The 2009 football season ended spectacularly with a 26-12 victory over the fifth best football program in the central Texas area for the decade. Liberty Hill is a storied program, two state championships, and a top 10 all time winning streak in the history of Texas football. Llano can’t be anything but honored to play against such a strong and acclaimed football powerhouse. The 2009 win by the Jackets in Jacket Stadium will go down as one of the Jacket’s finest moments.
The victory over the 3-0 Taylor Ducks was another great win by the Jackets. Taylor was ranked in the top 5 in Central Texas at the time. Llano was not intimidated. The Jackets 30-14 win in Jacket Stadium was a highlight of the pre-district schedule that Llano was able to go on and win 2 of five home games for the 2009 season. The three home losses were to 8-2 Rockdale, 7-3 Burnet, and 6-4 Canyon Lake, all state playoff teams.

Llano Coaches Record after 5 Full Seasons:

David Yeager: 36-22 62% Winning Perct. 5-4 Play Off Record 2005-‘09

Karl McCormack: 35-22 61.4 % Winning Perct. 3-4 Play Off Record 1996-2000

John Baskin: 34-17 66.6% Winning Perct. 0-2 Play Off Record 1976-1980

Weldon Seeliger 27-21 56% Winning Perct. 0-1 Play Off Record 1964-1968

   To the spoils go the victors: This said, The Jackets and most important, the Jacket seniors enjoyed a great run. Winning 12 games their junior and senior years, success is how you spell the effort they put out. Records are for the running backs, quarterbacks, receivers and kickers. The old lineman get few notices, yet my hope the following recognition happens at the all-district meeting.
   Kayden Gass should be all-district linebacker. Few teams Llano played this season had a better one. I would not trade Cody Allen or Josh Gammill at the two technique positions for anyone we played. Both were outstanding, yet unlikely both will be recognized. Jas Ball was dominating, and a true on the field leader. His injuries halted what would have been an all-district season. Only his carry-over from a great junior year will get him any recognition. Forrest Hoerster may be the only senior Yellowjacket to start every game the past two seasons. His consistant play hopefully will get him recognized. Someone had to be blocking full time when you have two backs that produced over 4,000 yards rushing the past two seasons. If you give an award for team player, and best outstanding second team player on your team, Clayton Tumlinson gets my nod. He carried the football a mere 20 times in 2009, yet his 8 yards per carry topped the team with significant number of tries. His all out effort was contagious. A great Yellowjacket. Russell Weihs fought injuries and a slow start, but his energy was always evident, and his special team play very outstanding. Pretty good linebacker also. Senior Seth Graham did a little of it all, all very good. Caught 3 passes, and was outstanding on defense. A great utility player that was used in many different ways. 2010 team will need to find a Seth Graham to fill many voids. Senior Charlie Durham caught 6 passes for an 26.33 average per catch. With a little more attention, his name would be in the record book. Key catches along with a very good defensive player, Charlie was a great Jacket with a great senior year. Will Cohen, # 90 on your program, and #1 in your heart…Will was primarily a downfield blocker. He was good.   Ask Maples and Aviles.   Joe Hernandez and Kyle Mitchell did not play as much as some, but were great teammates. I watched as they worked the sidelines. Without players like Kyle and Joe, others would need to do more. When given their chances, they held up well. Both Clayton Maples and Estevan Aviles should be all district on offense and defense. This is where it will get unfair. Maples will end up #5 career all-time top rusher. Estevan is #1 all time yards per carry. Their names are now scattered through out the record book in other catagories. Few have been better. When comparisons are made as time goes by, we fall into the comparing the likes of Thurman-Dickey…Laning-Virdell…Fraser-Hammons….that’s pretty heady company. Both were that good. And their lineman will lead their parade, because as times does go by, their lineman will be remembered as something special too.
   As of today, I have identified the following changes that will go into the LHS Record Book: Please help when you see over-sights and errors. I hope to have these additions in the records within a week.

All-Time Record : 435-407-45
Most Points Scored Team, Single game: Tie, # 3, Ingram 68

Most Points Scored Single Season: #13, Clayton Maples 96 (15 TDs) 2009

Most Points Career: #2, Clayton Maples 216 2008’09
#3, Estevan Aviles, 175 2008’09

Single Season Rushing Leader: # 16 Clayton Maples, 2009, 202 carries, 1,251 yards

Career All Time Rushers: #5 Clayton Maples 2008’09…408 carries, 2,573 yards.

Average yards per Carry- Season: #10 Clayton Maples, 2008, 6.42YPC
# 11 Clayton Maples, 2009, 6.19 YPC, 1,251 yards, 202 carries

This category is the one Estevan holds the school record, Established in 2008.

Field Goals One Season: Estevan Aviles, tie # 6, with 4, 2009

Extra Points Career: Estevan Aviles, #2, 55 points, 2008-09

Season Punting Average: # 3, Estevan Aviles, 2009, 35.55 average, 20 punts

Jackets Record at Jacket Stadium Decade of the 2000-2009….32-17….65% winning at home!

Jacket Record for the decade, 2000-2009…. 57-52, 5 winning seasons, 5 losing seasons, 10 State play Off games….record: 5-5.out