HS playoff football: Idalou 26, Brady 18

Idalou defenders swarm and strip the ball from Brady's Seth Bozeman (2) during the second half Saturday during the class 2A regional championship at Midland. Idalou defeated Brady 26-18. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
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MIDLAND - Simply put, Idalou finished drives. Brady did not.

That was all the difference there was in the Wildcats' 26-18 victory over the Bulldogs in a Class 2A Division II Region I semifinal Saturday afternoon at Grande Communications Stadium. The win puts the Wildcats (12-1) into the fourth round for the second straight year where they await the winner of Saturday's late game between Cisco and District 3-2A rival Roosevelt.

Brady (11-2) outgained Idalou in total yardage 309-254, but the Bulldogs could not find the end zone until they scored twice in the last 40 seconds of the game to make the score closer than the game actually was.

Up to that point, the Wildcats had stuffed Brady at almost every turn, including a goalline stand to end the first half in which Brady ran eight plays inside the Idalou 12 and was inside the 1 before being turned away. Brady had two separate drives that totaled 43 plays and covered 135 total yards, but no points... (Continue reading the related article: Wildcats' drive through playoffs continues with win over Bulldogs)

HS playoff football video: Muleshoe 42, Clyde 7

Click ABOVE to watch video game highlights of Muleshoe and Clyde.
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WOLFFORTH - Muleshoe decided to have a second Thanksgiving dinner on Friday night.

A host of Muleshoe defenders tackle Clyde's Colby Smith (21) during the Mules' 42-7 playoff victory on Friday in Wolfforth.

The Muleshoe defense provided the meat, and quarterback Wes Wood did the carving as the No. 4 Mules beat Clyde, 42-7, at Tiger Stadium to advance to the Class 2A state semifinals for the first time since 2000.

“It means everything to these kids,” Muleshoe head coach David Wood said. “They all made the trip and watched that game eight years ago and said, We want to be that team.’ And now they have the same chance to try and get to the state finals.

Muleshoe (13-0) forced seven turnovers against Clyde - four in the first half - to knock the Bulldogs off their rushing attack... (Continue reading the related article: Mules kick aside Clyde to reach state semis)

Cooper High's X-country to state

Cooper High's men's cross country team practices Wednesday afternoon near Cooper High School. The team will compete in a state meet this Saturday.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

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At this time last year, Myles Hunter was feeling a little lonely.

He was a first-time qualifier for the UIL Cross Country State Championships in Round Rock, but his excitement was tempered to some degree. He couldn't enjoy the support or camaraderie from his Cooper teammates, who had to stay home after narrowly missing a state berth as a team.
Click here to find out more!

"It was fun," Cooper coach Christie Parsley said, "but there were six more runners that were missing. I think Myles felt that, too." ...(Continue reading the related article: Cooper expecting nothing less than medal)

Red Raiders pound East Central 167-115

Left: Texas Tech's Tyree Graham (3) dishes the ball around Wes Bradley (32) of East Central Thursday night at the United Spirit Arena.
Right: Texas Tech's D'walyn Roberts (5) goes up against East Central's Ian Adams (40) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at the United Spirit Arena in Lubbock Thursday night. Roberts was fouled on the play. (Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Geoffrey McAllister)
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Texas Tech’s first game of the Legends Classic may not have been legendary, but it was historic.

The Red Raiders, playing a little more than a scrimmage against Division II East Central (Okla.), nearly reached their season average in points scored - by halftime. They undoubtedly set numerous first-half records (Tech doesn’t list records by half), then shattered them in the second half.


Trevor Cook (24) scored 20 points in Texas Tech's 167-115 win over East Central (Okla.) on Thursday at United Spirit Arena.
Tech jumped out to a 77-57 halftime lead - nine points shy of its season average - and cruised Thursday to a 167-115 win in front of an announced crowd of 5,505 at United Spirit Arena... (Continue reading the related article: Raiders set record in romp)

Clues wanted in murder case

Blown sand partially covers flowers left to remember Monica Adams who was found beaten and murdered in a northeast Lubbock field on August 20th of this year. Police Sgt. Jim Pachall, right, remembers the scene nearly three months later.

Thursday, November 13, 2008. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
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Red and white roses lie in the sand near where Monica Adams' body was found three months ago.

Her family placed them there as they remember their loved one and wait for a killer to be found.

Police still hope to get critical tips three months after her body was found brutally beaten in a Northeast Lubbock field.

Sgt. Jim Pachall said some people think the murder case will go away because of Adams' history in prostitution - and it has presented challenges in the case - but it won't stop police from trying to find a killer...(Continue reading related article: Lubbock police hope public can help solve Adams murder case)

Native americans bless "The Harvest"

Danny Mannin of the Chickasaw Choctow tribe, center, Izzy Ramirez of the Arizona Pascua Yaqui tribe, left, and Jacob Galvan of the Apache tribe, right, burn sage to bless and cleanse "The Harvest" statue that was unveiled Thursday at Mae Simmons Park. The statue was was created by Eddie Dixon and Kyle Pettit.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008. (Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

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Turn the clock back more than a century, Eddie Dixon said, and you might hear drums beating near a stream in Yellow House Canyon.

The Lubbock sculptor said his mind began drifting back Wednesday, as musicians played the songs of American Indians atop a dusty hill in Mae Simmons Park near Dixon's latest contribution to public art.

"Maybe 100, 120 years ago, you could hear that very sound echoing across the hills of this canyon," he said.

Maybe. But on a day in March 1877, you most assuredly would have heard gunfire between warring Comanche Indians and buffalo hunters in one of the last skirmishes on the South Plains. The two sides battled among Comanche camps in the canyon, which today is filled with water and part of the Canyon Lake System.(Continue reading the related article: Sculpture honors American Indians' contributions to Lubbock)

Oklahoma slams Texas Tech 65-21

(First photo in above slideshow) Texas Tech's Michael Crabtree (5) is swallowed up by OU's defense during OU's 65-21 victory over Texas Tech Saturday in Norman.
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Disappointing was the word for Texas Tech football fans in Lubbock Saturday as the Oklahoma Sooners dominated the Red Raiders, probably spoiling Tech's dream of getting to the national championship game.

Sports bars like Buffalo Wild Wings and Beef O'Brady's were down to a few fans by the third quarter. Earlier, parking lots were so full people were parking blocks away.

"Our defense didn't show up tonight," said Chris Noffsinger, a Tech junior from Austin. "The whole team's not themselves tonight."

The game left the Red Raider faithful a sad group, ending three weeks of excitement since Tech beat then-number one Texas and vaulted to an unprecedented number two ranking... (Continue the related article: Tech fans crushed as championship hopes fade)

Tailgating in Norman

Click ABOVE to watch a 1 minute clip of Tech tailgators in Norman the night before.
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When Matt Shelton picked up his tickets earlier this year to watch Texas Tech play Oklahoma, he was hoping for something special.

A 2002 Red Raider graduate, Shelton said he knew if Tech did well before facing off against the Sooners that it could be the biggest game of the year. That's why it was the only game he planned to attend.

As he grilled burgers and hot dogs with friends outside their RV Friday in Norman, Okla., he said his team didn't disappoint.

"That's what ended up happening," he said. "I'm pretty excited about it." Like many Raider fans who headed to Oklahoma this weekend, Shelton is hoping his excitement will continue to grow today as Tech faces off against the Sooners in a game that will largely determine the Red Raiders' shot at a national title... (Continue reading the related article: Tech fans firing up grills, team spirit for Big 12 clash)

Idalou rolls past Alpine 56-7

Idalou's Tanner Cook (24) leaps over Alpine's Saul Ordonez (27) Saturday afternoon in Andrews. Idalou defeated Alpine 56-7 in this class 2-A championship.
(Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Idalou's Rynn Smith (10) scores a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Sean Reagan against Alpine Saturday afternoon in Andrews. Idalou defeated Alpine 56-7 in this class 2-A championship.
(Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Idalou quarterback Sean Reagan (12) runs for one of his two rushing touchdowns against Alpine Saturday afternoon in Andrews. Reagan also threw four touchdowns and 308 yards. Idalou defeated Alpine 56-7 in this class 2-A championship.
(Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

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ANDREWS - When Idalou football coach Johnny Taylor said earlier in the week that quarterback Sean Reagan has been throwing the ball better lately, it wasn't just lip service.

Reagan showed the Wildcats will be more than just a running team in the 2008 playoffs, throwing for 308 yards and four touchdowns. Oh, yeah, he also ran for 58 yards and two scores and had three sacks on defense as the Wildcats ripped Alpine 56-7 in a Class 2A Division II Bi-District playoff Saturday afternoon at the Mustang Bowl.

"It was nice to throw it a little more than we have been," said Reagan, who had just 1,014 yards and 11 TDs going into the game. "But we've got to get it done when we do, though. We always think we can go deep and we have enough speed." (Continue reading the related article: Reagan tosses four TDs)

Roosevelt gets historic playoff win over Crane

Roosevelt's Coby Torres (21) and Cory Sherrill (63) celebrate after tackling Crane running back Jordan Mendoza (12) Friday night during a Region I-Division II game in Andrews.

(Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
Roosevelt's Kevin Fowler (10) doesn't complete a pass as Crane's Teague Esparza (3) defends him closely, Friday night during a Region I-Division II game in Andrews.

(Geoffrey McAllister/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)
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ANDREWS - As a history teacher, Roosevelt football coach Greg Poynor has a special appreciation for when the past meets the present.

But maybe not as much as the Acuff community appreciates what Poynor and his first-year coaching staff have done in 2008. And Friday night was a historic step. Coby Torres ran for one touchdown and caught another as the Eagles defense shut down the high-powered Crane passing attack to capture a 21-14 victory in a Class 2A Division II bi-district playoff at the Mustang Bowl.

It is the first playoff victory - according to Poynor - for a Roosevelt football team since 1971. Making just its second playoff appearance since 1986, Roosevelt advances to face either Childress or Sanford-Fritch in the area round... (Continue reading the related article: Roosevelt gets historic playoff win over Crane)

Cocaine bust

A crack cocaine raid by Lubbock's SWAT team and narcotics officers drew jeers and taunts Thursday as they led suspected dealers away from two homes near 21st Street and Avenue L.

Neighbors reported hearing explosions as officers breached the doors of the homes to serve search warrants obtained through undercover drug buys, said police Sgt. Robert Hook.

"It was a good warrant," Hook said. "Nobody got hurt."

Between eight and 10 grams of crack cocaine was found in one of the homes, and at least six suspects were arrested in connection with the case that Hook said narcotics officers had been working on for some time. In addition to the drugs, $2,000 was found in one of the homes, which officers hope proves to be drug money the city can then seize... (continue reading Raid on two Lubbock homes nets crack cocaine, $2,000, six arrests)

Texas Tech dominates Oklahoma State 56-20

It doesn’t matter so much anymore that Texas Tech’s non-conference football schedule consisted of two lower-division teams and one each from the Big Sky Conference and Conference USA.

Big 12 Conference teams that take care of business in league play usually get rewarded in the BCS.

Tech (10-0) took a firmer grip on the No. 2 spot in the BCS standings released Sunday, remaining on track to play Alabama (10-0) in the national championship game on Jan. 8 in Miami, Fla., if both teams can stay unbeaten. They are the only two unbeatens left in the big six conferences.

Tech was No. 11 in the computer ratings when the first BCS standings were released on Oct. 19, but reached No. 1 in the computers on Sunday after three wins in a row over ranked teams, the latest being Saturday’s 56-20 blowout of then-No. 9 Oklahoma State... (continue reading the related article: Tech maintains No. 2 spot in BCS standings)

Raiderville prior to the TTU vs UT game

Raiderville residents Kellen Ketchersid, center left, and Collin Griffith, center right, play Xbox 360 with friends outside Jones AT&T Stadium, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008. Texas Tech students have been camping outside the stadium since Tuesday afternoon in hopes of being one of the 12,000 students allowed in the stadium for Saturday's Texas vs. Texas Tech game.
(Geoffrey McAllister, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

Raiderville residents Will McKenzie, left, Bryan Boyd, center, and Will Kelly, right, play Xbox 360 with friends outside Jones AT&T Stadium, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008. Texas Tech students have been camping outside the stadium since Tuesday afternoon in hopes of being one of the 12,000 students allowed in the stadium for Saturday's Texas vs. Texas Tech game.
(Geoffrey McAllister, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

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Mike Leach fed the masses of Raiderville on Thursday.

The throng of Tech students that has continued to gather outside Jones AT&T Stadium in the tent city dubbed Raiderville seemed to draw as much pleasure from his presence as they did from the food he brought.

Leach, Tech's head football coach, put in an appearance following afternoon practice to praise the devoted students and fans as the highly anticipated game between the No. 7 Red Raiders and No. 1 University of Texas approaches. (Continue reading the related article: Tech coach Leach fuels feeding frenzy at Raiderville)

#7 Texas Tech upsets #1 Texas 39-33

Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree teamed up for an unbelievable finish Saturday night in Lubbock, upsetting Colt McCoy and the #1 ranked University of Texas 39-33. Up next for the Red Raiders... Oklahoma State.