32.74; 100-meter hurdles: Shadle 6th 18.47, Powell 7th 18.71; 400-meter run: Johnson 6th 1:07.56, Sanderson 1:10.50, Lynzee Powell 1:28.60; 300-hurdles: Powell 3rd 52.63, Shadle 59.74, Emberli Holland 1:07.68; 100-meter dash: Keelin 10th 14.84, O’Rear participated; shot put: Nowlin 8th 28’10”, Buckhaults 24’4”.

By Sandy Anderberg

They had to claw their way back, but the Bronco baseball team stayed focused and got a big 2-1 win over West Texas High last week.

According to coach Brad Elam, the Broncos got down by one run after the first inning, but came back with vengeance to score and get the win.

“Offensively, we struggled but were able to score enough to win,” Elam said. “In the fourth, Caleb Mitchell doubled and scored later in the inning to tie the game.”

WT would threaten again in the top of the sixth, but the Broncos were ready. According to Elam, WT had the bases loaded with no outs when Trevor Cobb threw out a runner at home. Then Dillon Nickell caught a pop fly behind shortstop and turn a double play that would have scored two runs. That stop would allow the Broncos to turn up their game offensively.

After Rowdy Speed reached second base on an error, Corey Barker took over his base-running duties and scored when Dusty Rice hit a ground ball.

“In the top of the seventh, their first runner reached [base] on an error, but Mitchell made a diving catch off of a bunt attempt and threw out the runner at first for a double play,” Elam said.

The game ended when WT grounded out.

“[It was a] great pitching performance by Mitchell and great team defense,” Elam said.

The Broncos will continue their season at home March 16 against Arbor Academy at 1:00 p.m.

By Fred Gray

The Bulldogs played Lubbock Christian University’s JV last week, and opened conference play by winning three of four games against El Paso Community College. 

Clarendon College made short work of their two game series against Lubbock Christian University, winning the first game 14-1, and took the second 15-5.

Last Saturday, March 3, the Bulldogs opened a four-game home stand against the El Paso Community College Tejanos, with a 9-6 victory.  El Paso won the second game 9-8.  Coach Chris Joblin said that the Bulldogs just didn’t play well in either game, and that they just had an off day.

On Sunday’s first game, the Bulldogs jumped on the Tejanos, 9-0, behind the sterling pitching of Aussie Scott Cone. The game was an extraordinary team effort with everyone who played contributing the win.

Sunday’s second game saw the Bulldogs once again jump out to a 9-0 lead after five innings, stranding a base runner at second.  If that runner had scored, the game would have been called, due to the 10 run rule.

This time, however, El Paso slowly clawed back into the game, scoring nine runs over four innings, to tie the game 9-9, going into the bottom of the ninth.  In the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, Bulldogs’ catcher Wigberto Nevarez drove a sharp line drive into left field, driving in Tony Ramirez, with the winning run.

Skipper Joblin commented after the game that his players hustle and play hard on every pitch, and never quit.  He’s proud of their aggressive style of play.  He commented that Tony Ramirez, Wigberto Nevarez, Alex Howe, and Scott Cone had particularly good games during this home stand.

The Bulldogs host Garden City Community College this Wednesday, March 7, at 1:00 p.m., for a non-conference game.  CC then resumes conference play when they host Midland College on Friday, March 9, and Saturday, March 10, for back-to-back double-headers.  Game time each day will be 12:00 p.m. 

If you want to watch good baseball, come out and enjoy the games.

By Fred Gray

The Clarendon College Lady Bulldogs hosted Seward College, from Liberal, Kan., for a double-header last Wednesday, February 29. 

The Lady Bulldogs won the first game 6-5, in extra innings.  In the bottom of the eighth, after Clarendon College held Seward scoreless in the first extra inning, Amanda Salvado of Ft. Worth drove in the winning run. 

In extra innings, each team has a base runner automatically placed on second base and then has the normal three outs to try to get the runner in.  In the first game of this double-header, Salvado, with one out, sharply singled to right center to drive the base runner in from second base.

In the second game, Seward College won 10-4.  The Lady Bulldogs travel to Lubbock, for two games against Lubbock Christian University, on Monday, March 5.

By Sandy Anderberg

The Bronco baseball team took control of Arbor Academy Saturday, defeating them 9-3.  The Broncos struck early going up 6-1 after two innings setting a rhythm for the game.

According to head coach Brad Elam, the Broncos increased their lead by seven runs after the fourth inning but fell off offensively after that scoring rally. 

“We were unable to do much offensively after the fourth, but it was enough to hold them off,” Elam said.  “The first four innings, we looked really good swinging the bat.  We hit their lefthander who shut us down the first game.”

Elam recorded that Caleb Mitchell scored two runs and had two stolen bases, and Trevor Cobb posted a huge day at the plate scoring three runs and driving in four.  Jerami Johnson had two hits and stole three bases and Rowdy Speed had two hits and an RBI.

“Defensively, we played extremely well and made some outstanding plays,” Elam said.  “Dillon Nickell had a great diving catch, and Chance McAnear and Dusty Rice each threw out a runner from deep right field.”

Elam was pleased with the pitching from Rice, Gage Nelson, Cobb, and Mitchell who held them to only three runs while striking out 11 and walking only one.

The Broncos will continue their season at home March 16 against Arbor Academy at 1:00 p.m.

By Sandy Anderberg

The Lady Bronco softball team is off to a great start this season and earned a run-rule win over Fritch at 20-0.  Trevela Dronzek and Camra Smith shared the mound, and Audrey Shelton was behind the plate.

The ladies earned two runs in the first inning and then exploded in the following at bat scoring 13 runs to take a huge lead.  They added another in the third and four more in the fourth to end the game.  Jentry Shadle and Maci White each hit a double in the game.

The ladies open district play Saturday, March 10 at McLean beginning at 1:00 p.m.  They will play San Jacinto on Thursday, March 15, at home at 2:00 p.m.

The 2012 Lady Bronco team made history and gained valuable experience this season when they earned a trip to the Regional Tournament held last weekend in Levelland at South Plains College. 

The final score of 28-52 was not indicative of the Lady Broncos’ season and despite the loss to the Sudan Nettes, the ladies have a lot to be proud of and will be strong again next season.

The Lady Broncos got off to a great start with Sudan (who eventually won the Regional tournament over Panhandle) in the game Friday night with an impressive intensity in the first half of the game.  Just before the buzzer to end the first half, the Nettes went on a scoring run that gave them the 16-7 lead at the break.  They played hard against Sudan and stayed determined throughout, but their shooting went cold in the second half allowing Sudan to grab the momentum and the win. 

“From the beginning of the game, I just felt that we could not get in rhythm offensively, or defensively,” head coach Molly Weatherred said.  “We gave up offensive rebounds that allowed them to get some easy points and we were not able to score.  We could not get the shots to fall and we stopped being aggressive towards the basket.” 

Despite the loss, Weatherred spoke of her adoration for the team. 

“I am very proud of this team and group of girls,” she said.  “They have worked extremely hard and gave it a good run.”

Anna Ceniceros finished with six points and Jentry Shadle, Trevela Dronzek, and McKayla Cartwright ended with five each.  Deborah Howard had four, Audrey Shelton 2, and Camra Smith 1.

Earlier in the week, the Lady Broncos stunned third ranked Gruver 40-36 in the Regional Quarterfinal round to earn the right to advance to the Regional Tournament.

According to Weatherred, defense was the ‘name of the game’ in the big win over Gruver.  The ladies showed pure determination as they completely handled their opponent down the stretch.  Clarendon had to come from behind after the Lady Hounds opened a five-point lead in the first quarter of play. 

The ladies closed the gap early in the final period and then went on a 5-9 scoring run that left Gruver grasping.  The Lady Broncos led by eight with three minutes to play, but they allowed the Lady Hounds to attempt a comeback.