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Six Hedley Owls have been named to the first team District 1-A All-District for football.
Senior Cody Bond made the offensive and defensive teams at tight end and cornerback, and junior Saul Carreon also made both teams at spread center and nose guard. Senior Iziak Weatherread was also on both teams at running back and defensive lineman.
Also on the offensive team were junior Braden Bond at wide receiver, junior full back Nick Clark, and senior Kyler Booth at kicker.
The Hedley Owls and Lady Owls defeated Chillicothe at home last week.
The boys opened a 20-3 lead in the first quarter of their game and never looked back. The Owls were up 31-11 at the half, and a strong third quarter sealed the deal.
Chillicothe did manage to outscore the owls by three points in the final quarter, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Hedley’s lead. The Owls won, 55-24.
Iziak Weatherread led Hedley with 16 points. Other Owls scoring were Braden Bond 11, Josh Booth 10, Nick Clark 8, Javier Valles and Dakota Bond with three each, and Isaiah Torres and Kyler Booth with two each.
The Lady Owls secured a 33-25 victory over the Chillicothe girls after a hard-fought game.
Chillicothe led Hedley, 16-21, at the half, but the Lady Owls came back with eight unanswered points in the third quarter and had a good fourth quarter to win the game.
Madison Moore led the Hedley ladies with 11 points. Also scoring were Ashlee Holmes 9, Megan Weatherread 5, and Madison Torres and Taylee Ehlert with 4 each.
Two members of Clarendon’s Scouts BSA Troop 4433 were recognized for making history last Saturday by becoming the first local girls to become Eagle Scouts.
Evelyn Mills and Kacie Eugea formally received the BSA’s highest award during a Court of Honor Saturday, December 3, at the Bairfield Activity Center.
Mills was the first girl in the Eastern Panhandle to receive the honor after standing her board of review at Camp MK Brown near Wheeler this summer.
Girls have been active in the Boy Scouts of America since 1969 when they were first allowed to join special-interest Explorer posts. In 1971, BSA girls could become full members of Explorers (now called Venture Scouts), but those organizations do not have a path to the revered Eagle rank.
Following the desires of scouting families, BSA opened Cub Scouting to girls in 2018 followed by the renamed Scouts BSA in 2019 with the nation’s first female earning her Eagle in 2020.
During his welcoming remarks Saturday, Assistant Scoutmaster Jason Eugea said BSA finally figured out what parents and scout leaders had known all along.
“Parents always knew that girls have been there,” Eugea said. “They’ve been camping and done the other things but never received the awards. I hope you all see that what the girls are doing is worthwhile. They build the same trestles, and they learn the same knots. Now, I get to give my daughter the same award I gave my son.”
For Evelyn and Kacie, they grew up in scouting with their older brothers. They were present and sometimes participating, but they could not join the organization. Instead, they were both in Girl Scouts, starting as Daisies. But when the BSA opened up the option for them, they quickly moved their memberships.
“Count me in!” was Kacie’s reaction, she recalls.
“Boy Scouts are just more active and do more things,” she said. “They camp more, and they slept outside in tents where we were sleeping in cabins [in Girl Scouts].”
Evelyn also jumped at the chance to join Scouts BSA and go for the Eagle.
“Now I could actually earn the awards that we had been doing with the boys,” she said.
The girls said they think they did Fingerprinting at least five times before they were able to join and earn the merit badge for themselves.
Assistant Scoutmaster Linda Rowland praised how well the members of the girls Troop 4433 work together with boys Troop 433, both of which are chartered by Clarendon’s First Christian Church.
“In our troops, the boys and girls work together and can be completely trusted,” Rowland said.
New Eagle Scouts often present a mentor pin to someone who has been influential to them in scouting. Usually that is presented to an adult, but Mills also presented a mentor pin to fellow Eagle Scout Jacob Murillo – an example of how the boys and girls have gotten along together.
“For me, it wasn’t difficult joining Boy Scouts,” she said. “I had been coming to meetings since my brother was in Cub Scouts, so they were used to me being there.”
For their projects, Mills repaired and refurbished a baptistry and installed an ADA ramp at Primitive Baptist Church in Canyon, and Eugea built and installed a “take some, leave some” box outside the Helping Hands Food Pantry in Groom.
“It was good to get to help my church community,” Mills said.
For Eugea, it makes her happy to be helping people.
“The food pantry serves about 100 people, but it’s only open twice a month,” she said. “Now they can get food when they need it.”
Mills and Eugea have some simple advice for other girls coming up behind them or who may be thinking about pursuing the goal of Eagle Scout.
“Just do it and don’t give up,” Mills said, and Eugea added, “You can overcome any obstacle.”
The Clarendon Lions Club will distribute toys to Hedley elementary students next Monday.
The new “Toys for Joy” drive will give one toy to every elementary school aged student in Clarendon and Hedley elementary schools.
The response from the public has been amazing, and the Lions are looking foward to distributing the toys. The project has seen great support also from local businesses, which set up toy tables at their stores.
Last Friday, the Lions distributed toys to all 219 students at Clarendon Elementary.
The first drawing is in the books, but there are still three drawings totaling $450 in Christmas Cash available for holiday shoppers to win in Clarendon.
Michelle Dupuy was the first $100 winner drawn by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce last Friday during its “Shop Small Big Christmas” promotion.
Sign-ups continue for drawings that will be held for $100 on December 9 and 16; and the big $250 giveaway will be held December 23. Participating merchants include Amanda’s Country Soaps, Country Bloomer’s Flowers & Gifts, Every Nook & Cranny, Henson’s, J&W Lumber, Mike’s Pharmacy, Rambling Ranch Boutique, Saye’s Flying A Tack, Whistle-Stop, and Wicked Fast Attire.
To enter, shoppers will fill out an entry at local participating merchants. The Chamber will gather them up each Friday morning, and hold the drawings live on the Chamber’s Facebook. Enter as many times as you shop locally, so shop often. Entries stay in the hopper each week, so those who enter will have multiple chances to win.
In addition, three downtown merchants are staying open late this Thursday night, December 8, for shoppers’ convenience. Those stores staying open until 7:30 p.m. are Henson’s, Ramblin’ Ranch, and Saye’s Flying A Tack.
According to small business advocates, every $100 spent in locally owned stores returns $68 to the local community through taxes, payrolls, and other expenditures. That same money spent in another town or online returns nothing to your local community.
Shop at home this holiday season and remember the important role your local merchants play in keeping your community strong.
Clarence Elmer Pierce, Jr., 65, of Clarendon died Friday, December 2, 2022, in Clarendon.
Memorial services with inurnment at Citizens Cemetery in Clarendon will be held at a later date. Cremation & Arrangements are by Robertson Funeral Directors of Clarendon.
Junior was born January 7, 1957, in Clarendon to Clarence Elmer “C.E” Pierce, Sr. and Mary Holman Pierce. He went to school at David G. Burnett Elementary in Houston, Humphrey’s Highland Elementary in Amarillo, Woodland Acres Elementary in Houston, Travis Junior High in Quanah, and Clarendon Junior High. Junior worked for Wondell and Mark Luttrell for years at the welding shop. Cutting, welding, and fabricating on all sorts of equipment for the locals, farmers, and ranchers. Before that, he also worked for Wondell Luttrell at the cotton gin. he put in many years at both places and enjoyed his work. Jr. also worked at the tire shop for Henson’s. While working there, he also took care of setting up for the turtle races around the 4th of July and always had a hand in putting up the decorations for the store. He also worked for Gary Barnhill at the Sandell Drive In and worked for D. Grant who ran a water well service. There are other jobs Jr. had, too numerous to count. He was multi-talented and truly a jack of all trades.
Junior’s hobbies were actually more of a lifestyle. What he really enjoyed was fishing. His favorite places were the dike at Texas City, Texas and, San Luis Pass on Galveston Island surf fishing for shark. His favorite place of all was fishing off the rocks at Lake Kickapoo near Wichita Falls for crappie with Dad. He always enjoyed his fishing trips and never came home empty handed.
Jr. was married twice in his life, first to Bobbi Jo Carmichael in August 1977, they had a son, Michael Shane. Later on he married Faye Vargas. Jr. was truly blessed with grandchildren. Kortny Marie and Chance Michael Blackwell, Austin Pierce, Dylan Costner, Lathan and Jaydon Pierce all of which reside in North Dakota and Idaho. He is also survived by his sister, Linda Lincoln and his brother, Rick Pierce.
Sign the online guestbook at www.robertsonfuneral.com
By Ted Harbin, TwistedRodeo
LAS VEGAS – Saddle bronc rider Wyatt Casper is riding well, but his pocketbook isn’t showing it just yet. In four nights at the National Finals Rodeo, he has placed twice and collected just $3,886.
That’s less than stellar at ProRodeo’s grand finale, which pays go-round winners nearly $29,000 per night. In both instances, he finished in a tie for sixth place – it was a three-way tie during Round 2 and a two-way tie in Sunday’s fourth go-round.
The latter came after an 82-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Miss Ellie, and Sunday’s round featured the eliminator pen of saddle broncs. Miss Ellie was the perfect fit in that category as one of the hardest-to-ride horses in ProRodeo.
“It seemed like the ride was pretty decent,” said Casper of Miami, Texas. “It seemed like maybe I was a little behind, and she was kind of beating me up. The hardest thing about her is keeping your shoulders square. She really wants to work you into your right stirrup. It’s a little tougher on a right-handed guy than it is a left-handed guy, but it worked out and we’re happy.”
In comparing his earnings, the money he’s made in Las Vegas doesn’t quite add up. If he were to finish sixth by himself, it’s worth $4,664, but every dollar counts, especially at the NFR.
“It’s nice to sneak out of that round with a qualified score,” he said about getting on the rank bucking horses, which tossed four cowboys to the ground; those that did ride weren’t posting high-marked rides. “It keeps you in the average for that big bonus check in the end, and it’s nice to get a little round money out of it, too.”
Out of the 15 bronc riders in the mix, Casper is one of just 10 that have ridden all four broncs so far. He sits eighth in the average, with a four-ride aggregate score of 326.5 points. If he were to hold that position through Saturday night’s final round, he would earn a $7,000 bonus.
The objective, though, is to win a world championship, if possible, but he’d need some big things to happen. He trails the world standings leader, Montanan Sage Newman, by more than $170,000. That’s where the bonus comes in handy. The average champion will pocket more than $74,000. With high-paying go-rounds, Casper still has a big chance in the final six nights of the 2022 season.
“The goal when you come here is to ride 10 horses the best you can,” Casper said. “I feel like I’ve done that. Hopefully I’ll start drawing the top of the pen and we’ll start winning some go-round checks.”
The random draw that matches a cowboy with his animal is an important factor. Half the score on a 100-point scale is on how well the animal bucks. The rest is up to the contestant.
“At the end of the day, horses are horses,” he said. “To every pen, it is the National Finals, but you still are going to have a top end of that pen, which is a horse that is really going to show and you can really show out. It all has to come together and work for you.”
By Ted Harbin, TwisTed Rodeo
LAS VEGAS – The bareback riders at the National Finals Rodeo went from one extreme to another in 24 hours.
It’s just part of the Las Vegas experience, for most visitors, but these men are in town on a business venture. They tried their hands at the hardest-to-ride broncs in the sport Saturday night, then turned around and had the easiest buckers Sunday. That makes everything even and allows the winners to be the cowboys that show off their spur rides the best.
“You’ve really got to try to flash everything up and expose yourself in this pen,” said Cole Franks, who rode Outlawbuckers Rodeo’s Free Shipping for 87 points to finish in a tie for second place in the fourth round. “You’ve got to let go and let it all hang out more than you would on (Saturday) night’s pen or (Monday’s) pen.
“I’d seen that horse maybe once or twice, but I went and watched videos on him last night and was pretty excited about it. That horse is awesome.”
Franks also made Free Shipping look good and added $20,053 too his earnings. He has collected $37,670 in four nights in Las Vegas and pushed his season earnings to more than $154,000.
Of course, it was a much different feeling around the bareback riders locker room from Round 3 to Round 4.
“It is a lot more energetic,” said Franks, 21, of Clarendon, Texas. “It’s a lot more fun. Everyone’s chit-chatting, everyone is laughing and everyone is cracking jokes. (Saturday) night was very tense. Everyone was kind of quiet.
“For the ones we got on (Saturday), you have to almost crave that kind of horse. The ones we had tonight are the ones you want at your house to get on every day.”
By Ted Harbin, TwisTed Rodeo
LAS VEGAS – Wyatt Casper’s first saddle bronc ride of the 2022 National Finals Rodeo wasn’t significant to most.
He scored 83.5 points on Rosser Rodeo’s California Dreamin and finished 10th in the opening round of this year’s championship. There was no money, and his place in the world standings didn’t really change.
Still, it was an ignition switch for Casper, now competing at the NFR for the third straight season.
“After being off for three months and not being able to rodeo, to be able to come out here and stick my first one was a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders,” said Casper, 26, of Miami, Texas. “I was pretty confident after (Thursday’s) ride.”
It showed on a rank horse during Friday’s second round. He posted an 82-point ride on Beutler & Son Rodeo’s Foul Motion to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place, worth $1,555. It’s not the biggest payday, but it offered a boost of confidence for him to carry through the final eight nights of the ProRodeo season.
“Today didn’t feel really well,” he said of his ride on Foul Motion, one of the harder-to-ride broncs in the second round. “It felt like my (saddle’s) cantle kept hitting me in the butt, and I wasn’t able to set my feet. It was a little fouling through there or something. The Beutlers are known to have some bucking suckers that don’t feel real well. If you stick it to them, you’re going to be some points.”
Casper suffered a pulled hamstring in July and tried to battle through it. The muscle finally gave way the first of August, and he spent the final two months of the regular season on injured reserve. He went more than 60 days without getting on any bucking horses, but in the weeks leading up to the NFR, he got on some broncs to dust the rust off and test out his leg.
“I got on nine horses, but I knew after the first two that it was good and we’re ready to roll,” said Casper, who won the intercollegiate national title in 2016 while competing for Clarendon (Texas) College. “I wish I’d have been able to come back a little sooner and maybe went to some rodeos and got on some more horses.
“It is what it is, and those are the cards we were dealt.”
While his financial return wasn’t what he had hoped for on Night 2, the dollars are vital. Most importantly, he has something on which to build through ProRodeo’s grand finale.
“Money’s money, and that’s a good thing,” Casper said. “Any time you can get another one down, get a little money and stay in that average race, you’re good.”
By Ted Harbin, TwisTed Rodeo
LAS VEGAS – At a lot of rodeos Cole Franks went to this season, a $1,555 payday for an eight-second ride was pretty nice.
At the richest rodeo in the world, though, it’s just a nice way to stay in the game. That’s the way it went Friday for Franks, who rode Rafter G Rodeo’s Ankle Biter for 83.5 points. He finished in a three-way tie for sixth place in the second go-round and collected his second check of this year’s National Finals Rodeo.
“I’ve never been on that horse, but I’ve at least seen him a few times,” said Franks, 21, of Clarendon, Texas. I went back and watched videos of (Clayton) Biglow on him in ’19 here, and he was 91.5 on him. I was hoping for that trip.
“He usually stays closer (to the chutes) and circles around and will turn back around at about six or seven seconds. (The judges) have always seemed to like when he does that, and I was hoping for that, but that just didn’t happen.”
It worked out fine, though. He finished in a tie for fifth place in the opening round, so he’s pushed his NFR earnings to nearly $18,000. Now in just his second year qualifying for ProRodeo’s championship event, he’s gaining a strong understanding of what it takes to be successful.
“I feel like last year started off a lot better than I have this year,” he said. “When the time comes, I’ll be ready. There are eight horses left to go. I’m not too worried about it. I’m going to take it on tomorrow and try to win in the (eliminator) pen. If you can do it, that’s doing a lot.”
The third- and eighth-round of bareback horses are the hardest-to-ride broncs in the game. Each of the 15 men in the lineup will be tested. Through a random draw, Franks is matched with Powder River Rodeo’s Dirty Work, a horse that bucked off half the men who tried to ride it in 2022.
“Last year I was almost dreading the E pen a little bit,” Franks said. “It was my first time being here, my first E pen, so it was nerve wracking. I’m looking forward to it now. About halfway through the year this year, I was ready for more of the strong buckers just to test myself a little more, so I’m looking forward to the strong pen.”
It takes that type of mentality to handle the challenges the NFR offers.
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