Plowboys Open Season at Hawley Friday

Trace Guelker carries the ball at the Forsan scrimmage Thursday.

Believe it or not, it appears that something we’ve wondered about for weeks will actually come to pass Friday evening as the Plowboys’ 2020 football season gets underway at Hawley. Of course, the excitement is tempered somewhat by the knowledge that the Plowboys are opening against one of the best 2A-I teams in the Big Country and state of Texas—Hawley.  

The Bearcats enter the game ranked seventh in the state in 2A-I, the class larger than Roscoe. They are the overwhelming favorites to win a tough district that includes Anson, Stamford, Forsan, Haskell, and Colorado City. Last year they were 4-0 in district and 13-1 on the year, their only loss coming to Post 52-42 in the state quarterfinals.

This year, they return 7 starters on defense and 6 on offense. QB Xavier Rodela, who had 18 passing and 18 rushing TDs last year, is back, and 275-pound tackle Kolter Willeford is an Abilene Reporter-News pre-season All-Big Country Super Team selection.

The contest will definitely be a challenge for the Plowboys, who are led by QB Antonio Aguayo on offense and LB Kolten Hope on defense.

Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

The JV Plowboys start their season at Plowboy Field tomorrow at 5:00 against the Hawley JV.

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PLOWBOYS FEATURED ON BIG COUNTRY HOMEPAGE

The 2020 Plowboys are featured in a video/article posted on the Big Country Homepage yesterday. Entitled "Roscoe Looks to Rebound with Physicality," the video was created by Dusty Baker and lasts one minute. It is available by clicking here.

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HAWLEY TICKET SALES LIMITED BY COVID-19 RULES

Because of the UIL requirements concerning social distancing, sales for seats at Friday evening’s game at Hawley will be restricted. Limits for visitors, however, are more generous than those for home fans, so Roscoe fans attending the game shouldn’t have any problems as long as they don’t arrive late—and maybe not even then.

The visitors’ side is reserved for Roscoe fans up to 15 minutes before game time. But after that time, tickets will be sold to anyone, including Hawley fans, on a first-come first-served basis until both sides are full. So, if the Hawley stands are full because of the social distancing, they can also sit on the visitors’ side. Or at least, that’s the way I read the policy.  

Even then, there may not be any problems, depending on the number of fans who show up. But to be on the safe side, make sure to get to the game a little early. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm.

If you’re going to the game, you should read the policy yourself, just in case I’m not reading it correctly. It is available by clicking here.

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BOOSTER CLUB LOOKING FOR MEMBERS

The Roscoe Athletic Booster Club is having its annual membership drive. Dues are $30 for family and $100 for businesses. 

Please contact Geory Martin at 325-242-0130 or Kirstin Smith at 806-441-0295. We appreciate your support!

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ROSCOE POLICE HAVE BUSY WEEK

The Roscoe Police Department has had a busy week with several incidents and calls for assistance.

On Saturday evening they answered a call of a burglary in progress in which the suspect also took the homeowner’s vehicle. A short time later they took a white female into custody and charged her with the crimes.

At the Lucky Pot Game Room at the 235 Travel Stop on I-20, an ex-female employee currently at large is suspected of the theft of $12,000. Roscoe Police are preparing a warrant for her arrest.

On Thursday, an elderly man was arrested for criminal trespass after acting strangely, going to houses, knocking on doors, and refusing to leave.

Roscoe Police also handled a three-car crash during the morning traffic rush at the Early Childhood Center on Main Street.

They also assisted the FBI in gathering information about a former Roscoe resident currently charged in a kidnapping case.

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LOCAL COVID-19 NUMBERS SEE SLIGHT IMPROVEMENT

Although the coronavirus is still with us and will be disrupting our lives in many ways for some time to come, the good news so far is that the local schools are now open and operating with in-person classes. Football season begins on schedule Friday night, and we all have our fingers crossed that other signs of normalcy can slowly but surely begin moving back into our lives.

In Texas, the Covid-19 numbers are trending in the right direction. The death rate is slowing as 1,326 Texans died of Covid-19 this past week compared to 1,540 the week before, and there were also fewer hospitalizations, 4,907 this week compared to 6,210 a week ago.  

The news is similar in the Big Country, where the rate of new cases continues to be about the same along with the number of hospitalizations. Taylor County has 353 active cases (369 last week), and Abilene currently has 22 Covid-19 hospitalizations (19 last week), 11 from in county and 11 from out of county. There have been 29 total Covid-19 deaths.

Nolan County currently has 11 active cases (down from 19 last week) out of 147 positives on the year. 134 people have recovered and 2 died. Mitchell County has 14 active cases (13 last week) out of 73 on the year with 58 recovered and 1 death. Fisher County has 21 active cases (14 last week) out of 52 on the year with 30 recovered and 1 death. Scurry County has 47 active cases (78 last week) out of 280 on the year with 231 recovered and 2 deaths.

The new prison figures drastically improve active area Covid-19 numbers. Last week they were reporting almost no recoveries. This week they’re reporting almost all recoveries. Figures released by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice include the following area facilities:

•  The Daniel Unit in Scurry County reports 8 active staff cases with 30 recovered and 4 active inmate cases with 252 recovered.
•  The Wallace Unit in Mitchell County reports 8 active staff cases with 13 recovered and 4 active inmate cases with 447 recovered.
• The Middleton Unit in Taylor County reports 4 active staff cases with 17 recovered and 3 active inmate cases with 310 recovered.
•  The Robertson Unit also in Taylor County reports 9 active staff cases with 36 recovered and 5 active inmate cases with 198 recovered. 
  

Here are the Big Country’s county totals for the year as of yesterday (with a week ago in parentheses): Erath, 633 (603); Jones, 604 (603); Scurry, 532 (507); Brown, 447 (419); Howard, 258 (217); Comanche, 206 (182); Runnels, 183 (168); Nolan, 147 (141); Stephens, 114 (130); Eastland, 106 (98); Mitchell, 73 (70); Knox, 64 (62); Callahan, 57 (56); Haskell, 51 (53); Fisher, 52 (36); Coke, 48 (43); Coleman, 45 (37), Shackelford, 21 (20); Stonewall, 8 (7); Kent, 7 (4); Throckmorton, 4 (4).

Selected west Texas counties yesterday (with a week ago in parentheses): Lubbock, 6,918 (6,542); Midland, 3,094 (2,948); Ector (Odessa), 2,703 (2,561); Tom Green (San Angelo), 1,975 (1,882); Wichita (Wichita Falls), 1.227 (1,149).

Texas now has had 586,730 cases (550,232 a week ago), 108,604 of them active (124,079 a week ago), and 11,576 deaths (10,250 a week ago).

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WEATHER REPORT: THE DOG DAYS OF AUGUST

Clouds on Monday.

Every year we go through what are known as the dog days of August, which is an extended period of time in which every day is pretty much the same—hot, sunny, with light southerly winds and little else, including rain. These last couple of weeks are good examples.

At least this week was a little cooler. For the first time since July, we had a week without any day reaching 100°F. The high for the past seven days came on Friday when the temperature peaked at 97°. The lowest maximum came on Thursday at 91°, but with the heat we’d been experiencing previously, 91° felt downright pleasant. Once again, there was no rain. It seems this summer is destined to remain our driest since 2011.

The forecast for the rest of this week and the beginning of next is for a return to the heat that has marked this summer. Today’s high is forecast to be 96° with a light east wind and mostly sunny skies. Tomorrow will reach 97°, and Friday will be a blazer with a high of 104°.  Saturday’s high is set at 100°, Sunday’s 99°, and Monday’s 101°. The days will be sunny or mostly sunny with light winds from the south and morning lows in the mid to upper 70s.

Once again, there is little chance of rain. As mentioned, these are the dog days of August.

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† ERNEST SCHATTEL

Funeral services for Ernest Schattel, 97, of Roscoe were at 2:00pm, Monday, August 24, at McCoy Chapel of Memories with Reverend Ben Reid officiating. Family graveside services followed at Lone Wolf Cemetery directed by McCoy Funeral Home. He passed away Saturday, August 22, at Lyndale Memory Care in Abilene.

Ernest was born February 17, 1923, at Hermleigh to the late Emil and Louise Schattel. He graduated from Pyron High School in 1941, then attended North Texas Agriculture College for a year, then served in the United States Army Air Corp as a Staff Sergeant. When he returned, he finished and graduated from North Texas Agriculture College and then attended the University of Texas Arlington. He married Janet Moore August 23, 1946, at Fort Worth. Ernest lived in the Roscoe area all of his life and was a farmer. He was a past member of B.P.O Elks Lodge and the VFW and past Director of the Inadale Co-op Gin. His hobbies include flying, boating, fishing and traveling. He was an avid Roscoe Plowboys and Plowgirls fan.

Ernest is survived by his wife of 74 years, Janet of Roscoe, and many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers; Leo Schattel, Walter Schattel, Eugene Schattel and John Schattel, sisters; Della Light and Evelyn Clifton, brothers-in-law; Buford Light and Billy Joe Clifton, sisters-in-law; Annabell Schattel, Louise Schattel and Fern Schattel, nieces; Lisa Bowman and Dana Boggs,nephews; Emil Schattel and Paul William Schattel.

Memorials may be made to the Lone Wolf Cemetery Association, West Texas Rehab Center or to one’s favorite charity.

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