Michael Norris/Amarillo Globe-News Clarendon's Alton Gaines runs through a huge hole on his way to a 71-yard touchdown run against Vega on Friday night at Dick Bivins Stadium.

With the temperature in the 40s and Dick Bivins Stadium buffeted by a flag-whipping northerly wind, a lot of scoring seemed unlikely in Friday's Class 1A bidistrict game between Clarendon and Vega.

What was likely was Clarendon's Alton Gaines running the ball.

Gaines, a running back called to duty as quarterback, broke free for a 71-yard touchdown keeper on the game's third play, and the Broncos kicked a field with 7:59 to play to take a hard-fought 10-7 win against Vega.

The playoff win, Clarendon's first since 1981, sends the 9-2 Broncos to a 4:30 p.m. Friday area-round game against Sunray.

"We knew it was going to be tough with the weather, wind and the cold. And (Vega) played their butts off," Clarendon coach Gary Jack said. "We did, too."

Gaines had 29 carries, including the last seven to run out the game, for 208 yards. Playing in place of his injured brother, sophomore Johnny, Alton Gaines threw two incomplete passes.

"We put in a new offense. I had to go out and run," Alton Gaines said.

Down 7-0, Vega tied the game with 2:54 left in the third quarter when quarterback Cameron Gruhlkey scored on a 1-yard sneak. A 20-yard, tackle-breaking run by Dillon Selmon got the Longhorns to the edge of the end zone. His 15-yard run earlier in the drive and 15-yard penalty on Clarendon were key plays in the 53-yard drive.

The Broncos answered with a 65-yard drive with the wind, overcoming a holding penalty with a 32-yard burst by Gaines to the Vega 25.

The Longhorns appeared to have stopped Clarendon when Brady Harwell and Chip Morris pulled down Gaines for a three-yard loss on a fourth down keeper at the 'Horns 24. However, a facemask was called and the Broncos had new life at the Vega 12. Vega denied the touchdown but Aaron Gordon booted a 22-yard field goal.

After forcing a punt into the wind, Clarendon took over at the Vega 44 and had a chance to salt the game away.

Gaines, however, couldn't handle a low snapped and fumbled to Mike Marasco.

The Broncos were bailed out by Chris Crump, who intercepted Gruhlkey near midfield.

"They had a good game plan," said Vega coach Phillips Wiggins, who expected Johnny Gaines to be the Broncos quarterback. "I knew he was hurt in their last game but I thought he'd play.

Vega had two chances to score in the first half but failed both times in the red zone.

The first came after Gaines slipped on a fourth-down rollout and was downed at his 21. A 14-yard run by Selmon on fourth down advanced the ball to the 10 and Vega got as close as the 7. A fourth-down pass by Gruhlkey into the end zone to Harwell sailed incomplete.

The second opportunity came with 4:15 to go in the second quarter, again after Vega halted Clarendon on fourth down.

Passes of 14 and 19 yards to Harwell keyed a drive that advanced to the Broncos 13 with 12 seconds to play.

A third down dumpoff pass to Selmon got three yards and on the final play of the half, Gruhlkey's pass to Trey Galbraith at the back line of the end zone was knocked away by Clarendon's Gordon.

"Our defense played well except for a couple of mental mistakes," Jack said.

Clarendon 7 0 0 3 - 10
Vega 0 0 7 0 - 7

C-Alton Gaines 71 run (Aaron Gordon kick)

V-Cameron Gruhlkey 1 run (Dillon Selmon kick)

C-Gordon 22 FG

Clarendon Vega
First downs 9 11
Yards rushing 214 63
Yards passing 0 85
Total yards 214 148
Comp-Att-Int 0-2-0 7-13-1
Punts-Avg 1-42.0 2-35.5
Fumbles-Lost 3-1 2-0
Penalties-Yards 6-45 3-32

Individual statistics

Rushing-Clarendon: Alton Gaines 29-208, Mike Crump 4-8, Chris Crump 3-0. Team; 1-minus 2. Vega: Dillon Selmon 19-62, Brady Harwell 4-8, Trey Galbraith 2-minus 6, Cameron Gruhlkey 11-minus 1,

Passing-Clarendon: A. Gaines 0-2-0. Vega: Cameron Gruhlkey 7-13-1-85.

Receiving-Vega: Brady Harwell 3-37, Selmon 2-9, Galbraith 1-21, Chip Morris 1-18.