Plowboys Open Season at Hawley Friday

Gary Shaw runs for yardage in Thursday's scrimmage with Forsan.

Are you ready for some football? Ready or not, the Plowboys officially open the 2018 season with an away game at Hawley Friday evening. They have had a short preseason because of the early start of classes at Roscoe and haven’t had as much practice time to develop as other schools, but that’s a problem they also had last year, so they’ll just have to work through it.

The Plowboy offense looked strong in the scrimmage with Forsan at Plowboy Field on Thursday afternoon. With Jayden Gonzales out with a foot injury, Barrett Beal took the reins as Plowboy quarterback and looked sharp. He has a good arm and good receivers with Brandon Lavalais, Jose Ortega, and Junior Martinez, and his line gave him enough time to find his receivers and throw.

The Plowboy defense looked good at times, but still needs work and more solid tackling against the run. Forsan had a couple of big backs who managed to break some tackles for long gains.

The Plowboys outscored Forsan 3-1 during the scrimmage, but afterwards when the teams played regular rules with the clock running, Forsan came from behind to eke out a 15-14 win.

The Plowboys will learn a lot about their progress when they face off with Hawley Friday evening. The Bearcats are a 2A Division I school coming off a year in which they advanced to the area finals and finished with a 3-1 district record and 8-4 overall. They have six starters returning on both offense and defense and are picked to finish second in their district this year. They will be going with a new quarterback, Dylan Frazier, who was a running back last year. Players to watch according to Texas Football are Frazier, RB/LB Colton Marshall, and WR/DB Ethan Davis.

Kickoff at Hawley is at 7:30pm.

Brandon Lavalais catches a Barrett Beal pass for a touchdown.

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ORTEGA, LAVALAIS NAMED TO 2018 PRESEASON ALL-BIG COUNTRY SUPER TEAM

Jose Ortega                                     Brandon Lavalais

Two Plowboys, Jose Ortega and Brandon Lavalais, have been named to the Abilene Reporter-News Preseason 2018 All-Big Country Super Team. The team comprises players from all classes in the Big Country. Along with the first team on both offense and defense, there is an additional list of Players to Watch.

Ortega, a 5’8”, 170-pound, senior, makes the team as a punter. The Reporter-News notes that “Ortega, a second-team Class 2A All-BC pick last year, punted 32 times for a 38.3 average. He also was a second-team All-BC Super Team pick as a defensive back.” He is also listed as a Player to Watch as a defensive back and as a wide receiver on offense.

Lavalais, a 6’0”, 190-pound, senior, makes the offensive team as a wide receiver. The Reporter-News notes that “Lavalais had eight TDs and 1,003 yards receiving last year for the Plowboys.”

It’s good to see they’ve been noticed. Let’s hope they live up to the hype and then some!

The Reporter-News Preseason Super Team is listed online here. Their preview for the Plowboys is here.

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NED LeDOUX AT THE LUMBERYARD THURSDAY EVENING

Ned LeDoux.

Country singer/songwriter Ned LeDoux, son of the late Chris LeDoux, will make his debut performance tomorrow evening at the Lumberyard. Like his dad, he is from Wyoming. He got his start as the drummer in Chris LeDoux’s band, Western Underground, and when Chris died in 2005, Ned continued to tour with the band and began to sing his dad’s songs. Now he has started doing his own songs and last year produced his first full-length album, Sagebrush.

Singles include “Brother Highway,” “Some People Do,” “A Tribute to Dad,” “By My Side,” and “Forever a Cowboy.”

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

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WEATHER REPORT: THE DOG DAYS OF AUGUST

The moon in this morning's western sky

It’s been another week of relentless heat in the big country, and, as is normal for this time of year, each day is pretty much the same as the day before. This week was no exception as skies were sunny and either clear or mostly clear.

Temperatures varied hardly at all. Since last Thursday, maximums have ranged from 97°F to 99° and minimums from 72° to 76°. The high came on Friday and the low on Sunday morning. And there hasn’t even been a hint of a chance of precipitation.

The outlook through Saturday is for more of the same. Highs will range from 96° to 98° and lows from 74° to 75° with winds from the south or southeast. On Sunday, temperatures cool slightly as we move into September with highs of 94° for both Sunday and Monday along with a 20% chance of rain.

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† GEORGIA PIEPER BORDERS

Funeral services for Georgia Pieper Borders, 89. were held on Monday, August 27, at Roscoe First Baptist Church with Pastor David Draper officiating. Burial followed at Roscoe Cemetery with arrangements by Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home. 

She passed away on Friday, August 24, at Mitchell County Nursing & Rehab.

Georgia was born on September 25, 1928, in Stanton to Marion and Naomi (Solomon) Yell. She worked for City of Sweetwater and RS&P Railroad for many years before retiring. She was a member of Roscoe First Baptist Church.

She is survived by two sons, John Pieper and wife Nancy of Flower Mound and Donnie Jones and wife Eva of Denton; two daughters, Barbara Evans and husband Steve of Hamlin, and Dale Metcalf and husband Jeff of Denton; grandchildren, Austin B. Pieper, Avery Pieper, Karrah Medlin and husband Zack, Chad Jones, Britt Pieper, Sonya Bowman and husband Ricky, Randy Pieper, Adam Evans and wife Elizabeth, Brad Mayfield and wife Brook, Colby Mayfield and wife Alyssa, Jeffrey Metcalf, and Rachel Metcalf; great-grandchildren, Grayson Hayes Medlin, Alex Massey, Austin Pieper, Michael Massey, Cyera Pieper, Steve Eldred, Brittany Elliott, Natalie Evans, Hazel Mayfield, Pieper Mayfield, Brock Mayfield, Caysen Mayfield and Maelynn Mayfield.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Marion and Naomi Yell; husbands, Rueben Barnett Pieper and Jack Borders; step-sons, Stanley Pieper and Terry Pieper; and two sisters, Sherlyn Driggers and Narvell O'Bannon.

Pallbearers were Brad Mayfield, Colby Mayfield, Adam Evans, Austin B. Pieper, Randy Pieper, and Britt Pieper.

The family would like to thank Georgia's caregivers, Tammy Bradshaw and Carolyn Levens, for taking such good care of her.

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