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Please comment on this section if there is a mistake we have made, or a story we need to look into, or if you have general observations or suggestions. We strive to do better and better each week, and with your help, this goal can be reached!

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The Lady Birds volleyball teams join in a quick prayer before the district-opener varsity game against the Kermit Lady Jackets Tuesday.

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Varsity Lady Birds score first big win in district-opener

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Varsity Lady Birds score first big win in district-opener

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By Salma Gutierrez
El Ave News staff writer

The varsity Lady Birds volleyball team stepped it up Tuesday, knocking down the Kermit Lady Jackets in three sets to score a huge W in this year’s district-opening game.

As the two teams were warming up, everyone was smiling on both sides of the net. Both the Lady Birds and the Lady Jackets seemed upbeat and ready to claim that first big win of the season. But when it came time to get down to it, Mike "Doc" Hailey, head athletic trainer for CISD, introduced the Lady Birds one by one to the packed gym seats. Once his booming voice reverberated through the gym, the feeling in the gym began to feel electric. The crowd stood and cheered, and one super fan, Diego Garcia, a senior, began waving a giant Crane flag in the air to show his support.

When it came time to start, the Lady Jackets quickly put up several points, and before long the Lady Birds were down 1-7. Knowing that the Lady Birds needed to regroup, head coach, Jessica Barnett, called a timeout. The CHS cheerleaders stepped onto the court and began hyping up the crowd and encouraging the Lady Birds as Barnett made some adjustments. It looked like the cheers and the timeout adjustments worked, because Crane began logging points of their own, eventually pulling ahead 9-8.

From then on, it went back and forth during that first set.

“It was actually very frustrating,” said Naveya Porras, junior. “I felt really nervous, but I tried to stay focused."

Soon, the score was a tie, at 20-20. The Lady Birds' teamwork was firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, however, the Yellow Jackets defeated the Lady Birds in the first set.

The Lady Jackets started the second set, taking the first point and appearing to hold the momentum carried over from the previous set. But then, suddenly, the Lady Birds flipped things around and put up five points in a row, bringing the score to 5-1. The crowd began to chant, "C-H-S" every time the Lady Birds began battling for a point. The score began to climb for the Lady Birds: 10-3, 12-3, 15-6, and 18-8.

A few times it seemed like the ball would hit the floor, but one of the Lady Birds would battle and dive and steal what appeared would be a given point for the Lady Jackets. The Lady Birds took this set to tie up the game count, 1-1.

The next set went on much as the second, with the Lady Birds' dominating play. Makenna Willis, senior, was everywhere on the court, making impressive play after impressive play. The same can be said for Nayelly Sanchez, senior, whose height and quick-thinking logged many points for the Lady Birds when she stuffed it back down the throats of the Lady Jackets. Sanchez was named Player of the Game for an impressive 21 kills on the night!

The Lady Birds took the third set 25-16, taking the ladies into the fourth set. Would it go to a fifth? Only time would tell.

The fourth set started off appearing to go the way of the Lady Jackets. Soon, the Lady Birds were down 4-8. Unfortunately for them, Crane had other plans slowly making and began slowly closing the gap and then climbing past the Lady Jackets to bring the score to 25-13, with the Lady Jackets not answering a single point for a very long time.

When the final point was made to seal the deal on the district-opener, Barnett stormed the court and screamed at the top of her lungs. The ladies threw their hands in the air and began hugging and cheering. They were so happy to start off the district games with a win.

The Lady Birds will continue their journey in district and would love to see you show up to their games. Come on out and support the Lady Birds! You won't be disappointed!

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Sound of Freedom movie review: a powerful, but uncomfortable, movie to watch

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Sound of Freedom movie review: a powerful, but uncomfortable, movie to watch

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By Natalia Ayala
El Ave News staff writer

Horror. Fear. Exploitation.

These are the emotions that good people feel when monsters lurk in the shadows, seeking to devour and destroy the innocence of children.

The Sound of Freedom is a powerful movie, but one that is definitely uncomfortable to sit through. The movie follows the real-life experiences of Tim Ballard, a federal agent who spends his days looking at footage of children being abused and molested, writing detailed reports of what he sees and what takes place in the disturbing tapes. And the things he sees on these tapes will make your stomach turn and your blood boil.

Imagine leaving your child in the hands of someone you trust. You leave, thinking your child is safe and sound. You’re enjoying your time with family and friends. It's been a couple of hours, and so you decide to call the person who you left your child with. There is no answer. Panic begins to flood through your veins, and you start calling again and again. No answer. You rush out of the building, dialing 9-11 as you speed towards the house. When you arrive, it's dark and abandoned, and nobody is there. Sirens can now be heard in the distance, and your child is vanished--gone without a trace.

You immediately run out of the house, across the yard,  towards the cops and explain what happened. You give a description of what your child was wearing and who they were with. The cops investigate the crime scene and find evidence of trafficking, along with photos of the kids the suspect has hurt before. You can’t hear what else the cops are saying, as their voices are drowned out by the ringing in your ears and the horrific realization that your kid has been sold by someone you considered a friend.

The detectives and FBI agents do their best to track down your child, and the person who took your child. They look at video footage from cities nearby, talk to the Border Patrol, and discover that your child is no longer in the country. Your heart sinks. The case goes cold.

This type of scenario is often what precedes the horror that Ballard would see on the videotapes he was charged with detailing in his reports.

One day, Ballard gets caught up in the harsh reality of trafficking when he and his associates search a man’s house, finding photos of victims who were sold and abused by the man living there. When Ballard and his colleague catch the abuser, the monster asks them how many children they have saved. This question prompts Ballard to do something to help save the children.

Ballard goes undercover and pretends to be one of the abusers so he can save a little boy from being sold. Once he saves this boy, Miguel, and catches the trafficker, little Miguel asks Ballard to save his sister, giving him a necklace his older sister gave him with Ballard's name on it. Unfortunately, the constraints of his job won't allow him to do all that he feels led to do to save the children, and so he quits his job and uses all his own resources and connections to search for Rocio, the older sister.

Ballard goes on to rescue many, many children from the clutches of monsters, and his name has become well-known throughout the world for the abusers he's brought to justice and because of the many children he has helped rescue.

This film details these events in excellent cinematography and unforgettable moments that really sear into your brain. While this movie isn't for the faint of heart, it is an important film that shines a necessary light on the dark world of human trafficking. I believe it's important to not stick our heads in the sand regarding this important issue, and thanks to this movie, many people are beginning to realize the full and awful scope of the human trafficking world.

Millions of children go missing every year and become victims of abusers; most are never found. Ballard inspired many organizations to change their ways and now does everything he can to bring kids home.

I would say that this film is a great one. I would give it four-out-of-five Golden Cranes!

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Gregory Rodriguez, Crane High School math teacher, teaches his students how to calculate slope from equations of lines Tuesday afternoon.

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The Crane High School Color Guard team poses for a team picture following the pep-rally Thursday afternoon.

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By Adam McGuire
El Ave News staff writer

Rod Wave's latest album, Nostalgia, is an exploration of the common sadness that will seem deeply familiar to many of the album's listeners.

Wave explores in the album the common themes of love, loss and struggle. He does a deep dive into the roller-coaster of life's journey that we all find ourselves on from time to time.

Wave's raw and arousing storytelling, paired with his emotional, melodic sound, creates a musical narrative that invites listeners to reflect on their own past while embracing the present.

One of the songs that stand out is the title-track, Nostalgia. Wave's lyrical prowess exudes truth and shows courage and authenticity. He bares his soul by sharing personal struggles, allowing listeners to connect with him on an intense and personal level.

The album's seamless blend of relatable stories and heartfelt verses makes for a strong statement reminding us of our shared human experiences and our shared humanity.

The production on Nostalgia is masterful, with carefully crafted beats and instrumentals that complement Wave's delivery. The process of soulful melodies and rhythm arrangements adds to the album's emotional impact and draws listeners deeper into the story. Each track feels like a chapter in a book, weaving an attractive story that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

Nostalgia is an excellent model of present hip-hop artistry, showing Wave's growth as an artist and storyteller. It's a musical journey that pulls at strong affections and encourages reflection. Overall, it shows the raw power of music to bring out emotions and connect us to our shared humanity.

Nostalgia is not just an album; it's an emotional journey that leaves a lasting impression on anyone lucky enough to experience its melodic magic. I highly recommend this album, and I give it four-out-of-five Golden Cranes.

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The Crane Golden Cranes varsity football team goes over what's happening on the field during a timeout in the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers at El Ave Stadium Friday night.

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Henry Anderson, Crane High School coach, strikes a pose during P.E class in the old gym last Monday.

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Damien Hernandez, freshman, is super-excited to see that the Crane News published one of the articles he wrote for El Ave News. Students of Brad Pettit's journalism class are given a portfolio that holds their newspaper clippings, and at the end of the year, students with the most clippings published in other publications get a special prize.

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Use this QR code to buy tickets for the Homecoming dance!

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A Crane High School student who preferred to go unnamed decided to ask somebody to Homecoming in a unique and interesting way: with a cheesecake. The student would answer the question, "Will you go to Homecoming with me?" by eating a portion of the cake and leaving the answer to the question to be read. Obviously, the ploy worked, and this unnamed student will not be going to Homecoming alone.

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Pamela Lupercio, junior, flashes a peace sign at Friday's game against the Fort Stockton Panthers.

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Abigail Smith, new high school math teacher, helps students Carolina Partida, junior, and Sarah De La Torre, junior, with their latest homework assignment.

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The Crane High School band gets ready to practice their marching show, “Imaginarium”, Thursday morning on the blacktop.

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Miranda Salcedo, junior, enjoys getting to know the new puppy of the secretary for the CHS counselor’s office, Donna Lee, Wednesday.

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Ivan Martinez, senior, patiently waits for his number to be called during the varsity football game against the Fort Stockton Panthers Friday at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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From left: Angel Barroso, sophomore, and Adam McGuire, sophomore, get ready for the play during the J.V. game Thursday against the Fort Stockton Panthers.

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Diego Garcia and Alynna Rodriguez, both seniors, race each other as part of the Odessa College Wrangler Promise presentation Thursday morning at Crane High School.

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Dual-credit students work hard on their college assignments early Thursday morning at Crane High School.

Dual-credit is an affordable way to kill two birds with one stone regarding getting a college education. Students get high-school credit for an English or math class, or an elective, while also gaining college credit for one of their college basics’ classes.

Some students graduate CHS and go off to college as sophomores rather than freshmen, all because they take advantage of these dual-credit courses while in high school. And the good news is that these courses are highly discounted from what they cost in college.

If you’re looking to get a head start on your college education, then dual-credit is for you! See Dana Rizo in the counselor’s office for more information.

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Quarterback Tyson Brents, sophomore, throws a perfect pass to Kevin Iniguez, senior, during the varisty football game Friday against the Fort Stockton Panters at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Alyssa Rodriguez, senior, gets a point for the Crane Golden Cranes varsity volleyball girls' first district game against the Kermit Lady Jackets Tuesday night in the Tommy C. Jones Memorial Gymnasium.

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Name: Hattie Jurado

Job Title: Crane High School Attendance Clerk

Married? No

How long have you been in education? Two years

Where were you before coming to Crane? XTO and EXXON Mobil

What do you do for fun? Spend time with family, and I love going to the movies.

How many siblings do you have? Three

Children? Two. My daughter is a senior at Buena Vista in Imperial, and my son is a junior at Buena Vista as well.

What is one of your hidden talents? Hmm, I used to sing.

What would students be surprised to find out about you? I am actually very competitive in everything I do, and I love all sports!

Do you have any pets? Yes. I have a cockapoo; his name is Rolo, and he is one-year-old.

If you won the lottery and decided to give up working in education, what would you decide to do instead? Help everyone in need in my community first, and then I would travel around the world.

What inspires you? My kids inspire me every day.

What is your dream vacation? I would love to go on an Alaskan cruise to see the northern lights.

Is there anything else you would like to share? I love working here at Crane; the students have all been great. I love kids and enjoy helping and encouraging them in any way I can.

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By Lily Espino
El Ave News staff writer

The JV football team saw their winning streak come to an end Thursday in Fort Stockton, falling to the Panthers, 16-14.

Although the hard-fought loss was hard to swallow, Brayson Newberry, sophomore, said that it was in large part due to the loss of a key player on the team early on in the game.

“It was pretty tough because we knew we would’ve beat them if our QB didn’t get hurt.”

The quarterback Newberry was referring to is Zayden Pittman, freshman, who fractured his collarbone in the game and is now out for the season as a result. Pittman’s contribution to the team had been invaluable, as he is an intelligent quarterback who knows when to part with the ball and let it sail, or when it’s time to tuck it in and head for the end-zone.

“I knew I was pretty badly hurt right when it happened,” said Pittman.

To see the x-ray, one can only imagine what the injury felt like in the moment, as it shows a clear break and displacement.

When asked if he had to have the bone reset, Pittman said that he did not.

“Because I’m so young and still growing, the doctor said it would just go back into place over time.”

Newberry said that he felt like the opposing team did not play with very much honor.

“They played dirty,” he said. “It would’ve been a great feeling to win, all things considered.”

Carter Piercy, sophomore, said Pittman’s absence was surely felt, but that the rest of the team could have done some things better.

“We should have kept the same amount of energy from the first half into the second,” he said. “Although it was hard playing without our QB, the team did a good job playing to the best of our ability.”

Jacob Bejarano, sophomore, said that even without Pittman, the team could have logged the W.

"It was really fast paced,” he said. “Although we lost, it was a fun game we could've won."

The Golden Cranes JV team fought hard to keep their undefeated reputation, but sadly lost by a heart-rending two points.

Piercy said they didn’t come away from the game empty-handed, however.

"It was definitely a learning experience, but we will get them next year."

The JV has a bye week at the time of this publication, but look for them next week as they take on the Compass Cougars for Homecoming.

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Syerra Lopez, sophomore, sends one back over the net at the JV purple game against the Pecos Lady Eagles Saturday in the Tommy C. Jones Memorial Gymnasium in Crane.

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Alyssa Rodriguez, senior, spikes one back over the net at the varsity game against the Pecos Lady Eagles Saturday in the Tommy C. Jones Memorial gymnasium in Crane.

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Lucas Bernard, junior, pulls down a catch at the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Coach Trevor Davis: Crane native returns to coach at Crane

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Coach Trevor Davis: Crane native returns to coach at Crane

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By Kaden Hargrove
El Ave News staff writer

Imagine being in a squat position for hours, play after play, using all your strength to protect the quarterback from getting hit. You get stepped on, and your fingers become stuck in other people’s helmets. You have to run and block at the same time, with people hitting you under the knees as 200-300-pound guys fall right down on top of you!

This is what it’s like playing on the offensive line. And preparing CHS offensive linemen how to prepare for this tough part of the game is what Crane native, Trevor Davis, has been hired to do. And although Davis is new to Crane’s coaching staff, he tough for Klondike ISD for five years prior to coming back home to Crane.

Davis has been charged with coaching one of the most important positions in football. And he’s making sure that his players know how to do their jobs and keep the defense from getting through to the quarterback and other players in the backfield.

When his players get tired, because this position wears on the big boys who do it, Davis has to know when to pull them out to rest and when he feels like they have more gas in the tank and can stay on the field for a bit longer. He has to know who the best blockers are, and which players have the natural killer instinct for the position. Additionally, he has to teach his players how to be in the appropriate position at the right time.

Davis is working hard to make this year’s team. Especially the offensive line.

“I became a coach because of the positive influence that the coaches I had modeled for me, and this is a way I can do the same,” he said.

Davis also said it’s good to be back home.

“I grew up in Crane, and I attended school from Kindergarten on here.”

Davis played football for Crane High School, also.  And as you might’ve guessed, he played center on offense. On defense, he played defensive end.

Although Davis is now a coach, he had a different idea of what he wanted to be when he grew up while daydreaming as a child.

“I grew up wanting to be a voice actor,” he said. “That was my dream as a kid.”

Even though we don’t get to hear his voice on our favorite cartoons or movies, thankfully we get to hear it on the sidelines every Thursday and Friday night as he calls out for his players and cheers them on as they do great things on the field.

Davis said he loves the game of football and being able to be a positive influence to the players and to other coaches as well. The players Davis coaches feel the same way about him as he does about them. To a man, they all expressed their support for their new coach and say that it’s an honor to be able to play for him.

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Tyson Brents, sophomore QB, links up with Lucas Bernard, junior, at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Jasson Jimenez, senior, goes head-to-head with a Panther at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Trey Larsen, senior, runs a long one in for a touchdown at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Tyson Brents, sophomore, attempts to get a touchdown as Lucas Bernard, junior, blocks for his QB at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Crane student council presents a gift to the Fort Stockton student council at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Carlos Alvarez, senior, rushes in to declaw the Panthers at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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The Golden Cranes await the play at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Carlos Garcia, senior, lines up for the play during the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Elementary students clap to the rhythm at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers at El Ave Stadium.

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Kevin Iniguez, senior, takes down one of the Fort StocktonPanthers at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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The color guard gets ready for their marching band performance at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it

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If you want to view paradise, simply look around and view it

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Frasier Julian, sophomore, focuses on his mark during the marching show “Imaginarium” at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Jose Lomeli, senior, performs in the Crane band marching show Friday night for halftime at the El Ave Stadium.

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Miracle Chavarria, freshman, performs in the marching show, “Imaginarium” during halftime at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Kyla Rangel, junior, performs for the halftime show at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Clarissa Velasco, junior, gets ready to perform for the halftime show at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Kayla Santos, senior, plays a beautiful solo during the Crane Golden Crane band show "Imaginarium" at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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The mighty Crane Golden Crane band plays "Imaginarium" during the halftime show at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Charly Perez, senior, performs at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Angel Barroso is mesmerized by the crowd at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Erika Ortega, senior, goes through the motions at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Marlene Rodriguez, freshman, performs with the Crane High School color guard for the halftime show Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Corinn Hensley, sophomore, performs for the band color guard at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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A weenie dog gets loose at halftime and makes a nice run from midfield to the end-zone at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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Dayami Rocha, sophomore, and Clarissa Velasco, junior, raise the flag at the Fort Stockton game Friday night at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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We want to be just like you when we grow up!

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We want to be just like you when we grow up!

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The Crane Golden Cranes and the Crane Coyotes enjoy some time together at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers at El Ave Stadium.

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The class of 2025 competes to win the scavenger hunt against the other classes at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers.

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The Crane color guard poses for a photo this past Friday at the GOLD pep-rally in the Tommy C. Jones Memorial Gymnasium.

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The Crane High School twirlers stop for a quick group photo at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers at El Ave Stadium.

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Santiago Rodriguez, senior, surprises Mariah Aranda, sophomore, with a homecoming proposal at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers at El Ave Stadium.

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From left: Gracin Huertas, sophomore; Angel Reyes, junior; Trey Larsen, senior; and Ivan Martinez, senior, have a grand old time at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers.

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The Friday night lights were shining big and bright at El Ave Stadium Friday night for the varsity football game against the Fort Stockton Panthers.

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From left: Damian Charles, senior, Carlos leyva, junior, and Kyle Duran, senior, are locked in at the pep rally Friday prior to the game against the Fort Stockton Panthers at El Ave Stadium.

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From left: Maddox Cruz, Mason Tarpley, and Braxton Tarpley—all students of Crane Elementary School and members of the Crane Coyotes football teams—are introduced during the pep rally Friday at El Ave Stadium in Crane.

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The CHS twirlers show off their stuff at the pep rally Friday before the varsity football game against the Fort Stockton Panthers in Crane.