The break is over, the blog is back

  With baseball season coming to a close in May, I decided to take a bit of a break from this blog to relax and not worry about giving out extra content (I don't get paid anything extra for doing this blog).
  But with a few months away from the blog and a two-week vacation from the newspaper under my belt this summer, I'm geared up and ready to get this thing rolling again.
  Hopefully this school year I'll add even more photos and videos of where I'm covering games along with more extra content (along with my Sunday columns from the Hobbs News-Sun that I'll post likely on Tuesday or Wednesday - I got to give the subscribers of the News-Sun first crack at that content).
  Please remember, this blog is just a slice of the content myself and News-Sun sportswriter Brad Cox provide at the Hobbs News-Sun. If you're a fan of Hobbs, Lovington, Eunice, Jal or Tatum - you'll want an online subscription to the Hobbs News-Sun (call 575-393-2123 if you're interested).
  While it's a bit slow now, Aug. 5 things will be gearing up as football practices begin and we plan on making it out to each school at least once during that week. Also, the PRCA Lea County Fair and Rodeo begins that week, so if you're a rodeo fan - we'll have you covered.
  Later this week, we'll be at 7-on-7 events in Carlsbad (Thursday - Lovington only) and Portales (Friday - Hobbs and Lovington) along with covering the Hobbs Nite League playoffs (Thursday and Friday) and the Nite League Showcase (Saturday).

Column: Always a Thunderbird

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

NMJC's Luis Hernandez throws to first during
the T-Birds' win against Weatherford on Monday.

(This column ran in Thursday's edition of the Hobbs News-Sun)

  As I walked down to chat with New Mexico Junior College baseball coach Josh Simpson after its season-ending loss to Grayson near midnight Monday in Grand Prairie, Texas, I had my mind set to do a recap this week of NMJC’s time at the regional tournament (including its struggles at the plate) since I had to rush a story out for Tuesday’s paper to beat deadline.

  When I reached field level, I knew I wanted to take a different approach.

  The Thunderbirds were devastated. No, there weren’t tears shed, but it was easy to see their disappointment. You could actually feel the letdown from the players.

  The T-Birds, who had their best season under Simpson at 45-15, were right there during the regional tournament. Their pitching was fantastic (10 runs allowed in four games, including five in the first three games) but they just couldn’t get the timely hitting it desperately needed – losing 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth to Howard and 5-3 on two runs scored in the bottom of the eighth by Grayson.

  But one scene after NMJC’s season came to a close under the lights at QuikTrip Park stood out to me.

NMJC edged by Howard in regional, dropped to loser’s bracket

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

NMJC's Dalton Bowers is tagged out by Howard's Jose Favela during NMJC's

2-1 loss to the Hawks in the Region 5 Tournament.

Clayton Jones

News-Sun

  GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — The New Mexico Junior College baseball team had its chances against Howard College, but couldn’t come up with the clutch hit it needed as an RBI single by Howard’s Cameron Neal in the bottom of the ninth gave the Hawks a 2-1 win over the Thunderbirds in the winner’s bracket semifinal of the Region 5 Tournament on Sunday at QuikTrip Park.

  NMJC (43-14) left 16 runners on base and went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position as Howard starter David Gates limited the T-Birds to one hit through his seven innings of work – keeping NMJC off the board despite nine walks and two hit batters.

  “The bottom line is David Gates was very good tonight,” NMJC coach Josh Simpson said. “He was throwing hard, busting our guys inside and we couldn’t turn on it. Sometimes you just get beat.”

Hobbs' Pannell commits to Cochise

  One of Hobbs’ top-10 all-time scorers has decided where he’ll go to school and play basketball next season as Dane Pannell committed Wednesday to attend Cochise College next season.

Brad Cox/News-Sun

Hobbs' Dane Pannell committed to

Cochise College on Wednesday.

  Cochise College is located in Douglas, Ariz., and Pannell said the location played a big part in his decision.

  “A lot of my family lives in Arizona and it’s where I’m originally from,” Pannell said. “It’s a good winning program and has a good background. I’m hoping to improve my game and go to a good school from there. ...

  “It’s a big load off my chest. I’m relieved and anxious to go there.”

  Pannell averaged 21.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 3.2 steals while helping the Eagles go 22-9 and advance to the Class 5A state semifinals this past season.

  The 6-foot-3 senior spent three years with the varsity, starting nearly the entirety of his prep career.

  Pannell finished his Hobbs career ninth on the all-time scoring list with 1,316 points.

  His 21.1 points per game this past season is the 25th highest in Hobbs history while his career scoring average of 16.2 is 21st on the Hobbs all-time list.

  Cochise plays in the Arizona Community College Athletic Conference, finished 25-6 this past season (receiving votes in the final NJCAA national poll) and took fourth in the ACCAC with an 18-4 mark.

NMJC's Lee commits to NC State

Clayton Jones/News-Sun

NMJC's Desmond Lee Goes up for a dunk earlier this

season. Lee committed to NC State on Monday.

  A long process came to a close for New Mexico Junior College's Desmond Lee as the 6-foot-4 guard committed to North Carolina State on Monday.

  The sophomore from Norfolk, Va., had numerous offers from top NCAA programs such as Miami (Fla.), Illinois, Baylor, Auburn, Arkansas, Georgia and Creighton just to name a few but decided on North Carolina State.

  Lee, a NJCAA Second-Team All-American in 2012-13, helped NMJC qualify for the NJCAA National Tournament for the first time in 17 years when he and the Thunderbirds won the Region 5 Tournament. Overall, NMJC went 26-7, including 12-4 in Western Junior College Athletic Conference play – good for a tie for second place.

  Lee was the second-leading scorer in the WJCAC at 20.2 points per game and was also in the top 20 in the conference in steals (2.0, second), rebounds (5.4, 16th), assists (2.2, 18th), 3-pointers made (69, fourth) and free throws made (198, first).

Column: Sanchez's shooter's mentality pays off for Hobbs in win over Sandia

Hobbs' Adrian Sanchez shoots a 3-pointer.

 

(This column appears in Thursday's edition of the Hobbs News-Sun. Read the Hobbs game story as well as other state tournament stories in Thursday's sports section of the News-Sun.)

  ALBUQUERQUE — Adrian Sanchez entered Wednesday’s Class 5A state quarterfinal game against No. 2 Sandia having hit 99 3-pointers this season for No. 7 Hobbs – a single-season school record.
  After his first five attempts of the game, it was hard to believe he’d hit any.
  The senior was 0-for-5 to start the game with three air balls and another that was well off the mark.
  While a bit discouraged, the senior didn’t stop shooting.
  Sanchez drained a 3-pointer late in the second quarter and it would be a run of four consecutive for him, including a game-winner where he pump faked, took a dribble and swished it through with 1.0 seconds left to lead the Eagles past the Matadors 66-65 at The Pit.
  In a contest where it would’ve been easy for Sanchez – a vocal leader for the Eagles – to get frustrated and lose focus, he kept on shooting thanks to a little pep talk from Hobbs coach Mike Smith.
  “Coach just told me to keep my head up and take my shots,” Sanchez said. “Coach told me, ‘You may have missed the first five, but you’ll hit the next five.’ I just took that mentality and they started falling for me.”

NMAA releases 2013 boys and girls state basketball tournament brackets

Tyler Fletcher/News-Sun

Hobbs' Dane Pannell glides in for two

points against Carlsbad at Tasker Arena.

  The New Mexico Activities Association released the 2013 boys and girls state basketball tournament brackets with several Lea County schools making the cut.

  Here are the links for the boys and girls brackets.

  The Hobbs boys received the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Volcano Vista 7 p.m. Saturday at Tasker Arena. The Hobbs girls got the No. 4 seed and will host No. 13 Gadsden 7 p.m. Friday at Tasker Arena.

  As for the Lovington teams, the boys got the No. 9 seed and will travel to play No. 8 Taos on Saturday while the defending Class 3A state champion Lady Wildcats received the No. 6 seed and host No. 11 Raton on Friday.

  As for Tatum, the Lady Coyotes picked up the No. 1 seed and will host No. 16 Shiprock Northwest on Friday while the Tatum boys got the No. 14 seed and will travel to play No. 3 To'jahiilee on Saturday.

  Neither Eunice or Jal team made the tournament.