Newspapers and their websites are good for preserving all sorts of information that help reduce the stockpiles of reporter notes in an earth-conscious society.

The idea of saving the sheets filled with rows of cryptographic numbers is for quick reference to a particular play in a recent football or basketball game, or to recall how impactful a player was to his team. But nowhere could I find any notes on what No. 3 for Fort Bend Marshall did in a Nov. 30 football game against Port Neches-Groves.

Maybe he made a few tackles. It used to be easy for me to write down the number of who made stops, but these days, offenses go too fast for me to process in my mind the jersey number.

One thing is for certain: Drew Conley had an impact on the Marshall Buffalos.

Impact isn’t always measured in numbers. It’s felt among teammates on and off the field. It leaves an impression on coaches.

At 14-0, this should be the most rewarding week in Marshall’s 17 seasons of existence. The Buffs have never gone this far in the UIL playoffs. They’re blessed with seemingly unbeatable speed and physicality.

Instead, it’s challenging.

How challenging? I don’t know, but it’s not because perennial power Calallen is the next opponent. It’s because Southeast Texas can feel the impact the Buffs suffered this week of losing a teammate.

The news of Conley being shot to death — allegedly by his uncle — was as devastating to this part of Southeast Texas as the May 18 mass shooting at Santa Fe High days after its baseball team beat PNG.

First of all, kids were involved. Kids. Were. Involved.

Secondly, someone who took the field was physically hurt in each incident. Someone who took the field couldn’t escape or predict violence. None of us could. None of us should have to.

Rome Shubert, a pitcher who’s now a junior, survived the May 18 shooting at Santa Fe. Eight days earlier, he threw five strikeouts in a complete-game victory over PNG.

Conley didn’t survive.

Buff fan or no, that hurts.

The tweet wide receiver Korey King left hours after Conley’s death may exemplify the impact of No. 3 that cannot be measured in a statistic:

“The last thing we said was , ‘ we did it . We broke the curse . 5th round ain’t ready for us . Le’t gon win state . I love you boy . ’ Last thing we ever said now you gon [broken heart icon] words can’t even explain wat [sic] I’m feeling rn [right now]. Until we meet again , I love you forever my brother [blowing nose icon] 12.11”

Don’t be mistaken — Calallen feels Marshall’s loss.

The Corpus Christi-based team, which was 5A Division II runner-up to Aledo last year, will wear a sticker honoring Conley when the two teams meet Friday night in San Antonio, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported.

“… I called their coach and let them know we are going to do it,” Calallen coach Phil Danaher told the newspaper. “We want to let them know we care as much as they do.”

I don’t know who doesn’t.

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I.C. Murrell can be reached at 721-2435 or at ic.murrell@panews.com. On Twitter: @ICMurrellPANews