It was a hot, but exciting, night. The Crane Golden Crane athletes were proudly introduced to the public. The event had an eye-catching upgrade this year, which was a new-and-improved inflatable tunnel. 

The middle-schoolers were introduced first, followed by the high-schoolers. Things were going swimmingly. That is, until a breaker tripped and the mighty Crane inflatable began to first droop and then drop to the ground entirely. Just when the football team was about to take their turn, the tunnel closed in around them in front of everyone’s eyes.

One of many who witnessed the inflatable fiasco was Crane High School cheerleader, Clarissa Velasco. 

“I was caught up in the moment when my teammate, Maria, warned me about it coming down,” Velasco said. “Looking at each other, we knew we had to come up with a solution.”

Nobody let the casualty set them back. Cheerleaders quickly gathered in two parallel lines to form a human walk-through tunnel. The quick thinking of the cheerleaders was a welcome solution to a disappointing, although temporary, problem. 

The introductions went on for some time before finally coming to a close, and the night ended with many smiles and memories captured in pictures. The seniors were feeling a mixture of emotions as they took in their last “Meet the Cranes” class photo.

The whole thing was a bittersweet moment for Charly Perez, senior.

“I really am going to miss all of this,” she said.

Don’t miss out on celebrating our seniors and athletes this season. Let's fill the stands and be loud and Crane proud!

The game started like any other, with a score of 0-0. However, in a matter of minutes, the Kermit Yellow Jackets scored three unanswered touchdowns, knocking the Golden Cranes back on their feet. It wasn’t looking good for the mighty Golden Cranes, but thankfully the momentum began to change.

When all hope was lost, the Golden Cranes made an epic comeback. In the third quarter, the Golden Cranes scored 21 points and were in the lead. Things were looking good, and a possible win seemed to be on the horizon. Sadly, it still wasn’t enough. Although the boys did an excellent job of closing the gap, it all came down to the last play of the game. Quarterback, Tyson Brents, rolled out looking for an open receiver in the endzone. The ball left his hand, and the crowd held its breath. Sadly, it wasn’t meant to be, and a missed opportunity cost the Golden Cranes the game.

Brents said that the team will move on after the loss.

“I’m not too happy about it, but it is what it is,” he said. “We’ll move on to the next one. We need to start out strong and fight it out to the very end. Hopefully, we will come out with a win for the next one.”

Come out and support the Crane Golden Cranes tonight at 7:30 PM as they take on the Big Lake Owls in Crane.

Job title: Teacher/Coach

Married: I'm not married.

How long have you been in education: This is my second year in education.

Where were you at before Crane: My first year in education was at Imperial Buena Vista. 

What do you do for fun: I love to hang out with my family and friends in my free time and grill.

How many siblings do you have: I have two younger brothers who are both in college.

Children: I do not have any children. 

What is one of your hidden talents: I’m a pretty good cook!

What would students be surprised to find out about you: Prior to education, I worked in juvenile probation. 

Do you have any pets: Yes, I have four dogs. 

If you won the lottery and decided to give up working in education, what would you do instead: I would open a youth sports and recreation center and work with kids in different capacities outside of education. 

What inspires you: I am inspired by seeing others succeed and being a part of their story.

What is your dream vacation: My dream vacation would be to go to Ireland.