Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Readers,

Please excuse the delay in my getting the Hard Times out in a rough and incomplete state. For the past few days, I’ve had at the house two daughters, a son-in-law, a boyfriend, and a dog, all from Chicago. We celebrated an early Thanksgiving here, and they just left this morning to visit other family elsewhere. We had a lot of fun, all of it unrelated to the Roscoe Hard Times.

However, I do have news some readers will be interested to learn, so even if it is a little late, I’m posting it on the assumption that it’s better late than never. Here’s wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Edwin Duncan
Roscoe Hard Times

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FARWELL ENDS PLOWBOYS’ SEASON 39-32

The last two weeks have been disastrous for the Plowboys. They have played in two close, hard-fought games and come up short in both. The first was their overtime loss to Hamlin two weeks ago, which cost them a share of the district crown, and the second was their 39-32 loss to Farwell last Thursday night that eliminated them from the playoffs.

The Farwell game, played in Post, was an offensive shootout in which the score was tied three different times with both teams ahead at various points, and neither ever leading by more than a touchdown the entire game.

Farwell scored on their first offensive drive on an 11-yard run and went up 7-0, but the Plowboys responded as Jayden Gonzales passed to Brandon Lavalais for a touchdown on a play covering 43 yards. The extra-point try was no good, and the score was 7-6.  On their next possession, the Plowboys took the their first lead on an 8-yard run by Jose Ortega. The two-point conversion run by Gonzales was good to put the Plowboys up 14-7, the score at the end of the first quarter.

Farwell tied the game 14-14 early in the second quarter, but the Plowboys again took the lead when Gonzales completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ortega. The extra-point try failed, and the score was 20-14. On their next play from scrimmage, the Steers tied the game 20-20 on a 57-yard run, but the Plowboys once again responded with Francisco Garcia’s 10-yard touchdown run to make it 26-20, the score at intermission.

In the third quarter, Farwell scored on a 31-yard run to tie the game for the third time, this time 26-26. This was the only score of the third quarter as both defenses stiffened. The Steers scored early in the fourth on a 64-yard Miguel Vasquez run. The extra-point kick was good, and Farwell had its first lead since the first quarter, 33-26. The Plowboys answered on their next series when Ortega broke free for a 57-yard touchdown run. The extra-point try was no good, but the Plowboys were down by only one at 33-32. Unfortunately, with only a minute and a half remaining in the game, Vasquez ran for his second TD of the quarter, this one on a play covering 34 yards. The Plowboys were unable to respond, and Farwell won 39-32.

For the game, Farwell outgained the Plowboys with 624 total yards to the Plowboys’ 345 and 22 first downs to the Plowboys’ 15. Turnovers were even with two each.

Jayden Gonzales completed 17 of 33 passes for 188 yards with 2 TDs and 2 interceptions. Brandon Lavalais led the Plowboy receivers with 8 catches for 137 yards. Jose Ortega caught 3 for 32 yards, Junior Martinez 5 for 21, and Clemente Aguayo 1 for -2. Francisco Garcia led the rushers with 18 carries for 99 yards and 1 TD. Ortega ran 5 times for 73 yards and 2 TDs, Diego Garza 3 for 11, Isiah Wright once for 0, and Gonzales 6 for -26.

Tait Fullwood led the defense with 8½ tackles, followed by Garza with 8, Ortega with7 ½, Nick Limones with 5, Aguayo and Parker Payne with 4½ each, Adrian Lomas with 3½, and several others with 2 or 1.

 Scoring by quarters:
                            1           2         3         4         T
Farwell               7         13        6       13         39
Plowboys          14        12        0         6         32

--o--

PLOWGIRLS FINISH SECOND IN ROSCOE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

The Plowgirls’ Varsity team was busy at the Plowgirls’ Basketball Tournament this past weekend, finishing second to Winters, while winning four games and losing two, both to the eventual tournament champions. Eight teams participated in the double-elimination competition: Plowgirls, Plowgirls JV, Paint Rock, Paint Rock JV, Roby, Roby JV, Winters, and Winters JV.

The Plowgirls opened with a 49-26 loss to the Lady Blizzards. Individual Plowgirl scoring was as follows: Kinzie Buchanan 13, Jaci Alexander 8, Veronica Cuellar 3, Baylor Trevino 2.

They next played the Winters JV in the losers’ bracket, and beat them 65-14. Plowgirl scoring: Buchanan 23, Alexander 10, Liberty Saenz 9, Trevino 8, Cuellar 7, Ainsley Nelson 4, Bonnie Wilkinson 4.

On Saturday, they first faced the Roby JV and won 56-36. Plowgirl scoring: Alexander 17, Buchanan 17, Wilkinson 9, Trevino 6, Nelson 4, Saenz 3.

They then beat Paint Rock 44-25. Plowgirl scoring: Buchanan 13, Wilkinson 12, Alexander 9, Cuellar 6, Saenz 2, Trevino 2.

Then they defeated Winters 40-37, for the Lady Blizzards’ first defeat, setting up a final Championship game. Plowgirl scoring: Trevino 12, Buchanan 12, Wilkinson 7, Cuellar 7, Nelson 2.

They then lost to Winters 46-36 in the Championship Finals to finish as Runners-Up with Paint Rock finishing third. Plowgirl scoring: Buchanan 16, Wilkinson 9, Cuellar 7, Trevino 4, Saenz 2.

Then on Monday evening, the Plowgirls played a regularly scheduled game in the RCISD Special Events Center with Post, losing to the Lady Antelopes 43-37.

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Wilkinson 21, Buchanan 11, Saenz 3, Cuellar 2.

Scores by quarters:
                            1          2          3          4
Post                    8         21        33        43
Plowgirls          10        19        22        37

For the week, the Plowgirls’ won four and lost three. Their next game is at Trent with the Lady Gorillas next Tuesday. That will be followed by the Highland Tournament next weekend, November 30-December 2.

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MUNDAY-WINK PLAYOFF GAME AT PLOWBOY FIELD FRIDAY

The Munday Moguls vs. Wink Wildcats Area Semi-Finals 2A-II playoff game will be played at Plowboy Field this Friday afternoon, November 24. Wink defeated Winters 38-22 last week and Munday defeated Era 47-13.

Kickoff is at 2:00pm and admission is $6 for adults and $3 for students.

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WAYNE HANCOCK AT THE LUMBERYARD FRIDAY NIGHT

Wayne "The Train" Hancock

Wayne “The Train” Hancock, who bills himself as “the King of Juke Joint Swing” will be at the Lumberyard Friday for a return engagement. A songwriter and singer whose eclectic musical style defies simple description, he always puts on an unusual and entertaining show. Allmusic.com describes him as a performer who “tosses out a roots mix of old country, roadhouse blues, western dance swing, boogie bop, and straight-up rockabilly, takes what was once old and makes it seem like it’s always been and always will be.”

Since releasing his first album, That’s What Daddy Wants, in 1997, he has produced eight others including Thunderstorms and Neon Signs (1998), A-Town Blues (2001), Viper Melody (2009), and Ride (2013). Singles include “Thunderstorms and Neon Signs,”  “Wild, Free and Restless,” and “Tulsa.”

Hancock will take the stage about 9:30pm. For reservations or more information, call the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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Yesterday's strong northeast winds punished the school's flags.

 --o--

† JANE LEE HARBOUR McGLOTHLIN KUMMEROW

Funeral services for Jane Lee McGlothlin Kummerow, 71, of Sweetwater were held at 2:00pm Sunday, November 19, at Cate-Spencer & Trent Funeral Home Chapel with Cody Paty officiating. She passed away on Wednesday, November 15, at Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo. The family will have a private burial at a later date at Roscoe Cemetery.

Jane was born on May 4, 1946, at Young Hospital in Roscoe to B.E. & Imogene (Graham) Harbour. She was a graduate of Roscoe ISD in l962 and resided in Roscoe for many years before moving to Trent, where she worked for Sid Richardson Gas Company. She later moved to Kerrville, where she met and married Jack Kummerow on July 8, 1995. She worked with special needs children at Ingram ISD. They later moved back to Sweetwater where they resided until their deaths. Jane and husband Jack were active members of Fourth and Elm Church of Christ.

She is survived by her children, Leigh Ann Freeman of Roscoe, Joe Linn McGlothlin and wife Mary of Aspermont, and Leslie Brazelton and husband Billy of Trent; the father of her children, Bruce McGlothlin of Roscoe; step-children, Jack Kummerow II and wife Sharon of Big Sandy, Tennessee; Judy Yingling and husband Lynn of Lakeland, Florida; Jeff Kummerow of Lakeland, Florida, and Jan Planten and husband David of Rosamond, California; grandchildren, Amber Freeman, Stacy Freeman and husband Casey, Toby Freeman, Kristopher McGlothlin, Brad Brazelton and wife Ashleigh, Brittney Brazelton and fiance Daniel Robinson; step-grandchildren, Kristy Broman and husband Adam, Jason Kummerow, Edward Yingling, Sarah Bishop and husband John, Thomas Yingling, Michael Planten, and Zachary Planten, David Foil and wife Christine, Randy Foil, and Jonie Criswell and husband Brandon; numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, sister, Digi Fry of Lubbock, and brother, Ben Harbour, Jr. and wife Vickie of Avando, Montana.

She was preceded in death by her parents, B.E. & Imogene Harbour, and husband, Jack A.C., Kummerow.

Honorary pallbearers were Joe Paty and Cody Paty.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the M.S. Society, 8111 N. Stadium Drive, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77054.

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† MODENA ROXIE HUGHES

Funeral services for Modena Roxie (Terry) Hughes, 86, of Roscoe were at 2:00pm on Sunday at First Baptist Church in Roscoe with Rev. David Draper officiating. Graveside services were at 9:15am yesterday at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. She passed away Wednesday, November 15, at her home.

Modena was born January 13, 1931, in Roscoe to the late Charles Edward and Modena Roxie (Jamison) Hughes. She lived in Roscoe until 1957, then moved to Colorado for 40 years and back to Roscoe in 1996. She married Wilburn G. Hughes August 2, 1947, in San Antonio. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church in Roscoe.

She is survived by her husband Wilburn of Roscoe; son, Wilburn G. Hughes, Jr., and wife Karen of Fort Lupton, Colorado; grandson, Craig Hughes of Fort Lupton, and granddaughter, Raelene Atha of Greeley, Colorado; four great-grandchildren; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Clifton and Joyce Hughes of Bullard, Texas. Modena is also survived by several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was also preceded in death by her brother Charles Edward Terry, Jr. in 1979.

Pallbearers were the Deacons of Roscoe First Baptist Church: Daylon Althof, Chuck Cathey, David Duncan, Steve Anthony, Larry Black and Joe Smith.

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City Council Hears Public Works, Police Reports

City Manager Cody Thompson reports to the Council at last night's meeting.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the Roscoe City Council conducted routine business and heard reports from the City Manager and Police Chief.

City Manager Cody Thompson reported that the City has ordered new filters for the Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant. They should be arriving soon and will be installed within the next two to three weeks. Estimated cost to the City is $38,000.

Work on the windmill park is ongoing. New lighting will be the next improvement. The City Christmas tree will be put up in Old Town Park next week along with other Christmas decorations.

There was some discussion as to how best to use the fireworks that were never used at the recently rained out West Texas Wind Festival. One idea is to use them for a New Year’s fireworks show, although no decisions have yet been made.

Roscoe was featured at the recent Texas Midwest Community Network meeting in Abilene.

City workers have been cleaning up the Roscoe Cemetery this week. They will soon be working on Maple and Main Streets from Broadway to Front Street.

Police Chief Felix Pantoja reported on Police activities for the month of October. There were 28 warnings for ordinance violations and 37 warnings for traffic violations. Two traffic citations were issued. Five traffic crashes were handled, along with 3 blue-form accidents (less than $1000 damage). There were 114 calls for service.

City Offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24, for Thanksgiving; Friday, December 22, and Monday, December 25, for Christmas; and Monday, January 1, for New Year’s.

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HAMLIN BEATS PLOWBOYS IN OVERTIME 21-14

It was “close, but no cigar” for the Plowboys Friday night as their bid for a district co-championship just failed as the Pied Pipers pulled out an overtime victory before a the Hamlin homecoming crowd 21-14. It was a close game from start to finish with several lead changes, and the Plowboys played well in a hostile environment, but in the end Hamlin prevailed. They will have a favorable bracket as playoffs begin this week while the Plowboys will have a tougher row to hoe.

The Plowboys jumped out to an early lead. They received the kickoff, and before the game was a minute old, Jayden Gonzales hit Brandon Lavalais with a 32-yard pass for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion attempt failed but the Plowboys were ahead 6-0. There were no other scores in the quarter as both teams’ defenses settled in.

Hamlin got their first TD in the second quarter on a Jackson Sepeda 25-yard run four minutes before the half. The extra-point kick was good, and the Pipers took the lead 7-6.

The Plowboys capped a drive just before the end of the third quarter with a 2-yard Francisco Garcia run. This time their two-point conversion attempt was successful, and they were back in front 14-7.

Hamlin quickly responded with a 59-yard kickoff return followed with their second touchdown on a 25-yard run. The extra-point kick was good, and the game was tied 14-14. Neither side was able to score again in regulation, and the game went into overtime.

Hamlin had the ball first and their quarterback scored on a third down from the one-yard line. The point-after kick was good, and they led by seven. They then held the Plowboys four downs in a row as a fourth-down pass to the end zone fell incomplete, and the game was over with a final score of 21-14.

After the game, Plowboy coach Jake Freeman told the Abilene Reporter-News sportswriter that despite the loss, he’s proud of the way the Plowboys played. “They played their tails off all night. Obviously, it’s disappointing to lose, but they fought to the very end.”

For the game, turnovers once again hurt the Plowboys, who lost one fumble and had three passes intercepted. Hamlin had 397 total yards to the Plowboys’ 263 and 20 first downs to the Plowboys’ 12. They also held the Plowboys to just 55 rushing yards.

For the game, Jayden Gonzales completed 18 of 36 passes for 211 yards and 1 TD. Jose Ortega led the receivers with 9 catches for 98 yards. Michael Wright caught 4 for 58 yards, Brandon Lavalais 2 for 36 and 1 TD, Clemente Aguayo 2 for 20, and Francisco Garcia 1 for -1.

Garcia was the leading rusher with 14 carries for 41 yards and 1 TD, while Gonzales had 3 carries for 11 yards.

Jose Ortega led the Plowboy defense with 15½ tackles. Tait Fullwood had 9, Clemente Aguayo 7½, Nick Limones 5, Diego Garza 4, Paul Pantoja and Jacob Rainey 3½ each, while several others had 3 or fewer.

Scoring by quarters:
                           1          2          3          4         OT         T
Hamlin             7          0          0          7          7          21
Plowboys         6          0          8          0          0          14

Plowboys Face Farwell in Post Tomorrow

The Plowboys open the playoffs with a bi-district game with Farwell in Post tomorrow evening. It should be a good game. Farwell is 5-4 for the year and 3-1 in district 3-2A II. Like Roscoe, the Steers are coming off a close defeat for their district championship, losing on Friday to Bovina 21-19. They are led by running backs Miguel Vasquez and Lee Roy Cervantes.

Kickoff is at 7:00pm.

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MERCHANTS REPORT RECORD CROWD AT CHRISTMAS OPEN SUNDAY

Shoppers check out the new inventory at Vickie's Gifts.

Roscoe merchants reported that a record crowd participated in the city’s Christmas Open Sunday this past weekend. Cars lined the streets of downtown Roscoe, and a largely female crowd partook of some early Christmas cheer and good bargains at several Roscoe businesses. Sales were brisk, and the Roscoe Express shuttle transported many from one store to another.

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PLOWGIRLS DEFEAT ROTAN, LOSE TO ROBY

The Plowgirls got their first basketball victory of the season Saturday with a 42-37 win over Rotan. Then they lost to Roby 60-24 at home yesterday evening.

After trailing for most of the Rotan game, the Plowgirls finished strong, outscoring the Lady Yellowhammers 16 to 9 in the fourth quarter.

Individual Plowgirl scoring was led by Jaci Alexander with 14, followed by Bonnie Wilkinson with 10, Kinzie Buchanan 9, Veronica Cuellar 5, Liberty Saenz 2, and Baylor Trevino 2.

The score by quarters:
Roscoe             2          15        26        42
Rotan               8          18        28        37

In yesterday’s game against Roby, the Lady Lions jumped out to an early start and then cruised to the victory.

Individual Plowgirl scoring: Jaci Alexander 6, Bonnie Wilkinson 6, Kinzie Buchanan 5, Veronica Cuellar 4, Ainsleigh Nelson 2, Baylor Trevino 1.

The score by quarters:
Roby                27        35        43        60
Roscoe               7        15        20        24

The Plowgirls will host a tournament this weekend. The Varsity’s first game will be at 3:30pm on Friday in the new gym with the winner of the Winters Varsity-Roby JV game. The Roscoe JV’s first game is Friday at 2:00 in the old gym with the Paint Rock Varsity.

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SWEETWATER DUCKS UNLIMITED BANQUET AT LUMBERYARD SATURDAY

On Saturday evening from 6:00-10:00pm, the Lumberyard will host the annual Sweetwater Ducks Unlimited Banquet with dinner, drinks, and live music.

Both members and the general public are invited. Great gifts, guns, and other items available, along with both a silent and live auction.

For more information, contact Cesar Ortiz at 325-338-2146.

Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

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WEATHER REPORT: COOL, CLOUDY, WET

Monday morning fog.

Following a rain of from ½” to ¾” last Wednesday, the past week has been generally cool and cloudy. Roscoe weatherman Kenny Landfried reported an official .71” for the rain here in town. The temperature was a chilly 33°F during the rain, which fell most of the morning and up to about 2pm, but never went below the freezing mark, sparing the plants a freeze would kill. The high that afternoon rose only to 44°.

Thursday and Friday were also cool with highs of 59° and 55° respectively, but the weekend was warmer with highs of 70° on Saturday and 61° on Sunday, although both days were mostly cloudy, as was Monday with a high of 62°. Yesterday afternoon the sun came out and the temperature rose to a balmy 79°.

Today’s forecast is for a high of 62°, warming to 70° tomorrow, and 85° on Friday with lows in the fifties. On Saturday, a norther will blow through, and the high will drop to 63° with sunny skies. The low will drop to 38°. Sunday’s high will be 59°, Monday’s 66°, and Tuesday’s 68° with clear skies and lows in the forties.

There is no rain in the forecast.

--o--

† DEBBIE LYNN PRICE

Funeral services for Debbie Lynn Price, 61, were at 2:00pm, Sunday, November 12, at Trinity Baptist Church in Sweetwater with Reverend Matt McGowen officiating. Interment followed at Roscoe Cemetery. She passed away Thursday, November 9, at Covenant Medical Center in Lubbock.

Debbie was born April 26, 1956, in Colorado City to the late James Noel and Jimmie Ruth (Bourland) Decker. She is a graduate of Sweetwater High School and past Homecoming Queen and graduate of Angelo State University. Debbie was a 30 plus year school teacher, retiring four years ago, and had taught at Sweetwater ISD, Highland and Roby Schools. She lived in Nolan County most of her life.

Survivors are her daughter, Callie Jones and husband Casey of Fort Worth; son, Tyson Price and wife Riley Ann of Roscoe; sister, Kelly Miller and husband Mike of Sweetwater; brother, Mike French and wife Stacy of Abilene; three grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Laura DeLynn Price, January 28, 1985; step-father, Claude French, August 22, 2009; and her brother, Ricky Decker, October 13, 2017.

Pallbearers were John Pollard, Gary Schubert, Kenneth Reed, Jake Fullwood, Cole Fullwood and Scott Fullwood. Honorary pallbearers were Gaines Price and Eugene Fullwood.

--o--

Christmas Open House This Sunday

Shoppers at a previous Christmas Open House.

It’s that time of year once again! Christmas Open House, the popular Sunday afternoon shopping event that launches local merchants and shoppers into the holiday season, is back. Between 1:00 and 6:00pm, it will feature shopping and refreshments and include most of Roscoe’s downtown businesses: Vickie’s Gifts, Wildflower Boutique, Roscoe Thrift Store, the Rockin’ S Cantina, McVey’s Nursery, Main Street Antiques, and the Lumberyard. Vendors will also be selling items in the Community Center.

Roscoe’s newest business, The Cotton Belle, will also participate by having its soft opening on Sunday. It is owned and operated by Misty Deloera and is located at 716 Broadway, the former location of McFaul’s Garage.

The Roscoe Express shuttle will operate all afternoon carrying visitors from one business to the next at no charge.

--o--

PLOWBOYS TROUNCE TAHOKA 37-13

Jose Ortega (2) carries the ball. (Football photos by Tamara Alexander)

It took the Plowboys a while to get untracked against Tahoka Friday evening, but once they did, they quickly took over the game and cruised to a decisive victory, winning by 24 points and setting up a showdown with Hamlin in Hamlin this week.

The first quarter was scoreless. The Plowboys received the opening kickoff, but on the second play from scrimmage, Jayden Gonzales threw an interception, continuing the Plowboys’ turnover woes from the previous game. However, they held the Bulldogs and eventually got the ball back. After making a first down, the Plowboys were on their own 30-yard line when the center snapped the ball over Gonzales’ head. It bounced all the way back to the 9, where Gonzales fell on it, and the Plowboys were once again forced to punt. Tahoka was having no luck against the Plowboy defense, and the quarter ended 0-0.

The scoring didn’t begin until almost half of the second quarter was gone, and the Bulldogs were the first to break the ice. After another Gonzales interception and runback, they set up on the Plowboy 16 and completed a pass over the middle for the game’s first touchdown. The extra-point kick was good, and Tahoka was ahead 7-0.

Unfortunately for them, their lead would last exactly one play, because on the ensuing kickoff, Jose Ortega caught the ball on the 14-yard line and returned it 86-yards for the Plowboys’ first TD. A pass from Gonzales to Brandon Lavalais successfully completed the 2-point conversion attempt, and the Plowboys took the lead 8-7. That touchdown shifted the momentum that had taken the Bulldogs over a quarter to build, and what happened next opened the floodgates for the Plowboys.

Ortega’s onside kickoff was recovered by Lavalais, and three plays later Francisco Garcia ran 22 yards for the second Plowboy TD. The 2-point conversion was again good, and the Plowboys led 16-7. That second TD took the wind out of the sails for the Bulldogs, and before the quarter was over, the Plowboys scored twice more. Both were Garcia TD runs after quick drives, one for 14 yards and the other for one yard. At halftime the score was 30-7, and the game’s outcome was no longer in doubt.

There was no scoring in the third quarter, but both teams scored in the fourth. The Plowboys extended the lead to 37-7 when Garcia ran in from the four, and Tahoka followed with their second TD to narrow it to 37-13, the game’s final tally.

Scoring by quarters:
                           1          2         3          4          T
Plowboys         0         30        0          7          37
Tahoka             0           7         0         6          13

For the game, Francisco Garcia led the Plowboy rushers with 15 carries for 132 yards and 4 TDs. Jayden Gonzales had 4 carries for 40 yards, Diego Garza 1 for 7 yards, Jose Ortega 1 for 5, and Clemente Aguayo 1 for -2. Gonzales completed 18 of 33 passes with 2 interceptions. Ortega led the receivers with 8 catches for 91 yards; Garcia caught 5 for 55, Aguayo 2 for 10, Isiah Wright 2 for 10, and Brandon Lavalais 1 for -3, along with 3 2-point conversion catches.

On defense, Ortega had 8½ tackles, Parker Payne 5½, and Tristan Brooks 4½; Jacob Rainey, Aguayo, and Nick Limones all had 4, while several others had 3 or fewer.

Plowboys Play Pipers for Piece of District Title

Plowboy football fans have known all season that the team’s chance for a district title would ride on the outcome of the Hamlin game. The Pied Pipers enter the game 8-2 on the year and 4-0 in district. Both the Plowboys and Seagraves are 3-1, so if the Plowboys defeat Hamlin, all three teams will be 4-1 (assuming Seagraves beats Roby Friday), making for a three-team co-championship. If that happens, the playoff rankings will be decided by a points-scored system, but first the Plowboys must beat Hamlin in Hamlin. Otherwise, they finish third in district.

Kickoff is at 7:00pm Friday.

--o--

HANNAH WARD WINS SILVER AT NATIONAL FFA FAIR

by Shelley Gunter

Indianapolis, Indiana. – Hannah Ward of the Roscoe FFA Chapter won a silver medal at the National FFA Agriscience Fair at the 90th annual National FFA Convention held October 25-28 in Indianapolis, Indiana. She competed against other Agriscience projects from across the Nation.

Ward participated in the Animal Systems category, division one. The Agriscience Fair fuses the traditional science fair with agriculture. FFA members conduct cutting edge agricultural research to compete in categories such as biochemistry and microbiology, environmental science, zoology, botany and engineering.

The Agriscience Fair was made possible by the Cargill, Chevrolet, John Deere, Sygenta, Bayer, DuPont, and Farmer’s Pantry.

The 90th annual National FFA Convention recorded approximately 60,000 members and guests. Members of the nation’s largest agricultural youth leadership organization spent the week attending leadership workshops, participating in events and activities, being recognized for their achievements, and serving as the legislative body for the National FFA Association.

FFA gives students the opportunity to apply practical classroom knowledge to real world experiences through local, state and national competitions. For more information about the National FFA, visit www.ffa.org.

--o--

TEXAS A&M VICE CHANCELLOR TO VISIT RCHS TOMORROW

RCISD STEM Research Center

Texas A&M Vice Chancellor James Hallmark, along with Assistant Vice Chancellor Irma Harper and Agriculture Professor Gary Briers, will be flying into Avenger Field tomorrow morning to meet with RCISD Superintendent Kim Alexander and other Roscoe administrators and faculty, Roy Bartells of Western Texas College, and Dr. Kelty Garby of Educate Texas.

The purpose of the visit is to discuss the implementation of a four-year degree program at Roscoe Collegiate. While here, the group will receive an overview and Q & A session of the Roscoe Collegiate System Model before taking a tour of Edu-Vet and the Engineering Center, the main campus, and Edu-Drone. After lunch, they will discuss the steps necessary to access upper-division courses and bachelor’s degrees at Roscoe before the A&M officials return to College Station.

--o--

RHS CLASS OF 1962 HAS REUNION IN ABILENE

by Ann Klepper Etheredge

The Roscoe High School Class of 1962 had 36 members—18 girls & 18 boys.  Eleven of those classmates met in Abilene November 3 & 4 for their 55th reunion.  Lots of good food, memories & laughter were shared by all.  Those attending are pictured below.

Front row:  Pat (Nations) Althof, Ruth Ellen (Richburg) Maddux, Betty (Parks) Graham, Lynda (Hastings) Stafford, Kathryn (Kerby) Rister. Back row: Warren Haney, Darrell Berryhill, Winford Martin, Ann (Klepper) Etheredge, Retha (Dooley) Antoniello, Doris (Head) Harvey.

--o--

ROBERT LEE DEFEATS PLOWGIRLS 41-31 IN OPENER

Liberty Saenz prepares to throw the ball to Veronica Cuellar (30).

The Plowgirls opened their basketball season at home against Robert Lee yesterday evening with a 41-31 loss. They looked a little rough around the edges, as is to be expected in an opener, but showed a lot of hustle despite losing. They were tied 13-13 in the early going, but the Lady Steers went on an eight-point run to go up 21-13, and the Plowgirls never managed to catch them again after that.

Individual scoring for the Plowgirls was as follows: Jaci Alexander 13, Veronica Cuellar 10, Bonnie Wilkinson 4, Ainsleigh Nelson 2, Baylor Trevino 2.

The score by quarters:
Robert Lee        11        21       27        41
Plowgirls             8        13       19        31

Their next game will be on Saturday at Rotan, followed by Roby next Tuesday. Their next home games will be in the Roscoe Girls’ Tournament next weekend with Winters, Paint Creek, and Bronte, November 16-18.

--o--

WEATHER REPORT: WARM, THEN COLD

The puddle in my driveway this morning.

It's been another week of mixed weather. The latter part of last week and up through Sunday was warm with sunny skies, southwest winds, and highs generally in the eighties. Wednesday’s high was 83°F and Thursday’s 86° before dropping to 76° on Friday. Then on Saturday and Sunday it rose to 88° and 89° before falling to 71° on Monday. A norther blew in Monday night, and yesterday’s high was only 56° with breezy north wind, and this morning’s low was 33° with predictions of frost. A light rain fell early this morning and is still sprinkling as I write this. The total rainfall so far recorded by my rain gauge is .3".

Today’s high will be only around 42° with rain predicted for the remainder of this morning. However, tomorrow should be warmer with a high of 58° and a low of 42° and mostly cloudy skies. Friday’s high should be 61° with a low of 51° and Saturday’s high back up to 71°. Next week’s highs should all be in the sixties and seventies with lows of around 50°.

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Co-op Gin Lot Fire Destroys Over $500,000 Worth of Cotton

Modules burn on the gin lot last Friday morning. (Photo by Johnny Hermosillio)

Roscoe’s Central Rolling Plains Co-op Gin was the site of a spectacular module fire that started about 2:00 early Friday morning and burned with such intensity that video of the blaze made the national news on the ABC network.

(For the ABC article with video, click here.)

The fire started when burrs caught on fire, and high northeast winds quickly spread it to the modules. Gin Manager Larry Black reported that 106 of 438 modules on the gin lot were destroyed, resulting in the loss of around a half-million dollars.

The fire was essentially out by Friday evening, and the remainder was buried by Saturday. The gin’s insurance covered everything on its lot, so the loss is not to the Co-op nor to the farmers whose modules were destroyed.

In addition, the heavy smoke from the fire ruined some 80 acres of John Bergstrom’s unharvested cotton immediately southwest of the gin lot.

The Co-op Gin wants to thank Sweetwater Fire Chief Grant Madden and the Sweetwater Fire Department, the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department, the Snyder Fire Department, and all the volunteers who helped fight the blaze early Friday morning.

Along with the gin lot fire, there have also been several recent stripper fires. This year’s cotton, unusually dry from the dry September, is fluffy and can be ignited by a single spark. The Hughes family stripper was destroyed and others have been damaged by fires caused by the dry cotton. These include strippers belonging to the Williamses, Parrotts, Ormans, and Cornutts.

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2017 COTTON HARVEST COULD TOP 100,000 BALES

Dryland cotton just southeast of town.

Cotton farmers are anticipating a banner crop this year, and Gin Manager Larry Black is optimistic that Roscoe’s Central Rolling Plains Co-op Gin may gin over 100,000 bales, just as it did in 2007. The crop is excellent and exceeding all expectations. Stripper operators are reporting yields of a bale to a bale and a half and more per acre for dryland cotton, and up to three and more for irrigated.

Cotton is best in the Roscoe and Champion areas, where the July and August rains came at the right time. The Wastella area, especially the farms that missed those rains, is good in some places and not so good in others, while Hermleigh, Dunn, Ira, and Snyder will make even less.

Gary Pieper of Gary Pieper Crop Insurance notes that years ending in the number 7, i.e., 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007, and now 2017 have all produced excellent crops. He offers no explanation for this but just says that it’s an interesting fact.

The Co-op Gin, which hit some snags getting started this year, has now ginned 2,000 bales and is in full operation.

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SEAGRAVES SINKS PLOWBOYS 42-19

Clemente Aguayo (6) is tackled after catching a pass for a short gain. (Football  photos by Tamara Alexander)

It was a long night for the Plowboys at Seagraves on Friday as the Eagles surprised them with a 42-19 home victory. On the Abilene Reporter-News’ “Ten Shockaz of the Week,” the game’s outcome was number two, behind only Sweetwater’s upset loss to Seminole. The loss resulted primarily from three costly second-half turnovers that kept the Plowboy offense off the field and gave the momentum to the Eagles.

The first quarter was basically a stalemate with neither side scoring until Seagraves made a TD on a 31-yard run with only 4 seconds left and went up 7-0. Roscoe tied it up a couple of series later when Jayden Gonzales hit Jose Ortega on a pass play covering 39 yards. Ortega’s extra-point kick was good, and the score was 7-7. Then on Seagraves’ next possession, a bad snap to the quarterback at the Seagraves 33 resulted in the ball going over his head. He ran back and tried to pick it up, but Paul Pantoja sacked him, and the ball went into the end zone, where Tait Fullwood covered it for a touchdown. The conversion attempt failed, but the Plowboys were ahead 13-7. Shortly before the half, however, Seagraves scored on a one-yard run, and at halftime the game was tied 13-13.

Unfortunately, the Plowboys were outscored 29-6 in a disastrous second half. In the third quarter, Seagraves scored twice, the first on a 14-yard pass to take the lead 19-13 and the second on a 1-yard run that extended it to 27-13. The Plowboys answered with a 54-yard pass play from Gonzales to Brandon Lavalais, but the conversion attempt failed, and the Eagles led 27-19 at the end of three.

They added two more TDs in the fourth quarter, winning the game by 23 points, 42-19.

For the game, the Eagles doubled the Plowboys in time of possession, 32:34 to 15:18, and in first downs, 26 to 13. The Plowboy defense was unable to stop the Eagles for most of the game as Seagraves racked up 474 yards with 353 of those on the ground.

Jayden Gonzales completed only 13 of 31 passes with 2 TDs and 3 interceptions. Francisco Garcia had only 9 carries for 31 yards, while Gonzales had 8 for 29 yards. Brandon Lavalais caught 9 passes for 164 yards and 1 TD, and Jose Ortega caught 3 for 64 yards and 1 TD. Clemente Aguayo caught 1 for 5 yards.

On defense, Tait Fullwood and Ortega both had 9½ tackles, while Parker Payne had 9. Paul Pantoja and Clemente Aguayo both had 6, Brandon Lavalais and Jacob Rainey 5, and 7 others had 3 or fewer.

The Plowboys now have one district loss, and so does Seagraves after losing to Hamlin 34-28 their previous game. Since Hamlin is still undefeated in district, the Plowboys now must beat Tahoka at home this week and Hamlin in Hamlin next week in order to create a three-way tie for the district championship. If they can do that, then the final rankings will be decided by a point system determined from the tied teams’ game scores.

Brandon Lavalais heads for the end zone in third-quarter action at Seagraves.

Plowboys vs. Tahoka Here Friday

Tahoka is 3-5 on the year and 1-2 in the district, losing to Seagraves 42-6 and beating Roby 12-6, before falling on Friday to Hamlin 32-27. It’s a must-win game for the Plowboys—and one that they should win if Tahoka’s previous scores are any indicator. The Bulldogs are led on offense by Juwan Hamilton, a small but very quick running back, and on defense by 6’2”, 215 lineman Kevin White.

Kickoff at Plowboy Field is at 7:00pm.

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WEATHER REPORT: COOL WEATHER CONTINUES

This morning's sunrise.

Since a cold front moved through last Thursday, temperatures have been considerably below average for this time of year. Thursday afternoon had a high of 87°F, but by Friday the high had dropped to a chilly 57° with high north winds of 28mph and gusts up to 37mph. The winds died down on Saturday, but the high was only 58° and the low was 33°. Sunday was sunny and warmer with southwest winds and a high of 76°, but Monday was cool again with a high of 61°, and yesterday was still cooler with a high of 56° and a low of 37°. Yesterday morning was also cloudy with a light rain that totaled .12”.

The weather is due for a big change today when the high reaches 84° with sunny skies and southwest winds of around 15mph, starting a warm spell that will last into the first part of next week. Tomorrow and Friday should be similar with highs of 83° and 86°. Lows will be back into the mid to upper fifties and climb into the low sixties on Saturday. Saturday’s high is expected to be 86° and Sunday’s 90°. Winds will remain from the southwest, and highs should be in the eighties until next Wednesday or so when another cold front moves in.

There is no rain in the forecast.

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Mother Nature 1 - West Texas Wind Festival 0

People dance "on the bricks" just minutes before the thunderstorm hit.

It didn’t rain on the parade—but it was only because there was no parade—as a surprise shower hit the West Texas Wind Festival about 7pm Saturday evening and sent the gathering crowd scattering for cover.

The rain seemed to come out of nowhere. One minute the crowd was enjoying the music of the Dusty Creek Band. Many of them sat in lawn chairs set up on Cypress Street facing the outdoor music stage. Others walked around greeting and visiting friends and acquaintances, and still others milled around in Old Town Park or checked out street vendors’ merchandise, while several couples danced “on the bricks.” Many others were just arriving from the parking lot and looking for a good place to watch T. G. Sheppard and the Texas Hall of Fame Band, who were scheduled to begin the feature show at 8 o’clock. Most had noticed the few clouds gathering overhead, but as there was clear sky visible underneath them, few were paying any attention to them, even when a few sprinkles started landing here and there.

But then almost instantly, everything changed. The scattered raindrops suddenly became a deluge as lightning flashed and thunder crashed. Rain fell in sheets, and even some pea-sized hail fell from the sky as strong winds caused tree branches to sway. People ran every which way looking for cover, and the hard shower continued long enough that street vendors closed up shop while people ran to their vehicles and left the area. Water ran in streams down the sides of the streets, and the sound equipment set up for the bands was fried by the downpour. Word went around that the fireworks show had also been called off, and the 2017 West Texas Wind Festival had become history before ever reaching the main event.

Lots of people made their way to the Lumberyard, not only to get out of the rain but also to continue the celebration. It was packed in a short time both inside and out, and the Dusty Creek Band, which had been playing on the music stage on Cypress when the rainstorm hit, set up on the small stage of the Lumberyard and resumed their show.

Meanwhile, T. G. Sheppard, who was staying in a motel in Sweetwater, had been informed of the Roscoe rainstorm and the cancellation of the Wind Festival. He assumed his day was done, but when Lumberyard owner, Cody Thompson, told him that the Dusty Creek band had more sound equipment and was playing at the Lumberyard to a large crowd, he decided to return to Roscoe, saying he’d talked to some people who’d come a long way just to see him, one a woman from Minnesota, and he didn’t want to disappoint them or others. So, he quickly arranged with his backup group, the Texas Hall of Fame Band, to return to Roscoe.

T. G. Sheppard performs at the Lumberyard after the storm.

When he arrived a short while later, the Dusty Creek Band yielded the stage to him and his band, and, to the delight of the crowd, he put on his show. He sang his most popular past hits and got the crowd to join in with him when he sang “Do You Want to Go to Heaven?” So, despite the disruption of festivities by the storm, those who stuck around got to see T. G. Sheppard put on his show anyway, and everyone who did went away satisfied.

Plowboy Mudbog

The Plowboy Mudbog started and finished before the rain ever hit. Here are the final results for the winners of each class.

Street Class
1. Ben Allen           Buffalo Gap   '79 Tan GMC “Badger”       338’6”
2. Levi Purcell       Clyde              '97 Red Ford Explorer         280’5”
3. A. Steward         Sweetwater    '97 Black Ford F150            210’6”

Modified Class
1. David Pantoja    Roscoe           '77 Grey Chevy Blazer           483’
2. Jared Waters     Hobbs, NM   '84 Black Chevy Pickup       451’1”
3. D. Smallwood    Rotan              '40 Ford “Mudslut”             442’7”

Open Class
1. Wacey Daniel    Big Spring   '92 Chevy “Green Go” Cleared Both
2. Justin Wright     Rotan          '03 Chevy Pickup          Cleared 1st
3. James Pantoja    Roscoe        Toyota 4Runner                   448’6”

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RCHS RECEIVES PRAISE, ENCOURAGEMENT AT STEM ADVISORY MEETING

State Senator Charles Perry at the STEM Advisory Meeting.

The RCHS system model of education got plenty of kudos at the semi-annual STEM Advisory Meeting at the STEM Center Monday evening, and several dignitaries were on hand to hand out the compliments. These included Texas Senator Charles Perry, Texas Representative Stan Lambert, and Assistant Texas Agriculture Commissioner Dan Hunter.

After the program began with a 4H poster presentation by Roscoe fifth graders, high schoolers Cam Boren and Cynthia Thorn demonstrated the FarmBot, an open source project of a robot that plants, weeds, and waters plants.

RCISD Superintendent Kim Alexander followed with an update on the P-20 System Model for Success, saying that 90% or more of RCHS seniors now graduate with Associates Degrees and adding that both the Edu-Vet and Edu-Drone programs provide valuable experience as well as certifications that give students a leg up on employment in those fields. He also mentioned the commercial venture with Office Depot to spread the drone curriculum to other schools.

Professors Gary Briers of Texas A&M and David Doerfort of Texas Tech then reported good news on the West Virginia effort to replicate the Roscoe System Model in the rural counties of that state. Professor Briers said that when they were invited to a town meeting there to introduce and explain the model, they expected to meet with educational leaders but were surprised to be dealing directly with the Governor’s Office. They were told that 500 to 600 people are expected at the town meeting. It will be interesting to learn if the state adopts the Roscoe system for their rural schools there and, if so, how they will adapt it to suit their particular needs.

Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Dan Hunter, better known in Roscoe as Danny, the son of Archie Hunter and an RHS grad, spoke of the relevance of Roscoe Collegiate’s Edu-Drone program. He said that drones were important to recovery efforts in the Houston area after Hurricane Harvey, mentioning that they were used in many ways, such as locating missing people and photographing hard hit areas. He also praised Roscoe’s work with the aspiration of cattle, something that the Russians wanted to learn more about when he visited them.

Texas Senator Charles Perry for District 28, which includes Nolan County, gave an update on the 2017 legislative session and spoke of the importance of educational innovation such as RCHS engages in. He said changes to the State are coming fast and it’s only by such initiatives that education will be successful in keeping up with them.

Texas Representative Stan Lambert of Abilene also spoke of Roscoe’s program and its importance as a model for other rural schools such as Throckmorton and Albany, both of which had representatives present at the meeting.

The meeting closed with a panel discussion in which Dr. Glenn Shinn challenged those present to see how many schools in this area they could spread these innovative ideas to before the next STEM Advisory Meeting next April.

The meeting underscored the importance of RCISD’s accomplishments and continued efforts to provide a model for rural schools not only in Texas, but also in the nation and other countries as well.

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PLOWBOYS PLASTER PLAINS 42-7

Francisco Garcia (33) heads for the end zone in first-quarter action. (Photo by Tamara Alexander)

As the two teams lined up for the kickoff at Plowboy Field Friday evening, no one quite knew what kind of game to expect from the Plains Cowboys. On one hand, the Plowboys had easily beat them in Plains last year, but on the other, the 2-3 Cowboys were coming off only a 21-14 loss to Hamlin, which suggested that they might be considerably better this year since Hamlin has been picked by many to win the district title.

The Plowboys received the opening kickoff but faced a strong south wind. Still, they came out throwing and completed a couple of passes for good yardage as they quickly moved down the field on a 5-play drive that covered 80 yards and was capped off by a 13-yard Francisco Garcia touchdown run. The extra-point kick was no good, but the Plowboys were up 6-0 and confident they’d be able to put up more. Plains was stopped the first time they got the ball, but after holding the Plowboys and forcing a punt, they scored on a 34-yard run around left end. The extra-point kick was good, and the Cowboys were ahead 7-6. Their lead didn’t last long, though. On the Plowboys’ next possession, Garcia broke free and ran 47-yards for the second Plowboy touchdown. Clemente Aguayo ran for the two extra points, and the Plowboys were ahead 14-7, which was also the score at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Plowboys took control of the game by holding the Cowboys scoreless while making three TDs. The first was a 15-yard Ortega run, the second a 52-yard pass play from Gonzales to Micheal Wright, and the third a 17-yard Garcia run. By halftime, the score was 36-7, and there was no longer any doubt about who would win the game.

In the third quarter, neither side was able to score, but in the fourth, the Plowboys struck again when Gonzales threw a short pass to Brandon Lavalais, who broke free and ran 88 yards for the final touchdown of the evening to make the score 42-7 and keep the Plowboys undefeated in district play with a 2-0 record, while Plains drops to 0-2.

The Plowboys also dominated the statistics, racking up 523 total yards to Plains’ 162 and 21 first downs to Plains’ 8. Gonzales completed 14 of 29 passes for 282 yards and 2 TDs, and Barret Beal completed 1 for 1 for 18 yards. Lavalais led the receivers with 5 catches for 175 yards and 1 TD, while Ortega caught 5 for 64 yards. Micheal Wright caught only one, but it was for 52 yards and a TD. Clemente Aguayo caught two for 21 yards, and Garcia and Nick Limones caught one each.

The leading rusher was Garcia, who had 17 carries for 173 yards and 3 TDs. Ortega ran 3 times for 36 yards and 1 TD, Diego Garza ran once for 14 yards, Zach Gordon 3 times for 8 yards, and Gonzales 5 times for 5 yards.

On defense, four Plowboys—Ortega, Paul Pantoja, Tait Fullwood, and Garza each had 5½ tackles; Aguayo had 5, Jacob Rainey 4½, and Lavalais 3, while Parker Payne, Wright, and Tristan Brooks each had 2.

Big Game in Seagraves Friday

Friday the Plowboys travel to Seagraves for one of the most important games of the season. Seagraves is coming off a 34-28 loss to Hamlin, but they were behind 28-6 at halftime and came back in the second half to outscore the Pied Pipers 21-6 and narrow their lead to 6 before losing the game. Last year, their second-half comeback knocked Roscoe out of the playoffs, so the Plowboys will most likely have to play all four quarters well to win the game. A victory over the Eagles will keep the Plowboys undefeated and in good shape for their showdown with Hamlin the last game of the regular season, but it won’t be easy as it’s a must-win situation for the Eagles if they want to stay in contention for the district title.

Kickoff for the game is at 7:00pm as it is for all district games.

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CHRIS KNIGHT TO PLAY AT THE LUMBERYARD SATURDAY

Singer/songwriter Chris Knight and his band will be at the Lumberyard Saturday night. Knight is from Kentucky but is well known in Texas and was named an “Honorary Texan” in 2006 by Governor Rick Perry. In addition to releasing records of his own songs, he has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis.

He has produced eight albums since 1998. Top singles include “Framed,” “It Ain’t Easy Being Me,” “Becky’s Bible,” “Oil Patch Town,” “The Jealous Kind,” “Cry Lonely,” “Down the River,” and “North Dakota.”

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

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WEATHER REPORT: COOLER OVERALL WITH A SUDDEN SHOWER

The City Windmill points north yesterday afternoon.

In general, the temperatures for the past week were cooler than the week before, but that’s to be expected, I guess, as we move deeper into fall. And most of the week, there wasn’t even a hint of precipitation—except for that one surprise downpour that came at the worst possible time for Saturday’s West Texas Wind Festival. Its damage was not in the amount of rain that fell but in its suddenness and ferocity. The total accumulation was only about .3”, and it was over in about fifteen minutes, but it lasted long enough that it forced the festival’s cancellation.

Earlier that day the high temperature of the week was recorded at 86°F. Friday and Monday both had highs of 80°, but the other days rose only into the seventies, and yesterday’s high was only 69°. The low for the week was this morning’s 43°.

Today should be sunny and warmer with a high of 79°, and tomorrow will be windy with a high of around 86°. However, a norther is due tomorrow evening, making the season’s first freeze a distinct possibility Friday morning. Friday’s high is projected to be only 54° and Saturday’s only 59°, so if you haven’t already got your jacket or coat out since March, you probably will in a couple of days. And, if you plan to go to the football game in Seagraves Friday evening, you will definitely want to bundle up as a sharp north wind is expected along with the drop in temperature. On Sunday, high temperatures will return to the seventies and probably remain that way all next week. Morning lows will be within a degree or two of 50°.

There is no rain in the forecast. (But that’s what I said last week.)

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West Texas Wind Festival This Saturday

T. G. Sheppard

Plans are being finalized for the eleventh annual West Texas Wind Festival this Saturday, and organizers are expecting a large crowd, especially for the free concert and the fireworks show.

The downtown streets will be lined with vendors all afternoon and evening, and the downtown shops will be open for business. The Roscoe Historical Museum will also be open, and the Roscoe Express Shuttle will be on hand to take people to and from selected parking areas, the Plowboy Mudbog, and downtown all afternoon at no charge.

The Plowboy Mudbog competition begins at noon at the baseball field at Second and Sycamore in east Roscoe. It will go on until 4 or 5pm depending on the number of entries. Admission is $5 for adults (17 and older) and $3 for kids (11-17), with free admission for children (10 and under).  Proceeds from gate and concession stand will benefit the Roscoe Collegiate High Class of 2018.

The Roscoe Collegiate School will be holding an open house Saturday afternoon at the Edu-Drone office in the Shelansky Building. Edu-Vet will also be in the same building to answer questions and inform visitors about the program, and the Early Childhood Center on South Main Street will be open for tours.

Lyndall Underwood & the Dusty Creek Band.

Music for the free concert and street dance on Cypress Street will begin at six with Lyndall Underwood & the Dusty Creek Band.

Then at around eight, American country singer/songwriter T. G. Sheppard will take the stage. A country music legend, he has had 21 No. 1 hits on the U.S. Country charts, including eight consecutive number ones between 1980 and 1982 and over thirty others in the top ten. He has also been named one of the top 100 country artists of all time.

No. 1 hits include among others “Devil in the Bottle,” “Last Cheater’s Waltz,” “I’ll Be Coming Back for More,” “War is Hell (on the Home Front Too),” “I Loved Them Every One,” “Faking Love,” and “Slow Burn.”

The fireworks show will follow Sheppard’s performance at about 9:40pm and conclude this year’s Wind Festival, although those who aren’t ready to go home yet can move over to the Lumberyard, where Lyndall Underwood & the Dusty Creek Band will play until midnight with no cover charge.

Plowboy Mudbog

As always, mudboggers will be coming in from near and far to try their vehicles in Roscoe’s blackland mud at the Plowboy Mudbog,

Registration for entrants begins at 9:30am Saturday morning at the northwest corner of George Parks Baseball Field at Second and Sycamore Streets.  The driver entry fee is $30.

Entries will be in six classes:

1. Street: 35” tires and under with limited engine modification
2. Super Street: 35” with engine vac under 13”
3. Modified: 36” to 39” with limited engine modification
4. Super Modified: 36” to 39” with engine vac under 13”
5. Open: 40” and over.
6. Tractor Wheels  

Since there’s an advantage in going last rather than first, each mud vehicle makes two runs, with the second run in reverse order from the first. Street and Super Street classes will do both their runs first, and then the rest of the classes will follow in order.

The public gate will open at 11:00am with the mudbog competition beginning at noon.  Admission is $5 for adults (17 and older) and $3 for kids (11-17), with free admission for children (10 and under).  Proceeds from the gate and concession stand will benefit the RCHS Class of 2018.

Spectators are encouraged to bring sun block, canopy, and lawn chairs. For more information, see the Plowboy Mudbog Facebook page, or contact Felix Pantoja at 325-514-8384.

Downtown Schedule:

6:00pm/7:30pm – Dusty Creek Band
7:40pm – Announcements - Giveaways
8:00pm – T. G. Sheppard & Band
9:40pm – Fireworks Show
10:00pm – Event Ends

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PLOWBOYS RIP ROBY 47-6

Nick Limones (12) runs behind the block of Rey Martinez (74). (Photo by Tamara Alexander.)

It was a long night for the Lions. They came into Friday night’s game undefeated with a 5-0 record and high hopes of defeating the Plowboys—or, failing that, at least playing them a close game. But the Plowboys were ready for them, and, as the game wore on, it became more and more apparent that neither was going to happen.

Blame it on Friday the 13th if you will, but when a school like Roby has only around half the students as the other schools in its district,* their game results are likely to be negative, as they were Friday evening. The Roby boys played hard throughout the game, and their quarterback showed both talent and grit, but the game was an uphill battle for the Lions from the outset.

*Texas Football lists the District 4-2A-II school enrollments for grades for 9-12 as follows: Seagraves 154, Tahoka 153, Roscoe 138, Plains 127, Hamlin 115, Roby 74.

The first possessions of both teams were stopped by interceptions, but then about mid-quarter the Plowboys put together a drive that ended with a Jayden Gonzales pass to Clemente Aguayo for a one-yard touchdown, and the Plowboys led 6-0. The next time the Plowboys got the ball they scored again, this time on a 48-yard pass play from Gonzales to Brandon Lavalais. After missing his first extra-point kick, Jose Ortega succeeded on the second, and the Plowboys led 13-0.

Roby came back, though, with a drive early in the second quarter that ended with an 8-yard Kyler Covington run around right end to the end zone. The extra-point attempt failed, but the Lions were still in the game, behind by seven, 13-6. The Plowboys responded on their next possession when Gonzales hit Jose Ortega with a 14-yard scoring pass that made the score 19-6. And before the quarter was over, they got another touchdown when Francisco Garcia broke a couple of tackles on his way to a 62-yard touchdown run that gave the Plowboys a commanding halftime lead of 27-6.

The Plowboys made two more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. The first was a 5-yard pass from Gonzales to Garcia and the second a 5-yard Garcia run that made the score 41-6. They got another in the fourth on a 52-yard Garcia run to make the final score 47-6.

For the game, the Plowboy offense made 493 total yards to Roby’s 155 and 24 first downs to Roby’s 8. Jayden Gonzales completed 15 of 32 passes for 177 yards and 4 TDs. Brandon Lavalais caught 4 passes for 73 yards and 1 TD, Jose Ortega 3 for 39 and 1 TD, Francisco Garcia 3 for 36 and 1 TD, and Clemente Aguayo with 4 for 28 and 1 TD. Diego Garza had 1 catch for 11 yards. The leading rusher was Garcia, who had 14 carries for 232 yards and 1 TD, Nick Limones had 5 carries for 41 yards, Gonzales 3 for 22, and Ortega 2 for 21.

Leading the defense was Parker Payne with 7 tackles, followed by Garrett Bowers with 6, Paul Pantoja with 5, Ortega with 4½, Aguayo with 4, Garza with 3½, Limones with 3, and others with 2 or 1.

The Plowboys are now 4-2 on the season and 1-0 in district, while Roby is 5-1 and 0-1.

 Plowboys vs. Cowboys at Plowboy Field Friday

The Plowboys will play at home again Friday night, this time against Plains, another district foe. The Cowboys are currently 2-3 on the year and coming off a 21-14 loss to Hamlin in their district opener on Friday. They have victories over Smyer and Sudan and losses to Lubbock Christian and Wink, as well as to Hamlin.

Kickoff at Plowboy Stadium is at 7:00pm.

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PLOWBOY, TWO PLOWGIRLS QUALIFY FOR REGIONAL IN CROSS COUNTRY

Alfonso Islas

Victoria Martinez and Riley Sheridan (Photos by Tamara Alexander)

Plowboy Alfonso Islas, Jr., and Plowgirls Riley Sheridan and Victoria Martinez will be competing at the Regional Cross-Country Meet in Lubbock on October 23. All three qualified at the District 8-2A meet at the Anson Golf Course on October 10.

Alfonso, a junior, finished ninth in the varsity boys’ 5K run with a time of 20:53.09. Riley, a freshman, placed fifth in the girls’ varsity 3200-meter run with a time of 13:40.40, and Victoria, also a freshman, placed tenth in the same race with a time of 14:31.23. Runners had to finish in the top ten to advance to the regional meet. Fifteen boys competed in the boys’ 5K run, and 43 girls competed in the girls’ 3200-meter run.

Kadee Martinez won the JV girls’ 3200-meter run, and several other Plowboys and Plowgirls competed in the 7th, 8th, JV, and varsity races.

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ROSCOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S FALL FESTIVAL THIS FRIDAY

A contestant throws rings on bottles at a previous fall festival.

The Roscoe Elementary School is holding its annual Fall Festival this Friday, October 20, 5:00-7:00pm, at Circle Drive in front of the Elementary School building.

As always, there will be activities of all kinds, prizes, and games of luck and skill, including a cake walk, bingo, snacks, and much more to make the festival a fun evening for everyone. Proceeds benefit the Roscoe Elementary School.

The festival will precede the Plowboys’ home football game with the Plains Cowboys.

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RCHS ONE OF THIRTY SCHOOLS INVITED TO JOIN GLOBAL LEARNING NETWORK

Roscoe Collegiate High School has been designated a “World-Leading Learner” and is one of thirty schools worldwide to join the Global Learning Network.

The following is the official press release of the Global Learning Network:

Roscoe Collegiate High School Among 30 Schools Named “World-Leading Learners” and Invited to Join Global Learning Network

Roscoe Collegiate High School to Join the Global Learning Network’s 2017 Cohort of 30 Schools from the United States, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, and Canada

Roscoe, TX – October 16, 2017 – Today, Roscoe Collegiate High School was named a 2017 World-Leading Learner and invited to join the Global Learning Network (GLN), a community of educators from exemplary schools that develop, practice, and share innovative approaches to education that ensure their students are prepared for career and lifelong success.

In December, leaders from Roscoe will head to Boston and meet school leaders from the U.S., Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, and Canada for the Global Learning Network’s 2017 Convening of World-Leading Learners: Rethinking Education for the 21st Century, co-hosted by America Achieves and the OECD.

“We’re thrilled to join the Global Learning Network and to be recognized by America Achieves and the OECD,” said Dr. Kim Alexander, Superintendent of Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District. “I’m so proud of our work in Roscoe and look forward to sharing our approach to rural innovation and career preparation with leaders from school around the world, and learn how other schools are preparing their students for success beyond the classroom.”

“We are witnessing the most significant and fast-paced economic change in recent global history. We need to recognize the significant implications these changes have on the workforce and the knowledge and skills students will need for their future careers,” said Jon Schnur, Executive Chairman of America Achieves, which runs the Global Learning Network. “Schools need to change as the world is changing. This year’s cohort is made up of exemplary schools from around the world that are adapting to prepare their students to be successful in a fast-changing labor market. I’m looking forward to meeting the leaders of these schools at the Global Learning Network Convening in December.”

“Modern schools need to help all students achieve their highest potential, and to play active roles to shape societies and economies of future in a changing world.  We look forward to the convening of world-leading learners to share the best practices between schools and explore new ways for schools to develop as learning organizations”, said Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the OECD.

America Achieves’ Global Learning Network, in partnership Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), invited a cohort of 30 high schools from around the world to participate in the Global Learning Network’s 2017 Convening of World-Leading Learners: Rethinking Education for the 21st Century. In the United States, state departments of education and partner organizations nominated schools for this opportunity. Once nominated, schools were interviewed, and 17 schools were selected from 7 states. Outside of the U.S., 13 schools from 5 countries were invited by the OECD. Each school was selected for their strong progress in at least one of the following categories:

• Excellence - schools that exhibit high academic achievement;
• Equity - schools that are reducing the achievement gap between racial and socioeconomic groups;
• Innovation - schools that are aligning classroom outcomes with local labor market skills that are crucial to success in the 21st century economy.

For more information about the Global Learning Network and the 2017 cohort of World-Leading Learners, please visit www.globallearningnetwork.americaachieves.org

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BUSINESS US 84 CLOSED AT RAILROAD CROSSING TODAY AND TOMORROW

The Cypress railroad crossing downtown.

Business US 84 at Cypress Street will be closed for street repairs today and tomorrow at the railroad crossing in downtown Roscoe. The Union Pacific Railroad is making some long-needed street repairs there, and the temporary closing will necessitate a detour for anyone who uses the crossing to enter or leave Roscoe.

County Road 111, where the Co-op Gin and Sanders are located, will be the easiest way to enter town for travelers coming from the northwest, while those who want to cross the railroad tracks from the east can use Cemetery Road (CR 104) just east of American Legion Post 227.

The Union Pacific has already been working on the crossing at night, as some have learned the hard way. Barring any unexpected delays, they expect to be done by tomorrow evening.

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WEATHER REPORT: COOL, CLEAR, AND BEAUTIFUL

Clear skies over Front Street during Monday's sunset.

The past week has moved from the warmer days of the latter part of last week to decidedly cooler weather that started on Sunday and has continued up to the present.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday had warm afternoons and almost perfect evenings. The high temperatures were 87°F on Thursday, 91° on Friday, and 88° on Saturday with clear skies. Early Sunday morning a cold front moved through, dropping the temperature and bringing a strong north wind. The high on Sunday was only 73° with winds from 15 to 26mph and gusts up to 36mph. It also brought a light shower that measured less than a tenth of an inch, hardly enough to mention.

Monday and yesterday were beautiful with almost no wind and highs of 70° and 80° respectively. Early morning temperatures were chilly, however, with a low of 41° on Monday and 44° yesterday.

Today should be warmer with sunshine, a few clouds, and a high of 84°.  Tomorrow and Friday will be a bit cooler with highs of 79° and 81° and the south wind picking up on Friday and Saturday to around 20mph. The weather for the Wind Festival on Saturday should be warm and windy with an afternoon high of 88°. Another norther is due late Saturday or early Sunday, and temperatures will be considerably cooler with a high of only 74° and lows dropping from Saturday morning’s 64° to Sunday’s 51°.

There is no rain in the forecast.

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† ALFONSO PANTOJA

Holy Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00am tomorrow, October 19, at St. Joseph’s Mission in Loraine for Alfonso Pantoja, 78, of Roscoe, who passed away at his home Monday, October 16. Father Michael Udegbunam will officiate. Rosary is today at 7:00pm at McCoy Chapel of Memories in Sweetwater.

Alfonso was born August 2, 1939, in Loraine to Felix and Florencia Pantoja. He married Maria Diaz on January 4, 1958, in Loraine. He was a member of Saint Joseph's Mission Catholic Church in Loraine. Alfonso was a Tejano trumpet player, a truck driver, a farmer, and a painter. He attended school in Loraine. He loved going to anything for his grandkids and also enjoyed mud bogging.

Survivors are his wife, Maria Pantoja; sons, Tony Pantoja of Kerrville, James Pantoja and wife Connie of Arlington, Ray Pantoja and wife Gabby of Arlington, David Pantoja and wife Lus of Roscoe, Felix Pantoja of Roscoe, and Ruben Pantoja and wife Leslie of Maypearl; daughters, Martha Ensenia and husband Paul of Sweetwater and Isabell Moore of Roscoe; 24 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers are Anthony Pantoja, Zeke Ensenia, Fernando Pantoja, Kevin Pantoja, Vincent Pantoja, and Dominic Pantoja. Honorary Pallbearers are Sam Pantoja and Anthony Torres.

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