Oct. 13, 2008
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By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.
Llano 12 (4-2) Burnet 35 (2-5)
In many respects, the Llano Yellowjackets played one of their best games of the season against long time rival Burnet. Llano nearly had double the offensive output that the Bulldogs produced. The Jackets offense was not as effective as in weeks previous. But the defense was better. Anyone that took the 1-5 Bulldogs as an underdog were plenty fooled. The playoff team coming down from 4AAAA last season was a very good football team, and left little doubt that Llano would need a very perfect night to prevail. Perfect, Llano was not, and now the sobering realization that the playoffs may be very difficult to obtain in 2008. Many things must now happen for the Jackets to return to the Playoffs for the fourth year in a row.
Llano knew what a task they faced with the Bulldogs. And prepared Llano was. Holding back most of the year, the Jackets went to the air 13 times, as compared to 0 just last week against Fredericksburg. And while the first pass out of senior Trey Brooks’s hand produced an interception that was returned to the one yardline, Trey was near perfect in throwing the football for the remainder of the game. Hitting on 9 of 11 passes for 169 yards, Trey had one of his best ever games passing as a Jacket starting quarterback.
Llano’s running game was different. I think leading rusher Clayton Maples was running just as hard as ever, but great defensive line play, plus the best linebackers Llano has played this season had Maples’ number and seemed determined to stop that part of the Jacket offense. Estevan Aviles had 10 carries for 79 yards (plus 69 yards catching the football). But give Burnet credit. For the first time this season, Llano did not have a 100 yard rusher. In fact, Llano has had two over 100 yards in each of the first five games. But, whatever Burnet did, it changed the way Llano reacted, and the result was but 12 points for the night.
At moments, Llano’s defense was much improved. But poor tackling, poor open field tackling, and allowing over 100 yards in return yardage was telling results. On the other hand, Llano’s defense forced the Bulldogs to punt five times, and held Burnet quarterback Dillon Chafin to about 130 yards passing. Nearly 250 yards less than he threw for the week before against Liberty Hill. Outstanding games by Llano linebackers Kayden Gass, Reagan Friedrich, and Logan Davis stopped many a play before it began. Llano held the Bulldogs to 12 plays of two yards or less….winning football by any measure. I thought Cory Wunderlich played hard and had a good pass rush, as well as did Charlie Durham and Seth Graham.
The Jackets now face the uphill pull of having to win every game to stay close in the hunt for a playoff spot. The reason Burnet has an advantage is they play the weaker end of the schedule over the next four weeks. They have already lost to Wimberley and Liberty Hill. Llano can take on those two teams in the last two games of the regular season. In the meantime, Llano must beat Ingram and Canyon Lake over the next two weeks. Neither will be considered strong opposition, but that is a problem if you have seniors that do not demand the season not become a lame duck. The Jackets need to 1) Get well. Brooks, Ratliff, Weihs, & Compton are needed in Week 10. Everyone else must play harder now. 2) Senior Jordan Ashabranner, Maples, and Aviles can get their wheels churning again, and get back on track with 100 yard rushing games, in which all three are very capable. 3) The offensive line needs to be bit more consistent….and please stop jumping off-sides. 4) Beat Ingram convincingly. By the time Llano plays Wimberley in Wimberley, Llano should have a 6-2 record. It needs to be a confidant 6-2 record to have a chance at beating the defending District Champion.
Llano first played Ingram in 1998, in which Llano won 42-7. The overall record is Llano 8 wins, and Ingram winning in both 2002 and 2003.