Oct. 25, 2009
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Play To Win
By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.
The Yellowjackets losing to the upstart Canyon Lakes Hawks make the remainder of the season an easy read. The Jackets win out…beat Wimberley Friday night in Wimberley, and then beat Liberty Hill at Jacket Stadium the following Friday, and to the playoffs we go. Either Burnet or Canyon Lake will have two district losses after they play. Llano has lost to both…thus both of those teams are in the playoffs. Llano beats Wimberley and Liberty Hill; we eliminate both with wins against competing teams. The Jackets lose to one, and the three losses in district play will eliminate the Jackets.
The Jackets just could not stop the Hawks running game or their passing game. A bad combination for a defense. For Llano to take a 6-0 lead in the first quarter only awoke the sleeping giant. The Hawks first three possessions produced 69 yards on 16 plays and Llano’s Cody Lang got his first varsity interception. Then bam..bam…bam.! 55 yards and a TD. A Jacket fumble. 24 yards and a TD. Another Jacket fumble. 89 yards later and Llano was behind 20-6. Poor Jacket tackling and three fumbles did the home team in. It was not pretty, and our hope is the bad game is out of the system.
Do think many Jackets had some very good plays. Jordan Cavness and Justin Severance had highlights for the off season. Lang and J.D. Roberson and Estevan Aviles were aggressive on the special teams, but poor coverage gave the Hawks field position that could not be overcome. Well over 150 yards of returns really gave the defense an uphill battle it was not ready to win. Travis Lawrence played well, as did senior Kayden Gass and Jase Ball. Senior Clayton Maples got his 100 plus yards rushing, but every carry took second effort just to make the line of scrimmage. It was a tough game, and a tough lose.
One needs not worry about the Hawks anymore. For all practical purposes, Llano has only game left that counts, and that is beating a team that has been the district favorite from the get go. The Texans can pass and run. They rarely get beat on their home turf. And they are wounded. They too will have lost two district games after Friday night. The Texans have lost to Liberty Hill. They must beat Llano to have a prayer left in making the playoffs. Beating Wimberley in Wimberley will be a test that few Jackets on this squad have ever faced before. The challenge has never been greater, and most will think have little chance of doing something few other Jackets teams have ever accomplished. Beating Wimberley two years in a row.
YEAR Wimberley Llano
2000 21 0
2001 42 13
2002 36 40
2003 26 24
2004 21 31
2005 42 17
2006 42 7
2007 28 7
2008 14 20
Two of the three Jacket wins in this decade have been at Wimberley. The task is not impossible. But it will take a herculean effort by Llano. Can Llano win? I have no doubt. But the Jackets must start today going over and over every small and subtle detail of how to beat a team that is so menacing. The Texans are backed into their own corner. They have everything to lose. Llano on the other hand has the same situation, only harder. We hope Llano has the mistakes behind them. Still, when Llano beats Wimberley Friday night, mistakes will have been made. It will be the team that recovers the fastest. The team that wants victory more. And the team that is playing as if there is nothing else to play for.
I’ll go with a tribute to the very fine 2002 Yellowjacket team.
Llano 40 Wimberley 36