Nov. 10, 2008
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By Mikel R. Virdell…recording the history of the Fighting Llano Yellowjackets since 1973.
Llano 17 Liberty Hill 28
Last week I said it would take a team like Llano that would end the Liberty Hill Panther’s winning streak, now at 34 games. Llano played their hearts out, and left nothing on the field. No one could ask more from our team that had three starters on the sidelines in street clothes, and our best pass rusher goes out with a very bad knee injury on the 6th play of the game. Senior Cory Wunderlich has been the best Jacket rusher and putting pressure from our defense this season. He may have played his last football game. And despite that, Llano played the two time defending State Champions to a standstill in the first half Friday night, only to lose 28 to 17.
If this is a prelude to the level of play the Jackets are capable, then 2007 defending District Champion in District 7, Glen Rose, will get all they can handle while playing Llano this Friday night in Bi-District play. The Jackets played their best defensive game of the year, while playing with one hand tied behind them, and played more than respectable on offense. Senior running backs Logan Davis, and Jordan Ashabranner, and junior Clayton Maples did not play Friday night. In reserve came senior Jeffery McLerran, and juniors Clayton Tumlinson and Brandon Reid. My heart just grew warm with pride as these three super tough backs pounded into the best defense Llano will see this season. Sometimes the yardage was small. Yet it was most often, enough. The Jackets’ 14 first downs to the Panthers’ 15 kept the defending Champs without any breathing room. Llano just would not go away, and in the closing moments of the first quarter, junior Estevan Aviles kicked a 29 yard field goal that made the score 7 to 3 and that held up until 10:15 in the 3rd quarter.
The Jackets kicked off to the Panthers to start the game(Great tackle on the 15 yardline by Yellowjacket junior Brandon Reid), and the machine of an offense averaging over 45 points a game drove 85 yards in 8 plays to score and take the 7-0 lead. The defense of Seth Graham, Kayden Gass, Todd Tribble and Brandon Reid and Taylor Maddox were just getting warmed up. The Panthers had the football four more times in the first half. Llano held on a fourth down try, forced Liberty Hill to punt twice, and forced a fumble, recovered by Tribble. Holding the Panthers to 63 yards on the four series and 16 plays, the Jackets have not played better in 2008. Senior Royce Haines was playing like a mad-man.
Sophomore Travis Lawrence on the line was playing so mature and strong. I had to look at the program to make sure he hadn’t graduated. Junior Charlie Durham and senior Reagan Friedrich played their best football. And I guess Walker Woolman was in on every tackle. Senior Ty Compton had a super night in the secondary and continued his sure tackling. The Yellowjackets were swarming, and never were the Panthers’ running backs pulled down without four and five Jackets on top. Several times, Aviles made stops on the sweeps and would make you wonder who got hit the hardest. Yet, up would pop Estevan and he’d go at it again. Man, what a performance by this Yellowjacket team that held the Panthers to three touchdowns below their average…all happening on the Panther’s home field…in front of the largest crowd the Jackets have seen in many years. Should Llano be able to maintain this energy level into this Friday night against Glen Rose, “all everything quarterback” Derek Thompson(6-3, 215 pounds) will have to come prepared. Llano will be taking no prisoners against the favored Tigers.
Llano’s Senior quarterback Trey Brooks again kept the light lit under the Jackets. As good a team leader as I have seen in a decade, Brooks ran, scrambled, jumped, limped and kept pushing his troops to get one more yard. His best play was when he was trying to throw the football, and at the last second tucked it away and took a mighty hit. Had he thrown it, the interception would now be on the books. He completed passes to Aviles on a 40 yard catch, as well as two completions to sure handed Taylor Maddox, both key first downs, another first down completion to Tribble, and the final scoring toss to Mr. Hands, Walker Woolman for the 30 yard touchdown (Walker’s 9th Career TD Catch). Trey is starting his 24th game at quarterback for Llano against Glen Rose.
The Jacket offensive line was superb. Seniors Andrew Ratliff and Greg Dukes, and juniors Josh Gammill, Forrest Hoerster, and Jase Ball played against the best of defensive linemen. The Jacket lineman held their own. Woolman, Haines, Tate McWhorter, and Kayden Gass all had good nights in Liberty Hill.
While Llano never took the lead in this game, the Jackets should know now that they are capable of playing with anyone. They gave the Panthers all they wanted, and after the game you could see firm handshakes and sincere pats of respect on the backs from a very classy football team, the Liberty Hill Panthers.
Don’t like to look too far ahead, but Llano could play the Panthers again, four Friday nights from now, should each win three more games. Llano and Liberty Hill go into the playoffs as “small schools”, while Burnet represents the District 8AAA as the big school. It has been about 20 years since Llano went North for the play-offs. Liberty Hill plays 6-3AAA representative West. Burnet plays super power China Springs (14-2 in 2007). Llano gets to play Glen Rose, a team the Jackets have never played before. Glen Rose was 10-4 last season, with 6 starters back from that team in 2007, including Thompson.
Anyone would have had real concerns for the Yellowjackets knowing their last two district games were against the two most accomplished 3-A programs in all of Central Texas. The Jackets have got to feel good about themselves. They have played their best football. They will have to do the same this Friday night against Glen Rose. But I can’t think of any team I’d rather be heading North with than a team that I know will play their hearts out. When Llano plays one play at a time, and plays 100% every play, it has proven they are a force. A team to be reckoned with. A team everyone is so proud of.