Prep Notes 1/18

About 1,400 non-reserved lower bowl tickets for the Clovis-Hobbs boys basketball game on Jan. 25 go on sale today at 9 a.m. in the athletic office at Clovis High School.

Usually CHS doesn’t sell tickets to games so early, but it’s making an exception for the rivalry game.

“It’s just to give our fans a chance to get the ones on the bottom,” CHS athletic director Dale Fullerton said.

Cost is $5 for adults and students and $3 for senior citizens.

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The undersized Farwell Steers miss Rowdy Mitchell’s physical presence inside and on the boards.

Mitchell was unavailable when the Steers opened up District 3-1A play with losses against Morton and Sudan, which are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 respectively in Class 1A in Texas.

Farwell coach Clint Conkin said Mitchell should be recovered from his back injury for the Jan. 28 rematch with Sudan.

“When we get Rowdy back, we’ll beat the both of them,” Conkin said.

Morton’s Kendrick Johnson, a 6-foot-9 senior who signed with Georgia, scored 32 points against the Steers (14-9, 0-2) last Friday, including 14 points in the fourth quarter, when the two teams combined to score 51 points.

“He was getting all the putbacks and we were running down the court making 3s,” Conkin said.

The Steers connected on six 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and 12 in the game.

Against Sudan, Deterron, Jeramee and Jerry Smith dominated the paint, combining for 42 points and 26 rebounds.

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District play dominates the remaining schedules in New Mexico starting today.

Fort Sumner opens District 3-1A play against Floyd today before facing Melrose Friday in the Buffaloes’ district opener. Also on Friday, the Clovis boys and girls play Sandia in District 4-5A.

On Saturday, Texico opened with a boys and girls sweep of Clayton in District 6-2A while Grady swept Clovis Christian in District 4-1A.

The latest district start is for Portales. The Lady Rams don’t have their conference opener until Jan. 28, with the Rams following on Feb. 1. Portales is in the four-team District 4-3A.

Top area scorers of the week, based on information reported to the CNJ.

Boys

34 — Tate Nichols, Farwell, vs. Morton, Friday

27 — Arsenio Geter, Muleshoe, vs. Brownfield, Friday

23 — Carlos Ruiz, Melrose, vs. Grady, Friday

23 — Braden Vaughan, Texico, vs. Fort Sumner, Tuesday

21 — Jarrod Lindsey, Grady, vs. Melrose, Friday

Girls

33 — Brittany Blackmon, Clovis, vs. Alamogordo, Saturday

30 — Aerial Verble, Grady, vs. Clovis Christian, Friday

25 — Blackmon, vs. Lovington, Friday

24 — Sandy Fortner, Fort Sumner, vs. Texico, Tuesday

21 — Jennifer Blackburn, Grady, vs. Clovis Christian, Friday.

CNJ sports writer John Eisel can be reached at 763-6991 ext. 322 or by e-mail at: [email protected].