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Weekly Newspaper and Travel Guide for Ward County Trans Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

Sports

November 12, 1998

Loboes win first playoff game


By a sports correspondent of The News
KERMIT - The stage was perfect Friday night, Nov. 6, in
Kermit.

Two teams with identical 2-2 records in District 3-4A were
to duel. The winner takes a trip to the bi-district round
of the Texas high school football playoffs; the loser, an
all expense paid trip to basketball practice Monday
afternoon.

To make it feel even more like a "true" Friday night, the
temperature at game time was 47 degrees, and the field was
somewhat muddy and rainsoaked.

Are you ready for some football?

The Monahans High School Loboes were.

As the Loboes rolled into Kermit for their self-proclaimed
first playoff game, the fog did as well. The Loboes sent
the fog, and the Yellowjacket fans, home crying as they
defeated the Jackets 15-8. The win moved the Loboes to 4-6
and 3-2 in league play, and more importantly to a
bi-district playoff spot. The Loboes finished third in the
district because of Alpine's last second 14-9 victory over
Midland Greenwood. Monahans plays Lamesa at 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov 14, at Ratliff Stadium in Odessa. Tickets
will be available at the gate. Monahans will serve as the
home team. Lobo fans will occupy the West stands. The
Loboes will dress in Green for the bidistrict game.

For the first time all season, the Loboes were the
benefactors of most of the game "breaks." The first came in
the Monahans opening drive. On second down , junior QB Raul
Hinojos rolled to his right and found Micah Tuxhorn on a
deep route. The ball was underthrown by about two feet, but
the Kermit defender neatly tipped the ball to Tuxhorn, who
scampered 51 yards to the Kermit three yard line. Three
plays and two Kermit off-sides penalties later, Brandon Lee
plunged in from a yard out for the Green's first touchdown
of the night. Joel Najar's PAT was good, and Monahans led
7-0 with eight minutes to go in the first quarter.

The Loboes almost got another break a few plays later. On
Kermit's second play from scrimmage, Kermit running back
Louie Bossett fumbled a pitch attempt but the free ball was
fallen on by a Yellowjacket lineman. However, there was not
much postponing the inevitable. On the next play the Kermit
snap was fumbled. Lobo backer Gabe Ontoveros snapped this
one up.

The Loboes set up shop again, and began moving the ball down
the field with apparent ease. The drive stalled on the
Kermit 11, and a 28 yard field goal attempt by Joel Najar
fell just inches short of the uprights. Defensive
domination on both sides of the ball allowed no further
scoring attempts, and the Loboes took their 7-0 lead into
the Locker Room at the half.

The third quarter opened up again with the Loboes on the
offense. The Loboes again began moving the ball up the
field, when Hinojos dropped back and threw an interception
to Kermit safety J.J. Chavez. Chavez rambled 53 yards where
pursuit finally caught him, and forced the football loose.

Todd Passmore fell on the ball, and the Loboes regained
possession on their own three yard line. Despite avoiding
the touchdown, the Loboes did not make it out of this freak
incident unscarred as FB Ben Cordova was tackled in the
endzone on the following play by Kenny Howard. Kermit had
cut the Lobo lead to 7-2 with 6:48 remaining in the third
quarter.

After shutting the Yellowjackets down, the Loboes drove the
ball again on Kermit's fourth-ranked Permian Basin defense.
However, tragedy would nearly strike again as a tipped
Hinojos pass was intercepted and another big return; but the
Kermit defender was hit near the Monahans 20 and fumbled -
this time recovered by Lobo defensive back J.T. Higgins.
Kermit held the Loboes and forced them to punt into the wind
with four seconds remaining in the third quarter. Howard
made a 25 yard return for the Jackets, and Kermit had
posession on the Monhans 27 as the fourth quarter began.

The Kermit offense picked their way through the Lobo defense
methodically and ultimately found their way to the end zone.
On a third down play, QB Iver Ramirez plunged forward from
a yard out to give the Jackets an 8-7 lead. Kermit went for
two, but RB Bossett was stopped inches from the goal line.
Kermit led 8-7 with 9:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Someone from the near 2,000 Lobo faithful that attended
(easily outnumbering their hometown Kermit counterparts)
apparently saw the time remaining of "911" and called for
some emergency help from the Lobo offense.

Like all good emergency technicians, the Loboes got the job
done quickly.

Kermit's Bossett kicked the ball short, intending to keep it
away from the Loboes return specialists, sophomore Ben
Cordova and junior DePhil Phillips.

However, someone forgot to tell Bossett he was kicking right
to senior Joel Najar, one of the hardest runners on the Lobo
team. Najar followed his blockers and then found a seam,
where he gashed the Yellowjacket kickoff squad for 25 yards.

On the first play, Brandon Lee carried the ball up the
middle for almost six yards, bringing the ball down to the
Kermit 41. The next play saw Najar take a pitch to the left
side, where he nearly broke free, but was tripped up after a
five yard run. On the third play from scrimmage, the Loboes
hit paydirt. TB Willie Hanks took an Hinojos pitch to the
right saw nothing but touchdown ahead and turned on the
jets. Thanks to great blocking across the line of
scrimmage, as well as by Hinojos and Najar, Hanks ran
untouched (actually he didn't have a guy within 15 yards of
him) into the endzone, giving the Loboes the lead back.

WIth a lead of 13-8. the Loboes opted to go for the two
point conversion to stretch the lead to seven. On the play,
Hinojos rolled out to his right and found J.T. Higgins open
just inside the goal line. Higgins made the catch, and the
Loboes celebrated their 15-8 lead.

It was time for the Lobo defense to finish the job. The
Pack "D" stepped up, allowing just one first down and
forcing the Jackets to punt to the Loboes with just over
five minutes remaining.

The Loboes ran out the clock, relying on low-risk runs and
Kermit using their timeouts late. With 12 seconds left, the
Jackets had exhausted their timeouts, and the Lobo victory
was clear.

Hinojos took the final snap, stepped back four yards, and
kneeled the ball, where he was immediately mobbed by Lobo
Hawgs Todd Passmore, Chris Adams, Lanny Hayes, and Crosby
Swanson. The crowd counted down as the final seconds ticked
off, and the Loboes had found their way back to the playoffs
with a 15-8 win.

After the game, the celebration continued with the Lobo fans
who had made their way down to the field.

"It feels great," said linebacker Ontiveros, "we worked
hard for this, and we came in and finished the job."

Lobo hawg Hayes had similar remarks. "It's unbelievable. We
worked hard All the sweat and pain was worth it."

"I'm incredibly happy," said Crosby Swanson, another Hawg,
"but it's not over yet. Now we've got Lamesa."

The Loboes worked out Tuesday at Ratliff Stadium, and all
feel that playing on the astroturf will be no problem at all.

Swimmers take on big fish


By a sports correspondent of The News
SAN ANGELO - Green Wave Coach Doug Ward says his 3A Monahans
High School swimmers had forgotten how tough 5A competition
can be.

They found out on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the 18-team Big
Spring Invitational. Swimmers from El Paso Franklin, Lubbock
High, San Angelo Central, El Paso Coronado, Keller High,
Trinity High and Abilene Cooper were there to teach them.
The Lobo swimmers learned that lesson and then taught one of
their own. This little school can be competitive, even at
the big school level.

Ward's women swimmers finished seventh (a tie with Abilene
Cooper) in the 18-team field; the Lobo men swimmers, eighth
(just behind Amarillo Tascosa).

El Paso Franklin won the women's division; San Angelo
Central, the men's.

"All in all," says Ward, "The Green Wave seemed unimpressed
by the huge number of swimmers although they definitely
respected the ability of those from the big schools."

Ward also notes next year, for the first time, state level
competitions at the end of the season will split Texas
swimmer into two divisions. Currently all schools, no matter
the classification, compete in only one classification for
area, regional and state honors at the end of the swim
season. The new classifications will be 5A and sub-5A. Teams
from smaller schools like 3A Monahans will compete in the
sub-5A championship meets.

"We can compete with 4A schools," says Ward. "We can compete
in 4A."

The Green Wave coach left the impression he was looking
forward to it. He also notes the Wave did not do badly
against the 5A schools this past weekend.

Lobo Summary

Women

200 Medley Relay - 4. Monahans 2:05.29 (Candice Teague,
Lindsay Fredericks, Marina Martin, Karen Robertson)

200 IM - 5. Marina Martin 2:34.57

50 Free - 3. Candice Teague 26.29

100 Fly - 11. Marina Martin 1:14.86

200 Free Relay - 8 Monahans 1:54.32 (Lindsay Fredericks,
Marina Martin, Karen Robertson, Candice Teague)

100 Back - 4. Teague 1:04.80

100 Breast - 8. Autumn Ware, 1:17.19; 10. Lindsay
Fredericks, 1:18.19

Men

200 Medley Relay - 7. Monahans 1:55.40 (Clayton Cunningham,
Chris Cain, Joseph Naranjo, Brandon Sutter)

200 Free - 6. Chris Cain 2:06.61

200 Free Relay - 7. Monahans 1:41.47 (Brandon Sutter, Joseph
Naranjo, Clayton Cunningham, Chris Cain)

100 Back - 7. Sutter 1:01.33

100 Breast - 3. Chris Cain 1:07.71

Cowboys roll to easy victory


Coach Dewaine Lee's Grandfalls-Royalty Cowboys did what they
were supposed to do against Dell City on Friday, Nov. 6.

The Huntress Report's second ranked Cowboys (6-0 in
district, 8-1 for the season) won, of course, 64-18. The
referees invoked six-man football's 45-point mercy rule
early in the third quarter.They officially cut another notch
on their championship belt, the third district 7A-Six Man
title in as many years.

The only six-man team with a bye in the first round of the
Playoffs, Lee and his players now practice and ponder,
practice and wonder.

They will play next week. This week they're idle awaiting
the outcome of the Borden County-Wellman contest. Lee's
Cowboys play the winner, perhaps defending state champion
Borden County 9-1), perhaps not. Wellman (7-3) is loaded
this year. What that winner is decided, Grandfalls will find
out when and where they play in the second play off round.

Grandfalls truly wants a rematch with first ranked and
undefeated Trinidad which beat the Cowboys by 12 early in
the season in a barnburner. If that is to hapen, both teams
must win out and they can meet in the state championship
game.

About that season-ending 64-18 romp over Dell City by the
Cowboys. Says Coach Lee, "Our kids did well. We had a good
outing. Dell City had some speed but we controlled the ball.
Andy Leyva scored four touchdowns. James Stocks had two
interceptions. . .We are gaining maturity."

Ladies end season 16-15


By Nathan Rogers
A sports correspondent of The News
FRENSHIP - Saturday night, Nov. 7, the District 2-3A
champion Loboes traveled up the road to Wolfforth Frenship
High School to write yet another chapter in their unfolding
volleyball season.

Monahans stumbled in that area playoff game on the neutral
floor at Frenship.

Their area play off opponent, the Amarillo River Road Lady
'Cats, was a formidable one. Using the same starters that
have been playing for some time now, the Ladies started
slow. After several side-outs, some missed calls, and a
seemingly faulty net, the Lady Cats had an early 11-3 lead
over the Pack in the first game of the area round match.

The Ladies were playing timid volleyball, almost as if they
were afraid to make a mistake.

"We hadn't played since last Saturday (Oct. 31) and we
weren't cohesive. We just looked rusty," said Coach Patty
Hall.

The Ladies dropped that first game, 15-3, and had a locker
room meeting before the next game. What was discussed?
Anyone not in the meeting might never know, but it worked
like a charm. After falling behind early, the Pack roared
to a 13-5 lead. This lead was due in a large part to the
serving of Mandy Wilson, with seven straight service points,
and five kills by Vanessa Collins, who finished the match
with eight.

Collins killed a return on an Arlette Garcia serve to seal
the second game, 15-10.

The momentum of that win seemed to vanish instantly,
however. The Lady Cats dominated the third game, and ended
the championship hopes of the Lady Loboes, 15-6. The Ladies
ended the season at 16-15, including that district
championship and the return to the play offs after a
season's recess..



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Copyright 1998 by Ward Newspapers, Inc.
Joe Warren, Publisher
107 W. Second St., Monahans TX 79756
Phone 915-943-4313, FAX 915-943-4314
e-mail monnews@ultravision.net

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Copyright 1998 by Ward Newspapers Inc.