Plowboy Tuff Truck & Demolition Derby Here Saturday

A Tuff Truck races through the obstacles in April.

The competition will be fierce in north Roscoe this weekend at both the Plowboy Tuff Truck contest and the Demolition Derby. Both events will feature Roscoe drivers--and at least one female in the Demolition Derby--as well as several entries from elsewhere.

The Tuff Truck event involves vehicles running an obstacle course for speed, and the Demolition Derby pits drivers crashing their cars into one another until only one is still able to run.

The event will be held just northwest of the railroad tracks on Business 84 at Cypress Street downtown. Gates will open at 2:30pm. Admission is $5 at the gate with ages 12 and under getting in free. Proceeds will benefit the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department, and the concession stand will be run by the Jaycee Teens Club.

The event is sponsored by Crane Service, SJ Auto Sales, Pickrell Wrecker, and Legacy Tattoo.

For rules and other information check the Plowboy Tuff Truck & Demo Derby Facebook page.

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ALBANY HUMBLES PLOWBOYS 52-12

An Albany ball carrier heads for an opening in the Plowboy defense.

Few football-savvy Plowboy fans went to the game Friday evening expecting to see the Plowboys defeat the Albany Lions. After all, the Lions, ranked first in the region and third in the state in Class 2A-II, were coming in with resounding victories over Colorado City and Dublin, both decent 3A teams.

Instead, most fans just hoped for a competitive game with a spirited showing by the home team, one that suggested they could at least stay on the field with the best in their class. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as Albany dominated the game from start to finish.

Albany scored on all three of their first-quarter drives. After the Plowboys received the kickoff and were held and forced to punt, the Lions drove the ball down the field and scored their first touchdown on a 3-yard run less than four minutes into the game. The extra-point kick was good, and they were up 7-0. Following the kickoff, they held the Plowboys again, got the ball and put together a second-drive similar to the first with a similar result. This time they scored on an 18-yard pass, kicked the point, and went up 14-0. When the Plowboys stopped the run, Albany passed, and when the Plowboys stopped the pass, they ran. They have an accurate quarterback with big, fast receivers, as well as big running backs who can break tackles—and all this behind a strong line. After their third drive of the quarter, they were up 21-0.

The highlight of the evening for the Plowboys happened early in the second quarter. On a third down from the Plowboy 44, Jayden Gonzales hit Clemente Aguayo with a short pass over the middle. Aguayo broke free, and the race was on as he headed for the end zone with an Albany defender in close pursuit. He was tackled just as he hit the right pylon for the touchdown, and the Plowboys were on the scoreboard. They got two tries for the extra points as Albany committed a penalty on the first, but were unsuccessful with both, and the score was 21-6. The Lions then scored two more TDs before the quarter ended and at halftime were up 35-6 with the game essentially over.

After scoring twice more in the third quarter, the Lions were ahead 49-6 and at that point sent in the substitutes. The only remarkable things that happened after that were a 42-yard Albany field goal that split the uprights with plenty of distance and a game-ending Plowboy touchdown by Francisco Garcia on an 8-yard run up the middle to make the final score 52-12.

Albany dominated the stats as they did the game, gaining 24 first downs to the Plowboys’ 12 and 414 total yards to the Plowboys 250. For the Plowboys, Jayden Gonzales completed 12 of 21 passes with 1 interception. Clemente Aguayo led the receivers with 4 catches for 74 yards and 1 TD; Brandon Lavalais caught 3 for 33 yards, Jose Ortega 2 for 11, and Junior Martinez 3 for 5. Francisco Garcia led the rushers with 22 carries for 89 yards and 1 TD, Gonzales had 7 for 20, Nick Limones 2 for 16, and Ortega 1 for 2.

On defense, Parker Payne had 6½ tackles; Nick Limones, Paul Pantoja, and Cade Garrett each had 6; Diego Garza had 5, and several others had fewer.

The Plowboys are now 2-1 on the year. They have a week to lick their wounds and recover as they have an open date this weekend. Their next game is next Friday, September 29, with Anson at Plowboy Field in another non-district matchup.

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ROSCOE HARD TIMES MARKS SEVENTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

Caden Smith (12) follows the blocking of Michael Massey (69) in 2010.

This month marks the seventh anniversary of the publication of the Roscoe Hard Times. The blog’s first reporting of Roscoe news was on September 10, 2010, with an account of the Roscoe-Stamford football game in Mustang Bowl. Seven years may not sound like a very long time, but the photo that accompanied the article shows that it’s been a while, what with Caden Smith carrying the ball while following the blocking of Michael Massey. Since then, both have graduated from high school and college and been working in their respective professions for a while now.

At first, I didn’t know how often I wanted to report the news, so I just posted it as soon as I got it. But after a couple of months, I found it was just easier both for me and the readers to publish it once a week. As a result, I’ve been posting it on Wednesday mornings ever since, minus two or three times a year when I’m off on vacation or when I have visiting family in town.

In April of 2013, the Sweetwater Reporter contacted me and asked if I’d be willing to send them articles for a weekly page they were planning that featured Roscoe news. They wanted to publish it on Thursdays and call it the “What’s Happening in Roscoe” page. This worked out nicely with the Wednesday posting of the Hard Times, so for the princely sum of $25 per week, I started sending them articles I’d written for the Hard Times along with accompanying photos. I’ve been doing that for four and a half years now, and it’s been a nice arrangement for both them and me.

I liked it because it got several old friends off my back who wanted me to come out with a print edition because they didn’t have the means or know-how to access the blog. And for the Reporter, it was a way of keeping their Roscoe subscribers and maybe picking up a few new ones. However, just this past week, they notified me that they’re going in a new direction and will be cutting out some regular features, and “What’s Happening in Roscoe” will be among them. The last one will appear next Thursday, September 28.

Far be it from me, however, to criticize this move. I know that small town newspapers are having trouble staying afloat these days when practically everyone has instant internet access in their purse or pocket—and the Sweetwater Reporter is no exception. In a way, though, the change is unfortunate because those of us who like to clip printed articles that feature us or our loved ones will no longer have the opportunity when they’re ones that originally appeared in the Hard Times.

The move, however, will have no bearing on my regular Wednesday morning postings of the Roscoe Hard Times. My plans are to continue as long as I have the energy and will to do so. It’s my way of giving back to the community in a way that keeps me busy and mentally active, something we retired folks need.

Anyway, thanks to all you readers who regularly check the Hard Times to find out what’s going on in Roscoe.  You make me feel useful and keep me on my toes.

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AT THE LUMBERYARD: TWO TONS OF STEEL TOMORROW, MICKY & THE MOTORCARS SATURDAY

The Lumberyard will be hopping this weekend with Two Tons of Steel taking the stage tomorrow night with no cover charge, and Micky and the Motorcars coming to town Saturday.

Two Tons of Steel

San Antonio’s favorite Texas Country band, Two Tons of Steel, has been popular in the Hill Country for over twenty years. In the Alamo City, they've won “Band of the Year” twelve times and the San Antonio Current’s “Best Country Band” ten times. Every summer they play the summer-long event “Two Ton Tuesday Live from Gruene Hall," which draws over 10,000 fans annually. They have released eight albums and appeared on the cover of Billboard magazine. Top singles include “Sedated,” “Hold Over Me,” “Your Kiss,” and “Crazy Heart.” This event is on the Lumberyard as there will be no charge for entry.

Micky & the Motorcars

Micky and the Motorcars, a hot alternative Texas country band originally from Idaho now based in Austin, return for an encore performance at the Lumberyard Saturday night. The band has released seven mainstream albums: Ain’t in It for the Money (2004). Careless (2007), Naïve (2008), Live at Billy Bob’s Texas (2009), Raise My Glass (2011), Hearts from Above (2014), and Across the Pond: Live in Germany (2015). Top singles include “Carolina Morning,” “July, You Are a Woman,” “Careless,” and “Hearts from Above.”

For reservations and more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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REMAINS OF DOCTORS J. W. AND T. D. YOUNG AND WIVES MOVED TO ROSCOE CEMETERY

The remains of Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Young and Dr. and Mrs. T. D. Young have been moved from the Sweetwater to the Roscoe Cemetery. Since they all spent the bulk of their adult lives in Roscoe, their family thought it fitting that their remains should be here with those who loved, honored, and respected them during their lives.

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WEATHER REPORT: SUNNY SKIES, SUMMER HEAT

Yesterday's late Summer sky.

Despite the fact that the kids are back in school and football season is well underway, autumn does not officially begin until this Friday, September 22, the day of the fall equinox. And the weather we’ve had this past week has been a stark reminder that summer is still with us. On Thursday, the high was 100°F, and last Wednesday and yesterday weren’t far behind at 96°. Today will also will provide no relief with a forecast high of 98°. The lows have also been warm, mostly in the seventies.

It seems that this year we got our September weather in August, and now we’re getting August in September. And it’s not just the temperature. August, which is typically dry, had several showers this year, and September, which is typically the second wettest month in west Texas (after May), has been bone dry.

According to the meteorologists, we’ve got four more days of 90° or more before the fall weather begins on Sunday with its predicted high in the eighties, followed by a week of rainy weather when highs will be only in the seventies with lows around 60° and dropping into the upper fifties. Chances for precipitation will vary from 60% to 80% next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—or at least that’s what they’re saying at this time.

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