Play to Win - Llano High School Football

Play to Win Archives

2003

2004

Play To Win

By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.

There is good news and there is bad news. The Llano Yellowjackets took one on the chin Friday night and the score of 42 to 20 was little indication of the margin. The Jackets did not play well, and the 15th ranked Tigers of Rockdale did. Llano was slow getting out of the gate, and with little pass rush from the defense, and little blocking from the offensive line, Llano was lucky the score of 28-0 at halftime was not worse.

This was unlike last year when Llano got beat 39-32 by the Tigers. Llano made mistakes, but looked sharp. This zero week of Texas High School football was zero for Llano. There were highlights. There were good plays. But over-all, the Jackets did not maintain any spunk. The Jackets played like Llano of old the first series on defense. Despite a 35 yard pass and run and one first down, the Jackets held the Tigers and a forced punt that put the Jackets on offense on the 9 yard line. On that first series of defensive plays, junior Travis Lawrence, senior Charlie Durham, and junior Davis Hill made good plays. And senior linebacker Kayden Gass made a play that was spectacular in getting shed of his blocker and still flowing to the outside to make a tackle on a faster running back for a loss.

The Jacket offense was not running smooth, but they were fighting. The Jackets gained 11 yards on the first 5 plays, completed a pass for seven more from junior quarterback Preston Rabb to junior Travis Maddox. Hard running into heavy traffic by seniors Clayton Maples and Estevan Aviles as well as junior Justin Saverance helped Llano get three first downs. Llano drove 12 plays and got to the 42 yard line when two offside penalties killed the drive and Llano punted.

The Tigers scored in five plays. And then went 49 yards in one play. And then 89 yards on one play. And the next drive took 5 plays to go 64 yards, thus the 28-0 halftime score. It was not pretty, and Llano just looked tired.

I have no doubt Llano will rebound. Coach David Yeager did not win 32 games over the past four years because he had not a clue. He knows what needs to be done, and adjustments will be coming. Still the players play on Friday nights, and players without player leadership will struggle. The seniors cannot wait for district to begin to start stepping up. The seniors can take control of this season this week.

Bangs, a ranked 2AA school may even be favored over Llano this week. Llano still should win. But unless a strong command from the seniors is not heard soon, Llano’s season could get long. As I said last week, this schedule is bruttle. After Bangs, Llano goes to Bandera. Their quarterback is a Division I talent. He nearly beat Llano last season all by himself. Then we play Taylor, winners this past week by a 50 point margin against 4AAA competition.

The good news would have to be the District over-all did not do much better than the Jackets. Liberty Hill and Burnet both lost. Fredericksburg lost. Canyon Lake beat state ranked Blanco.( I now predict Canyon Lake will win three games in District play) Wimberley won.

Llano has time to get regrouped. Injuries play a big part, as it wrecked havoc on Liberty Hill also the past two weeks. Other players have to take on more responsibility, and more leadership. If Llano wants to win one of those three playoffs positions in 8-3AAA, it begins this week in beating a good Bangs team.

Llano 26 Bangs 21